Coming Home

Photo by Cait Loper.

You are exactly where you are meant to be.

All the moments of your life have led you to this place, this day, this breath.

Can you sit in silence with yourself? Can you open your heart, softening, resting in what is?

Place one hand over your beating heart. Place one hand over your belly. Feel your body breathe. Come home.

Staying Young: Yoga and Its Effects on Aging

Photo by Robert Sturman via Elephant Journal.

With yoga, you can grow younger every year.

I mean, have you guys seen the world’s oldest yoga teacher (above)? Or Dharma Mittra (below)?

They glow. And it's because they have been dedicated to their practice for years. Today I bring you an awesome guest post by health writer Tara Heath about the anti-aging benefits of yoga. Haven’t you heard you should do inversions for fewer wrinkles? Well, that’s only the beginning! Read on…

Photo via Pinterest.

Aging is something that nobody can prevent – even as much as everyone in the world would like to. However, there are some things you can do in your day-to-day life to help slow the process of aging and stay healthy. The most obvious of those being simple things like eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep each night.

Yoga, despite its popularity and generally accepted health benefits, isn't something people always think of when considering ways to slow the clock on aging. Surprisingly, it turns out that it may actually be a beneficial weapon in the fight against time. 

Even if you’re not in your senior years quite yet, or aging isn't the first thing on your mind, taking steps to stay healthy and feel young can benefit everybody, and starting early is always better than starting late. 

Image courtesy of Flickr .

Increased Flexibility 

Men and women are born with the same amount of flexibility, but as they age, that flexibility decreases. While the decline typically occurs faster in men than women, adults over the age of 35 are generally much less flexible than they were in their 20s.

Yoga, which puts the body in a variety of unique positions, helps improve flexibility in a way that isn't overly uncomfortable or painful. Over time, doing the poses can make it easier for you to do daily tasks. This can help you tremendously as you age, as many injuries for adults and seniors come from doing everyday activities. 

Image courtesy of Flickr .

Improved Joint Strength 

Like flexibility, joint strength tends to diminish with age. Yoga is beneficial for building or restoring some of that joint strength, however, as many types of yoga incorporate poses that require you to support your body weight. In that way, yoga is much like strength training, which also helps improve joint strength.

Of course, the positions you use that require you to support your body weight also aid in building muscle. More muscle mass also helps reduce injuries and keep your body weight down.

Better Sleep 

Aging adults tend to have more sleep problems than younger ones. Not getting enough sleep can result in serious health problems and more rapid aging.

Doing yoga regularly can help you improve your quality of sleep since the asana practice combines both exercise and relaxation techniques – two things we know are essential or a well-regulated sleep schedule. 

If you have trouble sleeping at night and it’s causing problems in your daily life or making you feel run-down, taking a few yoga classes could go a long ways toward curing your problem.

Photo via Pinterest.

It’s impossible to stop the aging process completely, but that doesn't mean that you can’t slow it down a bit. Although eating right is what you hear about most when the topic of aging comes up, exercise and relaxation are both a close second.

Luckily those are two things that yoga can provide for you, making it an almost ideal anti-aging activity. 

Photo via Pinterest.

Tara Heath is a freelance writer in Southern California. She enjoys practicing yoga regularly, finding that it is very beneficial in helping her to relax and unwind after a long day. As a health writer, she contributes to the Presidio Home Care blog. 

Mantra and Manifestation with Steve Gold

Last weekend I had the pleasure of practicing a vinyasa flow class with live music from Steve Gold, and then attending his workshop on Mantra and Manifestation. Both were incredible yoga experiences!

It was so powerful to sing during class, to be freely encouraged to make noise and to express from the heart. The studio was jam-packed, yogis lined up like little sardines. There’s always something exciting about a full room and I was inspired by the energy created by all of us moving and breathing together.

And I have to say it was pretty magical singing So Much Magnificence and feeling the voices resonate in the room during savasana. If you haven’t heard that song, you should definitely check it out.

During the workshop, Steve dove into an exploration of mantra.

We sang om namah shivaya, a mantra close to my heart. You may remember, I have it tattooed on my right ankle :)

Though the Sanskrit words are hard to translate, some interpret the phrase as “I am that I am.” The breakdown of each word can be explained with various definitions:

• Om: the universal sound; an exuberant roar of joy; “yes!”; verily; so be it; amen
• Namah: to bow; “I invite this energy into my heart”
• Shiva: that which contains all things; all possibility; maximum expansion; the destroyer of ignorance

When chanting om namah shivaya, I acknowledge my higher Self. I acknowledge all aspects of my being, and all possibilities for what may come. I ground myself, considering the path I walk. I see the path clearly before me. Om namah shivaya. I am that I am.

