Beth Lapides

My Other Car is a Yoga Mat: A MORE PERFECT YOGA

Beth Lapides — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:16:57 +0000

One of my teachers describes the ultimate expression of a pose to his mostly beginning students with the phrase: in a perfect yoga world. For instance he might say: in a perfect yoga world, your head would meet your foot.

On good days in a perfect yoga world helps me see how even with my head meeting my foot there is always a deeper place to travel to in a pose. But on bad days I can’t help but think: in a perfect yoga world I wouldn’t even be in this class.

My Other Car is a Yoga Mat: DOWN THE HABIT HOLE

Beth Lapides — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:20:57 +0000

I was lying in final twist, pulling my hip away from my ribs like a good little yogi, when the teacher, who didn’t know my practice that well, came over and gave me an adjustment.

My back cracked. His eyes lit up; I could tell he was very pleased with himself. My back cracked ten more times. His eyes shifted to panic. Being a people pleaser, I tried to quietly reassure him. But I was, in fact, on the verge of panicking about it myself.

I’d been trying, unsuccessfully, to remember when my right hip joint had started cracking so prolifically. But I could only conjure memories of lying on my mat, twisting deeper and deeper, feeling like it needed to crack but couldn’t.

That night, standing in the shower, I swayed—shifting my ribs ever so slightly in the particular way that causes my back to crack over and over again. I counted up to 100 cracks. (I know. Counting is another bad habit that we control enthusiasts fall into when chaos is looming.) But I couldn’t stop. I was trying, as I had been every night for some time, to crack it until it was all cracked out. One more crack. Just one more.

California Lucid Dreaming

Beth Lapides — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:27:58 +0000

Great piece on layogamagazine.com about lucid dreaming.

Hey Health Lovers 4: You Say Pineal, I Say 3rd Eye - Featuring Sound Healer Tom Kenyon

Beth Lapides — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:54:34 +0000

Here's an amazing free download courtesy of the uniquely talented sound healer Tom Kenyon. It's a little over 5 minutes long and the idea is that you listen to it with headphones on and imagine that the sound is coming OUT of your pineal gland - aka 3rd eye.

I have started working with it because at this point anything we can do to open up our third eyes is a must! I can tell you it is very beautiful, and of a type of beauty you may not have experienced before. Mysterious, open, deep, magnetic are some words that come to mind.

http://tomkenyon.com/sound-gifts

The pineal gland is embedded in your brain but it’s not of your brain.
It’s literally the mind body connection.

My Other Car is a Yoga Mat Podcast (Episode #4): Water Whirled

Beth Lapides — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:51:12 +0000

"My Other Car is a Yoga Mat" is my column about living my - your - our yoga off the mat, and deepening our practices on the mat. It's published in LA Yoga Magazine and syndicated to Yoga Chicago Magazine and yogamates.com. The collected columns are also available online right here on the website.

But I know a lot of you don't have access to the magazines and/or don't like to read a lot of text online, but do dig listening to podcasts - plus I love recording audio - so now I'm making "My Other Car is a Yoga Mat" available in the groovalicious podcast format as well.

That means now you can enjoy "My Other Car is a Yoga Mat" in your car! Or on your mat:) Now enjoy Episode #4: "Water Whirled". And here are links to some of the things I refer to:

The Hydro-Mag Water Magnetizer
The Water Egg
Dr. Emoto

Listen and subscribe in iTunes (and don't forget to rate and review it - thanks!)

Podcast:

moci.WaterWhirled.12.06.m4a

Special 2-Week Session of The Comedian's Way Workshop at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center

greg — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:56:19 +0000

We're offering a special 2-week session of The Comedian's Way Workshop - A Creative Path for Writers, Performers and Other Creatives.

Get your creativity on track for one-person shows, standup, essays, memoir, blogs, etc. Get comfortable speaking in public, face your fear of being onstage and/or process major life changes. Learn how to tell your story for business or pleasure.

Wednesdays, Jan. 20 & 27, 7-10pm at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, 1125 N. McCadden Place in Hollywood (1 bl. East of Highland, 1/2 block North of Santa Monica). Only $79 for both classes! Register now. (No audits at the Center, but audit this Sunday at M-Bar, 1-4pm - only $10.)

If you've been having trouble scheduling our regular Sunday classes, or need more gay in your life, take this oppotunity to work with comedy gurus Beth Lapides & Greg Miller.

More info and registration for Wednesday classes

More info about Beth & Greg and the Comedian's Way workshop

This Saturday... Get 100% Happy!

greg — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:31:43 +0000

See full-size video on youtube

BETH NOT METH!!

The LA Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center & Un-Cabaret Present:

"100% HAPPY 88% OF THE TIME"
One night only
SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 at 8 PM
The Renberg Theatre
1125 N. McCadden Place
Hollywood 90038

To Benefit The LA Gay and Lesbian Center's Baby Dragon Fund for Mental Health & Meth Counseling.

Only $20. Reservations 323-860-7300 or click here for tickets.

Beth weaves story, home-spun philosophy and big ideas into an unforgettable evening of inspirational comedy.

Flavorpill pick

More info about the show

100% Happy Facebook Page

Happiness Tech 101: 4 Ways to Use a Camera as a Mood Converter

Beth Lapides — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 03:53:29 +0000

I was in a great expansive mood after being on camera for an hour long interview about my yoga practice for a piece soon to be on Time Warner VOD. Great producer. Beautiful studio. Proof positive below.

As Greg pulled onto PCH I checked the Blackberry. An upsetting email. Arghhhh. Contraction ensued.

We parked in the lot of his accupuncturist. Usually I go in and pump the talented doc for info. Chat with the sweet receptionist. Read magazines. Blackberry. But I was so anxious about this email I didn't think I could be friendly.

"I'll just sit here," I told Greg. Just.

I shut my eyes for a few minutes and did some deep breathing. The knot in my stomach did not disipate. I hate you knot in my stomach. Oh wait, that's not helping.

I opened my eyes and started to look at the tree out the window. A beautiful tree sitting right there trying to uplift my mood if only I would listen to it and let it work its magic. But I couldn't hear/see/feel the tree.

So I took out my camera. Cameras can really change my mood. And not just being on camera, which can really cheer me up. On camera I find I turn myself on in a way that I wish I could even when the camera isn't pointing at me.

But being behind the camera I can alchemize my mood as well. I find that taking pictures helps my mood in 3 different ways.

Give Your Car the Gift of Yoga This Year (Super Sale on License Plate Frames - 4 for $25)

Beth Lapides — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:21:02 +0000

SPECIAL HOLIDAY SALE

Give your car the gift of yoga this year. Get 4 "My Other Car is a Yoga Mat" license plate holders for just $25 (normally $10 each)!

They also make great gifts for the yogis in your life.

$10 each
2 for $15
4 for $25

These license-plate frames are recycled and made in the USA by Beth.

Bulk discounts available for studios - or people with lots of friends. Contact us for prices. Click here for more about the license plate frames.

My Other Car is a Yoga Mat Podcast (Episode #3): Arm and Arm

Beth Lapides — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:37:26 +0000

"My Other Car is a Yoga Mat" is my column about living my - your - our yoga off the mat, and deepening our practices on the mat. It's published in LA Yoga Magazine, Yoga Chicago Magazine and yogamates.com. The collected columns are also available online right here on the website.

That means now you can enjoy "My Other Car is a Yoga Mat" in your car! Or on your mat:) Now enjoy Episode #3: "Arm and Arm"

Listen and subscribe in iTunes (and don't forget to rate and review it - thanks!)

Podcast:

MOCI.ArmAndArm.9.25.m4a