With Great Power Comes Great IRresponsibility?

I was alerted to this incident through a social network just this afternoon.
18-year old Bambee dela Paz blogged about a terrible incident that happened between her family and a group of politicians at, of all places, a golf course! My goodness, you’d think a golf course was a safe enough place (aside from the risk of getting [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Another “Open Mike” in New York City

My most recent open mike performance took place last night and was in the Under St. Marks Theater, a small hole-in-the-wall kind of location in a basement on St. Mark’s Place (which used to be the “main drag” of the East Village). There was a small crowd there, mostly composed of other performers. My “lottery [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Gigs in NYC and a new meditation Video

Those of you who are on my mailing list got a complete update recently with more news of the tour of the US and also Central America.
Since then the newest development is a new meditation video produced by John Elliot. You can view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHjuawcmndI
In addition to that I played my first performances in [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Oh, and I added a poll: Internet Access Versus Sex. If you could only have one, which would you choose?

I saw this article, and it made me wonder...(sorry to sound Bradshaw-esque).

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Recession, you say? Where can I get a copy of that memo, please?

OK, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but seriously, I do find it odd that the New York Times reports on the recession and then in their weekly magazine advertises the most insanely outrageously expensive luxury goods I've ever seen. And let's not forget the beef-jerky handbag. Or Candace Bushnell's television treatment of Lipstick Jungle, which does for the Manhattan dwellers living in the midst of economic ground zero what Sex and the City did for skinny girls eating like truck drivers.

So, I ask the obvious question: What Recession?

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Make that, "you had me at 'gelato'..."

Met my friend S (not my apparently former friend S who no longer returns my calls or emails ever since my attendance with the Good Doc dropped off) for lunch today at the Bedford Post. We both live nearby, and we've been meaning to go there for a while now, always joking that we're hoping to run into the owner, who happens to be Richard Gere.

It's a very cute place. Basically, a dining room at a country inn. There's a "yoga loft" there too, although no Ashtanga is offered there...yet.

Two minutes after we were seated, who should walk in but...the owner, himself. That might not seem surprising unless you've been to Tribeca Grill and never seen DeNiro and Southern Hospitality and never seen Justin (or Planet Hollywood, and never seen...anyone). S and I managed to remain demure and composed notwithstanding that we had been talking about this moment for months. Of course, now that it had arrived, what was there to do but make sure that we didn't chew with our mouths open or get spinach in our teeth?

Mr. Gere seemed to be puttering around the grounds. At one point, I looked outside the window and saw him walking by in his parka. S and I enjoyed a nice lunch, so nice in fact that we wanted to prolong it a bit. So we ordered coffee and desert. I got the pistachio gelato, which I just kind of picked at because it didn't really have that gelato-creaminess that I remember from a long ago trip to Rome with my family.

But I didn't tell the truth about it when Richard sidled up to our table and said, "Isn't that ice cream the best?! I just love it, myself!"

I was all, "Yeah, mmmm, it's so good!!"

Before he walked away, I asked him if he was planning to offer Ashtanga classes at the yoga loft. He said that I should talk to his wife about it because she was in charge of scheduling the classes. So, I just have to talk to Carey. She's supposed to be in tomorrow.

The whole thing, which wasn't really much of a thing at all, reminded both S and me of the time when we were first years in law school at NYU, and our classmate, John Kennedy (Jr.) suddenly materialized at our table in the commons and asked us who we had for Constitutional Law.

Silly as it may seem, you just don't forget those little moments.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Hot Yoga

I’ve been teaching lately at a studio where “hot yoga” is all the craze. And it’s not just here, but all over the country that heated yoga classes are taking off in popularity. Basically, hot yoga is any flow or Bikram style yoga class where the practice room is heated well above normal room temperature; [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

“Wasting” time meaningfully

We are all perennially caught up in the rat race. And in this fast-paced, dog-eat-dog world we live in I find that many people are preoccupied with making the most of that which, when gone, can never be captured again — TIME.
Ever since I got back to the corporate world, things changed in my life. [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Welcome to Our Christmas Home

At a time when everyone is busy and I personally am swamped with work, it gets very difficult to invite people to one’s home or to even go a-visiting.
So next best thing is — to take pics around my home and post them here for your virtual visit.
WELCOME!!!
If you do decide to take pics of [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Cinemalaya Indie Film Festival’s ‘100′: How to Live — and Die — with Meaning

What would you do with what remains of your life if you knew you were to die soon?
I cannot remember the last time I purposely went to a cinema to watch a Filipino movie. But after reading Cathy’s review of this film, something prodded me very strongly to go see it. And I did tonight [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Breathe Right-Learn to Breath Properly

My Yoga Online is proud to introduce a 3 part series by Vijai Sharma PhD, RYT titled “Breathe Right”. This series of articles addresses signs of incorrect breathing, provides structured tips on correct therapeutic breathing exercises, and presents concepts on Diaphragmatic and Pursed Lip Breathing. These articles offers beneficial information for everyone learning [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Understanding Diabetes-Stabilizing a Sugary Roller Coaster

Learn about diabetes, the underlying causes of this common disease, and some new research on phytonutrients that improve insulin sensitivity and stabilize blood sugar. Enjoy this new health and wellness article by naturopathic physician, Dr. Danny Jui. Life at the cellular level is a roller coaster fuelled by sugar. Glucose, a type of [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

“Down Dog” Yoga Class to Benefit the Btown Animal Shelter

Please join us for a
“DOWN DOG” YOGA CLASS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
4:00 – 5:30pm
All PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT
THE BLOOMINGTON ANIMAL SHELTER
This all-levels class will be jointly taught by the instructors of
Bloomington Power Yoga at the Blooming Lotus space (above Roots).
A monetary donation or a gift of
one or more of the following items
will be greatly appreciated. General Shelter Supplies and [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Organic, Sustainable Yoga Clothing

We have had the opportunity to try out an organic and sustainable clothing line called Mission Playground. Besides bringing awareness to sustainable consumption, this company is committed to raising awareness for issues that concern playgrounds. Mission Playground has established S.E.E.D. which pledges 1% of sales to non-profit organizations that share the same passions [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Just when the boredom seems insurmountable...

I have a super-awesome practice. Everything clicks. Strength AND flexibility. Not one pose was unattainable (okay, well, I touched one toe at a time in Kapotasana, but still, my Kapotasana B was so good that it made up for it), and everything just felt great.

There is NO explanation other than the fact that I had a very bad tummy ache yesterday and felt very empty today. But maybe it was also because I didn't eat or drink anything between 7 am and noon, when I started to practice, and all I ate at 7 was a Balance Bar and 16 oz of coffee.

Oh, why bother trying to figure it out? It comes and goes. Tomorrow will suck. Or it won't.

Whatever.

This is very boring, no?

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Jupiter + Venus + Moon = Smiley Face!

In astronomy-speak, it is called a planetary conjunction — when the planets seem closest to each other. The National Geographic News article ” Planets, Crescent Moon to “Frown” on Skywatchers Dec. 1″ said what we would see is a frown but lucky, lucky us here in Metro Manila tonight because what we saw in the [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

My 2008 Thanksgiving Day

No, I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving Day the way it is done in the West.
But on the eve of Thanksgiving a few days ago, I had some things I had to be thankful for and gratitude always needs to be expressed.
In 2007, I found out that I had a kidney stone 1cm in diameter. It was [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga for COPD

My Yoga Online has posted a new article addressing yoga practice for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) by Vijai Sharma, PhD, psychologist, certified yoga therapist and yoga teacher.
Yoga is unique program for self-management for people with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or other chronic illnesses because yoga is one of the most comprehensive body, breath [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Yoga and Seasonal Stress

As the busy and stressful holiday season approaches, it is important to examine your powerful emotions authentically with this new yoga article by Alexandra Goldwell, Registered Clinical Counsellor and yoga instructor. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we sure have a huge range of emotions we are capable of experiencing and sometimes several show [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

In honor of my day off yesterday, full practice today.

And by full practice, I mean Full Primary plus all of my Second Series poses (that means, at this point, up to Eka Pada).

Yoga Sutra today. Yep. I went today because I had an appointment in the city with a breast cancer survivor from Virginia, who had contacted me via email to ask me to teach her some yoga. She was going to be in the city for Thanksgiving, and these plans went way back - months actually - so by GOD, I was going to make sure to be in the city at the designated time and place. That meant that if I intended to practice, it was going to have to be in the city.

My original intention was to go to Bikram. But as I was on the train, I thought...hmmm...Ashtanga...I want to do some of that...maybe I don't want to go stand on one leg for 60 seconds at a time in a 100 degree room....um....Yoga Sutra?

And so I went.

And it was a good practice. Not particularly hot in the room. Val's shala takes the award for the juiciest environment. And zero assists until Supta Kurmasana, and even then, I had to beg. I literally had to BEG.

She-C was like, "You can do this yourself." I was like, "I know, but I do that EVERY day. Today, I want a treat...please? Pretty please???"

