Nadine's Yoga Blog

Week 8 Challenge - Questioning My Beliefs

2012-02-25T11:10:00.002-08:00

This year I decided to challenge myself to reflect on various Yoga and Buddhist aspects throughout the year. The challenges come from a variety of places including readings in Deborah Adele's Yamas and Niyamas and Thich Nhat Hanh's Heart of the Buddha's Teaching and Happiness.

Last week, I spoke about self-indulgence vs. self care. And, as usual, I published my post before reading up on this week's challenge. And when I did I started laughing. This week's challenge was to look at the ideas and beliefs that once served me and no longer do. Ha! What a perfect follow up to last week.

I loved this challenge. It really got in my face.

Food is one of the major areas in my life where my beliefs send me veering in wild directions. And I keep looking for answers. As if when I find that magic answer, all will be right with the world. A belief that I need someone to tell me what to do, a belief that I am not in control. And those beliefs are definitely not serving me. Mid-week I had a great moment where I thought "I don't need someone to tell me what to eat. I know exactly what to eat. My issue is learning to listen to the guidance I receive. Acting on it."

Sunday's are my only day off of work. And I typically spend them primarily in self-indulgence (TV and food). I spent some time this week thinking about what would actually relax me and the answers were more along the lines of a mini-retreat: silence, restorative Yoga, meditation, reflection. My belief that relaxation is doing nothing is definitely out-of-date.

Interestingly, the concept of a mini-retreat, and particularly the aspect of silence, challenged my beliefs as well. I was trying to find a way to take some "retreat time" at home, or without wandering far. But where would I find silence when I live with someone else? I thought about going to the library to find some quiet or looking at noise-cancelling headphones. Then I thought about it. I have the house to myself sometimes, and what do I do with that time? Usually watch some TV. Instead, what if I took advantage of the opportunity for silence then? I'm often looking for a complicated answer while the real answer stares me in the face, ever so simple. Living with the belief that I don't already know the answer. Definitely a belief that can go.

I look forward to continuing to challenge the beliefs that shape my thoughts.

Animals Did Yoga First

2012-02-23T08:27:00.003-08:00

When I teach kids Yoga, we do lots of animal poses. And many of them definitely come from the animals:

Animals Did Yoga First

Eating for the Body, Mind and Spirit

2012-02-21T15:53:00.002-08:00

I am trying to listen to what my body wants and what my spirit wants when it comes to food. And what do they want?

My body wants light, simple food. Nothing too heavy. Nothing with unpronounceable ingredients. Not too much at one time.

My spirit wants local, vegetarian food. Food with a small ecological footprint.

That seems pretty simple. But then there's the mind that is wedged in there with the body and spirit. What does the mind want?

My mind seeks comfort from food, as it learned to do when I was young. And the comfort it seeks is in meat, heavy food, junk food. Food with a huge ecological footprint.

So I continue to work on finding non-food comfort for my mind to allow my body and spirit to have the food they want.

Week 7 Challenge - Doing It Right

2012-02-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Corporate Meditation

2012-02-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

I love this article. I'd like to see more companies bring meditation to their employees. Reduced stress, better thinking, more happiness. Seems like it helps the bottom line to me!
10 Big Companies That Promote Employee Meditation

February Love List

2012-02-14T08:38:00.000-08:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

Running, I love the feel of moving swiftly over the ground.
Spanakopita, I tried a new recipe and it's delish!
Early nights and early mornings.
My daily meditation practices.
Banana grapefruit smoothies.
Seeing my schedule fill up with classes to teach.
Walks in the dark with a good friend.
Watching cooking shows with my mom.
Fig newtons (only the more natural, whole grain, fruit juice sweetened kind).
How my cat has become friends with another cat without ever leaving the house.
A new Janet Evanovich book.
Trying to find the happiness that I don't have to work so hard to attain.
Yogurt with mandarin oranges.
Deva Premal's version of Om Mani Padme Hum
How my hair has now grown so long I have to put it back during class.
Trying to eat more meatless meals.
How accommodating my mom has been since I've been using the car so much.
Walking meditation.
Lots of TV on the PVR for when I want a break.
Lots of cooking and baking.

Week 6 Challenge - Self-Expression

2012-02-11T11:12:00.000-08:00

In Its Own Time

2012-02-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

I often have students say to me "I want to meditate (or do Yoga) at home, but I just don't make the time for it." And I always say "it's frustrating, but things happen in their own time, not ours".

And I've felt that way about my own practice (and my own life) for ages. I've had a regular meditation and Yoga asana practice for years. By regular I mean that I was usually doing it daily but sometimes I wasn't. I found this frustrating, but...see my note above. I could have forced myself, but that's not the type of practice I was trying to develop.

I always found that when things got too busy, too stressful, my practice would wane. But something has shifted.

This week I have been really busy with contract work (and expect to be for at least another couple of weeks). On Tuesday, I had to choose between lunch and meditation. I chose meditation. On Wednesday, I had to choose between supper and meditation. I chose meditation.

I feel like my subconscious has finally recognized the value I get out of meditation, allowing me to embrace it during stressful times (rather than run from it). Since I don't get to choose how these things go, I don't know if this shift is permanent, but I'm loving it.

And in case anyone worries that choosing meditation over meals isn't healthy, I had more than enough calories in both of those days (another coping mechanism when I'm stressed). I just didn't actually sit down for those meals when planned.

Wellness Symposium - Free!

2012-02-07T08:37:00.000-08:00

Check out this online Wellness Symposium from Feb 20 to 26:

http://www.learnitlive.com/symposium.php

The sessions are free, but you do need to register. There are a lot of different presenters and topics. I'm excited to check out a few myself.

Week 5 Challenge - Nice or Real?

2012-02-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to challenge myself to reflect on various Yoga and Buddhist aspects throughout the year. The challenges come from a variety of places including readings in Deborah Adele's Yamas and Niyamas and Thich Nhat Hanh's Heart of the Buddha's Teaching and Happiness.

This week's challenge was to observe when I was being nice and when I was being real. I'm not sure what I expected out of this week, but it was interesting to see what came up for me.

One thing I've observed for quite a while is that I have a tendency to be self-deprecating in an attempt to help others feel more comfortable. That is probably the thing that came up for me the most this week in the "nice" vs "real" category. And it helped me to avoid being self-deprecating and just be there for the person. Which is neat because it also stops me from making it "all about me". But, this wasn't a big change from last week, because I had run into the same thing when I was practicing not being more or less than I am. Therefore, in this way, it felt like the same challenge.

Another thing that nice vs real brought up for me is boundaries. There is a commitment I made through the last half of 2011. I was doing it out of obligation and nothing more. I was doing it out of guilt that I didn't want to dump this commitment into someone else's lap. However, I've decided in the past few weeks that I need to do what's right and real for me, which is to get out of that commitment. As part of this week's challenge, I am officially stepping away from that obligation and leaving it in other's capable hands.

I'm not one for resolutions, but one of the things I've been working on this year is to not always need to be right. In certain longer term relationships (at the office, at home) I sometimes correct people over absolutely trivial matters. And the result is that I feel bad and it seems they do as well. However, this week when I asked "nice" or "real", it would seem I was choosing nice by keeping my mouth shut. However, my perspective is that I was also choosing real because I was valuing my relationship over my ego.

I do believe it is better to be real most of the time, but also to evaluate what real is. Sometimes my reality is skewed by perception (or perhaps that is all of the time), so I want to ensure that the reality I'm making choices based on is more of an objective one.

February Newsletter - Breathing, New Classes and a Great Book

2012-02-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

My February newsletter has been posted: click here.

Changing Things...Slowly

2012-01-31T14:53:00.000-08:00

I have a tendency towards rapid change. If I decide I want to do something, I have a tendency to move 100% in that direction, even if it's a 180 degree turn from where I was. Sometimes it works for me, and sometimes it doesn't. Oftentimes, I think the change takes longer to take hold than if I'd done it gradually.

Ayurveda suggests many changes to bring a body, mind and spirit into balance. But it also suggests to take those changes slowly, so as not to add additional stress to the system. I like that idea.

And now the admission: I'm a stomach sleeper. As someone with long-term lower back tightness and pain, I certainly know why NOT to sleep on my stomach. But any attempts to change it haven't been successful. So I decided to take a gentler approach.

Why do I want to sleep on my side? So that I can be plagued with less lower back and neck pain associated with how I sleep. Particularly the neck pain part which I feel like I have very little control over.

So now I start my night on my side (with my side sleeping pillow). I stay there as long as I can (and hopefully at some point I'll fall asleep there). If I don't fall asleep, I move over to my stomach sleeping pillow and go to sleep there. If I wake up during the night, I roll over to the side sleeping pillow and try to fall back asleep there.

So far, I'm still predominantly sleeping on my stomach, but I feel like I am making progress. And my neck isn't bothering me as much which is fantastic! Change, a little at a time.

Week 4 Challenge - I Am Complete

2012-01-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to challenge myself to reflect on various Yoga and Buddhist aspects throughout the year. The challenges come from a variety of places including readings in Deborah Adele's Yamas and Niyamas and Thich Nhat Hanh's Heart of the Buddha's Teaching and Happiness.

This week's challenge was to act as if I am complete. That might seem simple to some, but for me I knew it would be interesting. In the past I have struggled with some major self-esteem issues. I've come a long way with them, but they are still kicking around. And the root of all of them stem from not feeling good enough.

One of the things suggested for this week was to not need to be more or less than what I am. I found this challenge permeating my entire week. It was great!

