Follow who? and why is that? The yoga of twitter

I had no idea you could do 17 things with Twitter to "use it effectively".  I am relatively new at singing my own tune, (120 followers/following 60 or so, so far), but I have come to enjoy the experience, especially when someone I listen to directs me to something that provides value.

So, a few months back I did a search on Google to see what are the recommendations out there on the best yogis to be followed and came up with with  articles from the usual suspects, (Hufftington, Elephant , Dork) and it was rewarding to see that someone had ventured into this direction already.

As per their recommendations? I was a bit disoriented when I noticed that the recommendations were in list form, without reasons as of why they would be "the best", but nevertheless I followed them for a few days and  found that some have very interesting web pages, and I have began to read their blogs and continue to do so, however, their "tweets" per say were not so rewarding. For example the suggestion to follow a big yoga company (that sells yoga props,dvds etc) showered me with links of products they are selling, with little value added.  

What would make up a good yoga Twitter then? for me it would be someone that:

• Tweets often in an engaging manner
• Spends time on the web and finds interesting, value adding yoga topics and shares
• Publishes his or her own stuff and twits "sometimes" about it, for example when something is very interesting and, yes, "adds value"
• Keeps personal messages with others to a minimum and only if relevant (or engages in those privately)
• Posts inspiring tweets
• Sometimes lets the guard down and we get to see the person behind the tweets.

The biggest finding for me is that good people to follow are not easy to find.

My list of recommendations is so far not that long, but I suppose it will grow in time and I will be updating it, do send me or comment with your own suggestions please.

Deepak Chopra 

Deepak is at the cutting edge of that magical spot where the worlds of the ordinary and extraordinary meet he.  He is a scientist (trained doctor) a mystic and a yogi, and posts by him have left me wondering as in  "Be careful what you say, the magic of words enfolds intention". or this video of him talking to a camera at arms length in Barcelona and bringing into focus what exactly is reality, leave me wondering, considering, thinking.  

Dali Lama Quotes
This twitterer provides very inspiring quotes, for example: Others gaining happiness is more important than yourself alone, or "IT is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

Tara Stiles
Tara is a yoga teacher that acquired famed recently due to her good cool looks, her low charging studio and her intention to bring yoga to everyone.  I find some of her quotes lead me back to the mat as in for example this morning:  "Practicing yoga dissolves the layers of stuff that holds us back. The more you practice the more stuff dissolves".  She also offers specials for people in the NY area which do add value because they are reasonably priced and offer yoga.

Govinda Kai I started following certified ashtanga yoga teacher Govinda when I saw his tweet from Alice in the Wonderland: "Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast".  Govinda is very much on the inspirational side of yoga.

Myself, ClaudiaYoga.  Well, I had to tell you ;-).  I usually do my "blogwatch" through twitter, and since I read so many yoga blogs I tend to publicize all the posts that really touch me, you may find yourself there, or if you haven't then maybe you will at some point, what I look for is "value".  I also talk about posts that I myself publish whenever I believe they will help people.

So, who do you follow?  can you help the list grow?

Picture comes from here

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21 Things I wish someone told me before I started practicing Ashtanga yoga

I was completely intrigued by Ashtanga at first sight, starting with its brutal schedule, its lack of poetry (no “feel the earth’s energy flow through you” ever heard in a class) and mythological superstition, as in:  no new poses to be taught on Tuesdays because it is ruled by Mars which is the God of war.

Finally!,  I thought to myself, a very specific approach which, in spite of having a lot in common with all other styles, has one single element that makes it stand out: it is done as a self-practice where each student arrives in their own time and does his or her practice while the teacher comes around to adjust individually. Known as the Mysore style (due to its birth-place in India), I ventured into it with an open heart one April fool’s day.  Looking back there are a few things I wish someone had whispered in my ear as I embarked on such a colossal journey, these are 21 of the most notorious:

1. – It is a breathing practice

Breathing is the most important and relevant thing within the practice.  As one embarks on the primary series (there are six that grow in difficulty) the first curious thing is that there is no pause, one keeps breathing and flowing from one asana to the next and the body is constantly moving while riding the breath.  It is not uncommon to go out of breath in the beginning or to turn into a “respirator” by loudly forcing it.  I have myself been in both extremes and either breathed loudly trying to catch up with the movement or not breathed at all in days where I wanted to be numb and avoid it all. It is a practice for that reason; we aim towards the middle balance.  The Ujjayi breath (the Dark Vader sounding breath) of the Mysore practice is as important as it is difficult to understand.  The amount of push and sound need be only as much as is required to generate heat, focus, and reach the edge of each asana, then transcend it.