Then nothing til Pasasana, where I was torn a new asshole for not putting my heels down. I gotta love She-C. Such a tough cookie, that one. I NEVER put my heels down at home, so how would I be able to suddenly do it on command? Still, one can hope, I suppose.

Then no Bhekasana assist. I have to say, it's a very strong pose for me, and if ever there were someone who didn't need that assist, it would definitely be me. My toes are practically flat on the ground - I guess my knees are pretty supple, because it can't be my hip flexors. My upper body is not up like an up-dog, but I can hold myself up to some extent. Anyway. Nothing at all until Ustrasana, and THAT assist came in the form of, "Do that at home. NOT HERE."

I still don't know how she saw me at the wall.

She got my fingers to my toes in Kapotasana, with a minimum of drama, but she wasn't happy with my breathing.

It's ROUGH in the city. CT is much more lalala. Both have their place. It's all good.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Doggie-gate 2008: Straight from the Mutt's Mouth...

Why Obama should adopt a Shelter Dog....

by my dog, Lewis.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

How to Hang Over The Bed Using Weights

You just hang. Over the bed. Holding weights.

Okay, maybe that isn't so intuitive for everyone. So, here is what you should bear in mind;

Your lower back probably bends pretty well already. But nor so much your upper back. How do you know this? Well, if you look in the mirror or take a photo of yourself in a backbend, you might notice that you literally fold at your lower back, while your upper back is flat.

The bed hang can change that.
Lie on the bed, with your shoulders just off the bed. Hang. Raise your arms overhead. Notice whether your shoulders tend to hunch in as you do so. If so, focus on externally rotating your arms in your shoulder sockets to broaden across the collar bones. Let the arms hang down. Heavy. Allow gravity to do its work.

If you want to up the intensity, add weights. Have the weights handy on the bed - five or eight pound dumbells to start. Set up for a bed-hang, and take hold of the weights. Gently lower your hands, weights in hand, overhead. Gently. Maintain the open collarbones. Allow gravity to do its work. Feel your chest crack open.

I use ten-pound weights - I am strong, and it feels good. Use your judgement. You want a stretching feeling in your chest and shoulders, not a ripping sensation. Start with a low weight and work your way up only to the point where you feel the gravitational pull.

You can also do this work with a block standing vertically under your upper back - between the shoulderblades. For this, a lower weight is probably sufficient - it is for me. With bent elbows, take the weights overhead and gradually let the arms straighten and hang towards the floor.

For the thoracic spine to bend, the chest has to be willing to open. This allows that to happen, at least for me, in a dramatic way.

Be careful. Use the lowest weights needed to create that gravitational stretch. Maybe you just need to hold soup cans to start. No need to get injured. No need to rush or push.

If it doesn't feel really good, then stop! Maybe you're not ready yet. Maybe you need to lie on a ball or just hang over the bed without weights. Remember: if it doesn't feel good, don't do it.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Foods, Digestion, and Immunity-What is the Connection

My Yoga Online has posted a new nutrition article by Sarah Holvik, B.Sc. Nutritional Science, that reviews the concepts and nutritional elements that support healthy, intestinal immunity. Food, Digestion, and Immunity offers tips on improving digestion funnyction that will lead to overall energy and vitality.
Considering our knowledge of the intimate relationship between our digestive [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Bratpack Greenbelt 5 Opens With a Bang!

The flagship store of the trendy and sporty bag people, Bratpack, opened recently at Greenbelt 5.
I was there at GB5 for a lunch date with friends at Cibo and saw the Bratpack people setting up in the lobby area right outside Cibo. Seeing all the bags hanging on display made me recall my school days [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga Keeps Me Sane

Ah, yes, so that’s why I do yoga. Daily. It keeps me sane. Or I suppose a better word is grounded- - more calm and connected to reality. Less neurotic. Unfortunately, I had to have a couple months of somewhat sporadic yogaing and increasing crazy-going to remind myself of that. Bleh. That’s over, thank goodness. [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Kapotasana...Now, with TWO feet!!

Yes, today, I easily touched my toes in Kapotasana (with assistance from Val). If you've been reading this blog for a while, then you know it's not the first time I got hands to feet. BUT....it is the first time that they got there without the searing feeling of skin, tendons and muscles tearing, and without the numbness that followed. It was AWESOME!!

And it's all because of the bed-hang-with-weights. Which is all because of my friend, Melissa, who practices at Val's, and Val, who told me that what I needed to do was to open my UPPER back, because my lower back is open enough (for now), but my upper back was barely bending.

So, today, I told Val that I had gotten my right toe on my own yesterday. So, she came over to me and put my left hand on my left foot....and then my right. Made perfect sense. And I breathed. And I breathed!

Euphoria!

Not that any of this matters. But it kinda does. Not that it should. But it kinda does just the same.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Artificial Sweeteners Exposed

Inform yourself of the dangers of consuming artificial sweeteners, such as Aspartame and Saccharin, with our latest nutrition article by Joan Ullyett BA, RHN-Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Find out the history of these dangerous sugar substitutes and discover health, natural alternatives. Many of us over the age of 30 will remember the Sweet n Low [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Fall and Winter Cleansing-A Tune Up for Your Body

My Yoga Online has posted a new article by yoga instructor and writer, Insiya Raiswala-Finn, titled Fall and Winter Cleansing-A Tune Up for Your Body. This yoga and healthy living article has many amazing tips to keep your body full of vitality during this busy time of year.
So, it is that intermittent season, autumn, [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

His name is MAX!

Yes, so now you’ve met my new love. But I never did get to tell you his name, right?
Well, his name is MAX. I have my own private pet name for him but for the world, this shiny, new hunk of metal is MAX - short for My Apple Xtreme! I guess having the [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

I'm going to grad school!!!

YAY!!! I mean, I THINK I am. I have to get in first. And I have to work out my schedule. And I have to get student loans to pay for it. But other than that, I am SOOOO going to grad school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And when I am done, I will actually be able to do something with my life that doesn't require working long hours behind a desk for people who just push money around!!!

I am soooooo motivated now!

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Gym Yoga

I’ve heard a lot of talk recently about the differences between “real” yoga and “gym” yoga. I don’t know if this is really a useful distinction to make, but quite a few people who practice at yoga studios stick their noses up at the yoga being taught a gyms. And a lot of yoga teachers [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Meet My New Love!

It took me a while to take the plunge. Over a year to be exact.
So much time was spent thinking about it. My kids were on both sides of the fence. Two of them were fierce lovers of M; the other 2 went for W. Choosing either way was agony. I was torn!
My comfort zone [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Really nice kapotasana today

Right hand touched toes (with assistance from Val), left hand almost. The main thing: no pain, no fear. I've been hanging over the edge of my bed with weights in my hands, and this seems to really be cracking me open. Who knew?

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Coloring outside the lines

The new program continues:

Second Series with Richard today. Tomorrow Primary. Tuesday 1/2 and 1/2. Wednesday Bikram or a Kundalini DVD, depending on my mood, and largely depending on how cold it is (the colder it is, the more I want Bikram, and vice versa). Thursday 1/2 and 1/2 with Val. Friday, Primary.

When I say Primary, I should note that I always include Pasasana, usually after Mari D.

And whenever I am practicing at home, I always include the Samakonasana and Hanumanasana cycle that Tim Miller taught us at the workshop. It really really helps me. Someday, perhaps, I will get rid of it, when I am more open in the hip flexors. But that could be a very very very long time from now. And even as I write this, I think, perhaps I wouldn't want to get rid of two really awesome poses that I won't ever have as part of any "series" (because lord knows, I am never going to practice up to Samakonasana in any Ashtanga series, unless at some point they add it into Primary or Second Series).

And I usually warm my spine up with some Kundalini "stomach grinds" and "camel rides".

Oh, and I have taken to hanging over my bed with weights in my hands too as a pre-yoga warmup.

I am definitely going way off the page here. And I am LOVING it. It's still Ashtanga, but I'm coloring WAY outside the lines.

ALSO, I have made a promise to myself to walk every day, minimum of 30 minutes. I have so much time on my hands. It is insane not to be outside in the fresh air for some of it. When I lived in the city, I used to walk Lewis-the-Bagle three times a day, so I think I can handle adding a little nature-walking to my life. Until summer, when the gardening kicks in again.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

The Truth About Stretching

This recent article in the NY Times has some interesting information about about stretching. The old and persistent myth is that stretching out before exercising is a good thing. Apparently, though, static stretching really isn’t so great for your body, and it may even make the muscles less able for athletic performance, and more vulnerable [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Thank you Kundalini.

I did Ana and Ravi's Warrior Workout today, and afterwords, I was so pumped and spinally flexy that I WANTED to do some backbends.


And so, I did.


Felt great, so I took some film.



Saturdays are Kundalini days around here from now on. What a painless and funny way to keep the spine flexy while resting from Ashtanga!

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

I HATE Grey's Anatomy

The only reason I was even watching at all this season was to see the relationship between Callie and Erica develop. It was adorable. Sure, like everything else on that show it was exaggerated. But I loved it.

