Yoga classes start next week!

So, I have to admit that I kinda freaked out when I went to the grocery store today and the front entrance was lined up with pumpkins and firewood!!! Yikes....where has our summer gone??

The good part of September for me is that I will soon see all of you again! My fall classes all start next week, and I am so eager to get back on the mat with all of you!

Click on the link (above left) to go to the website for class details, or check out the side bar here for class information. Feel free to connect with me on the contact page of the website or leave your questions here on the blog!

I am offering something new this fall to reward my ongoing and loyal students (a few of you have been with me for 6+ years!). I will have punch cards available at class. After 4 punches, the card entitles you to $20 off your next session fee!

Come together!

Hey all!

Fall is right around the corner, and I now have fall yoga dates established! I hope that I will see many of you back on the mat in September! Classes and details are listed on the side of this page and on the website.

For me, summer has flown by, and it always feels way to short! It has been a challenging season as well, with lots of violence and hard to listen to news stories. When I am feeling shocked or hurt by incidents in our community or world, I do as probably many of you do; I stop and say a little prayer that God may be in the midst of our pain and suffering. My faith practice is important to me. My yoga practice is also SO important to me, as it helps me to remember our connectedness as a human family. My yoga practice has taught me to slow down, to take some deep breaths, to be more pro-active vs reactive, and to work especially hard to LOVE.

If you are new to yoga, I invite you to join us for a class. You will soon discover that yoga can be about so much more than postures and breath. Yoga truly is a practice for living.

Enjoy the last days of August. Breathe deep and do something loving for yourself and for someone else today!

PEACE

Inflammation

Some of you know that I have spent much of the last year dealing with Frozen Shoulder. It's technical name is Adhesive Capsulitis and it is considered an inflammatory process. As a result, my integrative physician suggested that I should follow an "anti-inflammatory diet" as one step toward addressing my health. There are lots of versions of an anti-inflammatory diet, but basically, it is based on a "Mediterranean Diet" which is made up of primarily fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and other whole foods. The Mediterranean diet uses olive oil for cooking and uses dairy sparingly (if at all) along with whole grains. What it doesn't include is sugar (other than what is naturally occurring in fruits etc), processed foods and meats, and flour or white starches like corn, white potatoes, and white rice. Caffeine is discouraged. Some wine (preferably red) is Ok.

I have to admit that I had heard of these diet recommendations before, but when I got to the part about my favorite food group (carbs and starches in the form of bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes and crackers) and an elimination of most dairy (No cheese??? Are you kidding me??) I quickly dismissed it. When  the day came that I was facing a painful condition like Frozen Shoulder that was impacting my work and favorite practice: yoga, I suddenly became willing to try ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING. I have known for years that I could be eating a healthier diet, but I felt I was doing pretty well with food and movement  and maintaining my weight and really did not have the motivation to behave differently until pain free movement seemed to be slipping away. Months later, my shoulder is improving, I have lost 12 pounds, and I have grown to like the taste of unsweetened almond milk and I'm eating more veggies.

So, what does all this have to do with you...especially if you do not have frozen shoulder? Here's the deal; more research is being done all the time that is now linking a whole host of medical conditions to inflammation in the body. Things like allergies, asthma, RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Heart Disease, Alzheimers, and Depression. Not to mention weight gain and obesity.

This is HUGE people! We live in a society where we want things immediately and urgently. Medicine has followed suit and offered people medications that are sometimes helpful, sometimes not, all in an effort to provide a "fix" or a pill for whatever ails us. We all have heard the adage "You Are What You Eat"...yet we continue to eat processed foods full of ingredients we cannot pronounce, fast food that is greasy, fatty and full of sodium, sugary snacks and way too much meat. Then we wonder why our bodies just don't feel and perform at their best, or why we cannot lose weight and keep it off no matter what we try.

I was at a mental health workshop yesterday, led by an area psychiatrist, and a full hour of the 3 hour presentation was on INFLAMMATION and gut health as it relates to depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns.  I am certainly not saying that we should abandon modern medicine as it is helpful and essential. What I am saying is that perhaps we all need to start taking our health into our own hands and begin to change our ways so that we can live healthier, more productive lives. Yoga is certainly a big step in that direction (see my prior post about how much it can reduce your need for health services!) but we have power to do more by choosing to fuel our bodies effectively and well.

I'll close with a quote from Michael Pollan who wrote the book In Defense of Food: "Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not too Much." Instead of reaching for a box of crackers,  grab an apple or some olives or some nuts for a snack. Make some small changes. Don't wait for a "medical event" to begin to fuel your body with wholesome food.

Need more inspiration? I have a Facebook group going called Eating Well, for folks that want to share good recipes and healthy eating tips. Let me know if you want me to add your name. Do some yoga....breathe deeply and feel grateful for each day. Savor and enjoy delicious whole foods. Be your best!

