FooD November Fa ry = = 3 $ 8 Ss LIVE YOUR TRUTH Find power in honesty JOURNAL meditation {25} for busy people YOGA PARADOX: taking time to practice gives you more time poses to ground you after traveling Conditioning for your feet EXPAND YOUR PRACTICE: retreat ideas “s LEGENDARY YOGI Remembering Sri T. Krishnamacharyacontents 4 yooasournat.con features memories of amiaster ( 64 ) Sn. Krishnamacharya brought enarmaus wisdom and devotion tthe etipine of yoga, becoming the source for much of what we practice today. Here we get limps nto his Ae and teachings by A.G. Mohan with Ganesh Mahan great escapes Dive into your practice and recharge your spirit with aretreat experience that meets any budget, style, or Schedule, by the eters f Yoo Jouenay november 2009 yous ‘reauson on the cover Live your truth: Find power In honesty ( 41 Yoga paradox: Taking time to practice gives you more time (19) 9 po! Conditioning for your feet (89) Legendary yogi Remembering Krishnamacharya Badana Konasana (Bound Rngle Pose Stilst: ita Rage: halimakeup: Jetty StutzmaniAim Artists top: Free People eggings: michaet Stars Pratograpned by DAVIO ROTHcontents practice basics ( 44 ) Bharadvae's Twist Bharadvejesene can help connect yout the world around you and support your ques for nner peace and tranquility. by Maria Apt home practice with ross rayburn ( 61) Grounded traveler A postflight practice helps you get grounded and enjoy yout destination after a journey november 2009 departments master class with colleen saidman and rodney yee ( 81 ) Bulding a mystery Are you puzzles by Marienyasana I? Bila the pose from its composite parts, and youl extract its subtle essence. anatomy ( 89 ) Happy feet us your fet throvoh base ning fora strong, tight, adits Warrior |. by Reger Cole inspiration om (19) Bringing your practice to ite Make time and space for your practice; yoga schools respond to regulation; kitchen medicine; travel in comfort and style reflection ( 41) Got toe true Find the power that comes froma honerng your on personal truth and the unersal truth of our oneness. by Patricia Elsberg 19 (TRIBUTORS (14 ‘YOGA PAGES (105) wisdom ( 51) Busynes Plan Get out of your busy mind and fnd peace, even when you have too ‘much to éa, by Say Kempton media ( 97 ) Physica education Judith Hanson Lasaters new book, Yogaboay, teaches ‘anatomy through asana, by Rt the yj interview ( 112 ) Devoted yoo! For more than 30 yees, Tim Miler has been refining his Ashtanga Yoaa practice. by lane Anderson health eating wisely ( 35 ) Dressed or winter Genly cooked veges create salads that nourish you on cold avs and ao easy on your egestion. by Shubhra Krishan : énewat , yogajournal.com goona rreroideysen ~=SULf Safari! present dining challenges for vegetarians. To make it easier, we've compiled a menu of delicious, z " healthful, and yogajournal.com/freestuff Win a weeklong stay at one of the world's premier surf camps for women. This surt safari in Sayulta, Mexico, includes ocean front accommodations, surfing lessons, ‘yoga, massage, and more plant-based alternatives to the traditional WATCH THIS noddayelaies ‘Anusara Yoga founder John Friend yogajournal.com/feast — svides youthrough a paytu and ively sequence of arm balances. PRACTICE TO yogajournal.com/video AID DIGESTION READ THIS It's easy to overindulge during the holiday season, With a gratitude practice you can fin Give your digestive system happiness under any circumstances anatural boost with a detox- yogajournal.com/gratitude friendly twisting practice " it video taught by vinyasa - FOLLOW THIS yoga teacher Kathryn Budig. yogajournal.com/podcast twitter MORE ONLINE Look |, You to exclusive cont 8g E 5 & iE is symbol throughout the magazine, pointing) 3nd free offers on yogajournal.com. |10 Yooasourwat.cou es torment rac orett creative aretor Geputyeator Andes ere rmarasingeitor Kete Walsh enor er Blane Anderson ‘sscocat econ Lauren Ladceout continuing mecca eo" Tima Mec MO oper Pala Hammond aren seriguh! rool onsets Une Rammer, eviterRostigue Jeon Fess carmel Wrath celta sso 90014 Stephen Cope, ot Fina duct Hanson aster, ‘ean mien, MO, Aa Pav contributing extors Maa Apt neon Crandelar owl, Nora ees, ‘aly Kempton, share Rosen scorn intern Ashe Hecht ae siecor Axara Zler associate a eector RamEseober procuction designer Maureen Spe stintern Emby Ostia esate serves decor Jane Taree sovertng nfermation manaser Audrey rat repress specaet Page Frgusnsrt conteence director lana Maga serlor conference manacer Renée LaRove ‘conference coordinator Agen Conant onteence sponsorship associate Sara Mong anterence marseting coordinator erestn du Plessis conference intern Emma Gta fonlne era rector Andree Kwan onlin itor Ee Rader ‘online pro0ucer Hannan ey Colne community aon Een Chaat ‘mansgng ctor Dayna sey Patria 8. 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Adett pubisher mers Phone (AIS) SSFOSSS fox a)S9F0799 suscription customer service 00) 600-9642 ‘vessjournaleor nape moe tO ® Printed inthe Usted tatese Par RUT c Teck} 12 YooasouRwat.cow editor's letter Kaitlin Quistgaard While meditating in Me) yed the good ife-and maybe even learned how to live it. enj there area lot of great yoga moments, plus fabu- Jous food, laughter, and plenty of res. I’san exuberant place but a very peacefl Cone, set ina great expanse of nature, And ona weeklong yoga retreat this sum- mer, I feleasif I arrived there. I spent the week with Swami Veda Bharati a Vedic scholarwho normally resides at his ashram in Rishikesh, India. He led us into deep states of medita- tion and offered his wisdom on the yogic life with equal parts solemnity and mischievous joy. Yoga teachers Mehrad Nazariand Michele Hébert guided asana practices that left my body energized but relaxed —and so open that my Jegs slipped, effortlessly into full Lotus for the first time ever Since this glorious week took place at an upscale but down-to-earth spa (Rancho La Puerta, near‘Tecate, Mexico), I swam in the shade of palm trees, hiked the foothills ofa sacred mountain, and whiled away whole afternoons relaxingin my sweetly serene casita. It was truly heavenly. [And it gave me the time and space to take a serious look at my life. The past few years have been fll of challenge. Bu fll of beauty too, and [came to 2 realization: My paradise isnt 2 fan- taxy—the elements that make it up are almost allways available if [ean make the time for them. So, howean I make that time? X cout if we really are as busy as we make ourselves think, in “Busyness Plan’ (page Sally Kempton offers some clues to figuring 51). And in “Take Your Time,” Ganga White suggests that making time for practice, which rejuvenates usin such a fundamental way, actually gives us more time (page 19). Of course, going on a yoga retreat gives you an opportunity to explore both of those ideas. To help you get there, we've created a whole pack- age of possibilities see “Great Escapes” page 68)—fromaa simple day athome toa lovely week away. I'm planning to try them all. I figure that the more time spend in“paradise,” the easier it will be to find my way back. But first, I want to offer my gratitude to A. G. Mohan for writing his memoir of Sri Krishnamacharya and to Ganesh Mohan for guiding its way into these pages (se the excerpt, “Memories of « Master” on page 64). These esteemed teach- cers have lovingly created a picture of Krishnamacharya that brings tolife not only his personality but also the history and purpose of yoga. I’sa must-read for anyone who wants to know what the practice is really all about.Find your eye Rainbow Light's food-based Proc optimal ingredient combinations Cru folic acid and probiotics support tokeep your li ee gest is ces RAINBOW (erect cp 800.571.4701. woweinbowlight com ‘gua eat aa atone 14 Yooasournat.com contributors maria villella = i During her first yoga class almost a decade ago, cover ‘model Maria Villella knew she had found her path. “I just loved it. Tewas challenging, but it was something, Teould do. And each week I felt myself progressing, | knew it would be my practice.” After graduating from the University at Buffalo, in New York, Villella ‘pursued teacher training and eventually got a teach- ing position at Downward Dog Yoga Ceatre in nearby ‘Toronto, Ontario, Now, the busy 28-year-old teaches daily Ashtanga Yoga classes at Yog:Co in Santa Monica, California, and isa full-time student in traditional Chi- ‘nese medicine, “I'm trying to learn more about the schole healing process,” she says. a.g. mohan & ganesh mohan Father A.G. Mohan (far right)and son Ganesh Mohan travel the world lead- ing yoga therapy workshops—aften with Indra, wife of. G.and mother of Ganesh. At home in Chennai, India, they run Svastha Yogaand Ayurveda, yoga therapy center. “The best pare of ‘working as a father-and-son