YogaHub.com » Yoga and Meditation

Does One Need Savasana?

Christina Souza Ma — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:08:54 +0000

I just read a tweet today about how some individuals leave just before the end of the yoga class – just before savasana (corpse pose). Why would you want to do that? After leading your body and mind through the flow of a yoga class, why would you want to rush out before grounding yourself?

This reminds me of how the western world has adapted yoga and other forms of healing arts in such a way that we have forgotten the balance within the forms themselves. I admit I am no expert, but I do listen to my body. I am a very active outgoing person and have always been. Some have called me “hyper” or said I must have “ADD.”

When my yoga instructor informed me that savasana was one of the most difficult poses, she was right. I had never had to bring my body to that state of being – ever – until then.

I think individuals who come to yoga for a “workout” still need to find the form that feeds the stillness side of them. Many people I know go for Power Yoga or Bikrams, and yet I believe that they too have the savasana at the end.

Tags: savasana, corpse pose, bikram, power of yoga, add, workout, yoga class

Yoga in the Wilderness

Francesca Silva — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:37:10 +0000

Mumsie, hubby and I just returned from our week’s vacation with his family at a log cabin by a lake. We do this family vacation every year – drive for hours and miles into the wilderness to stay at the same cabin by the same lake.

There’s no Internet connection (which I love and hubby hates). There’s barely any cell phone connection – it’s one of those “if you’re at the right place at the right time, you might be able to get a connection!” There isn’t even any TV – well, you can’t get any channels but there’s a DVD player so you can watch DVDs.

It’s absolute bliss. We can all do whatever we want to and be as sociable or unsociable as we want to be.

For me, it’s a great time to relax and catch up on my reading. For hubby, it’s fishing with his siblings and their kids. For Mumsie, it’s relaxing, reading, and taking leisurely walks with my mother-in-law.

Last year, I took along a Yoga DVD so that I could continue my regular practice. When I put the DVD on, my nieces decided they wanted to do some yoga too and we all had a great time. In fact, my 15-year-old niece went back and took some classes. However, as is usual with teenagers, once she completed the sessions, she drifted on to something else. No matter – at least I’ve planted the seed and I suspect that she’ll return to it someday.

But I digress (as usual). This year, I forgot to take the DVD along but it wasn’t a big deal as I wasn’t planning on doing any physical yoga because of my cracked rib.

But yoga found me anyway.

I’ll tell you all about it in my next blog.

Tags: relaxing, vacation, yoga dvd, physical yoga, yoga practice, cabin, yoga for teenagers

Concentration Camp

Allistair Santiago — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:17:15 +0000

I’ve been thinking a lot recently. There’s been a good bit of upheaval and tension in my life, and lately I’m getting the impression that I’m not handling most of it altogether gracefully. I’ll not get into the sordid details, but suffice it to say that I’ve been better.

But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. I’ll deal with my issues in time. What I’ve been noticing, however, is that much of the root of my problem is mental. You see, I’m mildly crazy. I’ve lost most control over my mind and it runs away with me and gets irretrievably bogged down with thoughts I didn’t think. Or at least thoughts I didn’t think I thought.

Right. I can see this isn’t terribly illuminating, so once more, I’ll try to cut to the chase. A few months ago, I took my first Yin yoga class – and I loved it. Taught by one Nico Luce, the session opened with 15 minutes of quiet meditation. It was the first time I’d ever tried to meditate. I sat uncomfortably and listened to Nico talk about his meditation experience at a “concentration” camp – a ten-day intensive meditation course. He spoke of the silent mental space you can find by becoming an accomplished meditator.

At the time, I found my curiosity piqued. Now, however, my interest is actively engaged. I took the opportunity recently to unceremoniously corner Nico and interrogate him gently on the subject of the ten-day meditation camp. He directed me to both vipassana.org and dhamma.org.

