Sandbox – My New Playground

A few months ago, a group of bloggers (including myself) were involved in a closed beta project to test Sandbox. Media practitioners and some internet celebrities also joined in during this test phase.
Now, Sandbox is launching into open beta and I would like to invite you to check it out. Most of my blogger friends [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

The Fun in Fundamentalism

I was just reading Grimmly's blog entry in which there is a revisiting of the well-worn debate between those who fully buy into the traditional one-pose-at-a-time method of Ashtanga yoga teaching versus those who don't. Of the latter, it seems that there are two schools: those who tried it in earnest and found it wanting and those who never even thought to try and and found that life was good without it.

I am of the former school. And I thought it might be funny (for me, at least) to revisit how my change of heart came to pass.

I started my Ashtanga practice with the goal of completing Primary Series because I believed, as I still do, that the deep forward bends and twists are therapeutic, if only for the muscles and joints of the body, and possibly for the metabolic system as well (it is impossible to deny the effects on my own digestive system of the deep twists...if things aren't moving along, so to speak, all it takes is Mari D, we're in business, you Ashtangis know what I'm talking about...). When I started, my body was stiff. Not my mind, folks. My body. I had run marathons but had never bothered to stretch. Even though I had done my share of handsprings as a youth and had continued throughout adulthood to now and then pull one out when I found myself on a wide, green expanse of grass, after my double mastectomy, there were no more handsprings. No more back walkovers. Not my mind, my body. Very real, very stiff.

I took "led" classes (Western style, your typical yoga classes where the instructor calls out the poses and the class follows suit), but I found that I was gaining little flexibility in the more difficult poses. Plus, very few led classes actually got past the halfway point of Primary. Even Govinda Kai's Led Primary class at New York Yoga back in the early 2000's was really Led Half Primary (that was when he was known as Russell Kai Yamaguchi, for those who don't recognize the name).

I decided to give Mysore-style classes a go because I felt that the one-on-one attention in the difficult poses would provide the intensity and repetition I needed. I was afraid to try Mysore-style at first because I was resistent to the idea of being "stopped" at a pose that I had not yet perfected (which I assumed would be Marichyasana C, but I feared could be sooner, depending on how exacting a teacher might be...after all, my Marichyasana A wasn't pretty either; even though I could link fingers, a wrist bind was a far-off dream, and I wasn't sure what a teacher would expect of me). Anyway, I finally gave in and decided that I would accept the "being stopped" because I really really really wanted to make progress in Marichyasana C and D and Kurmasana.

I tried Eddie Stern's shala and really enjoyed Sarah's midmorning session. She stopped me at Marichyasana D, if I am remembering correctly. I also tried Guy Donahaye's shala, and found myself gravitating toward Mark Robberds's light-hearted, sunshiney style (he was the guest teacher that first summer while Guy was away). Mark let me go all the way to Supta Kurmasana, but he told me that Guy probably would cut me back to Marichyasana C or D, since I needed assistance to bind them. By then, I was fine with all of that because very single day that I went to practice, I actually got to DO those poses that had seemed impossible before, even if it was with help. And I liked it. I not only liked it, I was addicted to it and completely dependent on GOING to the shala in order to get my assists. If I didn't go to the shala, then those poses eluded me. So, naturally, I wanted to go. Every single day.

As time wore on, and I am talking a lot of time - a year or more - I became able to do Marichyasana C and D on my own, and then Supta Kurmasana became the challenge, the addiction, the pose that made me dependent on my teacher and a visit to the shala for help. And then came drop-backs.

By the midsummer of 2007, I found myself able to do every pose of Primary Series on my own and to drop back and stand up on my own. But I became interested in more-deeply backbending, and I knew that I was going to need at least some of Second Series in order to do that. Not that I couldn't do that on my own - except for Pasasana, we're talking very very elementary backbending prior to Kapotasana.

Anyway, long story short, over the period of a little more than a year, except for a brief interlude with Christopher Hildebrandt, which I will get to in a moment, I found my interest in shala practice significantly diminished. I think that what had happened was that nothing had ever really changed for me: I still really wanted to practice Primary Series. I didn't want to give up any of Primary Series because I still firmly believed in it. It made me fit. It made me feel good. And I could DO Primary Series without any help at all.

