YogaDudes

Free February Desktop Calendar

2012-02-01T08:03:00.000-05:00

I just love this one! It features my yogi buddy Sandy Foster, of yoga bliss photo posing at Big Bend National Park in Texas. This is to remind us that we will be getting just a little more sunshine per day as we make our way through the long winter. If you want to make this image your desktop background just click either on the image above or click on this link. A new window will appear with a much larger graphic. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Fitness Motivation Gadget

2012-01-26T18:50:00.001-05:00

Just what I need . . . another gadget to fuel my obsessive and compulsive desire to work out. I've been searching for some sort of activity monitor for a while now. After extensive research I finally decided that I wanted a Jawbone Get Up band, and don't you know, I had to pick the one product that is not currently available. It seems like it's been months since I joined their mailing list and requested info on the next availability, but so far, nothing.

In the meantime I settled for a very simple and inexpensive pedometer. I like the fact that it's very light, it clips to the top of my pants, and slips right into my pants pocket. I never even realize it's there all day long. The gadget is smart enough to know when the days change and it automatically resets your steps to zero each morning. When you initially set it up you enter your height, weight and you can change your stride. There was some complicated math involved, but I cheated and just walked around my house while counting steps and I adjusted the stride number up or down until it most closely matched my actual number of steps. Once you set it up there's basically nothing to ever worry about or fiddle with again. Just clip it on in the morning and forget about it. Every once in a while I pull it out and take a look at my progress.

There are just a couple of buttons on the front of the device which let you cycle through some stats. It shows your recent history so you can look back and see how many steps you walked yesterday, and the day before, etc. The other button lets you cycle through today's stats: how many miles, how many calories, etc. Of course, I should mention a little footnote here. That calorie count is NOT how many calories you actually burnt in the day. It's not recording your heart rate so if you're doing yoga, or lifting weights, or doing anything other than taking steps, it's not being recorded. You must keep that in mind when seeing the low calorie count number.

Your daily goal is an ambitious 10,000 steps per day and once you reach that goal a little animated person cheers for you in the display. Silly, I know, but strangely motivating to have a goal. I've been wearing this thing for one week and so far it has motivated me to go for a hike when I normally wouldn't have . . . because I just wanted to increase my stats. It was certainly worth the tiny investment of $10.

One Painful Week

2012-01-21T16:20:00.004-05:00

This past week has been one painful ordeal, but I have to admit . . . I loved every minute of it. There is no question that I'm addicted to exercising and the fact that I'm falling back into a work-out routine just thrills me. The more sore I get, the happier I am and let me tell you, I was pretty happy this past week. I managed to get to the gym to lift weights 3 days out of the week. I'm starting off slow with much less weight and reps than I was doing a year ago, but that's OK. My trainer keeps telling me that my body will bounce back in just two weeks. I kept thinking he was nuts, but now I'm not so sure. It's only been a week and I can't believe how different I feel. After lifting on Monday I could barely raise my arms over my head by Tuesday night. By Wednesday night just shivering from the cold shot pain throughout my entire upper body. But I persisted. I did my Brazilian Butt Lift videos every evening and alternated between lifting weights and doing short sprints of abs + sculpting during the afternoons. I already could feel more strength coming back by Friday's lifting session and I woke up today (Saturday) completely pain free. In just one week my body is accepting the extra work load and is happily complying. I can't wait to see what next week brings.

The way I see it, I have 5 months to train for my birthday. That will be the day that I pose for more photos (to compare to my inspiration pictures taken after P90S 3.5 years ago.) And my birthday will also be my push-up goal. I have always been able to do my age in consecutive pushups. I even attained this last year (one month after hurting my neck). But now it's a different story. I can barely do 10 pushups and that makes me want to cry. I'll have a long way to go to accomplish my goal by July, all the while making sure I don't re-injure my neck and shoulder. It will be a fine balance between being smart and being stubborn and hopefully I can pull it off. So at the end of this week I'll take the measly 10 count on the push-ups, and just hope that the number will increase with every week.

Starting From Scratch

2012-01-18T20:55:00.000-05:00

Several months ago I got sucked into a blog called Fit2Fat2Fit. It's the journey of a guy who let himself fall out of shape only to work to get back into shape. He is a professional personal trainer and would always have clients tell them, "You don't understand what it's like. You've been fit your whole life." These people felt that this buff and fit trainer just couldn't relate to their problems of being overweight and out of shape, and their struggle with trying to lose the weight. And there is some big validity to this. How could he really relate to their struggles? The only way to understand how something feels it to put yourself in those same exact shoes. And as a result this guy spent several months purposefully letting himself get, not only completely out of shape, but he also went out of his way to practice a terrible diet and gain tons of weight. Boy, that is work dedication!

This month it dawned on me that I'm sort of in the same position, not by choice mind you. I've blogged in the past about my misery of having a neck injury and how it's completely put me out of commission for the past 6 months. I haven't been able to ride a bike, lift weights, or worse yet, do any yoga and as a result I've fallen into the worse shape of the past 2 decades. Actually, aside from those 4 years in college I don't ever remember being out of shape and it's killing me that I totally lost all my strength.

But the good news is that I'm ready to start trying. This week marks my first attempts at working out again. Although P90X is out of the question for this year (for fear of blowing it and re-injuring myself) I am starting to lift weights again. I am trying really hard not to focus on the numbers. I look at the light weights that used to be my warm-up and now I struggle to do my regular sets with them. I have to put the numbers out of my head and just focus on the end result - getting my strength back. I'm in a gym and I now know what it feels like for folks that are trying to get into shape for the first time. I haven't attempted a yoga class yet, but when I do I will experience what my students must have felt going through my classes for the past couple of years. I found it so hard to build "beginner" classes. Everything felt so easy to me. How could I relate to what it felt like for the people attending my class that weren't at the same fitness level? Now I'm in those shoes and boy will I struggle. Maybe I should build some new classes now - real beginner ones.

I think all-in-all this is a good experience - to know what it feels like to start from scratch. I have to admit, it's no picnic, but it can be done. I WILL get back to where I was. It may take me twice as long, but I will get there. I have a picture of myself taken on my 40th birthday (after my first completion of P90X) and that picture will serve as my inspiration. I'm hoping to take more pictures on my next birthday (in July) and compare the pictures. The pressure is on!

Test Drive Some Free Online Yoga Classes

2012-01-18T07:50:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered a new website (well, new to me anyway). It's called Learn It Live (www.learnitlive.com) and it offers face to face, live and interactive learning through multi-way video-conferencing. Instructors are experts, and the courses are custom tailored. They offer a wide variety of classes including business, language, technology and of course, health & wellness.

I love that you don’t have to travel to get to class and can do them right at home. It seems to me that signing up and committing to a time and day makes it more 'real' than just streaming a random video. Looks like they offer a wide variety of classes, and the cost of the paid classes is substantially less than going to a studio. It's definitely worth a try. I already signed up for an upcoming class and look forward to checking it out.

During the month of January, Learn It Live is offering free health and wellness classes - see all classes at www.wellness.learnitlive.com. In addition to that, they have agreed to give one lucky YogaDudes follower a free 60 minute one-on-one, private health/wellness class. All you have to do is leave a comment either here on this blog or on our Facebook page. One winner will be chosen on Wednesday, January 25th. (If you leave a comment on this blog, please make sure to include an email address so we can contact you.)

Free Yoga Music To Share

2012-01-17T07:37:00.000-05:00

I ran across a cool project from a Vancouver BC Canada based musician named Surya Devi. She has recently created a 60 minute yoga mix tape of original music hosted by Brooklyn's Dj Chela. If you would like to check out this music you can download a free copy here: www.mantrasforthemasses.com. The site requires you to give them your email address and after submitting your email you will receive a download link for the entire 10 track CD. I'm listening to it now and it's very good. Don't miss out. Check it out today. And thank you Surya Devi for sharing with the yoga community!

Doing Yoga at Home is a Snap

2012-01-08T16:03:00.000-05:00

Today's article comes to us courtesy of the DahnYoga team.

Getting fit. Staying flexible. Toning your muscles. Relaxing. Shrugging off stress. If you're like many Americans, you find it almost impossible to make time for these activities between your responsibilities at work and in your house. However, it is quite possible to stay healthy and active at home, all while carving a little "you time" out of each day. The key is Dahn Yoga.

This ancient mind-body regimen has been used for centuries as a way to center oneself and redirect the flow of energy throughout the body. Does that sound like something you'd enjoy?

It should. Most Americans are so stressed out that they can hardly remember what it's like to feel anything else. Consider some numbers put out by the Washington Post, which were collected by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Institute of Stress:

More than half of all U.S. adults - 54 percent - say that they are concerned about their levels of stress and anxiety.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 62 percent said that work has a major impact on how tense they are, and 73 percent pointed to money as a prime stressor.
According to the APA, more teens and young adults are feeling the squeeze of stress than ever before.

For harried parents, wrung-out caretakers and workaholic professionals, the situation is hardly any different. But while some experts might recommend using expensive treatments like therapy sessions, gym memberships or even prescription medications to ease away stress, there may be a simpler way.
By trying Dahn Yoga in the comfort of your own home, you can see for yourself just how soothing and life-affirming the mind-body system really is.

Just how does yoga reduce stress? Well, it's about more than simply sitting, stretching and emptying your head. Rather, yoga is a multifaceted program that facilitates the reconnection of your body and mind.

As the Mayo Clinic describes it, "with its quiet, precise movements, yoga draws your focus away from your busy, chaotic day and toward calm as you move your body through poses that require balance and concentration."

Try this simple Dahn Yoga technique at home as a way to unburden yourself of a full day's worth of stress:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Take a few minutes to breathe slowly and deeply. Try to feel the energy pulsing into and out of your lungs.
Cup your hands and hold them at waist level.
Now, rhythmically tap your belly just beneath and to either side of the navel. Be gentle!

With luck, just a few minutes of this technique will have you feeling loose, limber and lighter than air. Dahn Yoga is one of the largest yoga and tai chi companies in the world with its own unique style and brand of yoga. Dahn Yoga is rooted in the rich history of an ancient Asian mind-body practice, Sun Do, and in the wisdom of the Chun Bu Kyung.

Free January Desktop Calender

2011-12-30T13:10:00.000-05:00

We are starting off the new year right . . . a day early on the monthly desktop calenders. Hopefully this is a good indication of what the year ahead will be like - organized! If you would like to make this winter scene your desktop background, you can click on this link to download the bigger version of the graphic. A new window will appear with a much larger graphic. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Yoga for Yankees

2011-12-27T18:26:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine sent this video to me and I just couldn't resist sharing it. If you live in New England it will be especially funny . . .

Win a Free Copy of Downward Dog Upward Fog

2011-12-20T08:21:00.000-05:00

Back in September I read and reviewed this delightful book. Now I’m looking at the book sitting on my desk and I’m thinking that I should share it with another yogi that would surely enjoy it. If you would like that lucky yogi to be you, just leave me a comment here on the blog, or on our Facebook page. We will pick one winner on Friday, December 23 and the book will be mailed the following week.

Here’s the description of the book (borrowed from Amazon).
Lorna Crawford has a great boyfriend, longtime friends, and a well-paying job as special-events coordinator at a premium ice-cream manufacturer. But, out of sorts and filled with self-doubt, the 33 year old soon realizes that what she really wants is to stay on the spiritual path she keeps diving off of. Lorna jump-starts her efforts at a silent yoga retreat. But after returning from the mountain, she quickly loses her connection in the face of scheming coworkers, judgmental girlfriends, and, especially, her overly critical mother. Lorna also wrestles over her future with her boyfriend, a hot guy who takes her to the hottest places, but who can’t discern a meditation cushion from a toad stool. Reading spiritual books and visiting a channeler and energy healer move Lorna forward, but her confusion remains. Lorna’s seeking is put to the ultimate test when personal tragedy strikes. Will she come to truly understand that living spiritually has little to do with how you pretzel yourself on the yoga mat (although she gets plenty good at that), and everything to do with embracing the twists in everyday life? "An inspirational gem that will appeal to introspective, evolving women"--ForeWord Reviews "A lighthearted novel about a woman who just can't seem to stay on the spiritual path, something most of us can relate to"--Yoga Journal Buzz Blog “How delicious to find a novel for women who find spirituality every bit as enticing as fashion. The characters in Meryl Davids Landau’s page-turner aren’t the only ones uplifted here—the reader gets a dose of inspiration along with a mesmerizing story."--Victoria Moran, author of Creating a Charmed Life

Great Shoulder Stretching Tip

2011-12-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that in all my years of fitness, and especially the last several months of neck and shoulder pain, I never learned this stretching tip. I'm not quite sure which of the Brazilian Butt Lift videos it appeared in, but I think it was at the end of the Sculpt work-out and it went something like this . . .

Everybody knows the stretch where you take one arm (let's say your right arm) and you stretch it across your chest. You normally take your left arm and bend it up so that your right elbow rests at the 90 degree bend in your left arm. Then you use this left arm to slightly pull back to increase the stretch in your right shoulder. But, did you ever hear the tip to lower your right shoulder before pulling with your left arm. It makes all the difference. I'm still stunned at the fact that I never knew about this subtle, but so important addition to the stretch. Try it yourself and see the difference between just pulling your arm without making a note of the shoulder you are trying to stretch, and then do it again, this time making sure that you lower that shoulder as much as you can before the stretch.

