Seated Yoga for Head of the Charles Athletes & The Rest of Us

In honor of the athletes who participated in the Head of the Charles Regatta this weekend, in Boston, I wanted to share a simple seated yoga sequence to relax tight shoulders, stretch the entire spine, and massage abdominal organs.  For those who didn't row (skull?) in the world's largest two-day rowing event, this short sequence is also very beneficial.  For one, it counterbalances computer hunch by improving posture and opening the upper back . . . Not that you ever slouch at your desk, right, OGs?

6 Tips for a Fall Detox

Toasting fall with a carrot, beet, cucumber, & apple juice in Boston.    

This may come as a surprise, but I'm not so keen on cleanses.  If I'm feeling toxic or low energy or- let's call it like it is- like I've gone hog wild with red wine and chocolate lately, then I curb my overindulgent ways by erring in the direction of raw fruits and vegetables and plenty of water.  I go for a run.  I meditate.  I spend some time in the steam room of my gym.  I don't endure days of a liquid-only diet.  I don't condone grown ups eating baby food for any reason.  And when students or friends tell me they're on the Master Cleanse, it makes me completely anxious.

'Please don't faint in my yoga class,' I think.

'Please don't end up with an eating disorder.'

I see the merit of giving one's system a rest and healthful restart, especially during certain times of the year and with proper supervision, if your organs need it.  However, more often than not, I watch cleanses used as starvation diets, with the virtuous disguise of a yogi ritual.

On the other hand, I am a junkie when it comes to lifestyle cleansing.  I would detox my home, thoughts, and habits all darn day if I could.  Give me a stack of junk mail, and I'll happily go to town.  Show me a bulging, bloated closet, and I'll delight in extracting the Mrs. Roper dresses and trucker hats until what remains is a functional wardrobe of wearable clothing.  Plop me down on a meditation cushion to consider my toxic thought patterns, and I am IN.

Cleansing of this kind is essential.  De-cluttering like this energizes us.  Evaluating the pollutants in our lives (both physical and psychological) helps us reconnect to our power source.  No forgoing of solid foods necessary . . .

To help you feel re-energized and inspired for the new season, here are my 6 Tips for a Fall Detox: 

• Closet Cleanse: Each season, it's important to review your wardrobe and shed items that no longer fit, you don't wear, or could be put to better use at a local homeless shelter.  If your duds seem too posh for the castaway pile, try consignment, perhaps using the earned money for a fun, fall purchase. 

The fruits of a previous closet cleanse, heading off to Goodwill.  

• Technology Diet: Pratyhara is the fifth limb of Patanjali's 8-limed yogic path, and I've been thinking about this guiding principle a lot lately, especially as it relates to technology.  Pratyhara teaches us a "withdrawal of the senses," as a way to hone our abilities of delving inward and examining our inner lives.  Before you kick off your newest chapter of 2010, try unplugging for a day or weekend.  Turn off all iPods, iPhones, Blackberries, TVs, laptops, etc., and experience the quiet and clarity that comes from this simple experiment.  You'll immediately notice that you, as well as your devices, will be recharged afterward.      

Recharging my laptop and myself at the Denver airport this summer. 

• Natural Supplement: To truly appreciate a change of the seasons, no matter how subtle, get outside!  Be with nature.  Supplement your daily routine with a trip to the mountains, a beach, lakefront, local park, or garden patch.  Even the smallest doses of time spent in nature can clear nervous energy and make you feel rooted.  

A stolen moment during the Natural Living Expo this weekend, Sturbridge, MA

• Feel the Burn: Sounds like I'm going to tell you to try Crossfit or some other calorie-scorching activity, right?  Nope.  (That's for another post someday).  Fire is one of the most cleansing elements, and integrating it into our lives can be effective for clearing old energy.  An aromatherapy candle easily calms, while the first sparks of a campfire excite.  Recently, I received the gift of a sacred piece of wood from Peru, known as a palo santo, which is said to purify and protect when lit throughout one's home.  I can't wait to try it.  The woodsy smell alone is enough to snap me back to the present moment.
• Play with Your Food: Too often conventional cleanses are restrictive and rigid.  Why not have fun with your food?  To savor the new season, bake apples for breakfast.  Be the first on your block to carve a pumpkin.  Try a new recipe using seasonal ingredients to connect you to the time of year.  
• Go Organ-ic: While I recommend buying organic whenever possible, I'm referring to your organs, here.  Twisting yoga poses bring attention to your organs, helping to cleanse internally.  No joke.  Try adding more twisting poses to your practice right now, such as twisting triangle (parivrrta trikonasana) or a seated twist (ardha matseyendrasana), below.

Have your own surefire ways of clearing old energy and making way for the new?  Share them here, and happy fall to you!

With All My Heart: Thank You

Open the heart

and the heart opens you--

salt of the creator

eye of the beholder

stretch your arms overhead

receive

the rainfall of pure clarity

and let it come down.

Surrender to the boundless

earth, sea, and sky

place them like a garland

around the altar of life,

seal

a prayer for peace

at its base,

swim 

in its mysteries, 

unafraid of sinking.

Open the heart

and the heart opens you.

-Matsyasana/Fish by Leza Lowitz, Yoga Poems: Lines to Unfold By

Practicing matsyasana/fish, a posture of gratitude, with kids at the Franklin Park Zoo this week and below-- to represent proper alignment.  (In the top photo, we're still in motion).

With all my heart, thank you for another year of support, insight, and readership.  My birthday is tomorrow, and I'd like to celebrate with you.  In the coming days, you'll receive a sparkly present to play with: a NEW OmGal.com.  We've outgrown our home, here, on Blogger, so we'll be changing hosts and improving the user experience.  Stay tuned for the site's upcoming launch, and, as always, please share your thoughts.

