August 15th, 2008
Do you remember high school? You know all the groups, the judging, the low self confidence, and lots of comparing. Well, sometimes I catch myself right back there. Recently I was flipping through a book that was full of amazing yoga poses. These yogis were trying things I’d never heard of and instantly I felt myself comparing my skills to theirs. I got out my mat, and went through the first dozen poses trying to hit each one, and not being able to. I then felt inadequate and started having thoughts like, “who do I think I am to make yoga dvd’s?” and “Why would anyone want to listen to me, when I can’t even do these poses?”. Well, after my pity party, I read some of the text in this book and it reminded me of one of the main threads of yoga- being true to oneself.
As yoga has gotten more popularized in the west, it has also gained more postures. Terrific poses brought from other sports like gymnastics and ballet. With these postures, the physical emphasis of yoga became more pronounced and the inherit human nature to compete with others was brought into the yoga class room. Well, this is exactly what is not intended to happen with yoga. In fact in many studios you will not find mirrors on the walls, so you cannot compare yourself with the peers in the room. When I teach I tell my students to pay attention to how you feel and not what is going on at the mat next door. I have even found myself turning around during a class and doing a pose away from the rest of the group so I can focus better on my own breathing and postures. I must have forgotten the strength of this lesson.
I am going to make a pact with myself to try and remember the importance of each person’s uniqueness, and not let myself get down for not measuring up to other “yoga Jones’”. So I wanted to share this lesson with you all. I think it is a good one that we can take with us not only in our yoga practice, but also in our lives off the mat.
Posted in Carolyn | No Comments »
August 8th, 2008
One of the best gifts I’ve gotten was season tickets to one of the nations top collegiate gymnastics teams. As an alumni of the sport, I was excited to watch the young athletes perform skills that I once attempted myself and to see how different the sport has changed in the past decade. The meet was amazing. There were so many new skills, so much higher difficulty and so much more talent than I ever remember having. As I watched I longed for the chance to do what these girls were doing, just once more, but I knew it was a far fetched dream. You see, I have gotten “old” in the eyes of gymnastics. My body does not work the same as it use to (especially after children), and I would pretty much kill or heavily injure myself if I attempted the sport at the same intensity as the gymnasts I watched.
I know most of us aren’t planning on joining an adult gymnastics class, but pretty much every physical activity we participate in could lead to injury. As we age, our chances of getting hurt increase every year, so in yoga we work to combat that. In all yoga poses you should focus on the core of your body. Always think about keeping your core (the section of your body between your head and your pelvis) strong and pulled up. There are a few great poses for working your core strength that are excellent for helping to prevent injuries. My favorite three are: 1. Boat pose. This is a great way to work stomach, hip flexors, neck and back strength all at once. Try to hold boat for about 10 counts at a time and repeat about 5 times. If you do this daily, you will definitely see an increase in core strength. 2. Bridge. A great counter pose to do between boat that still works your back, buttocks, and legs. It helps to release tension in the upper back and neck and teaches your body control of your core muscles. 3. Down Dog. A basic yoga pose, but very beneficial. This stretches your lower back and hamstrings while strengthening your shoulders and stomach.
Remember to keep your body’s core active through your entire practice and know that the more you strengthen this area, the less chance you have of injury.
Posted in Carolyn | No Comments »
July 25th, 2008
One time I attended a large neighborhood Christmas dinner that was beautiful. It took place in the mountains at a huge hidden lodge decorated with big Christmas trees, miles of garland and an enormous crackling fire. My husband and I sat next to some neighbors we did not know too well, but were happy to meet a fun couple in our area. When it was time for us to line up to fill our plates with traditional Christmas foods I heard our new friend whisper to his wife, “ugh, the smell of this ham is giving me a headache.” Thinking nothing of it, we filled our plates with potatoes, rolls, ham and salad, while our neighbors filled theirs with all but the ham.
