YogaHub.com » Yoga for Laughs

Yoga Surprise!

Francesca Silva — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:39:03 +0000

A good friend’s 50th birthday is coming up soon and some of us have decided to throw her a surprise birthday party. She’s a wonderful person who’s full of energy and enthusiasm – and she never hesitates to lend a helping hand when someone needs it.

She’s also a self-proclaimed “yoga nut.” So of course the theme for her 50th birthday surprise is a no brainer – we’re throwing her a “yoga” party! We’re excited about this opportunity to show Leanne how much she means to us, but we’re really going to have to get our creative juices flowing! We’re going to decorate the house with yoga mats, colorful yoga towels, yoga blocks, lavender headrest pillows, and lots of flowers, which Leanne loves. Also, Leanne’s sister is (somehow) going to take photos of Leanne doing various yoga poses so that we can paste them on to a decorative poster board and give each pose a name relating to Leanne’s life. (For example, the “downward dog” pose will be re-named “downward Digger” (Leanne’s dog’s name).

We’ll start the party off with laughter yoga and then go on to a “guess that pose” game. After that, we should have worked up quite an appetite, so we’ll raid the food table. We’re preparing some of Leanne’s favorite foods and I’ll give a brief demonstration on how to prepare healthy smoothies in a juicer. Then we’ll indulge ourselves with home-made facials, using a great “recipe” that I found online.

Have any of you ever thrown a yoga party? If so, I’d love it if you could share some of your ideas with me. And for those of you who’ve never even thought of throwing a yoga party, I hope this has given you an idea …wouldn’t it be a blast?!

Tags: laughter yoga, surprise party, birthday party, oatmeal, yoga party

Impromptu Yoga Session

Allistair Santiago — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:11:08 +0000

A few years ago, I started organizing a casual pick-up game of soccer every week. No skill necessary – just a bunch of friends kicking a ball around. However, despite an initial deficiency of players, the tradition caught on. It has gotten to the point this year where we can expect a turnout of at least six or seven a side. On really good days we double that. And recently, there’s been a push for a second game per week.

With its popularity on the rise, however, we’ve also seen a considerable amount of injuries this season. Nothing serious – no broken bones or anything – but almost every game there are at least three people who pull or strain a muscle or joint. Granted, we play like uncoordinated idiots and we don’t warm up, but it never used to be this bad.

So recently, there’s been a call for warm-up and stretching, with people starting to do their own routines to limber up. But last week something surreal happened. I arrived late and started jogging lengths of the field…ok, let’s be honest: I was jogging one length of the field. And it wasn’t a length, so to speak, since I decided to go only half-way. But that’s all beside the point.

On my way back, I saw a couple of the girls in our group doing what were obviously yoga stretches in preparation for the game. There was a bit of good-natured laughter as people started noticing, but slowly more people joined the circle. It started with the ones who knew something about yoga. A surprising number, I remember remarking to myself. But soon everyone was trying it. Most joined out of amusement, I figure, but it seemed like everyone was at least trying the poses. It was weird, I have to say.

The impromptu yoga session lasted for about 15 minutes, at which point people started getting antsy to play soccer. But for those 15 minutes, there were a good 16 people spontaneously practicing yoga before a soccer game. And it helped.

Or at least I thought it did.

Tags: injuries, soccer, yoga stretches, warm-up, jogging, practicing yoga

Can Seniors Do Yoga?

Francesca Silva — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:13:30 +0000

My mother, who’s 91, goes to the senior centre twice a week for her exercise class. She often stays on for lunch with “the girls” after class, but the other day she asked me to pick her up from the centre and drive her home.

I arrived about half an hour early, so I waited outside the room for a while. But then my curiosity got the better of me because I could hear lots of chatting and gales of laughter coming from the room. I couldn’t resist it – I opened the door a little and peeked inside to see what was going on.

It turned out that the instructor was teaching the class a few yoga moves! Go figure – I’d never realized that my mother was going to yoga class twice a week! While I watched, the instructor led them through some gentle yoga exercises, focusing on breathing and balancing techniques, while making sure that the ones who needed chairs for support had them readily available. I felt ridiculously proud when I saw how well my mother was doing with the poses and gentle stretching. Rock on Mumsie!

When the instructor ended the class with the Savasana, I heard more than a few seniors mutter “Okay, at least I can do this one!” When the instructor – with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek – told the class that another name for the pose was the “corpse pose,” everyone broke out into laughter, with one senior commenting “Well, no wonder I can do this pose!” and another chiming in with “Who needs to practice this pose? We’ll have more than enough time soon!” Feisty bunch, these seniors!