The words have such power, and for me personally, they conjure up a lot of memories of the past year when I chanted as a way to invite strength into my life. When we sang the first time during Steve’s workshop, I couldn’t help but tear up.

Om namah shivaya, Om shanti

Om namah shivaya, Om shanty

The words felt like such a relief, and the collective sound of the chant brought me into a space of light, peace, and comfort.

After explaining the meaning of the mantra and letting us experience it firsthand, Steve launched into a compelling story about moving to Hawaii in his 20s. His goal was to cast aside physical and material attachments, to detach from society in pursuit of enlightenment. He encountered several wise mentors and spiritual texts along the way, and was surprised to find that while the adventure was initially very appealing, he couldn’t sustain this simple life of living in a hut, spending days by a waterfall with his guitar, and doing yoga and meditation.

Perhaps most surprising was finding confirmation that his path toward enlightenment didn’t have to look like that of a monk.

He was struck by the words in the Gospel of Sri Rama Krishna that stood in stark contrast to the lifestyle of his spiritual quest:

As long as you have desires, you must exhaust them.

Later, another teacher put it in this way: All of us seek something to do, and someone to love.

Why not discover what it is you seek, and run after it exuberantly?

So often in yoga and spiritual circles, we hear about the ancient masters who sacrificed a so-called “normal” life and retreated to the caves to do the “real” yoga, meditation, praying, fasting, and other sacred practices.

I found it refreshing to be reminded that we each have spiritual gifts, and many of them involve worldly connections. For Steve Gold, fulfilling his dharma means being a conduit for spontaneous spiritual connection and transformation through musical gatherings. He travels, connects with people up close, and shares his music in a very visceral, immediate way.

He’s had to overcome fears and self-doubt in order to do so. Again and again, he returns to his heart’s truest desire in order to find the motivation and inspiration to keep playing his songs and speaking his truth.

I am grateful to Steve for sharing his wisdom and his powerful music, and for challenging me to be clear about my desires – to be conscious of them, and active physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually in pursuing them.

Om namah shivaya om!

 

Steve has a new track called Golden Om. I highly recommend his albums Let Your Heart Be Known and So Much Magnificence. 

He's also on Facebook.

Forget What You Think You Know

Photos via Pinterest and Yoga Dudes.

In this moment, can you release expectation?

Be curious about the present. Instead of dwelling on the way your body, mind, heart and spirit felt yesterday or an hour ago, sit with where you are now.

Perhaps you’ve tried a challenging posture (like an arm balance or an inversion) a hundred times. Perhaps every one of those times you fell out. Today, you are ready. Your body moves into the pose effortlessly. Or your mind releases resistance to the teacher’s words. Instead of trying to control, you relax and let go.

Forget what you think you know. Learn to be OK with not knowing what will happen when you try. Be open to possibility, receptive to what is.

You may surprise yourself.

What Do You Want to Do with Yoga?

Photos via Pinterest.

Leave behind the comfortable. Find a way to make it harder to go back to what you’re used to than to go forward into strange, exciting, but uncomfortable new territory.

Get rid of the possibility of comfort, so that the scary journey you want to take is your best choice.

—Leo Babuta, Zen Habits

My heart did a little flip in my chest while reading these words over at Zen Habits today. As my vinyasa teacher training goes on, and as I grow deeper in my practice and more connected to my yoga community, the question arises: where do I want to go from here?

And my soul calls with a resounding and startlingly simple answer: farther down the yogic path!

I so want to teach, falling more and more in love with yoga and all it has to offer, the way it opens me and brings peace. I am called to share.

I met up with one of my most inspiring teachers last night to chat about the path toward teaching. At one point in the conversation he turned to me and asked, “So where are you in your yoga career?”

And I laughed. “Um, two weeks in to my first training?!” I said, and he nodded in a way that told me he knows what it means to be in that place of beginning and to see the horizon in the distance.

I couldn’t help but smile because all of a sudden, I could imagine the wonder and thrill of realizing my passion, of having a career in yoga. I can picture it. I can feel it happening already.

I am living it now, embodying my voice as a teacher, making connections and considering the possibilities of where I will teach.