And the Winner Is . . .

2011-12-19T07:45:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Brad from Illinois. He is the lucky winner of 3 months of streaming yoga and fitness classes at Gaiam TV. Brad we will be contacting you shortly with your login information. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Please stay tuned for another give-away later this week . . .

Are You a Yoga Girl?

2011-12-16T07:31:00.000-05:00

Remember the 'Yoga Girl' video that went viral a few weeks ago? Well, some real world yoga girls from LA are out with their own take. I found it very inspiring, not only the cool yoga routine moves, but also the video itself. One of these days I'll make my own yoga video . . .

Brazilian Butt Lift Review

2011-12-15T19:10:00.001-05:00

I just completed my first week of the Brazilian Butt Lift. The week went by really fast and although I found some of the routines challenging, I haven't been all that sore. I should probably note that I've been soaking in a hot tub just about every night and I think that makes a big difference.

First I'm going to state the things that I don't like about the series.

My biggest issue with it is that I bought it under the impression that the workouts were only 35 minutes each. And technically most of them are. What they didn't make very clear in the infomercial is that you are required to do two per day - except on the day that you do the Sculpt video, which is 50 minutes. My biggest problem with P90X was the time commitment. It was a minimum of an hour a day and that is just hard to squeeze in every day for 90 straight days. This seemed much more manageable, but when it comes right down to it, it's really not.
I can't seem to get over the fact that the (slightly annoying) guy that leads the video constantly refers to your butt as your "boom boom." I don't know why, but it's driving me crazy. He also is stuck on one little phrase that, after only one week, is starting to grate on me. He says, "Don't settle for less" constantly. Uuuugh
The audio in general is a bit challenging. The music is a little too loud for the voice over and the guy is hard to understand. When doing the floor work I'm not always looking at the screen and it almost feels like he's mumbling. I can't quite understand what he's saying in many areas.
So far I had two technical issues with one of the DVDs. I'm not sure if it's my player or not, but since all the issues are occurring with one disc I'm thinking it's the disc. Yesterday I couldn't get to one of the two exercises on the menu, and today I had to watch the one video that worked in Spanish. The good point on this is that I was able to follow the cardio routine without hearing the words. OK, I do know a few Spanish numbers and the word "rapido," but overall I was relying solely on the visuals. After doing the routine only once or twice before it was no problem so none of the steps are very complicated which is a big plus.

Now for the good points

The customer service at Beach Body was superb. I chatted with them last night about my technical issue and they put a brand new disc in the mail right away.
As stated above the moves are not complicated and after doing the routines once you catch right on. I should note that it's not totally easy (or even possible) to move like the Spanish girls on the video. You really need to have some Latin in your blood to get your hips and shoulders to move like that. Mine don't seem to be wired right and I can't even imagine how ridiculous I look. But it's fun. Period.
I thought all the videos would focus solely on the rear end, but they include a good mix of total body conditioning. Your arms, legs, and abs are working too. In fact there's a complete separate 20 minute ab workout, just like P90X.

Some other things worth mentioning

Unlike P90X, the cardio routines are totally dependent on the amount of effort you exert. It's quite possible to get through them without doing all that much. That is not the case with P90X. Even if you only give it 50% of your all, just performing the required tasks is a big undertaking. These moves are all pretty easy and without really giving it some ummph, you're not going to get much out of them.
The sculpting work that requires the bands or the weights, however, are very good. When I read the instructions that told me during the first week I was supposed to perform these work-outs "without equipment" I thought, "Why bother? What a waste of time." Well, I was wrong. Without the bands or the weights my muscles were burning and tears were welling up. I can honestly say I'm not looking forward to adding that 'equipment.' Yikes
The hardest part of this series (for me) is that you are working muscles that you simply don't normally work. With P90X you work the typical muscles that get used in most athletics and every day activities. I've been training for the past decade with my husband . . . in a gym, on a bike, in a kayak . . . my major muscles are well equip to take on the challenges of the P90X exercises. But these exercises are a whole different story. I'm using butt muscles that I never knew existed and certainly never work out. No matter if I started in fairly good shape or not I don't think I would have had a prayer at breezing through this series of videos.

Bottom line is that my legs already feel firmer and more toned after just one week. Since I really don't have to make a huge difference in my overall physical dimensions I'm not sure that I will continue to follow the program to the T, by the book, and in the super neurotic, anal retentive, Type A personality way that I followed P90X. I have no doubt that if you do indeed follow the program, you will get the desired results.

The Year Without P90X

2011-12-14T13:18:00.000-05:00

2012 should have been my fifth consecutive year completing the P90X program. It has become my Winter routine that always gets me excited about the New Year. I usually dive right in and within a month I feel great. I'm whipped into shape, I'm strong, and I'm "ready to go" as Tony Horton likes to say. But unfortunately, this will be the year without P90X and I wasn't sure how to cope. The terrible neck injury that caused me to lose an entire year of biking, lifting, and yoga is continuing to plaque me. I still can't do any real push-ups (my all-time favorite exercise) and there's simply no way I could get through a single P90X work-out in this pathetic condition.

I moped around and sulked for a good 5 months. I got weaker and weaker and more and more depressed until I thought I would lose my mind. What's a yogi to do? Even meditating over this dilemma proved difficult due to the uncomfortable sitting position. Finally my doc said that I can start doing some cardio - still no lifting or yoga, but I got the green light for cardio. Now I just needed to figure out where to start.

Enter Beach Body . . . yes, the same folks that offer P90X. This is a little bit embarrassing, but I got sucked into the infomercial advertising the "Brazilian Butt Lift." I can't believe I just admitted that. Normally I would fly by any such silly infomercial, but it was a weak moment and it looked like fun.

I was so excited to start it that I didn't wait for New Years. I'm 4 days into the program and so far I love it. As with P90X it encourages you to take Before and After photo, along with measurements, but I never bother. My before and afters are never very impressive because not much changes. I really don't know how I manage to 'look' like I'm in shape when I'm clearly not. Hey, I'm not complaining, but all my changes are in how my body feels not how it looks. I just want to get back to having nice hard muscles. The most important test they recommend you take is the "pencil test." My husband thought I needed to see if I could break the pencil with my butt cheeks, but fortunately all you need to do is place the pencil under one cheek and see if the pencil stays or falls down. If your rear end is too big there is likely a crease between the buttocks and the top of the leg in which the pencil would stay. The goal of the program is to get to the point where the pencil falls. I passed the test and my pencil did indeed fall. I'm getting off to a good start.

And for the first time in my life, I'm starting off at baseline. This is such a new experience for me. I am so accustomed to breezing through most fitness videos. I just never had a concept of how hard it can be to get into shape, when you're not already in shape. Does that make any sense? It reminds me of a personal trainer that allowed himself to go from totally ripped to 150 pounds overweight just so he could put himself into the shoes of his clients. He always heard, "You don't understand how hard it is to lose weight. You've never been fat. How could you relate?" Those are valid points and I too had no idea how challenging some simple workouts can be. When I used to teach my beginners yoga class I made the easiest classes I could dream up, but still they were too challenging for the class. How could I know what folks could or couldn't do if it all felt too easy for me? Well, now I know! My super simple yoga routines would just about kill me know. I'm weeping as I type . . .

So I'll be reviewing these Brazilian Butt Lifts videos from an entirely new perspective. I am now representing the average woman. I am sadly no longer the super fit guru that I once was. I'm not entirely giving up hope on getting back there some day and I gotta start somewhere, so let's see how my butt progresses. Please stay tuned to some reviews of this program.

Who Wants 3 Months of Free Streaming Yoga Classes?

2011-12-13T15:04:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that Gaiam is sponsoring a promotion and YogaDudes will be giving away a 3 month free membership to GaimTV. Imagine hundreds of awesome yoga classes right in your living room, for FREE! Who doesn't love free? And who wouldn't love the convenience of quality yoga training without fighting traffic and burning gas? So much to gain with so little effort. All you need to do is leave a comment either on this blog or on our Facebook wall. One winner will be picked on Friday, December 16th. Don't delay. Leave a comment right now (and if it's on the blog, please be sure we have a way to contact you.)

Free Streaming Yoga + Fitness Classes

2011-12-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited about this new find. One of my favorite companies, Gaiam, has recently launched something called Gaiam TV and it looks amazing. In addition to classes from top yogis like, Rodney, Seane Corne, Shiva Ray, Kathryn Budig, Tommy Rosen, Kia Miller, and Suzanne Deason, they've put together an amazing collection of health, fitness and uplifting and inspirational films. Each video… whether live, taped or acquired, is hand-selected based on the positive impact they believe it can have on mind, body or soul. If you've recently given up on Netflix, this is a true no-brainer. And even if you do already subscribe to another streaming service, membership to this wonderful resource is just $9.95/month. That's less than the cost of one yoga class for a whole month of unlimited access to over 2,000 high quality videos. They offer a 10 day free trial so check it out here today. But wait, there's more . . . as a special offer for YogaDudes fans, they agreed to give away a 3 month free membership to one lucky yogi. All you need to do is leave a comment either on this blog or on our Facebook wall. One winner will be picked on Friday, December 16th. Don't delay. Leave a comment right now (and if it's on the blog, please be sure we have a way to contact you.)

In the event that you don't want to chance it, here's an idea . . . put a subscription on your Holiday Wish List. Subscriptions can be bought in 3, 6, or 12 month bundles at a pre-paid price. Santa can't go wrong with a gift like that!

Do It Yourself Enlightment

2011-12-08T08:02:00.001-05:00

This is just too cute not to share . . .

The Perfect Yogi Stocking Stuffer

2011-12-05T16:07:00.001-05:00

Can you imagine a cuter gift to find in your Christmas stocking this year? Why not brighten a fellow yogi's holiday? And be sure to grab an extra to adorn your own tree with this adorable porcelain YogaDudes ornament. The ornament can be purchased online here.

December Desktop Calendar

2011-12-02T08:08:00.001-05:00

If you would like to add some festive holiday cheer to your desktop, you can click on this link to download the bigger version of the graphic. A new window will appear with a much larger graphic. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

The Best Foods for Good Looks and Good Health

2011-11-21T07:31:00.001-05:00

You need more than just lotions and potions (as my husband likes to call all the things I slather on my body) to keep yourself looking your best. It's not enough to fight aging from the outside. Good nutrition is the pillar of every kind of healthy lifestyle and what you put inside your body has a big impact.

With so many studies being reported it can be hard to keep track of what we should be eating. To simplify things, here's a can't-go-wrong shopping list of beneficial foods to ensure a healthy and youthful you.

Tomatoes. Organic tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant shown to help fight illnesses of all stripes. They're also loaded with vitamins C and A, and if you believe Dr. Oz, they could be as good or better than açai and goji, those trendy, expensive antioxidants you couldn’t stop hearing about for a few years.
Green tea. In a nutshell, people who drink green tea have about a dozen health advantages over people who do not—from cancer prevention to longevity to gentler skin aging—thanks to its antioxidant polyphenols.
Broccoli. This is the item on the list you'd be best off learning to love if you don't already, because its nutrition profile beats out all other veggies according to a Harvard University study. It has well-documented anti-inflammatory effects, which can help with everything from eye health and arthritis to heart disease and sun damage. Eat it a couple of nights a week if you can.
Salmon. You obviously want to be careful about sourcing when it comes to any fish choice, but the short version is, wild Alaskan is a good bet. Salmon is loaded with anti-inflammatory omega 3s, healthy fats, and vitamin B12. Bonus side effect: Glowing skin.
Extra virgin olive oil. It’s gotta be EV: Eat it for heart-disease prevention, cancer prevention, its cholesterol-lowering good fats, its antioxidants, and because it’s completely and utterly delicious and frankly, a good olive oil tastes better than butter.
Dark leafy greens.Yes, they can be bitter and less than exciting at first, but they are loaded with vitamins and iron and can be snuck into meals easily (omelets, pasta, salads, etc.). Prepared the same way as the broccoli suggestion takes five minutes and is super tasty with eggs for breakfast.
Walnuts. These are packed with good fats (the monounsaturated kind), which is great for heart health, lowering cholesterol, boosting brain function, and reducing inflammation. You don't need many of these to reap the benefits, though.
Blueberries. What gives these guys a leg up on other fruit is the fact that they're super low in calories and very high in vitamin C, fiber, vitamin E, and other brain-boosting nutrients. A Tufts University study found that when they evaluated 60 other fruits and veggies for their antioxidant capability, the blues came out on top.
Dark chocolate. You should eat this because it’s delicious, and because a recent study also showed its capacity to protect skin from UV damage.
Avocados. It's encouraging to know that in addition to being nature's unadulterated butter, they're also loaded with cholesterol-lowering power, potassium, folate, carotenoids, vitamin E, and happiness-inducing monounsaturated fats. (guacamole counts!)

A Quiet Yogi

2011-11-13T19:44:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been a very quiet yogi. I'm sorry that this blog has been neglected. The truth is that I haven't been practicing my yoga in months. I haven't been doing much of any form of exercise in months and not many things make me less happy. Way back in June I hurt my neck, which led to several months of agonizing pinched nerve pain. I am just about losing my mind trying to cope with this situation and the fact that I can't work out. There goes the great shape I was in. There goes my yoga teaching assignment this year. I haven't even been able to review the new work-out DVDs that I got over the Summer. It's all so depressing.

