converse with yoga

Last full day in St. Pierre de Maille

2008-09-13T17:43:00.003-04:00

2 photos taken from my last full day in St. Pierre de Maille, France.

Just before yoga in the morning at La Distillerie

On my bike ride home, the moon rising over St. Pierre.

Where your food comes from

2008-09-06T08:34:00.003-04:00

I just finished a small lunch/snack consisting of an egg fresh from the chickens today, a tomato picked from the garden and bread and butter. Ok so the bread and butter aren't exactly "garden fresh" or home made but they complimented this simple yet delicious meal perfectly. It's nice to know exactly where your food comes from.

The chickens who bore the egg.

The World According to Americans

2008-09-04T17:40:00.004-04:00

(Click to view larger image).

Sent to me by my cousin today. Not quite yoga related but I found it funny. Sad but a little bit true.

Yoga in the French Countryside

2008-09-04T08:18:00.008-04:00

I've taught yoga a couple times to my new friend here, Roxane. She is a 23 year old mother, happily married, living in Chauvigny. When I first met Roxane and told her I was a yoga instructor she asked if I could come to her house to do a lesson - I said of course and she replied "Oh I wish, I wish!" - meaning she would like that very much. We arranged for a lesson later that week, and just had our 2nd one this morning. We don't do yoga for very long, 45-60 minutes, and the intention is unlike any yoga I have taught back home in NYC or CT. All Roxane wanted was to de-stress. Forget the toned abs, arms, or yoga butt (she is already blessed with a petite figure anyway), our motive was to go through a few postures to simply help her relax as she spends most of her days taking care of her 18 month old daughter Serena and on weekends she works part-time job at a Moroccan restaurant.

Of course you run into a New Yorker every once in a while who is seeking out yoga for relaxation purposes but I find that so many asana practitioners are doing it for the physical benefits rather than anything else. I love Roxane's "Ah-ha!" moments when she notices her balance improving or that her mind is very "in the moment" with what her body is doing. It's almost as if she is approaching yoga in the same manner as the French approach les repas (their meals); allowing every little taste to settle into their tastebuds, soaking up every last morsel on their plate with their bread, and finishing it off with a nice swallow of Bordeaux. Taking it all in!

There of course may also be a correlation between city and country life whereas the country folk know how to take things slowly. Enjoyment and fulfillment come easier to them without all the constant stimuli that one finds in a large city such as Paris or New York. Regardless of what the reasons may be, I am inspired by Roxanne's gentle approach to yoga and her eagerness to take the time to find some équilibre (balance) in her life.

"Smiling is encouraged."

Bumble Bees, Banana Cats, Baguettes

2008-09-03T05:09:00.006-04:00

I have clearly neglected putting up a new post for far too long. No good excuse except for a major shift in my full-time job at a gallery which led me to focus all my energy there in an attempt not to spread myself too thin. For most of July I decided to drop teaching so that when I got home from work I would have some time for myself, to find equilibrium and quiet my thoughts which were far too wrapped up in the well-being of the gallery and its 80 year old frail owner.

After insisting I get 4 weeks off from work I now find myself in the French countryside in a small picturesque town called St. Pierre de Maille. The time has flown by and I am already into week 3. My asana practice has been pushed a little to the wayside, however I find that I am constantly bringing yoga into my everyday life here - and with great ease! Gardening has become my meditation and cooking and preparing food gives me no other choice but to be fully present and aware of my actions.

I am speaking French (and hopefully improving) daily, giving my brain a little exercise. I am here as a "Wwoofer" (www.wwoof.org) - technically working for room & board - yet I never really feel like I am doing work. I feel like I am living, and enjoying myself while I'm at it. It probably helps that I don't have any real deadlines, except that dinner be ready each night at a reasonable hour (usually 9pm) for the 20-30 archaeologists.

While I deeply miss all my friends and family I am trying to soak up all the senses and feelings and new loves I am finding in this new environment.

Artificial Food Dyes Press Release

2008-06-06T12:26:00.003-04:00

From June 2, 2008. The Center for Science in the Public Interest urges the FDA to ban artificial food dyes linked to behavior problems.

The Secret History of the War on Cancer

2008-06-06T11:54:00.005-04:00

Last night I attended a 'salon', or formal discussion, led by Dr. Devra Davis on environmental toxins and women's health. A brief background on Dr. Davis: she is Director of the world’s first Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health. Her recent book, The Secret History of the War on Cancer, was rated a top pick by Newsweek and is being used by major Public Health schools around the nation including Harvard, Emory, and Tulane University.

Aside from her affection for Pittsburgh and her grandchildren, Dr. Davis has a great passion for public awareness of environmental cancer-causing toxins, especially for women. Because the FDA does not warn us nor protect us from toxins in everyday foods it is important to educate ourselves until the government makes some radical changes.

