Joyful Heart Yoga

The other day I was reading the newspaper -- full of stories of crime, murder, and political unrest -- and I thought to myself, "Geez. Some people live in a terrible world." I noticed that I said it as if I didn't live in that same world, and then I realized that I don't. 

Years ago, before I became a yogi, reading the paper and watching the news could leave me almost quaking with fear. I thought we lived in a horrible world, and I felt lucky to have made it through the day without getting shot or mugged. Soon after I started a regular practice of yoga and meditation, I realized how much I was controlled by my mind, and how fearful the mind actually is. It's always spinning stories, comparing, searching for danger and distorting situations. The mind causes a lot of trouble! But recognizing this gives the mind less power, and the more I practiced, the more I was able to move away from the mind and started operating from a different place: my soul (or center, or Self). 

The soul doesn't operate from fear; it operates from a place of loving, calm acceptance. When looking out from the soul, my perceptions about everything and everyone began to change. I had a couple of years just marveling over all my new discoveries -- just like being a child again, but this time I had a different blueprint to follow.  As my perceptions changed, my world changed. They say you create the world you live in, and I had proof that this is true. People in my life who were negative drifted off, and I seemed to attract a whole lot of like-minded positive people. Opportunities opened up that would take me further down this wonderful, new path. Even if things weren't "good," they were "interesting," and I learned to just watch life unfold and wait to see what would happen and where it would lead.

Am I always positive and never fearful? Absolutely not. I am human, and I slip up plenty. But my regular practice enables me to see it, to realize it, and to go back to center and figure out what's really going on without the fear-based interpretation of the mind. And from this different viewpoint, life is good. The world is beautiful and people are wonderful, complicated, interesting beings. I try not to engage in low-level or fear-based thinking. Destruction and revenge aren't a part of my life. People in my world are positive people who make the world a better place. Yes, we are all brothers and sisters sharing this planet, but we are all on different parts of the path and must go through many twists and turns. So in effect, it's as if there are two separate worlds: One based on fear and one based on love. If you're stuck in fear, you can always pack up and move. We have plenty of room, and you're always welcome!

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

The next time you are dealing with a situation that is frustrating, aggravating, or confusing, try this: Sit down, take a deep breath, and close your eyes for a moment. Instead of thinking about the situation from the usual place in your brain, think about it from your "third eye." Focus on the third eye -- the area between the brows -- and view your problem from there. Keep the area soft and relaxed. Don't strain. Notice what happens: The problem doesn't go away and isn't instantly solved, but you can look at the situation without getting caught up in the emotion and angst. You are more of an observer -- a witness -- and this can make it easier to deal with. While it's ideal to be able to close your eyes, you don't have to. 

Yesterday I was helping my son shop for a car. I was getting worn down by so much information flying around from different sources with different agendas. It was taking a long time, and emotion was creeping into the decision, so I decided to "think" with my third eye. It was immediately calming, and helped me to hold all of the information without the emotion. I have a student who is using this technique while caring for her aging mother. She says it helps a lot when it gets stressful. So keep it in mind -- it's easy to do, can't hurt, and can help a whole lot.

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

One of the first things I noticed when I started practicing yoga was that I could suddenly "hear" my body telling me what it wanted to eat, what it didn't want to eat, and when to stop. A regular daily practice brings us sharply in tune with our bodies, so we naturally become more aware of its needs and realize that our bodies actually have a lot to say if we'd only listen. We also begin to realize how often we let the mind overrule the body's needs -- we ignore it's needs for sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition so we can burn the candle at both ends or fill an emotional hole, or maybe we push it too far -- running our bodies into the ground so we can meet our ego's goals for excessive exercise or extreme adventure. 