He also asked me this: “What do you want to do with yoga?”

And as I’ve turned that question over and over in my head, I see that the answer is simple: give it away. Let it fill me up. Let it allow me to serve.

Yoga draws me deeper to that place of truth, of inner knowing, of spiritual connection. Yoga humbles me. I want to do whatever I can with it. And I plan to.

Namaste.

Being Vulnerable, Being Seen

Photo by Max Wanger.

Do you practice being present in each moment?

When is the last time you really looked into someone’s eyes while you spoke to them?

Photo by Tyler Branch.

When you are connecting with others, do you allow yourself to be seen?

Vulnerability challenges us; it requires us to trust ourselves and to honor our self-worth, to live in truth.

Photo by Tyler Branch.

When we are vulnerable, we can embrace any experience, whether we perceive it as positive or negative. We take it all in, allowing what is.

Commit to being present with those around you. Connect. Stare deeply into their eyes; witness them. Allow yourself to be witnessed. Listen. Even if there is a moment that feels awkward or uncomfortable, stay. Do not abandon this person who you love, who is just like you. 

Photo by Sarah Rhoads.

You deserve to see clearly, and to be seen.

The Edge in Yoga

The edge is where we come right up against ourselves and what we can do and be.

It is the boundary between where we are and where we grow, the place of comfortable discomfort, where all growing and healing happens.

The edge is the point in every pose when you are still within your capacities but are challenging yourself to go just a little bit farther. Stepping up to this edge and daring to leap is how you break through and thus break with old ways of being.

- Baron Baptiste, Journey Into Power

Last night I practiced falling in love with my yoga practice. The path there was simple: finding my edge, over and over. There was something electric about the work I did on the mat. I felt the energy present between my hands in samasthiti as we chanted om gam ganapataye namaha, my heart filling up. I could feel myself connect with the other yogis in the room, with the teacher, with a collective oneness in that first om.

Even during the warm up postures –core work while lying on my back, and a few rounds of cat/cow—I kept asking myself,

Where is my edge? What does it feel like to be gentle in the process of finding that place where I am reaching for something more?

Flowing through sun salutations allowed me to move deeper. Each repetition felt like an awakening, a compassionate unfolding, an expression of my Self in the moment.

When a pose became hard, I focused more on my breath. Instead of backing away, I allowed myself to feel into the sensations – the physical burn of muscles working, the emotional release of surrendering to the moment, the cognitive clarity of becoming wholly focused on only the breath.

Something clicked. I held side crow on each side for 5 breaths. I rose into bird of paradise fluidly, feeling ease and space in the posture. Headstand was a relief, a breakthrough into peace, simply a chance to breathe. During the third round of wheel pose, I straightened my elbows and knees. And when the teacher told us to come down, I still wanted more.

As I settled into savasana, I could feel energy moving up and down my spine with each inhale and exhale.

Sushumna Nadi, the center channel.

I could feel new space, new light.

I pushed through my edge last night. I trusted the words of my teacher, not resisting any moment or any pose. At the moments when I wanted to give up or allow myself to fall out, I stayed. I breathed deeper. I felt the heat in my body, the feelings of curiosity and elation. I noticed the thoughts coming and going, not attaching myself to them; instead, I stayed present in the body.

Today as you practice, I challenge you to challenge yourself. What are you holding back? What more can you give? What more can you soften?

At the moments when you want to give up, stay. Give yourself the gift of finding your edge.

Marika Athletic Wear for Yoga, Skydiving, and Rock Climbing

Illustration above via Pinterest. Other photos via

Marika

.

When it comes to

yoga wear

, I tend to look for a couple of key things:

• Is it comfortable? (and hopefully flattering)

• Is it functional? (meaning it won’t get in the way or slip down as I stretch)

• Is the style unique? (good colors, fun design)

• Can I wear this outside of yoga class? (bonus!)

Marika

women’s active and yoga wear fits all of these categories. Their products are the kind of athletic wear that makes you feel like a million bucks, and that gets out of your way so you can focus on your practice.

I am so grateful I connected with their savvy, passionate team. They sent me an awesome new outfit to try:

The Balance line

dream sequence seamless tank

…and

the Balance line

divine intervention flat waist capri

.

Both fit wonderfully—the material is soft, stretchy, and snug without being bunchy. The capris are the perfect length for a hot yoga class, and I love the fun printed waistband. And I love that the print on the shirt looks like a heart, but every time I wear it someone comments that it looks like an owl! :)

And my favorite part about this new outfit?