Although we are constantly exposed to cancer-causing toxins, there are ways to protect ourselves through good nutrition and exercise (like yoga!). It is important to stay away from products containing preservatives, additives, aspartame, and anything else your grandmother wouldn't consider a food. Teresa Heinz was one of the hosts of the discussion and as she so eloquently put it - "stick to what is most pure, most clean."

I know I am not a saint when it comes to good nutrition, but I'd like to think that since establishing a regular yoga practice I have naturally developed good nutritional habits. And while I splurge on the occasional cupcake or tiramisu, I have also been blessed with a mother and father who trained me to eat my fruits and veggies first.

I can barely begin to scratch the surface of Dr. Davis' wealth of knowledge. Please visit her website at http://www.devradavis.com/index.php for more information on the War on Cancer and to purchase her book! (A portion of the proceeds of her book go to the Devra Lee Davis Charitable Foundation).

Energy 4 Orphans - Community Yoga Class in NYC!

2008-06-04T14:45:00.003-04:00

Sophie Herbert and I held our first Energy 4 Orphans class in the East Village on Monday night! It was a great success and we really look forward to next week's class.

Classes are open level with some Vinyasa flow - every Monday night in June at 8pm. 64 East 4th St, 4th Floor.

You can visit www.Energy4Orphans.org for more details - we hope to see you there!

Yoga, Rocky style

2008-05-19T08:25:00.013-04:00

You may be happy to know that team Let it Rip! fell just $125 short of our goal of $2,000.00 for Yoga Unites. We were happy to know that Mother Nature was on our side this past Sunday, as the rain held off until afternoon and the 350+ yogis and yoginis were able to practice on the steps of the Philadelphia Art museum in the sunshine.

In preparation for this altruistic event, participants climbed the steps, carefully setting up their mats. Once I put my mat down on the very top tier I realized I was potentially screwed, the surface of the steps was far from smooth. What if my wrist went into a ditch in downward dog? That would hurt so much. This hour is going to be SO UNCOMFORTABLE. Shoot.

My friend Marcy was quick to remind me that nobody had an even surface. Ah yes, of course. I almost forgot to adapt. And adapt I did.

As my cousin Jennifer (of Yoga Schelter) began the class she invited us to dedicate the practice to someone. Someone in need, in pain, friend or enemy, dead or alive. She set her own intentions for our grandmother who passed away 20 years ago, and our uncle who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. I thought of the strength he showed the last time I saw him, only a few weeks prior to his passing. He was so frail but his spirit and sense of humor were still going strong as I had always remembered. It is impossible for me to imagine all the adjustments he had to make in his own life (as well as for my aunt who took such wonderful care of him).

I became aware of the difficulties that we are all confronted with in life. No matter how big or small it is an invaluable tool to be able to accept and create space for change. Whether it's making lemons into lemonade, not falling into a mental rut because of a bumpy surface, or battling a terminal illness, these difficulties are what we make of them. We can turn them into challenges and into great learning experiences.

Yoga continually teaches me to accept the changes and the challenges.

One last note - Two of my dear friends also participated in the event and I was thrilled to share the time with them this weekend.

Dinner the night before Yoga Unites.

Personality test for your cat

2008-05-16T11:41:00.008-04:00

This morning I was sent the following article about match-making for cats and humans, or personality tests for cats to match them with the best possible owner. The article, and this entry, have seemingly little to do with yoga but I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by.

A personality test for your cat.

My cat, Milo, fits the billing of "Personal Assistant."
Photo credit Sara Eagle.

Dance me some yoga

2008-05-12T16:32:00.004-04:00

For me there is nothing quite like breaking out into spontaneous dance ... unless that dancing is in the middle of a yoga class. I had only heard such rumors of these occurrances happening on the Radiant Retreat 2007 but had to experience it myself to believe it. Well it was true. Not only did we break out into spontaneous dance on the 2008 retreat, but we broke out into dance over and over and over again!

I can't remember the last time I had felt so much pure joy. The sweat pouring down my face staining my turquoise top as I jumped up and down, shifted my feet, and shook my hips to "Wild Thing." And the most wonderful part about this was that everyone was into it, we were all in the same groove.

All throughout grade school and college I danced; went to classes, rehearsed, performed. Nothing serious ever amounted from this, it just made me happy. I stopped the dance classes half-way through college and have felt a vacancy in my heart ever since.

Yoga took the place of dance in my life as far as stretching and becoming stronger was concerned, but ever since the retreat in March I have been searching for ways to rekindle this exploration of movement in the body.

