our-yoga

Last week I went to a cultural festival at the base of East Timor's highest mountain, Ramelau.  The purpose of this amazing gathering was to provide an opportunity for young people from Timor-Leste's 13 diverse districts to come together and showcase their culture.  It was a great celebration of Timorese tradition and an opportunity for young people to meet and interact in a way that wouldn't ordinarily be possible.

While day-to-day these young people live in the modern world of jeans, t-shirts, cell phones and mp3 players, their cultural identity is obviously alive and well.  It was great to see youth celebrating their tradition so proudly, through the creative means of music and dance.

It was a real festival atmosphere!

Young people from all over the country gathered to show off their talent & traditions

A professional dance troupe combines traditional and modern elements in a celebration of Timorese identity

A woman wears her traditional hand woven (!!) cloth and a bell bracelet.

It made me wistful in many ways for my own lost cultural heritage.  What were the dances my ancestors performed to mark the passage of time or special occasions?  What were the words they sang, what did they wear?  My heritage is mostly British, Scottish and Welsh, yet none of those traditions were passed on down to me.  I guess in the New World people made new traditions - but where have those gone?  Apart from my tendency to don a cowboy hat when embarking on an adventure, I can't really say that I have carried any of those traditions, either.

I feel that in the Western world, many of us feel the emptiness of this cultural vaccum.  We grasp at spiritual traditions from the past, including goddess-worship, paganism, and yes, yoga, we try to create new traditions that we feel reflect our values more than our modern commercialized holidays.  These traditions are no longer celebrated on a communal level, but built in isolation around our nuclear-family model.

So much we have lost along the way...  I wish this country luck and strength in preserving their amazing cultural identity.  What are your cultural or family traditions?

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Our friends at Lululemon created a musical touting their stretchy fabric, luon.

luon. the musical from Andrew Michael Dolgin on Vimeo.

I'm conflicted on this one. What do you think? Is it funny? Hip? Weird? Cheesy? Or are they trying just a little too hard?

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For me, yoga has always been about monkeying around! I just get on my mat, and I play. I think: Can I make this shape? Yes, but not without falling over. Can I stand up if I do this? Nice try! Not today.  I approach my asana practice as an experiment--a game even--and I usually can delight in the outcome. Yes, I know that mindfulness, meditation, philosophy, history, therapeutics, tradition, and so much more is important, too.. but if I'm really being honest with myself, I like to practice the physical yoga because I think it's fun.

It's a childlike approach, and that's what I love about it! (And if you don't like it, just remember: I'm rubber and you're glue. And also, Na-na-na-booboo! So there!)

Children are amazing teachers. They look at the world with awe, and see limitless possibilities everywhere. Personally, that's the attitude I strive for when I get on my mat. I'm working toward finding that attitude in the rest of my life, too.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a children's book that reminded me of all of these things. Watch Me Do Yoga (2010, Rodmell Press) is a darling book illustrated and written by Iyengar teacher Bobby Clennell that beautifully captures the child-like spirit of exploration and joy that practicing yoga can elicit. Children will love it because of the cute illustrations and the many invitations to mimic animals and nature. Parents will love it because it provides a fun and creative way to spend quality time with their children. I loved it because it reminded me to appreciate the little, simple things--something that kids do so naturally.

What's your favorite children's book?

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Kino Macgregor is one of those teachers that I just watch in awe. She has the amazing ability to make the most incredibly difficult postures look like a piece of cake! And what's even more amazing, she can describe them in a way that they're accessible to people like me--you know, the people whose eyes bug out of their heads when they see a pose that looks impossible? She was the youngest woman to recieve certification to teach Ashtanga Yoga by its founder Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Tradition and philosophy are a big part of her teachings. I am a huge fan her teaching style, but I LOVE her authenticity, commitment to being herself, and, of course, her bright and bold fashion sense!

Tell me about your favorite yoga outfit. Why do you love it? How does it make you feel?

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We have all heard stories of the amazing healing that yoga can bring.  In honour of a yoga friend who recently suffered a bad accident, I am going to do a series of posts on yoga and healing - and I need your help!