team? dontthave tosearch formanyanswers,” says Ganesh, who isalsoa physician in ‘Westernand Ayurvedic medicine. "My father gives them to me from his almost 4o years of daily immersion in traditional studies and practice.” A.G, Mohan was a longtime student of T: Krishnamacharya, “When I was a child, Iwas sort of in awe of him,” Ganesh recalls of the famous teacher. Ina new book excerpted here (see “Memories of a Master” page 64), he helps his father recount the years of training with one of yoga’s most legendary figures. ro! rayburn Although certified Anusara Yoga teacher Ross Rayburn (see “Grounded Traveler” page 61) travels o teach most -weeks out of the year, beingon the road doesnt slow hhim down. “I ove meeting people indifferent cities,” he says,“and L actually find more time to practice ‘when I'm traveling.” Rayburn, who is based in New York, discovered yoga after tearing his meniscus ur ing the California AIDS Ride in 1997. He took to the practice immediately: Yoga, says Rayburn, has tem- pered what he calls his “type A tendencies,” and makes his nomadic schedule possible. “One ofthe greatest benefits for me is to have all this enesgy yet also have ‘more sensitivity. awareness, and steadiness.”eee Register Now for the 7th Annual SAN FRANCISCO CONFERENCE Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2010 Hyatt Regency It's Easy! 1 Visit YJEVENTS.COM STEP Peruse our roster of world-renowned teachers STEP Choos your classes and create your yoga getaway 2 3 4 Register online at 5 STEP YJEVENTS.COM Click Register Now and tell your friends! STEP Check out the ‘Special Events designed to enhance your experience STEP Our brochure has gone green! We're saving trees by no longer printing a brochure- but you can still download a digital version online. Please visit our new and improved website at YJEVENTS.COM 16 Yooasourwat.cow letters Hooray for Gray Cyndi Lee's words in “Gray Pride” Sept. “oo)really rangtrue, asmy peers students, friends, and areall oinggray Thank you foryyour honesty and support. I pray that thisgives more women and gislsthe cour- age to explore themselves more naturally and authentically. ‘Amrit Atma Kaur Exeter, New Hampshire Well Rounded Reading Roger Cole's Anatomy column (Round Control,” Sept.'09) was alight- ‘bulb moment for me. As a yoga teacher and chiropractor who uses bodywork and ‘yoga therapy with patients, Ihave sadly seen an epidemic of hamstring injuries in advanced yogis. I've been theorizing about why—from sacroiliac joint insta bility to one leg being longer than the other—but Roger's simple explanation spoke to me. Embrace a litle flexion in the spine to take the focus off that ham- string attachment. I cant wait to share this with my students and patients, Robin armstrong, DC Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Breathe Relief How pleased I was to read your story “Pain Reliever” (Sept. '09), about fibro- myalgia and yoga as a healing measure {or this neurologically based condition. Yoga is the only thing that helps me with reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a debili- tating chronic pain syndrome fromwhich 1 suffer. Thank you for the reminder that by choosing to stop, look, and listen, we can unleash the full power to heal our. selves from the inside out. How perplexing : at A gray pride that few medicines harness the complex simplicity of one’s own breath! Lesile Thurston Freedom, New Hampshire Feelings About Guilt Sally Kempton’s "Goodbye, Guilt” (Sept. "o9) eame just when I needed it. I didnt realize that guilt has kept me from fully enjoying all the wonderful things and people in my life, 'm looking forward t0 practicing her remedies sothat I canstop beinga bystander to true happiness. Melanie Deal Fort Mil, South Carolina Dance Party Iwas thrilled when I saw Dana Flynn's ‘Home Practice*Cosmic Dance" Gept.’0). Flynn's refreshing and creative approach made this month's issue more exciting for me. I taught the sequence to a class, ‘where women of varying ages and levels fellin love with themselves and the prac- tice. Flynn's teaching style has profoundly changed my life, and 1 am glad Yoga Jour- nal introduced a little bit of the cosmic dance into its pages. Nancy Elkes New York, New York SEND FEEDBACK TO Letters, Yoga Journal, 475 Sansom Street, Suite S50, San Franciec, CA grr; email: lerers@yogajournal.com; ‘fi (415) 591-0733. Include your name, city, stats, and phone number. Letters and emails ‘may bx edited for length and clarity. ‘The execs instructions and adie presenteainthis magazine are designed fr peoplewhoareingaod heath na psy. Thy are ot Intend to suoette fr mesa counseling Ie erebors, producers parte pant, nd ditto of Yoo Journ! dls any Ebi for lors o jury in connection wih the eerietake your One of the first questions teachers hear from new students is, “How long will it take?" The question not only refers to how much time will be necessary for practice, but also to how long It will take ‘0 actually has been called the poverty of our era, rn and master yoga. Time ‘The hurried pace of madern life drives us to feel we have litle time for the things ‘we want or need, Time has always been precious, but too often we allow our lives to become frenzied and stressed. The new student wants to know how much time he ; an we approach yoga ina way time that is free of the time constraints or she must dedicate, how much ofthe day the yoo endeavor wll require, and how long it wil take to reach the goal. | have often answered these ques: tons by saying, “It will take the rest of your lite." we impose on ourselves? ‘This is actually Good news. Yoga is not a goal at all~ it is@ lifelong process of living and learning that nur tures our being and enriches the quality of our days. Realizing the significance ofthis insight removes unproductive pressures we may otherwise bring to ‘our approach. We have our entire lifetime. We will always have much to learn in the way of skis and techniques, but the essence of yoga is deeper~it Is always Immediate and available as it ‘grows from refining our attunement to the flow of life, and lite force. Our bodies constantly change ©Se living yoga take your time © and adjust to our internal and external states, not only from day to day but also through many stages of a lifetime. That is why @ more meaningful practice promises no end but provides a constant Journey of learning and discovering. ‘Advancing our practice implies refin- Ing our ability to see and listen to our body on deeper and subtler levels. Cul> tivating this internal perception is more Important than merely attaining more exotic postures. We can develop great strength or flexibility but miss the heart of the practice. Someone may be able to twist into a pretzel while balancing ‘on one finger and still be a novice who misses the heart and experience of yooa. Making the time for a yoga practice ‘means honoring and loving ourselves enough to dedicate time each day to cour own well-being. Serving ourselves is, a part of serving others. Only when we take care of ourselves can we have more abundant energy to give to others and ‘to our endeavors. When a student tells me, “can't find the time to take out of my dally tte for practice or exercise," I reply, “Neither can" don’t have time to “take out” for my yoga practice either, and yet | keep up a regular practice. | certainly know that Ihave much more energy, ‘much more quality time and freedom, ‘and much better health than would have been possible without having allowed ‘myself time for asana. In truth, yoga doesn't “take time”=it gives time. Reprinted with permission from Yoga Beyond Belief Insights to Awaken and Deepen Your Practice, by Ganga White (North Atlantic Books, 2007) 20 yooAsouRNAL.cou make space for practice What to do when you're if you want to develop the mental too busy to meditate? focus and flexibility to accomplish Meditate, of course! more in|ess time, to stay calm in stress{ul situations, and to solve problems creatively, take a break and meditate. Psychologists, at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom recently tested meditators and nonmeditators to see how well they could tune out distractions to quickly accomplish a detailed task and how well they could override their automatic thoughts and behaviors. Experienced meditators performed significantly better than did those who had never meditated. Take regular mindfulness breaks throughout the day. Ina seated position, focus attention on your breath. When your ‘mind wanders, return your focus to your breath. You don't need to empty your mind or have perfect attention. Itis the act of noticing distractions and coming back to the breath that lends the mind steadiness (sthira) and ease (sukha). (See “Busyness Plan" on page 5I for several other