Monday, December 17, 2007

New Yoga Bracelet from YogaDudes


This is our favorite bracelet offering to date. These black synthetic leather bracelets are a snap to get on. They are actually stretchy and roll right over your hand. They feature a sterling silver YogaDudes pendant, along with two other silver-tone charms: one says "yoga" and the other the OM symbol. You can find them in the YogaDudes shop here.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Holiday Yoga Gift Packs


Are you looking for the perfect holiday gift for the yogi in your life? Do we have the item for you! Over $39 in retail value is bundled in this YogaDudes original, satin green bag. Inside, the lucky recipient will find: a pair of stainless steel tree pose earrings, a porcelain ornament, a set of flat magnets, and two decals. And best of all, it comes with a Happy Holidays card ready for you to personalize.

Find them online here.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Holiday Specials



Looking for a gift for the yoga lover in your life . . . or maybe a little gift for yourself? Our newest YogaDudes shirt is now on sale for the holidays. Originally priced at $19.99, our ladies blue ringer-style Namaste t-shirts are now on sale for $14.99. View them online here.

In addition, our most popular Tree Pose Earrings are also on sale. Originally priced at $19.99, these stainless steel earrings are now on sale for just $12.99. View them online here.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Web Site Make Over


The YogaDudes website www.yogadudes.com, just went through a little make-over. Last night we launched the brand new site. With all computer-related things . . . there will be bugs. Please be patient while we work them out. And if you find any issues and would like to report them, we would really appreciate it. You can email any comments or suggestions to info@yogadudes.com.

Please be sure to visit the YogaDudes shop to see all the newest product additions.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Yoga Radio


Did you know that Yogamates.com has a FREE Yoga Radio? Go to the home page and scroll down, on the left side you will see a Yogaradio button. Enjoy FREE spiritual/yoga music ALL DAY. You can even have the mini browser open while you are at work on other sites! Check it out.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

New YogaDudes Bracelets


Brand new to the YogaDudes line up are these silver tone cuff bracelets. Because there is no clasp to fumble with, they are easy to get on and off. They are thin and very simply stated. Show off your strength everywhere you go. They cost only $11.99 and you can find them online here.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Buy Stuff Online, Earn Points, and Get Free Stuff

Who doesn't like free stuff? With the price of gas these days, shopping online makes more and more sense. If you are anything like me, you do it often and some time last year I discovered a web site called "My Points." It's a shopping portal that includes hundreds of big name online stores. Places that you probably shop at every month. If you become a member of My Points (and it's free to do so), every one of your purchases made to those merchants will earn you points. All you have to do is first go to the My Points web site, search for the merchant, or the item you are trying to buy, and use their links to get to the storefronts. Then your purchase will be tracked and you will earn your points. I already have 15,000 which scored me a $100 gift certificate to my choice of lots and lots of stores.

You will quickly get in the habit of always checking with My Points before you make an online purchase. First see if the merchant you are about to shop with is participating. Or maybe you are looking for a particular item and are not locked to a certain merchant. For every dollar you spend with My Points participating merchants you will be getting closer and closer to free stuff! You have nothing to lose and only some free gift certificates to gain, so what are you waiting for?

Click on the graphic below to find out more.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Free Yoga E-books


I recently found a couple of free yoga e-books online at YogaMiracles.com. The books and their descriptions are listed below. Just click on the title and you will be taken straight to the e-book. Thank you to Yoga Miracles for offering these.

Easy steps to yoga
In the United States the form of yoga most often practiced is Hatha yoga. Using yoga for health improvement is now a common practice in this country. The health benefits of yoga are generally well recognized.

Practice of karma yoga
While yoga itself may not be a specific cure for any one condition there are established links between yoga and health benefits of many kinds. The practice of yoga is routinely recommended as a component of treatment for a variety of conditions ranging from weight loss to the pain and stiffness of arthritis.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Mindful Meditation


A few minutes of alone time can save your sanity. Here is a simple meditation practice called "Mindfulness." Use it when your attention is scattered. It will bring you back to a calm state and allow your brain to function normally.

Step One: Start by sitting in a way that doesn't block anything: sit with your legs uncrossed and with your hands resting on your legs.

Step Two: Become aware of the feeling in your toes. Wiggle them and feel the texture of your socks.

Step Three: Now move that feeling up to your legs and calves.

