Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Posture: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana


(SET-too BAHN-dah)
setu = dam or bridge
bandha = lock

Lie down on the mat, bend knees and set feet on the floor hip-width apart. As you lift the hips up, walk the shoulder blades towards one another and interlace the fingers. Push the tailbone upward toward the pubis, engaging the hamstrings and glutes. Arms press into the mat gently and extend long towards the heels to help stay on the tops of the shoulders.
Lift buttocks until thighs are about parallel to the floor. Keep knees directly over the heels and lengthen the tailbone toward the back of the knees. Lift pubis toward the navel. Chin lifts away from the sternum and shoulder blades firm against the back. Stay in the posture for 5-10 deep breathes and exhale as you roll the spine slowly down onto the mat.  

Benefits: stretches the chest, spine and neck * calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression * stimulates abdominal organs, lungs and thyroid * rejuvenates tired legs * improves digestion * helps relieve symptoms of menopause * relieves menstrual discomfort * reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache, and insomnia * therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis

Be cautious of the following: If you've had a neck injury, avoid this posture unless you are practicing under the supervision of an experienced teacher.

~ Thanks to YJ for helping me out this week as I didn't have a photo of me in bridge! 

Monday, June 14, 2010

Mantra: Don't worry, be happy!

"Happiness is the natural state of human kind. God has given us, free of cost, unlimited and inexhaustible sources of happiness. Life evolved on earth against tremendous odds. This life itself is the greatest happiness. OH! To be alive is the greatest happiness. To have a sound body and mind is a privilege which we hardly appreciate. God has seen to it that we are born in a family and later acquire a family which gives us great happiness and joy. God gave us beautiful sun and moon, starts and sky, mountains and forests, rivers and oceans, fruits and vegetables, and rain and snow and sunshine - all for our happiness and to keep us happy!
Humans rival God in everything. The motive behind human progress is happiness. Humans made all things for their happiness and enjoyment. They discovered fire and wheel, made houses and tools, engaged in agriculture and crafts. They made cars and airplanes, radio and TV and computers. They developed music and dance, fine arts and literature. All these things are not only useful; they are also great source of happiness to humankind.
But the ultimate happiness lies in mind. With a happy and positive attitude human kind can be happy in very difficult circumstances too. There is no use in worrying for past things and things to come. Enjoy the unlimited happiness scattered all around us in unlimited quantity in God given and human made lives and things; be happy in your mind by having a positive and happy attitude; and keep your soul in a state of perfect happiness, bliss, and nirvana in communion with the universal soul. Make others happy and you will Be HaPpY!"
- happinessmantra.com

Friday, June 11, 2010

Tunes: Seone


This album totally kicks as(ana)! Check it out... it's new on my class playlist this week! You can preview music here.
My friends at Yoga Shala and I will be doing a yoga demonstration tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) at lululemon at the Quarry from 2-3pm... come by and say hello!
My classes this weekend:
~ Yoga Shala - Saturday 9:30am-11am
~ San Antonio Yoga - Sunday 10:30am-11:45am
Come join in the fun! Have a lovely weekend!

Grub: I Heart Nanogreens

I wanted to share what I eat most mornings for breakfast. Now I know it doesn't look like much but know that this is usually an hour and a half before practicing. Most traditional yogis do not eat anything prior to practice, but if I don't eat anything I begin to feel nauseous.  I first started eating rice cakes a few years ago while on a cleanse and since then, I have been addicted! I buy the Flax with Tamari (Lundberg Family Farms brand). The flax contains omega-3 that promotes cardiovascular health, supports the immune system and promotes general health. These are wheat free, gluten free and made with natural brown rice. I top the 'ol cakearoo with organic strawberry spread and a handful of blueberries - who wouldn't look forward to this for breakfast?
That green stuff off to the side is Nanogreens. Eddie and I drink this algae-looking drink daily and LOVE IT!! You gotta be able to look past the outside and focus on what's in the inside to really enjoy and benefit from it. (Sort of like yoga!) In a nutshell, it's fruits and veggies to the power of 10. It's considered a 'fast' healthy food for energized lifestyles. It has a naturally sweet taste to it and is surprisingly enjoyable. We actually look forward to having our 'greens and crave it when we've run out and don't have any on hand. Here are more benefits:



                increase energy, naturally, without stimulants
                reduce appetite, improve metabolism and assist weight loss efforts
                restore regular elimination and assist digestion
                reduce inflammation, relieve stiff and achy joints and muscles
                lower risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke
                inhibit hardening of the arteries
                protect your vision from age related vision loss and blindness
                maintain strong bone support, immune function and increase resistance to infections
                reduce allergy symptoms without drowsiness
                improve mental acuity and protect mind and memory
                detoxify toxic meals and chemicals, help slow aging of the skin and dulling of the hair

I sell various Biopharma products including Nanogreens so if you're interested let me know!
Here's to happy breakfasts to kick-start your day! 

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Fab Find: New Balance for Nine West

The Softmoon lightweight shoe combines performance and fashion! It features a soft jersey uper in a sleek slip-on with an elasticized strap for a sporty, fit-enhancing touch! Really... just think about how cute these would looked paired with some lulu crops or pants! They come in three different colors! 