minimeditation options.) KELLY MeGONIGAL ‘ro, eamshasantbox 7009; 7/57 ETHER FEMMMANUTORE PABA ED CALHDUN%» people sidewalk yog QA New Yorker finds peace on the street. ‘A remarkable quality that many New Yorkers share is. the ability to move at top speed. Shortly after movingto ‘Manhattan, [found myself grumbling at slow walkers and quickly zigzagging around them on sidewalks like a seasoned city dweller. Then one day I noticed a billboard that read: “Where are you going?” Iwas floored by the simplicity ofthe question. Iwas going to yoga class —at a blurring pace, as usual, but I wasat even late. In an instant 1 recognized a conflict with my practice: L was violently throwing one foot in Front of the other with a scowling mind, oblivious to the world, annoyed with people who had every right to walk comfortably as T went to my class, where I expected to find peace and relaxation on my mat. | committed to practicing sidewalk yoga, which for sme was a way of mindfully practicing abimsa (nonharm- ing) with myself and others. Walking became a medita- tion that immediately led to other revelations. Because T chose to focuson slowing down, became witnessto the miracles happening all around. A man in an expensive suit helpinga young mother carry a giant stroller down the subway steps. Concerned passersby stopping to pick up oranges that had rolled offa fruit vendor's cart, An old man quickly pulling a child back on the sidewalk asa car ran a red light. Kindness everywhere, inthis city of fast walkers. [learned to appreciate the yoga of each moment, the yoga that occurs a“ Sore when we are in the world with open eyesand light feet. SAR& LITTLE first do no harm Yoga Sutra H.30 ‘The principles of respect for others include nonviolence, bonesty, noncovetousness, moderation, and nongreediness. 22 YooAJOURNAL.com The five yamas, the frst limb of Patanjal’s elght-limb quide to an ethical, meaningful lite, are principles for interacting with ‘the people and all other living things in the world around us. Patanjall begins the introduc tion to the yamas in 130 with animsa, or nonharming, for 400d reason. Animsa, the first vyama, is the foundation for the remaining four that follow. For example, Patanjall uses the word satyam for the second yama, Often translated as “truthfulness,” satyam means “truth that doesn’t hurt.” Like- wise f we practice asteya (non covetousness), ranmacharya (appropriate boundaries), or ‘aparigrana (accepting only what's appropriate), we act from a place of kindness and respect for ourselves and others. This is perhaps the key plece Inherent in the teaching of ‘ahimsa: While it is a wonderful {and noble thing to act kindly toward our neighbors, when we ‘act harmfully the person we harm most is ourse YOGA DIARY Share your personal stories with us at Lcom/submissions. Yooa Sutra in Action Kate Holeombe’s teachings apply the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali to dally ite She is the uns {and co-irector of the Healing Yoos Foundation in SSan Francisco.% wellness kitchen medicine Bowls of cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, mint, black pepper, ‘and dried ginger aS well as bits of tree bark and leaty sprigs are spread out before me on a wooden countertop=an aromatic textbook of herbal healing. '™m at Rasa ‘Ayurveda, a holistic health center in Kerala, India, where we're learning how, like an art, Ayurveda uses herbs and spices for their healthful proper ties, This is true for food and for drink Good medicine can be simple; we'll steep these dried herbs and spices to make “healing waters” that address the body's imbalances. “When you take herbs with water, you strengthen your whole system,” says 2 Light Mille, an Ayurvedic practi toner in Sarasota, Florida, who has used healing waters for 30 years. “Their potency goes directly Into the body-it's lke taking lauid medicine.” “The cook at Rasa Ayurveda sets a stainless steel pot on a burner and turns on the heat. She scatters whole cumin seeds Inte the dry pot, and they release a woody, fiery smell. Beneficial for all body types, cumin, or jeera in Hindi, stimulates digestion. The pot sizzles as water is added, and a cloud of steam putts up. As the jeera water cools, we learn the effects of other simple preparations. Cardamom water is good for a gassy stomach, for example, and fennel water aids breast milk production. You can drink these herbal infusions just as you would regular water: Carry a bottle with you and sip all day. Jewny ROUGH CINNAMON WATER WHY? Cinnamon helps reduce cholesterol and st bilize blood-sugar levels. wn HOW? Crunch a whole cin: oe ramon stick with a rotting pin. Add the broken chips HOW? to quart of water and simmer for 10 minutes seeds in a heat Strain ang o at room temperature. way? PRANA WATER WHY? Tubs! is consigered a spiritual herb in ndla, usea to balance the bodys whole system. It's especially aoe for the lungs HOW? Drop a sprig of tls (holy basi in a glass of and place in the sun for an hour. You can grow tulsi in pot at home or look for its Recipe for Baling eaters sister pl in by Nitba Quistgard of Asian markets, Race Ayurvedafood for all Denise Cerreta had just opened a small organic café in ‘downtown Salt Lake City six years ago when she had what A community kitchen feeds everyone, turist was struck by inspiration to make her prices dona- tion based. I didn't realy hear a voce,” says Cerreta, “but it was a profound experience. When the next person walked through the door, | sald, Just choose your own price’ At that moment my heart expanded, and | knew what | was supposed to be doing with my life” A few years later, she was invited to speak atthe international Women's Conference at His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living international headquarters in Bangalore, india. She spent three weeks there, serving meals to thousands of people daily. “This moved me to ‘another level in my commitment to end hunger” she says. "The honor and blessing of serving food is what I love: Today, Cerreta's café has become a nonprofit community kitchen called One World Everybody Eats, where customers pay whatever they choose to for thelr meal. There's always one complimentary dish on the menu (usu ally dahl and rice), and meals can also be paid for by volunteering inthe organic garden, kitchen, or community. ‘One Worle's success inspired Cerreta to create a nonprofit organization that helps aspiring restaurateurs faunch community kitenens based on One World's formula. Three are currentty in operation-SAME (So All May Eat) in Denver, One World Spokane, ‘and Potager, in Arlington, Texas-with some 60 other projects Under way nationwide. This year Cerreta turned the kitchen cover to her head chef, Giovanni Bouderbala, so she could focus exclusively on mentoring. “We all deserve to eat healthy food.” says Cerreta, “and as a community, we can make it available to everyone. We're lke a spiritual franchise.” LAVINIA SPALDING she describes as a spiritual epiphany. The former acupunc- creamy winter squash soup Makes 4 to 6 servings (One World's chet, Giovanni Bouderbala {arnishes this vegan winter soup with toasted hulled pumpkin seeds and serves it with warm cornbread. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive ol 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into Yeinch cubes | pound pumpkin, peeled and cut Inte Yrinch cubes 3 cups vegetable broth 1 to2 tablespoons agave nectar '% teaspoon nutmeg ‘4 teaspoon cinnamon Salt and white pepper 1 Heat the ol in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 2 Add the onion and cook untit softened, 5 to7 n 3 Add the squash and pumpkin and 00k for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. When the squash starts getting soft on the edges, add the broth. Cover and simmer on low tes. heat for 20 minutes. ‘4 Remove pan from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. 