Now, there was that time with Christopher, in the summer of 2008 where I began to really long for more more more. And I attribute that to Christopher's enthusiasm and his seeming belief that any pose is possible for any person. He gave me all of Second Series up to Eka Pada Sirsasana with the promise of more just as soon as I could keep my legs behind my head without assistance. But that is when it all started to backfire for me. I don't think I really WANTED all those poses. I wanted to learn to backbend. And doing leg-behind-head poses wasn't helping my backbends.

And this is when the doubt began to creep in. My teacher believed that I could do these poses, that I should do these poses. But I didn't. Much as my ego wanted to believe my teacher, reality was telling me that this was not the proper course for me. I struggled with the reality testing all throughout this past winter. I practiced at home, trying to keep up the prescribed practice - all of Primary then Second up to Eka Pada. But it was arduously long, and I felt overtrained. I was making no progress in Kapotasana, or not nearly enough for the amount of time I had put in. I sensed that the work in Eka Pada was undoing my work in Kapotasana.

In short: I began to distrust outside teaching and to trust my inner teacher above all else.

Getting back to the original seed that started this post - the question of whether the traditional one-pose-at-a-time style is the right style for everyone - I think that the answer is that nothing is one-size-fits-all. It's simply not black and white.

Show me a 30-year-old former dance instructor who steadily moves through Primary and Second, and I will show you two or three or 10 45-year-old former runners who are much better off doing it all piecemeal, at least after they learn Primary. I still believe that Primary should be learned in its entirety before moving on to Second Series. But I also believe that Primary might best be practiced as a gestalt, rather than one-pose-at-a-time. Or maybe not. Maybe it depends on the student. Maybe it depends on what the student WANTS. Maybe all students would be best served by having a teacher who is willing to tailor the practice to what the student wants from their practice, maybe with some limits set: no Pasasana until Mari D is self-bound, for example. No Eka Pada unless Supta Kurmasana is bound (with or without assistance). And Second Series backbends should be available to students who need them.

I don't know. I fully admit that I don't know. All I know is what worked for me and what didn't. What worked for me WAS being taught one Primary Series pose at a time. But "worked" is a tricky notion. It "worked" in that it made me proficient at Primary Series, which I can breeze through in under an hour now. But it did not work as far as making me fit and healthy exactly. The weight that I put on when I was being treated for breast cancer did not come off until I was practicing ALL of Primary. And once I was practicing all of Primary, the weight SLID off. I don't even understand how it came off so quickly. Before that, when I was practicing half of Primary and/or maybe a bit more, my weight was lower than it was before I was practicing Ashtanga diligently and daily. But I did not find my "comfortable" weight until after I was "allowed" to practice all of Primary (and by "allowed", I mean in a shala; of course, I could have done whatever I wanted at home, and sometimes I did. But during this period, I was still of the mindset that I was doing something "criminal", which seems laughable now, but that was my mindset at the time...I was "all in" when it came to the Ashtanga game).

Perhaps if I had been allowed to practice ALL of Primary but was told that I would not be taught any of Second Series, with the exception of the Second Series backbends up to but not including Kapotasana, until I could do all of Primary on my own, I might have taken a lot longer to learn all of Primary. On the other hand, perhaps I would have lost a lot of weight, making it easy for me to bind in Marichyasana D and Supta Kurmasana.

Of course, for ME, weight seems to be a relevant factor in my ability to bind certain poses. Actually, the more flexible I get, the more years of practice I have under my belt, the fewer poses there are that seem to be effected by weight. Right now, it seems to only be Supta Kurmasana in which I can feel a difference if I put on or take off a pound or two. Maybe someday, I will be flexible enough so that it doesn't matter at all if my weight is up or down, with respect to Supta Kurmasana. However, for other people, no amount of skinniness is going to matter in certain poses. I have seen skinny people struggle in Marichyasana D. I have seen skinny people who are unable to bind in Supta Kurmasana without help (some are unable to bind WITH help). So, for me, the rigors of practicing all of Primary might have made a difference in my ability to DO all of Primary, whereas for others, the rigors of practice might make no difference at all.

Chalk another one up to one size does not fit all, to black and white being a bit greyer than traditionalists might wish to believe.

I certainly do not regret trusting Guy and learning the Primary Series the way he was taught - one pose at a time, proficiency required. But I wonder if it might have been just as good for me the way, say, Val or Tim Miller teaches it: all of Primary at once.