During this time I have been trying to focus on my meditation, but sadly even THAT hurts. Trying to clear my mind is just so difficult when my brain is registering pain. Seems the only form of exercise I can do these days is running so I've been trying to embrace it, despite the fact that I dislike it. Whenever I run it just makes me miss my bike, but I'm trying to forge on. I just received my racing bib for an upcoming 5 mile race on Thanksgiving Day. I'm going to run those miles and try to stay focused on being thankful that I can, at least, still run. I'm going to try really hard not to think about all the things I still can't do and truly appreciate those than I can do.

I know there's a purpose and reason this is happening to me and somewhere down the road I'm sure the lesson will make itself known. I'm hoping that it is going to make me a stronger and better person, but in the mean time I'm afraid I'm becoming a much weaker and much sadder one :-( Patience is a virtue and I gotta work on it.

YogaDudes November Desktop Calendar

2011-11-03T11:14:00.000-05:00

Here it is already November 3rd . . . five days after Connecticut's historical October snow storm, and still we have no power. November has traditionally been the month of giving thanks, but this November it will be very easy to reflect on and give thanks for the small things in life that you wouldn't normally think twice about . . . like running water, heat, and electricity. I know I will personally be doing a happy grateful dance when, not only our electricity comes back, but more importantly our internet connection!

So we are sorry that this November calendar is late. Hopefully you are warm and safe and if you are are, be thankful. If you would like to make this graphic your computer desktop, just click on this link. A new window will appear with a much larger graphic. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

YogaDudes October Desktop Calendar

2011-10-01T16:51:00.001-05:00

Autumn is in the air and it's time for pumpkins, ghosts, and goblins. If you would like to get into the autumn spirit and make this graphic your computer desktop, just click on the image above to bring up a bigger graphic in a new window. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Downward Dog Upward Fog Review

2011-09-28T17:02:00.001-05:00

I recently read a delightful novel called Downward Dog Upward Fog, by Meryl Davids Landau. It was such a pleasant and fun read about a young woman who turns to yoga to save her from falling down the spiraling hole of discontent. It was all too easy to identify with the lead character. I think everybody has felt the same way at some point in their life. You seem to have everything going for you, but yet you find yourself unhappy for no good reason. You get easily annoyed by the slightest little things and you just seem to look at everyone and everything with an overly critical eye. Why do we do this? Why can't we just be happy and pleasant more, and unhappy and unpleasant less? Wouldn't the world be a better place? Why does it seem like such an effort for us? It reminds me of a funny t-shirt I saw not too long ago. It said, "Pretending I'm a pleasant person is exhausting." And sometimes it's really true. It seems we have to put on an act and pretend that we like the people around us, or pretend that we are happy when we really aren't. It so sad and it seems like life would be much easier if we just truly were happy.

Well, the lead character in this book turned to yoga to help improve her mood and life. It was so refreshing to read about her initial expereince. You know how it is when you first fall in love with something . . . you feel so excited about it. You look forward to it and appreciate every minute of it. But something happens along the way and you lose your passion for it. Reading the book made me long for that excited feeling just to do a yoga rountine. I tried to think about the last time I truly looked forward to it with that same beginners anticipation. When I was studying for my teaching certificate it felt like a job. Then when I started actually teaching yoga it 'really' started to feel like a job. I lost the spark. I sometimes even lost the desire. Yoga became a physical workout that I felt obligated to do. Lately even my daily meditation has become a chore. How sad. The book made me reflect at what yoga and meditation is supposed to be all about - so much more than the physical act. Shame on me for slipping down that dark hole.

If you find yourself starting to slip, finding herself irritated at people for no good reason, or dreading getting to yoga class maybe it's time for this refreshing read. Grab yourself a copy of the book and remember back to all the reasons why you started to do yoga in the first place. Read it and go back to enjoying the entire experience of it. Take it all in and remember to be thankful for everything you have and do.

Please check out the book on amazon here.

Interview with Jason Brown, Creator of Zenyasa Yoga

2011-09-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jason Brown has been a student of the contemplative and movement arts for over 30 years, and a student of yoga since 1996. In 2007, he created Zenyasa Yoga as a way to synthesize interests in Zen Buddhism, vinyasa yoga, and exercise science.

Q: Why do yoga teachers need to learn so much anatomy? How does it help their teaching?
A strong understanding of musculo-skeletal anatomy, injury awareness and kinesiology can help yoga teachers in a million different ways. We routinely ask students to take their joints to the edge of their range of motion, and sometimes toward more extreme ranges of motion. Many yoga postures can put tremendous stress on the shoulders, wrists, knees and intervertebral disc joints. So first and foremost, a strong foundation in anatomy can give teachers the knowledge required to help keep their students safe and prevent injury. But also, teachers with a strong understanding of anatomy can also “see” their students more clearly, as if with x-ray eyes, and more quickly identify the causes of misalignment within any given posture -- which muscles might be tight or weak, or just not working, or if there are skeletal issues causing the misalignment. And they can then give more meaningful verbal cues and hands-on assists, as well as potentially recommend specific postures or exercises to the student that could enable them to more effectively evolve in the posture. Understanding anatomy can also help teachers become more skillful and creative in their sequencing, especially when sequencing toward a peak posture. Or work therapeutially with clients who have specific concerns. I could go on and on.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice (about anatomy) to novice yoga teachers, what would it be?
I would tell them not to be intimidated by the study of anatomy. I think a lot of teachers get intimidated by it, perhaps because it seems like such a big subject, or because it seems too left-brained, or because in their own teacher training it came at them so fast that they just got overwhelmed. But they should give it a chance. If they take a course in anatomy that starts with the basics, gives a little bit of information each week, and builds slowly, they'll be fine. Everyone can learn anatomy, and many even come to enjoy learning it. Afterall, when you study anatomy you'll also learn a lot about your own body in the process… it's strengths and limitations, how to progress skillfully in your asana practice, and how to keep yourself healthy and safe.

Q: Based on your experience, what's the most vulnerable part of the body, during a yoga practice?
It’s super hard to pin this down to just one area, because it depends in large part on the person and what kind of practice they’re doing. The top contenders would be the wrists, shoulders, knees, lumbar spine and cervical spine. For vinyasa practitioners, the injuries that I see the most involve the wrists and shoulders.

Q: How many injuries do you think could be prevented with proper anatomy training?
I think that a lot of injuries can be prevented with mindfulness and proper anatomy training. However, it’s always possible that a student could work too aggressively within a posture, despite your advice not to. Or work unskillfully in a posture, despite your anatomically precise alignment instructions. And there is always the risk that someone could fall out of a headstand, or slip on a sweaty yoga mat. But an education in anatomy and injury prevention can go a long way toward reducing the liklihood of injury.

Q: Where can students and teachers find good anatomy training if they don't live in NYC?
Well, firstly I want to say that you don’t have to live in NYC to take the ASFYT course that I offer. The first two parts of the course can be completed via homestudy, and then if you’re able to you could fly to NYC to attend Part III during the one-week intensive that happens in June. Or if you can’t come for part III, you could just do Part I & II. I’ve had students from Sweden, Mexico, Parrot Cay, and all around the country complete the first two parts of the course, and many have come for Part III. You can learn more about the homestudy course on the website, as well as read testimonials from previous homestudy students.

Another alternative would be to see if there are other yoga or Pilates studios offering an anatomy training nearby. You could also check out your local community college, or do what I did and enroll in a massage school (which usually has a pretty strong anatomy component). There are also some great anatomy articles on Yoga Journal. My favorites are by Roger Cole, Judith Lasiter and Julie Gudemestad.

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For more infö please visit: http://www.zenyasastudio.com/Anatomy_Studies/Introduction.html

September 2011 Desktop Calendar

2011-09-01T06:47:00.000-05:00

In an effort to spread a little wisdom from Sadhguru, my favorite mystic, here's an inspirational calendar. If you would like to make this graphic your computer desktop just click on the image above to bring up a bigger graphic in a new window. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Yoga Journal Magazine Subscription Deal

2011-08-31T09:34:00.001-05:00

How would you like a one year subscription to Yoga Journal Magazine for just $4.39? What a bargain for this great magazine! This deal is valid for brand new subscriptions, as well as renewals. All you need to do is click on the link below to be taken to the place where you can purchase the subscription. But here's the catch . . . this deal is only valid today, August 31st. Don't miss it. Just click on the link below.

Click here for the Yoga Journal Magazine Deal of the Day

Nobody's Perfect

2011-08-22T10:05:00.000-05:00

But give it all you got . . .

Upcoming Inner Engineering Events

2011-08-18T06:38:00.001-05:00

"With proper practice of yoga, you are creating the right kind of chemistry where you are naturally peaceful, naturally joyous, naturally loving." ~Sadhguru

If you don't know what Inner Engineering is all about, I strongly encourage you to click through for more information.

August 2011 Desktop Calendar

2011-07-29T11:14:00.002-05:00

Thanks to YogaBliss photo for this wonderful picture. If you would like to make this beautiful graphic calendar your computer desktop just click on the image above to bring up a bigger graphic in a new window. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Second Annual Yoga Challenge

2011-07-28T06:26:00.003-05:00

This summer, Citizen Effect is launching its 2nd Annual Yoga Challenge and uniting the DC yoga community to benefit Becky’s Fund, a Washington, DC-based non-profit that focuses on domestic and dating violence education and awareness.

From yoga newbies to experienced yogis, everyone is encouraged to do #Yoga4Good. Participants will receive discounts from local yoga studios while joining together to raise $20,000 for Becky’s Fund. Those interested in doing #Yoga4Good can go to www.citizeneffect.org/yogachallenge to sign up. The official Challenge and studio benefits will start on August 1st and last through the end of the month, with top fundraisers receiving prizes at the end of the challenge. There will also be four (4) Yoga in the Park events, starting July 20th and occurring every other Wednesday through August.

Currently underway is Citizen Effect’s “Show Us Your #Yoga4Good Pose” photo contest on Facebook. To participate, yoga lovers can take a picture of themselves doing a yoga pose while displaying the Yoga Challenge hashtag, #Yoga4Good, then post it to Citizen Effect’s “Show Us Your #Yoga4Good Pose” Facebook page. The person with the most “likes” on their photo will receive a 3-month supply of Vita Coco Coconut Water.

Yoga’s focus on healthy, happy living makes it the perfect fundraiser for the Becky’s Fund youth initiatives: “Becoming Your Own Heroine: Lessons in Self-Empowerment and Dating Violence” and the “Young Men’s Mentorship Program,” which educate DC/Metro area youth about dating and domestic violence.

Challenge yourself to do #Yoga4Good today at www.citizeneffect.org/yogachallenge.

Yoga and Meditation - The Perfect Combination

2011-07-27T07:09:00.003-05:00

In a recent Huffington Post article, Deepak Chopra writes about the benefits of yoga. According to Chopra, yoga has not only been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, reducing the risk of heart disease, but the meditation component of any yoga practice can also help to reduce instances of anxiety and depression.

From the article:
Calming the mind Since yoga involves the mind as well as the body, it’s not surprising that it may help reduce anxiety and depression, especially in people whose anxiety is related to an illness like cancer. More research is needed to learn exactly how yoga affects mood, but a 2007 study may provide a clue: It found that in experienced yoga practitioners, a 60-minute yoga session increased levels of a neurotransmitter called GABA. Low levels of GABA have been linked to depression and anxiety disorders. Another pilot study suggests that yoga may influence depression by increasing the alpha waves in the brain. Alpha waves are associated with relaxation. Yet another possibility is that yoga reduces the amount of cortisol, a hormone that the body releases in response to stress. Some scientists think chronic high levels of cortisol may be tied to depression, as well as impaired immune function.

If the potential health benefits of yoga aren’t enough to make you want to try it, consider this: Yoga can also make you look more toned and fit and help you move with greater ease, especially as you grow older. A 2007 study of the Hatha yoga style showed that it increased muscular strength, flexibility and endurance. It’s no wonder that many athletes use yoga to cross-train.

And if you want to try your hand at a simple meditation that you can do right at home, please follow this link.

Yoga Woman

2011-07-25T07:08:00.003-05:00

Never underestimate the power of inner peace! Check out this amazing movie trailer about how yoga is changing the lives of women all over the world.

The Power of Aum

2011-07-19T08:24:00.002-05:00

Lately I have really been struggling with my morning meditation. I have a neck injury that has me in such severe pain that I simply can not sit with my hands in my lap. I normally sit for 20 minutes, the first 5 require my right hand near my forehead, with my left hand in my lap. The pain is isolated to the left part of my neck and my left shoulder. Within 2 seconds of my meditation the pain is so bad I simply can not concentrate, I have to move and fidget, and I sometimes end up in tears. But yet I still sit there. Come Hell or high water I will sit for 20 minutes every morning.

