Current 2021 Online Yoga Class schedule:

Yoga Mirage Current Schedule:

Monday 10am Slow Flow Yoga - a vinyasa style class incorporating breathing technique with movement and relaxation (modifications offered throughout)

 

Wednesday 10am Hatha Yoga Kim Style

 

Thursday 2:45pm Yoga Clinic(note: this class is roughly 1 hour and 10min-please give yourself until 4pm if possible but if you have to leave early go gently back to your day) - In this class I want to share all the techniques I have used and developed myself while healing, and striving for balance. These methods have made me the person I am today and are what I truly want to teach. This class can be enjoyed by anyone, but you are welcome to bring any challenges you face(you do not have to, but if you choose to share them by email or in class, I will design each class to incorporate specific tools- asana, pranayama, restorative, meditation, visualization, mindfulness activities, and other techniques that I research or am familiar with) to address them. Examples of challenges include weakness, tension, PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, chronic conditions and injuries-please wait until your doctor clears you to do yoga before using asana or movement, although you may participate in relaxation meditation and possibly restorative and pranayama techniques. I will suggest optional props to purchase and/or to find in your home. Please email me the same week if you intend to take this class, so I don't hold class if no one intends to come. Thank You!

 

Friday 10am  Hatha Yoga Kim Style

All classes include core, mindfulness, & breathing basics and relaxation

All classes are online through Zoom. Please feel free to email me for affordable pricing and a link to try a class for free at yogamirage@gmail.com

Announcement about COVID-19 & upcoming online classes & things to do for your home practice

Hello everyone! I hope this finds you safe and healthy.

First, I would like to encourage you all to take the practice of social distancing seriously. This is not about whether you think you are or are not in a vulnerable group, age or health wise. This is about flattening the curve. In Italy, the curve got too steep and hospitals were over run by people needing care and equipment and they could not keep up. Let us not be in that situation. I encourage you to get out for walks, and get supplies that you need, but to please stay at least 6 feet away from those you meet. Greet them with a smile, a wave or a prayer position...virtual hug them. Try to convey the same feeling a hug, kiss or handshake would without the actual physical contact. It's for now and for us all.

Secondly, I am looking into ways I can offer classes online. I am hoping for something in which I can see you back, but I may start with just live streaming. The SCHEDULE will be posted here on this blog with links and I will email those on my mailing list. In response to those who have asked, it will be by donation only if the Gyms that normally pay me, cannot.

And lastly for today, here is something you can do right now to start or enhance your home practice.

1. Mindfulness meditation:

Just sit in a comfortable seated position - on the floor or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor - balancing on your sits bones, OR lie down on your back.

Focus on the sounds you can hear and sensation on the outside of your skin, then go inside and without judgement notice your physical sensations, then your emotions, your energy and your mind. What do you feel, where do you feel it? If you start thinking observe what you are thinking and then come back to where you are.

Then let it all go and see how long you can watch your body breath. When your mind tries to get you on a train of thought, notice without judgement no matter how long it has been, and come back to the moment, and your breath, and your body, emotions, and energy.

Allow yourself to notice, sounds, sensations, emotions, energy...and observe occasional thoughts without judgement.

2. Check out the posts here on this blog and find one to read or do. It need not take longer than 5 minutes or you can explore longer if you wish.

3. Savasana - Lie on the floor or bed and completely relax into the surface. Let go and relax just for now and just for you.

link to Yoga Poses

Someone in one of my classes asked me if there was a place on line I could suggest to look at and read about the postures and there names in English and Sanskrit. I have checked out a bunch of the postures at the following Yoga Journal link and I found the descriptions pretty good. The poses are alphabetical in English with the Sanskrit in the second column. There is also a pose type reference. Check it out!

http://www.yogajournal.com/pose-finder/

Namaste

Yoga for Osteoporosis

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/12/21/12-minutes-of-yoga-for-stronger-bones/?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad&_r=0

The link is to an article in the NYTimes about a study by DR. Loren Fishman on osteoporosis and yoga. Dr. Fishman's hypothesis?

“Yoga puts more pressure on bone than gravity does,” he said in an interview. “By opposing one group of muscles against another, it stimulates osteocytes, the bone-making cells.”

He did find at the end of a 10 year study that a series of 12 postures he asked people to do had a significant effect on bone mass of the spine and femur and some effect(though not statistically significant) on bone mass of the hips. And also, "improvements in posture and balance that can accrue from the practice of yoga can be protective, Dr. Fishman said."

The postures can be modified to do safely, but there were no fractures reported or seen on X-Rays that were caused by the yoga postures. He concluded that yoga was safe to do for those diagnosed with osteoporosis.