There is no answer. The only way to "test" the two opposing theories are to have the same person try it both ways, but of course that isn't possible. Because once you've learned it one way, you can't undo it and then learn it the other way. So anyone who claims that they KNOW that one way is better than the other really can't know it at all. They can have FAITH in the way they were taught. They can have faith in their guru, or their guru's guru. But they can't know.

Grimmly, who inspired this post, is perhaps my favorite yogi of all right now, and I will tell you why. Grimmly is innocent. Grimmly has not ventured into the shala and then rejected it as you might say that I have. Grimmly has simply stumbled onto an amazing style of yoga, teaching it to himself with great success. It is a pleasure to see it in action. He defies every Ashtanga Traditionalist's expectations. He throws it on the ground and Karandavasanas right over it. It is awesome.

Awesome.

Some saw fit to try to stomp on his buzz. Based on my experiences, I would expect that someday those buzz-stompers will either abandon the Ashtanga fold altogether - when they get to a pose for which the Ashtanga system suddenly disappoints them, suddenly no longer works. Or....

Wait. I really don't see any other possibility for the buzz-stompers. In my heart of hearts, I believe that it can only end one way. Disappointment.

But not for Grimmly. Grimmly will keep on keeping on...at least I hope so.

This is probably one of the most rushed and disjointed posts I've ever vomited out. But there you go. I had to say it.

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

A Mother’s Day Clinique Day

I enjoy doing “girl” things with my daughters and mommy bloggers. And summer is really the best time to bond with them as there are no pressures of work or school.
So it was indeed an opportune time when Clinique put together a blogger event very close to Mother’s Day and invited my 2 girls as [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

I couldn't practice today...

because...

I didn't want to.

But tomorrow is another day.

My yoga practice is quite bipolar. Some weeks are up up up all the time, and then suddenly, I crash.

Today, anyway, I had other priorities that could not include a trip into the city. Among those: I decided to put Lewis the Bagle on a new fitness program, which means that he has to go on a walk with me once a day, rain or shine. Getting out for that first walk, knowing it would be the first of many, many, many...that was tough. But, one day at a time, right?

Our walk was nice. I did it for him, not for me, so I let go of the annoyance of him stopping every fifteen seconds to pee.

Another thing: today the workmen were finishing the floor and moldings on our ground level, which contains my new....drumroll...yoga room! Wood floor, French doors through which you can see the side garden and the pond, and when I close those French doors, it's a cozy warm space after about five minutes with the space heater.

It's all still unpainted, and the bathroom fixtures need to be hooked up, but basically, it's good enough for me to take a trial run tomorrow. Believe me, if the weather was promising, I would be outside. But we are back to grey and gloomy again. Pfft.

And so, tomorrow, after a bright and early cup of coffee and a bit of yogurt, I will get the kids off to school, walk the dog and then do my yoga practice in my new yoga room...

I hope.

Hold me to it. Please. I need accountability...

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

When a Yoga Workout Goes Wrong

I was recently asked about my opinion about ‘fatigue’ and reaching to one’s physical limits in yoga practices. I had presented my earlier opinion that excessive fatigue should be avoided in a yoga class. As teachers, we should apply this principle and as students, we need to observe this mindfully. I realized [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

On the 8th day...

there was rest. I felt rather like shit today, actually. Wasn't even up for gardening although I did a bit. Moved a few flowering shrubs that seemed to want to be somewhere else, moved a line of Daylillies that definitely wanted a new home. And then I lost my mojo. Still have some moving of flowering shrubs to do, but it can wait. Maybe later tomorrow.

There is no question that this crappy weather effects me, makes me sluggish and loguey. It also doesn't help that my tooth problem from three months ago is STILL not fully resolved. I am noticing it today again. Sensitivity in the tooth followed by a radiating ache. Nothing that a couple of Advil can't fix, but it is distressing nontheless, especially for someone like me who is so sensitive to every little ache and pain (I was always that way...it wasn't the cancer that made me that way..it's probably why I discovered my cancer!).

Anyway, so tomorrow I have my weekly shrinking, and it's one of those weeks when I promised to come in, instead of literally phoning it in. So, just like those weeks when my computer lab ended early or didn't happen for one reason or another, I could actually go in and practice midmorning with...that teacher who I really don't much enjoy practicing with.

Except for one thing: she is not on the schedule. What gives? Is she GONE??!!!

I thoroughly enjoy practicing with YS's go-to-subs. But I don't want to get attached to the scenario in case it doesn't last...

Does anyone know?

