Sri Dharma Mittra's 908 Yoga pose photos


Me
In Honor of Sri Dharma,  I decided to emulate the Black and White on the black background, wearing only a small swimsuit.

In doing this I also realized the dedication and effort he put in on making his well known poster, the 908 Posture Master Chart of the Asanas. He did this in the days when everything took days or weeks to develop and only then did you see if you needed to reshoot. Even seeing my shots immediately I can't come close to the perfection of Dharma's poses. I am sure there are very few who can.

The odd part here is that back in the days when I was at the studio, practitioners at all levels felt comfortable in Dharma's classes. There were strivers and advanced students to be sure. But there were slackers and inflexible folks too, who were just drawn to his message of love and acceptance and encouragement to go deep within.

 Though the postures are the calling card, the teachings are the real deal. Jai Dharma!

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Authentic Indian Malas



Our malas are made from native neem, rudraksha seeds, tulsi and red and yellow sandalwood. These are the traditional bead materials used in India. They wear beautifully when used for mantra repetition and look lovely when worn as decorations.

These Mala Beads come to us from Brindavan, India, where they have been hand crafted from local materials, and serve as an intrinsic part of the culture. Walking on the streets of Brindavan, you will see strings of Malas in hands, used to count repetitions of one-hundred-and-eight mantras, worn around the neck to remind the wearer of his or her inherent holy nature, and hung on statues of deities and on the corners of framed pictures of gurus and saints. Each string of Malas contains 108 beads, a number which holds manifold numerological and mythological significance within the Hindu tradition. For Hindus it is the number most connected to human life.


Rosewood, also known as Red Sandalwood, is considered by Indian culture to be deeply connected with the divine feminine, or Goddess energy. Wearing Rosewood Malas is said to enhance skin health, and improve circulation, and in so doing, bring out the beauty of the Goddess. It is also believed to strengthen the aura and to deflect negative energy.

Yellow Sandalwood is traditionally used in sacred ceremonies and to purify holy places. The word sandalwood in sanskrit is chandana and because of the high regard sandalwood is held in, all things excellent are referred to as chandana in sanskrit. The scent of sandalwood is used in meditation to clarify the mind and sharpen intelligence. At the same time it is calming and uplifting for mood fortifying courage, purpose, strength and happiness. Some of our beads are specially grooved to increase their surface area and release their pleasant aroma. We also have a less expensive Yellow Sandalwood. It has smooth beads, no knots between the beads and no tassel. This simplified mala has two threads which can be used to attach the "head bead" or pendant of your choice or can be snipped off if you prefer the necklace unadorned.

The Rosewood beads are about 5 mm in diameter. The length of the necklace is about 15.5 inches and contains 108 genuine Indian Rosewood (Red Sandalwood) beads. The grooved Yellow Sandalwood beads are about 7mm in diameter. The necklace is about 16 inches long and contains 108 genuine Indian Sandalwood beads. The smooth Yellow Sandalwood beads are about 6 mm in diameter. The necklace is about 12 inches long and contains 108 genuine Indian Sandalwood beads.

Our imported Malas from India are now on sale at 40% off and free shipping on retail orders of $50 (does not apply to multi piece discounts).

Click image above for more info and to purchase or click here.

Enjoy!

I'd love to hear from you. Please connect with me on the Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!

My Growing Comfort in Today's Yoga World


There are two big breakthroughs I have to report today.  The first having to do with working on the poses and the second revolving around my growing comfort being a yoga model.
My happiness today at being able to accomplish so much of the listed postures is fed by my anticipation of not being able to do them at all. I haven't done Scorpion since before many of my colleagues in this challenge were born and frankly I was not sure I could do it again.  Much less all these variations, most of which I had never seen nor tried.  But each day I have been practicing and as they say, "all is coming".  I am amazed at how much better I can do things today, and joyful that I feel so much more competent, than just 5 days ago.  You might not be able to see it but my face is a lot further from the floor today than it had been previously.  I'm getting more height because I am way more balanced and don't fear pressing up as much.  Plus I am finding that now that I have found equilibrium I am not muscling into the pose as much and it is way easier to do.  Wow.  Too bad you can't see my big smile in the picture.