2.- Hot and hard

Mysore classes can get really hot, especially when the rooms are crowded, it is summer, or you are in a tropical place. Sweat is profuse when the practice starts to get deep and the purification process of the first series starts.  It is also hard, the poses are not easy and there is nothing poetic about it, it is what it is, and one deals with it.  Perspiration goes hand in hand with daily practice and it is best to make peace with it, and do some research on good deodorants.

3.-Weight release happens

Coming into the practice I noticed how most advanced practitioners had beautiful and balanced bodies, and I wanted that.  I learned eventually that the practice might not turn me into a model much to my dismay, but that instead it would return my body to its original blue-print, which it did because of the intensity of the asana and as soon as a momentum was reached.  For example: I learned very quickly that to do the deep twists in the middle of the first series (Marichasanas) I needed an empty stomach, a very empty one, and so having the last meal before 7 PM became an easy routine. Through the health momentum of yoga I actually released 30 pounds myself.

4.-“Ladies holidays”, and: do I shower before practice? After?  Or both?

Ladies holidays are a topic in itself; I have seen women who never take rest and women who take 2 or even 3 days off.  In the end it is a very personal choice.  In India the suggestion is to take three full days of rest but I have found that practitioners in the west seem to have a very different opinion.  Most women pay no attention to these special days and practice anyway; they make some adjustments (like no inversions) but do not stop.   In my own case I learned that it is best to take rest and I do, I also welcome it.

As per the showering, the tacit agreement is that everyone showers both before and after. I used to think that if I was going to “exercise and sweat” then what was the point of pre-showering anyway?  That is, until I happened to practice next to a fellow practitioner that smelled, that changed everything.  Now I shower before and after, even if I practice alone.  Also, showering pre-practice prepares the body and can at times help loosen it.

5.-Should you forget a pose in the sequence…

About 5 months into my own practice one day I skipped a pose, did not notice, forgot, and kept going.  The teacher came over and had me go back and repeat from where I had skipped about 7 poses earlier. Ouch.  I learned the lesson. On the other hand I also started to become “shala smart” and  hide my mistakes if they ever happened again, which they did, and to pay more and more attention every day, until the practice became a bit automatic, which is in itself another danger.  Not all teachers make people go back and repeat, but I feel it was a very good learning experience for me.

6.-Pose advancement anxiety

I did not anticipate when I started that I would crave and have internal battles over wanting more poses, reaching second series, advancing, moving.  My explosive intent to keep growing, show off, be better is one that my Westerner mind has very ingrained.  Then I noticed that the desire would go in cycles, sometimes I would want more sometimes I would not want anything.  I would not say I am completely surrendered to the process by now, but at least I am laughing at it a bit more.

7.-The addiction

The practice is addictive, or, perhaps a better expression is “habit forming”, once you start practicing you will crave it and will practice everywhere you go, in your brother’s terrace, an airborne plane (in the kitchen area until the kick you out), behind the airport counter or just all out in full display while waiting for the next plane out of Dubai, yes I did all of those.  It happens as you can see in the down dog picture by the Tower Bridge in London or the headstand in a Buenos Aires park.

8.-It is OK to say no to adjustments

Until trust is established with a teacher it is not only OK but also healthy to keep strong boundaries. In a good way, of course, no need to be rude.  It is important to always respect our bodies and what we know about them.  That being said, it is also good to be careful not to fall too much on the other side of that coin as adjustments are useful, and certain poses -I am pretty sure- are impossible without them, for example Supta Kurmasana, in which the legs attempt to go behind the neck, which takes not just one adjustment but years of them.

9.-Why rest on moon days?

The practice happens 6 times a week and this is a plus as it leaves very little room for laziness or hesitation.  The only days of rest are Saturdays, ladies holidays, and new/full moon days.  Why is that? There are many theories. One of them that makes the most sense to me is that our bodies are mostly water which in turn, just as the oceans are influenced by the ties and cycles of the moon.  A new moon is then compared to the end of a breathing cycle, the end of the exhale, where we normally pause and then breath in, while the full moon would be the equivalent of the top of the inhale when, with filled lungs, we briefly pause to start the cycle all over again. Another one would be to look at the spike in number of emergency room visits during full moon days.

10.-Conversations get technical

Some yogis are very much into the asana part, and you will encounter them, they are fascinating people to talk to because you start to get very precise about what happens and what is needed in a pose. I am grateful to have a few yogis in my life who love discussing every single detail.  You will notice that not only do you learn the Sanskrit words for the poses but you will also learn the names of the muscles you use in each of them (do you know where your psoas is?).  You might also being to talk quite a bit about your anus and the perineum. People listening in will wonder.

