Adorable Yoga Holiday Cards

Do you have any yogis on your holiday card mailing list? Are you an instructor that would like to wish your students Happy Holidays? What could be better than giving each of them one of these adorable cards by YogaDudes?

These cards are available in packs of 10 with envelopes. You can find them in the YogaDudes shop here.

Excellent Resource for Yoga MP3 Downloads

In preparation for my last trip I went searching for some free yoga mp3s that I could download to my phone or iPod. I find that even when I use yoga DVDs I often don’t need to look at the screen. It is sometimes awkward and difficult to do so. So finding audio only yoga routines seems like the a terrific idea.

I was delighted to find a very useful website called YogaDownload.com. Not only do they offer free 20 minute yoga routines for download, but they have boatloads of options if you are willing to pay a few bucks. Each class can be downloaded in a 20 minute, 30 minute, 60 minute, or sometimes even longer versions. And each class, despite its duration, also comes with a pose guide sheet in PDF format. This is just sheer brilliance.

And speaking of brilliance, I noticed one option was to build your own custom routine. All the different segments of a good yoga routine are broken into approximately 5 -10 minute sections. You can mix and match, pick and choose, and build your own custom routine. Each segment only costs $.50. That wasn’t a typo . . . 50 cents! And you also get the pose guides for each segment. Click here to view their customization page.

Not only will I use this site for my own personal practice, but it will become an excellent resource for building my first yoga classes. As a brand new instructor, I feel as though I struck gold! Up until finding this website, I was apprehensive and scared to teach my first class, but now I feel like I have years of yoga knowledge and guidance right at my fingertips. Thank you YogaDownload.

Free November Desktop Calendar

Since I recently wrote on the topic of gratitude, I decided to make the YogaDudes November desktop calendar a reminder to be grateful for all your blessings. Just click on the image above to bring up the full-size version. Then right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

The Importance of Gratitude

Today is the start of November, the one month out of the long year that many of us actually stop our lives and think about what we have to be thankful for. Why is it that we only do this around Thanksgiving? Why is it so hard for us to be conscious of our blessings every day? I try so very hard to take the time out for gratitude, but yet it’s so easy to let it slip.

Last month I experienced an excellent lesson on gratitude. My husband and I were on vacation for a couple of weeks in Europe. That alone should be grounds for plenty of gratitude, especially during these times of a suffering economy. But still, we managed to slip into the greedy mindset that so easily can take over. You see, we were driving in Northern Italy (outside of Milan, which is a very overcrowded and stressful big city). It was a Saturday evening and we were about 50 miles from our hotel when the traffic on the highway came to a near stand still. With each passing minute the tension level in the car got greater and my husband’s patience for Italian traffic dwindled rapidly. Because his mood (and stress level) directly impacts my mood (and stress level) I knew I needed to calm him down. I tried to come up with rationalization for why the traffic was so heavy and made guesses that perhaps it wouldn’t be this bad all the way back. My husband didn’t seem to fall for that wishful thinking. That was when I told him that the traffic couldn’t possibly be this heavy, this far from Milan city center and that there was likely an accident not too far in front of us. That is when I told him that our situation could have been much worse. After all, we could have been the unfortunate souls in the accident, rather than the ones being slightly inconvenienced by it. The more we thought about the consequences of getting into an accident, the potential to be seriously hurt (or worse), never mind the complications with insurance and health care in a foreign country. We both sat in silence for a few moments and realized how stupid and selfish we were being with our impatience. My husband reached over and grabbed my hand and said, “You’re completely right. We are so fortunate.”

Now this may sound like a good fiction story, but within minutes the traffic started to flow smoothly again. We never did see an accident, but for some unknown reason the traffic jam subsided and we effortlessly breezed right back to our hotel outside of Milan. The rest of the drive was incredible. We held hands and remembered the times, many years ago, when we would have done anything to just be together for a few hours. How easy it is to completely take each other, and our time together, for granted. It was such an awesome reminder about how important it is to be grateful for your blessings every day—not just on Thanksgiving.

YogaDudes October Desktop Calendar

A recent trip up to the White Mountains of New Hampshire inspried this month's calendar. It sure was pretty up there and I thought it would be nice to share some of it with you. Just click on the image above to bring up the full-size version. Then right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

What Not To Do

I'm ashamed of myself for this and I can't believe I didn't know better. You see, I've been struggling with severe pain in my neck, shoulder, and upper back. This terrible condition is caused by stress and pops up in my life every once in a while. In the past I've been to see different doctors and got nothing but frustrated by their lack of knowledge and ability to help me. It was me that finally figured out that stress was causing all the pain. Now that I know the cause I'm still searching for the solution.

