A Week in My Life

For a class project I had to document a typical week in my life. Check it out, and you'll notice I live a pretty active, vegetarian lifestyle, which may help give you an insight into the theme and credibility of this blog. Take a moment to reflect on one of your typical weeks. Is it a good reflection of you? If not, you might just want to change/shift something in your life.

The dorm room where the majority of the time I spend inside takes place.

Two of my best friends, Deirdre and Max, hang out for the evening in my apartment.

As I venture out of my apartment, I like to lace up my shoes and "hit the ground running".

I also frequently hit the courts where I enjoy playing a good game of tennis.

My love of staying outdoors and being active leads me to Temple's outdoor club. This is one of our weekly gatherings.

As an active girl, my body constantly needs refueling.

In the evenings, my roommates and I enjoy cooking. I specialize in vegetarian cuisine and often make dishes like rice and beans, as shown above.

Deirdre and I like to restock our refridgerator with local produce. We often venture out to Philadelphia's farmers markets, like the one shown above which was held on South Street during Philly's Green Festival.

To wind down and rejuvenate myself after my often busy days, I love to practice yoga.

Satisfaction Baby

Every time Monday morning rolls around, I wake up and think to myself, “Why in the world did I agree to teach this 7 a.m. yoga class?” And then every Monday morning when 8 a.m. comes around, I once again think to myself and decide, “I love this”.

Teaching yoga is just so incredibly rewarding. I walk into class feeling a little apathetic, and walk out in a whole different light, feeling entirely happy.

And I get to see my students go through this same transformation! Walking in lukewarm and half awake, they almost always emerge feeling calm, confident, and with a huge smile on their faces.

Today on my way out I over heard two girls talking about the class. After talking about some of the positions, one girl started commenting on the shoulder stand. “When she went up into that upside down pose, I was like I’m never going to be able to do that,” said the girl in reference to me demonstrating the pose. “And then I did it!”

It is this kind of conversation that is extremely gratifying to hear. To know that you are helping people over come their fears, anxieties, troubles, etc. makes you feel great. Yoga is like a miracle “drug” and to be able to teach this to others is amazing. And while nothing is good when done out of moderation, yoga is one addiction that won’t be too harmful.

On my walk back today from the gym where I teach, I thought to myself that this is the kind of job I want to find. I want to get into a profession that is this rewarding. I want to help people. I want to make a difference. I want to see people become happy and healthy. Although I don’t think that being a doctor would be for me, I can definitely see why someone would go into that profession. While they often have to deal with hardships, they too get to see these kind of miracles everyday.

As I continually search for what I want to do with my currently underway journalism degree, these principles will be in the back of my mind. How can I make a difference, how can I help the world? While there are so many ways to do this, I want to find the angle that is right for me; one that feels as good as it feels to me when I finish teaching a yoga class.

As for now, I’m going to go do some yoga and meditate on these future exciting endeavors.

September = Yoga

This month is National Yoga month! While yes, there are probably multiple labels for almost every month, use this to bring awareness to your own practice. Get motivated and make the time to actually fit some yoga into your schedule. For everyone who does yoga, we all know that the plot of time set aside to do yoga won't be regretted. Yoga makes the body and mind feel alive, peaceful, and just down right good.

As the school year gears up and our lives become busier, yoga is a great tool of which can be employed to reduce our levels of stress. I've already started feeling a little overwhelmed with my workload, but have made it my goal for the year to remain stress-free. In doing this, I've been making sure to take a lot of deep breathes, find time to do hatha yoga, and reflect upon why I'm really feeling stressed.

Remember to use the yogic principle of just "being", remaining in the present moment. Don't stress yourself out about the future or the past. If you just "be", then when you ask yourself why you're feeling stressed, you'll often realize that there's no reason for these feelings. The feelings of being stressed are only going to further burden you, not help you actually get the job done. Alleviate your mind and just do what needs to be done in the present moment.

Also, for all those students stuck in class all day, you may begin to see your days becoming much more sedentary. Focus on using the month of September to integrate yoga into your daily routine and keep your life active.

