A Yoga timeline:
900-500 BCE: Yoga Tapas (techniques)
3300–1700 BCE: Yoga Asanas (poses)
200BCE-300CE: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
1100CE: Gorakshananth (founder of 'Hatha Yoga')
1500CE: Yogi Swatmarama's 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika'
1800CE: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's Yoga (Bhakti)
1900CE: Sri Krishnamacharya's Yoga (Vinyasa Krama Yoga); Sri Aurobindo's Yoga (Jnana)
1920CE: Mahavatar Babaji's Yoga (Kriya)
1930s: BKS Iyengar's Yoga (Iyengar Yoga); K. Pattabhi Jois's Yoga (Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga)
1940s: Swami Sivananda's Yoga (Sivananda Yoga)
1950s-60s: freeweights; exercise bikes; Srivtasa Ramaswami's Yoga;
-Indra Devi's Yoga (born: Eugenie Peterson);
-Swami Vishnudevananda's Yoga (the "Flying Guru", ref: Sivananda Yoga);
-Swami Satyananda's Yoga (ref: Sivananda Yoga);
-Swami Satchidananda (ref: Sivananda Yoga);
-Swami Radha's Yoga (Ursula Hellman, ref: Sivananda Yoga)
-Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Yoga (Transcendental Meditatoin [TM] and the Beatles)
1970s: swimming; interval training;
-TKV Desikachar's Yoga (ref: Vinyasa Krama, 1900CE [his father]);
-Lilias Folan's Yoga ('Lilias, Yoga and You' on PBS);
-Bikram Choudhury's Yoga (Bikram or 'Hot' Yoga);
-Judith Lasater's Yoga
1980s: body building; aerobics; , step aerobics, stairclimbers, resistance machines, martial arts; Yoga. (Workout clothes become fashionable.)
1990s: in-line skates / rollerblades; Nordic Track; Pilates; kickboxing; elliptical cross-trainers; cross-country ski machines; aquatic exercise; Yoga
2000s: cycling / spinning; treadmills; heart rate monitors; dance (Salsa, Ballroom, Pole, Hip Hop); low-carb diets and the 'fitness, nutrition, dieting' combination; Yoga
Some things are not just priceless, they are also timeless.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
10 steps to 100
1-Don't retire .. stay active
When most people retire from their jobs they spend their day doing nothing. Keeping active - mentally and physicall is the key. Taking regular Yoga classes, well into retirement, keeps the body limber and healthy, and the mind sharp.
2-Floss every day
Lots of studies show how flossing the teeth keeps the arteries healthy. Its all in the bacteria.
3-Move around.
Exercise! Yes .. regular exercise improves your mood, mental acuity, balance, muscle mass, and bones. You don't need a gym - just your local Hamsa Yogashala! And FYI: Yoga builds muscle. Yes, the strength training poses in Yoga are similar to those found in weight lifting.
4-Eat a fiber-rich cereal for breakfast.
Ayurveda, the Yoga system of health, emphasizes wholegrains, especially in the morning. Studies have shown that older folk maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day when they have grains for breakfast.
5-Get at least six hours of shut-eye.
Ayurveda again. Yes, a regular Yoga classes improves sleep, and improved sleep adds years to your life. Om .. it does the body good!
6-Consume whole foods, not supplements.
You guessed it .. Ayurveda again! Eat whole foods, not suppliments. Enjoy colorful fruits and vegetables, cook with garden herbs in every meal, eat dark whole grains. All of these will slow the rate of cognitive decline and physical weakening.
7- Be less neurotic
Yoga is really good for this .. calms even the most wired students down! Yes .. a healthy dose of deep breathing, deep stretching, subtle sweating and laughter will manage your stress.
8-Live like a Yogi
Yogis, like Seventh Day Adventists (for example), live longer lives more fully. Sometimes a decade or two longer. One of the basic tenets of Yoga is to respect the body, mind and spirit, which means no tobacco abuse, no alcohol abuse, or overindulging in sweets, getting lots of sleep, and joy! Most Yogis are vegetarians, but if thats too tough .. try Meatless Monday (and smokeless, alcohol-less, etc).
9-Be a creature of habit
Take a regular Yoga class. Yes, routine is part of a Centenarians lifestyle. Having a regular diet, regular exercise, regular routine, all contributes to a long life.
10-Stay connected
Have friends! Have a social network! These things keep us far from depression and anxiety - which lead to premature aging and death. A regular Yoga class is a great networking tool, after all, a "Yoga class is just friends waiting to happen!"
When most people retire from their jobs they spend their day doing nothing. Keeping active - mentally and physicall is the key. Taking regular Yoga classes, well into retirement, keeps the body limber and healthy, and the mind sharp.
2-Floss every day
Lots of studies show how flossing the teeth keeps the arteries healthy. Its all in the bacteria.
3-Move around.
Exercise! Yes .. regular exercise improves your mood, mental acuity, balance, muscle mass, and bones. You don't need a gym - just your local Hamsa Yogashala! And FYI: Yoga builds muscle. Yes, the strength training poses in Yoga are similar to those found in weight lifting.