But NOoooooooooooooooo!

They had to kill it. And while they were at it they had to fire the talented Brooke Smith, without even the courtesy of two weeks notice.

Bye, bye, Mer and Der and all your bullshit.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Speed-the-Plow

Saw it today. LOVED it. Jeremy Piven was entertaining, although his role was the least interesting. Elisabeth Moss, well, what can I say? I adore her, and I adore her Mad Men character, Peggy, and she was playing a variation on Peggy, although with a crucial element missing (as it was written, not as she played it). But DAMN do I love that Raul Esparza! Who IS this guy? He is amazing. And hot.

And the title seems so incredibly appropriate to the plight of the Ashtanga yogi...as we speed the plow through the same damn furrow, every single day.

But the past two days, it's been like a brand new furrow. A brand new plow even. Today, I woke up and looked forward to pulling out the mat and doing Primary. So, yesterday full Second, today full Primary, tomorrow half and half. No longer the same ole same ole.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Money-rexia: Do you know anyone with this disorder?

I might. But I'm not saying...

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Me and Richard Freeman

Looks like we might be spending some time together this winter, me and Richard. I got up this morning, did my morning chores, and then at 9:30 a.m., I did the unthinkable...I got out my mat. I am hardly every motivated to practice at home so early, but I think a few days of non-practice had finally gotten to me (I had a ragingly awful UTI this weekend that sent me to the emergency room at 3 a.m. on Saturday night. I got my antibiotics and felt gradually better over the course of Sunday and Monday. But I wasn't feeling well enough to practice. The thought of stretching my abdomen gave me nausea. And just the thought of jumping in and out of poses made me exhausted. I did end up taking a walk in the woods late yesterday afternoon, which kind of marked my crossing over into feeling well again. But I digress....)

I really enjoy my Kundalini DVDs lately, but I kind of wanted some Ashtanga. And I knew that I would be much better served by following the vinyasas, rather than allowing myself to do research whereever I wanted. In short, I needed discipline. And then I saw my Richard DVD. Last year, I bought his Second Series DVD, and I think I watched it once, maybe even tried to practice along once. But it was so out of my grasp, I just couldn't really feel it.

Happily, today, I did the whole thing. I had to stop it at Pasasana because that was essentially the first time I ever Pasas'ed without having done ANY twisting first. And so, I needed to take time to get into it. I also had to stop at Yoga Nidrasana because I looooove that pose, and for some reason, I just wasn't getting into it as deeply as I normally do. I suspect it has to do with side effects of the antibiotics (a bit of nausea and stomach bloating, plus a bit of water retention) because it can't have anything to do with my diet, which has been remarkably clean for the past few week or so (I guess I wasn't feeling well but didn't realize it until the infection became acute).

Then no more stopping at all. Of course, I don't even bother to try to Karandavasana myself up. I just stay in Pincha Mayurasana. My assumption, for better or for worse, for righter or for wronger, is that if I make a habit of doing this DVD, I will eventually get better at everything, and will even be able to attempt the Karanda.

See, all this time, I've been drinking the Ashtanga Kool-Aid. You know, the stuff that makes you think you don't "deserve" a pose because you can't do some other pose. The stuff that makes you think that there are no "spirals" and "loops" involved in the practice - just place your hand and all is coming. The stuff that makes you think that you need a teacher to babysit your practice every friggin day. The stuff that makes you think that you dare not mix types of yoga. The stuff that makes you think that only Ashtanga is real yoga and the rest is some pathetic approximation. The stuff that makes you think that Ashtanga is all you need to stay healthy and fit. The stuff that makes you think that Ashtanga is appropriate for every body at every age, no matter what the individual has been through physicaly, no matter how long an individuals arms, legs, fingers, torso, no matter what the individual does for a living, no matter what the individual's life circumstances. The stuff that makes you think that the word "criminal" isn't an oxymoron when used in the context of discussing yoga. The stuff that makes you believe that you don't have the right to do whatever poses you want whenever you want.

But it's not working for me. I'm being present, and I'm being mindful. And one of the first things I learned as a newbie yogi was that the reason we suffer is that we try to peg ourselves. We try to create an identity, and when we don't live up to that identity, we suffer. The identifier,
"I am an Ashtangi" has the potential to make me suffer because it won't allow me to practice poses that make me feel good, that make me feel accomplished, that make sense to my body on any given day. I can practice Ashtanga without identifying with all of that though, and that is what I set out to do, henceforth.

I am going to stop practicing Primary and Second on the same day. It is just too fucking much. TOO MUCH. And if and when it isn't too much, I will do it again. Mindful. Present. Reality testing. For the forseeable future, or until it no longer makes sense, I am going to practice Primary, plus maybe Pasasana after Marichyasana D - because it feels so damn good to do so RIGHT NOW on some days - and feel really FUCKING good about myself on those days. And on other days, I will practice Second with the Richard DVD unless and until I no longer feel that I need the rhythm of his teaching to get me through it without a lot of research and bullshit thrown in.

No one is paying me to practice a certain way. There is no prize for following the rules of some Indian men who will never know me and the people who follow their teachings. I respect that they believe in the teachings. But I am not much of a joiner - never have been. I try to be a joiner, but it never sticks for very long.

I won't say I'm a maverick because that's too gross. But I definitely find my own way when I find that the other way no longer makes sense. And something clearly isn't making sense here for me. So, I'm over it. And I'm proud.

From here on in, when it comes to yoga, and particularly, Ashtanga, I am opening up my world to allow other possibilities in. And right now, that means practicing all of Primary sometimes, and all of Second sometimes, even if....shock upon shock, I can't bind in Kapotasana without being painfully physically wrenched into it....and even if....oh dear god, say it isn't so...I have to hold my leg behind my head with one hand in Eka Pada. Because you know what? THAT will change. In time. And in the meantime, I loooooove those Seven Headstands. And everything that goes before them. Whether I can do them skillfully or not.

And I won't be ashamed to go to the occasional Bikram class. Or to pop in my Mantra Girl or Ana Brett DVDs. Because those are damned good funny and really really hard work too.


Bottom line: I am smart enough to not need to be boxed in by some set of rules that don't really have anything to do with me.

And I know, absolutely, as an absolute matter of fact, that this method of practice WILL be to my benefit. Physically, spiritually, emotionally, even monetarily.

So, yeah.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

The Bill Clinton Omen (?), the Worst Movie EVER and Hallowhine

Yesterday, Brian saw Bill Clinton walking along the road in Mt. Kisco (sister town to Chappaqua, where Clinton lives). It was kind of in the middle of nowhere, across the street from a Friendly's and around the corner from cemetery. Brian was with his friend D and D's dad. Apparently D's dad called out, "Hey Bill!". I asked Brian, "Do you think it's an omen, you running into the last Democratic president right before the election?" Brian asked me, "What's an 'omen'?"

Next topic.

I just sat through the worst movie ever: "Gerry". Nothing happens in it. Well, two things happen, really, and neither of them are particularly interesting, although theoretically the second one should have been. I think what is supposed to be interesting is the way that the shots mirror what must be the emotions of the characters, or what you might figure to be the emotions of the characters if they weren't severely handicapped by utter stupidity. Come to think of it, "Gerry" is kind of like "Beavis and Butthead Get Lost In The Desert", minus almost all dialogue and minus all comedy. I just read that there are only 100 shots in this 100 minute movie, which means that each shot is averages 60 seconds. Can you imagine? Try.

And then there was Halloween. Which I hate, like all redblooded American parents do after their kids grow out of their pumpkin-onesies. And for me, someone who feels anxious in large crowds, it is particularly unpleasant.

Since I live in the middle of nowhere, no one ever rings my doorbell. I guess that makes things easy for me, since I don't have to worry about staying home to man the door. On the other hand, it means that I have to drive my kids elsewhere for trick-or-treating. On the other other hand, most people of my town are in the same boat, so it has evolved over the years (I am told) that 90 percent of all trick-or-treating happens in just three small neighborhoods.

Neighorhood Number One is famous for its Halloween Pyrotechnics. The houses are on 1/8 acres, and so there's a LOT of theatrics per square foot: smoke machines in makeshift front lawn graveyards, adults in costume as they give out candy, strobe lights, noise machines, fire pits, trampolines filled with ghouls, scary movies projected onto the sides of houses. HUGE HUGE crowds. If you want to "see and be seen", this is the place. Of course, it's really dark, and everyone is wearing black. And I think people come to Neighborhood Number One from other towns as well. To me, the drawback is the chaos. To the kids, the drawback is that each house gives out only one piece of candy (and I'm told that they still run through 30 bags apiece).

Neighborhood Number Two is famous for its generosity. They give out giant candy bars and dump bowls of candy into your bag. Also, the older kids hang out there, so there's the cool factor. The neighborhood is one-acre zoning, and quite hilly in parts, so it takes a bit longer to get around, but apparently, it's worth it if you do. Rating: Highest Wow Factor.

