Free tips on yoga, meditation, holistic health and other musings…
Here’s something new! Monthly, on Tuesday evenings we will have a yoga class to benefit the food pantry at the church. The class is free with a donation of cash/check or food items. (Checks made to Northwood Food Pantry.)
Time: 6:30-7:30 PM
Dates: July 14, August 11, Sept 8, Oct 6, Nov 10.
This would be a great opportunity to bring your friends and family to try out a class.
Here are the details – The session is 7 weeks long. The fee for the beginning level class is $70 (because it is an hour long). The fee for all the other classes is $87 (because they are longer!)All classes meet at Northwood Christian Church, 46th & Central.
For those of you enrolled now, there is no “break” week. We start right up after this session is done.
Mondays: July 6 – August 17, 6-7:15 PM – everyone welcome!
Tuesdays: July 7 – August 18, 9-10:15 AM – everyone welcome!
Wednesdays: July 8 – August 19, 6-7 beginners, 7:15 – 8:30 PM, intermediate/advanced yoga.
Thursdays: July 9 – August 20, 9-10:15 AM, everyone welcome!
If you have schedule conflicts (vacations, work, school, etc) let me know–we can work with it. (I can be flexible!)
This is from the life science of Ayurveda and it has helped me so much. We all have these biocycles through out the day and if you can arrange your activities with these cycles, it all just works better.
From 6-10 (am and pm) are the “kapha” hours. Kapha is the low metabolism time. This means try to eat only light meals after 6 pm because your digestion will be slower. Get to bed before 10 pm while you are in this more relaxed state. Get up before 6 am or you again go into kapha time and it becomes much harder to get up if you wait till after 6.
From 10-2 (am and pm) is “pitta” time. Pitta is high metabolism. Eat now! Eat your biggest meal mid-day. You will metabolize it so much better and you’ll need the energy to get through the rest of your day. Remember from kapha to go to bed before 10? If you wait past 10, you go into pitta time again and you’ll be wide awake and ready to clean the house – your metabolism has kicked into high gear again.
From 2-6 (am and pm) is “vata” time. Vata is all about movement. I read once that most babies are born around 4 am—vata time – get those babies moving! If you can set your alarm and get up just before 6 am, it will become easier and easier and you won’t even need an alarm. You’ll be getting up during vata hours when it’s easier. Wait till after 6 am and you’re doomed to be groggy.
I have experimented and observed these cycles for several years and they really work. See for yourself.
If you’re new to yoga here are a few things to consider:
Do some research and find a good teacher. Ask your friends. Talk with the teacher for awhile and find out if they are certified, how much experience they have, and what kind of yoga they teach. Let the teacher know of any health concerns you have and if they can help you with them. See if you can take one class before you sign up for a series.
Get a yoga mat. It needs to be a yoga “sticky” mat. They’re about 5 and a half feet long, 2 feet wide and 1/8 to 1/4 inches thick. You need to have something for your feet to grip during standing postures. Wash it first before you use it. Just throw it in the bath tub and scrub it down with detergent. Get the shiny coating washed off. Roll it up in towels, squeeze out all you can, and hang it to dry. It will be softer and better to use. If you don’t wash it, the perspiration from your hands and feet may react to the shiny stuff and you will slide rather than stick.
Get a strap (an old necktie perhaps) and a yoga block (or 2) is extremely useful.
Bring some water. It’s not a good idea to keep drinking during class, but if you suddenly get a foot or leg cramp, taking a sip of water will relax it right away.
Don’t eat just before class. Wait 4 hours after a big meal, 2 hours after a small meal, and 1 hour after a snack.
Drink a lot of water after class. Yoga is more cleansing than you think.
Wear loose, comfortable clothes that are easy to move in. Consider what your clothes will do when you move into different positions. As a teacher, I’ve seen some body parts I really didn’t want to see.
Ladies – take it easy during your monthly cycle. No inversions. Period. (Pun intended.)
Arrive early. Get your space. Settle in and relax before class starts.
People come to yoga to learn yoga. You don’t already have to know it or be flexible. You will be come more flexible and stronger as you practice. No competing with anyone – including yourself!
Perhaps the most important aspect of yoga is that it’s not about the pose. It may take some time to experience what that means, but here goes – you get into yoga postures, breathe, stay calm, and reflect on the experience that you’re having in that moment. The posture is a tool for you to become conscious of the habits of your mind and emotions and body. You use the posture and the breath as tools to remain calm, focused, and aware of yourself. You slowly learn to act rather than react.
Now, go for it!
Welcome to my 1st blog! Thanks for checking it out and I hope you find something useful.
So, yoga in the summer? You may think you’re too busy, but don’t stop your yoga practice. Summer is a great time to do yoga because with the heat and humidity, you’re mostly warmed up – and it’s always so much safer and feels better to do yoga when you warm. Enjoy the heat and keep moving.
Speaking of heat, I have found the neatest thing to help stay cooler (and really help the hot flashes). It’s called “Blu Bandoo cooling headwear” and I found it at Habig’s Garden Center. It’s a bandana like cloth sewn into a tube containing polymer crystals. You soak it in cold water for a couple of minutes, squeeze out the extra, then wear around your neck. You can use it over and over and costs $6.99. There were instructions on how to make them in the Star last week, so that’s my next project.