4-Eat a fiber-rich cereal for breakfast.
Ayurveda, the Yoga system of health, emphasizes wholegrains, especially in the morning. Studies have shown that older folk maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day when they have grains for breakfast.
5-Get at least six hours of shut-eye.
Ayurveda again. Yes, a regular Yoga classes improves sleep, and improved sleep adds years to your life. Om .. it does the body good!
6-Consume whole foods, not supplements.
You guessed it .. Ayurveda again! Eat whole foods, not suppliments. Enjoy colorful fruits and vegetables, cook with garden herbs in every meal, eat dark whole grains. All of these will slow the rate of cognitive decline and physical weakening.
7- Be less neurotic
Yoga is really good for this .. calms even the most wired students down! Yes .. a healthy dose of deep breathing, deep stretching, subtle sweating and laughter will manage your stress.
8-Live like a Yogi
Yogis, like Seventh Day Adventists (for example), live longer lives more fully. Sometimes a decade or two longer. One of the basic tenets of Yoga is to respect the body, mind and spirit, which means no tobacco abuse, no alcohol abuse, or overindulging in sweets, getting lots of sleep, and joy! Most Yogis are vegetarians, but if thats too tough .. try Meatless Monday (and smokeless, alcohol-less, etc).
9-Be a creature of habit
Take a regular Yoga class. Yes, routine is part of a Centenarians lifestyle. Having a regular diet, regular exercise, regular routine, all contributes to a long life.
10-Stay connected
Have friends! Have a social network! These things keep us far from depression and anxiety - which lead to premature aging and death. A regular Yoga class is a great networking tool, after all, a "Yoga class is just friends waiting to happen!"
Saturday, January 9, 2010
My Guru
I have several Gurus (deeply influential teachers). Some have come to me in dreams, some I have sought out and so traveled to see, and others have recognized me when I sat before them. With them all I have felt a strong sense of connection / direction. Perhaps my greatest guru - my greatest life course guide - is Mahatma Gandhi. Here is an excerpt from a bio site:
Mahatma Gandhi got inspiration of Civil Disobedience by reading a book of an American.
He had been greatly influenced by the teachings of an American by the name of David Thoreau. Thoreau was graduated from Harvard University ninety years ago, and then spent twenty-eight dollars building a cabin for himself on the lonely shores of Walden Pond, in Massachusetts. He lived there like a hermit, and refused to pay taxes; so he was thrown into jail. He then wrote a book on Civil Disobedience, saying that no one ought to pay taxes. People didn’t pay the slightest attention to his book then; but, seventy-five years later, Gandhi read that book, away out in India, and decided to use Thoreau’s tactics. He felt that England had not kept her promise to give India self-government; so, in order to punish England, Gandhi urged the people of India to go to jail rather than pay taxes, and he also urged his followers to boycott English goods. When the British placed a tax on salt, Gandhi led his follower to the sea and they made their own salt.
Mahatma Gandhi got inspiration of Civil Disobedience by reading a book of an American.
He had been greatly influenced by the teachings of an American by the name of David Thoreau. Thoreau was graduated from Harvard University ninety years ago, and then spent twenty-eight dollars building a cabin for himself on the lonely shores of Walden Pond, in Massachusetts. He lived there like a hermit, and refused to pay taxes; so he was thrown into jail. He then wrote a book on Civil Disobedience, saying that no one ought to pay taxes. People didn’t pay the slightest attention to his book then; but, seventy-five years later, Gandhi read that book, away out in India, and decided to use Thoreau’s tactics. He felt that England had not kept her promise to give India self-government; so, in order to punish England, Gandhi urged the people of India to go to jail rather than pay taxes, and he also urged his followers to boycott English goods. When the British placed a tax on salt, Gandhi led his follower to the sea and they made their own salt.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
This is just wrong!
Ok .. I found this blurbe on the Internet:
http://www.live-pilates.co.uk/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-pilates-and-yoga-254.html
There is soooo much wrong with this entire piece.
“..Yoga is more relaxing and a more spiritual discipline than Pilates .. Pilates classes tend to concentrate on the physical aspect, i.e. focusing on the core strength of the body, building muscle without bulk, helping recover from or prevent injury and to improve posture.”
**What they describe to Pilates IS Yoga .. core, strength, muscle, injury prevention, and morel! The only spirit in Yoga is what the student brings in.
“Pilates contains much more work for the abdominal and gluteus region (bottom) regions and if you use Pilates equipment in your classes, it has more shoulder work too. In yoga, you will find more balancing and relaxation poses.}
**Wrong again! I can think of 30 Yoga Ab exercises, and about 50 glut exercises. Most Yoga poses would be impossible without abs, let alone gluts! And don’t get me going on the over 30 shoulder building and fortifying poses offered in Yoga!
“One large difference is the breathing. In Pilates classes, students are taught to breathe using the diaphragm and being conscious of expanding and contracting the side of the ribcage whereas in yoga, breathing inhales and exhales through the nose, staying aware of the belly.”