The second piece is highly personal and I feel a little queasy sharing about it here.  I am trying to keep things real and this is up for me though, so here goes.  I am embarrassed by the bulge in my thermal underwear.  I almost reshot the shot.  Almost.  I have seen all manner of flesh out here both male and female, and all kinds of bulges and outlines and even full nudity before it got kicked off,  all from people with far more followers than me.  And I have rarely shown more than one perfect stranger at a time this much of what I've got  and never hundreds of people all at once.  This is why I like the old recommendation to wear loose comfortable clothing and I always  have done so in yoga class.  We yogis all used to dress in ways that were not revealing, but as yoga got more popular that changed.  I am sure I am still going to teach and take classes in clothes that don't reveal my junk.  Out here I will park my modesty in the interest of working at that edge and hoping to reach people who grew up in the yoga butt yoga world.  Hey, I have gotten used to doing scorpion and lot's of subtle and interesting variations in just a few days.  Hopefully, I can get used to this new level of public exposure in time as well.

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Stiff Scorpion


Pincha Scorpion.

My Scorpion doesn't have a lot of bend to it. Much of my former flexibility has returned during this three month period when I have been doing a challenge every three weeks or so. The one area that has resisted completely is my back bends.

Part of it is that I have never had great flexibility in that direction, part is that I haven't worked on my back bends much lately and part is that I now have 4 herniated discs in my back that I'm not sure are ready for deep work. Still, I am on a path of discovery, so I will weave the old cobra, locust bow sequence and fish, bridge, wheel back into my morning yoga and see what I learn. Wish me luck.

Peace Out Brothers and Sisters,

Ray

This post is part of a series. To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Pincha Hollowback


Here is my Pincha Hollowback .

My 90 year old mom is facing surgery for a bad valve in her heart, so my sister and I are doing our best to understand the medical part so we know the right questions to ask, so Mom can make an informed decision. She is not real patient with this sort of research but still plenty sharp enough to understand the options once we sort through the medical jargon, so I had to write a summary of what I had found. Plus I am working on a book called the Path of the Yoga Studio Owner that compiles the wisdom of 19 successful women (all of whom are my customers) in the hope that their experiences can inform others who are thinking about starting their own studio(s) or already have one but need some fresh ideas to keep it moving forward. It is a fun project and it is nearly ready but each time I work on it, it grows. Originally slated to be small at around 10 pages, it is now 40 pages and will be more when complete.

I am looking at this picture in disbelief that it is me doing a pretty fair Hollowback Pincha. Back when the physical postures were a large part of my practice, I could never really do this one, so I expected now some 20 years later I would not get near it. Evidently the series of poses before this were the perfect warm up because my head never floated so far forward on this variation before.

Thanks to our gracious hosts for laying it out so well.

Peace Out Brothers and Sisters,

Ray

This post is part of a series.
 To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Pinch Pike (not!)



There are a lot of reasons I love this photograph, but one of them is not that I could accomplish the pose.  I was astonished to see that this was a tough one for our beautiful hosts as well, so at least I was in good company.

I don't understand how it can be so easy to do a pike in headstand and just moving the head a few inches into the air makes it so hard.  But there it is.  Plus after many days of new poses and rushing to do them my back was complaining a bit this AM and I have learned the hard way not to challenge it when it is griping, so I stuck with a plain old vanilla pike.

I really love the light in this room though and I luckily noticed the slant of brightness and shadow against the wall which I was able to try to mimic with the angle of my back.  I like the way it frames and supports picture giving the whole thing a sort of organic "meant to be" feel.

I am also loving seeing the curve of my butt and hint of muscle tone now that I have stopped wearing my boxers under the thermal underwear.  I guess my next step would be to get some tights so I don't have all that bunched up part on my lower legs, but that will be for a future challenge.

Finally, I really appreciate the support I have been getting from this little cybercommunity around my embrace of this process of Insta image creation.  The feedback makes it all worthwhile.

