Evolution Two – week seven
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Hello Folks,
I mentioned doing some yoga recently. Over the years I have tried many different styles of Yoga. My first experience with yoga was at Kripalu center for yoga and health in Massachusetts. Since I am not very flexible it was a really challenging experience.
My mom was spending her sabbatical there for a year and asked if I would like to join her for a little while. I signed up for a week of Seva (self-less service). For Seva you volunteer your time in the maintenance of the retreat center in exchange for classes and room and board.
The atmosphere was very interesting back then, because of the division between women and men. I also noted that the guru had his pictures all over the place, including the bathroom stalls. There were also some pretty strict policies around meal time. The main thing I noticed was how quiet it was while we were eating.
There is something very different about eating in silence. The food was amazing; it was pretty much all organic and probably a lot of raw food as well. Many of the participants focused on eating really healthy meals, eating slowly and doing lots of colon cleansing.
I steered clear of colonics at the time, but I now I see the benefits. Kripalu is where my mom developed a strong interest in nutrition. She experimented with all different kinds of foods…from juicing…to wheat grass drinks….to vegan diet. I also acquired an interest in nutrition after spending time at Kripalu. I had especially noticed a marked increase in my energy levels; and I even remember describing to my mom a buzzing/humming feeling my body had a few weeks after I left. It was almost as though my body was very satisfied.
The Kripalu yoga classes were very hard for me though. I don’t know if it was because of how uncomfortable I was with my body or if it was because of how inflexible I am. I found myself getting really embarrassed in class and laughing a lot.
I also found myself either taking many breaks during each pose and or being really sore afterwards. Needless to say, Kripalu set the tone for my lack of interest in yoga only because of where I was at emotionally during that time.
Since then I have tried Bikrams yoga. I loved it, because of how the heat helped facilitate my flexibility a little. However, I still had the same problem of being really embarrassed in class and struggling with the poses.
The main reason for my interest in yoga at all is that I recognize the benefits it can offer, like flexibility, strength, and a peaceful mind. When I was in Connecticut I was introduced to the DVD Yoga Shakti by internationally acclaimed vinyasa flow yoga teacher Shiva Rea. She created these dvd’s that have yoga for all levels.
The only one I tried is my favorite, I guess, because I don’t know the difference anyway! The thing that I liked the most about it, besides that you can practice at home, is that it was easy for me to do despite my flexibility and I still felt like I got a really great workout. I did the Yoga on my free exercise day, so I still got a little bit of a workout anyway, without a lot of preparation. The music on the DVD is phenomenal! Anyway if you are into yoga definitely check it out.
Exercise: Interval (run 30 min.)
Hello Folks,
I mentioned doing some yoga recently. Over the years I have tried many different styles of Yoga. My first experience with yoga was at Kripalu center for yoga and health in Massachusetts. Since I am not very flexible it was a really challenging experience.
My mom was spending her sabbatical there for a year and asked if I would like to join her for a little while. I signed up for a week of Seva (self-less service). For Seva you volunteer your time in the maintenance of the retreat center in exchange for classes and room and board.
The atmosphere was very interesting back then, because of the division between women and men. I also noted that the guru had his pictures all over the place, including the bathroom stalls. There were also some pretty strict policies around meal time. The main thing I noticed was how quiet it was while we were eating.
There is something very different about eating in silence. The food was amazing; it was pretty much all organic and probably a lot of raw food as well. Many of the participants focused on eating really healthy meals, eating slowly and doing lots of colon cleansing.
I steered clear of colonics at the time, but I now I see the benefits. Kripalu is where my mom developed a strong interest in nutrition. She experimented with all different kinds of foods…from juicing…to wheat grass drinks….to vegan diet. I also acquired an interest in nutrition after spending time at Kripalu. I had especially noticed a marked increase in my energy levels; and I even remember describing to my mom a buzzing/humming feeling my body had a few weeks after I left. It was almost as though my body was very satisfied.
The Kripalu yoga classes were very hard for me though. I don’t know if it was because of how uncomfortable I was with my body or if it was because of how inflexible I am. I found myself getting really embarrassed in class and laughing a lot.
I also found myself either taking many breaks during each pose and or being really sore afterwards. Needless to say, Kripalu set the tone for my lack of interest in yoga only because of where I was at emotionally during that time.
Since then I have tried Bikrams yoga. I loved it, because of how the heat helped facilitate my flexibility a little. However, I still had the same problem of being really embarrassed in class and struggling with the poses.
The main reason for my interest in yoga at all is that I recognize the benefits it can offer, like flexibility, strength, and a peaceful mind. When I was in Connecticut I was introduced to the DVD Yoga Shakti by internationally acclaimed vinyasa flow yoga teacher Shiva Rea. She created these dvd’s that have yoga for all levels.
The only one I tried is my favorite, I guess, because I don’t know the difference anyway! The thing that I liked the most about it, besides that you can practice at home, is that it was easy for me to do despite my flexibility and I still felt like I got a really great workout. I did the Yoga on my free exercise day, so I still got a little bit of a workout anyway, without a lot of preparation. The music on the DVD is phenomenal! Anyway if you are into yoga definitely check it out.
Exercise: Interval (run 30 min.)
Menu: Liquid
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Achieve
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: There is nothing, no tragedy too great, no malady so incurable, that we cannot find something to counteract it if we do not forget to go within. ~ Paramananda
Think, Believe, Act, Achieve
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: There is nothing, no tragedy too great, no malady so incurable, that we cannot find something to counteract it if we do not forget to go within. ~ Paramananda