11.-Led classes are useful.  Fun? maybe not so much

Because the practice is self-directed the tradition provides one led (or guided) class per week.  Not all studios subscribe to this but more and more are catching on.  The good thing about it is that you get to learn the true count (no movement or breath is ever left to chance in Ashtnaga), and it helps with cleaning up any extra movements you may have “creatively” added, I know I do from time to time.   So they are useful, but for me not so much fun.  Once I got used to practicing on my own it became a little difficult to go back to a teacher led class, but then again, this provides a wonderful frame on which to work on detachment and surrendering, some of those “other” limbs of yoga.

12.-Cult accusations

Yes, you might be the target of accusations of having joined a cult, which is sweet really and partly true, as there are a few practitioners out there who can get very fanatic about it.  It is a challenge to maintain a sense of humor, an attitude of detachment, and to admit that hey!, other practices also work well.

13.-Castor oil baths

Early on a teacher suggested I do a “Saturday practice“.  Saturdays are the days of rest, however, it is also a day to take care of the body, enter: the oil bath!  The bathing is a bit messy as it includes rubbing the whole body and head (scalp included) with castor oil, a very thick and greasy substance, and then laying in corpse pose for a few minutes.  It is a powerful ritual, so much so that after one of them it is necessary to be very mindful on the next practice, because the body feels strong and supple and it is easy to go overboard with the stretching.

14.-Bandhas

I am still not sure I will ever understand the full story behind bandhas.  They are basically internal locks which one engages during asana practice; one is in the area of the perineum (moola bandha), and: “Tighten the anus” is a phrase you need to be prepared to hear.  The other one is in the area of the navel (udhyana bandha). Their main purpose is to prevent energy from leaking out of the body and induce it to flow upwards through the chakras and eventually enlighten us.  All very interesting but a life time of work to understand at a visceral level.  By the way there is a third bandha (in the area of the throat) and an ongoing debate around weather it should be engaged during practice or not, but that is material for another post.

15-Change in social habits and in life

Not everyone enjoys going out at night with a deadline of “I need to be asleep by 9″.  Waking up at 5 on a consistent basis changes things.  There is always the possibility of Mysore practice in the afternoon, but for me it has always been better to practice in the morning, because that way I get the feeling that something was accomplished even before 8 AM.

But perhaps the most fantastic part of Ashtanga yoga is the changes it produces in life, the positive ones. Sri K. Patthabi Jois, the guru of Ashtanga yoga, said: “Do you practice and all is coming“, and he is right, all is coming. It is difficult to put in words how the magic happens, but the chain goes something like this: practicing every day makes me notice my body, which in turn makes me notice what I eat and helps me with elimination, which in turns guides me to eat more healthy and sleep earlier and rest when I notice I need to, which also aids my posture and the way I present myself, which leads to better attention when I am doing chores and better discrimination in the choices I make every day.  More discriminated choices lead to better results and manifestations, which lead to a general better quality of life.  I have witnessed miracles in my life through the practice.

16.-Going to Mysore is highly recommended

Mysore (yes as in “my-sore”) in Southern India is the Mecca of Ashtanga and a place of wonder. It feels like another planet, mostly because it is, yet there is so much to see and learn there. There are countless blogs that talk about the Mysore experience and it is indeed something to live through, even if only once. I myself will be returning soon.

17.-Learning Sanskrit happens

There is no way out, it starts with learning the names of those asanas (poses), with wanting to understand what others are talking about, with asking what is fill-in-the-blank-asana? Followed someone mimicking a pose in the bathroom for a response, it just happens.  The beautiful thing is that it gets deeper when we realize that in the sound of Sanskrit there is more than just noise, there is magic, power. Sanskrit  happens, the sooner the better. Besides, it’s pretty cool.

18.-The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are a part of the deal

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are the other side of the coin.  The front side is the asana, but without the sutras and after a while they begin to feel empty. Patanjali wrote 196 short sentences which need de-coding, throw them into the mix and it all becomes a matrix of wisdom, the Indiana Jones journey of yoga begins.   The sutras clearly identify in a scientific way the 8 limbs of yoga that lead to happiness or liberation (that is what ashtanga means ashto: eight anga: limbs)

19.-Indian Mythology and its powerful symbols

There are fantastic stories in Indian Mythology,  so many that you probably won’t hear them all unless you go all out and get a P.H.D.  One for example is that of Hanuman (who has a pose named after him (the split)), and how he jumped with split legs from the tip of India to the island of Shri Lanka .  Another one is that of Shiva and how he drunk the poison that was threatening the world but did not swallow it, just kept it in his throat, and that is the reason why his neck is blue. Another one is about why Ganesh (the God that removes obstacles) is a man with an elephant head.  The most fascinating thing about these stories is that they can be thought of as metaphors for daily living.