There was a point early in the week when I was tempted to treat one of my students differently than I would treat the rest. I knew this came down to a feeling of needing to accommodate her, needing to change myself to suit the situation. Instead I decided to just be me, act as I would with anyone else, and it went wonderfully.

I often feel awkward when leaving phone messages. I'm not a phone person (much more comfortable with email or text) and voicemail is a one-sided conversation. After leaving an awkward voicemail mid-week, it was very easy to "let it go", rather than dwell, as I reminded myself that I was "just me" on that voicemail and that was all I need to be.

Those are just two examples, but all week I found that it was much easier to let things go, and I felt much more at ease in various situations as I reminded myself that I didn't need to be more or less than me. This gave me a huge boost of confidence throughout the week and I loved it!

My Daily Practices

2012-01-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

I consider myself to have a purpose (to share Yoga asana and meditation) and a path (my personal exploration of Yoga and Buddhism). The classes I teach each day are part of my purpose, but I also have several things I do each day as part of my path. They change and shift through time, but here's where they are at right now. These are some of the things that bring joy and peace to my day.

Morning

Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing)
Dharma reading from Heart of the Buddha's Teaching
5 Tibetan Rites

Around Noon

Yin Yoga practice while doing Mindfulness of Breathing meditation
3 days a week I also go for a run while listening to my Strength playlist on my iPod

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Restorative Yoga practice while doing Mantra Meditation (Guru Ram Das)

Before Bed

Oracle reading and Journalling
Nadi Shodhana

Finding Happiness

2012-01-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

This is a great article. What are you going to do today to find your happiness?

20 Ways to Find, Sustain and Share Happiness

Week 3 Challenge - Running Interference

2012-01-21T11:07:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to challenge myself to reflect on various Yoga and Buddhist aspects throughout the year. The challenges come from a variety of places including readings in Deborah Adele's Yamas and Niyamas and Thich Nhat Hanh's Heart of the Buddha's Teaching and Happiness.

This week was a great challenge. Am I stepping into people lives and managing theirs instead of mine? When am I running interference rather than letting people face their own situations?

I've been aware of this idea (and actively working on it) for a couple of years, but this week I made a point of being even more aware.

Early in the week I was in a meeting and someone was told, very last minute, that they would be running the meeting for the first time. I really wanted to step in and help them run it because I felt awkwardness that perhaps they weren't doing it "correctly". I curbed that urge and they did a fantastic job (and a very different job than I would have done). It felt great to let them be fully empowered and to recognize there is more than one right answer (something I preach all the time in asana and meditation classes).

One of the biggest places this applies for me is at home. I have such a tendency with my mom to "need to be right". Usually I notice after the fact and regret whatever I said. This week I worked on seeing the situation in the moment and letting her find her own way. And it felt great to create less tension within the house.

Of course, there were times I stepped into others lives and didn't realize until after. How did it feel? Not so good. I didn't feel "right", I didn't even feel that I helped. I just felt as if I took away some of their autonomy.

Moving forward, I will continue to focus on living my own life, making my own decisions and letting others do the same.

January Love List

2012-01-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

The peace and serenity I find in meditation.
Running (yes, I'm going down that road again).
Banana orange smoothie with homemade yogurt.
My mom for agreeing to make the yogurt.
Sleeping in.
Classes starting up with Parks & Rec again.
5 Tibetan Rites.
Club soda with lemon.
Refrigerator pickles.
The 8th season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (comic book).
My cat for crawling into bed with me this morning.
This banana bread.
Plans with friends this week/weekend.
My weekly contemplations (Week 1, Week 2).
Mashed butternut squash.
The look of the snow outside (I'd rather it not be here, but I do think it looks pretty).
Baked spaghetti sauce.
The Ayurveda course I'm taking.
A good balance of teaching and contract work.
Eating mostly healthy, mostly unprocessed foods.

Yoga - all over the news!

2012-01-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

If you are a fellow Yoga blogger, you already have been down this road. But if my blog is the only Yoga blog you follow, you may not have heard of the controversy of late.

The short story: The NY Times wrote an article called "How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body". I'm not going to write a response to that article, because many others have done it much more eloquently.

The original article: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body
From Ashtanga Yoga New York: How the NYT Can Wreck Yoga
From The Everything Yoga Blog: Injury: Your Wake Up Call
From Take It Easy Yoga: Response to NY Times Article
From Yoga Spy: Tell Me About Pain, Yours, And I Will Tell You Mine

Week 2 Challenge - Finding My Balance

2012-01-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yummy Substitutions

2012-01-12T12:15:00.000-08:00

I've been on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), for a little over 2 weeks. When I tell people that the diet is "no grains, no sugar, no dairy except homemade yogurt and aged cheese", a lot of people are appalled at the restrictiveness. However, I find the food I do eat really tasty. I thought I'd share some of my favorite substitutions:

Butternut squash fries (instead of potato or sweet potato fries)
Prosciutto instead of bacon
Banana bread made with ground almonds (instead of flour)
Hot chicken wings made with homemade hot sauce of honey, butter, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper (instead of bottled hot sauce)
Club soda with a lemon wedge (instead of pop)

In general I consider the substitutions I make better for me. While they sometimes have more calories or fat, they also have more nutrition and less processing.

Inspiration in Music

2012-01-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

I have a playlist on my iPod called "Strength". If someone were to ask me what is in it my answer would be "inspirational music, music I use to connect to the Divine". What are you imagining? Yoga music? Faith music? Not so much.

Long before I identified as a Buddhist and even before I recognized I was on a spiritual path, I loved certain songs. I grew up listening to country music. But country or pop, I loved music that talked about that perfect love. Which was odd since I didn't really go for that whole perfect romantic love notion.

A couple of years ago, I realized why the songs were speaking to me. For me, that perfect love is that perfect love with the Divine. It's that connection with my inner Buddha.

Now when I listen to those songs, it becomes part of my spiritual practice. Some random examples:

Kelly Clarkson: “You got a piece of me / Andhonestly, / My life would suck without you”.

Sinead O’Connor: “I was not listening anymore / Stillyou continued to affect me”.

Jessie Farrell: “Each time you came around I felt a bitlighter / Lost in a sense of something so right”.

Week 1 Challenge - Outside my Comfort Zone

2012-01-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to challenge myself to reflect on various Yoga and Buddhist aspects throughout the year. The challenges come from a variety of places including readings in Deborah Adele's Yamas and Niyamas and Thich Nhat Hanh's Heart of the Buddha's Teaching and Happiness.

This week's challenge was to do some things I wouldn't normally do, if possible things I was afraid to do. I found it an interesting challenge. I mostly did it by reflection; I didn't start each day thinking "what will I do for my challenge today" but rather reflected on what I did that was outside the typical.

One of the big things for me this week was that I avoided some procrastination. I definitely tend towards "I'll do that later". A small example is that if I have recycling I will set it on the counter and won't get around to taking it to the recycling bin until much later. This week I made a point of doing more things in the moment (recycling, taking the laundry down, etc). And it felt good to have it done and not adding to my to-do list.

I asked for what I wanted this week. Two friends offered to buy me lunch for various reasons. However, due to the diet I'm on (SCD), eating out is sort of frustrating and a bit boring. My first inclination was to just say no to going out. However, what I really wanted was a raincheck. Normally, this would be something I wouldn't ask for and I know the root of that is fear (not wanting to be an inconvenience). But instead I asked for a raincheck, and it felt great to be honest about what I wanted.

I've been working this week on finding the right time of day for working out. One day I thought I'd work out in the mid-afternoon but that just hasn't been the right time (lack of motivation), so I figured I would skip it that day since I had classes all evening. When my classes were unexpectedly cancelled, I decided to workout in the evening which is definitely not typical. I was glad to get the workout in and it provided me motivation to find a better time to workout (morning).

These are some small ways I've stepped out of my comfort zone this week. I definitely found that doing the unfamiliar wasn't nearly as difficult as it is in my mind. It definitely bolstered my sense of self and helped me to have more authentic relationships with others.

Foiled by Technology

2012-01-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

If you've been trying to reach me by phone or text in the last week, I'd like to apologize. Apparently I was receiving neither phone calls (including voicemail) or text messages but my phone showed full service. All is fixed now, but any messages sent during that time might have been lost. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Slowing Down with the Breath

2012-01-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

I like this post from Yoga Spy on Pranayama (breath control). I love breathing exercises but, like the writer, stillness does not always come naturally to me.

Pranayama, sleep, and other New Year’s resolutions

Ayurveda - self-analysis

2012-01-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

In November, I wrote an Introduction to Ayurveda post. Today, I wanted to share some self-analysis I've done as part of a course I'm taking.

How would you evaluate the proportions of the three Doshas in your own constitution? There are 3 Doshas or energies that make up everything including us. They are Vata (air/ether), Kapha (earth/water) and Pitta (fire/water). I am Kapha, with smaller amounts of Pitta and Vata (in approximately equal proportions). Some of my Kapha traits are a tendency to gain weight, short height, pale skin, low appetite, strong immune system, tendency toward increased mucus/phlegm and towards lethargy and depression. I also possess the Pitta characteristic of a tendency to be argumentative, and the Vata characteristics of being sensitive to cold, wind and dryness and an adaptable and indecisive mental nature. I believe my Kapha is increased due to a tendency towards Kapha-increasing choices over the past decade. My natural constitution is likely a bit more balanced than it appears right now.