Peace Out Brothers and Sisters,

Ray

This post is part of a series. To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

My Growing Comfort in Today's Yoga World





There are two big breakthroughs I have to report today.  The first having to do with working on the poses and the second revolving around my growing comfort being a yoga model.

Each challenge I have done so far has been challenging but this one most of all.  My happiness today at being able to accomplish so much of the listed postures is fed by my anticipation of not being able to do them at all.  At the beginning I seriously feared that I could not do anything like the requested poses, with or without Paul the wall.  I haven't done Scorpion since before many of my colleagues in this challenge were born and frankly I was not sure I could do it again.  Much less all these variations, most of which I had never seen nor tried.  But each day I have been practicing and as they say, "all is coming".  I am amazed at how much better I can do things today, and joyful that I feel so much more competent, than just 5 days ago.  You might not be able to see it but my face is a lot further from the floor today than it had been previously.  I'm getting more height because I am way more balanced and don't fear pressing up as much.  Plus I am finding that now that I have found equilibrium I am not muscling into the pose as much and it is way easier to do.  Wow.  Too bad you can't see my big smile in the picture.

The second piece is highly personal and I feel a little queasy sharing about it here.  I am trying to keep things real and this is up for me though, so here goes.  I am embarrassed by the bulge in my thermal underwear.  I almost reshot the shot.  Almost.  I have seen all manner of flesh out here both male and female, and all kinds of bulges and outlines and even full nudity before it got kicked off,  all from people with far more followers than me.  And I have rarely shown more than one perfect stranger at a time this much of what I've got  and never hundreds of people all at once.  This is why I like the old recommendation to wear loose comfortable clothing and I always  have done so in yoga class.  We yogis all used to dress in ways that were not revealing, but as yoga got more popular that changed.  I am sure I am still going to teach and take classes in clothes that don't reveal my junk.  Out here I will park my modesty in the interest of working at that edge and hoping to reach people who grew up in the yoga butt yoga world.  Hey, I have gotten used to doing scorpion and lot's of subtle and interesting variations in just a few days.  Hopefully, I can get used to this new level of public exposure in time as well.

This post is part of a series. To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Pincha Bow and Arrow



Did someone say Brick House.  Ow!  Brick House.  Time to bring the Funk.

Uptown Funk you up.  Uptown Funk you Up.

Ok so you can see where my mind went, when I saw Funky Pincha Bow and Arrow.  I mean really.  When I started out in yoga there was just plain old Scorpion.  You did it with the wall at first and then in the middle of the room.  Sometimes you did variations but you just sort of made them up.  There was only like one book on yoga poses and it was great but not as comprehensive as the internet.

Oh yes, the internet, of course I'll Google it.  Doh.  So there it is.  What the heck?  Why would anyone take the beautiful symmetry and balance of two poses and merge them into an unbalanced train wreck of a posture?  Some things are just meant to be a mystery, I guess.  Regardless, this is my task, which of course I can not do at all the first time I try.  No lift off.  Whoops.  What do I do now?

Rock it.  If I can't accomplish the pose, at least I can look great trying and have some fun.  Luckily an 11 year old friend of mine made me a gift of her glitter top hat when she got tired of it.  She sort of knew I never would ;--)  The rest I just had around.

And each day I've been returning to the pose, working at my edge and falling alot.  And then whoa, lift off.  I've got a ways to go finding comfort here.  I hadn't even attempted a Scorpion in about 15 years before this challenge, so I need some practice but I am having fun.  I hope you are too.

Give it up for me peeps.  This one is for you!

Happy Thanksgiving From FunkyTown!

This post is part of a series. To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

My Favorite Planned Selfie (so far)


If is funny that one of my favorite photos of myself on Instagram I made casually in a few minutes and it just came out well composed and lovely and garnered a lot of hearts.

It's this one where I am using a Mysore Yoga Backbender:

I did not plan it but I did enjoy sharing it once I had it. This joy of prideful sharing got me looking around for places in my house that might look especially rich in terms of light and color and lines.

