The Yogi At Home {It's Holiday Time!}

The holidays are upon us. For many, right now you are finishing up holiday shopping, preparing your home for guests in the new year, and some are even preparing to do 108 sun salutations for the Winter Solstice this Friday. It is truly the busiest time of the year, which is why it is so important to remind ourselves to sit back and enjoy the true spirit of the season.

Here are some holiday gifts to truly lift and refresh your spirit: Peace Cards from Five to Five Photography; Lions and Leaves Yoga Mat Bag in grey velvet; Organic Full Moon Polkadot Eye Pillow filled with organic lavender and flax seeds.

Wishing you peace for the holidays! I will be back and posting in the new year. read more...

Completing 2007 Powerfully

Powerfully complete the year by asking these three questions:

1. What did I love about 2007?

2. What will I miss about 2007?

3. What did I learn from 2007?


Draw the year to a close using these additional strategies:

Declare it Complete:
Most likely there are things that sounded like such good ideas, great goals, and inspirational intentions that just didn't get done this year. Instead of allowing those to dangle around you like threads of yarn slowing you down, cut yourself free by declaring them complete. Simply say, "I declare ____ complete."

Acknowledge Yourself:
Even accomplishments can hang around our consciousness as incomplete when we don't acknowledge them. Allow yourself the gift of feeling the success of your accomplishments. Pause and take a moment to appreciate yourself, your efforts, and your gifts. Do this by making a list of 100 things you acknowledge yourself for in 2007. Once you start, you'll be surprised how many come flowing out onto the paper. read more...

Sanskrit Made Accessible

Do you chant Sanskrit mantras in yoga class, but regard the classical language of India, as, well, ungraspable? Fortunately for Bay Area yogis, Sanskrit becomes that much more accessible as longtime yoga practitioner and Sanskrit scholar Josh Michaell offers "The Sanskrit Training" at Yoga of Sausalito, February 9-10, 2008. Michaell's training demystifies the ancient language which is nearly as fundamental to asana practice as breathing: correctly pronouncing Sanskrit and increasing sensitivity to the sound vibration it creates provide another key to creating "calm and clarity in meditation."
By the end of the 14-hour training, students will be able to read basic Sanskrit words and gain a new appreciation for the language so as to better support their yoga practice.
The Sanskrit Training with Josh Michaell
Yoga of Sausalito
110 Caledonia St.
Sausalito, CA 94965
Saturday, 1pm-8pm
Sunday, 12:30pm-7:30pm
415/332-9642
www.americansanskrit.com read more...

Introduction to the Primary Series @ Ashtanga Yoga San Francisco

Noah and Kimberly Williams will be subbing for AYSF owner/teachers Heidie Lender and John Wilhelm while the duo is traveling in India, December 14-January 4. The Williams' ran a popular studio in Silver Lake for many years before relocating to Hawaii. During their time teaching in San Francisco, Kimberly will also lead an Introduction to Primary Series class

Introduction to the Primary Series with Kimberly Williams
"This special four-day workshop will introduce beginning students to
the principles and practice of Ashtanga Yoga including the foundation of Ujjayi breath, bandhas, and drishti. These classes will prepare students for AYSF's morning Mysore program. This 4-class workshop is being offered twice."

Monday-Thursday, December 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th - 5:00pm-6:15pm

OR

Wed-Fri, December 26th, 27th, 28th - 5pm-6:15pm
and Sunday December 30th (10am-11:15am)

$45 (pay before December 10th); $55 (after December 10th). Checks or cash only.

To register, email info@ashtangayogasanfrancisco.com.
Send payment to:
Ashtanga Yoga San Francisco
1009 Page Street
San Francisco, CA 94117 read more...

The Yogi At Home {Re-Nest}

Green design lovers must visit Apartment Therapy's newly designed green home site, Re-Nest. A daily blog that's dedicated to all that's new in green design, this site is chocked full of sustainable and environmentally friendly ideas for the home. For the month of December, visit their Home for the Holidays Kit from method. Enter by Thursday night and you could win a five-piece set from this eco-friendly brand. Bring the holidays home with scents of holly berry, peppermint vanilla and cinnamon bark, and create an environmentally friendly home for the holidays. read more...

The Yogi At Home {NOVICA}

NOVICA, National Geographic's online store, is a wonderful way to support the work of artisans from around the world. Offering home decor with a personal connection to the artist who created it, this site offers a new and unique way to shop for your home. At NOVICA, buying with a sense of social responsibility and creating a global connection is key.

The Yogini in me loves these beautiful handcrafted pieces that emulate yoga asanas. From the graceful Lithe Gymnast statuette, to these gorgeously crafted Yoga Cobra Pose statues, each piece is sure to enhance your life - mind, body and spirit.

If you seek inspiration and home decor that is truly about more than superficial fashion, visit NOVICA. With such a rich showcase of work by artisans from as far away as Bali, Thailand and West Africa, you will be richly rewarded by what you discover.

read more...

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Would roses do it?

Once the Thanksgiving turkey was put away, I did what I suppose many of us did. I looked through the ads and began to create a list of the people I would shop for and the things they might like. The next morning I set out to find the perfect gifts. While I didn't find everything I was looking for, I did have fun and got some great ideas.

But the best idea had nothing to do with shopping. It had to do with stopping.

As I made my way through a crowded mall, I was literally stopped in my tracks by the sight of a small girl kissing the hands of her grandma as they sat resting on a bench. The love I witnessed from that little girl to her grandma practically burst my heart open.

In that moment of one-pointed attention, I realized I might be better served by creating a STOPPING LIST - a list of those things which are important to me that bring me to a state of present moment awareness.