'S Transfer to a blender, along with ‘agave nectar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, Carefully, as hot liquids may splatter, blend on medium speed, In batches if necessary, Until the soup Is smooth, ‘Season with salt and pepper to taste% community license to teach This spring, yoga teacher trainers in New York got to put their stress-relieving practices to the test. More than 80 yoga schools receive cease-and-lesist letters warning them to either obtain licenses to train teachers or risk fines of up to $50,000. The licensingprocess required, amongother things, state approval of each school's teacher training curriculum. Leslie Kaminoff, founder ofthe nonprofit Breathing Pro} ‘ct studio in Manhattan, responded with a July fourth “Dee- laration of Independence” for yoga teachers, abjecting to government involvement in yoga teacher training, Kaminoff created the Independent Yoea Educators of America (ea. 1s), group whose missions to protect yoga from state inter- ference. Other teachers in New York formed Yoga for New York to fight licensing, The efforts of the groups paid off: The State Education Department suspended its licensing push, pending action on New York senator Erie Schneiderman’s proposed legislation to change New York law so that yoga, dance, and martial arts teacher trainings would be exempt from state licensing requirements. But New York yogis arenit the only ones Feeling regulatory pressure. Yoga teacher 28 YooAJOURNAL.com Yoga schools across the nation respond to government regulation. training programs in more than 20 states have come ‘under the watchful eye of regulators eho maintain that training institutions should be licensed as vocational schools like those that teach bus drivers. ‘The reasons for licensing, say regulators, are to censure that students are giving their money toa legitimate school, that schools follow state safety ‘guidelines, and that tuition is reimbursed ifa school is unable to full its promises. “The state does not ‘want to regulate yoga,” says Patrick Sweeney, school administration consultant for the Wisconsin Edu- cational Approval Board. “But if you're a school, you've got to operate as one.” While rules differ widely from state to state, ‘compliance generally requires application fees, (ranging from $100 in Utah to $3,000 in New ‘Hampshie), facility inspections, surety bonds that refund tuition if te training programs go out of business, and curriculum reviews. Some teachers are complying with the requirements. Others, like Ruth Fisk and her 13-teacher collaborative, the ‘Center for Yoga in Fast Lansing, Michigan, have shut down their teacher training programs. Several programs have removed themselves from the registry maintained by Yoga Alliance, an indus- try group that promotes standards for yoga teach- cers and schools, since regulators can easily identify studios and teachers that offer teacher training programs by looking atthe organization’ listings ‘of registered yoga schools. Yoga Alliance president and CEO R. Mark Davis says thae while Yoga Alli- ance isa nonprofit, and therefore restricted from ing, he talks to state regulators about their ‘requirements and procedures, and he subscribes to legislative monitoring service to keep up to date Ie’sto0 soon co tell how things will shake out state by state, but the currene thrust toward state licensing of teacher raining programs.ispiving rise to discussions about standards and licensing within the yoga community. And it shows that yoga is being considered big business. wancy o'sRIEWlucy inspires peormance”™ lucy.com introducing the lucy Hatha Power Pant™ with lucy powermax™ visit lucy.com to find a store near you* style 30 vooAJouRNAL.com Travel in comfort and style with great gear and accessories. Whether you're taking 2 weekend road trip, doing a business com mute or flying home for the holt days, traveling is easier when you have what you need to keep you feeling comfortable and grounded. CSA ment eae your odds and ends and an outfit besides, Dy mee eh Ca ($29.98) has adjustable straps that hold a oe eae ea eee say Peete etn ee Cee MEER rn eer nears into the pocket on the side, atbletacom.FRIENDLY SKIES (copleft) Thesoft Bucky Travel Pillow ($29.95) is filled with buck- ‘wheat and has a cotton velour cover that comes off for washing, bucky.com. Stay hydrated when traveling with a Sigg aluminum water bottle ($21.99), mysigg com. EO's prsesize organic hand sanitizing spray (S4.24) fends off cold and flu germs, coproducts.com. Dr. Singha’s Travel Tonic ($11.50) cases et lag with organic ginger root and other botanicals, drsingha-com. MEDIA FRENZY (top right) Dont travel ‘without your favorite hook, DVDs, and audio. Eco-nation’ lightweight Neo speakers (S14.95) for your iPod or MP3 player are made of recycled ‘materials, and they fold flat to travel orstore, {fasbionationstylecom. NO SKIDDING (right) The Yogitoes Skid- less Mat Towel (S64) moonlightsas light- weight travel mat for hotel asanas, yogitoes com. And Down Dogis possible without a mat, when ‘you wear organic cotton ToeSox (Sis), which havea nubby nonskid grip, tesoxcom. 32 YooasouRNat.com4 eating wisely Shubhra Kri dressed io) mal kale ey neater Ce eat La Pas a aa) For a favorite winter meal, Cynthia Copple tosses cooked dark greens with golden roasted squash and drizzlesit all with aslightly tangy dressing, As much as Copple dean of Mount Madonna Institute's Col- lege of Ayurveda in Watsonville, California, loves vegetables and salad, when the weather turnseold, she opts for Cooked vegetables. “Aer 26 years of working with clients, ve found that eatinigraw foods can eerie one anor anton PoC Cee eTeating wisely cooked food in the winter makes you feel ‘warm and nurtured,” she says ‘When the weather turnscold, you may find yourself less interested in raw, light salads, and eraving something warm and hearty instead. That's good intuition on your part, says Devendra Triguna, presi- dent ofthe All India Ayurvedie Congress, an organization based in Delhi and made “upof 40,000 Ayurvedic practitioners, be- cause eating raw produce in the cooler months can strain your digestive system. ‘Those wha practice Ayurveda, the tradi tional holistic medicine of India, believe that raw fruits and vegetables eause your «agni (digestive fie) to work harder as it breaks down food so that your body ean assimilate the mutrients. “Uncooked vegetables deplete the met- abolic fire in each cell and especially in the digestive system,” Triguna says." They produce heavinessin the stomach. Unable to process these cold foods completely, the agni is forced to leave behind ama, a toxic residue that wreaks havoc in the form of gas bloating, and stomachache.” earned this the hare way. I munched foryears on higlealy salads during the win- ter and later felt uneasy and bloated. It ‘wasn’t until I learned more about Ayur- ‘veda and agni that I began to see the pat- tern in my body and learned to enjoy cooked salads during the cold season. “Our stomach is not made for raw things.” says Triguna, “In cold weather, everything shouldbe eaten in the cooked form.” Its simple enough idea: By breaking down rough, fibrous veggies with a little roast- ing, steaming, or sautéing, I give my agnia hhead start soit can digest everything more easilyand completely A robust agi means happy tummy anda greater sense of over- all well-being. With that information in hand, I found myself becomingaconnois- seur of warm or room-temperature salads that include a diversity of cooked vegeta bles and grains BUILD A BETTER BOWL Saladshave long been adarlingamong mu- tritionists and health nuts alike, wha find thema good way toget the recommended nine daily servings of fruits and vegeta- bles. I generally make composed salads with separately prepared ingredients bound together by a delicious dressing, Some favorites include cooked carrots and yams tossed with lemon juice and olive oil and arranged over warm brown rice that wilts the hed of greens underneath; ora roasted beet salad whose soothing ‘yogurt-based dressing turns pink from the beet juice. Copple and Triguna suggest skipping, the raw lettuce and roasting, sautéing, wilting, baking, steaming, or blanching thecomponentsof your salad. Think sau- téed red cabbage with toasted hazelnuts ina ginger-yogurt dressing, Ifyou're con- cerned that cooked veggies have Fewer nutrients than fresh ones, take note: In study published this yearin the Journal of Food Science, researchers showed that some vegetables, including carrots and ‘green beans, actually have higher levels ofantioxidantsafterthey've been cooked. Like Copple, I'm partial to the flavor- ful dark, leafy greens that prosper in cold RESCUE E Original Flower RESCUE Energy™ provides a safe and stimulant ‘ree boost, strengthening your mind's natural ‘energy reserves without caffeine or sugar. Youll fel awake and alive — not “wired.” 