 Another thing that seems important is how balanced I look in the pose. How neat my clothes look and how elegantly I hold the pose. Even if I can't give full expression to it I want to make my version look nice. Well, this is the first picture that I really put some thought into that I just love. I love the curve of the twist of my legs, I love the purple walls and outfit, I love that you can't really see my rumpled boxer shorts under my thermal underwear from this angle, I love the light and the shadows and the wood. One thing I don't love is the uneven growth on my gullet. I need to really shave behind my chin more, but frankly I never see that and no one has ever pointed it out. It is funny that I don't think about myself as a vain person, but that is only because I rarely pay attention to my appearance. Now that I am paying attention to it I find that I can be pretty picky. Pretty soon I might even get some actual yoga clothes. Oh my.

This post is part of a series. To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!

My Unsexy Yoga Butt is Really Cute.... Really


Well I never thought I would be writing about yoga and my sex appeal but here I am. I don't like the way my boxer shorts bunch up like a diaper under my thermal underwear in this photo. I am now wondering why I care so much about looking like a baby? The old yogis were constantly photographed in things that looked like infant underwear. I should be proud to be in the lineage of these great men in cotton swaddling clothes, but instead I'm worried people will think I am a nerdy jerk because my undies are rumpled and you can't see the genuine curve of my cute butt. Instead it looks like a sack of misshapen potatoes. Let me just make this completely clear. I HAVE A CUTE BUTT. If I am going to show myself off like this, I want people to know that even if I'm not the greatest photographer, nor the most bendy yogi, I do have a shapely rear! I haven't a clue why this particular thing is so important to me, but there it is.

 Wading into the flow of modern life through Instagram has been a revelation. I had no idea how much yoga was all about yoga butt until I saw so many great looking ones in so many different settings every day. I admit, I never tire of looking at the beautiful shape of a comely female form. And, though I know I will never be able to offer the male equivalent of this, since I don't have 6 pack abs or a chiseled body, I am concerned that I don't show yoga off to its best advantage if I look too sloppy or unattractive. I am afraid to make myself and my business into a joke. So I am now striving to upgrade my look a bit. Soon I will ditch the boxers. Who knows, one day I might even get a haircut. Nah. That would be too vain ;--)

This post is part of a series. To learn more about the #FallIntoPincha Instagram challenge, see the first post here: Instagram Yoga Challenge Fall Into Pincha

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Just Because I'm a Yogi, Doesn't Mean I Don't Get Angry


I remember one time when I got angry with my Mom and she said, " Where is Mr. Yoga now!" And I replied, " Just because I'm a yogi it doesn't mean I don't get angry." The funny part is that the more I progress on the path the more emotional I have become. I used to be so out of touch with my emotions both good and bad, that I would only notice weeks later sometimes how I felt about something. People I knew, especially woman friends complained that I never talked about how I felt about anything.

Though I denied it, they were right. I was so numb, I barely felt things and I was so mistrustful that I would never share anything personal with anyone even if I was aware of it. Years of yoga, therapy, somatic movement, attempts to practice non-violent communication, meditation and a general desire to bring my actions in line with my heart slowly opened me up till now I often know when I want to smack somebody, when I need a hug, when I want to give one and the myriad other feelings large and small that I go through every day.

 For me, being a yogi means striving to become aware of what is alive inside of me, the good, the bad and the ugly. Witnessing what I go through and trying to treat myself with compassion is a big part of this. And you know what? The more I find the kindness that I need inside me, the more I have available for others. But still, once in awhile, I'm sure I'm going to want to smack somebody ;--) Of course I won't, I'll say, "You know I'm feeling really frustrated right now, since I was so counting things looking a certain way and I'm finding I want to blame you for them being different. Would you mind if just gave you a good smack to get it out of my system?" ;--)

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

New Yoga Books!


The Book of Chakra Healing: is a comprehensive guide to the ancient Indian system of chakras. These centers of "spinning energy" in the body help maintain your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance. This book offers practical ways to work on your chakras and shows you how to unblock and rebalance your energy.
Nine Designs for Inner Peace: Drawing or painting the nine designs known as yantras is an ancient practice of active meditation that releases positive healing and centering effects. From the basic elements of the square, the circle, and the triangle, the practitioner works clockwise from the outer elements inward toward the central point of stillness, the source of happiness within.


