doin it for God

One night at yoga camp we had bugged our fearless leader, Ganga White, enough so that he finally agreed to teach us about the history of Tantra.

After dinner he walked through the dining room and exclaimed loudly, "Anyone who wants to talk about doing it for God be in the asana room in two minutes."

No matter who you are practicing for- sending love to a friend- or devoting practice to a higher power- your yoga practice is about you. Have you ever kicked up into a handstand knowing that your arms were feeling weak? Did you ever take that extra bind because you wanted your teacher to be impressed? Or maybe a cute girl happened to be on that mat next to you and you wanted her to see how badass your trikonasana was so you grabbed your big toe and overstreched your muscles.

Well, yoga is for you. I recently wrote a short little post about it and sent it to Elephant Journal who, today, published it! It's my first professional yoga writing! It's super short and easy to read. Check it out: Make Your Yoga Yours

leave a comment and please share it!

foolin around

Listen up!

I've gotta say, this is an exciting post :) Well, to me it is.

I love music. I love yoga. Yoga + Music (to me) = mind blowing.

I said that I would post the music I play in yoga classes each month...but I decided to skip right to August since it's been my favorite playlist so far. It's fun and still relaxing/peaceful. Hope you think so too. One of my students told me that when she can't get to the studio she practices at home to the playlist!

Enjoy!

1) Shalom/Salaam- Matisyahu from Youth
2) Shiva Puja and Chant- Krishna Das from Heart As Wide as the World (couldn't find a perfect version, but this live one is close).
3) Be the Change- MC Yogi  (not great, but kinda fun to see a live version) from Elephant Power
here's another link to that song: Be the change (this is much better)
4) You've Got the Love- Florence + The Machine (Featuring The xx) from You've Got the Love Single
5) Om Purnam II- Deva Premal from Dakshina
6) Bangles- Niraj Chag from Putumayo Presents Yoga
7) I Will Be Light- Matisyahu from Light
8) Bolo Ram- Wah! from Putumayo Presents Yoga
9) Ave Maria- Chris Cornell from Great Expectations Soundtrack
10) Ruled by Secrecy- Muse from Absolution
11) Cerulean- Ben Leinbach & Geoffrey Gordon from Putumayo Presents Yoga

I love every one of these songs. Some of them, like Cerulean I use over and over. That particular song is just so nice when it's loud and you're blissed out in savasana.

My 90minute yoga playlist for August also had:
- Haiti by the Arcade Fire
- December by Norah Jones
- Emperor of the Air by Kingsley Durant (ben's dad!)
- Carries on by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
and more... I may reuse these songs for September so i'm not linking to them..also, it takes too much time and I need to go check my mocha brownies :)

Leave me a comment and let me know what you like to listen to while practicing- or any other time of the day! Maybe I can use a suggestion in my next playlist. Happy Listening!

make your yoga yours

Being a yoga teacher gives you a whole new perspective on class. You hear how everyone is breathing, you see them making small adjustments in their posture, and you pick up on the energy of the room. It's wonderful. Just wonderful.

There's something funny about being a yoga teacher though- everyone does exactly what you say. If I say inhale and lift your right leg (even though we just did right and I meant left- that happens less frequently lately) people lift their right leg anyway. If I offer a way to move deeper into the pose for those who would like to try it almost everyone will do it.

Therefore, I consider what I say in yoga class carefully and know that it is an honor to teach.

However, asana is only a small part of yoga. In the home of yoga, India, (I have heard) that most people don't practice the poses at all. Yoga there is meditating, breathing, and devotion to God. While that's in yoga classes in America also, there can be some misconception about yogic texts here. Some teachers talk about Patanjali's yoga sutras in class and from one teacher to another you can find different perspectives on it. (Also, teachers never seem to refer to the hatha yoga pradipika- what's up with that?)