20.-Curiosity for the other limbs (branches) will be awakened

The eight limbs are marks along the territory. The last four have always intrigued me, what is up withpranayama? (breath extension) How exactly does one do pratyahara (sense withdrawal)? What aboutdharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), samadhi (absolute peace and happiness)? There is a deeper reality happening as we speak, a timeless wisdom and intelligence manifesting itself, perhaps attracting us to the depths of yoga as we speak. It is difficult to see this because we are so burdened with daily life and our minds fall into intense chatter, the aim of yoga is to get in touch with the vastness, with what Rumi calls “the beloved”. The upper limbs contain a map towards it.

21.-You’ll go down the rabbit hole

At some point we just do, maybe we visit Mysore or we come across a very good teacher that encourages scripture reading, and we read the Yoga Sutras, or the Gita, or the Upanishads, and all of a sudden we find ourselves in a whole new world where the possibilities opened by yoga go far deeper than we ever dreamed of.  Coincidences start to happen, we begin to be in the right place at the right time, life becomes a thread of wellbeing, and we find ourselves on the path to infinite peace, curious about all limbs, suddenly transformed and in a world of wonder.

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My brother, the Argentinean Gandhi

There is a bit of an un-spoken epidemic in Buenos Aires, Argentina, one of: "everyone is corrupt", "everyone steals".   Almost like a mantra you will hear it on a taxi cab ride, on the subway among passengers, at the supermarket, etc. It gets even worse when you approach the suburbs.

The driver that took my brother and I back from my father's house a while ago was in such a mood, the "Argentinean mood".  At first, and I give it to him, he recounted the story of how a few weeks ago 3 teenagers trespassed and stole in his house, pointing guns at him and his wife, not easy, half of that would probably leave me a wreck, but did not surprise me as a very close relative of mine had himself lived through something like it (gun and all) last year.


This led of course to the conversation of: what should be done?, what can be done? 

I felt the compulsion to give my opinion, don't we all? I have a very clear idea of what would solve the problem, I KNOW.  The truth is I have no idea what would solve the issues of this country. The US it is not, so my brilliant idea of bringing someone like Guliani would be completely off...

The drivers' proposed solution was almost alarming: the military, again. In case you have not heard in the 70 and early 80s we had a military government under which 30,000 people "disappeared" inflation went up 517,000% (yes you read that number right) and we initiated a very silly war against England which we lost, of course.

My brother in a completely friendly and approachable manner says to the driver:

Let me throw a bomb, please don't take it personally. In this cab right now, my sister and I are wearing a seat-belt, you are not.

I was thrown off, so was our driver, then brother continued, in the sweetest yet strong voice you could imagine

I know things are not perfect, but to what extend do we take personal responsibility?  Are you running for mayor of your town? do you know of someone who is and whom you support?,  I mean, we can be angry all the time, I give you that, but then perhaps we can be angry 90% of the time, and once a quarter go to the public library and read a book to a child. I mean, just talking here, opening the dialog...

I was speechless, the solution was in us, of course, I knew that, how come I did not remember? did I go to sleep?  The driver was friendly back, my brother had established that rapport that allows for open conversation.  He asked, "but let me ask you something, how come the politicians are stealing from each other, and they fight, and they all want the money"?


And brother goes:

Do you sometimes get a trip all the way to Buenos Aires and the customer is willing to pay 150 pesos instead of 100 because he is in a hurry and you want it, but a co-worker also wants it?, do you have a bit of a fight with that other driver? do you send him to hell?, well imagine if in place there was 1,000,000? would that cause some problems?

When we arrived at destination I paid him 105 pesos (about 27 dollars), the trip costs 100, but I gave him 105, because, "I come from a country where people tip"...

Driver was happy, made friends with my brother, they had a heart to heart, my brother brought in some truth, he could have left it at "yes everything is bad", and forget about the conversation, he has a lot on his plate right now, but he did not, he went for it, and brought this up.

I was left wondering, could it possibly be that sometimes I don't just go numb in asanas but in life in general? how much discernment does it take to stand up for our values at all times?
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How I lost 30 pounds through yoga and never saw them again

In January of 2008 I set off for a long trip to India to study with the masters, when I returned in late February I was 30 pounds lighter and I have kept that weight off ever since.

A friend who knew me "before" and then "after", recently asked how did this happened. Exploring her question led me to understand that it was not just because of the yoga, or the food, and certainly not because I was mean or deprecating to myself.  Here is what I learned and the new healthy habits I implemented to let it happen.

1-Loving myself
There is no way around it, no matter who tells you that the US has an epidemic of whatever it might, or that you need a diet or blah, blah, blah, it is all nonsense if we do not start at the beginning.  Loving and respecting myself enough to sit down and look at what was important for me in life was the very first step.