Healing Mantras: Mantras, or simple chants, are short phrases packed with energy and intention--specifically designed to generate powerful sound waves that promote healing, insight, creativity, and spiritual growth. Healing Mantras is the practical, how-to guide that makes the strengths and benefits of mantras available to everyone.


The Radiance Sutras: At once a beautiful love song and an encyclopedia of yogic techniques, the cherished text known as the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra shimmers with new effulgence in Lorin Roche's The Radiance Sutras. Lorin brings us his unique perspective on each of 112 Sanskrit teachings, along with his one-of-a-kind guidance in how to meditate with, embody, and practice them.
Eat.Taste.Heal: is a groundbreaking work within the field of holistic health and nutrition, written by a medical doctor, a patient, and an acclaimed chef. A complete guidebook and cookbook in one, Eat.Taste.Heal demystifies the ancient healing science of Ayurveda, humankind's most ancient system of healthy living.


Yoga for your Type: This is the first book that details how to choose Yoga asanas (Yoga poses) most appropriate for your unique body type according to the five thousand year old system of Ayurvedic medicine. These two systems of healing and energy management have long been regarded as effective methods of relieving stress.


I'd love to hear from you. Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Soft, Soulful, Lovely



What attracted me to this post was the soft soulful loveliness of the photo. When I read the the words behind it, I was struck by the raw beauty of someone speaking their truth. It is a meditation on the selfie and much more.

@sacredseed518 The selfie. This is something I don't normally share or talk about. There is an embarrassment and anxiety that comes up but I am ready to expose myself. For myself and for those who my story may resonate with. - I grew up thinking I was fat and ugly. I grew up thinking I was fat and ugly because I was bombarded with media and a society that had grossly unattainable standards of beauty. I was bombarded with the idea that women's bodies are for the pleasure of others. So I starved myself, I cut myself and I abused myself for years. I hurt myself and I hurt everyone around me. Through yoga and psychedelics, I found a path and the tools for healing. Fast forward to a more mature and empowered incarnation of myself. - Though I have the tools to cope, the trauma still exists. I had this idea that selfies are vain or for the insecure searching for validation. But I am ready to let it fall away. This selfie is to expose myself, to share myself, to illuminate this false shadow of doubt that tells me I'm not good enough, not beautiful enough. I am not perfect but I am enough. And if I take another step in the direction of love, truth and compassion than my life is enough. Hurt people hurt people and healed people heal people. What you do for yourself, you also do for others. I am beautiful. And so are you.

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Who Am I? Yoga Book




Who Am I? Exploring Yoga and Psychedelics!

Beyond alignment and the physical effects of yoga, there are the spiritual and metaphysical effects. One may experience a softening of boundaries, a greater sense of well-being, oneness with the universe, waves of gratitude and also find some tender spots that are hard to access and lead to fear, anxiety, and confusion. A rich full practice of yoga and meditation is likely to wake you up to aspects of life that you never experienced before. For better or worse, these experiences that we have on mat and zafu are in some ways comparable to what users of psychedelics go through. This was part of the appeal of yoga in the United States back when it started to catch on in the late 60's and early 70's. More recently, during the wide growth and acceptance of yoga this perhaps controversial aspect has been shelved as yoga's use as an antidote to stress and aid to physical fitness have been more widely promoted. This book brings new focus to this portion of the Western yoga tradition. In his book, Who Am I?, the author Allowah Lani, explores the history of the use of psychedelics among the ancient yogis and follows it to present day. He also takes us along with him on his very personal spiritual journey. Through research and interviews and his own life experience he weighs the pros and cons of using psychedelics to help navigate one's inner terrain. Thoughtful, heartfelt and informative, anyone who has an interest in this subject matter will love this book It is currently available at www.YogaBooksWholesale.com

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
 

Bound Shoulderstand


Expanding My Body Map with Bound Shoulderstand

As you probably guessed I take these photos myself using a timer, so I don't have anyone to tell me that I am a little out of kilter. I learn as I go. One thing I have finally started to do is look around the house and imagine doing yoga poses in different spots and setting up the camera in different interesting ways. This has got me looking more deeply at my house. I am searching for interesting, square, body sized shapes and angles and light.