Simply listening to my body kept me in good shape and good health for many years. But when I hit 43 things started changing. (I suspect those things are hormones.) My metabolism seemed to come to a dead stop. I gained some weight on our honeymoon in Italy, but I wasn't worried because I'd always been able to quickly get rid of excess pounds by eating soup, salad, or cereal for a couple of days. Unfortunately, that no longer worked. No matter how much I exercised or how little I ate, my weight didn't budge. I joined a gym and started working out frantically on all kinds of machines, but after eight months I hadn't lost any weight and I had a lot of injuries and very stiff joints and muscles. I was getting very upset and unhappy with my body for hanging on to this weight, but I needed to be yogic and love my body as it was. I quit the gym and went back to doing only the things that my body loves: yoga, dancing, and walking or biking outdoors. I wore ski clothes to keep walking in the winter. I recovered from the injuries, and even though my weight didn't change, I could appreciate the fact that I was strong, flexible, healthy, and felt really good. 

While flying home from our latest yoga retreat in Costa Rica, I read an article about diet mistakes that people tend to make according to Ayurveda. It said that my constitution -- Pitta -- can make the mistake of eating too many spicy and pungent foods. While these foods aren't necessarily fattening, they can cause inflammation and water retention -- issues that I was certainly struggling with. So I decided to implement a few ayurvedic practices:

For Pitta dosha:

1. Cut back on chiles and pungent foods and use more cooling spices instead.

For everyone:

2. Each morning, before eating or drinking anything else, drink a glass of room-temperature water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice to flush the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and hydrate the body.

3. Never drink anything cold or iced, as it interferes with digestion and other metabolic processes. Drink only room temperature or warm drinks. And don't drink too much during meals for the same reason. Just take small sips while eating. 

4. Pack your own healthy snacks and lunch to avoid restaurant food and processed snacks. (I now eat fresh veggies and yogurt dip instead of granola bars between classes.)

5. Make a "bowl" by bringing your hands together -- pinky fingers touching. In one sitting, don't eat any more than what would fit into your own two hands. 

These were just simple changes that didn't involve deprivation at all, so I was very surprised to find myself losing my excess 5 pounds  and no longer having problems with water retention. And I was also surprised that I no longer craved my afternoon coffee and chocolate. In the meantime, I learned more about Ayurveda and went on a moderate detox weekend with a friend, which I'll talk about in my next post, so stay tuned!

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

There are a few catch phrases that I seem to use over and over again in my classes, and one of them is "surrender into the pose." In the Washington, D.C., area, surrender isn't a popular word. In general, people here are competitive and used to fighting their way through life. To many, surrender means giving up, rolling over, and letting the other guy win. But there's another way to think of it: Surrender doesn't mean giving up. It means accepting the situation and relaxing into it.  

Say you have tight hips and your teacher leads you into Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana, the Pigeon Pose. Your senses are flooded with sensation because you're stretching muscles that are very tight and stiff. You don't want to feel those sensations, so you fight it. You clench your legs and hips in an effort not to feel. You hold the breath. Or you hear the teacher telling you to relax around the hips, so you clench your fists and tighten your brow and jaw instead. You're fighting the pose and inhibiting your body's ability to relax and open to the stretch. Your mind may be spinning around in a panic.  But if you surrender -- if you accept the fact that this feels really intense but you are willing to be with it for a few moments and breathe into it -- something amazing happens. The body and mind relax. You let go of the clenching, the holding, the fighting and a softness washes over you. The muscles can actually start to relax. Stay with it for a while and you'll feel your body opening up in new places. The mind will settle down. If you keep up your practice you will find more space, more freedom in the body. You'll move differently ... you'll feel better.

Or say you have a co-worker who drives you crazy. This person snaps gum all day, talks loudly, goofs off while you work hard. You can't stand her, and every day the resentment and anger towards this person builds. You complain constantly about her -- both inwardly and to any friend who will listen. You wake up in the middle of the night thinking about how she irritated you again, how unfair it is that you have to put up with this. You are fighting reality. If you simply accept that this person is in your life and you have to work with her, something amazing will happen. The act of accepting will create a softness. You will relax into the situation and your mind will settle down. Instead of all the angst and inner turmoil, which can wreak havoc on your health, you will be in a place of calm, inner acceptance and from there you can figure out your options. It's important to note that acceptance doesn't mean taking whatever people dish out. You have the right to speak your truth and to insist on fair treatment. But you need to do this from a calm center, from a place of love. And acceptance takes you to that place. From your calm center you can objectively look at the situation: 

