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.

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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?

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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.

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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.


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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.

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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.

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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.
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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.

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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.


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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.

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The Nigerian Email Scam Spam Post

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

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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
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