Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Yoga Journal December 2009
Yoga Journal December 2009
3 key moves
for healthy
shoulders
SPIRITUALITY
stress-free
RELATIONSHIPS
body, happy
NATURE
6 soul
WORK
poses to reconnect
HOME
with yourself
MEDITATION
Home practice
to transform your
FOOD
perspective
FITNESS
WHY WE GOSSIP,
WHY WE SHOULDN’T
YOGAJOURNAL.COM
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d ecem b er 2009
contents
on the cover
3 key moves for
healthy shoulders (85)
Stress-free body,
happy soul
72 6 poses to reconnect
with yourself (72)
Home practice
honestly sweet.™
©2009 Cargill, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Truvía™ and honestly sweet™ are trademarks of The Truvía Company LLC.
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contents d ecem b er 2009
35 departments
39
adventure ( 39 ) practice
Peak experience Soothing yoga added
to a snowboarding retreat makes for basics ( 46 )
the ride of a lifetime. by Lauren Ladoceour Full boat pose Paripurna Navasana builds
strong abdominal muscles that can help
media ( 89 ) support your lower back. by Marla Apt
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHERI GIBLIN; ZENSHUI/LAURENCE MOUTON/GETTY IMAGES; ML HARRIS/GETTY IMAGES
Reviews of the latest books, CDs, and
DVDs, including titles by Ravi Ravindra, home practice with
19 Trevor Hall, Mark Whitwell, and more. janet stone ( 63 )
Side attraction A sidebending practice
in your inner life as well as your outer life. YOGA PAGES ( 102 )
LIVING WELL ( 105 )
Here’s how to rein it in. by Sally Kempton
CLASSIFIEDS ( 106 )
“This is
what I look for
in a pant.” Seane Corn
International Yoga Instructor & Co-Founder
of Off the Mat, Into the World®
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new at
yogajournal.com
FUL
PEACE E
PRACT
IC
25
days of
giveaways!
Yoga Journal is celebrating the holidays
with its third annual 25 Days of Give-
aways Sweepstakes. Log on for your
chance to win a different prize each day!
yogajournal.com/freestuff
READ THIS
A regular yoga practice can be a saving grace during the hustle and
Yoga Journal’s Yoga Diary blog offers
bustle of the holiday season. This video podcast will remind you to slow
a glimpse into how others experience
down your practice, take time for yourself, and keep holiday stress at bay.
the practice of yoga so that you can draw
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This Cold Season,
Catch... Kaitlin Quistgaard
editor in chief
Patricia B. Fox
general manager
the throat – or get the same WEB ACCOUNT ING & A DM INIST RATI ON
online editorial director Andrea Kowalski director of information technology, AIM Nelson Saenz
great results with sugar-free online editor Erica Rodefer information technology consultants
Thera Zinc Oral Spray. online production manager Hannah O’Reilly Elias Husary, Kirk Thompson
online editorial assistant Erin Chalfant office manager Andrea Fotopoulos
online production intern Allison Blake office assistant Tadeo Ilarde
This Cold Season, Don’t publisher’s assistant Lori Rodriguez
INT ER NAT IO NA L EDIT ION S
Catch Anything Else! managing editor Dayna Macy John B. Abbott
publisher emeritus
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( )
Energize your everyday
with seven 20-minute
practices to mix
all is bright
and match Beneath all the color and lights,
discover the source of holiday joy.
PHOTO: DAVID MARTINEZ; STYLIST: LYN HEINEKEN; HAIR/MAKEUP: FRANCE PIERSON-DUSHANE/ARTIST UNTIED; RED WRAP: FOAT DESIGN; PINK TANK: JOY ORGANIC; NECKLACE: SATYA
Honestly, I found the prospect unsettling. But, seeing the delight and confi-
dence my child radiates when singing for a crowd, I agreed to set aside my tradi-
tions for a year. First, though, I thought hard about what I enjoy most about the
season and whether I’d be happy giving some of it
up. What I realized is that—for all my love of par-
ties, rituals, and gifts—the true joy of my holidays
can be traced to two simple things: connection
with people I love, and the supreme relaxation felt
on December 26, when the hoopla subsides and
there’s nothing to do but luxuriate in the stillness.
Knowing this, I figured I could easily experi-
ence a radically different December and still feel
the joy. I’d simply honor my need for connection
FLUID POWER and for deep, restful quiet. Ah, happiness is so
VINYASA much simpler than my ideas about what’s required to achieve it. Once again, a
FLOW YOGA yogic truth had revealed itself, compliments of daily life. When we spend the time
Over 3 hours of
programs and to discover and honor the source of our joy, every season is a happy one.
a customizable That connection to our underlying source of joy is something that pervades the
yoga matrix
pages of Yoga Journal and this brilliant December issue. In the spirit of celebration,
there are sweet stories on cake baking as a devotional practice (“The Joy of Baking,”
page 35) and gingerbread yoga people (“Sweet Treats,” page 26); plus a super-inspiring
SURF gift guide, with options for making your own, or finding something fabulous for
YOGA SOUL
Develop total-
your favorite yoga practitioners (“Gifts of Love,” page 66).
body strength And in the spirit of stillness, there’s a gorgeous guide to the grounding and nur-
with a unique turing practice of restorative yoga (“On Solid Ground,” page 72), plus a great feature
practice
on yoga books to curl up with on a long winter’s night (“A Good Read,” on page 80).
There’s so much more than I can mention here, but I do want to offer my grati-
tude to Janet Stone for an exhilarating home practice (“Side Attraction,” page 63)
and to Frank Jude Boccio for his eloquent guide to being “Kind and Generous”
( page 19). And to my mother, who kindly and generously set aside her expectations
of a relaxed summer to knit the spectacular shawl shown on page 67 in time to
meet our photo shoot deadline. Thanks Mom! ✤
Now eat your Self-confidence,” says Corn, “we develop trust in our
innate intuition and faith that the diverse experiences
of life—both light and dark—are equally divine.”
gummies. Corn is a co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, a
nonprofit devoted to humanitarian service. Having
raised $500,000 for the Cambodian Children’s Fund,
the group now hopes to help the impoverished of
Africa (visit offthematintotheworld.org/sevachallenge).
“Yoga teaches us that there is no separation,” Corn
says. “Service puts that perception into action.”
richard seagraves
When it comes to photographing yoga, Richard
Seagraves aims to evoke the same sense of peace that
you experience doing the practice. (See “On Solid
Ground,” page 72.) “Through our bodies, we can find a
deeper connection to source, and through photo-
graphing yoga, I’d love to inspire other people to find
that as well,” he says. Seagraves credits his own prac-
tice with increasing his flexibility and countering the
stiffness that comes from travel and hauling photogra-
phy equipment. It also keeps him balanced. “When I
don’t do it, I feel a little cranky,” he admits. Seagraves,
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Freedom
behind Bars
I want to commend you on “Peace on the a picture-perfect Tittibhasana—straight
Inside” (Oct. ’09). Our society focuses on legs, straight arms, fired-up toes, and all.
punishing crime rather than remedying The instruction is friendly, clear, and easy
the source of criminal activity. Yoga is the to follow. I can’t wait to “Take It Back”
only thing that has helped me realize the with Lee (in the Sept. ’09 Master Class on
source of my self-destructive behavioral dropbacks). What a treat!
patterns and the need to take control and Amanda Shepherd Long Beach, California
responsibility for the state of my mind
and my actions. I am glad that someone Where Are the Men?
is finally raising awareness about the vital I’ve been a loyal reader and fan of Yoga
need in prisons to teach inmates to exam- Journal for years. However, I don’t under-
ine the realities they create. Thank you stand the lack of men on the cover and
for not overlooking this vital population throughout the pages. Most articles are
that is so often pushed out of view. written for and about women. How about
David Way Kemper-Neshoba Regional diversity? It’s a yoga magazine, after all.
Correctional Facility, De Kalb, Mississippi Rocky Revells Miami Beach, Florida
The exercise instructions and advice presented in this magazine are designed for people who are in good health
explore the collection at and physically fit. They are not intended to substitute for medical counseling. The creators, producers, partici-
pants, and distributors of Yoga Journal disclaim any liability for loss or injury in connection with the exercises
www.TheBarbersDaughters.com
shown or the instruction and advice expressed herein.
“As our friends waved us off, my new husband and I jumped in our not-so-new
Subaru. I would’ve felt silly wasting money on a car and a driver to take us 12
miles home. I enjoyed driving off in our own car. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
-RuthAnn D., Kennett Square, PA. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
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kind and
generous
Practice giving without
expectation and enjoy a
bountiful sense of connection.
and Zen Buddhism and the author of (29gifts.org) so that others could undertake the giving challenge
Mindfulness Yoga. as part of a community. “Yoga teaches us that we’re not here to
live in a vacuum,” Walker says. “We’re here to be of service to each
other and have a common experience.” C H A R I T Y F E R R E I R A
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solstice
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One family finds a
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to celebrate the coming light. them to a local homeless program.
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wellness
joy story
Open your heart A recent study published in Emo-
on the mat and tion, a journal of the American
bring happiness Psychological Association, sug-
into the world. gests that happy emotions can
lay the groundwork for long-term
well-being. Over time, researchers discovered, feeling
happy helps you build resources for navigating a wide
range of life’s challenges.
