My So-Called Yoga Life

Author Archives: Lisa K

• Ashtanga Yoga: A Moving Meditation

  Posted at 4:03 pm by Lisa K, on September 17, 2017

  

  Ashtanga Yoga is known as a practice which follows the same sequence of poses every day. We build on more poses as strength and flexibility grow in our bodies and minds. The very first time I experienced an Ashtanga style class I thought it was unusual that between sun salutations there was a five breath hold in downward dog. All the vinyasa classes I was used to doing did all sorts of movements in the sun salutation and it was just so much different. I thought it was a bit boring to be honest. The difficulty level and the feeling I got after concentrating so much more on breathing still left me intrigued. Why the hell would anyone want to put themselves through this? I wanted to learn more about it and more strangely, I wanted to experience it further. That is how it began.

  So what is it about Ashtanga, why is it so captivating?

  I believe it is the Trishtana as it creates  harmony within, that grasps our desire to go further than dipping your toe in the water…

  The Tristhana in Ashtanga is a focus on three places of attention. These are breath, drishti and posture.

  Breath

  The breath literally guides movement in Ashtanga. Even moving between poses have assigned inhale or exhales to maintain the deep methodical breathing utilized, creating heat and focus. The breath is what gives rise to our ability to create effort. When I am doing a very difficult pose, my teacher will remind me to breathe so that I may continue to do the work necessary to continue on. On to discover the next place where I will challenge my limits.

  Drishti

  The drishti is the gazing point. Each pose has a gazing point but the eyes are not really focused on any particular place. There are nine different drishti and it depends on the pose as to which is used. As the pose sequence, the drishti do not change and are practiced with each pose daily. When I am using drishti, my attention turns inward and my meditation becomes firmly planted in that moment in time. I feel and hear my breath. I feel more deeply into my body. Where do I feel the earth beneath me? I notice the effort I am using. Gosh, I forget how much it takes until I bring it back into my awareness. As much as my practice can be physically exhausting, the soulful bond I restore with my internal being is continually nourished and invigorated with each and every breath I take.

  Posture

  The third of the Tristhana is posture and it includes the asana and also the bandhas or energy locks. Particularly mula bandha and uddiyana bandha. These refer to the muscles of the pelvic floor and the low belly. Mula bandha has often been described to me as the muscles which stop the flow of urine. My teacher has another way to describe it, which is to squeeze the anus. Graphic right? Honestly, I have been able to connect more with this squeezing than the pee thing, lol. The uddiyana bandha is activated by drawing the low belly in. The strength created by utilizing these two muscle locks is the seat of power for every pose. Having a background in ballet dancing, I recognized the same feeling in my body when I danced. It is like the entire inner line of the legs from the base of the big toe right up into the solar plexus is involved in this energetic synergy. The grace that is made to look so effortless in both ballet dancing and yoga comes from this place. Perhaps it is the familiarity of remembering something I loved very much that solidified my love for Yoga from the very beginning.

  Together these three points of attention are what bring Ashtanga Yoga practitioners into a state of moving meditation. Our gaze turns inward and the magical awareness of the moment in time being experienced ~ Right. Now.~ is sometimes like slow motion Matrix movie perception. Everything slows down, breath is deep and rhythmic, sweat drips slowly down onto the mat, muscles flex and the body moves through space like a graceful and perfectly orchestrated dance. It may not look as such but it can feel this way on the best of days. Other days, I can feel like an old rusty tin man trying desperately to locate the nearest oil can. But that is the nature of being human. We fluctuate, our bodies and minds fluctuate.

  The Yoga Sutras of Patanjail states in the Samadhi Pada:

  योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥
  1.2 yogaḥ-cittavr̥tti-nirodhaḥ

  This is translated to mean that yoga is the removal of the fluctuations of the mind. This is really an ideal with which we are working towards by practicing yoga. For me, the seemingly short distance of just under ten years has already provided some impressive breakthroughs in my own personal journey. Knowing how tiny that really is actually serves as a motivation! If my experiences on this level have been so profound to me, I can only imagine what could be ahead for my soul in the wide expanse of time.

  Every day, when I step onto my mat and look down to my feet, I feel gratitude. I am grateful to be alive, a being on this earth. I have been fortunate enough to find the gift of Ashtanga Yoga among other powerful gifts in my life. It is a blessing to be here and it is a privilege for me to share this gift. I know now that I am truly ready to teach yoga. I want to create a place for others to see that glimpse of light that I caught and then watch them nurture it and see it grow.

  Taught my first class on Thursday in a few years and I’m in such a great place to teach from now. Years ago when I first taught, I thought about how difficult my class should be and if people will like me.  These were not the right things to be worrying about.  I then went to Thailand and learned so much that I felt humbled to the point of feeling like I should not teach. I felt that I knew so little that it would be wrong to try and teach anyone else. Now that I have had some years, around seven have passed, I am feeling more confident that I have something to share with others. It feels right and my first class back at it was totally fabulous! Wishing you all joy and happiness always😊

  Love & Light,

  Lisa xo

   

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  Posted in Life & Yoga, Uncategorized | 30 Comments | Tagged ashtanga, ballet, dance, inspiration, life, meditation, philosophy, trishtana, Yoga, yogainspiration

• My Top 7 Ways To Unwind Your Day

  Posted at 4:17 pm by Lisa K, on September 10, 2017

  

  We’ve all had them. Those days when you wish you could have stayed curled up on the couch watching Netflix all day and eat chips. Sometimes it is so difficult to unwind after the mind has been racing all day to just keep your head above water. I have had many a night where falling asleep was all I wanted to do, but I just couldn’t calm my thoughts down and relax enough to get there. Well, I’ve got some techniques which have helped me to calm down. These are exactly what you need- simple, easy and most likely to work for you too!

  1. Sit down, close your eyes and take 10 deep and slow belly breaths. The physiological research surrounding the power of breath demonstrates the validity of this practice. If you are on the train home from work or sitting on the couch you can do this. It doesn’t happen that often, but when I get super stressed out, it can sometimes end up in an anxiety episode. Deep breathing is the way out of that stressed and panicky feeling for me. It’s a tried, tested and true way to unwind.

