A letter from Yogalife's owner, Caren.
Dear Yogalife students, teachers & yogis,
Happy Happy New Year!!!
How should I start.... ;) If we haven’t had the chance to meet yet, let me introduce myself. My name is Caren. I was the very first Yogalifer pretty much ever. I have had the pleasure of seeing the growth of this little studio become what it is today. Thank you for all the love and support that you show our Yogalife family everyday just by showing up.
My resolution this year is to start 2014 with clarity, integrity and intention. For me, 2013 has been a full year of shifts and lessons, of opportunity and growth. I am so fortunate and blessed to be part of such a rich yoga community, to be able to find abundance in the relationships I have made and to love what I get to do everyday. Thank you for showing up and helping me see that.
It might get long… so thank you for continuing to read this.... : )
Gratitude to the teachers who pour their heart and soul out in every class they teach, gratitude to them for helping us inspire health, strength, vibrancy and more in our community.
Gratitude to the front desk yogis who keep up with the cleaning and the laundry with vigour so that we can practice comfortably in the studio. Gratitude to them for making our day a little brighter with their warm smile or when they offer tea as an alternative to when we show up late for class.
Gratitude to the social media yogis for crafting beautiful reads, photos and videos to keep us motivated, educated and excited.
And Gratitude to all the students who keep showing up for classes and workshops, ready to move, ready to breathe and ready to learn. Your determination and exuberance fills me with humility and pride.
It’s already 2014! It’s hard to imagine that life moves so quickly and that Yogalife has been open for almost 4 years now. No, it doesn’t feel like just yesterday that we opened our doors, but my body definitely still remembers that "night before open foot fracture", and the space boot that came with it. My foot still hurts when it’s cold out…
This year our intention is to craft classes, workshops, and blog content that will inspire you. So we are offering a January and February filled with workshops dedicated to motivating your resolutions and goals. Perhaps there’s a workshop that will move you, challenge you, and make you smile.
Share your thoughts with us on how you felt about 2013. What do you want to see this year and what interests you?
These past 4 years have been a wild ride! I can’t wait to see what this upcoming year brings. Feels like it’s going to be… wait for it…. LEGENDARY.
Love,
Caren
Recipes by Sarah Gardner: Southwest Quinoa Salad
Southwest Quinoa Salad
This is a light salad is full of veggies and proteins to give us lots of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that our bodies need to function properly. Substitutions can always be made for many of the ingredients. For example, don’t like cucumber? Use zucchini! Use lime juice instead of lemon. Don’t like cumin? Leave it out, the salad still tastes great! Or, if you want to add a bit of heat add a chopped jalapeno pepper!
Ingredients
For the Salad:
1 Cup Quinoa 1 Cucumber ½ Red Onion 1 Large Tomato 1 Can Corn Kernels 1 Can Black Beans Handful of Chopped Cilantro (About 3 tbsp)
For the Dressing:
½ Cup Olive Oil ½ Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice 1 tsp Cumin
Directions
- Cook the quinoa in a medium sized pot - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil with 1 cup of quinoa. When the water begins to boil turn the heat down to low and cover the pot with a lid until the all of the water is gone.
- While your quinoa is cooking chop your vegetables. They should all be roughly the same size – I usually cut mine to about 1 cm cubes. Keep to the side until the quinoa is cooked.
- Just before the quinoa is cooked completely (so when there is a little bit of liquid still left in the pot) I like to throw my black beans and corn in so that they cook thoroughly.
- Once the quinoa is done, and corn and black beans cooked, add the other vegetables to the pot.
- Mix your salad dressing and pour into the pot.
- Stir everything so that all ingredients mix well and the dressing evenly coats the salad. Serve this salad chilled.
Salad can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for several days.
A Few Nutritional Notes:
Quinoa:
- Very high in protein (it contains all nine essential amino acids our bodies need) so it makes a great vegetarian substitute for meat – especially since it’s cholesterol-free and low-fat.
- It’s gluten free.
- It’s a good source of iron, fibre, riboflavin (a member of the B-vitamin family and has been recently shown to reduce migraines) and magnesium (which is good for your cardiovascular health as it helps to control blood sugar levels).
Black Beans:
- Another good source of protein for the vegetarians among us.
- Full of dietary fibre which helps to regulate blood sugar levels and is good for your digestive system.
- Studies have also shown that the darker a bean, the higher it’s antioxidant content. So, black beans are full of antioxidants!
- Lots of iron – low iron levels can make us feel sluggish, decrease school/work functioning and slow childhood cognitive development.
Weekend Relax Breakfast (Strawberry Kiwi Quinoa Delight)
Inspired by Roberto Martin’s Quinoa and Berry Breakfast Cereal
When Saturday and Sunday stroll right along, the snooze button becomes a friendly acquaintance. Students and the nine to five goers bask in caught up sleep and comfort that their morning routine can change. Cereal, toast and fruit can become the quickest forms of sustenance when we are on the go. The weekends tell another story. Time constraints can dwindle, allowing weekenders to commute to the farmers market or supermarket to pick up some ingredients for breakfast experimentation. It can be a tad exasperating not seeing the food items you need for a new recipe, but the circumstance challenges creativity to transpire-exactly how the Weekend Relax Breakfast emerged.
Ingredients
-Almond or Soy Milk (1/2 cup)
-Water (1/2 cup)
-Quinoa (1/2 cup)
-Pecans (1/3 cup crushed)
-Kiwis (2 sliced)
-Strawberries (10 medium sliced)
-Dried Cranberries or Raisins (1/3 cup)
-Ground Cinnamon (1/2-1 tablespoon)
-Agave Nectar (1/2-1 tablespoon)
Directions
In a medium saucepan add the almond or soy milk, water, pecans, dried cranberries or raisins and ground cinnamon. On medium heat, stir every few minutes until the blended mixture gradually begins to simmer.
In the meantime, you can slice the fruit into a bowl. Plastic wrap the bowl and store it in the fridge.
By this time the mixture should be simmering and you can add the quinoa to the blend. Give it a few stirs to disperse the quinoa. Reduce the heat to low and cover. In about 15-20 minutes, the quinoa should soak up the liquid. Add the agave nectar and give it a whirl. Take the fruit and add it to the confection. Voila, you have got yourself a Weekend Relax Breakfast.
Pertinent Facts
-Strawberries and kiwis offer a great source of vitamin C
-Quinoa can substitute oatmeal and cereal
-Quinoa contains a rich source of fiber and protein
Final Thoughts
Weekends: Doing Whatever You Need To Do To Unwind From The Week. Cooking is a tool I use to take a break from studying. It may not be everyone’s forte, exhibit A right here, but it promotes you to explore your inner child, the part that hides during the week and explores on the weekend.
“Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy” –Craig Claiborne
-Vlad
Pratyhara
Connecting the Mat to the Stage
Pratyhara deals with the present moment. Savasana, corpse pose, is a key asana that usually associates itself to Pratyhara. After an arduous routine our body craves a calming pose. Savasana allows the body to align with the mind to “take in” the practice. Specifically, the posture enables a Yogi to attune with their inner self so much that a rapid sensory adaptation envelopes the body where you can lose track of time. The relaxing (parasympathetic) nervous system calms the mind making sure to alleviate the effects of the flight or fight (sympathetic) nervous system.
A Yogi can feel so intertwined in the present moment that for an instant the five senses seem out of reach to the moment.
Personally, after transitioning to a group ohm from savasana I have experienced yoga bliss where you feed off the energy of others. There is an energy that stems from the core and shoots to the top of the head and tips of the toes. This phenomenon seems slightly neurotic and crazy right? Right? RIGHT?
Wrong. This same phenomenon has happened to me on multiple onstage occasions. From singing a high note in the last song at the end of the show, the core feeling does not seem to disseminate to thin air. There is an element that connects pratyhara to the stage: vulnerability. On the mat you can be surrounded by up to fifty sweaty bodies where physical contact is inevitable.
At first, it can be difficult to let go and trust a group of complete strangers. Strangers that can see you work through a supressed subconscious. But in a Yoga class you work as a team, feeding off of the communal energy.
Similarly, in acting you delve into bizarre circumstances you need to wrap your head around. You’re experimenting with your emotions and sharing it to a vast dark laughing or crying abyss. Although, there is something surprising about both disciplines.
They allow you to confront who you are at face value.
Vulnerability allows you to explore different spheres your mind and body can reach. There is no cost in being submissive to vulnerability because there is a reward. What is the reward? Basking in the ephemeral savasana and basking in the onstage chemistry with your cast mates, or connecting with strangers on a meta level.
-Vlad
5 Reasons to THINK Before You SPEAK
Adapted from Deborah Hawkins:
He stared at me and blinked. Yes, I was sarcastic. Yes, I was angry. I felt he was self-pre-occupied, inconsiderate and should be ashamed of himself. Then I ruminated about what I said and why? Basically, I scolded him. I spoke as if I was coming from some higher moral place and wanted him to feel bad. I had to ask myself some questions. Would the brief scolding improve the thoughtfulness? (I contemplated that he probably laughed with his friends later about the incident.) Did the brief scolding make me feel any better? That was an even more important question, and I had to admit it didn’t. Being sarcastic with him didn’t make me feel better. I didn’t let go of my perceived slight, my moral outrage, any sooner.
Thinking before you speak considerations do not fall under any sort of action tip category, but they can be very important to your image, to your relationships, and to your peace of mind.
Here are some of the thoughts I try to run through my head – before words run out my mouth.
1) Was intentionality involved?
If responding to something someone said or did, ask yourself if there was intentionality involved. Did the other person mean to be unkind?
Before reacting to words or actions I might not employ myself, I will still try to understand motive. I’ll try to ask myself if the other person meant to be mean or if he was simply being ignorant. If someone is simply being thoughtless, it’s usually not worth the energy required for a clever put-down. If a person is really ignorant, he might not even understand my barb, and not being understood has never made me feel good.
2) What (exactly) am I reacting to?
Before making a verbal response to something I don’t like, I will ask myself if my issue is with the person, with a comment or action, or with me.
If I just don’t like the person, I will remind myself that there’s probably nothing he could say that I’d agree with, so reacting to any specific comment is not going to help us get along, which is probably all I might hope for in the relationship. If I am reacting to a comment, I will try thinking about ways to disagree with the comment without making the person look stupid, feel defensive or wrong.
This doesn’t mean I will stay silent, but I will definitely spend time composing my words before firing them off.
I will also ask myself if I experienced anything recently that frustrated me. If I am really resentful or angry about getting a parking ticket or something else that happened to me that day, it’s unfair to be flippant to someone who just happens to be in front of me.
3) Who do I want to be?
Before making any kind of comment in reaction to something, I want to remember that to other people, what I say is who I am.
When I was a younger woman, I felt self-conscious that I didn’t have a traditional job. I wasn’t a teacher or accountant or lawyer. I often felt bad about this and when, in a social setting, I’d be asked, “What do you do?” I’d often announce “I’m a female impersonator.” I’d do this to be clever and to confuse people. When I’d say this, people would stare at me, often unsure how to respond.
I don’t talk this way anymore, especially with people I don’t know.
When I say “what I say is who I am,” I don’t mean I believe I can be whatever I tell people about myself. I mean that speaking truthfully is more important to me than being clever or disarming.
A person who speaks truthfully and considerately is who I want to be in the world, how I want to be perceived. My words are at least if not more important to my public image than clean clothes and combed hair. It’s good to think about the impression you want to make and the person you want to be before making the first pointed quip that comes to mind.
4) What is my relationship with this other person?
If a relationship is important to you, building up a case to prove you’re right about something should be far less important than letting the other person know he or she is important to you. Not that you have to put yourself down or lie to make someone else feel good, but if your main reason for speaking is to build yourself up, you might re-think your contribution to the conversation.
Do you want to encourage trust? Demonstrate competence? Kindness? Understanding? Cooperation? What qualities would be important to the relationship?
Even if you want to show off your sense of humor and quick wit, think of who you are with and about how you can do this without going totally negative. Lots of friendships revolve around sharing wicked clever observations, but sometimes going too negative will just make you look lame.
5) Who are you judging?
The other week, my boyfriend commented to me on how he thought I was acting particularly spacey. I did a quick inventory of moods that probably visited me that day and I didn’t feel spacey applied. I probably could have admitted to being impatient or other less than angel perfect ways but didn’t feel I owned this category.
Then I realized he forgot to take his wallet when he left for work in the morning. He was projecting. I know I do this, too, at times. I think most people have done this; criticizing someone for reminding them of something they don’t like in themselves.
So, before responding to someone in a particularly critical way, I try to ask myself if there is any judgment about myself hidden in what I think I see in the other person.
I don’t think I’m espousing the Sunday School philosophy “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything,” but I recognize that in the heat of a conversation or as a reaction to a person or type of person I don’t especially like, I have wished I could take something I said back.
I have learned to save sarcasm for friends I know well and am grateful when I think before I speak. HOWEVER, the topic of sarcasm opens up an entirely different discussion. For another time...
Yogalife Pass Sale & Yoga Gifts!
Seasons Greeting and Happy Holidays! From our hearts to yours, we'd like to share the gift of yoga with you.
Session Pass Sale
Session Pass Sale. 20% OFF! December 10 - 20, 2013.
10 Session Pass | reg $140 | sale $112
25 Session Pass | reg $275 | sale $220
You can purchase online or in store. Use the Promo Code: yogaeveryday to receive your 20% discount.
