surya namaskar a

inhale rise, exhale fold, inhale look up, exhale chaturanga, inhale up dog, exhale down dog ((5 breaths)), inhale step or float, exhale fold, inhale rise, exhale Samasthithi ~repeat

Shiva Rea and Prana Flow Yoga

Hi friends, here's a little article from the Prana blog interviewing Shiva Rea and talking about the evolution of vinyasa flow yoga.  Check it out!

http://www.prana.com/blog/index.php/2010/11/08/shiva-rea-the-evolution-of-vinyasa-flow-practice/

Be apart of something bigger than yourself!

Please take time this weekend to vote for Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC) in the Pepsi Refresh challenge 2 ways, online and by text:

www.refresheverything.com/cureahc
Texting 104112 to phone #73774

Delaney thanks you!

DH Lawrence essay, Education of the People, published in 1918

"How to begin to educate a child. First rule: leave him alone. Second rule: leave him alone. Third rule: leave him alone. That is the whole beginning."

Danny Morris teaching Mindful Leadership Workshop

For those of you inclined to business, and bringing yogic ideals into the workplace, our Danny Morris is teaching a workshop this weekend at the Vermont Center for Yoga and Therapy.

Serve Others

Yogis,

I need your help and Kathy has graciously allowed me to request it on this blog (love you, Kath). More specifically my daughter needs your help. Delaney has a very rare neurological disorder called Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC): only 650 cases WORLDWIDE. There is no government funding to research or treat AHC and that is why we desperately need your help. AHC is in the running to receive $250,000 from the Pepsi Refresh program. You can vote daily online AND by texting EVERYDAY in November:

www.refresheverything.com/cureahc
By texting 104112 to phone #73774

Also, anyone you can pass this info onto is awesomely appreciated. So much love and namaste, Katrina

Vata Season - Grounding Breath

Vata (along with Pitta and Kapha) is one of the three humors, or doshas, which make up our personal constitutions. These principles are also present in the world around us, and dictate natural rhythms of our days, seasons and even our lives.

Autumn is Vata season. Vata is characterized by cold, dry, light, rough, clear and hard. Seems to make sense for this cold weather, right?

Staying warm, hydrated and eating nourishing foods such as soups, stews and warm grains are great ways to stay healthy and grounded. Another thing to try is a warming grounding Pranayama and yoga practice. (Ashtanga every night at 5:40 anyone?! :) )

Dirga, or Three-Part-Breath and Ujjayi Pranayama:

Start seated or even lying down. You may use a blanket to cover your body or wrap around your shoulders.

Start by taking deep, slow nostril breaths down into your belly. This way, we expand the lower lobes of our lungs, in turn massaging our internal organs, and signaling to our body that we are safe and happy.

Bring one hand to your side rib cage to start, then you may lower it down as you get used to the breath. The next step is to begin filling the rest of your rib cage with air. Start by filling you belly, then middle rib cage, then right up under your collar bones. You may even feel the air come into your throat.

As you exhale, do so naturally until you come to the bottom – you may use your abdominal muscles to squeeze the last bit of exhale out.

Begin again, starting with your belly first.

Once you become comfortable with this breath – you may layer a nice, warming Ujjayi breath over this.

Feel your seat grounded into the earth, and at the same time, lift the crown of your head to lengthen the spine. Picture your breath beyond your body – inhales coming up through your tailbone and out the crown of your head. The exhales coming down from the top, along your spine, and back out through the floor below you.

Ujjayi is a loud, ocean sounding breath, made by slightly contracting your throat. It is used in Ashtanga practices, but along with your Bandhas.

Read more about Ujjayi pranayama here.

Namaste.

Ma Bhaskarananda

A 20 Minute Gentle Practice

Made this for my family :)

Part 1

Part 2


Love you.

More on Vata Dosha Balancing

It's that time of year again, when the weather changes so swiftly it leaves you standing on the street corner shivering in shorts and wondering what happened to those warm, balmy afternoons (it was 80 degrees here last week in DC!). The anxiety kicks in and your mind blows around faster than the leaves on the street.  How do you get grounded again?

Anxiety comes from an imbalance of the doshas, an aggravation of vata in the nervous system.  To balance vata dosha, try the following:

1. An oil massage to reduce stress.  Use sesame oil if you have a vata dosha, coconut oil if you have pitta dosha, or corn oil if you have kapha dosha.

2.  Drink calming herb teas made from 1 part valerian, 1 part musta.  Steep a teaspoon of these herbs in 1 cup of hot water.  Drink twice a day.

3.  Almond milk is very good for anxiety.  Soak 10 raw almonds in water over night, peel off the skins and put them in the bledern.  Warm the milk and add a pinch of ginger, nutmeg and saffron.

4.  Orange juice is good if your anxiety is accompanied by a fast heart rate, ayurvedic practitioners recommend drinking a cup of orange juice with a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg.  

5.  A warm bath of ginger and baking soda pacifies anxiety.  Add 1/3 cup ginger and 1/3 cup baking soda to a tubful of water, soak for 10-15 minutes. 

6.  And of course...yoga! 

*Here's a great list of foods that balance vata dosha:

http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/ayv-vata-food-plan.htm