New Year's Resolutions Revisited

Namaste Everyone!

If you're like me and you're living in Nepal then you know this is an awesome time of year to embrace East & West.

In Western society, most people frantically begin making New Year's resolutions around the last week of December. After all, the holidays usually get the best of us and we tend to over indulge in meals rich with creams, unhealthy carbs and pretty much anything else that has a horribly high glycemic index. In the East, particularly in Nepal, festivals with deserts heavy in sugar (kheer, rasbarri, laalmon, rasmalai, jilebi, etc.) reign supreme throughout the entire year. It is very easy to fall off the healthy bandwagon, especially in Nepal where families tend to take offense if you are watching what you eat.

Well, fret not fellow residents of Nepal. Whether you are an expat or a native, this Thursday, April 12th, 2012 is officially the Nepali New Year's Eve. What better opportunity to re-set any failed resolutions that may have fallen by the wayside around mid-January?

I first fell in love with Yoga once I realized how much stronger I felt. A skinny little 18 year old girl whose legs literally shook every time I tried to hold Downward Facing Dog pose, I soon grew muscles and was able to go from Plank to Chatturanga with such ease I began feeling comfortable in the gym doing non-modified manly push-ups! Who would've guessed it? Surely, not my former self.

My self-practice grew and so did my studies. I started reading books by BKS Iyengar, watching DVDs, going to different studios to learn under a variety of teachers... and then somewhere along the way I began teaching myself. Two, sometimes three classes a day. I stopped learning anything new and my own practice dwindled down to about 15 minutes on my mat. Most of the time I have to confess I only thought about teaching...

"Hey! This would be a killer set to include on Thursday night's class!"

...Well, yogi-bears, it's time now for me to set a New Year's Resolution. In the New Year I will take a minimum of 3 classes a week as a student. I want to fall in love with Yoga all over again and deepen my practice to regain a sense of balance that has been missing for several months now.

Who's in?

Much love & Happy Down Dogs,

Roshani

Sharing: 91 year old yogi: Why should I ever stop doing yoga?

91-Year-Old Yogi: Why Would I Ever Stop Doing Yoga?

By MindBodyGreen

91-year-old yogi, Bernice Bates, began practicing and teaching yoga in 1960. Before even getting out of bed in the morning she does a series of seven or so poses to get her blood flowing -- how awesome is that?

Bernice tells MSNBC that she credits yoga with keeping her healthy and flexible:

"I think yoga is the best exercise there is. I've never had anything I had to go to the doctor for, except checkups. That should say something."

She says that yoga makes for the perfect mind-body connection:

"You’re not just standing on a treadmill and going, going, going and you get off and can hardly walk. Yoga itself means yoke, that’s to join. We join our mind, our body and our spirit in everything we do. Yoga gives you flexibility like you’ve never had before, and it makes you healthy because you’re working on the whole body, inside and out."

Back to Bates' teaching -- she now leads a one-hour class in a retirement center for adults in their 60s to 80s!

"We go over our whole body and tense each part, then we relax. It’s for everybody. There’s thousands of postures. You can pick and choose. You do what you can. It’s non-competitive, which is the best thing about it."

When asked when she would stop teaching, Bates replied, "Why should I quit? As long as I can do it and help someone else, I'll just stay as long as I can. I get a joy out of seeing someone learning."

Namaste to that!

Salute to the Mountains

Yogis often idealize about waking up morning after morning with the personal strength, discipline and motivation to complete a beautiful home yoga practice. What we forget in these daydreams, however, is that life tends to get in the way. That dream of waking up early to salute the sun crashes with the first buzz of the alarm clock. Rather than inner peace, your mind gets cluttered with questions like, “why couldn’t I just get up this morning? I always feel so good after yoga, why can’t I just let myself feel good?  I am way too tired to practice this morning and my bed just feels too good to get out it right now…” And, even if you have established a regular home practice, it’s easy to get lost in trains of daily laundry lists or lack of inspiration. Again, life tends to get in the way. 