Not only have the tank and capris been perfect for yoga class, but I’ve worn them

skydiving

 and

rock climbing

, too! And I’m pretty sure I could pull off wearing the top under a hoodie at work, or out to dinner with friends (which makes for an easy transition if you’re in a hurry to get to the studio for class, by the way!).

If you’re looking to find high-quality yoga wear from a stellar company with great customer service, add

Marika

 to your list. Highly recommended!

PS You can browse their new items here: 

Marika New Arrivals

. And their

tie dye

tops are fantastic!

OmStays: HomeStays for the Yoga Journey

Photo via OmStays.

Are you a traveling yogi?

I just discovered a website/ community that will rock your world! OmStays is a reciprocal guest/host program that connects yoga travelers.

Photo via Pinterest.

Picture this: you're planning to hit up a big yoga or music festival, or go on vacation in a spot where you know there are a bunch of awesome studios you want to try. But you'd rather not spend a fortune on a hotel room... and you'd really like to plug in to the local yoga scene and meet some fellow yogis and teachers...

Photo via OmStays.

With OmStays, you can stay the night with an awesome host. You'll spend only $15 as a thank-you gratuity. You also have the opportunity to act as a host for other traveling yogis, a great way to meet new people and support fellow yogis in their adventures.

Here's how it works:

• You join as a member for $35/year, set up your profile, and you can get started searching for other hosts.
• You can use reviews on the website's directory to see what other members thought about their hosts and their OmStay experience.
• Contact a host directly to inquire about availability and work out the details of your stay.
• After your visit, share your experience as the guest or host on the OmStays website.

Photo via Pinterest.

The website also features ride shares, pet sitting, nonprofit opportunities, and an event board where yoga studios and teachers can post info about their classes. SO RAD!

OmStays is on Facebook, too!

I can't wait to try out OmStays. Stay tuned for more info soon...  I met recently with Kathie, the site's founder, and could not be more excited about helping her grow this community. I hope you guys will all check out the site!

Teacher Training Week One: Humility, Openness and Embodying the Fearless Voice

I did it! Week one of teacher training is complete!

My heart feels so full of love and gratitude right now. My body is exhausted, my mind present and awake. Already I've learned so much and connected so much with my practice, my teachers, and my fellow trainees. 

It's hard to put the experience into words, and I hope to write a more complete post later on... but here were a few highlights:

• Practicing with some of my favorite teachers at LEAP each day of the training. Pushing my body to a new edge and diving deep into the asana even after I thought I wanted to give up. Listening to each teacher in a whole new way -- as a teacher and as a student. Noticing the cues, the transitions, the wisdom offered.
• Working through fear. 
• Becoming connected to my experience physically, emotionally and cognitively. Becoming more present than ever before.
• Doing partner work with fellow trainees, and discovering the beauty of trust.
• Teaching for the first time in front of a big group, and laughing as I stumbled through the words :) Accepting myself and allowing myself to feel strong even after moments of hesitation. Knowing that with practice, all will come!
• Laughing over stories together and after hearing about the wild, ridiculous things that yoga teachers deal with and experience. Smiling while imagining myself experiencing those things.
• Asking the big questions, like: what do I want to bring to my students? Why do I want to teach? What do I offer as a teacher? Who am I?
• Committing to deepening my daily practices of asana, meditation, conscious eating, healthy relationships, open communication, and self-love and self-acceptance.

The path is laid before me, and I am walking it!

om namah shivaya om

Here's to enjoying the journey!

XO

Free Shipping at Sweaty Betty

 

Are you shopping for new yoga gear this weekend?

Maybe some winter apparel? I'm looking at you, all you yogis who ski, snowboard and snowshoe! :)

 

I highly recommend checking out Sweaty Betty. They're offering FREE shipping on everything until the 21st, and they've got so many cute options of warm, cozy outerwear that's functional and stylish!

Use this code at checkout: FREESHIP 

Happy shopping, lovelies!

Get Free Delivery with code FREESHIP at SweatyBetty.com

Yoga Books

Photo via

Pinterest

.

Have you read any good yoga books lately?

I’m about to start these two as part of my

yoga teacher training

:

Journey Into Power

by Baron Baptiste

The Yamas and Niyamas

by Deborah Adele

I think together they’ll be a great mix of information and inspiration for practicing yoga both on and off the mat.

