There is nothing like giving the gift of a restorative yoga class to yourself. My favorite class happens to be with the lovely, Jeanne Korn on Wednesday nights at LIberation Yoga. She teaches right after me so if you wanna get a nice flow in then float in to your evenings, take in a yogic double feature with the both of us. What a way to spend three hours on a Wednesday!!
Anyway, what is wonderful about gentle, restorative yoga is that you get all of the benefits you would get by practicing other forms of yoga but you don't have to physically work so hard. Much time and emphasis is placed on unwinding, unfolding and letting go, allowing the body to naturally take its time to recharge its energy source and strength. In a class you might find yourself working with many props, blankets, pillows, bolsters, blocks.
You don't have to go to a class to reward yourself with gentle yoga postures.
After a long day, you can come home and just use some things around the house to get you on your way.
Some postures to ponder:
1. Forward Fold:
If you have the flexibility, simply fold forward at the hips and let the upper body hang loose. Keep a soft bend in the knees to protect the low back and/or tight hamstrings. Keep the feet about hip width a part. Take deep breaths. Hold for 1-3 minutes if you can.
If you aren't that flexible, you can still have the benefits of the pose. Pull out the ironing board or use your dining room table. Place a blanket on top. Stand facing the end of the board (the longer one, not the angled part) or the table. Place the edge of the thighs/hip/belly, depending on how tall you are, up towards the edge. Fold over the table or board. Take deep breaths. Hold for one to three minutes, resting one cheek then turning towards the other cheek.
You can also do a fold using the edge of a chair or table, placing the hands at the edge, stepping back with the feet and folding to your flexibility.
2. Front body/hip flexor stretch-Bridge.
Lying on your back, knees bent, soles of the feet to the floor, place a block under the sacrum (the space between your low back and tail bone). Don't have a block? Place a thick book (phone book or Shakespeare's Lexicon work really well. Encyclopedias are swell too but who has those
anymore?) Any height will do, as long as you can breathe and it feels good.
Stretch the arms over the head. Maybe lengthen the legs straight if you have the flexibility. Stay there for a bunch of breaths, minutes if you can.
3. Seated twist.
Sit on the floor, knees bent and pointing to the right, legs folded to the left. Take a bolster, a couple of your bed pillows or several blankets and stack them in line with your hip. The shortest edge of the stack should rest close to your hip. The longest side aligns with your torso. Take both palms either side of the stack. Twist over the stack and rest your left cheek. Stay there for a few minutes before coming up and swinging your legs and bolster/pillows over to the other side. Rest the right cheek on the bolster.
4. Child's pose.
Take that same stack of pillows. Sit on your heels. Open the knees wide and place the stack between the knees. Place the heart and belly on top of the stack. Rest one cheek then the other or just place the forehead on the bolster. Take deep breaths and hold for a few minutes.
5. Leg's up the wall.
Find a space on the wall with room for you to take your right hip against the wall, seated on the floor. Then slide the legs up the wall. Rest your back on the floor or prop the hips on the blanket stack you made in your last poses. Close eyes.
Take deep breaths. On each inhale, focus on drawing back in, the energy you expelled during the day. All of the positive, reinforcing words, images, ideas that you need to recharge, find them and store them in the breath. On each exhale, let go of discussions, frustrations, problems, worries of the day, before transitioning into your evening and bedtime.
Just as it is important to find energy from the food we eat, water we drink, relationships we have, gardens we grow, it is important to cleanse and replenish the mind and the subtle body, that energy that we create just below and above the surface that is within and surrounds us. That subtleness effects what we do and those around us. It is the energy that links us together. Taking the time to tune into that subtleness and tune out from the various distractions ever present in life, will allow us to exist at a higher level of awareness, consciousness and mindfulness.
Taking care of ourselves allows us the ability to efficiently take care of everything and everyone else we take responsibility for.
Nourishing the soul, body and mind with some of the simple postures above, making them a practice, habit or ritual, will insure that we are taking the steps we need to work at peak condition.
Balancing restorative yoga with your other meditative or spiritual practices in addition to your exercise, yoga, fitness and nutritional regime is the prescription for success, strength and peace of mind.
That's all for now. Be good to yourself. Drink a lot of water and call your mother.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Facebook will destroy you...and other things...
In my quest to simplify life, get rid of 'things' as well as distractions like television news and gossip programs, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, why then, would I think its a good idea to join Facebook? I already gave up my Myspace page even when I was asked a hundred times if I was certain I wanted to cancel my account. I felt liberated in my answer being no every time. And now I am being stalked by another all together different internet beast with the purpose of gathering more friends that say nothing to me anyway as they click and add me to their cart.
I watch my friend-o-meter go up as a fond memory crosses my mind.
I'm reminded why I let their friendship go, why they let me go or question why we let go.
In a moment we are friends again and maybe a few words are exchanged but nothing more.
And, I am still not the most popular girl in school.
I get emails every thirty seconds telling me what they are doing and what they will be doing later. Friends I haven't spoken to in decades are now sharing the intricacies of their day with me and masses of others. I care about them, I do, and I like to know what you they are having for breakfast, drinking at night reading during the day, watching at the movies. But now I'm right back where I started, not focussing on myself but allowing myself to get enraptured by the 24 hour a day reality of everyone else. I will have to 'unsubscribe' myself from the constant surveillance of my 'friends' as I am now in defcon 5 status of nurturing my closest friend, myself.
Facebook, like that third chocolate chip cookie, will destroy you. A little now and then is ok, moderation. I will have to access my deepest will power not to dig in and devour the sugary goodness of the internet and the chocloate chip.
Facebook, I thought giving up cigarettes was difficult.
Facebook...is this what crack is like?
I watch my friend-o-meter go up as a fond memory crosses my mind.
I'm reminded why I let their friendship go, why they let me go or question why we let go.
In a moment we are friends again and maybe a few words are exchanged but nothing more.
And, I am still not the most popular girl in school.
I get emails every thirty seconds telling me what they are doing and what they will be doing later. Friends I haven't spoken to in decades are now sharing the intricacies of their day with me and masses of others. I care about them, I do, and I like to know what you they are having for breakfast, drinking at night reading during the day, watching at the movies. But now I'm right back where I started, not focussing on myself but allowing myself to get enraptured by the 24 hour a day reality of everyone else. I will have to 'unsubscribe' myself from the constant surveillance of my 'friends' as I am now in defcon 5 status of nurturing my closest friend, myself.
Facebook, like that third chocolate chip cookie, will destroy you. A little now and then is ok, moderation. I will have to access my deepest will power not to dig in and devour the sugary goodness of the internet and the chocloate chip.
Facebook, I thought giving up cigarettes was difficult.
Facebook...is this what crack is like?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Keep doing things that scare the bejeezes out of you!
If someone told me at 13, that I could lose weight and feel good about myself and my body, I would have put on my walkman, sung along with my Pretty In Pink Soundtrack and tuned them out.
If someone said to me at 16, hey you like to run, you should run a marathon, I would have told them to put the joint down and eat a brownie.
If someone asked me at 21 where I'd be in five years, teaching yoga would not have been on my consciousness and I would have laughed and ordered another cocktail.
If someone told me at 25 that its fun to jump out of airplanes, I would have said, yeah, and so is taking long walks off short piers.
If someone asked me which foreign country I would want to live in, I can tell you even now, China would not be on the list, now eat your kung pao and give me your fortune, cookie!
If someone said, you can sing first soprano in a choir, I would have given them the names and numbers of some fine professionals and told them to seek counsel.
Point is, living is good, but living in the face of things that scare the bejeezes out of me, that's how I like life to be.
I've done all of the above and never planned any of them. If you asked me what I wanted when I was, 10, 15, 20, 25 and now, 30+ years of age, I would have told you completely different things then what actually happened. And I wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't have it any other way.
If someone said to me at 16, hey you like to run, you should run a marathon, I would have told them to put the joint down and eat a brownie.
If someone asked me at 21 where I'd be in five years, teaching yoga would not have been on my consciousness and I would have laughed and ordered another cocktail.
If someone told me at 25 that its fun to jump out of airplanes, I would have said, yeah, and so is taking long walks off short piers.