1. Am I being fair? Is this true? Could I be overreacting? 

2. If this is true, what are my options? 

a. I could continue to ignore her and stew inside. (Don't pick this one!)

b. I could learn to live with everything and not let it bother me. (Can you?)

c. I could talk to her -- coming from a calm center, not a place of anger -- and ask her if she could please keep her voice down, etc. (Do this without an air of judgment.)

d. If she's really not pulling her weight I could talk to the boss. (If it's true, there's no need to feel guilty.)

e. I could quit my job. (Can you?)

Now you don't need to feel trapped or put upon. Surrendering to the situation has given you power. Just like surrendering to the hip opener: melting into it gives you power. You realize that you can use the breath to calm yourself. That by letting go, you receive much more than you could ever get by holding on. 

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

Westerners are taught not to let anything slow us down or get in our way. So when it comes to monthly periods, most women try to proceed with full schedules and loads of activities as though nothing were happening. 

But in India, this time of the month is sacred because it represents a woman's special relationship with the powerful cycles of the moon. The science of Ayurveda teaches us that if we respect our body's cleansing cycle and act according to our body's needs, we will have fewer related physical and emotional problems. In fact, the female disorders that are rampant in the West are reported to be very rare in India. Here are some Ayurvedic tips that may help you to be more comfortable and emotionally content during this time:

- Practice gentle yoga to reduce stress, oxygenate the body, release endorphins (mood elevators), and promote relaxation -- leave the vigorous pratice for another time. If tired, do a restorative routine or simply practice breathing and meditation. Do not practice inversions such as headstand and shoulderstand, as they interfere with the body's focus on downward flow and elimination. 

- Rest. Honor your body's call to take it easy at this special time. The body is working very hard to clean itself and eliminate toxins, so follow your body's energy patterns. When you are tired, rest. This will rejuvenate you and help you to ward off symptoms of PMS. 

- Eat light, warm, healthy meals such as steamed vegetables with rice, soups, leafy greens, and complex carbohydrates. Fennel, cardamom, turmeric, coriander, and saffron are good for digestion and PMS. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar. Avoid cold drinks, and for that matter stay away from cold showers and pools, as cold is thought to interrupt the menstrual cycle. Instead, drink warm teas with ginger or the above-mentioned spices.

- Take warm baths and massage your abdomen with warm sesame oil.  

To learn more about Ayurveda and how it applies to you, it's important to know your dosha, or general constitution. Click here for charts that give the general characteristics of the three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha: http://www.bluelotusayurveda.com/doshas.html

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

A few years ago I attended a lecture by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, the head of the Himalayan Institute. He started by saying that he had traveled all over the world and seen people in war-torn countries and people in extreme poverty but he had never seen anything close to the psychological suffering of the people in the United States. He felt that we were more depressed, anxious, and stressed than any other group of people he'd seen, and he was there to tell us the secret of happiness. The secret is this: a good night's sleep! Without a good night's sleep the body can't do its work of repairing and rejuvenating, the mind can't rest, and we start the day with stress that could continue to snowball. One of the most common questions that my students ask is "Do you have any tips to help me sleep better?" As a matter of fact, I do. I have lots of tips and tricks for you to try:

1. Meditate before bed time. Although most people think the ideal time to meditate is just before the sun rises, whenever I meditate right before laying down for the night, I sleep like a baby. I keep my meditation cushion near the bed  and I usually find that I can't sit for long before I start getting sleepy. Keep in mind that if you aren't an experienced meditator, it takes time and practice to be able to quiet the mind, but the results are definitely worth the effort. 

2. Practice breathing. Unlike meditation, you can do this while laying in bed if you prefer. For instructions, click here and go to "Yogic Breathing." Whenever your mind wanders, take your focus back to the breath. The sound of your breath can be like a soothing lullaby.