On some days it can be harder to access happy emo-
tions than on others, but your mat is a great place to
connect with your inner joy. “Not everyone comes to
yoga every day super bubbly and excited to be there,”
says certified Anusara Yoga teacher KK Ledford of San
Francisco. Pausing for a moment to set an intention
for your practice allows you to tap into the current of
bliss that exists within all of us, Ledford says. Hold your
intention to connect with joy. To engage your playful
side and open your heart, concentrate on rooting down
through your legs and rising into your heart as you prac-
tice the poses below. If arm balances are a part of your
practice, add Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) after Ustrasana; Ledford says it’s one
of the most effective poses for lifting the spirits and connecting to your inner joy.
On days you feel less than blissful, says Ledford, you don’t have to change how you feel.
“Just tapping into the current that’s already there can put a little bit of a smile on your
face. We don’t stop being divine when we have a bad day.” C H A R I T Y F E R R E I R A
Kapotasana Ustrasana
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food
gingerbread
cookies
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN 4-INCH COOKIES
sources. “Artificial colors may be derived from petrochemi- For natural colored sugar
sprinkles and food colorings
cals, so they’re not something we want to ingest or introduce
derived from vegetable
into the environment or sprinkle on our cookies if we can help
sources, visit indiatree.com.
it,” says Dawn Van Hee, the founder of NaturalCandyStore
.com, which stocks a variety of natural and organic candies For natural and organic
and decorations made without artificial ingredients. “Candy decorations, including candy
may never qualify as health food, but it doesn’t have to be canes and sprinkles, visit
naturalcandystore.com.
junk food, either.” Van Hee says there are now more options
than ever for decorating without additives, making this year For a gingerbread person
the perfect time to start a tradition of making holiday treats in Tree Pose cookie cutter,
that are better for the whole family. K AT E WA S H I N GTO N visit coppergifts.com.
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Cable Half Mitt by Athleta Blue Canoe Two-Tone Top Vita-Mix 5200 Lavera Organic Makeup A gift from
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Baskets from Home Health The anti-shoe reusable bamboo utensil set
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yoga for
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TONE YOUR BODY
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BY STEPHANIE SNYDER
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Half-toe sox The Zen Alarm Clock Vegetarian Times Yoga As Medicine Book Jade Yoga mat
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The 30-Day Yoga Journey Hasta Pada Yoga Belt Organique products Tulip Pant Skirt One year subscription to
by Florian Yoga by Himalaya by Foat Design Yoga Journal Magazine
gifted singer
Snatam Kaur’s At the outset of her musical career,
success is a boon for the Sikh devotional singer and
those with whom she Kundalini Yoga instructor Snatam
shares her profits. Kaur made a promise to the uni-
verse. If her first CD turned a
profit, she vowed, she would donate 10 percent of the money
it earned to charity.
“Lo and behold, the CD did make a profit and I was able
to write that check,” she says. “And I really feel that that
set things afloat with my music career. I can’t prove scien-
tifically that it increased sales, but I feel there was a direct
relationship. The more I gave, the more successful the
music became. And the more successful the music became,
the more I was able to give.”
It is all part of the Sikh practice of dasvandh, “which
means giving 10 percent of your earnings to charity,” Sna-
tam explains. “The universe responds to that giving, and in
that way you stay in the flow of prosperity. It’s something
that I grew up with as a child, watching my parents.”
Snatam actually does dasvandh one better by practicing
guru dakshina—that is, giving an extra 1 percent to her teacher’s organizations. A portion of the profits
from her music goes to support the Miri Piri Academy, a children’s school in India, as well as to Sikh
ashrams and others, including Ma Jaya’s Kashi Ashram and Swami Satchidananda’s ashram; in addition,
she supports a variety of charities, including the World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, and the
Natural Resources Defense Council, along with political organizations such as the Democratic Party
of New Mexico, MoveOn.org, and the We Campaign.
Snatam also practices dasvandh and guru dakshina by performing free and benefit concerts in
impoverished communities, shelters, and hospitals. “Part of our dedication to music and touring is to
give people that experience of faith—an experience that the Divine really exists and is with us every
moment,” Snatam says. “That’s the greatest gift we can offer.” A L A N D I P E R N A
sound of devotion
Liberation’s Door, by Snatam Kaur.
Spirit Voyage; spiritvoyage.com
Snatam Kaur’s voice—tender, yet imbued with gentle
strength—embodies faith, repose, and grace. Her new album,
Liberation’s Door (and particularly the track “Mother’s
Blessing”), radiates a mood of divine maternal expansive-
COURTESY OF SNATAM KAUR
ness, which she likely came into after the birth of her
daughter in 2008. The album is an ideal accompaniment
for Kundalini Yoga practice, but sepia-toned cello passages also impart a
sense of contemplative stillness. As always on Snatam’s records, layers of
vocal harmony, dreamy synthesizers, mellow acoustic guitar, and traditional
Indian instrumentation enrich the songs of devotion. A . D. P.
Including
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eating wisely by Ra chel Meyer
the joy
of baking ( One cake at a time, a woman
learns to nourish the hearts of friends
and strangers through food. )
When I was a little girl, I’d sometimes answer a
knock at our front door to find one of the local church
ladies bearing a homemade cake. My sisters and I
would marvel at the confection delivered in howling
winds and subzero temperatures to our remote acre-
age on the edge of a South Dakota town. Throughout
the year, these kind women filled potluck tables with
their homemade pies, cakes, and breads in celebration
of births, weddings, and harvests; the same desserts
were also offered to the sick and grieving. By watch-
ing these generous bakers offer the fruits of their
PHOTOS: SHERI GIBLIN; FOOD STYLIST: ERIN QUON
YO GAJ O U R N A L .CO M 35
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ea t in g wisely
kitchen labors to those who could use a product; the act of the offering, not the
sweet surprise, I learned early on the joys offering itself.
of nourishing the heart through food. Some 60 cakes later, I see now how my
Making food for friends and family has a “bundt cake Saturdays” have given me a
powerful effect on both giver and receiver, creative outlet that, among other things,
says Scott Blossom, a Berkeley, California, reminds me that compassion can tran-
yoga therapist and Ayurvedic educator. scend urban boundaries. Strangers on the
“It’s not unlike the kind of nourishment street soften at the sight of my cake caddy,
that comes from romantic love. Food pre- asking if that’s a cat I have hiding in there.
pared with loving intention is spiritual.” Even the bus driver will wait patiently for
“the cake lady,” going out of his way to
A YEAR OF BUNDTS drop me off at work, where my colleagues
As an adult, I rediscovered the practice light up like children at the prospect of
of baking heartfelt gifts in my new com- a new flavor to sample. I’ve shipped cakes
soy free munity in San Francisco. At one point, I across the country to old college friends
decided to devote a year to baking cakes and my new goddaughter on the East
as offerings. Every Saturday morning I’d Coast; buckled them into the back seat
roll out of bed bleary-eyed, fill an empty for a winding trip to a surprise birthday
bundt cake pan with batter, and give the party in Santa Cruz; and hauled them up
resulting cake to someone in need of com- steep San Francisco hills to share with a
fort or a little celebration. As I listened to friend going through chemotherapy. In
the city wake up, I counted and chopped, the process, these silly bundts have nur-
no trans fat mixed and measured. And in the process, tured burgeoning relationships among
my mind became still, my breath slowed, strangers, reminding me of the truth of
my body felt balanced and at peace. What yogic interrelatedness and the power of
I experienced was more than mixing but- compassion to comfort the lonely.
ter and eggs—it was a practice in baking
and giving from the heart. GIFT EXCHANGE
It all began when my friends Heidi As word of my practice spread, acquain-
and Jeff were celebrating birthdays in the tances showered me with unexpected
midst of difficult times: One was heartbro- gifts: cake molds and mixes, gadgets
ken, the other far from home. They shared and glazes, recipes carefully clipped out
a fondness for almonds, and so, after a of newspapers. In this receiving, I real-
quick Web search and a trip to the mom- ized that when we offer up our labor,
excellent source of and-pop store around the corner, I set time, energy, love, and craft—humble
ala omega 3 up shop in my small kitchen, armed with
a new cake pan and a recipe for a simple
and imperfect as they might be—with no
expectation of return, people respond
almond bundt cake. A few flour-covered in kind, and tenderness opens up in the
hours later, sifting powdered sugar over spaces between.
the nearly finished cake, I felt a connec- A few weeks ago, as I finished making
tion with the women in my family and a cake—chocolate decorated with red
community who’d taught me to bake hibiscus flowers for a potluck with my
when I was a little girl in South Dakota. yoga kula—I realized that my bundt pan is
Later, I learned to toast walnuts, make a perfect rendition of the yogic mandala,
streusel, and adhere rose petals to coco- a whirling chakra, a vortex of energy spin-
nut cream frosting. I also learned to bal- ning out hope and sacred intentions in the
ance hope for a beautiful confection with body. How fitting, I thought, to find here,
a letting-go of expectations, for there in this simple pan, a reminder that giving
were certainly failures. and receiving are circular, that what we
At the same time, I learned that build- put forth with love and intention comes
ing such a regular practice into my life back to us in equal joy. '
meant that there would always be a chance
to approach each creation as a fresh start. Rachel Meyer writes about bundt cakes and
It was the practice that mattered, not the more at rawrach.blogspot.com.