If someone asked me which foreign country I would want to live in, I can tell you even now, China would not be on the list, now eat your kung pao and give me your fortune, cookie!
If someone said, you can sing first soprano in a choir, I would have given them the names and numbers of some fine professionals and told them to seek counsel.
Point is, living is good, but living in the face of things that scare the bejeezes out of me, that's how I like life to be.
I've done all of the above and never planned any of them. If you asked me what I wanted when I was, 10, 15, 20, 25 and now, 30+ years of age, I would have told you completely different things then what actually happened. And I wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Confined spaces/Yoga for office, in flight, trains and automobiles
Living in NYC apartments, working in office cubicles, traveling on airplanes.
These small spaces can make it very difficult to do yoga, but it is possible. Oh yes, you can do yoga in small spaces.
In my last blog entry, I mentioned the few pieces of equipment you can get at sporting goods stores or online and stash in your small apartment or carry in your carry-on baggage while traveling.
So let's talk about yoga in the office.
Whether you have a small cube or an individual office space, it's important in the midst of your day behind a desk or in meetings, that you take the time, even if its just a minute or three or five to break up the day and recharge. You will be more productive and a nicer person if you do.
If you have the opportunity, get outside, take in a deep breath or stare at the sun with your eyes closed. Yes, stare, at the sun, with the eyes close. It's strengthening for the eyes to stare at the sun (not directly) and like flowers, we need to be in the sun. Excessive exposure to the sun, bad, healthy exposure to the sun, vital. We need the sun. Wear sunscreen and the previous will be healthy.
Just tilt head up like a flower, keep eyes closed, turn the corners of your mouth up and breathe deep. All you need is a minute.
If you absolutely must stay indoors or its raining or you are too lazy, here are some fun things to break up your day without breaking up the flow of whatever you are involved with working on.
Seated in your desk chair, keep your face forward toward your computer screen.
Take your gaze up toward the florescent lights without wrinkling your forehead.
Keep the gaze skyward for up to thirty seconds. Then take the gaze all the way to the left, hold for thirty seconds.
Take the gaze all the way to the right, hold.
Take the gaze down and hold.
Your eyes need a good stretch so give it to them. They work hard for you.
Seated twist:
Still in your chair, sit upright, feet hip distance.
Take your left palm to your right knee and you right palm back behind you and reach for the back of the chair. Hold for a few breaths then take the other side.
Head roll:
Take a big breath in. As you exhale, drop your chin down towards your chest. Inhale as you draw your right ear towards your right shoulder. Exhale chin toward the chest. Inhale left ear toward left shoulder, exhale chin to chest. Inhale full head roll over to the right, back, left and center. Then the other side, full rotation.
Add a little juice to your stretch by holding your right palm to your left hear and pressing gently to release and stretch the left side of the neck and other side.
Hip Stretch:
Still seated, I know!!
Cross your right ankle on top of your left knee. Press the right inner thigh down gently. If you have the flexibility, fold forward and take five deep breaths.
Forward fold:
Just plain great to do any time of the day to relieve stress.
Sit in your chair, feet wider than hip distance, feet pointed and extended along the floor. Take a deep breath in and roll all the way down like a rag doll, taking your head as close as between the knees as you can. Stay there for five deep breaths and when you are ready, inhale as you roll back up to seated. Do the same thing again but with flexed feet.
Spine stretch:
Sit half way toward the edge of your seat. Spine long and neutral. Take the hands and place them on the knees. Inhale and arch the pelvis, puffing the heart forward and gazing upwards. Exhale as you round the pelvis, like someone has a hold of your waist and they are pulling you back, chin toward your chest, low back rounding. Do several cycles.
Side stretch:
Seated.
Hold on to the outside edges of your chair. Inhale, release your right hand, reach up and over towards your left side making a curve and stretching your right side body.
If it is comfortable, front and backstroke your right arm like you are swimming.
Hold for five breaths.
Hold the right side of your chair and reach with your left arm.
Shoulder rolls:
Not to be confused with California rolls. Make circles with your shoulders, forward, up, back and down. Then reverse the direction. Then shrug the shoulders up towards the ears and let'em go. Do that a few times.
Standing leg stretch:
Facing your desk, take your palms and place them at the front edge of your desk, shoulder distance a part. Walk your feet back as far as you can and make a table top with your back. Let the head hang softly.
Take your right foot and bring it toward your desk, making a runners lunge with your left leg. Keep the left heel lifting high and lean into your right leg to stretch.
Change sides. Hold for a bunch of breaths each side.
If you have your own office space or have the time when you come home, lay on the floor and take the legs up the wall or place them on the seat of your desk chair. This is a great way to increase the circulation in the legs and release tension in the legs from a long day at the computer.
I know I'm a little wordy but I'm precise. The whole routine could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Take as little or as much time as you can or just pick an exercise and hour. It'll give you something to look forward to. It will open up your body and release tension.
In turn, it will keep you younger. We always like to hear that.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Be good to yourself, drink lots of water and call your mother.
These small spaces can make it very difficult to do yoga, but it is possible. Oh yes, you can do yoga in small spaces.
In my last blog entry, I mentioned the few pieces of equipment you can get at sporting goods stores or online and stash in your small apartment or carry in your carry-on baggage while traveling.
So let's talk about yoga in the office.
Whether you have a small cube or an individual office space, it's important in the midst of your day behind a desk or in meetings, that you take the time, even if its just a minute or three or five to break up the day and recharge. You will be more productive and a nicer person if you do.
If you have the opportunity, get outside, take in a deep breath or stare at the sun with your eyes closed. Yes, stare, at the sun, with the eyes close. It's strengthening for the eyes to stare at the sun (not directly) and like flowers, we need to be in the sun. Excessive exposure to the sun, bad, healthy exposure to the sun, vital. We need the sun. Wear sunscreen and the previous will be healthy.
Just tilt head up like a flower, keep eyes closed, turn the corners of your mouth up and breathe deep. All you need is a minute.
If you absolutely must stay indoors or its raining or you are too lazy, here are some fun things to break up your day without breaking up the flow of whatever you are involved with working on.
Seated in your desk chair, keep your face forward toward your computer screen.
Take your gaze up toward the florescent lights without wrinkling your forehead.
Keep the gaze skyward for up to thirty seconds. Then take the gaze all the way to the left, hold for thirty seconds.
Take the gaze all the way to the right, hold.
Take the gaze down and hold.
Your eyes need a good stretch so give it to them. They work hard for you.
Seated twist:
Still in your chair, sit upright, feet hip distance.
Take your left palm to your right knee and you right palm back behind you and reach for the back of the chair. Hold for a few breaths then take the other side.
Head roll:
Take a big breath in. As you exhale, drop your chin down towards your chest. Inhale as you draw your right ear towards your right shoulder. Exhale chin toward the chest. Inhale left ear toward left shoulder, exhale chin to chest. Inhale full head roll over to the right, back, left and center. Then the other side, full rotation.
Add a little juice to your stretch by holding your right palm to your left hear and pressing gently to release and stretch the left side of the neck and other side.
Hip Stretch:
Still seated, I know!!
Cross your right ankle on top of your left knee. Press the right inner thigh down gently. If you have the flexibility, fold forward and take five deep breaths.
Forward fold:
Just plain great to do any time of the day to relieve stress.
Sit in your chair, feet wider than hip distance, feet pointed and extended along the floor. Take a deep breath in and roll all the way down like a rag doll, taking your head as close as between the knees as you can. Stay there for five deep breaths and when you are ready, inhale as you roll back up to seated. Do the same thing again but with flexed feet.
Spine stretch:
Sit half way toward the edge of your seat. Spine long and neutral. Take the hands and place them on the knees. Inhale and arch the pelvis, puffing the heart forward and gazing upwards. Exhale as you round the pelvis, like someone has a hold of your waist and they are pulling you back, chin toward your chest, low back rounding. Do several cycles.
Side stretch:
Seated.
Hold on to the outside edges of your chair. Inhale, release your right hand, reach up and over towards your left side making a curve and stretching your right side body.
If it is comfortable, front and backstroke your right arm like you are swimming.
