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I do Yoga
In the midst of wedding season, it seems like a good time to think about what we are committing to when we gaze longingly at our mat or wish we had more time for Namaskar-ing at sunset.In chapter five of the Bhagavad Gita:"The resolute in yoga surrender and gain perfect peace; the irresolute, attached to results, are bound by everything they do."So, we've got to resolutely let go? Sounds tricky. Even if we can conceptualize this, how is it applied and how do we live this truth on and off the mat?Susan Piver at the Huffington Post seems to have hit it right on the yoga toes. Not sure if she does asana on a mat, but she certainly sounds like a yogi in this reflective blog written on her twelfth wedding anniversary. "It's just now, 12 years later, that I'm finding out what, apparently,
I said yes to.
I said yes to the unfolding, impenetrable arc of uncertainty. I guess
I thought that finding love was an endpoint, that some kind of search
was over and I would find home. We would leap over the threshold
together into whatever we imagined our ideal cottage to be. But really
we stepped through a crazy looking glass.
It seems that I committed to a lifetime of delight and sadness,
inseparable from each other. Every time I look into my dear one's eyes
and feel how deeply we're connected, the moment disappears before I can
actually hold it--and I have to watch that happen. It's excruciating.
It's much easier to do this with your thoughts when you're meditating
than with the feeling you get from his breath on your shoulder as you
fall asleep. But now I get that I have to repeat this until the end of
my life, and that somehow this is love's road.
I didn't really understand that love does not arise, abide, or
dissolve in connection with any particular feeling. It has almost
nothing to do with feeling. (Nor does it seem to be a gesture, a
commitment to stay, becoming best friends, or anything else I might have
thought.) Love has become a container in which we live. Through time,
riding mysterious waves of passion, aggression, and ignorance (and
boredom), I think we began to live within love itself. At least I did.
Each time I have opened up, extended myself, accepted what was being
offered to me, stepped beyond my comfort zone to embrace him, the
structure has been reinforced. I no longer have any idea if I love my
husband or not. I can't imagine what the feelings I have for him could
be called. I've even given up trying to love him. Our relationship is
what gives us love, not the other way around. This is how it is.
And if you're looking for a
crucible in which to heat compassion, this is a really good one. Someone
once told me that compassion is the ability to hold love and pain
together in the same moment. So at least we're learning something, which
is what I tell myself.
When you
find your true love, there is something inside that simply and
inexplicably says hello to him. Yes to him. Of course to him. Certainly.
Obviously it's you. There is no choice. I do."Are you ready to commit or re-commit to your practice? What poses do you use to remind yourself to commit to surrender? I like Ardha Chandrasana for this balance.Whether you're getting married this summer, attending a commitment ceremony or finaly ready to take the leap with yoga, this article on celebrating with meaning may help get you in the mood.Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
Independence Day
As our nation turns to backyards, barbecues, burgers, bright
colors and explosions in the sky, it seems appropriate to celebrate independence in a personal way as well. Perhaps with some yoga?Independence. Freedom. Liberation. Moksha. Most cultures take time to
celebrate a form of letting go and feeling open and alive to
possibility, and it seems the height of summer is the perfect time for
this expression. Your pores are open and warmed by the sun, encouraging
your body to release, the days are long and, in most places, the
weather is inviting.
What do we, in this modern day, need to do to disentangle ourselves
from our oppressors?
What are our oppressions anyway, and why do we feel tangled in the
first place? Yoga can help answer all of the above.
I woke up with Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" in my head:
"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds."
This will be my mantra in practice this weekend. Any obstacle I perceive has been
placed there by me, and I can also choose to remove it. My morning yoga
practice, of course, will be my revolution.
