Posts Tagged ‘elements and yoga’

Ayurveda

How It Can Inform and Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Ayurveda and yoga are sister sciences. Yoga addresses all facets of our health and offers us a way of life that is in harmony with our truth. Ayur means life, while veda means knowledge or the study of; this “science of life” can support your yogic practices and all aspects of your well-being.

Ayurveda is a holistic approach to health which has passed the test of time for thousands of years – it can be considered the birth of healing practices. Many ancient healing philosophies borrowed from ayurveda, including those of Tibet, Greece, and China. Many modern practices also have their roots in ayurveda, such as reiki, homeopathy, and herbology. Ayurveda’s tenets can be followed during any point in history and in any circumstance despite what remedies are available or not - they appeal to our common sense and emphasize the need for balance as a state of health; this largely explains how the healing science has survived so long and continues to inform us today.

Ayurveda has given us the ability to describe virtually any matter by means of 20 qualities, or gunas. They are organized into 10 pairs of opposites:

Heavy Light
Dull Sharp/penetrating
Cold Hot
Oily Dry
Smooth Rough
Dense Liquid
Soft Hard
Static Mobile/spreading
Cloudy Clear
Subtle Gross

These qualities can describe and categorize the elements, foods, seasons, medicines, times of the day, phases of life, and processes in the body. We all physically consist of the elements. We breathe air (air), there is fire in the body that keeps its temperature level and acids that break apart food (fiery water), our bones and tissues are made of minerals and absorbed matter (earth), and most of our cells are empty space (ether).

Here are the five elements described by the gunas:

Ether/Space: light, cold, subtle, clear, soft, smooth

Air: mobile, dry, cold, subtle, hard, clear

Fire: Hot, sharp, spreading, dry, light

Water: Liquid, heavy, dull (it has a dulling effect), cold, static, smooth

Earth: Heavy, static, gross, rough, dull, hard

We are all made of these elements, yet we are different from one another. We do not all use energy the same, which is where ayurvedic “types” appear. There are three main “types” of energy use in the body, which are called doshas. There is vata (ether and air), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (water and earth. Pronounced, kappa) doshas. Some people have a lighter body frame, tend to be cold, and/or like to do many things at a time (vata dominant), others have more fire in the body – warmer skin tone, penetrating eyes, strong digestion and perhaps a propensity towards anger or irritation (pitta dominant), and others still tend to be of denser build, even temper, and soft, kind features (kapha dominant). All three energetic types are present in the body, but one or two usually dominate your physicality and overall character. There are various questionnaires available to help identify your dosha/constitution, although the best idea would be to have a professional help you.

How does any of that help at all? If you know how you are – physically, mentally, and emotionally, you can help yourself stay in balance. If you know what qualities (what gunas) you tend to accumulate or deplete, you’ll have a better understanding of what activities and responses are most helpful to you. A basic principle of Ayurveda is that opposites heal – like qualities aggravate like qualities. Here are a few obvious examples to help illustrate this: if you have a headache, feel irate, or have a sour/acidic feeling inside the body – what use is a rigorous yoga practice to you? The body is trying to tell you there is excess pitta accumulating and that you should apply the opposite qualities to come back into balance. Take it easy on the exercise, stay away from people who throw you off – in other words, cool down! On the other hand, if you feel stuck to your bed, heavy, down, or cloudy, a faster paced and challenging yoga practice may do you better.

These are all simple ways that elementary Ayurveda can help you immensely! Use the list of gunas to inform your yoga practice and to decide what activities to conquer each day. There is so much more that Ayurveda offers if you’re interested in continuing your research. Every food, for example, has a particular effect on the body (heating, cooling, sweet, etc.). If you have excess pitta, you may think that any cold food will do to help balance you internally – nope! Many meats, yogurt, tomatoes, and oranges actually have a heating effect on the body – aggravating your already pitta aggravated state. Better choices would be melons, minty water, or oatmeal, which are all cooling.

A few well organized and reputable resources are:

http://www.ayurveda.com/online_resource/index.html

The Ayurvedic Institute’s website – based largely on Dr. Vasant Lad’s expertise in the field.

http://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/article/dosha/Pitta

Good overview and very clear recipe/ingredient lists for each dosha or guna.

http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/yoga/

This shows the different paces and qualities of practicing yoga for vata, pitta, and kapha types.