Hold for five breaths.
Hold the right side of your chair and reach with your left arm.
Shoulder rolls:
Not to be confused with California rolls. Make circles with your shoulders, forward, up, back and down. Then reverse the direction. Then shrug the shoulders up towards the ears and let'em go. Do that a few times.
Standing leg stretch:
Facing your desk, take your palms and place them at the front edge of your desk, shoulder distance a part. Walk your feet back as far as you can and make a table top with your back. Let the head hang softly.
Take your right foot and bring it toward your desk, making a runners lunge with your left leg. Keep the left heel lifting high and lean into your right leg to stretch.
Change sides. Hold for a bunch of breaths each side.
If you have your own office space or have the time when you come home, lay on the floor and take the legs up the wall or place them on the seat of your desk chair. This is a great way to increase the circulation in the legs and release tension in the legs from a long day at the computer.
I know I'm a little wordy but I'm precise. The whole routine could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Take as little or as much time as you can or just pick an exercise and hour. It'll give you something to look forward to. It will open up your body and release tension.
In turn, it will keep you younger. We always like to hear that.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Be good to yourself, drink lots of water and call your mother.
Monday, August 11, 2008
What gym do you belong to?/All you need for fitness equipment in the home, yessiree!
The gym of pushups and sit ups?
Someone told me that little gym joke and I took it on as my own. I've never liked gyms. I kind of still don't except for the Easton Gym in West Hollywood and I think that's just because its the homiest, nicest gym I've ever seen and I've worked there for the last four years.
I still don't like gyms. Even though I'm a trainer and teacher, there is just somethin' about them.
Maybe its still the fat kid in me or the idea that you have to already be 'worked' out when you get to the gym, lookin' fine and tidy and tight. It's rare to see works in progress at gyms. Its more a parade of fantastic athletic apparel and sports drinks. How mean am I to say this about my own industry? Um, cause it's my blog. And I love to work out!! I could do it all day, so....
I get roped into equipment and products, have bought them all for myself and my clients and still keep comin' back to the old school stuff that is inexpensive, easy to use and doesn't take up a lot of space. Living in NYC apartments, I had to be creative with my space. Inclement weather would not motivate me to go to the gym, so I had to improvise with what I had. I also like stuff that's easy to travel with.
I keep mixin' it up, but the basics stay the same and you can pick these up on line at Amazon, Performbetter.com or at your local Big5 or other favorite and you won't break the bank.
1. The resistance band (with handles): You can choose your resistance but also adjust the tubing once you have it by the way you use it. It'll usually come with instructions and a few exercises. You can work your legs and upper body with this and it packs up nice and easy and small in your suitcase just like your favorite swim suit.
2. The jump rope: Feel like a kid again. Livin' in LA, if I don't have time for a work out, I'll do some jumps in between clients and appointments. Some cardio is better than no cardio and it takes up no room. 100-1000 jumps and you've torched carlories. Just make sure if you are doin' it in your apartment that no one lives beneath you or at least that they are not home when you are jumping, 'cause it might freak'em out.
3. The step: Doin' it old school. I like the half step. It's just a square, not the bench size. Inexpensive, takes up a little space. You can use the 2 inch riser to jump over or take it all the way up to 14-16-18 inches to do lunges, step ups, hop ups. Its fun and usually comes with a video or fun exercises to do with it. You can also use the step for push-ups and tricep dips.
I like it to use it to reach for things that are too high in my kitchen cabinets.
4. If you like the big stability ball (55/65/75 centimeters), you'll love the bender ball. Its a tinier version and travels well to work all your core work without taking up a ton of space.
5. Last but not least, the foam roller. I don't know who I was without this thing before I found it.
It's just a roll of foam, but used correctly (usually comes with a video or instructions), you can get into the deep knots that surround muscles that make them tight and sore and release them in a feels so good way that makes you longer, leaner and more prepared to train and strengthen.
It's like a massage but without all the money and you are doing it to yourself.
I also love free weights, running, walking, hiking and yoga stretches. All free if you do it by yourself and good for the heart and the head.
What's also good about these things is that, you aren't at a gym!! You don't have to be afraid to look funny doing it. You can even do it naked. No one'll notice or care. How liberating is that.
The one thing that is important, is your form. You can learn proper and safe form at your gym or you can hire me and I'll show you. The last thing you wanna do is do your exercises in a way that does more harm then good and creates habits that can be injurious as opposed to beneficial.
I love to exercise. It's one of the best ways for me to express myself. Like art.
I have so much more to share with you, so until the next blog,
be good to yourself, drink lots of water and call your mother.
Someone told me that little gym joke and I took it on as my own. I've never liked gyms. I kind of still don't except for the Easton Gym in West Hollywood and I think that's just because its the homiest, nicest gym I've ever seen and I've worked there for the last four years.
I still don't like gyms. Even though I'm a trainer and teacher, there is just somethin' about them.
Maybe its still the fat kid in me or the idea that you have to already be 'worked' out when you get to the gym, lookin' fine and tidy and tight. It's rare to see works in progress at gyms. Its more a parade of fantastic athletic apparel and sports drinks. How mean am I to say this about my own industry? Um, cause it's my blog. And I love to work out!! I could do it all day, so....
I get roped into equipment and products, have bought them all for myself and my clients and still keep comin' back to the old school stuff that is inexpensive, easy to use and doesn't take up a lot of space. Living in NYC apartments, I had to be creative with my space. Inclement weather would not motivate me to go to the gym, so I had to improvise with what I had. I also like stuff that's easy to travel with.
I keep mixin' it up, but the basics stay the same and you can pick these up on line at Amazon, Performbetter.com or at your local Big5 or other favorite and you won't break the bank.
1. The resistance band (with handles): You can choose your resistance but also adjust the tubing once you have it by the way you use it. It'll usually come with instructions and a few exercises. You can work your legs and upper body with this and it packs up nice and easy and small in your suitcase just like your favorite swim suit.
2. The jump rope: Feel like a kid again. Livin' in LA, if I don't have time for a work out, I'll do some jumps in between clients and appointments. Some cardio is better than no cardio and it takes up no room. 100-1000 jumps and you've torched carlories. Just make sure if you are doin' it in your apartment that no one lives beneath you or at least that they are not home when you are jumping, 'cause it might freak'em out.
3. The step: Doin' it old school. I like the half step. It's just a square, not the bench size. Inexpensive, takes up a little space. You can use the 2 inch riser to jump over or take it all the way up to 14-16-18 inches to do lunges, step ups, hop ups. Its fun and usually comes with a video or fun exercises to do with it. You can also use the step for push-ups and tricep dips.
I like it to use it to reach for things that are too high in my kitchen cabinets.
4. If you like the big stability ball (55/65/75 centimeters), you'll love the bender ball. Its a tinier version and travels well to work all your core work without taking up a ton of space.
5. Last but not least, the foam roller. I don't know who I was without this thing before I found it.
It's just a roll of foam, but used correctly (usually comes with a video or instructions), you can get into the deep knots that surround muscles that make them tight and sore and release them in a feels so good way that makes you longer, leaner and more prepared to train and strengthen.
It's like a massage but without all the money and you are doing it to yourself.
I also love free weights, running, walking, hiking and yoga stretches. All free if you do it by yourself and good for the heart and the head.
What's also good about these things is that, you aren't at a gym!! You don't have to be afraid to look funny doing it. You can even do it naked. No one'll notice or care. How liberating is that.
The one thing that is important, is your form. You can learn proper and safe form at your gym or you can hire me and I'll show you. The last thing you wanna do is do your exercises in a way that does more harm then good and creates habits that can be injurious as opposed to beneficial.
I love to exercise. It's one of the best ways for me to express myself. Like art.
I have so much more to share with you, so until the next blog,
be good to yourself, drink lots of water and call your mother.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Pajamablog
Pajamas.
Just the word alone conjures up a swell of emotions and my dinner half way up my esophagus.
I’ve never been a fan of pajamas. The idea of them, so precise. So uniform and matching. So official.
I’m wearing pajamas. It’s official. I’m off to bed!
No possible way I’m going for a walk or an improptu dance party.