To call the course “strict” or “intense” might be an understatement. It’s ten days of straight meditation, from wake-up at 4 am to lights-out at 9:30 pm. Vegetarian meals are provided along with Spartan accommodations. During the course, Noble Silence is to be observed at all times. That means NO TALKING. Period. Except to the instructors, and even then only when absolutely necessary. Hand signals and body gestures are also prohibited. There is also no music – playing or listening – or touching others, no reading, no writing, no drawing. No cell phones, no electronic devices, no games, nothing. Just you – your clothes and your mind. You can meditate both alone and with the group, but it’s all meditation, all the time.

I’m thinking of attending.

Having watched several videos by current master S.N. Goenka, I’ve decided that this Vipassana course is potentially massively beneficial – life-changing, in fact. I’m definitely intimidated by the code of conduct, and the prospect of being alone with my mind for 240 hours. But the more I think about it, the more determined I become to try it out. I’m thinking of attending one of the sessions in Merritt, BC at the end of the summer, so I guess we’ll see how it goes. Perhaps there’s peace to be found.

Tags: meditation, self-discipline, S.N. Goenka, concentration camp, life-changing

Forgotten How to Breathe

Christina Souza Ma — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:40:26 +0000

Breathing – what is that?

When I went to bed last night, it was pouring rain.

Now, if you’re anything like me, the wonderful pitter-patter against the windows and the roof of the house creates such a wonderful symphony of sounds that it seems to rock me to sleep.

And sleep I did – until I awoke in the middle of the night with a splitting headache and a very, very dry throat. No worries; I drank some water, lay my head back down on my pillow, and attempted to enjoy the sound of the beating rain. But then my head began to pound to the rhythm of the rain, so that was the end of trying to get back to sleep.

I tossed and turned for ages, hoping to get some kind of relief.

Nothing seemed to work.

I got more and more tense, and because my throat continued to feel dry, I kept drinking more water. I’d been awake for more than an hour and my feeling of restlessness just kept escalating.

My son, who sleeps in a bed beside me, must have felt my angst because he climbed into my bed with his pillow, snuggled his little self beside me and put his head against mine. I looked over at him and he was still fast asleep. How children have this intuitive sense is still a wonder to me. Immediately, I began to feel an incredible energy of peace spread through my body.

I became aware of his quick-paced child’s belly breath and realized that, because of all the tension that had been building up in my body, I wasn’t breathing fully myself. It was almost like I had forgotten to breathe.

How did I forget to breathe? Why did I not think of Shivasana? My forgetfulness baffled me because this was the one form of relaxation that I’d been keeping up even though I had not been going to classes. I realized that for some reason, having started my classes again, it was almost like I had forgotten the basics. Somewhere in my subconscious, I had blocked it all out.

Well, you can imagine how frustrated I was! However, I also recognized that I couldn’t do anything to change what had already taken place. So instead, I focused my breathing and began to relax each section of my body – and the next thing I knew my alarm was ringing.

Tags: shivasana, breathing, headache, sleep, peace, energy, relaxation

Hypnosis and Yoga

Paloma Chavez — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:35:27 +0000

Lisa Hubler is a certified hypnotherapist and yoga therapist who has been practicing meditation for many years. As the co-founder of Mind Matters Hypnotherapy in Los Angeles, Lisa’s mission is to teach individuals how to “understand and utilize the great power of mind, body and spirit as a unified whole.”

Lisa has found a way to combine the healing benefits of this practice into one program entitled “Hypnosis and Yoga for Weight Release and Stress Relief.” The program’s intent is to incorporate hypnosis, meditation and restorative yoga to “facilitate deep relaxation and the positive changes you desire.”

In an upcoming workshop that will be held at the Yoga at the Village studio in Glendale, California, Lisa will incorporate hypnosis as she guides participants through a series of gentle yoga poses. She will also engage her students in discussions about the ways this practice can increase awareness of body image, and address any stress-related concerns. Specific topics included in the 2½-hour workshop will be “mindful eating, intuitive eating, and learning self-hypnosis.” As a bonus, Lisa will demonstrate how to prepare a nutritious “green smoothie to curb food cravings” and provide each participant with a CD so that they can continue to practice at home.

