december already?

I can't believe my last post was in October... what a busy month! As the holidays approach, please remember to set aside something for charities - to remember in gratitude for all we are given, and to help those who serve others. One of my favorites is Bridges to Community, a non-profit that provides housing, medical services, and education to the people of Central America. We (Bamboomoves Yoga studio) we will be traveling to Nicaragua in 2011 with Bridges to build a house for the less fortunate: http://www.firstgiving.com/bamboomoves

the power of meditation

Meditation is fun. Well, sort of. Most people sit down to "meditate" and get frustrated because all these thoughts keep running through their heads. After they sit for a while they say they "can't meditate" because of all the thoughts. Well...
As Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj explained (in his book I Am That), the natural tendency of the mind is to have thoughts. Swami Satchidananda says the same in his translation & commentary of the Yoga Sutras. Sri Satchidananda says clearing the mind is like throwing out the trash: you can't throw it all out at once, but you separate it first into piles and then clean out one by one. Our mind is like that too, and a yogic practice can be watching the mind, trying to bring in more positive thoughts, and dismissing or transforming the negative ones.
By taking the time to actually watch the thoughts, we are taking the first step towards yoga: we are becoming aware of them. As we "progress", we gain more control over the thoughts and start to filter, arrange, and master these fluctuations of the mind.

So if you're sitting down and frustrated by the thoughts, try not to worry. Many of the greatest yogis became so after years of practice. Those years started with just one day, and then the next day, and then another day, and before long it just became a habit. Like most worthwhile change, it will take time, but time is no excuse to avoid starting, today or any day.

dealing with injury

Last week I injured myself...again. I have a feeling it's not uncommon, but I've injured the same area several times over the past three years.
Unfortunately, since I'm usually focusing on the breath or deeply into my practice, I hardly notice anything is wrong until the next day when I can barely walk. However, I must say it is always a learning experience, and the great thing about injuries is that they slow you down and bring you to a place of deeper awareness and appreciation about your body.
A few of my tips:
- Don't fight it. The urge to push through an injury, or not take rest, may be strong, but it will only hurt your chances of recovery. Give your body the attention and care it needs and it will heal much faster.
- Seek out experts. I had to misalign my hip a few times before my chiropractor diagnosed it correctly. (Others had said a strained tendon, overuse of the hip, etc.) But using the care and expertise of chiropractic, acupuncture and other healing modalities, the injury has healed faster and my body is also able to better deal with the stress of injury.
- Learn from the injury. There is always a hidden message. I've had to slow my life down, pay more attention to the present, discover other types of yoga practice, become more compassionate and patient, and have developed increased awareness and appreciation for my body all because of injuries. I believe the more receptive we are to receiving this hidden message, the easier the time of recovery will be.

attached? I'm not attached!

Yoga is sometimes synonymous with the idea of "non-attachment," but finding daily ways to practice it can be not so easy. In older times, non-attachment was often part of the lifestyle chosen by yogis who gave up their worldly possessions and followed a life of monastic simplicity.

These days, we have jobs, families, and the things needed for us to fulfill our "dharma" or life path. So how do we stay non-attached? As Dharma Mittra says, we can have whatever we want, but not be attached to it. In other words, if those things or circumstances were gone, we would still be content.

Here's an example: Say I'm hoping for a raise at work. I may go into the meeting with my boss hoping for the best. If I were "attached" to the outcome, if I got the raise I would become smug and self-assured. Maybe I would think I was better than the other people or that I "deserved" the raise. If I didn't get the raise, I would be upset, perhaps angry or jealous of the others who did get a raise.

All these reactions are not yoga, because they disturb our peace of mind. If the person were not attached, they would accept the results of such meeting and then move on. The extra thoughts or feelings would not be created in their mind-body system.

When you think of it, in the case of attachment, our mental attitudes are dependent on the outcome. If we remain independent of whatever happens, we become the ones with control, and we become internally dependent. In essence, we stop looking for satisfaction and happiness in the outside world and find it in ourselves. Pretty cool, huh?

"Practice and all is coming" - Shri K. Pattabhi Jois

Last week there was one thing after another and I didn't fit in as much asana (physical practice/yoga postures) in as I would have liked. Fortunately, I was able to squeeze in a minimal amount of meditation and pranayama (breath control). But still, this week as I started to do my full practice (and at least complete my full "minimum" series), I could see why persistence is simply the biggest factor in all kinds of success.