What do you wear to bed then, Laur?
Are you one of those people that enjoys a slumber in the buff?
NO!
Quite the contrary. I have to wear something.
Except when I was in Bali and staying at the Ritz Carlton. You bet your butt, pun intended that my bod was going to be caressed by gagillion thread count sheets for eight hours per night.
Here on this side of the world, I remain clothed at most times.
My bedtime attire usually includes some of the following: men’s underwear, old college sweatshirts, cut off t-shirts or shorts and my favorite, favorite thing to wear, medical scrubs.
I just love getting the mail while wearing them. None of my neighbors know me so if they pop their head out whilst I’m passing by to pick up the post, they might think I just finished the overnight shift. Whose lives did I save? They’d think. Who died under my watch?
Hmmm.
Let ‘em ponder.
Pajamas.
If you asked my family to mentally google the three words, Laurie, Christmas and Pajamas, they would all have to sit themselves down to control wetting themselves as Christmas in my house, was Laurie’s pajama parade.
For years, pajamas were nothing more than Santa’s joke on the three of us. My two sisters and I would look at the soft wrapped packages and know instantly that they were the socks, Carter’s underpants or pajamas from JC Penneys or Burlington. Did Santa really think we counted THESE as presents? We’d keep these packages in the corner of the room as the last things to open and go straight to unwrapping the Cabage Patch Kids. We knew nothing could follow that act so the pajamas remained an afterthought. They were quickly forgotten by minutes of pleasure with our strangely named children, Mason Kendal and Lotta Jacinda, followed by a gorge fest of cheese, turnips, turkey and pie.
Not all at the same time.
We never liked getting pajamas.
When Santa stopped visiting our house because my sister’s and I became ‘of age,' the pajamas never stopped coming.
And as we grew older the pajamas became more and more obscene. Traffic stopping patterns and colors, off the wall styles, designs and fabrics that someone small girl in Malaysia actually sat down and sowed for us folks in the US, kept showing up year after year after year.
She’s still giggling in the corner of her mansion.
The intricacies of these pajamas were ridiculous and impossible to imagine physically on body.
And the show began.
Jazz hands and all, I would descend the staircase in
school bus yellow leggings donned with wiggly red smiley faces. This would be paired with cropped black t-shirts wide enough to upholster a love seat, slippers the size of the cast of ‘Friends’.
I’d be tripping and they’d be laughing and my job was done.
Perhaps it was my mother age or more appropriately, her humor that made each Christmas sing violently of nighttime wardrobe catastrophes. No matter what fashion plate you’d mix on my bottom or top half, I always looked out of proportion and much like a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon,
as its deflating,
at the end of the parade.
Sadly sagging down Broadway in desperate need of Botox.
I loved my roles as 'Strike Up the Band' Barney or Pikachu, but I never wore the pajamas my mother or Santa brought me. Never.
I’d be too frightened.
And so here I am, in my thirties, sitting and writing my blog, wearing the most delightful pair of pajamas I’ve ever seen. There were a gift from a dear friend sent from Pajamagram, a lovely little idea for gift giving.
I’m having surgery tomorrow and my friend thought a nice pair of pajamas would be a sweet recoup gift. Of course a swimming size medium was also a good idea as I like my pj’s to fit bigger or more appropriately, I like to feel small in my pj’s.
Is their anything else you can do instead of surgery?
Many of my friends asked this. As if I, of all people, wouldn’t have exhausted my time, bank account and body with alternative ways of healing.
I’m a big supporter of the eastern way of healing. It’s supported me when I’ve been out of balance. Currently, I’m a lot out of balance and if I take one more herb, I'd be a pizza.
I would never elect to turn my body over to a machine to make me breathe or have my heart beat. Ok, that’s a little dramatic.
I’m putting a lot of pressure on this surgery, like I’m going to have a tumor removed.
It’s not the case. It’s an out patient, common procedure women undergo in order to be healthy.
So there.
I just don’t like the idea of doing it.
And I don’t like the idea or suggestions from others that there must be another way.
I understand the worry but I’ve been living worry, which can create even more illness. Don’t ask me if I’ve tried acupuncture. I love my acupuncturist and he has been a huge part of the balancing and healing process.
Like life, there is not always one clear answer to a problem and not just one way to cure the problem. I don’t expect surgery to be the answer to why the sky is blue but it is certainly going to help me feel like a healthier person. My acupuncturist will help too. Meditating will help too. And nice pajamas, that makes it so much easier to get through.
Pale blue polka dots, pink trim, drawstring waist, cropped top, lush cotton.
Not too long, not too short. Just right.
How could a friend get it right and Santa miss every year? He didn't know me at all!
This week, I get over two fears, goin’ under and wearing pajamas.
This is turning out to be a good week.
I’ll see you on the other side.
Just the word alone conjures up a swell of emotions and my dinner half way up my esophagus.
I’ve never been a fan of pajamas. The idea of them, so precise. So uniform and matching. So official.
I’m wearing pajamas. It’s official. I’m off to bed!
No possible way I’m going for a walk or an improptu dance party.
What do you wear to bed then, Laur?
Are you one of those people that enjoys a slumber in the buff?
NO!
Quite the contrary. I have to wear something.
Except when I was in Bali and staying at the Ritz Carlton. You bet your butt, pun intended that my bod was going to be caressed by gagillion thread count sheets for eight hours per night.
Here on this side of the world, I remain clothed at most times.
My bedtime attire usually includes some of the following: men’s underwear, old college sweatshirts, cut off t-shirts or shorts and my favorite, favorite thing to wear, medical scrubs.
I just love getting the mail while wearing them. None of my neighbors know me so if they pop their head out whilst I’m passing by to pick up the post, they might think I just finished the overnight shift. Whose lives did I save? They’d think. Who died under my watch?
Hmmm.
Let ‘em ponder.
Pajamas.
If you asked my family to mentally google the three words, Laurie, Christmas and Pajamas, they would all have to sit themselves down to control wetting themselves as Christmas in my house, was Laurie’s pajama parade.
For years, pajamas were nothing more than Santa’s joke on the three of us. My two sisters and I would look at the soft wrapped packages and know instantly that they were the socks, Carter’s underpants or pajamas from JC Penneys or Burlington. Did Santa really think we counted THESE as presents? We’d keep these packages in the corner of the room as the last things to open and go straight to unwrapping the Cabage Patch Kids. We knew nothing could follow that act so the pajamas remained an afterthought. They were quickly forgotten by minutes of pleasure with our strangely named children, Mason Kendal and Lotta Jacinda, followed by a gorge fest of cheese, turnips, turkey and pie.
Not all at the same time.
We never liked getting pajamas.
When Santa stopped visiting our house because my sister’s and I became ‘of age,' the pajamas never stopped coming.
And as we grew older the pajamas became more and more obscene. Traffic stopping patterns and colors, off the wall styles, designs and fabrics that someone small girl in Malaysia actually sat down and sowed for us folks in the US, kept showing up year after year after year.
She’s still giggling in the corner of her mansion.
The intricacies of these pajamas were ridiculous and impossible to imagine physically on body.
And the show began.
Jazz hands and all, I would descend the staircase in
school bus yellow leggings donned with wiggly red smiley faces. This would be paired with cropped black t-shirts wide enough to upholster a love seat, slippers the size of the cast of ‘Friends’.
I’d be tripping and they’d be laughing and my job was done.
Perhaps it was my mother age or more appropriately, her humor that made each Christmas sing violently of nighttime wardrobe catastrophes. No matter what fashion plate you’d mix on my bottom or top half, I always looked out of proportion and much like a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon,
as its deflating,
at the end of the parade.
Sadly sagging down Broadway in desperate need of Botox.
I loved my roles as 'Strike Up the Band' Barney or Pikachu, but I never wore the pajamas my mother or Santa brought me. Never.
I’d be too frightened.
And so here I am, in my thirties, sitting and writing my blog, wearing the most delightful pair of pajamas I’ve ever seen. There were a gift from a dear friend sent from Pajamagram, a lovely little idea for gift giving.