How would you evaluate the proportions of the three gunas in your own nature?The gunas represent mental traits of clarity (Sattva), distraction (Rajas) and dullness (Tamas). They reflect development of the soul as we move from Tamas to Rajas and from Rajas to Sattva. I would evaluate myself as primarily rajasic, with some sattvic and tamasic characteristics. Without striving to develop sattva, I have a tendency towards controlling, becoming attached, greed, materialism, and the seeking of comfort and luxury. I also have a tendency towards the tamasic traits of lethargy and depression. When I work on developing sattva, I am calm, peaceful, compassionate and patient.

January Newsletter - new classes, mp3s and a survey!

2011-12-31T14:23:00.001-08:00

My January newsletter has been posted: click here.

Yoga Nidra

2011-12-29T14:21:00.000-08:00

"If you've been thinking you could benefit from exploring a meditation practice, you might want to start with yoga nidra. Classes in this deeply relaxing style are becoming more available, but it's also really well-suited to a home practice using one of the many available audio recordings."

That's a blurb to introduce this great overview article on Yoga Nidra.

For really detailed Yoga Nidra instructions and information, I like this site.

Guided Meditation mp3s

2011-12-26T15:34:00.000-08:00

I now have guided meditation audio files available for purchase from my website:

Nadine's Yoga Downloads

Right now I have Mindfulness of Breathing and Loving Kindness meditations available. Additional files will be added in the future including Chakra meditation and guided Yoga routines.

Cat in Sun Salutation

2011-12-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

I love this video. My cat likes when I do Yoga but she's not quite this adventurous!

Holiday Food and Yummy Pancakes

2011-12-22T09:19:00.000-08:00

My last post about food was on December 13. I was still flying high on healthy food that day. Then I started to have problems with the foods I was adding back into my diet (tomatoes, chili peppers) and with other foods I had been eating all along.

Then came the first of my indulgence days. And they're still going. What can I say? It's the holidays and I'm enjoying all of the sweet treats of the season. And I'm paying for it because my body certainly doesn't love me eating this way.

I made a decision almost a week ago to go back on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), starting Dec 27. I've done this diet before for 8 months and it was the happiest my digestive system has ever been.

Almond flour (ground blanched almonds) is typically a big part of the SCD. I've had a lot of experience cooking with almond flour and made some great recipes. However, they always were obviously different than their grain-filled counterparts. Until I made these pancakes.

Before I share the pancake recipe, if you make these don't feel discouraged. I made a half batch and they got all gummed up in my blender (oh no!). So I put the batter in a bowl and stirred it; it seemed way to thick (oh no!). I put the batter on a griddle and it didn't spread itself, I needed to use the spatula (oh no!). Then I burnt one side (oh no!). After all of that I almost didn't try them. But I'm so glad I did. So tasty! And very pancake like.

Elana's pancake recipe (and see my notes below): Pancakes

1) Almond flour can be anywhere from coarse to fine depending on your source. Mine has always been on the coarse side which is what made my baked goods so different from flour based recipes. Before making the pancakes, I pulsed the almond flour in my mini-food processor to get a finer grind. I think this is what gave them that perfect pancake texture.

2) I don't use agave, so I substituted homemade apple syrup.

Leaving Facebook

2011-12-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

Before you read the "why" below (if you're interested), I want to address the big question of "but Nadine, how do we stay in touch without Facebook?":

read my blog. You can either 1) pop by and read it anytime; 2) follow my blog (easy to do if you use a blogging or blog tracking application); or 3) follow my blog by email (enter your email in the space to the right, under "Follow by Email")
email me either at info@nadinesyoga.ca (for Yoga related inquiries) or at my personal email account
call/text me (contact info on my website http://www.nadinesyoga.ca/)
letters
visits

Why am I leaving Facebook? Sometimes a simple conversation sparks a big change. That happened last night. I was out walking with a good friend. Near the end of our walk we stumbled onto the topic of Facebook. I talked about how I'd love to leave Facebook but just didn't see if happening since I felt it was keeping me in touch with certain people. Then we parted ways and the idea kept running around in my head.

When I first joined Facebook in 2007 I became addicted to it immediately and used it constantly. Then, over the years, my presence dropped off. When I started my business in 2010, I decided to use my personal profile page as an additional way to "advertise" my business. And eventually it became a place where I simply linked to my blog posts here.

As a businesswoman, everyone tells me I need to utilize social media. I understand how powerful social media can be. However, I also know that social media that needs constant updating goes against many of my personal philosophies. I don't believe I've gotten a single student through Facebook, but I have gotten new students through online Yoga directories and new friends through this blog.

From a personal perspective, I have remained on Facebook as long as I have because I wanted to stay in touch with certain people. But the reality is I'm not in touch with them. I watch things happening in their life through their posts, but don't actually connect to them. In letting Facebook go, I will need to be more pro-active about emailing/writing/visiting those people that I really want to stay in touch with.

It will be mid-January when I deactivate my Facebook account, so we have plenty of time to share email addresses/cell phone numbers before then.

Gingerbread Yogis

2011-12-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

Check out this site: Baked Ideas

For my US readers, you can buy Gingerbread Yogi cookie cutters, or just buy the cookies! They look awesome. While they don't offer international shipping, arrangements could probably be made to get the cookie cutters up to Canada.

December Love List

2011-12-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

Five Tibetan Rites. I'm loving the energy they give me and how great my back feels.
Smoothies. Such a refreshing, light meal.
My neti pot.
The holiday festivities, even if we don't really celebrate the holiday at our house.
Fresh pineapple.
The PVR. I love watching what we want, when we want to.
A bit of extra time to visit with friends through the holidays.
Fruit juice pop (fruit juice and club soda).
The incredible cuteness that is my cat.
My new haircut; just a subtle change but I love it.
Garlic and fine herb Boursin.
My mom, of course!
Lots of library books waiting for me to read them.
Sleeping in late (although I am trying to do that a little less often).
My students; each one a different treasure.
Contract work that keeps me busy and engaged.
My electric toothbrush which helped me spend less at my dentist appointment.
All the food blogs I read. So many gluten free and almond flour recipes out there for me to try.
Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga; I love what they're doing for my body.
Yamas and Niyamas, I never get tired of reading this book.

Clean Program - Week 3 and Gift Card Draw

2011-12-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

Before I update on my last week on the Clean Program I have a couple of announcements.

For those that live in the City of Nanaimo (or surrounding area): To be entered in a free draw to win a $25, $50 or $100 gift card with City of Nanaimo Parks, Recreation & Culture department (can be used for admissions, program registrations, RecPasses, facility rentals, etc) send an email with your name and phone number to giftcards@nanaimo.ca and put “Parks, Recreation & Culture gift card contest” in the subject heading. 1 entry per person. Deadline is Sunday Dec 18.

Congratulations to the winner of the YMX Giveaway: Cathy at Take It Easy Yoga!

The last day of my cleanse was Saturday. What did I love about the cleanse? How well my body felt during it (very light, not overburdened). Experimenting with different foods. Getting some physical distance from what was once the monkeys on my back (sugar, fat, processed foods). What didn't I love? Really, nothing, I loved the cleanse. And during the last week of it I found my energy very high.

What does it mean now that I'm done the cleanse? I have 3 types of days now: regular, indulgence and cleanse. My regular days (most of my days) I am slowly adding foods back in one at a time. I added tomatoes back in on Sun/Mon (homemade tomato soup) and they were a success! Today/tomorrow I'm adding in chili peppers.

What do I want to keep from the cleanse? A smoothie for breakfast. Basically 3 meals a day with little to no snacking. And a very simplified way to eat. While I intend to add more foods back in, there are plenty of foods that I intend to save for indulgence days rather than add to my day to day eating.

I will continue to update my blog sporadically on how the food re-integration is going as well as post some of my recipes.

Photos

2011-12-10T09:46:00.001-08:00

In early November I did a photo shoot with JNE Photography. In addition to the lovely photo shown to the right, I also wanted to share some of my other favorites. November was a cold, windy time to do a photo shoot, but I'm glad I did. Jenny managed to capture a great cross section of who I am.

Finding the Humour

2011-12-08T15:12:00.001-08:00

I love this post from Everything Yoga on not taking things too seriously with some attached links of Yoga absurdity: Yoga Outrage: A Lesson in Not Taking it All Too Seriously

Clean Program - Week 2

2011-12-06T11:52:00.001-08:00

The end of Saturday marked the end of Week 2 on the Clean Program cleanse. How's it going?

I started having some cravings last week. Not really taste bud cravings, definitely not body cravings. More like mental, comfort food cravings. They've been easy to ignore, but it helps that I know the cleanse is nearly done. All the Christmas chocolate surrounding me these days hasn't helped with the cravings.

My body feels great. Still loving the cleanse. On Friday night it was our office Christmas Party (for the company I work for on contract sometimes). I was definitely off-cleanse that night. Potato leek soup. Salmon in puff pastry. Sticky toffee pudding. I expected to enjoy the food greatly and suffer greatly. I was surprised on both counts. The food was kind of mediocre, except the dessert which was exceptional, although ridiculously sweet. And while I suffered, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. My energy level was low on Saturday but back up on Sunday. And I was really glad to get back to the cleanse.

I love how the restrictions on food has made me a more creative cook and also reminded me that sometimes I like something really simple. I've been doing some planning for when the cleanse ends and re-integration of some of the eliminated foods. I'm looking forward to seeing what foods I have reactions to and which I don't. Tomatos will be the first ones I try.

I'll check in next Tuesday and let you know how the cleanse finished up and how the transition out is going.