Whether physical, mental or emotional, whether your story or a loved one's, if you have a yoga and healing story, I want to hear it.  I believe that by sharing stories we can inspire each other, and people at any stage of healing can take heart from that inspiration.

Get in touch with me! lagitane at mac dot com

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Every fall, I go through a phase of winding down and preparing for winter. I begin to incorporate more forward bends into my home yoga practice and take longer Savasanas. But that's just the beginning of it. I find myself naturally gravitating toward the cozier and warmer things in life. And each year, I draw parallels between these things and yoga. There's something about being all warm and cozy that just makes me savor the moment a little more. So even though these things are not exactly yoga, I still feel as though I'm practicing.


1. Making and Eating Soup

Image: FrumpyFoodie.com

2. Baking



3. Knitting


4. Reading a Good Book


5. Jumping in a Big Pile of Leaves! OK, I haven't actually done this one since I was little, but I do enjoy feeling leaves crunch under my feet when I walk... and I remember jumping in a big pile of leaves when I was little. Does that count?

Image: PamperedPuppy.com

What do you do that's not yoga, but reminds you to be present, have fun, and enjoy life just the same?

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Well, it was a mammoth weekend with dolphin-spotting, diving and some big events happening in town (the kind that I probably wouldn't have gone to except for the words "if you really love me then you'll come with me...", and ended up enjoying anyway. ;) ).  Peeps, am I getting old?  I used to be able to work hard, play hard and still be bright and chirpy Monday morning.  Now I feel like I need a weekend from my weekends!

Anyway, onto the pictures:

Dolphins!

Fraser's dolphins, to be specific.  Aren't they magical?

A pilot whale takes a dive - they are very shy!

Home made pizza with cherry tomatoes, green pepper and olives for lunch - yummy!  To save time, we cheat and use pita-bread for the base.  It makes a quick, fresh meal - ingeniously invented by my honey.

So it was a great weekend although exhausting.  I missed my morning practice this morning due to not sleeping well last night, so I think I'm going to round off my Monday with a groovy flow practice.

How do you balance work and play?

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It's almost Halloweener ... the scariest holiday of all! Mwahahahahaha! 'Tis the season to eat too much candy, carve pumpkins, watch scary movies, and dress your pets up in embarrassing costumes for your amusement (even though they look really melancholy about it).

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It's been a busy week readers! Time flies when you're... (fill in the blank! ;) ) working 2 contracts and teaching yoga. :)  Time for the weekend, oh yes!

To round off the week I teach a nice slow flow class on Friday evenings.  It's the kind of yoga that I love as an evening practice: slow, breath-centered, deep stretching.  I've been trying to make the best of my disappointing music purchases of late, and I was fairly happy with my playlist tonight.  Still feeling a bit music-starved though!

Anyway, without any further ado... It's fill in the blanks Friday, courtesy of Lauren!

I am... A gypsy girl.  Who loves yoga.  Go figure!

I wish... that I could see my Grandma more often.  Cause I love her but she lives 3 days away by airplane.

I like... the ocean! No, I love the ocean.  And all the creatures, big and small, who live in it.

I can... pretty much do whatever I please... and I do NOT take that for granted.  It is the most incredible blessing.

I hope... that I see dolphins tomorrow! We are going out on a boat looking for them, and whales too.  :D :D

I think... A little bit less than I used to.  And I like it this way!

I was... super impressed today with the new solar lamp I bought for my security guards! It comes with a wee solar panel and once fully charged gives off a nice bright beam. Way cool! And totally what we call "appropriate technology", meaning that it's relatively cheap and doesn't require any further investment (like batteries).  In addition, low environmental impact (no batteries to throw away) AND... get this - it charges your mobile phone. Bonus!

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Image from iyogalife.com

Confidence is on my mind a lot these days because I'm realizing that it makes all the difference in how people perceive you. A confident yoga teacher emits a completely different energy into a class of students than a teacher who isn't sure of herself. Confidence in a job interview can sometimes make up for a lacking in your skill set. And confidence at a dinner party can be the difference between being the life of the party and making others feel uncomfortable and awkward.