I’m having surgery tomorrow and my friend thought a nice pair of pajamas would be a sweet recoup gift. Of course a swimming size medium was also a good idea as I like my pj’s to fit bigger or more appropriately, I like to feel small in my pj’s.
Is their anything else you can do instead of surgery?
Many of my friends asked this. As if I, of all people, wouldn’t have exhausted my time, bank account and body with alternative ways of healing.
I’m a big supporter of the eastern way of healing. It’s supported me when I’ve been out of balance. Currently, I’m a lot out of balance and if I take one more herb, I'd be a pizza.
I would never elect to turn my body over to a machine to make me breathe or have my heart beat. Ok, that’s a little dramatic.
I’m putting a lot of pressure on this surgery, like I’m going to have a tumor removed.
It’s not the case. It’s an out patient, common procedure women undergo in order to be healthy.
So there.
I just don’t like the idea of doing it.
And I don’t like the idea or suggestions from others that there must be another way.
I understand the worry but I’ve been living worry, which can create even more illness. Don’t ask me if I’ve tried acupuncture. I love my acupuncturist and he has been a huge part of the balancing and healing process.
Like life, there is not always one clear answer to a problem and not just one way to cure the problem. I don’t expect surgery to be the answer to why the sky is blue but it is certainly going to help me feel like a healthier person. My acupuncturist will help too. Meditating will help too. And nice pajamas, that makes it so much easier to get through.
Pale blue polka dots, pink trim, drawstring waist, cropped top, lush cotton.
Not too long, not too short. Just right.
How could a friend get it right and Santa miss every year? He didn't know me at all!
This week, I get over two fears, goin’ under and wearing pajamas.
This is turning out to be a good week.
I’ll see you on the other side.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Did you lose something?
Weight!
I’ve battled with my weight since I was a child. It’s hard to lose weight. I find weight all over the place and it keeps attaching to me. I’m not overweight by any means but there are times when pounds just find there way to my hips and cling, outta nowhere. Could be lack of sleep, could be the stress, and could be holidays. President’s day gets me every year! Could be, I’m not eating mindfully and not aware of what I’m taking in and what energy I’m expending to keep my body balanced. We all overindulge at times and too often we are just plain not paying attention to what we are ingesting.
Whatever the reason, I know for me, it was a lot easier to shed pounds when I had a lot of weight to lose It’s the nagging few that seem to be the headache to get rid of.
Here’s the deal, it’s all about calories. I know I have used this analogy before but calories are like a bank. You have a certain per diem to use per day and once you’ve spent your cal cash, you are done. If you over spend, cal credit, you have to burn it off by working out or you store it as love handles or lunch lady arms and really, we can’t afford that can we? The tips below are going to help you understand how to manage your weight immediately. If you have more weight to lose than a couple to ten pounds, there are many other fantastic plans to use and the below can help get you on your way. So will the help of a good program, nutritionist and ahem, fitness trainer.
I have to tell ya, getting rid of the lil lbs might actually be easier than you think. And you don’t have to call it a diet and you don’t have to do it forever. These are things that I have done to keep the weight off and maintain that weight for years!
1. For a few days up to two weeks, keep a food diary. Grab a notebook. You don’t need anything fancy. Unless, of course, you want something fancy. Only you will be lookin’ t it so don’t lie to yourself. Write everything down, EVERYTHING. All you are doing is gathering an inventory of what you are taking in. Write the time you eat as well.
From this simple exercise you will be able to see where your possible food weaknesses may be in your diet, when and what you crave and where those extra calories that added up to pounds have been hiding. After careful review you will be able to see how to tailor your diet and get those nagging pounds off of you.
2. Know your portion sizes and how many calories are in what you are eating. This will help with your food diary as well. I know you are probably thinking, I love to eat out or grab a quick bite at this restaurant or deli. The nutrition facts aren’t listed on everything so what do I do? Well, if that’s the case, there are websites dedicated to counting the calories of your favorite foods in your favorite places. If the places you go aren’t part of a large chain, you can still search out your favorite foods by plugging them into the search bars on these sites. If you know the brand name of a food, that will help. If all you know is, I ate three slices of bologna, for example, just plug bologna into the site search bar and you can guestimate by what they list by grams, ounces, pounds et al. Understanding portion sizes is very important. Many of us overdo the portions. Check your labels too. When a label says the serving size is two and you eat the whole thing, you gotta multiply the calorie total by two. Ahh, math. Remember math from school? That’s ok. No one does. You have to remember your math. I don’t want you nit picking every ounce and I don’t want to say we’re dieting but it is a great thing to know what an ounce looks like, what a real tablespoon looks like, what calories on a plate look like. It might already seem like a lot of work but seriously, after a few days of doing this, it’s like balancing your checkbook. You can monitor your whole day in a matter of minutes. That easy. And, if you know what you like to eat, you only have to do it once and keep the record for next time. Here are the sites with accurate descriptions of what portion sizes sound and look like and how to easily count your calories. Here are some sites that help you do the math without a calculator. These sites will help you do the math without a calculator.
www.diet-blog.com
www.wisegeek.com
www.calorieking.com
www.dailyplate.com
www.About.com and www.Cancer.org are also great sites that have tons of nuggets on nutrition, portion sizes and what 100, 200 , 300 et al calories look like.
3. If you are stuck on how many calories you can spend and save in a day, here’s a site that will help you figure that out. It will show you exactly how many calories your particular body needs to live off of per day. It’ll take you a minute and you can find it right here on blogspot. Just plug in your height, weight, age and activity level and boom…
Howmanycaloriesdoineedinaday.blogspot.com
For example,
I’m 123 pounds, 5’ 8’’ and ahem years old. I need about 1670 calories per day with the activity level that I have, bouncing about town, teaching etc. If I add a workout per day, I earn more calories that I can use to lose weight (don’t need to do that) or enjoy a Sarah Lee Cheesecake bite or fourteen.
4. How much protein, carbs, fiber and all that other stuff do I need in one day? At
www.healthychoice.com
you can find a breakdown of what the nutrition facts are on the back of labels, how to read them, understand them and implement the necessary amounts of nutrition into your diet.
6. Finally, are you exercising? If you feel like you are spinning your wheels, perhaps you are spinning too much and your workouts have plateaud. Mix up your exercise routine. I love working out and I love cardio. However, I get bored super easy. I need to mix up my exercise magic every few months so I don’t plateau. It doesn’t mean I have to abandon any one exercise for too long but just mix up your routines often. I think one of the things my clients like about working with me in fitness or in yoga is that we never do a sequence more than once or a few times. It keeps things interesting and keeps the muscles working hard when they don’t know what to expect.
7. Get a heart rate monitor. A really good one costs about $80 bucks. I’ve spent enough money on other types and the Polar watch is my favorite. It’ll show you how many calories you are burning as well as your heart rate whilst working out. Good deals and return policies at www.amazon.com and www.jr.com If you can see how much you are burning when you exercise, it will motivate you to keep exercising. For fun, I sometimes wear my heart rate monitor when doing the laundry or washing dishes or swiffering my living room. It’s amazing how many calories you burn just doing normal everyday activities. It all counts toward the calorie account in and output. So does that biscotti. Put-it-down!
Of course nothing is 100% accurate, not even your food labels. But these tips are as good as it gets for staying on track, understanding what you are eating and how you are exercising. Once you are in the practice of doing this, you might want to continue to do it daily. Don’t over obsess. Have fun with it. Allow yourself at least a day once in a while where you don’t focus on every calorie you eating or burning. It’s okay.
If you stick to this plan, you will notice those nagging pounds drop off you without really trying to change anything in particular. All you are doing is monitoring.
Don’t over eat and don’t under eat. Don’t over exercise if you over ate. It’s all about balance and portion. If I can do it, you can do it!
And, make sure you stretch a little before and after your workout.
And, practice mindful eating where you aren’t in front of the tv or reading or talking on the phone.
And, drink water.
And, laugh often. It tones the abs.
And, recycle.
And, call your mother.