Price: $48.30 (on sale)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Posture: Adho Mukha Svanasana

(AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)
adho = downward
mukha = face
svana = dog

Aka Downward facing dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana is a pose in the traditional Sun Salutation sequence. My students know this very well.  : ) From upward facing dog or all-fours, lift the sitting bones up toward the ceiling and stretch through the hamstrings. Lower the heels towards the mat and straighten legs, but don't lock the knees. Spread the fingers wide and press evenly through fingertips and knuckles. Firm the shoulder blades against the back, then widen them and draw them towards the tailbone. Keep the head between the upper arms. 

Benefits: calms the brain and helps revitalize stress and mild depression * energizes the body * stretches shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands * helps relieve symptoms of menopause * relieves menstrual discomfort * helps prevent osteoporosis * improves digestion * relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue * therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica and sinusitis

Holy moly with all these wonderful benefits, we should ALL be doing this posture DAILY! 

Be cautious of the following: carpal tunnel syndrome * diarrhea * if you're pregnant, don't do this posture late-term

Monday, June 7, 2010

Motivation: Come Live The Life

So the inspiration behind this week's mantra/motivation stems from the video below. It's a Belgium rock band called K's Choice and the song is titled 'Come Live The Life". Read the lyrics below and know that no matter how choppy the water is at times, what lies ahead is beautiful and most serene. The lines ring true: Your eyes are the gateway to your soul... and indeed, All is forgiven. Summer is among us friends! Go out and play and live the live you've been given! 




Lyrics to Come Live The Life :
You rush out, it's another day
And pass yourself along the way again
How much longer ?
And you're keeping up the pace you're in
You feel like crashing into something new
How much longer ?

If your eyes are the gateway to your soul
What's broken will be whole again
And whole is hard to shatter
I'll dive into your eyes
I'm never coming out
Not until we all desolve into what matters

You wanna bury secrets deep inside
But it's too cold a place to hide them all
How much longer ?
So somewhere in your eyes I see
A wall of fire moving toward me
I'm here

If your eyes are the gateway to your soul
What's broken will be whole again
And whole is hard to shatter
I'll dive into your eyes
I'm never coming out
Not until we all desolve into what matters

So come on, come on, come on
All is forgiven
So come on, come on
Come live the life you're given

If you go out, it's a sunny day
Away, away, away, away
Come on, come on, come on
All is forgiven
So come on, come on
Come live the life
So come on, come on, come on
All is forgiven
So come on, come on
Come live the life
So come on, come on
Come live the life you're given
Come Live The Life Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ] 

Tunes: K's Choice



Such a wonderful message!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Grub: Shrimp Stir-Fry

This is one of our faves... it's so quick and super easy to make. Dinner on the fly! As I mentioned earlier, I've been pretty busy this week so I took a look in our fridge to see what we had stocked up that I could use for dinner tonight. We had a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies from Costco so I decided to pick up some shrimp and whip this baby together. Healthy, hot and hella-good!

Ingredients:
Stir-fry veggies (broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrots, red bell pepper, water chestnuts, green beans, shiitake mushrooms, baby corn)
Cooked and deveined shrimp (cut into halves)
Low-sodium soy sauce
Sriracha hot sauce
Extra virgin olive oil

Prep:
Heat veggies and olive oil in wok on high. Add in small pieces of shrimp and top with soy and sriracha sauces (careful with the latter)! All is to taste so if have a love of spicy foods, you may want to be like Eddie and sit the sriracha next to your plate. : ) Whala!

Here are a few photos I'd like to share from the past few days:
This is our camp site last weekend at Andy's on the River in ConCan, TX. We had such a great time and the weather was just perfect for floating the river!

Here are Luna and Diego with their new BFF Macy. Too bad she was only here a few days. Her mama picked her up this morning and L & D have been pretty sad all day. We will miss her, but more so my beautiful and warm-hearted yogi sister Jeneane. Have a safe and wonderful journey dear friend... we are together in spirit always.

Fab Find: barefoot yoga co. Mysore Rug

I know, I know... I'm a day behind schedule and that's a-o-k. It's been a crazy week catching up from the holiday so we'll be back on track in no time!
Today's fabulous find features the mysore yoga rug. These are traditionally used for Ashtanga Yoga practice and were actually recommended by Pattabhi Jois as the ideal surface for Mysore Ashtanga practice. However, this rug is great for any form of exercise where you will be sweating profusely (Bikram). It is tightly woven 100% cotton that is biodegradable and PVC free!
The rug sits nicely atop any regular yoga mat and also provides a bit of extra cushion for seated and/or kneeling postures. Some of the barefoot yoga co. rugs also have woven lines in the pattern that provide assistance with hand & foot alignment.
Price: $41

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Posture: Sarvangasana



Supported shoulder stand pose. Sarvang is a Sanskrit word meaning 'all limbs' or 'complete body'. This posture benefits the complete body. 


Two legs reach up as one, thighs and knees spiral inward. Reach the tailbone toward the heels. 


Benefits: This posture is an inversion that reverses the effects of gravity, decompresses the spine and helps re-align the arms with the shoulders * Improves energy balance and metabolism by wringing out the thyroid and parathyroid glands in the throat.


Be cautious of the following: This is a shoulder stand and not a neck-stand. Do not turn the head from side to side while in this posture * If this is difficult, try adding a blanket under the shoulders with the back of the head on the floor to preserve a curved space beneath the lower neck * Try to avoid this posture during menstruation.