Step Four: Close your eyes and breathe in. Visualize air going into your body and traveling down into your legs and feet. This air is going to clean away all of the tension.

Step Five: As you breathe out, visualize all of your tension as a dark cloud that that you just blow out into the air.

Monday, August 27, 2007

No Ordinary Moments


I just watched "The Peaceful Warrior" and loved it. Its an excellent movie disguised as a gymnastics story when, in fact, it's more about yoga and training the mind. My favorite line from the movie is "There are no ordinary moments." The whole story is about living in the moment — something that is very difficult to do.

Missing the Moment
Trying to live fully in the present—or being in the moment is a challenging proposition. We frequently get caught up in our routines, habits and thoughts, and find ourselves feeling disconnected from what is happening around us…or even within our own bodies. Instead, we spend our time and energy creating to-do lists and dwelling in the past. These thought patterns prevent us from truly being present and from completely engaging in what is happening in our lives right now…in the present moment.

Attending to the Moment with Mindfulness
Mindfulness means that we are paying attention to everything that happens within our bodies and around us in the present moment without judgment. However, when we are on autopilot, we often act unconsciously or habitually. We just react. Even our thoughts can occur without our conscious awareness. It is human nature to categorize and evaluate everything that we think, see, hear, etc., and these evaluations typically alter our experience and are usually at the root of our stress.

By using mindfulness techniques to pay attention to our minds and bodies, we can begin to take more control and switch off the autopilot. Learning to be fully aware of our bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions—no matter whether they are pleasant or unpleasant—can help us deal with our stress more effectively.

How to Practice Mindfulness
As with any skill, mindfulness can be learned. The practice is in the repetitive act of directing attention to only one thing in this moment. No one would suggest that just paying attention is the answer to all of life's problems. All of life's problems and stressors, however, can be seen more clearly when our mind is clear.

When we begin to see more clearly how we are thinking, feeling and reacting, we can begin to learn new ways of being and responding to the things going on in our lives.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Ease Headaches Before They Happen


Are you feeling stressed? If you are anything like me, your stress causes terrible headaches. We often express stress in our necks and jaws. Without even noticing, we tense in these areas, blocking our breath, decreasing our circulation, and sometimes provoking a headache.

Luckily, we can avoid these symptoms by taking a break to relax the neck. Here's how:

While seated, interlace your fingers and place your hands on the back of your head. Allow your head and arms to relax forward and your chin to travel toward your chest. The weight of your head and arms, combined with gravity, will begin to release your neck and reduce or eliminate your headache.

Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

The Move is Over


Sorry that YogaDudes has been so low key over the past few months. We were suffering through a period of temporary partial shut-down as we moved our world headquarters (which is our home in CT). After four long months of being homeless and operating on very low inventory in a temporary office, we are finally getting settled in Eastford, CT. We found ourselves a blissfully peaceful spot with so many places to do yoga it's unreal. I think the photo above will be my favorite one.

We hope to get the business back on track real soon. This fall will begin our monthly newsletters, regular blog entries, and sales promotions. Please stay tuned and thank you for your patience.

Monday, June 25, 2007

YogaDudes Vacation Shut Down

We are taking some time off for some much needed OM. After a few months of laying low and running the business from a temporary location, with only half of our inventory, we are taking a break and shutting down for nearly two weeks. I'm sorry that this blog hasn't been updated more frequently. Once our big move is finally complete, YogaDudes will get back on track.

For now, we are off to Croatia for some sailing and bicycling - oh and lots of yoga on the ship too! Be back in mid July with more news.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Try Something New

What have you always wanted to do? Take a dance class, learn to sail, knit a sweater, sculpt—whatever you choose, your life will be enriched with fun, new friends and the pride of trying something new.

When you challenge yourself by trying a new pursuit, you affirm your belief that neither time nor fear should be an impediment to growth. You comprehend the value of learning—the interest it adds to your day-to-day experiences and the creativity it inspires within you. Being a beginner can be hard, and you may find yourself tempted to give up, but try not to let yourself become self-conscious. If you are revisiting an activity you enjoyed in childhood, you may take in information more slowly than you once did or you may pick it up again like it was yesterday. The simple fact that you are pursuing a path because you want to means that your determination will give you the strength to cope with any difficulties. Your ability to work toward an aim will be heightened by your sincere desire to grow as an individual.