Be mindful, aware, and always remember to let yourself feel that inner peace within you. Namaste.

Yoga + Running = Great combo.

I wanted to share with all of you just how phenomenal it feels to go running and then do some post-running yoga.

After getting your heart rate up and your blood circulating from the running, it feels great to wind down with a little stretching. Your muscles become loosened up during running, making it feel extra good to do yoga afterwards. It also helps to prevent your muscles (particularly your hamstrings and leg muscles) from tightening up later on.

After your next run, take a few moments to lay on your back and take some slow, deep breaths. Replenish your body of oxygen while you revel in that runner's high.

Follow up with a few stretches. Begin by doing a forward bend (either standing or sitting) to stretch out those hamstrings. Notice if you feel tight from the running or if the running has actually loosened you up a bit. This will depend on how long of a run you took and how often you typically run. Afterwards, do the bridge pose which will stretch and strengthen your back. The bridge pose will also warm you up for the following pose you can try: the shoulder stand. Doing the shoulder stand will help give those hardworking legs a break, as well as send venous blood back to the heart. Follow up with the fish pose which is an automatic counterpose to the shoulder stand.

Next, try doing some bicycle abdominal reps to tone the abs, and then follow with a laying spinal twist. I also really enjoy doing the triangle pose after running, as I find this pose to feel really nice when I'm loosened up. Continue with any stretches you may feel that you need, and notice how your body begins to cool down.

I now not only love finishing a run because of the great runner's high, but I actually look forward to continuing my work-out. Post-running yoga has to be one of my favorite times to do yoga! Enjoy.

Yoga Makes The Body (& Soul) Feel Good

So I find myself waking up by 8 every morning (around 6:30 the first couple days back), which is good because waking up early allows me to keep my morning meditation/hatha routine. Though I'm not waking up quite as early as Yogaville (5:3o), I still feel as though I get so much more accomplished during my mornings than ever before.

Give it a try one day. Challenge yourself and get up early enough to watch the sunrise (around 6). You'll be amazed at how good it feels to start your day early, and also amazed at how beautiful the sunrise is! Also, rising early allows you more time to spend outside. Try adjusting your bedtime to an hour earlier than normal and then shift the time you wake up to an hour earlier. I guarantee you'll feel better both inside and out.

I've been doing yoga practically everyday. I just got back from a long weekend at the beach where I was blessed to be able to do yoga on the sand every morning...SO great! From my experience, yoga makes your body feel exceptionally great. I find yoga to be energizing, refreshing, and just plain fun. It loosens up all your muscles and joints (great for runners and other athletes), and subtly tones the body so you look lithe and sleek. Paired with a vegetarian diet and you're sure to be looking and feeling good in no time.

If you're new to yoga, definitely give it a try and just have fun with it. Try doing some crazy animal poses. Challenge your body to stretch in ways you've never thought possible...but remember to only take your body to where it's comfortable. Yoga is not a competition...it's more like a free-flowing, fun-loving dance where you let your soul loose and your limbs glide. I like doing it in the morning just before breakfast. I work up an appetite and feel great for the rest of the day. Whether you're feeling tired, sad, crappy, down, etc., a full yoga sesh. is sure to leave its imprint on your mood and a smile on your face.

I'm Backkkkkk...and a Certified Yoga Teacher! Woohoo

I'm alas home after an intense month of being fully immersed into the science of yoga. Yep, you heard me, according to Yogaville, yoga is best defined as a science. In the past several years yoga has gone completely mainstream. Being used to advertise everything from cell phones to trains ("our train rides are as relaxing as a yoga class"), there are few people who haven't at least heard of "yoga". However, few Americans are truly aware of what this intricate science actually is. In Yogaville, I was refreshingly reconnected to the roots of yoga, where everday I breathed, ate, and slept yoga- the real yoga.