We all know the story of the tortoise and the hare, but it can be so easy at times to think that just because this time all is going great it will always be that way going forward. I believe that with age we begin to realize that this type of thinking - the notion that we can "skip steps" - will lead to a bigger fall or setback quite soon. And this is why I believe the yogis also greatly emphasize "non-attachment" or in the words of Dharma Mittra, "Renounce the fruit of your actions." This way we can simply offer whatever happens up to a higher power, and we won't feel affected by the rise and fall of life as it takes place around us.

Can beginners do yoga?

A conception many people have of yoga is that it is only for the young and flexible. During my teacher training this past weekend, the teacher remarked that a popular yoga magazine was having difficulty finding cover models, apparently because they want to promote the very challenging poses as eye-catchers on the magazine. This also reminded me of a saying from Pattabhi Jois (passed down by his students) on the various series of Ashtanga Yoga: "First series - great benefit; second series - some benefit; advanced series - for demonstration only."

I believe that a qualified yoga teacher should be able to explain to students that yoga can and should be adapted to suit the needs of any student, regardless of their age or ability. Not only does yoga include practices such as pranayama (breathing) and meditation, that do not require a much physical prowess, but there are specific styles and types of classes (e.g. Restorative, Gentle, Chair Yoga) that apply the appropriate practices for a specific group or student.

Of course, it's still all yoga, and as they say, there are as many paths of yoga as there are people. So I say, find what works for you, seek the advice of someone you respect, and go with it. Some types of yoga may not be for everyone, but as David Swenson says, "it's for anyone!"

"Crude" - the story of oil in Ecuador

Last week I was fortunate to see two great movies relating to the environment and the food we eat. The first was Crude, which a lawsuite against Chevron for the large scale spillage and contamination of the Amazon in Ecuador when Chevron decided to drill.

In essence, the company dumped all their waste into nearby watersheds, contaminating the drinking water of thousands of residents. It also buried excesses by piling small amounts of dirt on top - later families that had homes on top found that their teenagers were dying of cancer. In one scene that stays in my mind, a baby was covered in a red rash. The nurse at the hospital said it was due to all the chemicals, and that eleven to fifteen out of every twenty babies had it. (Chevron has said that the deaths are due to poor sanitation.)

The amount of damage was shocking, but I wasn't shocked that we had never heard of these disasters - like many industry giants today, the oil industry has a lot of money and power behind it, so claims or lawsuits usually don't have a chance. In this case, a NY law firm was backing the indigenous tribes that were filing for damages. By the end of the film, an independent investigator judged that the damages were an estimated 37 billion; however, at this time the company is appealing the ruling.

For more information, please keep reading up on oil and check out the website: www.crudethemovie.com

save energy to keep green & clean

Props to ConEdison, who now has some great ads in the NYC subway with questions about your "EQ" or Energy Quotient. While most of us already know that showering uses less water than a bath, for example, I was surprised to learn that cell phone & other charges still use electricity when they're plugged in but not charging.

So for these super-hot days, keep cool & green by:
- using A/C only when necessary, or just using a fan or best opening a window
- if you have windows or shades, pull the shades down for the day and open windows at night for natural temperature control
- stay away from dehydrating drinks & foods such as coffee, meats, and alcohol
- drink plenty of water
- but don't water the street! (you wouldn't believe how many people I saw today using water to clean the streets. :-( If you have plants, be sure to water them early in the morning or late in the evening so most of the water doesn't evaporate.)

poco a poco

In Spanish there's a phrase - "poco a poco", which translates to "little by little" or step by step. As we approach the holiday weekend and get a chance to slow down, I think it's a great time to take a closer look at the pattern of our lives.

It could be said that many of our errors, failures, and disappointments come from expecting too much, from doing too much, or trying to force things to go our way. It happens in society, government, and business, but also in the small scope of our lives. When we expect too much from life, find ourselves exhausted, or make decisions we later regret, we call it stress, but beneath that is our pushing ourselves and trying to always be in control.In yoga, the term "Isvara pranidhana" refers to the process of letting go of that desire, of surrending all to a greater power.

So over this long weekend of beautiful weather, outdoor events, and family time, let your independence rise to the state of taking everything in stride, and allowing yourself to do everything "poco a poco" - one small step at a time.

queens botanical gardens

I'm always trying to get more time outdoors and to find places in the city that are clean, naturally beautiful, and offer a great place to relax. While Central Park is great, in the summer it can get crowded and it still doesn't offer a lot of privacy. While I'm not sure about the other boroughs, Queens has Botanical Gardens located in Flushing that offer a quiet retreat from the busy urban landscape.