I know it may sound silly but I followed Louise Hay's exercise of looking at myself in the mirror and saying "I love you", to my own image.  At first it felt silly, almost like a wrestling match, you know why? because I did not believe it.  But a few weeks into it I did start to believe in it, and it helped, it was the first step in establishing the most important love affair needed, the one with ourselves.

2-Daily Yoga-asana Practice
I find that the release of the weight for me had to do with a "momentum", rather than a "get thin quick" mentality.  By the time I took my trip I had been practicing daily asana for almost one year (6 times a week), and it had taken me about 3 years to build up to such a strong and committed practice.

When it comes to releasing weight  It does not so much matter what kind of yoga one practices, but that one does.  The simple act of getting on the mat every day sends the body the message that one cares.  The body gets to be stretched, paid attention to, re-aligned.  Not only that but yoga makes you very sensitive to what is happening in the body, it is almost as if the practice instructs us as of what needs to be paid attention to.

Also, daily practice has a way of informing the body that, for example, eating after 7 PM will not feel good at the time of the twists the following morning.  Believe it or not the body does take over, and starts sending you signals to not go for that ice cream or anything for that matter, after is dark.

3-Verbal Messages
It is difficult for me to convey how important this point is, I find that people dismiss it quickly, so much so that I began to suspect it is a very well kept secret.  When somebody wants to manifest something positive, then keeping the vocabulary clean (no curse words, no negativity), is key.  It surprises me to no end to see, even in yoga circles, a tremendous denial of the power of the word.  I hear people complain all the time, say bad words, talk about their bodies with negativity.

Even as you read this, I know (from having worked with this concept for a while) that you will either get it, or dismiss it promptly.  If you are still reading you are probably ready to hear it.  If you are, then do not, under any circumstances allow negativity into you, in any form.

This has the effect of cleansing the mind, and preparing it for positive change.  And as with everything in life, your healthy body starts with a thought, with a word. You can think of a diet of words as a foundation, the bad ones are very high in bad fats and calories.

Who was it that said: "In the beginning there was the word" ?


4-Try a simple cleansing
Weight release can also be thought of as "cleansing".  What is necessary is to take a look at what is coming into our bodies, and how fast it is coming out.  If we are not going to the bathroom (both for number one and two) daily, then there is a problem.  There are easy-to-use enema bags that help ensure that the "pipes" are clear.

When I talk to friends about enemas they usually freak out, and so did I when I first heard about the concept in Thailand.  However I was blessed to have a teacher go over all of my fears and answer each one of them.  Will it hurt? no, it does not.  Will it be uncomfortable? a little but you are totally in control and can regulate the intensity.

Some people go all out and do what is called a "colonics".  Movie stars do these frequently because of the glow it produces.  I have not tried one yet, but I do want to.  They are not too expensive and they have an even deeper effect.

5-When you are hungry, drink water first
Most of us get the signal of hunger when in reality we are not sensitive enough to notice that it is thirst speaking.  I have tried this many times, especially at mid morning when I hear the stomach rumble with noise in what seems like starvation.  Drinking one or two full glasses of water may not stop the feeling of wanting to eat, but at least will delay it.  It will also hydrate the body, and help it with the elimination process.

6-Cook

While I was in India I felt a little scared about eating in restaurants because the quality of their water is very dangerous for westerners so, for example, eating salads outside of the house was not an option.  This led me to start cooking, and I prepared lots of stews, and soups with boiled vegetables and olive oil which I served with rice.  I also learned how to make lentil dal, and kisheri, nutritious and easy meals that not only are, but they also feel nutritious, some examples can be found here.  

Also, being around yogis all day long I learned a lot about nutrition, I understood that perhaps our bodies are starving for real nutrition.  I learned for example that taking spirulina suplements is a great way of getting those "greens" , or that Niacin (a type of B vitamine) helps enormously in uplifting moods.

I have since explored the area of food, and found many recipes and books, I can recommend this one as a good start.

7-Take that overdue vacation, make it a real one regardless of how long

Taking time for ourselves seems impossible, but it is not.  When a body is overweighted is out of balance.  When a body is out of balance it needs time for itself, to heal, to have an opportunity to assess what exactly is happening and what can be done to help it. I was lucky to be able to take time off from work and save enough money to go away for an extended period of time, but there have been times since where all I could take was a week, sometimes a day, or sometimes an hour.    As long as the time we give to ourselves is dedicated time it is useful, otherwise we are not nurturing our soul, and an un-nurtured soul produces an unbalance that usually manifests in us reaching for the ice cream.

I have noticed that people who say that there is absolutely no way they can take time for themselves are actually saying that their priorities do not involve taking care of themselves first, but rather other things.