  2. Give yourself a temple and neck massage. If you have someone to do this for you, even better. I find that simply massaging my temples and working the back of my neck and down the sides with my hands helps to take tension out of my body. By relieving tension, a natural feeling of relaxation will follow. Doing this for five minutes is great. If you’ve got more time, as long as you like:)

  3. Something I have done since I was a child, who had trouble falling asleep, is to take a piece of paper and right down every thought that comes to my mind. Sometimes it ends up like a list, other times it is like a story. Periodically the thoughts are just chaotic and others they make sense. It doesn’t matter. The act of writing things out is like therapy for me. When I was younger I could write pages and pages but now it seems to take less time to find the calm by doing this. Seriously, if you aren’t the type to keep a diary, you can benefit from writing and then just throw it away.

  4. Go for a walk. Take yourself out of the stressful internal time you are having by physically removing yourself. Walk around the block, through a park, anywhere. Breathe in the fresh air, look up into the forgiving beauty of the sky. Notice the birds or squirrels scampering around. I use this when I am stressed but it also does wonders to quell anger. I tend to feel anger physically and walking it off is not just a figure of speech for me, lol.

  5. Take out your old pictures and go through them. Every time I look at old pictures, I get positive feelings of nostalgia and have fond memories enter my mind. Trying to just take my mind off of what is making me feel stressed doesn’t work for me. It’s the emotional engagement that helps, I believe. So I take out those old pictures, ones of vacations, family get togethers, my old high school get-ups, photos of when I used to dance…just dive into those pictures and see how it works for you.

  6. Listen to your favourite song or music by your favourite group. The reason why you like the song so much is because it stirs emotion within you and you enjoy that. Let it take over and just listen to it. Close your eyes even, dance a little bit if you like to dance. I adore Enya and have listened to her voice since I was a girl. When I am stressed, I put her familiar angelic voice on and I just feel calmer.

  7. Get yourself an essential oil diffuser and some top grade Frankincense essential oil. This is so easy- just put water and 5 drops of that oil into your diffuser, turn it on and lay down nearby. Inhaling frankincense calms the nervous system. I kid you not, I have put this oil on and within 15 minutes I feel a huge difference. The power of plants and their biocompatibility with our bodies is a force to be reckoned with.  You could also combine this one with some of the techniques listed above to enhance the experience.

  

  I truly hope you find these ideas to be helpful, maybe you have success doing some of these already. I would love to read your favourite techniques in the comments! The more ideas, the less stress we are all bound to let hang around in our lives.

  Love & Light,

  Lisa xo

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  Posted in Uncategorized | 31 Comments | Tagged Destress, essentialoils, feelgood, healthy, healthymind, inspiration, lifestyle, music, relax

• Time For School, My Baby Girl

  Posted at 12:34 am by Lisa K, on September 4, 2017

  

  It seems slightly comical to me that even though my daughter is only 4 years old and starting JK this week, I feel like it is such a big step in growing up.  As the summer started, I thought, no big deal, she’s ready, she’s got this.  As we made our way into August, my heart really changed tune!  So in expressing my thoughts on the moment she leaves me for many years of school, I would like to share a poem.  Maybe some moms out there can relate to my feeling too💖

  Time For School, My Baby Girl

  It seems like just yesterday,
  I looked down at my little girl,
  Just a baby sleeping peacefully,
  Without a care in the world.

  It’s only been four years,
  But so much has changed,
  I almost can’t remember,
  How my life’s been rearranged.

  So bright and animated,
  With eyes blue like the sky,
  A smile that captures my heart,
  Her little giggle is a piece of art.

  With a memory like an elephant,
  She really keeps me on my toes,
  An old soul is inside of her,
  There is so much she already knows.

  A gift of light to my heart,
  She’s like a thunderbolt in the sky,
  Our souls have always been together,
  And I have never wondered why.

  My baby girl is going to school,
  The first big separation,
  I’ve shed tears of sadness,
  But for her it’s another equation.

  She’s bright and ready to shine,
  So inquisitive and smart,
  I can’t wait to see her blossom,
  And life without me is about to start!

   

  By: Lisa K

   

  Best of luck to all the little ones who start school this year.  Hugs to all the mommies who will miss them when they go! xx xx

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  Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized | 29 Comments | Tagged emotions, happiness, inspiration, life, poem, Poetry, School

• Food Is Magic!

  Posted at 12:20 am by Lisa K, on August 28, 2017

  

  After writing my post about the yogic diet, I thought it would be a good idea to share a story about how much diet can really affect health. This is the story of how I healed my son’s full body eczema by changing his diet. The old adage that we are what we eat really stands true and this narrative will demonstrate how the foods we eat can really hurt or heal. I am not an expert on the topic, but I am speaking through my own personal experiences and let me tell you, food is akin to magic. For my son and his eczema, it really was bippity boppity boo!

  Some Background Discussion

  In this world we are constantly bombarded by chemicals in our household cleaners, our cosmetics, on items in our homes from carpet to paint to mattresses. The worst part is that chemicals are also in our food. Even fruits and vegetables have pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and more. There are so many genetically modified foods, synthetic additives and food dyes in what we eat too. The truth of the matter is that our bodies can only take so much of this constant insult. When it comes to young children, their bodies are still developing and are even less well equipped to handle it.

  There is something I have read about called bioaccumulation. This is when there is a higher amount of toxins coming into the body than what can be metabolized or they are materials that the body cannot metabolize at all. A well known example of this is mercury in fish.  When fish higher on the food chain eat fish that have eaten mercury contaminated phytoplankton, they accumulate mercury in their bodies.  They are not able to metabolize it.  When these fish are consumed by us, that mercury then builds up in the human body. There are some types of salmon and tuna which are not recommended to be consumed frequently (among others) for this very reason. So you can imagine that there are all sorts of foods that carry toxic burdens of different kinds, even plant based foods. A good example is soy. It has been farmed so heavily, seeds have been genetically modified, the plants have been sprayed with numerous chemicals and then they are consumed by us.  Soy is a product found in so many packaged foods that it is very difficult to avoid unless you select whole foods instead. I have experienced this personally and have had to become more “chef-fy” in the process.