So that’s what I did. I stopped at the nearest coffee shop and wrote down everything I wish to be fully present for, from the kindness of strangers to the silent cry for help from a friend.

I now carry that list with me and will add to it as my awareness grows. I can honestly say it has already changed my life.

What would you stop for?

May your holidays be filled with present moments.
Rob Gruber - Co-Active Life Coach read more...

The Yogi At Home {The Gracious Home}

{Image from Marthastewart.com}

Tis the season to give thanks. Today, like many of you, I am preparing for a Thanksgiving feast with family and friends. For the last few days I have been running around preparing my home for guests, dusting, cleaning the carpets, washing the windows, doing everything I can to make my one bedroom apartment look absolutely beautiful. However, there is one thing I forgot -putting a little grace into my home.

This time of year is all about self-reflection. Giving thanks, reflecting on the love of family and friends, it is a time to turn inward, and also to create an environment for ourselves and for our family and friends that is warm and inviting. While scrubbing the floors until they glow may make your home look clean and spotless, think about the warmth you want to share with those who you're spending the holidays with. Be a gracious host by sharing with them a little of yourself in your home for the holidays.

Make everyone who comes this year feel welcome with your own unique styling. Whether through a crafty table setting in your favorite colors for the season, a personalized note on everyone's table setting that speaks to why you are thankful for them, or even a handpainted pumpkin in metallic gold and silver to add to your holiday table, do a little bit extra to say thank you to those in your life.

Turn your home into a gracious home, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! read more...

David Deida-A Seminar on Sexual Yoga-Function Form and Glow

What is the difference between therapy, yoga, and spiritual practices? In this video, David distinguishes between each of them.

Watch the video and then click on "comment" below and let us know what you think.





If you don't know about David's work you will want to. He is acknowledged as one of the most insightful and provocative spiritual teachers of our time. David continues to revolutionize the way that men and women grow spiritually and sexually. Get more info at his web site deida.info. read more...

New Teachers @ YOGASTUDIO San Francisco, Mill Valley and Larkspur Landing

A trio of new teachers have joined the diverse roster of teachers at YOGASTUDIO: Nicholas Giacomini, Amanda Moran and Erik Monkhouse.

Nicholas Giacomini, of Yoga Toes in Pt. Reyes, teaches classes "influenced by his passion for music and yogic philosophy, and when he is not teaching he is combining these two loves into his yoga inspired hip hop as MC Yogi. For more information on Nicholas visit www.yogatoes.com or www.mcyogi.com."

Nicholas's Class Schedule @ YOGASTUDIO San Francisco
Wednesdays 9:30-10:45am Level 1-2 MV
Sundays 4:30-6pm Level 2 MV

Amanda's Class Schedule
Tuesdays 7:30-9pm Level 2-3 / Jivamukti Flow SF

Eric's Class Schedule
Wednesdays 11:15-12:45pm Level 2-3 Power Flow MV
Saturdays 7:30-8:55am Level 2-3 Flow LL read more...

The Yogi At Home {Really Linda Barker}

It is true that a picture can say a thousand words. The photos on Really Linda Barker speak volumes on creating a home with both style and serenity. Filled with decor and design elements that take you to a more relaxed place, Really Linda Barker invites us to view our home as a place where we really practice the art of living.

So many of the pieces that Linda offers are an invitation for a home that is quiet, peaceful and nurturing to the soul. I am inspired by the Sleeping Buddha statue above. A gorgeously crafted reminder of the need to rest and relax our minds and bodies at the end of the day.

For many of us, the yoga studio is where we find relaxation. Home can be beset with so many things that we move away from really enjoying the environment we live in. Today, picture a new environment for yourself - a haven that nurtures your body and your soul.

Home is where the heart is, and likely where we find ourselves at the end of each and every day. In invite you to envision a space where you can really live your best life - a bedroom oasis, natural dining room, a warm living room.

At Really Linda Barker discover that perfect treasure or a trove of beautiful elements to make your home that space in which you can really experience the art of living.

read more...

Ashtanga News

NPR recently aired a piece on how the "US yoga craze is boosting India's tourism," referencing Sri K. Pattabhi's Jois's renowned Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15876262

For those who won't make it to India, Jois will be in the U.S. this coming March to open the stateside version of his school:
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute USA
83230 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036

A grand opening party will take place March 14 followed by a two-week workshop
I'm checking out airfares NOW, are you? read more...

The Yogi At Home {JOY by Mel Lim}

Hello, this is Jeanine Hays from the daily design blog, AphroChic. It is with great pleasure that I join the team at the YT Blog to author a new weekly series, The Yogi At Home. As author of AphroChic, I am accustomed to writing about modern interiors, and how they can transform your environment. Here at the YT Blog, I will be writing about more than just the latest in home decor. The Yogi At Home will offer an opportunity to examine how to create that serene, restful and spiritual place that all of us are looking for in our lives. One in which the environment we live in truly supports our path for peace and spiritual enlightenment.

Every Wednesday enjoy a feature article that will cover the latest in sustainable design, eco-friendly interiors, and tools to help you focus on the home as a healing space. This week I am happy to introduce the work of lifestyle designer Mel Lim and her inspired collection, JOY. Featuring a new line of organic home accessories, Mel's focus on creating a joyful interior extends to her eco-friendly throw pillows, wall prints and stationery. More than just basic eco-friendly design, Mel offers an expressive and vibrant line of home accessories that will truly uplift the soul and bring a smile to your face. The philosophy of Mel's JOY collection is something that we all can hold onto - living should be fun, colorful, and always conscious.