Try learning something new this week. There must be something that always wanted to do . . .

I always wanted to ride an off-road motorcycle, but it always terrified me. I finally decided to ‘just do it.’ Bought myself a bike and took it off-road the first day out. Nothing feels better than accomplishing a long awaited dream. And even if success didn’t come right away, the thrill of the attempt is enough to give yourself a high.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Your Thoughts Become Your Destiny


I found this yoga-inspired poem/quote today and liked it so much, I wanted to share:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny.


- Upanishads

Monday, May 07, 2007

Laughter Yoga


Has anybody tried this laughing yoga bit? It sure does look like fun and I have read studies on people curing themselves of sickness by watching funny videos over and over. This seems too good to be true, but I say it's worth a try. Nothing bad could come from adding more laughter into our lives.

Laughter helps us keep healthy by enriching the blood with ample supplies of oxygen, the lifeline of our system. According to the science of yoga, life energy (prana) flows through the breath. By controlled and deep breathing we can enhance our own well-being. With the 15-30 minute package offered by the Laughter Club, participant carry home the healthy habit of deep breathing at least 10-20 times a day. This helps to increase the lung capacity, thus enhancing oxygen supply to the body.

Laughter helps to remove the negative effects of stress, which is the number one killer today. More than 70% of illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, frequent coughs and colds, peptic ulcers, insomnia, allergies, asthma, menstrual difficulties, tension headaches, stomach upsets and even cancer, have some connection to stress. Laughter also helps to boost the Immune system, which is the master key for maintaining good health.

So to keep you all healthy, read these:

How Do You Get Holy Water?
You Boil The Hell Out Of It

What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?
Dam!

What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroid's

What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?
A Stick

What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours?
Nacho Cheese.

What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk.

What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.

What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck.

Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares The Dog.

What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic?
Sanka.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Did You Celebrate Earth Day?

I might not have specifically celebrated Earth Day, but I am celebrating the fact that it's been 2 weeks since my husband and I have been to a gas station . . . And today we passed the 500 mile mark on our first tank of gas in our "almost" new VW Golf TDI. Last month we decided it was time to trade in our thirsty SUV to a much more fuel efficient solution. Convinced we needed a truck for all our hauling of 'stuff', carrying two large dogs, kayaks, bikes, etc. we got very used to having a big vehicle and a big gas bill. But upon closer examination, we realized that we could downsize and still keep our dogs, haul the 'stuff' that we need, and keep our sport hobbies.

I am positively thrilled with this solution of a small diesel car and I just can't figure out why they are so rare here in the USA. Just about all the cars in Europe run diesel. Why can't the Americans figure out that this makes a lot of sense? It’s too bad that our choices here are so slim, but I'm hoping that the idea will catch on.

Driving a fuel efficient car makes me feel good. Here are some other things that we can all do to help out our environment:

Shopping and Cleaning
Ecobags
-Bringing your own bag when shopping saves plastic bags. Visit www.ecobags.com.
Method Home - Method offers some cleaners that are dye- and perfume-free, nontoxic, biodegradable, naturally derived and never tested on animals. For more information, visit www.methodhome.com.
Seventh Generation products - Seventh Generation is one of the leading brands of nontoxic household products. For more information, visit www.seventhgeneration.com.

Energy

BITS Ltd. smart power strips - Even after turning off a computer, power continues to flow to computer peripherals like printers and scanners. This power strip ($32.99) stops the energy from being wasted. For more information visit www.bitsltd.net.
GE Energy Smart lightbulbs - GE Energy Smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than incandescent lightbulbs and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. For example, by using a 26-watt compact fluorescent lightbulb—equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent lightbulb—users can save up to $59 on energy costs over the life of the bulb. Saving energy saves money and is better for the environment.



Friday, April 20, 2007

Dead Bug Pose


I just love that pose name! Who comes up with these things? I think I may start my own YogaDudes pose names . . . imagine how much fun that will be.

I recently found this pose and it's supposed to help combat the effects of slouching at a computer all day. I am very guilty of that. By the end of the day I'm practically laying in my chair. Here's a little clip that may help that problem . . .

Sitting at a desk all day, glaring at a computer screen causes you to slouch. That man-made curvature of the spine speeds up the natural degeneration of the discs. The species known as "office workers" have backs that are beginning to resemble our humble predecessors—Cro-Magnon man. To counter feeling (and acting) like a caveman after a brutal week, try a few stretches for the muscles and bones in your back. And while you work toward standing upright again try the poses that calm your nerves. This at-home triage will make you feel like you've really evolved.

