Mountain Pose

Many health-minded people detox and cleanse by eating pure foods, juices, and smoothies. I have done some juice feasting and smoothies cleanses the past few years, and I have always thought of detoxing as a result of my eating habits until my yoga training. My teacher led a detox yoga series. This blew my mind!

I can use asanas, breath work, my own body to detox itself? Amazing! After how refreshed I felt in Puerto Rico and doing a detox asana series specifically, I decided to incorporate it into my sadhana. Whenever I feel the need to cleanse, release negativity, renew my mind, I get on my mat and practice a detox series. It is so much more than a physical detox. Yoga brings together mind and body, spirit and heart. I often practice a detox asana series because I am feeling emotionally cluttered, and at the end of the practice I do feel the physical benefits as well even when a physical cleanse was not my main focus. And that is the beauty of yoga! So many reasons to love getting on my yoga mat!!!

The detox series can be altered and adjusted for your needs; I often do different poses each time I practice a yoga detox. There are three main stages to the detox yoga series: stimulate toxins, wring toxins out, and release toxins. Within these three stages are 5 or 6 types of asanas. 

Stimulate Toxins:

1. Standing Poses

2. Hip Openers

3. Back Bends

(optional: inversion before twists)

Wring Toxins Out:

4. Twists

Release Toxins:

5. Forward Bends

During the hour and ten minute class that I have shared we go through the three stages of the detox series with  the five asana categories. You can of course add an inversion before the twists, thus creating six categories within the three stages. 

I hope that you enjoy this class. It is a very integrated yoga practice and can be mentally and physically challenging, as our egos do not always wish to cleanse everything. Do not push through physical pain during your yoga practice. Feel motivated though to push past any mental blocks the ego is putting up for you. 

To detox, we make room for more light as we release the darkness from within. Knowing what our shadow is can bring up a lot of fear. Recognizing what our darkness is though does not mean we are our darkness. If you can see it and be aware of it then it is not you! 

Breathe. Listen. Be You!

Here are the poses that we will practice in the detox yoga series I am sharing:

• Standing Poses:

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

• Hip Openers:

Half Chair Pose (Ardha Utkatasana)

• Back Bends:

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Locust Pose-with feet still on the mat (Salabhasana)

Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

• Twists:

Easy Pose with twist (Sukhasana)

One Legged Staff Pose with twist (Dandasana)

• Forward Bends:

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Cobbler Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Hello friends!

Here is a 75 minute All Levels class just for you! I have really been enjoying the creative process of my podcast and cannot wait to post a 5th class. I am so motivated to share my practice with the world! This week’s class is dedicated to the incredible power of our bodies, minds and spirits to yoke! To mesh well, to align, to become one being! After really thinking about the impact that my practice has had on my lower back pain within the past 3 weeks, I had to share my thoughts on the healing power of yoga

And so the class you are about to take will (hopefully) bring you into a state closer to your higher self. When we are able to align our physical selves with our minds, and our spirits/the divine within, then we are able to release the tension, soften the pain and, on a more physical plane, our muscles and organs are able to bring our bodies into balance. Often it is difficult to go past a “quick fix” when something is hurting or bothering me. The first few days of back pain, I was eager to find something to stop the bad feeling in my back, the tightness and soreness. Muscle relief creams and pain relievers numbed the pain temporarily, but it was still there. The quick fix was not enabling me to move, to bend, to dance, to lift heavy objects. It was only after I really took the time to understand the pain I was feeling and discover the source of it that I began the healing process. 

My yoga practice and some physical therapy exercises, as well as breath work and meditation were the only things that actually stopped the pain in my back. Only when I listened to what my body, mind, and spirit were all asking for me to do, was I able to use my practice as a source of healing. I am continuing with this process. Even though the pain has diminished, I am not going back to how I used to stretch and manipulate my body. A new level of awareness has surfaced. I am learning about my body and my anatomy as I practice on my mat. The Anusara principles of alignment (setting my foundation, opening to grace, using muscular energy and organic energy) are so important in this process and have developed into a much more integral part of my physical yoga practice. 

And so I share my fourth class with a request that you bring awareness to your ability to heal. Every human being has the potential to relieve their own stress, pain, soreness, aches, mental unclarity, and/or anxiety. Set your foundation. Open to Grace. Engage your muscular energy. Expand your organic energy. And surrender to your Self.

Breathe. Listen. Be You. And Excuse Me While I Yogini…

Upanishad Mantra

Om Asatoma Sat Gamaya

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya

Mrtyor Ma Amrtam Gamaya

Translation:

Lead us from the unreal to the real

Lead us from the darkness to the light

Lead us from the fear of mortality to the knowledge of immortality

I have come to use a lot of chanting in my personal practice. During my teacher training, I was exposed to chants, songs, and mantras from all over the world. They help to bring me peace, calmness of mind, and a clear presence on my mat. Chanting has allowed me to develop a clear relationship with myself and the various archetypes within that come out at different moments. Some of my favorite places to chant are on my mat, in the shower and in Prospect Park. Often, I find myself chanting within, in my head, as I am walking, riding the subway, or laying down to sleep at night. There have even been a few mornings where I will wake up with a chant or song, unable to determine if I had been singing in my dreams. 

Any song can become a chant or mantra. If the song has a deeper relationship to you, then use it in your practice. Certain songs ring true to me, striking a chord within me that is undeniably a physical reaction to the message, tone and music in the song. I get the tingles, I feel heavy in my seat and goosebumps crawly over my skin. Emotions come forth as I listen to the music, the singer, the passion in their voice. And I breathe in that connection. I allow myself to be in that music or song. And I celebrate its existence and its message. 

Please bring your heart onto your mat, every time that you practice. It is much more rewarding when you are fully present and committed. 

I would love any feedback on this class and am eager to bring more options to students that are out there!

Listen. Breathe. Be You. And Excuse Me While I Yogini…

The class is one hour long. It is a Level 1 class because we do a simple asana practice. There is a strong focus on alignment and muscular engagement, so do not worry, you will still have the chance to sweat

I will update this post as soon as I have this podcast on iTunes. So very soon, you will be able to subscribe to my podcast using all of your wonderful gadgets!

Thank you so much for listening and for practicing. Thank you for bringing breath to your body and awareness to your self.

Breathe, Listen, Be You, and Excuse Me While I Yogini!

Hello! And welcome to my first podcast yoga class! This is very exciting for me. Man, oh man, did it take some work to get this posted onto my blog. The easiest part is recording. Alas, I figured out the many steps afterward (it was probably a lot less complicated than I made it out to be) and I now have my first podcast class up for everyone to enjoy.

It is a 90 minute all-levels class, with a strong focus on proper alignment. Even if you cannot commit to doing the full 90 minute class all at once, I encourage you to try out a few minutes and just see how it feels. I would love any feedback that anyone can give.

*I will be working on my podcasts at least once a week and hope to become more tech savvy so that I can include music and videos as well.

This will be at least a weekly post, as I am in love with the idea of sharing yoga for free to people all around the world! So look out for more classes in a few days. Here we go friends, just click the play button and listen.

Breathe. Listen. Be You. Do Yoga and Excuse Me While I Yogini…