Much love,

Om Gal 

I Can Do Fancy Yoga Poses; I Have No Problems

Since the age of 16, I have been practicing challenging yoga poses, and my life has been devoid of problems ever since.  I have never been poor, issued a parking ticket, dumped on my ass by someone I loved, or woken up with a massive zit on my nose.  I am unfamiliar with backstabbing co-workers, road rage, and the ire that Sarah Palin inspires in so many of my friends.

What's the big deal you guys?  If you can do fancy yoga poses, she won't bother you at all.  In fact, you might think she's kind of charming.  Maybe even a savant . . .  

Do you believe me?  Of course not!  (A savant?  Seriously, people . . . Give me a bit more credit).

Intricate yoga poses are fun, require focus, and cultivate great flexibility and strength; however, they do little to improve the quality of our lives.  They cannot stave off illness or hardship, and the intrinsic value of, say, hanumanasana (shown above) is no greater than that of sivasana (below).

So, why bother?

Challenging yoga poses are useful because they allow yogis to practice being in challenging life moments (however small and controlled, as they are on a yoga mat) with courage and compassion.  Unfortunately, it's easy to be seduced into thinking that the flashy pose is the goal.  Don't be fooled, friends!

All yoga poses serve the same greater purpose: to prepare the body for meditation and thus, samadhi, the superconscious state and eighth and final "limb" of the yogic path.  Instead of feeling defeated because we can't touch our toes or balance on our hands (check out my near faceplant below), we should see these "experiments" as blessings.

Rather than curse tight hamstrings, what if we viewed them as a fond nod to our active lifestyles, spent running, cycling, and simply living in motion?  What if faulty balance became a luxurious opportunity to recommit to quieting the mind?  And, gravity defying arm balances helped us to look fear and physics in the face and say, "Yes, I see you, but I am going to try anyway."

Which asanas challenge you?  Why are they difficult (or scary, or frustrating)?  And, how can this challenge help you elsewhere in life?  

10 Tips for Guys Who Do Yoga (or Want to Start)

There are Yoga Guys.  And there are Guys Who Do Yoga.  This post is dedicated to the latter.


Yoga Guys know their way around a yoga studio already and, for the most part, don't need my help.  They speak the lingo, dress the part, and can bust out a bakasana quicker than their counterparts- Guys Who Do Yoga- can crack open a beer, which isn't to say that one is better or cooler than the other, or that Yoga Guys don't drink beer, too, or Guys Who Do Yoga can't do advanced yoga poses like bakasana/crow, it's just that there's a difference.  


Yoga Guys are more experienced, while Guys Who Do Yoga are typically newer to the practice.  They might become Yoga Guys down the road (if desired), but for now, they could use a little help navigating the new found territory of yoga classes, where women frequently outnumber men.  For newcomers especially, yoga classes can be intimidating for even the most alpha males.  Have no fear, your Om Gal is here . . .


Top 10 Tips for Guys Who Do Yoga (Or Want to Start):

1. Don't Ogle: I don't care if Giselle is practicing on the mat next to you, nothing brings bad boy karma like ogling at a fellow yogi (or the instructor) in class.  You can smile warmly, say hello before or after class, or even strike up pleasant conversation in the lobby, but for the love of all that is holy (yoga is a spiritual practice), keep your Lothario moves separate from your lolasana in class.  
2. Don't Talk During Class: You wouldn't gab during your buddy's back swing on the links, so think of yoga class in the same way.  It requires maximum concentration and minimum distraction; therefore, please keep quiet.  This includes the few minutes when you might be waiting outside the studio for class to begin while a prior class is concluding.  Chances are they'll be in meditation: shhhhhh.  
3. Don't Score Front Row Seats: This isn't a Sox game; forgo the front row and opt, instead, for the back of the class (this tip is for newbies only).  This way you can watch more experienced students and mimic their alignment in a pose.  Please note: visually learning from the yogi in front of you is not the same as ogling their "asana."  (See #1).  
4. Don't Compete: Competition is a major source of male bonding, and it's the way the animal kingdom works; however, yoga is not a sport, nor an animal kingdom.  Nobody is keeping score, and nobody wins or loses.  The mental focus you'll develop will help you compete in other areas of life by teaching you to be more present, but there's no place for competition on the mat.  Your goal is to connect to yourself-- pure and simple, and the only opponent is your own ego. 
5. Don't be Late: If you're doing yoga for the first time, arrive at the class early.  The added time will help you get acquainted with the teacher, stake out a spot in the back row (see #3), and ask any important questions, which leads me to the DOs . . .
6. Do Ask Questions: How long is the class?  Is it heated?  Can I rent a mat?  Where are the nearest exits?  These are all important things to know.  If you're nursing an old football injury, for example, it's wise to tell the teacher in advance and, perhaps, ask for modifications.  (This is important for yogis of all skill levels).     
7. Do Use What You Learned in the Boy Scouts: Be prepared by packing the essentials, such as water, a change of clothes, a towel (key for hot yoga), and even a snack.  Again, particularly if the class is heated, you want to be energized and well hydrated.  
8. Do Bring a Friend: Bringing a buddy who knows the ropes (or even one who doesn't) is a great way to feel more at ease.  If you can't do this or prefer not to, it's always helpful to seek the insight of a friend who can recommend the right style of yoga, studio in your area, and instructor in advance.  All of these elements have a huge impact on your first experience, and a pal who knows you can help you make the best choices for your personality type and level of ability.
9. Do Doff Your Cap: Nothing screams "I don't know what I'm doing here" like a guy who wears a baseball cap to yoga class.  You'll be upside down a lot of the time; it will fall off.  You'll keep adjusting it.  It will be annoying.  Take it off before stepping on your mat.  Please, just trust me on this one.    
10. Do Watch What You Eat:  Try to curb your manly appetite before class, as having a full belly will hinder your range of motion in twisting poses and increase the likelihood of gas.  And there's nothing that will wear out your welcome in the girl's cabin faster than being the boy who stinks up their yoga class.   