Spine Soother

Dead bug pose feels a lot better than it sounds. Even if you have the flexibility of a steel rod, it's a universal spine pleaser. The benefit of this passive stretch: the pose works out the back, butt, and hip kinks while you lie there. Give in, it works its magic when you are in a completely relaxed state. Watch this video and try it yourself before hitting the sack.

Friday, April 13, 2007

A Great Recycling Solution


I recently discovered a very interesting website for those recycling conscious folks. Last month, my husband and I had the horrible task of packing up our house and moving. It is amazing how much stuff you realize that you own and don't need. We made several trips to Good Will and donated lots of other larger items to another local charity. That felt GREAT. I realized that I truly enjoy donating things. I HATE the thought of wasting things and I often hold on to things that I know I don't need, only because they are too nice to just throw away. Well, here's an organization that can help me and probably lots of other globally conscious yogis.

The Freecycle Network™ (http://www.freecycle.org/) is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by clicking on "Groups in your local area." You may then go directly to your local group by clicking on "Go To" or you may immediately joining by clicking on "Join." It will generate an automatic e-mail which, when sent, will sign you up for the local group and send you a response with instructions on how it works. Can't find a group near you? You might want to consider starting one (click on "Start a Group" for instructions). Have fun!

The Freecycle Network was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson's downtown and help save desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. The Network provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to "recycle" unwanted items. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure!

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Desk Yoga

Have you been too busy lately to make it to yoga class? Or maybe even too busy to change your clothes and do yoga at home . . . That has been my crazy life for the past month. I'm sorry for the lapse in blog posts. I don't even know where to begin to explain . . .

I seem to be doing more desk yoga these days than real yoga, but every little bit helps. Today I actually made it to the gym to walk on the treadmill. The weather here in Connecticut is still dreary. I blame myself. I already packed all my winter clothes, and therefore, winter is dragging on endlessly. While on the treadmill I was reading an article about yoga. It talked about how yoga shouldn't just be about achieving a nice butt. It should be the process that rewards, not the result. I was thinking how that sounds lovely, but I wouldn't be too upset with the nice butt either!

Until my life settles down, I will be reduced to desk yoga. In case you can use it too:

Release the muscles in your back with this twist -- While seated, cross the right knee over the left knee. Place your left hand on the outside of the right knee, and brace your right palm against the right elbow rest. Twist to the right, keeping your left sitting bone firmly grounded. Look over your right shoulder. Switch sides.

There, now doesn't that feel better?

Sunday, February 25, 2007

New YogaDudes Long Sleeve Tees Now Available

We are just squeaking in before the end of winter with the introduction of our brand new, colorful YogaDudes long sleeve tees. These 100% cotton fitted Ts feature a colorful YogaDudes display. The three different poses are labeled Balance, Harmony, Strength. Great for on or off the mat. You can view and purchase these new shirts online here.


Thursday, February 15, 2007

Free Yoga MP3 Download


Have you checked out a web site called www.itrain.com? Seems to be pretty cool. They offer MP3 downloads for a variety of different workouts including: yoga, dance, cycling, running, etc. Want to try one yourself? Get a free download on iTrain.com when you enter the promo code YL2007 at checkout. Choose from their library of 45 and 60-minute multilevel yoga classes.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Where is Your Peaceful Place?

When you meditate, where do you go? Do you have your favorite peaceful place? Is it a real place . . . somewhere that you have been do . . . something that you already experienced? Or do you go to an imaginary place? Do you even have a special place?

My husband told me about his special meditation spot and it made me realize that I don't really have one. When I meditate, I try to clear my mind. I try to see nothing but a blank white canvas. This is very challenging for me, so I imagine that I'm surrounded by snow. Then to make it more interesting, I pretend that I'm sliding down a never ending hill on a white inner tube. There are no trees (of course) so there is no need to be concerned with obstacles. I just slide and slide down the hill of snow.

