Yoga and Stories

There is nothing that compares to a teacher that seamlessly includes stories into her class. She occupies your mind as your body works through the poses. I love being distracted in this way. Yoga Journal has published this brilliant article about it and even offers brilliantly written versions of classic stories.

Enjoy!

Yoga Journal - Yoga Methodology - Once upon a Time

What's your favorite story?

Namaste!

Yoga Basics| Hero's Pose Instruction Video

A great video detailing Hero's Pose (Virasana)

Yoga Basics| Hero's Pose Instruction Video

Namaste!

FREE Yoga in Harlem

Yogi Charu is offering free Classical Hatha yoga classes in Harlem every Wednesday of August (Saturday has been canceled). Come join us!

RSVP with Charu to make sure the weather  hasn't messed with our plans.

Sign designed by Olia Saunders

Why Read the Gita?

An old farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavad Gita. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. 

One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavad Gita just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagavad Gita do?"

The grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. 

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. 

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough." He went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. 

Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavad Gita. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out."

                                                                                    - Author Unknown

__________________

Thanks to Mike for sharing this beautiful story

Spring Time & New Beginnings

Sorry about the long delay.

I will be back in May.

Namaste.

Yoga with your Toes

Via

Funny title right? The thought might produce a smirk but the benefits are unbelievable.

Few of us consider the well being of our toes; we squeeze them into pointy shoes and ram them into corners. Apart for pedicures, when do we really think about our toes? Well, maybe we should.

Toes allow us to walk. They provide balance, weight-bearing, and thrust in our step. Lots of muscles come to play when it comes to our toes; muscles we rarely stretch or consciously exercise.

My classic Hatha class has changed the way I look and exercise my toes. Ever since my first class, I have felt the benefits of the toe exercises.My little toe, which looks like a boneless jelly bean no longer cramps up. My balance has improved and so has my toe dexterity - what used to be 5 motionless sticks are now clearly articulated muscles that I can stretch and wriggle and grab things with. Monkey toes! Well, not exactly, I won't be hanging from them anytime soon.

What are these exercises?
1. Sitting on your mat, back straight, arms at your sides and legs extended before you in staff pose, curl and release your toes 10 times and then hold for another 10 seconds. Easy enough, but make sure all ten toes are solicited.

2. Still in staff pose, point your feet and alternate between ballerina pointed toes and spread toes (like if you were standing on your toes - Demi-pointe). Hold each for 2 sec and repeat 5 times.

3. Sitting in staff pose, cross your left leg over your right and just as you would your hands, intertwine your toes. Pinky with pinky and so on until you can hook your big toes together. Your feet will end up back to back (top of your feet together not your soles). Give yourself 15 secs and independently of how many toes you've managed to intertwine, squeeze and release. Cross your right leg over your left and repeat.
It's harder than you think, remember to breathe and laugh at your struggle. It took me a while to get to the big toe because it also requires your ankle to be flexible (great stretch for your ankles by the way).

Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Namaste.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Yoga Means Union

"Yoga means Union. One practice is the Union of Mind and Body. Please, do not make the union between your mind and someone else's body."

-Yogi Charu

Classic Hatha Instructor

Pure West

Day 8 - Start Again!

I must say I was very disappointed this morning when I discovered that the 8th sequence was a repetition of the first. Seriously? I guess it was too much to hope for 21 different sequences.

On the days I do go to the yoga studio I will skip the sequences offered by the 21 day challenge and speak of my class instead.

To change it up a bit, I'm going to focus on what I felt was the most challenging aspects of the sequence today.

My Challenge

via

For a couple days now my shoulder's aren't as flexible as usual, why? Beats me. Anyway, this makes interlacing the hands behind you back and bending forward bringing your hands towards your head very difficult.

I have to work on some shouder openers.

Namaste

Day 7 - Relaxing Before Bed

On the 7th Day we rest. Kate Holcombe who brought us the Morning Sequence on Day 2 comes back with this relaxing evening sequence, a perfect preparation for bed or in my case dishes.

What I enjoyed
Kate prepared a wonderfully relaxing sequence and has such a soothing voice.

Favorite Moment
I loved the last pose. I modified it by simply putting my legs up the nearest wall. So relaxing.

via

How to Improve
Don't try to relax when your Husband is playing a Zelda, it makes it that much harder.

Lasting Impression
I had a nice stretch, I'm relaxed and ready to take on the dishes and then read a good book in bed. 

Namaste.

Day 6 - Hip openers

For those of you that are following, I skipped a day and I'm posting this a day late. I ran out of time. I'll catch up no worries.Today's sequence (Day 7) is a 15 minute relaxing sequence to be done before bed, so two posts today! (Maybe three if I over come my reticence for Hanumanasana.)

Day 6 brings us Rebecca Urban, whom we met on day 3. I guess we are going to have a 4 teacher rotation for 21 days. My hopes of having Stephanie Snyder is dwindling. Thirty minutes of hip openers here we go.

What I enjoyed
 If it wasn't a cold snowy morning and my body wasn't stiff from yesterday's Vinyasa, I would probably have enjoyed the sequence. It's a great stretch.
I enjoyed her simple sign off "You worked hard, enjoy your day. Namaste."  and the wonderful savasana.

Favorite Moment
My body feeling as it does, my favorite moment is a calm one: Floating Goddess. Come into Goddess or Horse stance, turn the toes out and bend your needs making a nice 90 degree angle between your thigh and your shin. Straighten the right leg, then the left, bend right, bed left. Try to glide through the pose. Repeat twice and go the other way. Simple yet soothing.

 via

How to improve
I should of done a little warm up instead of rolling onto the mat and pressing play.

Lasting Impression
I'm feeling nice and open in the hips. I not by any means ready to start my day, I'd rather hibernate with my hubby but I'm expected at the Natural History Museum.

Namaste!

P.S. Click here or on the pictures for a link to the video.