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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Confessions of a Yoga Instructor: The Winter Blues


By Erica Harris


In a few months we will once agin be looking out our windows to notice a clean white blanket of snow neatly laid on the earth.  The first snowfall seems like an exciting novelty: my husband and I run around the house seeing if we can guess how many inches of snow there is.  A few weeks pass, the novelty may have worn off, and some find themselves feeling blue.  Some people describe this as seasonal depression, since the winter months keeps more people indoors and away from their regular activities.  Reason number #101 to do yoga is to fight depression.  Depression is an unusual state: starting gradual, then sudden.  Some people experience mild forms such as with seasonal depression, and others live with depression for months, or years at a time.  Depression is stereotypically pronounced more in women, since women usually seek help for depression or vocalize their physiological state more with others.  However, this does not mean men are immune.  Some doctors believe depression can be inherited or be cause by imbalance in the brain due to outside variables such as stress.  There are signs of depression, that if lasting more than a month, or that seem to just not go away, it may be time to let your doctor know.  Some of these signs are:

Sleeping too much or difficulty sleeping.

Difficulty concentrating, especially on activities that used to be easy.

 Feeling hopeless or helpless

Negative thoughts consume your thought process, no matter how much you try to rid them.

You have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating.

You become much more irritable and short-tempered (perhaps friends and family have noticed this).

You have thoughts that life is not worth living, or even contemplating ending it yourself (seek help immediately if this is the case).* If you feel like you need someone to talk to or just to listen, contact your local crisis line.  For Tompkins County you can call 607-272-1616 day or night.


Yoga for the Body

Here are some practical yoga poses you can do to feel more energy and feel happier.  Please note that there are some contradictions for these poses.  If you have any neck, shoulder, or back injuries, modify as needed.  Before starting any excerise plan consult your doctor.  You can learn how to do these poses by searching for them by name or by visiting a local yoga instructor.

Downward-Facing Dog: the benefits of this pose is promoting blood flow, arm strengthening, and hamstring stretch.

Legs-Up-The-Wall: the benefits of this pose is promoting blood flow, increase energy, quiets the mind, stimulates the thyroid, and releases the back.

Bow Pose-the benefits of this pose is strengthening the back, reducing lower back pain, strengthening the shoulders, promoting digestion, and elevated mind.

Fish Pose-the benefits of this pose is elevated mind, stimulated the thyroid, straightens the shoulders, breaks up congestion, relief for allergies, and openness through the chest and nasal passageways.

Child’s Pose-the benefits for this pose is promoting calmness, peacefulness, stretching the lower back and arms.

Warrior I & II-the benefits of this pose is the sense of powerfulness, grounding, gaining balance and equilibrium both mentally and physically.

Yoga for the Mind

Yoga helps some of these symptoms of the winter time blues, depression, or just general stress. Excerise releases feel-good endorphins or can even promote balance in serotonin levels.  When serotonin levels are out of balance a person can experience fatigue, irritability, and just overall ‘blah’ feeling.  Another aspect in yoga that is reconditioned is in the mind.  Our mind is so powerful and influential.  Many times we feed our mind negativity, “I’ll never be good enough to get that promotion”, “I’m too fat and I should just give up”, and many more negative (and even untrue) thoughts we give yourselves.  Yoga encourages positive thinking and mantras (also known as affirmations).  A mantra is something positive we tell ourselves.  In the previous examples its simple, just make our statements positive: “I am an excellent employee and I will get the next upcoming promotion”, “I’m motivated to loose weight so that I can be healthy and feel great”.  


For more information of this subject and for some practical yoga poses you can try: www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2562


Erica Harris has been practicing yoga for 5 years.  If you have a question for me I can be reached at mrs.ericaharris@gmail.comFor past “Confessions of a Yoga Instructor” check out my blog:  http://EricaHarrisYoga.blogspot.com

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Ultimate Guide to Yoga: 100 Blogs, Tutorials, and Resources

The Ultimate Guide to Yoga: 100 Blogs, Tutorials, and Resources


GREAT yoga resource!

Friday, October 16, 2009

......what was that, er-noise?

Confessions of a Yoga Instructor: Inversions, Detox, and Passing Gas?

By Erica Harris


This issue I will be answering some of my frequently asked questions by my students.  If you have a question, let me know and I will do my best to answer it!




Q: What is an inversion?