Neighborhood Number Three is a development right off of the Old Post Road, which itself is right off of Main Street. In other words, centrally located, which is a big selling point for me. Another The decor is nothing compared to Neighborhood Number 1, but everyone in this particular neighborhood gives out handfuls of candy, or leaves the candy on the stoop and lets you just grab what you want. Plus, it's a condo development, where half of the houses are attached in twos, and the other half are stand-alone but with almost no space between. So, you can get a lot of candy really quickly. Rating: Highest Efficiency.

Both of my kids were invited to Halloween parties, and then Brian ended up in the Neighborhood Number 3. I met Adam at Neighborhood Number 1, after which he expressed frustration because of how little candy he felt he had scored (only 103 pieces). So, we drove over to Neighborhood Number 2 and filled his bag to the brim in record time.

I feel sort of exhausted today. Did Bikram yesterday plus all of my Ashtanga poses from Mari A on. Man, was I loose after that Bikram class. It's funnyny - I complained halfway through the class that the fans were blowing on me, but ultimately, the fact that I didn't get insanely sweaty the way I do when I take Bikram in Manhattan, meant that I had some juice left for my Ashtanga poses afterwards. Sometimes less IS more.

Did I just say that?

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Neck Safety on Your Yoga Mat

Inform yourself with this important neck safety article by Dr. Carla Cupido. Our new yoga article has teachings beneficial for those new to yoga as well as for experienced yoga practitioners. Prevent injury and improve your posture by understanding yoga anatomy and mechanics of the neck.
Have you ever panicked in the middle [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Are You Curious To Learn About Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga yoga is the Indian name of the yoga branch that the rest of the world knows as power yoga. The exercises that Ashtanga yoga dictates are of specific and paramount importance for athletes who are training for great laurels and have extremely high ambitions and talent. Ashtanga yoga is normally performed in a number of chain series, each a bit more difficult that the last, each boosting the other's benefits towards a very gradual yet perceptible increase of strength, stamina, flexibility and mental clarity.

Why Is Ashtanga Yoga Usually Referred to As Athlete's Yoga?

There are many types of yoga that are practiced in India and throughout the world. However, this particular yoga specifically concentrates upon improving the flexibility, stamina and the strength of the body through specially intended exercises and postures. Ashtanga yoga differs from other yoga forms, since it focuses mainly on improving strength and stamina, while the majority of yoga exercises emphasize on relaxation, flexibility, and breathing with a focus on improving health.

Ashtanga yoga is a very complex exercise which would not be usually recommended for people who are not fit physically; more so when the levels of the Ashtanga yoga will progress at a very fast pace which would not be comfortable or possible for those who are not already (physically) prepared for it. The classes for this type of yoga will progress rapidly and hence, you should work very hard at practicing the exercises so you attain a fair amount of mastery over it, lest you will be left out in the future classes.

Given the above details, it is not surprising to find that this type of yoga is referred to and known as the athlete's yoga. This is the also the reason why this type of yoga is popularly known as 'power yoga'. This is widely practiced all over the globe with great results.

Summing up, Ashtanga yoga is an excellent way to achieve optimum levels of strength, stamina and flexibility which are the basic needs for a good athlete and sports person. Once you have mastered the exercises prescribed by this type of yoga, you will continue to reap the benefits of these exercises for as long as you keep the practice sessions going. All you would need to do to keep in the best of shape is to practice the different postures of Ashtanga yoga for at least 20 to 25 minutes everyday.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Seven Points of Meditation Posture

My Yoga Online has a new article by Rosalee Yagihara, Seven Points of Meditation Posture. This meditation article covers some simple and practical tips in developing a comfortable meditation posture, as well as introduces meditation techniques for anyone who is beginning a meditation practice. As we develop a greater self-awareness with our unfolding [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

OMFG! Madonna and Guy are Divorcing?!

Here's another Huff-Po for you to click on in your daily procrastination. Madonna and Guy - just ordinary folks?

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Yoga Bunk: Debunked

Here's my latest Huff-Post post. To my commentator who suggested that yoga is boring me, perhaps because I am only practicing asana, well, I actually talk about that a bit in this article. But the bottom line for me is that asana is asana, and if I were doing more than asana, my asana practice would still bore me nonetheless.

I did have a delightful practice today. Who knows why, although I am sure that the fact that I ate only Hot and Sour Soup for dinner last night helped. Empty belly always helps when it comes to twisting and binding and lifting and jumping.

Then I ate half a jar of Nutella and completely null and voided all the benefits.

Such is.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Yoga Tunes: Kodomo

I’ve recently been playing some more Kodomo in my yoga classes. If you enjoyed Om Yoga Mix 2 CD, which I reviewed several weeks ago, there’s a good chance you’ll also like Kodomo’s latest CD Still Life. (Kodomo appears on the Om Yoga Mix CD, and Still Life is his first full length album.) Kodomo’s [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

The winter gardening

Nothing left to do in the garden now but watch everything shrink and die. And that's depressing. And so, I am doing some winter gardening - also known as winterizing the hairstyle. I've abandoned my curls for the foreseeable future, with the help of a $10 box of chemicals courtesy of Ogilvie (of home perm fame) and a $13 bob from Supercuts. I'm super-pleased with the straightening results, not quite as pleased with the bob results, having had Katie Holmes in mind as a hair role model (BEFORE she got the mom haircut that she's currently sporting), and ending up with what seems to be more Suri Cruise. Ah well. It will grow back. I always figure: if I've withstood being bald as a cueball with no eyelashes or eyebrows, I can withstand any unfortunate haircut. And this one isn't that unfortunate. It's just not as casual and "sexy" as I usually like my hair to be. It will grow back. It will grow back. I just keep telling myself that.

Here's an attempt at sass - to make up for the lack of long waves to swing about...


Oh, and the yoga? Doing it. Bored as hell. But doing it. Hiked three miles every day except Wednesday as well, which helps to alleviate the boredom.

Waiting for the stable some renovations before getting back on Chance The Horse, by the way, as I know some of you were wondering.


YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

BORED of yoga

BORED BORED BORED

So bored.

Stand at the front of the mat. Sun Salutation A. Again. Again. Again. Again. And then Sun Salutation B. Again. Again. Again. Again. Then the standing poses. The same ones I've been doing forever. And will always be doing. Because even if I quit Ashtanga, how many ways are there to stretch and twist your body anyway? And then the balancing poses, and then more standing poses. And the whoomp - jump to sit. Try to fly through the seated postures, but find the boredom setting in something awful at Janu Sirsasana A. Can't I skip this one? And the next one? Maybe just do C? But then I'd be missing those strength-building vinyasas...can't have that. Then the Marichyasanas. No tolerance there for not-wrist-binding, and so I slow down a bit to make sure I catch my wrists or even my forearm, higher, higher, at just the right angle so that....so that what? I don't know. It's pointless. But I do it. Again. Lately I've been sneaking in a Pasasana somewhere between Mari C and D. Or after D. To add excitement to my utter enui.

Then comes the dreaded Navasana. Boring, repetitive. It's like Sun A but on my ass. BORING. Then Boringpidasana, which adds nothing to my leg-behind-head skillset. Then what could be an interesting pose - Kurmasana and Supta Kurmasana - becomes a prana-stealing obsession as I rock back and forth to get my legs at just the right angles so that I can bind without assistance. Will I ever be able to bind with my legs in Dwi Pada? Doesn't seem possible to bind with the legs already crossed. Why? Is it the outward pressure my thighs are putting on my arms, pressing them apart? Is it even possible to hook the ankles while drawing the things in? Trouble is, I don't care. If I cared, this could be interesting.

Then blah blah blah, walking in my sleep throughout the next blah blah blah boring seated postures. At least I am able to roll onto my entire forehead for Setu Bhandasana now, so my hairline isn't getting ripped up. That's an interesting discover, actually, that yoga annoyances, like bruised arms, and scaly hairlines, and Linda, if you're reading this, rug burn, actually time themselves out over awhile. They die off. Unfortunately, I don't care much. This is only barely of interest to me.

And when THAT is done, it's onto...Second. No excitement here. Just a bunch of Bikram poses, really. On the belly, arch up. On the belly arch up with the feet pressing down. On the belly arch up catching the feet in the hands. On the belly, fall over. On the belly, fall over. On the belly, give yourself a hamstring cramp. Then Ustrasana, with its interesting effect on me - makes me desperate to put my hands down and do Kapotasana. But by the time I get to Kapotasana, I don't want to anymore. I think it's Laghu. HATE that pose. HATE HATE HATE that boring pose. It does nothing for me, only makes me bored and my quads tired.

Then the decision - to go straight into backbends? Or to muss around with the rest of my assigned poses...all extremely boring to me. Of course. Supta Vaj? Who cares. Bakasana? Blech. Been there, done that. Can't I throw in Astavakrasana? I'll come into it from standing. How's that? Maybe even learn to jump into it...but not from a headstand or a handstand. No. Not even remotely interested in anything like that. And what if I added Parsva Bakasana after Pasasana. Wouldn't that spice things up?

What, is this me turning away from Ashtanga and toward Jivamukti? I can see why Tim Miller conducts Improv classes.