For Week 1 - click here

YMX Shirt Review and Giveaway!

2011-12-03T14:22:00.001-08:00

YMX (YellowMan Expression) contacted me to see if I wanted to review their Winter Flower Tri-Pocket Jersey.

YMX clothing is built on tattoo art, offering wonderful athletic clothing with phenomenal style. Just check out their website for all the fantastic colours and designs.

My Review

For those that know me, this shirt is a lot "louder" than what I typically wear. So I was excited to try it and see what I thought. I wore this shirt for several Yoga classes, during my exercise and to the office.

What did I love:

The fit - a fantastic snug fit that moved with me.
The colour and design - I felt fierce in this shirt. I'm not sure I'd choose that everyday, but I loved it while I wore it.
The material - a light synthetic. While I was a little too cool in late November wearing this, I know I'll love it come summer!
The lining - the shirt has a white lining inside which means that when it stretches over parts of my body, the lining simply shows through (instead of me).
A UPF of 50+ - since I'm usually slathered up with sunscreen all summer, this will be a great alternative.

I had no complaints. There is a hidden zipper that goes halfway down the front of the shirt. The only thing I would add to this is to take the hidden zipper the full length and be able to zip from top or bottom (for extra venting).

Disclaimer: I was sent this product, free of charge, in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Giveaway

Would you like to win a jersey? YMX will send a Winter Flower Tri-Pocket Jersey to one of my lucky readers. To enter:

visit YMX and tell me what piece you love either in a comment on this posting below (preferred) or send an email to info@nadinesyoga.ca. Be sure I have both your name and email in whichever method you choose.

A winner will be chosen by utlizing random.org on December 10. Open to Canadian and US residents.

December Newsletter

2011-12-01T12:22:00.001-08:00

My December newsletter has been posted: click here.

Coming on Saturday: a review and giveaway contest.

Have a Ball

2011-11-29T16:14:00.001-08:00

I came across this website about Becalm Balls. Check out this amazing Canadian product. A great way to quickly relax and something that can deepen the Savasana at the end of Yoga practice. I haven't tried them yet, but I've heard great things and look forward to giving them a try soon.

Clean Program - Week 1

2011-11-26T09:36:00.001-08:00

I'm on Day 7 of a 21 day cleanse. This is the Clean Program, created by Dr. Alejandro Junger. There is a book version and a kit version of the cleanse. I'm doing something in between since I didn't have the book. I modified the kit version so that I wouldn't have to buy the kit (super expensive, especially for Canadians).

There are people that are pro-cleanse and some that are not. For me, it depends on the type of cleanse. My main goals in doing the cleanse was to give my body a break from the toxic food I had been ingesting (fast food, sugar, caffeine, etc) and to use the re-introduction process at the end to gauge my sensitivity to various foods.

I have a shake for breakfast and for supper. For lunch I have a meal out of allowed foods. One of the main characteristics of this cleanse is eliminating all foods that are known to cause food allergies or sensitivities. It is not calorie restricted and you still take in enough calories to meet metabolic needs. In addition, supplements are taken to help support the detoxification process.

While I'm on Day 7 of the cleanse, I also did 6 days before of the Elimination Diet, removing all of the foods that would be taken out during the cleanse to help ease my body into the cleanse a bit more.

My body definitely doesn't miss the food I used to eat. My taste buds miss it a little. My creativity really misses some of my standard foods. I can't have tomatoes on the cleanse but they are a huge part of my cooking repertoire, so I'll be happy to try and add them back in when the cleanse is over.

I am enjoying the cleanse. I feel like my taste buds have been rewired away from sweet a bit (since fruit is my only sugar now). My body is definitely loving the food. I am also finding it nice to not have to cook a meal at night. I'm excited to see how the last 2 weeks of the cleanse go.

Finding the Good

2011-11-24T12:20:00.001-08:00

I love this post from Everything Yoga (and I've been to that Yoga class where Savasana is such a relief): Finding the Good

Introduction to Ayurveda

2011-11-22T09:38:00.001-08:00

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of healing,the traditional medicine of

India

.It is a healing art that integrates body, mind and spirit. Ayur means life andVeda mean knowledge.

Ayurvedasees everything as interconnected. The body, the mind, the spirit. Ayurvedasees that blockages in energy can manifest in many different mental andphysical ailments. Ayurveda looks for the root cause, as opposed to lookingsolely at the symptom.

Ayurveda is Yogic medicine. It is a holistic, energetic medicine. It looks at how a substance affects the prana (life force). It looks at how a substance affects the mind and spirit. Ayurveda considers that the inner treatment is more important than the outer treatment. The outer is just a manifestation of what is going on inside.

There are 3 Doshas or energies that make up everything including us. They are Vata (air/ether), Kapha (earth/water) and Pitta (fire/water). There are many quizzes out there to help you determine your dominant Dosha; here is one: Dosha Quiz.

Ayurvedadictates that there is a reason for all things. Any condition we experience iscaused by something of a like nature. Kapha increases Kapha. Vata increasesVata. Pitta increases Pitta. Knowing what causes our conditions can allow us totreat them more effectively.

Dreams

2011-11-19T10:17:00.001-08:00

Who determines whether your dream is valid? Who decides that something is worthy?

As a child, I was encouraged to "shoot for the stars", generally at that time considered to be a doctor or lawyer. I was told I could be anything I wanted. I wanted to be a secretary and a teacher (and I believed I would be rich because of the double career).

As a teenager, I was told I would be going to university, it was just a matter of what path and which one (and there were only 2 options given). Given those parameters, I chose to go into Computer Science.

At 17, I realized I didn't want to be in Computer Science and my options appeared to be limited to other disciplines at the university I was at. I chose Environmental Systems Engineering.

At 20, I was restless and a career counsellor gave me many options in the environmental field and I chose to study Groundwater Engineering Technology.

Throughout my environmental career I remained restless, always feeling like the grass was greener elsewhere. I took many other courses but never found a home. At 34, I decided to follow one of my dreams and become a Yoga Teacher.

Today I am a full-time Yoga teacher (with contract work supplementing my income). There is no greener grass. I am fulfilled and content.

And yet, when I did some research I found that 85% of Yoga Teachers in BC make less than $25,000 per year teaching. I'm still in that 85% but I work full-time because this is my calling and I believe that before long I'll be able to support myself teaching. If I had presented this as my career plan as a child, teenager, at 17 or at 20, I'm sure I would have been told to give my head a shake and pick a more practical plan. But without question this is the right path for me.

Who determines whether your dreams are valid?

Eye Yoga

2011-11-17T14:54:00.001-08:00

Check out this great article on Yoga for the eyes: Yoga keeps your peepers happy and healthy longer

November Love List

2011-11-15T10:33:00.001-08:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

Coconut rice pudding.
Friends who I never run out of things to talk about with.
Sunny days.
Curling up on the couch to read in the mornings.
Restorative Yoga, it adds such a nice balance to the Hatha and Yin.
The feeling of lightness from the elimination diet I'm on.
Wheat free soy sauce.
Waking up with a cat next to me.
Time outside.
Club soda with lemon.
Both new and continuing students.
My mom's boundless energy (glad one of us has that).
My hair: it's getting so long!
Melons, it may not really be the season but I'm glad I can get them right now.
The new tv show Grimm.
Water: the most nourishing thing I can drink.
Big hoodies and warm toques.
My relatively small to do list.
Exploring Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand).
The knowledge that I'm giving my body nutrition right now instead of things that tax it.

The A word, S word and F word

2011-11-12T11:26:00.001-08:00

That's right: Ambition, Strive and Future. What did you think I meant?

Why are these bad words? They don't have to be. Just like the ego isn't a bad thing, as long as I don't get stuck in it.

I am self-employed, a small business owner. The networking organizations talk about setting goals, long term planning, etc. So I spent some time recently doing some long term planning. It was actually a fun exercise of where do I see myself in 1 yr, 2 yrs, 5 yrs and so on. I did it because I knew what my vision was for the next year but hadn't thought much beyond that.

My thoughts during the planning included "what is the logical progression of my career", "how do I reach more people once my classes are full".

And then the next night I was doing an oracle reading and the question came up "What is your heart's true desire?" And I immediately realized it wasn't what I had projected in my planning. My true desire aligns with what I'm doing now and my vision I already had for about a year down the road. Everything beyond that was getting into a business so busy that it wasn't at all what I wanted. Everything beyond that was feeding my ego and a cultural drive to always be moving upward.

Striving isn't a bad thing, but what am I striving for? My true goal is happiness and I'm happy, so why would I need to get somewhere else?

Thich Nhat Hanh said it well: "The Heart Sutra says that there is 'nothing to attain.' We meditate not to attain enlightenment, because enlightenment is already in us. We don't have to search anywhere. We don't need a purpose or a goal. ... In aimlessness, we see that we do not lack anything, that we already are what we want to become, and our striving just comes to a halt."

Fire the Grid: Global Meditation Tonight!

2011-11-10T08:16:00.001-08:00

A friend sent me info on Fire the Grid earlier in the week. I admit that I thought "heck no!". I thought the idea of global meditation (everyone meditating, praying, whatever sends out good vibes for them at the same time) was a fantastic, powerful idea. However, since our timeslot is 3:11 am to 4:11 am, I was not feeling drawn to the idea.

Something made me think of it this morning. And I thought "why not?". I don't have classes tomorrow morning, I don't have classes tonight. I can get up for an hour in the middle of the night. Hopefully I won't fall asleep while meditating.