Bundled Christmas Yoga Gifts
We've got you covered with Christmas Gifts too! 15% OFF on the following bundles. If you purchase a bundle and want to add something to it, you can receive 15% OFF on that extra item as well.
Yoga Mat & Towel
Yoga Mat & Mat Sling
Hand Towel, Yoga Strap & Block
Meditation Cushion & Mala Beads
New Gift Cards
We just got in some really sweet gift cards! So if you don't know what to get your Yogi, you can just offer them an amount to put towards their yoga.
Tips For Making a GREAT Relationship
Adapted from Michael McCarthy:
The opportunity for the Great Relationship is always in your path, you simply have to notice it, choose it….and …. WORK at it. That relationship that we are all looking for must be nourished and maintained like any beautiful flower.
What are the magical ingredients we need to culture this flower? In no special order but all necessary to its colour, bouquet and texture, here are a few of the necessary items you need in your love potion for that “Great Relationship”:
Expression of Gratitude
Give thanks everyday for that special person in your life and the wonder of the love you share.
Forgiveness
Always be willing to forgive, to let go of that which you may not approve of in your relationship. Do not cast the stone of disapproval.
Honesty
Always be transparent in your relationship. Do not judge one another.
Expression of Beauty and Excellence
Be sure to compliment and positively comment on what may seem at first glance small or insignificant.
Focus on what’s good, great and intoxicating
Always have at the centre of your relationship what is great.
Perspective
Keep in perspective what is happening in your relationship.
Teamwork
Be kind to one another. Neither person is there to be taken advantage of.
Humour
Keep your sense of humour. Do not take one another too seriously. Have fun.
Kindness
Be kind and considerate whenever you are interacting with each other.
Perseverance
Never give up on that special person.
Creativity
Look for new and fresh ways to bring new excitement and awarenesses into your relationship.
Love of learning to love
Each day look for something new and wonderful you can learn about your partner’s love.
WORK on these in your special relationship. Continue to notice and choose those items that make your relationship precious. Enjoy each moment so you never have to regret what you could have had.
In the words of the Prophet, Kahlil Gibran – “Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of love”. This in the flower that blossoms before your eyes.
21 Habits to Avoid if You're Truly Wanting Happiness
We all want to be happy. We often talk about how badly we want happiness, yet we keep repeating the same unhealthy habits over and over again.
The best way to achieve happiness is by eliminating things that aren't serving us anymore.
So read the following list of what you should stop doing, and make your life happier today:
1. Stop complaining about what’s missing. Instead, be grateful for what you already have.
2. Stop being a jerk to people you love. Instead, open up about what’s bothering you deep inside.
3. Stop comparing yourself to others, because you’ll never feel good enough. Instead, focus on your strengths and let them shine.
4. Stop pushing people away with your criticism. Instead, accept your imperfections and acknowledge theirs as well.
5. Stop living in your past. Instead, forgive yourself and those who caused you pain and move on.
6. Stop seeking people’s approval, because you’ll always feel that something’s missing. Instead, believe in yourself and focus on what makes you happy.
7. Stop blaming others for your unhappiness, because you’re the author of your life. Instead, put a plan together to create the life that you want.
8. Stop beating yourself up when you make mistakes. Instead, use them as an opportunity to grow.
9. Stop falling into your bad habits. Instead, create new ones that will help you achieve your goals.
10. Stop wasting your life on Facebook and on TV. Instead, find new passions that will nurture you.
11. Stop living other people’s dreams. Instead, find your own and feel alive forever.
12. Stop being in a rush. Instead, focus on every moment because you have all your life to complete your tasks.
13. Stop worrying about everything. Instead, focus on every moment so you don’t miss out on miracles.
14. Stop whining. Instead, focus on what you want and take action to get it
15. Stop controlling others. Instead, appreciate who they are and what they are.
16. Stop thinking you’re the smartest. Instead, appreciate the best in others and work with them to create a more harmonious world.
17. Stop trying to impress other people. Instead, be yourself and let people love you for who you are.
18. Stop surrounding yourself with negative people, because they’ll only bring you down. Instead, be around like minded people who appreciate you and support your growth
19. Stop saying YES to everything. Instead, stand up for yourself and say NO lovingly, for everyone’s sake.
20. Stop competing for success. Instead, realize that the world has enough for everyone.
21. Stop being scared of taking your first step. Instead, gain your power back and trust the process of life. Everything happens for a “good” reason.
7 Ways to Stop Fearing What Everyone Thinks of You
Adapted by Marc Chernoff:
The unhappiest people in this world are the people who care the most about what everyone else thinks.
“What’s wrong with wanting to please others?”
That’s what several people asked me via email in response to one of my recent articles. Today, I want to discuss why it’s not healthy to try to please everyone, and how to stop yourself from doing so.
Seeking approval from others is perfectly fine up until the point where you are compromising your health and happiness in the process. It becomes a serious problem if you feel as though widespread positive approval from others is the very oxygen you need to breathe. There was a time in my life when I felt exactly this way.
I literally felt like I was short of breath – almost as if I’d die if my peers didn’t approve of me. This is a condition that developed in my mind when I was very young, after kids in grade school teased me for being a “nerd.” I did everything I could to win their approval. And although I grew out of my awkward stage pretty early in my teenage years, the damage was done – I was left feeling insecure. I was conditioned to seek and beg for outside approval at all times.
The big problem was that, as a twenty-something college graduate entering the work force, I felt that anything I did or even thought only had validity if it was the “right thing” to say and think. And by “right thing,” what I really mean is “what other people thought was right.” I was terrified to step outside the box of acceptability – which was especially harmful to my creativity as I tried to nurture my passion for writing and blogging.
Once I realized what I was doing, I read several books, spoke with a coach, and focused diligently on healing this broken part of myself.
The bottom line is that constant approval-seeking forces you to miss out on the beauty of simply being yourself, with your own unique ideas and desires. If you are led through life only doing and being what you’ve come to believe is expected of you, then, in a way, you cease to live.
So how can you stop fearing what everyone thinks of you? Let’s take a look:
1. Get comfortable with not knowing what other people think.
Some problems in life, such as not knowing what others think of you, are not really meant to be resolved. How people perceive you may have more to do with them than you anyway. They may even like or dislike you simply because you’ve triggered an association in their minds by reminding them of someone they liked or disliked from their past, which has absolutely nothing to do with you. So here’s a new mantra for you – say it, and then say it again: “This is my life, my choices, my mistakes and my lessons. As long as I’m not hurting people, I need not worry what they think of me.”
2. Know that most people are NOT thinking about you anyway.
Ethel Barrett once said, “We would worry less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they do.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. Forget what everyone else thinks of you; chances are, they aren’t thinking about you anyway. If you feel like they always are, understand that this perception of them watching you and critiquing your every move is a complete figment of your imagination. It’s your own inner fears and insecurities that are creating this illusion. It’s you judging yourself that’s the problem.
