Running has started niggling at my knees and ankles, making Fixed Firm pose in the Bikram series a challenge all over again! I sought out the expert advice of UK based Olga Allon – Bikram Yoga studio owner, runner, triathlete, mum, yoga practitioner, writer for Runner’s World UK… the list goes on. You can follow her on @olgaallon and @hotbikramyoga

Below is Olga’s A to my Q. Thank you Olga!

Olga Allon

I’ve just started to run in intervals during trail hikes and noticed that Fixed Firm is harder on me: the tightness around my knees is more pronounced. Also, my left knee and Achilles Heel are feeling some tightness in general. What is your advice to loosen and balance this out?

It is not surprising that after intense running, especially interval training you will start to feel tightness around your knees, ankles etc. Running involves repeated contraction of specific muscles. This can leave the muscle fiber shorter in length than normal and as a result, a feeling of tightness. There is also the impact of running and weight bearing on specific joints and the knees take a great deal of this pressures. All this, if not reversed, can lead to tightness and soreness.

Fixed firm is a posture that works specifically with stretching out your knees, ankles and quads to begin. Once they can stretch enough, the postures will allow you to stretch out your spine and reinforce the ‘s’ curve shape in the spine – which further helps to alleviate the pressure on the spine caused by the impact of running.

The ‘S’ shape in Fixed Firm. Image of Lisa Pelzer, Bikram Yoga Vancouver

So this posture can be done in stages. The first stage is to kneel down with the feet either side of the legs pointing directly backwards. For some people, this is incredibly tough. If you feel the tension too much on your knees or ankles, you can lean a little forward with your hands on the floor in front of you and that will take a little pressure off the knees and ankles and into your hands. As your knees start to open more and more, you will be able to sit more upright with your bottom touching the floor between the feet and the feet alongside the legs – top of the feet flat on the floor. You can open your knees as much as you need to but as your flexibility improves, you will be able to bring your knees closer together eventually touching.

Bikram in Fixed Firm pose

When your bottom is on the floor, that is your indication that you are ready to go onto the next stage of the posture of leaning back onto your elbows. Eventually with your upper body on the floor, arms stretched over your head grabbing opposite elbows and your chin down back of the head on the floor.

Stretching these areas is the process we use to restore muscles to their resting length and will realign muscle fibers too. Without this, we run the risk of permanent shortening and that can affect the functioning of joints and muscles. Doing these postures regularly will help runners maintain the range of motion in the joints and will prevent tightness and imbalances between muscles groups.

I am a keen runner. I run approximately 12-15 miles per week and am participating in a half marathon and a triathlon this year. Bikram Yoga is my constant that allows me to enjoy running and be injury free. Of course the running has an effect on my overall flexibility but I know that as long as I maintain a constant and regular practice this works for me.

There’s no doubt about Olga’s flexibility. Bikram is standing on her back in this photo.

As soon as I saw this, I had to share with you! I think everyone will relate to at least one of these points. Right?

Enjoy the hot room if that’s in store for you. I’m going to take a hike

Image via Intent.com

Emmy Cleaves is a teacher extraordinaire. She’s been a master teacher at Bikram Yoga for a long time – witnessing her lead a class is pure inspiration. As someone wrote on Twitter, “she’s the real deal.” On the last day of my 30 day “freestyle” yoga challenge, I attended an Emmy led class at my go-to studio – Bikram Yoga HQ on Olympic Blvd in LA. After a class with Emmy, I always feel like I’ve garnered a greater appreciation, and knowledge, of the yoga practice.

I had made it a point to etch to memory a few lines of her wisdom delivered during that class.

#1 “Touch your forehead to your knee – that’s the name of the pose!!!”

#2 “We’re all in control of our body’s physiology. We just need to learn how to use that control.”

#3 “If you don’t love yourself, likely no one else will. Hug yourself.” (in last part of Wind Removing pose).

#4 “Achieving stillness in the pose – this is yoga. It is what makes it different from a form of calisthenics.”

#5 “Who told you to get out of the pose? In this room, you’re on my clock.”

Emmy Cleaves giving Yoga Champion, Joseph Encinia, a massage at the NY National Competition. Image via USA Yoga, facebook.com/usayoga

Squishy marshmallow chicken shaped ‘peeps’ are associated with Easter in the US. It’s no small wonder that they’ve been making the rounds of the Net lately – in staged stills, even. Thanks to @asanafit and @HuntFlyer for sharing these two peep shows!