For the past month I've been laying low and not exercising much. I'm almost in constant pain and sitting still doesn't seem to help. I stayed away from biking for weeks because I couldn't raise my neck to see the road (this is on a road bike, of course). The only exercise that I could manage was, strangely enough, kayaking. One would think this would be the hardest with a sore shoulder, but the constant movement seemed to be the only thing that helped. I felt great paddling. It was stopping that was the problem. Too bad I can't just kayak all day long.

I attempted yoga two weeks ago and it was dreadful. I could do some of the moves (like down dog) but others (like corbra and updog) sent lighten bolts of pain searing through my neck, shoulder and back. I got so frustrated and so depressed that it stressed me even more and, if anything, made me worse. All the heating pads and Ben Gay in the world didn't seem to be helping.

But today I decided that I couldn't take another day of not working out. No matter how much it hurt I was going to get some exercise in. I started the day with Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer. I did the Cardio one, followed by the Yoga one. It's funny how I HATED the P90X Yoga because I thought it was too long and hard, and yet I also didn't like the 10 Minute Trainer Yoga because I thought it was too short and easy. I guess I'm hard to please. Anyway, after 10 minutes of jumping around doing the Cardio I could already feel the pain subsiding in my shoulder. The natural heat of my muscles warming up immediately gave me relief. By the time I got to the yoga portion I already felt better. And this yoga session is so much easier and more gentle than my normal vinyasa routine. What a concept. I did yoga for the stretching and stress relief instead of for the pure sport and challenge of it. Today was the best I've felt in over a month. And all I can say to myself is 'DUH' . . . some yoga instructor I am. You are never too old to learn. The worst thing you can do for some injuries is NOT moving. I have to make a point to keep on keeping on, despite the pain. In the long run working through the pain (in this case) is just what I need.

Yoga Journal + Body & Soul Magazine Offer

My two favorite magazines are being offered together at a special subscription rate of $20/year. Too good not to share. Click here to go to the special offer.

Struggling to Stay Motivated

I've come to the realization that staying motivated to work out at this time of the year is really hard. The days are getting shorter and playing outdoors is becoming increasingly difficult, and sometimes dangerous. There is nothing on the calendar to motivate me . . . no race, no long distance bike ride, no final yoga exam. The only thing coming is the busy and stressful holidays and the mountains of Things To Do. I know that I'm going to get tired, lazy, and out of shape. It's inevitable. And then January will roll around and that means it's P90X time all over again. No matter how out of shape I manage to get, P90X does the trick of whipping me back into action. So why bother exercising now? Why not just wait until January? Uuugh, I need something to motivate me and get my mind off the searing pain in my neck, shoulder, and back.

September is Free Shipping Month

For the entire month of September YogaDudes is offering free shipping on orders of $25 and more. Just use the coupon code FREESHIPSEPT at checkout.

Go shopping now.

Love at First Sip

The ads for the new POMx teas promise 'love at first sip' and they are not kidding. How refreshing is it that an advertisement actually comes through with its promises. I've blogged about POM juices before and when I first discovered this pomegranate juice I knew that it was really good for you and that is why I adopted it as my P90X 'recovery drink.' But I also explained that I had to mix it with seltzer because, like most things that are good for you, it wasn't the most delicious thing right out of the bottle. But this new POMx tea . . . holy cow is it every yummy. Why can't tap water taste this good? I sure wouldn't struggle so hard to get my daily dose of water. As it is I have to force down the 3 - 4 glasses per day. But I swear I could drink gallons of this POMx tea. It comes in 7 different flavors and I look forward to sampling each one. You can check out their web site here: http://www.pomwonderful.com/pomX.html

September Desktop Wallpaper

We have another yoga-inspired desktop calendar this month. The September graphic is now ready for download. Just click on the image above to bring up the full-size version. Then right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

Win a Free Online Yoga Class

HypnoYogaOnline.com offers interactive group yoga classes via multi-cam video conferencing. Thanks to web technology that allows multiple people to enter and participate in a live video studio, participants from around the world can watch as founder Page Turner (a certified Yoga instructor and Hypnotherapist) demonstrates poses, as well as receive personalized directives in real time. The hour-long classes are more affordable than most studios, and more sustainable too.