I would caution that the postures should be modified for the range of motion available to the person doing them. It is best to get help from a yoga teacher or professional to ensure the poses are being done correctly.

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you are interested in starting a practice for prevention of or help with osteopenia or osteoporosis.

philosophies interpreted...

The Five Points of Yoga by Swami Vishnu-devananda-Sivananda’s devotee who brought this branch of yoga to the United States

Proper Diet: to provide the body with the correct fuel. In India this is a vegetarian diet. I urge people to find what works for them individually. Obtain this diet information through mindfulness or elimination or through allergy testing.

Proper Exercise: Asana Practice and other exercise within reason to keep your body active, strong and flexible. The asana practice helps keep your core strong, and maintains your bodies ability to balance as well as gets your circulation and breath moving.

Proper Relaxation: Savasana, counteracts daily stress. Relaxation practiced(in and out of postures)to get the most out of the asana practice. Savasana at the end of a yoga or exercise session releases lactic acid from the muscles to prevent soreness and helps to receive the most benefit from the postures.

Proper Breathing: Pranayama, brings life force(as well as relaxation) to the asana practice, as well as keeps you connected to your solar plexus or your own source of energy.

Proper Meditation: Practiced on its own or through out the asana practice as mindfulness, informs the entire practice; mindfulness in our practice and daily lives allows us to remain in the moment with our activities to prevent injury and gain the most insight and enjoyment. "Positive thinking and Meditation puts you in control." Swami Vishnu-devananda

Unlocking the Shoulder Blades

For shoulder health(to prevent rotator cuff injury and frozen shoulder) as well as part of a routine to strengthen the upper back, remember to keep you shoulder blades moving...

Stand in Tadasana with arms hanging down by your sides.

Begin to squeeze the shoulder blades together as in the picture on the right above.

Then rotate your arms so your thumbs go out and back. You should be able to squeeze your shoulder blades together more in this position.

Release the squeeze of the shoulder blades and begin to slide them apart.

Then rotate your arms so the thumbs to back out, then forward and then toward your hips and even backwards in the opposite position as before. You should be able to get your shoulder blades to move further apart in this position.

Practice this until you can get your shoulder blades to move together and apart. Focus on using the muscles between under and over the shoulder blades. Don't do this from your neck chest or arms. Once you have your shoulder blades moving focus on getting them to glide smoothly together and apart with your breath. Inhale in one direction and exhale in the other.

Next see if you can get your shoulder blades to pull down your back allowing your sternum to lift from this action. Lengthen the back of your neck as you do this with your breath 3 to 5 times.

important exercise for your neck...

Chin Drawer:

Widen your shoulders and pull your shoulder blades down your back lifting your sternum. Align yourself for Tadasana. Pretend your chin is a drawer(do not lift and tuck, but move forward and back parallel to the floor.)

Bring your chin back until your ears line up over your shoulders(as in the first drawing above) and hold for a deep breath. Repeat daily or even several times through out the day while standing in Tadasana-Mountain Pose.

Do this exercise alone or with some of the exercises posted here. It is good for your neck and brings relief from conditions like stiffness, stenosis, and arthritis in your neck. Strengthening the upper back can help with and prevent problems with the neck. Stay tuned for more on that subject!

Start from the feet and move up...

Pada Bandha

Stand in Tadasana(Mountain Pose) and look down at your feet.
Bring them under you the width of your sit bones(not the outside of your hips) just about a fist width apart and make them parallel to each other. (If you bend your knees and they do not go straight forward, but instead knock against each other or move away from each other, then adjust your feet so the knees can go straight forward.)
Bring your weight evenly into the ball and heel of both feet, the inner and outer edge of each foot, and into both feet evenly.
Then lift your toes and reach them away from each other. This action should engage the muscles in the arch of the foot which is Pada Bandha. Make sure you are still grounded into all four corners of your feet keeping the weight stabilized as above.

Sit Bones

Reach your toes forward and place them down on the floor or mat. Be careful not to grip with the feet, but just lengthen and lift. The engagement in the foot should not create a cramp. Your feet should still feel supple.
Feel how aligning the feet in this way engages your leg muscles and puts the rest of your body into alignment. Do not lock the knees and if you find tension anywhere in your body try to release it.

Practice this alone on your mat, in line at the supermarket, or brushing your teeth. Allow it to become a part of the way you stand in daily life. On your mat practice this with the breathing exercise for Mula and Uddiyana bandhas in the last post.

Bandhas!

