Archive for the Category » yoga «

Nov
30

Not Just for Cirque du Soleil: AcroYoga!

I love a yoga trend!

You know how folks who questions the science of global warming always turn to the cyclical nature of things.  How, when you’re talking about that expanse of time there’s all kinds of shit happens, going unrecorded for millennia, and that this is just another of those examples except now, like, we’ve got the technology to keep track.

I think yoga is sort of like, you know, nature.  It’s been around forever, and has gone through any number of crazy iterations.  It’s just now, in this age of endless record- blogging, social media, 24-hour news cycle- that we get exposed to every single one of them.

Perhaps when you’ve been around for thousands of years, there’s always some evolution- or revolution- required to keep things interesting and humans engaged, particularly in an era where engagement can be so very momentary.  There’s always gotta be something new to keep things exciting.

‘Cuz yoga is all about the excitement.

And sitting, being, here in this present moment with my body is not quite enough… I need to be lifted, twirling and flipping on merely the soles of the feet of a VERY strong partner in this moment to be in full appreciation of what it, and my body, brings.

This new trend, AcroYoga, is taking the yoga world by storm.  OK… maybe not by storm, but when you see the images, or the videos, of yogis and yoginis performing this brand of yoga, it’s really quite something to watch.  In addition to the discipline and skill, the sheer strength- oh, and did I mention trust?-  is really quite something to behold.

There are some yoga trends I’ve covered, such as Paddleboard Yoga, that I want to be a part of- the idea of yoga on water is a lovely one to me- and I do what I can to incorporate into my practice.  Past the characterization of trend, perhaps, but still a little off his rocker, Bikram was total surprise to me- I love it!!  But AcroYoga?  This remarkable combination of yoga and acrobatics is likely one trend that may of us will never partake but it is still truly something beautiful to be admired.

In short, while at first blush it may appear simply a matter of strength and flexibility, there’s actually more to it.  Co-founded by Jenny Sauer-Klein and Jason Nemer in 2003, “AcroYoga blends the wisdom of yoga, the dynamic power of acrobatics, and the loving kindness of healing arts. These three lineages form the foundation of a practice that cultivates trust, playfulness, and community.”

Remember when your dad used to lie down and balance you on his feet?  I would let go his hands and pretend to fly…  I do the same for my kids.  I often yearn to be the one balancing.

Maybe I shouldn’t be soquick to set this idea aside…..

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Category: bikram, health, people, Practice, strength, Trends, WTF, yoga  Leave a Comment
Nov
26

Goop Partners With Beyond Yoga: Top… For Those Unhindered by Breasts

Quilted One Shoulder TopComing out of the American Thanksgiving weekend, I have to admit to a particular weekness.

It comes in the form of my bed and a roster of cable movies… yes, I know there’s Netflix, but I can’t adequately describe the particular brand of glee that comes from seeing a long list of romantic comedies or period pieces on my cable guide… with a particular penchant for my Big 5:  Hugh Grant, Sandra Bullock, Emma Thompson, Julia Roberts and… wait for it… Gwyneth Paltrow.

I’ve admitted to a few things here: 1. that I watch T.V in my bed; 2. all weekend; 3. have a remarkably high tolerance for fops and the british- real, fake, no matter- and; 4. lean decidedly towards brain candy in my weekend viewing… dear Emma excepted of course.

That said, it should seem all the more appropriate that in my equally vapid surfing over to Goop this should catch my eye.

In collaboration with Beyond Yoga, Gwyneth presents the Quilted One Shoulder Top.

I actually think that, with my fried eggs, I could pull this off, and will add it to my list to Santa.  But for most women with real breasts, I’m not sure how practical this might be if you have intentions of  actually practicing yoga in it.

I know Gwyneth makes it look oh so practical and practice-friendly- I mean, she’s sweating!- but, as you know, that’s what Gwyneth does… makes everything look just so easy.

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Category: beauty, clothing, news, people, Products, yoga  Leave a Comment
Nov
05

Say ‘No’ to Botox and Fillers… Try a Little Injection of Facial Yoga!

Yoga for Your Face
Millions are spent each year by otherwise sane folks injecting neuro-toxins and synthetic  Hyaluronic Acid (sounds bad, but its natural counterpart is actually found in a youthful face) into their faces and other body parts to stave off the ravages of time.

And, while the ravages spare no one, perhaps, like me, the idea of needles filled with sickness and goo being injected into into your body is even more oogie than the perpetual frown that is steadily developing… “Are you mad, mommy- why do you always look mad, mom?”

But, hey!  All is not lost to those of us who reject the costly,  rather frightening and, let’s face it, frustratingly impermanent medical solutions.

Thanks to the drive to stay looking younger naturally there is a cheaper, non-medical, and let’s face it, frustratingly impermanent, yogic alternative!

As with yoga as a regular practice to keep our muscles strong and limber, staving off the inevitable fraying with time, the age-old practice is effective with our facial muscles as well.  It can be the alternative to the more invasive needle procedures that can be financially prohibitive not to mention just plain gross.