When the class broke up, Mum saw me hovering at the door. “Come and meet my instructor” she said, so I dutifully went over to introduce myself (even at the age of 52, I find myself obeying my mother immediately). I mentioned to the instructor that I was taking yoga classes regularly and recognized that the poses she was teaching the seniors were yoga-based. She said she was a firm believer that a person of any age could benefit from gentle yoga practice, as long as they were doing it correctly to minimize any risk of injury. “Maybe you and your mother can do some of these stretches at home together,” the instructor suggested.

That’s a great idea. I’m always looking for things that Mum and I can do together – and practicing yoga together will be awesome and beneficial for both of us.

So off I go to find a DVD that can incorporate a gentle yoga practice for Mum and me. Any suggestions?

Tags: yoga for seniors, yoga for 91 years old, yoga instructor, practice at home

A Cartoon Image of Yoga

Paloma Chavez — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:00:17 +0000

For Chris Panico, yoga and drawing cartoons are a clear passion. As a regular contributor for the online Ashtanga News, he has gained a following that enjoys his humorous reflections of an everyday Ashtanga yogini. Chris says, “To me, Yoga is happiness, and nothing beats drawing a cartoon of someone and making them laugh.”

He is very successful in his ability to capture a unique voice and make light insights on his yoga practice, “Yoga should be done with no distractions,” Chris continues, “otherwise, you risk injuring or making a complete fool of yourself.”

Ashtanga News was created by Philippe Alexis and Tracy Rabold, who live in Northern California. Their commitment is to “follow and publish news about Ashtanga yoga and its practitioners.” Both Philippe and Tracy, who are long-time students of the Ashtanga Vinyasa as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore India, are also website creators and writers.

Tags: yoga comics, yoga news, Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Ashtanga News

Taking Time During the Festive Season

Christina Souza Ma — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 06:47:46 +0000

As we rush to attempt to make our baby’s first Christmas and New Year one to remember, we need to realize this is more for ourselves as the parents than it is for our baby. As far as our precious little one is concerned, it is just another day and moment in time.

I realized that to just spend quiet time with my child was worth more than any material gift. To sit with him against my chest breathing deeply was so comforting to us both. To lie down with him on my belly feeling my breath made him giggle with delight.

These simple, present moments I take to find the stillness in our hectic season is the greatest gift of all.

Tags: Christmas, breath, baby, holiday, gift, stillness

Laughter Yoga Movement

Paloma Chavez — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:30:52 +0000

Sometimes it takes courage to laugh, to set aside our judgements, and doubts and to just allow ourselves to experience the humor in our lives.

According to Dr. Madan Kataria in Bombay, he has been able to merge the benefits of yoga and laughter into one practice. In an article by Alex Perry, Dr. Kataria was observed in central Bombay at sports area with a group of yoga students expelling rounds of laughter and yoga stretches. Although it may sound intrusive to the average yoga practioner, this movement, according to the article, has now become popular throughout the world in 700 locations with an overwhelming number of them (1,800) located in India.

In Canada, Farah Nazarali , the Smiling Yogi, offers 2 hour and half day workshops on laughter yoga based on the work of Dr. Kataria. She explains the practice asÂ â€œ a combination of breathing exercises, gentle movement, and simulated laughter.â€ Itâ€™s intention is to assist the individual in making a connection to the parts of their life that perhaps have lost â€œspontaneity, creativityâ€Â and access to their own joy.

Today there are Laughter Yoga Conferences with Dr. Mandan Kataria (this month in Spain) that offers workshops in utilizing this method in the workplace, how to promote a heart health program through laughter, and the discussion around the scientific study of laughter yoga. In addition a series of days are geared toward training sessions to become a certified laughter yoga teacher.

Have you had an opportunity to attend a laughter yoga class? Share with us your experience.

Tags: laughter yoga, yoga practice, Dr. Madan Kataria, Farah Nazarali, yoga conference

Downward Dog!

Paloma Chavez — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:44:49 +0000

I suppose since the pose is named “downward facing dog” that our loyal canines are allowed to enjoy some of the same benefits as their human companions.

Dogs are taking to the mat, while their humans are practicing a slightly modified yoga practice. From Los Angeles to New York, and into the UK, doggie yoga classes are becoming a popular exercise alternative for both yoga students and their dogs.

In Seattle, yoga instructor Brenda Bryan who teaches a class at the Seattle Humane Society describes it as “partner yoga” “Don’t be to ambitious,” she said, “Honor where your dog is and remember that dogs respond to our energy. In her classes the dog’s experiences range from complete participation to being allowed to wander to meet with other “yoga students.”

