As I am training for a half-marathon right now, I have been running anywhere between five and seven days a week.
I am surprised and thrilled to see how the combination of running and yoga has improved my awareness of my body. My primary dosha being vata, I have a tendency to not being grounded in my body, like a kite that is not tethered to anything.
For Yogis: Why Start Running?
The first, and maybe even most important reason is because yoga does not provide cardiovascular or aerobic training. Regular cardio workouts are important for a healthy heart. The health researchers at mypyramid.gov recommend that people engage in moderate to vigorous aerobic activity for 20-60 minutes, 5-7 days a week.
Aditionally, I find running to be a beautiful extension of my meditation practice. Often, while running, I will chant mantras in my head. The continual repetetive motion provides a wonderful opportunity for me to observe my thoughts as they go by. At other times, I will pray, give myself affirmations or list things I'm grateful for.
For Runners: Why Practice Yoga?
Overall, running greatly improves physical health, yet it is easy to get out of balance or "run yourself into the ground." Each time a runners feet hit the pavement, the runners hamstrings respond to the shock by tightening. The result of doing this hundreds and thousands of times as a regular runner can be painful. The limited flexibility not only limits range of motion, (especially as we age) it also increases risk for running injuries, such as shin splints. Thus, yoga.
Yoga is not only a wonderful way to improve flexibility, it also improves muscle strength, especially in the core and arms, which may get neglected in a focused running lifestyle.
Most importantly, yoga provides a sanctuary of peace in a world that can seem hectic. It is an opportunity to slow down, listen to your thoughts, listen to your breathing and know that you are doing something incredibly nourishing for your body and mind.
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Multitasking: Efficient or Myth?
"People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves," said neuroscientist Earl Miller. And, he said, "The brain is very good at deluding itself."
Miller, a Picower professor of neuroscience at MIT, says that for the most part, we simply can't focus on more than one thing at a time.
What we can do, he said, is shift our focus from one thing to the next with astonishing speed.
check out the source and story here
another good resource here
Multitasking, or more accurately, switching focus quickly and repeatedly is an ingrained part of our society now. Not only is multitasking the norm, it has come to be expected.
Okay, this is getting boring. Let's switch focus for a minute and take the...
A study from the University of Michigan found that we may reduce our productivity by 20 to 40% by attempting to multitask because the brain actually pauses briefly each time it has to switch focus. We also retain less information while multitasking and struggle to apply the knowledge to other situations. It's like we're trading relevancy, context and wisdom for a flood of information.
Aside from issues of productivity, multitasking affects mental health. Some of the effects include: shortened attention spans, difficulty listening, stress, agitation, the release of higher levels of adrenaline and even anti-social behavoir.
For most of us, however, multitasking is not just something we do occasionally, it is a lifestyle. So essentially, we are making a lifestyle of attempting to force ourselves to do something that is often impossible and rarely helpful. No wonder it can be hard to live up to our daily expectations of ourselves.
Dharana is the sixth step of the yogic path. Dharana means focus, or concentration. It involves not only doing one thing at a time, but also thinking about one thing at a time.
While working in wilderness therapy, I had a client (we'll call her Jenny) who was extremely scatterred and unaware. It was not unusual for her to take two hours to prepare for a hike. This process involves packing a backpack and filling up waterbottles. The other clients would finish within thirty minutes or so. Jenny would wander around camp, pick up her waterbottle, walk over to the water and then walk away to put her jacket away. After her jacket was packed, she would walk over and fill her first water bottle. Then she would get involved in a coversation. Then she would look for her next waterbottle, but while doing that would realize that she didn't know where her hat was. So off she'd go, in search of her hat. I created an intervention for Jenny in which she said out loud what she was doing as she did it. She began to learn how to focus her attention on one thing at a time.
What Jenny didn't know was that I set up a similar intervention for myself. Dharana is a struggle for me because I love to run around in circles, accomplishing very little and appearing to be very busy and important. Now, on days when I have alot of tasks that I need to complete, I write down what I am about to do, right before I do it. The idea is that I won't do anything else until that singular task is complete.