& www.fantamag.com
eating wisely reci p es
VEGAN CHOCOLATE
BUNDT CAKE
3
⁄4 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
3
⁄4 cup stone-ground polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
⁄4 teaspoon salt
3
⁄4 cup buttermilk
Powdered sugar for glaze, optional
Vegan Chocolate the saucepan from the heat and set aside Sliced almonds for garnish, optional
Bundt Cake to bring to room temperature.
MAKES 12 SERVINGS 3 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour
the granulated sugar, oil, applesauce, a 6-cup tube pan.
1 3⁄4 cups freshly brewed coffee and cornstarch until the sugar and corn- 2 With your mixer on medium-high
2
⁄3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed starch dissolve, about 2 minutes. Mix in speed, beat the butter and granulated
cocoa powder the extracts. Once the chocolate mix- sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Add
1 ⁄2 cups granulated sugar
1
ture has cooled a bit, stir that in as well. the eggs individually, beating well after
1
⁄3 cup canola oil 4 Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking each. Stir in the almond extract and zest.
1
⁄3 cup applesauce powder, and salt. Beat until the batter is 3 In a small bowl, add the flour, polenta,
1
⁄4 cup cornstarch relatively smooth. baking powder, and salt. Stir half the
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 Pour the batter into a prepared pan flour mixture into the butter mixture.
1 teaspoon almond extract and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a Add the buttermilk, then the remaining
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour toothpick or butter knife inserted into flour blend. Mix. Scrape the batter into
or all-purpose white flour the cake’s center comes out clean. the prepared pan and bake 40 to 50
1 teaspoon baking soda 6 Remove the pan from the oven and minutes, or until a toothpick inserted
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder let the cake cool for about 20 minutes. into the cake’s center comes out clean.
1
⁄2 teaspoon salt Then invert the pan onto a serving plate 4 Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes,
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar to remove the cake, and cool completely. and then invert it onto a cooling rack.
Once the cake’s cool, sift the confec- Remove pan and cool cake completely.
1 Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease tioners’ sugar over the top and enjoy. Mix together powdered sugar and a little
an 8- or 10-inch bundt pan. water to desired consistency, and drizzle
2 Heat the coffee in a saucepan over Recipe adapted with permission from it over cake’s top. Garnish with almonds.
medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Veganomicon, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Turn heat down and whisk in the cocoa and Terry Hope Romero (Marlow & Recipe adapted with permission from Eat Well,
powder until it has dissolved. Remove Company, 2007). by Charity Ferreira (Oxmoor House, 2008).
Your
one-stop
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Health
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( Soothing yoga added to a
heart-pumping snowboarding retreat
makes the ride of a lifetime. )
The Canyon Express chairlift creaks
and moans in the fierce wind as it slowly
carries us to Mammoth Mountain’s mid-
point. In another minute we’ll have to hop
off with one booted foot strapped onto
our snowboards and glide over the packed
snow for a few yards to avoid causing a traf-
fic jam. “I’m nervous,” says Marianne. “I
haven’t gone snowboarding since last sea-
son.” Between us is Serena, who assures
Marianne that everything will be OK.
The three of us met the day before on our
way to a four-day yoga and snowboarding
retreat in the resort town of Mammoth
Lakes, California. Serena is by far the most
experienced of our little group, but she has
readily agreed to accompany us on a hand-
ful of intermediate runs.
For the most part, I keep quiet, silently
telling myself that this is no big deal. Sure,
I’ve had just four full days of snowboarding over two seasons, but I to rotate my hips and kick my board in unison
know how to do this—I think. with her to keep up. All is silent except for the
“Ready, girls?” asks Serena, obviously pumped for the first ride of sound of our boards carving the snow and the
the day. Up here, the wind kicks up the powder, making for occasional “woo-hoo!” from Serena up ahead.
little visibility, but I can still see narrow trails below, a few moguls, It feels like we have the whole mountain to
NORBERT EISELE-HEIN/GETTY IMAGES
and tight turns bordered by tall snow-covered pine trees. I take a ourselves. That is, until the land flattens out and
deep breath of the biting winter air. There’s no turning back now. we’re closing in on new chairlift lines. Suddenly
people are all around—people I could easily
WHAT A RUSH blow right into. And just like that, I lose speed,
It doesn’t take long to forget my worries; as I start down the sharp, the front edge of the board dips into the snow,
snowy incline, the sun soon reappears. Even though I’m flying past and ...clip. Trip. Thud. Smack on my back.
the trees and weaving across the mountain, the landscape seems I turn around, and Marianne, too, is down
to go by in slow motion. Marianne and I ride side by side as I try but looking cheerful. “Let’s do it again,” I call
Available at natural to flow, but everyone wants to feel better. cross-country skiing and yoga
Yin sets you up for a great night’s sleep retreats in the Berkshires of
product retailers near you.
and another day on the mountain.” We Massachusetts; and Women’s
settle into a series of quieting forward Quest (womensquest.com)
bends, juicy hip-opening low lunges, and takes yogis cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing
reclining twists, happy for the chance to
in Colorado.
slow down and take care of ourselves.
Since 2003, McDonald has been lead-
(VVHQWLDO2LOV"%RG\:DVKHV ing winter yoga retreats in Mammoth
0LQHUDO%DWKV")RDP%DWKV Lakes, a small resort community a little
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more than 300 miles north of Los Ange-
Winter Solstice
les. Most of the retreaters—men and wo-
men in their 20s through early 50s—are
longtime skiers and snowboarders who
Meditation
have made the trip with McDonald sev-
eral times before. After a warming din- The word solstice means “sun
ner made by an Ayurveda-inspired chef, sitting still” and refers to the
everyone gathers around the fire or soaks
in the hot tub to kick back and share peak of the cycle of diminishing
the day’s stories. Really, it feels less like day length that occurs at winter.
a retreat and more like a bunch of old
friends who meet up once a year, rent a The sun seems to pause on this
cabin, and bum around one of California’s special day before the days
most treasured ski mountains to do what
they love best. I’m one of the few newbies
gradually begin to grow longer
to the group—and to snowboarding—but and brighter.
by bedtime, I feel more than welcome in
the cozy little cabin, and I crawl into one Take a cue from the sun, and
of the bottom bunks to rest up.
pause dur ng this hectic season
A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS to meditate on peace and
Sore as I am the next morning, I join the
crowd in the cabin’s living room before goodwill with this aromatherapy
McDonald and Power Yoga teacher Ash- recipe from Aura Cacia®.
ley Turner arrive to lead class. While the
chef makes a savory breakfast in the
kitchen, we meditate, chant, and then Winter Solstice Meditation Blend
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My arms are pretty tired from all the 1 Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Candle Lamp
falling and getting back up, so I skip a Place the water in the cool bowl of an aromatherapy
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not alone. Turner adjusts me into some
incredibly deep backbends, which are
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body and mind for the day ahead,” says
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a d ve ntu re
that began the practice, wakes you up, agrees. So we spend the morning snow I also notice I’m more comfortable—
gets you feeling energetic, and cultivates boarding through quiet areas where they less worried about snowboarding “the
calm focus for whatever comes next. coach me through some basics: to ride right way” and better able to flow, feel-
And he’s right. When we arrive at squatting like I’m in Utkatasana (Chair ing the movements of the board under
Canyon Express, I decide that, instead Pose), to deeply exhale before leading my feet and letting my weight shift back
with my hips and shoulders to turn, and forth. In this moment I remember
to bend my front knee and bravely something Turner said about snowboard-
I feel as light as a feather, lean into the front of my boots and ing earlier in the retreat: “It’s so good to
toes, and most of all, to keep smil- get out of my head and just be.”
thrilled enough to scream
ing when I fall. When I finally put Serena and I are on our last run to-
out “woo-hoo!” it all together, we ride as a trio into gether, and impulsively I veer off to the
McCoy Station for a cafeteria lunch left when we come to a fork. She con-
with the rest of the group, where we tinues to the right, leaving me alone on
of stumbling through the runs today, I’ll share high-fives and stories of the morn- a trail that seems to have escaped every-
be more aware of my body while I ride ing’s adventures. one else’s radar. Here, the snow is a little
and try to figure out what I’m doing that fresher, people are absent, and I have no
causes me to suddenly crash. With my FREE TO BE idea what’s up ahead. Flying solo along the
feet back in my boots and strapped onto On Saturday, there’s a clear sky, no wind, trail, carving steady turns, spraying snow,
my board, I’m surprised at how familiar and intense sun, which brings in the I ride self-assured on my toes and heels.
the stance feels—like a shorter version of crowds and leaves little need for heavy I feel as light as a feather, thrilled enough
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged winter coats, hats, and gloves. In fact, to scream out “woo-hoo!” And then I fall,
Standing Forward Bend). after each run with Serena, I shed a few with the biggest smile across my face. ✤
“It’s your toes,” says Serena, after more clothes until I’m down to a single
watching me take a few turns and tumbles. layer plus helmet and sunglasses. Now Associate Editor Lauren Ladoceour is a self-
“You’re afraid of leaning into your toes, so that I’m not so bundled up, I feel freer proclaimed klutz but still loves snowboarding
you’re just riding on your heels.” Marianne and move with greater ease. and all things adventure.