This new pursuit reminds me of one of the benefits of yoga. Doing the physical asanas gets us thinking about our bodies in new ways. If we are settled and focused we are feeling our bodies indifferently as well. 

This sensory map is worth exploring. Studies have shown that as we get older the map we hold in our heads of our range of motion decreases and once that happens we stop even trying to do things we actually can do. Keeping this map full and expanding, testing its boundaries by working at our edges, helps us to stay young and happy. 

Doing bound variations of poses is an interesting way to experience them as new all over again. But don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself.

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Lotus Variation


Lotus variation

After yesterday where I looked so severe, I felt compelled to post this where I am smiling, though it is hard to read when I am upside down. I often think of the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 verse 69 when doing a headstand. The gist of it is that night for most people is a time of wakefulness for those on the path and the time of activity for most is the time for the yogi to rest.
 My take on this is that the yogi sees things from a different perspective. When others are frantic the yogi is calm and when those around him or her are complacent the yogi is vigilant. The yogi goes his or her own way since he or she is always looking more deeply into things rather than dwelling on the surface where most people focus. So along those lines, on the surface, it looks like I am having more fun in the arms open version since I am smiling and it is easier to see me since I am less on my forehead and more on the top of my head but actually it is quite the opposite. I only did the arms out front version since I thought it would photograph better. I much prefer to tilt the head forward a bit more which straightens my neck and I like being on the tripod of my forearms. It feels much more stable and I can stay like that for a long time. The other is easier to tip and requires more arm strength. The additional care I must take with the arms in front makes me a little nervous and I sometimes smile to mask my nerves. In the hands clasped version I am calm and relaxed and enjoying myself more.

Cheers.

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Lotus Challenge




For the next 3 days, I'm doing my own Lotus Challenge. I'm not sure why but I just felt like trying to do some bound poses and I'm glad I did. I worked on this Sunday morning before going hiking with a friend and spending 90 minutes doing lotus for the camera was great leg prep for a 6 mile hike with 3000 feet of gain and descent. I thought I would be sore today but I guess it was a good combo since I'm not.

One thing, though, I got so involved in doing this that I forgot to eat breakfast. Oh and now that I'm looking at these photos, I see I also forgot to smile. I was actually having fun doing this but you would never know it to look at me. Don Miguel Ruiz suggests we should never assume we know anything and he is soooo right. Looking at my face here I would never think I was having as much fun as I was but I enjoyed this a lot.

Also, I love my new Harem Pants from harempants.com. I've been wanting some nicer pants for photos and these are really comfy and come in great colors. I intend to get a few more, now that I know. As far as I'm concerned Loose Comfortable Clothing Rules!
Peace Out Friends!

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!
   

Dude, You Rock



Here is something funny. I haven't seen a lot of yoga guys in bathing suits out here, which is obvious since there are so many bathing beauty yoginis that the absence of guys becomes obvious. And I did not notice the absence of men in tights till I saw my friend Yannick's Instagram page. Dude, you rock the tights and the leggings and well the yoga poses too. I picked this one since it is up close and personal and he does such a great job with it. I suggest checking out his page for more wild male yoga! On Instagram @yannyoga 

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Daring Red Haired Yogis



Daring yogis with red hair have to stick together! Hopefully one day I will run into Ginger at the craps tables. Here she is in Reno but if you go to her page you will see her in a lot of high places, many in natural settings. It is a treat! @gingerzhavesouls on Instagram.

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Pranayama Breathing Technique




Here's a link to a cool story about more current research that shows the benefit of pranayama. Evidently doing a few minutes of deep breathing stimulates the release of chemicals associated with relaxation in our bodies.

