Yoga and The Four Agreements

The goal of yoga is stilling the mind and coming into union with the infinite. Don Miguel is a great Sage who points to ways to right living and how we can achieve it. The Four Agreements is a book that I often supply to various yoga teacher trainings, and if you've never read it, I'm sure you could benefit by taking a look.

I was reading something by an Iyengar teacher recently, who said the postures are only 1% of Yoga. The other 99% is trying in other ways to reach a state of Samadhi or enlightenment. Immersion in the teachings of various traditions can help.

The Four Agreements are:

1. Be Impeccable with Your Word
2. Don't Take Anything Personally
3. Don't Make Assumptions
4. Always Do Your Best

At Yoga Life Style my goal is to supply my clientele whatever tools they need for their personal path. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing this great book with you and some of my thoughts on how it relates to yoga! Be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss it. I look forward to reading your comments.

PS: You can purchase the book from my store and follow along right now, right here: Yoga Book - The Four Agreements

9 Great Ways to Tone and Stretch Using The Pune Yoga Chair

Making Yoga Gentler with Props Backless Yoga Chairs might look imposing and far too advanced for your average yoga student, but nothing could be further from the truth.  These chairs actually make poses easier and less intimidating by taking pressure off one area that might not bare it well like your arms or your belly and putting it somewhere like your butt or your back that takes the weight easily.  Plus it can be used for all sorts of fun chair yoga exercises.

      Before attempting these poses on your own it is a good idea to try them in a studio that supports the use of these props.  Most Iyengar studios and many others will be able to help you.

Number 1 is a Supported Wheel Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via nelumboyoga.com

The Supported Wheel shown at left above, may look complicated but it is really a much gentler version of traditional wheel, shown at right, which takes a lot of upper body strength to maintain for any length of time.

 The Pune Yoga Chair can make it possible for you to get the deep backward bending  stretch associated with wheel with much less discomfort.

      While this pose should only be done when you are fully warmed up, it is shown first here because it is a great example of a supported pose that takes advantage of the missing back and front support bar of this special chair.

Number 2 is the Supported Shoulderstand Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via wikipedia.com

Two things that bother many people about traditional shoulder stand shown at right above, is the extreme pressure on your neck and the arm and wrist strength needed to support your back.  You can easily see from the photo on the left that using a bheka BREEZE Rectangular cushion under ones shoulders and putting the small of ones back on the chair takes almost all weight off the neck and arms but still gives the tremendous benefits of the full inversion.

Number 3 is a supported Upsided Down Bow Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via wikipedia.com

For those who don't like the pressure on their belly's but still want to perform this posture using the Pune Yoga Chair is a great way to go.

Number 4 is Supported Plough.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via christineborgyoga.com

For those whose feet don't reach the floor in plough pose, using the Pune Yoga Chair offers a comfortable alternative.  Using blankets under the shoulders will further take pressure off the spine and neck but we did not have any blankets handy when we did this photo shoot.

Number 5 is the Seated Half Moon Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via movingintostillness.com

While less strenuous than the full Standing Half Moon it is a great way to flex the spine and open the rib cage.  This variation with the lower arm firmly resting on the chair stabilizes the lower torso and deepens the stretch in the upper body.

Number 6 is a Side Supported Half Moon Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via movingintostillness.com

This is a wonderful way to safely and deeply relax the lower back and legs which are normally engaged in Standing Half Moon.  For people with lower back issues this one stretch can make a huge difference.

Number 7 Chair Assisted Spinal Twist.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via yoga108.org

When you think of yoga poses which twist you up like a pretzel you probably think of lotus pose and spinal twist poses. Using the Pune Yoga Chair makes it easy to get a satisfying twist to the spine and a soothing massage to all your internal organs without getting completely knotted up!

Number 8 is another version of the Seated Half Moon Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via movingintostillness.com

In this variation our Selena our model is taking full advantage of the buoyancy of the BREEZE Inflatable Cushion she is seated on.  By shifting her hips maximally she is shifting the stretch to her lower and middle back which for many people is where it is most needed.

Number 9 is the Pharaoh Pose.

Image via yogalifestyle.com	Image via studyblue.com

This is a traditional meditation pose and a lovely way to end a routine.  Breathing deeply and just exploring the changes in your body and how you are feeling in the present moment.  The BREEZE Inflatable Cushion adds comfort and height to the Pune Yoga Chair.

These 9 poses are among the hundreds of ways that a Pune Yoga Chair can be used.  For further information on practice on a Yoga Chair there is no better source than Carrie Orwenko http://www.carrieowerko.com/

For more information about the the Pune Yoga Chair and to purchase go to www.yogalifestyle.com http://yogalifestyle.com/GEBacklessIyengarPuneYogaChair.htm

Special thanks for Selena Reynolds our model who brought grace, warnth and a deep understanding of yoga to our photoshoot and to Barbara Boris Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and proprietor of the Woodstock Yoga Center, 6 Deming Street, Woodstock, NY, for the use of her studio.

Yoga Life Style - Bheka Ray Greenberg Podcast with J Brown

Bheka Long Life Yoga Mats Lead to
My 60 Minutes in the Spotlight

I was talking to a long time customer about how much he loves my Long Life Yoga Mats because of the their extreme stickiness and durability and so I asked him for a testimonial.  He said he would love to give me one and he asked me if I would come on his podcast to talk about life in the yoga supply business.  I was surprised but delighted.  I have certainly done wackier things to promote the business and I like J and of course his enthusiasm for my gear.
      

