dig YOGA

January 2012 : Gentle Flow

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

Happy 2012! Wishing you an amazing one.

NY Times writer, David Brooks asked readers over the age of 70 to write autobiographical essays evaluating their own lives. They share insight and learnings on life here. An inspiring read, as we enter this new year.

Read: The Life Report.

December was all about rest and restore! Long held poses stimulate organs and improve concentration. We contintue this trend in slowing down with a gentle flow focus in January.

This month, we will begin and end class with long held relaxation poses, focus on the breath and minimize strain.

Kathryn Budig shares a 22 min. gentle flow video on Yoga Journal that can be done at the comforts of your home, this cold season.

Check out the Video : Gentle Flow

December 2011 : Rest & Restore

2011-12-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

December is Rest & Restore.

In November, we celebrated gratitude. This holiday season, gratitude can help us bring focus to what we have, and help shift our mind from a scarcity mentality to one of abundance. Think of one person, place, or thing you are thankful for. Dwell there for a while.

This month, we will practice restorative yoga. Most of our lives are spent in movement. Our days are filled with techy conveniences that help us get more done, faster. This basic relaxation is the practice of deliberate stillness and helps us cultivate a habit of attention. We will hold poses for a long period of time with props, allowing all tension to release.

Benefits of Restorative Yoga...

- Brings your system back into balance
- Deepens your breathing
- Reduces stress hormones
- Slows down heart rate + blood pressure
- Boosts levels of joy + serenity

November 2011 : Gratitude

2011-11-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

November is Gratitude.

Last month, we focused on yoga face. Our facial muscles build tension, and we can daily release this stress by mindfully relaxing our jaw, softening our eyes, and releasing the tongue. Don't let the cold weather, traffic, or your barista at Starbucks stress your face out this season and beyond.

Here are some fun photos by Annelise Hagan that you can mimic at home and during yoga class to relax your face. Don't fear, go for it, relax thy face!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we celebrate gratitude this month.

In yoga practice, as we bring more awareness to the mind, we can begin to identify less with negative self chatter and meet each moment as it rises with more gratitude. This can also spill off the mat into your daily life.

What does that mean? Next time, you are berating yourself or life on the mat- stop. Yes, it can be that easy.

Focus on your breath and notice how you are the creator of your own thoughts. Think of a few things that you are thankful for and dwell on them.

This month we investigate gratitude.

"Gratitude" and "Grace" come from the common Latin word gratus, meaning "thankful" or "pleasing."

How to cultivate Gratitude ..

- Start a gratitude journal
- Focus on what you have
- Give back
- Receive with gratitude..this honors the goodness of the giver
- Practice random acts of kindness

October 2011 : Yoga Face

2011-10-04T09:12:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends,

October is here.

Last month, we focused on the space between each yoga pose. Our minds often carry on stories as we practice yoga. What am I going to eat for dinner? When will this pose be over? Wonder if the teacher is going to play my favorite jam for savasana? We try to squeeze in personal commentary while we practice and often lose balance or find ourselves lost in the asana sequence.

Take some time to bring awareness and attention to the moment in between the pose. Slow down. Focus on the breath and create a seamless flow from the moment you roll out your mat until your last exhale. Easier said then done. But, let's try! :)

This month we explore yoga poses for the face.

Annelise Hagen shown above released The Yoga Face in 2007 to share ways to relax tension in the face.

During yoga class, you may be instructed to relax your jaw, relax the muscles behind your eyes or stick your tongue out with a large lion roar.

Why? We hold a lot of tension in our face.

There are 57 facial muscles and they too need some TLC. We spend lots of time toning and strengthening the body, but often forget about the muscles above the neck.

This month we will explore yoga for the face.

September 2011 Focus : Transitions in Yoga

2011-09-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Welcome to September!

In August, we practiced yoga nidra (sleep) using imagery to relax the body. We are often unaware of our own inner tension. Thoughts and worries may revolve in the mind, even while you sleep. Yoga Nidra can help you release tensions in the body, emotions, and mind, allowing for complete relaxation. If you are interested in exploring further, "Yoga Nidra" by Swami Satyananda Saraswati offers some great nidra methods.

This month we focus on transitions in yoga practice.

September Focus : Transitions in Yoga Practice

Do you ignore the moments in between poses?

Do you rush through them or completely tune them out?

We often avoid uncomfortable places in practice and rush towards the final pose. The journey in yoga practice, as in life, is just as important as the destination. Slowing down and paying closer attention during transitions will help bring focus back to the journey.

This month, we will explore gliding slowly and mindfully between poses building strength and structural integrity.

August Focus : Yoga Nidra

2011-08-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

August is here!

