Balancing Stick and Celery Sticks

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Photo via Flickr.

I strolled back into the hot room last night, excited to take class with one of my favorite teachers. She greeted me happily at the front desk when I walked in. "Hey, how have you been?!" As the answer, "Great!" came out my mouth, the thought that crossed my mind was: "And about to get better!"


I know it's been a while since I've Bikramed when I set up my mat and can't help but look around the room. I found it funny last night, observing all of the little pre-class rituals people have. I watched an older guy hold a headstand, his legs swaying off to the left like the undercurrent of a stream. I was surprised how well he could balance there, slightly off-center.


A lady in front of me who always parks in the front row performed her little dance/stretch routine, bending in deep squats, pushing her joints around to align the muscle groups, rolling into a quick plough pose. I wonder how she would survive class without her little warm up routine; I don't think I've ever seen her come in and meditate in stillness before class.


I watched ladies in the back push into down dog, relieved that I'm not the only one to bring non-Bikram poses into the room.


Photo via Flickr.


I was pleased that I could do every posture in the series, and even happier to find that I actually enjoyed every pose! Standing Forehead to Knee proved an enjoyable challenge. I loved that our teacher demonstrated step one -- leaning forward to grab the foot -- since this seemed to motivate all of us to move more quickly into the posture. She also did this with Balancing Stick, joining in with the movement of the arms overhead and the bending forward at the waist to take the shape of a capital letter "T."


We floated in and out of the postures, growing stronger with every series.


Complete side note: celery sticks make an awesome post-Bikram snack! I was happily surprised to find how much I enjoyed them. They're watery, with a pleasant crunch, and they satisfy that side of you that's longing for pure, natural hydration after class. Normally I'm not so fond of celery, but now I know when to eat it. I also highly recommend salt and vinegar chips and YogaEarth Purity coconut water. Refreshing!

Burnout

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We have an edge off the mat, too. How long can we hold there?

And a better question: why do we force ourselves to?

Consider what you can let go of in your life -- what pain you could confront. Only by facing the mirror can we begin to change ourselves.

Forward Fold

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Photo via Satya Is Truth.

Having a rough day?

A forward fold can be the perfect dose of calm.

Personally, I like to integrate Uttanasana into my breaks at the office. It's one of my all-time favorite poses, really: so calming, and a lovely stretch for the backs of the legs (especially when my calves are tight from bike riding).

Photo via Best Soy Latte.

Then there's always child's pose, for when you have a little more time and you're home from a long day. Settle in, let the hips drop into the earth, and allow a falling-out breath to tumble out.

If you're in class and you're lucky, your instructor might add a little press to your lower back for even more spinal stretching and stress relief! (You could always make a request of your loving spouse or friend to help with this, too.)

A Solid Base

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All photos by yours truly.

For a long time, inversions had me nervous. I didn't like the disorienting feeling of being upside down; I felt so heavy, like one wrong move could leave me in a pile on the floor.

Step by step, I've been building a stronger foundation.

Now, I enjoy the set up: building a strong base with clasped hands and flexed forearms, toes tiptoeing in until there's nowhere else to go except up the wall. And the best is that moment where I'm hovering, completely in my own body, nothing but sturdy.

And the freedom in tightening the shoulder blades, drawing them down, creating space for the cervical spine to breathe. That's when I know I'm most free: my whole body on top of me, and yet, no pressure on the neck. 

I was so inspired, smiling as I launched myself upside down, over and over again. I even managed a few headstands in the middle of the living room, too, no wall to fall back on. 

This is the only way we can change ourselves, too: slowly tracing the steps over and over until one day, they are comfortable, easy, normal. Eventually speaking my mind will be as effortless as hanging out upside down. For now, I'm happy knowing I have a foundation to work from.




No Storm Here

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Photo via Everyday Musings.

Yesterday I woke up first. I made myself a cup of joe (I've been enjoying them again lately). And I sat in the bowl chair by the window, the sun coming in, the breeze whispering through, and I was perfectly content.

Literally, the thought 

I have no desires

passed through my mind.


Photos via Pinterest. 

Lately, too, I have been in love with the breeze that blows through our apartment.

It's just the right temperature. A reminder of heaven.

I also adore the sound of the night once the sun has set. Like a murmuring outside: frogs peeping, crinkling of window unit air conditioners, the occasional far-off dog bark, and a thick, dark quiet.

I am calmed by our little place, our home.

Enchanted

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Photo via Carl Zoch Photography.

