Step on a Crack; Don't Break a Yogi's Back: 6 Tips for Safe Backbends

Safe backbends keep the spine supple, heart open, and core strong, among many other benefits.  When done correctly, these poses energize and detoxify the body, leaving yogis feeling cleansed and revitalized—no master cleansing required.  Whereas a forward bend is calming and introspective, a backbend is opening and awakening.  Last weekend, I held a workshop that focused specifically on backbends, called: Fall Head Over Heels.  

On the heels of the workshop (sorry, you know I'm a sucker for a good pun), I've been answering a lot of questions regarding backbends, such as upward facing dog (urdhva mukha svanasana), shown above, bow (dhanurasana), camel (ustrasana), wheel (urdhva dhanurasana), and more advanced variations, including transitions from wheel into camel, drop-backs, and more.  To help make your poses more accessible, safe, and advanced, I've compiled some key backbending tips to keep in mind.

• Solid foundation: Every asana must begin with a steady and relaxed foundation.  In upward dog (shown above), my ankles and feet are relaxed, while my thighs are squeezing and lifting, helping to alleviate any pressure in my low spine.  My hands, too, should be well-aligned (shoulder-width distance apart) and rooting strongly into the earth.  My right hand, for example, should be flatter to the ground, here.  (Shame on me).    

• Strong legs: After intense backbending, I tell yogis that, if anything, their legs should be sore, as opposed to their backs.  Before I reach backward in the pose below, my legs must be wide awake.  The front thigh is driving forward, while the back leg is, again, squeezing and lifting.  

• Tucked tailbone: This is very important for the safety of your lower back.  Tucking your tailbone helps lift and lengthen the spine upward before it bends back.  

• Supportive core: Think of your core as a supportive, broad belt (like the type worn by UPS workers or body builders).  Its job is to protect your spine.  The abdominal work often incorporated into yoga classes today helps to support poses such as backbends, along with inversions, in particular.     

• Relaxed shoulders: My male students, especially, are sometimes perplexed by backbends.  They know they're strong enough to do them but often struggle with accessing poses such as wheel or king dancer (below).  The magic ingredient for these backbends is space and flexibility in the shoulders.  More muscles in your upper back and shoulders (likely found in om guys, buff gals, swimmers, and others) leads to less flexibility.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing (be proud of your strength!); however, it will hinder some of your backbends.  Aim to open the shoulders before attempting deep backbends, and in any backbend, focus on dropping your shoulders down.  This will also create space and safety for your neck . . .  

• Safe cervical spine: Keeping your spine safe during backbends is the utmost priority.  For this reason, the tailbone tucks, the mid-spine lifts, the shoulders drop, and the neck remains long.  It can be tempting to crank your head back in upward dog or wheel, for example, but this doesn't provide any discernible benefit to the pose.  Over time, it can hurt your all-important neck.  In most cases, try aiming your eyes/gaze (known as drishti) straight ahead, rather than overly up or down.

Focus on these tips and you'll be able to open your heart and energize for the weekend ahead and beyond.  Enjoy!

Fieldhouse of Dreams: Yoga Reaches Out/Global Mala Boston at Gillette Stadium

In what you might call the Battle of the Beautiful Quarterbacks (also known as the New England Patriots vs. the New York Jets game), Tom Brady's team fell to  Mark Sanchez's 28-14 yesterday.  Despite the Patriots' loss, there was much rejoicing on its practice field, in the Dana-Farber Field House.  Sadly, this had nothing to do with football*.

Instead, hundreds of yogis convened for Yoga Reaches Out/Global Mala Boston, a daylong event featuring talented yoga teachers and musicians to benefit Children's Hospital Boston and Yoga for Single Moms.

I was honored to emcee the whole event and teach during the morning session's Global Mala celebration.  Boston has participated in this worldwide yoga event (the brainchild of Shiva Rea) since its inception four years ago.  10 of Boston's favorite teachers treated yogis to a 108-minute practice that included everything from Vinyasa, to Hip Hop, to restorative yoga.  The featured instructors were (in order of appearance): Brian Lam, Chanel Luck (co-creator of Global Mala Boston), Me, Jacqui Bonwell, Roberto Lim (co-creator of Global Mala Boston), Lynne Begier, Christine Raffa, Amy Leydon, Bo Forbes, and Bonnie Argo.  Here's a video clip from Lynne's Hip Hop Yoga sequence, to one of my fav running songs.  It still makes me think of Heartbreak Hill whenever I hear it (but, in a good way) . . .