"In Sanskrit mula means root, and thus Mula Bandha is the root lock. To find it, sit, stand, or even be in an asana, and if you are a man, contract the area between the anus and the testes. If you are a woman, contract the muscles at the bottom of the pelvic floor, behind the cervix." Jun 14, 2011 from this link

Mula Bhanda lift up on the pelvic floor           Image reference

To help you visualize where to Lift/Engage(I prefer to use the word lift rather than lock) for Mula Bhanda, superimpose the two above images on top of each other in your mind. To try an exercise take a nice deep breath in and engage and lift on the exhalation. Do about 5-10 of these breaths. Try this for several sessions until you feel comfortable with it. Remember, this is yoga so you are effectively engaging in a home practice when you try this exercise. 

Uddiyana Bhanda lift in and up around the naval area       image reference

If you feel like you can easily do the breath with mula bhanda you can move up to also engaging and lifting Uddiyana Bhanda on the exhalation, but release and make room for the breath as you inhale again. Continue to breath like this until it comes naturally enough to breath in this way as you do practice yoga postures add flow. Here is a link, but I still recommend doing engaging and lifting rather than locking at this stage.

The concept I am trying to get across is described here in Bo Forbes' Newsletter. Scroll down to The Asana Lab: The Breath and Bhanda Vinyasa.

Easy does it...

Just a note on coming back from injuries surgeries and illnesses.

Easy does it. Having recovered from serious injuries before, I know that our bodies do recover and what we could do before we can often do again with a bit of effort. I say a bit, because one does have to do to be able to do. You cant do a warrior 3 by practicing your skills at couch potato. However, I recommend to wait the recommended time period to allow proper healing and then to start slow. Slow and steady is what has brought me back to health.

In the mean time Pranayama can be part of a daily routine as well as Meditation and Mindfulness practice and Savasana.

Pranayama: The breath work I recommend for healing are the simple ones. However, if your torso is not affected in your condition, you may be able to do some of the more advanced techniques that you know and have practiced in the past.

Simply counting while you breath so that your inhalations and exhalations are equal is a good way to start. If you can feel your pulse or heart beat this is a good pace for the count. This way your exhalation will be slightly longer than your inhalation because while exhaling our heart beat is slower. This is relaxing. If possible breath in and out through your nose keeping your jaw and tongue relaxed. You can do this sitting in a chair or comfortable seated position on the floor, or lying down.

Meditation and Mindfulness: It takes just 10 or less minutes a day of mindfulness to promote health and longevity on the level of your DNA. Formal meditation, mindful walking or eating, doing tai chi or yoga all count toward this benefit.

To be mindful, just concentrate on your self in the moment whatever you are doing and however you are feeling. When your mind wanders to another time and place bring it back to the moment by focusing on the breath, a sound, a physical sensation, an emotion, or a combination of 2 or more of these at once. Even a thought that pops into your mind can be used as a moment marker as long as you dont jump on the thought train that takes you out of the moment. Allow your attention to drift between these moment markers and when you realize your mind is wandering away, bring it gently back without judgement. Each time you notice you are thinking instead of observing, gently with equanimity bring your mind back. This kind of focus can even help with your pain and help you get off harmful pain medication. Your pain is a useful indicator for what your body is ready to do. If you try to start up a physical practice and it hurts, back off until it doesnt hurt. This is easy when you are mindful-focused in the moment. If you are dissociating from your pain instead, you can injure yourself. It is helpful to practice mindfulness by sitting in a chair or a comfortable seated position on the floor. Once you have practiced and had some success try it while walking, eating, or even washing the dishes.

Savasana: Deep relaxation promotes healing. Tension creates problems. It is important to practice Savasana daily, especially while healing. Just 5 minutes of deeply relaxing is more rejuvenating than a whole night of sleep, especially if you are restless or tense in your sleep, and Savasana can promote better sleep.

Lie down on the floor or on your bed on your back if possible. Lengthen the back of your neck by bringing your chin down to your chest, then let your head relax onto the surface of the floor or bed. Release your jaw, tongue, neck, and shoulders. Let your arms and hands, legs and feet rest onto the surface you are lying on. Let go into the support underneath you. Allow your head and your heart to forget and forgive everything, just for now, to release tension and allow yourself to relax completely. Note: if you are uncomfortable on your back then you can lie on your stomach and turn your head to one side. Raise the leg and arm on the side you are facing straight out from the hip and shoulder. Make right angles at your knee and elbow. Palm on the floor. Relax into the support underneath you.

Winter

During winter we get cold and contract. This creates tension especially in our shoulders. Try to take a deep breath and let go of that tension. Look around and see the beauty. Smile.

