A Humourous look at Yoga Etiquette

Stretch Etiquette for Yogis-published June 3 in the New York Times

Yoga is about casting off petty annoyances and toxic judgments — a seemingly Sisyphean task for those hopped up on New York City living. But what if irritation trails you right onto your mat, in the guise of ring tones, exhibitionists or bliss-busting interruptions?
Is there no compact of dos and don’ts inside a yoga studio? Not really. Common sense and fellowship usually dictate. Still, teachers and students, no matter how tolerant, harbor pet peeves.

Here are a few, in no particular order, culled from interviews and online rants.
BARGING OUT Hearing a fellow student leave class noisily, as you soak in those final minutes of well-earned relaxation, is akin to being awakened midsleep by an air horn (well, almost). It is too sudden, too soon.
“You are Zenned out,” said the blogger yogadork who asked to remain incognito, describing the splendor of savasana, resting pose. “And people are fumbling for bags and rolling up the mats.” Note from Darlene: Imagine going to a gourmet 5 course meal and skipping the dessert-that is what happenning when you skip savasana!

BARGING IN The same goes for people who march into a class, whip open their mats and plunk down their belongings, sometimes while others are meditating.

“The thwapping of the mat — that is very jarring,” said Anya Porter, a teacher and teacher manager at Yoga Works in Midtown. “The class is quiet. Sometimes there is music playing. People can be really loud.”

OVEREXPOSURE Some men take a minimalist approach to yoga wear, and not everyone is pleased about having a sweaty, stripped-down man within arm’s reach. “There are guys in European bathing suits,” said an outraged yoga lover and comedian who lives in Brooklyn. “We’re not in Capri here; it’s Cobble Hill.”

Ralph De La Rosa, a manager at Go Yoga in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who describes himself as mostly tolerant, also draws the line at the half-naked male practitioner. “I like it when guys keep their shirts on,” he said.

Worse still are the men who wear loose-fitting shorts for comfort, with nothing underneath, prompting discomfort in the ladies around them. “It’s wrong,” said an anonymous woman who posted on the Web site fitsugar.com, which recently riffed on what not to do in yoga class. During lunges, she said, “it was all hanging out.”

GOING SOLO Ms. Cunningham strongly objects to people who defy the chanting of “Om,” and instead belt out “Ah.” Again, the culprit is usually a guy. “It’s a syllable,” Ms. Cunningham said, incredulously.

Yogis and yoginis who conduct their own session within the class, choosing poses that diverge from the instructor’s calls, can be a challenge for teachers. “It is certainly distracting,” Ms. Porter said. “It brings the attention and focus onto that person.”

SOUND EFFECTS Jennifer Ginsberg, a blogger who posts on angstmom.com, wrote recently about the day her teacher uncharacteristically played a pop song in class and the “unimaginable happened.” “The woman doing yoga next to me began to sing along to the song,” she wrote. “Loudly and off key.” Ms. Ginsberg refrained from yelling an obscenity-laden command for her neighbor to shut up. She thought about leaving the class. But her teacher came to the rescue and asked the woman to stop singing.

Broadway-caliber grunts are more common than singalongs and only slightly less exasperating. Grunts are, of course, acceptable since they are a natural reaction to exertion. But, as the YogaDork pointed out, it gets awkward if they sound “orgasmic.”

CELLPHONES It goes without saying: Cellphone chatter, unending ring tones and texting are roundly booed. One teacher whose list of grievances was posted on fitsugar.com remembered a woman who answered her cellphone and shouted, “I’m in (expletive) yoga. Why are you calling me?”

HYGIENE No one smells like a rose in yoga class. And you shouldn't, because some people are allergic to or just dislike inhaling perfume. But body odor shouldn’t make you gag, either. Foot odor can be even worse. “I can handle B.O.,” the Dork said, “but there is nothing worse than stinky feet when you are mat-to-mat and you are upside down and close to people’s feet.”