Hidden Beach Yoga Benefit

If you're reading this blog, you're probably aware of yoga's myriad benefits.  
Some of the most highly touted perks include stress reduction, increased 
flexibility, and improved strength. However, there are many more fringe 
benefits as well, such as one that may come in handy at the 
beach this summer. (See video).

Are you better able to bend over and tie your shoes now that you practice 
yoga?  Possess a new found focus that makes you a Jenga champion?  
Sleep sounder at night?  What are the unexpected ways in which yoga 
makes your life easier, happier, more fun, or, even, less sunburned . . .

Yoga at the Great Lawn: The World's Largest Yoga Class

At 4:45 p.m. on June 22, 2010, Central Park’s Great Lawn is meditating on the evening ahead. Mostly, it’s quiet, even with sound-checks happening onstage and hundreds of volunteers convening at scheduled rendezvous points across the massive swath of green. The event’s featured yoga teacher, Elena Brower, needs to keep speaking so that the audio/visual team can adjust her mic. She talks to those around her, giving occasional shout-outs to nearby friends. She discusses logistics with a member of the event staff, “I won’t be doing the OMs. I’m going to introduce Dharma Mittra, and he’s going to do the OMs.” Then, she experiments with the verbiage of how she’ll announce Mittra, a yoga pioneer who’s been teaching in New York City since 1966. Even in rehearsal mode, she’s succinct, gracious, and real.

Photo: Sound-check with Elena Brower, Wah!, and others.

But, she’s a little nervous too. Understandably so. She’s preparing to teach the world’s largest yoga class, with more than 12,000 yogis registered to attend. To keep herself anchored and appease the guys in the sound booth, she continues her banter. She begins to recite a mantra—om namah shivaya—saying it repeatedly with various inflections and at different volumes. She’s not chanting but, rather, substituting the sacred syllables for standard sound-check lingo. She could say “testing 1-2-3” or recite her ABCs, but one gets the impression that Brower doesn’t care much for throwaway words.

The cavalry of yoga assistants arrives at the Great Lawn.

It’s clear that things are going well as the event nears. By 5:30 p.m., the weather is cooling down (ominously so, we would soon discover). Volunteers, staff, sponsors, security, and media all seem to be coordinating nicely. I’m roaming between my posts as a member of the media, for OmGal.com, and an assistant teacher. I bounce happily from the press tent where I am offered interviews with a “celebrity yoga guru” per an earlier press release from her people (I have never heard of her) and obliged by Dharma Mittra for an impromptu photo, to the lawn to watch thousands of yogis take their places, unroll their mats, and prepare to make history. I tell Mittra he is free to sit or stand as he pleases for the photo, so the septuagenarian jokingly gives me a muscle-flexing move (a la the Governator). It’s so unexpected for a man of his stature that I’m not quick enough to capture it with my humble digital camera. My brain captures it indefinitely. Below, he strikes a more traditional pose.

Sri Dharma Mittra

All around me, thousands of others are capturing the experience in their own ways. Some are dancing to the musical performances, while others limber up with a few asanas. Many take photos and talk with their friends—some they’ve just met while standing in line for the event. One woman wears a multi-color leopard-print body blanket of sorts and paints people’s faces, including my friend Daisy.

Yup, there's a person in there.

Daisy, who gave Om Gal a plug on NBC (I didn't even pay her).

Reggie Watts, who’s equal parts musician, beat-boxer, comedian, and emcee, adds a party atmosphere, partially because he thinks he’s been asked to host the MTV Video Music Awards.

Buddy Wakefield, a slam poetry champion admits to being a little overwhelmed by the size of his audience. Presumably, he’s used to smaller venues (aren’t we all?), and now, he’s shining on stage beneath a news helicopter and before an audience that makes him feel “like Bon Jovi,” New Jersey’s chosen son. Wakefield dedicates one poem to “anyone’s who’s in it—the sticky tar pit of it,” which jars me from being a yoga teacher/blogger/media gal bouncing to and fro, to being an anonymous yogi among thousands, thinking to myself, “Yeah, who doesn’t know that sticky tar pit?”

This feeling of being swallowed by a beautiful and powerful collective rises up again, when, under the threat of thunderstorms, Elena Brower welcomes Dharma Mittra to the stage around 7:15 p.m. to chant the OMs as planned. “Speak loudly, and do one OM because that’s all we have," I overhear her kindly say to him from my perch below the stage. At the sound of this one unified OM, rising up from the lawn, toward the steamy, gray, ready-to-open sky, I can’t jot another note or snap another photo. I shrink down to the grass, amidst the real camera crews and journalists, join my hands in prayer, and, through a quivering chin and vibrating chest, I OM with everyone else.

It doesn’t matter than Brower makes it through only a few sun salutations before Mother Nature closes the curtain on the night’s yoga history making. It doesn’t matter that 13,000 people scurried home sheltering themselves from the downpour with their newly gifted yoga mats. It’s irrelevant that I went to dinner in pajamas because my clothes were drenched. And, nobody cares all that much about whether a world record stands or not.

It matters only that it can be done: a collective realization among a mass of modern yogis that no experience, event, song, sun salutation, mantra, or moment is ever a throwaway, and it takes far more than a thunder shower to dampen the yogi spirit.

To see more pictures of the event, visit facebook.com/omgalblog.

Yoga at the Great Lawn: Reggie Watts Welcomes Crowd of 13,000

In my lifetime, I will never be as cool as Seattle based entertainer Reggie Watts. I can only wish to be half as cool as his hair alone. Here, he welcomes 13,000 yogis to yesterday's Yoga at the Great Lawn, the world's largest registered yoga class, led by new found om gal-pal Elena Brower, with musical performances by Watts and others.

Thunderstorms abbreviated the event, but it was still a sight to behold. I have plenty of pictures and stories to share, so please check back later.

Summer Yoga Events & Escapes

Some people like to laze away the summer months at barbecues and baseball games, while others prefer to run, bike, swim, surf, and soak up every extra hour of daylight in more physical pursuits. Of course, most of us enjoy a combination of the two, happy languishing in a hammock or hanging off a rock face, reading a book by the shore or practicing sun salutations on a sunny porch.