If you are looking for a way to bring conscious style into your home, check out JOY by Mel Lim, and visit the YT Blog every Wednesday for more on The Yogi At Home. I look forward to your questions and your comments, to new conversations on how to create a healing space in your home, and to this new journey together.

read more...

Visual Yoga

According to a series of reports by NOVA Science Now in 2005, brain researchers at the University College London have discovered a set of neurons called mirror neurons that enable us to experience familiar actions performed by others as our own by simply watching them. Their research also suggests that pictures can create similar results.

Imagine the possibilities.

Teachers could offer video and picture flashcards and create meditative observation areas in their studios for those that don’t have time for a full class or can no longer perform the advanced poses.

Students could collect picture flashcards of poses they have successfully accomplished and refer to them often, watch videos at home or online and visit their studio to observe, experience and grow.

Rob Gruber - Co-Active Life Coach

Photo by Jonathan Pozniak read more...

Can Technology Make You a Better Person?

Raising consciousness one text at a time, new DailyG. makes big buzz on cell phones across U.S.!

Here is a new free high-tech service to help people live more consciously that launched this month.

Daily G. is a fun, easy and effective tool to add vitality and consciousness to a person’s day. Every weekday, Daily G. sends out a text message (to a person’s cell phone) a SHORT, positive, action-oriented, and typically humorous message on a variety of topics, including—truth, appreciation, relationships, and the importance of breath. Just to name a few.

SAMPLE DAILY G. TEXT MESSAGE
Any TRUTH you want to face, share or celebrate? If yes, take a deep breath and go for it! It’s fun & slimming...well, at least you'll feel lighter. ;-)--Daily G.

Click on the logo above to sign up and get inspired!

Oh, before you go, any messages you want to suggest? Click on "Comment" and lets hear it. read more...

Mahāmudrā Meditation with Patrick Sweeney

I found this video on the holons-news.com blog and have watched it everyday since. Just watching this 17 minute mediation has impacted my daily practice. Click on play, sit up, and prepare your consciousness for a real treat!

Also, what is that sound he is making? I can hear it every now and again in my head while sitting in meditation!




text from holons-news.com
Patrick Sweeney leads a powerful Mahāmudrā meditation; recorded at the second annual Integral Spiritual Center gathering. Mahāmudrā is a Buddhist method of direct introduction to the nature and essence of Mind (or Buddha-nature) and the practice of stabilizing the accompanying transcendental realization. It draws upon instructions from multiple levels of Buddhism, including Sutra and Vajrayana, to provide a range of approaches to enlightenment suited to various people's needs. Mahamudra is believed to enable one to realize the mindstream's innate purity, clarity and perfection, summed up by the term 'buddha nature', the topic of the Third Turning of the Dharmachakra or the final phase of the Buddha's teaching." read more...

Ashtanga Yoga San Francisco is OPEN!

Finally, San Francisco gets a studio devoted entirely to Ashtanga as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Ashtanga Yoga San Francisco is open for practice! Authorized Ashtanga teachers Heidi Lender and John Wilhelm have been refurbishing and reflooring and repainting the Western Addition studio for the past several months and the result is clean, beautiful, warm studio in which to practice Mysore style Ashtanga. It's a huge accomplishment and a big gift for committed Ashtanga students-when will I see you there? — Deborah Crooks read more...

Living Your Yoga: San Francisco Report

In the living your yoga department, I caught up with Tracy Kunichika over a Café Gratitude salad last weekend. She’s in San Francisco on a break from the on-site duties of her Mysore, India-based foundation Operaton Shanti. Tracy started OS soon after her first trip to India to study yoga with Sri. Pattabhi Jois in 2002. OS provides health, education and housing services to orphans and destitute and homeless families who otherwise would go without. Tracy reported that OS is close to opening a shelter to provide room and board to those in need.


Later that weekend, I enjoyed a Kirtan with Karl Erb, who leads “Second Sunday Sacred Singing” at the Hayes St. location of Yoga Tree. Kirtan is devotional call-and-response singing and a lovely way to start the new week. If there's enough interest, he might hold kirtan more than one time a month...
— Deborah Crooks read more...

Episode 2 of YTTV: Tom's Shoes Revealed

This month Keri Lassalle welcomes Yogi Times BUSINESS man in the field, Chris Roy, as he reveals what shoes “got to do, got to do with it”. With Chris, you’ll meet Blake Mycoskie, founder of Tom’s Shoes, a young and compassionate entrepreneur who turned his utopian idea into a thriving, successful business that gives back. (Produced by Yogi Times Television with WSR Creative) read more...

Yogi Times Magazine - October 2007 Hits the Streets

Happy Autumn!
Your neighborhood spa is now a place where you can go to get centered, purify your body and restore your spirit. Check out the latest issue for some of California’s top spas and the latest and greatest treatments that will have your skin shining and your spirit singing.

Click on the image above and get access to a few of the stories in this months magazine. (Then run out and grab one to read cover to cover!) read more...

Natural & Non-toxic Drain Cleaner

Have a slow draining sink or shower? Wondering what to do besides dumping toxic drain cleaner into the drain and then into the environment? Well, here are some alternatives. Check them out...

Baking Soda Drain Cleaner
If water hasn't yet backed up in your drain, pour 1 cup of baking soda followed by 3 cups of boiling water. The boiling water will change the chemical composition of baking soda, making it more alkaline. Repeat a few times until the drain is clear.