Not a Bikram Yoga studio

A Bikram Yoga studio

Hot. This morning, I woke up and wasn’t feeling the need for a heated practice. Although I had planned to go to Bikram Yoga, my warm blooded body was telling me that it needed the cool fresh air. It was cloudy with a slight chill in the air yet I knew that heat on top of heat would only give me a hot head which would ultimately lead to fatigue and frustration. My eyes were due for a break too – no concentrated gaze on the mirror, just a rest. I’ll admit, I was a little bummed that Bikram wasn’t on the to-do list but I was experienced in the consequences of simply giving in. Instead, I put on the brightest top I could find, dragged my husband to Pacific Palisades, and tackled one of their steepest hiking trails. I still wanted a challenge.

On the Temescal Ridge Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains

A little while ago, I wrote about my attempt to transition from a new found love of hiking to tackling my fear of running. I loved the run’s natural high and the amount of ground I could cover on the mountain trails at a faster pace. But it was after a few runs that my Achilles Heels, literally, started giving me grief. Today, weeks later, I still wake up with Achilles so tender and tight that I need a few moments to ease into those first few steps from bed. Added to that, my knees were begging for me to stop – they just hurt and simply served as a reminder as to why I had never taken up running years before. I gave up trying to run. I had given it a shot – it just wasn’t me. But I persevered with the hike.

Ever since I can remember, I have always loved to go for walks, whether along the bush walk near my parents’ home in Sydney, while exploring a foreign city, or simply meandering around the block of my current home and taking random photographs. I can walk for hours and be happy taking in my surroundings; I stroll with no direction and love the sense of wonder that it gives me. It took me a move to Los Angeles coupled with a running-fail to realize that hiking is a natural fit.

Spring flowers

Temescal Ridge hiking trail – it’s steeper than it looks

YOGA & HIKING

When I know that spending 90 minutes in a hot room isn’t a spirited move, I usually take a hike. My husband used to just tag along; months into it however, he’s feeling challenged and noticing improvements. We’ve gotten faster, become more focused, seen previously unexplored parts of greater LA, and are more appreciative of nature’s seasonal change around us. It’s on my hiking days that I do a home yoga practice. I usually indulge in a Yin Yoga session (Paul Grilley led DVD) or restorative PM practice led by Colleen Saidman. If I need something that generates a bit of a sweat, albeit in the comfortable temperatures of my own four walls sans the mirror, I flow with Corepower Yoga or any DVD in Rodney Yee’s Power Yoga series. I’m finding that this balance is working for me as I use different muscles, utilize a number of breathing techniques, and rejuvenate when my body asks for it; I respond better to Bikram Yoga when I’ve taken a break. Plus, I like that I am listening to my body and not blindly following an addiction to any set practice.

Just a part of my DVD collection; old-school, I know.

A MEETING WITH MY MIND

This isn’t always the case but at times I find my meditation wavers in the Bikram class. I am either so focused on the posture’s technique, listening to the teacher’s words and/or corrections, or holding my gaze on my flushed face in the mirror and thinking “is it hotter in here today?” that my mind doesn’t take a rest. Hiking affords me the time to not only step away from the hot room and get a sweat on, but an extended period away from the laptop and keyboard. As a writer, I have so many ideas, thoughts, facts, and the latest Twitter headlines in my mind that I need to regroup. On hikes, I schedule a meeting with my mind – a time to reshuffle, sort, organize, file, while allowing random thoughts to enter and exit. It’s just like the sentiment @nilofer shared on a recent TED Talk: that stepping out of the box helps you to think outside the box.

In an article in May issue of Find Bliss magazine, Julie Carmen quoted her mom who says, peaceful vistas “allow our eyes to find something beautiful as a resting place.”

View of downtown LA from the top of the trail

Earlier today, on that steep uphill climb – note: it’s the hiking trail that my husband dislikes the most – we actually broke our time record by a few minutes. We were both flabbergasted, surprised and felt a degree of exaltation. Mind over matter; the Bikram practice works outside of the hot room too.

