Living Yoga

No need to stress out over a headstand, practice this relaxing variation using some blocks and a wall.

There is one yogi who comes to my early morning classes religiously and is ever so stubborn about using his blocks to aid his yoga practice.  But I’ll get back to him in a moment because I want to explain the use of the blocks for those of you new to yoga.  Yoga blocks look like this:

And are used in certain postures to make you more comfortable.  I like to say that if you have less flexibility they “bring the floor to you” so to speak, like in this photo from yoga.about.com.

The use of blocks in practice is not to be taken as a sign of weakness or that you “can’t do” the postures correctly.  Nothing can be farther from the truth.  Using blocks actually allows you to be in the correct posture for your flexibility without putting strain on your body.  For example, attempting to reach the floor with your hands before you’re ready can pull out your back.

Now back to my story about my stubborn yogi, I’ll call him John.  John always has the blocks next to his mat, but NEVER uses them in forward bends even though he clearly should as he’s a long-legged man.  Last Monday I finally got fed up and grabbed the blocks, put them on either side of him, took his hands and placed them on the blocks.  This got a laugh from the class, but I mean, really!  John, did it need to come to that?  He retorted saying that he doesn’t like square objects, he prefers circular things.  Okay, good luck finding a circular block but for now use the square kind.

I highly encourage use of blocks and other props to enhance your yoga practice.  Check out yoga.com for supplies.  Maybe you can even find a circular one.

The idea of journaling in the world of blogging and vlogging seems so antiquated.  I mean, why don’t I just scratch my thoughts on parchment with my feather quill by candlelight?  Although blogging is a way of journaling, I still believe there is something powerful about writing down some thoughts, by hand, on a daily basis.  Thoughts I know that nobody will read.

I didn’t begin the practice of journaling until I did my yoga teacher training and we had to journal about our meditation practice.  Like meditation, it was something I had to make myself do at first, but found it to be relaxing as time went on.  However, my journals have an advantage over meditation; I can go back and read my entries weeks, months and years later.  I’ve discovered thought patterns, obsessions that I didn’t know I had.  I’ve discovered that I can occasionally write witty dialogue and that I have some very unusual (and embarrassing) dreams when I go to bed on a full stomach.  The best part is that I have documentation of my life’s progression over the last four years, the proof that I’ve achieved and am living the life that was only a fantasy for me in 2004.

I can’t recommend a daily journaling practice highly enough.  Whether it’s a journal about your fitness plan, your diet, your career or your life in general, just write.  A little bit every day.  It takes some discipline in the beginning, like anything else worthwhile, but once you’re in the habit I’m confident you’ll find it rewarding.  With a feather quill or a pen.

Thank you to attackdepression.com for the photo.

People always ask me about eating before yoga class. Is it like not eating before you swim? It’s generally advised not to eat at least two hours before yoga practice. For the most part I would agree because the postures can be quite uncomfortable if you have food in your stomach; and just forget about going upside down! However I believe in making exceptions. It all depends on certain factors:

- Time of day. In the morning you’re waking up on an already empty stomach. I personally need a little something in the morning or I feel nauseous. I recommend eating something light for early breakfast if you practice in the AM. In the evening you may be able to skip dinner assuming you’ve been eating well throughout the day (I’m an “eat 5 or 6 times a day” person).  Kind of like a hobbit but with sexier feet.
- What you ate. A light salad consumed an hour ago will sit better in the stomach than a quarter pounder with cheese consumed two hours ago. I say if you’re stomach doesn’t FEEL full, then you’re okay. However, if you ate something very heavy and it’s sitting in your stomach like a rock, go easy during yoga.
- Your individual metabolism. Some people can eat once or twice a day. Others, like myself, need to eat every few hours to keep going. You know yourself, listen to body.

During yoga practice you shouldn’t have a full stomach, but you want enough food in your system to sustain your energy, particularly if it’s a vigorous practice.

And if you’re hungry, EAT. The two-hour no food limit is a guideline not a rule. And please no fainting from hunger in my class. ☺

I always dread having to answer this question in my classes from members at the gyms, “I have a pulled muscle here (pick any major muscle group), what do you recommend I do to help it?”  The answer is one nobody that loves the gym wants to hear.

Go home and rest until it is completely healed.

That is really all you can do.  Trust me, I’ve been there plenty of times and have received the same advice and hated hearing it.  Stop working out that area until it is healed.  Early on a muscle pull may only take a few days to heal, however if it’s aggravated it can take weeks or months as demonstrated by my massive groin pull four and a half years ago after I refused to stop running on a minor muscle strain.