**Ok .. clearly the writer is: 1) doing their best to promote Pilates, and 2) doing so at the sake of misinformation! Yoga centers around diaphragmatic breathing .. its called Ujjaji Pranayama .. which especially focuses on the ribcage in several poses!
“Modern Pilates classes focus much more on the physical aspect and improving fitness than perhaps yoga does.”
**At least here, the writer used the word “perhaps”. Either way, they are wrong again.
Simply put: Yoga is the oldest and most effective exercise routine for the body and mind on the planet. If it wasn’t, it would still be around. Second, the roots of Pilates are Yoga and its therapuetic applications. Honestly, why re-invent the wheel!
Finally .. the focus at Hamsa Yogashala is:
-Traditional Hatha (physical) Yoga,
-Strength, Flexibility and Endurance.
Join us to get a solid workout!
http://www.live-pilates.co
There is soooo much wrong with this entire piece.
“..Yoga is more relaxing and a more spiritual discipline than Pilates .. Pilates classes tend to concentrate on the physical aspect, i.e. focusing on the core strength of the body, building muscle without bulk, helping recover from or prevent injury and to improve posture.”
**What they describe to Pilates IS Yoga .. core, strength, muscle, injury prevention, and morel! The only spirit in Yoga is what the student brings in.
“Pilates contains much more work for the abdominal and gluteus region (bottom) regions and if you use Pilates equipment in your classes, it has more shoulder work too. In yoga, you will find more balancing and relaxation poses.}
**Wrong again! I can think of 30 Yoga Ab exercises, and about 50 glut exercises. Most Yoga poses would be impossible without abs, let alone gluts! And don’t get me going on the over 30 shoulder building and fortifying poses offered in Yoga!
“One large difference is the breathing. In Pilates classes, students are taught to breathe using the diaphragm and being conscious of expanding and contracting the side of the ribcage whereas in yoga, breathing inhales and exhales through the nose, staying aware of the belly.”
**Ok .. clearly the writer is: 1) doing their best to promote Pilates, and 2) doing so at the sake of misinformation! Yoga centers around diaphragmatic breathing .. its called Ujjaji Pranayama .. which especially focuses on the ribcage in several poses!
“Modern Pilates classes focus much more on the physical aspect and improving fitness than perhaps yoga does.”
**At least here, the writer used the word “perhaps”. Either way, they are wrong again.
Simply put: Yoga is the oldest and most effective exercise routine for the body and mind on the planet. If it wasn’t, it would still be around. Second, the roots of Pilates are Yoga and its therapuetic applications. Honestly, why re-invent the wheel!
Finally .. the focus at Hamsa Yogashala is:
-Traditional Hatha (physical) Yoga,
-Strength, Flexibility and Endurance.
Join us to get a solid workout!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Yoga Kids
Yoga and kids go hand-in-hand. How many times have you seen a child flop down into a split, or do a backbend, or stand on their head .. just for fun!
http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/11/24/yoga-kids-are-flexible-and-strong-health-benefits/
As adults, we can return to that youthful vitality and flexibility by taking a weekly Yoga class. Better yet .. Hamsa Yogashala has 27 classes a week for $40 .. unlimited access. And bring your kid! Teen unlimited access is $30.
What a great way to get healthy and spend time with your kids!
http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/11/24/yoga-kids-are-flexible-and-strong-health-benefits/
As adults, we can return to that youthful vitality and flexibility by taking a weekly Yoga class. Better yet .. Hamsa Yogashala has 27 classes a week for $40 .. unlimited access. And bring your kid! Teen unlimited access is $30.
What a great way to get healthy and spend time with your kids!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Woody's 40 day Fast
Woody Harrelson, a longtime Yoga enthusiast and vegan, is in the news:
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/harrelson-fasts-for-40-days-435839.html
As a Yogini I routinely fast. In fact, its a good practice on new and full moons.
Now .. as I explain to my students, this does not always have to be without food. A fast, for example, can be drinking only fruit juices from sunrise to sunset, or eating only salad all day, or observing Meatless Monday:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatless_monday
Doing it twice a month, on the moon phases, is a traditional Yoga practice. But more important, it makes us feel so much better, lighter, and energized!
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/harrelson-fasts-for-40-days-435839.html
As a Yogini I routinely fast. In fact, its a good practice on new and full moons.
Now .. as I explain to my students, this does not always have to be without food. A fast, for example, can be drinking only fruit juices from sunrise to sunset, or eating only salad all day, or observing Meatless Monday:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatless_monday
Doing it twice a month, on the moon phases, is a traditional Yoga practice. But more important, it makes us feel so much better, lighter, and energized!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Yoga Veterans
As a veteran of the United States Army, and member of American Legion Post 232 in Snellville, I gladly offer FREE or REDUCED rates to Veterans.
Good to see others doing the same ..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sadie-nardini/the-war-of-yoga-bringing_b_373979.html
Good to see others doing the same ..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sadie-nardini/the-war-of-yoga-bringing_b_373979.html
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