I was there yesterday for a walk through and learned that they recently started charging admission ($4/day for adults). While is it sad that we have to pay to enjoy nature, the good news is that there are now fewer people in the park, and when I was there Friday afternoon it seemed pretty empty of people, although full with birds and wildlife.

Other bonuses include that they have a sustainable building/welcome center, offer memberships at a low cost (makes a great gift), and have a variety of plants in bloom throughout the season. I've now marked the Queens gardens as a place to go when Forest Hills gardens gets repetitive and Central Park is too far away or too busy. It's not that far by car or you can take a 7 bus or the LIRR to Flushing. For more info their website is http://www.queensbotanical.org/.

vegan cupcakes & happy father's day!

The long and hard search to find great vegan desserts may be coming to an end. Little by little, more and more yummy, cruelty-free delectables are coming across my path.

Last night, I was at a friend's wedding celebration in New Jersey and they had a gorgeous cupcake tier that was completely vegan. I had not one, but two cupcakes (a chocolate with coconut frosting and a vanilla with chocolate frosting) and they both were very tasty. The cake part was something special, and the frosting soft and whipped but not too sweet. I have to say these are the best vegan cupcakes I've tasted yet, topping Babycakes and Whole Foods (both of whom, by the way, provide vegan baked goods in Manhattan).

The source was Sweet Avenue bake shop. Unfortunately, since it's in New Jersey, I don't see myself getting there in the near future. But hey, I can dream... (and they do deliver...)

And before I forget, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Mine is super great so be sure to thank yours on this special day!

are your cosmetics safe?

I just came across a great site that reviews all types of cosmetics and skin care products for levels of toxicity, animal testing, and safe ingredients. It has a sunscreen section that lets you know of any misleading spfs and potentially harmful ingredients, as well as both UVA and UVB protection.
Check it out at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ Safe sunning!

back to the main stream

All of last week I was blissfully situated in the woods. I was completely cut off from modern everyday life - no cell phone, hot shower, or flushing toilet. I wasn't just camping or hiking, but I found myself at Tom Brown's Tracker School, located in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. There, I was surprised to find that a) the Pine Barrens are anything but barren and b) the roads and woods reminded me closely of Martha's Vineyard - sandy drives, medium height bushes, and a mix of youngish trees that were filled with more wildlife that one could imagine.

As I slowly readjust to the metropolitan world, I am praying that the essence of the experience will remain with me: the indescribable feeling of being completely immersed in nature, with no walls or barriers between me and the soft earth, the stroking breeze, and the chime of numerous birds from the leafy green latticework above.

The course was practical but also spiritual. During the week-long stay, our group of 62 "standard class" students were taught subjects concerning survival, tracking, and awareness. The school's philosophy (which I found both intriguing and comforting) views the teachings not as a man vs. nature battle, but as ancient skills which, through practice, slowly meld your way of living into one in harmony with the pristine perfection of the natural world.

While so much can be said for the intensity and depth of the course, I will consider it a success if just one reader takes a moment to: stop and smell the roses or flowers (literally), enjoys the time spent outside just a little more, or looks with appreciation and gratitude at the food on their plate that was so graciously given by none other than Mother Nature herself.

organic food on 23rd st

About 10 days ago, before I left for a week-long trip, I was in Manhattan for some business and came across a recently opened vegetarian restaurant called Terri. Up until recently and still a bit ongoing, the number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the city has been a number easily countable on both hands. However, with the opening of this restaurant (just a few blocks from the cafeteria-style Bonobo's), I began to feel that there is hope for a healthier lifestyle and diet, and that this is catching on more and more with the mainstream public.

Although Terri calls itself Organic Vegetarian, nearly all the menu items are vegan, but it is not so scary as a newcomer may think. It has the usual Manhattan lunch offerings, including sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, salads as well as ever-elusive vegan desserts. I was happy with the spinach salad I purchased, and even happier with their chocolate brownie, which was too full of choclatey goodness to finish in one sitting. On another day, I would love to return and sample some more menu items, and since it is near the 23rd St. F train stop it is convenient even for someone coming from Queens.

tea time

Tea has been quite the saviour for me as I try to maintain a yogic lifestyle and, well lets be honest, not eat too much. I have quite a variable schedule - some days I get up at quarter to 6 and others I start my workday at noon. I finish working at any time from 7 on an early day to 10 or 11 on a late night.

This has made developing an "eating schedule" a bit difficult. Nutritionists and exercisers usually recommend 4-6 small meals per day, while some yogis fast part of the day, maybe only eating one large meal at midday. I think most of us can control what we eat during the main part of the day, or at least keep track. Whether we bring lunch to work, eat at home, or go to a restaurant with friends, we can account for what we've consumed and counted it as a meal.