  I am barely scratching the surface on this topic and could go on, but I just wanted to give some background as to how eczema may come about in the first place. If you go to a doctor, they will give you a steroid cream and tell you to apply it to the affected areas. I am not in a place to judge what anyone else thinks is right for their child, but I didn’t want to put a steroid cream on him.  Topical creams only treat the symptoms of something much deeper. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that there are genetic and environmental factors that may affect the susceptibility of a child to develop eczema. However, in the experience I have had with my little guy, there is far more going on diet-wise that can be done to make a difference.

  What do naturopaths say about eczema?

  Naturopathic doctors say that eczema is associated with inflammation in the gut tissues. This inflammation permits spaces to develop between cells in the intestines and this allows proteins and bacteria to pass through which causes immune inflammatory responses in the body. This is known as leaky gut. The immune response can cause autoimmune problems which manifest as things like food intolerances and eczema. Eating trigger foods which a person already has some sensitivity to, but doesn’t necessarily know about, can contribute to the problem. This was the case for my son.

  I do my very best to buy organic foods, and whole foods are my first choice. My children started out their lives eating only whole foods and were actually vegetarian at the beginning. But my daughter at around the age of 2 yrs and my son after her, at 2 yrs both developed eczema. My son’s case was far worse and he basically woke up one morning with a full body eczema rash which was itchy and patchy. He was very uncomfortable. I cried when I looked at his soft skin with this horrible itchy red rash on his little body. He didn’t sleep well and seemed irritated. Right away I cut wheat and the small amount of dairy he was eating. I put him on a dairy-free probiotic and began giving him kombucha to drink exclusively everyday. These tips I got from a family member who experienced something similar.

  What is kombucha?

  Kombucha is a fermented drink. It utilizes a microbial organism called a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). The bacteria found in kombucha is healthy in colonizing the gut and maintaining healthy tissue.

  I got calendula oil from the health food store and applied it to his skin. It really helped to moisturize and reduce the inflammation. I had a food sensitivities test done for him to find out why after 3 weeks of taking these foods out of his diet and making these changes, there wasn’t too much improvement. Turns out that he has high level sensitivities to peanuts, soy, rice, oats, pea, wheat, dairy and cashews. My little vegetarian became a meat-etarian shortly after finding this out because these very foods were what I gave him in his diet. It’s no surprise that soy, rice, oats and wheat are known allergenic foods because of the chemical sprays and genetically modified strains used even in some organic farming. Within 2 weeks of cutting all these foods, my son’s skin had a drastic improvement.

  ~Bippity  Boppity Boo!!~

  

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. Now his skin is back to its beautiful and soft texture. He is healed. It will still take up to 1 year for his gut to heal completely, but I can see that we are well on our way.

  It is no easy task to watch out for things like soy- which seems to be in everything from meatballs to protein bars. We went away to a cottage for a week and when he accidentally ate some foods on his sensitivity list it showed up right away on his skin. Now that I see how having his diet strictly watched can make him eczema-free, I will continue to do my best to provide the foods that help him be healthy and well.

  I hope that for anyone out there who may be experiencing something similar or know someone who is, you find this helpful.  Please share it with whoever you feel can benefit from this story.  Perhaps it may help another and that would be fulfilling my purpose.  If you have a story similar, I would like to hear about it in the comments😊

  Much Love To All and Thank You for reading!!

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  Posted in Uncategorized | 34 Comments | Tagged diet, eczema, Food, health, healthy, kombucha, lifestyle, naturopath, wellness

• An evening of Yin Yoga, Nada Yoga & Chakra Healing with the Sacred Sounds of the Sitar

  Posted at 8:04 pm by Lisa K, on August 20, 2017

  

  My Thursday evening was spent in a tranquil yoga studio called The Yoga Mat. I had the privilege of attending a yin yoga class taught by my very first yoga teacher ever, Tania. Her class immediately brought back many fond memories of which I had the pleasure of experiencing for the first time, many years ago. It was my introduction to yoga with Tania that got me hooked into this journey from the very beginning. Her ability to read her students and her overall energy captivated me as completely as I remember it happening those years ago. From the moment she began speaking I was taken away to yoga-land, to thoroughly enjoy each moment and movement on my mat. I don’t usually do yin style yoga classes or have someone speaking to me during my practice and haven’t for some time. I was sweetly reminded how comfortable and pleasurable the experience can be. And after the deep stretching we did in Tania’s beautifully crafted class, we were prepared to move into our Nada Yoga meditation with the one and only Ram Vakkalanka.

                                                ~Me in a yin pose breathing deeply~

  What is Nada Yoga?

  According to Ram, who is a teacher of yoga philosophy, Sanskrit, meditation, A Sitar performer and Kirtan singer, Nada Yoga is:

  “A combination of philosophy, medicine, metaphysics, and physical yoga, the premise of Nada Yoga is that all things in the Universe, including living beings, are made of sound vibrations, called Nada. It is believed that Nada is the building block of the cosmos and that this energy brings everything together. This connection with sound means that Nada Yoga is often associated with music, harmony, chanting, and how these things can bring beings closer to oneness with the cosmos. Nada is also often used to bring focus to ones energy centers, or Chakra. The use of sound in this way can have a vibrant healing effect as well as psychological benefits. It is believed that there two types of music: internal and external. External, of course, being the music that we consume through our sense of sound. Internal music, however, consists of the vibrations within us. With a strong focus, one can hear their own inner music. Additionally, when the internal and external come into harmony, the effects are beautiful”~ http://www.aksharayoga.com

  Ram used his sitar to bring mesmerizing melodies to our ears as we were lulled into a state of meditation.

  What is a sitar?