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invoke peace
this mantra helps to create more peace in the world, because according to do this with full faith, devotion, and focused
yoga philosophy, when we call something into being with a pure heart and a intention, you will create greater opportunities
focused mind, we are using our consciousness to shape reality. This is in fact for peace in all of these realms. ✤
the primary purpose of all mantras: They are tools to manifest intention.
To extract the full power of this mantra, visualize each word’s impact Interpreted by Christopher D. Wallis, a Sanskrit
as you recite it. For example, while reciting the first shanti, you can invoke scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.
& www.fantamag.com
Swami Sivananda Swami Vishnudevananda
(1887 – 1963) (1927 – 1993)
PULL SHOULDERS
BACK AND DOWN
FIRM AND
TIGHTEN KNEES
& ww
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basics
full boat pose
( )
paripurna navasana
paripurna = full, complete
nava = boat
asana = posture
You’ve probably heard that Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose) builds
core strength. But in yoga, the “core” refers to more than just abs. B. K. S.
Iyengar says that practice leads you on an inward journey from the periph-
ery of your body to the core of your being. With Navasana, you’ll build
strong abdominal muscles that can help support your lower back.
The process of coordinating the work of your limbs and your torso while
strengthening your spine will also teach you about your breath, your atten-
tion span, your emotions, and your very nature. Eventually, even a simple
pose like Navasana can penetrate beyond the muscles, nerves, bones, and
pose benefits
Relieves bloating
and gas
Strengthens the
abdomen and back
contraindications
1
Bent knees
PHOTOS: RORY EARNSHAW/SANDBOX STUDIO; MODEL: JASON CRANDELL; STYLIST: LYN HEINEKEN; HAIR/MAKEUP: VERONICA SJOEN/ARTIST UNTIED; TOP: MOSSIMO; SHORTS: YOGABELA
support bringing
Pregnancy
the thighs and
torso together Menstruation
with a long spine. Diarrhea
2
taneously. Lengthening the front body
like this is an essential action for many
asana and pranayama techniques. It sup-
ports the entire chest cavity (as opposed
Use your hands to a tight, short front body, which puts
to help you pressure on the lungs, internal organs, and
balance and to lower back), and it can facilitate smooth
lift the spine.
and efficient breathing as you do your
asana practice or go about your day.
HALF-MAST
Full Boat Pose is like a balancing version
organs to your Self—your innermost core. feeling strong and supple as well as men- of Dandasana (Staff Pose), so if you can-
Navasana is a compact pose that requires tally and emotionally steady. not sit up straight in Dandasana because
you to draw everything toward your But if your mind wanders, the inner of tight hamstrings, you may find it dif-
center: The abdomen moves toward the firmness you’ve cultivated will waver, and ficult to bring your legs toward your torso
spine, the spine moves forward to support you’ll lose your balance. So, to find your without rounding your back and sinking
the front of the trunk, the shoulder blades inner core and stability in the pose, keep into your chest. Bending your knees in
move down and in toward the chest, while your face soft and your breath relaxed. The the first variation ( see figure 1) takes your
the chest spreads, and the arms and legs idea is that when your brain is tense and hamstrings out of the equation, enabling
stay firm. The integration of all of your your eyes bulge, your focus becomes ex- you to practice the pose without sagging
body parts in Full Boat Pose will leave you ternal. When your facial features recede, in the spine. If your abdomen, back, or
STEP
STEP
1 2 3
Visit Peruse our roster Choose your classes
of world-renowned and create your
YJEVENTS.COM teachers yoga getaway
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LOVE
DRINK FRESH WATER AND AS MUCH WATER AS YOU CAN.
WATER FLUSHES UNWANTED TOXINS
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A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make
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basics
ON N A I
AD N S
M
legs are weak, the second variation (see your shins, parallel to the floor, palms fac-
T
T
IT
UN
UT
MO
figure 2) will show you how to lift your ing each other. Notice how your abdomi-
E
spine. Both variations give you the op- nal muscles engage as you pull your thighs
portunity to learn the pose gradually so closer to your torso. Don’t let your back
that you can experience the dynamics round, but see if you can lengthen the
of the back, legs, and abdomen working front of your torso more.
together to bring you into your core. Even as you stretch your arms forward,
To do Navasana with bent knees, be- pull your shoulders back and move your
gin by sitting in Dandasana, and then shoulder blades down and in toward your
place your palms on the floor beside your chest. Although simultaneously engaging
hips. Press your thighs down and stretch and lengthening your abdomen is chal-
Intro to your heels away from your pelvis to fully
straighten your legs. Lift your torso away
lenging, these actions bring your atten-
tion inward toward the source of your
AYURVEDA from the floor and open your chest. Your
back should feel as though it’s moving for-
movements and help keep you internally
focused. Breathe normally, relax your
Dr. Vasant Lad ward, toward the front of your body. Now
lift the front of your body all the way from
throat, and look straight ahead. You can
hold the pose initially for 30 seconds, and
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC the bottom of your pelvis to the top of then work up to one minute. When you’re
Januar y 29-31, 2010 your chest. To create some space between ready, exhale and place your feet on the
your torso and legs, press the very tops floor to return to Dandasana.
of your thighbones into the floor and lift
the bottom of your abdomen up away ANCHORED AND STEADY
from your thighs without leaning on the In the second variation you’ll balance in
back of your buttocks. Lift your rib cage Navasana with straight legs while keeping
away from your abdomen and roll your your hands on the floor to help you feel
shoulders back. steady and support the lift of your spine.
Next, bend your knees and place your Start in Dandasana. Lean back slightly
feet on the floor. Hold the tops of your and place your palms a few inches behind
knees with your hands and pull on them your hips. Lift your chest, bend your
slightly to lift your sternum. Raise your knees, and raise your legs until your shins
are parallel to the floor. Bring your
thighs toward your torso, and move
Let the effort to become your back ribs and shoulder blades
Starts Jan 2010 tall and balanced be forward. Exhale and straighten
your legs without rounding your
Diploma - Ayurvedic Lifestyle supported by your inner
1 back. Extend from your calves to
Counselor - Bring health to body without strain. your heels until your toes are about
yourself and those around you. as high as your head. You’ll feel your
Certificate - Ayurvedic abdomen working, but don’t let the
2 feet until your shins are parallel to the front of your body shorten. Instead, lift
Practitioner - Make a difference
through a career in healthcare. floor, and then flex your feet. With your your navel toward your chest and your ribs
Includes clinical internship. legs touching and knees still bent, bring off your abdomen. Roll your shoulders
your thighs closer to your chest, and lift back and look ahead.
3 Master of Arts - Ayurveda your chest. It doesn’t take long in this pose to real-
Includes clinical internship ize that your legs work hard to remain
and thesis.
BALANCED TO THE CORE straight and uplifted. So, as you do in
Faculty includes: RH Singh, Now that you are balancing on your but- Dandasana, press your thighs to the back
John Douillard, Sarita Shrestha
and many others. tocks, see that you’re not rounding your of your legs and extend your calves toward
back. Move your spine forward, toward your heels. Reach out through your inner
Register Now your front body. Pull on your bent knees heels and broaden the soles of your feet.
once again to lift your chest and increase Use your hands to help balance yourself
www.MountMadonnaInstitute.org
the distance between your sternum and without tilting back. Breathe smoothly
info@MountMadonnaInstitute.org your navel. Without dropping your chest, and keep your face and throat relaxed.
408.846.4060 / Watsonville, CA stretch your arms out in front alongside Let the effort to become tall and balanced
LOVE BOAT
find your center
Now you’re prepped and ready to practice “Let go of it all. Just remain in the center
Full Boat Pose. If you find that your back watching, and then forget you are there.”
or legs won’t let you hold yourself up with- - Baba Hari Dass
out sinking in the spine, you can support
your heels on a wall or tall chair.
Start in Dandasana, and again lean back
on your hands. Lift and straighten your
legs as you did in the second variation.
Now come onto your fingertips and lift
your lower back so that your entire spine
feels as though it is moving toward the
front of your body. Lift your arms and
stretch them evenly out in front of you,
parallel to the floor. Keep your palms
extended, facing each other. Stretch your
fingers forward and pull your shoulders
back and down as you lift your sternum.