While yoga is not a performance it certainly gives us a greater connection with our inner spirit, just sitting inside, ready and waiting to burst out. Throughout asana practice we twist and turn, lift ourselves up and down, find balance in challenging postures, all the while searching for grace and tenderness in each movement.

Dance always felt like a state of meditation for me. I was never thinking, just listening and doing. Listening and MOVING, allowing my body to create new forms, shapes, and rhythms.

In a recent conversation with my sister Grace, a dancer and choreographer herself, I told her about how much I missed dancing but that I always felt I wasn't good enough. It was comforting and encouraging to hear from her that you can never really be a bad dancer and that I should explore some classes here in New York.

If I ever make it to that dance class I will be interested to find out what my yoga practice has brought to (or even taken away from) my dance ability or skills if you will. Either way I want to continue incorporating small elements of the energy of dance into the classes that I teach as well as my own personal practice on the mat.

Notes on the Neti Pot

2008-05-08T14:56:00.007-04:00

A short note on the beloved Neti Pot ...

I was recently reading my dear friend Sophie's blog and she has a really wonderful post about the history and proper usage of Jal Neti or the ancient ayurvedic nasal cleansing technique. I know it sounds scary to pour water through one nostril as you watch it exit through the other, and, unlike this YouTube video, it can be very difficult to keep a dead-pan face on your first try.

Neti is a wonderful form of release for anyone who suffers from allergies and if you're not suffering from allergies it just makes breathing feel so much easier!

Please follow this link to Sophie Herbert's entry on Jal Neti.

Maya Tulum - Radiant Retreat March 2008

2008-05-06T17:06:00.015-04:00

I was lucky enough to be a part of Yoga Schelter's Radiant Retreat 2008 in Maya Tulum, Mexico. What I thought would be some simple down time, some space from the city, became much more than I expected. Our days began with a 6am wake-up with the sunrise, meditation for an hour at 7am, a plentiful breakfast followed by some downtime as we prepared for the daily 3-hour asana practice.

3 hours of yoga?? I think this must have gone through everyone's mind on the first day. But Jennifer Schelter (director of Yoga Schelter) was able to create beautiful and unique classes each day - and all without her yoga gear as the airline managed to lose her luggage. After yoga all rewarded ourselves with a hearty lunch of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, juices, guacamole, grains, quinoa, salads, all devoured in the restaurant overlooking the powdery soft beach of the Caribbean.

The afternoons were spent digesting food, digesting thoughts, swimming in the turquoise-blue ocean, reading, or just plain lounging on the beach. This allowed us to prepare our minds and to rest-up for the writing and improv course, taught by Ann Randolph, everyday from 4-6pm.

Not an avid writer (or improv actor) myself I was intimidated by this writing course to say the least. Not only did I lack confidence in my writing skills but I was terrified at the thought of reading my words out loud. However Ann was able to somehow instill this confidence (or maybe it was more of an "oh f*ck it, what do I have to lose" attitude) in everyone not only to write anything but also to share everything.

That first writing class was an amazing experience. Everyone opened their minds and their hearts as the words poured onto the pages and flowed out of their mouths. After that first day, after the meditation, the yoga, the writing and lastly the sharing, we had begun to create such a safe space - such support for one another. Many of us were strangers up until that day, we had hardly even known each other for 24 hours, and yet we had cultivated a strong bond that would carry us through the rest of the week.

It was as if the writing became a mechanism for digging up issues and inner critics that had been nestling inside everyone for way too long. Had we all become so busy that we forgot to clean out all the mental garbage we had been carrying around? Once all the inner critics were out on paper, once they were shared with the group it was as if we were all beginning to let go of everything. The meditation and asana practice allowed for this final release - a final goodbye to the damage we had done to ourselves and a recognition of the good and the beauty within each of us.

For me everything became a lesson in listening to your heart, listening to what inspires you - what you are passionate about. A good friend of mine shared a story on the retreat about wanting to become a pastry chef, and her great distaste for her current cubicle job. There's nothing stopping her, and I hope with all my being that she at least gives culinary school a shot. Truthfully there's nothing stopping anyone from doing what moves them. If it shakes your soul, go for it, Let it rip!

Radiant Retreat 2008 YouTube video

Yoga Unites - Living Beyond Breast Cancer

2008-05-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Converse With Yoga!

I have decided to make my first post about Yoga Unites, an event I am participating in on May 18 in Philadelphia where I will be joining hundreds on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum to raise funds and awareness for Living Beyond Breast Cancer's education and support programs (and also participate in a huge yoga class!)

This will be the 6th annual Yoga Unites led my my cousin and much loved Philadelphia yoga instructor Jennifer Schelter.

For more information on Yoga Unites. To make a donation.