I encourage you to consider joining this amazing movement. It's short notice, but if you can make it work, join the love! For those that live on the east coast or overseas, they've got much more palatable times of day since everyone is synced up across the world. I've attached the website link below and I'm going to borrow my friend's word because he said it well: "It's a little out there at moments but the reality of the situation is there will be a giant healing taking place across the globe. So if you're interested you should give it a try and/or spread the word to those you know who might take interest."

The website: Fire the Grid

The Yoga Conference - Restorative Yoga

2011-11-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

This year I just went to The Yoga Conference for 1 day (Sunday). I took a 6 hour workshop called Learning to Teach Restorative Yoga and Nourish Bone, Blood and Breath taught by Djuna Mascall.

What an amazing experience! I have taken Restorative classes before and have had a personal Restorative practice for a while now. But I really always thought of Restorative as relaxation and it was great to learn about all the nourishing aspects of Restorative and how it works on the fluid body.

I taught my first Restorative class last night and it was great to share these amazing poses with one of my students. I hope that more students try this class out as I think it is a great complement to either a Hatha or Yin Yoga practice.

Now I'm looking at how I incorporate what I've learned into my own Restorative practice. Last night I did a supported Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana) variation and it was amazing! It was great to be in such a fabulous inversion without the effort I usually need to put into it.

The other thing we learnt a little of in the workshop was Somatics. I am really excited to study more on this amazing mind/body integration practice.

Preoccupied

2011-11-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

I admit it, I'm rather preoccupied right now. Tomorrow I'm going to Vancouver for The Yoga Conference. Monday I've got a photo shoot with Jne Photography. My Blackberry calendar is completely messed up (and since it is where I keep my class information, that's a pretty stressful situation). And I'm looking at some major changes in what I eat.

I'm still loving my sadhana (spritual practice). I'm making time for me, even when I'm busy. But, I just don't have the time today to update the blog. So I'll see you next week with stories from Vancouver and the photo shoot.

Your Daily Ayurvedic Rhythm

2011-11-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

I have been studying Ayurveda for a couple of years and I love this article on MindBodyGreen about aligning with your Ayurvedic rhythm:

How to Align with Your Daily Ayurvedic Rhythm

November Newsletter

2011-11-01T11:26:00.001-07:00

My November newsletter has been posted: click here.

Yoga and Weight Loss

2011-10-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

This is a topic that some have asked me: "Will I lose weight doing Yoga ?" The short version of my usual answer is "Not directly, but Yoga can help you get to a place physically and mentally where you are more ready for weight loss."

Here is a great article that answers this question well: 6 Ways Yoga Supports Weight Loss

Looking Forward To...

2011-10-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

5 things I am looking forward to:

Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth by Peter Kelder. I'm already doing the Five Tibetan Rites each morning, but I look forward to reading some of the details about them in this book.
Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep). I did do this amazing practice a couple of years ago while on retreat. But I look forward to exploring it further on my own.
Great Vow Monastery. I don't know when I'll get the chance but I look forward to visiting this monastery someday.
New authors. I read a lot of fiction. And I read fast. So I recently needed to add to my list of authors. I have several new authors on request from the library and look forward to reading their books.
Dinner out tonight with great friends and yummy Thai food.

The Wonder of Change

2011-10-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am alternately drawn towards change and drawn towards routine. I often describe myself as someone who loves a rut, until it's time for a new rut. I think I owe part of that to a childhood and early adulthood that involved lots of moving. This is my 28th home. So while part of me craves consistency the other part is always looking to the next move.

And one thing I do know and appreciate is that change is the only constant. I am still finding my way in so many things in my life. In the same way that I encourage my students to find what is right for them, I am also doing the same for myself. I feel a little like I've found a comfy bed, but now I keep adjusting things so I can sink a little deeper into this place.

What has been shifting around for me lately?

I've made some changes to my Sadhana (spiritual practice) so that it has become something I can't imagine my day without; and today I'm going to add another phase to brighten my day even more.

I may have finally found the answer for how to sit during meditation. After writing 2 blog posts on it (one in July, one this month), things have changed yet again and I'm mostly loving where I'm at but I expect some more small shifts as I sink a little deeper into it.

And my food is undergoing a shift to more vegetable based meals and less meat ones. Or at least my heart is behind that shift...now I just need my mind and taste buds on board.

And I'm sure more changes are on the horizon, since that is part of life.

I'd also like to thank Kirsty over at Yoga Kirsty for re-posting my October 12th entry.

Technology - a fickle love affair

2011-10-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I have those days. When I think it would be good to go back to the days before electricity. That moment is fleeting and I come to my senses realizing I love hot running water, an electric stove and many other "conveniences" of our times.

But electricity lead to technology and suddenly we're in an age of technology everywhere.

What do I love about technology? The ability to Google anything from lyrics to a song to the heaviest organ in the human body (yes, we had a reason to Google that). My iPod loaded with my favorite songs. The ability to plan an entire vacation sitting in front of my computer. Texting and email, because I'm really not a phone person.

What would I sometimes rather do without? Facebook telling me everything that's going on with someone I barely know (yes I know, I can change my settings). The microwave, because I really question the quality of the food that comes out of it. How easy it is to waste an hour or more in front of the computer.

But for all the back and forth, I admit I am still mostly a techno-lover. What brought on this post today? I just borrowed an e-reader from the library and am about to find out how it compares to reading "real" books.

What Does Good and Bad Really Mean?

2011-10-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

I love this post from Everything Yoga. The next time you label something "good" or "bad", see if you can figure out where that label is coming from.

How to Sit for Meditation - the Drama!

2011-10-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

I've been regularly meditating for a couple years. And the saga is ongoing on how to sit for meditation and what I sit on. I'm not a chair meditator or a lying down meditator (although I have students in both camps), so I'm talking solely about sitting options on the floor.

To me, there are two standard options: cross-legged or Rock Pose (aka Hero Pose). Since I play with both, I'll discuss both.

I sit cross-legged during my evening meditation, when my back and hips are a bit looser. I love the feel of this one. But what to sit on? I have tried nothing, a rolled up Yoga mat, round meditation cushions, cylindrical bolsters, rectangular bolsters, folded up blankets, blocks and probably a few other things. After all of that the winner for me is: a rolled up Yoga mat. It provides the right height, it's comfortable and it allows my tailbone to draw down, which is important for my back staying comfortable. If my back gives me grief, I am close enough to a wall to slip a pillow in behind me.

I sit in Rock Pose during my morning meditation, when my back and hips are a bit tighter. Due to my back injury, this is how I learnt to meditate. What to sit on? I have tried blocks, blocks with blankets, stacked meditation cushions, meditation benches, bolsters and various other household items that seemed to be able to provide the right height. The winner for me: a meditation bench. However, since I don't own one yet, I'm currently using a foam roller (that I have from my running days) with a pillow on top.

Figuring out how to sit comfortably is an individual endeavour and there are plenty of supplies out there to make your meditation more enjoyable.

October Love List

2011-10-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Seems to be a week of lists. 20 things I'm loving right now:

Spicy food; could be that I just had a great lunch at Delicados.
My morning sadhana (spiritual practice): a great way to wake up leaving me a combination of energized, yet serene.
Ritz Thin Crisp Crackers.
Catching up with friends.
The Guru Ram Das mantra.
Revenge (the TV show, not the act).
Lumosity.
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching; it's taking me a while to read it, but I'm really enjoying this book.
My evening sadhana: a nice relaxing before bed ritual.
My mom doing the house cleaning again.
Homemade strawberry yogurt (I'm not making the yogurt, just the mixture).
Cool fall weather.
My students: always a joy and a challenge.
Bananas and peanut butter.
Getting to do some fun contract work for good money.
My body feels like it's getting used to the morning exercises.
Clearing some old stuff off of my to-do list.
My new Yoga Cat calendar, a gift from one of my students.
That I'm totally okay with having a video on the internet of me in a hot tub! If you haven't seen it, click here.
Figuring out how I'm going to expand my spiritual explorations.

13 Things - My Take

2011-10-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

I came across a link to this article: 13 Things Your Yoga Teacher Won't Tell You, and wanted to give my take on their list.