A: One of the most liberating poses in yoga is the inversion.  An inversion can be thought of as going upside down and broken into two categories: passive inversion and full inversion.  A passive inversion are positions in which the heart is higher than the head, such as Downward Facing-Dog.  A full inversion are positions in which the feet are above the head, such as headstand, shoulder stand, and legs-up-the-wall.  My advice is trying a passive inversion first. Downward Facing-Dog is a frequency used pose in yoga.  Starting by sitting on your knees begin reaching your hands in front of you.  Next, curl your toes and begin allowing your hips to float up to the ceiling.  Allow your heels to fall (doesn’t matter if your heels can touch the ground here), your head remains floating between your shoulder blades, and actively push the ground away with your hands.  Your body should resemble an inverted -V.  In this pose you are allowing your heart to be higher than the head.  You may feel the sensation of blood rushing out of the head.  You may also modify this pose by dropping to the knees.   If you don’t have a current shoulder stand practice, or if you have neck injuries, recent stroke, pregnancy or glaucoma that may prevent this pose, a good way to still get an inversion is Legs-Up-The-Wall*(Always check with your doctor before staring any excerise program) Almost anyone can do this pose and reap its many benefits!  Simply come close to a wall, bring your legs up the wall (trying to keep your tail-end close to the wall).  So, why is it beneficial to invert?  Some yogis (those that practice yoga) report better sleep, focus, digestion, or elevated spirit.  In an inversion the movement reverses the normal flow of blood, pulling fluid out of your feet and legs, a special gift to yourself if you stand or sit all day.  Some people ask me if its okay to do an inversion while menstruating.  The answer is different from one yoga instructor to another.  It also may differ from one woman to another.  I personally, avoid or limit my time in inversions while menstruating.  Some women may experience cramping in inversions while menstrating-so as always, listen to your body and honor it.


Can yoga detox? What positions can I do?


A. Yoga, sweat, and vigorous excerise is detoxing your body.  I love to do twists.  Twists can release tension in the spine, relieve back aches, menstrual cramping, and massage our internal organs.  My favorite is the supine spinal twist.  Start by lying on your back.  Next, allow your hands to come to a ‘T’ position (palms facing down).  Next, allow both knees to bend and fall towards the right side of the body.    If it feels good, you may also want to look over the opposite shoulder.  Hold for at least 10 breaths and repeat on the opposite side.  For other twisting postures try searching for “Yoga twisting poses”.


What do I do if I pass gas in yoga class?


A.  It is unavoidable.  At one point you will find yourself needed to release a body gas in class.  I remember the first time: we had just finished doing many different types of twisting positions and our instructor slowed things down by having us come into Shoulder Stand. My feet were straight up above my head, my abdomen was engaged, and I felt it coming on.  I struggled to hold it hoping it would go away.  As the room became uncomfortable silent a surprising sound came from my rear-end!  I started to turn red and couldn’t think of anything to say but ‘sorry’!  No one laughed, made me feel embarrassed, and class moved on.  So what to do if you find yourself in this situation?  Its up to you.  Its a very natural process that has somehow become taboo.  Yoga will stimulate and detox your body, inside and out.  This can happen through sweat (yep, you can work a sweat in yoga), passing gas, or eliminating.  So feel free to giggle, apologize (although you don’t need to!), or just pretend the most natural of things occurred and do nothing.












Thursday, October 1, 2009

Yoga Etiquette

Confessions of a Yoga Instructor: Yoga Etiquette

By Erica Harris



Imagine you are sitting in a tranquil sitting posture in your local studio.  Your mind starts to drift form the days errands, deadlines, and chores back at home.  For a few moments you experience a tiny glimpse of bliss: thinking only of your smooth, calming, breath.  Suddenly, your awareness comes back to where you are as you are jolted out of your zen state: someone talking loudly on their cell phone enters the room, voice echoing through the small studio.  “She said what? What? Really.... And what did he say? Well that is just unacceptable.  Hey I better get going I’m at my yoga class. Oh yeah, I come here about twice per week now.  Its right off of main street.  Remember that old pizza shop where we saw Jim last week?.....” 


Have you ever been in this situation? So what is yoga etiquette? Keep these 3 Yoga Etiquette tips in mind:


Be on time, be present


Usually you want to show up to class about 10 minutes before the start of class.  This allows time to get settled, use the bathroom, or ask questions.  Turn off all cellphones during class to silent.  Sometimes it can be just as distracting to hear a vibrating phone on a wooden floor in a silent room.  Try to take care of all cell phone conversations before you enter class.  Be respectful of those yogis that come to class early to unwind.  Sometimes students may need to leave early.  Although, “Savasana”, or final relaxation is an important component to any yoga practice, it is understandable if you have to leave early.  It might be a good idea to let your instructor know that you need to leave early.


 Talking during class


Many times I am asked if its okay to ask questions during class.  Since many yoga class rely on a flow format questions should be reserved till the end of class. Many instructors are more than happy to clarify poses or find a good modification pose.


What do you do if you think you are doing a pose wrong during class?  Many instructors follow a similar technique on how to correct students.  First, instructors will correct a student(s) verbally.  The best thing you can do is listen.  Listen to suggestions the instructor is giving on how to do a pose.  Next, if spoken communication is unsuccessful, an instructor may demonstrate a pose.  This provides further clarity to the students.  Lastly, if even further clarity is needed, an instructor may ask a student if its okay to touch them.  This allows the instructor to slightly touch the student and how them exactly where their arms should be in Warrior II for example.  Many times I find that even without touch many students follow the lead with my hands.


 Personal Hygiene 


It is respectful to not wear any perfume or cologne when practicing yoga with others.  Also, being respectful in good personal hygiene habits and clothing.  for example, concealing body order is appreciated by others around you especially since there is opportunity for sweating during class.  Clothing should be respectful and not too revealing.  Many people enjoy wearing workout pants that are easy to move in and a shirt.  Its also a good idea to bring a towel to class to help with any sweat cleanup.