Keep your knees firm and tight to
maintain straight legs. Extend the inner
legs toward your inner heels and spread
the balls of your feet from your big toe
toward your little toe. Without bending 4-day yoga retreats
your knees, work toward lifting your legs New Year’s Yoga Retreat: Dec 28-Jan 1
higher so that your feet rise above the
level of your head. Lift your chest while yoga teacher training
200 hr & 500 hr
keeping your chin level and your throat
more info at mountmadonna.org/ytt
soft. Look straight ahead, perhaps at your
feet, as you hold the pose for 30 to 60 sec-
yoga, service & community
onds. Then exhale and release your legs
A Two-month Residential Program
to the floor. Lie down on your back with
your knees bent to rest. Allow your abdo-
men to release toward the back of your
body and your back to press into the floor. Located on 355 mountain-
Holding yourself up and lengthening
your arms, legs, abdomen, and chest in top acres of redwoods
Paripurna Navasana draws your focus and meadows overlooking
inward. Despite the effort involved, con- Monterey Bay.
necting to the stability of your core can
be calming and centering to your body, Mount Madonnna Center is a spiritual
mind, and emotions. Contact with this community devoted to yoga, selfless
center of your being is like finding silence service, and self-development.
in the midst of a storm. Despite the many Conference and reatreat facilities for
actions involved in this pose, the result of groups from 5 to 500 are also available.
those actions can draw you closer to your
445 summit rd . watsonville, ca . 95076
own source of calm stillness. ✤ 408.846.4064
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wisdom by Sa l l y Kem pton
pssst, pass it on
( Gossip can cause trouble in your
inner life as well as your outer life.
Here’s how to rein it in. )
who’ll leave a message on your voice mail with the entire story might begin to recognize a slightly compul-
behind John’s recent firing—now, he’s a gossip. And so is Susan, sive quality in your desire to share the news.
who considers anything you say to be fair game for her blog. But Maybe you do it to be entertaining or to lighten
our
other communities, they offer endless to use words to comment on someone’s
opportunities for spreading rumors. A missteps or character foibles. The eye roll
spicy secret will sometimes start a game you give behind Larry’s back. The sar-
of telephone, in which slight distortions castic or condescending tone you use to
mount up, and by the time the story has damn with faint praise (“Jim is such a cool
made the rounds, it often bears only the guy”—said in a tone that conveys that
slightest relationship to the truth. So Jim is exactly the opposite!). gift to
when someone tells you that X is mean to This kind of gossip is like a triple-
people, or is having private meltdowns at bladed ax. When you speak harshly of
odds with her public image, or inflating George—even if what you say is more or
his credentials, you never really know if less true—you will probably affect the way
it’s exaggerated or downright false. And other people think of him. But you will
you.
also make it hard for other people stay for 2 R&R nights
to trust you. As a Spanish proverb and get 1 free—or stay for
You cannot direct negativity goes: “He who gossips with you will 3 nights and get 2 free.*
also gossip about you.”
toward someone else
The third edge of negative gossip
without having it hurt you. is what it does to your own mind. I
Exactly what you need … a time for self-care and
rejuvenating yoga classes; or a chance to jump-start
no longer see S—partly because I’m
afraid of what she might say about your fitness routine and get outdoors; or maybe an
even if the story is true, there’s the deeper me, but also because I always came away opportunity to get inspired about nutrition and healthy
and equally serious question of how much from our encounters feeling unsettled. eating—with plenty of time to soak in the whirlpool.
harm you would cause by spreading it. Negative gossip leaves an especially Kripalu’s Retreat and Renewal program is as unique
In some situations you definitely have a nasty aftertaste, whether you speak it or as you are. You’ll choose from a variety of workshops,
responsibility to say what you know about hear it. That aftertaste is the inner karmic
yoga and movement classes, and guided hiking
another person. If Amanda is going out effect of gossip, and it’s a useful indica-
and snowshoeing excursions, all with expert faculty.
with a guy known for his Don Juan com- tion that your words or tone have done
plex, she might appreciate your passing some damage to the delicate fabric of Time away to de-stress—how did we know?
the information on to her, especially if you your own consciousness. On the subtle *Restrictions apply; call or get online for details.
preface it by saying, “I heard” or “Some- level, you cannot direct negativity toward
one told me that ...” rather than claiming someone else without having it hurt you.
it as absolute truth. When you know that Even so-called idle gossip can leave a pain-
do something
the person Loren is considering going to ful residue, especially if you’re sensitive special for yourself.
work for cheats or abuses employees, you to the nuances of your inner state. Try kripalu.org/freenights
DECEMBER 2009
kripalu.org TUPDLCSJEHF
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2
1
1 Swingin’ Uttanasana
(Standing Forward Bend), variation
Separate your feet just wider than your hips, turn your 5 Three-Legged Down Dog, variation
heels out slightly, and fold forward. Hold the opposite From Down Dog, ground your left heel and raise your right
elbows lightly as your spine lengthens and the crown of leg to the sky. Find balance, bend your right knee, and
your head descends. Swing your torso from side to side, open the hip as you lengthen through your tailbone. Send
loose and free like a pendulum, for 5 breaths. energy through your hands and breathe into your side
body for 5 deep, long breaths. Straighten your leg, level
2 Malasana (Garland Pose) your hips, and lower your leg to the earth. Change sides.
With your feet as wide as your mat, squat, reaching your
sitting bones toward the earth. Lift your chest and the crown 6 Parighasana (Gate Pose)
of your head to the sky. If your heels don’t touch the floor, Bend both knees and place them on the mat. Extend your
place a blanket beneath them. Bring your hands to Anjali right leg out laterally, turn it out, and place the sole of
Mudra (Salutation Seal) at your heart. Hold for 9 breaths. your right foot on the ground. Inhale and bring your arms
out to the sides at shoulder height; as you exhale, bring
3 Parsva Tadasana the right hand to the top of the thigh or shin and reach
(Sidebending Mountain Pose) over to the right. Hold for 3 breaths. Press down through
From Malasana, interlace your fingers; as you inhale, stand the left shin, inhale, and come up. Change sides.
up, spin your palms to the sky, and reach to the right, bend-
ing and lengthening your side body. Exhale back to Mala- 7 Elbow Plank, variation
sana. Interlace, inhale, stand up, and reach to the left. Place your elbows on the earth, fingers facing forward
Repeat this sequence, moving from Malasana to Parsva and forearms parallel. Bring your legs back into Plank Pose.
Tadasana, 3 times on each side before moving to Adho Feel energy running down your centerline as you send your
Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose). heels back and reach your heart forward. Engage your low
belly as you spin both heels to the right, feet stacked, and
4 Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge), variation drop your right hip toward the earth, hovering just an inch
Step your right foot between your hands, lower your left or 2 from the ground, without compromising your center.
knee to the earth, untuck your toes, inhale and raise your Keep both forearms on the floor. Hold for 5 breaths.
arms. Lengthen your tailbone. As you exhale, touch your Rise back to Elbow Plank and change sides. Move
right fingers to the earth (or a block) and reach your left side to side, fully engaging the oblique mus-
arm up and over to the right, arcing your left side body. cles, at least 10 times.
Hold for 5 breaths. Inhale as you raise both arms, exhale
and lower your hands, return to Dog, and switch sides.
10
9
6 4 YO GAJ O U R N A L .CO M DECEMBER 2009
8 Wild Thing
5
Bring your feet together in Plank. Turn onto the outside
of your left foot, stack your right hip on top of the left, and
extend your right arm to the sky. Lift the right leg, bend
your knee, and place the ball of the right foot 6 to 8 inches
behind your left knee. Extend your right arm toward the
top of your mat. Lengthen through your low back. Hold for
3 breaths. Return to Plank and change sides.
9 Temple Pose
6
Stand sideways on your mat and widen your stance. Spin
your toes out, heels in. Bend your knees deeply, and draw
your low belly in as you extend through the top of your
head. Once your spine is long, place your right forearm on
your right thigh and reach your left arm up and over to the
right. Find your breath expanding through your ribs as
your side body opens. Hold for a cycle of breath. Repeat
10 times, alternating sides.
8
✄
cut out
and save!
DECEMBER 2009 YO GAJ O U R N A L .CO M 6 5
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stitch by stitch &
breath by breath:
a meditation shawl
Detailed instructions for this
and each of the other projects
shown here can be found at
yogajournal.com/giftsoflove.
www.
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st orem
oremag
emags.
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com & ww
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.c om
cloaked
in kindness
Any meditator on your list would surely love a
(PREVIOUS PAGES) HEADLINE EMBROIDERY: DOLIN O’SHEA; SHAWL KNITTED BY PATRICIA BEARDEN; CLOTHING: LUCY; (RIGHT) MAT BAG SEWN BY DOLIN O’SHEA; SWEATER: DKNY; PANTS: HARDTAIL FOREVER
cozy meditation shawl (pictured on previous
page) to wrap around her shoulders for an
early morning sit. There are many available
patterns, but if you’re an experienced knitter,
choose a gorgeous natural-fiber yarn and
an open, lacy stitch, and create something
74 inches long and at least 15 inches wide.
PHOTOS: THAYER ALLYSON GOWDY; STYLIST: JENEFFER JONES/ARTISTS’ SERVICES; HAIR/MAKEUP: TOKYO/WORKGROUP
Indian spices in a jar (recipe online), and package it with
another jar filled with loose black tea. You can add a jar of
honey and a box of soymilk or other nonperishable milk for
Remember how special it a ready treat. Then write out a pretty note with instructions
was to receive a mixed tape
on how to make this winter-warmer:
made just for you? Touch
someone’s heart by creating In a small pot, bring to a boil:
a playlist to accompany his 1 scant cup water and 1⁄4 teaspoon chai mix
home practice. Put together Let simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat, and add:
a playlist via iTunes—it 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf black tea
doesn’t matter if you own Let steep for a minute, then strain and add:
the songs or not—and then 1
⁄4 cup milk and sweetener to taste
click the arrow to the right Enjoy!
www.st
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m & ww
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amag.com
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mat
makeover
Your friends will enjoy
Down Dog even more
when their mats are
clean and sweet smelling.