I don't have all the answers - That should be obvious, but I certainly say it enough times in case it's not. All I can share is my training and my experience and only you can determine if something in that works for you.
Clean your mat - Always a good idea, but I don't tell my students to do this. I do tell them that I clean the mats in my studio between each use and clean my own mat weekly.
I love teaching yoga, but teaching is torture if I haven’t been able to do my own practice in awhile - Just not true for me. I always have some type of practice going on and Yoga always feels great.
Yoga is not a magic bullet or a pill you can take to solve your bad attitude if you’re not prepared to put in the work yourself - Okay, I probably wouldn't ever say that. It's true, but I also don't find students who feel this way are who I generally encounter.
Wear deodorant - I would definitely never say this. I have yet to have someone in my class that smelled bad, like BO bad. I have had a few with excess fragrance smells (from lotion or other products). And I would certainly never tell someone to wear deodorant since I don't (now one of my dirty little secrets is out).
I may be smiling at you when you walk in late and loudly slam your mat on the floor next to your meditating classmates but that doesn’t mean I approve - Again, these just don't seem to be the students I have. When someone comes in late, they do it quietly and apologetically. And I am just happy they made the time to come.
I am not doing this for the money - I definitely don't do this for the money, I do it for the opportunity to share Yoga with others. But I also make my living at it, so I'm grateful for what my students are able to offer.
I have poses I dread and avoid practicing and teaching - I don't know about dread. I do have my less favorite poses, usually ones that trigger tension somewhere in my body. And I probably do teach them a little less, but since they tend to be advanced poses that makes sense for my classes.
I hate yoga sometimes - Never, absolutely never!
When people have matchy-matchy yoga outfits and every single prop, designer yoga mat and accessory on the market, I question what their practice is really about - Wow, that would seem judgemental of me! Some people like the clothes, some people like the props. And if that makes them more excited about Yoga, I say "why not?" I don't think I can assess what someone's practice is really about by looking at anything external, whether it is their clothes, mat or poses.
It’s one thing to modify a posture if you’re having trouble with it. But don’t just ignore the teacher and freestyle your way through class - It might be a bit weird for the other students if this were happening. But generally if a student is doing a different pose than the rest, they've either discussed it with me or they let me know why at the time. And since it is their practice, they need to do what is right for them.
I am not a doctor - This I say all the time. I am not a doctor or a physical therapist. I am not a spiritual adviser. Just like #1, all I can share are my experiences and what has worked for me and then it's up to you to figure out where you go from there.
Yoga is HARD - Yes, I say it, but not too often. Yoga is hard, but that isn't necessarily what I want my students to focus on.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-10-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd do a gratitude list. There are, of course, all the conventional things I'm grateful for: family, friends, cat, students, health, home, etc. But I thought I'd do a list of 5 more material things I'm grateful for:

The PVR. I know it might be weird to be grateful for TV, but it is so nice to watch what I want, when I want.
My Blackberry. This is definitely the best purchase I made in regards to my business. I don't have to log into the computer to stay connected.
The library. I don't know what I'd do if I had to pay for books; probably read a whole lot less.
Astro for making a nearly lactose-free yogurt.
Jockey for clothes that look good and are well made.

Interview at Newsy Jacuzzi

2011-10-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

NewsyJacuzzi.com - Nadine Schwager from Hollandaise Media on Vimeo.

Take a Deep Breath

2011-10-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

Some breathing exercises from Everything Yoga: Fill 'er Up

Sharing my Sadhana

2011-10-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a lot of energy lately and I think that I owe a lot of that to my spiritual practice (Sadhana). So I thought I'd share what it looks like right now (it does evolve and shift along with me). I don't necessarily do all of this every day, but when I do fit it all into a day, it's a pretty great day!

Morning Sadhana:

Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing)
Kundalini Yoga practice including Sat Kriya and Kirtan Kriya Meditation

Mid-day Sadhana:

Buddhism or Kundalini Yoga reading
Mantra Meditation (Guru Ram Das mantra)
Yin Yoga
Hatha Yoga

Before bed Sadhana:

Oracle reading and Journaling
Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation
Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani) while listening to music that I feel connected to
Nadi Shodhana

October Newsletter

2011-10-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

The October newsletter is up: click here.

Exploring Impatience

2011-09-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

I'm generally a very patient person. I don't feel as if I came by this patience naturally, but have cultivated it throughout my life. I'm a natural teacher, so patience is a big part of that.

In almost all scenarios I have almost limitless patience. And then there are the occassional times when I have almost no patience. And I don't like that feeling of frustration in me as I deal with the situation less than effectively.

Now I'm trying to be more aware of the situations that trigger impatience and what is it that is causing me to lose my cool (even if only internally). It often comes down to situations where I have certain expectations but almost no control. My gut instinct is that I need more control in those areas, but the reality is that I need to manage my expectations.

Optimism is good. But sometimes things don't go the way I expect. And that's okay. It's all about rolling with the new situation. I know I have this skill, because I use it in my teaching all the time. Now I'm working on tapping into it in the other areas of my life that need a little work.

Quiet, Cozy Day

2011-09-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

It's one of those curl by the fire days. I love rainy, cool weather like we're having right now.

Even when I'm relaxing I have a tendency to be up and down a lot. Lots of movement and lots of up and down the stairs.

But today I am trying to give an injured leg as much rest as possible. So I will spend the day lying on the couch watching TV and movies.

Productivity is good, but so is rest and relaxation. Now that the productive part of my day is over (teaching / administration), I'll head in to the hibernation portion.

Releasing Tension

2011-09-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this article on releasing tension: Tension - Its Cause and Release

Is There a Right and Wrong?

2011-09-21T11:34:00.001-07:00

My City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation classes started up again this week. It has me thinking about right and wrong.

Phrases I hear from new students:

Am I allowed to bend my knees?
Am I breathing right?
I didn't know I could do that!

It can be easy to think there is a right and wrong way to do Yoga asanas and to meditate. Certainly there might be a right and wrong way according to certain traditions and schools. And there is most likely a right and wrong way for each individual.

But what works for someone is the right way for them. All I provide are tools and guidelines to help others on their own paths. At the end of the day, it is up to each person to figure out what makes the most sense for their body and their mind.

Enjoy the journey!

Cleaning Up Our Coastlines

2011-09-19T08:38:00.001-07:00

If you aren't already involved, I encourage you to get involved in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. You can search by postal code for a public clean-up near you. Or if you'd like to join me and SNC-Lavalin Environment at Westwood Lake on September 24, email me and I'll send you the details.

September Love List

2011-09-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

My mom for making relaxation eye bags for my students to use during Savasana.
Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries given to me by my students.
The cooling weather.
Season premiere time on TV.
Time outside with friends.
The kooky novel: Me, Myself and Why?
Cutest cat in the world (mine, of course).
How good my body feels when I stretch it, thank you Yoga!
New classes starting next week through the City.
Watching three of the neighbourhood cats play out their dramas in our backyard. No fighting, just some skulking, stalking and posturing.
Getting administrative work done early in the morning instead of leaving it for later in the day.
Kung Pao anything. I made Kung Pao green beans the other day. So yummy!
My new workouts with a little bit of everything (elliptical, boxing, dance, weights, pilates).
Lots of classes right now (15 this week!). Thank you students and thank you universe!
Great meditations.
Angel food, yogurt and berries. So good!
That feeling of certain things falling into place.
Studying Ayurveda.
Spiritual exercises from a book by Marianne Williamson.
How happy I feel right now!

Yogawoman

2011-09-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

Check out the fantastic trailer for Yogawoman here. I think I'm going to love this film. I'm going to see if I can set up a screening of it here in Nanaimo!

What I Want vs What I Get

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ah, expectations! They really can mess with the mind.

I injured my legs last week. Two pulled muscles, I believe incurred from my workout program. I like the exercises I do and with some modifications to try to avoid the same scenario was looking forward to starting up again as soon as possible.

I took Friday and Saturday off from exercise (other than Yoga) in an attempt to let the muscles have some rest. And yesterday they were feeling much better. My expectation was that I would be able to start in on a partial workout this morning.

Then I had trouble sleeping last night. And I woke up this morning tired and my muscles were quite sore. It would be easy to push through that and do what I planned to do.

But instead, I am honoring my body's messages. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking another day of rest except that it doesn't meet my expectations. So if I release the expectation: then everything is right where it is meant to be.

What I get is what I need, not necessarily what I want. As long as I remember that, then the bumps in the road seem a lot smoother.

Who Inspires Me?

2011-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

I was thinking today about who inspires me? Here is a short list of some of the people who inspire me. I've chosen to leave friends, family and my students off this list as that could make the list nearly infinite.

Julia Butterfly Hill, who inspires me to make some small shifts in my life for the environment.
Thich Nhat Hanh, who inspires me to continue exploring Buddhism.
Donna Farhi, who inspires me to further explore my Yoga practice.
Nayaka (from Dhanakosa), who inspires me to explore the anxiety I encounter during meditation.
Dr. David Frawley, who inspires me to explore Ayurveda.
Deborah Adele, who inspires me to explore the Yamas and Niyamas of Yoga.
The various forms of Tara (Buddhism), who inspire me to explore my devotion.

Who inspires you?

Annoying? Maybe. Hilarious? Definitely!

2011-09-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Check out this great article on Yoga's annoying side. Warning: there is definitely language and ideas in this article that could offend some. However, I found it overall laugh out loud funny.

Annoying? Yoga? Surely not

It Is What It Is

2011-09-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

I love this post from The Joy of Yoga: How I am not really all that needed

I'm sure all of us Yoga teachers would love to be in top form every day. But some days we just aren't. And it's great to see this shining example of how well our students do with little instruction.

I know that there are days where I give more detailed instruction and information on each pose. And there are days where what I say is simpler. Both are good, in different ways.

I'm a strong believer in what is meant to be will be. Therefore, I assume that me swaying back and forth between detail and simplicity is somehow what is meant to be in my teaching. I always thought it gave a balance between helping my students to get what they can out of their Yoga but also giving them some quiet to explore on their own.

But reading The Joy of Yoga's post made me realize that the quieter times also gives my students a chance to see how much they really know about the pose. That is when I get some questions about alignment. In the past I've occassionally felt guilty, thinking I should have said what the student was asking about. But, I think some times having to ask the question brings your attention to it in a way that just being given instruction doesn't.

I know I certainly enjoy both styles when I'm in a Yoga class.

Finding my Relaxation

2011-09-03T10:49:00.001-07:00

Here's something that is hard for me, as a Yoga teacher, to admit: I'm not really good at Savasana.

I know the importance of this final relaxation. I often tell my students it is the most important pose we practice, a chance for the body to rest and restore. And I believe that.