One of my favorite yoga workshops I've ever taken was with Iyengar teacher Patricia Walden a few years ago. It was all about poses that help build self confidence -- something I could certainly stand to have more of lately!

She explained that when she started practicing yoga she was shy and introverted, but practicing certain poses gave her the confidence she needed to come out of her shell. (You can see some of the poses here, but the story is so short, it doesn't really do the workshop justice! Plus, I KNOW there was a Handstand and Crow in there somewhere.) Obviously, it worked for her because now she's one of the most respected teachers in the United States, and she speaks in front of thousands (maybe even millions) of people a year. She doesn't even seem nervous.

I can relate to her story because I've noticed that the more I practice, the more confident I feel in my abilities, too. I think this is why I'm such an arm balancing fool! I'm the girl who used to have such lacking upper body strength it was a struggle to overhand serve a volleyball in high school. But now I can balance all of my body weight. And I don't even fall on my face... usually!

This practice is both uplifting and humbling at the same time. One minute you're rocking a pose, feeling like you could fly. The next second your balance shifts, and you crash into the floor. In a split second you come back to earth--and back to reality. It's like the practice was designed to show you your strengths, but remind you that you're human and make mistakes, too. It's a balance--a dance--that builds a cool confidence, but with humility and the understanding that we all make mistakes. Without the mistakes, there would be no success. It's a valuable lesson I've taken with me off the mat and into my life.

Have you noticed your confidence increase since you began your yoga practice? Which poses make you feel like you can conquer the world?

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My relationship with Twitter has been rocky at times. When I first flirted with it, I was quickly turned off by it's incessant chatter. I stopped tweeting, asserting that I could do everything I do on Twitter on Facebook. I re-evaluated my stance when I started this blog. I met lots of new friends that share my interests, and now it's the first place I go when I need input, support, or a good laugh. I get fashion advice, ideas for teaching yoga, and even find sources for stories!

But I realize there are many of you out there who still just don't get the point. Twitter is an amazing resources for yoga students. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

1. Yoga Resource. In a story I wrote recently for Yoga Journal magazine (check out the Media section of the November issue) about online yoga videos, I chatted with the lovely Cora Wen (@CoraYoga). She told me a story about how she posted that she was practicing Scorpion pose on Twitter. When she got a few responses from her Twitter followers asking questions about it, she decided to make a video and posted it on YouTube to answer their questions. I'm not saying this is typical, but if you take the time to grow your Twitter following with people who love yoga (and love sharing yoga), you will get some feedback and answers to your yoga questions. 

2. Blog Teasers. It is nearly impossible for me to read all the quality blogs out there that I'd like to read. If you start by following websites and bloggers that you enjoy, you can get updates every time there's a new blog post. I follow so much interesting stuff, I tend to only read the blogs that hook me in 140 characters!

3. Get Recommendations. There are a few Twitterers who I trust so much, that when they suggest I read an article or check out a video I do it--right away! I know they've only pointed me to interesting, informational articles before so why would this time be any different? It invaluable, and it saves me a LOT of time wading through uninteresting things on the Internet.

4.  Get Reminders. I often log into my Twitter page for a break and see something like, "Take a yoga break!" "Remember, you are perfect just the way you are." or "Don't forget to breathe." I don't know about you, but I need all the reminders to relax and be mindful that I can get! My Twitter friends give me that.

5. Connect Locally and Globally. When I found out I was moving across the country, I posted it to Twitter. Within a few hours I had recommendations for yoga studios, places to live, and great restaurants from a yogi I had connected with who used to live in the city I planned to move to. Score! I've had this experience traveling, too. It's a great feeling to know that you have friends everywhere. I've meet Twitter connections in New York, Colorado, and South Carolina! Of course, you have to be careful meeting people from online in person (don't get out too much personal info, meet in a public place, all that stuff), but my experiences have been all positive so far!

How to Start? Follow your favorite websites, blogs, and yoga studios first! See who pops up in their feeds for more people to follow. Then, post interesting things that relate to the community you're trying to build (yoga, perhaps?). Respond to other Twitterers' tweets (just type @username before your response) and re-tweet the good stuff (like this: "RT @username" before their tweet).