It was a couple of days ago that I realized something amazing. After my 5 minutes of torture from having my left arm in my lap, I move my arms slightly so that my palms are up and resting on my knees (as I sit in cross-legged position). Now this position is still terribly uncomfortable for me, but (and here's the interesting part) when I start to chant my Aums I can actually feel the pain reducing. With every single Aum I feel the muscles relaxing, which must relieve some pressure on the nerve causing all the pain. This just proved the power of the Aum. Now the trick to chanting these Aums is actually feeling the vibration. As Sadhguru taught, you must first feel the vibration in your belly. This is when you are making the Aaaaaaa sound (like when the doctor tells you to stick out your tongue). Then as you begin to close your mouth the sound naturally turns from Aaaaaaa to Uuuuuuuuuu and when you do this right you can literally feel the vibration move from your belly to your chest. This is the point of the chant that I can literally feel this vibration in my shoulder. When you finally close your month the sound starts to make the Mmmmmmmmmm sound and now you can feel the vibration right to the tip of your nose.

I chant these Aums for at minimum of 5 minutes and during those 5 minutes I am pain free. It is the most amazing thing. Unfortunately, I don't move a muscle as I transition into the next segment of meditation. My seating position is the exact same, only when the chanting stops the pain returns. I will continue to work on my muscle therapy and treatment to fix my neck and shoulder, but the lesson I learned about the power of Aums will stay with me forever. For more information on learning this powerful meditation, please visit http://www.ishafoundation.org/

Amazing New Yoga Mat

2011-07-15T12:47:00.004-05:00

I was recently contacted by Vernice Vita to review a brand new yoga mat. My first thought was, "How much could I say about a yoga mat?" Upon further investigation I discovered two more interesting facts about this new mat: first it is made of memory foam, and second it cost over $100. These two things left me a bit leery. I never really was a big fan of memory foam. I feared that the mat would be too squishy, making it difficult to move my feet positions. My other concern was the price. I wondered who would spend so much on a mat. I was doubtful that I would.

But I had an open mind and I agreed to take a mat on loan. I have to admit I was growing more and more curious to experience what my routine would feel like on this strange new environment. When I unrolled the mat I could see that it was going to take a little while for it to lay flat all by itself. It also had a funny "new" smell so I rolled it out on my porch and let it both settle down and air out. I normally do my yoga routine in a spare bedroom that happens to be carpeted. I wanted to give this new mat a fair shot and figured that I shouldn't lay a memory foam mat on top of carpet and padding, so trying it out on the wood decking of my porch was the perfect plan . . . in so many ways . . .

In one word, the mat was AMAZING. I just couldn't get over the complete transformation in my routine. In the craze of an overly booked and rushed day, I had planned to only "try it out" with a 10 minute routine. 40 minutes later I was still going strong. I found that I lingered in every pose far longer than I normally do. I found the mat so comfortable and I swear it improved my balance. I felt like I was grounded to the mat in ways that I never experienced and everything just felt so right. I felt strong. I felt like my form was better than it ever has been. All of my previous yoga experiences were on my squishy carpeted bedroom floor or at studios on wood floors with very skinny mats. This was just unreal.

My fear of having my feet stuck was unfounded. I moved in and out of the positions no differently than on any other mat. But when it came to one arm side balances that normally hurt my wrists, I was more comfortable. When it came to balance poses I felt like a rock. And when it came to Savasana . . . on my God, I never wanted to get up!

Later in the evening I packaged up some new yoga pants that my husband recently bought me for my birthday in preparation for exchanging them. It was then that I realized those pants cost $95. Then I flipped through a sport magazine where I researched some new running shoes, which, of course, cost over $100. Suddenly it seemed much more justifiable to spend the money on an amazing yoga mat. After all, it is your one tool of the trade that can make or break or practice. Needless to say, the loaner is NOT going back.

And the most interesting part of this experiment (for me) was the fact that I found my absolute favorite new place to practice yoga (in addition to my new favorite mat). Practicing outside in my screened in, always shaded, porch was outstanding. I could feel the breeze and hear the little waterfall that feeds into my gold fish pond. I am now planning to decorate this new-found space with all things yoga!

For more information on the new yoga mat, please visit www.vvitayoga.com. They have an online store where you can buy your own amazing new mat.

Isha Kriya Meditation

2011-07-08T06:59:00.003-05:00

Isha Kriya is a modified form of the meditation that I learned through Inner Engineering back in May, and for the first time it's available to everybody online. Here's is what Sadhguru has to say about it:

“For different levels of thought and emotion that you go through, your breath takes on different types of patterns. If you are angry you breathe one way, you are peaceful you breathe another way. You are happy, you breathe in another way. You are sad, you will breathe in a completely different way. Have you noticed this? Based on this conversely is the science of Isha Yoga: there are conscious patterns of breath which can leave you in a constant state of bliss and healthfulness.”
-Sadhguru

To learn more about it, please watch this video.

And if that peaked your interest, please visit this web page which will offer you a chance to try the Isha Kriya on your own.

The Essence of Life . . .

2011-07-06T07:35:00.001-05:00

Is being calm to the core.

July Desktop Calendar

2011-07-01T07:40:00.002-05:00

Ahhh, finally the sweetness of Summer has arrived. If you would like to make this whimsical graphic calendar your computer desktop just click on the image above to bring up a bigger graphic in a new window. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Speak No Evil, Tweet No Evil

2011-06-30T09:17:00.001-05:00

I recently read an interesting story about Michael Stusser, who is a humor columnist from Seattle. He makes his living ranting about just about everything. When he realized that his sarcastic columnist personality was creeping into his personal life and turning him ugly he decided to do something about it. At first he simply tried to 'speak no evil.' He attempted to remove all trash talk, mud-slinging, rude riffing, and taunting Tweets from his everyday life for one month. This approach of simply "being more positive" just wasn't going to cut it for him. He was too far gone and needed some professional help. Enter his yoga instructor . . .

To read Michael's fascinating story of self transformation, please click here.

One Minute Meditation

2011-06-29T10:31:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's taken me this long into my life to discover the benefits of meditation. I feel as though I'm on a crusade now to spread the word about the amazing benefits of it. Being a yogi that has tried meditation in the past, I know all the common hurdles that many people face. Sitting in crossed-legged position can be uncomfortable or even painful, finding the time to set aside is always a challenge, and most of all, clearing the mind for more than a nano-second may seem impossible. The best thing I can suggest is to start small. Try sitting on a chair rather than on the floor, with your feet flat on the ground, your spine erect, and your hands placed comfortably on your thighs (either palms up or down). At the very beginning start off with a goal of sitting for just one minute. Maybe this video will help:

Dare To Be Extraordinary

2011-06-27T10:13:00.001-05:00

And retreat from reality . . .

Open to Grace

2011-06-21T06:58:00.001-05:00

Expand your mind and nourish your soul . . .

Clarity and Energy From Meditation

2011-06-20T12:10:00.001-05:00

It has been just about one month since I began my Isha yoga routine every day. This is a 20 minute meditation practice called Shambavi Mahamudra and I learned it at an Inner Engineering retreat in Atlanta in May. My experience at the live event wasn't particularly good. It involved an awful lot of hours of sitting on the floor and, although I was prepared with a meditation cushion, I was still not ready for that many agonizing hours of fidgeting on the floor. My entire body hurt and getting through the meditation practice was nearly impossible for me. Not only was I in all sorts of various pain, but there was so much distraction. Many of the meditation veterans seemed to be having out of body experiences and although that is great for them, it was very hard for the rookies to try to keep their minds focused. It was just a lot to take in and experience in a short amount of time. I have to say, my outlook wasn't all that positive and I might have even felt a little hopeless. I even had fearful thoughts that I simple wouldn't be able to find an extra 20 minutes during the day to devote to this. But I was committed to at least trying.

One of the biggest hurdles to doing this meditation was the fact that it must be done on an empty stomach. For me this was a problem because I am constantly snacking on something. I may not eat large quantities of food, but I do eat often. This meant that my only real time to devote to this meditation practice was first thing in the morning, which also posed a problem because of my early work day schedule. As it is, I could barely drag myself out of the house by 6:30 am. My heart was sinking, but I was committed to at least giving this a try. I had already invested a good chunk of time and money into this Inner Engineering and I just HAD to give it a go.

And so I did. Sadhguru said that the first 30 days would be the hardest and those would take the biggest commitment. I figured all 30 days would be torture, but I was pleasantly surprised. The first week was rough. Getting up at 5:30 was a struggle and my knees and hips were screaming after just 10 of the 20 minutes. But I persisted.

It was some time during my second week that my hips started to loosen up. I found that I could sit for the whole 20 minutes without focusing so much attention on the discomfort. Pretty soon I didn't feel a thing and could sit there effortlessly. The bad part is that once I cleared my mind of the pain, it left room for various other thoughts to pop up. But I didn't give up.

By the third week I noticed longer stretches of a thoughtless mind. Not only that, but I noticed it was getting easier and easier to get out of bed in the morning. I would awake before my alarm consistently and almost anxiously await the time to run into my new 'meditation room.' What started as a chore was quickly turning into something that I looked forward to. I was stunned.

Here I am 4 weeks into my new routine and I am consistently waking up hours before my alarm. I wake up every single morning wide awake and ready to spring out of bed. It seems that my body only requires 5 hours of sleep these days. Prior to starting this meditation I was almost always tired. I blamed it on everything from the lack of sunshine, to allergy problems, to post Lyme disease issues. There was always some reason for me to be exhausted. But today I am full of energy almost always. I can't remember the last time I complained that I was tired. I'm pretty sure I can throw away my alarm clock. And the best and most exciting development is the clearing of my mind. It used to be that I couldn't go 20 seconds without 100 thoughts flooding into my mind. Now I can sit for 20 whole minutes and think about nothing. If I had the chance to place a bet on whether or not I would EVER be able to achieve that through meditation I would have certainly bet against myself. I still can't believe this has happened to me. It's a miracle. I have never felt better! Meditation works. If you are a doubter, you have to do yourself a favor and just give it a try.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

2011-06-13T15:19:00.001-05:00

Did you know your nostrils play a key role in balancing your brain? According to yogic science (and recent medical studies), your nostrils switch dominance every 2 ½ hours so that your brain and body stay balanced during a 24-hour cycle. At any time, one nostril is dominant. The energy channels (nadis) in your right nostril stimulate your sympathetic nervous system, while the nadis in your left nostril stimulate the para-sympathetic nervous system.

Creating balance in your sympathetic and para-sympathetic nervous systems can help you avoid high blood pressure and anxiety, as well as depression and hypothyroidism (not to mention brain fog!). The wisdom of the body keeps your nostrils switching and you can do yoga to reset your breathing. Do 3 minutes of alternate nostril breathing (nadi sodhana) to feel blissfully balanced in your body and brain. By breathing through your left nostril (to calm yourself) or your right nostril (to energize) you will experience the power of your nose!

I do 4 minutes of this alternate nostril breathing every day. It's the start of my 20 minute meditation and it's wonderful. Without this start to my meditation I could never clear my mind, but this really helps. When I first started this I found it to be challenging to slow down my breath. I felt like I just couldn't get enough air through one nostril, but it only took one week of practice before my breathe naturally settled down so that I can effortlessly breath nice and slow, while feeling completely satisfied by the amount of air entering and exiting my body. Give it a try today!

Recommended Read: The Little Book of Yoga Breathing: Pranayama Made Easy. . . by Scott Shaw

Embrace Your Karma

2011-06-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

And may the life within you be strong!

Great Deal on Oxygen Magazine

2011-06-06T08:12:00.001-05:00

Would you like a one year subscription to Oxygen Magazine for just $5.39? What a bargain for this great magazine! This deal is valid for brand new subscriptions, as well as renewals. All you need to do is click on the link below to be taken to the place where you can purchase the subscription. But here's the catch . . . this deal is only valid today, June 6th. Don't miss it. Just click on the link below.

Click here for the Oxygen Magazine Deal of the Day

Take Time to Find Your OM

2011-06-03T10:21:00.002-05:00

And create a life you love!

June Desktop Calendar

2011-05-31T14:05:00.002-05:00

I'm not quite sure where May went, but welcome June. If you would like to make this colorful graphic calendar your computer desktop just click on the image above to bring up a bigger graphic in a new window. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Enjoy.

My Path to Enlightenment Through Inner Engineering

2011-05-25T17:59:00.003-05:00

A couple of months ago we gave away a free copy of a book called Midnights With a Mystic by Cheryl Simone. Up until the book promotion company contacted me, I never heard of the book, but I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to offer a give-away, and I was thrilled to be given a free book myself. Who doesn't like free? What I didn't realize was how much that book would change my life.

My free book arrived in my mailbox the day before leaving for vacation. The timing could not have been any better as I normally don't make much time for casual reading. Within a couple of hours of cracking the book open at the airport my hair was sticking up on my arms. I just felt this erie feeling that I was MEANT to have this book in my hand. I completely related to everything the author said, and felt like I shared her every feeling and thought. The real kicker came when she explained how early in her life she unexpectedly received a book in the mail. She never did find out who sent the book, but she read it. The book was "Autobiography of a Yogi," a very deep and hard-to-read book that had an influence on the rest of her life. I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that the book that I was holding in my hands was also sent to me (by a stranger) as if it was destined to find me.

So I read and read and by the time I got to my destination I already felt like a changed person, like several light bulbs of awareness went off in my head. I had to share my new-found enlightenment with my husband, who was surprisingly open to hearing all about it.