Developed by Annelise Hagen, of New York Yoga, who wrote a book on mastering what she calls the ultimate facelift, facial yoga provides a wonderfully natural and invigorating way to stay looking younger.

As Annelise explains, there is a particular technique to making the faces that make up the unique practice.

In an interview with “Good Morning America, “If you just made weird squirmy faces randomly you’d get more wrinkles,” she said. “We’re trying to tone and lift the muscles of the face. It’s been scientifically proven that the muscular activity helps to prolong the production of collagen and elastin, which makes your face firm and springy.”  Hagen maintains that this practice of yoga for the face allows people to guide the way their face ages from the inside out.

In addition to the regular needle treatments and other procedures, Dr. Neil Sadick, the lucky go-to dermatologist to some of the wives of “The Real Housewives of New York,” does, in fact, also recommend yoga for the face to his patients, saying it promotes the production of collagen.

Face yoga stimulates muscles, Sadick said, adding that “although there’s not great science around it compared to other technologies like chemical peels or Botox, we know that by stimulating any component of your face like your muscles you’re going to have a beneficial effect in terms of your overall appearance.”

And there you have it…. looking younger may not have to mean endless costly visits to the cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist, numbing and plumping with disease and fillers.  There may actually be an alternative that promotes not only looking younger, but actually doing it gracefully… for free!

Read more….

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Category: Anti-aging, beauty, green, health, surrender, yoga  Leave a Comment
Aug
07

My Little Peeee-geon!

I like birds OK… I admire the little hummingbirds that flit and feast from the feeder at our window and I will always stare in awe when I see one of the lovely birds of prey and the herons… well, their long legs dangling, gangly, from their otherwise graceful bodies always make me smile.

That said, there is one bird that drives me a little crazy…  The Pigeon!

It’s a bird that sorta creeps me out… and it’s a posture that I… endure.

It could be said, I suppose, that Pigeon is probably the posture from which I can achieve my greatest growth and expansion, both physically and spiritually.

And I get that.  Really… but damn, it hurts.  I breathe.  I adjust.  And I breathe some more.  Like I said, I endure.  Despite my willingness to expand my yogic horizons through this posture, my hips are not as amenable.  They continue to resist.

So, the trick is to respect the perspective of my tight hips, but slowly, gently ease them into opening just a little further each time.  It means managing my own expectations, of course.  I don’t get to tell them what to do.

It’s yet another exercise in surrender… for both of us.

Pigeon is a posture I would just as soon avoid, in favour of others I prefer (hello, Child’s Pose!) but I don’t.

I don’t let either of us off the hook!

For the low-down on how to get your pigeon on, here’s a lovely variation.

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Category: health, Postures, Practice, Spirit, surrender, yoga  Leave a Comment
Apr
13

Not Just for New Age Hippies… Yoga Training for Athletes

I’m sure this would come as no surprise to Swami Vivekananda, but yoga is finding its place among the popular training methodologies for elite athletes in their quest for a competitive edge.

When you consider the mental, emotional and physical benefits of yoga, it’s really no surprise!

Athletic pursuits such as running and jumping, not to mention getting thrown off your feet at a full run by a 350 pound gorilla, tend to tighten and shorten the muscles, inhibiting flexibility and increasing the likelihood of injury.  Health and longevity in any sport are enhanced when the muscles are limber and loose and those of us who practice regularly know that there is nothing like that blissful feeling of length that comes from a session of yoga.

NBA star Blake Griffin attests to the benefits, ”For me, flexibility is huge,” Griffin said. “Staying loose and healthy and staying limber–you can tell a difference when your muscles are tight or when you’re stretched out and completely relaxed. I’ve heard from a lot of guys that flexibility is the key to longevity in this league,” Griffin said. “For those guys who want to play a long time, I think it’s important.”

Along with the physical and medical benefits are the mental and emotional effects as well.  According to a German study published in 2005, 24 women who described themselves as “emotionally distressed” took two 90-minute yoga classes a week for three months. Women in a control group maintained their normal activities and were asked not to begin an exercise or stress-reduction program during the study period. At the end of three months, women in the yoga group reported vast improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/662388#ixzz1rw3PC4xQ

Category: Articles, Blog, health, people, Practice, running, Spirit, strength, Trends, Tri training, yoga  Leave a Comment
Jan
20

Yoga (& loveliness) by Equinox… Happy Friday!

Inspiration!  This is just simply beautiful…….

More on the lovely Briohny Kate-Smyth here and here.

Category: Articles, beauty, health, instruction, people, Postures, Practice, Spirit, strength, surrender, yoga  Leave a Comment
Aug
04

Paddle Board Yoga- Trend… Really?

It wasn’t too long ago that I wrote about another trend in yoga that involved smoking pot… and I sort of thought that was a little out there.