I’ve battled with my weight since I was a child. It’s hard to lose weight. I find weight all over the place and it keeps attaching to me. I’m not overweight by any means but there are times when pounds just find there way to my hips and cling, outta nowhere. Could be lack of sleep, could be the stress, and could be holidays. President’s day gets me every year! Could be, I’m not eating mindfully and not aware of what I’m taking in and what energy I’m expending to keep my body balanced. We all overindulge at times and too often we are just plain not paying attention to what we are ingesting.
Whatever the reason, I know for me, it was a lot easier to shed pounds when I had a lot of weight to lose It’s the nagging few that seem to be the headache to get rid of.
Here’s the deal, it’s all about calories. I know I have used this analogy before but calories are like a bank. You have a certain per diem to use per day and once you’ve spent your cal cash, you are done. If you over spend, cal credit, you have to burn it off by working out or you store it as love handles or lunch lady arms and really, we can’t afford that can we? The tips below are going to help you understand how to manage your weight immediately. If you have more weight to lose than a couple to ten pounds, there are many other fantastic plans to use and the below can help get you on your way. So will the help of a good program, nutritionist and ahem, fitness trainer.
I have to tell ya, getting rid of the lil lbs might actually be easier than you think. And you don’t have to call it a diet and you don’t have to do it forever. These are things that I have done to keep the weight off and maintain that weight for years!
1. For a few days up to two weeks, keep a food diary. Grab a notebook. You don’t need anything fancy. Unless, of course, you want something fancy. Only you will be lookin’ t it so don’t lie to yourself. Write everything down, EVERYTHING. All you are doing is gathering an inventory of what you are taking in. Write the time you eat as well.
From this simple exercise you will be able to see where your possible food weaknesses may be in your diet, when and what you crave and where those extra calories that added up to pounds have been hiding. After careful review you will be able to see how to tailor your diet and get those nagging pounds off of you.
2. Know your portion sizes and how many calories are in what you are eating. This will help with your food diary as well. I know you are probably thinking, I love to eat out or grab a quick bite at this restaurant or deli. The nutrition facts aren’t listed on everything so what do I do? Well, if that’s the case, there are websites dedicated to counting the calories of your favorite foods in your favorite places. If the places you go aren’t part of a large chain, you can still search out your favorite foods by plugging them into the search bars on these sites. If you know the brand name of a food, that will help. If all you know is, I ate three slices of bologna, for example, just plug bologna into the site search bar and you can guestimate by what they list by grams, ounces, pounds et al. Understanding portion sizes is very important. Many of us overdo the portions. Check your labels too. When a label says the serving size is two and you eat the whole thing, you gotta multiply the calorie total by two. Ahh, math. Remember math from school? That’s ok. No one does. You have to remember your math. I don’t want you nit picking every ounce and I don’t want to say we’re dieting but it is a great thing to know what an ounce looks like, what a real tablespoon looks like, what calories on a plate look like. It might already seem like a lot of work but seriously, after a few days of doing this, it’s like balancing your checkbook. You can monitor your whole day in a matter of minutes. That easy. And, if you know what you like to eat, you only have to do it once and keep the record for next time. Here are the sites with accurate descriptions of what portion sizes sound and look like and how to easily count your calories. Here are some sites that help you do the math without a calculator. These sites will help you do the math without a calculator.
www.diet-blog.com
www.wisegeek.com
www.calorieking.com
www.dailyplate.com
www.About.com and www.Cancer.org are also great sites that have tons of nuggets on nutrition, portion sizes and what 100, 200 , 300 et al calories look like.
3. If you are stuck on how many calories you can spend and save in a day, here’s a site that will help you figure that out. It will show you exactly how many calories your particular body needs to live off of per day. It’ll take you a minute and you can find it right here on blogspot. Just plug in your height, weight, age and activity level and boom…
Howmanycaloriesdoineedinaday.blogspot.com
For example,
I’m 123 pounds, 5’ 8’’ and ahem years old. I need about 1670 calories per day with the activity level that I have, bouncing about town, teaching etc. If I add a workout per day, I earn more calories that I can use to lose weight (don’t need to do that) or enjoy a Sarah Lee Cheesecake bite or fourteen.
4. How much protein, carbs, fiber and all that other stuff do I need in one day? At
www.healthychoice.com
you can find a breakdown of what the nutrition facts are on the back of labels, how to read them, understand them and implement the necessary amounts of nutrition into your diet.
6. Finally, are you exercising? If you feel like you are spinning your wheels, perhaps you are spinning too much and your workouts have plateaud. Mix up your exercise routine. I love working out and I love cardio. However, I get bored super easy. I need to mix up my exercise magic every few months so I don’t plateau. It doesn’t mean I have to abandon any one exercise for too long but just mix up your routines often. I think one of the things my clients like about working with me in fitness or in yoga is that we never do a sequence more than once or a few times. It keeps things interesting and keeps the muscles working hard when they don’t know what to expect.
7. Get a heart rate monitor. A really good one costs about $80 bucks. I’ve spent enough money on other types and the Polar watch is my favorite. It’ll show you how many calories you are burning as well as your heart rate whilst working out. Good deals and return policies at www.amazon.com and www.jr.com If you can see how much you are burning when you exercise, it will motivate you to keep exercising. For fun, I sometimes wear my heart rate monitor when doing the laundry or washing dishes or swiffering my living room. It’s amazing how many calories you burn just doing normal everyday activities. It all counts toward the calorie account in and output. So does that biscotti. Put-it-down!
Of course nothing is 100% accurate, not even your food labels. But these tips are as good as it gets for staying on track, understanding what you are eating and how you are exercising. Once you are in the practice of doing this, you might want to continue to do it daily. Don’t over obsess. Have fun with it. Allow yourself at least a day once in a while where you don’t focus on every calorie you eating or burning. It’s okay.
If you stick to this plan, you will notice those nagging pounds drop off you without really trying to change anything in particular. All you are doing is monitoring.
Don’t over eat and don’t under eat. Don’t over exercise if you over ate. It’s all about balance and portion. If I can do it, you can do it!
And, make sure you stretch a little before and after your workout.
And, practice mindful eating where you aren’t in front of the tv or reading or talking on the phone.
And, drink water.
And, laugh often. It tones the abs.
And, recycle.
And, call your mother.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Zen and the art of driving
I talk about driving a lot in my class. This isn't something I actually plan to do but something that just comes out when I'm talking about a posture or the space between, the holding, the breathing, the, 'what am I supposed be doing now-ing.'
There's a lot of yoga in driving and for some, a lot of driving in yoga.
Anyway, It's just a reference. I bring a lot of life references onto the mat. I know the mat is a great place to escape reality and the outside world. However, it's my mission to bring mat yoga into the real world and vice versa.
For me, It's important to live yoga always or mostly always, not just for an hour and a half out of the day. To tap into the inside world while I flow on the mat is a great way of observing how my outside world will be when I roll up that mat, head back home, run errands or interact socially with others. How I'll react to certain circumstances in the real world while holding even the simplest of postures on my mat is a great way to learn more about myself.
Every teacher has there thing. Like the dancers in gypsy, 'ya gotta getta gimic..." Ok, not quite like that but for me, I've always WANTED to be the teacher that can teach the most advanced postures or breathing techniques or chanting or tell amazing stories or sermons, if you will. It's in that wanting to be though, that I lose the real quality of my gift as a teacher. It's taken me a while, but I have figured out my style of teaching and although its not for everyone, I know, I teach the class I want to take, one that is physical, grounding, with an appropriate amount of philosophical, philanthropic and meditative rootedness.
My 'style', by the way, was always there without trying. It's very Buddhist, but, what I was looking for was always there within me. It's true. It's always true. Buddha is always right, just like my mother.
So, here's where the driving comes in. I'm on the road a lot. Driving in LA can be the most frustrating and anxiety producing activity there is. It certainly is for me. So as a yogi and a driver, this is my test, to remain balanced, even and calm under some of the most frustrating and somewhat uncontrollable of circumstances.
In my teaching, its important that I bring real world anxiety right there on the mat with us so we can observe, work out or change the way we react to things.
Um, that's not what I paid good money for. I don't want stress in my yoga class, I wanna feel good! I know, me too! Can we find the bliss while we are being challenged on the mat and bring it into the world when we are done? That's what I'm goin' for.