Where do your dreams take you?

Being
     at the bottom of my own heart
a passageway through:
to the deep fears

hovering spider,
my brother's casket being lowered,
letters on a gravestone,

release, release
not far          up through the black water
a pearl -- dark liquid dries and turns to ash, is stirred up

Father, Father

picturing myself talking again

a fist, a wrist, fingers
filling up the space
of the heart

Side Crow and Developing a Playful Yoga Practice

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I recently discovered the wonder of flying. Side crow is awesome!

A couple weekends ago, some friends and I headed north to Two Rivers, Wisconsin for an end of summer adventure on Lake Michigan. We watched people kayak, sunbathe, and bird watch. I was more interested in testing my own bird-like abilities :)


Don't you love when you get to a place with certain asanas where you can just play? Lately, I've been dedicating my practice to the joy of playing with yoga. What will happen if I kick my leg out? What tension can I let go of? What will happen if I smile now? What will happen if I just laugh and fall out?


Dare to be silly in class. Last night, one of my favorite instructors reminded us to acknowledge the importance of reverence. He prompted us to consider the difference between "precision" and "precision driving for perfection." And he brought up an important point: we never get to a place where we can execute an asana perfectly. That's not the point of yoga. The point is to be fully present for the journey.



Instead of wondering, "Why won't my body do what it could before?" or telling yourself, "I'm not good at this," or celebrate what you can do. 


Arm balances and inversions sometimes feel like the most serious of yoga postures. Once you've mastered handstands and scorpion, you're in the big leagues, right? All focus, determination, no nonsense now.


I say: let that go!


Choose to define yourself by your presence, not your postures.  

  
Yoga is in the body and the mind. If you can't be lighthearted and free, you're missing all the good stuff.


Our adventure north was all about feeling whimsical: windows down, music blaring, wind whipping the hair. Dancing on the sand. Trespassing to climb around on lighthouses. Dashing into the freezing water with no qualms. And enjoying how refreshing that big body of water is, even when the waves leave you covered in sea moss. :)  





I hope you will join me in pursuing joy, even in the hard postures. As Nick likes to say, "Someone's getting a little levitation practice in!"

And I agree: light body, light heart, light mind. The way to freedom is not in perfect execution of advanced postures; all you have to do is embrace a little levity.

Effortless

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All photos via Everyday Musings.

There is just something so effortlessly calm about this blog. I've been perusing the photos for a while now. I especially love the beach house scenes. They're making me think of my sister, who just moved to North Carolina.


Wouldn't it be lovely to spend this afternoon by the water, wrapped in a hoodie and clutching a cup of coffee, snuggling up together?


I'll race you there.




Back to Bikram!

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All photos via Threading in the Choirs.

I walked in empty, excited to renew, cleanse and energize my body. After several months out of the hot room, it felt wonderful to return to my Bikram yoga practice. Our studio owner welcomed me back and I smiled all the way through pranayama.


About half way through class, lying in savasana, I could feel my entire body buzzing with delight. Every muscle, system, fiber glowing with life.


After class, my spine thanked me. Today, all of my muscle groups are thanking me (especially my wonderfully sore mid-back). I can't wait to roll out my mat again soon!

Searching

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Photo by Brian Ferry.

I am surfing the net on a Wednesday evening, slurping an avocado bubble tea. I'm thinking about how so much of our online experience is shaped by immediacy: we want the world at our fingertips, ready to be grasped. We want to be able to find things quickly.

I'll admit, some of my favorite sites lately are ones where I can customize a search based on my needs. If I'm looking for a good recipe based on the ingredients in my cupboards (or better yet, based on the ones I'm craving,) I go for Gojee. (How else am I going to discover pumpkin cupcakes with chai cream cheese frosting?!)

 
Photo by Brian Ferry.  
Photo via Food 52.

Recently I discovered Betterfly, a site where you can search your area for private yoga instructors (and/or post for free).

Photo via FYeahYoga.

And then there's always Etsy, my favorite yoga Tumblr sites, and StumbleUpon. One's ability to bounce around on the Internet is endless. Pinning pictures, reading blog posts, updating Facebook and Twitter, milling about on Wikipedia and Google, bookmarking, commenting, opening new tab after new tab!


In a way, all this searching has us confused. We begin to wonder who we are, and draw lines around our digital identities. Is this where I'm meant to be? Where will I go? Who can I connect with? Who knows me?


But for all our searching, we are still ourselves.


Be still, within yourself. Practice presence.