There are two opportunities to participate in this workshop – November 16th and December 13th, from 2-4:30 pm. If you are interested in participating, you can visit the Yoga at the Village website to register and receive a discount for early registration.

Tags: hypnosis and yoga, weight control, stress relief, self-hypnosis

Kriya Yoga Congress

Paloma Chavez — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:23:08 +0000

The Second International Kriya Yoga Congress will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 28-30 this year. Kriya, which means “action”, is an ancient yoga practice that accelerates spiritual development, cultivates an enlightended state of tranquility, and engenders an affinity with God. Whether participants are experienced in kriya yoga or are new to the practice, this event promises to be “an opportunity to learn the philosophical principles and practices of kriya yoga.”

Over three days, participants will be immersed in a series of workshops that will be led by respected and experienced national and international yoga teachers. In addition to the daily yoga classes and meditation, there will be chanting sessions with Swami Nirvanananda and the Gitanjali Singers.

Panel discussions with guest presenters will cover areas such as the practice of Ayurveda with Ron Hadsall, projects coordinator at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the evolution of consciousness with Marty Wuttke, the founder of the Southern Institute of Psycho-Physiology in Clayton, Georgia.

This two-day event, which concludes on Saturday evening with a vegetarian banquet and a special program, will give practitioners the opportunity to “enjoy the companionship of others who are dedicated to this spiritual path.”

Tags: Kriya Yoga Congress, spiritual development, meditation, evolution of consciousness, kriya yoga, chanting sessions, Roy Eugene Davis

Overcoming the Fear of the Neti Pot

Christina Souza Ma — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:00:53 +0000

So I’ve finally done it. I am very happy to say that I finally took the plunge!

As you know from my last post, for weeks after buying my Neti Pot, I just stared and stared at it. Well, finally – I think out of desperation for comfort – I made my first attempt.

Believe me, even with all the meditating I’ve done in my life, it took every ounce of my courage, plus a lot more meditation and breath work, to make that very first attempt to pour water up my nose. I constantly had to tell myself that I had full control of the situation (didn’t I?), so what was there to be scared of (let’s not go there)? I could start and stop at any time during the process (breathe, Christina). I alone held the pot in my hand (breathe again). I controlled the flow (deep breath). If it didn’t work this time, I could try again another day (or another…or another….)

There wasn’t a single moment that the fear left me. I read the instructions over and over. I practiced holding the pot and experimented with various angles. Then, finally, having run out of excuses, I gathered my courage and added 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt, although the instructions actually say to use ¼ teaspoon of non-iodized salt as sea salt would be very strong. However, sea salt was all I had at home so I used half the suggested portion. I then filled the pot up with bottled water that had been warmed slightly, stirred up the mixture, took a deep, calming breath – and began.

I tilted my head, placed the nozzle to my nostril, and began to tilt the pot, all the time focusing on my breathing. I felt the warmth begin to flush into my nasal passages. YOOWZAAAAH! Immediately, I felt an intensity that made my eyes water and my ears plug up, and mucous started flowing out of my other nasal passage – gross. I stopped for a while because it took my breath away. “Intense” didn’t even begin to describe it! When I forced myself to resume, my eyes began to tear again, but this time it wasn’t because of the fear or the intensity. It didn’t feel the same as the first time, so I knew that detoxification was taking place because of the flushing.

Wow. Okay, I’d begun and I had to persevere to overcome my fear. I repeated the process three times on the one side, gently blowing my nose in between as there was so much mucous. Then I actually turned my head and repeated the process three more times on the other nostril. Each time, I had to refocus on my breathing and gather myself together before repeating the process.

For several hours afterwards, I felt completely stuffed up. My nose continued to run the whole day and I found myself sneezing at the strangest times. It didn’t feel the same as when I had a cold – instead, I could feel myself being cleansed of all the mucous that had been clogging up my system. Interestingly enough, the next day I sneezed even more, so again, out of desperation, I repeated the process. This time, however, I used much less salt than before, as I’d been informed that the amount I had used the previous day was too much – hence the high intensity that I’d felt. I couldn’t believe it – my sneezing stopped immediately and for hours my nose didn’t run. I felt an incredible sense of relief.