3. Accept that someone else’s opinion is NOT your problem.
How many times have you looked at a person and initially misjudged their brilliance? Appearances are deceptive. How you seem to someone and how you actually are are rarely congruent. Even if they get the basic gist of who you are, they’re still missing a big piece of the puzzle. What someone thinks of you will rarely contain the whole truth, which is fine.
If someone forms an opinion of you based on superficialities, then it’s up to them, not you, to reform those opinions based on a more objective and rational viewpoint. Leave it to them to worry about – that is, if they even have an opinion at all. Bottom line: The opinions other people have about you is their problem, not yours. The less you worry about what they think of you, the less complicated your life becomes.
4. Ask yourself, “Does what they think even matter?”
People will think what they want to think. No matter how carefully you choose your words and mannerisms, there’s always a good chance they’ll be misinterpreted and twisted upside down by someone. Does this really matter in the grand scheme of things? No, it doesn’t.
How others see you is not important. How you see yourself means the world. When you’re making big decisions, remember, what you think of yourself and your life is more important than what people think of you. Stay true to YOU. Never be ashamed of doing what feels right. Decide what you think is right and stick to it.
5. See the benefit in being unique.
If you’re thinking like everyone else, you aren’t thinking. And if you aren’t thinking, you aren’t truly living. It’s human nature to attempt to mimic other humans we look up to – perhaps a parental figure or a celebrity – especially when we are feeling insecure in our own skin. But attempting to be someone else will always leave us feeling empty inside. Why? Because what we appreciate about the people we admire is their individuality – the qualities that make them unique. To really copy them, we need to develop our own individuality, and in that way, we would actually be less like them and more like our true selves.
We all have quirks and unique perspectives. The more relaxed you become with your own differences, the more comfortable you will start to feel just being YOU. Celebrate being different, off the beaten path, a little on the weird side… your own special creation. If you find yourself feeling like a fish out of water, by all means find a new river to swim in. But DO NOT change who you are; BE who you are.
6. Be fully present and aware of how you DO want to feel.
It’s OK to know how you do not want to feel, but that’s not all you should be thinking about. Imagine someone trying to learn to read by spending all their time focusing on how they do not want to not be able to read. It doesn’t really make any sense, does it?
Enough is enough! Forget what you do not want to feel for a moment. Work out how you DO want to feel right now in the present moment. Train yourself to live right here, right now without regretting how others once made you feel, or fearing the possibility of future judgment.
7. Speak and live your truth.
Speak your truth even if your voice shakes. Be cordial and reasonable, of course, but don’t tread carefully on every word you say. Push your concerns of what others might think aside. Let the consequences of doing so unravel naturally. What you’ll find is that most of the time no one will be offended or irritated at all. And if they do get upset, it’s likely only because you’ve started behaving in a way that makes them feel they have less power over you.
Think about it. Why be fake?
In the end, the truth usually comes out one way or the other, and when that happens, you’re standing alone if you’ve been living a lie. So live your whole truth starting now. If someone gives you a hard time and says, “You’ve changed,” it’s not a bad thing. It just means you stopped living your life their way. Don’t apologize for it. Instead, be open and sincere, explain how you feel, and keep doing what you know in your heart is right.
Afterthoughts
A life spent ceaselessly trying to please people who, perhaps, are incapable of ever being pleased, or trying too hard to always be seen as doing “the right thing,” is a sure road to a regretful existence.
Do more than just exist. We all exist. The question is: Do you live?
Please take this post to heart and start making changes today. Life is too short not to.
Amy Stuparyk's Yoga Journey
Introducing Amy Stuparyk.
Amy teaches Hot Flow, Core, and Hatha classes at Yogalife. You may have experience one of her shaking your assana classes in one of her classes.
Amy has been with Yogalife since the very beginning. She was one of the first students we had walking through our doors. She already had a strong and flexible practice as she had a dancing background. She was looking for an alternative to her dance and decided to try hot yoga initially for the physical practice. It has become so much more than the physical practice for her now.
And this past Sunday, she embarked on a 17 hour flight to the land of OZ to adventure, explore & experience the world down under. And with great excitement for her as well as sadness, she does not have a confirmed return date. So we all wish her the best adventures and safest ones too. We're going to miss her here at the studio.
“To me, yoga means so many different things but I can sum it all up with a single word, oneness. Oneness with yourself, your breath, your movement and the world around you.Creating peace, love and tranquility around. Om Mani Padme Hum”
Mindful Self Healing - Yoga and Massage
Brandon not only helps guide bodies as a yoga instructor, but he also works as a massage therapist and personal trainer. He has worked diligently to bridge all of them together to create The Art of Yoga and Massage series. With his knowledge of the human body and how it relates to your yoga practice, Brandon can help take you through a deeper awareness of what may be physically or emotionally holding you back.
Mindful Self-Healing – The Art of Yoga and Massage
Join Brandon Jacobs on December 7th from 3:30-6:30pm at the North Studio for a three-hour workshop based on many principles of Massage Therapy and Yoga! Throughout this workshop you will learn techniques to self heal, as well as to help heal another. Our body is extremely multifaceted and connected. Throughout this workshop, you will have the opportunity to experience the healing power of touch, and how it can relate to openness and freedom in your yoga practice. This workshop will involve a lot of hands on work, so come with a friend, partner, or spouse, OR ensure you are comfortable touching and being touched by someone you do not know (for the clinical palpation of partner trigger point techniques). The art of “touch” is incredibly impactful, but please be mindful that it takes time, and is such, an “art.”
***Please bring a golf ball and either a lacrosse or tennis ball to this workshop.
Please note that there are only 6-8 spots available for this workshop.
To register, please visit our website here
Work Mind Vs. Vacation Mind
The Practice of Work Mind & Vacation Mind, Simultaneously
Adapted from Leo Babuta
As we move forward into winter vacation season, and the idea of "getting away from it all," it seems important to consider how we can avoid "working for the weekend" or trudging along until the next vacation.
Imagine being on vacation: you can laze around, sipping on margaritas, not worrying about what you have to do today, not worrying about the time, just being without all the anxiety.
Now imagine being busy at work: you are doing one task while worrying about others, worrying that you’re not doing the right task, thinking about all the other things on your schedule and task list, interrupted by others, filled with anxiety.
Vacation mind, work mind.
They are two different things, and yet, what if we could have the vacation mind while working? We’d have to toss out the lazing around and the margaritas, but the mindset could be the same. The result would be a saner way of living, where we aren’t “working for the weekend” or looking forward to the little vacation time we have, but instead are happier throughout the week.
How can this be done? It’s a few small mindset habits, which can be practiced and learned over time.