Warm up with some Ujjayi breathing, or agni-prasana also called the breath of fire. Please see the contraindications for this latter breathing technique before beginning to practice and use Ujjayi instead if you have any of the conditions that make Breath of Fire not advisable for you. Do not practice agni-prasana if you are pregnant or menstruating. There are many videos and written instructions posted online about yogic breathing, but do pay attention to contraindications and start slowly. A good yoga teacher will incorporate breathing technique into classes.

The first yoga book I read recommended to practice breathing exercises for a full year before doing any postures. This is a very strict teaching recommendation, however, it would be extremely helpful to the foundation for your practice. Please at least spend time weekly learning to breath correctly for your yoga practice.

Pranayama : extension of the life force. Breath is Life

Happy New Year!

I would like to relate one of my favorite Buddhist tales;

2 Monks, one older, one younger were walking. They came to a river which they had to cross to continue their journey.  There, a "woman of the night" was waiting and she pleaded to be carried across the river.

The older monk picked her up, waded into the river, crossed, and put her down on the other side. The younger monk followed and then they continued their journey. They walked together for an hour in silence, the younger monk fuming in anger.

Finally he spoke. "How could you help HER?" he raved.

The older monk simply replied, "Are you still carrying that woman? I put her down an hour ago."

Transformation

A butterfly transforms itself. It begins its life as larvae and grows to a caterpillar. In this stage it eats and eats for energy.  It then spins a cocoon and remains inside hidden. Is it still working or resting? To emerge as a butterfly it must let go of its old form completely.

The older monk is trying to teach this complete form of letting go to the younger monk. This simple story contains so much. The monks journey together and encounter an obstacle-the river-and a challenge-the woman. The older monk recognizes temptation as more difficult in youth and does not ask the younger monk to carry the woman but more appropriately and compassionately undertakes the task himself. He does not judge. Yet the younger monk judges the woman's path whether chosen or most likely not chosen.  He possibly judges more harshly due to the difficulty of temptation, yet he views his own way as "right" and hers as "wrong" and thus is angry at the older monk for helping her.  In one gesture and one simple statement the older monk demonstrates, self control, lack of judgement of self and others, and compassion.  He leaves the whole experience at the river, right or wrong, and moves on.

May we let go of that which no longer serves us and transform in 2014.

My thoughts on an article in the NYTimes re Yoga

Women’s Flexibility Is a Liability (in Yoga) Published in the New York Times 11/2/13 

In this article author William Broad states that there are osteopathic surgeons seeing women who do yoga as patients, with injuries such as sharp pain in the hips that sometimes require hip surgery. They have arthritis and other injuries. They are predominately in middle age. The author feels it is because women are more flexible than men. It does not state explicitly what is causing these injuries other than "extreme leg motion" and the article one yoga teacher in Hawaii who equates it with "deep lunges." 

I feel there are not enough facts about this topic stated in this article and it is unclear whether the data is interpreted accurately since there are no specific studies targeting the topic sited. The author just says that women who do yoga visit osteopathic doctors at a seemingly higher rate. I wondered, would these same women have hip problems and arthritis if they did not do yoga? 

Women who do not do yoga yet have come to me to ask if yoga can help with their hip problems as an alternative to surgery. In general I do not have an answer to that. Specifically, I believe yoga could be helpful if practiced safely with the condition in mind. I also have older students-mostly women- who have already gone through hip surgery and came to yoga afterwards. The hereditary nature of this problem leads me to believe that even with a comprehensive program involving diet, yoga, and other medical and alternative elements this kind of degeneration can only be slowed down. How much it can be slowed down depends on the person. We are all individuals.

In the article the author also says that "reports from hospital emergency rooms showed that, proportionally, men got injured more often than women and suffered damage that was far worse, including fractures, dislocations and shattered backs." The author thinks this to be due to a "macho" attitude, and men having less flexibility and more strength than women. He warns men to exercise caution. 

For me the term "shattered back" is not specific enough. However, I agree with caution. In regards to being macho or competitive in yoga classes, I thought this was no-no number one. Don't most yoga teachers state phrases like "don't compare yourself to other people," over and over again? Mine did. I also agree with the idea of doing a gentler yoga practice especially in middle and older age. The article was just not helpful in finding ways to do that or specific enough in its claims of injuries yoga was causing and what styles of yoga the injured people were practicing.

Its true that repetitive motions whether for work or sport are known to cause problems such as injuries and arthritis. And "extreme" motions could not only cause these over time, but injuries in the moment. If one has to do a repetitive motion for work, then I recommend physical therapy relaxation and/or a yoga or other alternative practice that counteracts this motion and balances the body. For example if one has to use right arm and shoulder, I recommend working with a specialist teacher or trainer to come up with a work out for the left side and core of the body and stretches and relaxations for the right arm and shoulder. In yoga or sport I feel it best to practice varied movements and series. For instance I often will work on a Warrior I series with my classes one week and then a Warrior II the next week. I like to give my students a balance of seated, standing and lying down poses in each class and not repeat the same postures in the same order everyday.