However, when at home, it's not so simple. Does that piece of fruit, cup or two of juice, bag of chips, or sandwich (or two) count as a "meal"? Or maybe a snack? Or possibly half a snack? And then when can we eat the other half?

This is when tea comes in handy. My fiance and I must have at least 10 boxes of tea stored in the cupboard, ready to suit every mood, time, and taste. Whether it's a morning peppermint or green, a cleansing blend of berry or rooibos, or a soothing evening tea such as chamomile or "Bedtime," the brew of the herbed bag is there to comfort and help fill an empty or wanting stomach. We have a lot of the "Yogi Teas", partially because the have little inspirational quotes on the tags and partially because the flavors are great.

While getting ready for the day or while preparing for bed, it's easy to make a cup or pot in a few minutes. The warm, tasty liquid is great when it's too late or too early to eat and you're hungry or about to get there. It is kind of an indulgence, but a sophisticated one that can help shed pounds instead of adding them. Speaking of which, I think I'll go warm the kettle.

the oil's still coming...

The other day I joined the group "Boycott BP" on facebook. And I invited my friends.

I rarely send out invites to people, although I'm always receiving "gifts", "high fives", "green plants", "green bottles", you name it. But seriously, we are about to celebrate Memorial Day at the end of the month of May, and the oil is still leaking. No one is saying if they've stopped it, although you would think between one of the largest companies and one of the wealthiest nations someone could think of a way to stop it and actually put that plan in action.

I know it's not good to complain and do nothing. When I'm upset by some news, I usually try to pass on important info, write to the editor, or leave a comment to let the powers that be know that it matters to me. I've looked through many news sites to see the different opinions on this matter. For one, it doesn't seem that the government wants to move fast, although according to the latest Live Feed Obama will suspend"planned exploratory oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean off Alaska until at least 2011." (Doesn't that seem like a lot of specifics?)

Also, I also found out through DawnWatch that once animals are exposed to oil, they are basically as good as dead. This is obviously not what the media are showing, based on the wealth of animal clean-up pictures that insinuate that there is hope where unfortunately there shouldn't be.

The animal rights group PETA has chosen to address the oil spill by focusing on an underlying factor: heavy reliance on oil. Since a vegetarian/vegan diet uses less oil and fossil fuels, they suggest using diet to influence a system of consumption and business structure that responds to consumer demand and profit margins.

Tonight, May 28, there is a protest in NYC against BP. So I guess there are ways to get involved, although stopping the leak immediately is still a bit out of reach for most of us.

lots of green (juice)

If you ever go to Dharma Mittra's in Manhattan it wouldn't be surprising to hear him closing his yoga class with "Go have a green juice." While usually I am not a particular fan of a bunch of greens funneled into a small glass of green lip-smacking power, yesterday I had just finished a yoga class and hadn't had a good salad or bunch of leafy vegetables for a few days.

I think one of the keys to great juice is having the right blender or juicer. While a blender is good for fruit smoothies or mixes, to extract the full flavor a good juicer does it best. We have a Breville at home, and it works wonders with everything from apples to carrots, even beets and (yes we've tried it) radishes. So here's a simple green juice that is great when your body craves the nutrients that only lots of leaves and verdancy can give (serves 2 thirsty people):

Handful of Kale (you can sub spinach)

Handful of chard

3-4 stalks Celery (you can also do cucumber)

Small bunch parsley

2 apples

1 lemon

This is potent stuff - I personally can only take a few sips and then my better half downs the rest. But if you like the taste, green juices are the Red Bull of yogis, only without the crash afterwards. :-)

am juicing

I just had to share a wonderful little juice I put together this morning after my yoga practice. I'm nearly always running late, so it can be hard to find something quick that is also nutritious and feed the body in a post-workout fashion.

I usually like bananas in my smoothies, but today there were none. After a brief scan of what was on hand, I put together the following in a small food processor (you could use a blender as well) and got something that was sweet and tasty, a red juice that reminded me of melted sorbet or a red slushee... yum.

serves 1

4-8 fresh strawberries

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

1/4-1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons agave nectar (you could also substitute 2-3 dates, fresh or soaked)

By the way, the strawberries contain Vitamin C and fiber, and pomegranate is full of antioxidants. So you can enjoy increased immunity, healthy digestion, and disease prevention in a simple glass. :-)

going down to metro(politan)

Although I've lived in Forest Hills for several years, not having a car has placed me into the I-only-go-where-I-can-walk-in-10-minutes-or-take-a-subway category. Which means I hardly ever venture off Queens Boulevard or off the subway lines which seamlessly take me into Manhattan or along Queens without having to walk much in the north-south direction.

