Good afternoon, ,
Welcome to October e-blast and happy post - turkey day!
For many of us last week has been busy - catching up on loose ends, picking up groceries for big Sunday meal and getting house ready for the company. Now, with pre-Thanksgiving busyness behind and the fridge stocked choke-full with leftovers (no cooking for at least 3 days!), finally is a good time to brew yourself a cup of ginger tea (excellent for digestive blues), put your feet up and take a deep breath. AHHHHHHH.....
In the midst of all the fall activities - getting kids ready for school (and dealing with the bout of colds that inevitably follows), finishing the last bits of outdoor projects, and squeezing in one more weekend of camping - it is OH - SO - EASY to loose the sight of what is important, neglect our health, and fall out of balance. Before you know it, your mind is possessed by crazy whirlwind of all-too-familiar (and not very nice) thoughts, complete with bouts of insomnia and midnight Haagen Daaz meetings. Chocolate, cheese and wine become your three main food groups (with occasional addition of slightly limp greens courtesy of Costco Warehouse, doused in "1000 Calorie" dressing), and pretty soon you are standing in front of the mirror wondering how to squeeze yourself into the pair of jeans you just bought this summer. Not to mention, of course, that fall is the time of year when arthritis, assorted muscle and joint aches, as well as bowel imbalances, really like to make their appearance.
Let this newsletter be a RESET button that inspires you to come back to your practice, dares you to try something new, and reminds you how good you feel when you are on track (nope, you don't have to wait till New Year to set goals and resolutions). Ready? Set? RESET!
CLEAN, DECLUTTER, and TAKE THE GARBAGE TO THE CURB
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Each day we are exposed to toxins that affect our energy, health and vitality. Many of our ailments and diseases today, including fatigue, weight gain, high blood pressure and depression can be attributed to a poor diet, lack of exercise as well as repressed emotions. Join me for two great classes to deep-clean (and sometimes steam-clean) your physical body and declutter your mental space. DETOX FLOW YOGA: Sundays, October 20 - December 8, 5:45 - 7 PM
This purifying practice is an effective and healthy way to detoxify and tone your internal organs, improve your physical heath, decrease susceptibility to illness and disease, and of course, loose those unwanted belly inches. We will move through creative yoga sequences that utilize three main components of internal cleansing - abdominal compression, decompression and twists, and also work with organ meridians to optimize the flow of energy (prana or qi') throughout the body. ADVANCED MEDITATION STUDIES GROUP: session one - " I AM ENOUGH"Sundays, November 17; December 8; January 12; 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
A few of us gathered for meditation workshop one Saturday morning in September to bring our frustrations to the table, to deepen our practice and, more importantly, to connect. Conversation flowed, as we talked about meditative experiences and the reasons each one of us came to meditation. As it goes in the events like this one, suddenly conversation took an unexpected turn, and we found ourselves sharing on a completely different level. Many spoke about the social masks we all wear in public, the common norms and expectations that weigh heavily on our shoulders, the underlying "performance anxiety" and fear of not being good enough. We all shared a strong desire for authenticity and fearless self-expression. Bottom line - how do we connect with to our inner center, stay true to ourselves, BE ourselves, no matter what circumstances demand of us?
As we continued talking, the need for supportive community to hold space for soul-bearing conversations and encourage deeper exploration of meditation became abundantly clear. And so Advanced Meditation Studies Group was born. Starting in November, Advanced Meditation Studies Group will meet once a month to connect, share, explore advanced meditation techniques, and of course, to meditate. Please join us if the timing is right for you. Here are details and registrations for both classes.
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EMBRACING HOLISTIC MODEL: YOGA as a THERAPY
How often do you get group massage or acupuncture treatment?