What Vacation Mind is Like at Work
Work mind is often full of anxiety: anxiety for what we need to do, for deadlines, for irritating or angry co-workers/bosses, for all the information coming in, for whether we’re doing the right thing right now, for whether we’re missing out on something important. Vacation mind lets that anxiety go, and is just present in the current moment. Time is less important, enjoying yourself is the priority.
So what does it look like when you apply vacation mind to work? You let go of the anxiety. You aren’t worried about getting it all done, or doing the right thing right now, or all the things you have to do later. You are immersed in enjoying whatever you’ve chosen to do right now.
Let’s say you decide to write something right now — you have a long list of things to do, but you decide this is the thing you want to work on at the moment. Could there be other things you should be doing instead? Of course — there always are. There’s no way to know the perfect thing to do — so just pick something, and do it.
You have other things to do, but instead of worrying about those things, you immerse yourself in the current task. You aren’t worried about getting it done quickly, but more focused on enjoying yourself as you do it. Now and then you mentally step back, take a look at the bigger picture, and then return back to immersion in the task.
Pick something to do, immerse yourself, let go of worrying about other things, and just do. Enjoy yourself. Once in awhile, come up for air and look at the big picture.
The Vacation Mind Practices
You might have noticed the key elements in the description above — they’re the practices to be developed if you want to have vacation mind at work.
Note that you can’t just flip a switch and be good at these things today … they take practice, like any other skill. I can say that they’re worth practicing, even if you never master them, because they can transform your relationship with work.
Here are the practices — I recommend practicing a little each day:
- Pick something, immerse yourself. On vacation, you might decide to go for a swim. So you do, and fully enjoy the feeling of the cool water on your skin, the exertion of the swim, the taste of the water in your mouth. You can do this at work too: pick something to do, forget about whether it’s the right thing to do at the moment (there’s no such thing), and just do it. Be fully in it. Enjoy the experience of doing it. Notice the feeling, the exertion, the taste.
- Let go of anxieties. This takes practice. It’s noticing when anxiety comes up, then noticing the source of the anxiety, which is some kind of outcome you hope will happen (looking good in front of others, being perfectly productive, not messing up, controlling a situation, etc.). Realize that this outcome is only a fantasy, and that other outcomes are OK too. Realize that holding on to this fantasy outcome is hurting you (causing anxiety). Be compassionate with yourself and let go of the unnecessary fantasy that’s hurting you.
- Step back and see the big picture. Immersing yourself is great, but it’s also useful to be able to un-immerse yourself, and take an assessment of what’s going on around you. This might mean what’s going on physically around you — people who are nearby, how you’re sitting (and whether you’re sitting too long), etc. But it could mean taking a look at your work situation, as it is right now (something that’s always changing) — is there an appointment you should get to, another task you should jump into instead, someone who needs your attention, some anxiety that’s come up? See the big picture, then go back into immersion.
- Be less worried about time. There are times when time matters — showing up on time for an appointment to be considerate of the other person/people you’re meeting, meeting a deadline, having to bill for the time you spend. But a lot of the time we worry about time for no real good reason. It’s not healthy. Immerse yourself in the task, step back to see the big picture, and immerse yourself again (in the same task or another). The time of day isn’t relevant to this process.
Is it possible to be on permanent vacation, so that you’re doing your work but also in the relaxed, enjoyable mindset that’s brought on by margaritas on the beach? I think so, but there’s only one way to find out. Practice.
10 Messages Your Body May Be Sending You on Your Mat - Are You Listening?!?!
Adapted from Karen Fabian:
"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." "You are beautiful and perfect just as you are." These are just a couple of concepts that I often teach on. Please read on to discover how you can learn to love yourself and your practice even more.
Sometimes when we practice yoga, it’s all we can do to get to the mat. We start practicing, our body is tired, our minds wander and we’re distracted and not focusing on the mind/body connection. Even in the best of practices though, we may also feel somewhat disconnected. We’re dealing with information overload: between social media, the news, our personal schedules and any pains in our body that may have disrupted the passage of messages from our heads to our body.
It’s important to hear the messages our body is sending. This can be the difference between feeling good and feeling great. Sometimes our body is sending us messages but we’re not clear on what to do because we’re new to the pose or to yoga in general.
So, inspired by these thoughts, here are 10 things that may pop up in your sensory body that might be worth listening to:
Is Downward Dog supposed to hurt my hands so much?
From a teacher’s perspective, this is one of the most common messages I’ll bet your body may be sending you, but you’re not sure what to do. If you’re new to yoga and feeling this, you’re probably wondering how anyone could enjoy this pose.
Bend your knees and leverage pushing down into your palms to literally rebound up the sides of your body, pushing your hips up and back. Remember to keep your knees bent a little so that you can draw the weight out of your hands and into your legs. Do this with great awareness so as not to overstretch the hamstrings or create tension in the low back or shoulders.
How can I stop my arm from shaking in Side Plank?
Here’s another pose-related message that I frequently see students struggle with while in class. Turning to the side puts tremendous pressure on the shoulder. Unless the shoulder is stacked over the wrist and/or the knee is down, you may experiences shaking in the supporting arm. Take this modification and you’ll experience less shake while building more strength.
It’s so hard to hold this Triangle Pose. This can’t possibly be right. Triangle pose is a stretch for the inner thighs and sides of the body but it’s hard to experience that sensation if you’re hanging over the front of your leg. Feeling good in this pose is additionally complicated by placing a block in front of the foot instead of behind it. In order to create the alignment of your joints needed to be comfortable, only bring your hand down as far as you can keep the upper body aligned with the front thigh. With this alignment, you’re not fighting gravity and can experience great stretch.
Why is it so hard to reach this block? This is hardly helpful. I often see people grab a block and the lose alignment by placing it too low or struggling to reach it with their fingertips versus using two or turning it on the higher end. Blocks are meant to give you greater stability not create more struggle. Listen to those messages and use more or turn them on their shorter sides.
My hamstring feels like it’s going to pop right out of my body. In our zeal to create flexibility, we may sometimes ignore the messages our body is sending us to let us know that we’re pushing too hard. Muscles should feel stretched evenly throughout the muscle but not to a point where we feel a strong sensation at the beginning or end of the muscle. Bend the knees or make other modifications to the part of the body in question to lessen this sensation.
I can’t breathe. Heated power classes can sometimes result in this feeling and can create anxiety for students. Even in non-heated classes, a crowded class or one where a student is experiencing anxiety for other reasons (yoga-related or otherwise) can trigger a sense of panic. Take a moment to listen to this message. Rest in Child’s Pose. Leave the room for a breather if you feel you need a break but do so mindfully.
I’m so tired. Sometimes, our practice helps us realize we’re really tired. While this seems obvious, as people often complain all the time about how tired they are, this is a deeper awareness; one that only comes after some time on the mat. It can be deep to the level of the bones or may just be an awareness that our mind is constantly moving.