My husband, happy to be on the downhill climb

Spring flowers, close up

Spring flowers in white

Image via USA Yoga Facebook and New York Times

1. Nauli Kriya isn’t something we see demonstrated often – can you describe what it is, and why it is performed?

 Nauli Kriya is technique practiced to cleanse one digestive system. When practiced, I isolate different parts of my abdominal muscles. It begins by decompressing the lungs completely without air, to draw in the abdominal wall. Once my abdominal cavity is completely pulled in then the isolation begins with various techniques – this can only be taught in person.

~

 2. How were you introduced to the practice?

 I was introduced to this practice by my yoga teacher/coach, Jim, who would have me practice daily before and after class while training for competition, I then perfected my technique when I learned one-on-one in advanced class with Bikram.

~

3. How does one, e.g. me, learn how to do Nauli Kriya? 

 Nauli Kriya is a technique that should not be learned by ones self. Performing this Kriya incorrectly can cause disease  in the body. The best way to learn is with an experienced teacher.  

~

 4. How often do you do this? How does it help you?

 I practice this technique daily before eating or drinking anything. I often practice it after consuming fresh squeezed citrus juice which helps stimulate digestion. I once suffered from stomach ulcers due to the medication I was on for arthritis. Ever since I started a practice with this technique, I have not had problems with constipation, gas, stomach cramps and everything else related to the ulcers I had. It has helped tremendously to build strength and control of my core.

~

Watch this short video of Joseph performing Nauli Kriya here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfsBcSqJ6IE&feature=share&list=UUq3cWOLq36pI0v43g1hVavg

My skin has a stubborn attitude. Like a yo-yo dieter, over the past few months I have been starving and feeding it products in hopes of balancing out its moodiness. It’s been nothing short of a challenge. But my frustrations are gradually dissipating — I can finally see signs of the skin’s glow again.

I wish I was an advocate for natural skin care in place of a professional skin care regime, but I’m not. It’s likely that my skin problems started when I began to read too many blogs that referenced Coconut oil and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) as an effective means to cleanse, moisturize, and tone the skin. I was all about going 100% natural and initially I thought my skin was looking better until suddenly, as if overnight, a cluster of spots emerged along my jaw line. Then on my forehead… then on my cheeks… I also noticed that my pores seemed more clogged than clean. I persevered for a good while, telling myself that my skin was adjusting and detoxing – I was of the mindset that the “only way out is through.” Not only was I was miserable, but my husband would cringe as soon as I opened the bottle of ACV and applied the stinky stuff to my skin.

After a move from NYC to LA, I started to get red splotches on my neck and cheeks – like randomly placed blush powder, these spots were hard to miss. Whether it was environmental, stress related, or as a consequence of “hot head” from the hot room, I don’t know. All I did know was that I had to take a Bikram break (my skin would burn when it was aggravated) and needed to target the source of the madness – I sought the advice of a dermatologist.

Diagnosis: the red splotches were dermatitis which meant prescription medication; treating the dreaded spots meant reassessing my skincare regime. I set the oil and vinegar aside for cooking purposes and turned to products based on science, some of which had been sitting in my cabinet throughout the entire skin-drama period.

THIS IS WHAT’S WORKING FOR ME

Once I started frequenting the hot room again, I knew that I needed to take the extra few minutes to feed my skin after the class detox. I used to have a quick in-studio shower and go home but I’ve since added a 10 minute step to ensure I cleanse, tone, hydrate, and protect my skin. Initially, it took a bit of getting used to but now I treat the product application as a mini post-yoga class meditation. My skin doesn’t feel happy if I skip this step.

-        As my skin is sensitive and reactive, I have found a combination of products that are bringing my skin back!  SkinCeuticals and Dermalogica products feel so good on my skin. And, they’re made in the USA which is good for the economy.

-       –   Using travel size products means not lugging around my bathroom cabinet. It also means I never forget my products because I never take them out of my yoga bag.

-      –    One of my favourite products is the Antioxidant Hydramist. After class it feels so good to spritz it on because of the calming smell of the Rose extract. It also includes Hyaluronic Acid  to hydrate my outsweated skin and the Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant.

-        -  I wish wish wish I could walk out after class without a stitch of makeup… but I can’t. My skin looks a little flushed after hot yoga so a primer with a neutral tint evens it out. Plus, this is an SPF 30 broad spectrum product which protects against sun damage – a huge concern of mine as I live in “sunny and 80” degree weather year round. The Fresh Sugar lip balm is a mini size and contains SPF 30 too – I love its subtle tint and not-sticky texture.