The reason why I related to the author of that book so much was because she described most of her life as 'perfect.' She was happily married, had a successful business, lived in a beautiful home, had plenty of money, etc. There were literally no real problems in her life, but yet she was constantly searching for more, more, more. She never truly felt happy and just had this aching feeling that there had to be more in life. Boy did that touch a nerve with me. Sometimes I stop and think, "Can my life get any better? What the hell is wrong with me that I'm not 250% grateful every single day for the life I have? What is it that I'm looking for?" I have everything I could possibly want, but it seems like I'm always looking for more. Well, what I was looking for was Sadhguru and I finally found him!

The book led me to a quest to research Isha Yoga and the Mystic himself, Sadhguru. I surfed around online and found something called Inner Engineering. If I thought the book opened my eyes . . . it only scratched the surface. There was a whole new world out there to explore and to my delight, I could do most of it right at home. It all started with this 30 minute video (Caution: the link will take you away from this blog. Please finish reading then come back and click on the links.) Every single thing this man said made so much sense. I had a feeling that I may have found the answer to all my life's problems. This man could teach me how to find my inner peace. How to finally enjoy my life. How to let go of all the external influences that have such a effect on my every emotion. Wow, just the thought of it was overwhelming.

My next step was to sign up for the Inner Engineering program which is an online course consisting of 7 one and half hour lectures by Sadhguru. After every single class I could feel the changes happening. I felt calmer, more patient, kinder . . . the list goes on. It was impossible to not think about Sadhguru and his teachings in every aspect of life. It was just a completely refreshing feeling. At the end of this online course you are invited to go to the SHAMBHAVI Maha Mudra Induction Program which is a live event to learn a very sacred meditation ritual that is completely life changing. This advanced meditation program promises amazing health benefits and all of them are just icing on the cake. The real treasure is the ability to be joyful no matter what is going on around you. If there is one lesson to be learned in this lifetime it's that you can never control your environment. If your happiness is based on external things you will never be happy. Happiness is an inside job and should not be contingent upon a single thing going on outside of your self.

I couldn't possibly endorse anything as passionately as I can endorse getting yourself a copy of the book and taking the online Inner Engineering program. It's the best companion to your yoga practice and may just make a profound difference in your life

Come as You Are

2011-05-24T06:28:00.002-05:00

Yoga has been known to cause health and happiness. Try it today!

Win a Free Workshop at Kripalu

2011-05-22T15:45:00.003-05:00

How would you like to win a free workshop and yoga retreat at Kripalu with Dr. Sinatra? The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health is a world-famous nonprofit, mission-driven, and donor-supported educational organization that for 30 years, has been offering experiential learning for body, mind, and spirit. Dr. Sinatra is a leading board certified cardiologist, nutritionist, educator, and author who has practiced integrative medicine for over 30 years. He can be found at www.drsinatra.com, www.twitter.com/SinatraMD and www.facebook.com/SintatraMD

All you have to do to enter is "Like" on Dr. Sinatra's Facebook Page. There is no cost, and you may "unfriend" Dr. Sinatra at any time. The contest runs through June 15, 2011. The workshop is at Kripalu July 29-31, 2011. The grand prize winner receives airfare, tuition, and private accommodations. What a deal. Head over to Facebook now and keep your fingers crossed.

Weekly Inspiration - Slow Down

2011-05-16T13:42:00.000-05:00

Slow Down and Breathe Deeply

New YogaDudes Racerback Tank Tops Now Available

2011-05-11T14:28:00.002-05:00

After taking a poll and discovering that most woman prefer the racer-back style tank tops, we switched our YogaDudes tanks over. These ribbed 100% cotton tanks are stretchy and super comfy and are now available in our shop. And we are even offering free shipping this month. Just enter the promo code MINTY at checkout. Free shipping offer good until the end of May.

View the new tanks here.

Using Yoga to Alleviate Symptoms of Terminal Illness

2011-05-10T12:56:00.001-05:00

Yoga has recently become one of the more popular ways to exercise, and that popularity has been increasing exponentially throughout the last ten years. The ability of yoga to mix both physical workouts and meditation has made it a more popular option than traditional exercise at a gym. The practice of yoga techniques on a daily basis generally leads to a better sense of wellness, and more recently has even shown to be a viable option in the treatment of individuals suffering from terminal illnesses.

While there is a wealth of information available on the use of yoga being beneficial for breast cancer patients, many other patients are applying yoga practice and benefitting as well. Patients find yoga appealing due to the bind of mind and body, as well as the diversity of the exercise in its application to a wide variety of schedules. Patients can choose to exercise in small ten minute session both morning and night, and if they are looking to participate in longer exercises, they also are able to engage in an hour long session once a week.

Where yoga is seen to have the largest value is in its mental advantages. For patients with terminal illnesses, yoga is able to increase the bond between the body and spirit with the mind. This can give those suffering a feeling of more self control and often set them back onto the path of feeling as though they are hopeful for recovery. These positive emotions are vital to the success of treatment and can give patients a lot of clarity in some of the most difficult times they will face. A good example would be sufferers of mesothelioma, a rare cancer cause by asbestos exposure. The symptoms of mesothelioma are unbelievably taxing, and yoga can help to relieve some of the stress at times.

Many recent studies have shown yoga as a viable alternative to medication relief. The relaxation techniques used in yoga can help relieve many of these symptoms that terminal illness patients will face.

Today's blog post comes to us courtesy of a guest blogger Krista Peterson. Krista is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer. As a health and safety advocate, she shares a strong passion for the wellness of others in her community. Krista has been practicing yoga for 3 years and loves to encourage others to do so as well. Through her writings, she helps to spread awareness of such issues as cancer and chronic illness. Thanks for the article Krista.

A Little Slice of Nirvana for Your Mind

2011-05-09T09:58:00.001-05:00

Be mindful of where you put your attention. The shape of your life will follow!

Yoga Can Be Exhausting

2011-05-08T14:51:00.002-05:00

Especially when you do too many Down Dogs!

Ayurveda Cleanse Complete - A Major Bust

2011-05-07T14:13:00.001-05:00

I am thrilled to say, my four days of misery are over. And I'm not thrilled to say it was a major bust!

These past four days have been terrible for me. I really struggled with every single aspect of the cleanse. I found it all a chore and I felt pretty miserable for at least 3 of the 4 days. I had a constant headache, was much more light-headed than usual, and every time I ate I got terrible stomach cramps. Add to that, the fact that the supplement pills made me completely constipated. Seems very counter productive for something called a 'cleanse.'

I got through the last day doing just about everything I was supposed to (minus the bath and oil) and the only thing I ate that I wasn't supposed to was a raw piece of fruit. My appetite had been dwindling for two days due to the stomach cramps so the fasting wasn't that big of a deal. It was the cravings for sweets that were killing me. I positively could not wait for this ordeal to end and, believe it or not, I was looking forward to downing that prune juice.

I waited until 9 PM to drink the ever-so disgusting prune juice and then I went to bed, anxious for it to kick in. My stomach was doing major flip flops all night. I couldn't wait to wake up and have it all be over with. I was dreaming about chocolate,, and ice cream, and any other darn thing that I might want to munch on.

Well, I woke up and the very first thing I did was drink some warm water. I figured that would help get things started, but no, it didn't. My stomach was bloated and hard and big. How is this possible after starving myself for 4 days? I went to the bathroom and positively NOTHING happened . . . nada, zilch, zipppo. I am quite curious to know if I'm the only person on Earth that went through a 4 day cleanse only to be completely constipated and have absolutely no effect. What an enormous waste of my effort and my money. I paid nearly $90 to be uncomfortable, inconvenienced, and worse yet, have my digestion track completely flipped out of whack. I would say by this point I have moved from disappointment to anger. Never again!

Day Three of my Ayurveda Cleanse

2011-05-06T06:51:00.001-05:00

Just as I suspected, I'm getting worse with my discipline. I have completely bagged the water boiling chore. I found it way too much of a hassle and quite frankly, I think it made the water taste funny. I noticed that I may have drank less water yesterday than I normally would have during the course of any given day. That's not good so I must make it easier and less unpleasant to drink water. I keep hearing my practitioner's voice in my head telling me to, "do what you can." I'm also not exactly executing the drinking of the ghee to spec. According to the directions I'm supposed to drink 2 teaspoons the first morning and then increase the dosage by 2 more teaspoons every day until the last day you're sucking down 8 teaspoons of melted butter. Uh uh, no way, not me. If I can gag down 2 teaspoons a day, that is a huge bonus and good enough for me. I find that ghee is like taking fish oil in the morning. I burp butter for an hour afterward and for somebody who can't stand the taste of butter, it's about as bad as burping fish. YUCK. And the worst part is that it completely kills my appetite for breakfast. I really can't wait for this to be over!

This morning I added a little sugar to my oatmeal again and I also broke down and ate a banana. Uncooked, because I have no idea how to cook a banana. I ate my Kitchari for both lunch and dinner and by now just the smell of it makes me lose my appetite. I also noticed that my stomach cramped after both lunch and dinner. This must be the special Digestion pills that I take before every meal. I wasn't really hungry at dinner time, but I almost always have a headache and I'm light-headed (more than usual) so I figured I HAD to eat. I forced a little more rice down and then had some veggie soup. Major cramping after that and it made me want to quit right then and there. I'm mentally losing it and I think I regret this whole thing. It doesn't help that my husband is constantly saying, "Tell me again why you're doing this?" I don't know that I really have the answer to that question. I guess I'm doing it in the name of good health - despite the fact that I feel like crap.

No Epsom salt bath tonight and a very quick oiling job. I have to say, there is nothing about the night time ritual that I enjoy and I especially don't like going to bed smelling like Asian food left-overs. One more day . . .

Ayurveda Cleanse - Two Days Down

2011-05-05T08:41:00.002-05:00

I can see where this is going. I completed my first day flawlessly. I did everything (well, almost everything - I did miss a dose of Blood Cleanse pills by accident) exactly according to the directions. I boiled all my water to specs, I didn't eat a singe snack, and I only ate oatmeal and rice. I even completed my entire nighttime ritual to spec. But then Day 2 came and by 8 am I decided that I was going to cheat a little. I just couldn't bare the thought of eating plain, unsweetened oatmeal again and I decided that a couple little teaspoons or raw sugar wasn't going to be terribly harmful. After all, my directions specifically said, "no white sugar or honey." Technically I didn't really break the rules, right? I think I deemed sugar one of my basic human needs, like water and air. I just need it.

The rest of the day went pretty good. I didn't snack and barely had any appetite all day anyway. That certainly made things easier for me. Only half of the water that I drank was boiled this day, as that chore is getting old really fast. I ate the rice that tastes like dirt for lunch, but couldn't bare it at dinner time. Instead I opted for a plain salad with fat-free dressing and an organic yam. Now I'm not supposed to use the microwave at all during these 4 days, but that's not gonna happen either. I can only go so far with this routine, but I'm doing the best I can.

I took my bath, but it was much shorter than the previous day and did my oiling. No meditation tonight and unfortunately, no sleep for most of the night either. Let's hope I do better on Day 3.

My 4 Day Ayurveda Cleanse

2011-05-03T16:38:00.003-05:00

I'm just about through Day 1 of my first-ever Ayurveda cleanse . . . and so far, it's been torture. I have to say, I'm not cut out for this sort of thing. I'm a hungry Vatta that snacks constantly. When I get hungry I mean business and need to eat immediately. I always carry candy in my purse (for emergencies). You would think I'm a diabetic with my urgent need for food - mostly candy. So why did I agree to four days of torture? That's a good question to which I'm not sure I have an answer.

Part of my 6 week Ayurveda class included taking part in this 4 day cleanse. I guess I got all wrapped up in the spirit of the class. Besides, I would have been the only one not doing it. Maybe it was like peer pressure. I didn't want to look like the only loser chickening out due to my fright of butter and prune juice. OK, I'm getting ahead of myself a little . . .

So the day began with me (trying) to get up early so that I can boil the Hell out of water. Did you know that water changes its molecular structure if it gets boiled to death? Yeah well, this was news to me. It isn't bad enough that I had to drink hot plain water all day, but first I had to boil it for 30 minutes. Not terribly convenient and you should have seen the rushed production of trying to figure out how to move said boiling water from pot to stainless steel water bottles (no plastic of course). Nightmare and 4 burnt fingers later I'm ready for the part of the cleanse that scared me more than the "laxative effect." I had to drink something that disgusts me so much I almost gag at the thought of it. And I learned another new thing. I learned about a product called ghee. I wish I could describe exactly what it is, but I couldn't even listen to the description in class. Click on the link if you're curious. Basically it's butter. I despise butter and I had to DRINK 2 teaspoons of melted butter. I scrubbed my lips, fingers, teaspoon, and cup for 10 minutes desperately trying to get the ick off. Being late for work this morning was a given.

I had to take some sort of digestion pill 30 minutes before breakfast. I have to say I easily put breakfast off due to my complete lack of appetite after that ghee. Maybe this fasting thing won't be so bad. Then came breakfast. I had oatmeal (which I love. Wait a minute - USED to love). Never in my life have I experienced plain oatmeal with no sugar or honey. Holy smokes, it's terrible plain. I couldn't even choke it down and half of it ended up down the drain. Now how will I get to lunch????