The writings in Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White (my teacher!) really resonate with me. (It's a great read and I suggest anyone interested in furthering their yoga practice pick it up) In making his point that you have to find your yoga and what it means to you Ganga mentions how the concept of brahmacharya is interpreted as responsible sexuality or making your sexual union special when it is more likely referring to celibacy. People take the text and choose to read into it what they need. He goes on to say,

"We can learn from and use the tradition in an approach tempered by the realization that what we call tradition is truly our own, or another's, interpretation of what something may have been in the distant past... Relying too much on doctrines and texts for guidance in living cuts one off from direct perception and from the living awareness of insight. Yoga should be viewed as an art as well as as science. Structured, more scientific, aspects of yoga and techniques also involve unstructured, indefinable dynamics that require artistry and awareness to apply. Living in wholeness and creativity has structural components, but life is more an art than a science...Yoga is practiced within the tradition but must be applied according to the uniqueness of wach person's life and situation. We should not simply idealize the past and assume that teachings, purportedly unchanged from the ancient past, are perfect, superior, or appropriate for the present...

We cannot learn to fly by following the tracks left by birds in the sand, We must find our own wings and soar"

The best yoga practice is your practice. Returning to your mat daily, sitting in meditation, taking pauses frequently to deepen your breath, and showing compassion to your neighbors. I'm not at all saying that you should or shouldn't read the ancient texts- like the translations of the Yoga Sutras. I'm attempting to humbly suggest that by noticing your thoughts, using your body, and finding some peace you are practicing yoga in all its glory- your yoga.

what is that chanting?

Pretty often I get a huge compliment after yoga classes: people are always asking me about my playlist and saying how much they like them! I am so very pleased that my students are enjoying the music I choose for their classes. I take time when making playlists and almost always have a home practice to the music before playing it in class. It's important. Sometimes we use more gentle music, with less vocals, and sometimes we play chants in sanskrit or popular music that you hear on the radio. I hope that you've all enjoyed what I've played so far and continue to in the future. 

This week I received an email from a student asking me to share my playlists. Well, I think I will :) 

I'll start with a June playlist from lunch flow (which is a 60 minute class) and soon follow up with my July lunch flow classes. In September I'll share my August playlist for lunch flow. If you'd ever like to hear my longer playlist- from all other 1.5 hour classes, please just leave a comment or email me. Here ya go!

If you click on the linked songs you will go to youtube so you can listen to them, but they may not be the 'official' videos.

June Lunch Flow Playlist- 13 songs, 1:08:26 total time

1) Om Shree Sache- Deva Premal

2) Thievery Corporation- Lebanese Blond

4) PPA- Rodrigo Y Gabriela

5) Let Go- Frou Frou

6) Hey Shiva Shankara- Dave Stringer    (live video)

7) Bouncing Around the Room- Phish

8) Elephant Power (feat. Bhagavan Das)- MC Yogi (another live video, not a great one- sorry)

9) New Soul- Yael Naim

10) Burn one down- Ben Harper

11) Moods of Kirtan (Siksastakem)- Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits

12) Purnamadah- Shantala

13) Offering Chant- Lama Gyurme & Jean-Philippe Rykiel

14) Seasons of Love- Rent cast

Enjoy! Please also let me know what you think by leaving a comment. And, don't judge me for putting New Soul on there. It's a great song even though it's played way too often in yoga classes ;) 

hot hot heat

Living in New Orleans, you learn a thing or two about heat. There's just no other way to put it, it is hot down here.

after my first ever full class (at Audubon park) my friend Sora on the left and me (drinking water) on the right

I  recently had the incredible opportunity to take a trip back up North where they suddenly had a heat wave that coincided with our arrival (and we've heard that Nola cooled off with daily thunderstorms). We got to spend an entire day in Boston with my friends having breakfast at Zaftigs, strolling around Newbury Street, and just spending time together out in my former city. (We also ate Naked Pizza, which I think is hilarious because it's a New Orleans company). Anyway, the weather that day said that Boston got up to 103F. Only last year I would have been melting right on the pavement, just like my friends were. But, 103F in Boston does not feel that hot to me anymore, although it is a tad warm :p. Before you think I'm crazy, consider that in New Orleans we live in the mid to high 90's for a majority of the year but we also live in humidity that matches the tropics. The other day the temperature was 92F but the heat index was at 115F which means that the temperature plus the humidity made it so that we were living in 115F weather! Heat + Humidity = swamp like warmth, we're talking about just constantly being sweaty like you're living in a sauna.

Since moving to the south and becoming a yoga teacher I've had to consider the heat quite a bit. I've asked my fiance to teach me about why and how we sweat and cool ourselves (being in his second year in medical school I pretend he knows everything a seasoned doctor would know). I've had students tell me they want to sweat out toxins in class, I've had students tell me it's just too hot to move, I've had times when we left the air conditioner on high throughout the entire class so that they were only heated from the inside using movement and ujjayi breath.