According to Wikihow.com, here are the steps you should take:

1. Immobilize the injured area. Rest for a while, making sure to raise the injured area above the ‘heart level’ if possible.
2. Medicate with an over the counter anti-inflammatory. An anti-inflammatory will help prevent/reduce swelling.
3. Put an ice pack, or ice wrapped in a towel (anything cold, really. A bag of frozen peas can do) on the area of pain for no more than 20 minutes. This should be done immediately.
4. Massage the area a few minutes every hour. This is supposed decrease swelling and increase blood flow.
5. Use moist heat, a *moist* hot towel, heating pad, hot water bottle, hot shower, or even a *moist* hot sponge can do the trick. Make sure the swelling has decreased before doing this step. Never use them for more than 25 minutes at a time.
6. Strengthen the injured muscle with an elastic bandage/gauze. Watch out you don’t wrap it so tightly that you’re going to cut off circulation. (Blue skin, tingling and numbness are dead give aways)
7. Gradually increase your activity. Begin by doing some easy stretches.

Remember, resting is an important part of exercise and training.  A pull or a strain is your body’s way of telling you to take a break.  Listen to it.

For more helpful tips check out the full page at http://www.wikihow.com/Recover-from-a-Strained-or-Pulled-Muscle

Grab some pillows or blankets and a yoga strap for this relaxing hip opener.  Close your eyes and enjoy!

Last Saturday was my first attempt in a long time to take a day that’s completely for myself. It didn’t entirely work out to be solely for me, but I did make progress.

First, I set my alarm and was up at 9am because I had a play rehearsal in the city that got bumped up to 11am, and that lasted for four hours. Okay, that’s not for me, but performing is one of my passions so that’s not so bad. Then when I got home I found myself habitually going to the various video sites that host Get Exercised and looking at view counts. Yikes! So not what I had planned but it was as if my fingers did it automatically. A minor set back.

Then I called my mom, which I do every weekend, and I always feel comforted and safe when I talk to my mom, so that was for me. Then a friend of mine called me unexpectedly, and, again, habitually, I picked up the phone. He wanted to have dinner and I agreed, so I squeezed in a ten-minute yoga and meditation practice, another minor setback. We met for dinner and chatted. I had the crispy spring rolls and sweet and sour vegetarian duck. It was delicious. So not what I planned but it was a nice turn of events.

The best part was when I came home from dinner and had a DVD date with myself. The past year I’ve been giving Netflix money for free because I haven’t watched anything, but last Saturday night I made ginger tea, shut off the lights and watched the beginning of Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 (it’s actually very good.) That was totally for me.

It didn’t work out that the entire day was “me” time, but I really enjoyed myself because I took some time for myself. Like any other exercise, it’s about building up slowly.

It felt great and I highly recommend it!

A continuing theme in this blog is letting go of the need for external response or approval in order to be personally happy.  This is something I’m constantly working on in my life and yoga with meditation has helped me tremendously, after all the physical practice of yoga is about feeling the pose not about what it looks like from the outside.  It’s about the journey of the practice, not the end result. However, this week my ego did take a small hit.

Besides being a yoga instructor I’m an actress in New York City.  For those of you that may not know, most actors in NYC perform in many small productions for little or no pay in the hopes of being seen by the right people, to add to our resume and for the love of performing.  Sometimes these plays aren’t the best in the world and we still do it, because, hey, maybe my wonderful performance will be noted and who knows what can happen!

Well, last week I performed in a play that received a few dismal reviews.  Ouch, but not unexpected.  In one review my performance wasn’t noted, ouch but okay.  Yet another review said, “Prioste had good moments, but at times was only serviceable.”  Ouch, ouch and ouch.

How do I let go of that?  Well, it still hurts but I do something that helps.  Whenever my mind goes to the thought of that reviewer’s statement, I flip my mind to the memory of all the people that attended the show (mostly people I didn’t know) who shook my hand and told me that I gave such a wonderful performance.  Because in the end it was a performance for the audience not the few reviewers that mattered to me.

And that is the key to letting go…letting go of holding on to the negative thought and habitually returning to the positive one. It takes practice, but hey I got time!

There are many good reasons that is just feels so good to twist to each side as we sit in our chairs at work.  Spinal twists have many benefits including:

• Stretches and strengthens the spine
• Improves blood circulation
• Improves nutrition to the inter-vertebral disks
• Relieves back and neck tension
• Massages and stimulates the internal organs

Seated twists can be done sitting up in a chair or on the floor seated (see photo below) or lying on your back.  If you feel your back getting stiff at the office, take a few minutes to try some seated twists in the chair.  These exercises are simple but will leave you feeling refreshed, however, avoid spinal twists if you’re pregnant or have a spinal injury.

Happy twisting!

Thanks to yoga.about.com for the photo.

I made the executive decision recently that there is one day of the week designated for me to do whatever I want.  With the exception of rare circumstances, there is one day each week that I have set aside to not think about anything to do with teaching fitness, acting, my video podcast, blogging, my website, bills or any business related emails.  That one day is only for fun and relaxation.  And that is starting tomorrow so I’ll let you know how it goes next week.

Can you take a day for yourself?  If you can’t take a full day, can you set aside an afternoon or an hour or two?  Schedule it on your calendar and treat it like you would an appointment with a client.

As for me, I’m looking forward to my day tomorrow!

Thanks to viroga.com for the picture.