David Crow of the
essential-oils company
Floracopeia suggests
mixing 6 parts water
with 1 part silver fir
essential oil and 1 part
eucalyptus essential oil
in a bottle, for a natural
antibacterial spray.
muscle love
For the times when your friend
overdoes it in class and comes
home sore, make an energizing gel
for tired muscles (recipe online). If
you really want to spoil him or her,
tuck in a handwritten gift certificate
for a massage given by you.
by Karen Macklin
photography by Richard Seagraves
www.
www.st
w. stor
st orem
oremag
emags.
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com & ww
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.c om
been a long week, so you sign up for a
Friday evening restorative yoga class. Unwind-
ing with some rejuvenating supported postures
for an hour and a half sounds perfect—almost
like a minivacation. But moments after you
close your eyes and immerse yourself in the The poses in this sequence are designed to
first pose, an unexpected visitor arrives: anxi- give you the experience of being cradled and
protected while providing the opportunity
ety. Suddenly your mind is filled with an end- for deep relaxation and rejuvenation. When
less stream of thoughts about the past week’s you’re practicing them for the first time, it
events, your job security, and everything you can be helpful to have a friend assist you in
setting up the props. Warm up with a few
have to accomplish over the weekend, not to rounds of Cat-Cow Pose, or any other gentle
mention doubts about where your relationship poses that help you connect with your
is headed and whether or not you paid that breath. Once you’re propped and positioned,
take the first few minutes in each pose to
credit card bill. The pose feels as though it’s sense where you connect with the floor
going on forever, and although your body isn’t or the props. What part of your body rests
moving, your mind won’t stop racing. You feel rest- most heavily on the support underneath
less, agitated, and out of control. This is supposed you? Let this area be like an anchor rooting
to be “restorative” yoga. What happened? you to the earth. Slowly allow this sense
Restorative yoga is a passive practice in which of connection to spread to all the areas
where you meet the ground and the props.
poses like Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound
Angle Pose) or Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall When your body feels completely supported,
Pose) are held for several minutes at a time, propped let your attention turn toward your breath.
with blankets, blocks, and bolsters to minimize Like an ocean wave, each breath will rise
the amount of work that the muscles are doing in and fall on its own. Rest your mind on the
the pose. A restorative practice can rest your body, tide of your breath. Throughout each pose,
stretch your muscles, lower your heart rate and blood let your attention move back and forth
pressure, and calm your nervous system, moving you between the earthlike qualities of your body
into a peaceful state of deep relaxation. But while and the fluidlike qualities of your breath.
the practice of restorative yoga comes easily to some
Stay in each pose for up to 15 minutes. Even
people, it can present real challenges for others.
a few minutes will make a difference. If you
“A lot of people think that restorative yoga is like feel restless but want to stay in the pose,
a bliss practice, where they’ll just be lying around and you can do small vinyasa movements with
relaxing,” says Jillian Pransky, the national director your hands to help yourself settle down: Roll
of restorative yoga training for YogaWorks. “But the your open palms to the sky as you inhale;
practice of being still and restful provokes anxiety roll them back to the ground as you exhale.
for many people. And during times of extreme stress,
such as illness, a difficult transition, or grief, releas-
ing control of the body can overwhelm the nervous asana sequence
system.” Passive postures can evoke feelings of by Jillian Pransky
discomfort for myriad reasons. On a physical level,
Pransky says, the body is in a vulnerable state: You are
releasing control of all your muscles, lying with your
eyes closed and your chest and abdomen—the loca-
tion of your vital organs—exposed. In many restor-
ative poses, the body is also splayed out, and often
the bones are not resting in their sockets, which can
leave you feeling physically unstable or insecure. In
Savasana (Corpse Pose), for example, the thigh bones >>
74 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M DECEMBER 2009
Viparita Karani
(Legs-up-the-Wall Pose), variation
This pose is usually done with the legs extended all the way up
the wall. Having the legs lower, with the feet against the wall,
encourages grounding by creating a sensation of “standing”
on the wall, as opposed to having the feet wide open to the sky.
Lie on your back with your calves and feet supported by either Salamba Balasana
bolsters or blanket-covered blocks. Wrap or cover your calves (Supported Child’s Pose)
with a blanket. Rest the soles of your feet against the wall.
Place blocks underneath the two ends of
Place an additional folded blanket across the pelvis to help
a bolster and come into Child’s Pose, with
release tension there and to encourage the pelvis to rest more
your torso supported by the bolster. It
heavily on the ground. Rest your arms by your sides, either
should feel as though the support is com-
palms down or, if facing up, with an eye bag in each open palm.
ing up to meet you rather than your torso
If your upper back and shoulders don’t rest heavily on the floor,
dropping into the support. Slide your arms
support them with towels or blankets. Place a folded blanket
underneath the gap between the bolster
under your head.
and the floor, bringing each hand toward
You should feel firm support all the way up the torso, out the opposite elbow. If the forearms or
through the arms, and up through the neck and head. Your elbows don’t touch the ground, fill in the
throat should feel open and tension free. On each exhalation, space with towels or blankets so that you
allow the weight of your lower legs, pelvis, upper back, and are supported from the elbows to the
head to be fully held. On each inhalation, allow your ribs to fingers. Supporting the elbows and arms
expand in all directions. Stay in the pose for 5 to 15 minutes. helps to release tension in the upper back
and neck and to integrate the
arms back into the body. In
order to release tension in the
lower back and create a deeper
sensation of groundedness,
place a heavy blanket on your
sacrum. If the base of the
shins or the tops of the feet
are off the floor, prop them
with a rolled-up towel.
& www.fantamag.com
Side-Lying Savasana and
Jathara Parivartanasana
(Side-Lying Corpse Pose and Revolved
Abdomen Pose), variation
TAUPE ECO BLANKETS AND CORK BLOCKS: HUGGER MUGGER; ORANGE BLANKETS: FOUR SEASONS; ROUND BOLSTERS: YOGAWORKS; RECTANGULAR BOLSTERS: MATSMATSMATS.COM; EYE PILLOWS: BAREFOOT YOGA CO.; RUG: CB2
Twists are generally good for the nervous system, but some twists blanket under your head and neck to lift your head in line
can make breathing feel constricted, which can be anxiety provok- with the spine (figure 4a). Rest here for 2 to 5 minutes.
ing. This gentle, supported twist allows more room for the breath
To move into the twist (figure 4b), roll your torso to the
to come into the rib cage and belly.
right over the bolster, keeping your right arm fully sup-
Start by lying on your left side with your feet at a wall and your ported by it from shoulder blade to fingers. Your right hand
back against a bolster that is at least as high as your spine. Bend should be no lower than the height of your right shoulder.
your right knee to 90 degrees and support your right knee and If you have tightness in your shoulder or chest, try placing
shin with a bolster or folded blankets so that the right leg is as more support under your arm until your hand is higher than
high as the right hip; rest the sole of your left foot against the your shoulder. You should not feel a stretch, but rather as
wall. Next, place folded blankets under your top arm and hand though your chest is open and your breath is fluid. Stay
to lift them to the height of your shoulder. Finally, tuck a folded in the twist for 2 to 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side.
Roll up a blanket and place it alongside a wall. Lie down with the soles of your
feet against the blanket. Place an additional rolled blanket or bolster under your
knees to encourage the thighbones to drop deeper into your pelvis. This helps
release tension in the iliopsoas and allows the pelvis to rest more heavily on
the ground. Place a folded blanket over your belly to release tension and weigh
the hips down even more. Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing down.
If your upper back and shoulders are rolled toward your heart and don’t rest
heavily on the floor, fill in the space with towels or blankets so you feel firm sup-
port all the way up the torso to the neck and head. Support your cervical curve
with a small rolled towel and place a folded blanket under the head to create
a cradling effect. Your chin should be perpendicular to the floor, and your throat
should feel open and tension free. With each exhalation allow the earth to fully
hold each part of your body: your heels, thighs, pelvis, upper back, and head.
Once you feel completely connected to the ground, rest your mind on the waves
of your breath. Stay in the pose for 5 to 15 minutes.