In my own practice I know I'm going to sweat. I bring a bandanna to class to wipe my own sweat when I'm teaching- and that's just walking around the room talking and adjusting people! The humidity down here immediately covers me and in classes where the windows and doors are open I sometimes leave a puddle on my mat. But, I have to say that I'm not one who would take a class (although I have) in an intentionally heated room (i'm talking Bikram and hot classes) because that's just not for me.

I recently came across this article on elephantjournal called "Are supporters of excess heat & sweat in yoga class just full of hot air?" by Dan Pitko that I really liked. He has done some research and makes everything clear and to the point. He makes the argument that yogis need to exercise caution when practicing in a hot room that is also humid.

I'd love to know what you think about heated yoga. Do you need a heated room to feel warmed up enough to stretch? Do you believe that the warmth of your movements and breath is enough? Have you ever felt woozy in a heated yoga class (I have!). Leave me a comment!

(Also, no matter what type of yoga you're practicing and where please make sure that you are staying hydrated and always do what is right for you (ie take breaks when needed and lower your head to the ground to cool off)

Affordable Yoga and even...Free Yoga!

We've all been there- you know that a daily yoga asana practice is essential to your physical and mental health. You've been upping the number of home practice days since your budget is tight but you're craving the community, the vibration of 20 other people ommmming with you, the teacher's adjustments, the way you can just let go and not think, the props, the music... you need a yoga class in your community that you can afford right now.

New Orleans has some of the most affordable yoga classes I've ever seen! The most affordable being at Life Yoga which offers $9 dropins, $6 student dropins, and even better packages. That's where you can find yours truly teaching :) However, the most expensive class you take in New Orleans will still only be under $20!! And these are really good classes with amazing teachers. I know, gotta love it. 

Sometimes you find that you're eating ramen noodles ("at 4:30 in the morning, when we barely could survive, I was never more alive"...had to put that song quote in there, hehe) every night that week and can't scrape together $15 for a yoga class. So, I'm putting together a little list of the FREE and cheapest classes you can take in the city. Because yoga studios feel that it is only yogic :) to offer some sort of affordable class for the community you'll find one at almost every studio. I love this logic- it's in the mental health counselors' code that we have to offer some sort of free/discounted/affordable service and I love that yoga studios do it too. 

Here's what I've come up with (in no particular order). Please comment and add anything that I'm missing. Nola has 22 studios, apparently, so I haven't mentioned even half of them!

Life Yoga (5422 Magazine St, Uptown)

$6 student drop in. $9 drop in (all others).

$5 community classes Saturday 9:30, Saturday 4pm, Sunday 4pm

Balance Yoga and Wellness (120 S. Cortez St, Midcity)

$15 drop in

Free community class Sunday 10:00-11:30am and Tuesday 7:15-8:45pm

Freret St Yoga (4608 Freret St, Uptown)

$15 drop in

Free community class Mondays 7:45-9:00pm

Wild Lotus Yoga (uptown and downtown locations- see website)

$15 drop in

Free (by donation) community class Wednesday 7:45-9:15pm

Also various $7 community classes- uptown has 3 a week. 

lululemon athletica showroom (802 Nashville Ave, Uptown)

A clothing store that has complimentary classes every week. Each month they showcase a different studio  and free classes are on the weekends. The website currently talks about last week's free class in the park with their own staff and shanti teacher Lindsay so you may have to call and ask an educator. 

I'm sure there are more free classes to find around our city- these are just the places I've been to. Here are a few more studios offering very affordable classes. Also, please note I live in the GD so I mostly looked uptown. Would love to know about other studios in the Marigny, Downtown, Met'ry, etc...

Yoga 108 (Bikram studio, 8229 Oak St, Uptown)

$18 drop in

Couldn't find any community classes here. All are Bikram and one is Silent Bikram. I have never practiced at this studio since I'm no the biggest Bikram fan but you could call and see if your first class is complimentary. 

Audubon Yoga (Iyengar studio uptown)

$15 drop in

No community/discounted classes but there is a by donation meditation 'class' Friday mornings 9-10:00am.

Shanti Yoga Shala (3582 Magazine St, lower Garden District)

$14 drop in

No discounted or community classes but recently did a $20 for 20 class livingsocial.