Global Mala concluded with music as well, though, not the hip hop variety.  Daphne Tse performed an interlude during sivasana, followed by a set of kirtan chanting before lunch.  After lunch, Ana Forrest, creator of Forrest Yoga, took the stage to lead a challenging, heart opening, thigh scorching, toxic energy releasing practice.  She began the class by invoking the spirits of all four directions: North, South, East, and West (Ana derives much inspiration from Native American culture and philosophy).  I thought you might enjoy seeing a portion of the sacred ceremony.  



In between my emcee and teaching duties, I still found time to enjoy the company of my fellow yogi friends (new and old), soak up the experience of being at Gillette, and goof off a bit.  Shocker, I know . . .

Fellow Boston-based teacher Bo Forbes and me.  (The matching outfits were an accident).  

Feeling the turf between my toes.  

The 40-yard line, like never before. 

Coconut water, anyone? 

The event concluded with another stirring musical performance and guided meditation by kirtan and indie-pop rock performer Wade Imre Morissette.  Keep an eye out for his forthcoming movie musical, "Ultimate Boon," shooting in India soon.

Finally, it was time to go, and the gratitude among us was profound.  The event's key organizers, all inspiring women whom I am proud to call my friends: Chanel Luck (left), Bonnie Argo (not pictured), Sarah Gardner (center), and Laurin Panzano (right), took the stage.

Tomorrow, the New England Patriots reclaim their practice field, and I can't help wondering if there will be some residual love and gratitude in air.  We'll have to ask Tom Brady . . . For more photos of the event, please visit the OmGal.com Facebook fan page, Facebook.com/omgalblog.

*I fully acknowledge that there are certain subjects about which I cannot be neutral and unbiased.  Among these are: Boston sports teams (staunchly loyal), yoga (constructively critical), and mayonnaise (I hate mayonnaise of any kind).    

Get Your Global Mala On!

For more information about the Global Mala tradition around the world, each September, and to find a celebration near you, visit the Global Mala Project's website.  To sign up for the Boston event at Gillette Stadium, where I'll be teaching, please visit the Yoga Reaches Out website.

The clip below, featuring my friend and one of the event organizers Bonnie Argo, offers more details regarding the festivities in Boston, including a workshop with Ana Forrest.  Bonnie's accent is way cooler than mine, too.  Enjoy!



Peace,
Rebecca

Quote: Henry David Thoreau

"Only that day dawns to which we are awake."

-Henry David Thoreau, Walden 

Photo: Yogis arriving on Boston Common the morning of Global Mala Boston, September 2009. 

The Evolution of Yoga Events

When I was in college, I would often wake up at the ungodly hour of 8:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings (the college equivalent of roughly 5:00 a.m. for the rest of society) to attend an ashtanga yoga class in a church basement off campus.  It was an incredibly challenging 2-hour class, and I was younger than the other yogis by a decade or more.  I still recall how peaceful, reverent, and special these classes felt, and this Saturday morning ritual became my first idea of a yoga "event."  I would look forward to class all week, and, for me, it took on the air of a special occasion.  

My peers, of course, thought I was a weirdo, and I can scarcely blame them.  I would slip out my apartment's front door, past the beer pong table, while my three roommates slept.  One sunny Virginia morning, I trotted toward my car, yoga mat in tow, surprised to see that my neighbors were awake, along with their entire fraternity on the front lawn.  Just a few hours earlier we'd heard them "sledding" down their carpeted stairs on cookie sheets, so I suspect they probably hadn't gone to bed yet.  This might come as a shock, but they weren't going to yoga.  They were getting an early start on tailgating for the football game that day.  Now, that's an event, especially in the South.

I winced when one of them asked me where I was going.

"Yoga," I offered sheepishly (a hint of a question in my voice).

To which there wasn't so much of a response as a confused and drunken expression (without being drunken, the expression would doubtless remain confused: what the heck is yoga? said the expression), followed by the generous offer of a huge red plastic cup filled with jungle juice.  I politely declined, waved good bye, and drove away.    