8-Praying and surrendering
Our bodies are determined by our genes and ancestors.  It is important to respect nature.  Yoga and these principles can restore our body to our original blue-print, to what our bodies would be like if completely healthy, but they will not transform us into super models.

The real miracle in weight release happens when we can accept our body as it is, and treat it well,  with respect, providing good nutrition for it, so that it can function at its peak, which also means, mind you, at its ideal weight.

I pray: Dear God, please help me accept my body the way it is, please guide me to treat it well, respect it, honor it.  Help me to nurture my body with foods that heal and make it healthy, most of all, let me surrender to your will. Amen.

9-Attend a 12 step meeting
I know that this is not a very conventional thing to say, but the reality is that our society is addicted in many levels that need rebalance.  There is a cathartic effect that happens when someone confesses to a group of people that he or she ate two pints of icecream, or when someone notices and tells others that "I am powerless over this".  12 step meetings work because they are simple steps that demand enormous courage, of the type that can only be navigated with help from others who also happen to find themselves in a similar setting.

There is a specific program for Overeaters Anonymous which has the biggest amount of telephone meetings ever.  Yes, I have listened to some of them .  I felt very shy about going to one, mostly because I do not look overweight, but the phone gives one the ability to sort of "peak in", without actually going.

The benefit of 12 steps is that they open people up, they reconcile people with their own humanity, through them we find that what we think is "crazy" in us, is just as normal as it is in any other person, we all share a common humanity, we are all one, and I have yet to see a form of therapy that is more effective than people being brutally honest in a group, and under very specific regulations for sharing, with proper boundaries and respect.

Interestingly enough, it was a conversation with Carl Jung that led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, and likewise all related 12 Step Programs, read more here.

10-Be patient
Remember that the way in which a yogi, or a person on the path recovers its original healthy body takes time, but every day things speed up, there is a momentum that is generated by slowly adding more and more healthy habits and releasing the old ones that do not serve us any more.

So what if it takes 6 months or a year? I have seen with my own eyes fellow yogis practice for 5 years and then all of a sudden release an enormous amount of weight.  In the end, the recovery of the original healthy body also happens by grace, we put all the healthy and nurturing elements in place, then surrender to divine intervention.
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7 Meditation secrets I wish someone would have told me when I first sat

So you sit there, and then, what do you do?  What is meditation about? How do I know if I am making progress? Even after years of practicing I sometimes struggle with this, but lately I have been able to shine some light into things I wish someone would have told me, say, when I started.

Instead, in the beginning I found the usual "do it and you will see".   I was so annoyed at this approach that swore I would share realizations along my path.  Of course the fact that I am putting them in words might mean I am not that far into the path, then again who minds.

Here is what I discovered

1.- Meditation is NOT something you do is something that happens to you when the conditions are right.

There! so don't try to do anything  because you will not be able to do anything about it, I know, grrrrr! That is how I feel too, but it is a fact, and there is no way around it.  So all we can do is work at the conditions, set up the stage, that's it.

2.- Dead quiet


That is the first step, you need to keep your body quiet, but not just quiet, we are talking seriously quiet, almost deadly quiet.  So yes you close your eyes and you do not move, not to scratch, not because something hurts, not because anything, we simply do not move.   For example, when I sit I pretend to be a kid playing "do not move", where I try to be so still as if I did not actually exist in the room.

Of course if the circulation has stopped and the pain is unbearable I would stop, and re-arrange things, I don't believe in self torture, but I do believe in "stretching" the amount of time without movement.  A good aim is one hour to begin with.

3.- Habit


We are creatures of habit, so if there is a time in which we sit that will help create the conditions,then we try to stick to that time. It will probably allow for a faster meditation experience.  By habit I also mean clothing, cushion, room, everything.  The more repetitive the whole setting the better.  In my case I tend to always wear my night clothes, sit in the same cushion, in the same spot and as much as possible at the same time in the evening.   It is recommended to try this both in the morning and in the evening.

4.- Nostrils


The focus has to start somewhere, so focusing all our might on the way the air goes in and out of the nostrils, how it feels as it brushes through the inner skin of the nose, how warm or cold it is, and staying with that, is key.  If you try it just once you will find out quickly how hard it is to stay on that,  thoughts will invade and want to take you to a sexual fantasy, or a fight from work, or an overdue task, to current events, possible schemes to save the world, and/or to how the basement must be cleaned, right away.    Letting the thoughts go and coming back to the nostrils is the challenge for a while.