-I     –    I use the Emollience skin moisturizer, given the nod of approval by my dermatologist, after class and in the evenings. It’s calming, and smells “clean.” I’m on the road to recovery!!

Recently, I read a post titled “Ten Things Noone Will Tell You About Hot Yoga” on http://www.babble.com and thought it was spot on.

For me, everything tastes amazing after a Bikram Yoga session (see #3) – it’s as if my taste buds go numb to sweet/sour/bitter/salty which means it’s a great time to drink a mean green juice! There’s no doubt about #8, although I am not sure about #5.

What resonates with you?

1. Marathon training

Hot yoga would probably make for good marathon training. The mental part of marathon training.

2. Time consuming

It takes a big chunk out of your day. Drive to studio. Sweat for 90 minutes. Go home. Shower. It’s at least two hours.

3. Fruit relief

You might consider a single slice of orange after class a miracle fruit.

4. Mind over matter

It has almost nothing to do with your physical ability. The phrase “mind over matter” is no joke in hot yoga.

5. Free exfoliation

It’s like getting a free exfoliation treatment. Any dry or dead skin you have will rub right off. Yes, that’s gross. That’s why no one tells you.

6. Sweat buckets

You will sweat buckets. This seems obvious, but really. You will almost literally sweat your butt off. I sweat so much the pink dye ran right out of my shorts and stained my towel.

7. Fitting it in

Despite the previous tip, hot yoga and training for a marathon probably shouldn’t happen at the same time. 2 hours for yoga and a 3 hour training run? Good luck with your social life.

8. Refreshing shower

The shower after hot yoga might be one of the best of your life.

9. Take a seat

Just when you think you can’t handle another second and you’re going to pass out from heat exhaustion, you get to sit down.

10. Hydration necessary

You won’t have to pee. Every ounce of liquid inside you seeps out of your skin. I didn’t say it was pretty.

The original article can be accessed via http://www.babble.com/body-mind/10-things-no-one-will-tell-you-about-hot-yoga-2/

Alchemy: the medieval forerunner of chemistry, concerned particularly with attempts to convert common metals into gold.

I remember a moment in class when Bikram said something along the lines of, “All that glitters is not gold.” He’s right. I’ve been thinking a lot about my asana practice lately, and how it’s easy to view its form or shape as the ultimate goal. Especially in the Bikram room’s heat, it’s not hard to get frustrated when falling out of a pose or not being able to kick our leg up high enough, instead of simply being kinder to ourselves by breathing and accepting what is.

Thinking of the pose as the ultimate goal could mean that we’re missing the whole point of yoga as a holistic science. In his Yoga Sutras, Patanjali states that the goal of yoga is “the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff.”

Furthermore, the Sutras state that yoga is made up of 8 limbs, with asana being the third. In my own practice, I’ve needed to shift my practice by paying attention to Pranayama. By breathing into the pose and visualising the end result as opposed to pushing the body to the highest point allows  me to share a more balanced practice with myself, and the rest of the room.

Taking into account the first two limbs of yoga, Sri Dharma Mittra states how imperative it is to view yoga as an all encompassing practice which is rooted in a philosophy that many may not even have an understanding of. It made me realise that there is so much more work to be done in my practice:

Asanas are an aid to facilitate the journey to Self-realization within the yoga system. The postures are designed to induce a specific state of consciousness according to their geometric shape. In actual practice, certain Asanas are combined with Mudras, Bandhas, Pranayama, visualizations and intense attention on some of the Chakras or glands, etc., thus enhancing mental abilities (concentration).

But, Asanas are unable to destroy the subtle impurities of the mind that only keeping Yama (the Ethical Laws) and Niyama (the Yogic Observances) can. Yama and Niyama are the first and second steps of Ashtanga or Classical Eight-limbed Yoga and, without keeping them, there can be no Self-realization or true success in yoga.

Alchemy = yoga, when practiced as a whole.

Read the whole Q&A: http://www.yoganonymous.com/can-one-achieve-self-realization-through-asana-practice-dharma-mittra/

At the 80-minute mark in the hot room, I find that the going gets tough. If you can relate, an excerpt from Entrepreneur Magazine’s: The Art of Efficiency,  may put some perspective to the 90-minute time span dedicated to the 26+2.