This was ten years ago, and, oh my, how yoga and the criteria for its events have changed.  From stealing away for my makeshift Saturday morning yoga parties in 2000 to joining 10,000+ other yogis for a class in Central Park this June, to flying to Colorado for the newest yoga and music festival in July, big yoga and wellness events with broad appeal are now the norm.  

This month, there are several events on my radar: 

Yoga Reaches Out/Global Mala: The largest yoga event in New England to date, this daylong yoga benefit for Children's Hospital Boston and Yoga for Single Moms will be held at Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots.  This event coincides with Global Mala, an annual yoga event, wherein yogis around the world gather in their respective cities to practice yoga and support local and national charitable organizations (is your city participating?).  I'll be teaching at Boston's Global Mala at Gillette, along with featured om gal pals such as Chanel Luck, Bonnie Argo, and Amy Leydon.  The day's headliner will be Ana Forest, creator of Forest Yoga, who is sure to bring her A-game.

Reach the Beach: It's not a yoga event but a 200-mile adventure relay in New Hampshire.  I ran it a few years ago with an inspiring team of gals (that's us at the finish line, below), and this year I'm honored to help teams feel more zen before their 24-hours of running (at times with a head lamp to light the way), riding in a van (praying that the elected teammate-driver knows the way), and not sleeping (which makes the way a little delirious).  The sheer fact that this hardcore endurance race, in its 11th year, is offering a yoga session the night before race day shows you how far yoga events and experiences have come in the last decade.  I can't wait to help these "om athletes" gear up for the adventure!

Natural Living Expo: The focus of this annual event in Western MA is more holistic than strictly yoga, but you can bet your Birkenstocks there will be plenty of yoga types in attendance.  Myself included.

Beauty, Fashion, & Wellness Event in conjunction with Boston Fashion Week: I'm looking forward to seeing the photo exhibit associated with this event (I'm featured along with other talented yoga teachers and friends) by photographer Arturo Martinez.  The posh party benefits the Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies at Dana-Farber, which provides new approaches to cancer care such as meditation, acupuncture, and more.  

Which yoga events do you plan to attend this fall, and in your opinion, what makes a great yoga event?  The size?  The venue?  The teacher(s)?  The jungle juice?  The kombucha samples?  Share the inside scoop here by posting a comment.  

DRINK, Pray, Love: Water for Widows

The yoga community is abuzz this week over the film Eat, Pray, Love, based on the eponymous spiritual memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I'm looking forward to sharing my thoughts on the movie soon, so please stay tuned.

In the meantime, I am moved and humbled by a much shorter film, by Katie Ullman and her classmate at Vanderbilt University, Vasanth Kuppuswamy.  You may recall that this inspiring om gal and I (along with help from a dear mutual friend, Abby) collaborated to create a yoga benefit here in Boston called Put Your Money Where Your Mat Is.  I taught a class at Brookline Ballet, and all the money raised by the yogis in attendance was donated to Katie's fundraising efforts for a freshwater pipeline in India, serving an ashram for widows with nowhere else to go.  You can see photos of the event here and watch a short film about Katie and Vasanth's fascinating, sometimes-frustrating, and heartfelt journey.

Thanks to their "karma yoga," the women at the ashram in Vrindavan, India now have access to one of life's most basic necessities: clean water to drink.

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 

Free Yoga for Kids: Franklin Park Zoo

What: "Roar like a lion; pose like a camel; float like a butterfly" with a FREE yoga class for kids. 

Where: Franklin Park Zoo (on the grass at Serengeti Crossing)

When: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 (11:00 AM, 1:00 and 3:00 PM)

Please bring: Mat or towel. 

We'll have lots of fun doing yoga poses inspired by . . . 

SNAKES . . . 

. . . DOGS ("Remy" is hiding behind me!) . . .

. . . HORSES, and much more!  See you there, yogis.

Salutation Nation

Today, lululemon athletica encouraged yogis to "take their asanas outside" by practicing in community parks and lawns around the country.  To see more pictures of the event, check out the OmGal.com Fan Page, here.

Did you attend Salutation Nation in your town?  What was it like to practice outdoors among so many other om guys and gals? 