5.- Concentration

Once proper concentration is achieved, meaning once you can actually stay on your nostrils for a good 10 minutes, then we are getting somewhere.  10 minutes is a great aim, and it might take years to get there, even 5 is a good beginning.  Side effects are said to be felt as inner peace (in and away from the cushion), a pleasant tone of voice, the smelling of nice frangances, and more.  Every teacher will tell you not to get attached to signs of progress as they are distractive and can tempt the ego into thinking you are something you are not.

6.- Perseverance

Oh yes it can be disappointment to do this for years and experience no results.  People say is not about results and of course people are right, it is not about results, but then again, we are human aren't we?

So that in itself is the struggle, is is in the perseverance that eventually we come to the realization that there is no result, that in the setting of the stage and in the preparing the conditions we are doing what Krishna asks us to do in the Gita, to do our work and let the fruits be as per God's will, all we need to do is trust. Easy.

7- Allowing Grace in

If the stage is set up as per steps 1-6 for a long time, which as per Patanjali is not exatly a few months but rather a good chunk of years (as in 30 or more I imagine), then we might be candidates as those in the Island of Lost, to be graced by God with the experience of meditation.  As per point one, there is nothing you can do on this one, it just happens, by grace and by your creation of the right conditions. This state, Samadhi, is one of those for which our human languages have no words, how is this possible? the most sublime experience and we have not invented words for it yet?

You might have seen pictures of swamis in Samadhi, they look pretty glorious and happy, may we all attain samadhi in this life and soon :-).  And if not in this life, then there is always the next one...

For more, this podcast on the basics of meditation from the Boston Vedanta Society is a great resource.

What secrets have you discovered about meditation?
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9 ways in which home practice breaks the shala routine and adds fun to life

When I first started practicing I would have never dreamed of practicing alone at home because I craved the direction/attention of a teacher, but after years of practicing primary series and developing an intimate practice, the final test arrived.

I have been practicing 3 times a week in the shala and 3 times at week at home, the reasons why are not important, all that matters is that is happening.

At first I was apprehensive as I thought I would, for example, end up wanting to skip poses or to rush, but none of that has happened and I am beginning to settle in.  What I did not anticipate is the level of freedom, creativity and fun that can burst in throughout self practice, as in:

1- Going as slow or as fast as I want to

Some days I have taken the inhalation to exhalation ratio equalization to an extreme, 10 counts for an inhale, 10 counts for an exhale.  John mentioned (to me specifically) that when the practice is THAT slow then the heat generation suffers.  Being able to experiment with which is the lenght that brings balance has been a fantastic opportunity.  I find now that the 5 breaths at a 4 count inhale to exhale is great at making me sweat, and giving each pose a good amount of time to feel the edge (pain? sensation?) and transcend it.

2- Trying new things
I have been playing with Pasasana and krounchasana and then even my own version of what I can do before I back bend.  In Thailand we had a whole conversation one afternoon about how primary is not focused on back bends enough, and there was even an attempted hypothesis among a few students that nobody was really meant to practice the primary series alone but rather mix series.  True? Who knows? but what I do know is that practicing some back bending whether from the intermediate series or from what I remember from Iyengar classes helps with the opening.

3- Repeating poses
I have never been a fan of this one, but being at home invites it.  I have tried repeating the core poses (buja, kurma, garba, bada) once or twice (not all at once), with the result of going much deeper.  Repeating Kurmasana (turtle-pose) for example is an enterprise, but proves very beneficial.  Since I started practicing solo and with the addition of John's tip on "almost forced exhalation", my back and legs has began to straighten.

4-Using props
Oh the forbidden props!, they can be delicious sometimes. I use mostly the walls on the room, (switch between them) so I also get to walk and release tension.  I use the meditation cushion for pasasana and the bed to dropback at the end.  I do not own a bolster but sometimes I feel like one in savasana. Maybe something to keep in mind for some upcoming holiday.

5- Playing movie star

Although not as many as I thought I would be doing  I enjoy the opportunity to record some poses, it allows the teacher in me to see the asana side of things as they are, and to allow for corrections. So far I have identified a need to not hunch in chaturanga, a necesity to straighten the back in kurmasana, and had plenty to laugh at with my attempts to drop back on the bed. I keep close video watch of my backbending progress too.

6- Breaking into dance
Perhaps this is one of those "too much information", but I have found that sometimes I am so happy after a back bend that I just feel like dancing, and the good thing is that being alone allows me the opportunity to do so.  Actually is not so much a dance as in an innate need my body seems to express in moving in a certain way, which could resemble a dance, but it mostly happens on the floor.

7- Pretending to be in Third series
Hey, why not, once in a while I play around and include hanumanasana into the series. Including poses from other series is one of those big no-nos, but I am doing it carefully and it gives me such satisfaction to be able to do something I never thought I would do, it helps my subconscious by sending an "I can do anything" message, "yes I can".