Make sure you share the love on Fridays with the #FF hashtag (that stands for Follow Fridays) and it lets everyone know who's tweets you've been enjoying that week!

Twitter is all about sharing.. so try to give as much feedback as you can! As my mom would say: "You have to be a friend to make a friend!"

Oh, and don't forget to follow me! I'd love to connect with you!

Twitter code for Namanste: _/||\_

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This is not my bum.

A while back I blogged about my biggest problem with yoga clothing. The same thing that makes yoga pant flattering--the slimming, elongating, curve-hugging fit--also makes it nearly impossible to mask  panty lines. If you're like me, and a thong feels like a permanent wedgie, there aren't many options. Either you wear your VPL (visible panty line) with pride or you hope no one is looking.

I promised to search high and low, try different brands and styles, and report back with my findings. I'm happy to report that there IS indeed a better way.

Ladies, allow me to introduce you to my new best friend: The Zobha Boyshort Panty.

The whisper-thin, seamless material is invisible under most yoga pants. The fabric is also moisture wicking so you can wear them to a hot, sweaty yoga class and still be cool and comfy where it really matters. And, let's not forget the most important part—no wedgies, thank you very much! I've been wearing these bad boys to yoga class for a few weeks now, and I'm thrilled with the performance, and I'm relieved I've solved my biggest fashion problem!

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Oooooh, don't you just love a blank slate?  A blank mind?  A blank... blank to fill in?  Courtesy of Lauren, here are a few filled in blanks.  :)  And ooooh I do love Fridays!

7.  This week... has been kind of emotionally draining, to be honest.  But the weekend is looking good with some sailing, some diving and some time with my sweetie. :)


Well that's all for now peeps... And remember to comment on my last post if you have any musical inspiration for me!  Have a great weekend!

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We all know that there are 101 ways of practising (and teaching) yoga.  Now more than ever yoga is kind of a free-for-all, with something for everyone, from naked yoga in Hawaii to yoga with your dog.  And somewhere in between, there is yoga with music.

Different styles embrace different techniques, and music is no exeption.  An absolute no-no in Iyengar classes, music is becoming a must for the Vinyasa Flow style.  And then, of course, there's the ever-so-exiting new trend of practicing yoga to live music, which you can find more and more (at least, in America) from small classrooms to huge yoga festivals.

Last week the rocking Misanthropic Yogini posted about the challenges as a teacher of making yoga playlists for her classes, here.  A great discussion followed, and the overall synopsis seemed to be fairly neutral: few people expressed strong opinions either way.  The consensus seemed to be that good yoga is good yoga, no matter what the soundtrack.

I use music in my vinyasa classes and while my own practice is mostly without music I do use it to drown out the occasional distracting ambient noise and enjoy it.  For teaching I have about 10 playlists organized by tempo and duration (e.g. "mellow 1.2 hours") that I use in my classes, and every now and then I resuffle them.

Recently though I have been craving new music and sadly have been fairly disappointed by the compilations I've bought. :(  My last 5 albums have been pretty much busts - albums that I'm struggling to find even 1 or 2 songs that I can use in my classes!  This has got me down to no end...

So, if you practice vinyasa and love moving to the music... Any recommendations?

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Lesson One: Be mindful when you wash the dishes.

My first yoga class ever was when I was a college sophomore. I had enrolled, not because I was curious about yoga, but because I had to fulfill a PE requirement and I thought stretching would be a lot less strenuous than say, power aerobics. I was filled with angst and rebellion, so I greeted every lesson with skepticism. My life changed in that semester because my teacher taught us to turn off our brains and live in the present moment.

Below, I'll share those teachings with you..

