Yoga at Home for Absolute Beginners!

Yoga at Home: Yoga Heals and Releases Stress

Yoga's amazing power to heal and relieve stress, as well as the benefits of a regular home practice were validated in a a recent news story about  Mark T. Bertlini, CEO of Aetna, one of the largest health insurance companies in the United States.  Several years, Bertolini became disabled after a skiing accident. He was not only partially paralyzed, but in constant pain which led him to rely on seven different narcotics. After a year of enduring this, Bertolini began to explore alternative therapies such as acupuncture and to study yoga.  Bertolini is now off all pain medication and leading an active life.

Bertolini has encouraged Aetna to offer its employees stress-reducing yoga programs because of the great results he has had and because he learned from a survey of Aetna's employees that stress is one of the "top three drivers among the firms' employees health status."  To date, about 10 percent of Aetna's 33,000 workers have taken courses in yoga and in mindfulness-based stress management and Aetna has conducted an evdience-based study to assess the effects of these programs.

What great news!  What I especially noted in reading the article about Bertolini, however, was its conclusion.  When asked about his yoga practice, Bertolini stated that, "Every morning I get up and I do my asana, pranayama, meditation, and Vedic chanting before work.  That's my wellness program.  It's help me be more centered, more present.  I've beeng doing this for six or seven years."

Kudos to Bertolini!  He didn't say he attended a yoga class every morning!  Although he likely attended classes to learn yoga, it appears that his principal practice is at home.  And what rewards he is reaping! Never doubt the power of a home yoga practice!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' At Home Yoga Practice 

Yoga at Home: Yoga at the Olympics- Just Say No!

The photo above is DEFINTELY NOT me (Laura Venecia Rodriguez)! This woman appears ready for Olympic Yoga!

The August 2012 (already?) issue of Yoga Journal reports the results of a recent poll it took of its Facebook friends and fans. The earthshattering question?  Should yoga be added to the Olympics as a competitive event?  Not surprising to me at all were the results.  Yoga Journal's Facebook fans voted 1,196 votes NOs; only 21 Facebook friends voted YES.

Several times since I began writing this blog in January 2008, I have noted that one of the principal benefits of a home yoga practice is that you don't get distracted by other class attendees sitting to either side of you or in front of you who seem to enter and exit the poses with great ease.  Yoga is a holistic practice that helps unify the mind, body, and spirit, and to maximize its benefits, and for that reason, I believe it's best to leave any thoughts of competition behind, particularly at the Olympic level!

Although some yoga experts report that yoga competitions were held centuries ago in India, I don't believe that they were a primary focus or concern.  I could be completely wrong about this but it's just my gut feeling that yoga competitions probably played a relatively minor role in the overall scheme in the practice of yoga.

And, recent considerations about adding yoga to the Olympics concern me.  Although over 16 million people reportedly practice yoga in the United States (and I don't know how many times a week they practice - attending class once a week without supplementing it with a home practice has limited value in my opinion), so many more people could benefit tremendously from yoga if they knew they could focus on the simpler and gentler forms of yoga. But, so many people encounter pretzel-type poses in the media (such as the one above) and conclude that yoga is totally beyond their capability.  Adding yoga to the Olympics would reinforce the notion of yoga as being accessible only to certain types of people, expecially those who are super athletic or seemingly born flexible.

Also, adding yoga to the Olympics would likely emphasize the physical aspects and athletic apperance of yoga poses rather than the more intangible benefits that occur over time such as inceased energy and serenity.  So let's just SAY NO to adding yoga to the Olympics!

Yours for practicing yoga without comparing or competing, even with yourself!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners at Home Yoga Coach

Yoga at Home: Reflection on Barbie Getting "Bendy" as a Yoga Teacher!

New career for Barbie - Yoga Teacher!

When I began yoga 40+ years ago, I would NEVER have imagined that one day young girls would be able to buy a Barbie doll who teaches yoga!  But, I guess yoga has become so mainstream that it was just a matter of time before a Mattel toy executive would recognize the market potential for a Barbie doll who teaches yoga.