Research and Yoga

"....yoga does so much for your health that studies show people who do yoga use 43% fewer medical services." from Harvard Medical School Healthbeat.

Many of you already know that yoga is a practice that you enjoy and a practice that helps with gaining strength and improving flexibility. Yoga is also great for stress reduction, helps with forming a better body image, and promotes relaxation. Quite simply, yoga has been around for ages because it works on so many levels.

With costs of healthcare continually on the rise, the medical community is beginning to take notice of "alternative" therapies and lifestyle choices that can reduce healthcare costs. As you can see from the quote I shared at the start of this post, research is now finding that the practice of yoga is beneficial and can help us maintain good health by using fewer medical services. I have a yoga student who sometimes leaves a bit early from work to get to class and states "I have to leave, I have a Dr appointment." My student believes (and I agree) that her yoga practice is part of her overall wellness and treats her yoga practice just as seriously as she does regular medical visits.

Take time for yourself. Commit to good physical and mental health. See you on the mat!

Thanks for sharing

I've said it before, and I will say again, it is such a privilege to be your yoga teacher! One of the things that I feel is somewhat unique to my classes, is that over time, I get the opportunity to get to know each of you personally. I love the small community that each of my classes develops and the fact that for many of you, yoga class is a place to go "where everybody knows your name."

I have been blessed over the years to be a part of student's joys and sorrows. Some of you have shared with me the pain of job loss, divorce, cancer,  and illness. Some of you have shared details of amazing travel adventures, concerts, weddings, and various celebrations. I treasure it all and am deeply touched and honored to be a part of your lives.

As individuals, we bring our fabulous and varied selves to each class. Thanks for sharing it all with me on the mat. I look forward to continuing to breathe, move, and celebrate this marvelous gift of yoga with you each week. As yogis, we are seeking to 'yoke' or find wholeness within and to deepen our connection to one another and to all living beings. Thanks for being a part of the journey with me and for adding such joy and richness to my life.

Namaste!

The Body Temple

 "How's the body temple?" is a phrase I use from time to time to check in with myself about how I am feeling and if I am treating my physical self well. You see, I have to confess that there are times when I stay up too late, I drink too much wine, or I suddenly have a craving for some ridiculous junk food and move way past the point of any reasonable serving or portion size. There have been so many times when I have taken the gift of my physical body for granted and never really thought much about my on again/off again efforts to treat my body well.

What does it mean to treat your body like a temple anyway? If a temple is defined as a holy place where people show up, then I would guess that the body temple would be a place of a bit of mystery, awe and reverence. The body would be the space that you occupy on this earth and a representation of how you show up to others. I can honestly say that I don't usually spend much if any time being "in awe" of my body. I can recall a couple of instances though. When each of my sons were born, I spent several months breastfeeding them. For whatever reason, I didn't get too caught up in awe and wonder during my actual pregnancies. I think pregnancy for me just felt more like an exhilarating ride of changing shape and hormones. But for some reason, the fact that my body was able to feed and nourish another human being was indeed full of mystery, awe, and wonder. I remember just thinking it was so cool that I could walk around and go about my day and at the same time, have perfect food at the ready anytime for my baby. Amazing.

But I didn't start this post with the idea of writing about breastfeeding, but rather to consider why it is that we are so darned distracted so much of the time and when we are, how we end up mindlessly falling into habits and behaviors that are far from healthy for us. If our bodies are to be a temple, then they need to be treated in the same way we would treat an aging and glorious cathedral. We'd be regularly dusting, sweeping, and polishing and taking time to repair items as they got damaged or worn. And lets face it, temples start to really look their best after a bit of wear and use, after they have stood the test of time and reflect years of memories and events.

So maybe we need to see our bodies as the temples that they are. Beautifully and wonderfully made. Worthy of our deep respect and care. Given daily attention and always lovingly revered. Consider all the things you do to be healthy; whether it is food, movement, rest, or daily cleansing. Pick one of them and decide to be mindful and reverent about it. Suddenly, a fresh apple seems more appealing and worthy of the body than some Cheetos. A walk outdoors makes more sense than staring at the TV.  The act of washing your face can be a gesture of care and tenderness.

Make no mistake, I am not implying that we should seek some superficial level of beauty. Instead, I hope we all can find better health and start treating ourselves with the respect and care we deserve. When we work from that place, we see beauty and strength in our bodies. We see them as the temple that they truly are. Ask yourself: How's the body temple?

Words

I wrote a devotion for my yoga classes this week about words. Whether they are words of our internal dialogue, or words that we speak out loud to others, they bear some attention. Choose today to consider your words carefully. Speak kindness and truth to yourself and to others. Notice how differently your day flows as a result!

Here's that devotion:
Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
   Words are important. How we speak to one another can bring comfort and connection, or fear, anger, and defensiveness. Choose your words carefully. Be kind and gracious with your words.