I believe that through practicing dharana, we can calm our minds, become more efficient, achieve our goals, and feel good while doing it!
some tips for practicing dharana:
Miller, a Picower professor of neuroscience at MIT, says that for the most part, we simply can't focus on more than one thing at a time.
What we can do, he said, is shift our focus from one thing to the next with astonishing speed.
check out the source and story here
another good resource here
Multitasking, or more accurately, switching focus quickly and repeatedly is an ingrained part of our society now. Not only is multitasking the norm, it has come to be expected.
Okay, this is getting boring. Let's switch focus for a minute and take the...
Multitasking Quiz!
- Do you have more than three tabs open right now?
- While reading this blog, are you also checking your email?
- Are you on the phone?
- Are you also checking your facebook every few minutes?
- Are you in the midst of a texting conversation?
- Are you drinking coffee or other stimulants so that your brain can keep up with all the pressure you are putting on yourself to multitask?
- Are you also listening to music? Downloading music, perhaps?
- Reading a magazine? Online or print?
A study from the University of Michigan found that we may reduce our productivity by 20 to 40% by attempting to multitask because the brain actually pauses briefly each time it has to switch focus. We also retain less information while multitasking and struggle to apply the knowledge to other situations. It's like we're trading relevancy, context and wisdom for a flood of information.
Aside from issues of productivity, multitasking affects mental health. Some of the effects include: shortened attention spans, difficulty listening, stress, agitation, the release of higher levels of adrenaline and even anti-social behavoir.
For most of us, however, multitasking is not just something we do occasionally, it is a lifestyle. So essentially, we are making a lifestyle of attempting to force ourselves to do something that is often impossible and rarely helpful. No wonder it can be hard to live up to our daily expectations of ourselves.
Dharana is the sixth step of the yogic path. Dharana means focus, or concentration. It involves not only doing one thing at a time, but also thinking about one thing at a time.
While working in wilderness therapy, I had a client (we'll call her Jenny) who was extremely scatterred and unaware. It was not unusual for her to take two hours to prepare for a hike. This process involves packing a backpack and filling up waterbottles. The other clients would finish within thirty minutes or so. Jenny would wander around camp, pick up her waterbottle, walk over to the water and then walk away to put her jacket away. After her jacket was packed, she would walk over and fill her first water bottle. Then she would get involved in a coversation. Then she would look for her next waterbottle, but while doing that would realize that she didn't know where her hat was. So off she'd go, in search of her hat. I created an intervention for Jenny in which she said out loud what she was doing as she did it. She began to learn how to focus her attention on one thing at a time.
What Jenny didn't know was that I set up a similar intervention for myself. Dharana is a struggle for me because I love to run around in circles, accomplishing very little and appearing to be very busy and important. Now, on days when I have alot of tasks that I need to complete, I write down what I am about to do, right before I do it. The idea is that I won't do anything else until that singular task is complete.
I believe that through practicing dharana, we can calm our minds, become more efficient, achieve our goals, and feel good while doing it!
some tips for practicing dharana:
- Turn off unnecessary technology. Enjoy one form of media at a time. Close extra tabs and windows (your computer will run faster too).
- Engage in conversation without the distraction of texting other people at the same time.
- Listen to mantra, instrumentals and classical music without words while engaging in activities that involve verbal and language skills. ie. writing a paper, email, conversations
- Steadily perform one task at a time.
- Remember to exhale.
- Enjoy focusing on the flavor and texture of your food. Sit down to eat.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Extended Hand to Big Toe Posture: How To
2. Bending the right knee, lift the right leg straight up towards the torso.
3. Hold on to your right big toe with your right hand.
4. Slowly extend the right leg out to your right side and straighten the leg as much as possible. Work on opening the hips.
5. Stretch the leg upwards. You may extend the right arm out to the side for balance, or leave it straight at your side.
6. To come out, bend the knee and slowly lower the foot.
7. Repeat on the other side.
gobodhiyoga.com
Thursday, May 13, 2010
On Relationships
We had another blissful fifteen hour weekend of yoga immersion teacher training this last weekend. In honor of the current life situations of the students, we discussed LOVE.
My instructor and guru, Syl Carson, expressed her belief that love is a mirror. We fall in love with our own image projected onto others. When we love our partner's compassion, we are really seeing and loving our own capacity for compassion.