I actually didn't own a Barbie when I was a young girl.  She didn't appeal to me that much - I preferred the more teen-like physique and appearance of a doll called Tammy (don't think she is around any more).  Females have had a love-hate relationship with the Barbie doll since her "birth' in 1959 (she's close to my age except she still looks 19!).  Many women have decried her impossibly skinny frame, microscopic waist, and big boobs, as misdirecting young girls' aspirations with an unattainable body image.

Nevertheless, young girls have been having a blast playing with Barbies for 5 decades and they don't appear to be stopping any time soon. The Barbie Yoga Teacher is the latest release in the Barbie line of "I can be." and I do think that's positive.  I don't know how flexible this Barbie will actually be but I applaud any fun way to subliminaly and overtly put yoga into their mindset at an early age.  I remember friends who had Barbies who played tennis or went bowling.  What fun that Barbie now gets to teach yoga!  I just hope she encourages her students to also do yoga at home!  My daughter is way too old for a a new Barbie, but maybe when she marries and if she has daughters, I'll be buying them the Barbie Yoga Teacher with her special yoga mats and yoga clothing!

Yours for staying bendy with Barbie!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home: Keep a Carefree Attitude When You Practice!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez doing the Lion facial pose - really get silly with this!

When I began yoga in 1970 (yep - that is 4 freaking decades ago!), you did not see articles about yoga in the weekly paper, magazine, or tabloids (such as actor Alec Baldwin's recent engagement to a ravishing 20-something yoga instructor...).

I began yoga back in the seeming dinosaur age when it was rarely mentioned by the media and yoga instruction (at least the kind I was exposed to) seemed to emphasize "going slow- as if in a dream," "pausing between poses," "getting to know oneself," "increasing awareness and alertness," and the like.  It did not focus on competition and perfection.

However, nowadays with yoga studios and classes on every corner in major metropolitan areas and yoga receiving ongoing attention and references, some yoga students seem to take their yoga practice way too seriously.  Metaphorically, at least, they get all bent OUT of shape when their bodies cannot quickly achieve certain challenging poses OR they encounter instructors who may expect too much, OR they become envious of other yogis who seem to have a much easier time.

If this is your experience - STOP right now!  RE-LAX and RE-LEASE all judgments, expectations, and frustrations that you may be encountering with your seeming imperfections.  As I have said in previous posts, INTENTION is way more important than PERFECTION!

Spiritual writer Emmet Fox once said, "To be tense is the surest way to fail in any undertakng great or small...to pursue success (such as in your yoga practice!) is an attitude of mind which may be compared to a clenched fist, a knitted brow, and set teeth,; and htis attitude cannot bring success...The CAREFREE (my emphasis) attitude of appraoch in any endeavor is a short-cut to success.  In music, in sport, (in yoga---I added this!), in business life, many people fail or advanced very slowly because they make hard work of it. They would succeed beyond their wildest expectations if they would treat it as FUN (my emphasis)...Take it easy."

Yes, indeed. You will find your yoga practice much more fulfilling and beneficial if you drop your expectations, desist from trying so hard to achieve a given pose, and if you just take a carefree attitude and focus on having fun as you gain flexibility.  Laugh it off when you lose your balance or feel especially stiff on certain days.  Experiment and see if you don't leap ahead in your yoga progress when you take a carefree approach to it.  It's ironic and a total oxymoron to get all tense, perfectionistic, and judgmental about your yoga practice. As Emmet Fox emphasized, "Loosen up!"

Yours for taking a carefree approach to your yoga practice,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginners' yoga coach

 

Yoga at Home: Tips Learned from Tao Porchon-Lynch

June 10, 2012- 93-Year Young Instructor Tao Porchon-Lynch Observing my Backward Bend

What a thrill! Five days ago I had the opportunity to learn some yoga tips and techniques from master teacher and 93-year young Tao Porchon-Lynch!  Tao has been traveling the country during the past few weeks and was recently featured on CNN.

How many opportunities does anyone have to receive instruction in yoga or anything else from a vibrant 93-year young person who continues to teach and practice yoga even with a hip replacement and pin in her leg! Ms. Lynch covered many poses and shared many of her ideas and experiences over the 3 1/2 hour class - she gave us a bonus 30 minutes!