Ashtanga can just be so. Boring.

The other day on my 3 mile walk around the Nature Preserve that Shall Be Nameless to Protect the Innocent (Lewis, my dog, celeb that he is), I decided to run it and walk it. Run...walk...run run run...walk....run run run run run run...walk. I probably ran two thirds of it. Shit. What if I want to be a runner again? That would be so bad for my hip flexors. Maybe in moderation, it would be okay?

BORED. BORED. BORED.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

North American Tour is in Progress

I am just writing to let everybody know that my North American tour is moving along nicely. On September 28 I visited the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. I was invited there to give a yoga workshop, but one of the scheduled bands failed to show up and I was given the [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Some Basic Requirements of Good Yoga Pants

When you go for any type of exercise, you will need to have adequate clothing. The ideal clothing would be something which allows you free movement while it does not inhibit sweating or airing of the skin. This is why nothing can beat cotton to date, in spite of so many newer types of fabrics being introduced.

Besides the cloth being comfortable, it should also be presentable as much as possible to make you feel good about yourself. In other words, the pre-requisite for proper sports clothes are, comfort, absorbency and presentability.

Applying the Above Principles to Yoga Classes

Yoga is also an exercise; a very good exercise for the body, though it looks a bit eerie at times. It is renowned to be highly beneficial for all types of physical problems and a good deal of mental problems as well. Yoga can provide exercise for increase of stamina, for increase of memory, as well as for the overall body and mind health.

There is no special clothing demanded by yoga classes, as opposed to karate classes, swimming or aerobics. For yoga, all that is requires is to feel comfortable about one self and be free in movement since some of the postures can be pretty demanding and tight clothing might restrict your movements to a large extent.

Normally speaking, most people use plain T-shirts and yoga pants. There are many types of yoga pants available in the market to suit everyone's mood, shape and size. For people who have a small built, short yoga pants would be a good idea, while tall people might be more comfortable with full length or ankle length yoga pants. In most instances, your yoga instructor will have some minimum dress code. If you find that you are undecided about what type of yoga pants would suit you best, it would be a good idea to ask his/her opinion.

Often yoga clothes are made of cotton, and are form-fitting. However, if you would so prefer, you could also wear loose cotton trousers and tops which do not stick to your contours. The only requirement when you choose clothes for yoga would be, comfort. This is why the most preferred fabric for yoga clothing is cotton the world over.

There are other things that need to be purchased when you decide to go for yoga, such as the yoga mat, the yoga shoes which are a special type with highly flexible sole.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Class Level Change @ Vibe Yoga

My Sunday 5:00-6:30 will no longer be a Level 2/3 class.
Starting today, October 19th, this class will be a Level 2 Flow class.
       yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Should Wives Be Madonna-Whores?

I never thought my wholesome blog will ever contain the word “whore“. I cringe when I hear that term refer to women. To me, this word is a demeaning reference to our gender.
But on one visit to the salon, I picked up a Marie Claire magazine with Lea Salonga on the cover. She was gorgeous, [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Calming Your Vata Dosha This Fall

My Yoga Online is happy to share new tips and advice on holistic healing tips with Ayurveda. This new yoga article by Maggie Reagh, Yoga Therapist, brings insight into lifestyle modifications for the Fall and addresses how the change in season requires us to calm the Vata Dosha. Ayurveda, the traditional medicinal system from [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Highway Billboard Art + Girl Bonding Time = Great Night!

The great thing about having 2 grown-up daughters is that I can do grown-up stuff with them. It has been a while since we did things together as they have just been through hell month finishing up school requirements and studying for their Finals. Now that they’re on sem break, we have that chance once [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga: The How Now of the World's Oldest Exercise

The humming, the candles, the insane positions and the rather cool workout clothes. What comes to your mind when you think of yoga? Well the humming is actually meditation, and that part is optional. So are the candles. But the insane positions stay put, like you will be when your foot gets stuck behind your head.

Joking aside, yoga is a heavenly choice if you are looking to strengthen muscles and condition your body without lifting weights and risk getting all bulky and Rambo-like. There is also the calming effect, which aides in realigning the mental muscles. Unknown to most people, there are actually eight main types of yoga:

1) Bhakti
2) Karma
3) Jnana
4) Raja
5) Mantra
6) Laya
7) Tantra
8) Hatha

Each is as different and unique as the student who toils over the variety of positions. Benefits abound, from physical to spiritual regardless of which path you take. Whether or not you originally chose yoga as a way to meditate, you cannot help feeling calmed and relaxed during some of the breathing exercises. Not only can you calm your anxieties, you can also be lowering your blood pressure and combating a host of chiropractic aggravations at the same time.

The Origin of This Species

From the country that also gave you the Kama Sutra, India is also responsible for creating yoga. Madonna should be thanking her lucky stars. Ancient texts dating back six or seven thousand years ago first mention the stretching/meditating art. Weather worn statues depict possible yogis in a lotus position.

This definitely makes yoga the contender for oldest form of exercise in the world. Unless you count those frolicking gods on Mount Olympus; but they probably borrowed their moves from lusty god Kama, so the torch goes right back to India. Approximately two thousand years ago Indian guru Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutra, an anthology and guidebook of the practice. From the Sutra come the eight limbs:

1) yamas (restraints)
2) niyamas (observances)
3) asana (postures)
4) pranayama (breathing)
5) pratyahara (withdrawal of senses)
6) dharana (concentration)
7) dhyani (meditation)
8) samadhi (absorption)

Each of these limbs presents a stage of ashtanga, or the "enlightened path." When approached and executed correctly, they can funnyction a recipe for better living. There almost is not a better avenue to take to strengthen mind, body, and soul. So grab a mat and strike a pose.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Palin Fatigue: Tired of Talking about Sarah

Is anyone else bored of the whole Sarah Palin discussion? I sure am....

Let's talk about ANYTHING else Alaskan. ANYTHING.


YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Yoga Posture and Yoga Exercises

When you say yoga, one immediately imagines an Indian sadhu (saint) twisted and turned into an impossible mass of flesh and bones. Yoga has been long since, believed that it involves only impossible-to-perform yoga postures which (as difficult as some may be) are extremely beneficial to the body.

Yoga Postures vs. Other Exercises

When you say, 'exercise' it is meant a certain physical activity which promotes health and overall well being of the human body. Yoga is also classified as 'exercise' - however, this is a totally different concept than the Western concept of exercise. For yoga, the yoga posture itself is the exercise. You do not to keep repeating a certain yoga posture to enjoy the benefits it gives - rather your benefit will be from achieving the said posture and maintaining it for as long as it is prescribed to help the body.

The basic difference between the ordinary exercises and yoga postures is that the former one has to be repeated, repeated and repeated for the right outcome, while the yoga posture looks like a short-cut which achieves the same thing in a relatively (and seemingly) easier way. Since the proof lies in the pudding itself, many studies have been carried out to compare and contrast aerobic exercises and others with yoga breathing exercises and yoga postures. In the majority of the cases, the benefits from the yoga posture were more pronounced than those from the regular exercises. This is one of the main reasons why yoga is spreading like wild fire all over the world.

You do not need much investment to start yoga; it is almost free - since the clothing requirements are simple and the only real prop it needs is a mat which is used for practicing your yoga posture as and when it is required. The other props required by and by could be used from your own house, i.e. chairs, high cushions, etc.

This brings us back to the yoga posture and the yoga exercises - which, normally speaking is the same thing. In other words, yoga exercises mean that you learn to put your body through a series of postures that influences the body to funnyction at its full capacity. For example, there are postures that improve digestion by helping it release bile form the gall bladder, and helping it along.

Similarly, there are postures which will benefit people with heart, kidney and respiratory problems and so on. Each of the yoga postures that you will be taught will help in some aspect or other of physical or mental health.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

The Nigerian Email Scam Spam Post

It took a while, but it got published on the Huffington Post here:

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

VOTE !

Like it or not America is a cultural, social, economic leader in this world. This privilege and responsibility is not going to go away even in the present economic decline. Yoga for example has spread all around the world due to the sincere interest that developed in America in recent decades. I consider it our [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Why Call the Asanas by Their Sanskrit Names? Part 2

I recently posted a few thoughts on this question and presented the view that we really should call the asanas by their Sanskrit names. This time around, I’m going to argue for the opposite view. I’ll leave it up to readers to make up their own minds about which view is more plausible.
One reason to [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Adding Hollow Locks In Yoga Forward Bends

There are many techniques to improve and isolate yoga forward bends so they generate a holistic expansion throughout the back lines of the body. A simple technique that you can add to some of your forward bends is what I call a hollow lock.
A hollow lock has a similar feeling as uddiyani bandha (upper [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Vibe Yoga Studio

There is a new addition to the Bloomington yoga community. Opening today, October 5th, is Vibe Yoga Studio (formerly Pound Yoga). Check out the website for directions, schedule, pricing, etc.
I’ll be teaching a 2/3 flow class there on Sundays 5:00-6:30 PM. In addition to vinyasa flow, Vibe Yoga offers pilates, hot yoga, and a variety [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Want a FREE handbag from Handbag Planet?