“According to Ayurvedic principles, by understanding oneself, by identifying one’s own constitution, and by recognizing sources of doshic aggravation, one can not only follow the proper guidelines to cleanse, purify, and prevent disease, but also uplift oneself into a realm of awareness previously unknown.” – Dr. Vasant Lad M.A.Sc.

- Jessi Hughes

Yoga is Samadi

Power yoga is the experience of boundlessness. People that practice yoga develop an awareness, and a circle of compassion that expands, outside our inner circles, growing wider and wider, to encompass all beings. All we have to do in yoga is pay attention. By paying attention to the breath, transformation happens.

Letting life energy flow through us, coordinating the breath with a series of postures, one flowing into another.

As we flow into the fall season, in our practice we create heat with the body, providing purifying sweat to cleanse the muscles, organs and mind, resulting in improved circulation, strength and a light body and mind… bliss.

A time for redirection of energy, activating the healing energy within the body/mind. Quietly turning inward, hearing the breath, noticing how engaging the bandhas keeps your mind present, and how this practice becomes a meditation as we build the heat, slowly breathing in and slowly breathing out. Lifting the energy upwards, breathing through the shorter, darker days, enjoying the warmth, the fire that peacefully burns inside of you. This slow, steady burn will guide you, both mind and body, keep you present, aware, open and quiet. Beginning your day with a yoga practice that builds the heat, sheds the darkness, awakens the mind, body and spirit.

Mula Bandha

Is the root lock, the first of the three interior body “locks” used in asana and pranayama practice to control the flow of energy. Prevents the outward flow of energy to lock and interconnect inner systems. It increases flexibility and stimulates heat. It is an objectless meditative state and inner supportive energy flows necessary to create synchrony with and enter into Samadhi. When mula bandha occurs there is less effort and more energy so it is not a contraction. It provides a pathway for spiritual reconnect.

Mula bandha consists of the contraction of the perineum (zone between the genitals and the anus) accompanied by a breath control technique. It can take years of practice to cultivate and is essential for good concentration and more advanced yoga postures. By bringing awareness to the core of the body, mula bandha helps prevent injury. It guides you to move from your center, you will become lighter and flow more with your yoga practice.

Using the asana practice to go deeper inside the mind… entertaining the possibility… that is how we grow.

Moving from the outer to the more subtle, energetic, inner, where the course of breath leads us to the energy (prana) awareness and then to communion with the implicate integrating intelligence at the source of this energy,

BLISS….

Namaste,

Carolyn

Power Ashtanga at Yoga 4 Life with Carolyn:

Tuesday Nights – 6:30pm
Thursday Mornings – 9:30am
Thursday Nights Power to Bliss – 7:30 – 8:30pm (following Pilates)

Many yoga poses are associated with symbols known as Chakras. Each Chakra is associated with a different part of the body. Representing various human qualities, they serve to represent various types of yoga practice. These symbols are also associated with colors, elements and colors. Yoga 4 Life offers yoga classes relating to these Chakra symbols. Look for new class announcements that are tied directly to these Chakra symbols.

North Gate Vineyard – Yoga and Wine

Yoga and Wine at North Gate Vineyard 2012

“Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People. Now our minds are one.”

There are times in your life you will never forget, ones that will wander in and out, and some that fade away. As we stepped barefoot into North Gate’s vineyard for our first mediation walk through the vines of 2012, it was time to meet all three at once. One at a time, we begin our journey on the Loudoun Wine Trail.

“We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings and thanks. Now our minds are one.”

The vines in straight lines and manicured to their structures, they grow and fruit freely within and nestled neatly in front of the mountain backdrop between Hillsboro and Purcellville, Virginia. It is here, connecting directly with the wet ground, we let go, become present, and face the things that enter and leave our minds.

“We turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come. Now our minds are one.”

Wandering in and out of the rows starting with a sequence of skipping rows in 3’s to completely loosing count or care in which way we go or when to turn, walk, speed up, or slow down. Starting together and then taking our own paths, the paths each of us need, chose, or are drawn toward. For a few, allowing some silent eye connection with nearby horses clearly drawn to our quietly moving bodies as we made our way through the vines. Others found the noises of nature becoming louder and hearing sounds that we often over look or the sight and texture of the flowing vines within their rows allows for the mind to escape structure by leaning on the one surrounding them.