Likewise, when there is something about our partner that drives us crazy, while they may really posses that quality, it drives us crazy because it is a trait that describes ourselves. For example, if I was enraged to see my partner sitting in front of the TV, it is really my own denied idleness that enrages me.
In a love relationship, we make an unspoken agreement to see in each other the divine love that we have for ourselves. Doing so allows us to feel safe in understanding our love for ourselves. We make an agreement to do this for one another. Our partner therefore becomes a placeholder for divine love.
This is why it is so scary to be abandoned by a lover. We then feel unable to know the Divine's love for us.
Ultimately, I would like to be able to see myself as God (God being an all-encompassing term) sees me. As Syl said, “If I can love myself as God loves me, then I have intoxication of self-love!”
Doing this takes the fear out of love, and removes the fear from being alone.
So kiss yourself.
Namaste
*Rebecca Sky*
My instructor and guru, Syl Carson, expressed her belief that love is a mirror. We fall in love with our own image projected onto others. When we love our partner's compassion, we are really seeing and loving our own capacity for compassion.
Likewise, when there is something about our partner that drives us crazy, while they may really posses that quality, it drives us crazy because it is a trait that describes ourselves. For example, if I was enraged to see my partner sitting in front of the TV, it is really my own denied idleness that enrages me.
In a love relationship, we make an unspoken agreement to see in each other the divine love that we have for ourselves. Doing so allows us to feel safe in understanding our love for ourselves. We make an agreement to do this for one another. Our partner therefore becomes a placeholder for divine love.
This is why it is so scary to be abandoned by a lover. We then feel unable to know the Divine's love for us.
Ultimately, I would like to be able to see myself as God (God being an all-encompassing term) sees me. As Syl said, “If I can love myself as God loves me, then I have intoxication of self-love!”
Doing this takes the fear out of love, and removes the fear from being alone.
So kiss yourself.
Namaste
*Rebecca Sky*
Playing the Edge
Yesterday evening, I decided to attend the 7pm restorative class at Bodhi Yoga. The restorative class is a much slower paced relaxing session. I had felt rather lethargic, or tamasic, all day. I was looking forward to an hour and a half of lying about on bolsters and various yoga props.
It was only about fifteen minutes into the class when I realized this was like no restorative class I had ever been to.
“Come up onto your knees,” Melanye, the instructor, spoke softly., “Push your calf muscles out to the sides, and if it's comfortable, sit down in between your ankles.” We sat down in Hero Posture which is like kneeling, only you sit on the ground in between your feet rather than on top of your feet. As I slowly lowered my sit bones to the mat, my knees ached in protest. I inhaled. I exhaled. And we stayed there...
Keeping our knees together, we slowly lowered our backs to the mat. The ache spread from my knees to my ankles, and through my thighs. I remembered a concept I had read before called “playing the edge.” To play the edge, you must reach outside of your comfort zone. Slowly, listening to your body, deepen your pose until you feel the first hints of strain. Use your breath to relax the body until you naturally pass this edge. Only once the strain has diminished, go as deep as you can into the pose. This will be uncomfortable. This will be intense. Stop before it becomes painful. Take several deep breaths here. Back off just slightly, returning to a space that feels good. After a few more breaths, return to your edge. Lather, rinse, repeat.
In Reclining Hero Pose, or Supta Virasana, I felt my first edge before I was even flat on my back. I stopped momentarily and reclined on my elbows. Here, I breathed and asked my body for permission to take it further. As I reminded myself that this is a mental exercise not a physical one, the intense sensation I felt in my thighs subsided. I knew I was safe to release entirely into the pose. I laid my back flat against the mat as I felt the opening sensation through my feet, legs, and ankles. I took several deep breaths here which enabled me to focus through the intensity. I then raised my back slightly off of the floor. When I was ready, I released my back flat on the mat again.
As I repeated this process several times, I felt powerful and entirely in control of my body. I was able to greatly expand my comfort zone in this pose, which brought confidence to other areas of my life simultaneously.
This reminds me of the importance of “playing the edge” in life as well. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing everyday that scares you.”