Today I celebrate independence from the mind stuff, vritti. I will not allow myself to be worried about the extra traffic caused
on a Friday before a holiday weekend...or the longer lines at the
grocery store, or the wait at the bank or how crowded it will be at the
park and the beach. These things are fun and they are choices. I will
enjoy my liberation with breath, movement, and maybe a little reggae.How will you liberate yourself this weekend?Check out the accidental yogist if you're in SoCal and looking for studios that are celebrating their independence.Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
Truly Tantric
Sting just started out for a summer tour, and, unfortunately, the only buzz we keep hearing is about this mysterious scandalous tantra stuff.Allow Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, to explain themselves in Yoga Journal's exclusive interview. Stephanie Syman, author of The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America, also plans to set the tantric-yoga record straight once and for all in her Wall Street Journal blog:
"Traditionally, Tantra refers to a loose and varied collection of
practices detailed in the Tantras (Indic texts). Some of its most
salient features are secrecy and worship of the female principle. The
feature that has most intrigued and shocked observers--both Indian and
Western--is that Tantra enjoins the aspirant to either visualize sex or
engage in acts of ritual intercourse. The purpose of this conjugation,
often depicted as the union of Siva and Shakti, is to reach Samadhi, a
blissful state of consciousness devoid of any sense of personal
identity. Succeed, and not only do you turn your mind into a "point of
awareness," as Ram Dass once put it, you obtain special powers
(siddhis).
You could say that we're all Tantrics now since the most
popular form of yoga today, Hatha Yoga, has been a central feature of
Tantric practice, and its creators were affiliated with Tantric sects.But as with most cultural imports, our assimilation of Tantra has
involved equal parts interpretation and invention.
No wonder. Tantric practice is no quick route to sexual
gratification. It's traditionally demanding, complicated, highly
formalized, and at times, tedious. And only some types of Tantrics
(known as "left-handed") engage in ritual sex at all. Tantra then
presents a paradox: it can involve sex and yet its prerequisites
mitigate the pleasure. And while you may enhance sexual performance via
Tantric practices, the goal is not to get good at sex, the goal is to
alter your consciousness so radically that embodied existence is no
longer relevant."Still curious? Read Todd Jones' The Truth About Tantra.Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
Hot Yoga for Kids?
Starting your kids out young in yoga sounds like a great idea, but would you bring your child to a hot yoga class? In case you haven't heard, Bikram's self-proclaimed "torture chambers" are a series of twenty-six postures in a 104-degree room for 90 minutes. It is an extreme workout. Instructors say it's natural to feel nauseous, dizzy and maybe even black out. This blogger from MomLogic.com starts investigating after a mother brings her four-year-old to the weekend hot yoga class."At the beginning of the class, this little yogi was trying
each of the moves, naturally having trouble holding any pose. By 15
minutes into the class, the poor thing was playing with her water
bottle, spraying herself and rolling around on her towel.
I am in my mid-30s, and I can barely stay focused for the hour and a
half. So I totally understood how this little one was bored out of her
mind. As the class continued, she got up and down and tried more moves.
Of course her mom kept trying to correct her, but the instructor
insisted that she let her daughter learn on her own. Meanwhile, I was
hot as hell and wondering, Is this healthy for the child?
So of course, back at work, I just had to get an expert
opinion. Pediatrician and momlogic expert Dr. Alanna
Levine said the following:
"I do not recommend that
young children participate in Bikram yoga. Children handle
high temperatures differently than adults. They have a higher
surface-area-to-mass ratio, which means they absorb heat more than
adults do. They also have a smaller blood volume, which makes it harder
for them to dissipate the heat. Lastly, they have a slower rate of
sweat production than adults, and sweating is a mechanism to cool us
off. Children are not 'mini adults' -- and should not be treated as
such."
I thought it was only fair to call up the Bikram Yoga College of India
and talk to someone there. Jessica, 32, has been a Bikram instructor
since 2008. Here's how our chat went:
ml: Does Bikram have a minimum age requirement?
Jessica: There are no strict rules, as long as the child is quiet
and well-behaved. There's a youth category for the annual Bikram
competition. Bikram, the founder, has three children, and they all
started doing "hot yoga" at a very early
age.
ml: How old was your youngest student ever?
J: I haven't have any younger than 9 or 10. Sometimes younger
students wait outside during the standing series and come in for the
floor series.
ml: How would you respond to our doctor's claims that Bikram is
unhealthy for kids?