“We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so. Now our minds are one.

“We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds – from the smallest to the largest – we send our joyful greetings and thanks. Now our minds are one.”

The night’s storms left us with crisp, fresh air and moist ground. The sun’s rays rose over the mountain after the thunder rolled, tornadoes spun, and rain poured. Slowly making way to our mats we began our practice with Native American flutes and meditation.

“Now we turn to the west where our Grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers. Now our minds are one.”

An Earth Element Practice, our Journey Through Asanas, was complete with the smell of wine, stone, drying rain drops, and hints of rose oil. Starting with our Sun Salute, rising to shine and exhaling to ground to open our bodies fully for peak poses. Building within the sequence allows all levels to experience yoga to suit their body while enjoying the breath, change, and movement of their own practice. Taking Yoga out of the studio by incorporating natural elements brings awareness to heighten senses of touch, sight and sound via mind, body, and spirit connections with our surroundings. Bringing the outside in during our walk allowed that simplicity and beauty to carry into our yoga practice. Enlighten :: Empower :: Emerge.

“We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds. Now our minds are one.”

We closed our practice with a centered reading, words from Lara as we REflect, REtain and REnew. Greetings from the North Gate tasting staff, Karol and Erin, those of us who choose to celebrate this farm and vineyards wine enjoyed a fun and education tasting. Being a Loudoun County and Hillsboro resident, she had lots to share.

North Gate Vineyard has a public tasting room was built to LEED Gold specifications. The roof is lined with solar panels to bring electricity to the building – pretty amazing! We all decided on bottles to share with our light fare lunch prepared by the wonderful people of Stoneybrook Organic Farm located at the end of Rt. 690 in Hillsboro. Fresh and carefully crafted, the lunch and dessert tray of fig, coconut, peanut butter was perfectly paired with our wine selections. Getting to connect with our people over food, wine, and through our practice was a journey we all shared on our own and together.

“With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting and thanks. Now our minds are one.”

“We believe that quality wine comes from quality grapes. Pure and simple. So how do we ensure that we’ll end up with quality wine? Through our commitment to meticulous practices in our vineyard and cellar from bloom to bottle. To us, this is not a job, and not a hobby, but just something that we do together. We hope you enjoy the product of our hearts, minds and hands.”

- Mark and Vicki Fedor, Winegrowers and Winemakers

Their wine selection: 2010 Chardonnay, 2010 Viognier , NV Apple, 2010 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Merlot, 2009 Petit Verdot,

Finishing our journey at North Gate’s beautiful vineyard, we were lucky to catch Vicki coming back from the Wine Country Half Marathon and got to thank her for her hospitality. Talking about the upcoming release of the Rose’ and other wine is always fun to look forward to. Grateful for a full mind, body, spirit practice we begin June, Yoga on the Wine Trail 2012, in the sun shine of Loudoun County.

“We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun. Now our minds are one.

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator. Now our minds are one. “

♥ Namaste – Lara, Russ, Kim, Erin & Francesca

Writings: A Haudenosaunee “Thanksgiving” Prayer

Our next Yoga on the wine trail will be hosted by Fabbioli Cellars!

Each vineyard has a unique setting and offering – Fabbioli Cellars tasting will be a Wine and Food Pairing. Their unique setting will allow us to spend time in the vines sharing, connecting, and nourishing the mind, body, spirit.

You can also find North Gate’s wine in the following locations…

Markets (Winter)

Purcellville Community Farmers Market – Saturdays 10am-1pm
Falls Church Farmers Market – Saturdays 8am-12pm
Leesburg Farmers Market – Sundays 9am-12pm

Restaurants

Retail

Hill High Orchard, Round Hill
Leesburg Pharmacy, Leesburg
Leesburg Vintner, Leesburg

Partner Wineries

Fabbioli Cellars, Notaviva Vineyards

- Loudoun County Wine Trail – Photographs by Hannah Melinia Kasabian & Lara Ward

- Purcellville Yoga & Wine

THIS Saturday Yoga for Empowerment

Yoga for Empowerment & Yoga 4 Life 2012

Quiet :: Caring :: Courage :: Freedom :: Renewal :: Acceptance

May 26th at 2:00pm – this 2 hour class is suitable for all levels and followed by an Outdoor Reception including a raffle.