Do I Have to Leave?

First, here's the view from the room in which yogis practiced today at Yoga Rocks the Mountain, held at the Viceroy Snowmass.  After that, what more does a gal need? 

Throw in a morning class taught by R.R. Shakti, with live music by Walter Parks (below), who plays with Woodstock legend Richie Havens (remember, I met him once?), and I was pretty jazzed.  Please excuse the pun . . .

Then, I took a class with Mike Matsumura, who not only dropped some serious yoga moves on us, complemented by solid Yoga Sutras insight, he also cracked me up.  Among his many entertaining quips, he continually reminded us not "to break anything" when attempting advanced asanas (such as Scorpion pose, below).  "You break it; you buy it," he cautioned.

The afternoon session of Yoga for Foodies with Dave Romanelli did not disappoint; in fact, it topped off the already scrumptious day.  

Without the picturesque view, chill playlist, or organic, local, gourmet light fare that followed, Dave's practice still would have been an enjoyable, well-crafted class.  With these added elements, however, it was a delightful and totally unique sensory experience.  

Bravo, Dave!

I'm not quite ready to leave "Snowmasana," my new friends in CO- including the gracious event organizers who hosted me- or these stunning mountains.  Thankfully, I get to eek out a bit more yoga fun tomorrow morning.  

A mountain of love to you,

Om Gal 

Greetings from "Snowmasana," Colorado!

We're doing yoga.  We're in the mountains.  It rocks.  Hence, it's called: Yoga Rocks the Mountain, a yoga and music festival in Snowmass, Colorado.  I've taken to calling it "Snowmasana" for the next couple days.  You can too.  

Is there anything better than yoga outside?  

Tonight's kick off evening class featured two teachers and a live musician.  If you look closely, you might recognize Dave Romanelli, who's here to present his Yoga for Foodies experience.    

Yoga "lifts" us.

A mini om gal.

(L to R): Event organizer, Josh Behrman, yoga teacher Amy Baker, musician Cameron Williams, and yoga teacher Aaron King. 

Quote: Writing

They ask me if I were on a desert island and knew nobody would ever see what I wrote, would I go on writing.   My answer is most emphatically yes, I would go on writing for company.

-William Burroughs

With a wake up call at 2:30 a.m. to make tomorrow's 5:00 a.m. flight to the Yoga Rocks the Mountain festival in Snowmass, CO (which should really be called "Snowmasana" for the weekend, don't you think?), it's time for me to retire for the night.  Check back later for posts, photos, and videos of the event.  

What a Yogi Packs to Rock the Mountain

Packing for a yoga trip takes discretion.  On one hand, you want to feel liberated from worldly possessions and the trappings of your daily routine, such as work clothes, makeup, and constrictive footwear.  On the other hand, you need to pack for optimal peace and happiness.  Let's face it; being exposed to the elements, insects, or funky yoga B.O., for example, can hinder your meditating mojo.

Here are the items that top my packing list as I prepare for my next yoga adventure, the Yoga Rocks the Mountain festival in Snowmass, CO.

Active Wear & Gear:

• Apparel for asana
• Apparel & footwear for non-asana activities & chilling out
• Yoga mat 

Inspiration:

• Journal
• Inspiring book (I'm packing Living Your Yoga by Judith Lasater)

Healthy Essentials:

• Vitamins/medication (I pack arnica for sore muscles)
• Tea (I'm a confessed addict, remember?) 
• All natural snacks for airports & road trips (such as Lara Bars and YogaEarth nutrition products*)

Little Luxuries: 

• Eye mask and/or ear plugs
• Dr. Bonners soap (it's all natural, multi-purpose and can be used as body/face wash, shampoo, and laundry detergent if you need to hand wash clothes on the road)
• Essential oil (I bought geranium while teaching in France last year, and it is luscious!  Lavender is calming; peppermint stimulating)
• Travel beeswax candle

Blissful Baubles: 

• Mala beads (wrapped around left wrist, below)
• Y'arf (Don't know what this is?  Ask David Romanelli)

Yoga Rocks the Mountain* kicks off on Friday, July 16, featuring topnotch teachers such as David Romanelli, fellow Baptiste alum Lisa Black, Dharma Mittra protege Mike Matsumura . . . ., and R.R. Shakti, among others.  Musical performances, too, will draw flying yogis like me, arriving by air, and driving yogis from nearby cities and states via road trip.  Accommodations range from local campgrounds to the swish Viceroy Snowmass, which means yogi attire at the festival will surely run the gamut from Bear Grylls-in-the-outback to hippie haute couture.  Anything goes, yogis!  Start packing and get your asana to Snowmass!