>> safe, and integrated. That way, you can still experi-
ence the benefits of restorative yoga, and can eventu-
ally learn to use the practice as a tool for being with Pransky’s experience with anxiety led her to
all those feelings. develop an approach to restorative yoga that could
Pransky didn’t always teach restorative yoga with accommodate and support an agitated mind. She
these adaptations. Her own restorative practice was drew on her training in Anusara Yoga, which empha-
initially more about feeling light and blissful than sizes the biomechanical and alignment principles
feeling rooted and stable, she says. But 11 years ago, of “integration” (setting up the bones so that you
a death in the family brought on a period of intense can draw them toward, and not away from, the core
anxiety that caused her practice to change. Suddenly of the body). She also tapped into her studies with
her former way of practicing restorative yoga—going somatic therapist Ruella Frank, PhD, in which Pran-
so deep into the meditation of the pose that she’d sky says she learned how to “contain the outline of
be aware only of her energetic body, not her physical the body” with the use of supportive props and blan-
body—was no longer blissful but destabilizing and kets so that the body feels cradled and safe, similar
disconnecting. “I was just out there. It was really to the way a baby becomes calmer when swaddled.
scary,” she says. Other techniques for making the body feel less
vulnerable in restorative postures include using
blankets to create a layer of warmth and protection,
I
n your yoga journey, there will probably come
a time when you wonder just how some Sanskrit term
applies to daily life or how the physical practice of asana
relates to yoga’s transformative powers. Fortunately, people
have been writing books about yoga for thousands of years—
and no matter what your question, someone probably has
addressed it in writing somewhere.
Arriving at a coherent understanding of this rich and varied
tradition takes time and contemplation. Books can become
great friends and guides along the path. Many ancient texts
are deserving of serious, scholarly study, of course, but there
are also plenty of great reads worthy of curling up with on a
by Hillari Dowdle
& www.fantamag.com
manuals and reference guides—not
because we don’t use and love them,
but because we wanted readable works
that can inform your understanding of
more than one facet of the practice.
You’ll find other books we like in “A
Bigger Shelf ” (see facing page), but nei-
ther that list nor the one that follows
comes close to including all of the yoga
books we love. This article is meant to
be a sampler of yoga literature, a little
something to whet your appetite.
Examined
Lives
STYLIST: JULIE DODGE; HAIR/MAKEUP: VERONICA SJOEN/ARTIST UNTIED; CLOTHING: GAP BODY; NECKLACE: MOSSANDVINE.ETSY.COM
To go right to the heart of yoga,
you might consider picking up a copy
of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, widely
recognized as yoga’s primary source-
book. Written somewhere between teachings. Each character in the book love, compassion, gratitude, and con-
500 and 200 BCE, the text explains exemplifies a human flaw that impedes tentment into your life, Cope says, and
what yoga is and how to undertake its happiness. Lawyer Jake’s aversion and your psychology will follow. Practice
practice. But get your hands on one of commitment problems ransack his happiness, in other words, and you’ll
the 100-plus English translations, and love life. Kate, a professional dancer soon begin to feel happiness.
you will likely find that the Sutra is dif- raised to look on the bright side of “The early yogis were really psychol-
ficult reading. Written in Sanskrit as a things, inhabits a world of delusion. ogists,” says Cope, a psychotherapist,
series of tightly compacted principles, Interior designer Susan lusts after yoga teacher, and director of the Kri-
it requires not simply translation but a food. And Maggie, an elderly would-be palu Institute for Extraordinary Living
knowledgeable interpreter to help you writer, lives in the past, which hampers in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. “They
understand what it is saying. her self-expression in the present. were interested not in dogma, but in
Stephen Cope takes up that task in In revealing how each character is the way things work. How do percep-
The Wisdom of Yoga, as he chronicles changed by practice, Cope shows how tion and delusion work? What causes
the experiences of several students transformative yoga philosophy can suffering? How can we see clearly?
who spend a year actively applying be. “I wanted to get across three main The system they devised is way more
the practice of yoga to their personal pillars of what Patanjali says creates a sophisticated than anything we have in
challenges. Rather than giving a line- fully human life,” Cope says. “One, we the West.” Read this inspiring book for
by-line interpretation, Cope offers a all have the capacity to still and focus a look at what the Yoga Sutra says and
great armchair read that illustrates the mind. Two, we can use this disci- does. Then, to live an extraordinary
several of the Yoga Sutra’s fundamental pline to investigate our experience. life, start practicing.
And three, it’s not enough to investi-
gate experience—you have to practice
nonafflicted [positive] states.” Do the
daily work of inviting more breath,
VIDEO ENCYCLOPEDIA
35 poses in a 360° view
TO ORDER
the complete 2-disc set
visit shopyj.com or call (800) I-DO-YOGA (463-9642)
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anatomy by Rog er Cole
shoulder to
shoulder
( Liberate your upper body by
strengthening and lengthening
your latissimus dorsi muscles. )
HUMERUS
ACROMION PROCESS
Do tight shoulders limit your backbends? SUPRASPINATUS
When you reach your arms high overhead, do
your lower ribs stick out in front? Do you feel a
pinching sensation on top of your shoulders when
you practice Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho
Mukha Svanasana)? If you answered yes to any
of those questions, the problem might be tight
latissimus dorsi muscles. LATISSIMUS DORSI
These muscles connect your upper arms to your
lower back. When you raise your arms overhead,
the “lats” stretch, so tight lats make it difficult
to reach up. Stretching them is not hard, but the
best way to do it effectively is not always obvious.
Learning how to loosen your lats is worthwhile,
though, because it will improve your range of
motion in every yoga pose that requires you
to lift one or both arms above your head. What’s SACRUM
of contact that lies closest to your waist. Turn your palms up, then other tight muscles may increase the limitation).
lift your arms up and overhead to the floor, or as close to the floor
as they will go without you bending your elbows or separating your LOCATE YOUR LATS
arms wider than your shoulders. For most people, this movement To understand what’s going on here, you first
will make the lower ribs lift off the floor in back and jut out in front. have to know where the latissimus dorsi attaches
Now return your arms to your sides and repeat the same actions, to your body. The latissimus is a broad, flat sheet
but this time, as you reach overhead, press the lower rib cage—the of muscle whose lower end connects to your
point closest to your waist—firmly into the floor to prevent it from back in several places, including the vertebrae
& www.fantamag.com
a n a to my
of the middle and lower spine, the sacrum
(the bone that joins the spine to the pel-
vis), the upper rim of the pelvis alongside
the sacrum, and the back of the lower
four ribs. (In some people the muscle also
attaches to the lower tip of the shoulder
blade, making the shoulder extra tight.)
The muscle fibers of the latissimus dorsi
run upward and forward around the side
of the trunk, where they bunch together
and twist into a large bundle that forms
part of the rear wall of the armpit. From
there, the fibers run toward the front of
the body (between the upper arm bone,
or humerus, and the upper rib cage if your
arms are by your sides), then wind part-
way around the arm bone to attach on the
front of it, where it meets the shoulder.
(You can’t see this attachment to the front
of the arm in our illustrations because the
arms are overhead and externally rotated.)
This physical arrangement of muscle
attachments explains why the reclining
arm-elevation exercise stretched your lats
and pulled your ribs upward. When you
were on your back and turned your palms
up, you also rotated your upper arm bones
outward. This rotation moved the attach-
ment points of the lats on the upper arm
out to the side, further winding the muscle
around the bone, like rolling up thread on
a spool. When you then lifted your arms
overhead, you pulled the wound-up top
ends of the muscles upward, away from
the lower back. This caused the muscle
fibers to tug on their lower attachment
points on the bones of the back rib cage,
pelvis, sacrum, and spine.
The first time you did the exercise, you
probably allowed this tug to drag those
bones upward along with the arms, and
this tilted the pelvis, arched the back,
and lifted the lower ribs off the floor. The
second time, when you held your ribs
down, you kept all of the muscle’s lower
attachment points stationary, creating a
stronger stretch. So one key to lengthen-
ing the lats is to stabilize the pelvis, lower
back, and lower ribs as the arms move up
and backward.