  The sitar is a sophisticated large and stringed instrument which is thought to have developed to its current state around the 1500s. When I first saw it, I was amazed at how detailed it is with lotus flowers on some of the tuning pegs or Kunti. In fact, Ram informed us that the sitar was created to resemble the human spinal column. The 7 Kunti which are found at the top of the instrument are meant to represent the 7 chakras or energy centres believed to exist along the spinal plane in human beings. There are variations of the instrument but Ram’s has 24 frets just as the human spine has 24 veterbrae. I think the symbolism of this instrument is artful and fascinating. If a string is bent down gently as it is played, it will be in tune with lower notes. This allows for the notes to be rolled and it makes for some very entrancing sounds ~ perfect for Nada Yoga.

  In his meditation, Ram uses particular tones which he improvises each time he plays them to bring about focus and healing to particular chakras in his sessions. In our session we worked on three chakras. We began with the first one which is the root chakra or Muladhara. It’s location is at the perineum and it is visualized as a red lotus flower with 4 petals. The seed sound associated with this Chakra is LAM. We chanted the seed sound before Ram began playing his sitar. We were also shown a mudra or hand position associated with the root chakra and we held this mudra gently in our laps during our musical meditation. We had a different seed sound and mudra for each of the chakras that we focused on.

  

  ~Learning mudras~

  The next meditation was on the third chakra which is called Manipura or the solar plexus chakra. The seed sound for this one is RAM and the colour is fire yellow. It is visualized as a yellow lotus at the solar plexus with 10 petals. The final meditation was on the heart chakra or Anahata. The seed sound is YAM and the colour is emerald green. This time we were instructed to lay down on our mats with our heads pointed towards Ram and his sitar.

  At the end of the session, we were all in such a state of peaceful relaxation. I remember getting up and wishing I could just curl up again with the blanket I had over me and go to sleep, LoL. I enjoyed the whole evening so much and I really look forward to the next time Ram and Tania will lead us again. I will be there, maybe you should come too☺️

  

  ~ Me with Ram & The Sitar~

   

  Websites for these soulful human beings

  http://www.theyogamat.ca

  The Yoga Mat has teacher trainings, workshops and retreats for students and teachers alike. Tania and her sister Samantha grew up practicing and living yoga from a young age. With many years of experience, these beautiful human beings teach straight from the heart. Tania’s studio has a very welcoming atmosphere and you will find yourself at home while you learn her many offerings.

   

  http://www.aksharayoga.com

  Ram Vakkalanka is a travelling teacher and if you check out his website, you may find a workshop in your neighbourhood. I highly recommend going to one or more of his sessions as his wisdom will assist any serious yoga practitioner in learning more about yoga, the supporting philosophical texts and much more.

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  Posted in Event Reviews, Uncategorized | 21 Comments | Tagged chakra, chant, meditation, mudra, music, nadayoga, philosophy, sitar, yinyoga, Yoga

• Diet of a Yogi

  Posted at 12:37 am by Lisa K, on August 14, 2017

  

  What Influences Diet Choices for The Ashtanga Yoga Practitioner?

  This question is not just a matter of nutrition for the Ashtangi.  Philisophical principles, interpretation and personal experience will influence diet as much as it does any other part of yoga. This post is not meant to say what is right or wrong, it is really just some food for thought☺️  Seriously though, I know that everyone makes food choices based on their own bodies and beliefs and I wholeheartedly respect those decisions when they are well informed.

  In Ashtanga, there are eight limbs that make up the basis of the practice. In the West, modern yoga is known best by Asana, which is the third limb and refers to the physical practice. This being only one of the eight, you can see that there are several other aspects to the practice of yoga that will deeply influence the life of any serious Ashtangi.

  The first limb is Yama. I have written an entire post on the Yamas. If you would like to learn more about all of them, please check out this post: https://mysocalledyogalifeblog.com/2017/05/29/3rd-edition-using-the-yoga-sutras-of-patanjali-to-enrich-life/

  For today, our main interest will focus on the first Yama called Ahimsa. This particular Yama means to cause no harm or pain. For many, when discussing a yogic diet, it has been interpreted as not harming animals by killing them for consumption. Killing an animal to eat it is viewed to be wrong.

  Vegetarians and Ahimsa

  What is a vegetarian? There are many forms of being vegetarian, but a true vegetarian does not consume eggs, meat or fish. Vegetarians do consume dairy products.

  In the world of yoga, it is most common to find people who are vegetarian. I have read that many yogis consume diary products, specifically in the form of ghee or clarified butter. How far one may wish to take this interpretation is individual, in my belief. What does it look like to go further with ahimsa and your diet? Well, since ahimsa also means to cause no pain, one may decide to be more strict with their diet and become vegan.

  Veganism

  Vegans do not consume meat, fish, eggs or dairy products. Basically, no animal products of any kind will be found in their diet. Generally speaking, the conventional dairy industry and their treatment of animals, is basically why vegans refuse dairy as well. Many vegans will extend their protest of animal cruelty by refraining from wearing leather or any other animal products. Some will only wear vegan make-up and use products not tested on animals.

  How Do You Be A Good Yogi?

  I think the ethical part of veganism is very noble but there are many factors that can make this lifestyle difficult for some. It isn’t really important how far you can go to respect Ahimsa in your life. If you are being mindful and making decisions that allow you to do your best, you are doing your part. Do your best. That’s it. I have, many times, beaten myself up because I made this choice or that, but at the end of the day, it has to fit into your life.

  I will give you an example to illustrate what I mean. When I became pregnant with my first child, I was vegan. With my pregnancy came several food aversions. I hated many of the foods that I relied upon for calcium and protein. There was really no messing around when I had a baby developing inside me so I began to eat some dairy and later on, eggs as well. These are not decisions that were easy for me to make but when it came down to my health, they were justified.

  It can also be difficult if you live in a family that is not supportive of your lifestyle choices. I have heard many silly things from people about being vegan, and if you are not strong and able to stick to your choices because of the opinions of those close to you, it is easy to become derailed. It is helpful to find a community of people who are also vegan and have similar views to yours so that you have some support.

