Issue: #7: February 2009

Namaste friends,

Dealing with unexpected--and unwanted--change can challenge us to the core.

The first reaction for many of us when things don't go our way is to shrink and shrivel up inside. Because we contract and harden, we begin to build emotional armor. Rigidity sets in and we lose our ability to see clearly. Ultimately, we risk locking out the possibility of healing.

Instead, observe the tendency to shrink. As you become aware of your anxiety and desire to shut down, choose to replace sensations of hardening with softening. Visualize your heart melting like a block of ice, becoming fluid like water. Unbind your belly, as if loosening the stays of a corset. If other images work better for you, use them. Let your imagination help change your focus.

Don't let your mind get stuck in unproductive overdrive, continually replaying scenarios of regret, revenge or despair. That's easier said than done, as those internal dialogues will keep returning each time you leave the present moment, each time you are not present in the task at hand. When this happens, focus on your breath. When you catch yourself wandering back to your personal drama, say to yourself "thinking," label the thought as past or future, and come back to your breath. Remember Pantajali's advice: "yoga is the practice of quieting the mind."

Keep tuning into concrete physical sensations. Ask your body what's going on. Observe where your body tension is centered. It might be the belly, chest or shoulders, or all three. Perhaps your heart is beating unusually fast, or you're clenching your fist. Mindfully relax those areas by placing your hands there and directing your breath into your hands. Bit by bit, you will feel your muscles, as well as your mind, unclenching.

Breathe well, be well,

Suzanne
Full Potential Yoga
suzanneausnit@optonline.net

P.S. Scroll down to check out my pelvic floor workshop with Marcia Wholf, PT on March 10.


Soul Food
"Contentment needs to be cultivated. To be "content" means that we are aware of our content. You feel, full--content--when you open up to yourself and dive in."

  --Angela Farmer

"Just as when the waves lash at the shore, the rocks suffer no damage but are sculpted and eroded into beautiful shapes, so our character can be molded and our rough edges worn smooth by changes. Through weathering changes we can learn how to develop a gentle but unshakable composure. Our confidence in ourselves grows, and becomes so much greater that goodness and compassion begin naturally to radiate out from us and bring joy to others."

  --Sogyal Rinpoche (The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying)

HEAL

Sing your heart out
Chanting is good for your body as well as your spirit. Italian researchers found that reciting Sanskrit mantras or the Ave Maria prayer helped to synchronize heart rhythms by slowing down the breath. Mantra recitation slowed the breath rate to six breaths vs. the average 16-20 breaths per minute. Lengthening the breath helps regulate heart rhythms and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, creating a feeling of calm and well-being. However, the chanting must be done aloud, as silent repetitions did not produce the same effects.

All in moderation
Not everything that seems yogic is necessarily good for you! Unrelated studies have shown that incense, detox cleanses and some Ayurvedic medicines may be hazardous to your health. No need to panic, but look before you leap.
Researchers in Singapore found that regular exposure to burning incense over long periods of time raises the risk of developing cancers of the upper respiratory tract. Incense burning produces possible carcinogens, however, casual use was not a cause for major concern.
Another recent study of Ayurvedic herbal remedies found that 200 of them contained dangerous levels of toxic metals, including lead, mercury and arsenic.
A British study of detox diets where participants cleanse their systems by drinking large amounts of liquids and cutting out food found that they triggered dangerous and sometimes fatal reactions in the body. Extreme cleanses don't change your relationship to food. They only exacerbate tendencies toward eating disorders.

STRENGTHEN

Tongue-tied We've all heard of jaw tension and TMJ, but sometimes the hidden culprit is the tongue. Emotional tension often constricts the throat, causing the tongue to tighten up. Keeping your teeth together for hours on end will have the same effect. Like every other muscle, the tongue needs to be able to contract and relax. To loosen the tongue:
- Stick your tongue way out. With a folded paper towel grasp the tip of the tongue between your thumb and fingers. Wiggle the tongue back and forth.
- Massage the tongue muscles under the chin with the flat part of your thumb.
- With your lips parted slightly, rest your tongue passively on your lower lip. Keep the tongue wide, and sigh.
- Isometrics: Open your mouth and put your index finger on the tip of your tongue. Push your tongue into your mouth with your finger. Then force your finger out of your mouth with your tongue.

From Russia with love

If you're craving more cardio and iron-pumping activity, consider adding kettlebells to your yoga practice. Developed in Russia, a kettlebell is a cast iron weight like a cannonball with a handle. They help develop core strength through swinging movements, training you to harness momentum. They speed up the heart rate, building endurance quickly. Unlike a dumbbell, the weight is off-center. This forces you to work harder to control it, helping to develop total body strength and joint flexibility. Plus, you'll burn a lot of calories with compound movements. Try incorporating them in your practice, particularly in warrior poses and lunges.

LIVE

Happy baby!

For the cutest yoga teacher ever, check out the Swedish commercial for Libero diapers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucFulOTem7s.

Yoga Interruptus

"Not tonight, hon. I had a yogasm in class."
--A caption from a New Yorker February 23rd cartoon of a couple in bed.