Many people are well aware of Hatha, the physical side of yoga which includes all the sun salutations, the downward dogs, the headstands, and all the other intriguing poses that the billboard models are often twisted into. Tons of newly introduced yoga-goers arise each day and go to their morning power yoga, or level 2 or 3 yoga class, where they sweat through pose after pose, straining their body until they look like someone on the front cover of Yoga Journal Magazine. In the back of their mind, there may be a voice telling them not to strain or push themselves while in yoga class, but they refuse to listen to what their body (and mind) is telling them. Especially athletes who consider themselves to "fit" too ever be seen in a beginner's class. They may even end up injuring themselves, but will refuse to give up straining themselves and keep on trudging right through the pain. The average American is programmed to push, push, push. A sense of competition against oneself and others around is instilled into Amercican's minds. A lot of people are coming to yoga class for the sole purpose of looking like that contorted yogi model on the billboard.

And there are others who may not even know that yoga is actually meant to be done in a comfortable, meditative state. If your first yoga class were an intense Bikram class (hot yoga) or vigorous Ashtanga class (power yoga), then you'd probably never have been exposed to the true healing and rejuvenating practice of yoga in the first place. But healing and rejuventating is just what Hatha Yoga was/is originally intended for. Hatha means sun and moon and the balance between the two. The asanas (poses) done in original Hatha Yoga classes are designed to help balance the systems of the body. Hatha Yoga isn't designed to stress or push the body like cardio or muscular exercise does. Instead, the practice is meant to be comfortable, and in the process, rejuvenate the body rather than cause it to expel tons of energy. Yoga is meant to engage the mind, allowing it to tune into the physical body, as opposed to other forms of exercise which during work-outs try to tune out the physical and mental body. (Keep in mind, these other forms of exercise are still beneficial, but are not meant to be simultaneously incorporated into the restorative practice of yoga).

And unbeknowns to an even larger amount of people are all the other sides of yoga. Aside from the physical "sport" of yoga, there are numerous other components of which help to balance the most complicated part of the body, the mind. The yoga that most people think of today was actually one of the latter parts of yoga to originate. Hatha yoga was originally designed to help one prepare for meditation. Meditation is the backbone behind yoga, and one of the most important practices to help calm and settle the mind. Once the mind stops racing and the flow of thoughts begins to slow down, one can reconnect with their true inner peace. This is yoga's ultimate goal: for one to find the peace within themselves, of which they can eventually take out with them into every breathing moment of their life. Yoga isn't meant to stress or strain anything, because these actions will only disturb the mind. In order to become universally happy, the mind must be at peace. Yoga seeks to find this peace.

The word "yoga" means union with God. God, not necessarily in the sense of a religious figure, but in the sense of your true inner peace. Everyone has "God" (inner peace) within themselves. It is our thoughts that distort this peace, presenting obstacles of which prevent us from being able to fully immerse ourselves in this peace within us. The entire practice of yoga helps to eliminate thoughts in the mind, so that we can ultimately reach this inner peace. At first, there are practices used to eliminate negative thoughts (which in turn, help to make you much more optimistic), and then eventually meditation practices are used to eliminate even the pleasurable thoughts. Pleasurable thoughts often lead to attachment of things, and attachment will inevitabley cause the mind to suffer. So yoga progressively tries to eventually eliminate all thoughts so that the mind is at a state of complete peace. Eventually, one seeks to live their life in entire peace, so that nothing in the world, good or bad, is able to disturb this peace. These people live to serve others and serve the world, living selfessly and full of contentness.

I could write forever on more in depth topics about what I have learned over the past month, but for now, I hope to have conveyed a basic overview intended to remind people (or make them aware) that yoga isn't simply about the people in pretzel-like positions displayed in magazines. Yoga is about finding peace within yourself, so that you can bring to the world your best "self", free of disturbances and negativity.

OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti (peace, peace, peace)

Unemployed, Need a Vacation, Like Yoga?

Check out this New York Times article. I've met many people here that would fit right into this article. Some taking a break to try and find what they want to do next in life, others laid off from their job because of the recession, and some who just LOVE yoga and the yogi lifestyle...Could this be you? Decide quickly because there just might not be space if you wait too long.

