Issue: #11: January 2010

Namaste Friends,

Most of us count down the minutes on New Year's Eve in hopes of ushering in the new year on a good note. But what about the minute after midnight, and all the other minutes that follow? Aren't they just as important and don't they deserve just as much attention? As we learn in yoga, each moment in the practice counts. The transition in and out of each pose requires the same mindfulness as the pose itself.

And yet, too often we pass over minutes, hours, and days without being engaged, without paying attention. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines attention as: the means to steadily apply one's mind or energies; to attend to the comfort or pleasure of others; or an attitude of observant care. Of course, it's difficult to pay attention 24-hours a day, but the definition provides a clue as to how to begin.

Practice little acts of kindness. By opening ourselves up to others, often through inconsequential gestures like showing respect, lending a hand, or holding open a door, we help ourselves stay open to every moment. And as we attend to others, we expand our own capacity for delight--cultivating our ability to pay attention to life's simple pleasures.

My students constantly inspire me by simply attending, by being present in their practice, class after class. I thank you, or to use the Sanskrit word for thank you,  "anugrahitosmi," --which translates to "I am blessed."

May we all be blessed in the new year.  

Suzanne
suzanneausnit@optonline.net

P.S. Please join me at my Yoga Boot Camp Intensive with lots of TLC --Tender Loving Core for a post-holiday detox on January 23 and 24.

Soul Food
"The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself."--Henry Miller

"If you do a practice and train your attention to hover in the present, then you will build the internal capacity to do that as needed -- at will and voluntarily."--Daniel Goleman

HEAL

Yoga Time Out 
Feeling tired and grumpy? Caught yet another cold? Getting frequent injuries? You might need to take a break from your yoga practice. These are all symptoms that your body is overtaxed and getting burnt out. Over-exercising can lead to health problems, such as rising levels of stress hormones, decreased immunity and depression. Trying to push through it won't help. Giving your body a chance to rejuvenate will allow you to come back stronger than ever. Go take a restorative class, meditate or just spend time with family and friends. Also be sure to eat more fruits and vegetables, fatty cold water fish like salmon and healthy protein (beans, chicken) to reduce muscle inflammation and bring down cortisol levels.

Rib Sticking Relief 
Everyone knows this unpleasant rib tickler. You're running and suddenly you feel an incapacitating sharp, shooting pain in your side. What happened? It's related to how you breathe. The ligaments between your diaphragm and liver have been stretched uncomfortably when you exerted yourself and this caused the diaphragm to cramp. Over the long haul, becoming more conditioned usually eliminates the problem. But for immediate relief, place your hands under your liver (below your ribs on the right side) and push in and up. At the same time, blow out through pursed lips, which pushes the diaphragm down, relieving the painful muscle cramp.

STRENGTHEN

Boning Up 

We've all heard that exercise is good for your bones. But the jury is still out on exactly how that happens and what type of exercise is best. The current consensus is that there has to be adequate force to slightly bend the bone. This squeezes fluid through the bone matrix and inspires bone cells to build denser bone. There is preliminary evidence that the pulls of muscle on bone in yoga are sufficient to accomplish this. Other scientists recommend small amounts of explosive exercise such as jumping, as long as your bones are strong enough to withstand the impact. Of course, it is important to learn how to land before you learn to jump. Practicing squats and single leg squats will help you learn to bend the knees when landing. Brisk walking has also been found to be effective for older folks. The faster the pace, the greater bending within the bone.

A Hearty Stretch 

A new study has found a correlation between stiff muscles and stiff arteries in people over 40. If you're flexible enough to touch your toes, North Texas University researchers say your cardiac arteries are probably also flexible. The stiffer your arteries, the less efficient your heart and the greater your risk of heart disease. Initial research shows that improving overall flexibility may slow down age-related arterial stiffening. One more reason to unroll the yoga mat in 2010!

 

LIVE

Minding the morning

Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? If you wake in a panic when the alarm rings, chances are you're off to a stress-filled day. To start your day off right, set aside a little time for a morning ritual to reduce anxiety and produce a calming effect. Your personal ritual simply needs a beginning and an end, and should be enjoyable. For example, start with breath awareness, which could be as simple as repeating to yourself "belly rises" as you inhale and "belly falls" as you exhale. Follow this with some simple movements matched to the breath, such as cat/cow or lifting or lowering the arms in a  cross-legged seat. Wrap it up with a few minutes of meditation and you'll be ready for whatever comes your way.

Snack attack

Rather than mindlessly reaching for chips or cookies when you're feeling stressed, how about choosing a snack that will provide a mindful respite. Rolling frozen berries around one by one in your mouth can release a clenched jaw. The slower you do the movement and the more you pay attention to the sensations in your jaw, neck and eyes, the more the tension will melt away. Likewise deliberately peeling an orange, focusing on each segment as it unfolds, can offer a few moments of contemplation. An added bonus--both fruits contain Vitamin C, which combats the stress hormone cortisol.

 

WORKSHOP

Yoga Boot Camp Intensive with Lots of TLC
(Tender Loving Core!)   

Let go of "I CAN'T" and discover you can! Let the impossible morph into the possible. Confront your yoga stumbling blocks in a safe and mindful way--whether they be fears of inversions, arm balances or backbends. Jumpstart your yoga practice in 2009 with this powerful soup-to-nuts full body tune-up that focuses on core strengthening. Learn cleansing techniques for a post-holiday detox, let go of stress and cultivate attention and intention.
 
During this weekend intensive we will use a technique called Yoga Tune Up® that intensifies the healing benefits of yoga by combining elements of yoga, calisthenics, physical therapy and stress reduction. You will identify and strengthen "body blind spots," areas of the body that tend to get underused and are typically the catalyst for pain and injury. You will probe layers of muscle, tendons, connective tissues and joints, releasing unhealthy tension patterns to move back into complete physiological balance.
 
To balance out the weekend, you will also practice easy, non-strenuous movements to help refine body awareness, release tension and improve sleep.

When: 
Jan. 23rd    2:30-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 24th    10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m;  2:30-5:00 p.m.

Where:  537 Park Ave, Hoboken
 
Early bird special:  $185 until 1/9,  $200 after.
 
Space is limited: Participants must sign up with Suzanne before the workshop at suzanneausnit@optonline.net, 973-204-0929