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

I am a coconut tree

I was in Taveuni, Fiji when I suddenly realized that I was a coconut tree. Firmly rooted on earth with a strong upright trunk, curving and beautiful. Then soft receptive unfurling in all directions from above, the form of all life. The unfolding tips so tender, and overlapping. I was touched [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Day 6: The Husband ROCKS as an Ashtangi assist-er

Sixth day in a row today. I practiced because it was hot and muggy out. I could have (should have?) rested. But whatever. It felt AWESOME.

Husband was hanging around for the second side of Pasasana, so I asked him - could you give me a hand here? And he promptly knocked me over. Second time was the charm. I am telling you: no yoga teacher has ever given me a better Pasasana assist. He simply brought my hands together firmly and then backed off. I was like, "noooo, I'm going to fall...." but I totally did NOT fall.

How is it that my husband,the real estate lawyer, the total non-yogi except for the occasional hot yoga class, is my best Supta K and Pasasana assist-er? Tied for second best are my sons. OK, well, maybe they are tied for third after the Good Doc and Val, who are tied for Second, due to their assertive pulling of arms from under the legs using the wrists as leverage and their crossing ankles over neck in a way that no one else can really do (except for the Husband, who may have a desire to hurt me, which pays off when it comes to Ashtanga assists...).

Speaking of Supta K, after holding it for a delicious 10 breaths, I came up and then rolled over on my back and bound in Yoga Nidrasana. YUM.

I was a bit disappointed that after all that juice in the forward bends and twists, and even some really nice Second Series backbending, my Urdhva Dhanurasana was still painful in my wrists, and Kapotasana wasn't even close. Whatever. Other than that, it's all good. The practice keeps me fit and happy.

Had some friends over today, late afternoon through early evening. We were talking about how you adjust to a "new normal" when things happen that you never could have foreseen. Specifically, we had been talking about the fact that if one gets prostate cancer, the surgery could leave one impotent. I suggested that perhaps this would not be as tragic as it seems at this moment, standing in this place, at this time. Like, perhaps if your life is at stake, you eventually adjust to a new normal, where impotence is not a major issue. I cited myself as an example. If I were 20 years old, and you told me that as a 36 year old, I would have to have one or both breasts removed to battle an aggressive form of breast cancer, I would have been pretty damn upset. Not able to get out of bed upset. But at 36, when it was my life at stake, I was borderline cavalier about it, about everything I had to give up in order to survive - the loss of the breasts, the loss of hair, the loss of eyelashes and eyebrows, the weight gain, the loss of the illusion that I was too good for cancer.

I bring this up because the issue of my reconstruction came up. My reconstruction was a failure. The first time and the second. And by failure, I mean that I do not like the way it turned out. And I am not picky. I WANTED to like it. I would have dug deep into the depths of denial to like it. But there is not much to like except for the fact that I can manage to look okay in clothing. Last year, I sought out a third opinion, a horrible doctor who I wrote about somewhere on this blog, who was dismissive of me and told me, essentially, that I could have another go at it - using fat from my butt - which I would have to grow by gaining weight! - if I was willing to never ever do yoga again.

Never. Do. Yoga. Again.

Sorry, but no.

New normal. Me wanting funnyction more than form. It's mildly mind-blowing to me that I would rather live with what I've got, which is far from what I had when I liked what I had, than give up the activity that makes me truly content.

Time to put down the wine. When I read this tomorrow, will I delete? Time shall tell...

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Green Cleaning-Kitchen Sponges and the Environment

My Yoga Online has posted a new Green Living article by Michael Bloch, Kitchen Sponges and the Environment.
Most discussion about kitchen sponges is around the amount of bacteria they can harbor. A study that found some sponges to contain more bacteria than a toilet bowl sent people scurrying to buy more sponges and change them [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Amazing and Joyful Day 3 of the Solar Powered Chickie

Man, do I love practicing outside in the sunshine. It just fills me with happiness in a way that indoor practice does not.

A commentator mentioned that Guruji had written in Yoga Mala that we should not practice outside. There was a time, not even that long ago, when I would have been shamed by such a comment. I would have rethought my own happiness and considered taking my practice back indoors again. Now, such thinking is inconceivable. I am sure that Guruji had good reason for requiring that practice take place indoors. Perhaps the sun is a factor. Well, in my case, my back porch is a "half and half": half open pergola, and half closed, meaning that the slats have planks ABOVE them that keep the sun from peeking through. It's not an indoor space by any means. But it is protected from sun.