1s a unique blend of Bach® dies, made with the ‘original formulas created by Dr. Bach over 70 years ago and trusted around the world, tsa ‘to Bach's stress and sleep aids, RESCUE Remedy® and RESCUE Sleep", Just two quick sprays of RESCUE Energy to the tongue is all you need to calm, focus,and energize your mind. Look for us wherever you find natural products and health foods. Avaliable ot: ims Fem ae Bete ees ae RESCUE. enenay 36 YooAsoURNAL.com NoveMaeRr 2009‘weather. Rich in vitamins, mature greens like beet, chard, collards, and mustard are +00 fibrous and bitter to be eaten raw, so 1 begin by sautéing or steaming them until they wile and turn bright emerald. Soft and fragrant, the greens make a beautiful bed for many winter salads. [like to stir. fry spinach, top it with roasted spaghetti sqquash and carrots, and give it adrizzle of Temon juice and oil to finish it off. White beans.and roasted tomatoes make another delicious topping for wilted spinach. Ofcourse, there are endless possibili- ties for combining ingredients, but I gen- erally build my salads with only two or etables so that my digestive sys- tem isn't overwhelmed. However, if three feeling hungry and my agni is healthy and strong, I'l add cooked grains or le- ‘gumes like millet, chickpeas, or lentils to steamed winter greens. For me,no salad is complete without a lite crunch, so [often add toasted nuts. Copple sometimes tops her cooked ‘greens with a handfal of lightly toasted sesame seeds. Packed with protein, fiber, minerals, andvitamins, nuts and seeds, in ‘general, insulate your nerves and organs in cold weather, thanks to the healthy fat they contain, according to Copple PLAY DRESS UP One of my favorite saladsis made of heets sautéed in ghee, tender green beans, steamed cracked wheat, and a few toasted almonds, spooned over warm greens and. dressed with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. While Ayurvedic practitioners like ‘Triguna would suggest that all parts of a salad this time of year he cooked for ‘optimal digestion, [also like to toss hot sautéed carrots with raw cender greens like arugula, letting the greens wilt but still preserving most of their nutrients and texture. Finally, what makes a salad a salad is a flavorful dressing that coats the compo- nentsand brings them together. Most use oil asa base, the simplest ofall dressings being olive oil mixed with fresh lemon juice. Adding alittle bit of fatto a salad may help the body absorb cancer fighting sutrients suchaslycopene and alpha-and beta-carotene, according toa 2006 survey published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Copple recommends olive oil mixed with Bragg Liquid Aminos asan alternative to vinegar. “Vinegar isa fermented food that aggravates stomach acidity” she says, so you might want to avoid it in your dressing. For example, a creamy youust-based dressing, flavored. with citrus, herbs, or spices. (Often I will simply trickle hor oil over arugula and roasted vegetables. If I'm feeling creative, I'lldress my salad with a fresh chutney, or mix up a sesame-ginger dressing for quinoaand sweet potatoes (see page 38 for recipe). Compose salads with che rapture of an artistloading fresh paint onto her palette, and you'll be rewarded with a melding of the hot and tepid, tender and crunchy, sweet and. salty—an explosion of flavors and textures ineach bite. our cooked Sbubirs Krishan is the author of Essential Ayurveula, Sbe lives i News Delhi, india UNDER A TUSCAN SUN AVAILABLE AT BO) bane OO Te) WARRIOR YOGA es unig rind boy journey with Tae cee eT Ce ee Pe eeeaeet on BARNES NOBLE ~ vooAJouRNAt.com 37Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar ‘or lemon juice | tablespoon unrefined roasted sesame oll | teaspoon honey | teaspoon tamati or Bragg Liquid Aminos Ys teaspoon grated fresh ginger Juice of orange 1 cup diced sweet patato 1 cup cooked quinoa Y cup snipped chives 2 tablespoons slivered almonds 1 bunch braised kale or other greens 1 Whisk together first six ingredients ina small bowl and set aside. 2 Place sweet potato ina steamerbasket cover boiling water and steam 1 103 ‘minutes, until crisp-tender, Phunge into cold waterto stop cooking. Blot dry witha paper towel. 3 Combine sweet potato, quinoa, chives, and almonds with 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Toss braised greens with the remaining dressing, 4 To serve, arrange equal portions of dressed greens on 4 salad plates. Place equal portions of salad on the greens. Adapted ith permission from The Splendid Grain, by Rebecca Wood (William Morroze Cookbooks, 1998). Warm Spinach and Squash Salad Salad is pictured on page 35. ‘1% pounds delicata squash cut into half moons, or butternut squash, peeled and cubed 4 tablespoons olive ol ¥6 teaspoon salt, divided 38 vooAJouRNAL.com Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vinegar 5 cups (about 8 ounces) baby spinach leaves ‘A cup toasted sliced almonds 1 Preheat oven to 400". Inara-by-17- inch baking dish, oss squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, % teaspoon of salt, anda few grindings of pepper. Bake “ntl squash is tender, about 20 minutes. 2 Inalarge bowl, mixjuice or vinegar ‘with 4 teaspoon salt. Add squash, spin- ach, and almonds. 3 Heat remaining3 tablespoons of il ina small frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully pour over salad (oil m: splattes) and toss to coat and wile spin- ach evenly. Serve at once. Adapted with permission from Fat Well, ‘by Charity Ferreira (Oxmoor House, 2008). Creamy Curry Dressing Drizzle this slightly tangy dressing over roasted beets or other cooked vegetables right before serving 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons plain yoourt 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 4 teaspoons curry powder 2 garlic cloves, crushed 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive ol Ye cup chopped cilantro 1 Mixlemon juice, yogurt, mayonnaise, curry powder, and garlic in a bowl until ‘well combined. Whisk in the oil until dressings creamy and emulsified, Stirin the cilantro, Store in a containerin the refrigerator for up tor week Adapted with permission from Toxally ‘Vegetarian, by Tani Fiore (Da Capo, 2009)reflection || by Patricia Ellsberg Find the power that comes from honoring your own personal truth and the universal truth ofour oneness. be true During our first yearof marriage, in1971, myhusband, Daniel Ellsberg, was indicted on 12 felony counts for espionage, theft, and conspiracy, which carried a possible sentence of nis years in prison, His release of the Pentagon Papers (a 7,000-page set of top-secret documents that re- vealed how the U.S. Congress and the American publichad beea lied 10 about the Vietnam War) to the New Tork Times and 18 other newspapers resulted ina trial that lasted more than two years—and fortified our owndeep commitment to the power of cruth telling. This period was one of the most intense, frightening, and meaning- ful times of my life. Twas terrified that my husband would be physically ‘harmed or sent to prison for the rest of hislife. At the same time, ‘he and I were gratified that we could use our access to the press to help stop what we felt was an unnecessary immoral and disastrous ‘war, What is little known is that Daniel was inspired to release the truths in the Pentagon Papers in part by the example of Mahatma Gandhiand his concept of satyagraba.The literal transla- tion of sz:yzgreba is “holding to the truth,” and Gandhi spoke of it as“teuth force” or “soul force” or “love force.” ‘The truth Gandhi referred to was the universal truth that we are alone. Through this recognition wecan find adeep commitment to Daniel and Patrica Elsberg In 197, ready to goto court over the Pentagon Papers, nonharmingand nonviolence, anda willingness to sacrifice ourselves for the benefit of others. Gandhi inspired people tobe willing to endure suffering as they participated in acts of non- violent resistance, and to withdraw cooperation from people and institutions that deny the truth ofouronenessby oppressingorharmingothers. After spending two years in Vietnam while ‘working in the State Department, Daniel was asked towrite oncof the volumesofthe Pentagon YooAJOURNAL.coM 41reflection Papers and then was given access to the whole 47-volume study. It documented how four presidents in a row, from Te man to Johnson, deceived the public and Congress about our country’s involve- ment in Vietnam, their aims, cheir strat- egies, and the costs and prospects for success or stalemate. After Daniel read the whole study, he felt that Americans needed to know the truth. Despite being aware that he risked spending the rest. of his life in prison, he decided to reveal the top-secret study to the public voicine TRUTH ‘The impact of this revelation was pro- found. The New Tork Times, the Wasbing- ton Post, and two other newspapers were enjoined from publishing the documents — the fist injunction ofthe press in Ameri- can history. Immediately ater the Nixon administration enjoined the New York Times, Daniel and I went underground for 16 days ‘With the support of a small group of fiends, some of whom were Gandhian nonviolent activists, we managed to disteibute postions of the documents to 18 other newspapers and elude an FBI manhunt. In our pursuit of the truth, ‘we had a support group and felt connected to oneness. Luckily. the casewent tothe US Supreme Court, “which upheld the newspapers right to publish Charges against Daniel and his codefendant, Tony Russo, were eventually dismissed due to