However, recently I have been hearing more and more about the fantastic restaurants along Metropolitan Avenue, including Wafa's (with great vegan I hear), Dee's, and Nick's (the Bistro, not to be confused with Nick's Pizza).

So my fiance and I decided to set out on Mother's Day, at 7pm, to search out the best of Metropolitan Avenue. Special day that it was, Wafas was closed, and Dees was booked all night. (I guess that's what we get for procrastinating.) We were fortunate, however, to find our way into Nick's Bistro and pick a few items off the menu.

It was quite clean inside, appearing recently renovated, and our server quickly pointed out the vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. Some pita chips and hummus were brought out first, and they caught our attention with the fresh flavor that was so tasty that the plate was clean before we knew it. We ordered a pasta and also a vegetable platter, accompanied by "veggie chips". All were, again, fresh and full of flavor, to a degree that not all restaurants can boast of. Although we arrived hungry, we were full midway through the meal so we had no room for dessert. When it became evident that all the desserts were not vegan, the server surprised us with a small fruit plate to finish the meal.

As we were dining, I saw a glimpse of other salads, which also looked delicious. In the end, we left Nick's with happy stomachs and a new appreciation for the southern side of Forest Hills. It will be no great effort for us to venture back to Metropolitan to have another meal at Nick's Bistro.

vegan nutrition

Yesterday I picked up a book at Jivamukti Yoga Studio entitled Thrive: the Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance. I've been reading it steadily, and although I've been following a mostly vegan diet I admit it's been hard at times to figure out what works and what doesn't. Should I be eating fruit or green juices? Do I eat many small meals or a few big meals? How do I choose among fruits and vegetables?

I received some diet/nutritional clarification and recommendations last fall from Thara, the Ayurvedic doctor at the Chopra Center in NYC. She told me my dosha type (which is basically the energies that characterize your physical, mental, and spiritual makeup) and recommended certain foods, oils and herbs to balance everything out.

I found the book Thrive to be a great complement to her recommendations, and it also offers the nutritional/scientific basis for his food choices. The author, a professional Ironman triathlete, ended up with a vegan diet not for ethical reasons, but simply out of a desire to gain more energy, speed his recovery time, have higher mental and physical function, and keep a high muscle/low fat body.

It's funny that his conclusions, based on over 20 years of research and personal experimentation, yield the same foods that have been touted by doctors for their antioxidant properties, by activists for saving the lives of animals, by environmentalists for creating less stress on the environment, and by yoga practitioners for increased energy and awareness.

By the way, I haven't finished the book yet, but at the end there are several recipes and meal options which compose of his "Thrive" diet. Just glancing at them, they are designed to be quick and easy to make, and use lots of fresh, health, energy-boosting ingredients. (I'll let you know when I try the recipes.)

Peace,

Kaity

yoga in miami

Over the past two days, I had the opportunity to visit Miami Life Center, an Ashtanga studio founded by the yoga-famous Kino MacGregor. Located a short walk from the beach, the studio has daily classes in mostly Ashtanga, but also Jivamukti and Restorative yoga. Probably the keynote class would be the Mysore class (which is the strict series taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and practiced individually under observation of the teacher). But since I don't have the series memorized, I took advantage of the Guided Ashtanga and Ashtanga Elements classes, which were taught in the more inclusive fashion by the respective instructors.

Practicing a Jivamukti/Vinyasa flow was incredibly helpful in transitioning to the Ashtanga, but I was still challenged by the numerous jump-throughs (at least 8) and long stretches of abdominal work that is part of every class.

If you're ever in Miami, I highly recommend this studio for a warm, welcoming vibe, adherance to the Ashtanga tradition, friendly staff & students, and also a beautiful space with stone floors and an eclectic boutique.

My first post (Happy Birthday!)

Greetings! I woke up this morning with the thought that I should start blogging. Maybe it's the birthday energy, or maybe the idea of starting something new...

I wanted to start with a fabulous gift I received from friend and business partner Suzanne - some Yes to Carrots facial products. There was a facial scrub and mask that smelled really good, but I really loved the soothing eye gel. While I usually use Burt's Bees eye cream, I tend to have redness around my nose and other sensitive areas. I used the eye gel on the redness, and within minutes my skin felt cooler and more relaxed, and my skin tone was so even I felt like my skin was ready for a photo shoot.