Happy Halloween!

Here's a couple of pumpkins I've done. The Ganesha is actually from a couple years ago, and the little drawn one is from this year. Hope you all have a super-fun spooky Halloween.

Ganesha Carving



Ganesha all lit up.

My little kitchen mini pumpkins.

B.K.S. Iyengar on Physical Health

I'm currently reading B.K.S. Iyengar's Light on Life, and this passage stood out to me:

"Physical health is not a commodity to be bargained for. Nor can it be swallowed in the form of drugs and pills. It has to be earned through sweat. It is something that we must build up. You have to create within yourself the experience of beauty, liberation and infinity. This is health. Healthy plants and trees yield abundant flowers and fruits. Similarly, from a healthy person, smiles and happiness shine forth like the rays of the sun."

Cards for Yogis with a Sense of Humor

Cath Tate Cards: Where you'll find these cards and more.

 

This is not a sponsored post, I just found them interesting.

The Thick and Thin of Yoga Mats

I've been hearing a lot lately about how when you're looking for a yoga mat you really want to find something thick. According to current discussion thick mats are ideal and necessary. I really don't think that's always the case, so I just have to say something. Yes thick mats are great for things like tops of feet in virasana or knees during low lunges. Thick mats have their place, but they have their drawbacks too.

I've tried a lot of different mats - some I've purchased, some I've used because they were the only thing in the studio at work, and sometimes I've gone without entirely. The thickest mats I've tried were far from the thickest available, and I think it takes no time at all before a mat becomes too thick. If given the option of a really thick mat or nothing - I'd rather go bare.

The thickest mats I've tried have actually hurt my feet far more than the hardest wood floor. If your mat is thick but not firm then you will have difficulty balancing, and a potentially dangerous situation for wrists. Handstands, arm balances - these should probably never be done on a thick squishy mat. Some mats are thick but firm (not very common though) so they don't pose these problems and I don't really have any problem with them. However, thinner mats can be great and I prefer my mats a little on the thin side. I don't mind practicing on a bare floor, and I think thin mats get me the closest approximation to practicing on "the ground with stick". When I attended a Noah Maze workshop early this year I noticed he rolled out a mat that at first almost looked like a long black piece of paper. I don't even know where you get such a mat. It was crazy looking, but he prefers the thinnest mat possible.

This is all personal preference, but the point is that it IS an entirely individual situation. Your mat supports and holds you through the long journey of your practice. It needs to fit you, your practice, and your needs. Thick may not be it, so remember that when shopping for your next mat. Listen to your body, not to popular opinion.

5-Minute Meditation Music

If you're the type that likes a little music to your meditation (it can help with timing and atmosphere) then I have just the video for you. This little gem by kirtan artist Wade Imre Morisette is 6 minutes and 41 seconds long, which I think it just enough time to hit play, get settled, meditate for 5 minutes, and slowly draw yourself back to your day to day.  Also a natural fit on playlists for pranayama and asana practice. Enjoy!

Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video.

Yoga Flash Mob - Yoga Stage

Here's a video of the kind of fabulous marketing I would love to take part in. Public displays of yoga draw in yogis and newbies alike. This flash mob by Yoga Stage takes their passion for yoga to the streets!

More about YogaStage:

YogaStage is a new networking site for yoga teachers, students, and the places they gather.
For practitioners it provides one central location to find classes, studios, festivals, etc in your area or wherever you want to go. For teachers they provide job-search options with listings from studios, festivals, and quick Yoga Press Kits (YPK's) to market your teaching. Finally, if you own a studio or coordinate a yoga event of any kind you can put out calls for teachers and market yourself to students. The entire yoga community will be meeting at YogaStage. Check it out so you don't get left out.

Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video.

Workshop Handstands

One of my teachers says "Anyone can do handstands, but not everyone will."

I find this to be true, and today I want to mention some different ways to work on your handstands.

Throw in a couple of these each day and you'll be a hardcore handstander in no time.

This L variation is great when you're working on building strength in your upper body.
Hands can be directly under shoulders as you get more used to it.
Eventually you can take one leg straight up... then both if you're feeling bold.

How to Get There: Come into a slightly short-stanced downward-facing-dog pose at the wall.
Balls of your feet in the wall/floor crease and your heels on the wall. From there you walk your feet up the wall.
When you're ready to come down you can walk your feet back down the wall.

At the Wall - Take your fingertips about 4 inches from the wall.
Claw fingers down, squeeze feet together. Hands and feet reaching strongly away from each other.
Christina Sell (pictured) says if you can hold this at the wall for 2 minutes then you're strong enough to work on balancing away from the wall.

Working with a friend is magic!
Can work here on balance, OR on holding it for 1 minute.
Really works your strength and stamina.

Photos courtesy of Mark Ickes.

Take a Breath and Call me in the Morning

Today I want you to take a big breath. Really. Like consciously stop and take a big long deep breath. (Eyes closed is nice but optional.) Inhale all the blessings present in your life right now; then Exhale all the bullshit you're hanging onto for no good reason.

Doesn't that feel better? Repeat as necessary.

Photo Source: This glorious pic is from a Sianna Sherman Newsletter not too long ago.

John Friend on Light and Dark

"Orient to the light, and extend it back into the dark"  - John Friend

Photo Source: found over at Devil Wears Prana

May You Never Have This Teacher

Readers via Email - Click Here to see the Video.

An Act of Rebellion

How do you go about becoming that free? Practice Yoga.

Not that it's the only method, but it works pretty darn well.

A Sharp Stick

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth'." - Dan Rather

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Christina Sell Recap

Yesterday was a holiday, so no post. Not a holiday I acknowledge, but I take federal holidays off nonetheless. Hope you all had a great weekend and did at least some yoga. I spent the weekend at a series of Christina Sell workshops and that is always fun. I love workshops - they're so much more interesting than daily classes. It was my first experience with Christina apart from her blog, and I'm glad I went. I even made Adam go with me to the mixed levels classes.