Not sure how I managed it, but I sipped my plain hot water until noon. That's when I had to make my special Indian rice called Kitchari. Aside from having to actually find a pan and turn on the stove at work to cook the stuff, I was looking forward to it. Too bad it tasted like dirt. But I was hungry enough to eat it anyway. Lunch is supposed to be the biggest meal of the day, but I definitely didn't have enough. I should have planned better and brought some veggies or salad to add to it. Tomorrow for sure.

A couple more special and awful pills before and after the meal. For God's sakes can't they coat these things? Choking them down (with the hot water) is simply dreadful. I made it all through the afternoon, staring down my box of Thin Mints and staying away from my secret cabinet full of Dove chocolates. Very proud of myself indeed.

Dinner time came and I was starving. I had the second half of the Kitchari that I made for lunch. This time I sprinkled some fat-free Balsamic dressing on it and strangely it still tasted like dirt. I treated myself to a yam after the dirt. Hopefully that will hold me over till bed time.

Before bed I have to go through a special nighttime routine. First I have to dry brush myself - just brush my skin with a special brush. Next, I have to take a bath in Epsom salt. You should have seen me in the grocery store looking for that stuff. Now I'm trying to figure out how much a 'quart' is. Thank God for google. I can't believe how challenging this has been so far and I'm not even done with the first day. Anyway, after the bath (and then shower because how am I going to wash my hair in the bathtub?) I have to oil myself from head to toe . . . with oil that will turn me, my towel, my pajamas, and my sheets orange. Great! Next its meditation and breathing exercises and finally sleep. But wait, I can't go straight to sleep. I think tonight I deserve to watch Glee, just to get the thought of ghee out of my head.

Stay tuned to see if I survive this very long 4 day ordeal.

Great Deal on Yoga Journal Magazine

2011-05-02T13:08:00.002-05:00

Here's another chance to grab yourself a one year subscription to Yoga Journal Magazine for just $4.39. What a bargain for this great magazine! This deal is valid for brand new subscriptions, as well as renewals. All you need to do is click on the link below to be taken to the place where you can purchase the subscription. But here's the catch . . . this deal is only valid today, May 2nd. Don't miss it. Just click on the link below.

Click here for the Yoga Journal Magazine Deal of the Day.

Practice Happiness

2011-05-02T06:37:00.001-05:00

Stretch into Spring and learn to love your yoga . . .

May Desktop Calendar

2011-04-29T13:06:00.004-05:00

Spring has finally sprung. Here's a pretty and inspiring desktop calendar to adorn your computer. To make it your wallpaper just click on the image above to bring up a bigger graphic in a new window. Once the bigger graphic appears, just right-click on it and "save as desktop."

Enjoy.

Mid-week Happiness

2011-04-27T12:02:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lapse in Happiness. I have a million reasons, but we won't get into that. This week's lesson is to "Choose a positive thought, renew, relax, and reflect."

Yoga for Stress DVD Review

2011-04-21T13:47:00.002-05:00

Yoga for Stress with Dr. Baxter Bell had my name written all over it. I sometimes feel like such a hypocrite, teaching people how to do yoga while severely struggling with stress myself. Sometimes the irony of me leading a relaxation meditation is so great that it's hard for me to keep a straight face during my class. My stress is sometimes so severe that I get a pinched nerve in my back and I'm almost always dealing with shoulder pain. Luckily I'm not in such a severe state at the moment, and because of that I can't totally say whether or not this DVD had any direct impact on my stress level. But I can say this, it is a wonderful video to practice routinely. Unlike any other yoga video that I practice with, this one really sets a different tone. It is not all about the 'burn' the 'work out.' This one is about the 'stretch' and it, of course, is targeting the muscles where stress builds up the most. I found it funny how many of the poses were what I consider my favorites (i.e., Eagle.) I guess without even knowing it, I favor the poses that stretch my constantly sore shoulder.

Not only does this DVD include two great yoga routines: one for stress relief and one for stress prevention, but it also includes a guided breathing exercise and two guided meditations. The first routine I tried was the stress relief one. It was a very new experience for me and unfortunately I didn't have all the proper bolsters and cushions. I didn't successfully get through the entire routine - mostly because I was so relaxed I couldn't move out of certain poses. Literally, I just didn't want to move. It felt do good that I just laid there as the video continued. I would say if it made me feel that good, it was a success - whether I completed the routine or not.

The stress prevention routine was more like a traditional practice with moving asanas and things that I was more familiar with. It was still much slower than anything I've ever done before and left me with a feeling of peace and relaxation. I really enjoyed it.

And I gotta say, having the guided meditations as selectable choices right from the menu is brilliant. Many times in the past I tried recording the audio for the last part of my yoga DVDs just so that I can have the ending relaxation part. What a pain that has been, but now I don't need to fool around with that task. This video makes it a snap to just pop it into my player and do nothing but the relaxation. Kudos Yoga Journal for addressing this need. I love it.

You can grab this DVD right now on sale for just $9.99 at the Yoga Journal Shop. Such a small investment for something that can be so beneficial.

Yoga Journal Magazine Deal

2011-04-16T12:55:00.002-05:00

For one day only, (Saturday, April 16th) you can grab yourself a one year subscription to Yoga Journal Magazine for just $4.39. What a bargain for this great magazine! This deal if valid for brand new subscriptions, as well as renewals. All you need to do is click on the link below to be taken to the place where you can purchase the subscription. Don't forget, this is only good for one day. Don't miss it.

Click here for the Yoga Journal Magazine Deal of the Day.

Ayurveda Training Part 3

2011-04-05T13:45:00.002-05:00

My class just keeps getting better and better. The only problem is that the more I learn about this fascinating science, the more convinced I am that I'm a mess, in serious need of help. It's amazing how something that started off so incredibly confusing and difficult to understand has turned into something that seems so simple and so completely logical. It really is a whole different way to view medicine and health. It sometimes amazes me how Western medicine has changed the game and gone away from the goal of keeping us healthy to focusing solely on fixing us once we are sick. Imagine if all the effort and insurance money was spent on preventing illness rather than treating disease. What a concept that would be!

And speaking of disease, this week we learned about how disease is caused in the body. You might be surprised to learn that 80% of all diseases start in the digestive system. Or maybe that doesn't surprise you, since you are probably a yogi. Digestion is everything and, of course, it gets right back to the saying, "You are what you eat." Maintaining a healthy digestive tract is truly the key to sustained health.

Another interesting statistic that I learned was that 80% of illness happens in the constitution that I happen to be - Vatta. That certainly doesn't make me feel good, but the instructor said that Vattas are the most likely to get out of balance, but they are also the easiest to fix. Maybe there's hope for me yet!

I wish I could share with you all the amazing things I learned, but I would be typing for hours. If I could just share one thing with you it would be to pay very close attention to your digestion because it is the clue to your health. Seek out information on how to improve your digestion. In Ayurveda it can be as simple as eating the correct foods for your constitution. You can find lists of these foods in any Ayurveda book. Or better yet, schedule an appointment with a practitioner. And that leads me to the interesting question of whether or not most health insurances would cover any such visit. I will have to investigate that and report back. My gut says it won't, which will irritate me beyond words and is the exemplification of what is wrong with our health care system . . . but this isn't meant to be a political blog. Maybe I will be surprised to learn that these services are indeed covered. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

More to come soon.

Save 30% on Classes at Yoga Download

2011-04-05T09:32:00.003-05:00

I just discovered that YogaDownload.com is offering a 30% discount on all their classes. Until midnight tonight, you can receive 30% off your entire order at YogaDownload.com. Just use the coupon code SpringYoga when checking out. Enjoy!

Neti Pot Enlightenment

2011-04-04T17:39:00.002-05:00

I had a very strange neti pot experience yesterday and I really wanted to tell somebody, or at least ask somebody if it was a highly unusual occurrence that I should worry about. It was a bit embarrassing . . . most of the water that I poured through (at least I thought it was just going through) my nose ended up pouring out during my yoga session (thank goodness this session was at home and not in a studio). And I'm not kidding -- the water was literally pouring out of my nose after several downdogs and standing forward bends, as if a faucet got turned on. So how many people can you share this sort of information with? Well a yoga teacher and an Ayurveda practitioner, of course.

Last night I was in my third Ayurveda class and the subject of headaches and neti pots came up. This was the perfect prelude to asking my question. Here I was embarrassed to ask the instructor and I ended up telling the entire class. Nobody seemed too disgusted by my story so that was good. And the yoga teacher told me not to be concerned. I still don't understand what would have happened to all that water had I not done my yoga routine and that bothers me, but so be it.

The good thing that came from this was me buying a new neti pot salt and let me tell you, this stuff is amazing. What a difference compared to the stuff I had been using. Here's what I bought and tried:

It has a hint of whatever is in Vicks nasal inhalers and it gave me an instant feeling of relief, of opening, of clean. Boy, it sure is hard to put it into words. It was just amazing and I love this stuff. I also learned about some oil that includes some sort of calming herb that I'm going to use to rub into my nostrils after the neti pot flushing. Supposedly breathing this in is the quickest way to calm my brain. Sounds too good to be true and I will be counting down the days until it arrives in the mail. I feel like my Ayurveda practitioner is going to become like a drug dealer. I think I'm already addicted to something that I haven't even tried.

Weekly Inspiration - Live Outrageously

2011-04-04T07:38:00.003-05:00

And the lesson for this week is . . . Savor chocolate, live outrageously, and get fit.

Free April 2011 Calendar

2011-04-03T08:34:00.003-05:00

Since I'm a long way from seeing any beautiful flowers in my backyard I thought it would be nice to adorn the computer with some clear signs of Spring. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before the weather breaks here in New England. To make this your desktop calendar just click on the image above to open it in a new window. Once the larger graphic appears, right-click on it and select "Save as Desktop." Enjoy

Yoga Pose Encyclopedia

2011-03-27T17:35:00.001-05:00

Maybe an encyclopedia of any sort doesn't sound very exciting, but have you ever come across an encyclopedia that wasn't extremely useful? I recently spent some time with the Yoga Journal Pose Encyclopedia and I was simply thrilled with it. I can't imagine many yogis who wouldn't benefit from it. No matter what your level of yoga, it would be hard not to gleam some sort of new insight from this useful DVD. Granted this is not the sort of video that you would watch over and over again, like many of your favorite yoga routines. This one is meant as a reference. You can use it to refresh all the important aspects of a pose, learn some of the small pose pointers that you might not have ever realized, or in my case, gain some valuable insight into the little, but ever-so-important hints and reminders to use when teaching a yoga class. I just loved it and after only watching it once, it greatly helped my very next class. I learned a great new breathing technique and had a wealth of new hints to share with my students.

The best part about the video was the camera angles. This is always a challenge when taking a yoga class, or watching a class on a video. You can never seem to get a view of the instructor in the exact angle you need, especially if you are also trying to perform the pose. But this DVD is meant to be watched as you sit at your computer, not on your mat. The female yogi performs each pose as the camera circles around her in a complete 360 degree rotation. The voice-overs give you every possible important fact about the pose. You not only learn how to do the poses correctly and safely, but it gives you a deeper understanding of each posture.

You can navigate your way around the DVD by picking the different groups of poses and then each individual pose. There are 35 poses all together and now that I've viewed them all, I'm hungry for more. I wonder if Yoga Journal has any plans to expand the volumes of encyclopedias they will offer. I sure hope so.

Check this DVD out for yourself on the Yoga Journal website.

Weekly Inspiration: Get Out of Bounds

2011-03-27T13:09:00.004-05:00

This one seems fitting because I just came back from a spectacular biking/hiking vacation in Moab, Utah. Just a little reminder to play hard and follow your folly . . .

Second Ayurveda Class

2011-03-21T18:40:00.004-05:00

I had my second Ayurveda class and sadly I still can't spell (nor pronounce) the word properly, but I'm not letting that get me down. I'm even more excited about the class than I was last time. This time we got into the good stuff. Not that the basic philosophy wasn't interesting. It was. But I'm the type of person that has to fast forward through the preview to get to the movie. I'm just too anxious. And how interesting it was to find out why . . .

Last night we got into the mental gunas (which bind the soul to the physical form), the 5 elements, the basic constitutions and the sub doshas. Have I lost you yet? It all may sound strange to hear these unfamiliar words. I can rattle off more strange words than you can imagine, but the stranger thing is how much sense it all makes. When it comes right down to it our bodies are completely a result of our environment and our diet. Unfortunately we can not control our environment. We may be able to control certain aspects of it, like where we live or who we choose to be around, but most of the circumstances surrounding our environments is completely out of our control. Our diets, on the other hand, are completely in our control. And the bottom line is that you are what you eat. More on that to come.

Everybody has a distinct pattern of energy -- a specific combination of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics. The three basic energy types called doshas, present in every person are:

Vata -- energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and heartbeat. When vata energy is balanced, there is creativity and vitality. Out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety.
Pitta -- energy that controls the body's metabolic systems, including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and temperature. In balance, pitta leads to contentment and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta can cause ulcers and arouse anger.
Kapha -- energy that controls growth in the body. It supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintains the immune system. In balance, kapha is expressed as love and forgiveness. Out of balance, kapha leads to insecurity and envy.

The first thing you need to do is determine which one you are. Based on the instructor's descriptions there was no doubt in my mind where I fall. And I am about as unbalanced as they get. I don't want to get into all the details of outlining the characteristics of each one (you need to find yourself a class or an Ayurveda practitioner if you are really interested) but I loved this brief description that our teacher used last night.