1. Be Silly. My first yoga class ever went like this. I was sitting on the floor with a group of maybe 50 other college students. My teacher pranced in gypsy-like with flowing pants and long red hair, turned on some worldly music, and instructed us to get up and move. I didn't sign up for this, I thought, but being the good student that I was, I did as she asked. I surprised myself by feeling so incredibly awkward and self-conscious I didn't know what to do with myself. I bobbed my head. We were then instructed to hold hands (I hated touching strangers) and dance in a circle. Mortifying. But something magical happened in the following moments. I remembered what fun it could be to let loose and act silly. When my teacher sat us down to explain what yoga was, I realized I had been in the present moment for the first time in years.

2. Taste It! One evening my lovely teacher told us a story about a monkey... I think... I don't remember the story, but I vividly remember what happened next. She put down a napkin and took out a big container of Sun Maid Raisins and dumped them out on the napkin. "Take one, but don't eat it yet! Just hold it in your hands." I felt the little wrinkles between my fingers. At my teacher's urging, I held it up to my nose to smell it. "Now, mindfully, put it in your mouth. Roll it around on your tongue. Don't chew!" It felt a little waxy. After a few seconds, we got the go-ahead to chew. But were told to do it slowly, with purpose. The flavor exploded in my mouth. Everything enjoyable moment was magnified because I was present.

3. Feel It! If I close my eyes, and really pay attention to what I'm doing something as simple as a sink full of soapy dish water can zap me straight into the present moment. This almost immediately turns something mundane into a pleasant and happy moment right up there with a bubble bath or feeling the sun on your skin after a long, cold winter. "Think back to your first kiss," said my first yoga teacher, "and bring that feeling of awareness into your yoga poses." 

4. Be It. My first experience with meditation happened when I had no idea what meditating even was. Therefore, I had no expectations to quiet my mind or sit up straight. I walked into the yoga room on a cold winter evening to find my yoga teacher sitting at the front of the room with her eyes closed. "What a weirdo," I thought to myself. But I sat down and mimicked her posture. I closed my eyes, became aware of my breath, and went into a trance. It was the coolest thing I'd ever experienced.

5. Absorb It. I think the reason my first yoga experience was so successful is because my teacher didn't push us to do anything we didn't feel comfortable with. "Yoga isn't about doing. It's about being." So if we didn't feel like "doing," we were more than welcome to come into the room, pile up a few blankets, close our eyes, and rest. I was sold on the idea of yoga when one day, the lights were dimmed, and we took Savasana together. As I laid there in the dark, my eyes unexpectedly welled up with tears. Before I could do anything about it, they were streaming down my face into a puddle on the floor. Thank goodness the lights are dim so no one can see this!, I thought, when it occurred to me that I wasn't even sad! Something profound had happened to me that I didn't quite understand, and I knew this yoga thing was LOT more powerful that some simple stretches.

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On Saturday, I put down my mat in the park with at least 150 other dedicated yogis and I saluted the sun... 108 times! Thanks to all of YOUR generous donations, I was able to raise $300 for two organizations that are doing great things for kids in the community.

My body is STILL a little sore (and it's been 3 days!), but my spirit is soaring.

Here are a few pictures from the day.

Before

Sun Salute 1

Yogis Everywhere!

Have you ever done 108 Sun Salutations for a cause? I want to hear about it!

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Image: AshtangaNews.com

There's a fine line between a leap of faith and a stupidly blind jump. I've been doing a lot of leaping and jumping lately, and I'm not sure whether I'm doing it out of faith or stupidity. I know Hanuman, the Monkey God, is known for his giant leap of faith. So I decided to do a little reading about Hanuman to find out if I'm in his good company... or just taking stupid risks.

Hanuman took his great leap to save Rama's brother, Laksmana, who was wounded in battle. Hanuman took on the impossible task of leaping to another continent (the Himalayas) to get an herb to save him. When he got there, he didn't know which herb to collect so he picked up the whole damn mountain and brought it back with him. It might have been a little clumsy, but it worked! It was a selfless expression of his devotion and love for Rama.

We each take little leaps every day--making little sacrifices for the ones we love the most and for a whole host of other reasons. We do the best we can. Sometimes we're so strong we can carry a whole mountain across the ocean ... other times we fall flat on our faces and the mountain clobbers us before we even really get going. The real act of faith is getting up and trying again.

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