Hard Times Are Jamming the Ashrams

Yoga Yoga Yogaville...mmm, I'm hungry

So we actually do have access to the internet here, however I won't be using it frequently, as I want to get away for a bit from addictive technology. My experience here has been amazing so far, and I'm definitely learning a lot about the ideology behind yoga. It's actually quite a science, that goes much deeper than people would assume. I'm getting my fair share of time to practice meditation, as we do it around 3 times a day! I definitely need more practice until I progress though. This sitting still stuff is tough for me!

Today we have the encouraged option of fasting. Studies have shown that fasting helps to heal the body quicker, and keep it healthy. The body is able to put the energy it would use towards the digestive processes and instead use it towards healing and eliminating toxins. "Fasting helps you get better fast." I'm only past 1 1/2 meals...and already my mind has been straying a lot towards food. I've fasted before, and I can't say I enjoy it, but I definitely notice its revitalizing effects. It requires a lot of self discipline, and through time will strengthen this and give you beneficial physical results as well.

Well, I must keep this short since my fellow yogi comrades are waiting to use the computer...and I think I might go take a nap, keep my mind off of food. Om Shanti (meaning peace)

A Trail of Sublimity

Ever since I was, well, a fetus, I’ve been practicing yoga. Since before I can remember (literally), I’ve been getting on my dhanurasana (the bow pose) and twisting upside down into the shoulder stand. My mom took no time before introducing me to the practice, moving me right along with her. Me peacefully inside the womb, her making peace inside the world, supplely moving from pose to pose.

After I was born, my yoga exposure certainly didn't cease. While often times my mom would awaken by 5 o'clock to do a yoga session before us kids got up, there were still other times where she'd take me down in the "yoga room" to play, laying her yoga mat next to me and twisting into each revered pose, grasping for a few moments of peace among her racing kids. Getting on all fours with her belly to the ceiling in the bridge pose, I would pretend she litterally was a bridge, scrambling back and forth under her back until she'd eventually tell me she needed to come down.

As I got a little older, I was introduced to the actual poses themselves, in particular, the animal poses. Getting down on all fours, I'd come into the "cat" pose and belch out a loud RAWRRR; Pretending I was a lion, just as strong and sturdy as the pose. Or I'd raise my chest up into the cobra pose, sticking my tongue out and slithering like a snake, as though I was becoming the pose itself.

As for the meditation aspect of yoga, like any antsy kid, I couldn't just sit there, say a few OM's and then maintain a still peace (at least not for longer that a 20 second time interval). There were still so many parts of life I yearned to explore. I couldn't take even a few minutes to just sit still in a place I thought I'd already discovered. (As I grow older, although not getting bored with my outer surroundings, I see just how much of an endless pit of discovery the inner being holds).

However, as a kid, we did frequenly take walks, walks of which morphed themselves into a kid-friendly form of meditation. My mom would say, "Shh. Let's take a listening walk. Let's be silent and listen to all the sounds of our surroundings." And I'd stop for a brief minute and listen, until my attention would be focused otherwise and I'd start up my jabbering again, trying to explain the world to my mom, or in some cases having her explain it to me. Then, trying to steer my attention back to the quiteness of listening, my mom would say, "Let's count how many sounds we can hear." Then she'd get my full attention. The glorious appeal of making listening into a game, and for my mom, a few moments of treasured silence. This time I'd walk for a whole 5-10 minutes before opening my mouth, counting on my fingers all the different noises that I'd encounter. For even just a few brief moments, I would stop the rushing rapids of thought in my mind, and center my entire focus on the noises that surrounded me. This was my meditation. The only form of meditation of which I was able to tolerate pretty much all the way up until about a year ago.

I still struggle with sitting still, calming my thoughts, and trying to meditate. However, I am always taking moments, whether I'm on a walk or taking a run, where for a few minutes I take a "listening walk", centering my attention around one accent, one nuance in the large scheme of life. And for me, this is the preliminary stage towards full meditation, being able to entirely calm my racing mind, even if it is for just a few moments. When you stop to capture a sight, absorb a smell, listen to a sound, these are the moments where your mind is entirely freed of all other conflict, and is focused solely around one pure, tranquil essence. These are the types of moments that full meditation strives to bring a person to, without having to actually see a sight, pass a sweet smell, or seek a pleasant sound. This is the type of meditation of which I seek to learn, seek to be able to simply sit still, fully calm my mind, and just be immersed in total serenity.