  Another issue that may confront you is meeting the dietary needs of your immediate family.  My personal example of this is my son. He has several food sensitivities to soy, rice, peas, wheat, peanuts, oats and a few other foods. To meet the requirements for a growing child, I find it far too difficult to maintain a vegetarian or vegan diet for him. With just small exposures to these foods, he gets eczema rashes on his body. When he first got the eczema, it was all over his whole body and it was red, itchy and very uncomfortable. Under the advice of a naturopath and some research, I was able to clear him completely. Without these foods, his skin is clear and wonderful. He eats meat. I feel no shame that he does, but I am responsible in where I buy the meat for him to eat.

  So you see, yoga philosophy is just that- philosophy.  It does not mean that if you cannot practice it to the full extent, you are not doing yoga properly.  It is a series of suggestions or a moral code by which we strive to be mindful of and act with awareness to observe it to the best of our abilities. I absolutely love to say ‘Do Your Best.’ Because there is really little else that you can do. It gives me peace of mind to remind myself that doing my best is good enough. My family is healthy, I am healthy and I am thoughtful in the decisions and choices that I make to maintain that. I feel that I am doing my part to be a good Yogi.

  So my advice to anyone asking these questions of themselves?

  Do Your Best

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  Posted in Uncategorized | 31 Comments | Tagged diet, inspiration, knowledge, life, lifestyle, mindful, philosophy, vegan, vegetarian, Yoga

• Yoga & Essential Oils

  Posted at 3:35 pm by Lisa K, on August 6, 2017

  

  Think about what yoga does for the body and mind…It brings calmness and clarity to start. It sharpens our body awareness and mental focus. It helps us develop introspection and opens the door for learning so much more about ourselves. I want to share with you a yoga practice incorporating use of the healing and balancing properties of essential oils! My two favorite things coming together to create the ultimate experience of physical and mental rejuvenation!

  Essential oils have long been known to contain properties that are able to assist in emotional balance. There are hundreds of components that make up these all natural oils which are steam distilled or pressed from pure plants. Inhaling them will allow the molecules to reach the brain in 22 seconds, and all body cells within 20 minutes. The constituents within them carry different electromagnetic frequencies which may compliment our body composition to facilitate equilibrium.

  Yoga is used similarly to bring calming feelings to the body and mind through poses and deep breathing. When we bring these two elevating elements together it is such a beautiful experience.

  Opening the Heart- Chakra Basics

  The practice I wish to share with you today will focus on balancing one of the Chakras or energy centers in the body. There are thought to be 7 majour energy centers along the spinal meridian of the body and we are going to work with the 4th- Anahata (meaning unstruck or unhurt) or the heart chakra. It’s colour is green and it is believed that when the heart chakra is balanced, it allows for us to experience love with others, self-love, compassion, generosity, warmth and joy. Others feel our love and warmth and we are able to know when to take time to care for ourselves as well. Unifying love connects us all and so opening the heart chakra to balance is a wonderful way to enhance well-being. It may then be possible to connect to the deepest parts of our being, our spirit and our true essence. Doesn’t this sound absolutely marvelous?

  Sensational Oil Selections

  The oils I have selected to accompany this yoga sequence may bring about such complimentary feelings that I feel the practice is simply divine!

  Sacred Frankincense

  This essential oil comes from Oman, which is a country on the Arabian Peninsula. The species of frankincense tree which produces this resin and essential oil is only available here through Young Living. It is slightly sweeter in its aroma than others and I find it to be very grounding.  It helps me feel more focused when doing my meditations and yoga practice. It is the oil I have in my diffuser, you will see it in my pictures!! It is a fabulous diffuser too! Brand new 8 hr. diffuser called he Dessert Mist by Young Living.

  Bergamot

  I use this oil almost daily. It is cold-pressed from the bergamot orange peel and has a light, citrusy aroma with a warmth that almost seems slightly floral. It is thought to work on a frequency that may help to balance the heart chakra specifically. When I inhale this oil, I always smile. It is also very relaxing yet uplifting and I use it frequently to de-stress. It is a fitting compliment for the intention of this yoga sequence.

  Roman Chamomile

  This oil was the first I ever used in a diffuser. I was going through some super stressful stuff and the effect of this oil was so immediate for me that it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, I was so surprised. It is steam distilled from the Chamomile flower and has been widely used for emotional balancing for many years. Because of its power to balance emotions, it is a fitting oil for today!

  Lavender

  Lavender, how do I love thee? I first used Lavender to rub in my palms and give neck massages in my yoga classes because that is how it was introduced to me, it was so wonderful. I absolutely love it and NEED to share it with others. Good for so many things, lavender is calming, acting as a nervine as well- which calms the nervous system as well as the mind.

  I really hope you enjoy this sequence and feel open and happy when you are finished. The practice will still be so good for you, even if you don’t have any oils! Loose fitting clothing and a mat are all you need for this one. If you don’t have a mat, it can work without one. Mats are a relatively new accessory as far as the history of yoga is concerned, so it’s a nice to have but not a must;)

   

  Heart Opening Yoga Sequence & Essential Oils

  Take a cotton pad or a small face cloth and put 2 drops of your essential oil into the centre of it. For each of the four oils we are using, use a separate cotton pad and prepare them in advance. I usually put the bottle of the oil that I placed on the pad next to each one, so I know which is which. These are close to my mat so when I am ready, I can easily reach for them.

  Begin by bringing the pad with Bergamot close to your nose and take a few deep breaths in.

  Once you have done so, put the pad down and cross your legs on your mat, placing one hand over your heart and the other over your abdomen. Take 5 deep breaths, with your eyes closed if you wish. Feel the air opening your belly and chest as you breathe.

  

  Body Rolls

  Bring your hands to your knees and roll at the hips to bring your whole body in a circle. Taking deep breaths, do 5 to the right and then 5 to the left.