I was happy sliding down my snow covered hills until my husband explained his special spot. He told me that his feelings, when he goes there, are more powerful and peaceful than when he originally expereinced it. His special spot is 3,000 feet above the ground with his hang glider. He can perfectly describe, in detail, what this flight was like for him . . . what he saw, what he felt, what he was thinking about at the time. He explained the difference between the real thing and his meditation spot. During the real flight he still had to be concernded about the real dangers - where would he land, turbulent air, the commercial jet that was flying below him. But when he goes back there now, there is no stress. He just relives the longest and best flight of his life and he will never lose that.

So I'm jealous. I decided that I also need a peaceful spot. I don't have anything that compares to my husband's flight and now that I think about it . . . I have very few quiet and peaceful times to go back to. A favorite peaceful exerience that comes to mind is our lazy hours on the swing in our backyard. So many weekends we would go out and bike for 30 or 40 miles on our hill training rides and then come home to lounge in our swing and watch the sun go down. The feeling of complete exhaustion and complete relaxation (and relief to be off the bike), together with the warm sun on my face and the gentle glide of the swing. Ahhhhhh, that is about as relaxed as I have ever been. So this will be my new meditation spot. That is where I want to go when I need some tranquil time. So do you have yours all picked out?

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Free Yoga E-cards

Brand new to the YogaDudes website . . . Free yoga e-cards to send to your friends. This is a brand new feature and all the kinks may not be worked out yet, but please give it a try. Send a yoga-inspired message to brighten your friend's day. There are 8 different cards to choose from and it's completely free. Just visit http://www.yogadudes.com/posty.htm and follow the instructions. Have fun!

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Video Game or Workout Routine?

I was just flipping through an issue of YogaLife magazine and I ran across an ad that drew me in. It reference a web site called "Body by Playstation" and I just had to check it out. You should too!

On the web site you will see videos explaining this game. You not only need PS2, but also the Eye Toy camera. If you happen to have those two things (like I do) this looks too good to be true. It's a full work out system, including a 12 week training program that appears to be a blast to play with. I just researched it online and read as many customer reviews as I could find. Everybody says it's terrific. I was preparing myself for a big price tag, but I also found it as low as $40 at Walmart and even lower, used on Amazon. I'm gettin' one!!

Here's the site to check out. The product is called Kenetic. Go have yourself some fun while getting in shape.

Friday, February 02, 2007

20 Things To Do In a Lifetime

In my quest to be more organized this year I recently found my old Palm software. I have no idea where the actual PDA is, but the software lives on in my hard drive archives. I stumbled across some old memo notes that I wrote years ago and found them amusing. I thought I would share them, or at least one of them. I have three, and they are:

20 Things To Do In a Lifetime - This is a collection of some of the noteworthy and fun things that I have done in my life time. Things I would recommend to anyone.

Things That I Just HAD To Do - another list of silly things that I have done, just because I had to do them. Do you have things like that in your life? Things that you've done for no other good reason, but you always wanted to do it?

Wish List of Things I Still Want To Do - Well that is self explanatory. Everyone should always have a wish list.

So here is my list of things to do in a lifetime (in no particular order):

  1. Bike a Century (100 miles in one day)
  2. Ride a gondola in Venice
  3. Dance or perform on stage
  4. View Paris from the Eiffel Tower at sunset
  5. Hang glide
  6. Ride a tandem bike
  7. Rescue a greyhound
  8. Make something special with your own two hands and give it to someone you love
  9. Hike Yosemite in the Spring
  10. Eat sushi & drink sake in Tokyo sitting on the floor
  11. Overlook the Hong Kong bay at night from Victoria Peak
  12. Drive a motorcycle - not riding on the back - driving!
  13. Find your soulmate and fall in love
  14. Own a jeep and take it off-road
  15. Go for walks in the pouring rain
  16. Slow dance in the middle of a crowded city street
  17. Walk through the Roman Forum and marvel at the history
  18. Watch a meteor shower while laying on the beach at 4 AM
  19. Experience the real meaning of "cold" on a dog sled ride in Canada
  20. Get lost for the fun of it (but bring water)

Monday, January 29, 2007

Yoga and Toe Cramps

What is with yoga and toe cramps? Seems they go together like peanut butter and jelly and I can't figure out why. I thought it was just me . . . getting terrible toe cramps during yoga, making it nearly impossible to do the poses correctly. But last week, my friend reported having the same problem. OK, maybe it contagious since we take yoga classes together. Who knows?