During practice, modify and take time to rest. Give up the urge to keep up or compete with those around you. Meditate at the end of class on what else is going on in your life that could be contributing to this feeling.
Why am I having such a hard time keeping up? In any class we may feel the urge to keep up with those around us. In the midst of doing this, we may feel discouraged and start hearing voices that tell us we’re not good enough or ready for yoga. In these times, we need to practice compassion for where we’re at in our practice. We need to look for ways to make the practice fit our body as it is right now and let go of the need to compete.
I bet I could do this pose. Just as we need to allow for rest and compassion, we also need to listen to that inner voice, as small as it might be, that we could actually do the pose that is being presented. I know lots of students who think they can’t do a particular pose because they’re new, or not flexible or not strong enough. It’s only through trying that we will ever know. Bring your healthy attitude and see what’s possible.
I really feel good. Sometimes it’s easy to look at the glass as half full. We wanted to do a particular pose; we wanted to feel particularly graceful and did not. But sometimes, in the depths of our final rest, we may hear a voice that says, “ I feel great.” This is the magic of yoga.
Listen to that voice and from it, draw strength. You are beautiful, you are strong and you are perfect just as you are.
Why You Should Never Apologize for Crying
Adapted from Sheryl Paul:
I am a crier. I cried all through teacher training. I cried throughout my wedding (and the rehearsal). I have always been sensitive and emotional. While I have never viewed it as weakness, through some very humble teachings from two of my teachers, Ally Bogard and Jana Derges, I have found a way to hold space amidst this sensitivity. Please read on to find out more about the power of emotion and the essential release of tears.
I'm both surprised and saddened when a client starts to cry and then says, "I'm sorry." As crying is as much a part of life as the creek running through my backyard, it takes me a half a second to catch up to the concept of apologizing for tears. Do we apologize for laughing? Do we apologize for feeling excited? Where, oh where, did we learn to apologize for crying?
Well, it's not a difficult question to answer. The vast majority of my clients—and the human population—grew up with the very clear message that crying wasn't welcome or even tolerable. "Get over it" was the message that most kids were—and still are—raised with.
If you're a parent who hasn't embraced your own pain, who still views pain through the lens of shame that you absorbed when you were a child, you can't possibly create an environment in which your child feels safe to cry. The message of shame is passed down through the generations until someone's anxiety becomes so intolerable that they must break open and find compassion for their pain.
Among the many gifts of anxiety, learning to embrace your pain is among the most potent and far-reaching in terms of the effects it has on one's well-being, relationships, and current or future children. It is the stored pain that often underlies the pervasive anxiety and intrusive thoughts that torture millions of people in our culture.
When you can access the pain and allow it to bring you into your heart and body, the mind-chatter naturally quiets and eventually falls away completely.
In order to access the pain you first need to examine the messages that have been downloaded about crying and then ask yourself if you believe that those messages are true. Do you believe that "crying is weak"? Do you believe that, perhaps, there's a profound strength in allowing yourself to be touched enough by life that it opens you to tears? Do you believe that you'll cry too hard that you'll never stop? Or do you trust that crying, like all forms of grief, has its own timetable and that once you've emptied the well you'll be able to get up and go about your day?
The well may fill up again the next day, or even the next hour, but you will not fall into a depression because you've let yourself feel your pain. In fact, it's when you squash your pain that it either silences into depression or wiggles out through anxiety. The beliefs you carry about pain are old, false, and need to be discarded before you can allow yourself to open to what's living in your heart.
There's such richness and beauty in crying.
When a client feels safe enough to open those floodgates and allows me to witness the most vulnerable place in her heart, I feel honored. There are no words in that place. I sit and breathe and allow and hold the space for the tears to move through at their own pace. It's sacred space. It's real space. It's some of the most fulfilling and interesting work that I do as it is energy that arises directly from the center of a person's soul. The mind chatter is gone. The quest to explain this or that falls away. It's raw, honest and alive.
Never, ever apologize for your tears. Do your work so that you can blast through the veil of shame that tells you crying is weak or bad in any way. Your pain is your strength. When you apologize, you dam up the current that's trying pass through. Let those waters flow. Allow someone to be witness to your pain. It's how we heal, and it how we find our way to wholeness.
Habit Mastery - Creating the NEW Normal
Adapted by Leo Babuta
Many of us are looking for change. Big, small, personal, life, relationship, etc. We always hear that it takes three weeks to make or break a habit. Here are some ideas and thoughts about creating long-lasting change, in any aspect of your life.
Changing habits, at its core, is simply a process of changing what’s normal for you. This is something I’ve done myself a gajillion times over the last 7-8 years:
- not smoking became my new normal (lots of pain for a month or so)
- running became normal
- eating vegetarian became normal
- later eating vegan became normal
- writing every day became normal
- not having sugar in my coffee became normal
- eating whole foods (instead of junk foods) became normal
- meditating every morning became normal
- having less stuff and a simpler home became my new normal
- reducing and eventually (mostly) eliminating sugar became normal
- and so on: no car, walk and ride mass transit, do less, becoming content with myself, working for myself, etc.
In fact, you could say the last 8 years of my life has been a constant adjusting of what’s normal. Adjusting normal is my normal now. However, for most people, changing is tough because there’s some pain in changing. When you have a problem, there is the pain it causes in your life, but there’s also a pain of trying to change it.
When the payoff of trying to change is outweighed by the pay off of continuing the old way, people stick with what they’re comfortable with.
How do we overcome this problem of the pain of change? Start small, start with one thing at a time, and make the change easier. You want to make changing the path of least resistance, because change usually isn’t for most people. If you make a drastic change, it feels really hard and really different, and not something you can stick to for very long. But when you make a change easier, it makes it easier to take that all-important first step.
Once you take that first step, you have a bit of forward momentum. And it’s much easier to be consistent and stick with something for a long time.
Let’s take an example: I used to drink coffee with lots of added sugar. I used to think there was nothing wrong with that, but eventually I realized I was making an excuse for putting crap in my body. So I started by putting half a teaspoon less in my coffee. At first, it was slightly less good. But after a few days, it tasted exactly like normal, like what I was used to. And then I took out another half a teaspoon, and it was slightly less good for a while, and then after a while it was exactly what I was used to.
Our minds tend to adjust over time. That’s my change process — I gradually adjust what’s normal to me. Eventually I didn’t need any sugar in my coffee, and it was just as good for me, I didn’t have all that crap, and I enjoyed it the same.
You can do this with anything — exercise, meditation, procrastination. Gradually adjust what feels like normal to you.
Here’s the process:
- Start small. What’s the smallest increment you can do? Do this for at least 3 days, preferably 4-5.
- Get started. Starting the change each day is the most important thing. Want to run? Just get out the door. Want to meditate? Just get on the cushion.
- Enjoy the change. Don’t look at this as a sacrifice. It’s fun, it’s learning, it’s a challenge.