8-Having the best savasana ever
Savasana has to be the best part of practicing at home.  I can prop myself with blinds down, an eye cover, and a blanket.  I get to regulate the temperature and even the amount of softness under my body (mat or bed?), although I prefer the mat all the time.  Then there is the silence and the sound of the birds and the ocassional train, it makes for a wonderful setting.  The first couple of times I was more awake than ever, I was able to slow my breath to almost an inperceptible level, and to pray in a very connected state of mind.

9 - Meditation and Pranayama
Having the possibility to do pranayama practice and meditation without moving to another room or setting, right after savasana has proven delightful, the smoothness of the breath after the almost 2 hour practice is a wonder for the breathing exercises, and the back being so strong and straight results in comfortable meditations, which, although not completely pain free yet, seem to benefit greatly.

Where do you find joy in your home practice?
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7 Summer inspired things I am doing to improve the practice

For us, in the brutally cold North East, summer is the time to take our shoes off, dance in the rain, open our hearts, say our prayers and have a good old time.  Basically it feels as if the mad woman in the attic is bursting down the stairs and getting ready to rejoice in every possible little wonderful thing.

The 7 practice boosters I wrote about in the Spring have been transformed into a Summer version of the post and here they are:

1.- Avoiding the sun

I happen to be a very pitta type of person, if you put me under the sun I will burn like a delicate flower, therefore I avoid being on the street during peak sun time (11 to 3), and in general avoid the extreme heat at all times.  

I am also now much more aware of how the high sun of noon in an over populated city like New York brings out the "rajas" (aggressive) energy in people.  Perhaps the sensitivity developed through paying attention in yoga practice makes me much more aware of the massive electric vibration of New York.  So I avoid being outdoors in any intense city during the sun peak hours too.

Whatever "keeps things cool" is almost a mantra. 

2.-Stretching deeper

Summer is the time to stretch that body as the heat generated by the practice is reaching a peak, and although my teacher seems to think I do not generate enough, let me tell you, I do feel the  sweat running through me.  Therefore, while at asana (poses) practice, in all forward bends I am using the inhale to straighten the back as far out as I can, and the exhale to feel and push that stretch.  Of course this is done with full awareness, maintaining a deep silence and commitment to listening to the body.

Backbends also seem to be receiving an extra push from the warmer temperatures.  Even in the cooler morning hours the amount of heat is enough to feel supple in urdhva danurasana and to prolong the breathing. 

3- Eating less

This is not something I planned on, it is something that just happens.   I suppose with the heat the body enjoys feeling as light as possible, and hunger is not so intense.  This does not mean I am eating as healthy as I was in the spring though (as exemplified here), there is plenty of sugar coming in in the form of sorbets and fruit made pops as well as cookies. Even though that may not be a practice "booster", I suppose being happy and "having my way as if I was a kid" once in a while does have a positive repercution.   Feels like I am respecting my gunas. Mindfully, of course.

4. - Practicing half and half (home/shala)

Some days I am now practicing at home, not only because in my new location the shala happens to be far away, but also because I find that self-practice is conducive to trying poses more than once, and exploring in general.

Practicing alone sometimes is a gift, it gives me a complete new perspective, and having access to a gifted teacher like John when I can come to the city is a blessing. 

5-Keeping up the good reads

I am putting the "lazy days of summer" logo of american living to the test. By my bed side I keep The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Gita. I just received "The Great Oom" about the improbable birth of yoga in America, which I am looking forward to review and also "Prathyahara and Dharana" by Swami Vivekananda.  

On a completely different line of thought, BF ordered a spectacular book called The Rational Optimist, on how prosperity evolves, which is making me re-thing many of my foregone conclusions and pessimisms. Grateful for his recomendation.  For more great reads check out the recent 10 must read yoga books for this summer.

6- Modifying pranayama practice

I have written about how I came back to my pranayama practice and details of what exactly I do in it, however, I have noticed that in very hot days, the ujjaji pranayama heats up my system, even when practicing the cooling shitali practice afterwards.  So I have suspended it for a while,  trusting that my body will adjust to the summer heat, so that I can continue with it.  For now then I am only doing preparations, kapahabhati and nadi shodhana.

7-Venturing into Pratyahara

My curiosity for the fifht limb of ashtanga has been growing. 

"The first lesson, then, is to sit for some time and let the mind run one.  the mind is bubbling up all the time. It is like that monkey jumping about. Let the monkey jump as much as he can; you simply wait and watch... Until you know what the mind is doing you cannot control it. Give it the full lenght of the reins...."   Swami Vivekananda, from this funny little book whose format looks like a children's fairy tale: Pratyahara and Dharana

So, what about your practice? has it changed because of the heat? are you modifying things? what are you doing differently?
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