J: With any physical practice, you should have a doctor's
recommendation. A decision to do Bikram should be taken person by
person. It's case by case.
What do you think? Do kids as young as 4 belong in a hot-yoga class? Have you
ever brought your child to yoga?
What types of yoga are acceptable?"
Read more here. Image by Getty Images.
Happy Birthday Yoga Journal!
In May 1975, the first issue of Yoga Journal--all 10
pages and 300 copies of it--was born. YJ is 35 years old this year, and we thought it only fitting to celebrate with yoga, of course! Our Facebook fans submitted their daring arm balances from all over the world, which you can view in our Arm Balance Extravaganza slideshow.Founded in 1975 by members of the California Yoga Teachers Association
(Rama Vernon, Ike and Judith Lasater, Rose Garfinkle, Jean Girardot,
Janis Paulsen, and William Staniger), Yoga Journal was created
to unite the growing yoga community and provide "material that combines
the essence of classical yoga with the latest understanding of modern
science." Read the full story of YJ's beginnings here.Keep an eye out for more on our Special 35th Anniversary Edition hitting newsstand this fall. Be the first to get sneak previews and other special offers by becoming a fan at www.facebook.com/yogajournal
Is Yoga for Kids any Good?
Parent-baby and parent-toddler yoga classes seem to be growing in popularity, but does it really help the children find their center? Shivani Vora from the Wall Street Journal reports. "A growing number of classes around the U.S. and DVD programs insist kids
can reap all the benefits of yoga--but in a less-structured format.
They say that yoga is calming for children, teaches them more awareness
about their bodies and even helps with their development. But Punam Kashyap, a senior developmental and behavioral pediatrician
at the Institute of Child Development at the Joseph Sanzari Children's
Hospital in Hackensack, N.J., says there is very little evidence that
the practice can have a positive effect on young children. "It's a
theory, not a fact that yoga can calm babies," she says. "That said, as
long as your child is having fun in a class, it's not going to harm them
in any way."As parents, we were
curious if yoga would do anything to mellow out our small children. We
tested three classes and a DVD for comparison. (Read the entire blog for the details of the "experiment.")Our daughter paid attention for at least half of the DVD before her
attention started to waver. She attempted a few of the poses and was
fascinated by the animal and nature sounds like a hissing snake and
barking like a dog. We aren't sure if it made her any calmer, but she
did have a good time and now keeps asking to "do yoga" to her disc.While the children didn't seem
noticeably more chilled out in the end, yoga did amuse them and
introduce them to a practice they can use to de-stress when they're
older. For us, that makes yoga for kids a keeper."What do you think about kids doing yoga? Are they old enough to reap the benefits?Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
Old School Yoga
Feeling a little burnt out on your yoga practice? How about a little inspiration for your practice from a few of the greats? Check out Krisnamacharya's totally zen moving Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)!And from Mr. Iyengar himself:
Who, or what, inspires your practice?Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
Yoga in Union Square
As an urban yogi I often day dream about coming to a bustling, messy street square and seeing--instead of garbage and taxi cabs-- hundreds of yogis. Wouldn't that be a sight?Well, Bay Area yogis are in luck because you are all invited to yoga it up in Union Square on August 7. Stephanie Snyder and Darren Main have signed on as volunteers to lead the masses, and just to add a little agave-flavored icing to this holy granola treat; registration fees benefit City of Hope. Here's the spiel:
Yoga for Hope is an event for yoga beginners and experts alike to
bring awareness to the benefits of yoga practice for patients with
life-threatening illnesses. Join City of Hope's efforts to expand awareness of
the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection is when battling
cancer, diabetes or HIV/AIDS.Don't forget to keep an eye out for Yoga Journal's sponsor booth to get a goody bag and magazine. There are also prizes and incentives to raise donations above the registration fee, for more information visit Yoga for Hope. Who says New York yogis get to have all the fun?