Yoga 4 Life and other Loudoun county studios supporting this yogi community and family friendly event for a wonderful cause in Purcellville. Joining hands and hearts to help others, empowering ourselves through giving in our practice together.

Our Mission:: Yoga for Empowerment is what we do but it is not the events or practices, it’s an energy – the force behind holding these events and how it can positively give back to our Loudoun County community. This is what keeps us teaching and embracing the opportunities to bring our local youth to yoga and the philosophy behind the words empowerment, joy, happiness, acceptance, self-love, graditude, honoring the present, giving, and inspiration.

Each choice we make causes a ripple effect in our lives. When things happen to us, it is the reaction we choose that can create the difference between the sorrows of our past and the joy in our future. — Chelle Thompson

Francesca will lead a back bending and heart opening practice with a little balance for fun! It will be a full body energizing practice incorporated with peak poses to enlighten both beginner students as well as advanced yogis.

Within each of us is a hidden store of energy. Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life. Within each of us is a hidden store of courage, courage to give us the strength to face any challenge. Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost. — Roger Dawson

This is the our third YFE event. Check out our Workshops page for details about this donations only class. Donations go directly to the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter in Leesburg, Virginia. For more information about LAWS and other Loudoun County Fundraisers: www.lcsj.org

♥ Õ ♥ Earth Teach Me

~ a Native American Ute Prayer

Earth teach me quiet ~ as the grasses are still with new light.
Earth teach me suffering ~ as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility ~ as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring ~ as mothers nurture their young.
Earth teach me courage ~ as the tree that stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation ~ as the ant that crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom ~ as the eagle that soars in the sky.
Earth teach me acceptance ~ as the leaves that die each fall.
Earth teach me renewal ~ as the seed that rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself ~ as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness ~ as dry fields weep with rain.

♥ Õ ♥ Namaste

~ Lara

New Class Wednesday

Yoga 4 Life

Chakras: Yin & Meditation Series

May 9th at 6:30pm

Please see our new Wednesday night Chakra, Meditation and Yin Yoga practice. This class will explore each Chakra monthly combined with a wonderfully sequenced yin yoga class and meditation with Erin. Classes will also be element based. Detailed descriptions will be offered soon on our blog and in the class descriptions page. The stones are displayed in the studio and we are very excited to offer this specialty class in Purcellville.

The Moon was gorgeous last night, hope you all enjoyed it! Moon salutation practice on Monday’s 12:30 & 6:30pm classes.

You can find a nice read up on Living on a Lunar Calendar & Yoga by John on our blog!

♥Namaste ~

Living on a Lunar Calendar

The Moon – How it Affects Our Energy and Yoga Practice

As many folks know, this Saturday will be a full moon. Because the moon will be the closest to the Earth for this year on Saturday, the press calls this full moon a ‘supermoon’ because it will appear larger than usual when it rises on the eastern sky around dusk. If the sky is clear make sure you set aside some time to watch it rise!

I think most of us who live in the modern Western world don’t pay much attention to the moon unless we read about some event in the news. Yet, if we take time to understand the lunar cycles just a bit, following the moon can be extremely rewarding. It even feels more natural once you understand the rhythms.

The calendar that we have in the United States is based on a solar phenomenon, which is the rotation of the Earth around the sun. It takes about 365.25 days for the Earth to complete it’s journey around the sun, and we base on calendar on that cycle. Have you ever wondered, however, what the ancient peoples used as calendars? Many of them followed the lunar cycles in conjunction with solar events (such as the equinoxes). Following the moon and the changes of the seasons allowed everyone to plan for planting and harvesting crops, holding festivals and religious holidays, etc. Because a lunar cycle is relatively short, it is easier to follow than trying to mark the exact times when solar events (like the Summer or Winter solstice) occur.

Here’s how it works. A lunar cycle is a lunar month, which lasts either 29 or 30 days. Lunar months start when the first sliver of a new moon is visible in the sky. The last day of a lunar month is therefore the day when the moon completely disappears from the sky. This is called a new moon (or sometimes called a dark moon). The full moon is therefore halfway through a lunar month.