I don't know about you but how many times have you been to a yoga class where you feel amazing and then all of a sudden, someone cuts you off in traffic and your blood begins to boil and that bliss goes out the window with the sound of your car horn. Yup, me too. It happens after a great massage or acupuncture session too and it pisses me off. But alas, you haven't wasted your money or your time because that's what we are here to work out.
We are here on the mat together, working on a special sequence of postures whereas we challenge the body and the mind to be peaceful in the safe haven of the yoga studio and given the tools or the ideas to feel that same bliss whence we are placed in less safe, nowhere near as fun situations in life, like being in line at the post office. Don't get me started.
So, How's that for a yoga class? Not exactly what you'd expect but living yoga is really the test. Anyone can do a funny posture. But its what goes on in the mind in the posture that is the most important thing. Same as life. Anyone can drive on the 405, but its how we deal with one another on the 405 and what is going on within one's mind whilst stuck on the same stretch of the 405 for 15 minutes when you are late for an appointment that is the real yoga.
So, come to my class and expect a challenging workout for the mind and the body.
And look forward to a lot for a lot of stories about driving...and my mother, another source of my frustration and joy.
There's a lot of yoga in driving and for some, a lot of driving in yoga.
Anyway, It's just a reference. I bring a lot of life references onto the mat. I know the mat is a great place to escape reality and the outside world. However, it's my mission to bring mat yoga into the real world and vice versa.
For me, It's important to live yoga always or mostly always, not just for an hour and a half out of the day. To tap into the inside world while I flow on the mat is a great way of observing how my outside world will be when I roll up that mat, head back home, run errands or interact socially with others. How I'll react to certain circumstances in the real world while holding even the simplest of postures on my mat is a great way to learn more about myself.
Every teacher has there thing. Like the dancers in gypsy, 'ya gotta getta gimic..." Ok, not quite like that but for me, I've always WANTED to be the teacher that can teach the most advanced postures or breathing techniques or chanting or tell amazing stories or sermons, if you will. It's in that wanting to be though, that I lose the real quality of my gift as a teacher. It's taken me a while, but I have figured out my style of teaching and although its not for everyone, I know, I teach the class I want to take, one that is physical, grounding, with an appropriate amount of philosophical, philanthropic and meditative rootedness.
My 'style', by the way, was always there without trying. It's very Buddhist, but, what I was looking for was always there within me. It's true. It's always true. Buddha is always right, just like my mother.
So, here's where the driving comes in. I'm on the road a lot. Driving in LA can be the most frustrating and anxiety producing activity there is. It certainly is for me. So as a yogi and a driver, this is my test, to remain balanced, even and calm under some of the most frustrating and somewhat uncontrollable of circumstances.
In my teaching, its important that I bring real world anxiety right there on the mat with us so we can observe, work out or change the way we react to things.
Um, that's not what I paid good money for. I don't want stress in my yoga class, I wanna feel good! I know, me too! Can we find the bliss while we are being challenged on the mat and bring it into the world when we are done? That's what I'm goin' for.
I don't know about you but how many times have you been to a yoga class where you feel amazing and then all of a sudden, someone cuts you off in traffic and your blood begins to boil and that bliss goes out the window with the sound of your car horn. Yup, me too. It happens after a great massage or acupuncture session too and it pisses me off. But alas, you haven't wasted your money or your time because that's what we are here to work out.
We are here on the mat together, working on a special sequence of postures whereas we challenge the body and the mind to be peaceful in the safe haven of the yoga studio and given the tools or the ideas to feel that same bliss whence we are placed in less safe, nowhere near as fun situations in life, like being in line at the post office. Don't get me started.
So, How's that for a yoga class? Not exactly what you'd expect but living yoga is really the test. Anyone can do a funny posture. But its what goes on in the mind in the posture that is the most important thing. Same as life. Anyone can drive on the 405, but its how we deal with one another on the 405 and what is going on within one's mind whilst stuck on the same stretch of the 405 for 15 minutes when you are late for an appointment that is the real yoga.
So, come to my class and expect a challenging workout for the mind and the body.
And look forward to a lot for a lot of stories about driving...and my mother, another source of my frustration and joy.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Breaking up is hard to do for yogis...
Um, actually, breaking up is hard for anyone. But I’m a yogi, so I should be able to remain even and calm in all circumstances, right? Wrong!! In fact, I love being my own guinea pig for the classes I teach, especially in a break up because, what better situation to use in a yoga class to teach balance and circumference.
“Here’s how not to be or what not to do, now take a deep breathe, darn it...”
Breaking up just sounds violent. It doesn’t have to be, but sometimes it is. Break-ups can hurt physically and emotionally after any length of time. Breaking up after eight years, though, it feels like a limb has been torn off. There’s a lot to be said for a relationship for which you and the other person have tried absolutely everything and are no longer growing in positive directions together or individually.
I don’t think I can ever look at any of my relationships and say, what a waste or even worse, what a bastard, I hate you or I hate men or I hate the world. That ain’t me. How could I hate my choices? Even if I broke up with someone under the most dramatic, intense, scary and what one might consider, the worst way possible, I do not regret and I do not hate. I don’t hold onto anger or resentment. I don’t hold. And by the way, if you think you know why we broke up, think again, its much worse.
I don’t know why I would have thought; being a yogi, this process might be more manageable for me. Alas, it is not.
I study yoga…A LOT. I read many books from many different traditions and I take what I can, use the tools in my life and my classes
I’m drawn to different traditions of yoga. Probably because I was born and raised Catholic and had limited exposure to those with other beliefs. Once I had met Mormons, Jews, et al, I submerged myself in there traditions and I could see that what they believed was just as valid as how I was raised. Even if I didn’t agree with everything their religion represented, I didn’t have a choice to be raised Catholic. I liked being one, but I didn’t know any different and as I grew older, didn’t agree with all that the religion represented.
Here’s the deal…religion can actually be quite simple until people overanalyze and make it more complicated. In summary, there is a divine spirit working above us. Respect one another and treat each other the way we want to be treated.
Kind of like relationships. They are quite simple, until we make them complicated by money and children and material things and our beliefs. Things get in the way of the fundamental, love and respect one another and don’t be mean.
I love working out. I love to run, climb, jump, sprint, stretch and lift. Basically, I’m a big kid that has moved out of the playground and to those places in life that are more acceptable for adults to be in and do those kinds of things, i.e. the gym. Eww.
But even as a trainer and a yoga teacher, balance is important.
Here is where my energy is being displaced amidst the heartbreak and where I need to look elsewhere to heal.
A long time ago, when I was doing the master cleanse (drinking only lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for ten days, oy!!), I found great relief by going into supermarkets. I didn’t buy, obviously, because I wasn’t eating, but I found this great relief and satisfaction being around the plump and plentiful displays of fruit and vegetables. The colors and vastness made me feel safe and secure. It would calm me and make me feel better even though I knew I couldn’t eat any of them.
Then I had this conversation with a girl after a commercial audition. She told me that after a bad audition, she liked to walk through the isles of CVS and just look, not buy the new beauty products for sale. It made her feel better. I didn’t think about that conversation until after a long fight with my beau where after, I had to work, then had an audition then had a bag of time to use before teaching yoga to a client and a CVS right around the corner. I didn’t need anything but I walked in and began combing the isles surveying the products that promised to keep me young and beautiful forever. I was hooked. I understood why it was a good thing to shop even if you didn’t need to. There was something very controlled and peaceful and even about the environment that made everything in my life seem all right.
After the big break-up I found myself combing many grocery and pharmacy isles, listening to sad music, drinking wine alone at night and venting to my mother and anyone else who would listen. I felt like I was living someone else’s life. Until I realized that I needed to be present with all of my feelings, bad, good, shop worthy. It’s all okay and it’s a process.
My way of dealing with heart-break is a long workout where I felt depleted afterward. There was no energy left to reflect and turn inwards.
Looking at fruit or beautiful displays at CVS or Whole Foods are all ‘crazy sounding’ but very normal ways of feeling better about a situation that is no longer in our control. Beautiful displays are organized and balanced and attractive and that’s why we like ‘em.
