Asana of the Month

December:   Locust

Sanskrit name:   Shalabhasana

General discussion

The locust pose is often also called the grasshopper.  I realize there is not a huge resemblance to biblical crop destroyers but if you almost close your eyes and squint when looking at someone doing it just maybe they will resemble one.

I have incorporated the ½ locust into the pose at the beginning more as a preparation for the full locust.  This stretches and strengthens each side of the lower back prior to doing the full exercise.

The How To

1.       Lie on your stomach, your arms beside you and your head to one side.  Now bring your legs together and walk them long behind you to straighten the back muscles.  Place your chin on the mat.

2.                 Place your hands under your upper thighs (palms up) by rolling the body a little from side to side.  Keep your legs together. 

3.                 Relax your hips by gently rocking them from side to side.  On the inhale slowly raise your right leg off the mat about 10 inches.  Keep it long and straight behind you.  Try and use only the muscles on the right side of your back while keeping the muscles on the left relaxed.  Hold for as long as you can comfortably hold the breath and then slowly lower the leg down.  Relax your hips again and on the inhale slowly raise your left leg long and straight behind you.  Hold for as long as you can comfortably hold the breath and then slowly lower the leg down.

4.                 Now walk your legs long and straight behind you again.  Then inhale... and exhale... and inhale and pushing your fingers into your thighs slowly raise both legs up off the mat and your head and chest as well.  Keep your head tilted back.  Hold the posture for as long as you can comfortably hold the breath.  Then on the exhale slowly lower the legs to the mat.  Repeat the pose again.

5.                 After the second full locust, remove your hands from under your body.  Turn your head to one side and relax completely.

Potential Mistakes

First timers tend to raise the legs too high in both the ½ locust and the full locust.  It is not important how high you go in the posture but how long and straight your legs are.

Beginners having trouble with the full locust can roll up a large towel or blanket and put it under the upper thighs for support.

Benefits of the posture

• Strengthens muscles of upper legs
• Strengthens muscles of the lower back
• Stimulates the intestines and stomach
• Aids with constipation
• Relieves gas ( can't go wrong with that!)
• Stretches the spine

Precautions

• Avoid the pose if you are having headaches
• Avoid the pose if you are suffering from a back injury
• If you have a neck injury keep your head in a neutral position and look down at the floor

Additional Comments

As your back and core strengthen with this pose you can eventually work up to raising your hands off the floor as well when in the full lotus position, so your legs are unsupported.  This will increase the overall benefits of the pose.  I like to do the cobra series prior to the locust and follow with the bow as a back exercise series.

The Power of Breath Part II (Deep Yogic Breathing)

"Through the practice of pranayama the mind becomes arrested in a single direciton."   Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

To continue with the discussion on Pranayama, I would like to introduce the first breathing exercise of Deep Yogi Breathing.

A deep yogic breath is a breath that originates in the diaphragm.  To begin to learn the practice of any pranayama you have to learn to consciously use your diaphragm for breathing.  This vital muscle, like all muscles, only will work as hard as it needs to unless you push it.  We need to give it memory, to work it, just like lifting weights, we will use the breathing exercises like a gym workout, where each breath is like a small weight you are lifting with the diaphragm muscle.  Over time you will build up this muscle so that breathing with your diaphragm is a totally natural part of your life.

So now place your hand on your stomach.  The center of your palm should be over your belly button.  Try and relax your stomach muscles and as you inhale do so with a large stomach, and as you exhale slowly push your belly button back toward your spine.  As you inhale your diaphragm relaxes down, opening up your chest cavity and drawing air into your lungs.  As you exhale the diaphragm contracts, decreasing the size of the chest cavity and forcing the air out of the lungs.  With this exercise you have a license to get fat on the inhale so enjoy it!  I always try to envision on of the Indian sages sitting by the Ganges River, deep in meditation, with his robust stomach getting larger on each inhale.

Many people have difficulty in the beginning of this exercise because they feel it is the opposite of how they normally breathe, and in many instances it is!  Many of us use our chests to breathe so it really is a mind switch to stop this and get control of the diaphragm.  This is where your hand is important in monitoring if you are inhaling with a large stomach and exhaling with the stomach becoming skinny.

With a deep yogic breath (also called a three part breath) you initially draw air in, forcing the diaphragm down with the large stomach.  Your lungs now begin to fill from the bottom up.  After the lower lungs fill the middle section will begin to fill as you slowly expand your rib cage.   Still inhaling expand your chest out and put your shoulders back slowly opening up your chest cavity even more.  Air is now drawn into the upper part of the lungs.  You have now taken in a deep yogic breath.  You are using about 80 to 90% of your lungs capacity.  But it is not over yet.  The exhalation is as important as the inhalation.  It is very important to control the rate of exhale and to make this double that of the inhale.  A general rule of thumb is to begin with a 4 second inhale and then exhale with control for 8 seconds, slowly bringing your belly button back toward your spine.  Just like lifting a weight with your arm and exercising your biceps and triceps, we don't rush the motion, but do it in a controlled fashion.  I like to practice yogi breathing in the morning and evening.  After a week of this try increasing your times to a 5 second inhale and a 10 second exhale.  Then after a month, move to 6 on the inhale and 12 on the exhale.

You can do the three part breath in three separate parts working up to a full deep yogic breath.  On the first inhale just expand the belly and fill the lower and middle lungs.  On the next inhale begin to open up the rib cage and filling the chest cavity.  On your last inhale, draw more air in all the way up to your collar bone and fill the upper areas of the lungs.  On the exhale let the air leave from the upper chest first, then from the center bringing the rib cage closer together.  Finally the last air comes out by contracting the diaphragm in and getting all of the stale air expelled from your lungs.

Deep yogic breathing has many benefits.  The obvious one is we are bringing in more oxygen and referring back to part I, that is just doing us a world of good.  Yogic breathing can be very beneficial in stressful situations to bring immediate calming to our bodies and minds.  If you are about to write a final exam, undergo a prostrate exam (males only of course), get a large injection of penicillin into your bottom or your partner has just dumped you - check in with your breath.  You are probably holding it in and taking in very little oxygen when you should be taking in a lot.  Now is the time to put the deep yogic breath to work - take a few deep breaths and notice how relaxed you become.  It really does work!

Check out this You Tube link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YumVsAhcGEU, she does a great job describing a 3 part breath - and check out when she says " I love to lay"...?

Graduation Bali Style!

I recently completed a yoga teacher training course at Anantara's spectacular new property in Seminyak, Bali.  The resort is located right on one of the islands most famous beaches, and as it turned out, so was the yoga platform. There is just something extra special about doing yoga on the beach.  The sound on the wave rolling in has a particularly soothing effect on the yoga.

Bali is an amazing island.  In the morning you can be surfing perfect breaks and in the afternoon have a crafty monkey steal your very valuable sunglasses at the Monkey Forest in Ubud.  There are volcanoes, terraced rice fields and cliff side temples to keep your visual senses alive. 

When it comes to culinary delights, there are many tasty Indonesian treats to try.  For vegetarians here is a little known fact (maybe only little known to me, but I was surprised by it), tempe comes from Indonesia.  I love tempe and made it a big part of my diet at home.  However in Thailand I have never been able to find it so I was so excited to learn it is an original Indonesian food.  For those of you that are not familiar with it, tempe is fermented soybeans compacted into cakes.  It is usually fried and put in various dishes like gado gado.  I loaded my suitcase up with tempe, rather unusual given the unique and inexpensive souvenirs you can purchase in Bali.

The real jewel of Bali though is the people.  They are so kind, gentle and welcoming.  As students in the yoga teacher training course they were as good as any teacher could hope for.  All of them embraced the program with so much energy.  Most Balinese are Hindus, so meditation, Om signs and Sanskrit words were more common to the students then in other cultures I have taught in.