Not that I owe anyone an explanation. But there you have it. There is some logic to Guruji's prescreptions, no doubt. And there is some method to Yoga Chickie's madness. No doubt. At least none in Yoga Chickie's mind.

I had thought about going to Val's today, because I do enjoy practicing with her. And I do plan on visiting Sir again, as well as Lori in the summer, made actual plans to do so today, in fact (to see, Sir, that is). But as I considered taking the half hour drive to Georgetown, CT today, it occurred to me that I would RATHER practice alone on my back porch, listening to my own music, with the greenery and the newly blooming hydrangeas, foxglove, coreopsis and yarrow as a backdrop. Not that I won't at some point enjoy a trip to a shala. But today, I decided that what I would rather do was practice alone. And so I did.

Sometimes when I practice alone, I force myself to do it exactly as I was taught. No additions. No variations. No binding in the standing poses. No hanumanasana (splits). No arm balances thrown in.

Today was not one of those days.

Here's a perfect example of the way I turned my Ashtanga template into my own practice today:

5 Surya A
5 Surya B
Trikonasana to Ardha Chandrasana
Revolved Triangle to Parvritta Ardha Chandrasana
Full Vinyasa in between
Parsvakonasana, touch head to the ground next to foot, then take the bind, then standard pose.
Parvritta Parsvakonasana, take the bind, then standard pose.
Prasarita Padotanasana A, B and C, then instead of D, Gomukhasana arms on each side with the top elbow to the ground.
Parsvotanasana to Full Vinyasa to bending down to pick up the toe and stand up for...
Uttitha Hasta Padangustasana - front, side and then take the leg behind for Natarajasana (Bikram style)
Full Vinyasa to Ardha Badha Padmotannasana, then bend the knee and touch down for Vatayanasana
Then Full Vinyasa to Utkatasana to Bakasana A, then Bakasana B then Full Vinyasa to...
a deep lunge with the toenails on the mat, then Warrior I then Warrior II.

Then the Primary Series "as written" until Janu Sirasana C, which I jump into Eka Pada Sirsasana style and do Compass Pose before.

After each Marichyasana, I jump out of it exactly as I am when I finish the pose, creating an arm balance in each case.

After Marichyasana D, straight to Pasasana, then Krounchasana, then back to Navasana. Then...
Bujapidasana, Kurmasana, Supta Kurmasana. Then...
Eka Pada Sirsasana and Yogi Nidrasana.
Then skipping Garba Pindasana going straight to Badha Konasana and going right through the end of Primary, except skipping Setu Bandhasana.

Back to another Pasasana (yes, putting it in twice because (a) I LIKE it and (b) I am FINALLY getting really really consistent with it, even pressing my heels down), Krounchasana and then while I'm in the Krounchasana position, what a perfect set up for Parighasana and then Bharadvajasana.

Finally the backbending poses. I do them in order until Ustrasana. Then all bets are off. I do Ustrasana a couple of times and I spend some time just hanging back while standing on my shins, not putting my hands on my heels. Skipped Laghu Vajrasana and instead did Kapotasana twice. Once holding A, and once holding B.

From there, put head down and wrapped elbows around head, a la Viparata Dandasana, but pressed chest toward wall. From there, pressed up into Urdhva Dhanurasana. Stood up and then dropped back without lifting the heels by walking the hands down the wall: really really really wakes up my legs and stretches my groins.

Then Utttanasana. Then the closing sequence. Oh, and somewhere in there, not sure where, I did a 10-breath Pincha Mayurasana. I don't remember where.

I am sure that I will never repeat this exact sequence again. Because it will never be TODAY again. And my body will never be exactly the same as it was today again. And that is the beauty of a home self-practice.

Money saved not going to class: $20
Gas saved not going to class: 3/4 gallon
Feeling like my body got EXACTLY what it needed: priceless.

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Day 2 of the Solar Powered Chickie

I think I am going to try to keep track of my practices for a bit, hold myself accountable.

So, today, Full Primary, then Second to Kapotasana. Skipped Laghu Vaj because, well, because I really can't stand that pose, even though I can do it. Besides, Ustrasana is so much more important, and I do that like three times.

Practiced outside after a lunch of swiss cheese, fake bacon and avocado on a flour tortilla, so there were some kind of pukey moments. But it's still good. Thank you, sun.