That's right, never. It simply doesn't make sense - you want your therapist to focus on you and your needs, not some general idea of what is good for the group. When it comes to yoga though, most people think that a group classes is their only option. Yoga therapy - one of the oldest healing modalities on the planet - is still relatively new and unfamiliar kid on the block. Although there are more than a hundred scientific studies that have found yoga therapy to be an effective treatment for a variety of medical problems, from heart disease to carpal tunnel syndrome, most of this work is widely unknown to general population or health care professionals. I have to smile every time a new client looks totally amazed by improvements we are able to make in the very first session, and it makes me sad to think of all the people who might benefit from yoga therapy - many of whom can't find any relief in options currently available to them.
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Most of my clients (myself included), have been through the usual line - up of doctors, physiotherapists and other practitioners who failed to make a difference or provide answers. Lauren and Brenda are no exception. Both of them have worked with me privately for over a year now, so I decided to ask why they continue with one-on-one sessions.
Lauren:
I never understood why I have chronic back pain until my individual consultation at Satori Yoga. In the private sessions Julia is really able to focus on my movement and breath, and give me immediate feedback so I can start making changes right away. During each of the individual sessions I learned to engage the correct stabilizers, and to disengage the muscles that do not need to be working. This has lead to pain relief and, more importantly, to a strong body-mind connection. I am learning how to listen carefully to what my body is trying to tell me, and am making the necessary changes to live a healthier and happier life. Brenda: Your question is very thought provoking! Why do I continue the one on one sessions after 1.5 years?
The answer is very simple! You listen to my whole story! You make me feel that how and what I feel matters. I appreciate knowing that even the smallest of things can put a body/mind out of sync.
One on one sessions educated and encouraged me to develop my muscles (ok,core), change/adjust alignment, breathe, and use any combination of these to find comfort in going on with my everyday life. This individualized attention is essential for me to understand how my body works in the different yoga poses or how I need to adjust my training schedule to accomplish my goals.
It's not just the physical element that we address, it's how I find my path/journey in the world, how to add/eliminate foods or nutrients to optimize my health. How my state of mind and heart affect what is happening in my body and vice versa. It's not about just survival, it's about being the best I can be and live the life I want.
I guess it's best to say that even though I really enjoy the dynamics of group work, I continue with one-on-ones in order to address my own health issues. You've developed a wellness program that takes into account my lifestyle, activity level and emotional health. This program brings together all the elements of my life in order to guide me along the
path to an improved state of total wellness. With your help, I understand what I need to do to enjoy optimum health with less pain and inflammation. Both Brenda and Lauren are onto something...The strength of yoga therapy lies in understanding that a wide variety of factors, many more and infinitely more complex that the limited number most doctors consider, can affect your well-being. The most efficient way to remedy health problems is to work on many areas simultaneously, and that is precisely what yoga therapy does.
The truth is, I can keep writing forever (and it certainly feels like I have gone on for a long time already), and still not help you understand yoga therapy. And how can I? Yoga Therapy doesn't have a single standardized treatment protocol, because, quite simply, there is no single standardized human being. Yoga Therapy model is incredibly fluid and adaptive to the needs of each person. For Lauren and Brenda that meant starting out privately, and eventually combining one on one sessions with group classes. For Lana, adding a personalized 28 - day home yoga challenge, delivered via e-nudges and recorded audio. For some of my client - families - a complete well - being overhaul in the form of wellness coaching that includes meditation, gentle yoga and a complete turnaround in how they look at their meals. To really grasp what yoga therapy can do, you have to experience it for yourself.
Try one or two private sessions. If you find yoga therapy brings you nothing, you won't have lost much. But if you find the experience as eye-opening as Lauren, Brenda or myself, you have a whole world to gain. Here is what's coming your way in NOVEMBER:
conversation about Ayurveda (yoga's sister science and a truly holistic way of life), report from "Moving From The Organs" training with Judith Hansen Lasater, and a really, REALLY, really BIG SURPRISE. In the mean time... Are you curious about what happens behind the closed doors of meditation workshop? Here is a sneak peak
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