Thanks, Cathy, for giving me a heads-up on this.
HandbagPlanet.com is giving away 24 handbags in 24 hours on Oct. 15, 2008 as part of their website launch. I was able to check out their 24 handbags and I must say some of them looked fabulous!
This is what their website says:
Handbag Planet is almost here. To [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Thigh Spirals in Yoga Forward Bending Poses

Many forward bending Yoga poses involve the lengthening and stretching of the hamstring muscles. By incorporating subtle spirals of the thighs, you can more effectively isolate the 3 hamstring muscles.
The hamstring muscles consist of 3 muscles:
*Biceps Femoris muscle that originates at the ischial tuberosity (sit bone) and along the posterior aspect of the thigh [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

I heart Kirtan

I spent several hours last night and several more hours today chanting the many names of the Lord. Otherwise known as high holiday services at the synagogue.

I am in the choir, so I really had to participate, and I really had to learn the music and the words and to some extent, have an understanding of the meaning so that I could sing effectively.

The music is still playing in my head and it feels so auspicious to be haunted by "aveinu malkeinu" and "ya ribon alom" and "y'hu l'ratzon" and many versions of what we call "the adoration"

A lovely passage was included in services today, one which is credited to "an unknown confederate soldier". But it could just as well have been written by a Jew. Or a Christian. Or a Hindi. Or anyone who has surrendered themselves to a higher power: Isvara Pranidanha. Here it is:

"I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...
I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I may enjoy all things...
I got nothing I asked for - but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed!"

After contemplating these words, when it came time to pray silently, as it does several times during the service, I tried to contemplate the "unspoken prayers" because I know that those are the ones that will be answered.

Shana Tovah, everyone.

YC
yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Benefits Of Buying Organic Cotton Fabrics

Buying organic clothing is much more than a fashion statement. With the growing need to shift towards greater sustainability, choosing fabrics made from organic cotton and other fibers expands is an easy way to become more green-conscious.
You dry yourself with it after taking a shower, you lay your head against it when you go [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

What I been doin'

Tim Miller was here in East Podunk, actually the Connecticut side thereof, teaching a workshop on Monday and Tuesday. I went. It was really really nice to practice in a room with mat-to-mat matheads. It was hot as hell, and I loved it. I was touched by Tim once on Monday - in Bhekasana. And once on Tuesday - he straightened out my leg in Marichyasana C.

Monday was Mysore practice with Pranayama following. Hated the pranayama. Wanted to kill myself during the pranayama.

Why do we practice Pranayama? Because it feels so good when we stop, maybe?

Tuesday was a double-long led Primary. He held each pose for "five" breaths, and by "five", I mean "TEN". ARGH. Not my favorite way to practice Primary, although I enjoy having the extra time in Marichyasana C and D and Supta Kurmasana. Other than that, I just want to blow through the poses. After that, we talked. I asked a question about religion and yoga and whether you have to believe in God to practice yoga, even though what I really wanted to ask was, how can one whose religion forbids the worshipping of idols and the bowing at the feet of humans reconcile the practice of yoga, with its inherent Hindu references, the chanting of the invocation, the bowing at the foot of the teacher, etc. Since I didn't ask the question I wanted to ask, I didn't get the answer I was looking for, whatever that answer might have been. When I think about it myself, the answer seems to be that we can pick and choose what parts of the yoga practice in which we can participate. And that's fine by me.

BUT, I am not sure that it is fine by everyone. I recall reading more than once that there are those who resent the "picking and choosing" of which parts of yoga to practice; such people feel that it is a mockery of their spiritual practice. I suppose the complaint is akin to an Orthodox Jew (a Jew who, theoretically, adheres to all Jewish tradition and rules) resenting Reform Jews, who take from the Jewish tradition that which makes sense for them in their lives. Reform Judaism is not a dumbed down version of Judaism, at least in my opinion (although some others would beg to differ); it is merely following the intention, but not the letter, of the tradition. To wade into another metaphor, it's akin to strict adherents to the US Constitution, who don't believe in the right to an abortion because abortion wasn't mentioned in the Constitution, and abortion would thus appear to violate the Right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, minus the Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. A different construction of the US Constitution allows room for that which did not exist in the 1700's and imagines "what would the Framers do?"

Anyway. What I liked about the talk after the led was Tim's telling the story of Hanuman, who I must emphasize, is not a god to me. It is a story. A metaphor. A fable, like a really long Aesop's Fable. I didn't chant to the Hanuman Chaleesa afterwards because I have decided that it violates my religious beliefs. It IS a devotional song, and it's one thing for me to sing along to it on a Krishna Das or David Newman CD; it's quite another for me to chant it AS a devotional song. In the former case, I could just as well be singing along to Sarah Brightman. In the latter case, I might as well be in church.

I also liked Tim's talking about the good old days at the shala in Mysore and how he came to the practice (he taught first, practiced later. Yes, Tim was the original yoga "CRIMINAL", oh how it pains me to use that word).

Wednesday, I went to see the Good Doctor, not to be confused with the Jungle Physician or Neil Simon or Chekhov. Damn, but I love practicing in his presence. And although the five-on-one assist he orchestrated for my Kapotasana served only to freak me out, not once but twice, it was a noble experiment, and afterwards, all that adrenalin made for a really awesome Kapotasana B. Maybe my best ever.

Today, I went back to Val's place. She gave me the most awesomest Marichyasana D assist - not to get me into the pose - since I can do that quite handily and take the wrist of my non-grabbing arm, while the non-grabbing hand takes strong hold of one of my lotus leg. I feel like I could fit into a bowling bag when I get that tight. But anyway, Val came up to me AFTER I had bound, and twisted me deeper and got my back shoulder back, back, back, in effect giving me a bit of a backbend in my twist. Yum!

THEN....I took my first horseback riding less in like 25 years! And it all came back to me!!! I could post! I could trot and post! I even got into a canter for like two seconds. Three more free lessons (well, not totally free because I did bid money at an auction in order to win them), and then I am going to have to decide...should I go to yoga class only once or twice a week and spend my money on riding?

Nothing like a new obsession to get my juices flowing!

And who the hell is "V"? I thought V was Vanessa from London-by-way-of-Spain, except no WAY would she ever write that last comment from "V"...

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Dangers of Lumbar Flexion in Yoga Postures

My Yoga Online has posted a new article by Dr. Carla Cupido that addresses the importance of proper forward flexion in yoga poses in order to prevent injury and to maintain integrity in your yoga class. Consider the number of times you flex forward at the waist or hips in a yoga class. Lower [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Why do we do what we do?

Why does it matter so much to be able to backbend or bind in Mari D or whatever it is we are trying to learn at any given time?

And it does matter. If it didn't, we wouldn't talk about it so much. We wouldn't write about it so much. We wouldn't read books about it. We wouldn't bother going to see a teacher for asana lessons. We wouldn't become teachers because we wouldn't understand why it matters to anyone else either.

But why? Why does it matter?

Well, it does FEEL good, physically, to be able to make a bind in some poses. And I don't just mean difficult binding poses like Mari D and Pasasana, etc. I mean, even grabbing the big toe in Trikonasana feels better than NOT grabbing the big toe.

When I see someone in Kapotasana with hands on heels, or someone in Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana with the sole of the foot curled around their own head, it looks so satisfying. It looks like the hand, or foot, as the case may be, was just meant to be there. It's like the heel was designed as a hand rest. And the sole of the foot, designed to curve elegantly around the head.

The way the arm gets into position for a bound twist, the way the legs curl around the arms for Bujapidasana, the way the legs find their way to the arms in Bakasana B - when you get it right, it feels like hitting the sweet spot of a tennis racket. Whoomp - right into place.

But there's more than that. There must be ego involved. If there weren't, then there would be no reason for the whole line of comments on my most recent backbending post.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

That's Not a Bedroll Gwenyeth Paltrow is Carrying, It's a Yoga Mat!

There is no doubting the fact that yoga works just fine with pregnancy and works wonders for the health of the woman and ensure smooth sailing. Pregnancy yoga does wonders for the physical and mental development of the fetus in addition to contributing to a smooth pregnancy as well as natural childbirth. Every woman would like to ensure having a healthy baby and pregnancy yoga goes a long way in facilitating this.

The five tools of pregnancy yoga are yoga exercises, breathing, mudras, meditation, and deep relaxation. For easy-to-perform pregnancy yoga exercises and relaxation, the yogi may also make use of yoga mats which are soft yet firm and are necessary for performing yoga.

Five Vital Tools for Pregnancy Yoga

The first vital tool of pregnancy yoga is the yoga exercise which gently works on the organs of reproduction as well as on the pelvis and thus ensures a smooth pregnancy with childbirth that is relatively easy. More importantly, it facilitates optimal supply of blood as well as nutrients to the fetus as it develops. Pranayama or breathing is a powerful technique that provides enough oxygen supply and also an improved life force or spirit for both the woman as well as for her child and it is useful for keeping fit during pregnancy.