Life also has the tendency to invigorate, and sometimes, all you need to find the inner will to get up in the morning is some new inspiration. Luckily, in Nepal, inspiration awaits you outside almost daily, especially during the autumn months. That inspiration is none other than the Himalayas, the most dreamed about mountains in the world. So, tomorrow morning, rather than staying in your warm bed, why not head out into the sunshine and salute the mountains? Get outside on your nearest rooftop, spread out your mat and your heart to the awe-inspiring landscape around you and live. Amidst the chaos of life, taking a moment to sit move, breathe and meditate in the beauty around us can help turn a grudging home practice into a day at the spa. Your heart, body and soul will thank you. 

For information about daily yoga classes in Kathmandu and yoga workshops and yoga retreats in Nepal, please visit www.pranamaya-yoga.com

Yoga in Nepal: following a worldwide hype or rediscovery of ancient wisdom?

In the US alone, more than 15 million people practise yoga, and myths such as ‘Yoga is for old people’, ‘Yoga is boring’ or ‘Yoga is religious’ seem to be a thing of the past. Yoga studios around the world are offering several different style yoga classes every day. Some classes focus more on precise alignment of postures, some incorporate dance and flow sequences and others contain meditation and awareness practises.

People have many reasons to start practicing yoga, from looking for a healthier life, improved flexibility and endurance and weight loss to more spiritual reasons. Some just follow in the footsteps of famous movie, music and sport stars. Whatever the reason, yoga certainly has a positive impact on many lives.

The immense growth of interest in yoga in the West has lead to an increase of scientific study into yoga. Benefits from yoga that were already described in ancient Vedic texts are now being presented as new medical research results.

"Yoga as medicine represents the next great yoga wave," says Kaitlin Quistgaard, Yoga Journal. "In the next few years, we will be seeing a lot more yoga in health care settings and more yoga recommended by the medical community as new research shows that yoga is a valuable therapeutic tool for many health conditions."

It is said that the East treats the person; the West treats the disease. Stress, anxiety and depression are the root of many health issues.

"Our system of medicine is very fragmented," says Dr. Carrie Demers, who runs the Center for Health and Healing at the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA in Honesdale. "We send you to different specialists to look at different parts of you. Yoga is more holistic; it's interested in the integration of body, breath and mind."

Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping to relax and manage stress and anxiety. Traditional yoga philosophy requires that students adhere to this mission through behavior, diet and meditation. But someone who is simple looking for better stress management — whether because of life's daily hassles or a health problem — and not an entire lifestyle change or way of life, can still benefit from yoga.

Pranamaya Yoga Kathmandu wants to attract more people to yoga in Nepal by offering different styles of yoga at two convenient located yoga studios in Moksh complex, Pulchowk and 1905, Kantipath.

Asthanga yoga, Iyengar yoga, Power yoga, Hatha yoga and Pregnancy and Postnatal mom and baby yoga are some of the styles of yoga available.

Sam Voolstra from Pranamaya Yoga: “Our team of Nepalese and international experienced yoga teachers hopes to bring together an active yoga community in the capital, by organising daily classes and workshops, inviting international guest teachers and starting teacher training programmes.”

Pranamaya website: www.pranamaya-yoga.com.

yoga on holiday in Nepal or abroad

Relaxation, peace and a break from a daily routine are what a lot of people look for on their holiday. Yoga holidays and retreats offer this and more and are therefore in great demand already for many years.

All over the world you can find people practising yoga at beautiful holiday destinations. From Downward Dog on a tropical beach to Headstand at 16000 feet during a yoga trekking, yoga and holiday are a great combination.

You can also make yoga part of your holiday, away or at home, by simply starting the day greeting the sun with a flow of yoga movements called Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations. Even though it is best to learn the series with an experienced yoga teacher, by following the written instructions carefully and listening to your body, you can practise Surya Namaskar safely even if you are an absolute beginner to yoga.

Surya Namaskar, as the name suggests, is best practised when the sun first makes its appearance in the early morning. Since getting up early on your holiday might not always be easy, you can also turn it into you greeting the sun at the time convenient for you, as long as you practise before having your breakfast.

To start your exercise of Surya Namaskar, find a peaceful and comfortable location, indoors or even better in nature. It is great if you have a special yoga mat, but a towel on the beach or a carpet on the floor is also fine.