Swan River (multiple locations)

$14 drop in

I had trouble locating a community class at the various swan river locations but you could call and ask. The first class here is free. I really like these studios and would totally Love a community class.

Yoga Bywater (900 Louisa St, Bywater)

$12 hour, $15 90 minutes drop in

Sivananda classes are on a sliding scale from $5 to $13 and all other classes are as stated above. No community classes and I've never been here so I can't vouch for it.

The Yoga Room (Ashtanga Studio, 4905 Freret St)

$10 drop in (great!)

All Mysore Ashtanga classes, one led class and one intro class each week. No community or discounted classes. 

New Yoga Teacher Over Here!

Now that I am, ahem, an official yoga teacher (yayy!) people have been asking for my schedule.

Starting next week I take over the lunch flow class at Life Yoga, from 12-1pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays. I will have the lovely Jenny (who is the current instructor) there to take my class and continue inspiring me instructing me on how to improve my teaching (love you Jenny!) for one more week.

You can sign up (saving your mat spot!) for Life's classes here online at the mind/body site: register and buy classes here! and you can even purchase your classes there. Community classes are $5 and right now Life is offering $9 classes for everyone. I did my homework and that is the cheapest yoga class you will find in the greater New Orleans area :)

This week I am subbing a few classes for Abigail who is out until Sunday. I got the opportunity to teach her Sunday 4pm class and everyone was so gracious about my first real paying students teaching experience. I loved it. I will also be covering her Wednesday 4/13 6:15-7:45pm Vinyasa Flow class. Finally, I just got word that I will be teaching a Sunday morning 8am-9am class outside in PJ's courtyard (next to Life)! This class is freeeeee!

Want to book me for a private lesson at Life to get your yoga practice jump-started? A 1-hour private instruction is $70 through Life.

More yoga news is coming soon. I am in talks with some places about other classes, may be expanding Life's schedule with some very fun classes with yours truly, and am so excited for all this to really be happening. Teaching yoga is such a honor and I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love and share yoga with you all.

See you all on the mat!

Biggest News Ever

Wow...it has been weeks since I've updated my lovely blogeroo with a new post. 

Since then, big things have been happening in bidaboo's life! Big Big Things!

I just spent 16 days in a canyon in Santa Barbara at a yoga teacher training program. 

Really! I flew over to California, a state I had never been to but always wanted to visit, took a cab ride that wound up and around a mountain, and arrived in the woods with 29 other yogis. I stayed in a yurt, hiked (okay walked on an elevated dirt road where I almost stepped on a 3ft snake) up and down every day, spent a lot of time in a jacuzzi and a sauna, and learned how to be a yoga teacher from the West's most influential yoga couple. 

It was incredible. Much more so than I thought it would be. It was such a breathtaking environment I know that my words wouldn't do it justice. The people were all so inspiring. We were cooked three big veg meals a day and even had dessert a few nights. We slept in yurts (or cabins) with spiders and other wildlife, getting up to pee in the middle of the night with a flashlight and a bathroom with a glass wall. We practiced for ourselves and then we practiced to break down poses. We learned some thai yoga massage by giving and receiving it. We adjusted each other. We definitely laughed. I cried. The girls got rooster feathers clamped in their hair. We drove to town to shop (so yogic!). We had some therapeutic snuggling with a sweet pitbull named Maizy. And, while a lot of people had experiences with ticks- for once, I did not! Now that I'm home I have some classes to teach but I'm done with my 200 hour training! I'm so glad to be home with Ben, we hadn't been away that from each other for that long since we started dating 5 years ago...but I miss everything about where I was too. I'm so glad that I let myself do something out of my comfort zone and I know it will change my life, it has already!

The other news is that yesterday while I was having my 27th birthday we...got...engaged!! Ben chose the perfect ring all on his own and surprised me with it as soon as I woke up yesterday morning. Some people have been waiting for this for years and while we've talked about it a lot before, now was actually the right time. Everything about it was so perfect. We're both giddy! Now, if people will just stop asking me if we have set a date. We're both just basking in the happiness that is our engagement. 

ew my hand looks scary, but the ring is so SPARKLY!

isn't it the best ring you've ever seen!?