But there’s another trend making its way through the yogic ranks and, as someone who lives near a lake, while I love the idea of it, I’m really not sure how, at $2000 bucks a pop just in equipment alone, it could really even catch on.

Yoga atop a paddle board on the water.  Everything about it sounds wonderfully peaceful with the additional benefit of really targeting the core, as you work to keep yourself steady and not flipped over into the water.

Again, the heat of the sun on your body… sitting only centimetres above the cool water… the gentle lapping of the waves… seagulls…. It really sounds idyllic. 

According to the instructor in the video below as well as others who are leading the trend, while balancing on the board helps you achieve a much more thorough workout for the core, it is really the connection to nature that is the biggest draw.  As you quietly practice, there is a whole other world of aquatic flora and fauna just beneath you.

Currently, I think it has grown popular in places like Florida, though more and more they seem to be cropping up all around the U.S.  It’s definitely made my list to try… though, given the outlay for a paddle board, I only have an old windsurfer at my disposal.

I’ll let you know how it goes…..

 

Category: Blog, green, health, instruction, Just Crazy... In A Good Way, Practice, Spirit, Trends, WTF, yoga  4 Comments
Jul
29

Planning Your Family Winter Vacation?

Than have I got an idea for you!

I know it’s only the end of July, but winter will be here before you know it… and you’ll be dreaming of frolicking with the kids on white sand and in azure waters.

So, plan ahead and consider combining yoga with your snorkelling this winter.  Sivananda Ashram, near Nassau in the Bahamas, offers family options, that keep everybody busy and relaxed, while still having plenty of time to enjoy the usual tropical vacation stuff.

From February 19-25, you and your family can enjoy games, activities, outings and more, along with regular yoga practice for the whole family.  Only a half-mile down the shore is the famed Atlantis Resort, where you can grab a snack and enjoy a splash down the 60-foot Mayan-temple slide to boot!

The real beauty of Sivananda Ashram as a family vacation, is that you can enjoy the best in beach vacations, with all you would expect from an island paradise with crystal clear water and pure white sands, for a fraction of what it might cost you to do otherwise.  It’s remarkably reasonable, particularly if you choose the tent option, though you can choose from a variety of accommodations, whether you’re into tenting or a beachfront private room with A/C and a view.

Make your plans now!  (242/363-2902; www.sivanandabahamas.org; from $79 per adult, including meals, yoga classes, and meditation sessions; children under 12 half-price; children under three free.)

 

Category: Destinations, family, health, instruction, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, yoga  Leave a Comment
Jul
28

Get the Kids Saluting the Sun… The Sundance!

My seven-year-old loves dance, she loves music and she jumps at the chance to practice yoga with me.

So, without a doubt when I came across this lively combination that introduces the Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara) to little ones I put it to her for review. She’s on the older side for this presentation, as, like I said, she’s going on seventeen seven and she’s already pretty familiar with both Sun Salutes, but even despite her previous experience, she still found this a lot of fun and said she “would toooootally do this all the time!”

Certainly for tots who are a little younger, this is sure to be a winner!

The Sun Dance Kids Yoga/Music Video by Bari Koral Family Rock Band

Category: Blog, health, instruction, Kids, Postures, yoga  One Comment
Jul
20

Got My Bikram On!

Over these past several years, I’ve dedicated more than one post to the wonders of Baptiste.  I’ve read and followed his books, been to a Bootcamp (which I loved!) and generally, let the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga dictate my practice for the better part of a decade… and love it!

However, recently, I’ve let myself succumb to the charms of another… whose methodology has opened a new door into a whole new way of practicing yoga.

Yes, I’d heard of him.  I’ve even written about him here.

But… I’ll be honest, I never really took him seriously.   What with the yoga competitions and all… he just seemed like just another egomaniacal one-named guru cashing in on the trend.

I mean, really.

But then, thanks to an extended trip to the city and the modern wonders of the Groupon… I received an offer I couldn’t refuse.  An inexpensive opportunity to experience that known simply as Bikram…

And, lo and behold, I’m hooked.

The first class nearly killed me… sending me into a claustrophobic anxiety attack, gasping desperately for fresh breath in the suffocating heat- never has savasana been so welcome.  But damn!  Even after that first class I felt transformed.

Cleaned, pulled and emerged, not unlike the slimy pupa freeing itself from the restriction of her shell.

And sweat?! Holy moly… I felt purged from the inside out.  All the yuck seeping out through my pores.  Not to mention the 600 calories I supposedly burned!

And more wondrous, throughout the rest of the day, the experience stayed with me, so much so that I enjoyed a heightened consciousness and deliberateness in everything I chose to put back in, from food to media.  Weird.

Everything about my day felt different… true renewal.  A feeling I want everyday.

But alas… my return to the sticks.  And trying to recreate Bikram on my own.

Category: bikram, health, Just Crazy... In A Good Way, people, Postures, Practice, strength, surrender, Trends, yoga  One Comment
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