Start your practise by sitting cross-legged for a little while, just listening to your breath and becoming aware of your body and your thoughts coming and going. How are you feeling today?

A good way to start your day is to think of something to be grateful for, something that puts a smile on your face. You can be grateful for many things; a beautiful flower nearby, a special friendship you have, or simple being grateful for being alive and having a whole new day ahead of you.

Now you are ready to start. Surya Namaskar is a series of 12 movements. Each movement flows into the next with an inhalation or exhalation. In the beginning just focus on each movement and carefully go from one position to the next. When you feel more comfortable, you should start performing each movement on the breath.

1. Exhale. Stand on the front of your mat with your feet together and your hands in namaste in front of your chest.

2. As you inhale, lift your hands up in the air and arch back slightly from the chest.

3. As you breathe out, bend forward and down and place your hands plat next to your feet. If this is not possible with straight knees, bend your knees. Make sure your back is straight and your fingers are in line with your toes. Do not move your hands in the next positions.

4. As you breathe in, place your right leg behind you on the floor, keeping the left knee bent between your arms. Look up.

5. Hold your breath while bringing your left leg back and coming into a push up position. Make sure your body is in one straight line.

6. As you exhale, slowly lower your knees, chest and chin to the ground, but keep your hips of the ground.

7. Inhale and lie flat on the ground, stretch your toes and lift your head and chest. Keep your shoulders relaxed, arms bend and elbows close to your body.

8. As you exhale, lift your hips up and push your heels as far as possible on or towards the ground. Do not worry if your heels do not touch the ground.

9. As you inhale, take a large step forward to bring your right foot in between your hands, and lower your back knee to the floor, so the top of your left foot in on the ground. Look up.

10. As you exhale, step your left leg forward and straighten both legs as much as possible and bend forward. Hands are again flat next to your feet, and please bend your knees if necessary.

11. As you inhale, stretch your arms forward and slowly come up with a straight back. Arch a little back from the chest and stretch your arms.

12. As you exhale, return to a standing position, releasing your arms to hang by your sides. Now take a deep inhalation. Now put your hands back in namaste as you exhale and start again at position 1. This time to positions 4 and 9 with your left leg first. Repeat the whole sequence 3 to 5 times.

After finishing, lie flat on your back, take deep breaths into your abdomen and relax your whole body. And you are ready for another amazing day!

For information about daily yoga classes in Kathmandu and yoga workshops and yoga retreats in Nepal, please visit www.pranamaya-yoga.com

Footnote: reference to Sivananda beginner’s guide to yoga, Swami Sivadananda, 2006

Yoga and sex: the perfect match for greater satisfaction

You start slowly, moving your body and finding the rhythm. Your breath becomes faster and you explore new positions to see the effect. You generate heat and after the exertion come a great relaxation and peacefulness. Are we talking about a yoga class or lovemaking? How about both?

Yoga and sex are both physical and emotional, uplifting and challenging, they both use the body to calm the mind and stimulate the spirit. So how can practicing yoga improve your sex life?

On a physical level yoga helps strengthen pelvic floor muscles and sex organs and accumulate energy to achieve better orgasms. Increased flexibility and a toned body give more self-confidence and help you to experiment with different positions.

But more important yoga can help you deal with the biggest spoilsport of great sex: the mind.

You are turned on, the other is making the right moves and then it happens. Like the first clouds on a clear sky, the first thoughts appear. “Is he going to still find me attractive naked”, “will she be comparing me with her ex”, “what shall we have for breakfast”. The mind is bringing up insecurities, work stress, to do lists and other random thoughts. Another great trick of the mind is comparing the person in bed to the image you have made up of the perfect lover, and they hardly ever match. And before you know it your sex drive is seriously diminished or completely gone.

Yoga makes you aware of your body and how it feels from one moment to the next. Learning to feel and adjust to the smallest sensations during yoga practice teaches you to savor all the sensation in your body. This awareness is carried over into your daily life and yes into the bedroom too. This awareness helps with the focus towards your body, but also takes the focus away from your mind and the things your worry about. Free from your stresses you can completely enjoy everything happening between the sheets.