In theory, none of this should bother us — or at least some of us. “Not to sound pessimistic,” Ms. Cunningham said, “I feel like the only people who have achieved that degree of serenity are the teachers who have been practicing in India in mud huts.”

So, for those who live in walk-ups, arise to the melody of garbage trucks and slumber to the lullaby of barking dogs: Keep your clothes tight, your cellphone off, your oms in line. And, for Shiva’s sake, wash your feet.

Namaste.

25 Reasons why your kids should do yoga

http://sportsmanagementdegrees.net/25-reasons-your-kids-should-do-yoga/

Enjoy!

This week @ the Studio-June 28

Happy Canada Day! This week we celebrate the 143rd year of confederation on July 1and we have alot to celebrate! Canada's diversity, natural beauty, resources, and the characteristics of acceptance, generosity and kindness of Canadians, for which we are recognized internationally.

A discussion with some studio practitioners on how much they have changed since starting yoga made me realize that we often unconsciously engage in Svadhyaya, or self study and come to conclusions about ourselves. Personally, I have noticed I am more calmer, collected and less inclined to react immediately to minor/major situations. There are times where I find I am choosing a hill to climb that should be better left to someone else-but the point is, I realize this. Earlier in my career I would have made a decision to climb every hill, fight every battle-not always the best decision.

Monday, June 28th, will mark the end of the Fall Winter schedule. The summer schedule will start on Saturday, July 3. The summer schedule will launch the Yoga in the Park Series. Hopefully this will prove to be successful and will continue next year if the interest is there.

We wish Angie good luck with her group fitness certification at the Y during the next several weeks. If you haven't met Angie yet, you will enjoy her personality and approach as she takes on some of the group fitness classes in the fall.

OUTDOOR BootCamp-I have 2 spots left (max I have accepted for this is 12), that starts next Tuesday. I will be e-mailing all of you who have contacted me with the registration form and relevant information for the camp.

Since strawberry season is quickly closing due to the wet weather, here is a quick and easy shake to make using those strawberries that might be going soft in your refrigerator!

Banana-Orange-Strawberry Fruit Shake
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 banana, frozen
6 strawberries
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. skim milk powder or 1/2 cup soy, low fat milk
1 heaping tbsp. high- quality protein powder (optional)
1 tsp. flax oil (optional)

In a blender, process all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed and serve.

Have a safe and healthy week!

Yoga in Central Park Breaks world Record

http://www.gnn.com/article/yoga-gathering-in-central-park-breaks/1129753

This must have been an amazing site! 10,000 yogis on the great lawn at NYC's Central Park under the guidance of legendary teacher Elena Bower.

Yoga in the Park Series-summer 2010

Imagine energizing, relaxing, lengthening and strengthening in a peaceful, community environment with the earth under your feet!

The sages named the asanas after many of the elements in our environment such as tree, mountain, eagle, etc. When you practice outdoors, there is an innate connection with our environment and to those around us.

The classes begin with pranayama (breath), bringing awareness to the mind and body, then moves in to various standing and balancing asanas (poses) that further strengthen the mental-physical connection. Each class ends with a short relaxation to let the mind and body rest in total stillness. All levels are welcome.

Outdoor classes add a different dimension to one's practice and pare yoga down to its original link with nature. Yoga means 'union,' and when it's practiced outdoors it seems like the union with nature, humanity, and the universe is truly felt.

The trend to offer community yoga outdoors has grown in popularity and you can find classes from NYC’s Central park to the local parks. We are so fortunate to be situated along a world Unesco Heritage site and this will hopefully be the first in many years of holding community yoga classes outdoors.

We are so thrilled to be part of the Yoga in the Park Series that will begin on July 3 in Perth and July 4th in Smiths Falls.

Please bring your own mat as there will be none available.