I've just recently been trying to actually meditate. Some days its more of a chore than a hobby, but I push myself through those days because I think I need it. In today's go-go-go-go world, it's important to remind yourself to stop and take much-needed breaks. If you don't, one day you'll eventually run yourself down. I'm constantly on the go, constantly seeking new and fun things to do with each moment of my life. And just recently, I'm finally coming to the realization of the true value of meditation. After reading about how much it can recharge, elevate and elate one's self, I've decided it's something important for me to learn and practice.

I've also recently just got more involved and interested in yoga in general. Over the past couple years, I've developed a loose routine that I follow, one of which I find myself more and more frequently practicing. Since I'm also an avid runner, I find yoga to be a great way for me to stretch out and release tension in my muscles. I also find the breathing practices of yoga extremely beneficial right after a heavy, quicky-breathing run. On my off days of running, it's a great way to incorporate a less strenuous form of exercise that calms not only my body but my mind as well. More and more, I see the benefits of yoga and the stretching it encompasses.

A couple months ago, it hit me that I really want to learn more about yoga. The principles of yoga have been practiced in other cultures for years and years and years. It has been a miracle for some people, the miracle that gets people to the places they thought they'd never be brought. In essence, yoga is almost like a religion, a ledgend, or any other ancient philosophy, a philosophy of which I still know so little about. Yoga isn't just about the exercise or the peaceful "image" it's associated with. It's about the principles of doing good, helping others, and finding and creating peace. These principles are what I want to learn more about. Through my exposure of yoga throughout my life, I have already been able to see how fruitful yoga is, and how it can transform people into better beings. I want to be able to continue to grow into a better person, and I know yoga will be helpful in bringing me to that state. I also want to be able to teach other people about these very same concepts and principles. I want to show others how stress relieving yoga poses are for the body and meditation for the mind. I want to help others discover how elevating the principles of yoga are.

This is why I have decided to enroll myself into the Teacher's Training program at Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia. Over the course of a month, I will gain a deeper understanding of yoga, and will earn a teaching certificate so that I will be able to teach others a basic understanding and practice of yoga. I want to share the wealth of yoga across the world. But first, I myself need to gain a further knowledge and plunge a little deeper into the fundamentals of yoga. I am excited to begin this month-long journey that may essentially bring me to a life-long path. I am always exploring the world, and this is just another part of my exploration. Yoga may, or may not, unfold a whole different part of life for me.

With that being said, I probably won't be updating my blog for another month or so. However, hopefully I will come back with lots of inspiration, motivation, and stories to share. Yogaville is a beautiful place. I will be immersed in peaceful surroundings of beautiful, mountainous nature and among beautiful, kind-hearted people. I'm sure this type of setting will give me a lot of food for thought. Until then, hang tight, stay peaceful, strive for healthiness, maybe try some yoga, and always remeber to get some fresh-air!

Update:

I went outside to do some yoga this evening just prior to the setting of the sun. I was planning on doing only a few poses, but ended up doing a whole session, finishing with a relaxation into the dark of night. It was surreal. I don't think I've enjoyed my yoga practice this much in a very long time. As I live in the country, except for the occasional distant airplane or motorcycle hum, I am able to completely revel in all of nature's beautiful music. During my practice, I took notice of the numerous melodic sounds of the nearby birds, and as the night wore on, I was able to hear the sounds of crickets, peepers, and the slow rustling of the spring-green leaves. Doing yoga outside is an experience like no other. It is calming and utterly serene. It is as if you are passing time in a stand-still picture, a picture you don't want to ever escape. Performing series after series of supple poses, creating the spitting image of "picture perfect". Even if you don't live in the country or in an ideal natural setting, get outside and enjoy a few stretches. The sun sets everywhere, and anyone is capable of utilizing and enjoying its beautiful essence. At the end of your session and even in between each pose, take a moment to completely stop and absorb your surroundings. Notice each little sound, or movement of nature. Listen to the birds, watch the clouds swim by, notice the ant busily crawling through the grass. For just a few brief moments, just be, in the presence of nature, no matter where this "nature" may be.