I hereby intend to make this my personal motto. When you frequently reach outside of your comfort zone, your edges expand. Get comfortable being outside of your comfort zone. People are like plants; if you are not growing you are dead.
Following are several ideas to bring you to your edge!
Every time an opportunity for promotion presents itself in your company, apply for the position. (Even if you feel that you are not qualified.)
*Take a new way home from work or school and stop at any location that catches your eye.
*Instead of eating hamburgers for the sixth night in a row, try Indian food. Or Peruvian food, Thai food, sushi, whatever!
*When you're an expert at something, admit it! Offer to share your skills and knowledge with people who can benefit from it.
(Photos copyright of Chelsea K Nielsen)
It was only about fifteen minutes into the class when I realized this was like no restorative class I had ever been to.
Keeping our knees together, we slowly lowered our backs to the mat. The ache spread from my knees to my ankles, and through my thighs. I remembered a concept I had read before called “playing the edge.” To play the edge, you must reach outside of your comfort zone. Slowly, listening to your body, deepen your pose until you feel the first hints of strain. Use your breath to relax the body until you naturally pass this edge. Only once the strain has diminished, go as deep as you can into the pose. This will be uncomfortable. This will be intense. Stop before it becomes painful. Take several deep breaths here. Back off just slightly, returning to a space that feels good. After a few more breaths, return to your edge. Lather, rinse, repeat.
In Reclining Hero Pose, or Supta Virasana, I felt my first edge before I was even flat on my back. I stopped momentarily and reclined on my elbows. Here, I breathed and asked my body for permission to take it further. As I reminded myself that this is a mental exercise not a physical one, the intense sensation I felt in my thighs subsided. I knew I was safe to release entirely into the pose. I laid my back flat against the mat as I felt the opening sensation through my feet, legs, and ankles. I took several deep breaths here which enabled me to focus through the intensity. I then raised my back slightly off of the floor. When I was ready, I released my back flat on the mat again.
As I repeated this process several times, I felt powerful and entirely in control of my body. I was able to greatly expand my comfort zone in this pose, which brought confidence to other areas of my life simultaneously.
This reminds me of the importance of “playing the edge” in life as well. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing everyday that scares you.”
I hereby intend to make this my personal motto. When you frequently reach outside of your comfort zone, your edges expand. Get comfortable being outside of your comfort zone. People are like plants; if you are not growing you are dead.
Following are several ideas to bring you to your edge!
Every time an opportunity for promotion presents itself in your company, apply for the position. (Even if you feel that you are not qualified.)
*Take a new way home from work or school and stop at any location that catches your eye.
*Instead of eating hamburgers for the sixth night in a row, try Indian food. Or Peruvian food, Thai food, sushi, whatever!
*When you're an expert at something, admit it! Offer to share your skills and knowledge with people who can benefit from it.
(Photos copyright of Chelsea K Nielsen)
One Who Has Achieved Harmony
During the yoga teacher training class I attended last weekend, it was suggested that everyone that comes into your space or your life is there to teach you. This thought gave me a fresh perspective on the guy in a huge truck who tailgated me on my way to the yoga retreat. I thought, “Okay, maybe he showed up to remind me not to look at myself as a victim.” (I drive looking in my rear-view mirror almost constantly, always on the watch for tailgaters and otherwise mean people.)
I learned in this retreat that there are three qualities of consciousness, or energy, called gunas. These gunas are tamas, rajas, and sattva. Things and actions can include a combination of these qualities, but one quality often dominates in any given thing, person, or action.
Tamas is an attribute of lethargy, introversion, inertia, depression, and stillness. Upward and downward movements are also tamasic. When a person is in a tamasic state, they may feel unmotivated, chronically fatigued, shy, and bored. They are not interested in doing anything, and the brain may feel cloudy. Certain foods are tamasic, such as alcohol, meat, processed foods, and white flour. When consumed, these items lead to tiredness and confusion. To find balance when in a tamasic state, breathe, and focus on your inhale as it brings you energy and life force.