Washing Soda Drain Cleaner
If the water isn't going down the drain, pour a cup of washing soda over the drain area and let it set for a while to work its way down to the clog. Once the clog is loosened, use the baking soda method, above. Washing soda is more alkaline than baking soda, with a pH of 11. You never want to use washing soda if a commercial acid drain cleaner has recently been used in the drain, as they will strongly react with each other. You also shouldn't overuse washing soda if you have PVC pipes, as the caustic nature of washing soda can slowly damage the plastic.

The Bubbling Method Using Vinegar and Baking Soda
Baking soda and vinegar react with each other to cause bubbles and fizzing. Sometimes the fizzing can unlodge clogs. Follow the baking soda and boiling water formula, above, with 1 cup of vinegar.

Enzyme Drain and Garbage Disposal Maintenance
All natural living enzyme culture drain cleaners will actually eat and break down any organic matter. Using enzyme drain cleaners once a month, such as Bi-O-Kleen's Bacout, will help not just your drains, but your septic system. They will also significantly reduce odor from garbage disposals. Colonies of enzymes will actually continue to grow and break down organic matter in your drains .

Washing Soda Maintenance
Enzymes don't work as well on hair clogs, so to keep drains clear that tend to collect hair, such as in the shower and bath, a few times a month pour 1 cup of washing soda followed by a thorough flushing of water. read more...

What am I supposed to eat??

photo courtesy of PETA

Vegetarianism, veganism, macrobiotics, eating for your blood type, raw food, Ayurveda, ai yi yi! I don’t know what to eat anymore.

I have been a vegetarian the past three years, who eats fish occasionally, so that technically makes me a pescatarian. However, after a recent bout with the flu, I have become extra aware of what I put into my body. After perusing Eating Right For Your Type, I discovered that Type O, which is my blood type, thrives on a diet high in animal protein, namely beef and lamb. Yikes!

I am not sure how to stomach this information, since being a yogi and an environmentalist lends itself to more of a vegetarian diet. Is there really such a thing as a conscious carnivore?

What am I supposed to eat?? read more...

Speaking of Yoga in Pop Culture....

Did you see what McDonald's is up to? Check out this link to see how they are using yoga & fitness to sell their food...

http://mcdonalds3.promotions.com/yourselffitness/page.do?page=splash.html

What are your thoughts? blatant commercialization? or is it really cool that yoga is reaching a demographic it may not have reached otherwise? read more...

Doing Yoga while on Your Cell Phone

Why not? You drive while on your cell phone. Eat meals in restaurants on your cell. Walk on on the treadmill with your cell. Why shouldn't you have your phone with you while doing yoga.

Well, Nokia just gave you a great excuse to do yoga with your phone. Yep, that is right!

Nokia offers an application for their N72 phone that is quite cool! You can get yoga postures and yoga tips through your Nokia phone.

You can download the program from the Nokia N72 website. Here is how they describe it:

Yoga for Beginners
Yoga for Beginners is an application for people who are interested in yoga. It is divided into two main parts: "Yoga Postures" and "Yoga Tips". "Yoga Postures" describe ten fundamental yoga postures and their benefits. "Yoga Tips" provide useful tips regarding yoga practices.


So, next time you are in class and someone shoots you a look for having your cell phone with you, just tell them it's to check on yoga postures and get yoga tips!


Where is the strangest place you have seen yoga breaking into pop culture?

Click on "Comment" below and tell us. read more...

Yoga in Forbes Magazine?

The Global Mala Project makes it way into Fobes Magazine. Here is the headline: "Celebs Use Yoga to Support UN Peace Day"

The purpose of the Global Mala is to unite the global yoga community from every continent, school or approach to form a "mala around the earth" through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108 on Sept. 21st and 22nd, Fall Equinox as the yoga world's offering to further the UN International Peace Day.

Here is an invitation to join the event here in Los Angeles:




Click on Comment below and let us know if we will see you there? read more...

What is on the mind of Molly Roemer, YT's Lifestyle Editor

I asked Molly, as the Lifestyle Editor, what is going on during the last week of the month...the week before you and I get to be inspired by another issue of Yogi Times.

I expected to hear her talk about the pressures and flurry of activity to get the magazine onto the news stands.

I was surprised when she told me she is actually almost done planning the October issue (and already working on the rest of the issues for 2007)!

"There is never a dull moment here."

FYI: Check out Molly's classes at Liberation Yoga. read more...

A Sneak Peek at the September Issue of Yogi Times!

Psst!

Don't tell anyone but next month's issue has already been added to the website. You can get a sneak peek at it right now by clicking on the cover above.

This is the third annual Eco-Fashion Issue!
It is packed with inspiration. Check it out before it hits the streets...

Enjoy!
Anonymous Yogi Times Staff Member read more...

The Inappropriate Yoga Guy!

I ran across this video. I laughed. I was slightly put off. Then I found out that it has had 1.8 million views on YouTube. Wow. That is a lot of views!

Click on the link below to watch it and then add your thoughts below:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VFsEgwpLRTc

I wondered what this says about yoga? What does it says about pop culture's view of the yoga community? What does it all mean?

I guess in many ways it means what ever we want it to mean. But I was wondering what do you make it mean? What does it say to you?

by Doug - The Happy Healthy Wealthy guy read more...

Jai Uttal Kirtan Camp 2007 in Marin County

Namaste!

Twice a year, kirtan legend and Grammy-nominated musician Jai Uttal holds a ten day training to learn the art and practice of kirtan, the ancient devotional practice of singing praises to God. Every training culminates in an 8-hour kirtan lead by all the attendees. This summer's chantfest was a blast...the brilliant drummer Daniel Paul shining as Jai's musical half, Jai & Nubia's son Ezra running around, and yoga teachers Clayton Horton Kari Marble and Mike Hannum sharing the bliss. Lots of love was had by all....and I got to lead the response to "Kali Bolo"with Clark Samson, the Bay Area's unofficial chant ambassador. Thank God Daniel was there to cover for me with his great voice! :)

read more...