(iphone photos of the ring taken yesterday while freaking out so i'm sure i've emailed and texted it to most people! since i came home to a broken computer i don't want to take the photos off my camera and trust my computer to not die completely. these meh photos will have to do for now, you get the idea).

Also I really appreciate all of the loving words and congratulations from everyone. I don't think I've ever heard so many Happy Birthday's, and we both love how happy everyone is for our engagement. I am really missing friends and family right now and can't wait to celebrate our great news in the future when we can get back up north...someday. Thanks everyone for your love! 

what's in your bag blog

photo (of me) courtesy of Suzy Rivera

Life Yoga + Boutique is doing a new piece on their blog called "What's in your yoga bag?" and they asked ME to be the first person featured on it! I think it's a fun idea and was happy to do a little photo shoot and talk about what I pack in my yoga bag (lululemon athletica yoga bag, of course).

click right here to see the posting!

a good class

blackboard in Wild Lotus yoga shala in New Orleans

Day 26/30 of the yoga challenge! I have been to so many yoga classes this past month. It got me thinking...what makes a good (or not so good) yoga class?

I took my first yoga classes as a pre-teen with my bff on Greenwich Avenue in a heated room. After that, I cannot say I was hooked. But, sometime in college I began regularly practicing my MTV power yoga dvd. Over the years i've taken classes once in while, but definitely not regularly. I think it's been the cost of classes that stops me. But, the Life Yoga 30 day challenge only cost me $99 for all the yoga I could do in 30 days, so I gained a lot of experience in classes!

Sometimes a yoga class...just is not great. So i've put together a list of great things every yoga class should strive for:
- good atmosphere: I like the room to either smell good or like nothing. But definitely not bad. Also, I think that people should not be chatting as the class starts. I like a nice quiet serene atmosphere. Temperature is part of this as it's not fun to be shivering in savasana but i'm also not a 115f yoga class type person.
- OMs: It's important to me that every class begin and end with an AUUUMMMMM. please.
- themes: I love when teachers present us with a theme or story at the beginning of class. It's like a little teaching. At one place I study at there are yoga sutra readings!
- adjustments: Having a teacher adjust you is one of the great benefits of going to class. A home practice may lead you to incorrect or harmful alignment, but once you are in class the teacher is there to gently push you into the proper alignment.
- room to move: i hate a cramped yoga class where the person in front of you moves into 3-legged dog and kicks you in the face.
- music. i don't like silence. i don't care if it's yogi chanting, quiet ocean noises, or rock music. But i do like when it fits the class and flows instead of feeling random.
- a challenge: i want to feel pushed to try new things. or at least given the opportunity to try new things.
- length: an hour is great for a quick practice and people definitely need those classes but i prefer classes that are an hour and a half long because it gives you time for every aspect of the class.
- and finally, acceptance. no pressure. I find that the teachers who gently suggest that i try something new or who cheer me on instead of making me feel pressured are the ones who get me to challenge myself and leave feeling good about it.

I'm hoping to continue taking classes even after the challenge is done...which is in 4 days!

day 24/30

It is Day 24/30 of the Yoga Challenge.

I have completed 23 days of classes so far and tonight will be 24 with Alexis' 8pm candlelight flow. Just a few more days until Sunday when I can say that I successfully completed 30 days of yoga. I'm glad it's ending on Sunday because that is my 2 class day where I first take a vinyasa flow and then follow it up with a relax deeply/restorative class. I always feel ready for the week after those classes and since my job is ending on Friday I need to be ready to tackle whatever might happen next week.

So much has happened since day 1.

I began the process, you might remember, with a pulled rib muscle. It was one of the most annoying injuries as it made sharp pain shoot through my side in almost any asana. Eventually though, that faded away. These past two weeks I have had to deal with my bursitis in both hips and my shoulder blade. The hip pain is annoying, but honestly I'm pretty used to it by now. The back pain, however, feels like I'm being stabbed in the lungs every time I breath in. Throughout my day I can usually ignore it, but in yoga class when we focus on our breath it screams out for attention.