To help yogis maximize their leisure time during the summer months, many event organizers and yoga teachers offer unique, yoga-inspired experiences. These events range in size and vibe, from intimate island retreats to high-profile festivals featuring celebrity musicians and yoga teachers.

Here's a cursory list of key yoga events this summer. I plan to participate in many of them and wish event organizers and presenters (many of whom are readers, supporters, and friends) much luck as they entertain and inspire yogis around the country.

June 22, Yoga at the Great Lawn: The World's Largest Yoga Event

Event organizers, Flavorpill, anticipate 10,000 yogi attendees to take class taught by Elena Brower in New York City's Central Park. I'll be there: representing OmGal.com in the press tent, assisting class, taking in musical performances by Buddy Wakefield, Grammy nominee Dalien, WAH!, and others, and catching up with NYC Gal over Pinkberry afterward . . . Don't be silly; she won't be at the event. It's during happy hour, people. My ode to Pinkberry, below.

June 26-July 2, Urban Yoga Retreat

Conceptualized by my friend and fellow Boston-based yoga teacher, Chanel Luck, the Urban Yoga Retreat allows busy yogis to go on a retreat but save their vacation days. Classes occur in the early morning and evening each day, with a more intensive workshop on the weekend. I'll be guest teaching on Wednesday, June 30. The program is hosted by the swish Sports Club/LA. Check out the clip below, featuring Chanel and me playing with our food-- an obvious sign you'll have fun in our yoga classes, too.

July 8-11, Telluride Yoga Festival

Packed with veterans to the yoga conference teaching circuit, such as Richard Freeman and Tias Little, and new faces like Alanna Kaivalya and Scott Blossom, this weekend features topnotch yoga classes, music, and unbeatable scenery.

July 16-19, Yoga Rocks the Mountain

With most concerts and many yoga classes held outside against a picturesque Colorado backdrop, it's easy to imagine reaching elevated states of consciousness at this Aspen event. Featured teachers include fellow Intent voice and blogger David Romanelli, known for his wine, chocolate, and yoga workshops, and Lisa Black, a Baptiste alum like myself and the owner of Shakti Vinyasa Yoga in Seattle, WA, along with many other talented teachers.

July 25-28 and July 29-August 1, Yoga on the Vineyard

My first summer job was aboard the Island Queen, a ferry which travels to and from Falmouth, MA and Martha's Vineyard, so my Cape Cod roots and love for the Vineyard run deep. I'll use any excuse to pack up and set sail for the preferred island retreat of the Clintons, the Obamas, Spike Lee, James Taylor, Carly Simon, and others. For yogis, Amy Leydon's retreats, boasting hearty doses of yoga, mindfulness, local cuisine, sun, and sea, provide the perfect opportunity for you and your yoga mat to wash ashore.

July 29-August 1, Wanderlust Yoga & Music Festival

The most high profile yoga event of the summer, this festival in Tahoe, each year, features classes and concerts from big names in yoga and entertainment. This year, headlining yoga teachers include Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, Baron Baptiste, and more, along with musical performances by Michael Franti, the Brazilian Girls, Moby, MC Yogi, and oodles of groovin' others.

Please feel free to add your own yoga events and escapes by posting a comment.

Good Day, Sunshine?

This morning I awoke from a quality night's sleep, shuffled around the house getting my bearings, and settled into 15 minutes of meditation before a busy day. When I opened my eyes, a singular life question loomed . . . Did that really happen?

Of course I am referring to the thorough unraveling of my Celtics last night in game 6 of the NBA Finals-- a painful bait-n-switch, wherein a stellar team of basketball's finest eerily transformed into a hapless collection of rattled men scrambling up and down the court like my parents' chickens when the family dog circles their coop.

No synergy. No grace. No swagger. Just lots of running, pecking, and kicking up dirt.

Walking through Back Bay this morning, I saw Bostonians shake their bewildered heads over coffee. (These late-night games have us all a little bleary-eyed). They wondered aloud how it could be. A giant, implied "WTF" has descended upon us.

As any yogi will tell you, there's no better way to shake a giant "WTF" than a few sun salutations, particularly sun salutation B, with the strength and alignment of its Warrior I pose. Performed after sun salutation A (video demonstration here), sun salutation B is a well-rounded series of movements upon which many ashtanga, power, and vinyasa yoga classes are built. Traditionally, they are practiced in the direction of the sun (hence the name, signifying our "saluting" of the sun), as it rises or sets.

Today, yogis on both coasts and around the world, Celtics and Lakers fans, and sensible people who could care less about sports, will dutifully practice their sun salutations. Perhaps at sunrise, sunset, or some time in between, until they can do it all over again tomorrow. Ahhh, tomorrow. A fresh start for all, especially the Celtics.

Happy Sun[Salutation]day: Sun Salutation A How-To Video

After you finish watching the World Cup and before the Celtics and Lakers tip off, hop off the couch and celebrate Sun-day with a few sun salutations. Traditionally performed facing the direction of the sun, this sequence of yoga poses benefits the entire body. Sun Salutation A (shown here) contains lengthening, strengthening, back and forward bending movements. Sun Salutation B, which provides a bit more lower body emphasis, is coming soon.

As always, I'd love to know what you think, especially if you're a beginner or pass along these How-To clips to beginner yogis.

How to Om at Home: Starting a Home Yoga Practice

Having the ability to practice yoga at home, without the need for a teacher or studio, has many benefits, including convenience, cost-savings, and added creative license. Students often express an interest in practicing on their own, particularly while traveling away from their regular studios and health clubs during the summer months; however, they're unsure of how to begin.

I believe that practicing solo provides yogis with essential opportunities for growth. Free from the confines of a structured class, a home practice allows for greater self-expression and deeper meditation. Here are a few suggestions to help you cultivate a knack for om-ing at home.