You know how sometimes when you are using a breathing technique to calm anxiety and relax it is hard to stick with it because it does not feel like it is working? Well, this article can give you the incentive to keep it up, since it is guaranteed to work if you just keep going! Read on! http://nyti.ms/2ekot2Z

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Yoga and Voting - Skelly Style



This is Skelly's first election that she is aware of. She was too young the last time around to really understand what all the fuss was about. Of course this time her understanding while better is not complete. When she first heard that parties were involved she was all in, because Skelly is nothing if not a party girl.

When she understood that these parties were not the kind she was used to her ardor cooled. That is until she learned how important all this is. How people's lives are affected by these changes that occur on election day. How voting is an amazing chance to express love. Love of self, love of others, love of country, love of the environment, love of animals, love of the poor, love of those who choose not to vote, in short Love, Love, Love. Once she understood that she was all in again.
Three problems though Skelly was made in China, is only 5 years old and well she is a plastic toy. Doh. So I guess it is up to me to vote for the two of us. You know some yogis don't think it is necessary to vote, but I'm not one of them.

My teacher says to check everything with your own heart, even his teachings. That is good since he taught us that we get the president we deserve so voting is not necessary. When I ran this by my heart I decided this was crazy talk. It may be true enough that we do get the president we deserve. That if we loved blue collar men and rich plutocrats more they wouldn't be so angry and hungry and ready to follow a flim flam man who makes empty promises. True enough. We have work to do to make everyone feel included and taken care of in America. But voting is a good way to express this love too! Vote for the person who is closest to your heart and you can't go wrong. And remember there are a lot of folks like Skelly who wish they could vote and you are voting for them too!

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Two Friends




Yesterday in the late afternoon at the Ahimsa Yoga Festival two friends came by the booth and wanted to try the classic Dharma Yoga Wheel. Fortunately, I still had two left.  When they used the wheel they each looked so blissed out that I had to take this picture. There are a lot of shots out here of yoga pros doing gnarly things on wheels but this photo of two blissed out friends exploring their interior landscapes is what it is all about.

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Peaceful Pony



This picture is from Marisa Goudy.

Marisa Goudy shares: I'd started to get used to seeing these horse and pony friends each morning. Holding all of the brilliant souls who joined the equine retreat 4 therapists in my heart. Safe journey home, friends.

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Season Of Compassion




First of all, I wish I could bend like Kino MacGregor! Second, I just love the beautiful fall colors of the leaves all around her. This the beauty and the peacefulness of this time of year. Try being more compassionate during this season of thankfulness.

Kino Yoga  posted "Just for today decide to be a little more compassionate. Just for today chose to be patient and tolerant. Just for today be a unsung hero, do one random act of kindness and seek no glory or thanks for it. Imagine if we all decided to do one act of pure selfless goodness each day. Imagine. We could make the world a more peaceful place. "🙏

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Relaxing and Energizing Backbender



Here is one good thing about me being on Instagram. A customer called wanting to know if the Mysore Yoga Backbender would be OK for him at 6' 4" tall. I am 5' 10" tall and have one here at home where I also do my pictures for Insta. So I went downstairs and set up a shot so he could see how it fits me. Mind you, I have used the Backbender for years. It is a great way to lengthen the spine and work on your backbends with support while opening the chest. Plus using it is relaxing and energizing in ways that are hard to describe. While I do enjoy it. I have never seen myself do it till now. If I was not in the habit of doing "selfies" for Instagram, I wouldn't have even thought of it. Thanks, Instagram!

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Halloween Apple Love



I was marveling at the beauty of these deep red apples and then realized I had enough for a Food Heart. The Zen Board was near to hand and it's red color fit right in. Now that the weather is dry it erases much faster than in the high humidity of Summer, so I had to hurry. Happy Halloween! Only accept apples from people you know and love ;--)

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A Little Something We Can Do To Build Community





Ray's Perspective

Today is the Sixth Day of the SPOOKYASANA Yoga Challenge! Today's pose is Dancer Natarajasana.