Rajas is movement! It is an attribute of desire, excitement, anger, willfulness, and passion. Rajasic foods include all stimulants, such as caffeine and “uppers” as well as very spicy or very sour foods. Maybe not by chance, there is a girl in one of my classes at the university I attend who has a very rajasic energy about her. She is jittery and constantly talking and interrupting the professor. She angers at the drop of a hat, and her eyes are always open so wide that I am afraid they will pop out of her skull. Oh, she grinds her teeth. Every time she opens her mouth, I can't help but roll my eyes. Suddenly, during my yoga retreat, I realized that she was there to teach me. Only after feeling disgusted with her behavior did I realize how much I have in common with her. Only then was I able to see how unattractive my own behavior can be at times. After all, I drink coffee almost every day; I chatter incessantly, and I am rather opinionated, to say the least. I finally saw that moving away from rajas would improve my life and my relations with others. To find balance when in a rajasic state, breathe deeply, and focus on your exhale. This will help you to calm down.
Sattva is the last of the three gunas. Sattva literally translates to mean purity or reality. Sattva brings peace, enlightenment and clarity of thought. Sattvic foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and milk products (only if the cow was well-treated.) These foods are easy to digest, light, and not fattening. They may be sweetened with honey, raw sugar, or other natural sweeteners such as agave. They should not have a large amount of pepper , spice, or salt. A sattvic individual is neither hyperactive nor lazy, but moves in rhythm with the earth. According to the Baghavad Gita, a sattvic person would be friendly, compassionate, all-forgiving, ever content, and free from anxiety, elation, anger, and fear. He (or she) would be one who neither hates nor grieves, one who has achieved harmony.
Remember that those who come into your life or your space are all there to teach you. They may be there to remind you of what you would like to improve in yourself, or they may be an excellent example of the sattvic state of being which we would all like to find in ourselves.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
*Rebecca Sky *
I learned in this retreat that there are three qualities of consciousness, or energy, called gunas. These gunas are tamas, rajas, and sattva. Things and actions can include a combination of these qualities, but one quality often dominates in any given thing, person, or action.
Tamas is an attribute of lethargy, introversion, inertia, depression, and stillness. Upward and downward movements are also tamasic. When a person is in a tamasic state, they may feel unmotivated, chronically fatigued, shy, and bored. They are not interested in doing anything, and the brain may feel cloudy. Certain foods are tamasic, such as alcohol, meat, processed foods, and white flour. When consumed, these items lead to tiredness and confusion. To find balance when in a tamasic state, breathe, and focus on your inhale as it brings you energy and life force.
Rajas is movement! It is an attribute of desire, excitement, anger, willfulness, and passion. Rajasic foods include all stimulants, such as caffeine and “uppers” as well as very spicy or very sour foods. Maybe not by chance, there is a girl in one of my classes at the university I attend who has a very rajasic energy about her. She is jittery and constantly talking and interrupting the professor. She angers at the drop of a hat, and her eyes are always open so wide that I am afraid they will pop out of her skull. Oh, she grinds her teeth. Every time she opens her mouth, I can't help but roll my eyes. Suddenly, during my yoga retreat, I realized that she was there to teach me. Only after feeling disgusted with her behavior did I realize how much I have in common with her. Only then was I able to see how unattractive my own behavior can be at times. After all, I drink coffee almost every day; I chatter incessantly, and I am rather opinionated, to say the least. I finally saw that moving away from rajas would improve my life and my relations with others. To find balance when in a rajasic state, breathe deeply, and focus on your exhale. This will help you to calm down.
Sattva is the last of the three gunas. Sattva literally translates to mean purity or reality. Sattva brings peace, enlightenment and clarity of thought. Sattvic foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and milk products (only if the cow was well-treated.) These foods are easy to digest, light, and not fattening. They may be sweetened with honey, raw sugar, or other natural sweeteners such as agave. They should not have a large amount of pepper , spice, or salt. A sattvic individual is neither hyperactive nor lazy, but moves in rhythm with the earth. According to the Baghavad Gita, a sattvic person would be friendly, compassionate, all-forgiving, ever content, and free from anxiety, elation, anger, and fear. He (or she) would be one who neither hates nor grieves, one who has achieved harmony.
Remember that those who come into your life or your space are all there to teach you. They may be there to remind you of what you would like to improve in yourself, or they may be an excellent example of the sattvic state of being which we would all like to find in ourselves.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
*Rebecca Sky *
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)