The eight graduates joined in a mini celebration on the beach to receive their diplomas.  The chef kindly prepared a lovely chocolate Om cake for us.  It is always sad to say goodbye to people you have just spend the last month with, but I am grateful in the knowledge that these kind teachers will soon be sharing the gift of yoga with guests at the resort .

I hope you will have the opportunity to one day visit Bali and stay at Anantaras spectacular property and share a yoga class with one of the lovely teachers there.  The rooms are palatial; the views are never ending as the sea continues its progressive journey forward and backward, lulling you into a place of peace and tranquility...

Asana of the Month

November: Cobra

Sanskrit name:   Bhujangasana

General discussion

The Cobra gets its name from the snake of course, because when you are up in the full Cobra position you tend to resemble a cobra rising up in its full glory.  I like to do the exercise in 3 stages, to loosen up the lower back and come into the full pose slowly.  The cobra has so many benefits but it is really a wonderful exercise to relieve lower back pain and maintain a flexible back.

The How To

1.       Lie on your stomach, your arms beside you and your head to one side.  Now bring your legs together and walk them long behind you to straighten the back muscles. 

2.                 Place your hands below your shoulders so your fingers line up at the end of your shoulders.  Keep your elbows next to your body.  Place your chin on the mat.

3.                 Now slowly raise your hands up off the mat about 2 inches and then slowly raise your chin and your chest slightly off the mat.  Hold for two breaths and slowly lower down.

4.                 Then pressing your hands into the mat a little bit slowly raise your body up into a baby cobra.  Just a mini cobra, with your upper body just off the mat a little with a slight pressure in your hands.  Hold for two breaths and slowly lower down.

5.                 Bring your legs together and walk them long behind you again.  Make sure your elbows are next to your body.  Now inhale... and exhale... and then inhale... and slowly raise your body up into a full cobra. Keep your head back.  Keep your shoulder blades low and your shoulders broad to the front.  Relax your buttocks muscles and lower back, bat press the tops of the feet and thighs into the floor.  Hold for three breaths and slowly lower down.

6.                 Bring your arms beside you, relax your legs, turn your head to one side and just relax.

Potential Mistakes

First timers tend to try and overdo the pose on the first time.  Just take it slow and don't push yourself in the pose.  Your lower back may be stiff so let the cobra slowly open it up each time you do it.

Benefits of the posture

• Strengthens your spine
• Makes the buttocks firm (hurray!)
• Stimulates the abdominal organs
• Stretches the Chest, abdomen and lungs and shoulders
• Good for asthmatics

Precautions

• Avoid the pose if you are having headaches
• Avoid the pose if you are pregnant
• Avoid the pose if you have a back injury

Additional Comments

I like to follow the Cobra with the Locust and Bow.  Keeping them in this series as a back exercise group.  This is a fun asana to do with kids.  Monitor your body in your yoga development and see how much more your back opens up as a result of doing the cobra more.

The fine art of vegetarianism or "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"

Every time I teach a yoga teacher training course I devote one class to vegetarianism.  I always open the discussion by saying that in no way am I telling or even suggesting that they become vegetarian, I only want to bring to light the reasons some yoga people practice it.

Karma

Many reasons have been put forward as to why one should avoid eating meat.  Health is a big one of course, but for some the question of Karma comes into the equation.  In the words of my Guru, Gopala, ‘Karma is the sum total of our acts, both in the present life and the preceding ones.  Karma means not only action, but also the result of the action since they are inseparable'. 

In Thailand, I begin the discussion on Karma by going over the 5 precepts of Buddhism:

-          Don't steal

-          Don't lie

-          Don't be an adulterer

-          Don't drink alcohol

-          Don't kill anything

When I get to the ‘don't kill anything' part I look out at the students and ask if any of them eat meat.  Almost always they will raise their hands.  Then I ask if the meat they are eating was killed?  They all agree to that, but somehow find a way of absolving themselves from the death of the animal because they personally did not kill it.  This goes hand in hand with Eastern philosophy - just keep things at arms length and you avoid any responsibility in it.  Is there any connection to politics in Thailand?  Well maybe...but I digress.

Health

There are a myriad of reasons why avoiding meat is beneficial for your health.  I will just touch on the main ones. 

Vegetables are loaded with fiber.  We hear a lot about fiber but what does it do?  Fiber acts as a natural cleanser, cleaning out old and putrid meat that is stuck in your intestines.  Meat is not easy to digest.  It can often stay in our bowel for months.  Certain vegetables also have been associated with actually curing and reducing your chances of cancer.  The green veggies like collard greens and broccoli are wonderful for aiding in cancer reduction. 

Cholesterol is that awful word that is taking a huge toll on the Western world.  I won't go into the details of cholesterol; you all know it's bad for you.  Meat contains lots of it.  Certain meats contain more than others.  Pork is a really nasty one.  Eat lots of meat and more than likely you will have high cholesterol.  Connecting the dots, high cholesterol leads to heart disease and on and on.  My own father had by-pass surgery over 20 years ago and it wasn't long after that I stopped eating meat.

To make meat production profitable animals are often raised in very tight quarters.  When you put livestock together like this the potential for disease is very high.  To  avoid any problems, the animals are fed large doses of antibiotics.  As well, many meat producers add growth hormones to increase their profitability by getting the animals to put more weight on at a faster pace.  All of these drugs remain in the flesh of the animal and are passed on to our bodies when we consume them.  These unwanted drugs decrease our resistance to infection and disease.  The growth hormones can have detrimental effects on our own natural hormone production.

Often when I am invited to dinner by non-vegetarian friends an element of panic ensues - ‘Oh my god, what are we going to feed him?'  Like life revolves around that piece of flesh in the middle of the plate.  How can we produce a meal without meat?  I wonder how surprised these folks would be if they found out there are cultures that have been vegetarians for thousands of years.  I remember one meal when I was invited to a French gentleman's home for dinner and when I gently informed him I did not eat meat, he turned his nose up and matter-of-factly stated ‘Well, then you will eat rice!'

The reality is that it really isn't that hard to prepare a delicious vegetarian meal.  There are fantastic cookbooks out there; the internet is full of great ideas and recipes.  Experiment with as many food types as you can and just try and find a balance with your food groups.  One of the arguments people use against vegetarianism is that you will lack in proteins.  This can happen if you do not balance your food groups.  There are many protein-rich non-meat foods that will keep your protein levels in check.

More and more restaurants are opening up around the globe offering tasty veggie delights.  Unfortunately the fast-food industry is suffering from a lack of veggie options. However, when the golden arches introduced a veggie burger into the menu I felt hope was on the way!

I guess the bottom line is there is no harm it trying it.  You don't have to convert over night, just try it in steps.  I began with just eating white meat, and then eventually weaned myself off of that to fish.  Moderation is always the best practice, so if you still are craving a juicy steak on the BBQ go for it every now and then, but try and follow that up with a couple of days of veggie-only meals to cleanse your body.

The Power of Breath...

Most of us take breathing for granted; a function preformed without thought.  Is the breath important?  Well without it we would die - that we all know.  But there is so much more to this life sustaining practice. 

Pranayama is the Sanskrit word for breathing exercises.  The word prana means "energy" or "life force", ayama means to increase, lengthen or extend and yama means to control or discipline.   So when you combine them Pranayama translates to bringing energy or life force into our bodies with control. 

Through the practice of Pranayama we can learn to get the most out of our breath.  Increasing our ability to breathe properly will allow us to bring more oxygen into our lungs which ultimately equates to more health and overall wellness. 

