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Bending back.

I started my day teaching backbends to my Yoga class. They are an enthusiastic group of beginning Yogis... and I was excited to share with them what I know about the physical and energetic nature of these postures. Backbends allow us to be present with our own vulnerability. This can be an emotionally liberating experience. Through the physical challenge that are backbends we find that are strengths lie with being able to allow ourselves to be open and accepting. Living in this receptive way encourages true strength.

Neti Pot

Recently, my friend Emira asked me about my experiences with Neti. The Neti Pot is a form of nasal irrigation that has been practiced by the Yogic and Aryuvedic community in India for thousands of years. When I read about it in one of my Yoga books last year, I was anxious to try it as I have suffered from allergies my whole life. It is a pretty simple process. You fill a small neti pot with warm salt water and pour into one nostril. The water will flow through your nasal cavity and out through your other nostril. This can work wonders for people who suffer from upper-respiratory problems, allergies, and sinus infections. It can help if you live in an area high in air pollutants. From a spiritual perspective, the jala neti is believed to redirect your energy and it can affect your level of clairvoyance and clarity of the mind. 

I was really shocked that after complaining about my sinuses to my doctors for decades, and even having seen an allergy specialist, no one recommended or even mentioned this practice. The Neti comes from a compilation of ancient Indian wisdom called The Vedas. Again... it is THOUSANDS of years old. It is crazy to me that I was encouraged to take Sudafed, Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra, and about a dozen different nasal inhalers. I even was asked to consider getting the costly and time consuming (potentially 5 years) allergy shots. But conventional medicine somehow overlooked this very practical and affordable wisdom. This practice has helped to improve my breathing and congestion issues. After the first two weeks, I could smell again! It was miraculous!

And times are changing. Oprah's Doctor Oz introduced the neti pot to thousands of Western viewers on her show... and netis are now available at your local drug store. 

I encourage my readers to use the Neti- particularly those that suffer ENT ickies. Give it a week, and you will go from "Ew" to "Ooo."  ;)

Somatic Awareness

Working at the Body Therapy Institute has put me in this really amazing environment working with some very grounded, centered people. One thing I noticed right away was this concept of "somatic awareness" that was being referenced all the time. My new colleagues were happy to give me literature to catch me up to speed. Here is a passage from my latest reading material that I found enlightening: "A primary goal in working with someone therapeutically, artistically, or educationally is to bring them into contact with their energy, that is, into the experience of their lived body. The first step is to have the person identify with what they feel, to place their attention on what is occurring in their bodily life. Attending to what we feel takes us out of our heads and into the energetic currents of our body. Living in our bodies means living in the moment. Our energy and attention weave the tapestry of who we are- bodily, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually." -Richard Strozzi Heckler, The Anatomy of Change

Stop and Smell the Flowers

Yesterday, I baby-sat for Nina's baby girl, Siena. We spent another afternoon together walking through the garden and the yard. We stopped to inhale the sweet aroma of every flower we approached. It never fails to amaze me how much you can learn from a baby. They are truly aware in each moment. No regrets about yesterday. No worries for tomorrow. The ultimate of being! As yogis, we make this our lifetime goal- but looking at a baby, isn't it obvious that this state of being is where we start? I decided when I have my next adult friend over to play, we will do this as well... make it a point to stop and smell all the flowers. This is a completely applicable metaphor, no?

********************BOUNCING*********************

This morning, I dragged my trampoline out of the shed- ok, Mitch actually did the dragging (the shed still makes me a little nervous-bugs, etc...). I had forgotten how much I looooove my trampoline. I used to use it every day... and as I rebounded in my backyard this morning, I vowed to do this again. Bouncing on the trampoline stimulates the lymphatic system in our bodies. The lymphatic system is what carries nutrients to our cells and also carries wastes away. When the lymph system suffers, your cells don't receive the vital nutrition necessary and your cells stew in their own waste which makes way for diseases like cancer, arthritis, and premature aging. The experts say rebounding also results in your immune cells being 5 times more active. I won't even bore you with the respiratory benefits, and how it can help to alleviate depression... Suffice it to say: The trampoline freakin rocks! If you don't have one, it's worth every penny of the $30-45 investment!!! 

*********************GREAT PESTO RECIPE***************************

So, my man's garden is in full swing these days. That being said, I am always trying to come up with great things to do with his fresh herbs and vegetables. This week, I made home-made pesto and we both really enjoyed it. So, here is my recipe. Enjoy!

 Tasty Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup Pine Nuts

3 garlic cloves minced

5 sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In blender, pulse Pine Nuts. Add Basil and pulse. Then add Olive Oil and Grated Cheese and pulse. Add your sun-dried tomatoes. Taste. Add Salt and Pepper to your liking. Serve to sweetie with grin that says  "And I can cook, too!" Haha.   

Makes about 1 cup- depending on how many tastes you have before you serve it. :) I like this best over whole wheat angel hair pasta. Yum!

Namaste.

YOGA NEWS 07/03/09

Yoga Night was last night... and it was a very relaxing practice. For the first time EVER, only Tom Roche joined me. While I love it when we have a sizable group, I was not disappointed. Tom is a great Yoga instructor... and every week, I feel blessed he can join me in practice. Tom has a knack for isolating each muscle group in his flows, so by the time you get to the more challenging postures, they just don't seem as challenging anymore. I can always stretch just a little further when he is around.

*YOGA MONTH*

The Department of Health & Human services has designated September as National Yoga Month. This September will be the very first one. *YAY* It was designed to increase the awareness and benefits of Yoga... but I will use it as a reason to push myself towards even more Sun Salutations daily! If you don't practice on the regular, this is a great time to start. Check around for what gyms in the area may be offering free classes and yoga groups. You can check this website <<   http://www.yogamonth.org/  >> for more details.

Great Reads

My friend Nina divulged a guilty pleasure to me last week. She is a fan of the Twilight series, and was happy to share this indulgence with me. Being a former Vampire book enthusiast, I decided to dive right into the copy she loaned me. It reminded me very much of The Vampire Chronicles by L.J. Smith that I just loved in middle school... although a bit longer and perhaps a little more romantically geared. The characters were fun and entertaining, and the plot, although kind of slow in the build up, had me quickly turning pages at the end. It took me back bto age 12 when I fantasized about traveling with the Vampire Lestat... and when I saw Dracula for the first time. Just the brand of Creepy Cool I adore :) 

Jodi, Mitch's Mom, brought us a copy of Julia Wertz's new comic book Fart Party 2. Aside from the title, which makes it difficult to recommend without a smirk from my listener, it is a really funny book. Wertz's dark humor and foul language interwoven with hilarious drawings and satire make it a gem of a comic. Beyond being a struggling artist, she also waitresses to supplement her income. As a former food service worker, I relate especially to all of her on-the-job sketches. Her comics can be viewed and ordered through her website as well: http://www.fartparty.org/