This past July we practiced different forms of sitting meditation after our asana practice. Research on meditation continues to show that neural circuits transform to increase functionality, focus, empathy and happiness. ABC News recently covered how meditation can help re-wire your brain, in little as an 8 week practice and how more Americans are now practicing meditation. Watch the clip.

This month we practice : Yoga Nidra

Nidra : Sanskrit word for sleep

August Focus : Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra or yogi sleep is a form meditation that uses imagery to relax you mentally, emotionally and physically. In yogi sleep we mindfully eliminate stress and burdens and attain more blissful state of awareness. We will practice yoga nidra for 17-20 minutes at the end of asana practice this month.

July Focus : Meditation Practice

2011-07-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Welcome to July!

Our dear friend and fellow yoga teacher Lia Hall is heading west to Seattle. She will be sharing thoughts on yoga love from the west coast once she is settled in. Sending her love + prana.

Samskara or habitual patterns was our June focus. We discussed a seven step process that can help bring awareness to any patterns that you would like to shift in your life or simply bring awareness to. You may explore these steps in this Yoga Journal article by Bo Forbes 'Stuck in a Rut?'

Bo Forbes is a yoga teacher + psychologist. She makes this important point on change: "Intellectual insight that does not travel beyond the mind seldom translates into change. Because the body houses our emotional intelligence, it might not assimilate the insight. Yoga acts through the medium of the body, taking vidya (awareness)to even deeper levels."

This month we practice : Meditation

Dhyana* - is the Sanskrit word for meditation or mental concentration in thought/vision/knowledge

We will practice sitting meditation for 10-15 minutes at the end of asana practice this month.

- Shamatha (Mindfulness)
- Loving Kindness
- Mantra

Soul Flow Yoga @ Shambhala Yoga & Dance

2011-06-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Lia is back to invite all those who dig yoga to "Soul Flow Yoga" at Shambhala Yoga and Dance!

Join four spirited women for a harmonious yoga flow that will feed your soul! Yoga asana and pranayama will be co-taught by Angela Arnold and Lia Hall accompanied by the soulful voices of Mayteana Morales and Saretta Wesley.

Class is $20 + donations
Space is limited. To reserve your place RSVP at (718) 622 9956 or email contact@shambhalayogadance.com

http://shambhalayogadance.com/

June 2011 : What is a Samskara?

2011-06-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

It's June!

Summertime is upon us. Time for the beach, strolls, picnics & BBQ's on rooftops and parks!

Prana, was our focus in May. This vital force runs through the nadis (energy channels) and informs you about your wellness on a physical and emotional level. You may begin to follow your prana closely by simply bringing awareness to your breath inside and outside the yoga posture.

This month we discuss : Samskara

Samskara* - (sam) is the Sanskrit word for come together, or joined together and (kara) is action, cause or doing .. also known as habitual patterns, grooves, individual impressions that can be negative or positive. The yoga mat offers you personal space to become aware of these patterns and shed light on those that may need to be shifted.

June Focus : What is a Samskara?

We will discuss Samskara and how to shift grooves through..

Sankalpa (Intention)
Tapas ( Discipline)
Shani (Slowness)
Vidya (Awareness)
Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Darshana (Vision)
Abhyasa (Practice)

May 2011 : Prana

2011-05-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Welcome to May! Hope you are enjoying the sunshine, budding flowers and trees. Thank you for joining me in April, as we practiced heart openers to release tension in the chest, encourage inhalation, an action associated related to embracing life. Releasing muscles in the chest helps increase energy and breath flow in the lung and heart. Back bending turns the body out to face the world from a different viewpoint. Heart openers can move blocked or sluggish energy leaving the mind more clear and focused.

This May, we will discuss Prana. In most physical yoga classes, we often practice asana (postures) and breathing techniques (pranayama).

Prana* - is the Sanskrit word for vital force, this force is known to permeate the body and is concentrated within nadis (energy channels). Prana also runs along the midline in the chakras and effects energy centers. Similar concepts are found within the Chinese, chi/ Japanese ki, Greek pneuma.
(*As defined by the medical dictionary)

We will discuss how Prana relates to..

Nadis (energy channels)
Ida, Pingla, Sushumna (main nadis)
Chakras (energy centers)

April Focus : Heart Openers (Backbends)

2011-04-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Thank you for joining me in March, as we practiced forward bends to relax the mind and lengthen the spine. A natural womb like curve develops as you bend forward, making space between the spinal vertebrate, improving circulation along the spine and throughout the body. Mindful pranayama (breathing practice) and folding forward massages the internal organs and may aid in alleviating digestive ailments.

This April, we will practice and embrace heart openers or backbends. We often spend many hours hunched over computers, a regular practice of backbends can help release shoulders, upper back, and the chest.

Hridayam - is the Sanskrit word for heart, which translates as "that which receives, gives and circulates." Heart openers not only help strengthen your heart muscle, but also awaken emotional and energetic blockages. As energy lines unblock and open, you begin to bravely face emotions as they rise and stay steady and grounded as they pass.