gross ‘governmental misconduct. White House crimes against Daniel, including the burglary of his former psychoana- lyst’ office, illegal wiretapping, an abor- tive effort to physically “incapacitate him totally.” and subsequent attempts by the White House to cover up these actions contributed to the impeachment proceedings against President Nixon, his resignation, and the ending of the Vietnam Wat. 1 vividly remember the moment we came out of hiding to attend Daniel's arcaignment. The press and a crowd of people surrounded us. Standing in front of a sea of shouting reporters, Daniel showed his commitment to the truth by taking full responsibility for the release | felt a sense of peace, of oneness with all beings, and strength to face whatever consequences would come. ofthe Pentagon Papers. While we were standing together in the middle of ut- ter chaos, I was holding Daniel’s hand. 1 had the feeling that an electrical current ‘waspulsing through the two ofus and we ‘were grounded in the truth ‘We stood in a field of power much greater than we were, a truth force that ‘guided and protectedus. felt aprofound sense of peace, ofoneness with all beings, and of strength to face whatever conse quences would come ourvway I believe all of us can tap into the power of the truth Transform your mornings and your home environment with beautiful, natural acoustic sounds ‘tthe art and artifct of your environment reflect the workview and of «natural, sustainable lifestyle. Zen Clocks embody the values ‘of naturalism with the soothing tones of acoustic chimes and gongs, and the ‘ue of natural materials, uch ax bamboo and sustainably harvested woods ‘Thoughtful esoteric deign detail include a golem rato™progresion for the alarm sequence, and Pythagorean tuning forthe chime tones, Give _yoursalf the exquisite experience ofa graceful awakening, and enhance your spiritual practice with these aesthetically sophisticated meelitation timers Zen Alarm Clocks wake you gracefully and gently with gradually increasing chimes and gongs Call for a free catalog or visit our website: ‘www.now-zen.com * (800) 779-6383 442 YooAsouRNAL.comforce when we stand up for the truth and. act with integrity and compassion. In the years since the tral, in addition to continuing my work asasocial-change activist, Ihave practiced Buddhist medi- tation in the Theravadan tradition and. am leading and teaching reflection as a spiritual practice and asa meansto know- ing our personal truth and the universal truth of our oneness, TUNE IN To YOUR TRUTH you‘d like to dedicate some time to exploring the powerof truth, simply take 4 few moments to tune in to yourself. Get comfortable. Become aware of your breath, breathing deeply and slowly. On the inhalation, breathe ina sense of calm and relaxation. With the exhala- tion, send this energy to any part of your body that is tense or holding uncomfort- ableemotions. Witheach breath, become more and more relaxed, finding your own ‘way tothe till, quiet center of yourbeing toa place of wholeness, completeness, and integrity ‘Now, imagine thatyouare breathing in and out through your heart and, with each breath, filing yourheart with warmth and light, Imagine that you are immersed in a field of love. Let this loving energy fill ‘your whole being, until you feel you are being breathed by it. Open to the truth of our oneness and interconnectedness—how we ll breathe thesameair andare sustained by the same Barth, Leta sense of the sacredness ofall lifecome into youand fill you. -Rememberatime when youacted from thissense of nterconnectednessandone- ness, when you listened to the voice of your own conscience and experienced the power of holding toyour truth, What does that fee! like in your body? What does that fee! like in your being? ‘Now open to any ways you are not act- ing with integrity at this point of your ie. ‘When isyour behavior clouded by desire or by aversion of wishful thinking? How does that feelin your body? How does it feel emotionally? From the perspective of ‘your wisest self, ask yourself: Hlow can I live with greater integrity in my own life now? What truthsdo I need to recognize? ‘What patterns of behavior do I want to change? What resources or guidance can [call on to give myself the strength to behave more in alignment with my val- ‘ues? Imagine what it feels like to live from a place of greater integrity and whole- ness. What does it feel like to be more fully connected to the truth force or soul force of your being? What do you need andintend to do to realize this aspiration? Now take a moment to make a com- mitment to yourself to take a brave step in the direction of greater integrity and truthfulness. When you feel that you are ready, slowly and gently bring this truth meditation to a close. Taking a few deep breaths, return to the present moment, {eelingyourconnectiontoyour own truth and toall oflife, + Patricia Ellberg ica meditation teacher «and well-being consultant who co-seacbes a ‘meditation course called Atoabening Joy. See patriciaelsberg.com for mare information lO@SOX Cen) ee ee Poa) De) YOGAJOURNAL.cOM 43Lift sioes oF fib cace EVENLY 44 YooAsoURNAL.com NovewaeR 2008by Marla Apt basics bharadvaja's twist bharadvajasana I bharadvaja = a poet-sage credited with composing Vedic hymns asana = posture DON’T lift the lett hip while turning, In cultures all over the world, you'l find mention of the axis mundi, a representation of the connection between the sky and earth, where north, cast, south, and west meet. Itsymbolizesthe union between the mundane and the Divine, the rmaterialand the piritual. Younight have seen tas tree, a Maypole, a cross, oracolumn, Ina seated twist like Bharadvajasana I (Bharadvaja’s Fist), the spine is like your own axis mundi, The base ‘ofyourspine points toward the ground, while the restof yourspine reaches up tosupportyour head. Beingconsciousofboth ends ofthe column inthe pose can help connect you to the world around Ghee ea CeCe youand Support your quest for inner peace andi the lett ribs ; snd tranquility, noveuaeR 2009 YOOAJOURNAL.cOM 45basics Bharadvajasana I also steetches the spine, shoulders, and hips; massages your abdominal organs; opens the chest; and relieves some types of lower backache and neck pain. Unlike some other twist- ing poses, such as Marichyasana IIT, in ‘hich yourlegsand upperbody re bound together, Bharadvajasana I gives your “whole torso freedom to turn, making it cone of the only twists that can be safely performed during pregnancy. That freedom makes it easy to get swept up in the ewisting action and to ile, your axis one way or another. For exam- ple, ifthe hase begins toshiftat your hips, one side of your back will engthen while the other side contracts, and the shorter sidecan get compressed while you're twist- ing. The resulting distortion in the spine can block the energy running along your axis mundi, which makes havingan open, tallspinal hannelal the moreimportant. Like most otherasanas, Bharadvajasana isa balancingact, one that can be men- tally aswell as physically centering. A few variations will help you get a feel for how tokeep your hips evelwith the floor, both sides ofyourtorso and backlongandeven, and thecentralaxisereet. From there, ou 46 YoousouRNat.com can enjoy the freedom of turning from a solid foundation with a calm presence that might take you higher. PULL UP A CHAIR For the first variation (see figure 0, you need a folding chair. Practicing the pose on a chair takes potential strain on the ankleand kneejointsoutof the equation, so you can focus on keeping your hips level and lifting and opening the chest while twisting, Begin by sitting sideways oon the chair with the backrest to your right. Place your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other on the floor, and align your knees directly above your feet. Exhale, turn toward the back of the chair, and place your hands on top of the backrest. Continue to turn, twisting from ‘your rib cage up to the top of your chest. Atthis point, i’sagoodideatolook down at your knees, Ifyour left knee is jutting out in front of your right, that’s a good indicator that the left side of your petvis, isshifting forward. Soyou'll need tomake alitele adjustment: Focus on distributing ‘your weightevenly on both of yoursitting bones, and bring your knees back in line ‘with each other. Use blankets as, tops and support ‘yourself on your hands toleara proper alignment. Practice ona chair to take ‘your ankle and knee joints out cf the equation. pose benefits Relieves some types ‘of lower backache Eases some causes of neck pain Loosens stif shoulders and neck contraindications eyestrain Migraine Knee injury gNow that your base is established, you can begin to broaden your chest. On an. inhalation, lift your