Oh, did some interesting backbend research that I think might be worth doing again: I dropped back with my feet planted a couple of feet away from the wall, and as I went back, I would not let my heels come up. That meant that I had to crawl my hands down the wall instead of dropping directly to the floor. But wow, what a stretch of my front body.

That's all.

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Healthy Nutrition-Smarter Salad Greens

My Yoga Online has posted a great new nutrition article by Karla Heintz, BSc Nutrition, Smarter Salad Greens. Learn about the better choices for making your salad more interesting, nutritious and packed full of healthy dietary benefits.
With summer soon approaching it is a perfect time to become green leaf savvy for any patio meal. [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Pattabhi Jois

For those of you who haven’t heard yet, Pattabhi Jois, founder of modern Asthanga yoga, has passed away. For some reason, none of the major news outlets seem to be covering the story, but here it is on the Huffington Post. yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Yoga in Ireland and England

I’m going to be doing a little traveling this summer to Ireland and England. I’ll be in Dublin and London mostly, but will also visit some smaller cities. If anyone has studio recommendations (or any other recommendations, for that matter), I’d really appreciate it. yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Truth about Factory Farming

My Yoga Online has posted a new Green Living article by Farm Sanctuary: Factory Farming, Cultivating Destruction. Learn how your vegetarian diet supports not just a healthy body, but also a healthy planet. Little is known or said about the great harm animal production and consumption has on the environment.
Your mother was right. [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Kefir – Time for a Second Look at this Potent Probiotic

In February of 2007, a co-parent at our boys’ school gave me a batch of what looked like cottage cheese-like, curdled milk. I saw kefir for the first time. It was only after I did some googling on the internet that I discovered that kefir was one of, if not THE most potent, probiotic there is. [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

Get Your Studio Involved in National Yoga Month

My Yoga Online encourages all Yoga studios and Yoga teachers to take part in this great event. Yoga Month invites all styles of yoga to participate in an awareness campaign designed to draw attention to the many benefits of yoga and inspire our fellow citizens to live healthier, happier lives. yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

New Online Hatha Yoga Video

My Yoga Online has added a new online Yoga Video by Kreg Weiss to its streaming video library. Yoga Class for Nourishing Balance combines the essence of motion with awareness in classic yoga postures to enhance your ability to balance with mindfulness and purpose. The use of flow will strengthen and tone while also warming your body for expansion. Embracing the element of mental conditioning, also enjoy moments of inner reflection with Breathing Tree flow and Savasana. yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Baby Bibs and Burpies By Scaboozie

My kid drools. Drools like a waterfall. He smiles, he drools, he cries, he drools, he sees a favourite toy and boy does he drool. We bought a ten pack of bibs for ten dollars thinking we’d just switch them up every couple of minutes. They were cotton on one side [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

1001 Meditations

I found this book while killing time at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street (PhP599). It was the last copy in that branch but I saw another copy at the Promenade Greenhills one.
It’s tiny, just about 4 x 4 inches in size and an inch and a half thick. But when I flipped through its pages, I realized [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement;

New Yoga Video Sun Salutation A

My Yoga Online has posted a new Yoga Video with Jesse Enright titled Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskar). yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Yoga Pose Exploration-Bending Over Backwards

My Yoga Online has posted a new yoga article by guest yoga author, Kino Macgregor. Bending Over Backwards Into A Stormy Emotional Sea gracefully explores the physical, emotional, and energetic practice of yoga back bends. yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Yoga and Anterior Pelvic Tilt

The anterior pelvic tilt is a hot topic in yoga and in manual medicine. Some people are overly concerned about the fact that their pelvis is tilting anteriorly without even understanding what it means. Let’s simplify the issues behind this increasingly common postural variation and learn how it can affect other parts of our body. yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Power of Acceptance and Gratitude

My Yoga Online has posted a great new article by Vijai Sharma, The Power of Acceptance and Gratitude. This wellness article brings perspective into the benefits of choosing positive thoughts and actions. Vijai also offers a yoga Heat and Breathing exercise which can bring positive emotions in focus and hopefully also help you to calm your heart and breathing. yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;

Rock Star Yoga

Is this how the world is to perceive R. Sharath? A rock star gazing impenetrably at the world, wearing nothing but a black diaper and a smirk?

Apparently.

I am, shall we say, non-plussed.

Nice pose, by the way, if you like the look of broken limbs.

YC

yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;