  

  ~~Take a few moments to inhale the Bergamot oil pad again~~

  Seated Stretches

  Bring your arms behind you, interlace your fingers, pull your chest up and your arms down and back. Gaze up and take 5 deep breaths. Let your hands come to the floor at your sides. Bring your right hand up, arm next to your ear, stretch up and over to the left. Let your left arm move away from you as you bend and keep both seat bones pressing down into the floor. Take 5 deep breaths and then repeat this stretch with the other arm.

  Now take your right hand across to your left knee, and your left hand behind your back as close to your spine as is comfortable. Inhale and bring your chest up, exhale turn to look over your left shoulder. Hold here for 5 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side- left hand comes across to the right knee, right hand comes behind your back as close to the spine as possible. Inhale, chest up, exhale to twist and look over your right shoulder.

  

  

  Table Pose Work

  Come to table pose- knees are hip width and stacked under the hips. Arms are shoulder width and shoulders are over your hands. Begin to inhale and drop your middle section down, looking up and pulling your chest up, now exhale and move into cat by pulling your back up towards the ceiling and pressing down into your hands and knees. Repeat this, you guessed it- 5 times.

  Come back to a neutral spine and lift your right leg back behind you, keeping your weight even. See if you can extend your left arm. Hold for a few breaths and then inhale as you lengthen your lifted limbs away from you and then exhale bring elbow to knee as you curl your back. Do this 5 times. Repeat on the other side. Then come into child’s pose. Hold for a few breaths.

  

  ~~Come up and take a few moments to inhale your chamomile cotton pad~~

  Sun Salutations-1/2 Surya Namaskara

  Start in standing and then reach your arms up, palms to touch as you inhale. Exhale as you swan dive forward, bringing your ands towards the ground (bend knees slightly or more if that’s comfortable). Inhale coming to a flat back, hands to shins, exhale down again and then inhale all the way up to standing. Repeat 2 more of these 1/2 sun salutations.

  

  Full Surya Namaskara

  Inhale, reach arms up and bring your palms to touch.

  Exhale as you swan dive forward, bringing your hands towards the ground (bending knees as needed).

  Inhale and step the right foot back into a lunge, bringing hands to the ground on either side of your left foot.

  Exhale step left foot back coming through downward dog and down into 8-limbed pose- bending the elbows beside your body, bring the knees, chin and chest to the floor while keeping the hips up.

  Inhale sliding through into cobra pose- hips and legs strong and on the floor while chest is coming up and through, arms may be bent at the elbow.

  Exhale coming into downward dog by pressing into the knees and hands.

  Inhale, step the right foot between the hands and coming into a lunge.

  Exhale, stepping the left foot forward to meet the right in a fold. Inhale raising the arms up and coming back to standing.

  Do another surya namaskara but in place of the low lunge for each side, bring the arms up towards the ceiling.

  Do a third and final one but at the lunge, bring the arms into eagle arms. This is done by bringing both arms out in front of you, bringing left arm under the right, bend the elbows and turn your palms towards you. Bring the right hand behind and around the left and see if you can bring the palms towards each other. Bring the elbows up and then unwrap and come back low lunge to do the next transition. Wrap the arms the opposite way for the other side. When you have completed the 3 rounds, stand and take some recovering breaths.

  

   

  ~~Take a few minutes to inhale your chamomile again~~

  Tree Pose

  Bring your weight into your left foot. Turn your right foot out and bring the sole to the inside of your left foot, keeping the ball of the foot on the floor. Raise this leg up where it is comfortable to balance- either below or above the knee. Keep the hip level, press the foot into your left leg. Hands may be in prayer or you can bring hands up towards ceiling and look up, feeling your chest come up. Stay here for 5 deep long breaths and then come down and prepare the other side. Do the other side the same way.

  

  Eagle Pose

  This pose begins by crossing the right leg over the left, once or wrapping it around again if possible. Bending in your standing left leg. Eagle arms again for this side the right arms starts under the left. Once in the pose, find a staring place to help you balance, draw the elbows and chest up. Hold for 5 deep breaths. If you fall out, come back in again and try. Repeat on the other side. Left leg over right standing leg, left arm under right for the arms.

  

  Wide Leg Fold & Garland Pose

  From the top of your mat, step the left foot back around 4-5 feet, turn both feet to the long side of the mat. Inhale your arms out to the side, exhale and interlace your fingers behind your back. Inhale here and then exhale folding at the hips letting the hands come down towards the floor. Hold for 5 breaths here and then come back up.

  Bring your feet closer together, slightly wider than hip width. Bend your knees and come into a deep squat. Your feet may turn your feet out slightly and the heels may not come all the way down to the floor. It’s okay. Bring hands into prayer and elbows to the inside of the thighs, pressing out gently and pulling the chest up. Hold here for 5 breaths.

     

  Upward Table & Boat Pose

  Come to sit down towards the top of your mat. Bring the feet parallel and to the width of your hips, and hands with fingers facing your feet, about 1 foot back behind you. Press into your feet and hands, raise your hips up. If it is comfortable, let your head fall back. Keep pressing the inner legs towards each other as they will naturally try to open as you raise your hips. Hold for 5 breaths. Come down slowly.

  Prepare for boat pose by letting your feet stay flat on the floor, bring your hands behind your thighs and lean back, using your abdominals. Raise your feet off the floor and bring your shins parallel to the floor. If you can, let your thighs go and bring your hands straight towards your feet on either side of your body. You may hold here for 5 breaths or extend the legs out and up so you look like a V and hold here. When you have completed this sit calmly.

  

  ~~Take a few minutes to inhale your Bergamot cotton pad~~

  Locust Pose, Sphinx Pose & Cobra

  Come to lay on your tummy. Bring strength into your legs, pressing the tops of the feet down into the floor. Bring your hands beside your body, palms up. Raise your torso up, gazing slightly forward past your mat. Hold for 5 deep breaths and then gently come down.

  Bring your hands on the floor, palms down on either side of your head. Bring strength into the legs, press into your forearms and pull your chest up. Gaze up. Hold here in sphinx pose for 5 breaths and then slowly come down.