Interactive group classes are held every weekday at 6pm Pacific (GMT -8). All levels from beginner to master can join in, as her sessions range from relaxing meditations to kick butt workouts. Clients can reserve a spot in the virtual studio by logging on to www.HypnoYogaOnline.com, as well as receive privileges to the free video library, which includes tutorials, meditations and yoga workouts.

Page has generously offered a free class to one interested YogaDudes blog reader. Just leave a comment on this posting and one name will be randomly drawn for the free class. Be sure to include your email address so we can notify you if you won. The winner will be selected on Monday, August 24th.

What Yoga Pose Are You?

I just took this quiz and here is my result . . . (You can take the quiz yourself by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post.)

You Are the Tree Pose

You are a well grounded, down to earth person. Not much shakes you. You can remain steady through a crisis - and other people lean on you. You have high standards and morals. You easily rise above pettiness. While people sometimes accuse you of being stubborn, you are able to shift focus when you need to.

What Yoga Pose Are You?

Custom YogaDudes Decals

We recently received a request for custom YogaDudes decals. The studio was looking for an inexpensive gift to give to students that included their studio name. What a great idea. We found a source to print these custom decals and decided to offer this service to all yoga studios. The image above is an example of what a custom decal might look like. If you own a yoga studio, work at one, or would like to recommend this to your favorite studio, please email us about our custom decals for pricing and details.

Yoga is Helping My Biking

There seems to be so many different ways that a yoga practice can enrich other parts of your life. Practicing yoga extends so far off the mat and into so many different aspects of life. I often find myself trying to use yoga to improve my breathing, or my patience, or my general outlook on life. Today I used it to help my biking.

I might have overdone it a bit in the gym on Friday and as a result I woke up this morning with sore triceps, shoulders, and sore neck. These things do not make for a good bike ride (on a road bike), but I didn't want to miss out on our weekend 40-mile loop so I sucked it up. While pedalling along I decided to try to make some slight alterations by shifting my weight around. I was thinking about yoga and how I marvel at how sometimes what seems like the slightest adjustment of weight can completely change the way a pose feels. It seems like magic when the instructor comes over and barely moves you, yet everything just feels better. I tried to imagine a floating yoga instructor observing me as I rode and how this imaginary instructor might adjust my riding position. Since I was feeling pain in my neck, shoulders and triceps I tried shifting my weight back more into my saddle and legs, and less on my arms. I'll be darned. I worked! I felt instant relief. What a concept. Maybe I am ready to teach yoga after all.

Tree Pose August Desktop Calendar

Our August yoga-inspired desktop calendar is now ready for download. A day early I might add. So proud of myself! Just click on the image above to bring up the full-size version. Then right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

Incredible Yoga Journal Subscription Deal

How would you like to scoop up a one year subscription to Yoga Journal magazine for just $4.29? That's an 80% savings off the retail price. This deal is valid for new subscriptions, as well as renewals, but don't delay. The offer is only good today (Wednesday, July 29th). I just bought mine. Your turn . . . Here's the link: Yoga Journal Deal of the Day.

Tip for Cycling Like a Pro

I accidentally came across this tip and it's a great one. All this watching of the Tour de France has really fired up my biking passion. But watching those amazing guys flying up the most extreme mountains faster than my usual flats is a bit depressing. Lo and behold, I found the solution . . .

A couple of weeks ago my bike computer (the little device that tracks my speed, distance, time, etc) died and needed its battery replaced. Somehow in changing the battery I accidentally reset the default unit of measure from miles to kilometers. There I was biking along the flats, looking down at my speedometer (which was reading in the low to mid 30s) and I was feeling pretty darn good about my cycling. I guess it didn't take me too long to figure out I was looking at k.p.h rather than m.p.h. Well I liked it so much I left it that way. Somehow seeing my max speed reaching close to 60 and my average always over 25 just plain makes me feel good :-) So if you're a biker, do yourself a favor and switch your cyclometer, even for just one ride, and feel the rush. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the peleton, if just for a moment.

I should add one little disclaimer . . . I nearly crashed this past weekend due to the fact that I was fixating on my odometer, trying to do the math conversion from clicks (as my European husbands calls them) to miles. So please be careful and just enjoy the high numbers without trying to do the math while riding.

Pedal on . . .