chest seeing if you ean turna litle more to the en exhal he, and place your right hand on the corner of the chair seat behind you. On the next inhalation, liftthrough yourbelly tocreate space between your ribsand pel- vis; exhale and continue to twist, Next, take your left shoulder back and open the left side of your chest. Move your shoul- der blades and upper back ribs in toward ‘your chest to support the lifting of your chest and opening of your shoulders. Check in with your base again: Are you still sitting balanced on both buttocks? Finally, lift both sides of your rib cage and chest evenly so that your collarbone are level with the floor. Keep your lower back long, pin your outer shoulders back, exhale, turn your chest one more time to | the right, and then let your head follow to look out coward the right. Now that Expand youf horizons seu compe wero the fnished pose for 3o seconds before Swananda Ashram Yoga Reteat Bahamas || gentyreleasingon an inhalation to come back to center. When you're ready, sit on the other side of the chair and repeat. ‘Youcan putaway the chairand grabacou ees pee = ple of blankets for the second variation aly routine that ea c (ce figure 2). In this pose, you establish ee ee the alignment of your legs while placing eet your hand on the floor to keep yourpelvis, erty bias level and your torso upright. Sic on the ea Elizabe froncedge of two folded, stacked blankets cata ‘ 5 inDandasana Gtalf Pose) Shift your hips Durses, chanting retreat to the left side of your blankets so chat only your right buttock (not the ison the frone comer of the stack. Bend ‘your knees, and swing your legs to the left. Lay your feet on the floor outside yourleft hip, with your left ankle resting in your right arch. Your knees and thighs should face straight forward. Let your lefeburtock drop into the space between theblankets andyour feet. Fhavingboth So knees on the floor is painful or if your ankles are stiff, use more blankets or con- ‘tinue working with the first variation, ‘When you're settled, fae forward an Sivananda Ashram 1.866.446.5934 1.242.363,2902 wn aise ==) Yooa Retreat Bahamas | www.sivanandabahamas.org place your right hand beside your right hip. You might find yourse!fleaning to the 4@ YooAsoURNAL.com Noveuaen 2009sight, so push off with your tight hand to helpyou drop yourleft buttock and rebal- ance. Lift the sidesof your rib eage evenly so that, from the waistup in thisposition, you look as though you are standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Next, cross your left hand in front of you and hold ‘your right knee. Move your right hand behind you on the blanket. GROUNDED TWIST On an inhalation, lift the sides of your chest, and with an exhalation, begin to turn your chest to the right. Roll both shoulders back and broaden your chest. Continue to drop your left outer hip and buttock as the left side of your chest ascends. This wll help lengthen the left side of your back. To remain grounded on the let side as you turn tothe right, roll the outer edge of your left shin and litte toe onto the floor. Youcanalso push off your right hand to help you put ‘weight on your left shin and keep your axis vertical. Roll both shoul- ders back and move your shoulder blades in toward your chest. Bring ‘your upper spine, shoulder blades, and back ibs forwards you exhale and turn to the right. Turnyourhead, keepingitaligned with ‘your spine so that from the crown of your head to your tailbone, your axis is verti- cal. With your head and spine centered, be mindful of the balance in your pelvis; although you may not feel as though you are twistingas faras possible, you will fel the centering quality of the pose. After30 seconds, inhale and turn back to center. Stretch yourlegs into Dandasana, shifeto the right side of your blankets, and swing your feet to the right to twist tothe left FINAL REVOLUTION To do the classic pose, add a bind that lets you open the chest and shoulders and deepen the twist even more. Begin as you did in the second variation by sit- ‘ingon the blankets with your knees bent and feet resting on the floor at your left side. Before youstart the twist, bend your sight elbow and reach yous right forearm behind your back to clasp your left upper arm, just above your left elbows Ifyou are ‘unable to reach yourleftarm, placea strap around your left elbow and hold the belt ‘with your right hand, Next, rll your right shoulder back to broaden the chest, and reach in front of youwithyourlefthand to hold on to your outer right knee. Ifyou can’t quite reach your knee, hold your outer right thigh or theinneredge of yourleftleg. (Later, after you've comeinto the fall twist, youmay be able to crawl your left hand closer to your outer right knee.) ‘The bind will bring you into the first stages of a twist. But before you go fur- ther, drop yourleft buttock andlouter hip toward the floorasyou lift the left side of your chest. Without disturbing the bal- anced level of your foundation, exhale and revolveyourchest from leftto right. You'll feel a stretch in the front of your sight shoulder as you move it back. Ifyou ean Slowly revolving into the pose takes patience, especially if you're eager. reach your right knee, try to extend your left arm straight. It will feel as though ‘your left armispullingyour right shoulder hack more. To further open your chest, moveyourshoulderbladesin toward your chest and lift the left side of your chest so that the right and left sides are even. Thiscan bean intense stretch, butbring, attention to your axis and notice if your spine isstill perpendicular tothe floor or iffyou are leaning to the right. Exhale as, ‘youreleaseyourouterlefe hip down toward the floorand inhale to raise the left side of your waist and ribs. Maintain an even lift along the right and left sides of your sib cage as you exhale, and turn around your axis, head following las. Slowly revolving into the pose like this takes some patience, especially if you're feeling eager. But in the end you'll have bbuilea ewise chat is solid and divine from the earth tothe sky. + Marla Ape (yoganga.com) isa certified Iyengar Togs teacher in Las Angeles kripalu yoga teacher training what does your potential look like? “The best yoga education provides a solid foundation from which students can grow into their highest potential Kripalu Yoga Teacher TTaaining prepares people to become successful yoga teachers by mastering the essentals of yoga. How do we do this? Our unique inquiry- based approach guides you to understand the technology and language of yoga on the mal, while learning how to incorporate the philosophy of yogainto the rest of your fe + 200- and 500-hour certification + trainings each month get online today. \ dates and deta, applications, testimonials, and more © kripalu.org/yogaschool ‘ kripaluorg stockbridge, ma 800.741.7353wisdom | by Sally Kempton busyness plan You can get out of your busy mind and find peace, even when you have too mach to do I've dropped in on a yoga class witha popular teacherin Los Angeles. The room is full of slim blond yoginis moving like synchronized swimmers throughavinyasa series. Fifteen minutes into the sequence, the teacher callsthe class together to dem- onstrate some alignment details. Half the ‘women in the room move forward. The rest turn on their cell phones and begin ‘checking their messages. ‘Those women could have been doctors ‘oneall, or moms with young kids at home. But I suspect that they are victims, like so many people, ofthe internal busynesssyn- ‘dcome—the breathless, stress-addicted feeling of having way too much to do and way too little time to do it. Internal busyness, a complex of internally gen- ‘crated thoughts, beliefs, and bodily re- sponses, can certainly he triggered by an especially busy day or lot of competing demands. But unlike external busyness, ‘which is the more straightforward state of simply having alot todo, internal busyness doesnt go away when tasks are done. External busyness—the pressure that comes from juggling a job, children, and all the tasks of running your life—can bbe managed. It can even be a yogic pathway, if you know how to practice with it. Internal busyness, however, manages you. Sowhen people tell me,“I'mso busy I cant find time to practice,” 1 always ask them which kind of busyness they're distressed by: external orinternal. One clue that you might be suffering from the internal busyness syndrome is this: When you donthave an immediate task at hand, when you have a moment that could be devoted toa few Ujiayi breaths or just spacing out, do you find -yourselfstillspinninginternally wonderingsehat ‘you've forgotten todo? That's internal busyness. ‘The paradox of busynessis abit ike the para- dox of stress. On the one hand, human beings