Here on full display is something I wonder about. Why if I am half bald is the hair I have left so darn red. Of course I've grown to like it and will be sad to see it go, but usually hair vibrance retreats as age advances, so I count myself lucky, so far. Random people still comment to me how lovely may hair is when I am out and about. Ok, that happens more in Canada and Italy where people actually talk to strangers than it does in the US but sometimes it comes up around here too.

That reminds me. Evidently we live in an age where people feel isolated. All these various ways to communicate instantaneously and we are more alone than ever. What if we each made an effort to have at least one conversation with a stranger every time we left the house. I bet if we got in the habit of building these little bridges they would grow into a network that supports community. One little conversation at a time.





Skelly's Perspective

Whoa! You can see my energy is building as all Hallows Eve approaches. I hope to be positively spectral on the big night. But don't be frightened my sweet. Deep inside I'm  still just charming little old Skelly. Brewhahahaha!

Happy Sixth Day of Spookyasana!

This post is part of a series! To learn more about this Yoga challenge and win great prizes, get the rules here: Instagram Yoga Challenge

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Doing Yoga In My Little Town




Ray's Perspective

Today is the Fifth Day of the SPOOKYASANA Yoga Challenge! Today's pose is Side Plank Pose or Vasisthasana .

I'm guessing this is the first time someone has done yoga on the steps of the Gardiner Town Hall. I was so focused on what I was doing that I didn't really think about it and well I suppose I'm used to being the only one doing yoga in lots of situations.
At the airport or in the aisle of the plane and sometimes even in my seat, yeah I'm that guy. Or at the highway rest stop or behind my car while I'm getting gas. Or at work while waiting for the xerox machine to warm up. On line at the bank or the supermarket, I try to modify enough that it is not obvious but I'm practicing there too. If a friend is late and I have a few minutes to kill or if I arrive early and don't want to intrude I always have something to do.
How about you? What are the funny little places you sneak in a little yoga? Share about it and help me feel less alone.



Skelly's Perspective

Yesterday was our first snow of the season and I got a chance to come out of my coffin and bust a yoga move for Spookyasana. I love this time of year when everything is dying. The trees are bare or nearly so, insects retreat to where ever insects go in the winter and a soul can be very much alone in the middle of a field that a few weeks ago would have been full of insect and animal life. This fallow, quiet time is perfect for me to rise from my crypt and walk the earth. Some people don't like winter but I hope we can all appreciate the beauty of the first snow and the release of energy from the spirit realms to flow and whistle on the North Winds.

Happy Fifth Day of Spookyasana!

This post is part of a series! To learn more about this Yoga challenge and win great prizes, get the rules here Instagram Yoga Challenge

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Taking Support Where We Can Get It




Ray's Perspective
Today is the Fourth Day of the SPOOKYASANA Yoga Challenge! Today's pose is Wheel pose chakrasana .

OK, I will admit it, backbends are not really my thing. If I did my natural wheel it would look like I had a flat. Really. More like table pose for sure. OK, so I looked around my hometown of #gardinerny for a circular prop to help me pose the shot and there in front of the firehouse was a ring that I think is part of some sort of old-fashioned gong that was used for an alarm in days gone by. I have never seen it rung but I imagine it gives off a massive tone. As I considered how to relate to it I realized it would make a great prop to support my backbend and help me get an arch that I could not achieve otherwise. Of course, now I want one in my backyard ;--)




Skelly's Perspective

Hello, yoga peeps! You may recognize the arc below me from Ray's post earlier tonite. When you are only 5 inches tall you get a deeper perspective on things. Imagine all the cool stuff you could see if you were atomic sized or better yet a zooming around little quark or neutrino. Well, I will have to settle for the textures that a bendy little skeleton gets to explore. I enjoy this special view and hope you do too!

Happy Fourth Day of Spookyasana!

This post is part of a series! To learn more about this Yoga challenge and win great prizes, get the rules here Instagram Yoga Challenge

I'd love to hear from you.  Please connect with me on the  Facebook Page and Instagram feed to get more Yoga wisdom, science, style, and fun everyday! And make sure to Subscribe to Everyday Yoga for more great posts like this one delivered to your inbox!