Vatas get immediately emotional and excited when they hear about taking an Ayurveda class and immediately sign themselves up for the class . . . but then they completely forget to go because they are so busy doing a million other things.

Pittas hear about the class, give it some thought, think it sounds great, sign up and then show up either on-time or early, completely organized, with notebooks in their hands.

Kaphas hear about the class and, although they think it's a wonderful thing that they would love to do, they find all kinds of excuses not to go because they just can't drag themselves off the couch.

So which one are you? OK so it's not really that simple. You should get a pulse reading done to be sure, but if you are interested in trying to figure out your constitution via a questionnaire here's a neat link: http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/

There is so much to this science and it's so fascinating. I will try to write about more things that I learn along the way, but in the meantime if you are at all interested in this science I encourage you to explore it online http://www.chopra.com/ayurveda

Weekly Inspiration

2011-03-21T09:42:00.002-05:00

This one is perfect for those of us in New England. Lesson for this week: "The perfect day isn't always up to the weather."

My First Ayurveda Class

2011-03-07T14:50:00.004-05:00

Last night I attended my first Ayurveda class. I was so excited to get started with this that I brushed the dust off of the wonderful book I bought last year (shown above). If I ever read it when I bought it ages ago, I'm nearly certain I forgot whatever I learned so it was all new to me.

This first class was really just an intro to what we will learn in future classes. We covered some of the basics of Cosmic Evolution, which is the theory that Ayurveda is based on. (I just realized that one of my goals for this class will be to be able to spell "Ayurveda" without having to look it up every time!) Anyway, the basic principals in which Ayurveda are based on are fascinating and at times hard to wrap my brain around. There are lots of new words to digest . . . Purush, Prakruti, Mahat, Ahamkara, and I can't leave out the instructor's favorite . . . Buddhi (pronounced "boot tee").

This intro was probably the hardest part for me. I compared it to me reading a novel. When I come to a person's name I just blow by it as if it's non-essnetial information that I don't want to clutter my brain. I have this "just get to the story" impatience and I can sometimes get through half a novel without really knowing who all the characters are. It's really hard for me to remember and process names for some reason. So last night was the painful introduction when all I want to do is jump in and learn 'the good stuff.' I must practice patience because the 'good stuff' is yet to come.

And the more we visited the topics of what is to come the more anxious I grew to learn about it. We talked about some basics about how important food is in providing the much needed balance that our body requires. Everybody knows which foods are healthy and which foods are not, but what most of us don't know is which healthy foods are right for our particular body and even, (ready for this?) what time of day you should and should not be eating them. Some foods can be very beneficial during certain times of day, but be detrimental during other times of the day. One of the foods that we talked about was oatmeal. I love oatmeal. What could possibly be bad about oatmeal? Well apparently certain body types can process oatmeal perfectly while others will get dragged down. I sure hope I'm the type that handle oatmeal . . and chocolate . . .and pasta . . .and ice cream . . .

Food plays such an important role, not only in our energy level, but also our cognitive functions. All I know is that I can use all the help I can get in feeling my best and thinking clearly. I have so much trouble focusing on anything for more than 10 seconds these days. I simply can not wait to learn what I should be eating and when.

The Perfect Way to Start the Day

2011-03-05T14:06:00.006-05:00

. . . With a little weekly inspiration and happiness. Lesson for this week: Walk tall and keep good company.

Win a Free Copy of Midnights With a Mystic

2011-03-02T13:04:00.006-05:00

I discovered a new book that has me intrigued and I can't wait to get a copy. The book is called Midnights With the Mystic by Cheryl Simone and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, and it's being called 'a light read - rich in wisdom.' Cheryl Simone, began a journey of discovery and her path led her to Isha Yoga and Sadhguru, the most sought after spiritual leader in India. Together, he teaches and she experiences. It promises to take the reader through a unique journey.

A series of intimate conversations with a wise guru is a compelling idea. How many times have each of us wished for answers to life's deep questions? As we share in her profound experiences, we are challenged to embrace the possibility that to each of us is available a higher realm of reality, a peak of consciousness, an entrée into the realm of freedom and bliss.

Here's an excerpt from the book:

Then he went on, "Yoga is the path of becoming limitless. Yoga transforms and liberates human beings so that they can reach this unbounded state. Humans, unlike animals, do not merely exist. They are becoming. 'Human' is not an established quality; one has to grow into it. One has to become that. To evolve as a human being is to become aware of one's limitations, to strive, with intense passion, toward the transcendence for which we all have the potential. Yoga is a way of finding your ultimate potential. In a specific context, yoga had come to mean spiritual union with the absolute. Liberation while living is the goal of yoga, the highest experience, a fusion of the individual with the universal."

You can visit http://www.midnightswiththemystic.com/ for more info on the book. And here's the best part . . .

FSB Associates has offered a FREE COPY to YogaDudes fans. All you need to do is leave a comment on our Facebook book page that says that you want to be enlightened. One winner will be drawn randomly on Monday, March 7th. So please head over to the YogaDudes Facebook page now and take a shot at your free copy. (Please note that the free book can only be sent to addresses in the US and Canada!)

Free March Desktop Calendar

2011-03-01T08:02:00.002-05:00

Making new friends is easy when you're young and in school. You come across hundreds of people just like you on a daily basis. But later in life it's not always easy to meet new people and make new friends. And it's certainly not every day you meet somebody that shares not only one of your passions, but two. I have been very fortunate to make a new friend, Sandy Foster, that is not only a yogi, but also a photographer (two of my passions).

Sandy is a Dallas-based photographic artist and educator. She brings her innovative, fine art sensibilities to every image, whether that be fashioning compelling stories of nature and humanity, or poignant moments of people, landscapes, magical juxtapositions, or abstractions of light. Being a yogini herself, Sandy enjoys photographing others deeply involved in this practice and this month's desktop calendar is a shot that Sandy took of her friend Deva.

Deva Serene is a world-traveling certified Qigong and yoga instructor. When she's not hanging out in trees, or connecting with Mother Gaia, she's using her skills to guide others in self-healing sessions. During the months of March and April, Deva will be teaching at Present Moment Retreat at Troncones Beach, Mexico.

We hope you enjoy this image that celebrates photography, yoga, and friendship. To make it your desktop wallpaper just click on the image above and when the larger graphic opens in a new window, right-click on it and select "Save as Desktop." Why not share it with your special yogi friend . . .

For more information on Sandy and her photography, please visit www.photoesque.com.

Happiness and Inspiration Week 3

2011-02-27T18:45:00.003-05:00

Something fun to start off your week.

Happiness and Inspiration Week 2

2011-02-20T18:41:00.004-05:00

Some digital happiness and inspiration to start the week. Enjoy . . .

Oxygen Magazine Deal

2011-02-18T15:21:00.001-05:00

For one day only, (Friday, February 18th) you can grab yourself a one year subscription to Oxygen Magazine for just $5.39. What a bargain for a great fitness magazine! This deal if valid for brand new subscriptions, as well as renewals. All you need to do is click on the link below to be taken to the place where you can purchase the subscription. Don't forget, this is only good for one day. Don't miss it.

Click here for the Oxygen Magazine Deal of the Day.

Just Registered for Ayurveda Training

2011-02-17T08:26:00.002-05:00

I am very excited to have found a local 6 week course in Ayurveda. This is something that I've been fascinated with for years and always wanted to learn more about. In case you don't already know what this term means . . .

Ayurveda is India’s traditional, natural system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that literally translated means "science of life" or "practices of longevity." Ayurveda was the system of health care conceived and developed by the seers (rishis) and natural scientists through centuries of observations, experiments, discussions, and meditations. For several thousand years their teachings were passed on orally from teacher to student; about the fifth to sixth century BC, elaborately detailed texts were written in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. For many years Ayurveda flourished and was used by rich and poor alike in India and Southeast Asia.

Ayurveda emphasizes prevention of disease, rejuvenation of our body systems, and extension of life span. The profound premise and promise of Ayurveda is that through certain practices, not only can we prevent heart disease and make our headaches go away, but we can also better understand ourselves and the world around us, live a long healthy life in balance and harmony, achieve our fullest potential, and express our true inner nature on a daily basis.

Now who wouldn't want to learn about this? What a wonderful compliment to my yoga certification. I simply can not wait to start the classes and I plan to blog about my teachings. In case you are in the central CT area and also have an interest in Ayurveda, the classes are being held at the Newington Yoga Center and you can find more details online here.

Sharing Some Happiness

2011-02-13T14:58:00.005-05:00

A couple of years ago I started a fun little project. Because I had such a hard time throwing away my favorite magazines, I decided to cut them up and save only the parts that interested me. It started with me ripping out pages that included articles or recipes, but it soon turned into cutting out little words and pictures. Anything that caught my eye got cut out and pasted into what I began to call my "Happiness Book." Rather than keeping stacks upon stacks of magazines all over the house, I now had one consolidated book to turn to for all the 'fun stuff' that I wanted to keep from every issue. Not only did the resulting book(s) end up being great mood boosters, but the entire process turned into a weekly stress-relieving ritual. I make a cup a tea and sit with my previously-read magazines and just go to town with a pair of scissors and a glue stick.

Two years later I'm on my third book and I get such a kick out of looking back at all my various inspirational, smile-inducing pages that I thought I should start sharing them . . . spreading the joy if you will. So every week I will plan to post one page from my "Happiness Books" for everyone to see. Maybe it will bring you some inspiration. Maybe it will improve your mood. Or maybe it will just make you smile :-)

Biorhythms: Fact or Fiction?

2011-02-08T09:00:00.002-05:00

Biorhythms have fascinated me for a very long time. I just never could understand why, in the course of my three-month P90X training or over the course of a long summer of biking, I would have really great days where I feel super strong and other days were I'm dogging it so bad I want to just give up. How is it possible to go from one extreme to the other in just a matter of a day or two? I just makes no sense at all to me. I tried to explain it away with the day's food intake or amount of sleep the night before, but that usually didn't hold up. I am a very consistent person and get the exact same amount of sleep just about every night of the year. I also am a very consistent eater so why the huge swings in my athletic performance?

So if it's not food intake or amount of sleep what is left? OK sure, maybe my monthly menstrual cycle plays a part. I could see how that could make me feel weaker . . . but it sure doesn't explain why my husband reports the same phenomenon in his performance! There must be some other explanation.

Which leads me to biorhythms. For those of you not familiar with this term, here is the definition taken from Wikipedia . . ."A person's life is affected by rhythmic biological cycles which affect one's ability in various domains, such as mental, physical, and emotional activity. These cycles begin at birth and oscillate in a steady sine wave fashion throughout life; thus, by modeling them mathematically, a person's level of ability in each of these domains can be predicted from day to day."

With this theory, your various levels of performance, be it physical, mental, or emotional vary from day to day and are pre-determinded. I downloaded a handy dandy little app to my Droid and over the past few months when I find that I'm having a particularly strong day, or a particularly weak day I checked my personal biorhythm – just for fun. And I'll be damned, the results almost always jived with what I suspected they would be. I don't pay much attention to the emotional or the intellectual, but the physical reading seems pretty easy to track.

And this is bad news. I just went ahead in time to see what my biorhythm will be during my upcoming 4-day biking trip to Moab. I've been stressing about this trip as I'm training for a challenging bike ride, in the dead of winter, buried under feet of snow. What could make this trip even more of a challenge at this point? The fact that my biorhythm tells me I will be at my absolute LOWEST physical point during the entire 4 days. GREAT! Just what I needed to hear. Now with this new knowledge in my head I'll have an even harder time getting through the trip. I have to conquer, not only the physical demands of the right, but the mental block in my head.

Here are a couple of links to see your own biorhythm charts: http://www.facade.com/biorhythm/ and http://www.bio-chart.com/. Or look for an app for your smart phone. My Droid app was free and works like a charm. But be cautioned . . . don't go looking into the future and setting yourself up for undo concern!

If you have any experience with biorhythm, please drop me a line. I would love to hear about it.

Overcoming Lack of Sleep

2011-02-01T19:05:00.002-05:00

Is it possible to overcome lack of sleep? How do you maintain your training routine if you're in a bought of sleeplessness? I'm really struggling with this. For the past several days I've slept very little and yet I'm trying to plug along with P90X. Thank goodness I just happen to be in "Recovery" week right now. I can't even imagine what would happen trying to tackle Plyometrics with sleep deprecation. But Yoga and Core Synergistics is no picnic either. I'm looking for an answer. The obvious one is simply, "Get some sleep," but that can be easier said then done. I wonder if a PowerBar or a caffeinated energy drink would temporarily get me back to normal. I am so dragging my tail and I need some sort of pick-me-up . . . and quick.

Special February Desktop Calendar

2011-02-01T09:44:00.002-05:00

This month we are proud to present our heart themed desktop calendar. The background image is a merge of two photographs by Nadia Nasiri, a promising young self-taught photographer and avid yoga practitioner. To make this image your desktop wallpaper just click on the image above and when the larger graphic opens in a new window, right-click on it and select "Save as Desktop."