Cycle of life

Every time we practice asana we symbolically express a cycle of life, from sun salutes (birth) and savasana (death). We love this video that depicts the cycle in an artsy way...hopefully if we keep practicing yoga and eating healthy we will avoid the end of life shoulder slouch...



What are your thoughts on the cycle of life? read more...

The Yoga of Driving

Although Los Angeles is a Mecca for yoga, what we’re learning on the mat has not translated so well back into the driver’s seat. With about 10 million people in LA County, driving in this city is like no other, and consequently can evoke stress. I have accepted a few driving absolutes, such as the 405 is ALWAYS a parking lot, going east on the 10 is a nightmare starting around 3pm and the Whole Foods at Santa Monica Blvd. & Fairfax is a cluster at all times. My sister, a fellow Angelino, summed it up poetically by saying, “We’re in a rush to go nowhere. We’re trying to breathe each other’s air.” I have found that our cars and how we choose to maneuver them are metal manifestations of our state of mind. Having machines encapsulate our emotions exacerbates the ego’s desire for isolation, and gives drivers not only an outlet for their pent up anger, but also a disguise (especially those with tinted windows); therefore we do not feel accountable for our road rage, impatience and poor driving habits.

Since living here for the past 3 years I have observed several accidents, been cut off and tailgated countless times, heard no end to angry horns directed at me, had drivers not allow me to get over (after signaling, smiling, waving) and had to miss an exit or turn. I actually witnessed someone spit on another driver that “did them wrong” and just yesterday I saw a woman get out of her SUV and scream at the car behind her. One time I stopped at a red light, waiting to turn right on to Sunset Blvd. The sun was setting, which means rush hour coupled with limited visibility. The guy behind me began to impatiently flair his nostrils. Apparently, I was being too careful for his taste, so he yelled profanities out of his window and went around me, bringing me to tears.

The road from one finger to two is less traveled. We need to start being nicer to each other and remember that there is a human being in each car. Practicing the yoga of driving is a new endeavor for me. The confluence of a few events over the past year and a half made me aspire to become a more yogic driver. First, my boyfriend got into an awful accident (which was not his fault) where he hit a telephone pole and then ping-ponged into a baby stroller. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Second, I had to take my written California driver’s test. I’m a Michigan native and the driving is a lot different back home. Preparing for this test refreshed my skills and made me more aware of the rules of the road. Lastly, I bought a 2007 Toyota Prius. Prior to that I had never owned a car, let alone a new or luxurious one.

With the amount of driving that I do each day, I think that it is a healthy choice to try to practice reacting less, and stop internalizing other people’s hostility or taking their driving decisions personal. I have started to slow down and be more of a cautious, defensive driver. However, since doing so, I find I am in the minority and now irritate people more than ever. Should I go with the fast-paced flow of the city and be more aggressive and angry like everyone else? Or should I be the driver that I wish to see in Los Angeles? read more...

How you do anything is how you do everything!

I recently read this phrase, "How you do anything is how you do everything!" It stopped me in my tracks! I immediately got that queasy "I better sit up and pay attention" feeling in my gut.

How I brush my teeth is how I run my business. How I practice yoga is how I raise my kids. How I treat my body is how I treat my finances. How I organize my closet is how I organize my life.

How I do anything is how I do everything.

The transformation of life is available in the smallest moments of our life. Being present and mindful is the gateway to witness and transform.

How is your yoga practice reflecting back to you how you live your life? How are the microscopic moments of your day revealing your life to you? Are you noticing peace and joy in all that is around you? Does gratitude fill your heart upon awakening each morning? What are you choosing?

Click on "Comment" below and tell us!

by Doug - The Happy Healthy Wealthy guy


Photo by: Jonathan Pozniak read more...

Live in an apartment? Now Los Angeles will even pick up YOUR recycling!

Brought you by Sri Kesava:

The Sanitation Department of Public Works is offering a new recycling service for multifamily residential buildings. All single family residences have the black, blue and green bins, but many apartments do not and all the trash ends up in landfill. Even YOU as the tenant can put the city and your apartment management together and have a recycling program implemented in your building.

AT NO COST TO YOU, MANAGEMENT OR PROPERTY OWNERS

Click here to learn more: http://www.larecycles.org/tenant.htm

Tenants need the consent of the property owner or property manager in order to register to participate in the multifamily recycling program. To assist tenants, City staff would be happy to contact the property owner or manager on behalf of the tenants. All tenants need to do is call 1-800-773-CITY (2489) or send an email to multifamily@lacity.org. City staff will need the following information from the tenant in order to contact the property manager or property owner on the tenant's behalf:

Please include the following:

Address of residence and zip code
Type of multifamily residence (apartment, condo, etc) and number of units
Tenant name and phone number
Owner/Property Manager name and phone number






Any other tips you have regarding recycling? Click on "Comment" and please share!
read more...

Change the Way You Change

Eat more organic fresh fruits and veggies. Start each day with meditation and yoga. Drink more water. Think positive thoughts. Organize my desk. Add to my savings each month.

On the conscious path, we can always see the next change coming over the horizon in front of us. Once one area of our life shifts, another area rises up to be transformed. It is as predictable as the sunrise each day.

Living consciously encourages us to master the change process.