Safe travels & light luggage,

Om Gal

*Disclosure: Rebecca is on the advisory board of YogaEarth and a partner of the Yoga Rocks the Mountain festival. 

  

Yoga Rocks the Mountain & Interview with Dave Romanelli

You may have noticed I've been bouncing around a bit lately, from NYC for the world's largest yoga class, to Cape Cod, where I demonstrated how to integrate gomukasana into the sunscreen application process, back to Boston to teach at the Urban Yoga Retreat, back to the Cape, and, again, home to Boston.  Later this month, I'll be venturing West on a couple yoga adventures.  First up: Yoga Rocks the Mountain, a yoga and music festival held in Aspen, CO from July 16-18.

Upon reviewing the lineup of presenting yoga teachers and musical performers, I quickly notice several familiar faces, including fellow yoga blogger, teacher, and contributing voice on Intent.com, David Romanelli.  While we've never formally met, our paths intersect often (largely in cyber space).  I wanted to get his take on Yoga Rocks the Mountain and thought OmGal.com readers might enjoy learning more about him as well.  After all, his teaching style frequently incorporates nontraditional elements into yoga class, such as wine and chocolate.

I know what you're thinking: You invented yoga with wine and chocolate.  Unfortunately, drinking too much red wine and passing out in sivasana with a bar of dark chocolate in one hand doesn't really count.  Hey, don't shoot the messenger . . .

Instead, Dave's approach uses yoga as a prelude to meaningful meals among like-minded people, who may not otherwise sit down together and break bread.  He also uses yoga as the platform for generating awareness and appreciation of the slow food movement.  Here's what else he had to say about  his latest Yoga for Foodies workshops, Yoga Rocks the Mountain, and my feeble attempt to persuade him to root for the Phoenix Suns rather than the LA Lakers.

OG: To what are you most looking forward at Yoga Rocks the Mountain?  
DR: I live in the desert [Arizona], so I'm looking forward to cool, starry nights.  Also, I'm excited to be part of a movement toward a younger generation of yoga events.  Until recently, yoga events followed a standard educational format, whereas now, with Yoga Rocks the Mountain and Wanderlust, for example, there are new options.


OG: Were you a foodie first, or a yogi?
DR: I wouldn't even really classify myself as a "foodie."  I'm more interested in creating an environment for people to enjoy food.  


OG: What are your workshops like?
DR: Yoga for Foodies is all about introducing people to the slow food movement: getting in touch with local food producers and the compassionate treatment of animals (such as buying cage-free eggs and grass fed beef). . . [The format is] one-hour of yoga [followed by] a one-hour guided meal, led by the chef.  


At this point, we detour into a conversation about the controversial territory of serving, eating, or promoting meat, poultry, and/or fish among yogis.  It's a topic we've discussed on OmGal.com before, featuring some very insightful reader comments (as always, thank you).  Dave says he's become more aware and sensitive to this potentially hot topic since beginning his workshops, in part because the first chef with whom he collaborated was vegan.  Still, his approach to food is inclusive rather than restrictive.  He openly admits to eating meat/poultry/fish on a weekly basis and insists that he is careful to maintain his respect for the slow food movement, with its emphasis on knowing from where your dinner hails and how it was prepared.  


It's an enjoyable chat, with many common threads to discuss . . . with one exception.  He's a Lakers fan. I, as you probably know, root for the Celtics.  Always have.  Always will.  So, I feel compelled to ask:


You live in AZ, shouldn’t you be a Suns fan?


At this, he laughs.  


"Noooooo, way!"  


Originally from California, he insists that he's always cheered for purple and gold.  He cites key games from the 80s, the era of Bird and Magic/Magic and Bird that first inspired his loyalty to the current NBA champs.  At this, I know he's the real deal--not one one of those fair-weather LA types who wears sunglasses inside the Staples Center, spends the whole game on their cell phone, and probably can't name one other player on the roster other than Kobe Bryant.  The only thing worse than a poser sports fan is a poser yogi.  Gratefully, our interview unearths that Dave Romanelli is neither.     