Injuries and pain aside, I am so ready to delve deeper in my fourth week. Each week it seems that something new has come up for me to explore. Something to think about, to meditate on. Last week, one of my teachers said that for her a challenge is to pull back and take it easy when her body is telling her to. That has always been one of my problems in yoga. When a teacher suggests that advanced students try an arm bind, I do an arm bind, regardless of how tired my arms are. Since the end of the first week every one of my muscles has been tight and achy. Without a rest it seems that I'm pushing them to their limits. The other day in an arm balance my arm shook uncontrollably and I was sure I was going to fall. Luckily, when the teacher said that in class the other day, I realized it has been true for me too. Therefore, throughout the 30 day yoga challenge I've tried to listen to my body and allow it to rest in downward facing dog or child's pose when I felt I needed to.

Child's pose (balasana) is the ultimate resting pose. While downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana) is eventually a resting pose for people who practice often, child's is one that anyone can get into and feel comfortable right away.  All there is to do is to sit back on your heels, feet touching, separate the knees, and lower your torso down to the space in-between the knees. Arms may be stretched our in front of you or pulled back alongside the body with palms facing upward.

In my restoratives class with the lights off and candles lit we often stay in child's pose with a pillow or bolster under our torso for ten minutes.

balasana, arms back

balasana, with supportive pillows

Another great asana is to flip the pose. Put the bolster behind you, underneath your back, and leave the legs out, soles of the feet touching each other. That's probably my favorite. 

Try it!

wrangling down time

Wow, where does the time go?

Well lately it is going to work and yoga...and not much else. Work is 8-5 and i've been told that does not mean open the door at 8 and walk out at 5. Rather, it means be working by 8 and work up until 5 and then do things like shutting down the computer, taking out the trash (oh yes, did I mention I do the cleaning where I work?), and putting files away after 5. But, I am not here to get on a long work rant. Maybe another day. I'm actually still not sure, even as I write this, what I want this post to be about.

Maybe it's about time management. Like I said, I work at least 8-5 every day. I also (if you recall. if not, see my last post) have been doing the 30 day yoga challenge. Today is day #12 and I have taken a class every single day without fail. It's strange how easy it is to put on my lululemon's and drive over there. (okay one Sunday after a bloody mary was a little difficult...). Maybe it's because I made a commitment. I find that I now don't think of it as a lot of yoga. Whenever I get on my mat I think, "it's been a while since I've been here" which is funny since it's probably been 24 hours.

It definitely is taking up a lot of time but what did I really do with that time before? Yah, I'm not sure either. Make groceries? Vacuum? Those things can be fit in at other times, and even neglected a little.

But I do have a guilty feeling. I'm doing this wonderful thing just for myself and some part of me feels wrong for giving this to myself. Why is it that women often feel that they cannot do nice things for themselves but should be doing everything for everyone else? I've got to make a note to keep some balance in that realm.

Back to time management, Ben and I had been looking forward to this fun med school event for a long time. But when the time came to get ready to leave on Saturday night, we both decided that we just wanted to spend some time at home alone rather than go out and probably spend more time talking to our friends. To balance this out we met up today with friends at my favorite lunch spot in all of New Orleans (i'll post all about this place next!) today. It seems that by not going out on Saturday and by spending what could have been a boring lunch break alone with others today I got the best of all situations! And I managed my time well because now I saw Ben and friends at lunch, I worked my whole day, and now while Ben is studying I will go to yoga! :)

Sometimes, things work out well.

Other times, chocolate caramel crunch cake will make it better when it doesn't.

From Ye Olde College Inn

Day 1- shoulderstand

Day 1/30 of the Yoga Challenge.

Well, it’s begun. LifeYoga had a get together in the studio yesterday where we had snacks (Bee Sweet cupcakes!) and met the other people who will be going through the challenge together. They also made us these cute little journals so we can keep track of whatever observations we make throughout the journey. Awesome idea.

I chose to start my challenge with a flow class later that day. It was a packed class and the room heated up quickly. My headache from earlier in the day melted away. My body remembered what it has done so many times before. It felt like coming home. It felt blissful. But, that’s all I want to say about that. 

Today is the second day so I am off to a class I’ve taken before- restorative yoga- that holds relaxing comforting poses longer and is a perfect end to a weekend. Yesterday’s class plus some bowling last night really agitated my pulled muscle, but I’m thinking that today’s restorative poses won’t bother it too badly.

While doing this challenge I thought it would be interesting to do a once-in-a-while post of some thoughts about a particular asana. Sharing some easily accessible yoga postures with everyone sounds like a lovely idea. So, today will be shoulderstand, or salamba sarvangasana.

yes, my butt is sticking out awkwardly...