Inhale (receive) Exhale (give). Where are you strongest? Can you find balance by accessing your heart center.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
Setu Bhandasana (Bridge Pose)
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel)

March : Forward Bends

2011-03-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Thank you for joining me in February for our practice and discussion on inversions. Turning upside down during practice has numerous benefits for the cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous and endocrine systems of the body. Raising the legs facilitates a healthy exchange of nutrients and wastes between cells and capillaries. Simply practicing Vipariti Karani (Legs up the wall) at home for 3-5 min. offers physiological benefits.

Please note that there will be no class on March 1 or 8.

This March, we will discuss the benefits of forward bends. Folding forward helps relax our minds and releases tense muscles along the spine and legs.

March Focus : Forward Bends

Uttanasana (Standing forward Bend)
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch)
Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Bend)

Yoga Inversions in February

2011-02-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

In January, we discussed numerous benefits of twists in yoga practice. Yoga twists stimulate circulation, improve digestion, and maintain flexibility in the intervertrebal discs and ligaments of the spine. Each part of the spine differs in rotational ability. The cervical vertebrae (7) have the most mobility in twisting, followed by the thoracic (12), and the lumbar vertebrae (5) with the least rotation. When twisting in yoga, allow each vertebrae to participate at it's own rotational range without strain or force.

This February, we will practice inversions. Invert is a verb meaning 'to turn upside down.' In yoga practice, inversions can range from downward dog to headstand. Viewing our physical reality from different angles helps us facilitate a fresh new perspective in practice and life.

February Focus : Inversions

We will practice and discuss the benefits of inversions this month:

Halasana (Plough Pose)
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall)
Sirsasana (Headstand)
Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog)

January 2011: Twist into the New Year!

2011-01-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

Happy New Year! :)

Thank you for joining us in December for yoga practice and discussing the 3 doshas. Vata, Kapha and Pitta are known as the three basic humors in Ayurveda (Science of Life). They are believed to govern biological and psychological functions of mind, body and consciousness. Vata is the primary dosha and describes wind and movement in the body. Pitta is responsible for digestion and transformation. Kapha 'makes things stick together' and refers to power of cohesion. One or two doshas are often dominant within the body. If you are interested in learning more about your dosha, take this fun quiz by Lissa Coffey : What's your Dosha?

This January, we will explore twists in yoga practice. B.K. Iyengar describes twists as 'squeeze + soak action." As you twist, toxins are wrung out of compressed organs. When you release, fresh blood carrying oxygen flows in replenishing your cells.

We will practice and discuss the benefits of twists this month:

Marichyasana I
Ardha Matsyendrasana
Trikonasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Parivrtta Trikonasana

December Focus: What's a Dosha?

2010-12-09T19:45:00.001-08:00

Thank you for joining us in November for yoga practice and discussion of the psoas muscle. The psoas is the only muscle that connects the spine to the lower limbs. It is the bodies center for movement. This triangular shaped muscle is believed to be linked to emotions, and habitual patterns of holding and is located behind the solar plexus. With greater awareness of the psoas, we are able to move more freely and gracefully through life.

This December we will explore the three doshas. In Ayurvedic science theory, health exists when there is balance between the three bodily humors known as : Vata, Kapha, and Pitta.

This month we will explore dosha and it's ayurvedic base. We will begin to identify our own dominant dosha and how it relates to food, lifestyle and yoga.

3 Mind/Body (Dosha) Types:

Pitta

Kapha

Vata

Psoas Muscle (pronounced: so-az)

2010-12-09T15:34:00.000-08:00

- Psoas muscle is triangular in shape and not easily visible to the naked eye

- Psoas is the only muscle connecting the spine to the leg

- Psoas is known to be the center of movement for the body

- Top of Psoas attaches along (5) vertebrae bodies, starting a the last thoracic vertebrae (T12) + continues to attach to each lumbar vertebrae, terminating at the lumbar vertebrae (L4)

- Believed to be linked to emotions and habitual patterns of holding; located behind solar plexus

- Psoas resides where gut feelings are felt

- Psoas effects: structural balance, muscular integrity, flexibility, strength, range of motion, joint stability, and organ functioning

- Energetically contributes to fight or flight: curling into ball for protection or running in fear, which deeply effects emotion and habitual patterns of ‘holding’

References:

Liz Koch. The Psoas Book. Guinea Pig Publications, 1997.

Bandha Yoga : http://www.bandhayoga.com/keys_psoas.html

November: Psoas Muscle in Yoga Practice

2010-11-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

Thank you for joining us in October for mudras. These energetic hand seals help harmonize the body and prepare for meditation. We often use mudras in yoga practice and hope you were able to take away a better understanding of their significance. This November we will delve into the Psoas Muscle and how it relates to yoga.