Another crucial action when stretch-
ing the lats is to rotate your arms firmly
outward before you begin to lift them up,
and to keep turning them the same way,
media
BOOK THE WISDOM OF CD TREVOR HALL, DVD YOGA: Flow, with CD DVD THE PURE LOVE
PATANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS, by Trevor Hall. Vanguard Records; Zyrka Landwijt. Real Bodywork; PROJECT, by Mark Whitwell,
by Ravi Ravindra. Morning Light vanguardrecords.com realbodywork.com/yoga Reem, and Shanee. Heart of Yoga;
Press; morninglightpress.com Trevor Hall dedicates his According to the DVD’s heartofyoga.com
This translation and com- album to Neem Karoli Baba, introduction, the Sarasvati Mark Whitwell teaches yoga
mentary on the sage Patanja- the late Indian guru who River Tradition is a goddess- based on lessons gleaned
li’s Yoga Sutra comes from influenced musicians Krishna centered practice with ele- from his 20-year relationship
Ravi Ravindra, professor Das and Jai Uttal, among ments of hatha, jnana, and with the late T. Krishna-
emeritus of comparative reli- others. The 13 songs range bhakti yoga, and Taoism, macharya. While his CD and
gion at Dalhousie University from Jack Johnson–esque Kashmir Shaivism, and DVD won’t show you how to
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Can- pop ballads to rock ’n’ roll. Tibetan Yoga. The DVD has meditate or lead you through
ada. The book’s highlights There’s even a hint of kirtan eight sequences to choose a sequence of poses, they do
can be found in the conclud- (chanting), with Krishna Das from, depending on how provide seven tracks of man-
ing self-reflections, made to singing harmonies on the much time you have: three tra and meditation music
further your understanding uplifting devotional song for beginners, with breathing that have themes of nature
of the text and its use as a “My Baba.” Hall is a humble and standing poses; three in a and love. The DVD offers a
guide on the yogic path. seeker, claiming his songs are more challenging series, with visual meditation—a surreal
Ravindra is eclectic, expand- not directives so much as breathing, chanting, and a mix of nature scenes, manda-
ing on his reflections with reminders to continue to vinyasa practice; and a Sun las, chakras, and lotus petals
quotes from the likes of J. discipline himself on his spir- Salutation that begins with dissolving into fingers. “The
Krishnamurti and poet Wil- itual path—the Rastafarian- breathing, and then coordi- purpose is to give peace
liam Blake. Ravindra’s style influenced “Internal Heights” nates its movements with through music,” says Whit-
is quite readable, his com- being but one example.While mantras and chakra visualiza- well, “to expresses each per-
mentaries on the individual Hall’s more upbeat songs, like tions. There’s also a short son’s direct intimacy with a
sutras are always provocative the guitar-driven “Volume,” supine Yoga Nidra guided natural state, which is a nur-
and insightful, and his exer- are solid, his softer side meditation. Zyrka Landwijt’s turing, abundant force.” His
cises offer juicy questions proves even more appealing, instruction is clear, her mod- message seems to be as sim-
to chew on for years to as when his classical guitar eling admirable, and her ple as his final words on the
come. R I C H A R D R O S E N takes center stage with beau- presentation earnest. R. R . last track: “Please enjoy your
tiful tones on “Origami yoga.” CA M I L L E C U S U M A N O
Crane.” D E R E K B E R E S
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Epic Wisdom
Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation
By Stephen Mitchell
(Harmony Books, 2000)
the truth of it without really needing to practice and is one of the few voices that 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known
Office of Publication (Not Printer):
work so hard to understand it.” make the ancient teachings available to
475 Sansome St., Ste. 850, San Francisco, CA 94111
Tremblay calls the book a “gateway the modern reader. To read him is to come
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters of
Gita,” because it introduces the story in into the presence of the teachings them- General Business Office of Publisher (Not Printer):
a beautiful way that inspires students to selves.” That sounds like a good reason to 475 Sansome St., Ste. 850, San Francisco, CA 94111
move on to other translations to study keep this book near your practice space. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses
the text more deeply. But she still comes of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor:
back to Mitchell’s book again and again
for a hit of that original inspiration. “It
Light on Iyengar Publisher: Bill Harper, 475 Sansome St., Ste. 850,
San Francisco, CA 94111
just kind of wakes up your better self and Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Whole- Editor: Kaitlin Quistgaard, 475 Sansome St.,
says, ‘Hey! Pay attention,’ ” Tremblay ex- ness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom Ste. 850, San Francisco, CA 94111
By B. K. S. Iyengar (Rodale Books, 2005) Managing Editor: Kelle Walsh, 475 Sansome St.,
plains. “I can open it, read a bit, and feel Ste. 850, San Francisco, CA 94111
linked to my higher Self.” 10. Owner: Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc.
Ask around about yoga books, and 300 N. Continental Blvd., Ste. 650
El Segundo, CA 90245
Guided Path chances are you’ll hear at least three of
B. K. S. Iyengar’s classic works mentioned 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other
Yoga: The Greater Tradition again and again: Light on Yoga (the asana
Security Holders Owning 1 Percent or More of
Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other
By David Frawley Bible), Light on Pranayama, and Light on Securities: None
(Mandala Publishing, 2008) the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. These have 12. Tax Status: NOT APPLICABLE
profoundly influenced yoga in the United 13. Publication name: Yoga Journal
Scores of great yogic texts delineate States today. These how-to books are 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below:
everything from proper postures to eso- among the most popular around. December 2009
teric philosophies. David Frawley sum- With Light on Life, Iyengar delivers a 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation:
marizes many in his mini-encyclopedia, why-to book. It is a collection of the mus- Average No. Actual No.
of Copies of Copies of
Yoga: The Greater Tradition. This simple, ings of a master yogi nearing the end of Each Issue Single Issue
straightforward overview shows what his life. “I am old, and death inevitably During Published
Preceding Nearest to
yoga is, where it came from, and where approaches,” he writes. “But both birth 12 Months Filing Date
it can take you. “My aim is to provide stu- and death are beyond the will of a hu- a. Total # of Copies (net press run): 490,551 465,187
b. Paid/Requested Circ:
dents with a new vision of the universe of man being. They are not my domain. I do
1) Paid/Requested Outside County Mail
yoga in all its vastness,” he writes. not think about it. Yoga has taught me to Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: 272,353 267,354
In a mere 110 pages, he delivers. With think only of working to live a useful life.” 3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers,
Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and
short sections, breakout boxes, and illus- In each chapter, Iyengar digs a little Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution: 74,781 76,732
trations, the book offers a lot: a history deeper into the meaning of practice, shar- c. Total Paid/Requested (b1 + b3): 347,134 344,086
lesson, an introduction to yoga philoso- ing his insights and experiences. You learn d. Free Distribution by Mail (samples, comps): 4,842 4,967
f. Total Free Distribution (d + e): 4,842 4,967
phy, a discussion of different yogas—for that Iyengar was born with certain infir-
g. Total Distribution (c + f): 351,976 349,053
example, jnana, bhakti, and raja yogas—a mities that ignited his passion for thera-
h. Copies Not Distributed: 138,575 116,134
thoughtful exploration of the eight limbs peutic yoga. He took up teaching yoga i. Total (g + h): 490,551 465,187
of yoga, a road map to the body’s subtle against the wishes of his family, causing j. Percent Paid and/or Requested (c/g): 98.65% 98.54%
energy system, and an explanation of him to feel embattled and defensive. He 16. This Statement of Ownership will be printed
common mantras. This book is a powerful adopted stern mannerisms to ward off the in the December 2009 issue of this publication.
resource for novices who want a broader advances of students (and to keep his vow 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher,
understanding of the practice and the of brahmacharya, or sexual continence). Business Manager, or Owner:
way its various elements and traditions “Time has mellowed me, but in my youth,
Patricia B. Fox, General Manager 9/15/09
fit together. Frawley is a yoga scholar, haughtiness was the only way I knew to
& www.fantamag.com
a g o o d rea d
the fantasy that happiness is determined of Yoga for Wellness, a seminal book about typically teach privately or in small groups
by luck or circumstance and have realized applying the tools of yoga in a therapeutic and offer you a sequence to do on your
that a fulfilling life is the result of skill- context. But one might argue that Yoga for own, based on your particular situation
ful means and self-determination,” she Transformation, which makes profound or on a therapeutic approach to a spe-
writes. Farhi makes it clear that, really, practices and abstruse ideas readily avail- cific condition. So it is surprising to find
the only thing standing between you and able to readers, is an even greater work. that Kraftsow offers five ready-made
a happy, whole, and healthy life is your In Yoga for Transformation, Kraftsow sequences, each linking asana, pranayama,
own self. You’ll want to come back to her offers a path to enlightened living—not chanting, ethical intention, and medita-
words for inspiration again and again. But transcending the human experience, but tive practices. But Kraftsow makes it
to honor the spirit of Farhi’s effort, you’ll transforming it into one of connection, clear that he’s presenting the essence of
have to put down the book and get on love, and happiness. He takes you through the teachings—not the particulars. By
your mat. Because yoga is for practicing, a guided tour of the five koshas (energetic applying the information to your unique
after all—not just reading about. sheaths), with the aim of engaging and set of circumstances, you can work out
maximizing the functioning of the self at the details for yourself.
every level. This approach is evident in “Read with the right intention, the
Transformative the chapter names: “Nourishing the Phys- book can take you on an inward journey to
Therapy ical,” “Energizing the Vital,” “Educating know yourself,” says Robin Rothenberg, a
Yoga for Transformation: Ancient the Intellect,” “Refining the Personality,” Viniyoga therapist in Issaquah, Washing-
Teachings and Practices for Healing and “Fulfilling the Heart.” As in the kosha ton, who wrote The Essential Low Back
the Body, Mind, and Heart model for spiritual development, no part Program. You don’t even have to commit
By Gary Kraftsow of the self is left behind on the quest for to a Viniyoga practice to reap benefits.
(Penguin Compass, 2002) union with the Divine. “His rich, deep map will lead you places
Viniyoga is a personalized form of you have been unable to see so far.” ✤
practice modeled on the teachings of
Gary Kraftsow, the founder of Vini- Sri T. Krishnamacharya. Rather than Hillari Dowdle, a former Yoga Journal editor,
yoga, may be remembered as the author teach large classes, Viniyoga instructors writes in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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storemags.com & www.fantamag.c
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the yj interview by D i a n e An d erson
accidental
( ) anatomist
Yoga educator Leslie Kaminoff believes
that the breath and the lab of the
human body are our greatest teachers.
Sivananda Center on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in ’81 and ’82. We need to learn about space and boundaries.
I didn’t agree with formal education, but yoga was perfect for me. It Within those, there is all this freedom you can
put me directly in touch with something I could learn from: my own find. The main guidepost is always the breath. ✤
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