Many people are shallow breathers.  This is where you take in basically enough air to sustain life in quick, shallow breaths.  You use only about twenty-five percent of your lungs capacity.  Shallow breathing is mostly a result of our quick-paced lifestyles.  People that suffer from increased anxiety or get angry or frustrated easily tend to be shallow breathers.  These negatives states coupled with our high-paced lifestyles are strong influencing factors that bring on shallow or rapid breathing.  When we are able to train our bodies to slow the breath down, taking deeper and slower breaths how there is a profoundly positive effect on those negatives states.  A slow, deep breath will quickly calm us in stressful situations.

Most people tend to breath from their chests and do not use the diaphragm for breathing.  The diaphragm is the muscle that is located below our lungs and it travels up and down as we breathe.  When we inhale the diaphragm relaxes down and when we exhale it contracts.  The diaphragm is a large, pancake type muscle, no different than another muscle in our bodies.  The more we use it the stronger it becomes.  The practice of Pranayama strengthens the diaphragm and a strong diaphragm is the frame work needed for the body to take slow, deep and comfortable breaths.

These deep breaths will increase the amount of oxygen available to the body.  Decreased oxygen levels are known to lower your resistance to many diseases including heart disease, a greater chance of poor mental ability and overall lethargy.

Proper breathing will not only increase the oxygen supply to our bodies, but it will also increase the amount of carbon dioxide we can eliminate from the body.

One of the most powerful tools of the breath is its ability to relieve stress.  Whenever I find myself in a stressful situation I just do some deep yogi breaths (inhaling a deep comfortable breath with a large stomach and exhaling slowly with control with my belly button coming back toward my spine),  and it seems like the stress just melts away.  The next time you are feeling stress just check in with your body and see what is happening with your breath.  More than likely you are holding your breath and your chest is tight.  This is where you really need to use your diaphragm to relax you.  Just take a few deep yogi breaths to relax you.  Taking control of your breath will bring an amazing calming effect to your body and mind.

Breath control is also a powerful mechanism to enhance meditation.  Your breath can become your mantra.  Just focusing on your inhale and exhale will allow your mind to enter a meditative state, gently moving thoughts aside and allowing your mind to drift deeper into a peaceful place.  Pranayama aids our spiritual journey by with our relaxed body and mind.

To illustrate the physical benefits of Pranayama I will share a personal example.  I love to snorkel and free-dive in the ocean.  Free-diving is where you are equipped with just a mask, snorkel and fins and basically turn toward the bottom and see how far you can go and how long you can stay down.  Prior to practicing Pranyamaa I could comfortably hold my breath underwater for about 40 seconds. Within about a month of practicing Pranyayam I was up to just over 2 minutes.  After a year this reached 3 minutes.  The breathing exercises increased the amount of oxygen I could take in and also taught me to relax my body and mind.  Thus I was using much less oxygen than I normally would.  It is a wonderful experience to be snorkeling fifty feet underwater watching a sea turtle feed, and not having to rush up to the surface to grab a breath.

I recently arrived at the amazing new Anantara resort in Seminyak, Bali.  This resort is located right on the beach and we are doing our yoga classes just a few meters from the sea.  The air is fresh and pure.  A wonderful place to practice Pranayama.   Drawing clean ocean air into our lungs while we listen to the waves gently breaking in front of us.  

In the coming months I will continue the series on Pranayama and provide detailed instructions on how to practice the three breathing exercises I use in my own practice.  So stayed tuned and try and use your diaphragm for breathing and not your chest.  Be conscious of your breath, just check in and see if you are shallow breathing or holding your breath during stressful times. 

Asana of the Month

October:     Tree

Sanskrit name:   Vrksasana

General discussion

The Tree pose has its name for obvious reasons; you look like a tree when you are in the pose.  I like to finish a session of asanas with the Tree pose, just before final relaxation.  This is a balancing pose and every practice should have at least one balancing pose in it.  The Tree will increase your balance overall if done regularly and also strengthen your legs and improve your posture.

The How To

1.       Stand in the Mountain pose, back straight, feet slightly apart.  Raise your shoulders up and roll them back.  Shift your weight slightly to your left foot.

2.                 Bend your right knee and reach down with your right hand and grab onto your right ankle.  Place your right foot on the inside part of your right leg, close to the groin areas with your toes pointing toward the floor.  Try and place the center of your pelvis directly over your left foot.

3.                 Open your arms into a T position with the palms down.  Then bring the hands into prayer position.  At this point it is important to focus on one stationary spot in front of you. 

4.                 Slowly raise your arms above your head with the palms still together.  Try and hold this for three breaths.  If you are feeling strong and want to challenge yourself, open your arms up and try and move your upper body slowly from side to side, like a tree blowing in the wind.

5.                 Slowly lower your hands down into prayer position.  Then lower them to your sides and lower your right foot down to the floor.

6.                 Shake your legs a little bit and repeat on the right side now.  Remember to begin in a strong mountain pose.

Potential Mistakes

It is important to begin the pose in a strong Mountain pose.  Making sure your legs are slightly apart.  This will help you place you center your body correctly when standing on one leg.  Make sure you don't rush the pose, just take your time and enjoy the flow of it.  Focusing your eye on one spot is very important to help you keep balance during the pose.  

Benefits of the posture

• Strengthens your thighs, spine, ankles and calves
• Strengthens your back muscles
• Improves posture
• Stretches your groin and inner thigh
• Improves balance and posture

Precautions

• Avoid the pose if you are having headaches
• If you have high blood pressure do not raise your arms overhead

Additional Comments

When beginning with the pose you may want to use a wall or have someone assist you when coming into the pose.  When using any assistance try and slowly move yourself away from it as you gain confidence and strength in the pose.  The Tree is a beautiful asana to watch.  I love teaching it in an outdoor class and have the guests focus on the beautiful trees in front of us.  The tree also is a wonderful pose for photographs.

Temple Stays and Alternative Vacations...

It's a long way from the beaches of Pattaya or the bustle of Bangkok, but it's well worth it.  If peace and quiet, a lot of saffron and total relaxation is what you are looking, for then head for a mountain temple (Wat) on your next visit to Thailand.

As my upcoming trip to Anantara, Bali was recently postponed for a few days I decided to take the opportunity to visit a temple I used to go to near Rayong, in the South Eastern part of Thailand.

It had been a few years since I was back to the temple but it felt a little like coming home.  Thailand is currently in the fall school break so there were 8 young novice monks there studying with the Abbot.  The Abbot is a very kind and learned man with a Masters in marketing.  I always feel so relaxed in his presence and love his gentle and kind nature.

The temple is in a beautiful forest overlooking a vast array of rubber plantations.  Rubber generates the majority of the economy in this area.  From starting rubber cuttings all the way to the furniture factories making bedrooms sets from rubber wood; it really is a huge industry.  Rubber is an amazing tree really, and what we humans have learned to do with it is incredible.  The resource is completely sustainable, and all by products are used in so many ways.  From the surgical gloves that your doctor uses to the tires on your car, rubber seems to be everywhere.  Hanging out in a rubber plantation really allows you to appreciate how much work goes into just the collecting and initial processing of the sticky white substance.

What is wonderful about temples in Thailand is that virtually almost every temple in is open for you to visit.  You really just have to show up on the door step and ask permission from the Abbot to stay and the door will be open to you.  It is however appreciated that you contact them in advance and certainly the courteous thing to do.

You will be given a small and simple room to sleep in.  Most of the temple is open to you, but when the monks are in chants or meditation these sessions are sometimes closed to the general public.  For the most part you are left to pursue your practice in whatever way you see fit.

Guests to the temple are not expected to help out but it is always a nice gesture to ask the Abbot if you can do something to assist.  This is a form of karma yoga, which is practiced in Indian style ashrams.  Basically selfless giving.  My karma yoga was teaching the novices some conversational English.  We set up a makeshift classroom opposite the little lotus pond and for an hour each day had fun with some basic "My name is..."stuff.  It is a nice way for me to get to know each novice and learn a little about their lives.