November Focus: Psoas Muscle

We will explore the Psoas and how yoga postures can help stretch, lengthen and strengthen this core muscle. The Psoas Muscle is often described as the center of energy, movement and balance. This muscle attaches to both the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and connects to the upper/lower body. Join us, as we take a closer look at the psoas this month.

Mudras

2010-11-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Mudras [mud:’ra] – Sanskrit meaning ‘seal’

- Spiritual gesture and energetic seal
- Found in Hinduism and Buddhism
- In Yoga, it is used with Pranamaya or breathing techniques to stimulate different parts of the body to affect the flow of prana

Five Element Theory, in relation to hand:

o Thumb Fire (nourishes the energy of the other fingers, absorbs excess energy and restores balance)

o Index Air (heart chakra, large intestine, and deep meridian of the stomach are associated with this finger, air element represents thoughts)

o Middle Ether (throat chakra, circulation meridian and deep meridian of gall bladder)

o Ring Earth (root chakra, deep meridian of the liver, rules the pelvic floor, gives stamina, staying power and power to be assertive)

o Little Water (second chakra, energy center of sexuality, interpersonal relations

Jnana Mudra (mudra of knowledge)

- Done by touching the tips of the thumb and the index together, forming a circle, and the hand is held with the palm inward toward the heart
- Symbolizes unification of individual soul with the universal soul
- Clears the mind, promotes memory and concentration

Anjali Mudra - (AHN-jah-lee MOO-dra) (mudra of offering)

- Place both hands in front of heart chakra, with small space between palms
- Coordinates right/left side of brain, brings forth silence balance and peace
- Namaste ( the divinity in me greets the divinity in you)
- Poses : Mountain, Prayer, Tree

Hirschi, Gerturd; Mudras: Yoga in the Hands; 2000

October : Mudras + Fall News

2010-10-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Thank you for joining us in September. We hope you were able to learn and refine your practice of sun and lunar salutations. Salutations can be a great way to begin and end your day.

Welcome to October! With this new season, we have some fall changes to announce. Lia Hall will be teaching a yoga class at a community health center, Third Root in the Flatbush neighborhood on Tuesdays, check out her lovely new class.

Dig Yoga would like to formally welcome
Zarah Kravitz and Katrina De Wees to our Tuesday night workshop style class in Ft. Greene. Zarah, a certified hatha yoga instructor of Dharma Mittra and a active nutrition counselor will share her love of health and yoga with us at the Irondale. Katrina, an interdisciplinary artist working in the mediums of dance, theater and video will be creatively helping Dig Yoga offline/on. Aspiring yogi, she brings her love of body awareness and wellness to the dig community. Welcome Zarah and Katrina!

We are pleased to share, Dig Yoga is working with Citizen Schools this fall and introducing yoga to middle school children at the Urban Assembly of Arts and Letters at 225 Adelphi Street. Students will learn yoga theory and asanas (postures) and present to teachers and family members this December.

In October, we will focus on Mudras. These symbolic hand gestures are often used in yoga classes to help harmonize and balance. Mudras are believed to effect the energies of the body and seal in prana (life force). We will explore different mudras this month and discuss how they effect the body.

Sun Salutations in September

2010-09-10T16:18:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends,

Thanks for relaxing with us in August for Yoga Nidra.
We are happy to report that we are now able to supply you with a eco-friendly jute fiber mat for class in case you forget to bring yours. For the month of September we will focus on Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar sequences.

Surya namaskar or sun salutations are a series of linked asanas and breath usually performed to introduce a yoga practitioner to the practice. The sequence is designed to move and warm the body and spine into postures that harmonize each other.
During the month of September we will discuss various aspects of this practice and why it is fundamental preparation. Each week will introduce various traditions of sun salutations including:

* Classic
* Surya namaskar A & B
* Shiva namaskar
* Lunar "chandra" namaskar

Yoga Nidra in August

2010-08-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Also known as yogic sleep, yoga nidra is becoming an increasingly therapeutic way to relieve stress and induce full body relaxation. Yoga Nidra works effectively on mental resolve, will power and resolutions. Using guided imagery and body scanning we will end each class this month with a session of yoga nidra. The subconscious mind is open and receptive, as this deep relaxation method helps breakdown old patterns.

Loving Kindness Meditation

2010-07-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

“Scrape the Old Paint Off the Wall”

There’s no universal love without purification, otherwise the gunk will show through

Mettā (Pāli) or maitrī (Sanskrit) is loving-kindness, friendliness, benevolence, amity, friendship, good will, kindness, love, sympathy, and active interest in others.

¥ It is one of the ten pāramīs of the Theravāda school of Buddhism, and the first of the four sublime states (Brahmavihāras).