"Yoga focuses people on how they feel, which is something they don't do enough during sex," says Dr. Marty Klein, a sex therapist and author of Beyond Orgasm: Dare to be Honest about the Sex You Really Want. "During sex, people tend to think more about what they imagine the other person is looking at or thinking about. Yoga brings the mind away from judgments, thoughts, speculations, assumptions, anxieties—things that interfere with physical response and emotional satisfaction."

Whether you choose Hatha, Asthanga or Iyengar, a consistent yoga practice helps in improving better understanding of yourself and more sensitivity about the other's needs. In the bedroom, this increased attentiveness helps you recognize subtle shifts in your partner—a level of focus that will put you on the fast track to becoming a world-class lover.

"You will be tuned in to what feels good and what doesn't—for yourself and for someone else," says Kevin Courtney, a yoga teacher based in New York City. “Take the time to be fully present—no mental grocery list, no daydreaming, no anxious gathering of fears and insecurities. Look your partner in the eye and spend time on every caress and every kiss.”

For daily yoga classes in Nepal please visit pranamaya-yoga.com or the yoga studios in 1905, Kantipath and Moksh Complex Pulchowk in Kathmandu.

Riding the wave: the yoga approach to anger

Our life is a constant assessment of likes and dislikes. We want to hang on to certain people, material possessions and concepts and get upset if we cannot. And likewise we try to escape or avoid people, situations and ideas we do not like.

Attachment to who we think we are and how our lives should be is the origin of a lot of trouble. The yogis were already aware of this many thousands of years ago and tell how our ego is preventing us from having a realistic view of life; realising that everything in life is ever changing, and so are we. Anger in its different forms, like jealousy, sadness, frustration and outrage, is the result of unwanted change or processes in our bodies, relationships, careers and lifestyles, and society.

Buddha already compared anger to picking up a burning coal, throwing at someone and in the process burning yourself. Anger on the bodily level speeds up heart rate and breath, creates muscle tension and blockages and burns energy rapidly. Also on a mental level anger threatens your health, especially since we often carry anger for longer periods.

Eckhart Tolle mentions in his book ‘A new Earth’ his observation that after two ducks get into a fight, which never lasts long, they will separate and float off in opposite directions. Then each duck will flap its wings vigorously a few times, thus releasing the surplus energy that built up during the fight. After they flap their wings, they float on peacefully, as if nothing had ever happened.

Tolle: "If the duck had a human mind, it would keep the fight alive by thinking, by story-making. This would probably be the duck's story: 'I don't believe what he just did. He came to within 5 inches of me. He thinks he owns this pond. He has no consideration for my private space. I'll never trust him again. Next time he'll try something else just to annoy me. I'm sure he's plotting something already. But I'm not going to stand for this. I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget.' And on and on the mind spins its tales, still thinking and talking about it days, months, or years later.“

You can see how problematic the duck’s life would become if it had a human mind. We humans are almost addicted to the drama and keep upsetting situations or events from the past alive for a long time.

So what is the best way to deal with your anger? The yogic philosophy encourages us to learn how to observe anger, instead of suppressing or letting it take over completely. The first step is to practise awareness, so you can start to feel anger coming up as a wave. Then through use of the breath and relaxation techniques you can actually feel and watch the sensations of the anger wave in your body and mind without getting washed away by it. By keeping a positive outlook and focussing on solving problems without blaming others or yourself, you can actually allow the biochemical reactions of anger but you are riding the wave and remain in the present moment whenever and wherever.

Classical Buddhism approaches anger in much the same way, says Ven. Thubten Chodron, author of Working with Anger: "In Buddhism, we are constantly practicing the mindful observance of ourselves, including the arising, abiding, and subsiding of destructive emotions like anger. We don't stuff our anger down, but we don't buy its storyline either. Sometimes we can just watch it, and it will lose its power and dissipate. Other times we apply an antidote to it—a more realistic or beneficial way of looking at the situation so that the anger evaporates."

And after the anger wave subsides we can follow the duck's lesson of Ekhart Tolle: “Flap your wings--which translates as 'let go of the story'--and return to the only place of power: the present moment."

Pranamaya Yoga offers daily yoga classes in Kathmandu, Nepal. For more information and class schedule www.pranamaya-yoga.com