Because a lunar month lasts 29-30 days, 12 lunar months are equal to 355 days. Readers will note that 12 lunar (or synodic) months are therefore about 10 days shorter than a solar year. The ancients knew this, but it was the Greeks that figured out an important fact. Meton of Athens discovered that, over a period of 19 years, the solar and lunar calendars matched. In other words, 19 years on a solar basis is almost exactly equal to 235 lunar months. Both are equal to 6940 days in other words. This is called the Metonic cycle. Because of that ten-day difference, the ancient Greeks would insert an extra lunar month from time to time in order to keep their calendars more or less consistent year to year. Instead of a leap year of adding a day like we do, they would add a month every two or three years. The ancient Greeks had 12 months, all with names, that were associated with lunar months, and these stayed around the same time of the year by inserting that extra month.

For the Greeks in Athens, the new year was when the month of Hekatombaion started. This was always some time between the middle of June and the middle of July. It comes close to the Summer solstice, which begins on June 20 or 21st. So for the ancient Athenians, the New Year began with the first sliver of the new moon around the time of the Summer solstice.

Whew! I know, that’s a lot of information! It sounds complicated, but the ancients couldn’t buy a calendar or find one on-line. Someone had to follow the solar and lunar cycles and let people know when important dates were coming. Most of these important dates were religious in nature, as it was critical to know when to hold religious festivals.

All of that is interesting of course, but what about practical day-to-day applications to our yoga practice? One thing to remember is the way the moon affects our energy levels. When the moon is waxing, or going from a new moon to a full moon, energy is rising. When the moon is waning, which is going from a full moon to a new moon, energy is falling. A full moon sees us full of energy, and a new moon sees us as much more grounded. This is important in a yoga practice. Sometimes we may feel a surge of energy, at other times our energy levels might be low. Check the lunar cycle. Are we close to a full moon, or a new moon? And is energy rising, or falling? That can make a big difference in our yoga practice.

I was always taught, before I started taking yoga, that you can try to bring positive things into your life during a full moon, and try to eliminate negative things from your life during a new moon. Often we hear our yoga instructors tell us to set an intention for a class. We can use the lunar cycles to help us. Around a full moon, maybe we ask to bring more joy into our lives. Around a dark moon, maybe we ask that sadness be eliminated. We can connect these intentions with the moon’s energy and with our practices to enhance our efforts and boost our chances of success.

The moon plays a huge part in our lives and I’ve only touched on a piece of it here. I hope to post more as time passes. In the meantime, enjoy the full moon this weekend, and start noticing the lunar cycles as the months pass. Soon you’ll be much more in tune with the moon.

:) Namaste

John

- Purcellville Loudoun Yoga

- Photographs Tulum, Mexico and Lucketts, VA – Jeremy Lee

Small Town, Big Heart

As I drove down Main Street in Purcellville yesterday I was sipping on my water, hydrating for my yoga class tonight. I was noticing the charm of this small town with the warm happy people outside enjoying the beautiful weather. I was on my way to Yoga 4 Life for a Monday night yoga class taught by Lara.

I pulled my car around behind the house to the parking area and grabbed my favorite friend…my yoga mat and walked into the studio. Candles were everywhere…it smelled of warmth, love, wood, earth and peace. I changed into my yoga clothes in the bathroom and set up my mat. I hadn’t taken a led class in a while and my personal- home practice had become a little boring.

Lara led us through an integration series, loosening up our bodies and awakening our senses. Then came the intention part (pick an intention for your practice)….for some reason I thought of inspiration. I guess I wanted to find inspiration from my practice that night. Inspiration came through at different moments in the class….it was just what I had asked for.

The class was a slow, mindful sequence of prana flow inspired yoga….it was great; she showed the class new ways to open up and prepare our body for peak asanas. (poses) The sequence allowed me to work my muscles, open up my tight areas, and connect my breath with movement. After a healing and relaxing savasana (dead body pose) with a hint of lavender, she read an inspirational reading that matched my intention. A few tears fell from my eyes as I was making my way toward the front of my mat in a seated position to face her…I barely opened my eyes—just a squint to see her outline with all the candle light surrounding her….she is a gift- one I am so grateful for. I just hope you get to experience this some time in this small town with a big heart.

~Erin