If you feel in a rut, if you feel mentally or physically blocked/sluggish/clogged/etc. take some time to get outside. The outdoors naturally brings inspiration/vitality/light, and will reawaken your senses. Whether you're doing yoga, or just sitting in the grass soaking in the fresh-air, nature will faithfully be there to spark new ideas into that creative brain of yours. Undoubtedly it will take your breathe away from time to time.

Yoga Is Beautiful

Yoga is so fantastically beautiful in itself. It brings a state of peace, one that is often rare in day to day interaction. I encourage you to try yoga if you don't practice it already. It will make you feel great, both mentally and physically, and become in touch with yourself.

5 of My Favorite Yoga Poses That Will Leave You Feeling Full of Exuberance

 

The Pigeon Pose:  Not only is this a great hip-opener, but it feels magnificent.  Make sure to keep a steady balance by keeping the hips in line and being conscious of not leaning too far to one side.

 

The Triangle Pose:  This is a great stress reliever, helping to relieve all built up tension gained throughout the day.  It stretches and strengthens the spine, hamstrings, knees, ankles, hips, and groins.  Make sure to bend from the hips, not the waist, and keep the torso directly over the leg.  Reach the tailbone upwards towards the back heel.  Beginners may use a wall to focus on alignment and balance if needed.

Warrior 2 Pose:  This vigorous pose makes you feel strong, energized, and powerful.  Remember to make sure the bent knee is in a 90 degree angle and does not come over the ankle.  If possible, extend the thigh as close to perpendicular to the floor as possible.  Center the torso in the middle, keeping the abdomen, chest, and head right above the hips.  Turn the head towards the front arm and look out over the hand, calming and focusing the mind on the fingers.

The Headstand:  This centering pose helps to calm the mind and send energy to the brain.  It strengthens the arms, spine, legs, and neck as well as stimulates digestion.  Be careful when first learning this pose and feel free to balance against a wall if necessary.  Make sure not to position all of the body-weight on the head and neck, but rather balance the weight between the arms and shoulder blades.  This should be a calming pose, not a strenuous one.

The Lotus Pose:  This tranquil pose strengthens and elongates the spine.  Remember to keep the posture as straight as possible, lifting the sternum upwards.  This pose is often recommended for meditation and is a good way to center the mind.

For all of these positions, and this goes for any yoga poses, remember to breathe easily and deeply, and to center your focus on the practice, ridding the mind of all other hindrances.

Yogatizing

So the inherent coldness of winter quickly made its return.  However, this time it brought with it some beautiful white snow flakes.  Since I was kept inside yesterday because of the snow, I decided to do some yoga in my dorm room.  There is just enough space between the beds of me and my roommate.  I put on some soothing Steven Halpern music, spread out my blue yoga mat, and tried to avoid glancing at the prolific amount of clutter surrounding the room.  I began with sun salutations, followed by some traditional poses, continuing into the evening until the sun went down.  It was great to be able to work on my alignment in the cobra pose while looking out the window and seeing white flakes drop against the dark, uncanny sky.  I was able to focus my attention out of the room and into the tranquil setting of the wintery wonderland being formed outdoors.  After almost an hour and a half of yoga poses, it felt great to relax in Savasana, the relaxation pose.  And afterwards, I felt totally reenergized, along with a vehement desire to continue practicing yoga during my days at college.  Though this can be quite tough, due to time limits and space restriction (especially when my roommate is in the room).  However, I think it's important to practice and center yourself, and if you have a love for yoga, you can make the time and room, which I will go into in a later post.

Today I did a DVD, an Intermediate Yoga Class taught by Sri Swami Asokananda. 

It was rejuvenating, and my energy levels have 

really been feeling the benefits of yoga lately. 

 I love how supple yoga makes your body feel,                 

especially after consistent practice.

I plan on eventually giving tips and advice in these posts, but for the meantime I am practicing and focusing on developing my writing skills.