1. Start small. Many people are overwhelmed by the prospect of remembering or recreating the sequence of a 60 or 90-minute class, which is why it's best to throw that idea out the window. Instead, start with 10-15 minutes. Your sequence can be as simple as 5 rounds of sun salutations and sivasana, or child's pose followed by seated postures such as half pigeon, upavista konasana (seated straddle), and pascimottanasana (seated forward bend).

2. Create space. It's important to create space for your home practice. This doesn't mean you need to build a yoga room with bamboo floors and import a statue of Ganesh from India. Truth be told, your home might not have a separate room for yoga but rather a little space on your bedroom floor or a few squares of linoleum in the kitchen, which is fine. The concept of creating space doesn't actually require much square footage at all-- just enough for the length of a yoga mat and the height and width of your arm span. While in college, I once worried about not being able to practice yoga while studying abroad. I'll never forget my ashtanga teacher's response: You can practice yoga in a prison cell. Fortunately, I've never had to test the theory, but he's right. The beauty of yoga is its simplicity. To that end, create an oasis for yourself by turning off all cell phones, computers, TVs, iPads, etc. Perhaps you light a candle to make the space feel serene and special. Your yoga space doesn't have to be elaborate or elegant, just welcoming.

3. Play favorites. The most liberating part about a home practice is the freedom to choose your own asanas. In the beginning, it's important to develop a sense of play on your mat. Don't worry about the "right" order of poses. Choose your favorites and build a mini class around them. Over time, you will learn how to order your yoga postures effectively. However, your initial goal is getting on your mat and having some fun, not reenacting one of B.K.S. Iyengar's books, pose for pose, page by page.

4. Cheat. Speaking of books, there are oodles of yoga resources to help you acquire the knowledge you need to fly solo, such as books, blogs, DVDs, magazines, podcasts, and more. For the study abroad trip I mentioned earlier, I left home with a yoga mat and Beryl Bender Birch's book Power Yoga and returned a few months later not only comfortable practicing by myself but also leading classes for more than 100 of my peers, professors, and members of the school staff at once. If you feel adrift on your mat without an instructor, use a "cheat sheet" in the form of one of the above resources or a few notes written on a piece of paper until you get the hang of structuring a practice on your own.

5. Groove. As you know, different teachers and styles of yoga have different- often strong- opinions about playing music during class. Some see it as a crucial element for setting a certain mood or theme; others think it's a crutch for both students and teachers. At home, none of this matters. First-time solo yogis usually benefit from playing music, as it encourages rhythm and provides another outlet for self-expression (not to mention drowning out the sound of your roommate playing bongos in the other room or the neighbor mowing the lawn). That's right, if you want to practice yoga to Rihanna or The Red Hot Chili Peppers or The Rolling Stones, go ahead! Rock on with your bad yogi self.

Readers: Do you practice yoga at home? If so, what are some of your keys to solo success?

5 Yoga Poses for Swimsuit Season

Do you remember having a favorite outfit as a kid? A prized article of clothing (perhaps a party dress or Little League jersey) that you would have worn every day of your life if possible?

Mine was a Miss Piggy bathing suit. I wore it all the time. I wore it to the beach. I wore it while jumping through the sprinkler. I wore it around the house in the middle of winter. For me, happiness and high fashion were captured by a pig wearing pearls and a boa.

Stories of women (young or old) enthusiastically donning a bathing suit 365 days a year are few and far between, so I thought this one was worth sharing . . .

More than likely, both gals and guys become a tad wary of stripping down to bikinis and board shorts at the start of each beach season. To help soothe the angst and slim your "asana," here are my 5 favorite yoga poses for summer.

1. Utkatasana Modification for Lean Legs: Traditionally, utkatasana (also known as chair pose) is done with both feet together and an upright chest position. The variation below is different, to inspire a bit more dynamic action in the legs and additional length in the torso and spine. To really cook your thighs, see how long you can stay in the lowest point of the posture. Be sure to breathe deeply using ujayi, which, coincidentally, sounds a lot like the waves at the beach.

2. & 3. Yoga Inspired Abs for a Strong Core: Many styles of yoga build extraordinary abdominal strength, among these are Ashtanga, Anusara, Forrest, Iyengar, Power, and Vinyasa. Here are a few of my favorite abdominal strengthening movements--ideal for developing the core power needed for many arm balances and inversions, protecting your spine from injury, and counter balancing your backbends (e.g., dhanurasana (bow), urdhva dhanurasana (wheel), ustrasana (camel), etc.). While getting a svelte tummy is no day at the beach (it's hard work!), its benefits are both body-healing and eye-appealing.

4. Handstands in the Sand for Sleek Arms and an Adventurous Spirit: Tis the season to practice your arm balances without fear. Grassy lawns and sandy beaches (see above left) provide perfect opportunities to try poses that seem intimidating in a studio environment or dangerous on a hard surface. The added benefit is that these carefree poses make you feel like a kid--while sculpting strong arms to boot.

5. Padma Mudra for a Beautiful Heart: With all this talk of looking lovely while wearing less, it can be tempting to believe that beauty is an external experience. Not so, friends. If being beautiful and thin made people happy, tabloid magazines and reality TV shows, which make their billions by cataloguing the insecure, neurotic, and/or ugly behavior of beautiful and thin starlets, would cease to exist. Moreover, the primary purpose of yoga is not to chisel your booty but to reveal your own inner light- beautiful in all its calm and confident brilliance- to you, and to the world. Padma Mudra is a nice reminder of this.

Best wishes for a beautiful and blessed summer!

Rebecca

A Poor Gal's Pedicure

If you practice yoga, you spend a fair amount of time looking at your feet. The more often you practice yoga, the more you look at your feet, and with the arrival of open-toe shoe weather, others, too, will now be looking at your feet.

What does this mean? You need a pedicure.

Not so fast. Pedicures feel luxurious and look lovely; however, you can provide your tootsies with some of the same health benefits at home, for free. (Save your money for your yoga classes or health club membership).