My thoughts on Deep Hip Stretches is mostly to avoid them in my classes containing older students. However, the positive for stretching the hips is that it often feels very good and brings release(to old stored emotions and experiences) and can even release endorphins that cause you to feel good directly afterwards for a while as well. So my ideas and suggestions involve focus, breath work, proper training, acceptance and humility so that each person is responsible for tailoring their practice according to their individual needs.

Focus

A mindful practice allows you to go as deep into a stretch as is good for your body in the moment because your mind is right there to gauge your pain and tension and moderate when to back off. Competition and machismo need to be left outside the door of the room that contains your yoga mat. Also instead of pushing through the door of pain, you can instead knock on it, introduce yourself, and wait to be asked to enter. Then continue to check in as to whether to back off or go further. I recommend to meet your pain but not "push through it" or "breath through it." Expectations are also left out of the yoga studio, because everyday and circumstance is different. Don't expect that because yesterday you were able to enter the living room of your pain, that today is also appropriate to do the same. Mindfulness is focus and keeps you in the moment while in a posture or flow and this must be practiced and honed. Mindfulness or meditation practiced just 10 minutes a day improve health.

Breath

Along with being mindful, breathing is useful in this process of communicating with your edge. The cells in your muscles need oxygen. Your body needs energy. Your mind directs the flow of energy. Yoga books from past generations that I have read recommend a year of breath work before any posture is practiced. This is just unheard of in our current fast paced society. People think of yoga as exercise and don't realize that proper breathing can enhance their physical process. Learning to breathe can mean the difference between suffering through a yoga class verses sailing through while gaining the benefits such as strength, flexibility and balance. The recent studies in yoga also equate breath with the health benefits of yoga. Interestingly enough, the physical element of yoga did not alone correlate with increased health benefits. According to Bo Forbes (a clinical psychologist, yoga teacher and yoga therapist) as well as other faculty at Kripalu in Lenox, MA, breathing techniques, a mindfulness activity-meditation or other(such as a gentle yoga or Tai Chi practice,) and relaxation all contributed to health and longevity.

Proper training 

In The 8 limbs of Yoga written about by Patanjouli in the Yoga Sutras, asana-the physical practice of yoga is only one limb. In terms of the physical practice of yoga I recommend proper training and believe that less is more. Once your body learns proper alignment it will give you more, but if you start off by pushing it, it may be a continual fight to find the flexibility you need for postures. There was an excellent article in the NYTimes called Advice on Practicing Yoga in Middle Age, Part 1. In the article Dr. Loren Fishman recommends to "stabilize before the stretch." He has several books on healing spinal conditions using specific yoga postures. The proper balance of strength and flexibility is needed to achieve proper postures. From my training those who are more flexible need to work more on strength and stabilization in the joints to practice safely. Those who are stronger than flexible need to stabilize, but also need to work on more relaxation in the muscles. However, when I say less is more I truly mean you can do very little and still get strong and flexible. Also proper training in yoga incorporates meditation and Pranayana(breath or life force energy) as well. And yoga is more than just Asana. There are yogis who practice only using their intellectual capacity, or those who practice community service or compassion-the path of the heart. These are only a few other kinds of yoga. The goal is not showing off that one can get into a pretzel like posture, but selflessness and eventually bliss or Samadhi.

Acceptance

We all need to be humble and accept what a given posture will be for us due to the limitations of our unique lives and bodies and the circumstances of any given day. I know getting older is difficult. I am in my middle age too. Yoga is a great tool for our aging. However, practicing unsafely can not only hinder our progress, but cause unnecessary pain and injury. And life is just not fair. Acceptance of our own body types and physical limitations is not only imperative, but an added benefit to our well being. When we accept who we are, it is a relief. We want to go deeply into postures. We want to because we have seen it, we compete with it, we think its the right way to do it, we should ourselves, etc. Except for the few lucky supple focused people, more time is needed than our Western Culture really allows for most of us to achieve advance postures safely. And it isn't necessary to go that deeply to experience the benefits of yoga. Again the recent yoga studies are saying a gentle mindful practice incorporating relaxation breath and meditation is what is bringing health and longevity to those who practice yoga. It is not the physical exercise that yoga is becoming known for that causes these kinds of benefits.

Humility

Yoga is not about right and wrong. There are at least 2 ways to do most things in yoga. Yoga is more about being mindful. It is important to stop and examine how what you are doing is affecting you, and if it is adversely affecting you, changing to a different way or backing way off to observe...as usual without judgement.