Better Digestion

Last month I took a wonderful stress-free vacation, during which time I ate foods (red meats, real ice cream, etc.) and drank drinks (alcohol) not normally in my diet. Every night I went to bed thinking, "Uh oh, I’m going to pay for this" and yet I managed to get through a good solid week with no stomach aches. This is practically an impossible feat for me as I normally suffer with stomach aches a couple times per week, minimum. I have become so accustomed to stomach problems that it has just become a fact of life.

Years ago I went to see different gastro-intestinal specialists and was diagnosed with a clear case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I can't really speak for my bowels, but for sure I was become irritable. It's just no fun to live with constant stomach aches and a restricted diet, but over the years I've learned to live with it. I learned what I can and can not safely eat. But I still wondered how it was possible to be stomach ache free throughout my vacation. It was likely a mixture of several things: no stress, smaller portions, and a much slower eating pace. So maybe, just maybe with a little work I could change my evil ways and cure my stomach issues.

When I got home I found a product called Better Digestion. These pills are a natural daily supplements that promise to restore balance to the digestive system through a combination of probiotics, herbal extracts, and enzymes. I'm not exactly sure what all those things are, but I knew I could use more balance in my life so I gave them a shot.

During my years of research with treating IBS I found that the best results were gotten via herbal remedies. I've learned that things that ginger root and chamomile are sure stomach soothers so when I saw that Better Digestion included these things (and many others) I had high hopes. Another thing that caught my eye was 'Amylase' which, according to the literature, is a powerful enzyme that reduces the amount of stress on the digestive system to help break down food. Now I knew I could use that.

So far I've taken one pill a day and I must say, I've been doing great in the stomach ache department. Ok, there was that one night that I completely indulged on the richest, most decadent European layer cake, but that was my own fault. I am happy with the results and will continue my new good habit of being nicer to my digestive system.

I Did It! Yoga Teaching Certification Attained

Well, it didn't take long. I mailed all of my papers (final exam and essay) along with the DVD of me teaching my one hour class and within a week I got the good news. My certificate arrived in the mail on Saturday. I am now officially certified to teach yoga! No idea if I will ever really teach, but it feels so good to have the credentials and to have gained all that wonderful knowledge. My instructor told me that I don't realize my potential and that certainly gave me a little more confidence. Who knows, maybe I will get the guts to teach a real class some day. But for now I'm just going to bask in the glory that I finally made a dream come true. Namaste

If I Won a Stage of The Tour

Last night the commentators of the Tour de France were talking about all the different gestures that riders have given as they crossed the various finish lines of different stages of the Tour. Seems lots of riders had their own unique celebration gesture, similar to football players entering the end zone during a touch down. They showed some past clips of different riders winning stages and it was fun to see the different personalities coming through in their unique gestures. So on today's ride I asked my husband what he would do if he won a stage of the Tour. It didn't take him long to draw his imaginary sword in the air. And then I thought, "What would I do?" That also didn't take me long to decided. This is what I would do.

What a Relief

I finally did it! I videotaped myself teaching my one-hour yoga class for my final teacher training certification exam. There are no words to describe how excited and relieved I was to have it behind me. But now the stress of waiting and hoping that I passed begins.

My biggest fear is that the fact that I didn’t offer suggested alternate poses for students that may have either been pregnant or have high blood pressure. The truth is that I forgot that I was supposed to do this and after the complete elation of being DONE, there was no way I wanted to go back and do it all over again. But after giving it more thought I realized that even if I did want to go back and tape it all over again I’m not sure how I would offer these alternate poses. My session was very much a ‘power’ vinyasa routine. How could you offer non-inverted alternates to a routine that has you doing so many down dogs that your head feels as though it might explode? I’m really confused with this dilemma. Maybe this shows that I’m really not ready to teach. I guess I just feel that a person that was pregnant or had high blood pressure just wouldn’t be attending a power yoga class. This is really my fault for building a power routine for my final exam. I should have built a beginners’ yoga class that would have allowed me more flexibility. Darn. Too late now. I hope I don’t fail. I just wanted to challenge myself to building a kick-booty class that I, myself, would enjoy doing regularly.

If there are any instructors out there that can shed some light on how I could have designed my dream power class and still incorporated these alternate poses, please do share. I may need the insight to save myself from failing!

Yoga Journal Magazine Subscription for $5.29/Year

This is such a great deal and I take advantage of it and renew for just over $5 every year. But it's only good for one day - Friday, July 3rd. Click on the link below on 7/3/09 to go directly to the link where you can make the purchase. Good for both new subscriptions and renewals.