3. Unwind the mind. I got this tip from Osho's Book of Secrets: As you're ready to fall asleep, go through your day backward. It's important to go backward so you don't get caught up in details or start remembering things that you forgot to do. Just name the events and move on to the next. You may be asleep before you get what happened in the morning. 

4. Push through the chakras. This is something I developed when my mind is too active at night. If thoughts are racing through my head, then most of my energy must be up there in my head. So I visualize gathering the energy and pushing it down to the throat. From there I push it down to the heart, then to the belly. You can visualize the energy as mercury in a thermometer. Once the energy is in the belly, it's no longer in the head and you can rest. (I also suggested this technique to a student who was suffering from vertigo, and she reported back that it worked!)

5. Listen to soft music as you are falling asleep. If you have a sleep option on your cd player, you won't have to worry about turning it off. One of my favorites is Vandita's Ram lullaby on her CD, Transform, Relax and Renew. (Click here for details.) 

6. Relax. Even if you can't fall asleep, if you practice these suggestions and can get yourself into a relaxed state, you will still receive many benefits from resting. Not as good as sleep, but better than being agitated. 

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

This morning I was out walking in the crisp, fresh air and I couldn't help but notice that the earth (at least in this area) is in a state of transition. Most obvious: the air is colder and lacks humidity. There aren't as many bird songs. Some trees are still green, others have changed to beautiful hues of gold and orange, and many have shed their leaves completely. The ground is harder, and the color of the sky is different. The earth is preparing for winter. 

The onset of winter affects us as well, and we need to care for ourselves accordingly. Cold weather and lack of humidity can make us feel more stiff and achey, so it's very important to increase hydration and circulation from the inside out. How do we do this? 

1. Move. Practice yoga, take a brisk walk, put on some music and dance. . . whatever gets you out of your chair. Moving the body will increase circulation, lubrication, and flow of nutrients throughout the body that will create ease of movement and good health. It will also help fend off seasonal depression and stress. Yoga is particularly good, as the various movements create a "squeezing and soaking" effect the nourishes our bodies on a cellular level. Here's the deal: The less you move, the less you will be able to move, so resist the urge to hibernate.

2. Massage. When you wake up in the morning, massage your face to increase circulation and improve the health of your skin. Before showering, brush the skin on your body with a dry bath brush to exfoliate dead skin cells and increase circulation and energy, or use a brush or loofah in the shower. (Don't do this every day if you have sensitive skin. Speaking of sensitive skin, avoid harsh or drying soaps and look for more gentle products with shea butter or olive oil. Cetaphil is very gentle too.) Treat yourself to a professional massage or use a foam roller, tennis balls, or Yamuna balls to massage your own body. Massage increases circulation, hydration, and helps to keep muscles and connective tissue soft and pliable. 

3. Hydrate. Keep nasal passages moist by practicing Neti. Drink lots of fluids. Room-temperature water, hot water with lemon and honey, and herbal teas will keep you warm and hydrated. Avoid sodas, and practice moderation with alcohol and caffeine which can be dehydrating. Consider using a humidifier in your room at night to keep your nasal passages, throat, and skin moist, and use gentle creams or oils on your skin to keep moisture in.

4. Nourish. Eating warm soups, stews, and rice dishes made with fresh vegetables will be warm, comforting, and easy on your digestive system. Juicing fresh vegetables and fruits is an easy way to pack in lots of nutrients and hydrate  yourself at the same time.

5. Bundle up. Wear layers to keep chills away. Warm feet, hands, and a warm head will help the body retain heat, so don't forget to wear warm socks, gloves, and a hat when you're outdoors. 

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

p.s. If you'd like to spend a week in a warm jungle practicing yoga, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, or laying around in a hammock, we 2 rooms left for our January 17 retreat in Costa Rica. For details, click here.

"To hear and answer the call to commit fully to being in my life, I must learn to be with whatever IS ... If I am exclusively caught in my identity with daily concerns and passing thoughts and feelings, I mistake constantly changing circumstances for all there is, and my sense of well-being gets batted about like a Ping-Pong ball depending upon moment-to-moment conditions within and around me, conditions that are largely beyond my control. Without the perspective of knowing my essence, I will suffer, and in doing so I cannot help but spread suffering in the world." 