‘To help achieve maximum productivity for clients such as Google, Facebook, and Green Mountain Coffee, The Energy Project relies on a wealth of physiological data about the basic human need for rest. The Yonkers, N.Y.-based consultancy teaches that the key is biological cadence known as the ultradian rhythm, which commands energy levels to rise and dip roughly every 90 minutes.

“At the 90-minute mark, you have to think about some sort of renewal, to put fuel back in your tank before you start the next cycle,” says senior VP of facilitation and programs Annie Perrin. She recommends encouraging workers to reach for a healthful snack, go for a short walk, listen to music or just push back from their desk, close their eyes, and breathe deeply.

While this principle was discussed in relation to the workplace, it speaks volumes to me about the 1.5 hours spent in the hot room. At the end of the Bikram series, I have that feeling of “enough.” It’s also when nothing seems more satiating than a crisp green apple and a bottle of anything liquid.

Remember this “90-minute” biological fact when you hit the wall in class – just keep going, and make sure to pack that snack for after class.

Picture the scene: You’re not even in Locust but knowing it’s the next posture in the series has you feeling exhausted. Your mind is suddenly churning the familiar self-talk, “This posture is so tough. I don’t want to do it. I can’t do it.” You set up the  physical form; you lift your right leg up to 30 degrees… it feels like lead… 45 degrees? No way! You’ve tuned out the dialogue; you just want this pose to be over.

If I am not alone, you too have been caught in this situation – be it Locust or other challenging posture. In my case, this has happened way too many times. Anticipating a posture before it’s even attempted is my downfall in the hot room. Preempting actions with negative mind-talk is enough to turn a positive and uplifting practice onto its back.

I’m diligent about setting up the physical posture with precision. So, what about setting up the mental form?

I firmly believe – correction: I know – that the power of my mind is directly correlated to the success of my yoga practice. So, over the past few classes, I have been diving head-first into oncoming waves of anticipation. Before Locust, for example, I’ve been consciously replacing “But, I can’t…” with “I can do this. Within 10 seconds, it’ll be over.” This way I have no time to worry and I ditch the exhaustion that accompanies such a anguished lead up.

It’s hard breaking these mind-habits in the hot room, but I’m committed to pivoting the dial closer to kindness and compassion. It takes 21 days to make and break, right?

“Practice with a beginner’s mind” – truer words have not been spoken.

WAVE: Image via thenark.com

Have you read the latest US Yoga Journal editor’s letter by Charity Ferreira? I just did, and was immediately inspired. Her first sentence included a quote by British writer, Eden Phillpotts:

“The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.”

“It’s so true,” I thought. Personally, I relate to these words (with the firm belief that we are intertwined with the universe) as they help describe — on a micro level — how I feel after every Bikram class. It’s that feeling of having learned something new (or relearning it), whether hearing a sentence in the dialogue that suddenly, as if out of nowhere, tweaks a pose into place, or experiencing a light-bulb moment at the most inappropriate time (during the twist in Triangle!) that changes the course of my day. It’s as if all the sweat steam-cleans the windshield of grit and grime to expose a more insightful window on the world.

It may sound all cheery, but I am not talking about seeing the world through rose coloured glasses. Opening our eyes, getting in tune with our feelings, accepting discomfort, and really feeling present comes with its own ramifications (if you will) — we may become more sensitive, more perceptive, more fearful, more empowered, and/or more understanding of our selves in space.

This is a process that I am getting used to, and reading an inspiring quote like the one above reminds me to keep patient — to enjoy riding the wave when going with the flow, and to paddle like crazy when the going gets tough… because giving up just isn’t an option. Because the only way out is through, and this is what enables the magic to manifest.

It may sound cliche and yes, we’ve heard similar sentiments a million times before, but once we start unraveling in the process, doesn’t it all somehow make sense?

Laguna Beach — magical and mystical

The beauty of Bikram Yoga, for me, is that I am able to retreat into a form of meditation.  I transition to the beat of the class’ drum — movement, then stillness… movement, then Savasana…. I feed off of the energy percolating in the room.

Savasana in Patagonia at home

It’s outside of the hot room that I have found meditation harder to master. A seated meditation, situated in the calm and quiet of my own space, takes practice — I have been discouraged many times by irritable thoughts and sensory distractions. Meaning, I react and snap out of a meditation despite the length of time it took for me to settle in.