A woman's reproductive organs may be affected by mudras or bandhas which are powerful psycho-physical stimulation that occur with the help of gestures as well as locks. Meditation is a therapeutic tool that helps to resolve the most deep rooted neuroses, fears as well as conflicts that are very common occurrences during a pregnancy. With the help of meditation, the woman may become very much more aware and this will help her connect with the child in a rather unexplainable way. Deep relaxation or yoga nidra or yogic sleep is very effectual in a woman for physical as well as mental relaxation and is also useful when the woman is preparing herself for childbirth.

There is no doubt also that the pregnancy yoga tools are essential and should be practiced regularly as they would not only facilitate a delightful pregnancy but also give the child best opportunity for development. In addition, pregnancy yoga is a preferred choice for women during their pregnancy because it increases the knowledge about the body, helps to moderate the mood, ensures perfect posture, and provides moral support.
It is not unusual for you to be skeptical over the need of a yoga mat for your newfound form of exercise. Why not just use a towel? Why need anything at all? In the past, high priced fitness centers had a habit of charging way too much for what most people would deem unnecessary.

You have read of the many benefits yoga can offer and want to give it a try. Christy Turlington's yoga wear line is an understandable expense. But the mat? Really? Yoga mats are not only about having a comfy place to go all "twisty-crane-on one-leg"; see them as a way to define your space, your own little serenity bubble.

Is a Yoga Mat By Any Other Name Still a Mat?

There is more than just one kind of yoga mat; five different popular varieties to be exact. It's like Burger King...you can have it your way. If you are a natural fiber kind of person, go for the cotton mat. They are ultra absorbent, so you stay dry and cool during your session. It is for this reason that cotton mats are the most popular. For you quick change position artists, the sticky yoga mat is right up your bendy alley.

This incredibly thin mat has a non-slip surface, to help your feet stay in place. Or foot, if the other is busy tickling your ear. Yoga has been shown to be very helpful for those who suffer from a bad back, bad knees, or hips problems. The double sticky mat is thick and cushiony, just right for someone who needs the extra plush. On the down side, they are inconvenient to move. These types of yoga mats are normally used in classes.

But if you need the extra stuffing under your back or legs, then simply the sales associate to double your pleasure. Are you constantly on the go? Do you have a favorite airport? It is difficult to keep up any routine when you are living out of suitcases. A travel mat is small and very easy to pack. You can still practice your positions and stay in shape no matter where you are. The meditation mats are for just that. They are not really designed for much movement; most even include a pillow. So lay back, relax, and free your mind.

Yoga mats may not be incredibly "can't do yoga without one" necessary, but they can only increase your experience. They can be purchased anywhere and are relatively inexpensive.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga Product Review: PadaPath Hemp Nonslip Eco Yoga Towel

There is a new nonslip yoga towel on the market which may be of great interest to many readers. It’s called PadaPath. The company is based out of Portland, OR, and they produce what I believe is the first all-natural, eco-friendly nonslip yoga towel. PadaPath is made from 100% hemp, and goes right over your [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Al Jarreau/George Benson Take Manila by Storm (literally!!!)

I am a jazz lover and a child of the 70s/80s in terms of my music taste. There is a wide range of jazz artists I listen to but 2 of my favorites are Al Jarreau and George Benson. When a friend told me that they were holding a one-night concert in Manila, I called [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Prenatal Yoga and Natural Child Birth

Today people are moving away from synthetics and chemicals and are coming closer and closer to nature and her great healing powers. There are many breakthroughs that help humans understand and use these healing powers to their benefit. One such great aid gifted by nature and sustained in ancient scrolls is yoga. Yoga helps humans stay healthy in mind, body and soul. Prenatal yoga is one of the easiest ways to gather control on your body.

How Prenatal Yoga Helps in Preparing the Mother for Child Birth

Yoga is very well known to improve the flexibility of the muscles and overall body strength. It also helps greatly in gaining total control on your breath, and through it the other funnyctions in the body. It does not matter how over weight or under weight you are. The exercises which may in the beginning feel cumbersome, kind of grow on you. They make you relax, clean and de-stress your mind and body at the same time.

There are many types of yoga. In order to have an easy birth, women can practice prenatal yoga. Women who prefer to give birth naturally, can use yoga to lighten the burden and have an exceptionally easier birth. Prenatal yoga actually prepares the body of the woman in question for delivery.

There are special exercises which only a pregnant woman should work out. These are simple exercises, focused on the baby, the mother's body and the muscles in the lower abdomen, inclusive to the uterus. It has been observed again and again that those women who undergo prenatal yoga classes have very little, if any, complications besides the fact that the delivery is fast and almost pain free.

What Does Prenatal Yoga Do for You?

Well for one, it improves the blood circulation and prevents edema in the late stages of pregnancy. It teaches you how to breathe correctly - and this is the key to control many afflictions that affect you - so you can reduce the pain of delivery. It also enhances the capacity of expelling toxins which is excellent for you and the baby.

Lastly, prenatal yoga will ensure that the body's improved elasticity would bring your shape back in the fastest manner possible. The healing is completed earlier and what is best of all, it is almost painless. Prenatal yoga even influences the milk production- which is another boon for you as a mother and for the baby as well.
There is a fairly common misconception that tantra yoga involves sex in some way. While I suppose the sexual aspect could be brought into play during meditative portions of it, sex is a very far cry from having anything to do with tantra yoga itself. Tantra yoga is more of a holistic approach to the study of the universe via the study of the individual. In other words you study the microcosm to understand the macrocosm. Further simplified, study yourself to understand the world. Granted that's a pretty diluted way of looking at it, but it suits the purpose.

Spirituality

Tantra yoga focuses on the spiritual aspects of yoga more than just about anything else. When meditation is brought into play, yogis are often directed to focus on the Shakti, or energy, inside of them and bring it up through the chakras to collect in the forehead. Once a tantra yoga practitioner has collected enough of this energy they are directed to visualize it pouring out of that point on the forehead to coalesce before them. From there the visualization continues in an attempt to expand this mass of energy to the size and shape of a person which is meant to represent them or a depiction of a deity.

Perhaps the sexual connotation of tantra yoga became involved from the love and devotion one is supposed to direct to the visualized energy during the meditative exercise. In a sense this tantra yoga technique could be considered a form of self love, or devotion to God, depending on how the yogi chose to take it.

Tantra Yoga Goals

The main aim of tantra yoga in general is to expand awareness in all states of consciousness, whether it is waking, dreaming or sleeping. In order to accomplish this, yogis are instructed in methods of reprogramming their minds to a manner of life that is viewed as healthier. Tantra yoga teaches us to identify factors that influence the way we think and feel so that we may change them as necessary to transcend these obstacles that hinder us. By altering our habits and thought processes we can then learn to foster feelings of peace, contentment and order within ourselves instead of clinging to self-destructive thoughts based on ignorance, intolerance and selfishness.

Tantra yoga offers comprehensive tools to aide you in redirecting your thoughts towards healthier processes by guiding one towards breathing exercises, physical and spiritual cleansing of the self, visualization, and mantra repetitions (or chanting). These practices and more can help unfold our divine nature, as taught by gurus of this branch of yoga.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Newsflash: Breast Cancer Sucks, And You Could Die From It.

Here's my latest rant on the Huffington Post: Newsflash: Breast Cancer Sucks, And You Could Die From It.

It's tough to make a case for that when you're alive and well and living in the suburbs. But I think a lot of people tend to forget it, and it's pretty easy to do so these days. My article discusses why that is - and, please be forewarned: I lay partial blame on the Knicks City Dancers.


YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Mooncakes and the Mid-Autumn Festival

Tomorrow, September 14, is officially the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as the August Moon or Ghost Month). This period changes from year to year and does not fall into the August western calendar.
These past weeks, mooncakes (locally referred to as hopia) had been selling all over Chinese stores again. While the daily fare hopia [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Concert for Tara Santelices (Sept. 24, 2008)

By now, many of you have heard of, read about, or even blogged about Tara Santelices, the girl who was shot in the head during a jeepney holdup.
I have been remiss in posting this but I hope to make up now because friends and family of Tara are putting up a concert for this brave [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Repent

It's that time of year again, when Jews all over the world start to think about the Jewish Forgiveness Trifecta: (1) What they are sorry for, (2) To whom they should ask for forgiveness and (3) What constitutes appropriate amends.

According to rabbinical tradition, if you ask for forgiveness and make reparations, then the person to whom you have asked forgiveness and made reparations MUST forgive you.

We talked about that today at a workshop at my synagogue for the parents and children involved in the religious school. It was a rather unsatisfying discussion in that it raised far more questions than provided answers (thus, reminding me of law school; damn Socratic method of teaching).

Questions raised:

1. What IS forgiveness? Is it an emotion or an action? And if it is an emotion, then is it even possible for someone to be obligated to forgive? How does one compell a feeling?