John Friend and Yoga in America
Two interesting, and strikingly different articles caught my eye in Sunday's New York Times. The first, a book review by Pankaj Mishra that somewhat negatively reviews the rise of yoga in the United States. Whether in the streets of Mysore or on Fifth Avenue, yoga cannot be
disentangled from specific histories or specific cultural and economic
practices. Of course, the more vulgar aspects of its inevitable
commodification in the United States, like $1,000-a-night yoga cruises,
ought to be deplored. Certainly, the civic or political virtue that
results from limber, yoga-toned bodies is not yet measurable. And it
would be nice if American followers of yoga, who increasingly define the
future of this Indian discipline, would at least occasionally seek
something like spiritual transcendence.And the second, a glowing interview with Anusara founder John Friend by Mimi Swartz.
The first time I encountered John Friend was at a
workshop at a Woodlands community college nearly 10 years ago. At the
time I was practicing a stricter form of yoga, and Friend's
joke-cracking and mind-boggling acrobatics -- he is famous for his
handstands -- were something of a revelation. Yoga could be . . . fun? As Friend led us through the poses, he spoke in
a soft voice, insisting that we contain divinity within ourselves and
must discover and express our inner goodness to fulfill our obligation
to better our world. How to do so was never expressly stated -- except
for practicing yoga, of course -- but I left the workshop feeling better
physically, mentally and emotionally.
I didn't know at the time that this was my introduction to what others
call "the cult of John." If Friend could be compared with anyone outside
the yoga world -- and I am not sure he would like this comparison -- it
would be Joel Osteen,
the magnetic evangelical megachurch minister with the feel-good message
and a book-and-television empire. Osteen's God is loving and forgiving.
Osteen doesn't get hung up on dogma, and thus everybody is welcome. I, for one, am happy to see yoga being discussed in the mainstream media. Glad that it is a part of our culture and open to debate. It's good to know that people are thinking about these things and that makes it more likely to reach a deeper stream in our society.What do you think? ps- John Friend (@anusarafriend) plans to post his response to the interview today!Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
Yoga for Perfectionists
As yogis, we all struggle to keep our practice consistent. We get distracted by life and make excuses to skip one day, then the next, and pretty soon we find ourselves making a lasting indent into the couch--we are too defeated for that one down-ward dog that could turn it all around.It seems like perfectionists catch the worst of this cycle. We like to feel like we are "being good," "making progress," and "on track." Self-proclaimed perfectionist and yogi blogger Daniela Velázquez at TBO.com says "Yoga helps me cope with much of that fretting - until I stop
practicing. Then all of the anxiety creeps back and makes me want to
crawl in bed instead of working it out on my mat."
And she's not the only one who struggles with this all-or-nothing
mantra in her yoga practice and exercise routine.
"'It makes it hard for people to stay motivated - they have to be
perfect in their diet plan and/or exercise plan,' behavioral
psychologist Dean Anderson says. 'When they inevitably aren't, they
start getting down on themselves. They figure they're never going to do
it,' says Anderson, who writes for the weight-loss website SparkPeople.com under
the pen name Coach Dean."Velázquez
says "Lately, I have learned to let the problem remain what it is and
nothing more. Eating a cookie or skipping class is simply that - not an
excuse to send myself over the edge.
That's what I have always loved about yoga. Sure, I geek out when I
do something I couldn't before, like my first on-the-wall handstand a
few weeks ago. But the emphasis for me has always been on the journey of
the practice and the progress I have made to become a happier, more
whole person.
Once you're able to do something new (like a handstand), there's
always a slightly more complicated pose to work on (a one-handed
handstand). And with more than 1,000 poses in yoga's repertoire, you
won't ever be able to master them all. And that's OK. Because each time
you practice, you gain a little more wisdom about yourself and the
world.
It's about the process of changing, not about each individual
event. Perfectionists focus on the outcome, and if they don't
get a perfect outcome their motivation collapses."
Next time, start with reminding yourself that you are inherently full or whole--lacking in no way. Then press on to practice with willful intention and non-concern for results and see if it feels different.Erin Chalfant is a
writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.