Shoulderstand has always be a pose that brings me back to my childhood. I don’t know why, but my sister and I used to do this all of the time when we were lazing about at home growing up. Didn’t you? Shoulderstand helps you defy gravity, reverse aging, gain a new perspective, lets your blood flow in a different direction once in a while, and let’s you explore balance and areas of tension. Lately my shoulderstand is lazy and not exactly straight. But, in class the teacher suggested we play around with it putting the soles of our feet together or even lowering our knees to our foreheads. What an idea! With your knees pressing on your forehead your sinuses get some relief and it's like a mini massage! There are so many benefits of going to a class with a professional teacher (including staying safe) including learning new fun ways to alter a posture that you may have been doing your whole life!

play with it- or move into plow!

this looks strange but it's wonderful, try it!

*Because none of these photos shows how to properly hold shoulderstand and I gave no directions at all, I suggest that if you're interested in trying out salamba sarvangasana you take a look at yogajournal.com and search for the pose. There you'll find hints about how to get in and out of the pose, etc. 

the yoga challenge

I'm ready to talk about yoga.

Normally yoga is a private thing for me that I am not willing to talk about much, for no specific reason except that it's just for me. In 2011, though, yoga will play a bigger part in my life. Starting with the yoga challenge.

Now, I should explain that there are technically two yoga challenges for me. The first one began on January 1st when i decided that I would practice yoga every single day of 2011. I was going strong for the first few days with only a few difficulties. One was that I had to find the time to fit in a daily practice. This shouldn't be such a big deal except that it's so cold and dark here in the morning that I didn't want to wake up early and was sometimes busy until late at night. Time, however, was not the biggest challenge. Today is only the 12th and I have to admit the 365 days of yoga has ended. When I got sick on December 23rd I developed a tough cough that has stuck with me. This annoying cough actually gave me what feels like a pulled muscle over my ribs. It's not a dangerous injury but it is super annoying and actually pretty painful. Therefore, I chose to stop my intensive daily yoga practice and bring it down a notch until I heal. So far I'm not better but I think I'm on the mend!

The second yoga challenge begins this Saturday! New Orleans studio and boutique, LifeYoga, is doing a month long program where $99 buys you unlimited access to all of their yoga classes. On top of that, the challenge aspect is that starting January 15th the goal is to attend one yoga class every day for a month. LifeYoga is actually giving out rewards for anyone who completes the challenge successfully including a t-shirt, water bottle, massages, portrait session, 25% of the next purchase, and an entry to win 3 months of free yoga. Go HERE for more info from LifeYoga on the 30 day challenge and join me!

I'm really excited about the 30 day yoga challenge. I am going to continue with my daily yoga practice after I complete the first month with LifeYoga. Already, I am antsy to get back on my mat and I am definitely not practicing the other aspects of yoga as much as I do when I am consistent with my physical practice. Hopefully my muscle will feel a lot better by Saturday when I get back on my mat for a strenuous practice...I can't wait :)

taken at Audubon park- November 2010

a little inspiration

Second run, done! 

Yup, that sounds totally ridiculous to be celebrating running twice this week, but I am. Both times I ran 1.30 miles around my neighborhood. My ankles are aching and every muscle is sore, but I am happy. I can do this. 

I also find that my home yoga practice is a little more daring after my runs- that's a perk.

But in my last post I forgot something important to this whole running business. Inspiration.

I don't know how many people know about "Ben does life" on YouTube. Well, the other day I stumbled upon a video of a man running his way out of obesity and depression. I couldn't stop crying! I actually just watched it again and the waterworks came. To be honest though, Taylor Swift's new video where she gets the cute family at the end made me cry today too. 

Although the video does have to do with someone running, I believe that the idea that you can do what you want to if you just do it can be applied to many situations. 

Watch this video and then go make that change that you've been thinking about:

INSPIRATION (click here)

becoming a runner

our lovely bikes

It is so nice outside right now. October in N'awlins is like a Boston summer- the days are warm and then the nights are the teensiest tinniest bit chilly. Maybe I can wear long pants! But, my jeans can barely stretch up my thighs and then are two inches away from buttoning (no joke).

I am baking and eating desserts daily. I am also sitting on my butt on the couch searching for jobs, writing a blog, reading, watching tv…you get the picture. Which brings me to my new resolution: I am going to become a runner!