Toes Pose is a very simple and potent stretch for toes and feet. It is essential for athletes, people who spend long hours standing (think: nurses, chefs, hair stylists, etc.), and/or fashionistas, who teeter around town in sky-high heels. All these activities have the potential to jam our toes and confine our feet until they cramp, contort, and ache.

I should forewarn you that although this pose is simple, it is not easy. I recommend doing it at home while you watch TV, before yoga class when you arrive on your mat, or during your home practice. Over time, it will get easier, and, eventually, it will feel divine . . .

Step 1: Start by standing on your knees, curling under all ten toes (you might need to help your pinky toe by folding it back with your fingers).

Step 2: Next, sit back onto your heels. Try to stay here for ten deep breaths. If the sensation is too intense for your feet, return to Step 1. Don't let your mind panic and become unwieldy. Your deep ujayi breath will support you.

Step 3: Release the pose by un-tucking your toes, setting your hands behind you, and lifting your shins and knees off the floor. The stretch in the tops of your feet, ankles, and shins will feel amazing . . . and keep your toes looking spacious, straight, and happy.

And, if you must splurge on a pedicure. Try Tart Deco by Essie, my current favorite color.

3 Yoga Poses to Spark Afternoon Energy (Plus a Caffeine Confession & a Quick Video)

Hi, everyone . . . My name is Rebecca . . . And, I’m an addict. My drug of choice is caffeine, specifically, steaming, piping hot black tea with soy milk. Tame, I know. It’s not even coffee, which- let’s face it- has more street cred. Nevertheless, I am a shell of a person without it.

Writers before me have had their vices. For Kerouac, it was Benzedrine; Hemingway had his booze. Oscar Wilde got wild on absinthe. Meanwhile, I reach for assam—preferably organic, however, in a pinch, a good old Tetley tea bag (British Blend, please) will suffice. I can’t help but wonder whether a more substantial substance might elevate my writing chops to the level of my predecessors. Maybe the hard stuff makes for a literary heavyweight? Alas, there’s something more than a bit hypocritical about a yoga writer who regularly slugs back absinthe while encouraging readers to practice a path of balance and moderation. So, I stick with tea.

When energy wanes, I admit, it's often my pick-me-up trick of choice, but I have others too, including a decaffeinated selection of asanas, ideal for the late afternoon hour of desktop slumping, catnap longing, and proper teatime drinking (traditionally around 4 p.m.).

Allow yourself to steep in one of these yoga poses for as long as needed:

Start with a Simmer

Spark a little energy spurt by warming up the body with this simple variation on utkatasana (above) or try some invigorating breath work. I learned to do a Breath of Joy from my first yoga teacher more than 14 years ago and have kept it in my bag of tricks ever since. To my own students, I describe it as the asana-equivalent of espresso (no disrespect to tea). The beauty of this movement is that it can be done anywhere (no mat needed) and by anyone (even yogi kids love the energizing effects of this powerful breathwork): begin standing. Next you will inhale three times while moving your arms like the conductor of an orchestra (inhale once arms together to the level of your navel; inhale twice arms open wide to the level of your chest; inhale three times arms together overhead). Finally, you'll exhale all the breath out with an emphatic "ha" sound as you transition into a low squat, reminiscent of a downhill skier (arms behind you, as shown in the above video).

Flip Me Over . . .

Backbending postures, too, provide an excellent source of energy, particularly if you sit at a desk or spend large amounts of time driving a car. Both of these activities can constrict the chest, with shoulders hunching and posture caving forward. To counterbalance this blocked energy, add a few repetitions of urdhva dhanurasa (wheel pose) to your yoga practice. Or, try a standing back bend (also referenced in today's video) by scooping your hips forward, lifting your chest, looking up, and possibly letting your head fall back gently, opening your chest and throat. You can do this with your arms overhead or supporting your low back with your hands. Be sure to breath in your backbends, through your mouth, if needed. Otherwise, use ujayi breath.

And Pour Me Out

Few poses have my heart like inversions, particularly sirsasana (headstand). Anatomically, the benefits are simple: tip yourself over (yes, like a tea pot) and you receive a rejuvenating supply of fresh blood to your brain. However, you need not be a seasoned yoga student to experience the benefits that headstand creates. A more accessible approach includes a standing forward bend (uttanasana), often referred to in yoga classes as “rag doll.” Spend a minute or two in either of these postures, and once you return to an upright position, your uplifted energy and clearer thinking will remain.

Reader Query: Yoga for Weight Loss After Injury

Hi Rebecca,
I got your email through the blog . . . Keep up the good work, girl.

I’ve got a question about my health: About eight months ago, I had a fall from the swimming pool knocking my spine against the edge, causing a minor slipped disc (affecting 2 vertebrae) – I’m feeling much better now with less pain. However, I’ve put on weight like mad, too, because of lack of physical activity. How good would it be for me to engage in yoga? Just thought I’d ask your opinion. Thanks!

Best Regards,
Nadi

Hi Nadi:

Thank you so much for reading the blog and seeking my thoughts on recovering from your spinal injury along with staving off weight gain. Yoga can support both these endeavors; however, the answer is less obvious than you might think.

Students often seek my input when trying to lose weight, and I happily oblige if there's excess weight to lose. My style of teaching is known for being vigorous and, by extension, an effective means of weight management, muscle toning, and more. An admitted fitness addict and lifelong athlete, I'll be the first to share a killer abdominal sequence around swimsuit season or illustrate how arm balance postures can be a fun substitute for lifting weights. Simply put, the asana practice is a topnotch resource for battling the bulge.

However, yoga is comprised of several other facets beyond asana (the actual yoga poses we practice), and I would argue that many of these endeavors are powerful tools for reshaping both your physical and/or energetic body. They include seven other "limbs" on the yoga path as stated in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras: yamas (one's attitude toward the world), niyamas (attitude toward self), pranayama (breathwork), prathayara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dyana (meditation), and samadhi (enlightenment). In other words, poses done blithely for the purpose of a slim waist or nice booty deprive us of yoga's most potent benefits, chief among these, Patanjali claimed, is cultivating the ability to "still the fluctuations of the mind."