When you leave it is customary to offer a small donation to the temple.  This money can be used by the temple for basic expenses like electricity.  You can also bring some gifts of fruit or vegetables when you arrive.  Anything is appreciated, especially in the more remote temples that get few visitors and thus fewer donations.

When I went to say good bye to the Abbot his saffron robes had a new color on them, black, oily grease.  He was bent over the engine compartment of the temple pick-up and was attempting to remove the head of the engine.  He explained that doing the work himself would save the temple a lot of Baht, but clearly he had a love for this, as one who also enjoys getting oily under the hood, you do it for more than just the savings.  All of the novices were crowded around the scene as the Abbot was explaining the function of each part to them.  

I plan to return sooner than later to the mountain wat and get deeper into my meditation practice.  I encourage readers to visit a wat when they are in Thailand, even if for only a day visit.  You will be a welcome visitor and get to see a side of Thailand that few foreign visitors get to appreciate.

Asana of the Month

September:             Bow

Sanskrit name:   Dhanurasana

General discussion

The reason this exercise is called the Bow is it resembles a bow; pulled tight, ready to shoot an arrow.  The Bow has so many benefits that it is a must in any practice.  It may be a little challenging at first to master, but once you get the hang of it you will be doing it with ease. 

The How To

1.       Lie on your stomach, legs slightly apart and your arms at your side.  Put your forehead on the mat.

2.                 Bend your right knee and reach back with your right and grab onto your right ankle. Bend you left knee and reach back with your left hand and grab onto your left ankle.  (If you cannot grab your ankles then grab your foot but now your toes).

3.                 Have your body weight rest on your stomach and not your pelvis.  Keep your arms straight and push your feet into your hands and raise up your feet.  Try to straighten your knees as much as you can as you try and rise up higher and higher.

4.                 Once your feet are up high you can rock back and forth on your abdomen, imagining you are the lower part of a wheel and someone is rolling you back and forth on the mat.  Great way to massage your abdomen.

5.                 Try and hold the pose for 10 - 20 seconds.  When you are ready to come down slowly lower your thighs and chest and head down to the mat.  Bring your heels to your bottom for a few seconds

Potential Mistakes

Try to hold your ankles or feet but not your toes.  Many people try and keep the elbows bent but it is important to keep your arms straight when you come up into the pose.  Make sure your legs are slightly apart but not too far apart.

Benefits of the posture

• Aid with constipation
• Keeps the spine elastic by giving a deep massage to the back muscles
• Regulates the pancreas so it is very good for people with diabetes
• Energizes us
• Massages all the digestive organs
• Helps cure flatulence after meals (well there goes the fart jokes!)
• Helps prevent sterility (you know I want to say something here...)
• Improves posture; no more slouching

Precautions

• Pregnant women should not practice this posture
• After abdominal surgery, avoid this asana until you are fully healed
• Avoid it if you have high blood pressure, stomach ailments or a hernia

Additional Comments

I once had a girlfriend that used this pose to literally get the gas out!  If she was feeling a little gassy she would lie on the floor and go up into the bow and as long as I wasn't downwind of her all was good.  So just keep that in mind if you have been dipping heavily into the beans.  Try and challenge yourself a little more each time, lifting the feet a little higher every time you practice it. 

I wanted to share a recent traffic related experience with readers (all 3 of you).  What does this have to do with yoga you say?  Well, just stick with it and you will soon see.  Recently I was riding with a friend and her relatives in the family car in Bangkok.  As it turned out it was rush hour, and for those who have not experienced this time of day in this Asian metropolis, it is something that can really shock you.

I have been in traffic jams in some major cities in Canada and the United States, especially the infamous ones in and around Los Angeles, but nothing compares to Bangkok.  Even in the worst case scenario on an L. A. freeway you are at least moving a little, perhaps inching along, but at least moving.  In Bangkok, things just come to a virtual standstill.  Usually not due to an accident, but more to the sheer volume of traffic that has to move through a city that really was not designed to deal with the rapid growth it undergoes. 

The major intersections are where the most serious traffic issues begin.  The main factor is the traffic lights.  These intersections have traffic police to operate the signals during rush hour.  They wield ultimate control from their little air-conditioned booths tucked into a corner of the intersection. 

A long traffic light in America might run, say, 45 seconds.  That would be close to the maximum before commuters begin to get frustrated.  I imagine someone is out there performing tests on subjects to see where the average office worker, heading home after a long day of cubicle life, starts to lose it.  Sort of a ‘road rage' monitor.  Well in Bangkok we are dealing with a totally different equation.  At one particularly busy intersection I decided to time the light.  I realize the following figure may be hard to believe, but I guarantee that this is not an exaggeration.  Thirteen minutes!!!  Did you just read that - 13 minutes!  Not seconds but minutes - that is 780 seconds!  Well if that had been in L.A. the potential bloodshed could have been horrific.  This enters an entire new level of road rage, something more like road carnage!

Suddenly I had this vision of my father sitting at the light, his stress level rising as every second ticked by; the scar tissue from his triple bypass beginning to strain as my mother repeated her mantra of "Now dear, just relax... there is no need to beep the horn so much... getting angry isn't going to make it any better... etc. etc."

Since I like to think of myself as kind of an amateur sociologist I decided some research had to be done into why the people remained so calm in their cars waiting for these long lights.  I first looked at my fellow car passengers and then at the surrounding vehicles.  I scanned for any sign of agitation, anger or frustration but found none.  Everyone appeared relaxed, just chilling in their cars.  Then I looked a little closer and actually saw calm on their faces.  When I asked my friend and her family what they were thinking about while sitting waiting for the light to change, they all replied, "Nothing really." 

In Thailand there are two main forms of meditation; sitting meditation (nan samatii) and walking meditation (duan samatii).  Perhaps in Bangkok traffic jams a third form has developed---car meditation (rote samatii).  This is a way of just turning your mind off to your surroundings until the car in front of you begins to move.  You are present, your eyes are open but your mind is calm and your thoughts are few.  I assume acceptance plays a large role in it as well and Thais are professionals at acceptance.  They seem to accept whatever hand they were dealt at that moment.  No doubt a large part of this results from their Buddhist heritage.  But I have also been in predominately Buddhist countries where 13 minute traffic lights would never be tolerated.  So there is this very special part of Thais that allows them to somehow peacefully accept their situation, and whatever form of meditation they may be practicing just helps them move through it.

So to drivers, passengers and commuters everywhere - let's all try and practice a little vehicular meditation when we are stuck at a long light or in a traffic jam.  Relax your thoughts, breath deeply with your diaphragm and just accept the situation for what it is.  Why not give it a try, it can't be any worse than getting upset and frustrated, and it may cut down on future cardiologist bills!

Graduation is upon us...

Every time I participate in a graduation the graduation scene from Clockwork Orange comes to mind - the one where Alex is graduating from his rehabilitation program with Elgar's ‘Pomp and Circumstance' playing as he proudly struts his stuff...

It wasn't exactly the same scene here at Anantara Golden Triangle when the yoga teacher training students walked up to receive their diplomas from the general manager, Mark Heather.  There were four new teachers in the group of six and two former teachers that were moving up to Level II.  Everyone had worked so hard to complete the course. They all maintain their full-time jobs during the program so their days can be long, some as long as 12 hours.

The highlight of the afternoon was the Om chocolate cake.  The diplomas immediately took a distant second when the cake was ceremoniously brought in.  We couldn't take our eyes off of it.  When it was time to cut the chocolate masterpiece, all of us held the knife together, and cut the cake, like newlyweds beginning their life together.  In many ways we were doing just that because, as I said in my short speech to all of them, I would always be their yoga teacher!