Snapped from the September issue of Women’s Health, meditation is one practice that has taken me out of my comfort zone. And I’ll gladly welcome a sprinkle of glittery magic.

THOUGHTS IN MEDITATION

Meditation takes commitment and discipline, and, as I’ve found out, it’s inevitable for thoughts to bubble up. Deepak Chopra states, “If you try to stop your thoughts with the intention of creating stillness in your mind, your mental activity may quiet for a few moments, but it will almost certainly start up again at full speed.”

He describes thoughts as a “packet of energy and information. According to yoga, all thoughts can be classified as either memories or desires. When your mind is active, you are either thinking about something that happened in the past or are anticipating something occurring in the future.” In his book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, Chopra goes on to write, “Your choices are limited while your mind is engaged in a memory or desire. People frequently get caught in habitual ruts of thinking, believing that they are stuck in a situation because they cannot imagine other possibilities. Accessing the field of pure potentiality by going beyond conditioning through meditation opens up creative possibilities that previously were unavailable.“

So, if meditation can allow us to tap into that sweet spot outside of our comfort zones — that magical space — what’s the best way to start a practice without getting discouraged?

A natural light show across my lululemon mat, earlier this Saturday afternoon.

SO HUM MEDITATION EXERCISE (taken from The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga)

This Chopra-inspired meditation technique uses breath along with a breathing mantra to quiet the mind and relax the body. Chopra recommends meditating for 20-30 minutes daily — twice (A.M. and P.M.) if possible. However, if, like me, you are prone to distractions, work on cultivating patience and build up from 10 minutes (perhaps, in 2 minute increments).

Before settling onto your mat or meditation cushion, get comfortable. If you are able to buy some meditation specific clothes, choose a top and bottom that are non-restrictive and will allow you to sit in stillness for elongated periods of time. I prefer not to wear any of my Bikram outfits during this practice.

1. Sit comfortably where you will not be disturbed and close your eyes.

2. For a few minutes simply observe the inflow and outflow of your breath.

3. Now take a slow, deep breath through your nose while thinking the word So.

4. Exhale slowly through your nose while thinking the word Hum.

5. Allow your breathing to flow easily, silently repeating, So…. Hum…. with each inflow and outflow of your breath.

6. Whenever your attention drifts to thoughts in your mind, sounds in your environment, or sensations in your body, gently return to your breath, silently repeating, So…. Hum.

7. Continue this process for 20-30 minutes with an attitude of effortlessness and simplicity.

8. When the time is up, sit with your eyes closed for a couple of minutes before resuming your daily activity.

Patagonia makes comfy yoga-specific tops and pants that provide ease of movement

I’m embarking on a 30-day meditation challenge, and hope to build from a 10-minute to a 20-, even 30-minute practice. Let me know how you go. Do you have any meditation tips to share?

Here’s one way to justify distractions:

“It’s just an accident that we happen to be on earth, enjoying our silly little moments, distracting ourselves as often as possible so we don’t have to really face up to the fact that, you know, we’re just temporary people with a very short time in a universe that will eventually be completely gone. And everything that you value, whether it’s Shakespeare, Beethoven, da Vinci, or whatever, will be gone. The earth will be gone. The sun will be gone. There’ll be nothing. The best you can do to get through this life is distraction. Love works as a distraction. Any work works as a distraction. You can distract yourself a billion ways. But the key is to distract yourself.” ~ Woody Allen, writer and director, 77. As quoted in Esquire, September 2013.

… you are the artist… of your own life.

I have been committed to a seated meditation challenge since I blogged about it a couple of weeks ago: Quiet the Mind ~ A Seated Meditation and have been asking myself ever since, “Why did it take me so long to start?” I am loving my meditation time.

I have progressed from 10 minutes to 30 minutes of daily practice, and looking forward to the practice has made it much easier to commit to! This quiet time gives my brain waves a much needed pause.

On my short journey with meditation, I have uncovered a few resources that helped ease me into the practice. I’m sharing them with you if you’re keen to learn more about seated meditation’s benefits, and understand how different it is — and complementary — to a moving meditation (like Bikram Yoga).