We must ask ourselves, "why go deeper?" And then, "Is it appropriate to go deeper at this time?" Asking for and observing without judgement the answers to these questions before going deeper can be invaluable in terms of keeping ourselves free from injury. It will also eventually help us to go deep safely when we are able to; if we chose to.

For example: While doing a Deep Hip Stretch, if the question is "Why do I want to go deeper?" And the answer is "Because I can." Great. This is a wonderful place to be if it is true. However, even if true this answer can coexist with, "Because I want the attention it will bring me." Then there is a double edged sword inside your hip that prevents you from being free to humbly be "able to." Once this dichotomy is examined and resolved-i.e. the need for attention is let go or satisfied in other appropriate ways-then it is safer to go forward to experience the true expression of the posture. Being humble does not mean to not go for that expression, but to do it for the right reasons in an appropriate and healthy way for all involved.

And finally, we embark on a practice of yoga without the proper preparation and we expect to do it in the time period we have-once a week, 3 times a week, possibly once a day. But yoga in India where these extreme postures came from is often a way of life. Yogis spend their days in meditation, doing breathing exercises and postures. It was not traditionally practiced after work without the foundation of breath and meditation. How can we expect to achieve the same extreme posture in our class, that we have seen yogis and teachers with supple bodies doing, after a 40 plus hour work week, busy family life, and/or other hobbies? 

I am not asking you to sell yourself short. Through proper focus, training, breathing, and acceptance you might surprise yourself.

(Please feel free to see my older posts for foundations in Pranayama relaxation and meditation to begin your practice.)

more musings on breath-sighing and yawning

Managing oxygen level through the breath is one of the recent themes. Using the exhale as a means of relaxing tension is a constant theme. On this same theme managing pain using the breath, oxygen level, and relaxation becomes possible.

Yawning relaxes the jaw, and is a spontaneous contraction of the diaphragm that brings in more breath. Sighing extends the exhalation and relaxes the jaw neck and diaphragm. These are your bodies natural regulatory processes for too much or too little oxygen.

Try the following breathing exercise if you constrict your breath by tension or are used to breathing shallowly due to pain or tension, or if you yawn when you do yoga or other physical activities. This may be your bodies natural response to not getting enough oxygen because of tension and/or shallow breathing.

Start by sitting in a comfortable position, on the flour, in a chair, or lying on your back. Observe your breathing. Become aware of the way your body breathes itself. Take note of how deeply or shallowly you breathe...without judgement. Just take the first several breaths to observe with curiosity, equanimity, compassion. Observe the length of the exhalation in relationship to the inhalation.

Next allow yourself to inhale and drop your jaw making a whispered "ha" throughout the entire length of the exhalation. You can make a sound like the ocean or pretend you are trying to fog a mirror. You may want to put your hand a few inches in front of your mouth to feel the heat of your breath. Dont try to open your mouth wide just let your jaw be heavy. Focus on how heavy your jaw is or imagining sand flowing from your upper palate through the hinge in the jaw to your increasingly heavier lower jaw. Control the exhalation for a long expelling of all the air like a sigh. Exhale fully all the air from your lungs and then allow yourself to inhale. Exhale 3 times in this way and then again observe your breathing and observe how you feel. If there is any light headed or dizzy feeling, observe. Observe how your body deals with it. If there is more or less tension in the process of your breath observe...without judgement.

Repeat for 3 more breaths and observe, 2 more times to start. Increase or practice again throughout the day or when you notice your jaw neck and shoulders are tense or you are shallow breathing. To further tone your diaphragm to gain control over your exhalation, practice also making a hissing sound-an "s." Try to make the sound consistent throughout the entire exhalation and until you have to breath in again. Dont forget to observe after every 1 to 3 breaths and when you are finished your breathing exercises.

Breathing in this way creates the following benefits:

Relaxation in the jaw neck and shoulders
Deepens the breath and allows more oxygen for previous shallow breathers
Allows more oxygen by expelling all old air making way for more new air
Begins to tone the diaphragm by consciously extending the exhalation
Teaches a relaxed full exhalation process to your body

prana sanskrit life force, vital energy, breath, spirit

ayama sanskrit extend, control, lengthen

Pranayama is the means by which we gain control over the flow of energy or life force in our bodies. Prana is sometimes translated as breath, but it is the life force in the blood and other bodily functions as well. It is similar to Qi in Chinese medicine and martial arts practices. It travels through the nadi's-subtle energy channels that connect to the chakras. The body breathes. I like the definition of extending the life force rather than controlling the breath or energy because trying to control an autonomic process may be impossible or even damaging where as learning how to extend life by living and breathing more healthily is wise.