The chemicals released from working out are the same ones equivalent to those when we are in love or eating chocolate. These are all normal and okay reactions to a situation that is sad or traumatic. Sitting in a park or being with nature and watching the breeze in the trees or dipping your toes in the sand or reading a good book or meditating or petting your dog or going to the farmers market or changing the soil in your garden or plants are all good, healthy ways of focusing your energy in order to heal from a bad experience.
Anyway, if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there is no one way, to live, believe, teach, love and for me right now, grieve. There will always be something ‘we’ disagree about and that can either bring us closer or wedge the gap deeper between us.
Whether we call ourselves yogis or not, we are constantly being tested. This world was not designed to make it easy for the mind to be peaceful always. Giving yourself a hard time for feeling a certain way is the harm, the hurt that you should avoid. Giving yourself the time to heal and in my case, the time to do weird things, is just the way to get out and back to normal.
Whether it’s a break up or some other tragedy you are dealing with, sometimes all good reason goes out the window like a fart in the wind.
The most important thing is not to deny or question your personal process of grieving. We all grieve in different ways.
Just like there are a myriad of paths to follow, the path of grieving is your own to design.
I put pressure on myself to be this ideal yoga teacher who lives a perfectly clean, healthy, positive life and drops into bliss at the drop of a hat. Then I fall. I go through my own process to heal and then I think to myself, well why wouldn’t I want a teacher who has had all of these wacky, scary challenging experience to draw from and teach from and come out of in a balanced, light good place?
Do I want the teacher who has lived in the jungles and rainforests and mountains their whole life renouncing everything and living separately from society and its challenges? Not so much. Do I want the teacher who can find Samadhi in a heartbeat, can do a perfect handstand, away from a wall and hold it for three minutes? Ok, well kind of, cause I’d like to learn.
But, I can only teach what I know and I know a lot, from life. That life didn’t include a lot of handstands away from the wall but it’s a life that included a lot of life that continues to challenge me daily on and off the mat.
One of those experiences happens to be a break up with someone I loved deeply and a love that went down a path I couldn’t support as a yogi and a person. Instead of giving myself a hard time about feeling the experience, I’m taking the time to be with myself, explore the aloneness, write, be peaceful and discover this new life. It’s not so bad.
“Here’s how not to be or what not to do, now take a deep breathe, darn it...”
Breaking up just sounds violent. It doesn’t have to be, but sometimes it is. Break-ups can hurt physically and emotionally after any length of time. Breaking up after eight years, though, it feels like a limb has been torn off. There’s a lot to be said for a relationship for which you and the other person have tried absolutely everything and are no longer growing in positive directions together or individually.
I don’t think I can ever look at any of my relationships and say, what a waste or even worse, what a bastard, I hate you or I hate men or I hate the world. That ain’t me. How could I hate my choices? Even if I broke up with someone under the most dramatic, intense, scary and what one might consider, the worst way possible, I do not regret and I do not hate. I don’t hold onto anger or resentment. I don’t hold. And by the way, if you think you know why we broke up, think again, its much worse.
I don’t know why I would have thought; being a yogi, this process might be more manageable for me. Alas, it is not.
I study yoga…A LOT. I read many books from many different traditions and I take what I can, use the tools in my life and my classes
I’m drawn to different traditions of yoga. Probably because I was born and raised Catholic and had limited exposure to those with other beliefs. Once I had met Mormons, Jews, et al, I submerged myself in there traditions and I could see that what they believed was just as valid as how I was raised. Even if I didn’t agree with everything their religion represented, I didn’t have a choice to be raised Catholic. I liked being one, but I didn’t know any different and as I grew older, didn’t agree with all that the religion represented.
Here’s the deal…religion can actually be quite simple until people overanalyze and make it more complicated. In summary, there is a divine spirit working above us. Respect one another and treat each other the way we want to be treated.
Kind of like relationships. They are quite simple, until we make them complicated by money and children and material things and our beliefs. Things get in the way of the fundamental, love and respect one another and don’t be mean.
I love working out. I love to run, climb, jump, sprint, stretch and lift. Basically, I’m a big kid that has moved out of the playground and to those places in life that are more acceptable for adults to be in and do those kinds of things, i.e. the gym. Eww.
But even as a trainer and a yoga teacher, balance is important.
Here is where my energy is being displaced amidst the heartbreak and where I need to look elsewhere to heal.
A long time ago, when I was doing the master cleanse (drinking only lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for ten days, oy!!), I found great relief by going into supermarkets. I didn’t buy, obviously, because I wasn’t eating, but I found this great relief and satisfaction being around the plump and plentiful displays of fruit and vegetables. The colors and vastness made me feel safe and secure. It would calm me and make me feel better even though I knew I couldn’t eat any of them.
Then I had this conversation with a girl after a commercial audition. She told me that after a bad audition, she liked to walk through the isles of CVS and just look, not buy the new beauty products for sale. It made her feel better. I didn’t think about that conversation until after a long fight with my beau where after, I had to work, then had an audition then had a bag of time to use before teaching yoga to a client and a CVS right around the corner. I didn’t need anything but I walked in and began combing the isles surveying the products that promised to keep me young and beautiful forever. I was hooked. I understood why it was a good thing to shop even if you didn’t need to. There was something very controlled and peaceful and even about the environment that made everything in my life seem all right.
After the big break-up I found myself combing many grocery and pharmacy isles, listening to sad music, drinking wine alone at night and venting to my mother and anyone else who would listen. I felt like I was living someone else’s life. Until I realized that I needed to be present with all of my feelings, bad, good, shop worthy. It’s all okay and it’s a process.
My way of dealing with heart-break is a long workout where I felt depleted afterward. There was no energy left to reflect and turn inwards.
Looking at fruit or beautiful displays at CVS or Whole Foods are all ‘crazy sounding’ but very normal ways of feeling better about a situation that is no longer in our control. Beautiful displays are organized and balanced and attractive and that’s why we like ‘em.
The chemicals released from working out are the same ones equivalent to those when we are in love or eating chocolate. These are all normal and okay reactions to a situation that is sad or traumatic. Sitting in a park or being with nature and watching the breeze in the trees or dipping your toes in the sand or reading a good book or meditating or petting your dog or going to the farmers market or changing the soil in your garden or plants are all good, healthy ways of focusing your energy in order to heal from a bad experience.
Anyway, if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there is no one way, to live, believe, teach, love and for me right now, grieve. There will always be something ‘we’ disagree about and that can either bring us closer or wedge the gap deeper between us.
Whether we call ourselves yogis or not, we are constantly being tested. This world was not designed to make it easy for the mind to be peaceful always. Giving yourself a hard time for feeling a certain way is the harm, the hurt that you should avoid. Giving yourself the time to heal and in my case, the time to do weird things, is just the way to get out and back to normal.
Whether it’s a break up or some other tragedy you are dealing with, sometimes all good reason goes out the window like a fart in the wind.
The most important thing is not to deny or question your personal process of grieving. We all grieve in different ways.
Just like there are a myriad of paths to follow, the path of grieving is your own to design.
I put pressure on myself to be this ideal yoga teacher who lives a perfectly clean, healthy, positive life and drops into bliss at the drop of a hat. Then I fall. I go through my own process to heal and then I think to myself, well why wouldn’t I want a teacher who has had all of these wacky, scary challenging experience to draw from and teach from and come out of in a balanced, light good place?
Do I want the teacher who has lived in the jungles and rainforests and mountains their whole life renouncing everything and living separately from society and its challenges? Not so much. Do I want the teacher who can find Samadhi in a heartbeat, can do a perfect handstand, away from a wall and hold it for three minutes? Ok, well kind of, cause I’d like to learn.
But, I can only teach what I know and I know a lot, from life. That life didn’t include a lot of handstands away from the wall but it’s a life that included a lot of life that continues to challenge me daily on and off the mat.
One of those experiences happens to be a break up with someone I loved deeply and a love that went down a path I couldn’t support as a yogi and a person. Instead of giving myself a hard time about feeling the experience, I’m taking the time to be with myself, explore the aloneness, write, be peaceful and discover this new life. It’s not so bad.
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