- Stick to the change. Notice your urge to quit. Don’t act on it. Keep going.
- Adjust again. When the change becomes normal, make another small adjustment.
This is the process of creating a new normal. It’s beautiful and simple.
In Praise of the Bind
A few months ago I made the decision to offer a yoga workshop on binding (mundum). At first this felt original and interesting. I was motivated to explore binds and excited that it was a relatively new topic in my yoga world.
Within a few short days, I began to see binds all over the place; it was like a lighthouse of awareness suddenly swept the darkness of my own life’s endless binds. Want to meet a friend; not enough time. Plan to practice yoga; kids need a ride. Decide to write a blog; family member is in crisis. Plan a day off; wake up with a headache… I realized, not only do I hate binds but my whole life is about binds….sigh… and these were the simple ones. Why would I want to do a workshop about binds? Why would anyone want a workshop about binds?
Noticing my aversion to binds made it pretty easy for me to see my attraction to its opposite, being unbound (mukta, mukti).
In fact, I even woke up several mornings pre-judging my day based on great hopes for being unbound …no body symptoms, enough time, enough money, just the perfect weather, ideal energy levels… I realized that at some deeper, unconscious level, I even expected mukti, just slightly demanded it… and subtly felt deserving of it? Woah! I know few people appreciate feeling stuck or bound but did I deserve to be unbound? Do any of usdeserve to be unbound? What is unbound? I began scouring dictionaries, my deepest thesaurus, the internet and yogic text.
Swami Satchindananda got me cogitating (manaana) when he said, “forgetting you are happy makes you want to attach to something to find it; when you can’t get that thing you are bound.”
Yeah, ok Swami… he made it sound soooo simple. We bring our life to the mat and what happens on the mat to life. That much I know for sure. This isn’t just an idea, it's real beans. It’s what yogis have been experiencing (nididhysasana) for thousands of years. In this way the mat acts a bit like a magic carpet, creating space and opportunity, to take you from one place in life to another, with ease. It invites the alchemy for our inner and outer worlds to connect. If we let it happen.
In my searches for meaning I discovered that bound and unbound have both inner and outer qualities. Kayaking across a pristine lake has the outer quality of freedom. Kayaking across a pristine lake for the first time in your life has an inner quality of liberation. At first these inner/outer polarities seemed different and opposite but soon they started to merge into one another. Constricting, squeezing and holding in a bind could just as easily be experienced as deepening, opening and surrendering.
The mat showed me there was a seamless, yet transformative, alchemy between mundum and mukti.
They added together like two essential ingredients in a recipe and always produced something new. It was humbling to realize that all along I had been a mukti addict. A person shamelessly attracted to the unbound, while shamelessly dissing its equal partner, the bind. Where along the way had I forgotten the dance? How can we bake a beautiful cake if we only want to add flour?
Taoist wisdom teaches, that which you fight against you strengthen.
We see this everywhere, from antibiotic resistant organisms to fighting terror with terror. Adding flour on top of more flour does not create anything but a bigger pile of flour. Hmmmm, a life rich with binds, an addiction to mukti…I’m just sayin'… a few dots were connecting.
We probably all have a preference for mundum or mukti and land somewhere on the sliding scale of life. But that’s not the point, the point is bringing mundum and mukti into relationship with one another. Bringing them to that seamless magic on the mat where inner and outer can connect. Practicing them, exploring them, dancing with them; that was the real point. How is it not precisely and beautifully human to be bound? Our very life force, chi, prana, energy, soul, spirit, is bound within the cells of our own bodies and in the next moment unbound in the breath.
It is not about whether we perceive to be bound or unbound it is about how we dance between the two opposing poles.
It is about how we deepen our relationship to the dance and hopefully have some fun in the process. In this way the bind, which as I now see it, is simply being human. It is both the purpose and the movement of life, on and off the mat.
- Carleen
To register for Carleen's upcoming workshop "Unravelling the Bind" click here.
Check out the video we created with Carleen discussing her yoga journey, and her passion for binds below!
Carleen's Yoga Journey from Yogalife Studios on Vimeo.
Recipe Alert! - Creamy Almond Pesto & Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade
By: Vlady Peychoff
When opening a new recipe book to find an inspiration for a meal, it can be at times quite overwhelming and intimidating without a clear direction of what you want. It can be especially stressful when you invite some friends over for the evening and you are trying to cook up a storm to impress them. From experience, I have learned appetizers or ‘hors d’oeuvres’ are an integral element to the evening. The role of the appetizer can either be that of a mood teaser or a mood downer. Dipping options, whether it is for bread and/or vegetables, proves to be for the most part a success at social gatherings. Here are two dipping recipes from Roberto Martin’s cookbook titled Vegan Cooking for Carnivores that cannot fail and may well set the mood for your guests:
Creamy Almost Pesto and Sun-Dired Tomato Tapenade (a slightly modified version)
Ingredients Creamy Almond Pesto
- 2 ounces fresh basil leaves (about 45)
- 2 ounces (1/2) cup blanched almonds, whole or silvered
- 2 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped (or you could crush them as the original recipe says)
- 3/4 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup water
- freshly ground black pepper (for seasoning)
Ingredients Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
- 15 to 20 sundried tomatoes chopped (not packed in oil)
- 1/4 cup capers, packed in brine, drained
- 15 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped (or you could crush them as the original recipe says)
- 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/4 cup raw pine nuts or almonds
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives chopped
- salt and freshly ground pepper (for seasoning)
Directions
Preparation
You can make both dips simultaneously as they have a lot of common ingredients, though different taste. Firstly, put the 15-20 sundried tomatoes in a large bowl and rinse a couple of times with cold water. After, fill the bowl with hot water and let the sundried tomatoes soak for 15-20 minutes. Similarly, in a large bowl put about 60 basil leaves (for both recipes) and rinse a couple of times with cold water. Likewise to the sundried tomatoes, fill the bowl with cold water and let the basil leaves soak for 15-20 minutes.
In the meantime, chop or mince 6 garlic cloves (facilitates the blending process). Subsequently, grate approximately two tablespoons of vegan parmesan cheese (it does not matter if you grate more, you can add it to the mixture).
Drain the bowls of sundried tomatoes and basil leaves.
Blending
Prepare for make the creamy almost pesto dip. From my own experience, it is important to put the ingredients in a specific order in order to avoid your blender suffering a ‘mechanical’ breakdown (especially for the Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade). Add ¾ of the basil leaves, then ¾ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of water, ½ cup of almonds, ½ of the chopped or minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of grated vegan parmesan cheese and ½ cup of vegan mayonnaise. Blend the ingredients together until an even and creamy mixture is formed. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate.