  Slide your hands back in line with your lower ribcage. Strengthen the legs, press the tops of the feet down, pull the low belly in. Press into your hands and pull your chest forward as you peel your torso off the floor. Keep the elbows tight to the body and the neck long. Hips and legs stay on the floor. Hold here for 5 breaths and then co e down slowly. Take a child’s pose.

  

  Bridge Pose

  Come onto your back, feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands down to grab your ankles. This will ensure your legs are in the correct position. Press into the feet, squeeze the legs slightly to keep them hip width as you raise your hips up. If you can interlace your fingers underneath your body, do this and lengthen the arms in the direction of your feet, keeping them on the floor. Hold for 5 breaths. Come down slowly and then reset for another round. When complete, bring your knees and hug them into your chest. You may gently roll side to side if this feels good. Hold for 5 breaths.

  ~~Take a moment to inhale your Lavender cotton pad~~

  Sometimes I even place it on my forehead at this time. It is rest time, savasana. Let your body relax, palms up, feet wider than hip width. Lay here for 5 minutes or as long as you wish.

   

  

  Come up, have some water. How do you feel? How does your body, mind and emotions feel? I hope you feel relaxed and happy💖

  If you wish to learn more about Young Living essential oils or have any questions, please email me here: lisa.krisman@gmail.com

   

   

  Obligatory Disclaimer- Please note that no part of this of practice is intended to be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any conditions. It is not meant to replace consultation with a medical professional. This information is for educational purposes and the practice is completed at your own risk. If you have any health conditions, please contact your medical doctor before engaging in this practice.

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  Posted in Uncategorized, Yoga Sequences | 39 Comments | Tagged essential oils, feelgood, happy, inspiration, life, moodbalancing, Yoga, yogasequence, youngliving

• The Sunshine Blogger Award

  Posted at 2:44 am by Lisa K, on July 31, 2017

  

  I am thrilled to share with you that I have received a nomination for the Sunshine Blogger Award!  My fellow blogger Abhinav Uniyal, I express my sincerest gratitude for this marvellous opportunity for recognition and for your personal appreciation of my blog.   Thank You!!! Abhinav has a fabulous blog where he shares personal development, business leadership, communications and interpersonal skill development for the workplace.  Some great and valuable information can be found on his blog.

  Please check him out here- https://abhinavuniyal.com/blog/

  The Sunshine Blogger Award is an opportunity to recognize a blog that inspires you and imbues creativity.  It’s a wonderful time to let your fellow bloggers know just how much you enjoy reading their blogs and observe their accomplishments.

  As part of the nomination, Abhinav has given me some questions to answer about blogging and it’s a great way for you, my readers to learn a little bit more about me:)

  1. When did you start blogging?
  My blog went live on February 23, 2017 to be exact. I was looking for a creative outlet and a way to share with others, things I have learned over the years in the realm of yoga, healthy lifestyle with Young Living essential oils, poetry and life through the lens of my personal experiences. I had been collecting my thoughts for a while and it just seemed like the right time to move forward and get my blog going!

  2.  What makes blogging special to you?
  Blogging is special because the audience who reads my blog have a genuine interest in my writing. I really enjoy writing and when I can help others and bring value to them, it makes it even more worth while.   Sometimes I get so enthralled in how to express my thoughts and demonstrate them so accurately that I have to catch my intentions from getting lost in that translation!  Improving my writing skills is slowly happening over time.  I love the moment I press “publish” every single time. It’s so exciting and sometimes I am nervous because I share vulnerable parts of myself, my heart and my mind. It is new for me but a very pleasant experience.

  3. Does blogging bring out the best out of you?
  Yes! Blogging helps me to put my own interests and knowledge to work. I am able to think critically and then share about what I have learned. It is a way of being introspective sometimes and then seeing what that looks like when it’s written down.  I feel like it makes me better at life.  Writing and creatively, flowing my thoughts through words is sort of therapeutic in a way.  It helps bring out the best me!

  4. How important is monetizing the blogs?
  For me it’s not a primary goal. If one day the right opportunity should present itself, I would happily get involved in monetization. It would have to feel right.

  5. What is the best thing that has happened to you since you started blogging (within the blogging world)
  

  Getting to connect with people around the world and reading what they are passionate enough to write about and share with others. It is so much fun and I really enjoy it.  It’s pretty amazing to read the perspectives and thoughts of those living around the globe.  It wasn’t something I started my blog with the intention of doing, but it has been a fantastic experience that I am grateful to be a part of.

  6.  What is your next goal in the blogging world?
  My goal is to connect with more people, both bloggers and readers.  I work towards this goal daily.  Having a blog has really opened up an entire community where we all have in common, the love and joy of writing.  I think there is so much to learn about and stories and viewpoints to receive.  Looking forward to continuing my blogging and having fun.

  7.  What are you passionate about in life?
  It may be obvious through my blog that I am passionate about Ashtanga Yoga! I am interested in anything and everything to do with it.  I practice 6 days a week and read books to learn more about yoga philosophy, anatomy, current topics and more.  I also believe in the natural power of essential oils and enjoy using them in my every day life.  My family loves them too.  I also enjoy writing and creative expression. I think it is a powerful tool to enhance and help us express ourselves in this world.  It enriches our experiences and brings new ways to view life.  I try to bring all of these to my children and hope that they will also find a creative outlet to be themselves.

  8.  What is your suggestion to the fellow bloggers (new and existing)
  My suggestion would be to connect with fellow bloggers as much as possible. Blogging isn’t just about writing, it is a community of some pretty awesome people!  Join Facebook groups, instagram groups and other social media groups where you will meet and support others in their blogging endeavours as they do for you.

  9.  If you can do one thing different about your blog, what would that be?
  

  Hmmm….that’s a difficult question.  It’s pretty new and so I haven’t really had too many concerns so far.  I did make a change a short while ago to a different theme.  The theme I was using wasn’t easily viewable on mobile devices.  As a new blogger, I didn’t really think about that.  I am enjoying the new theme and it suits my needs better.  I suppose there will be more of these types of changes, I will discover as I go.