While exercise is paramount to weight loss, and many styles of yoga are great forms of exercise, I believe that the psychological resources yoga provides are even more formidable tools for achieving a healthy weight and positive body image. Consider my personal situation, for example (one that I have not mentioned here before). I have been exceedingly active my entire life, beginning with swim teams as a little tadpole tyke through a stint in Division I athletics in college. I have a tall frame (5' 9") and am preternaturally muscular. I was always bigger and weighed more than most of my female peers growing up, so I exercised like a fantatic and was very limiting with my diet for most of my life. Despite this vigilance, I never felt thin. Fit, yes. Thin? No. According to some standards, I was overweight. After college, I started doing more yoga and gradually lost about 20 lbs.- ironically- without realizing it. I don't attribute this purely to the physical practice of yoga. Yoga became my predominant form of exercise, and, yes, it burns calories, but it wasn't more vigorous than the level of activity to which I was accustomed.

From the outside, it appeared that going to yoga class more often reshaped my figure. This isn't altogether false, but it isn't the whole truth either. Downward dog was not slimming my thighs nor garudasana sculpting my arms in some magical new way. Instead, I was gradually seeing and treating my body with greater compassion (characterized by ahimsa, one of the yamas). Yoga helped me to stop focusing on my weight and start making better, more mindful choices about nutrition (my diet actually became more inclusive rather than restrictive), sleep, and lifestyle. And, at the risk of sounding like a total flake, I was "talking" to my body differently. Instead of looking in the mirror and fixating on how my body didn't look, Why don't you fit into these jeans, you big-field-hockey-butt! I started noticing all it could accomplish, Holy crap, I'm strong! I can break up fights [I was a teacher in an inner city school system at the time] or even heave a vending machine off the ground when a snack gets stuck. Non-violence and vending machines: that is to say I was focusing on the important things . . .

While your spine heals, I encourage you to honor your body as it recovers, rather than judge its appearance. Acknowledge how it avoided what could have been a grave injury. Accept that it may have held onto added weight to protect you for a time. And, understand that our bodies are ever-changing. Now that you are better, you're free to experiment with all kinds of fun and liberating styles of movement, including, yes, yoga.

Truthfully, a vigorous vinyasa style of practice will shed weight quickest; however, I would recommend that you start more gently and let the proverbial scales fall where they may. Focus, instead, on the non-physical "limbs" of the practice mentioned here, such as meditation and pranayama, which teach a deep inward listening and the invaluable skill of being present.

I believe that our bodies know what to do when they need to do it: when to eat, how much, when to exercise, when to rest, when to moderate, and when to indulge. The power of yoga allows us to tap into this instinctual knowledge and reveal our best selves to the world, regardless of the size of our jeans.

Love and "light,"
Om Gal

2010 is 30% Complete . . . Time to Revisit Your Goals

2010 is 30% complete, which means it's a great time to re-evaluate, recommit, or re-energize your goals. The following Ten Healthy Things To Do in 2010 might be a helpful place to start. The original post appeared here and contains additional photos. How are you faring so far with the goals you set earlier this year? What are the major challenges? Tell us about your triumphs. Add your own inspiring suggestions to the top 10 list below.

1). New Year; new asana. If you want to broaden your understanding of yoga, try a new style this year. If you're a dedicated ashtangi, drop into a Restorative, Yin, or Kripalu class. Worship at the sweaty throne of Bikram? Refine your alignment in Iyengar. Love the fast pace of Baptiste or Vinyasa? Experiment with longer holds in Forrest yoga, greater emphasis on philosophy with Jivamukti, or heart-centered intention in Anusara. The purpose of practicing yoga is to evoke balance in our lives, thus it's important to inspire balance by including some variety in our practice.

2). Less reality TV; more reality. Look, I don't want to be a downer, but too much TV over-stimulates your brain (especially before bed), fattens your ass, saps your creativity, and erodes the personal, one-on-one relationships with real people that matter in your life. This year, watch the shows that inspire and entertain you, but cool it with the incessant background noise, relentless channel surfing, and late-night brain drain.

3). Forgive someone. Speaking of real people . . . They make mistakes. Big ones. Hurtful ones. Unforgivable ones. Forgive them anyway. Besides being the compassionate thing to do, it's crucial to your health. The anger we feel toward others, if allowed to fester, pollutes our thoughts, and as the Buddha once explained, "All that we are is a result of what we have thought."

4). Make this your mantra: Eat whole foods. You can eat at the grocery chain Whole Foods too, if you like, but that's not what I mean here. Whole foods are characterized by being as close to their natural, original states as possible. Skip the latest diets, swearing off carbs, and counting calories. Eat real food; think about where it came from; know how it got to your plate. Savor each bite. Eating mindfully will change your life and your body. Promise.

5). Get thee to Goodwill. Most of us have too much stuff. Get rid of what you don't need; give it to someone who does. It's a wonderful way to create space, physically and psychologically.

6). Turn your world upside down. If you only do one yoga pose all year, make it an inversion. If you're familiar with uttanasa, viparita karani, shoulder stand, and downward dog (your head is below your heart in all of these poses, directing fresh blood to your brain), perhaps set an intention to learn more advanced poses such as headstand, forearm stand, or handstand. These potent postures provide immediate shifts in perspective and are among the most effective asanas you can perform.

7). Get acquainted with karma. Making resolutions to be a better person in the coming year are nice, but they don't mean squat until you take action. The word karma actually translates to mean "action." To that end, good actions beget good actions and negative ones do the opposite. If this is the year you plan to take action in your community, help others in need, or volunteer for a cause in which you believe, quit talking about it. Find your focus, and take action.