Once the blender has been washed, you can move on to the Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade. Add the remaining basil leaves, ¼ cup drained capers, 15-20 sundried tomatoes, the other ½ of chopped or minced garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup water. Blend so that it becomes a cohesive chunky mixture. You may have to stop the blending process and use a wooden spoon to get the top ingredients below for blending. The other option is to add more olive oil or water at your discretion to act as a base for the solid ingredients. After, add ¼ cup of raw pine nuts or almonds and ½ of chopped kalamata olives. Blend until a cohesive chunky mixture has been established. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate.
After a couple of hours remove from the fridge. Season each dip with salt and pepper. Ready to eat with bread and/ or vegetables!
Other Pertinent Information
Each dip will respectively form two cups. The Sun-Dried Tapenade will last longer in the refrigerator than the Creamy Almond Pesto Dip. Roberto Martin mentions that the Sun-Dried Tapenade can be “stor[ed] in the refrigerator in a glass container with tight fitting lid for up to 2 weeks”.
My Challenge with the Recipes
The greatest challenge that I had not anticipated was blending the ingredients for the Sun-Dried Tapenade. The seemingly simple recipe became a 15 minute wooden spoon hindrance. I added the sundried tomatoes first with the rest of the dry ingredients and added the olive oil and water last. Big mistake. The original recipe suggested 1 cup of chopped kalamata olives, but that only added to the difficulty. A ‘mechanical’ breakdown for my blender was in sight. Although in the end, I successfully made a cohesive chunky mixture.
Closing Remarks
In brief, social gatherings are meant to be entertaining and stress-free. When looking for recipes in a cook book, do not panic, but check to see if there are any sections in the book that are titled Social Events, Party Food etc. Creamy Almond Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade are two of a vast pool of potentially tasty dips. Do not be afraid to play around with recipes and substitute the ingredients and/ or amount of ingredient needed.
“This is my advice to people: Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun” –Julia Child
Tapping Into the Duality Behind Foam Rollers
By: Vlady Peychoff
Foam rollers have multiple uses ranging from assisting in stretches, physiotherapy and stabilization. It can be difficult to assess whether or not a foam roller is an appropriate tool. Fear and intimidation are two barriers that infringe upon the use of this object. Will I break a bone? Can I put my whole trust in this rolling object? These are a couple questions that crossed my mind the first time I tried using a foam roller. I found that multiple benefits outweighed the concerns.
Here are a couple benefits:
-Relieves mid-back muscle and joint tension.
Roll 5-10 times between your lower ribcage and shoulder blades.
-Stretches and relieves pectoral muscle tightness.
Lie on the foam roller with a slight tuck of the chin and outstretch your arms over your head. Hold for about 30 seconds.
-Stretches out and massages the IT Band.
Roll on the outside of each thigh 5-7 times. It is not about speed- the slower you go the juicier (the ambiguous sugar coating way of saying deeper) the massage will be.
Technology, particularly in some professions and institutions, has constructed an environment for tension. There is the potential to spend countless hours on a computer or studying where the end result is back pain. Our posture can cave in (pectoral tension) and our backs curl (back tension). Additionally, after any sort of physical exercise our IT Band can stiffen up. For instance, in a yoga class certain postures can irritate the IT Band depending on multiple factors (improper muscle engagement, physical limitations of the body etc). Needless to say, all these instances can be aided with a foam roller.
In brief, foam rollers are not distress tools, but tools to alleviate soreness. Yes, I do agree that foam rollers may not be for everyone due to personal and physical concerns. Although, it never hurts to get a second opinion about a foam roller from a physiotherapist, doctor, chiropractor or massage therapist. My personal experience of using a foam roller has helped me discover unexpected tension points in my back. Try, See, Decide!
Emily McNicoll's Yoga Journey
Emily's Journey into yoga started about 8 years ago as she was travelling overseas in Australia, when an interest in Reiki and energetic healing naturally led into the practice of yoga. Emily sees the beauty in mindfulness and a gentle practice, and encourages her students to be grateful for the present moment instead of focussing on what's good or bad.
"Rather than labelling things as "good" or "bad", realizing that the experience of life is a blessing in itself and above all to just be thankful for it has encouraged me to be more aware of the present moment."
Emily's love for restorative yoga, and her desire to help those with stiff muscles, joint issues and a number of other physical impairments has led her to lead a restorative workshop at Yogalife Studios North, on November 8 from 7PM-9PM. Restorative yoga can be beneficial for both the mind and the body, helping to get us into proper alignment, while gently alleviating any areas of tension or pain. It can also play an important role in providing our minds with mental clarity, integrating an opportunity for meditation amidst these gentle healing postures. To find out more about Emily, and her upcoming workshop, check out the video below!
Emily's Nurture and Restore workshop on November 8 is quickly filling up! If you're interested, please visit the registration site here.
Register soon!
The One Thing All Relationships Need to Succeed
Just another thought about self-love and appreciation :)
What is a foundation? It's the ground on which we build. Obviously if we want to build something that can weather a storm, it's best to start with a sturdy foundation.
So what's the foundation of all relationships? It is the relationship you have with yourself.
If your internal foundation is shaky — has cracks and holes (insecurities and negative self-concepts) — then the relationships you build on top of it are going to feel shaky, too. However, if you move in the world with a solid sense of self, then you're less likely to crumble when things don't go as planned. And things aren't going to go as planned.
When we're internally insecure, we naturally try to control the circumstances that surround us. Unfortunately, we fail. Why? Because it's impossible to control things that exist outside of us.
But there's another way: go within to find your strength. That's where your true sense of sturdiness lies.
So how do you do it? Simple (but not always easy): Know who you really are.
When I say this, I don't mean that you know your name and how you like to spend your time (although these things are important). I'm talking about going beyond that — knowing what your true essence is.
Know that you are magnificent. Know that you are supremely important. Know that you are worthy. Know that you are love.
When we know ourselves in a deep, spiritual way, we know that we are much greater than we give ourselves credit for.
Many of us identify with our wounds and faults: "I'm bad at relationships," "I'm not good with money." Or even worse, "I'm not very smart," "I'm not attractive enough."
Look, those things aren't the truth about you. Not even close. Those are your ego's stories — your limited self-concept. But they don't define the real you.
If you identify with your limited self-concept, then naturally you try to get other people to make you feel worthy. But again, any time you're depending on something outside of you to feel secure, you're in trouble. Because everything outside of us moves and shakes. That's the nature of life.
Know that there's a truth that exists beyond all these stories. This is the truth of your soul. It knows that no matter what, you are an amazing person.
Do you make mistakes? Yes. But underneath those mistakes is a desire to do better next time; to let the best version of yourself shine.
Things are going to shake you. People are going to try to convince you that you're not so great. Don't listen to them!
Build your internal foundation. Know who you really are and never forget.
You are nothing short of magnificent. Find this inner source of love and hold on tightly; it will keep you steady through all the changing tides.
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