I did a search online for toe cramps and learned that:

  • The most common cause is ill-fitting shoes. Hmmmm, I'm not wearing any shoes during yogs.
  • Another culprit is high heels . . . which I very rarely wear . . . especially in yoga class!
  • Also to blame could be deficiencies in calcium or potassium - Now this is most likely my problem as my diet is pitiful.
I did find one tip to help prevent the terrible toe cramps, so I though I would pass it along:

To alleviate toe cramps, you can do special exercises designed to strengthen the muscles. Try standing on tiptoes and raising your body up and then down repeatedly, using your toes to support you. Hold each position for five seconds. Another good one is to pick up marbles with your toes and relocate them to another spot on the floor. Walking on sand strengthens toes, massages feet and exfoliates the skin … a great workout for feet!

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Save a Greyhound

Click on cartoon above to read.

Ok, this has nothing to do with yoga, but it's just too cute to keep to myself. Since I have personally adopted two greyhounds that I love to pieces, I wanted to spread the word about how wonderful they are. If you are looking for a new pet, please consider adopting a greyhound. Not only will you be saving their lives, but you will also make a "Fast Friend." There are lots of greyhound rescue organization all over the US (and Europe too, I think). Check them out. You just might fall in love.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Fun New YogaDudes Product

Introducing a fun new YogaDudes product - a tin of yoga pose magnets. Not only are they cute, but they are useful too. This new product was inspired by my crafty friend Lisa. She gave me the idea and I just couldn't wait to make it a reality. I'm very excited to add these adorable yoga magnets to the YogaDudes line-up. Imagine all the places you can stick a small yoga pose magnet . . .

You can find these in the YogaDudes store online here.

Please check them out and drop me a line to let me know what you think.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

What’s Your Yoga Personality?


Last night I discovered that my “on the mat” yoga personality completely matches my “off the mat” personality. In the middle of my class last night it occurred to me that I am just as uptight and neurotic in class as I am all the time. For instance, no matter what pose we are supposed to be in, I’m neurotically straining my neck to see the instructor. I need to see her to verify that I’m in the right pose. “Am I doing this right? Do I have the correct arm in the air? Do I look foolish? Is the instructor looking at me? Am I sure I’m doing his right?” Yes, that’s me. How many times should I need to LOOK at down dog before I’m confident that I know what I’m doing? I could ask the same question to myself about cooking pasta. How many times to I need to cook pasta before I STOP reading the instructions on the box and setting the timer to 10 minutes? It’s official. I’m sick.

When I caught myself peering across the room at the instructor last night to verify that my basic yoga pose was correct, I happened to glance over at my friend Lisa. That’s when it hit me. What a difference between me and Lisa. Lisa is a laid back, free spirited artist. While I’m worrying about if my knee is at a precise 90 degree bend, Lisa has her eyes closed and is fully immersed in the moment of yoga. She didn’t seem to have a care or worry in the world. She was completely confident in her poses and didn’t need any visual verification.

Now isn’t yoga supposed to be all about your own pace and whatever feels comfortable for you? Why am I so neurotic? I guess you can take a wild animal out of the wild. But they are still a wild animal and just because they are not in their normal habitat doesn’t mean they have changed their disposition. Once a wild animal, always a wild animal. Is there any hope for me?

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

YogaDudes Ad in New Yoga Magazine


Have you seen the new yoga magazine on the book stand shelves? I have a couple of issues and I do like it. As a matter of fact, I liked it so much that I decided to advertise in it. Only problem . . . I don't think there are many people out there that even know about this book, let alone subscribe to it. Although my advertising dollars got wasted, I do want to still promote the magazine. If you haven't already seen it, please check it out. It's called YogaLife and you can see them on the web here: http://www.iyogalife.com/index.shtml.

And if you DO happen to find the magazine and look for the YogaDudes ad, you will find a 20% off coupon code. Happy hunting!

Monday, January 08, 2007

Free Exercise Podcasts


Have you tried downloading podcasts to your iPod or other mp3 player yet? It's a pretty neat concept. Yes, we all have worked out to our favorite music, but what about combining the music with actual fitness instruction? I found a page where you can sign up for a FREE 30 day trial. Please note, that they take your credit card and will charge you $19.95 after your 30 day trial ends. You can cancel at any time.

Cyndi Lee is one of the participating instructors , and in addition to yoga, they have all different kids of cardio training. You can check it out at: www.podfitness.com/yogalife.