RESOURCES

** A free online course, What is Yoga As Meditation?, created by Swami Jnaneshvara and Swami Ma Tripurashakti Bharati of Abhyasa Ashram, gave me an excellent background to understanding to the art and science of meditation. Bonus: There is a 30 minute audio So Hum mantra on here too if you’d like to use it after you’ve completed the course. Link: http://www.udemy.com/what-is-yoga-as-meditation

** The Zazen Meditation Timer App — downloaded to my cell — took out the stress of checking my watch ever 2 minutes when I first embarked on the challenge. You set the length of time, and progress upwards every few days, from 10 mins to 12, to 14… and so on. This app is silent (no music, no chanting) and mutes phone email/call/message notifications too.

** The Om Chant App — also downloaded to my cell — is an audio of…. yes, you guessed it … Om chants. You can set the chants from 5 repetitions to 108, and the latter equates to about 30 minutes. The Om’s require a longer cycle of breath, which I like as it allows me to concentrate on deeper breathing. (I have nodded off a few times!)

I am reading Creative Visualisation by Shakti Gawain, and this quote below, though in relation to a particular topic, resonated with me. It reads so universally and you might find some truth in it too:

“What works at one time may not at another; what works for one person may not for another. Always trust yourself and your deepest intuitive feelings. If it feels like you are forcing, pushing, exerting effort, or straining, don’t do it. If it feels helpful, releasing, opening, strengthening, enlivening,  inspiring, do it.”

Enjoy the spiritual journey

No matter how gritty, murky, and dark its surroundings, the beautiful lotus flower rises above it all.

Santa Monica #nofilter

Readers, I had the toughest class today. No joke.

T — O — U — G — H — E — S — T.

It was one of those sweaty sessions where I felt the intense heat as soon as I walked into the class. It was one of those tough, grueling classes where life takes on a vacation-feel for hours afterward.

Here’s a snippet of how those 90 minutes went: To start off with, my energy was completely off-kilter in Standing Deep Breathing so I looked asymmetrical in both sets. I wobbled like jelly all through Awkward, I toppled in Tree, my thigh muscles madly shook in Locust pose, and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest in Savasana after Camel pose. I could only hold 20 seconds in Standing Bow Pulling pose and Triangle…. Triangle went on forever! I thought my legs were going to give way (well, they kinda did) as I repeated to myself — “There is an end to this pose — this pose will end… it will…”

This entire scene has not happened in a while.

It was such a tough class that I haven’t even attempted to rationalize it though I have can list on one hand factors likely in play: a) I had a really emotional weekend (thanks mum, for lending an ear); b) I was dehydrated; c) It was above-average hot in the room; and, d) I’d been reading too many of Deepak Chopra’s books.

These thoughts were caught in my mind’s centrifuge, distracting me to the point that I had to resort to the So Hum meditation mantra to keep cool. It worked for a little bit… I pushed through… “The only way out is through…”

So, when it came to Blowing in Firm pose, I felt like I’d been stretched, baked, and wrung out to the point of rag-doll exhaustion. In that moment, while sitting Japanese style, I was reminded of that big word: humility. I wasn’t upset with the way class had unfolded, or rather, how I had unfolded in class.  I actually felt liberated in that yoga still made me feel this way. And, the last thing I wanted to do was “share” this stirring energy with the class. So as we started breathing, instead of breathing out anything negative, I breathed out positivity –love, freedom, joy, serenity, surrender. I breathed the very same in for me too. I’d never done that before. And, it felt good.

After class, as the shower’s three walls supported my nauseous self while I thawed under the cool water, I was reminded of the quote by Isak Dinesen: “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” I’d already sweated, I’d already cried…. I needed to see the sea.

So I went to the Ocean. And I felt even better.

Though the ocean’s wide blue expanse was tinged with grey, I wasn’t bothered. I knew that the thick veil of white covering a blue sky above was a lovely silver lining.

Santa Monica too, #nofilter

I’m the first to admit that I am the last to step into class on many an occasion. This means, I am usually standing in the hottest spot in the room as it is the only spot available! Faced with this slight disadvantage (it’s not my favourite thing to feel flushed and slightly dizzy from the heat), I lose more water because I’m pretty sure I sweat more.

This hot spot in the room stresses to me the importance of that vital natural element, water, as well as the conscious act of hydrating.

Standing in this spot, I’ve learned to keep an eagle eye on the water level of the H2O bottle; if I’m not careful, I could chug back 1L in the first part of class. And, we all know what that would mean — belly flopping through pretty much all of the Spine Series.