  10.  As a blogger, you have a certain social responsibility, how to do take care of that?
  I believe that sharing from the heart, being respectful of readers and the power of interpretation are important to be aware of as a blogger. I try to share things that I feel can be of benefit to others and ways to connect. I feel like this takes care of my social responsibility.

  11.  What effect does recognition have on you?
  It is very inspiring! It means that there are people who feel that they can connect to my writing. I feel joyful knowing that what makes me feel and how I express that is helpful and interesting to others.  It’s super fun to participate here because it is another way to connect with other bloggers!

  Fellow Blog Nominations

  I would like to nominate the following blogs for this Sunshine Blogger Award.  I continue to thoroughly enjoy reading each of these blogs regularly and think that the creativity in writing, photography and skills within their niches are some of the reasons I delight in following them.

  NOMINEES FOR THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD

  Kirti Arora- https://www.thefashionflings.com/

  Tahnee Flack- https://tahneesblog.co.uk/

  Marine Lucas- http://superflysister.com/

  Basundhara Ghosh- https://basundharasblog.wordpress.com/

  Chikumo Fiseko- https://adiaryofachik.com/

  Chelsea Rose- http://www.rosypointofview.com/

  ****Important Note to my Nominees****

  Please thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.  Nominate bloggers who you feel deserve recognition.  Answer my questions for you in your post as well as create 11 of your own questions for your nominees to answer.  The Sunshine Blogger Award Logo must be displayed in your post.  Please put a link to your post in my comments so I can read your answers to my questions.  I look forward to reading them:).

  Thank you for continuing to write purposeful, talented and interesting blogs for us all to enjoy!

  Here are my questions for you:

  1.  How did you get involved with blogging?

  2.  How do you think your readers would describe your blogging style?

  3.  Where do you find inspiration for your posts?

  4.  How has blogging improved your life?

  5.  What has been the most challenging aspect of having your blog and how do you work on that?

  6.  What has been the most enjoyable aspect of being in the world of blogging?

  7.  What do you do when you aren’t working on your blog?

  8.  What networking do you do that you feel has benefitted your blog the most?

  9.  What do you think the best thing is that a blogger can give to readers?

  10.  What is your favorite post on your blog? Why do you like it the best?

  11.  What has been your strategy for creating visibility for your blog?

  Thank you again for my nomination Abhinav! And thank you fellow bloggers for keeping the Sunshine Blogger Award nominated to blog writers who you feel are inspiring and creative:)

  Peace & Love,

  Lisa xx

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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  Posted in Uncategorized | 32 Comments | Tagged growth, happiness, happy, inspiration, motivation, positive, recognition, reflection, Sunshinebloggeraward

• What is a Mala?

  Posted at 10:14 pm by Lisa K, on July 23, 2017

  

  If you have been to a few yoga classes you have probably seen or at least heard of mala beads. Maybe you have seen them at a metaphysical store or at a booth at the yoga conference. What are those beautiful bead necklaces and what are their significance in the practice of yoga?

  In Sanskrit, the term mala means ‘garland.’  They are usually made up of 108 beads and one larger central bead called a guru bead.  These are the type of prayer beads used by Buddhists and Hindus. When they are used, a mantra or intention word is repeated with each bead, starting at the guru bead and ending again at this central bead. If the user wishes to do more, the guru bead is never crossed over, rather the beads are flipped and counted away from the guru bead again. Mala beads date back to Hindu religious practices around the 8th century B.C.E.

  In Hinduism there are two main branches called Shaivism and Vishnuism. The former uses 32 to 108 rudraksha beads made of seeds from a unique Javan tree. The seeds are rough and separated into 5 sections to represent the 5 faces and personalities of Siva and also represent the rigid lifestyle required by worshippers. Vishnu mala are carved of tulsi wood and have 108 beads.

  Buddhist mala have 108 beads which represent the impurities that must be overcome to reach Nirvana. The beads were once only made of the sacred Bodhi tree but now are crafted from many other materials as well.  Healing Mala may be made of gemstones or crystals which have different energies, colours and properties that may aid in different healing practices.

  The crystal mala used in healing may use stones specific to correct an imbalance. For example, I went for an colour aura scan and had a slight imbalance in my solar plexus or third chakra.  A crystal used for healing this imbalance is citrine. I got a citrine mala bracelet to help me create balance here. It is very interesting to learn about crystals and how their properties may be used to help work with the subtle aspects of our energetic being. It is something that I am new to and wish to learn more about.

  A place to find some gorgeous mala beads is https://purplelotus.ca/

  Anyone may use mala beads and the meaning they will bring to each will be individual in their prayer and meditation practice. According to Hinduism, they are used by the right hand and the thumb is used to move from one bead to the next. The index finger should not touch the beads through the transfer and the beads are draped over the middle finger.

  To begin a meditation practice using a mantra or an affirmation is a great way to stay focused and really with your practice. Using a mala to help you count your repetitions will allow you to completely focus on your intention.  It is easy for the mind to wander sometimes, which is okay, but the mala is another helpful way to increase concentration.

  Here is a simple practice for you to use a mala:

  First decide on your mantra, affirmation or intention word. This will be what you repeat with each bead and the focus of your meditation.
  Sit as comfortably and as tall as you can. Take a few deep breaths by inhaling through the nose while letting your chest and belly open. Exhale through your nose equally and fully. Try closing your eyes and taking 5 deep breaths this way.

  Hold your mala in your right hand with the mala draped over your middle finger and in your palm. Bring your thumb to the bead just past the guru bead. Begin your mantra and use your thumb to move to the next bead with each repetition. Keep your eyes closed to enhance your focus. When you come around the mala and back to the guru bead you may finish or flip the mala to go back around again. When you have completed your meditation, sit and take a few more deep breaths before opening your eyes. Hopefully you will have a positive experience that will stay with you for the rest of your day:)

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  Posted in Meditations, Uncategorized | 26 Comments | Tagged happy, Mala, meditation, positive, Yoga

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