2. Aren't some bad acts unforgivable? If a nazi asks a Jew for forgiveness for the nazi's actions in murdering Jews during the Holocaust, must the Jew forgive? If a child molester asks for forgiveness from the parents of a victim, must they forgive? If the answer is no, is it because there is simply no possible reparation?

3. How does forgiveness figure into the politics and polemics of the Middle East? Would forgiveness on an individual level help to bring about forgiveness on a cultural level? And if so, is forgiveness in this set of circumstances even possible? Is it possible for it NOT to be possible?

I thought I'd bring up these nuggets before mentioning that I played the role of the Lady Who Lunches today, meeting my friend S in New Canaan at a restaurant frequented by Richard Gere. Unfortunately, he was not there today. But lunch was delicious, and S and I talked about politics, gardening, yoga and whether we want to go back to work, now or ever. She and I were roommates in law school, and we both had some success in our careers before leaving it behind. She is more inclined to go back to work than I am. I quite enjoy my leisurely life.

Nevertheless, I had an odd dream early this morning, an interesting and disturbing prologue to our lunch. In the dream, S had a great job, and I didn't work. And she was happy and fulfilled, and I was anxious and uncomfortable and desperate to find work that would make me happy. I found it strange that my subconscious might be providing me with enough ambivalence about my life choices that my conscious need not even be bothered. Except when for whatever reason, my conscious mind remembers the dream and then feels grumpy all day about it.

Still, and this is for my fans out in the far Northwest: I luv being a lady who lunches. If you watch Madmen, then you will know what I mean when I say, I am totally a Betty. I've even taken to wearing a-line shirt dresses...with crinoline. Seriously. That's what I wore last night to the country club my friend J and her family invited us to as their guests. Ah, the good life.

Practice did kind of suck after a two course lunch, two sodas and the large coffee I had at the gas station in Pound Ridge on the way home. But I was proud of myself for practicing, when I knew it would suck.

And that made it kind of good.

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Experiencing WordCamp Philippines 2008

September 6 marked a milestone in blogging history in the Philippines as the first WordCamp in the entire Southeast Asia was hosted by none other than the Philippines (specifically Davao and Manila). With most of my blogs on the WordPress platform AND with Mr. WordPress himself, Matt Mullenweg coming to the event, there was NO WAY [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Is Sarah Palin Truly Pro-Life?

By Dada Vedaprajinananda
Someone who was practically unknown a few weeks ago has now become one of the most important political figures in the United States. That “someone” is of course Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, who is now the Republican candidate for vice president. Palin’s candidacy has energized the Republican Party, especially heartening those [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Uck.

I find the internet so distasteful right now.

I got hacked last week. My hotmail account, that is. Some of you got an email from "me" that sounded an awful lot like the ole Nigerian Email Scam. I dealt with it, hijacked my account back from the hacker, sent out an apology and "do not send money" email to my contacts, but I still felt violated.

As a result, I have been kind of disgusted with all things internet. Haven't posted to the Huffington Post, haven't posted here. Have been trying to keep up with emails and Facebook.

So, here I am dipping my toe in the water again.

Hi everyone.

I can bind Pasasana without props or assistance now. Granted, I've been practicing in the afternoon. But still. I think that is news worth repeating.

Next up: Catching my own toes in Kapotasana. Only then will I really give a rat's ass about keeping my leg behind my head. Notwithstanding the Good Doctor's willingness to allow me to practice up to Eka Pada Sirsasana, I guess I will always have a bit of Sir in my head, asking me why I am so anxious to keep my leg behind my head (I can get it there, but I can't KEEP it there...) when I can't even take my own feet in Kapotasana...yet. Not that I know that Sir would be saying that. But I feel that he would.

All in all, practice is the same as always. I am in a home practice mode. And it is nice. But it takes too long. I would love to gain the discipline to practice outside without feeling the need to prune the shrubbery halfway through Primary or before I get to Kapotasana. Or to practice inside without checking to see if there are any really good movies on...like Brokedown Palace, which provided an interesting backdrop to yesterday's practice....

Nite nite...

YC yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

How to disappear completely

Where to start? How about where it ends or where it is right now. Right now I have just consumed a delicious home cooked western-style dinner at Santosha which is a local Canadian-owned restaurant. (Yes, I do eat.) I'm using the internet at my new house which I have just helped to stock with stuff to make us all a bit happier--bowls, shower squeegees, laundry cords, etc. We're all hippie, live-off-the-land types that appreciate a good granola and so have vowed to make an honest use of this kitchen. I'm listening to a mix of Indian music and political speeches coming in from outside. These sounds are all coming from the commotion around the various makeshift temples that have been built over the last week in honor of a very special Indian festival. Apparently, Mysore goes wild this week for the Hindu deities Ganesh and his mom Parvati.

A few weeks ago a friend told me why we see little elephants representing Ganesh on all the vehicles. "You see, Elise, the Ganesh stickers and statuettes are there to remove obstacles". But I digress.

So everywhere this week are images of Ganesh in all sizes--from freakishly massive to teeny tiny. I've heard that many of them are made of materials that dissolve when submerged in liquid which is an answer to the baffled image I had in my mind of thousands of techni-colored elephants floating in various bodies of water around Mysore. (Part of the festival involves throwing Ganesh in the water.)

What else? Right now I am getting over a small cold (is it?) or maybe it is just a small case of back bending fever. Either way I'm tired and achy and irritable but this will pass. Just like the time. I've already been here for some time. I've already managed to not post for quite some time. It's funnyny how easily each day can pass into the other. Or how everyday I'm dancing on the line between avoiding myself and looking deeply into the mirror.

I'm practicing earlier and earlier and it is getting longer and longer and hopefully I'm getting stronger and stronger. Or something like that. After at least a month here you start to notice how everyone is doing the same stuff you just did. And after this second trip I'm seeing how I've forgotten how new things were last time around. And even as much as I thought I could slide back in, there is so much that is still shocking to bear. It is much like jumping into a body of cold water. I know it is water and I know it is fricking cold, but I don't really know how to dissolve until I'm up to my neck and dunking my head.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

2 Useless Guys

and I say this with completely irreverent reverence. love to you both. Mark and UG circa 2002 in Palm Springs, California yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Bloomington Power Yoga: New Schedule

The new schedule for Bloomington Power Yoga is up! yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga made me do it

I yelled and I apologized. I had the worst day and the best. I saw Grace bleed through a moment of connection with the universe in a Mysore hospital as a nervous doctor trembled with a needle making a hole too small for his eyes to see and his hands to handle. We came away laughing and smiling.

--Again the old me knew the new me needed to hope and plan and couldn't handle waiting one day more and I'm so glad I got the days wrong because now I get a happy heart and no goodbyes. --

We reclined side by side on cushions in the dark talking about feeling real human connection and the shadow of the trees outside danced on the wall to the music playing on the battery power. All we hear between our words is the pouring rain. I know it is a distraction. I know I'm running away from myself, but it is amazing and absolutely intoxicating and I'm going to fall into someone else anyway.

yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga and Prevention of Sacroiliac Joint Injury

Many yoga participants have had to endure the pain of sacroiliac disfunnyction and injury due to improper approaches to forward bending yoga poses. Dr. Robin Armstrong has posted a new article, Asana Anatomy-The Sacroiliac Joint, which discusses the anatomical processes in some forward bends that cause sacroiliac joint problems.
By bringing awareness to the cause [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Everything is God

This time I'm resting on my back and all I can think of is how amazing it is that I'm lying here. My friend told me that every day she wakes up and thanks God she is here doing this. I thought it was sweet but now I'm feeling it.

A while back before ashtanga I was in corpse pose at the end of a yoga class. I was lying there and feeling my bones touch the ground. I could feel my organs and my flesh and all I could think about was how this is decaying and before I know it I will be dead.

This time I'm thinking about life. How amazing it is to be lying here. My legs work my arms work. I am alive. And even the stupid crap that pisses me off is pretty amazing. Thinking about God or Goddess or universe or whatever makes you think about how much whatever is happening is so small so insignificant and at the same time, it is all that ever existed.

Sharath is amazing. Assisting someone in supta vajrasana is not easy. Usually you sit over their crossed legs and I always have a bit of a challenge applying the right amount of weight. Sharath walks over and places his toes on my shins and I drop back as he stands over me shouting and gesturing with his arms at people around the room. Something big, something small. Looking up he is a giant and I'm so small. It ended with "Bakasana".

In bakasana, you balance on your hands with your knees on the backs of your arms and your knees bent up toward your rear forming you into a little ball. In the second variation of the posture, you have to jump into this position.

So after I get bakasana I'm on my mat thinking about how amazing this is and thinking about God and all that feeling life is this incredible joyous experience. I walk outside. I sit on my bike. I forget how to stand. I fall over and the bike falls with me. The guy with the pushcart that sells oranges laughs. The woman cleaning the driveway of the salon gasps and takes her hands to her cheeks. I laugh and get up and wipe mud off my back. In the end I'm just this ridiculous clown and some falling is just what I needed.

Getting crazy with bakasana:
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=abBwccUCFEU

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