Namaste Yogis and Yogins

Standing in the grocery check out line I over heard a young woman on her cell phone repeating the infamous mantra, "I just need a little more balance". Her tone of voice was so familiar to me. In today’s "high-speed, instant messaging, get-it-to-go world" most of us ponder the subject of a little more balance frequently.

Yoga and all holistic healing arts are rooted in the science of ‘Balance’: Effort and rest,
elimination and assimilation; yin and yang; sun and moon; etc. Yet it is often easier studied than done. To truly understand what will balance us as individuals (on a mind, body and spirit level) demands great self-study and insight. Furthermore, given that our inner and outer conditions are never static; this journey towards wholeness is changing moment by moment; making it an endless adventure for even those most committed.

I was very inspired writing this issue as I work to balance my life as a new mom. So read on for lots of great articles, ideas, and practices to help promote a more balanced you.

With great joy,
Jillian
http://www.yogajillian.com

"Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do."— Kathleen Winsor

In my quest for balance, I’ve been on hiatus from teaching for 3 months. I have been enjoying time with my family, deepening my practice, and exploring my newest hobby cooking! I begin teaching again May 31: Tuesdays 6pm at Be Yoga, NYC (http://www.beyoga.com) and Saturdays 10:30am at Devotion Yoga, Hoboken (http://www.devotionyoga.com). Please join me for a Free Class with the coupon below. Send it along to your friends as well! I can’t wait to see you and reconnect!   back to top

"What we require is not a balanced diet but a balancing diet. We need a diet that balances us, not itself."-- Aadil Palkhivala. Most of us have grown comfortable with imbalance. In fact, we even perceive it as balance. Imbalance is extremely difficult to see, let alone change our habitual way of being, in order to create more equilibrium. The job is made even more challenging as society encourages us to ignore the inner voices of our body and heart which offer much needed wisdom for balancing our lives. As a result, instead of listening inward to discover our unique needs, we often ascribe to the latest fad or ‘approved’ routine. Instead, we need to learn what balances us as individuals. Ayurveda is a great place to start. The paths of yoga and Ayurveda are closely intertwined. It is one of the oldest systems of natural health care, originating in the earliest traditions of India. It addresses all factors that influence our quality of life and is based on the principle that nothing exists in isolation; your diet, the climate, the seasons, family, work, relationships, environment, and basically everything you interact with has effect on your health and well being. Like yoga, Ayurveda states that health is more than the absence of disease; it is a dynamic state of balance and integration of body, mind, and spirit. To learn more read these articles:

1. Knowing your ‘prakriti’ can help you stay balanced http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1230_1.cfm

2. Creating balance while under stress http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1517_1.cfm

3. An Ayurvedic approach to eating allows us to make intelligent food choices, avoid cravings, and satisfy our hunger.
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/646_1.cfm?ctsrc=rel647

4. Does your yoga class actually balance you? http://www.yogajournal.com/health/858.cfm     back to top

After a few hours of a house filled with excited guests, my 21 month old son William did what many of us only dream of doing…. He decided it was time for every one to go home and in sign language expressed, "All done. You go. Bye-bye." Every one thought it was rather cute. Embarrassed, humored, and oddly proud my husband Brad and I knew that it was true. William had had enough. A spirited child, he is easily over-stimulated and it was time for quiet. If he didn’t attend to his feelings, the rest of the day would surely be a mess. I wish it were as easy for me to see what my needs were and make the changes needed. Of course, it’s pretty simple for a 21 month old. It is usually about sleep, food, environment, temperature, clothes, diapers, play, music, quiet… ect.. But at this pre-socialized age, he’s more in touch with his needs than most adults I meet. He does have the advantage of not yet caring about ‘insulting’ guests, he hasn’t learned to ‘endure’ most emotional or physical states, and he knows some one else will be there to ‘fix" things. But it is interesting to consider how socialization and cultural pressures can cause us to grow so out of touch with our basic needs for balance. Thankfully, through witnessing William and due to my challenges as a new mom, I’ve been re-learning how to more quickly perceive when I’m out of sync and therefore making changes a little more easily.   back to top