            -- from "The Call" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

This is a concept that I often remind my students of: We are more than our jobs; more than our roles as parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, employees, etc.; more than our bank accounts and possessions; more than our emotions; and much more than our minds. Everything and everyone is constantly changing, so to pin your identity or happiness to an object or another person is a losing battle. 

We must learn to get to that still center within so we can stay steady as life flows through us and around us. The results of a yoga and meditation practice are often compared to being able to stand in the eye of a hurricane. Chaos swirls around us, yet we can be OK with it -- we may not love it, but we can be OK. There's a lot of fear swirling around us now, and it is not helpful to get caught up in fear. Sit ... breathe ... go into the stillness -- to your glorious essence at the very core where there is a bottomless well of peace and serenity -- and look at the picture from there. We will be OK because we are much more than our jobs, our roles, and our bank accounts.

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

Lately I've been struggling with the concepts of practicing non-judging and acceptance as it applies to our upcoming elections. I've found myself getting angry, fearful, worried, and very judgmental -- qualities that aren't exactly yogic. So I dedicated Sunday morning to figuring out how to apply yogic principals to our political situation, and I'm sharing this with you because the process can be helpful in all aspects of our lives -- not just politics. 

First I pondered this question while I was doing my morning rounds of agni sara and kapalabhati breathing. I was looking out the window while practicing, and I noticed a flash of brilliant blue. It was a magnificent Blue Jay. He was almost purple, and looked very grand with his black and white face paint. He was nebbing around the bushes and stopping often to listen to the other birds. I realized that no matter who the president is, he will continue to go on with his Blue-Jay business. He will be his magnificent self regardless. And likewise, we can be our best selves and live according to our values regardless of our circumstances. As the Buddha said, we can make a light of ourselves. This realization helped me a lot, but I still had questions. After all, the Blue Jay will not have to pay taxes or send his kids to war. So I sat down on my cushion to meditate on it. I do this whenever I need clarification, whenever I am struggling with a decision. Here's my process:

I start with dirgha and ujjayi breathing -- just like we do in class -- and I let the mind quiet down and fade to the background. (This takes a lot of practice -- if you have a hard time quieting the mind, don't despair. Keep practicing!) Once the mind is quiet and I am centered, I ask a question and wait for the answer to rise up. Sometimes it comes in words, sometimes an image, and sometimes it's just a realization. The key is to make sure it comes from center -- not the mind -- and trust that it's real. Here's what came up when I asked how I could apply yogic concepts to the election:

"Trust. Trust that all things happen in the right time and place. Every situation brings an opportunity to learn. We are all learning at our own individual pace. No one is wrong. Some people are in 'elementary school' and some are in 'grad school.' Be aware. Open your mind and learn about the issues. Listen carefully to what they are saying, not how they are saying it. Make the best choice. Vote. And then let it go -- you've done the best you can. Go back to the Blue Jay: Be your best self. Be a light. Pray."

Some say that this voice belongs to God and others say that it is your own innate intelligence. Whichever idea resonates with you, just know that there is something that you can tap into at any time. You just need a few minutes of quiet to access this tremendous gift that leads to peace of mind. 

Namaste!

Sandy Pradas

I just got back from my incredible retreat/training at Kripalu Center, and I had a chance to use a new product that worked well for me. It's a sticky towel called "Skidless," and you can get it at yogitoes.com or at Lucy. Since my own mat & cotton rug combo is too bulky for travel, and I don't like putting my feet directly on sticky mats (especially on mats that are used by lots of people), this worked great. It's a thin towel the same size as a yoga mat with sticky silicone nubs on the back. You put the sticky side down on a mat, and you have a clean, non-slip surface to practice on. It absorbs moisture, and you can throw it in the washing machine. It dries quickly and doesn't take up much space in a suitcase. This one is a winner!