YooAsournac.cow 51Thera Zinc! Delicious, berry flavored Zinc Lozenges boost the immune system and soathe the throat -or get the same great results with sugar-free Thera Zinc Oral Spray ‘This Cold Season, Don’t Catch Anything Else! na eS Call for FREE lozenge trial sample 800-448-1448 www.quantumhealth.com wb ALT OH 52 YooAJouRNAL.cou wisdom are built to be busy: We're hard-wired for action—when it comes to our minds, muscles, or life skills, i’s use them or lose them. Tolive istoact, as Krishna reminds his disciple Axjuna in the Bhagavad Gita And there’salot of blissin usingour kills, Given the choice, most people would opt fora flllife,even athe cost of avingtoo uch to do, Happiness, so elusive when ‘we're pursuingit,hasaway of sneakingup ‘when we're fully absorbed in something— even fit’ just washing the dishes GETTING CAUGHT UP Bot theres also. dark, compulsive side of busyness. You feel overwhelmed, driven by your schedule, afraid of what will ap- pen if you let something go. You run on caffeine and adrenaline, get impatient ‘with your kids and then feel guilty, read runninginto friends because youll haveto stop and talk to them. Being ina hurry can sake you so taskfocused that you jgnore others’ needs as well as your own. In the famous Princeton Theological Seminary Good Samaritan study, nearly all the stu- dents observed walked right past aman ‘who was apparently havingaheart attack con the sidewalk. When interviewed later, most of those who didn't stop said that they were in ahurry to get to aclass. ‘That study offered an important clue about internal busyness. It's rooted in an attitude about time. When the pace of work is intensified, asi is in modern industrial and postindustrial societies, time is seen as.a finite, ever-dwindling commodity. Because time seems scarce, people try to squeeze the maximum amount of productivity out of every minute. They tend to spend less time con things like meditation, contempla- tion, and singing—activities that can'tbe ade to increase their yield” on the time invested in them. Even we yogis, who sup- posedly have oureyes on the inner depths of life, often find ourselves living by the basic capitalist assumption that what we do needs to yield a quantifiable resale How many of us got more interested in meditation when we read about the University of Wisconsin MRI studies that showed that people who meditate can increase activity in the “happiness” section of the brain? We expect our prac- tice to give ussomething measurable, give us more career leverage, or at least rej- ‘venate us so that we can go out and work more. Our spiritual practice becomes valued for its usefulness in our external lives, ather than as the source of peace and well-being that it was intended to be. This assumption that if we're going to spend time on something, it needs to produce a measurable yield—is one root of internal busyness. One posses way to work witha ten- dency towad internal busynessis to peri- odically pause for two to three minutes during the day: While you're at your desk or doing the laundey, play with a yogie practice like the ones described on these pages. The ideaistodoitforitsown sake, ‘without expecting results. Antirushing Practice This practice releases the compulsion that often arises when you're in a hurry Try it now, and then practice it the next time you feel yoursett rushing, STOP, Stand or sit totaly still for one full minute. Firs, say to yourself, "Ihave all the time in the world." Then, bring to mind the image ofa buddha in medita tion. Hold the thought of the image in Your mind while you breathe deeply and slowly five times. Keep that image in {your mind as you continue.on your way. BUSYNESS AS AN ADDICTION ‘My friend Glenn is ike one of the eight- armed Hindu goddesses:a riliant multi- tasker. She ean do five or six things more or less simultaneously: run a meeting, make her kid's dentist appointment, talk toa friend on the phone. For years, she claimed that she did it all in a state of flow—that peak action state in which everything seems to be happening on its own as you move effortlessly from one activity toanother. Atone point, though, she realized that she had become addicted to the multitasking high. Activity addiction is like any other addiction: As it progresses, you need ‘more and more hits to get the original low. So you add one more item to your schedule, then another. Peopleask youtooy BARE ECONOMY Vv Waxing atthe salon is becoming n unaffordable luxury. Smooth th Pa natural hair rernoval systems, and get ultra-smooth, 12 results ata fraction of out the sa ~all Avelable at Target® ae & Simple. Pass care ine: 1888 986 9074 parissa 54 yooAJouRNAL.com wisdom joinacommittee,andyou cant resist. You hear about a conference or a project, and angle to get involved. You add elients or classes. You speed date, goto two orthree parties each weekend, sign your kid up for afterschool activities six days.a week. Pretty soon, you're emailing while you're talkingon the phone, reading while you're eating or doing asana practice, and help- ing your child with her homework while ‘watching the news and feeding the dog. (Ona fundamental level, being busy nourishes the ego’s need to feel impor- tant. But while it's normal to derive a healthy self-esteem from being engaged ‘with the world, the ego's addiction to busyness has at its core a terror of its, ‘own emptiness. The ego feels, “IF I'm ‘busy, that means I exist. I'm worthwhile. I’m wanted.” When you're active and ‘engaged, you feel part ofthe rhythm of life. Our culture reinforces the assump- tion that being busy equals being produc- tiveand important. Practice: Finding the Nonverbal “I Am" STOP. Close your eyes. Ask yourself, ‘When tm net busy, not productive, who am 12 When Fm not thinking, not moving around, nt emotionally engaged, who am 12" Instead of looking fora verbal answer, tunein to the space that opens Upright after the question, GETTING OFF THE WHEEL A few months ago, Glenn realized that she was exhausted and needed to make some changes in her life. She arranged to take a week of her vacation time, when her daughter was with her ex-husband, forcontemplation. The first dayorso, the phone rang constantly. Then it stopped singing. At first, Glenn found the silence scary: Did it mean that she'd stopped existing in her world of busy people? She realized that, away from her job, she felt meaningless, as if er existence had no ‘value when she wasn't doing important, helpful work Over the following days, Glenn sur rendered to being present with what she ‘was experiencing, She let herself inhabit her fear ofbeingleftout—andthe deeper fear of nonexistence that seemed to lic behind it. As she did, she moved past those fears into areal peace. “I began to feel the part of myself that is deeper than fear of being alone, deeper than the fear of not being enough, deeper than sadness orboredom,” she said, Attheend ofthe week, once hackin her “normal” overscheduled life, Glenn faced the problem of how to keep from going back to herold habit of filing every mi ute. The obvious first step was to do less. ‘This is not always easy, especially for thosewithyoung kids ora demanding job But Glenn discovered that ifshe turned down nonessential “extras,” like chair- nga committee or giving a talk, she had ‘more time to focus on the essentials. Ie also meant that she could have real con versationswith co-workers, doa round or ‘two of pranayama in between appoint- ‘ments, and even meditate for afew min- utes before lunch. ‘Dealing with external busyness nearly always demands practical solutions—dele- gating or letting go of certain activities, maybe even observing a weekly Sabbath, areal day of rest and inner contempla- tion. But internal busyness is the domain ofyoga To trulyaddressinternal busyness, younced two types of yogs. First, youneed inner practices that take you to your cen- ter Even ifyou arent ready to commit t0 a daily meditation practice, you can get into the habit of stopping several times a day co center yourself through some form offinner focus, such asthe micropractices found on these pages. Micropracticescre- ate small refuge spaces in your day: Over time, the sense of spaciousness you find in these moments will expand until you canaccessitat will ‘The second type of yoga is more de- ‘manding, because it asks that you culti- vate attitudes that allow you to act with ‘yogic awareness in everything you do. Your actions become yoga when you act ‘with inner focus. Otherwise, you might be doingwonderfal thingsin the world — ‘making art, practicing poverty law, oF working for the environment—but youll still eel overwhelmed and burned out. ‘There’s an old Zen story about two ‘monks who run into each other outside theirtemple. One of them issweeping the