Some of the principal tenets of Ms. Lynch's philosophy included:

1) Everyone's body is different- not everyone is capable of doing poses exactly the same way however,

2) Some people do poses incorrectly which can lead to pain or injury - Ms. Lynch showed one area yoga instructor how to do the Triangle yoga pose by lifting the muscles above the knees to avoid knee strain and pain;

3) When doing yoga, work your body from the inside out to avoid injury - "everything comes from the inside;"

4) Incorrect, shallow breathing will literally wear your lungs out - Ms. Lynch told the story of a friend who failed to breathe deeply enough and she "wore her lungs out" and died earlier than she might have otherwise.  Imagine that your lungs are like an accordian (contracting and expanding widely) when you inhale and exhale;

5) We are all comprised of the same elements as the earth and we can draw energy from the earth- especially through yoga;

6) The Creator is inside us and yoga helps us open the door to the Creator;

7) Renewal is possible everywhere and don't be scared about death- enjoy life now!

8) We are all one with everything in the universe.

Throughout the afternoon session, Ms. Lynch was so friendly, gracious, warm, and patient in showing us how to execute poses correctly.  I have had trouble doing the downward dog - even though it doens't as if it would be that difficult.  However, whenever I put my head down, I become discombobulated and I can't easily get into this pose.  Ms. Lynch showed me how to place my head and how to move up my legs to get into the inverted V position.

The only fault I found with the class was not with Ms. Lynch's instruction, but more the lack of clear details from the yoga studio. Because I still have some klutzy bones in my body, several times I had to scramble to keep up with the sequences of the flow poses. Also, I wasn't certain if the clas was designed for intermediate or advanced yoga students. It wasn't Ms. Lynch's fault.  I believe the yoga studio should have added a line or two in its program descrption to indicate that the class level. I don't think it would have been suited to beginners - at all - except to soak up Ms. Lynch's presence!

Ms. Lynch shared with us her joy of nature and birds in particular, and her experiences with renowned yoga instructor Iyengar and celebrities/famed musicians like Duke Ellington.  She beamed throughout the class and her gentle demeanor and sweetness melted everyone's heart - at least that was my perception!

What I most appreciated about Ms. Lynch was her indefatigable attitude.  After her hip replacement and installation of a pin in her knee area, she refused to passively accept her physician's warning that she might never be able to dance again as energetically as she had done in the past or still be able to do advanced yoga psoes.

She proved her physician was wrong.  As she told the class participants point blank, she has no intention of ever retiring. Love that attitude! Instead, she plans to "dance her way to the next planet."  What a different, and even mre beautiful world it would be if everyone implemented her "defy conventional wisdom" and "question authority" attitude!  She is a yogi to emulate!  I intend to keep her teachings in my mind as I practice my daily yoga at home.  

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginners' at home yoga coach

 

Yoga at Home: My Yoga Class with Tao Porchon-Lynch!

Legendary 93-year young yoga instructor, Tao Porchon Lynch and I on Saturday, June 9, 2012

As long-term readers of this blog know, I rarely attend yoga classes.  My time is limited and frankly, I am still a bit of a klutz when trying to keep up with an instructor. I have learned most of what I know about yoga from books, audios, and videos.  However, when Jackie, my work colleague and friend, told me that Ms. Lynch was giving a yoga class in Vienna, Virginia, last weekend, I knew I HAD to attend!  I was eager to meet this living yoga legend - a woman who studied yoga in India, acted with MGM in the 1940s and 1950s, danced all her life, and who has been bucking and defying conventional wisdom in recent decades. She has myriad interests and hobbies from delighting in observing birds to being a wine judge! 

Ms. Lynch gave two workshops last Saturday.  I attended the afternoon portion which lasted almost 3 and one=half hours.  Ms. Lynch's energy never flagged, From the moment I entered the yoga studio when she gave me a big hug, to the end of the class, Ms. Lynch radiated joy, enthusiasm, and gentleness. The class of about 15 participants included area yoga instructors who no doubt sought to learn some pointers from this extraordinatry master instructor of Iyengar yoga, a form of hatha yoga that focuses on structural alignment of the physical body and emphasizies standing poses. Many of us took notes between poses!