8). Skip town. Taking a mental holiday need not be expensive or time-consuming, but it's important to get a change of scenery on occasion. Maybe you spend a weekend in the mountains, drive to the beach for a day, or simply take a walk in a different part of town. Experiencing new places and people keeps us young.

9). Write it down. No matter what your goals are, you are more likely to achieve them if you write them down. Trying to lose weight? Keep a food diary. Need to get your personal finances in order? Write down everything on which you spend money over the course of a month, then strategize where you can make improvements. Hoping to cultivate a better relationship with someone special? Send them a hand-written, heartfelt note. Writing things down allows us to see the truth in black and white, and that is the most powerful step toward change.

10). Meditate. It always helps. It never hurts. It costs nothing. It improves everything.

Ab-solutely Psyched It's Friday?

Strengthen your core with this yoga-inspired abdominal exercise. Having a strong center protects your spine and supports arm balances and other yoga poses . . . and makes a swimsuit more flattering (just saying). Be sure to pull your abdomen down toward the mat the entire time. Your head and shoulders stay grounded as well.

If you have any history of back injury or are just starting out, please be sure to modify. This is advanced abdominal work and should be done slowly at first. Start with 3-5 repetitions and work up to 10-12.

Hey Marathoners (of Life & Running): This is Your Pose

Today marks the one-week countdown to the 2010 Boston Marathon and the one-year anniversary of the scariest week of my marathon virgin life. I managed to survive the 7 days leading up to my first marathon last year and the grueling 26.2 mile race that followed, thanks in large part to my friends and fellow runners, discovering that Klondike bars make great recovery food, and viparita karani. For runners leading up to the race and following it, this restorative yoga pose is essential.


It's also essential for anyone else who spends a lot of time on his/her feet. Whether it's a long night behind the line for a chef, a jam-packed day at the salon for a hair stylist, a lengthy surgery for a medical staff, or the adventures of chasing and looking after small children, each of us experience our own "marathons" on a day-to-day basis. We run around, without much rest. We stand for hours on end. Our backs hurt; our legs ache; our feet swell. Our minds dart. Our heart rates elevate.


One antidote for real or metaphorical marathons, busy schedules, racing minds, and even high heels is the following pose, often referenced on OmGal.com and demonstrated, here, in video for the first time.


Enjoy. Rest up. Keep running.

Mastering Yoga for Golfers

This week marks the annual opening of the most storied golf tournament in the world, the Masters, with yesterday's practice round kicking off the high profile, high stakes festivities. Winners of the Masters immediately join the estimable ranks of golf lore’s finest. It’s the most coveted win in the sport, with the most coveted prize—the green jacket, not to mention a hefty winner's purse.

For one golfer, the stakes are higher than usual this year, as the 2010 tournament marks a return to the game for Tiger Woods, the world's most famous (and now infamous) golfer. In case you missed it, Woods took a break from golf for about 4 seconds, largely during the off season, to tend to the personal and public fallout following his recent sex scandal.

Since breaking the story, my blogging brethren have covered and commented on these events ad infinitum, along with sports analysts, members of the media, and just about anyone with a Twitter account (#TigerWoods was among the top ten trending topics in 2009, and the scandal didn’t even break until late November of last year). I’ll leave the commentary to those who are more qualified, more snarky, and/or more invested.

I don’t want to talk about Tiger Woods.

However, in honor of the Masters this week, I do want to talk about golf—specifically, how yoga can help golfers of any level, from amateur to elite, improve their game. Upon the request of a pro golfer pal, I’ve developed a yoga program to meet the unique needs of golfers. The objectives of the program are captured by a simple acronym that I created called F.O.R.E., as in the command a golfer might yell upon hitting into another group of players. If we ever hit the links together, you will surely hear this one on occasion . . .

F.O.R.E. stands for Focus, Openness, Rotation, and Efficiency, representing the four key elements of a yoga practice that supports and enhances one’s golf game. Below, you’ll find an example of each element of my program and how to master it on your own.

Focus: Any golfer knows that vision is paramount to success on the course. From lining up a putt to aligning your eyes properly before, during, and after your swing, your eyes are a powerful way of gathering information, adjusting biomechanics, and focusing energy. Yoga is no different. The Sanskrit word drishti refers to the focus and power of one’s gaze. To practice this concept, try keeping your eyes open during meditation. Set them on a steady point on the floor; let them be soft and relaxed, and see how your brain responds to having a visual anchor. Add the uninterrupted flow of your breath, and you'll immediately feel your nervous system become steady and energy level sustainable. Next, apply this principle to the ball during play.

Openness: Golfers, like most athletes, seek yoga as a way to improve flexibility. For golfers, key areas of the body to open, stretch, and expand include the hamstrings, hips, lower back, shoulders, neck, chest, and hands. To get you started, here's a great series for the hips, using a foam roller, a helpful and cost effective piece of equipment for athletes.

Rotation: Creating space and strength in the torso is essential for golfers who rely heavily on their ability to rotate through their golf swing seamlessly. Tightness and imbalance in the body translate into a choppy swing, and a choppy swing translates into crappy golf. A seated twist (shown above and explained here) is a very easy movement and an important posture for golfers. For added strength in your core, check out the following abdominal exercise (video).

Efficiency: The most essential element of yoga and golf is the same. Meditation. In its most distilled form, meditation is the skill of being aware in the present moment. When we are present, we are always more effective, as golfers, yogis, and people. Golf is a fickle game—even maddening at times; the best golfers know this and accept it. They train their minds to adapt to obstacles (physical or metaphysical), thereby becoming more aware and efficient in a given moment. It’s widely understood that you cannot excel off the next tee if you are still focused on the frustration of being in a bunker on the previous hole. Here's one of my favorite meditations, geared toward soothing nerves, creating a feeling of trust, and developing a sense of grounding. Yogis and golfers, both, meditate to find greater peace and efficiency on their course.

Whether you're watching the Augusta action on TV this week or hitting the links this season, happy golfing, om guys and gals!