One component of mastering change is understanding how the environment around us effects our ability to successfully create and sustain a change. The phrase "you are product of your environment" holds true.

Lets consider why this is the case. The environment impacts our thinking. Then thoughts lead to feelings. And in the end feelings lead to action.

I am going to think different thoughts in a yoga studio than in my office. Which will lead me to feel and act in alignment with those thoughts.

Look around your life. How are your environments supporting your continuous conscious awakening as a yogi? Click on "Comment" below and anchor your awareness by sharing what you see.


Photo by: Jonathan Pozniak read more...

Check out what is making us laugh at Yogi Times Today!

I think we might become attached to Puppetji! read more...

Parents: Setting a Limits is a Gift!

In my experience, nearly every time I set a limit with Jack (4 years old), or Owen (2 years old), they get upset and express it. I have been seeing the limit as the cause of the upset! I have been thinking that what I am doing is in some way responsible for the emotions that start flying after the limit is set and enforced. I am dead wrong. What I have come to realize through reading and understanding how the human brain works is that the limit is not the cause at all. I'm so relieved!

Children who have unexpressed emotion(s) or are feeling disconnected in some way, end up with "broken thinking." They then start doing things that we like to call "acting out." Usually the result is a limit needing to be set to stop the inappropriate behavior.

So, here is the twist. "Broken thinking" and "acting out" are really a sign. The child is desperately looking for a place to express the feelings that are trapped inside them. And in many ways, the child ends up looking to us (parents) to create a safe space to express those feelings through the setting of a limit. Once the limit is set and enforced, then all those emotions come pouring out. The emotions probably don't even have much to do with the limit. They are more likely pent up emotions from something / somewhere else.

Once the emotions are expressed the child is then able to reconnect and think clearly. Wow! You mean that the limits I set are actually a gift? They give Jack and Owen an outlet for emotions that once released allow them to reconnect?

Have you ever resisted setting a limit knowing that emotions would start to come out once you did? Click on "Comment" below and share your thoughts & strategies. read more...

Golden Gate Bridge Benefit for Green Yoga

On Sunday, July 2 (I know, old news...but I've been out of town), Lululemon Athletica joined together with YOGAStudio in a benefit at the Golden Gate Bridge for the Green Yoga Association. It was a gorgeous day...made even more beautiful by all the smiles and wide open hearts of everyone present (at least a hundred of us!).

We walked out onto the bridge and chanted OM into the wind and sent prayers for the healing of the Earth, then we walked down to Chrissy Field and munched on yummy snacks. Peter Guinosso led us in a perfect yoga session under a big blue sky...complete with a live drumming soundtrack (back-up vocals provided by the football players in the field next door).

I felt so connected that day...to myself, my human family, the Earth and all its beings...it gave me hope and much inspiration. I realized that I felt stronger when I was with my community than I do when I'm by myself (duh)...how can we continue to bring more community to our yoga sangha? How do you stay connected? What gets you out of the house when Ben & Jerry's and the DVD player is beckoning?

photo courtesy of Gabriel Barkin read more...

Education Versus Energy

In the latest edition of Yogi Times Business, Jonathan Fields tackles the controversial topic of Valuing Teachers’ Education Versus Energy. At the risk of over-generalizing, a seasoned teacher has most likely studied yoga in India or with master teachers, practiced and taught for a long time and fully embodies the yogic lifestyle; whereas a newer teacher may have less expertise but provides a freshness and enthusiasm for the practice of yoga, infusing it with personality and physical agility. I fall into the latter category. Although I know that I have a lot to offer my students, if I compare myself to senior teachers, then I feel pangs of inadequacy. However, Fields provocatively examines who is bringing in more students and what type of teacher is worth more in terms of compensation and reputation from a studio owner’s standpoint. What do you value more, a teacher’s education or energy?
Photo by Jonathan Pozniak
read more...

We launched YT TV - first episode "Alter Ego"

Yogi Times has taken another step in its mission to provide the community with uplifting, informative coverage of modern healthy lifestyle with YT•TV, our new web TV offering. With YT•TV, visitors to yogitimes.com will be able to see behind the scenes footage of YT photo shoots, events, special exclusive interviews and interesting tidbits from our vibrant community.



Take a look behind the scenes of our special July/August fashion shoot titled, Alter Ego. You’ll see exclusive interviews with some of your favorite teachers. Also go inside Cisco Home where the Fashion Group International of Los Angeles (FGI-LA) presented a panel of green authorities offering their experience on incorporating sustainable business practices into their companies, inspiring others to do the same.

Click on "comment" below and tell us about your alter ego or what you thought of our first show! What other episodes would you like to see? read more...

what a wonderful world!

Launching a blog is not small business! Would you believe that there was an entire team who worked behind the scenes to take it from Friday afternoon small talk in the office to an actual fully organized, lively, colorful, technologically efficient BLOG! Well, at least so far so good. We are up to something really engaging, and inspiring with this Blog. You will soon be on the pulse of everything Yogi Times team is experiencing as a media source in this vibrant community. We will post our thoughts, visions, insights and questions...and we want to hear from you. Speak your mind! From your thoughts and engagements we will pull stories, news, and features that pave the pages of your magazine. Be part of it.... and yes, what a wonderful world we live in! Let's BLOG it! read more...

LOVE YOUR SMILE. MORE ON MSJ

One Day I just got it that the real goal of asana, meditation, visualization, chanting prayer or any other spiritual practice is My Sustained Joy, paramananda. Same with honesty, kindness, being of service or any other spiritual principle.