In my next post I will share some of Ms. Lynch's teachings and more about my personal experience in the class and how I will apply what I learned to my home practice.  Till then, when you roll out your mat and doing your yoga practice, meditate on one of her proclamations, "Everything comes from inside."

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

 

Yoga at Home: Follow this 93-Young Yogi!

As the  Pointer Sisters sang back in the 1982, "I am so excited, and I just can't hide it.!"  So true for me now!   Why?  Well, if my schedule works out, I will participate in a yoga class this Saturday taught by the world's oldest (93) living yoga instructor, Tao Porchon Lynch!

I wrote a post about her last year and I can't wait to meet this living legend!  In the youtube video below which was filmed two years ago, she shares several key facets of her philosophy on life that have allowed her to remain youthful and energetic.   In fact, she epitomizes the value of practicing yoga to gain  "energy, flexibility, and serenity!"  

The key tenets of her healthy lifestyle are:  1) refusing to harbor any negative thoughts, 2) never procrastinating; 3) believing in herself and not allowing others to tell her what she can or cannot do (such as when she fractured her right leg and had a hip replacement and her physician advised her that he might never dance as well again or do advanced yoga poses - she proved him wrong (yay- always question conventional wisdom, I say!) and placed first in several dance competitions; 4) avoiding overeating and overdrinking; 4)making nature her guide; and 5) using the breath to renew her body and mind.  Simple strategies that prove most effective for her-no?

If all goes as I plan, in my next post I will share my experience of attending a yoga class by this gracious, gentle, delightful woman!  I intend to incorporate what she teaches into my home practice. She proves that you don't need to limit what you can do by societal standards!

 

Yours for gaining energy, flexibility, and serenity by practicing yoga at any age,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home: Don't Get Bent Out of Shape if You Can't Bend into Shape!

My daughter, Francesca, and her two college classmates laughing up a storm!

What does the above photo have to do with practicing yoga at home for beginners?  Well, actually more than you might imagine!  We all need more laughter in our lives.  

One of my top role models for how to live fully, joyfully, and with lots of laughter and humor is the 90-year old actress, Betty White. I love that woman!  She has a sharp wit, alert mind, and youthful outlook. I think she is doing so well at the beginning of her ninth decade because she takes a lighthearted approach to everything. She goes with the flow, stays current or "hip" we might say, and she manages to easily poke fun at the common life experiences and events. 

More of us should take a lighthearted approach is vital for gaining maximum benefit from yoga. Some people don't transfer the practice of the spirit of yoga into their daily lives or keep things light. Recently, a neighbor told me about a past boyfriend who was really into yoga. But, in my view, he seems to have missed a big point of his practice! He had a short fuse and would fly into rages prompting her to exit the relationship.

Other yogis get too intense and serious about how they do their yoga poses. Sometimes when you first learn a yoga pose, you can feel frustrated and inept.  But, really, you must laugh it off! I wish I had done that years ago when I took a modern dance class my freshman year of college!

This weekend, I attended a wonderful college reunion and my classmates and I shared what had been going on in our lives over the past five years.  When my turn came, along with discussing the past five years, I shared my discouragement after attending my first (and only) modern dance classs. I asked the dance instructor for guidance after the first class because I had stumbled about. I was uncoordinated and klutzy. She responded by asking me, "have you every done ANY type of exercise?!!!" All my classmates roared when I retold her remark!  It wasn't funny to me, however, at the time and I dropped the class.  I felt like a failure.

But, in hindsight, it was ridiculous. I should have laughted off that teacher's statement  After all, I had been exercising - jogging and doing yoga.  I just had not been practicing modern dance.  It was new to me.  If the instructor had taken a lighthearted, helpful approach, I would have stayed in the class and might have enjoyed learning modern dance.

Learn from my negative experience. Practice yoga with joy and laughter. Recently, a number of yoga teachers have been incorporating "laughter yoga," i.e., the practice of deep belly laughing,into their classes to add levity and variety to the class. Life is too precious to get bent out of shape when you can't quite "bend into shape" when you first learn certain yoga poses. Laugh it off and try again the following day!

Yours for giving your yoga practice the "light" touch,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginners' yoga coach