We covered all sorts of things: from flow to precision to sequencing. Definitely an educational weekend and I got to meet all sorts of interesting new yogis. I even got some recommendations for classes around the area most worth going to. Much thanks to Christina and the entire Boise Kula for an uplifting weekend.

Christina Sell Workshop This Weekend

All Weekend I'll be attending a Christina Sell Workshop here in Boise. The schedule:

Friday Oct 7 (mixed level): 6:00PM - 8:30PM
The Flow of Grace: All Levels flow-based class. This all levels class will incorporate creative vinyasa sequences, breath-based action and informative demonstrations to assist students in connecting to the Flow of Grace in the form of their breath.

Saturday Oct 8 (mixed level): 9:00AM - 11:30AM
Build a Firm Foundation of Faith: All Levels Standing Poses and Introductory Arm balances. This all-levels class is designed to cover the foundational aspects of standing poses and arm balances to help students gain access to deeper levels of awareness in familiar postures and greater proficiency in more challenging postures. Expect strong work, detailed alignment and come with a sense of adventure.
Saturday Oct 8 (mixed level): 1:30PM - 3:30PM
Stabilizing and Expanding The Inner Light: Hip Opening, Forward Bends, and Twisting for All Levels. This All levels class will work with hip opening principles to help students stabilize their knees while opening their hips. Come explore the inner and outer work of the dynamic pulsation between stability and freedom. Expect virasana, padmasana, alignment lessons, pranayama and meditation.

Sunday Oct 9 (Intermediate/Level 2): 9:00AM - 11:30AM
The Path of Practice is a Path of Love: Intermediate Level Group Practice led by Christina Sell. This Intermediate practice will be guided by Christina while she practices with the group This format is a tradition in Anusara Yoga and gives students a chance to build on all the work of the weekend in an empowering, challenging and innovative practice. Expect good music, sun salutations, standing posture, arm balances, back bends and forward bends. Come ready to work and to play.
Sunday Oct 9, Sequencing: 1:30PM - 3:30PM
The Structure of Spirit: Sequencing Strategies of Class and Practice. Learn effective, simple strategies for sequencing yoga classes and personal practice to help you and your students advance in progressive and empowering ways. This class is aimed at teachers but is appropriate for anyone wanting a "behinds the scenes" look at sequencing and class design.

So if you're in the area - sign up HERE for one or more of these classes.

Photo Source: Christina's Blog - which I linked to at the top.

Yoga in the Dental Chair

You know you're addicted to yoga when you find it everywhere. I tend to find yoga in everything I do and see, but I never expected to find it when I went to the dentist yesterday. I have a really sensitive gag reflex so when they take x-rays I always gag. Usually they just give me some salt to rub on my tongue and we make it work. This time the hygienist gave me a whole series of things to do and I felt like I was doing yoga.

So I put the salt on my tongue... then she put the thingy in my mouth (real sophisticated I know) and then she told me to lift my right foot up and hold it there. Focus on that foot. Then close your eyes, bite down... and breathe through your nose. I had to do it like 6 times and it definitely felt like yoga. 

Focusing on pressing through my lifted foot did wonders. Yay for dental yoga! I still have to go back a few times because apparently I get cavities now. Hopefully I'll manage to integrate more yoga into my visits - like pranayama for anxiety.


Photo Source: Gadling Photo of the Day

Try Something Different

"Be crumbled. So wild flowers will come up where you are. You have been stony for too many years. Try something different. Surrender." - Rumi

What I Hear About Yoga

I'm pretty sure this is talking about me, but I have to note that this guy appears to be wearing ballet flats.

Friday - Looking Back

Friday was a lot of things...including but not limited to: the end of the month, my 11 year anniversary (since our first date), and the first time I got one of my feet behind my head.

Now as October begins - it's becoming harder to deny that my favorite season Summer is gone. The weather is still mostly here, but the cooler mornings and nights are creeping in for sure. I'm trying my best to accept Autumn, but the idea of wearing pants and starting to wear sweaters soon is not thrilling. Hopefully the increased opportunities to bake and celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays will help.

My anniversary was nice - nothing too horribly exciting, but good. Our wedding anniversary is coming up soon so we don't tend to make a huge deal out of the dating anniversary. Basically we went out to a nice restaurant and had what turned out to be mediocre food. Despite my best efforts I really don't like polenta or red cabbage. The live music was fun though. I definitely enjoyed that.

Oh yeah, and I got my foot behind my head... which is barely even noteworthy. That's how I've been feeling anyway. If you've been around a while you may recall that after my foot reached my head in King Pigeon pose - that Eka Pada Sirsana was my next big goal. Every day I feel equally distant from that goal as the day I set it, but Friday it just kinda happened. Now I always thought that achieving this feat would be like - "Fuck Yeah!", but it turned out to be a half smile, and then I pretty much forgot about it. I've been terribly underwhelmed about the whole thing. Does that mean I'm becoming less attached to the fruits of my labor? Maybe. If so, I'm okay with that. I only managed it with one foot... so one of these days I'll be an ambidextrous foot-behind-header and that'll be neat. For pictures at least. Something I don't have any of yet.

Kino Macgregor - Ashtanga Badass and Teacher

So what is all this rambling about? Well - as the seasons change and the earth gets a bit quieter it's a good idea to turn inside and do some assessing. See where you've been, check out where you are, and realize where you're going. Shed your attachment to the past, try to make the most of your present, and if your future does not look promising - either learn to accept it or take action to change it Now.

Photo Source: The top pic is mine, but the bottom pic is from KinoYoga.