Speaking of honesty, Whatever I ever do for anyone else is really an attempt at sustained joy for myself. At some level. I believe that making you happy will make me happy. Acknowledging this basic truth is the beginning of honesty and the end of the victim/martyr myth.

But, you knew that. read more...

Allergy Symptoms Relief

Ah-choo! Itchy eyes, running nose, that nagging cough that won’t go away—sounds like it’s allergy time again.

One of my favorite natural treatments for allergies is a nutritional supplement called OPCs.

Try:

OPC Synergy- 1 to 2 capsules on an empty stomach per day, OR

Isotonix OPC-3 - 1 to 2 capfuls per day on an empty stomach

What are your favorite natural/yoga therapies for allergy symptoms?

~ Dr. Gina

read more...

Someone asked what is OPC???

Great question! OPCs are powerful antioxidants several times more potent than vitamins C and E.

They're found mainly in the parts of foods that you remove before eating (e.g. grape seeds, peanut skins or lemon peels).

OPCs combat allergic reactions by blocking histamine without all those annoying prescription-drug related side effects.

~Dr. Gina read more...

That 'new paint' smell

The real estate boom over the last several years has turned nearly everyone in to some type of property investor. When I’m out in the field looking at properties one thing I notice is how responsive people are to the ‘new’ home smell or the ‘freshly renovated’ home smell, most notably caused by fresh paint.

What’s funny is that, that smell that we sort of love in a weird way, is actually a bad thing. That smell may be the smell of someone else’s DNA being painted over, giving us some sense of purification, but that smell is also the smell of our lungs being slowly poisoned.

The EPA says that indoor air quality is one of the top 5 leading healthy risks in the USA. Several of the leading causes for this poor indoor air quality are the paints, varnishes and solvents we use containing VOC’s. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds and are key components in the composition of oil based and traditional latex based paints.

Exposure to VOC's in paint can trigger asthma attacks, eye irritation and respiratory problems, nausea and dizziness among other symptoms. Prolonged exposure has been linked to kidney and liver disease and even cancer. Oiveh!

Alternative paints have been coming on the market over the past few years and now present a well rounded, economical choice over VOC intensive paints. Check out this link for a comprehensive list of non-toxic paints and finishes. This site rocks!

EarthEasy

read more...

MSJ, THE BOTTOM LINE

I start my Yoga classes by explaining that the goal of living (and Yoga) is paramananda or, MY SUSTAINED JOY (mine, because each person has to find it for themselves) . The fundamental human desire is really for as much joy as possible for as long as possible. Bliss, Nirvana, Samadhi, Peace, Stillness, Oneness, are all names for the same goal, MSJ, the extra- ordinary feeling that makes us glad we’re alive. Knowing that My Sustained Joy is ALWAYS the underlying goal provides a foolproof guide for making decisions and a standard for measuring actions and events. Any thoughts?

Robert, the Yoga and Spirituality Guy read more...

The New Religion?

Being a yoga teacher and practitioner in Los Angeles, I come across many yogis and yoginis who are quite devoted and committed to yoga, myself included. Although some assert that yoga is not a religion, it seems as though the austerity of the daily practice, dietary restrictions, mindfulness, environmental consciousness and ahmsia on all levels, is the equivalent to a religious practice and requires more effort than attending a weekly service. Is yoga the new religion? read more...

Home & Sustainability Mindset

Before launching into different topics, I want to talk about attitudes toward sustainability and how some may negatively impact otherwise noble efforts.

Sometimes we hear that we must ‘fight to save the planet,’ but I can’t help but wonder if that attitude itself is counterproductive.

The world I want to live in is one of abundance, where we as a community and government choose clean, sustainable energy and healthy products because they are ultimately superior in form and function. Our thoughts are as real as the rain forests we wish to protect, so why not keep our thoughts as positive as our actions?

My aim with the Home and Sustainability blog is to share products and methodologies that increase our joy as well as help maintain a happy and healthy mother Earth. - Sri -

read more...

Living In Alignment...

Namaskar San Francisco!

I am so inspired by the commitment to consciousness of our community...it seems that everywhere I turn, people are coming together to do their best to love and serve others.

This lifestyle of service (seva) and love (ahimsa) has the potential to significantly shift the not-looking-so-good future of humanity. Living your life in alignment with your core values is a key concept of Green Yoga and a critical action step toward global healing.

What shadow side of the yoga community needs to be illuminated and healed? What is it that you believe needs to be addressed in order to bring more harmony between studio owners, teachers, and students? How can we bridge the gaps in understanding so that we can create more union (yoga of community) and reclaim our collective sacred power—an energy that uplifts and serves instead of depresses and dominates?

om shanti om




read more...

Come Together

The practice of yoga has been integrated into physical education and after school programs, break periods and even across the curriculum in science, mathematics, and social studies lessons in countless public (and private) schools across the country. Along the way, despite the improved physical and emotional wellbeing of the practice and, its popularity and mainstream acceptance, many parents, educators, and religious leaders have objected to yoga education in schools. (The state of Alabama has banned yoga instruction during and after school.)

Opponents have defined the practice as:

• a Hindu philosophy and method of religious training
• a kind of Hindu cult-like thing
• a New Age religion
  

So where do such ideas come from? It is thought that yoga and Hinduism originated in India. (It is also thought that yoga predates Hinduism.) The first yoga practitioners happened to be Indians, who happened to be Hindu. Naturally, the first yoga teachers, again, Hindu, translated the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, yoga's source text, from their perspective: The goal of yoga, became union with god. Surprising, since the ancient Hindu text, the Brahma Sutra, rejects yoga.