¥ The cultivation of loving-kindness (mettā bhāvanā) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism; it represents culmination of buddhist path.

Practice:

¥ Sit down. Notice awareness of impermanence from vipassana practice.

¥ Try to remain open even if you feel solid.

¥ Sense the tiny and effortless vibrations throughout the body.

¥ Let thoughts permeate qualities of goodwill and friendliness.

¥ Think about a circumstance or of people that generate this feeling, or contact intrinsic goodness; remember as a young child your natural beneficence; bring up all that is best within you.

¥ Inhabit gratitude, compassion, and forgiveness.

¥ Notice that goodness can be a felt sense; allow this feeling tone to percolate into movements and vibrations throughout your body and the space around it. Just as a concentrated drop of food coloring in water spreads and colors the water, your feeling tone can spread and change your perception of your environment.

¥ Sense a hint of a smile and watch the energy of the smile. Watch it spread to the forehead, scalp, throat, chest, lungs, heart.

¥ If you lose the sense, produce thoughts and associations just as you did in the beginning.

¥ Abide in a pure feeling of beneficence, goodwill, and friendliness.

¥ Goodwill becomes your mantra—there is nothing but this feeling.

¥ Smile through your body, room, neighborhood, city, and world.

¥ Think about the people with whom you have or will interact today and surround them with this smiling tone.

¥ Think about the people whom you have hurt or who have hurt you. Feel the hurt as a quiet place quiet place in the body and feel it being healed by loving state.

¥ Feel loving kindness on yourself. Forgive yourself in general. Bathe yourself in loving kindness.

¥ Now with each joy and connection you encounter, notice that there is some feeling tone of human warmth.

¥ Be ready to foster and spread this quality in every situation. Each time you encounter a new situation is a chance to deepen this practice. This doesn’t mean you are wimpy or ineffectual.

¥ Bring this meditative state into day-to-day life.

Cultivating Loving-Kindness

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving-kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk, peace activist, and refugee during the Vietnam War, explains that by recognizing a sense of “inter-being,” we realize that it is in our best interest to be mindful and compassionate toward others. “A tree reveals itself to an artist when the artist can establish a certain relationship with it,” he says:

Someone who is not human enough may look at his fellow humans and not see them, may look at a tree and not see it. Many of us can’t see things because we’re not wholly ourselves. When we’re wholly ourselves, we can see how one person, by living fully, can demonstrate to all of us that life is possible, that a future is possible. But the question, “Is a future possible?” is meaningless if we’re not able to see the millions of our fellow humans who suffer, live, and dies around us. Only after we’ve really seen them are we able to see ourselves and see nature.

When we look at a flower, we no it is always receiving non-flower elements like water, air, sunshine and simultaneously gives something back to its environment. Hence, just like everything, a flower is a stream of change. Every instant there is input and output; it’s always being born and always dying. It’s always connected to the environment around it. The components of the universe depend on one another for their existence.

Yoga Asanas and Breath:

Use each transition and movement to observe a quality of friendliness toward yourself and others. How you arrive in the posture determines how you will be in it. Feel that each posture can be an expression of your “smiling tone.” You may even sense that this feeling, that you both generate and receive, radiates to those near you—setting the tone for the entire space around you. Acknowledge that those around you are breathing the same loving kindness.

References:

Thich Nhat Hanh. The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology. Berkley: Parallax Press, 2008.

--. Living Buddha, Living Christ. New York: Riverhead Books, 1995.

Shinzen Young. “Loving Kindness: Explanation and Practice.” Five Meditations. Audio Renaissance, 2004.

Vipassana Meditation

2010-07-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (Sanskrit)

Vipassana is the - "vi-" and verbal root √paś is often translated to “insight” or “clear seeing, intuitive knowing”; there is no direct translation; basically means careful observation of moment-by-moment experience; liberating insight comes from it

- In the Buddhist tradition, it means insight into the nature of reality.

- Earliest of known Buddhist meditations, which also includes Zen and Tibetan Tantra

- A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi (vipaśyin).

- It is a way of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection.

- Aimed at developing deep insight into the true nature of experience

- Goal is to understand nature of impermanence (anicca); sufferings (dhukah); and non-existance (anatta)

- helps one become more attuned to emotional states

- one can watch thoughts rise and fade, and learn to react with calm detachment and clarity, reducing compulsive reaction

1. Sit and pay attention to sensations that arise in body. Observe objectively. Take an aspect of experience. Infuse it with precise attentiveness and allowingness.

2. Observe thoughts as a witness. Avoid getting lost in thoughts. Allow the ordinary operation of senses and thinking. Analyze each into components; note

ideas, thoughts, and images; note sensations arising at different times and different places. Allow them to rise and pass without interference—pure observation,

not pushing and pulling, but remaining interactive with life. If necessary, push and pull; you are not indifferent or passive.