Let me first tell you: I hate running. I can honestly say I hate everything about running. I hate the thought of it. It just seeeems stupid, running around. I’m laughing now because I’m remembering Will Farrell in Anchorman talking about jogging and calling it “yogging.” But, back to my point- I really do hate running.

I actually have a long history of hating running. In middle school while the gym coach (who was a teacher my aunt and uncles had) screamed at us to do the President’s Challenge, or whatever it is called, I walked the entire mile. In high school I guess I may have jogged outside around my fathers house, but that was mostly because it was pretty. In college I did no physical activity until a roommate made me go to the gym with her and follow her strict routine. So, by the end of one summer I could work the elliptical or the treadmill for as long as I wanted and feel comfortable.

I don’t know who that girl on the treadmill was or how she came to be. But she definitely does not exist now. I know this because a few weeks ago I decided that I had to do something with my time and tried to go jogging around the neighborhood. Oh my goodness, it was hard. So, I gave up.

But becoming a runner has a lot more to it than just working off the cupcakes. I wrote my entire thesis on the mental health benefits and physical benefits of cardiovascular exercise (although I focused on children). I know that running will send some endorphins my way and lift my spirits. I think that will really help as I transition to living here. I also know that I dislike not being able to do something and for a long time I’ve wanted to be able to say that I am a runner. I just want to be able to run a few miles and not curl up in a ball on the side of the road. I want to accomplish this goal.

So, I decided to go running with Ben today. I've actually tried to start running a handful of times and after a few weeks I fail. This is why I need to go with Ben. He was kind enough to start the beginning of his normal run with a slow jog with me. (After we were done he ran for another hour +). While we “ran” he talked to me about how to run properly and kept a slow pace so that I didn’t overdue it. He also only took me a short distance so that I didn’t do too much the first day and give up tomorrow. We ran around the Garden District, looked at the great scenery, and went 1.30 miles. Not very long huh? But I had to stop halfway through because my lungs felt like exploding and I felt nauseous. YES, that is what kind of shape my body is in.

When we got home I felt great. The run was short and slow enough to get me going and not leave me exhausted. I went home and did my own yoga practice that left me feeling euphoric, peaceful, strong, and ready for anything.

I'm not sure I should have started today, but I really wanted to. The only problem was that yesterday we biked seven miles and then walked five. My poor leggies.

Now that I have put it out there that I am going to do this, I guess I have to. I'll probably run every other day at first and continue with a daily yoga practice. I'm excited that now I have to do this because I said I would. I'll keep checking in with my progress.

First day: 1.30miles.

audubon park

happiness lists

Okay, I have a much better peaceful calm today.

I must say, I did not practice yoga or meditate or even read a good book yesterday. I stayed in pjs. I went out for a coffee and that's it. Meh. Sometimes you have to let it all out, or else it turns into cancer (just sayin).

But before I let my whininess get out of control I wrote down a list of things that I'm grateful for that even Oprah would be proud of.

What i'm grateful for right now:

last fall in Arnold Arboretum, Boston '09

\ every day with Ben, it makes it all worth it

\ my basil plant 

\ daily yoga practice 

\ time to read for fun 

\ my camera

\ my health and that of my loved ones 

\ online communities and social media 

\ feeling safe in my neighborhood 

\ phone calls with old friends 

\ cheap candles that smell like autumn 

\ long days of sunshine 

\ yelp elite status 

\ living near starbucks 

\ saturdays- a whole day with Ben!

\ bike rides 

\ having time and a bigger kitchen to bake in

cupcakes October '09

I also decided to write a list of things that make me happy and that I can turn to in NOLA when i'm feelin down (yah, it's repetitive- i don't care because i love lists!):

b yoga

b time with Ben

b a good book

b walks outside  

b baking something new

b calling a friend

b riding my bike

b dancing

b sending letters

b photography

b chocolate

b helping others/making connections

b the tv show scrubs

b making lists....

flowers from Gramme B. Dec '09

Thanks to everyone who read my holiday heartache post and reached out to me. I appreciate it! Ben and I will welcome anyone who wants to over to our house for Thanksgiving and I'll cook up a huge meal! Also, we laughed last night about how fun Christmas was a few years ago when we had to stay alone in Boston because of my job :P 

Hope you're making peace with your "let-downs" today!