I am very proud of the new teachers not only for the hard work they put into the program but for taking on something that really is relatively foreign to them.  Even though yoga in Bangkok is booming, it is still relatively unknown here in the North.  Anantara is the only resort in this area offering yoga to its guests.  I encourage the teachers to try and teach some classes to their families or even go back to their old elementary school and volunteer to do a class once a week, just to try and get the idea of it flowing in young minds. 

I will leave Anantara, Golden Triangle with the same sadness I experience when leaving an Ashram after a special time of shared yoga with new friends.  The staff here are all very friendly and kind.  I will miss them all and look forward to returning to check on the teachers in the winter.  My next destination is Japan for a gathering of yoga gurus from various parts of the globe.  But it's not all for yoga; I will also be attempting to climb Mount Fuji, a life long dream of mine.  So stay tuned and perhaps soon I will post a photo of me on top of the mount of the Rising Sun.  However if I don't make it to the top, we will speak nothing more on the subject!!!

So what is your first memory? Is it something soft, something cuddly?

Now, what is your first yogic memory?  When you reflect back on your first yoga experience what comes to mind?  Well, mine is of the gentle voice of my first yoga teacher, Claude.  I remember being worried about the class, wanting to go to the back, where no one would notice my lack of experience. I wanted to turn around and silently slip out of the class because of my mindset that I was not flexible.  However, Claude took all of that fear away.  From the very first Om to the final chant she calmed my fears and brought peace to my troubled mind.  Claude brought yoga into my life and every time I do yoga I thank her for that.  I have incorporated some of her posture choices and teaching methods into my own practice.  That first yoga class was many years ago and to this day we are still close friends. 

Recently here at Anantara, Golden Triangle I had the wonderful opportunity of witnessing this bond forming between teacher and student (guest) again.  One of my teacher training students, Khun Kwan, was teaching her first solo class.  Before the class began she was very nervous and kept saying, "Please, please, please I don't want any guests to come!".  And then, of course, as Murphy's Law would always have it; a guest arrived.  Rebecca Cole, a New York City designer, strolled through the door asking where the yoga class was.  I just laughed and winked at Kwan and sat down on my mat to enjoy the show.

When Kwan asked Rebecca if she had ever done yoga before, Rebecca, with all of her N.Y.C. wit, proudly announced that this was in fact her first class.  That didn't help Kwan's demeanor, but she soldiered on to teach a very beautiful class.  I was so proud of her.  After the class, Rebecca went up to Kwan and told her how wonderful the class was and how good she felt.  That is all Kwan needed to hear.  A look of total relief came over her face, to be replaced with overwhelming joy!  I think Rebecca told her three more times how special the class had been. Later, when we joined each other for breakfast, she commented again on how calming Kwan's voice had been.

Rebecca returned everyday for yoga during her week visit, and sometimes twice a day.  She became a yogic convert overnight.  I don't know if Kwan will ever know the power of what she did for Rebecca and how she brought something as beautiful as yoga into her life.  It was on the day the two said goodbye after Kwan taught another of her gentle classes that I realized how special this bond was between the two.  Kwan walked up to Rebecca and with tears in her eyes asked if she could hug her!  Northern Thais rarely show any sign of affection; therefore, this really surprised me.  It was very moving to witness this closeness between teacher and student; between these two individuals that came from cultures half way around the world from each other.  Yoga had bridged the gap.

Asana of the Month

August: Cat / Cow

Sanskrit name:   Bidalasana

General discussion

The Cat and Cow postures are often just called the Cat, but many instructors also call it by both names.  I personally prefer the two names as it allows me to make both a meow and Moo when doing the posture.  These gentle stretches are a wonderful way to stretch out all of the muscles of the back after doing a series of back asana such as the Cobra, Locust, and Bow.

The How To

1.       We begin the posture on your hands and knees.  Make sure your hands are directly below your knees and your knees below your hips.  Open your knees a little so your body is more stable.

2.                 Now raise your back up by pressing down through your hands on the mat.  Lift your back upwards out of your shoulders.  Lower your head down and look at the floor between your knees.  This position imitates a scared cat.  Keep the back arched up high.

3.                 Now sag into your shoulders lowering the center of your back down as your hips rotate raising your bottom up in the air.  The head comes up at the same time.  Look upward. This is the Cow posture, imitating a scared cow.

4.                 When you are comfortable with each posture you will move slowing back and forth between each using your breath to guide you into the posture.  Inhale deeply then exhale contracting the diaphragm, and raise up into the Cat.  Then inhale slowly and lower down into the cow.  Repeat these three or four times.

5.                 Then gently lower your bottom onto your heels.  Bring your forehead down to the mat.  Your arms are beside you and relax in the Child's Pose.

Potential Mistakes

It is important to be sure to raise your shoulders up as you push into the mat coming into the Cat.  Correct body alignment is important to get the most benefit from the pose.  Be sure to extend your neck in both postures to get a nice stretch in the neck and spine.  The most common mistake I see guests making is they don't raise the spine up enough in the Cat or lower down sufficiently in the Cow.  If it feels like you are doing very little in the Asana then perhaps you are and should try and extend the stretch more.

Avoid doing the postures if you are suffering from recent back injury or chronic back pain.

Benefits of the posture

The Cat and Cow posture has many benefits.  Firstly it will loosen your back and spine.  When you come into the Cat it elongates your back muscles and contracts your abdominal muscles.  The Cow stretches the front of your body and your chest.  Both postures free up your neck and shoulders. 

Both poses will stimulate the digestive tract.  They also improve circulation through the spine and core.  The spinal fluid is stimulated as well.  The postures will also aid with constipation.  They also help manage stress - well of course they do, when you make a large meow and moo in the pose, who isn't having fun?

Additional Comments

I love to teach this asana.  We always have fun doing it when we add the meow in the cat and the Moo into the Cow.  Kids really enjoy the pose as it is easy to do and who doesn't like making loud animal noises!  If you have been on a long trip, car-airplane-bus-donkey, then do some Cat and Cows in the middle of the trip or when you arrive to open up your spine and stretch out your shoulders.  Remember to have fun with it!

The first time I entered a yoga studio in a downtown New York City my initial reaction was to turn tail and run all the way back to my sailboat in the Bahamas.  Not because of the yoga but because of the incredibly cramped setting.  The yoga mats were laid out in a space-saving pattern that only Escher himself could have come up with.  There was just enough room for each yogi to practice, assuming you were not taller than say 5 ½ feet!

Unfortunately, this agoraphobic reaction occurred in most situations I encountered in the city - especially as I searched aimlessly for a non-crowded, comfortable studio.  I eventually realized that the only way for me to continue my yoga practice, was to do it in Central Park.  Given NYC weather, that was limited at best.

Well the antithesis of this experience occurred recently when the amiable general manager of Anantara Golden Triangle, Mark Heather, was touring me around the stunning grounds of the resort.  The primary objective of the tour was to show me some of his favorite locations where he thought I might want to hold yoga classes.

The more we toured, the more impressed I became with the serenity of the setting.  There were a myriad of locations suitable for a yoga class - and that led me to a yogi's dilemma - which setting to choose!

The Rice Paddy:  A rustic, open-framed wooden platform set on the edge of a rice paddy and bordered by a spectacular lotus garden - where the only disturbance was the baby elephant's ritual, afternoon bath.

The Hill Top:  A spectacular grassy knoll located above the East wing of the resort with a large worship area that overlooked not only the splendid Mekong River but gave an impressive view of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.  As it gets closer to dusk the hills of all three countries turn a soft golden brown. 

The Island:  Located in the extensive lower gardens of Anantara and surrounded by cascading ponds, palms and large shade trees.  The only distraction would be the elephants as they lazily saunter by on their way to their morning bath in the Ruak River.

The lower Deck:  If the sounds of the cascading waterfall coming down from the infinity pool didn't hook me, it was certainly the amazing view of the Mekong Valley and the lush bamboo forest that surrounds the area.