This spot also highlights my ill-skill in hydrating properly before class. I try and drink water and herbal teas throughout the day but I know it’s not enough. Anyone have any tips?

As my skin has a tendency to shrivel like that of a prune, another thing I am reminded of with all that sweating is the importance of nutrition.  Silver lining: knowing I must replenish the valuable salts and minerals lost in the sweat drippings means I get to enjoy a delicious post-Bikram snack — avocado on toast with sea salt. There’s truly nothing more satisfying after a sweaty class than this (apart from cubes of juicy sweet watermelon!)

Luckily, I love to eat so getting into a routine of enjoying a snack like this one isn’t hard. I’m getting pretty good at buying a bag of avocados every week.

Last but not least — hydration, hydration, hydration of the skin. Flushed from the heat, and looking slightly ‘raisin’ in the face is not the way I want to be caught when the wind changes. So, these ultra hot classes remind me that I have to stick to a skincare routine. After class and before bed (on most days as I alternate with an oil) I use a Hydrating Gel that contains hyaluronic acid — this is the body’s natural hydrator and binds moisture to the skin to keep it plump. Getting into the habit of applying this gel daily means that the skin has less chance of becoming dehydrated because the skin is constantly being hydrated from the outside. While it’s recommended to smooth moisturize over the top, I tend to follow that routine in the day (with SPF),  but lighten the load in the evenings (a facialist told me to use it as a standalone based on my skin so this is different for everyone).

My skin has changed so much since moving from New York to Los Angeles that looking after it daily is a necessity for me, and I hardly let a day go by without replenishing it.

So, while I might grumble about standing in the hottest spot of the room — the fact that I am writing about it on this blog is indication enough of that — it is a sign that I should get to class earlier. Otherwise, I can continue this positive stance about making the hot(ter) experience a  reminder to keep up with well-intentioned actions.

I don’t know about you but as a kid I loved to make up dance routines with my sister and friends, and perform them in front of family. Suffice to say, this great act of vulnerability didn’t make its way into adulthood… although it’s never too late to start. Did anyone read about the story of the dancing bus-stop woman? Bus Stop ‘Dancing Queen’ Earns Herself A New Job — And Our Undying Admiration (VIDEO).

The point of this story is that I remember all of these fun dancing memories when I put on this one pair of pants — appropriately named Dance Studio Pant. They’re my “on the way to and from” yoga pants, and I just LOVE them. They always make me feel great because I can’t help smiling when recalling those oft-forgotten moments; right now, I have a great visual of my godfather’s son breakdancing in his room to the tunes of Bobby Brown from his ghettoblaster. Ahhh, the good old days before iPods were the norm.

I love that clothes can make us feel so good simply by conjuring up these filed-away Polaroid-like snapshots of the mind. I confess — the whole thing has had me wondering, “what if?” … What if I had become a back-up dancer for Justin Timberlake, JLo, Madonna, or Kanye? Would that have paved my way to becoming a future judge on Dancing with the Stars? Ha!

PS. These are going to be the updated, and upgraded, version of the ubiquitous yoga pant. They’re so fun and cool!

My Lululemon Dance Studio Pants that I would wear everyday if I could…!

This gives my next practice something to think about…

“Backbending:
My back bending changed when I changed my mind and understanding of what back bending is. Why do we back bend? What does it do for the body physically and emotionally? It’s not necessarily about going way back, more back. It’s about decompressing the disks to free up the spinal nerves. It’s about stimulating the chakras and opening the heart, it’s finding an even liberation of the spine without favoring that more common, easier place to bend the spine.
So how do we do this? Get over your attachment to depth and fall in love with feeling your spine. Always find lift “up and over” never collapse, be precise and persistent. A healthy spine, an evolved spine, a deep back bend; these things don’t happen over night.

Gianna via USA Yoga

Bow (floor):
Kick like crazy while maintaining alignment. Kick from the inner thighs. Yes, that sounds weird but our quads are a big muscle and often takes over and pull our legs out of alignment. This leaves us only bending parts of our spine. So bring attention to the inner thigh and squeeze them in and up.
There is always one more MORE and one more UP.”

via USA Yoga Facebook, by USA Yoga Champion Gianna Purcell

Gianna via USA Yoga