He's headed to teach now, and I'll be buried in a few writing projects for the remainder of the afternoon.  I'm thankful for the connection and look forward to seeing Dave, other talented teachers, and friends from the yoga world in Aspen in a few weeks.  


Before my next task, though, I take a moment to have a small bite to eat.  All this talk about yoga for foodies has made me hungry.  "People forget how special food is . . . Delicious food plugs you into the moment," I recall Dave saying.  As I step away from my laptop and dig into a scrumptious, organic snack, I realize he's right.  


Photo credit: sacrebleuwine.com

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.

Luck of the Irish? Not So Much.

The Celtics weren't so lucky last night, despite a solid outing against the Lakers (until darn Derek Fisher drained a three with about 5 minutes remaining, thus setting off a firestorm of scoring, which the guys in green couldn't overcome).

However, om gal MICHELLE, another Boston gem, lucks out today with free registration to this weekend's Father's Day 10k to benefit the Leukemia and Lyphoma Society and Revere Little League.

Congratulations, Michelle! Please email rebecca@omgal.com to receive your prize. Happy running (or walking) to you and your dad!

Free Running, Beers, & Roast Beef

Yesterday, I encouraged you to eat pizza, fried rice, and ice cream (wink, wink). Today, I'm endorsing Free Running, Beers, and Roast Beef, all of which have little to do with yoga, our prevailing theme on OmGal.com.

So, what gives?

A few things, actually. But, first, I should confess my disdain for all three. Yes, even running, a former love of mine. We're on the outs these days. I think we might be headed for a break-up. No, really. I've had it. Today, I traversed the entire Boston metro area in search of magical running shoes to rekindle my old running mojo and failed (no one carries a size "ski"), which brings me to my earlier point: Me + Running = So Over. I mean it this time . . .

Beers have never much been my thing. I'll drink one on a couple occasions: 100 degrees at Fenway Park (the beer must be chillingly cold) and a sunny beach in Mexico (lime, please!). I'm not trying to be a party pooper. I've tried to like beer. It didn't work out. We've both moved on. Everyone is better for it.

Beef and I have been estranged since I was 9. No loss, there.

However, I am a BIG fan of road races to benefit good causes, and I am also a fan of Dads. Perhaps you are too? If so (and you're in the vicinity of my hometown of Boston), you should run or walk the Father's Day 10K this Sunday along Revere Beach Boulevard (accessible via the T). All proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Revere Little League.

**Special perk: Post a comment with why you love to run (or walk), and Race Menu, the event organizer, will waive one lucky reader's registration fee. That's right: free running, plus free (optional) beers and roast beef sandwiches after the race. Not to mention all that deliciously good karma on Dad's Day.

Not able to make it to the starting line? Post a comment about why you love to run anyway. Please, I need all the inspiration I can get.

**One winner will be selected at random by noon on Thursday, June 17.

Hanging Out in Lululemon

The Lululemon store in Boston's Prudential Center recently did some redecorating, revealing posters that feature its latest selection of ambassadors, including yours truly. Here I am hamming it up with my photo upon seeing it for the first time this week. The ambassador shot shows me in a variation of ardha chandrasana on Commonwealth Avenue and was photographed by my friend, long-time fellow yogi, and standout New York based photographer Jonathan Pozniak. It was the hottest day of the year (a sweltering afternoon in mid August) but a fun and creative experience-- especially the part when I had to use my creativity to find ways of changing my wardrobe in public without getting arrested. (Some of the behind the scenes moments).

If you want to hang out with me (just a little poster humor there), come take a free class next Sunday at the Boston store. It's an abbreviated version of my specialty Yoga for Runners workshop in honor of next week's Boston Marathon. For runners, yogis, and runner/yogis, it will be a fun, free, inspiring way to spend Sunday morning. Plus, we'll send our positive intentions to all the runners readying for Boston's storied 26.2 mile race the following day.

If you miss next week's class, you can still swing by the store to point and laugh at my poster; it will be up for the coming year.