3. Allow sensations to stay or move. When you infuse each experience with this awareness, painful sensations will cease to cause suffering and joyous ones will heighten your sense of fulfillment. These insights are intended to release blockages, so that we can escape into the flow of life, rather than mask and repress our experiences.

It is normal to react to the vipassana practice. We may experience discomfort, emotions, vulnerability, and shaking in the body. This is considered to purify our stored process of pain. Eventually, with intensity, the sensation will disperse. Try to stay with the practice maintaining continuity of awareness.

Origins of our sensations are: Physical / Physiological/ Psychological

We often avoid subtle discomforts that are felt in unconscious parts of ourselves. Here, we make them conscious. Watch them move feely from one place to another.

Noting technique: Say the name of place where you feel sensation to yourself (e.g. knee, chest, hands, forehead, upper body)

If you become preoccupied, say parts out loud; objective, matter-of-fact; tone of voice;

focus on fact that they are constantly shifting and changing – one experience to another; rising and fading; dwell in impermanence – the flow of nature. Like a surfer is in the moment; see how thoughts and feelings change. Rest in change. Movement softens and opens you up.

Monaghan, Patricia and Eleanor G. Viereck; “Meditation: The Complete Guide”Ospina, Maria “Meditation Practices for Health State of the Research”; Young, Shinzen. “Vipassana: Explanation, Practice, and Additional Tips.” Five Meditations. Audio Renaissance, 2004.

lia & tina dig yoga 7.14.10

July Focus : Methods of Meditation

2010-07-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

Studies show that meditation can help humans relieve stress, focus, and cultivate a more peaceful frame of mind. Meditation is often related to a spiritual experience of enlightenment, nirvana, rebirth, and is practiced and defined differently across many cultures and religious groups. Modern medicine has discovered many health benefits of meditation practice.
This month, we will explore and guide each class in relation to a different form of meditation. These are some of the methods we will explore:

o Vipassana
o Mantra
o Mindfulness
o Loving Kindness

Free Yoga at the Bedford Public Library!

2010-06-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Bedford Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library has kindly opened their auditorium for free yoga classes taught by yours truly.

Who:
You and I
Readers and Yogis alike

What:
Free "all-levels-welcome" yoga class

When:
Saturday June 26th and July 31st
10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Where:

Bedford

496 Franklin Avenue

between Jefferson Ave. and Fulton St.

Brooklyn, NY 11238

t. 718-623-0012

How:

RSVP before the day of class at digyoga@gmail.com or call 347.542.8710

Take the C or Franklin Shuttle train, car, bike, foot, and sheer determination

Why:

Because it's free and it's good for you

*Please wear appropriate attire (clothes you can stretch in) and supply your own mats. If you absolutely cannot bring your own mat, please email me and I'll see what I can do. Also, be sure to hydrate well before class and do not eat at least two hours prior--small servings of fruit is probably okay.

What's New in June?

2010-05-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

Back to the Tuesdays at the Irondale

We have some great news! We are back at the Irondale for Tuesday night classes. Again, we thank the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church for housing our classes during the interim.

June Focus: Systems

A healthy environment depends on the integration of all systems functioning in harmony and relationship. We know that when we look at global environmental issues, it is necessary to observe how systems interact, rather than looking at problems only in isolation. For instance, how does geology affect the weather?

Similarly, in many yoga classes, we talk about only a number of systems such as the respiratory (breath) and muscular or skeletal, but rarely see the effect of one upon another. We would like to expand and "yoke" the systems into a coordinated whole.

In this series, we will survey and guide each class in reference to a chosen system that functions in the body, so that we can examine and experience the asana with a different kind of awareness than we are probably accustomed.

These are some of the systems we will look at:

Respiratory
Digestive
Nervous
Circulatory
Reproductive
Endocrine

2010-05-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

May Focus: The Koshas

The five koshas or "sheaths" are layers that encompass the self. In most yoga practices we deal with only the physical or superficial body. This month, we will dig into the more subtle layers that we inhabit.

Each week we'll explore one kosha:

1. Annamaya - Physical
2. Pranamaya - Vital/breath
3. Manomaya - Mind
4. Vijanamaya - Wisdom
5. Anandamaya - Bliss

Come find out more...

*Tapas, Svahdhyaya, Isvarapranidhana

2010-04-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

"Through my efforts, I gain the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”~ Anonymous

*Tapas, Svahdhyaya, Isvarapranidhana

effort, self-study, surrender

Kriya yoga is every “cleansing action” that we can actually practice and comprises these elements:

· Tapas: tap means to “blaze, burn, and shine”; conscious ardour to achieve goal; it is austerity and self-discipline; practices such as asana and pranayama that can help us to remove blocks and tensions, in vocal, physical and mental aspects; it keeps the body fit through heat and cleansing; must not cause suffering; Iyengar says, “Life without tapas is like a heart without love.”