Nadia will be featured in an upcoming series by Downtown Yoga Shala. This series will feature yoga self portraits taken with a tripod and 10 second timer or hand held remote. Although this began as a personal hobby for her, Nadia’s intention with sharing her art is to inspire others to begin their own yoga practice and to cultivate an appreciation for the natural world around us. Nadia actively supports the Friends of Coyote Hills (FCH) http://www.protectcoyotehills.org/ and will be donating proceeds from South First Friday to the FCH. Nadia's work can be viewed at various yoga studios around the bay area. For more of her art visit www.getoffthemat.com.

Funds donated to FCH will be used to fight issues against development of both the Patterson Ranch and Newark Area 3 and 4 which are immediately adjacent to the Bay and the SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge that is next to Coyote Hills. Money raised from the event will help complete the Refuge and their fight against this massive and ill-advised development plan, which has already gotten preliminary approval. For more info on the FHC please visit www.protectcoyotehills.org

Great Deal at PrAna

2011-01-26T07:40:00.002-05:00

Here's something you don't want to miss. PrAna has put their entire website on sale. All of their beautiful products are 40% off. No gimmicks and no minimum purchase requirements, just great sale prices. Don't miss out! Visit their website today.

My New Attitude Toward Teaching

2011-01-20T20:11:00.002-05:00

I was due to start teaching my first yoga class of the season a couple of weeks ago and, of course, that meant that I was starting to stress out. I had such mixed emotions about teaching when I started last year. I never really imagined myself in front of a big class. I really only got the teaching credentials for my own knowledge and benefit. I wasn't sure I would be a good instructor or I would at all enjoy it. And I must say, after teaching last year I didn't really enjoy it. It became work, a second job. The type A personality in me had to strive for perfection and I had to plan out the classes far in advance and rehearse them to death to make sure they would last exactly one hour. I worried about having enough things to say during class and I was all around too uptight about everything. It was completely counter productive to what yoga is all about.

I considered not teaching again this year, but then again, I also consider closing YogaDudes for business every single year. But it never happens. I get one email from a happy customer and it gives me the drive to continue. Same thing with teaching. So many of the students are so enthusiastic and excited about taking the class and if I don't teach there will be no more yoga in my town, so again, I dig down deep for the drive.

This year I wanted it to be different. I didn't want to dread it. But would that be possible? A friend of mine gave me some good advice a few days before my first class. She just reminded me that it was a beginners class that I'm teaching and they have no expectations. They likely will have nothing else to compare my class to. She also reminded me of a class that we used to take together that we thought wasn't the best class, but the next day we were always embarrassed to admit that we were sore. Whatever else she told me this fateful night changed my outlook. I decided that I wasn't going to get so worked up. I was just going to wing it a bit and not rehearse everything.

I have to say, walking into the class I did feel a little more nervous than I would if I had rehearsed, but that feeling slipped right away as soon as I started. I had a basic plan of what I would do, but I just let time pass as it would and I adjusted the class on the fly. Without trying to memorize all the things that I wanted to say, the words just came natural to me. I am still in shock at how smoothly and easily the class went. I really hope I can continue this new attitude toward teaching. And my class ended with the students applauding. Would could feel better than that? Thank you Lisa for giving me the relaxed yoga-attitude that I so needed.

Am I Less of a Yogi?

2011-01-13T15:30:00.002-05:00

Should I admit that I'm a certified yoga instructor that doesn't know Sanskrit? Does it make me any less of a yogi? Sure I know a few of the common poses, but I certainly don't know all of them–not even close to all of them. Not only do I not know them, but I never use the words in my classes. I teach a beginners yoga class and it's hard enough for my students to get the drift of the different poses without throwing a new language at them. After all, hearing me say, "standing forward bend" is pretty clear. No translation necessary.

I certainly don't want to take away from hundreds of years of tradition, but I'm very disappointed in a new iPad app that I bought to help me build and lead my yoga classes. This app was my dream come true. I spend hours in Photoshop cutting and pasting from my libraries of pose illustrations to build a visual pose cheat sheet. This is a painstaking process that results in Photoshop files including 60 different layers. Not easy to manage to say the least. I dreamt of a piece of software, or some sort of app, that would allow me to build out my routines and then give me the option to either print them out in hard copy, or better yet, play the routine.

Lo and behold I found an iPad app that did just that. Could this really be the answer to my prayers? It sure did appear that way. Not only did it solve the problem of the clunky, cumbersome building of my routines, but it also solved the problem that it's sometimes difficult to see my hardcopy print-outs in the dark room. I could pick all my poses, arrange them in the order I want, and even set the duration of each pose. This was great!

Once you build the program, you can just hit "play" and your entire routine would show up on the beautifully lit high resolution screen. Each pose fills the screen making seeing it a cinch. But here's the problem . . . the audio cues are ONLY spoken in Sanskrit. I wanted to cry. In many poses I would be relying on the audio cues to help me, the instructor, know the next move. And how terrible that I don't know my Sanskrit? It really does make me feel like a failure. Should I have been able to get my certification without this knowledge? I wonder.

I just wish the makers of this awesome Yoga HD app would consider an update that allows you to choose the language for your cues. If you're interested in this very cool app, check out the video below.

The Real Reason I Started Yoga

2011-01-10T08:32:00.003-05:00

I’m not sure if I should admit this, but it’s the truth. I have been obsessed with Sting since I was 13 years old. I can’t even imagine how many hours I spent gazing at the album covers (yes albums, it was old school back then) and memorizing every lyric to every song. I even learned how to play the bass guitar in high school so I could jam along with all the Police music.

It was about a dozen years ago when my brother asked me if ever tried yoga. I said that I haven't, but have always wanted to. Then my brother followed up his question with, “Sting does yoga. Did you know that?” and that was it. I just had to try yoga because my idol practiced it. Within a week I had my very first yoga DVD (wait, back then it was still a VHS). My first video was a Rodney Yee routine and I got instantly hooked. It was Sting that motivated me, and my obsession with him led to a whole new obsession with yoga. I may not be very proud of this being the reason I started to practice, but I’m not ashamed of it. I admit it, I still love Sting!

When I opened my mailbox one day last week to find this "Energy Times" magazine in a special package it brought pure joy to my heart. A fellow yogi friend found it and sent it to me, knowing I would love it. This magazine is very "green and crunchy" and the article is all about how yoga and organic living rule Sting's life. What a treat to bring both of my loves together in one delicious article.

Free January Desktop Calendar

2011-01-05T11:31:00.002-05:00

If it has to be cold, at least let there be some snow to play in. To make this fun graphic your desktop wallpaper, just click on the image above to open the larger format graphic. Once that larger graphic appears just right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

Send Your Yogi Friends Yoga-themed Holiday Cards

2010-12-03T10:06:00.003-05:00

How nice would it be to send all the yogis in your life a yoga-themed holiday card this year? With three different designs to choose from, you're sure to find a cute one. Each design is packaged in groups of 10 cards plus envelopes. You can order them online at the YogaDudes shop.

Free December Desktop Ready For Download

2010-12-01T14:47:00.003-05:00

And this month is a cute one. If you would like to add some holiday spirit to your day, just click on the image above to open the larger format graphic. Once that larger graphic appears just right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

Fit in 5 DVD Review

2010-11-30T19:51:00.002-05:00

I’ve been testing out a lot of new work out DVDs lately and unfortunately I’ve been finding more that I don’t like than those that I do. But at last I found a winner. I just love DVDs workouts that are broken into multiple shorter segments. It seems I never have time to spend an entire hour working out and these shorter segments are the perfect lunchtime office routine for me. Actually, they are the perfect anytime routine (morning, after work, hotel room sessions) and getting multiple sessions in one DVD always seems like a good value.

This particular video, Fit in 5: Total Body Tone, by Acacia is a very nice well-rounded workout. It includes five 20 minute workouts: Strength, Yoga, Pilates, Abs, and Cardio. No matter what you’re in the mood for, there’s something to suite you. Sometimes I only do one of the 5, but on days that I have more time I combine two. The only one of the five that I’m not terribly thrilled with is the Strength one and I feel compelled to mention why. The moves are all great, but the pace is very fast. Normally I love a fast paced video. Nothing annoys me more than feeling like I’m wasting time. But when it comes to lifting weights and doing squats, form is very important. I felt like this video just moved a little too quickly to allow you to get a good form. I tried it twice and two times it left me with a sore knee so I’m going to caution you on being careful when doing this segment. Just be careful of your form. My tip would be to do all the moves (they are great), but don’t worry so much about keeping up with the reps. Just concentrate on your form and don’t worry about how many reps you did.

The Yoga session is done by Shiva Rea and it is one of the best combinations of relaxing and challenging yoga that I’ve encountered. Seems like most every yoga DVD is either very challenging (and not relaxing at all) or very relaxing, with not much challenge. This routine is my favorite “after work” one. The music and flowing movement just relaxes me, but yet the moves are just the right amount of challenge so my legs can burn while I’m feeling the stress melt away. I don’t know how she does it, but Shiva found the perfect combination.

The couple that leads the Abs session, Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, have become my favorite duo. I reviewed and raved about another one of their DVD workouts and they continue their style with this Ab workout. Some of the things I love about this couple is their no frills approach. They get right down to business. I like the fact that they are not 20 years old. They impress the heck out of me with their strength. I guess this is just the living proof that yoga works and that is always motivation to push harder. And push harder you must do. I have yet to find an Ab workout that I can’t do. I sailed through P90X Ab Ripper X, but this one . . . this one got me. Holy cow it’s challenging and I love the fact that I need to keep at it to get better each time. Totally motivates me to want to do more.

The Cardio session is just plain fun. I always loved cardio kickboxing and this routine is nice and easy to follow. Overly complicated routines just serve to discourage. I don’t want my brain having to work overtime when I’m trying to work out my muscles. Violet Zaki makes this one so much fun that the time feels too short. This is a great one to use a warm up for the others.

The Pilates session is a pure pleasure. I don’t have much experience with Pilates and was pleasantly surprised by how gentle and calming the entire experience was. Kristin McGee has such a soothing and pleasant voice. I could see that it’s a sneaky way of working out your entire core, but yet you feel so relaxed that you don’t even realize your working. This is a perfect session to couple with any of the others. I like to use it as my ending.

I think this DVD would make a perfect gift for somebody wanting to get back into shape for the New Year. I know I’m thrilled to have my copy. I will surely put it to good use throughout the year. You can find more info on the workout and purchase a copy for yourself here.

5 Mile Road Race Under My Belt

2010-11-29T17:14:00.001-05:00

Well, I did it. I put that race on my calendar as a goal to finally break my 2 mile mental block. Early on in my very short training period I easily transitioned from 2 to 3 miles and I kept it at that. Since it seemed pretty easy to do 3 I was quite confident that I could muster 5 and I was right!

What a ball I had running this race. It is quite the event here in CT. 15,000 runners and probably the same amount of spectators come out to be a part of this famous Manchester Road Race. Many of the runners dress up in silly costumes and nearly the entire 5 miles is lined with crazy spectators playing live music and cheering on the runners. It's like a parade for both the spectators and the runners. What a hoot.

I ran the entire thing without having to stop for a breather and it was all very effortless. And even more astonishing than that is the fact that my notoriously bad knee didn't hurt a bit. I am truly stunned at the difference in running between my old technique of heel striking and this new and improved "ball of the foot" running. Wow, I can't wait for my next race.

Buddha's Hands

2010-11-17T12:53:00.002-05:00

A fellow yogi, a terrific photographer (Sandy Foster), and a good friend of mine took this wonderful picture of a fruit called Budda's Hand. She was shopping at her local grocery store (and knowing Sandy, it was a health food store) when she stumbled upon this ever so strange looking fruit. She was so drawn to it and compelled by it that she bought it, took it home to her photo studio, and captured this beauty shot. I do wonder what the fruit tastes like, what it's used for, where it comes from, etc. Perhaps one of these days I'll do some research. But in the meantime I'll just enjoy this unique piece of art.

Please check out some of Sandy's other work on her web site here: www.photoesque.com.

Super Cute Necklace Just in Time for the Holidays

2010-11-15T19:18:00.004-05:00

Since so many yogis seem to love this design on the YogaDudes ornaments, we thought it would be great to offer it as a necklace. How adorable will it be to attend your next casual holiday party showing off your love for yoga in such a cute and festive way?

The glass pendant necklaces hang from a 16" rubber friction clasp cord. The glass pendant is a 1" square. A for a limited time they will be on sale at 25% off the regular price. At only $14.99 they make a great gift and how could you resist one for yourself? You can find them in the YogaDudes shop here.

New Product Experimentation

2010-11-09T19:04:00.006-05:00

We've been playing with some new ideas for YogaDudes necklaces and we're going to give you a sneak peek. The first one is just in time for the holidays. Everybody seems to love this holiday YogaDude so why not make it into a pretty pendant?

And let's not forget about our other popular design . . . the famous Yoga Chick. How cute will this be as a glass pendant hanging on a necklace?

We didn't stop there. We also designed something brand new. This one features the Chinese symbol for beauty with the word "Buddhaful" beneath it. A pretty watercolor background makes for quite a nice pendant.

And lastly we have one more prototype design. This one features pretty blue tulips and the inspirational phrase "May the life within you be strong."

Each of these glass tiles is 1" x 1" and will be turned into pendants with pretty silver bails and strung on rubber cords. They should be in the shop soon. Please stay tuned for more details. Which one do you like best?