What does Patanjali actually say? The goal of yoga is yoga -- to unite ourselves with our highest nature, whatever that means/is to us.

I explain to my young students that yoga is Sanskrit for "union" and ask what that means to them. Their answers: "working together," come together," "bring together," "teamwork," "helping each other," and "cooperating." ... Simple and profound.

Do you think yoga instruction is appropriate in our schools? read more...

Inversion Aversion

In January, while I was in New York City visiting my sister, I took a yoga class. Near the end of class, the teacher asked us to do headstand. I folded my mat into fourths and set it against the wall. Then I knelt down, put my forearms on the ground and clasped my hands. When I put the crown of my head on the ground, fear started rising inside of me. I took a deep breath and then let out a long exhale. My anxiety over doing inversions is long-standing. I am not one of those people who did headstands or handstands as a child. I did not like the feeling of blood rushing into my head.

After my initial anxiety spasm in the New York yoga class, I was able to get into headstand. It is unlikely that headstand will ever be an easy pose for me, but I have come to value the experience. Since I started practicing salamba sirasana, I have realized that uncomfortable situations are inevitable. When they do occur, feelings of fear and aversion will arise. I don’t know if they will ever go away, but if I can find a way to experience more than just those feelings; I have the chance to learn more about my practice and myself.

What aversions has your yoga practice revealed to you and what have you learned about yourself? Click on "Comments" and share...

By Ann Bui, Yogi Times, June 2007 read more...

YT Blog Team

Robert Birnberg
One of several seasoned teachers recently approved by TKV Desikachar to train Yoga teachers, Robert conducts 500-hour Teacher Certification programs in Southern California.

He mentors teachers, teaches private, therapeutic Yoga, and conducts workshops on all aspects of Yoga, including the Yoga Sutras, Yoga and Relationships, and Yoga for Addiction.

Robert studies in India with Kausthub Desikachar, teaches at Loyola Marymount Yoga Therapist Program, and is a popular contributor to Yogi Times.

For more info on any aspect of Robert's life and teachings, go to longexhale.com



Darlene D'Arezzo
Darlene D’Arezzo, voted "Best Kids' Yoga Teacher" (LA Weekly), is a frequently sought after subject expert, educator, and writer, as well as a pioneer in the field of yoga for children with special needs. Darlene has been featured in several publications, television programs, and online.

Through Kids’ Yoga Circle, she conducts kids’ classes and workshops, family retreats, and teacher trainings worldwide. Kids' Yoga Circle’s Reach Out Program has been implemented in schools, youth centers, and children’s hospitals.

For additional information, please visit KidsYogaCircle.com



Liz Hage
Liz’s dance of yin and yang has flowered into the role of Marketing Manager at Yogi Times. With a degree in Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara, Liz has a soft spot in her heart for the earth and holds a “small” goal in life to save the planet. Yogi Times is one of her vehicles for this goal. She loves being a part of the YT team and spreading the word on the yogic lifestyle through her marketing outreach.





Sri Keshava
Sri Keshava is a CA licensed Real Estate agent with an emphasis on 'green' homes, finding her homebuyer and investor clients either 'turnkey' properties or fixers/raw land helping them from start to finish. She is also the featured 'green home' writer for the monthly Yogi Times Magazine, featuring the green homes of many noted enviro-sensitive architects. Read past articles at YogiTimes.com

For additional information, please visit greenhomesforsaleonline.com





Lisa Maria

San Francisco Editor of Yogi Times, Lisa Maria’s articles have appeared in Common Ground, Yoga Magazine UK, Whole Life Times and others. Her children’s biography of Oprah Winfrey will be released in 2008.

Lisa Maria has worked in the field of holistic wellness for twenty years. Her journalism background includes co-founding, co-producing and co-hosting two weekly talk radio programs, which featured numerous cultural visionaries including Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and Wayne Dyer.

Lisa teaches yoga in Marin County and is a yoga ambassador for Lululemon. lisa-maria.com



Doug Miller

For over 10 years, Doug Miller has been a trainer and consultant to successful companies including Keller Williams, Washington Mutual, Prudential, Catholic Healthcare West and Coldwell Banker. He has spoken in front of over 10,000 professionals.

Today Doug is a highly sought-after coach. He facilitates the Happy Healthy Wealthy Game and leads workshops and seminars for numerous individuals and corporations all across America.

For additional information, please visit coachdoug.com



Dr. Gina L. Nick
Dr. Gina L. Nick, NMD, PhD is Medical Director of Serenity Wellness Center where she maintains an exclusive private practice in Orange County, CA, President of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association and a recognized leader in the field of Integrative Medicine. She is a graduate of UCLA; where she received College and Latin Honors and a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences where she was awarded her Medical Degree at the age of 23.

For additional information, please visit yogihealth.com



Jonathan Pozniak
Jonathan knows a thing or two about shooting healthy bodies. Aside from his portrait and fashion subjects, Jonathan has spent the past 6 years photographing the organic elite, from bodybuilders to yoga and pilates enthusiasts. A devoted yogi himself, he has shot yoga and fitness editorials for Real Simple, Body+Soul, and advertising jobs for Be Present and Prana. It's his daily vinyasa practice that keeps him grounded, inspired, and creative.

For additional information, please visit www.jonathanpozniak.com



Molly Roemer
Molly received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Dance. She moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to complete a teacher training at Sacred Movement, and is now actively involved in the yoga community, teaching at Golden Bridge and Liberation Yoga. When Yogi Times was looking for a style-savvy individual who stays on top of new trends, products and establishments, with an interest with health, spirituality and the environment, the description could not have been a more apropos fit. read more...

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