You cannot be someone else. As you come to accept who you truly are, you can be alive, content. 


For all your searching, you can still allow stillness. Let emptiness be there. 


Photo by Brian Ferry.  

Yoga for Cancer Patients: Finding Union

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 Above photo via Flickr. Below photo by Beth Altrogge.

A reader of Alive in the Fire recently wrote to me about the ways cancer patients can benefit from yoga.


It's hard to imagine how much someone suffering so greatly would truly need a consistent practice.


Today I have been thinking about this along with the sanskrit meaning of the word yoga, which translates to "union." By putting our bodies in asanas, we cultivate union of the body's many systems, union of the mind and heart, union of the self and the outside world.


Body, mind, breath. By deeply experiencing these, you can find a deeper awareness of your self during moments of stress or pain. 


A big thanks to Jillian for providing this content!


Photo via Center Yourself.

Doctors Prescribing Yoga as Complementary Care
Yoga practitioners have said for years that yoga can provide positive benefits for those suffering chronic illnesses, and for the last decade, doctors have been prescribing yoga as a way to aid in treatment and alleviate symptoms in cancer patients at all stages of the disease. For instance, the American Cancer Society recommends yoga as a method to alleviate symptoms of chronic disease and to promote relaxation, physical fitness, and quality of life.

Many doctors now see the benefits of integrative oncology that not only uses traditional medical techniques to treat cancer but also employees other forms of treatment to increase patient comfort, mood, and outlook on life. This can be especially important for patients with mesothelioma cancer and other aggressive forms of the disease as it has been shown that outlook can have a significant impact on the overall prognosis of a patient.


The benefits of yoga for cancer patients, both those undergoing chemotherapy and those who have already completed treatment, are varied. Some studies have shown that practitioners report an improvement to overall sleep quality (including sleeping longer, falling asleep faster, and needing fewer sleep medications). Other reports have shown a lower level of mood disturbances and stress than those in control groups who did not do yoga. However, despite these differences, nearly all studies show an overall increase in global quality of life than they did before they began the yoga regimen.

Prescribed as complementary care for a variety of cancers including mesothelioma, patients are typically advised to attend at least one- to- two yoga sessions per week with some doctors recommending daily practice. With regular practice, tangible symptom relief can contribute to extended mesothelioma prognosis. 


Above photo via Tumblr. 

When first beginning, it may be helpful to find a licensed instructor in the patient’s area that can lead them through the poses and correct any errors. However, if this is not available, a number of available books and DVDs are on the market are tailored towards different needs within the yoga community.

As with any course of treatment, a yoga regimen should not be started without first consulting a physician to make sure that the cancer patient in question is physically fit enough to begin a yoga routine. Further, care should be taken not to overstretch joints and damage ligaments. Also, it should be noted that yoga is considered complementary care and should not take the place of the course of treatment prescribed by a patient’s medical team. 

 Above photo via Tumblr. 

Do you know of any cancer patients with a regular yoga practice or someone who could benefit from one? If so, please write to me at aliveinthefire [at] gmail [dot] com. I'd like to sponsor some classes. Namaste.

The Right Balance

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Photo by Angie Mistina, courtesy of Richard Krzyzanowski.

Can you strike a balance between ease and effort? 


Last night in class, I did a lovely crow pose, thanks to a wonderful guest teacher at Grateful Yoga. We started with a forward fold, hands placed outside the feet, knees bent. After stretching my bum upward and pulling in the abdomen, it was easy to place each knee on the back of the upper arm. A head tilt forward ("like you're going to sniff the floor," as our teacher explained it), and you're in the pose!


Photos via Flickr.
I also loved how during this pose and other challenging ones, our instructor kept repeating, "All is well, all is well, all is well."


Can you balance out negative thoughts, frustration and impatience by repeating a mantra to yourself? Can you practice peace being fully present? 


I love Julia of Julia Yee Yoga's description of how we can apply carefulness to our lives off the mat:


The key word here is balance - meaning, not all ease, but not all effort either. Similarly, the opposite of passive doesn't necessarily have to be aggressive or active. When we are engaged in our lives, we can cultivate inspiration through a collaboration of time and conscious reflection. We can manifest love, and joy, and happiness, through a combination of fate and making the decision to open our heart. Sometimes, the simple act of being engaged is more than enough. 


The next time you're attempting an arm balance, just think: what effort can you release? What can you let go of? From there, you find progress.


Photo by Angie Mistina, courtesy of Richard Krzyzanowski.