Yoga in Stewart Park

Saturdays from July 3-August 7th (Rainbow Bridge (middle of park)-look for the yoga mats)
0745-0830
Cost: Free

Yoga at Lower Reach Park
Sundays from July 4-July 25
0800-0845
Cost: Free

We are looking forward to seeing your beautiful faces there.

Summer Schedule 2010-Final

The summer schedule on the web at www.smithsfallsyoga.com was posted in error. (Note to self: naming files with similiar names should be avoided). The final schedule is as follows and the site should be updated to reflect it:

Monday:
5:30-6:15 p.m Total Body Conditioning
6:30-7:30 p.m Yoga-all levels

Saturday: (A.M)
0900-1000 Yoga Flow
1000-1045 Zumba
1045-1130 Total Body Conditioning
1130-1230 prenatal yoga

Sunday (A.M)
0900-1015 Power Yoga
1015-1100 Total Ball

Next Emergency level & Standard Level First Aid Training

July 10 & 11-Emergency level (one day) and standard level (2 days) with level C CPR- St.John Ambulance.

Please register at 613 283 6163

Goddess Navasana

Goddess Navasana-From a seated position, bring the legs straight up to a 45 degree angle.
2. The torso will naturally fall back, but do not let the spine collapse. Make a "V" shape with the body.
3. Bring the arms out straight in line with the shoulders.
4. Balance on the sit bones-cross ankles and interlace first 3 fingers to webbing and extend index fingers.

Beginners: Bend the knees if necessary, bringing the calves parallel the the floor. This is Half Boat Pose. Place heels of feet on floor, bend knees and lift your spine tall or hold onto the backs of the legs as you lift your feet up and gain strength in this pose.
Advanced: To increase core strength, release from the pose bringing the legs and torso simultaneously towards the floor and hold just before you touch the floor. Come back up into the pose like a sit-up. Repeat this several times

This week @ the Studio-June 14

As the studio starts to change from the winter/spring schedule to the summer schedule, I thought it would be a great opportunity to give you a huge kudos for continuing with your health and wellness goals through the winter and spring!

This week in Zumba is a little of the old mixed with the new. Enjoy!

A student recently remarked that her ashtanga practice was leaving her masculine energy enhanced and her female energy was becoming more silent. I could relate because sometimes my practice is so ingrained on Shiva, that Shakti becomes very silent. Personally I find this is the case when my entire week has been power based.

This week in yoga, we are exploring the female energy (Shakti) in all of us (yes, even for my male students). In yoga, male energy (the sun), is referred to as Shiva, and is the form of the universe. Male energy is the domain of the right side of the body. Whereas female energy (the moon), is referred to as Shakti, and is the force of the universe and is domain of the left side of the body. As one person, we need to be in constant balance of our male and female energy.

This week will mark the end of the Monday evening conditioning class. The last mom & baby class will be Monday, June 21 and the last community restorative class for the summer will be on June 28th.

The summer schedule is expected to be posted by Tuesday, June 29th and the studio will break from June 29-July 3. The new session will start with the Yoga in the Park series on Sunday, July 3rd at 0800.

Summer Schedule-Tentative

In keeping with observations from last summer's schedule and with the feedback from many of you, the following is a tentative schedule for the summer-commencing on July 3rd. Times will be finalized on July 16th. Some classes are shorter that normal for the summer but are designed to be more effective. The duration of the classes will return to their regular time allotment in the fall.

Saturday
0900-1000 Yoga Flow & Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga (alternating from one to the other)
1000-1045 Zumba
1045-1130 Total Body Conditioning
1130-1230 Pre-natal yoga

Sunday
0800-0845 Yoga in the Park (Lower Reach Park-July yoga in the park series-open to everyone)
0900-1015 Power Yoga
1015-1100 Total Ball (Conditioning & cardio class)

Monday
5:30-6:15 Total Conditioning
6:30-7:45 Yoga-All Levels Class (combining the beginner and Thursday group)

Tuesday
Boot camp

3 quick poses to target your abdominals

1/2 crow

Diving warrior

Flying Buttress

Yoga targets not only your superficial abdominals, but the deeper core muscles that are often neglected in traditional abdominal exercises. For those of you who have been attending my Power Yoga and Yoga Flow classes, you have been introduced to some of the creative poses from Sadie Nardini-who is the creator of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga (coming to the studio in July!!)