I have always been a firm believer that the closer you can bring your yoga practice to nature the more peace you ultimately receive.  Well, at Anantara's Golden Triangle property this comes to you in spades.  If the spectacular views are not enough then the sounds of the various species of birds perched in the abundant trees or the cries of elephants from their adjacent camp will take you to places you may have never approached in your yoga practice before.

In the end, I settled on all of the mentioned locations and added a few as we went on.  Both the students and guests seemed to really appreciate these beautiful, natural locations and I trust that it aided all of our practices and brought us ultimately closer to whatever it is we are searching for.  I encourage each of you to ‘take it outside' and enjoy all of the space and tranquility any chance you get...

I wanted to share a special day some of us had recently at a local Hill Tribe orphanage near the resort.  A lovely Australian couple, guests here at Anantara, Golden Triangle, Rory and Terry Crawford, accompanied us as well.  General Manager, Mark Heather very kindly provided us with a van for the journey up to the orphanage, located in a string of mountain ranges near Doi Mai Salong, close to the Myanmar Border.

Just a short history on the orphanage - it began about fifteen years ago as a grass roots project started by Khun Apinat, a gentle Aka man, and his family.  Khun Apinat and his wife, Khun Noon, have five children of their own, but over fifteen years this has grown to forty-two extra kids from the surrounding Hill Tribe villages in the area.  Khun Apinat began the program to allow these kids to have an education as they are all from villages that have no access to public schools.  Their villages are up in the mountains far away from roads or any kind of vehicular transportation.  Without his program these kids would never have the opportunity to attend school. 

My dream has always been to teach some of the kids yoga.  Rory and Terry also do yoga so it was natural for them to accompany us up there.  The one hour drive from the resort was spectacular.  The rains are in full swing in Northern Thailand now and the landscape is covered in a brilliant green haze from the rice fields up to the bamboo on the peaks of the mountains.  We stopped along the way to enjoy a spectacular view that spanned three countries with visibility so clear we could clearly see over forty kilometers all the way to Laos and Myanmar. 

The kids loved the yoga.  They were all naturals at the postures, with the supple flexibility of youth on their sides they flowed beautifully into each pose.  Although most of these kids speak Thai, their native tongue is Aka.  Since my Thai is questionable at best and my Aka almost non-existent, Khun Po, Mark Heather's wife, who is also one of my yoga student in my Yoga Teacher Training Program at the resort, helped translate postures to the kids.  It was all a good laugh and at the end we all enjoyed the close bond that yoga brings to everyone.

After the class, the guests toured the orphanage and were presented with hand embroidered Aka bags that the children had made.  Then the kids sang some traditional Aka songs that really put a wonderful feel to the afternoon.  Rory and Terry made a kind donation to the project and we left with good feelings in our hearts, buoyed by the joy the children had given us.  The big hit of the day was when Khun Po brought out her little DVD player to show a cartoon to the kids.  I don't think they had ever seen a DVD and they crowded around the little screen watching in amazement.  Now I know what to give them for Christmas this year!

Many thanks to Terry and Rory for joining us on the excursion and to Anantara for providing the transportation.  It is days like this that really allow you to reflect on your life and realize how blessed you are to have spend this wonderful time with this kind and loving Aka family, high up in the mountains of Northern Thailand. 

A note to readers: unfortunately, do to raising food prices in Thailand, and a strong Baht, the orphanage has had to cut back on the number of kids it can support in the program.  Last year they had 54 kids and now they have 42.  This is truly a grassroots project with no administration costs.  Every penny donated goes to support the kids.  If anyone is interested in either visiting the orphanage, learning more about this amazing project, or making a donation please get in touch with me.  If you would like to visit the orphanage while you are at Anantara, Golden Triangle talk to the concierge who can assist you with this.

 

Kids Yoga

People tend to think of yoga as an adult activity, but really it's a wonderful practice to involve kids in.  During my stay at Anantara-Maldives, Donna, one of my teacher- training students, brought her cute four year old son, Jared to yoga almost everyday.  We all loved him being there and on the days that he didn't come we felt that a big part of the class was missing.  Jared did not do many of the actual postures, often just playing with his toy cars and trucks, but his presence in the class had a peaceful effect on both the guests and students.  Seeing the special bond between mother and child was very touching.

At the risk of sounding like my grandfather, "You know sonny, in my day we had to walk up hill both ways to school, play with wooden toys and pretend that snow was ice cream, etc., etc." I fear that the days of kids participating in both indoor and outdoor physical activity may soon become a thing of the past in this electronic era.   Kids are definitely more sedentary, and certainly less active than they used to be.  This is not a good thing.

Childhood obesity in the West is increasing at an alarming rate.  Even here in Asia it is a major issue.  In the past ten years in Thailand childhood obesity is up by 14 per cent.  Television, video games, computers and the internet all contribute to this.  Kids have so many more entertainment options today.  Yes Gramps, gone are the days of the wooden train set!

So along comes yoga.  Yoga is a wonderful way for kids to exercise in a gentle and relaxing fashion.  Yoga can be a lot of fun for kids.  It is a great way to calm hyper children, giving them a new outlet for excess energy.  Some therapists are now using yoga to help children with A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).  Yoga helps children control stress and provides them with new ways to relax.  Yoga helps build self-esteem and confidence in shy kids.

Yoga classes provide a safe place for kids to make new friends of a like mind.  Through the use of music, art games, and storytelling, instructors can create a fun environment for kids to practice in.  A healthy respect for other children can be fostered in these classes.  It can also be a special bonding mechanism for parents and children as they do yoga together.

Any age is a good age to start children in yoga.  Parents can even bring babies to parent and tot yoga classes.  So, get your kids started whenever you can.  Teach them at home, take them to your local studio (if they allow it), or just try gently teaching a group of them some basic postures.  Some fun postures to try with kids are Cat and Cow (make sure you have them meow and moo as they go into the asana), the tree, and even the Warrior and Triangle.  Just have fun with them, tell jokes and be a big kid yourself!

There is a plethora of internet sites devoted to yoga with kids you can check out.  As well, there are books and C.D.s available on the subject.  There are even yoga studios just for kids.  Yoga ashrams and even some studios offer kid retreats.  I remember being invited to a tofu wiener roast at a kid yoga camp at an ashram once and marveling at the bond these kids had formed with each other.  Some had been returning to the summer yoga camp for the past four years, seeing their old friends and making new ones.  Although yoga was their primary focus, there were many other activities at the camp, including the bonfire I joined in on, where the kids delighted in showing me how to construct my first ever S'more!  (a concoction of two graham crackers with chocolate and  marshmallows sandwiched between that is carefully heated over the campfire until the ingredients melt to form some kind of gooey, sandwich like, 500 calorie concoction).  I imagine these guys were burning up a few S'mores a day with all the yoga and fun activities the camp had them doing.

 

200 Baht and the Rerrax, Rerrax, Rerrax...

Well I am out 200 baht but it's for a good cause...

One of my yoga students, Khun Duan, a waitress at the Thai restaurant here at Anantara Maldives, was teaching her final class today.  She was displaying the usual final exam jitters before the class began so I approached her and whispered in her ear that I would give her 100 baht for each guest she could get to fall asleep in final relaxation. The purpose of the offer was to try and give her something else to focus on and also offer a little incentive to keep her voice gentle and supportive during final relaxation.

We spend a lot of time in class working on various aspects of the voice during relaxation.  Cadence and pitch are very important in relaxing guests.  Choosing gentle and relaxing words that my Thai students can easily pronounce is also a little challenging.  We avoid words that contain a lot of l's and r's.  Of course the most important word ‘relax' cannot avoid the final cut so inevitably we get a lot of rerraxes coming up during beginning and final relaxation.  Regardless of the pronunciation though, it seems to have the desired effect on the guests and as Khun Duan had barely finished saying her final rerrax I could here the breathing of 2 of the guests change as they began to drift off to sleep.  Gentle snores were not far behind.  I had to bite my lip quite hard to stop myself from laughing as I imagined the look on Duan's face when she realized she had actually put guests to sleep in her first solo teaching experience.  Not to mention she was soon going to have 200 baht riding around in her yoga pants.