Happy Valentines Day, I love you

Metta is the cultivation and practice of loving kindness or compassion. It is an expansive heart centered meditation practice with tremendous possibilities for self transformation.

I googled metta in hopes of giving you a link. In my google search I found some information, but there was nothing I have found yet that stresses the important fact that I do not want you to move on to the more advanced steps of loving others until you have mastered loving yourselves. I did find some grand advice about only loving and serving others and the world through compassion and non violence, which is beautiful and noble. However, I DO NOT recommend it with out a strong foundation for loving yourself. Practice every day for a year before moving on to loving others. I have experience in moving to the next steps before I was ready and I only caused myself harm and inhibited my ability to give loving kindness.

Remember the yamas and niyamas are practiced in thought speech and action towards the self as well as others. You are included in the universe of beings so if you are not loving yourself you are not loving a part of the universe.

To practice sit comfortably. Breathe and focus your attention. Focus your attention on your self and how you feel in your body, how you feel emotionally, and observe your mind without judgement. Is it still, active, focused, spacey? Observe your body mind and emotions without judgement as a way to check in. Then turn your attention to your heart. Check in with how you feel in your heart center. If there is a feeling of compassion there you may focus on it. If you want to repeat the following phrases feel free.

May I be Happy
May I be Well
May I be Peaceful
May I be Free from suffering

If you repeat the phrases and it cultivates the feeling of compassion for yourself continue...

If you chose not to repeat the phrases or you would like to try to cultivate the compassion first try the following...

Bring to mind an act of kindness from you to another, or from another to you and concentrate on that act as you watch the feeling in your heart.

Or you could think of a person, child, baby, or pet that makes you feel loving kindness. Dont chose a complicated relationship because other feelings may come up and Dont judge yourself.

When the feeling of compassion is present and strong you may chose to repeat the phrases to keep your mind focused and allow the compassion to grow. Or you may chose to focus on the feeling and allow it to open and expand. It may grow throughout your whole chest, your whole body, your aura, or the whole room and beyond. Dont judge yourself if it is difficult or easy. Just allow yourself to bask in whatever amount of compassion there is. Direct it toward yourself. Believe me, you deserve it.

After a period of time 5, 10, 20 minutes or so take a deep breath and bring your attention back to the room. You can allow the compassion to remain and continue to direct it toward yourself as you move throughout your day. Just make sure you are directing it toward yourself, especially if you are experiencing a challenging moment. Protect yourself with it. Dont allow your heart to remain open with no protection. If you need to imagine a flower closing for the evening in your heart center until you have time to sit formally again.

If you like Metta continue to practice everyday and remind yourself throughout your day to practice compassion toward yourself.

After a year of practicing everyday you may extend your compassion to a friend, a loved one, an enemy, and eventually all beings, but not before your foundation for compassion toward yourself is strong and solid. This is the most important step, do not skip it.

With loving kindness, Kim

musings on breath...

Here are 2 different ways I use inhalation and exhalation...

In this one contracting on the exhalation - bringing the belly in and up, lifting up on the pelvic floor and diaphragm, and then contraction the muscles in between the ribs for a more full exhalation...

These last few weeks we are working with the breath...specifically the exhalation. Control of the exhalation, I am told, is where the power of health and well being lies. Practice contracting on the exhalation and completing fully the exhale, then relax, allow expansion and the breath to flow back into the body. In this way we tone the middle and create strength in our center.

In this next one we use the exhalation to relax the body...

The exhalation also serves to relax the body. What is a sigh? It is an attempt to release tension. The more relaxed the body, the more healthy, the more efficient, the more effective. Allow the exhale to relax you and the inhale to invigorate you. Try consciously allowing tension to flow out during the exhalation. For more on exhalation and relaxation see post from 10/22/09 "Exhale and Relax."

If I taught hour plus classes I would take some of the class time for formal breathing exercises. I demonstrate them once in a while for my students who would like to practice them at home. Since I teach in places that allow only hour classes, instead of formal breathing exercises, I would like my students to learn to breathe in a way they can take with them throughout their day. I ask them to concentrate on their breathing throughout the hour and work with the particular concept through out the class if it is appropriate.

I used to have a neighbor that worked at night and each night someone would pick him up for work and beep the horn outside my front door. It was annoying for a while and then I realized it was a regular sound in my environment. I used it like monks use bells in meditation. To remind myself to come into the moment and breathe consciously. Are their regular sounds during your day in your environment that could remind you to take a deep breath and come into the moment?