Even though this cleansing process brought me some relief, I am still not fully comfortable with my Neti Pot, as I have yet to find the right angles to hold my head or the pot.

Thank you for the feedback provided by a reader on my last post – your comments and encouragement were really appreciated and I may consider trying your suggestions at a later date.

Stay tuned for more adventures on my love-hate relationship with my Neti Pot.

Part I: Fear of the Neti Pot
Part II: Overcoming the Fear of the Neti Pot
Part III: Advice on the Neti Pot

Tags: neti-pot, water up nose, nostrils, cleansing, overcoming fear

Quiet Within: Yoga Meditation

John Sovec — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:00:33 +0000

The other day I was talking to some of my yoga students about connecting with the peace and strength within themselves, and one of them shared their frustration that, although they try so hard, all the noise from the outside world keeps distracting them. I found this a fascinating concept and it made me think about the manner in which many of us approach yoga and lead a spiritual life.

A common theme I hear is that people feel they have to block things out to feel peaceful. Over the years, I’ve found that I have become more adept at integrating all the external hullabaloo (my spell check loved that one!) and using it as a tool to connect to my inner quiet place.

At first, the more I tried to block out the external, the louder and more demanding it seemed to become, creating doubt in my practice and ripping me away from feeling content. But as I learned to integrate the rhythm of the world around me into my meditation and yoga, I quickly learned how to access a peaceful quiet energy. I also found that the world around me would respond to that sense of peace and begin to lessen its demands on my attention.

I now find that when I become aware of all that surrounds me and I integrate it into my practices of stillness, the two feed off each other and there is no longer a sense of competition between what is without and what is within.

Tags: yoga meditation, meditation, meditation techniques, quiet time, quiet life, quiet moments

A Week of Yoga in Africa

Paloma Chavez — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:00:17 +0000

“ I dream of bringing fellow Yogis to my part of the world and sharing a piece of this heaven on earth with them.”

Deborah Carter is not only your yoga teacher but also your safari camp guide. Originally from the UK, she relocated to Africa in 1987, working in the safari industry for 20 years. Several years later, she came upon yoga and her second passion began to flourish.

She offers two itineraries – one in Western Kalahari and Okavango Delta, and the second is in Makgadikgadi. On your arrival, you are taken to a camp based on a remote game reserve with wide wild vistas. During the seven-day session, you are offered an array of activities – daily yoga sessions, meditation, game reserve tours, specialized meals – with enough time allotted for rest and reflection.

10% of the fees from each yoga safari session go to help AIDS orphans, and the proceeds contribute to the operation of the Day Care center for the children.

Tags: safari yoga, Deborah Carter, yoga practice, Children AIDS, game reserve tours

Yoga Behind the Wheel

Paloma Chavez — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:41:47 +0000

So if you are driving along the highway and you happen to see a person in the next slow moving vehicle bobbing and circling his head in a figure eight, then you might have come across the unique idea in yoga – Drivetime Yoga.

It might seem a bit crazy or enlightening. Consider the number of people furiously running the road trying to cut another two minutes off of their drivetime, while only saving 30 seconds. Now that is crazy!

So when we heard about the release of the Drivetime Yoga book and CD, we just had to find out more about it.

From an article in the North County Times, Elaine Masters a longtime yoga instructor has created a book and CD that guides drivers through yoga inspired stretches and visualizations. In what we read she consulted with psychologists, and physical therapists to provide the statistics and safety of her yoga positions.

Breathing techniques, shoulder rolls, back arches are just a few of the areas that she covers in her CD. According to Ms. Masters “ This is not going to replace yoga or exercise class,” she said. It is to enhance your life and your exercise program. And it can also make you a better driver, because you will be more aware of what is going on around you while staying relaxed.”

Given that “road rage” has caused an increase in automobile accidents and the statistic of “83 percent of commercial drivers will be involved in a aggressive driving incident” Drivetime Yoga could just be one of the best preventative measures to decrease this number.

Tags: heath and yoga, car yoga, yoga practice, relaxation exercises