Best Deal Magazines Deal of the Day

This May Be The Answer To My Sinus Problems

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my terrible sinus problems and how Down Dog and other inverted poses just makes them worse. I received a comment from a reader suggesting the use of a neti pot. I read about nasal irrigation in my yoga textbooks and have been intrigued by the idea. I've been meaning to buy one and that comment was just the kick in the pants I needed to actually get one. I jumped online and bought one. I was a little disappointed that it took nearly 2 weeks to arrive, but then again the shipping was free so I really shouldn't complain. And the timing of its arrival was perfect.

Today was another dreary, rainy, stormy low pressure day here in CT. It's getting to be the norm around here and I'm getting so used to feeling terrible that I almost forget what it feels like to not have a headache and an all over 'icky' feeling. I start off feeling pretty good in the morning, but as the day goes on I feel worse and worse. The 30 minute commute home from work always makes me feel even worse. By the time I get home all I want to do is sleep and today was one of those days. What a great time to test out this new neti pot.

I have to admit the thought of sticking this thing up my nose was a bit scary. I had no idea what to expect and I knew the first time was going to be the hardest. I survived it OK. During my first go of it I did have that moment of wanting to gag when the salty water touched my throat. But I quickly realized that I was holding my breath; exactly what the directions said not to do. So for the next side of my nose I made a better effort to breathe. Actually exhaling seem to do the trick.

The whole process only took about a minute and I have to say . . . I felt so . . . different. I am having a hard time trying to describe the experience. I really and truly felt 'cleaned out' and lighter. It was amazing and I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. What have I been waiting for all this time without one?

Free July Desktop Calendar

Click here to open the full size graphic. Once the full size image loads, right-click and Save as Desktop.

The Power of Arnica

I’m sold on the healing powers of Arnica. I’ve taken it before, both topically and orally, but never together. Yesterday I mysteriously hurt my elbow. Not quite sure exactly what I did, but it was sore and clicking strangely all morning. Might not have been the smartest idea to bust out 40 pushups and lift weights at lunchtime, but I did. And, of course, the pain got much worse. By the evening it was really sore and this morning I had trouble pushing myself out of bed, brushing my hair, and doing anything that required me to move my arm. It was even worse when I needed to both move my arm and flex my muscles. Gripping something in my hand shot pain straight to my elbow. This was not good.

So this morning I went looking for some muscle rub, even though I wasn’t sure it was a muscle problem. Seemed like it could also be a joint problem. When I looked into my drawer I noticed my tube of neglected Arnica. I can’t remember the last time I used it. Now seemed to be the perfect time to give it a try because Arnica is really for pain relief, not just soothing sore muscles. So I slathered it all over my elbow. Then the thought occurred to me that I also had little Arnica tablets that are taken internally. Well, that couldn’t hurt so I took those too and I’ll be darned. By noon the pain was almost completely gone. I won’t forget about my new best friend the next time I’m experiencing any sort of joint or muscle pain. This stuff really works!

Free iPod Workout Downloads

I just stumbled across a web site that offers iPod workout downloads. Some of them cost, but there are a few downloads available for free, one of them a yoga bundle. I downloaded the Glut Camp Workout this afternoon and I was quite pleased with it. I didn't actually put it on my iPod, but instead just watched it on my computer. It was very straightforward. They showed a model doing one of the exercises, explained what to do, and then told you to pause and do a set of reps at your own pace. Then you simply hit play again, watch the next exercise, and repeat the pause/play options until you get through the entire workout. This is such a great concept and so easy to take your workouts on the road. I think I will investigate more of these workouts in the future, but in the meantime, why not download the free ones and give them a try? Here's the link.

Yoga and Allergies - Not a Good Mix

Why does yoga make my allergies worse? Living in New England during this time of year is a big challenge. The pollen is out in full force and the rainy, low pressure days do very bad things to my sinuses. I started off this dreary day thankful that my usual sinus headache wasn't rearing its ugly head yet. But, just like I suspected, my afternoon yoga caused my sinus headache to appear. I think it has something to do with bending over. My head doesn't seem to like being upside down as that seems to make the pressure in my sinuses build. This really stinks. I find myself avoiding yoga for fear of either getting a headache or making the headache that I already have even worse. I wish I knew how to combat this issue. And on that note, I'm going to find some Sudafed . . .