Yes, our new friends were vegetarians. After we sat and talked for awhile we learned that he was very involved with ashtanga yoga. He had studied with some of the best in the world and shortly after attending a retreat where they were fed only vegetarian meals, they had decided that this habit of eating suited their family the best. Feeling a bit embarrassed I finished the last bit of ham on my plate while my husband announced, “oh, Carolyn is really good at yoga, she even has a DVD out.” I then explained the type of yoga I am involved in (ashtanga as well, but with a little more of a western kick to it). I did not want him to think I was a nobody who just thought yoga was cool. I wanted him to know I was smart and really knew my stuff when it came to yoga even though I still eat meat (not to mention refined sugars.) But then I reminded myself of one of the great laws of yoga. Yoga is what you want it to be. It morphs with your lifestyle, your religious convictions, your physical abilities, whatever. This is the reason I like it so much. I don’t have to worry about what other people think of me when I practice yoga, in fact in yoga classes it is important to only focus on what is happening on your mat- no one else’s. I resolved at that moment that I didn’t care if he had studied longer or with more gurus, I knew I was at a level I was proud of. Through this experience, I learned once again, that it does not matter what others think of you, as long as you’re happy with what’s inside.
Posted in Carolyn | No Comments »
April 25th, 2008
Have you ever had those nights where you are so tired and all you want to do is close your eyes and fall asleep, but something in your brain refuses to turn off? Lately my husband has been having some problems with getting himself to forget about the heavy stress he has running a business and leading a household. I knew last week it was pretty bad when he called to say he’d be home in a half an hour but showed up two hours later saying, “after I locked up and turned out the lights I sat on the couch for a minute and fell asleep.” He needs to get some rest, so I tried to show him some of the things I do to clear my mind and fall asleep.
First I do a couple poses that make my muscles work- like warrior 1 and 2. These are “power” poses that I hold for longer than normal, so I feel like the muscle has been worked and needs a break. Then I stretch. I love stretching at night because your ligaments and tendons are already loose from the day and when you stretch it helps to relieve tension. After that I turn on some low yoga music or I have a small fountain in my room that sounds like rain falling. I lay on my bed with my head and back slightly elevated from pillows, and I breathe. I inhale deep through my nose for 3 seconds then I slowly release my breath for 3 seconds. All I try to think about is my breath. I try to control it, I make it feel hot, I think about sending my breath to my toes, then my knees, and continue it up my body. After I send my breath through my whole body, I just breathe normal. By this time, I am usually sound asleep. It may take longer if you are not used to making yourself relax, but practice makes perfect.
I hope that this helps some of you out there, suffering through sleepless nights (especially my husband). I know you and those around you will love to see the change a good nights rest makes.
Posted in Carolyn | No Comments »
April 18th, 2008
I have a good friend that, like many women, has struggled with losing weight after her first baby. She feels like she’s done everything. She watches what she eats, she goes walking , she drinks water, she doesn’t eat late at night, she uses her elliptical when she has time, but she still can’t get the weight to where she wants to be. I, of course, have been trying to get her into yoga but I am having a hard time convincing her how it will help with weight loss. So hopefully sharing this knowledge with all of you will strengthen my case.
Yoga helps with weight loss in a few ways. First, building muscle mass. We’ve all heard that muscle burns calories quicker than fat right? Well, it is true. When you build up your muscle mass you also increase the amount of calories you burn in a day. Yoga provides a great way to strength train without the gym or the trainer. Just do some simple poses every day. Warrior pose, squats, boat pose, plank. These are all great beginner poses that anyone can do. Second, flexibility. As you practice basic stretching poses, like forward fold, lotus, or straddle you will feel tension release through your body. You will recognize your ability to improve in this area and it will help you gain self confidence in yourself. Finally, stress reduction. Stress is a big factor in weight gain. Use relaxation and breathing techniques to help you relieve stress. Teach your body how to deal with stress in ways different than eating, watching TV, or sitting on the couch.
I know that with the help of yoga, along with a good wellness plan, we all have a better chance of losing that extra baby weight.
Posted in Carolyn | No Comments »
« Previous Entries
©Copyright 2008 Blue Media LLC All Rights Reserved