I have always thought, both as a yoga teacher or guest, that the ultimate compliment to the person leading your yoga class is to fall asleep.  Even though some of my gurus have explained that true relaxation comes somewhere between sleep and consciousness, it still feels wonderful to wake up to the gentle sound of the teachers voice.  However I have to admit that on the odd occasion my eyes have opened to an empty room and then the confusion sets in, followed by the slow realization that everyone has long left the class and you are wondering if this is all part of a frat joke or a little too much Margarita Madness the night before.  This is inevitably followed by wondering if you, by chance, emitted any loud snores or unconsciously decided to share your deepest secrets with your fellow yogis.  It's all good though and real, from a teacher's point of view, it's like watching a group of kindergarten students during nap time, cuddled up on their mats on the floor dreaming of ice cream and butterflies.

Well in the long run Khun Duan aced her final class, not only teaching a beautiful class but sending off the guests in a very relaxed (rerraxed) state to watch yet another spectacular Maldivian sunset.

July:   Warrior / Triangle

Sanskrit name:   Virabhadrasana / Trikonasana

General discussion

I have combined these two asanas together to keep a flow between the postures.  The warrior is a posture of strength, while the Triangle gives you a gentle stretch to your inner thigh and all the muscles running up the side of your body.  Both help your balance and coordination.

The How To

1. Open your legs wide.  The wider you open the legs the greater the stretch.  Turn your right foot to the right and your left foot slightly to the right.  Raise your hands above your head.  This straightens the back up nicely.
2. Lower your arms into a T position parallel to the mat.  Look at your left hand to make sure your arm is straight.  Look at your right hand to make sure your arm is straight.
3. Bend your right knee and slowly lower down into a strong warrior pose.  Keep your arms parallel to the ground and keep your back straight.  The lower you go the more you increase the stretch.  Hold for five breaths.

4.  Now straighten your right leg and lower your right hand down to the mat (if you can not reach the mat place a block between your hand and the mat to keep a nice alignment in your back).  Then lower your left arm over your ear and look forward.  Keep your lower back straight.  To increase the stretch in the inner thigh, try and gently twist your right hip forward while your left hip comes back.  Hold for five breaths.

5. Now slowly raise your left arm up directly over your head and turn your body and look up at your hand.  Again increase the stretch by bringing your right hip forward and your left hip back.  Hold for five breaths.

6. Now slowly walk your right hand up your leg while your left arm comes down to your side.  Point your feet to the opposite direction.  Raise your hands above your head and lower them down into the T position parallel to the mat.

7. Bend your left knee and slowly lower down into a strong warrior pose.  Keep your arms parallel to the ground while keeping your back straight.  The lower you go the more you increase the stretch.  Hold for five breaths.

8. Now straighten your left leg and lower your left hand down to the mat (if you can not reach the mat place a block between your hand and the mat to keep a nice alignment in your back).  Then lower your right arm over your ear and look forward.  Keep your lower back straight.  To increase the stretch in the inner thigh, try and gently twist your left hip forward while your right hip comes back.  Hold for five breaths.

9. Now slowly raise your right arm up directly over your head and turn your body and look up at your hand.  Again increase the stretch by bringing your left hip forward and your right hip back.  Hold for five breaths.

10. Now slowly walk your left hand up your leg while your right arm comes down to your side.  Slowly bring your feet back together.

Potential Mistakes

Warrior

Not opening the legs enough will hinder you when lowering down into a strong warrior pose. 

Triangle

It is important to be conscious of moving the one hip back while the other goes forward to gently increase the stretch in your inner thigh.  Beginners tend to have their bodies incorrectly aligned in the pose.  Imagine a line running from your head to the center of your foot when you are the pose.  Practicing this posture against a wall will help with correct alignment.  Try and keep your lower back relaxed in the posture, the more you can relax it the more your hips can twist and the better you can align the body correctly.

Benefits of the posture

Warrior

•-         increases your stamina

•-         builds strength in both the legs and ankles

•-         aids with balance

Triangle

•-         great stretch for hamstrings, inner thighs and hips

•-         removes lower back tension

•-         good for balance and coordination

•-         builds strength in lower back and thighs

Additional Comments

I like to do these asanas near the end of the program.  The body has warmed up nicely and you can deepen the stretch more on the inner thigh.  This is also one of the most beautiful postures to watch, so try and place yourself at the back of the class and enjoy watching those in front of you!

Photo model:   Khun Gib, Spa Therapist

Location:    Anantara, Maldives

What is Yoga Exactly?

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that basically means a union.  Union of what you ask?  It is the union that exists between your Mind and Body.  What does this mean? 

We practice yoga with the intention of bringing about a natural balance between the mind and body.  Basically, we unite the two to create harmony in our lives.  When we have harmony within us we manifest an overall state of internal health and well-being. 

Even though yoga was originally a Hindu practice and dates back over 4000 years, it is not in itself a religion.  It is often confused as such, but really it is just a combination of physical and mental disciplines that work together to bring more harmony into our lives.

The majority of Western yoga today focuses mostly on the physical aspects of the practice.  In reality, yoga is a combination of five disciplines that together help to create peace and harmony in our lives.

Postures (Asanas)

This is the core of yoga practice. When most people think of yoga, they think only of the postures.  There are various styles of yoga posture being practiced around the world today but the most common is Hatha yoga. 

The practice of asanas act as a lubricating routine for the joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons and other parts of the body by increasing circulation and flexibility.  Your body is only as young as it is flexible.  Consistent practice quickly leads to greater flexibility.

Breathing (Pranayana)

Pranayana or breathing exercises are designed to increase the flow of oxygen to the body and balance energy in the mind.  Most of us use only a fraction of our potential lung capacity when we breathe.  Yogis breathe with their diaphragm, filling areas of the lungs that normally do not get used.

These breathing exercises strengthen the diaphragm and help us to relax.  Control of one's breath can aid in control of one's body and mind.  Prana means subtle energy.  When we control the prana, we can control the entire body. 

Relaxation

One of the goals of yoga is to provide deep relaxation to both the body and mind.  After the asanas and breathing have been preformed, the instructor will lead the class into a state of deep relaxation.  This is done through auto-suggestion and tensioning exercises. 

Diet

A well-balanced diet is an important aspect of yoga for it allows the body to obtain the greatest benefit from the other four elements of the yoga practice. 

The American Medical Journal recently stated that, "A vegetarian diet can prevent 90% of our thromboembolic disease (blood clotting) and 97% of our coronary occlusions (arterial blockage)".  Any opportunity to prevent these diseases sounds like a good thing!  The list of ailments associated with eating meat is very extensive.  Here are a few examples: strokes, cancer, migraine, kidney stones and bad body odor (This last one is quite important as far as I am concerned!). 

Also, there is the entire meat issue concerning drugs, hormones and the conditions the animals are raised in.  And, of course, there is the actual killing of an animal and the karma associated with that.

Meditation

We basically do all of the above to have good meditation.  Asana lubricates everything to allow us to sit for long periods of time.  Pranayama increases our oxygen levels, allowing us to concentrate more.  Relaxation prepares us for meditation by slowing down the system.  Lastly, a proper diet will be beneficial  by preparing the body for the previous activities.  Certain foods can be too active for meditation. 

Meditation is a very powerful nerve tonic.  The practice of meditation can bring great peace to our minds.  Your intellect is purified. 