· Svadhyaya: sva means “self” and adhyaya means “inquiry” or “examination”; searching, asking questions, looking into ourselves; other translations include the study of texts and repeating mantras; “The person practicing svadhyaya reads his own book of life, at the same time that he writes and revises it.” (Iyengar)

· Isvarapranidhana: action not motivated by outcome; we know we have done our best

“The goal of yoga is to encourage us to be a little better than we were before...by making an effort and by practicing patience. When we do this we will not see ourselves as beset by so many problems. Our efforts may change in intensity, but over a period of time we will gradually experience progress. We must actively seize every opportunity that helps us progress.” ~T.K.V. Desikachar

The Heart of Yoga

Earth Day Expo 2010 at Habana Outpost!

2010-04-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Dig Yoga will be at Habana Outpost today for Earth Day events and re-opening celebrations, come through if you are out and about! And if you haven't been to Habana Outpost before, we definitely recommend that you check it out. They are truly green.

757 Fulton Street (at S. Portland) http://www.habanaoutpost.com/

Santosha – contentment

2010-04-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have. ~ Unknown

Santosha (Santosa, Samtosa) pertains to our mental activity (e.g. study, knowledge),

physical effort, pain, and well-being; and how we earn our living and what supports us.

· Contentment connotes self-sufficiency

· Not coveting more than you have; renunciation of the need to acquire

· Not suffering because you think you are lacking something

· Having a mindful and openhearted approach to yoga asana practice for both easy and challenging poses

· Understanding the power of your emotional state and not passing it on to others

· Contentment can mean falling in love with your life, and appreciating the richness it has to offer

The “real meaning” of santosha is “to accept what happens.” This does not simply mean that we need to pretend we’ve had a lobotomy and take on a passive, apathetic or emotionless role in our lives. Rather, when things do not go the way we plan or when something bad happens, instead of bemoaning our personal grievances, we can practice santosha by trying to learn from the situation.

Santosha is about ourselves; about what we have and what he have been given.

There is no end of craving. Hence contentment alone is the best way to happiness. Therefore, acquire contentment. ~ Swami Sivananda

Riches are not from an abundance of wordly goods, but from a contented mind.~ Muhammad

My crown is in my heart, not on my head, Nor decked with diamonds and Indian stones, Nor to be seen: My crown is called content: A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy. ~William Shakespeare

References:
Desikachar, T.K.V. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Vermont: Inner Traditions, 1999.
Iyengar, B.K.S. Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken, 1966.
Mishra, Ramamurti S. M.D. The Textbook of Yoga Psychology. New York: Baba Bhagavandas Publication Trust, 1997.

Niyamas

2010-04-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

Niyamas are rules of individual conduct and self-discipline.

1.    saucha – purity
2.    santosha – contentment
3.    tapas – ardour or austerity
4.    svadhyaya – self- study
5.    Isvara pranidhana – dedication or surrender

Saucha – purity
When cleanliness is developed, it reveals what needs to be constantly maintained, and what is eternally clean. What decays is the external. What does not is deep within us.
~ Yoga Sutra II.40 ; Translation by T.K.V. Desikachar

Purification or cleanliness is of 3 kinds:
(1) Physical – purification of body and it’s organs, including clothing and surroundings;
(2) Vocal – right use of words;
(3) Mental – right thinking

Cleanliness is key in supporting an individual’s health. We purify the body by practicing good hygiene and by practicing yoga asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques), which detoxify and oxygenate the body from the inside out.

Some things you can do this Spring in the spirit of Saucha:

Donate clothes and other household items to your local charity
Clean out your fridge, closets, and drawers to make for good, clear, light space
Review your diet; get rid of foods that make you feel dull and sluggish
Evaluate your relationships, or job and shed what is negative

Physical considerations for cleanliness include the food we take in and the place we practice. Food is taken for sustenance “to promote health, strength, energy and life.” We literally are what we eat. Just as the cellular material from food metabolizes and assimilates to our body’s cellular makeup, the quality and energy of the food affects us energetically. When one becomes clear and views the body as the vehicle of the soul, it will be guarded well. Also, the place where we practice should be quiet, “clean, airy, dry and pest-free.”
            Because the body and mind are directly connected, when one purifies the body, one also purifies the mind of emotional and intellectual agitations. The process of cleansing reveals the radiance that underlies an accumulation of material consumption, impure action, intention, thought, and speech that we can burden ourselves with. Often it is our own afflictions and actions that become obstacles to clear sense perception; hence, the ability to have real cognition or see reality clearly as it is. Of course, I don't intend to say that we must be indoctrinated in the ways of yoga philosophy, but I suggest we glean from it this notion as passed down from the lineage of Krishnamacharya, that recognition of confusion is a form of clarity. And "when one is benevolent, one sees the virtues in others and not merely their faults...then one is ready to enter the temple of her own body and see her real self in the mirror of her mind.”