Before I became a Yoga teacher, I would lay on the floor during Savasana and usually let my mind wander to the rest of my day or other things that took me out of that moment of relaxation.

I think that the typical Savasana posture (lying on my back) isn't a natural relaxation position for me. I don't sleep that way, I don't meditate that way. I feel a little too exposed and open for full relaxation.

While I'm teaching, I find that I rarely fully engage in Savasana. I may spend some of the time relaxing, but I'm also keeping an eye on the clock.

But I've had some truly good relaxation experiences in Savasana. They may be few and far between, but I know they are out there and that gives me a direction to head in.

My challenge to myself and you: take the time for a really good Savasana, to engage in the relaxation and to let our mind and body truly rest.

September Newsletter

2011-09-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

My September newsletter has been posted, view it here.

Feedback Requested - Restorative Yoga

2011-08-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

I'm soliciting feedback. I am considering doing some training in Restorative Yoga (click here to read about Restorative Yoga). I currently teach gentle Hatha Flow and Yin Yoga.

The reason I'm thinking of including Restorative in my teaching schedule is that a lot of people seem to really be drawn to the stress-reducing side of Yoga. However, having said that, I have way more students in Hatha Flow than in Yin. I think a lot of people don't feel ready to make that jump of holding the pose for longer. But Restorative is different in that you get to be very relaxed throughout the entire class (while in Yin you are really working at your edge).

If I do start teaching Restorative Yoga, I will be dropping Family Yoga from my schedule (although private sessions will still be available on request). If anyone has any feedback, I'd love to hear it.

Yoga for Men

2011-08-29T10:35:00.001-07:00

I suspect most of my readers are women and I know most of my students are. However, I would also guess that most of you have a man in your life (spouse, dad, brother, friend) who you think would benefit from Yoga. Here's a great article to share with them:

8 Yoga Benefits for Men

What is Your Yoga Style?

2011-08-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

I love this flowchart: What's Your Yoga?

Of course, some people might ask where the styles I teach are? Yin Yoga just doesn't appear on this chart. There are some others missing as well and that makes sense as there are limitations in preparing such a nice concise presentation. Hatha Yoga: that's a little more complicated. All physical Yoga is Hatha Yoga. So why do some classes have special names (i.e. Iyengar) and others just say Hatha (or in my case Hatha Flow)?

Physical yoga has gone down many paths, as evidenced by the flow chart and the vast number of Yoga studios and teachers out there. However, if the Yoga you teach (or practice) doesn't fall into one specialized category, Hatha is a good description for it. The Yoga I teach takes influences from Ashtanga, Iyengar and Viniyoga as well as other styles.

This flowchart is a neat tool to demonstrate how diverse the Yoga traditions are.

Staying Shallow or Going Deep

2011-08-24T11:42:00.001-07:00

This thought has been on my mind over the last several months. Last night I was having a discussion with one of my students about my approach to things. How I have a tendency to both routine and change. And that I balance that (unconsciously) by getting in a rut. Rut, rut, rut (love that rut!). And then one day changing to a new rut. Mostly I'm fine with this and it seems to work to provide me both variety and stability.

However, that love of change can sometimes be a problem. And part of that is in my spiritual exploration. Exploring different ideas, different practices is a positive thing. Both from a personal perspective as well as a teaching one. So when does it become a problem?

When all I ever do is explore the surface of spiritual practices. When I just continue to putter but never really immerse myself. When I start to encounter something really great and then head off in another direction entirely.

A couple of months ago I made a conscious decision to explore a little less and delve a little more. My commitment-phobic "grass is always greener" brain doesn't love it, but I know it's the right move. I also know that choosing one path for now doesn't mean choosing it forever. I can still wander off to explore other paths; but I will also spend enough time exploring some of those paths to not cheat myself of the experience of going deep.

What's So Funny About Meditation

2011-08-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't read this book yet, but it is definitely on my to do list:

Sit Illustrated

I love the idea of finding some levity in my meditative experience.

The Space In Between

2011-08-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about the space in between. The space in between here and there, the space in between now and then and the space in between the Yoga asanas (the transitions).

I first noticed it when I was at the Ashram in April. I noticed that while I might hold the poses slowly and mindfully, my transitions are often quite brisk. I think part of it is that I don't recognize the value of that space in between and the other part is that I like the feeling of moving quickly.

First, the feeling of moving quickly. Over the years, I've done a lot of higher speed athletic pursuits (rugby, running, racquetball, martial arts, dance). And there is an adrenaline rush associated with all of them along with a feeling of power and grace when I move quickly. I've always worked on my transitions in Yoga being graceful, but I've also done them fast. I've always liked a balance between fast and slow; the brisker transitions between slower poses lets me have that balance.

However, I think it's really important for me to recognize the value of the space in between. I'm always reaching somewhere. It's easy to spend too much time planning for the future or thinking about where the journey is taking me. I am trying to spend more time just enjoying the moment. Making my choices not necessarily on the basis of what it will bring me in the future but on what it gives me right now. The peace and serenity I get from my practice. The confidence I have in my body.

So, I may move through those transitions quickly, but I will take the time that is there to enjoy the movement, enjoy the moment and know that is all I have. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow each day and to do what I love!

Balian - Traditional Healers of Bali (Documentary)

2011-08-17T14:28:00.001-07:00

I encourage my readers to check out this documentary project from Daniel McGuire:

Balian - Traditional Healthers of Bali

One of the Balinese healers featured uses a type of partner Yoga to treat patients. This is a great project that Daniel's involved with and you can help by donating to the production of the film or by spreading the word.

August Love List

2011-08-15T12:28:00.001-07:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

BC Cherries.
Mystery novels.
The sight of the new greenhouse in our backyard.
Cob's Bread: now in Nanaimo!
My morning workouts.
My cat, determined to find a spot on my lap.
Sleeping in.
Summer popsicles.
Sharing Yoga with my students as we stretch our bodies.
Watermelon.
The new solar lights in the studio.
That feeling of relaxation as I surrender to the Yoga.
Fantastic crepe I had yesterday at Cafe Crepe in Vancouver.
My new sports bra and how damn good I look in it.
Getting to spend some time doing some contract work I really enjoy.
Inquiries from possible new students.
Our new snap off shower curtain (thanks Mom!).
Moving on to another of my favorite books for readings during class.
Wearing my hair back in a band. It's finally long enough and I love how it looks.
Warm (but not hot) summer days.

My Yoga Muses

2011-08-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

I love this post from Everything Yoga on finding your muse. So what are my Yoga muses? What brings me back to my mat?

That feeling I have when I'm really in a pose. When the only thing I'm focusing on is my body, my breath and that moment. Whether it's Downward Dog, Triangle or Sphinx, it's that feeling of connection.
How well my body moves in Yoga and afterward, and how poorly it moves if I let my practice slide.
That feeling I get when I do a pose for the first time (or sometimes for the hundredth time), when it was something I couldn't do before.
How my Yoga mat feels like home, no matter where I am when I'm practicing.
Those moments of serenity and peace that I experience while meditating, even if I'm not gifted with them every time I sit down.
The absolute certainty I have that this is where I'm meant to be.

Yoga Mat Question

2011-08-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

The following question was submitted on my Facebook page:

Nadine, I have a semi new yoga mat and it is so slippery I can't do some poses as far as I want to for fear of falling. Can you recommend any good mats that I'll 'stick' to? I need a mat as doing yoga on the carpet is just as slippy for me. Thanks!

My answer:

Before recommending options for new mats, there are a couple of things you could do with your existing mat if you haven't already tried them. First: wash the mat well (sometimes it takes a while for the new mat film to wear off otherwise). Second: try a towel over the mat with a little bit of water to help with traction.

If neither of those options works for you, a new mat is the way to go. In my experience, thicker mats are generally stickier. I also find conventional mats stickier (the ones with waffle construction rather than a different type of texture pattern). Several of my students swear by the inexpensive mats at Winners.

Another couple of things: don't apply lotion to your feet in the hour before you're going to use the mat and engage your feet (active pressure down through your foot). This will help you get the best grip you can on whatever mat you use.

Good luck!

Unplug at 8

2011-08-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

I was just introduced to the GOOD website and, more importantly, their 30 day challenge. This month's challenge is to Unplug at 8.

No internet after 8 pm. I'm taking this challenge on. I rarely use the computer after 8 pm except for the occassional Google. What will be a challenge is my Blackberry. I'm pretty sure I'll feel some withdrawl not checking it in the late evening. I think I might put it in another room where I won't feel compelled to check it if the red light is flashing (or I could turn it off, but somehow that feels even more wrong).

How connected are you?

Gaining Clarity

2011-08-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

I love how sometimes doing something that doesn't quite sit right helps to clarify where I'm going in my life.

I love teaching Yoga. I feel with every fibre of my being that it is what I'm meant to do with this life.

Earlier this week I was working at a Yoga Teacher Training camp. I loved the chance to work with the lovely goddesses taking the training. It was a rewarding experience being able to share with them and also to learn from each of their individual personalities.

However, working at the training camp isn't my purpose. While I may continue to work at the training camps on an occasional basis, I certainly affirmed that my studio is where I belong. I just know in my heart that the best place for me is to share Yoga on an individual basis.

My long term plans do include helping to train other Yoga teachers on modifications for their students, but my primary purpose is to work with my students on developing their practices (asana, meditation, pranayama, etc).

I am grateful for this opportunity to gain clarity and focus. And very happy to be back in the studio teaching.

August Newsletter

2011-07-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

My August newsletter has been posted, view it here.