Typically these classes will incorporate gentle massages, placing the dogs in long stretches, belly rubs or just lightly utilizing them as a “prop.” Which personally has been my experience at home whenever I roll out my mat. Inevitably one of my animal pals will begin to quietly crawl under and around my legs. Wagging their tails and looking up at me excitably, figuring that I must be getting ready to have a good floor wrestle with them. Eventually, they settle down, sit at the edge of the mat watching curiously and when I am in final resting poses will quietly lean into me and exhale.

Some people laugh at the idea, others cringe and those who practice it have found it contributed to such outcomes as a more relaxed pup, to the sheer enjoyment of bonding with their animals. Ultimately, its all about the quality of time with your beloved animal. If it brings you a good laugh, thoughtful insights or a restful moment, isn’t that a valuable lesson to be cherished?

Tags: yoga for dogs, doggie yoga, yoga practice, holistic animal practices

U talkin to – My Body?

Margaret “Saraswati” — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:04:05 +0000

Since I had to return home before completing a full 10 days of Anusara thought I’d just complete my comments with some follow-up notes — about one of my favorite puzzles in yoga practice- the male authority body (as renown teacher “expert”) instructing female student bodies.

Oh, people will insist that that’s just not true, after all we have Judith Lasatar and Shiva Rae and Patricia Walden and Ana Forrest but they don’t have centers and affiliates named after them the way John Friend and Bikram do. Or language that they’ve trademarked (although that Shiva Rae sure knows how to market her all-American yoga girl stuff!)

So I began to wonder if all the “chest-puffing” I was subjected to in Anusara was just, well, how do I say this to my yogi-brothers- a bit of “breast-envy”?! Women don’t puff their chests cause we’re naturally puffed there- and furthermore my kidneys are puffed cause I got a nice booty too! Sorry, fellows, that you got to work so hard at getting some!

Day 1: Sweat Yoga

Margaret “Saraswati” — Fri, 11 May 2007 19:12:46 +0000

I’ve signed up for that ultimate marketing savvy yoga class offer -Bikram’s 10 classes for $10 for 10 days. In case you haven’t heard what Bikram yoga classes are about; room temperature is kept at 105 degrees and it’s all about the sweating.

Now I’m not a big fan (no pun intended!) of a lot of hot air (pun intended!). I can barely withstand a couple of minutes in a sauna cause it doesn’t really relax me when I feel like I can’t breathe!

And I’ve been turned off by interviews with Mr. Bikram himself (his “day job” was selling luxury autos in Beverly Hills; his lawsuits against yoga teachers; his ego and control of his “empire”). OK, so I’m going in with attitude, but I am going in, digging up some shorts (which I never wear) ready to give him my $10 (which is about how much I can pay right now for yoga classes). So what follows are my notes as a total novice Bikram student.

Day 1: I walk in thinking “oh, this isn’t bad.” Fortunately it’s a moist heat which helps with the breathing but doesn’t help with the funky smell left over from the previous class. I have a very kind teacher, and I realize that Bikram teachers are very hands-off as they stand in the back of the room reciting a very precise “script” (I believe they call it a “dialogue.”) Some of the yoga postures I recognize and some are totally new, like the first breathing warm-up exercise, so I’m not sure if I’m doing it correctly or even getting anything out of it.

The script goes on.

90 minutes of double sets of 26 “Bikram’s Postures.” Notice my heart pounding and feelings like when you get up too fast as we keep moving abruptly from one set to the next. Get kind of bored half way through. Seems like it’s missing a soul. Go through 2 bottles of water and am drenched with sweat by the end of the yoga class but don’t feel sore or fatigued. Notice how good my skin looks that night. I mention this in class the following day and the teacher reminds me that our skin is our biggest organ. Points there!

10 Days with Bikram Yoga

Tags: bikram yoga, first class, hot yoga, Bikram’s Postures

Yoga While on Vacation

Margaret “Saraswati” — Fri, 04 May 2007 03:56:08 +0000

It takes me a while to get the hang of it — being on vacation — but slowly I let go of my daily routine and “let the good times roll” (yes, I am in New Orleans!).

My yoga “routine” too.

Yes, that’s what I said. I’m not doing yoga this week because, well, I’m here to sit along the River and dance till my feet hurt and sample beignets and spicy collard greens.

Oh, and the music, the music that oozes from every street nook and cranny. And being moved by music (Jai Saraswati!), any music, all music, my practice this week is to let the 8 piece horn section massage my muscles and tendons instead of being on the yoga mat for a couple of hours.

So when one of fellow travelers inquires why is it that he hasn’t seen me doing any yoga if I’m such a yoga advocate, I tell him: because I’m not obsessive (unfortunately many yoga perfectionists are) and because, well, how does he know I’m not doing my yoga, while on my vacation anyway?!

Tags: yoga while on vacation, yoga routine, yoga practice, music