A New Location for a New Season

2010-04-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

We're writing to inform you of a change. Please note that due to Irondale performances, we will be temporarily moving next door to the Lafayette Ave Presbyterian Church, which is located at 85 S Oxford St as well. And instead of Tuesday evenings, class will be held on Thursday evenings at the same time; 7:30 - 8:45pm.

Thank you for joining us in March for our focus on structures of the body and how they relate to poses. This month, in the spirit of spring cleaning and change, we will integrate twists and other detoxifiying poses along with a study of the niyamas. We hope the sun is now shining on you.

April Focus: Niyamas

According to the Yoga Sutras, compiled by the sage Patanjali, the niyamas are rules of personal behavior or practices of lifestyle and attitude. They include these five elements:

1. Saucha - purity, cleanliness
2. Santosha - contentment

3. Tapah - heat, cook, effort, self-discipline

4. Svadhyaya - self-study

5. Isvarapranidhana - surrender, allowing

For the month of April, we will focus on each of these elements and how they relate to the practice. We want to make good space in ourselves to take in all that this season has to offer.

Spring is like a perhaps ...

Spring is like a perhaps
hand (which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and

changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and

without breaking anything.

e.e.cummings

March Focus: Body & Soles

2010-02-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

Learn how your hands and feet play an important role in creating a strong and supported practice. Also, we will survey the anatomy and movements of shoulders and hips. Lastly, how does the hinging action of the knee relate to the ball and socket of the hip for safe movement?

Yoga at the Irondale in Fort Greene

Tuesdays 7:30 - 9:00pm

March 2, 9, & 16

85 S Oxford St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Drop-in class: $15

5 Class Card : $50

We accept cash or credit card via Paypal.

February Focus: Gunas

2010-01-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

Guna means rope. According to Samkhya (an ancient yoga philosophy), the gunas are forces that bind and control all things. There are three main characteristics, which will correspond to each week's class:

1. Satoguna -manifestation, intelligence, creation
2. Rajoguna - activity, energy, preservation
3. Tamoguna- inertia, mass, destruction
4. Prakriti - when all of these exist in a state of equilibrium

Each class we will focus on what each guna represents and how it operates within our daily lives from activity and habits to diet and mood.

Come find out more...

Yoga at the Irondale in Fort Greene
Tuesdays (*except Sunday the 7th) 7:30 - 8:45pm
February 2, *7, 16, 23
85 S Oxford St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Drop-in class: $15
5 Class Card : $50We accept cash and credit card via Paypal.

2010 at the Irondale in Fort Greene

2010-01-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!

Thank you for your support at the tail-end of 2009. We are happy to announce that we will continue to teach at the Irondale...

Tuesday nights from 7:30 - 8:45 pm
85 S Oxford St
in Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Each month we will have a particular focus.

January is pranayama
Yoga Sutra 2.52
tatah kshiyate prakasha avaranam
"The regular practice of pranayama reduces the obstacles that inhibit clear perception."
The Heart of Yoga (T.K.V. Desikachar)

Pranayama Yoga chart

Photographic reproduction of an illustration from Yogini Sunita (b. 1941),

Pranayama Yoga: The Lotus and the Rose: The Art of Relaxation, Walsall, England, 1965

Yoga at the Irondale in Fort Greene!

2009-11-19T10:18:00.001-08:00

Yoga Fundamentals: A 5-week Introductory Course to Cultivate a Self Practice

Tuesdays @ 7:30 - 8:45pm

December 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29

at the Irondale in Fort Greene

Instructors, Lia Hall and Tina Paul, will help you discover the basics of practicing yoga. This class is designed for absolute beginners to to achieve the integrity of a posture and develop breath awareness. It is also suitable for experienced practitioners to revisit the basics while gaining deeper insight into alignment. Our objective for this series is to help you build confidence and mindfulness of your own body for the practical application of yoga.

Week 1: An Introduction to the Roots of Yoga & Sun Salutations

Week 2: "No Strength Without Balance": Working with gravity in standing and seated postures

Week 3: "Mobile Spine": Flex, extend and twist

Week 4: "When the World is Upside Down, Breathe": the benefits of inversions and breathing techniques

Week 5: "Yoking it All Together": A well-rounded practice and closing mediation.

To register:

Email digyoga@gmail.com with subject heading “Irondale Yoga”

or call 347 542 8710

$75 secures your spot and includes course materials.

Drop - in rate for this class is $18.

*A discounted rate is available for those who sign up for more than one session before the first day of class.

We accept cash and credit card via Paypal.