Chi-elements

Many mom’s will agree that bringing a new life into this world is one of the most remarkable experiences a woman ever gets to go through. With the many joys also come many challenges. The multi tasking that a woman thought she mastered certainly gets challenged to whole new levels. The new routine, the change in pace, the 24 hour care for someone other than you, can put a lot of strain on a new mom, both physically and mentally. Post-Natal Yoga is the perfect way to get your body and mind back into shape after giving birth. It is a gentle, yet effective, way to strengthen your body, correct posture imbalances and alleviate stress. Postures will help work on strengthening the abdominals, lower back, and pelvic floor, while helping reduce tension in the upper back/shoulders, neck and opening the chest. Breath work will help you reconnect you with the present moment, allowing you to feel calmer, more relaxed and gain a new sense of control and inner harmony. Qualities that any new mom w...

Now lets look at the second lecture I attended on Day 3 - The 4 Stages of Healing by T.K.V. Desikachar. Desikachar has a way of lecturing that is very practical and down to earth. His talks are always full of lively examples, which clearly illustrate the goal of the lecture. In this particular one, we went over some of the objectives that Patanjali puts forth in the Yoga Sutra. Patanjali basically says: You are in trouble, identify your trouble, have a long term goal, and you will be liberated. Though Desikachar is quick to point out that it is not always so simple. The 4 stages are as follows: What are the symptoms? What is the cause? What are the goals? Pacify or Purify or both? Find the means that will serve (solution) We need to remember though that Improvement is gradual - it is a step by step process. When you see improvement, then you begin to make changes to the means (the solution). Never forgetting that FAITH is a powerful healing tool. So part of the means should always inc...

On day 3 I attended lectures on the Hip Joint by Judith Hanson Lasater, and The 4 Stages of Healing by T.K.V. Desikachar. On this blog we'll cover the session on the Hip Joint. Hip Joint: The goal of this workshop was to look at ways in which common yoga practice puts stress on the hip joint and try to "unlearn" the mistakes typically taught in classes. The main reason being that hip replacement surgery has grown tremendously, including amongst yoga teachers. It is therefore our duty, as well educated teachers, to ensure we minimize stress and create greater stability in this key joint. The best way to keep the hip joint healthy is to ensure that you include postures that help move the joint in various directions, but never force a position - NO PUSHING!!! As Judith highlighted during the workshop, "the hip joint is a very individual joint. It varies by gender and culture." Due to this fact, it is important to know that a student may never do the "classical...

Today I sat in on T.K.V Desikachar's lectures and practice on meditation and pranayama (breathing technique). I was a real honor because he is my teacher's teacher and it was the first time I saw him live. Both lectures were very interesting presenting ways in which to use both of these techniques in a therapeutic context (given the Yoga as Therapy theme of the conference). My take aways are the following: Meditation: We should not underestimate the power of meditation to heal. Desikachar sited numerous examples of where meditation was used to heal physiological and psychological conditions. We just need to remember that the prerequisite for meditation is asana (posture work), as this prepares and quietens the body. Then you move on to pranayama - reducing your impurities, thereby making you ready for meditation. In meditation you need to be well prepared and have a sustained focus. The focus can be on an object of choice - whether it be a religious deity or something symboli...

This was my first day at the Yoga Journal Conference in Estes Park, Colorado. Both sessions I attended today were given by Gary Kraftsow. Both sessions were very insightful and practical, covering how the main objective of a therapeutic yoga practice is to help individuals manage the symptoms of their disease. In particular, the big take away from this tradition of yoga (also known as the viniyoga of yoga) is that we should never expect people to adapt to the yoga, but rather the yoga needs to adapt to the individual. Along this line, I received a great compliment from a student of mine this past week without her even realizing it. She said to me, "what I really like about this tradition of yoga is that it's the first time I feel like I can do a class and actually do all the postures, and really feel good afterwards." There you go folks, as Gary said, unless we have plans to join the Cirque de Soleil, our day to day yoga practice can definitely borrow more elements from t...

Already in the second aphorism of the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali lays out for us what Yoga is. It literally translates as "The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga." Yoga is a concentrated effort designed to bring the practitioner to stop identifying with the Ego, thereby eliminating one's false sense of self which is based on forms and identification with things. Through this elimination, the practitioner is better able to realize that he/she is not separate from the true Self (the formless consciousness beyond the Ego - that part of us that cannot be conceptually defined).

The Yoga Sutra (also referred to as Raja Yoga, the Royal Yoga) is the most ancient yoga text written by Sri Patanjali which presents guidelines and practices of Raja Yoga with the goal of bringing people of all faith and traditions to attain self-realization through a step-by-step process based on real life experiences. The text consists of 195 aphorisms divided into four chapters in which Patanjali makes concrete, detailed suggestions to help us be more respectful, resposible and peaceful towards ourselves, each other and the world as a whole. The Yoga Sutra is divided into 3 main themes: Suffering is not caused by outside forces, but rather by our own mental perceptions; the compulsive, conditional thought processes = the Ego. The neverending peace we seek can only be found when we connect with our true identity - the seer/observer (Purusha) is who we really are. We are the formless awareness (not the Ego!). Self-Realization comes with mastering the mind. Various practices are sugges...

On the September 2007 issue of Self magazine, they site some recent research from the Boston University School of Medicine which reveals that regular practice of yoga can boost levels of a neurotransmitter (known as gamma-aminobutyric acid) which helps ward off depression. According to the research, after an hour session, those practicing yoga had a 27 percent increase in this neurotransmitter (apparently a deficit in those with depression) when compared to people who just read quietly. In case you didn't know, yoga is associated with numerous health benefits. Here are a few more for you to consider: Strengthens organ function Improves digestion Helps remove waste products from the body Relieve common aches and pains, particularly in neck/shoulder, upper/lower back and hips/knees Improves lung function Relieves stress Increases strength and flexibility If you haven't already done so, try out a least one yoga session and see for yourself!