Sadie’s unique poses will reach all six abdominal muscles, working to effectively transform and firm the midsection.

1/2 CROW PLANK
From Downward Dog, lift your right leg into the air. Bend the knee, and sweep it forward to your outer, upper right arm. Squeezeand hold as you round your back, firing the inner thighs, hip flexors and front abdominals. Hold for 5 breaths, then return to Dog Poseand switch sides.Bonus: This is an excellent arm and shoulder sculpting pose, too!Beginners: Place the ball of your right foot on the floor, and/or the back knee down, but still engage the leg in and belly up.

FLYING BUTTRESS
From Downward Dog, lift your right leg up behind you. Exhale, bend the knee and bring it into your chest as you round your backsky-high. From your core, spin onto your outer left foot, and step your right foot halfway up the mat in front of you. Lift your rightarm to the sky and keep the hips lifting for a super side-waist sculpting pose. Hold for 5 breaths, then return to Downward Dogand repeat on the other side. After your last Flying Buttress, come into Dog Pose.Bonus: Play with lifting the bent leg’s foot off the floor, and then ground that one, and try to lift the straight leg for an extra-creditinner thigh workout!Beginners: Keep both hands down or place your left knee down on the floor for added support, but maintain the lift of your hipsand waist!

DIVING WARRIOR
From Downward Dog, lift your right leg while you exhale and draw the knee into the chest, rounding the back and holding the hipshigh. Using your core strength, step the right foot to the right thumb. Ground your back foot down, toes facing slightly forward.Exhale, and use your belly to pull yourself upright with your palms together at your chest. Inhale, curl inside your front knee andlengthen your chest.Exhale, pull up over your legs, twisting towards your back leg as your arms straighten and reach back into your side bend. Repeat this wavelike motion 5-10 times for a full all-abdominal workout in one move. After your Diving Warrior, return to Downward Dog,then repeat on your left side.Bonus: This pose transforms your legs, thighs and gluts along with your abs.Beginners: Do this move with your back heel up and knee on the floor, and/or only wave as low or high as you need to keep yourback comfortable.

About Sadie Nardini

Sadie provides a unique approach to yoga that is beautifully balances the traditions with a more modern approach. Her basis is emphasising your foundation and building from it-many of you have remarked on how much stronger you are in challenging poses, due to the integration of Sadie's teachings into the class.

Sadie is an Ultimate Wellness expert, YogaWorks yoga instructor and the Founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga. She is a columnistfor Yoga Journal, Whole Living Magazine and the Huffington Post. Sadie’s unique perspective on yoga and life sparks a total transformation on all levels! For more about Sadie, visit SadieNardini.com YogaWorks is the country’s leading authority on providingquality yoga education and complete wellness programs for every mind and every body. Since its inception, YogaWorks has beendedicated to offering a wide range of yoga programs that reach all aspects of the community. YogaWorks also offers a renowned Teacher Training Program and has mentored some of the world’s leading yogis.

BOOT CAMP OUTDOORS-Tuesady mornings in July

Bootcamp Outdoors-designed to get you into shape fast!

These classes work your entire body! Expect to challenge yourself as Bootcamp outdoors works you out boot camp style using core conditioning, obstacle courses, yoga, drills, strength training, circuit training, TRX suspension units, stretching, and much more!

Cost: 45.00 for the 4 week course (July 6-27) from 6-7 a.m at Lower Reach Park
Pre-registration required @ macdean@sympatico.ca
Minimum 8 participants required.