For the next 5 days I will be working at Herizen Yoga Teacher Training, and will blog when I return.

Good Lessons

2011-07-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

I love this post from Spoiled Yogi: Steal From Your Teacher (And Other Good Advice That Sounds Bad)

Sometimes we need to do something that conventional wisdom would say not to. I listened to my inner wisdom. I'm not walking the same path as I used to, but I know it is my path.

My Yin Yoga Saviours

2011-07-25T10:05:00.001-07:00

There are a couple of Yin Yoga moves that are absolutely helping my body right now. A lot of Yoga classes in a row, a lot of holding Pigeon Pose, somedays leaves me with very sore hands and wrists. And my new workout program includes a lot of squats and lunges which has left me with sore knees. So how do I recover?

I love these exercises for my wrists: Yin Yoga for the Wrists. If I do Pigeon on one side and find that my hands are sore, when I switch to the other side I flip my hands around to work my wrists as well. I'm fortunate enough to be able to flip my hands 180 degrees which gives me an amazing stretch.

I love Virasana for my knees: Yin Yoga for the Knees. I have been doing this any day that my knees are sore from squats and lunges. And I find without fail that my knees feel amazing after.

I admit I was a bit skeptical about these positions that seemed like they were just putting more pressure on an already taxed joint. But in the end, I feel they have made my joints stronger and more stable.

I love Yin Yoga, it's such a great balance to Yang Yoga and to our generally busy lives!

Reflections on Letting Go

2011-07-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

In North American society, we have a general belief that more is better. A constant striving upward. More money. More things.

The fifth Yama in Yoga is Aparigraha, variously translated as non-possessiveness, non-desire, non-greed, non-attachment, non-hoarding.

Deborah Adele talking about Aparigraha looks at what we possess, possesses us and how our expectations can tie us down. Michael Stone says it well: "Owning things or accumulating knowledge adds nothing to a life authentically lived."

So how does Aparigraha fit into our lives? Most of us would agree that non-hoarding, non-greed and non-possessiveness seem like good things. Of course, that is dependent on what you define as hoarding, greed and possessiveness. Is 100 pairs of shoes hoarding? Then I know a lot of women who might not like this road.

And what's wrong with desire? Nothing; but where does the desire come from? If you have a perfectly good car, but yearn for a new one, what are you hoping that the new car will give you?

And attachment is a commonly misunderstood topic. When non-attachment comes up, many people envision a hermit, living alone, not talking to anyone, not having any real possessions. But that's not what non-attachment is about. Attachment becomes a problem when our fear of losing people or losing our things gets in the way of enjoying them in the moment. The reality is that everything changes, so we should worry less about the changes and just enjoy the now.

What does Aparigraha mean for me? Realizing before I buy something that it is a want, not a need, and making my decision based on that. Appreciating that I am blessed to live such a comfortable life in a large house. Treasuring every moment with my loved ones. Knowing that the people I love and things that I have do not define me. I am me. Whether my life continues to be blessed or I face challenges as I move forward, I know who I am inside.

Day Off

2011-07-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I'm taking today off of blogging. I wrote a nice long post and it's gone now. Rather than recreate it, I thought I'd share this piece with you:

In Seattle, floating yoga on a paddleboard

These people are crazy. Brave but crazy. What a great way to test your balance! For me, I don't know that I'd be able to relax and really get actual "yoga" accomplished. If we lived in warmer waters I'd certainly give it a try though.

Yogic Numerology

2011-07-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

I had one of those amazing moments on Saturday. I have a book on Kundalini Yoga (The Kundalini Yoga Experience). I've had it for years, since I took a Kundalini course in Victoria.

I don't use the book much now, except for the Chakra information which I use when I teach Chakra Meditation. On Saturday, I picked it up to look for additional readings for the end of my Yoga classes. And came upon the Yogic Numerology section.

I know that I've read this section before because my numbers are all done up in the book. And I can imagine that when I read it back then, it didn't mean a lot to me. But now that I'm at a different point in my journey, wow!

Yogic Numerology has 5 numbers: Soul, Karma, Gift, Destiny and Path. The Soul and Karma numbers reveal challenges. The Gift number is just that, a gift. The Destiny number relates to past lives. The Path is what you are meant to do in this lifetime.

While I related to all of my numbers, I was particularly hit with the Soul and Karma numbers which to me really did represent 2 big challenges I've faced in my life.

I'm sure this is not the same experience everyone would have, but for me Yogic Numerology let me have a little more insight into my life. It helped me feel more connected to my journey through this world.

July Love List

2011-07-15T08:49:00.001-07:00

20 things I'm loving right now:

The on again, off again weather (I kind of like the hot one day, cool the next).
The yummy home-baked treats a good friend brought me yesterday.
TGIF. I know I don't have a day job anymore, and I do work Saturdays, but somehow Fridays are still Fridays.
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh.
New animal poses I made up with some 9-10 yr old girls I worked with yesterday.
The Dalai Lama's Book of Transformation, lent to me by one of my students.
Grey's Anatomy reruns from previous seasons (still only watching a little TV each week, but Grey's is certainly part of that).
Recipes from Meals for Good Health.
Hip Hop, our resident cottontail.
Walks with friends (I got out to Westwood and Divers Lake this week).
My cat being so incredibly cuddly lately.
My mom for trying new recipes with me (even when the recipes don't turn out).
Connecting with family and friends that I haven't talked to in ages.
Child's Pose, Bow, Pigeon, Dancer.
My hair just starting to curl.
Finding a productive rhythm for my days so that I get in work, chores and relaxation.
Our relatively clean carpets (we shampooed on July 2nd and they're already starting to get dirty again).
Great mystery and chick lit novels from the libary.
My new clothes from Jockey (new red hoodie and 2 new pairs of capris for dirt cheap during the Canada Day sale).
Outdoor movies (I just wish we had them more often).

Moment of Meditation

2011-07-13T11:17:00.001-07:00

Today I came across this cartoon video: One-Moment Meditation Cartoon.

What do I love about this? This makes meditation accessible. You don't need a lot of time. You don't need to bend your legs a certain way. You just sit for a minute. I think it could be really helpful for a lot of people.

What would I like to add? It does not encourage you to lengthen your meditation beyond the minute. I think that being able to meditate for a moment is really helpful in a stressful situation, in a boring situation and basically while you're doing other things. But I also think there are great benefits to be had from meditating for longer periods of time.

Extending the length of our meditation allows us to better train our minds for stillness. It also allows us to tap into an inner or outer wisdom, to take our meditation beyond stress reduction and into further improvements in our lives.

But a moment is a great start and a great option to have in your personal toolbox.

Feeling My Breath

2011-07-11T08:36:00.001-07:00

In my regular meditation practice, my morning meditation is mindfulness of breathing. It has evolved over the years and for the past few months I'd been using a phrase in my head, one on the in breath, one on the out breath.

Words can be very good during meditation, they can give me a focal point and help keep my mind from wandering.

However, I'd recently noticed that I would suddenly be saying the words very fast, which means that my breathing had sped up. Then I realized that while I was tuning in to the words about breath, I wasn't actually tuning in to my breath. And while my brain was still churning on other things at the same time, it was getting too busy, speeding my breathing rate up.

Back to the breath. That's where I've gone. The words can still be helpful, but for me they are secondary to actually noticing the breath. The rise and fall, the feeling in my body. And as soon as I do that, my breathing again becomes slow and deep.

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in a certain process and forget what it's all about (being in the moment, a connection with myself and tapping into something greater than me).

Yoga Improves Quality of Life for Cancer Patients

2011-07-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post from Jillian McKee, a complementary care
advocate for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.

Many people find that yoga is good for helping with flexibility and centered thoughts. However, recent studies by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners have found many benefits to this ancient technique for cancer patients. The studies examined the use of yoga relieving symptoms such as insomnia, pain and fatigue from mesothelioma cancer therapy.

Before beginning yoga, cancer patients should talk with their oncologist for recommendations. Some positions associated with yoga might place a strain on joints and ligaments, having detrimental effects on cancer patients. Once the oncologist clears patients, they can begin yoga.

Cancer patients who participated in various studies have reported numerous benefits to yoga improving their quality of life. Cancer treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy can negatively affect a person’s well being while fighting the growth of cancer cells. Many of these effects include insomnia, pain, fatigue, and loss of appetite, stress and anxiety.

Yoga might help cancer patients who suffer from insomnia to relax and get a good night’s sleep. For some patients, yoga can also decrease the pain caused by some cancer treatments. Typically, patients also take pain medications and experience a marked improvement when combined with yoga.

Another way that mesothelioma life expectancy and quality of life improves through yoga is the decrease in fatigue, giving patients more energy to enjoy other things. Some patients experience a loss of appetite after a cancer diagnosis; however, yoga can help to relax the mind and restore the appetite.

A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments can cause stress for many patients. Practicing yoga helps to reduce the stress levels many people experience. Studies have shown stress is reduced on two levels. Clinically, some patients reported feeling less stressed while attending yoga classes. Physically, stress in the body was also reduced with lower blood cortisol levels. Cortisol is believed to cause cancer to progress.

Yoga may also reduce the anxiety level cancer patients have during treatment. The breathing practices and centering activities play an important role.

The benefits of yoga improve the quality of life for cancer patients by relieving symptoms. Yoga is not a form of cancer treatment. Patients should not participate in classes to replace the treatment plan prescribed by their oncologist. Rather, yoga is integrated with treatment to help patients cope with the symptoms.