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N E W S L E T T E R.. A R C H I V E
S • Y
O G A L I C I O U S #4
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September
/ 2000
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Namaste
Yogis and Yoginis, Welcome to the 4th issue of Yogalicious.
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“When
we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take a step into
the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things
will happen. Either there will be something solid for us to stand
on, or we will be taught to fly.”
— Frank Outlaw
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IN THIS ISSUE ——
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| RAM DASS & KRISHNA DAS - OMEGA EVENT |
| This should be an interesting evening of Satsang and Kirtan: Sunday, September 24, 2000. Sheraton Towers Hotel, NYC. 7:30pm -9:30. $25. call 800-944-1001 for info. back to top |
| DRY BRUSH YOUR SKIN |
| I’ve been dry brushing for a few months and love it! It works on the same principles as accupressure and is known to help: 1) Stimulate circulation and the glands 2) Eliminate toxins 3) Aid the digestive processes 4) Tighten the skin 5) Eliminate cellulite. You can buy a natural vegetable-bristle brush in most health food stores. Or go to www.celtic-seasalt.com/saltoflife/orallnatbodb.html back to top |
| GREAT MEDITATION BOOK |
| Pema Chodron “WISDOM OF NO ESCAPE”. (Published by Shambhala Books, www.shambhala.com). “When people start to mediate or to work with any kind of spiritual discipline, they often think that somehow they're going to improve, which is a sort of subtle aggression against who they really are.” back to top |
| HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK SHOULD I PRACTICE? |
| The answer is unique for each of us. The frequency of your practice should, naturally, vary each week depending on how you feel “now”. In general, I like to suggest some sort of practice 5-7 days a week. But I don’t mean attending 5-7 classes! I mean, simply checking in with yourself through asana, stretch, breathing and meditation to release daily tension, still your mind, and feel centered. Personally, I tend to like a long (up to two hours) structured practice about two or three days a week. On the other days, I do a shorter unstructured practice, restorative poses and meditation (20-45 minutes). Again, each week differs. (On some days, eating chocolate chip cookies is yoga practice. Try Blanches Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies - on Lexington and 71st) In the past few years I’ve gotten away from setting rigid rules. Discipline comes very easy for me and since I can be quite willful, it is more important for me to be loose - consistent, but less structured. However, if my best friend Nicole doesn’t schedule her practice and know exactly what she should do, she won’t do it. So, if you have trouble motivating or scheduling yourself, set a firm weekly schedule with a plan for your asanas. (But - remember - within your structure; be sensitive to listening to your body. Allow yourself to veer off course when you get the inner feeling to do so. That is where the magic happens.) The main practice is to find out what your body/mind needs. Key things to remember: 1. Set realistic goals: Don’t create a rule that you need to go to four classes a week if you can only make two. 2. Establish a Short, frequent home practice: Set aside 5-30 minutes (yes, I said five!) 4-6 times a week. Even on days you go to class, do a few minutes of practice on your own. 3. Vary your intensity: If you mostly do a rigorous routine, alternate with a more gentle session once or twice a week. 4. Be willing change your “rules”. Listen to your body before each practice to see what your needs are. back to top |
| NO TIME? TRY YOGA-AT-WORK! |
| If you can’t seem to find time at home for your practice, try YOGA-AT-WORK. Many companies are practicing yoga in conference rooms, lunchrooms and even in the corner office! E-mail me for more information about Yoga-At-Work or for arranging an Introduction To Yoga Series, privates, or small groups at your company. back to top |
| GREAT WEB SITE |
| For a variety of yoga information & resources check out www.yogasite.com back to top |
| RELAX MORE |
| I put together an article for Vivianlives.com on easy tips for stress relief. You can read it at: http://vivianlives.com/wellness/stress.html back to top |
| RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FELLOW YOGIS: |
| (Thanks Holly!) Found some reasonably priced supplex pants ($30) from a mail RoadRunners catalog. Call 800-555-5558. back to top |
| FOR A GOOD TIME CALL |
| If you’d like to share your recommendations for massages therapist, chiropractors, acupuncturist etc. email me their name, and contact info and I will include it in a future newsletter. Speaking of which I recently tried CranioSacral Therapy with one of my favorite massage therapists, Susanne Ziegler. It was much subtler than a deep massage - and very interesting. Here’s how Susanne explains this type of therapy and it’s benefits: back to top |
| CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY |
| Susanne Ziegler: CranioSacral work has been used to correct or aid visual disturbances, glaucoma, TMJ, scoliosis, autism, hyperactivity, depression, chronic pain, etc. It has even been used to bring a patient out of a coma, after three and a half years! It also has the ability to release unpleasant emotional memories that have become locked into the tissues of the body. Here’s how it’s works: Connective tissue is like a web running throughout the body, supporting and separating the organs and muscles from each other. A special connective tissue, called the meninges protects the brain and spinal cord, and keeps them in a fluid environment. If you are very still, you can actually feel the pulsation of the fluid in your skull bones, which gently expand, contract, and rotate to accommodate the CranioSacral system’s rhythm. Like muscles, the meninges can become “hitched up” or tight, usually due to trauma, such as a tough birth, or a fall, or even from poor posture over a long period of time. When these meninges become tight they can impair many bodily functions, and stress the endocrine, or hormonal system, because of their relationship with the brain and spinal cord. Unlike massage, a CranioSacral session is very quite and subtle. You may think that the therapist is merely holding your head, or another part of your body, but in fact, he or she is monitoring how well the CranioSacral rhythm can be felt in the different areas to detect a problem, unraveling tension in the connective tissues, or freeing the bones of the skull of pelvis from a stuck position that compromises the system. The work is very relaxing, even if you do not have any major problems. back to top |
| DATES I AM AWAY |
| I’ll have subs while I’m away training: Aug 25 - Sept 1: Thai Yoga Massage training Sept 25 - 29: Viniyoga / Therapeutic Yoga Training with Desikachar and Gary Kraftsow back to top |
| Thanks for reading everyone! I’d love to hear your suggestions for topics you’d like to know more about. Please let me know if you have friends who would like to receive this newsletter; if you have an email address change; or would like to be removed from the distribution. |
| Have a super Labor Day Weekend. Shanti, Jillian |