When most people think of meditation they have a vision of a guru perched high in the Himalayas chanting OM for a couple of years.  Sitting meditation is just one of the forms of meditation.  You can meditate in almost any state or condition in your life.

I will go into greater detail on all five of these points of yoga in future blogs.  For now, I just wanted to give you a general outline of yoga and explain how there is more to it all than just the actual posture.

 

Couples yoga

Yoga is all about understanding.  For the past five weeks I have been in the Maldives training yoga teachers at the Anantara resort.  The experience has been wonderful.  I have a total of 15 students in my classes - 8 in the morning and 7 in the afternoon. 

Together we are a mix of 7 different nationalities (Egyptian, Maldivian, Thai, Philippine, Italian, Australian and Canadian).  Maybe it's the mix of people, but for some reason we really have a lot of fun in the classes.  Two of the students have been partners for almost two years now.  They met working at the resort.  Khun She, a tall, Northern Thai lady with delicate Chinese features, and Khalaf, a muscular Egyptian man resembling a modern day pharaoh.  The relationship between these two is one of beauty.  Together they embody what I believe is a true illustration of love between partners.  The love they display to each other seems so pure and unconditional.  Whenever Khun She looks at Khalaf, it seems that they both melt in a wave of love.

So when they came to me this week and asked if they could teach their final exam class together, I immediately agreed for it really seemed quite unnatural that they would do it on their own.

Yesterday they taught their final exam class together as a couple.  Khun She led the class with her gentle voice while Khalaf demonstrated the postures. The class was wonderful.  I was so proud of them when they finished; both for their accomplishment in completing the course and also for pioneering the idea of teaching as a couple.  One nice advantage of the two teachers was Khun She could move among the guests and gently adjust and guide them through the asanas.  If a guest was ever confused about a posture they only had to look at Khalaf's at the front of the class. 

As a testament to Khun She's gentle voice three guests drifted off into a peaceful sleep during final relaxation.  Throughout the class the two would glance at each other and their faces would light up with such delight. 

I hope you will one day have the opportunity to share yoga with your partner.  It is a wonderful feeling to walk out of a yoga class together feeling peace and serenity from the experience.

General discussion

The seated forward bend is a wonderful asana of release.  It is truly a posture of surrender, the more you can relax the father you will go.  I have added a step in that I get guests to relax their feet completely in the second stage allowing the lower back to get more of a stretch.

The How To

1. Bring both legs together push your hands down on the mat to straighten up your back. 

2. Raise the arms up over your head, parallel to the ears.   Stretch the spine upwards as much as possible.

3. Point the toes back toward you, exhale and lower down with a flat back, hinging from the hips.  Come to wherever you can come to.  Grab onto you feet, ankles or legs.  Bend your elbows, relax your head and neck and just relax.  If you cannot reach your feet, you can use a strap or towel to wrap around your toes and hold onto to keep the toes pointed back toward you.

4. Now use the breath here to try and take you deeper into the stretch.  As you inhale your back gets a little straighter and comes a little farther forward, and as you exhale you lower down.  Keep you knees straight and try and bring your chest as close to your knees as you can.  Hold in this stretch for 5 breaths.

5. Then relax the feet completely, and lower the hands to the ankles or leg.  Again use the breath to take you deeper, as you inhale your back coming a little straighter and forward and exhale sinking down.  We are now stretching the lower back here as the hamstrings are in a more relaxed position and we can focus more on the lower back.  Relax the head and neck, bend your elbows and just relax.  Hold this for a minimum of five breaths.  As time goes on you will be able to hold longer and longer, reaching the optimum time of five minutes.

6.  When you are ready to come up, reach your hands out in front of you, keeping your back nice and straight.  Then come up slowly with a flat back until your hands are directly above your head, parallel to the ears.  Slowly lower the hands down behind you.

7.  Push your body up into the Inclined Plane, a counter pose for the sitting forward bend.  Then slowly lower down and relax.

Potential Mistakes

Pushing yourself too much is one of the biggest problem people encounter with this pose.  The more you can relax the deeper you will go into the pose.  Surrender to the posture and let your breath take you there.  Keep your feet together and do not allow them to rotate outward.  Try to avoid holding your heels.

Benefits of the posture

Gives a complete stretch to the hamstrings, calves, back and neck.  It invigorates the entire nervous system. Calms the mind. Tones the digestive organs and aids in digestion. And helps us sleep.

Additional Comments

I have to be honest and say that this was the most challenging asana I faced when I first began yoga.  Men tend to really struggle with this posture.  If our hamstrings are at all tight it will be a very challenging pose to come into.  However if you stick with it, and learn to relax in the pose you will be amazed at how quickly you will gain ground.  The key is to relax when you are in the pose.  Just think surrender, release and relax. 

I will never forget the day my chin touched my legs for the first time.  The amount of release I felt was overwhelming and I began to weep in the yoga class.  From that day forward I began to embrace the pose and come to really love doing it.  It is now my favorite posture and that is why I try to help people relax in it, so they too can learn to appreciate all that it has to offer.

One trick for this pose is to purchase a little red ball from Yamuna Body rolling (http://www.yamunabodyrolling.com/).  This ball has a multitude of uses in helping your body stretch more.  It definitely helped me with my forward bend.  The ball comes with a great book that shows all the areas of the body you can use it in to increase your flexibility.

Another way to get deeper in the pose is try it in a nice warm bath or the sauna.  It may look a little strange in a public sauna or hot tub but you will be amazed at how deep you can go when the muscles and tendons heat up.

As Anantara's resident Yoga Guru I thought I might also join share a few of my thoughts on the blog platform! I have to admit I am up against some tough competition, given that I am going head to head with Khun John's adventure stories about cute elephants at Anantara Golden Triangle. That said, I am up for the challenge, as I have faith in you, the reader, getting involved in this as well and making it more of a gentle discussion on yoga as opposed to me just pontificating on and on about something so dear to my heart.

So where to begin?  Well, maybe a good start would be if I provided a little information about myself.  Although Canadian by birth, I have done everything in my power to avoid the 10 months of winter that embraces that beautiful land.  I have been very privileged to have incorporated the study of yoga with my love of travel.  My yogic education began in a peaceful Ashram in the Bahamas.  From there I traveled to various Ashrams and temples around the world, experiencing and absorbing a variety of yoga practices.  I eventually ended up in Thailand, where I now reside in a small community near the Golden Triangle. 

Over the years I developed my own yoga practice by incorporating many of the amazing things I have learned from so many special gurus.  The practice draws mostly on Hatha yoga, as I tend to go more for the gentle and relaxing side of life.  In my teaching, I strive to bring peace into the mind and body by reducing the overall stress and fatigue that is so prevalent in Western societies.  Although the practice stretches all areas of the body, it focuses strongly on the back and hips.  Westerners tend to suffer most in these areas, with chronic back pain and hip issues dominating many medical ailments today.

Over the last couple of months I have been working closely with the teams based at the various Anantara resorts to teach anyone who is interested to learn yoga and even begin a path of passing on their skills to others at the resort. Actually, my relationship with Anantara began last year at their Golden Triangle property.  The success of the program there led me to their Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Maldives properties.  Anantara's commitment to guest wellness is very apparent and the yoga program fits so well with this.

So where do we go from here?  Well, I have some exciting things planned for the blog.  For example, we will be exploring the various benefits of "nude yoga".  Just kidding!  However, I did actually read a piece about it online yesterday! Actually I was thinking more along the lines of sharing some of the interesting goings-on that befall my yoga program as I travel from Anantara to Anantara, teaching and exploring the spectacular resorts in their exotic locations.  Of course there will always be the Asana of the Month - brought to you by "Yogini Cola", the Power and Ashtanga yogis favorite addiction.

So please share your ideas, comments and thoughts in the blog.  I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Peace, love and light to all...

John