Peace prayer and translation

Aum, saha naavavatu,

Saha nau bhunaktu.

Saha viryam karavaavahai.

Tejasvi naavadhit amastu

Maa vidvishaavahai,

Aum, shantih shantih shantih.

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Let us be nourished together.

Let us put forth great effort.

Let our learning be enlightening

and the conflict between us vanish.

Aum, peace peace peace.

Be the light you seek

I spend the time that I ask my students to center at the beginning of classes praying. I pray for the proper atmosphere and conditions for the class to take place and ask for support in my teaching. I pray that my students are connected to their higher selves or own place of power so they will keep from harm. I do not pray to a god or in a particular religious style. I am inclusive of all religions and spiritual but not religious. I have a concept I use called the divine light of truth love and wisdom, because personally that is what I seek.

While I was praying at the beginning of one of my classes this week, I entered the divine light. I just decided in the moment to allow that concept into myself and I sat and basked in its beauty. I have so often prayed to be connected to, protected by, etc the divine light of truth love and wisdom and finally I just sat in it and became one with it and allowed myself to be it... in those moments.

musings on my process...

Since my car accident 5 years ago I have taken a very gentle approach to practicing yoga. It has served me very well. I have managed my pain with out medications, I have become stronger and healthier, I have mindfully looked into the emotional losses for me caused by my injuries and become happy.

Now that I am stronger again and have a better understanding about my physical condition and limitations I am exploring going deeper( although sometimes in my gentle practice I went so deep into my joints by softening that I would injure myself-both gentle and vigorous can be deep and powerful.) I don't mean to push through pain and into a deeper stretch. I mean deeper breath, deeper focus, and balancing the strength and flexibility in my body for optimum alignment in each moment. I have started to explore the benefits of a more vigorous practice. Also I have been using a flow to build up heat and lightness of movement, warm up my body, and deepen my breath.

It came to my attention that I need a little more yang in my life. I think rather I noticed that I avoided yang, and thought maybe to explore what I want to avoid would be a good idea. I also realize I rarely get my heart rate up. I also miss the athlete I used to be.

I took a class recommended to me by a friend. I was teaching more and more and didnt have a regular class that I could attend. I feel teachers need to be students. I allowed myself to go more slowly than others and drop into childs pose as I needed and watched my tendency to compete and achieve. I found that on some days I was very strong and other days I was very achey. On the strong days I could follow the flow and on days of bad weather I would spend more time warming up and a lot more time in childs pose. Soon my students were asking for more flow and I started to incorporate it into one of my classes leaving the others for those that needed a place to learn alignment, mindfulness, and breathwork, or work on healing from injuries as I had.

I know that more vigorous is often more popular, in gyms especially, but I feel strongly that vigorous needs to be balanced with proper alignment breathwork and mindfulness to prevent injury as well as to be yoga instead of exercise. I feel that to progress in yoga takes more than being physically able to do the postures and series. Yoga is more than asana. It is breath, it is community service, it is meditation and mindfulness, it is right speech and action, it is spiritual growth. Although some may not agree. To guide students to check in with their breath and become more mindful can be spiritual. I separate spiritual from religious.

Yin and Yang need to be in balance for health and well being. If you find yourself only working out vigorously, examine whether or not you have relaxation meditation a slow stretch or a mindful walk somewhere in your life as well. I was the opposite-avoiding movement from fear and trauma. And now I feel I have the potential for both again... in balance... even more so than before my accident.

Just a word or so on Spirit. Spiritual. Spirituality. To me this is not religion and does not require a set of beliefs in gods or afterlives(which to me are fine as long as they do not prevent personal growth.) We all have an essence soul or spirit that grows and changes throughout our lifetime. The miracle of life on this planet is a mystery, but we are here and have choice. I chose to continue to grow and learn and enjoy it.

Serenity is not a plastic face, or even a porcelain one...

I was inspired by an article in the Yoga Journal(November 2009) about Sri T Krishnamacharya as I practiced on my own mat. I tried to apply a steadfast focus in each posture and to my entire practice. The title phrase above came to me..."serenity is not a plastic face..." I started to think about my students. I ask them to enjoy moments of difficulty all the time. I put them into a posture and say as my teacher said to me, "Please enjoy this moment." I see tense jaws and intense expressions from trying to get it right. It is true that although we try to control it, we have little control over the world outside. We can change ourselves only, so we try so hard to do it right, or cheat because we can't. Bad things happen and good things happen. Serenity is the steadfast place inside. In this place we are not shaken by the good and the bad. Our physical bodies are effected by life and time, but in this place we chose how to respond to life experiences. When we connect with that place on our mat it is practice for the rest of our days.