I’m also hoping to dive back into this anatomy book: 

Scientific Keys Volume 1: The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga

(If you’re interested in ordering it, click

this link

to support my affiliate page!)

Reading is a great way to complement your yoga. As you learn, you deepen the experience.

If you have any suggestions for books, I’d love to hear!

PS I also highly recommend 

Yoga Cures

 by Tara Stiles, 

Hellbent

by Benjamin Lorr or 

The Wisdom of Yoga

 by Stephen Cope if you’re in need of a good yoga read!

Climb On (This is the Beginning)

Yesterday I scaled Ballbuster Rock in Tahoe -- a little 5.7 climb to the top of a 50-foot boulder with a lot of great chimneying. 

I am really falling in love with the thrill of rock climbing. There is something breathtaking about the physical and mental challenge of following a route and executing each hold...the way my stomach sometimes still does little flips when I look down... and the satisfaction of reaching the top and knowing I made it by my own strength and determination.

It's also refreshing to experience the beginning, of being new to the whole experience. Rock climbing involves so many skills and techniques, and I have only just scratched the surface.  

Being a beginner allows me to be open and vulnerable, to check my ego. To persevere through discomfort.

The rock challenges me to face my fears and insecurities; in order to complete a climb I have to trust my instincts and my own strength. I must breathe through the moments that feel impossible. Keep going. I hear my inner knowing speak the truth, of knowing I am strong.

Like with the yoga, I am simply practicing flexibility, strength and balance. I am reaching within, and trusting that as I practice, all is coming.

Rock climbing gives me a chance to let go of my expectations and to be receptive to what's happening in the moment.

I return to the breath. I detach from the outcome. I push myself to my edge.

I climb on.

PS Do you climb? Have any tips or resources I should check out? Leave a comment below!

Freefalling (My First Tandem Skydive!)

Yogis... I still can't believe it: over the weekend I jumped out of a plane!

Skydiving was such an insane and amazing experience. Leading up to the day of our jump, I wavered between feeling excited and nervous, but once I was strapped into that harness, I felt stoked.

It totally helped that my instructor at Skydive Sacramento, Justin, was hilarious. He made me feel comfortable by explaining the whole process, talking through what I should do right before we left the plane (crouch down like in chair pose and lean my head back) and during the fall (arch like a "happy banana" aka boat pose and breathe through my nose). 

And on the way up, he faked me out like he was about to push me out of the plane. I definitely started cracking up and the photographer was able to catch it :)

When we reached 13,000 feet, we didn't hesitate to scoot over to the door and prepare to make the jump. I lined up my toes on the edge of the plane, leaned my head back, and let go.

That's the beauty of doing your first tandem jump: the instructor is in total control, and you're just along for the ride!

We tumbled through the air...

And I loved every second of the exhilarating, wild ride of the freefall. 60 seconds of being purely present to the moment!

Then, once the parachute was open, it was so peaceful and serene, like the whole world had slowed down. I felt like I was floating, connected to the earth below, suspended in a quiet purity.

I could do this every day, I thought. And I told my instructor, "Now I see why you do this!" It felt like such a unique, almost sacred, experience. 

There is nothing quite like the feeling of swaying and swooping back and forth, the calm of the air and sun on the body, the beauty of the sky, the gentle sound of the wind catching in the chute. 

Our landing was smooth and easy, just me holding my legs up and sliding to the ground. I landed feeling more alive and more fearless than I have in a long time. I felt a new appreciation for the ground beneath my feet, for my body, and for trying something new.

There is power and beauty in feeling fearless while you're trying something new.

Almost immediately, I realized... I can't wait to go again!

Thanks to the team at Skydive Sacramento for making my first skydiving experience a fantastic one, and cheers to more jumps very soon!

PS I hope to do a post soon on yoga for skydivers (it's all about boat pose and pranayama breathing!) as well as a series on fearlessness. Stay tuned!

Just Breathe

Photos via Pinterest.

In this moment, you have the choice to simply be.

Be in tune with your breath. Be present to the sensations in your body.

Be willing to let go of your judgments about what is happening.

You can be grateful for the blessings that surround you.

For your experiences, your relationships, your love.

You can generate gratitude in your heart.

You have the choice to simply breathe, and be.

Just Be

Photo via Pinterest.

This is a good reminder...

Have you taken a moment today just to be?