Day Three of my Ayurveda Cleanse

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

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

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

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

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

May Desktop Calendar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Free April 2011 Calendar

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

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

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

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

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

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

. . . 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

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

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

Something fun to start off your week.

Happiness and Inspiration Week 2

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

Oxygen Magazine Deal

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

More Running Relevations

Two important things happened last week. I broke my 2 mile limit barrier and registered for the Thanksgiving 5 mile race. I guess it was after I easily transitioned from 2 miles straight to 3 miles that I gained the necessary confidence to just do it. I registered for the race and that instantly gave me the motivation to see if I could indeed run 3 miles again. Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe I just got lucky. Nope. I was able to do it 3 more times, quite easily. My biggest challenge was not being able to breathe (or swallow) due to a sinus infection, but hopefully that will be cleared up soon.

During my last two runs I realized a couple more important things about my new running style. I am always on the look out for soft spots to run on. Fortunately I live out in the middle of the woods where the roads are lined by pine trees. At this time of year there is a carpet of soft pine needles lining the very edges of the roads in many spots. I compare myself looking forward to the next patch of pine needles to seeking out the next spot of shade on a hot sunny road bike ride. In my head I'm always thinking, "It won't be long to the next blissful patch of pine needles."

Why is it that I love running on pine needles so much? Do they really provide that much cushion? Or is it that I run just a little bit different on them? I noticed that I do, indeed, run a little different on the needles. I pick my feet up a little bit more and place them back down even flatter. Imagine running across these needles and not wanting to disturb them. That is how I pick up my feet. As if I'm running through wet grass and don't want to get my sneakers too wet. It's just a slight adjustment, but it makes the running seem effortless. When I realized this I started to keep this form whether I was on the pine needles or not. It made a difference.

The second revelation was in the music I was listening too. Normally I have a playlist of fast upbeat tunes to keep me rocking. But given the fact that I never loaded or set up my new Droid properly I just have to take whatever music comes up. I never seem to have the time to set up new playlists. And during my last two runs rather slow music played. The tunes had sort of an R&B smooth jazzy feel. Made me imagine sipping wine and slow dancing. Not exactly the picture you want in your head while running, but strangely, it worked. Let's face it, I'm not sprinting during my run. I'm jogging at a nice even pace and the slow smooth music totally relaxed me and put me into an easy effortless rhythm. My breathing seemed to slow and I felt more calm and relaxed than my normal gangster hip hop music. I was amazed at the effect it had on my run. From now on I'm sticking to slow sultry tunes.

Free November Desktop Calendar

Unfortunately, by now all the pretty colors have faded from the trees where I live. So I thought I would keep a little color going strong on my desktop. If you would like to brighten your computer, 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."

Save 20% on YogaDudes Holiday Items

We just set up a new Facebook shop where anybody that "LIKES" YogaDudes can automatically purchase all products in the shop at 20% off! Right now the shop only includes some our most popular holiday items, but may soon grow to include more. If you're looking for the perfect little gift for the yogi in your life be sure to jump on over the YogaDudes Facebook page to grab yourself a deal. From holiday card sets and ornaments to our most popular t-shirts and tank tops, why not get a gift for a friend and yourself at these great deals.

Please note: You must click on the "Shop Now" box at the top of our page. And if you "Like" YogaDudes you will see the discounted prices after you place items into your cart.

Happy holiday shopping!

I Learned the Secret To Running

I can't believe it's taken me (an undisclosed amount of) years to finally learn how to run. I mean how difficult should it be really? It's something that tiny toddlers master right after walking. I always marveled at the fact that book (with lots of pages) can be written on the subject. I remember picking up "Running for Dummies" one day and flipping through it just to see what it could say for over 200 pages.

I know that there are several documents printed on how to train for long distance runs and that I always understood. There has to be a formula by which you follow in order to achieve marathon distances. But who knew that the very basics of how to put one foot in front of the other needed to be learned?

It wasn't until I had a nice dinner-time, small-talk chat with some friends that are runners that I came to the shocking conclusion that I never knew how to run. One of these friends is the kind of guy that regularly bikes 150 miles per day. So needless to say, talking to him never really inspires me. The man is just not human. And if he his, he certainly isn't wired like the rest of us. But it was talking to the woman who is my age and training for her first ever marathon that gave me inspiration. I had all sorts of questions for her, the biggest being, "When you first started running how long did you run?" The answer shocked me. She said she could only run for 5 minutes at a time last year. This peaked my interest.

I am a great two miler. With no training at all, at any time of the year I manage to maintain my fitness level to the point where I can easily throw on my sneakers and run two miles. However, I seem to have a mental block at that distance, my body shuts down, and I can't seem to break it. Why is it that I can bike non-stop all day without it phasing me, but I can't run more than 20 minutes? I always thought it was because I have a bad knee and know that anything more will just cause me pain.

So I dug deeper into this conversation and learned this little trick about how you place your foot when jogging. You should be placing your foot flat, or maybe even a little bit toward the ball of your foot. Fascinating. I never really thought about how I placed my foot. And your stride should be short rather than long. Given the length of my legs (long) I always thought I was doing myself a favor by taking big strides. Wrong. My friends told me to think of running as simply just picking up your feet. Your upper body should be as still as possible and when your foot hits the ground just concentrate on picking it back up. They told me stories about people with bad knees and all sorts of injuries are running without any issues because they know how to run with the proper technique. It made me curious enough to test out the theory.

And guess what? I've been running 2 - 3 times per week, effortlessly and with no knee pain. I never thought this could be possible (the no pain part). Now granted I haven't conquered many more than 2 miles, but I'm increasing my distance by 1 or 2 telephone poles per run. The best and most fascinating part of this test is that when I finish running I feel as though as have so much more in me AND my knee doesn't hurt. I still can't believe this is possible, but it's true. I'm so excited to have finally learned how to run and almost motivated enough to sign up for an upcoming 5 mile race.

Free Hip Hop Dance Workout Today

I just stumbled across the free daily workout on the Acacia web site. Today looks like a fun 20 minute hip hop routine. I can't wait to get home to try this! Check it out here.

Free October Desktop Calendar

Autumn is in full swing here in the Northeast. If you need a little help getting into the Fall spirit, make this calendar your desktop background. 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."