     

 The show is very cool.  J talks for 15 minutes about his Holidays before the show starts and for the squeamish be warned that he curses a bit, but once the interview starts there is no more of that :--)  It really gave me a chance to reflect on this path I have chosen and explore how much I love what I do.  I would be thankful for any feedback.  Click the image to hear it.

Bendy Yoga Skelly Does Surya Namaskara Video

For a free printable poster version of Skelly doing Surya Namaskara plus purchase info to adopt your own Skelly Go the Skelly page at Yoga Life Style....

Standing Upright Paddleboarding Across the Hudson at Highland Landing

SUP ACROSS THE HUDSON RIVER Beyond Here There Be Dragons   By Jack E. Boucher [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Paddleboarding across the Hudson: A goal met and a story to tell A few weeks ago I paddled across the Mighty Hudson River from Highland Landing to Poughkeepsie Train Station Park and lived to tell the tale. This season has been a delight for me as I have experienced all mannner of water and conditions and that day was perfectly lovely for a late afternoon adventure.        I became a Hudson River boarder because most of the water in this beautiful landscape that I love, the Hudson River Valley is badly polluted and unsafe to swim in. When I learned this it came as a shock to me but a little online research showed that it is true. If you don't believe it (like I didn't) here is a link to a scientific organization, I now volunteer for, that collects the data. Riverkeeper.org      My plan, when I got my paddleboard, had been to play in the nearby Wallkill River, since I live and work near various put ins. However, the Wallkill in particular is a proven cess pit. A friend had alerted me to this best kept of dirty little secrets about the Hudson River Valley before I ever entered its unsafe waters and I am glad she did. Once I did the research I realized my closest place for public boarding access, in reliably clean water, was the Hudson itself.      The good news here is that the Hudson River, starting at Highland Landing, is a lovely, interesting place to paddle. The river is about a mile wide, so there is a lot of water. Even when it is busy with motorboats, jet skis and day cruise ships on a Saturday afternoon, it is rarely crowded and the wakes make for interesting challenges. There is also wind, current and tide to deal with. These elements put a lot of people off, but to me they make the paddling interesting. They are strong enough to keep me alert and manageable enough to help me feel competent and relaxed.       I have also heard numerous stories from random scaremongers about whirlpools, sharks and of course pollution, but none of these things have been present on my voyages. I have seen a blue crab scuttling along the bottom of the river in the shallows. Commuter trains pass regularly on the east shore and the west bank has its freighters. There is something comforting about the rumble of the steel wheels over the tracks carrying across the water. The variety of vegetation, rocky outcrops and various buildings along the shore are perfect for creating reference points for navigation and meditation.      Early in the season, when I first tried paddling on the Hudson, I knew I wanted to cross to the eastern shore, but it would have meant being a half mile from land and perhaps facing what would be the strongest river currents along the way, so I did not rush across. Rather, I headed North, against the current and the tide so my progress was not fast even with the wind at my back. I knew if I exhausted myself the movement of the water would take me back to where I had started from and this appealed to my cautious nature. After a couple of excursions like that I had a chance to revisit a spot I had paddled in last year. Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the home of the Gathering of the Vibes music festival. Getting in touch with my inner nature at the Gathering of the Vibes! One thing a lot of festival goers don't spend much time thinking about at Vibes, while they are partying and listening to rock jams, funk and bluegrass, is that the park is right on the Long Island Sound and a big Ferry comes by every hour or so bringing dozens of cars and many more passengers back and forth between Bridgeport and Long Island. There is a seawall right in the middle of our beach separating Bridgeport Harbor from the Sound. On the Northern harbor side the water is calmer with less wind and waves than out on the sound. Last year when I paddled there, a half mile crossing of the harbor was a big adventure, timing my trip to avoid the Ferry traffic and needing to stop halfway across to rest a bit before continuing to Pleasure Beach (I kid you not) on the other side. This year with more stamina and skill I was able to dash across the harbor in 20 minutes or so, even fighting 10 mph winds and some current from the sound and I could have kept going except I like stopping at the beach, talking to the life guards and random bathers and getting a refill on my water. After 10 minutes there, I continued by paddling in a big circle in the harbor, seeing up close, distant ship wrecks, docks and industrial facilities that I never thought I could reach by boarding, but there I was.       After 2 hours out I made it back to the Vibes beach where I had started feeling remarkably proud of myself for being so much better at this than I was last year. The next day I showed up on the beach early, before the wind had come up and while most of my friends were still asleep. I paddled out into the harbor and through the break in the sea wall, into Long Island Sound, with no destination in mind but more exploration. At some point I noticed a distant lighthouse just beyond the public beach which abuts the park beach. I decided to make for it, though again, it seemed impossibly far. Here is where I met my true nature. Finding the rhythm of my strokes and the undulation of the sea soothing and encouraging. The beauty of the sparkling surface all around me. The safety of being half a mile or more from any other people in every direction. My sureness that if I just continue to make one stroke after another the place that seemed way too far would soon come into reach. There were some moments when I nearly turned back. I suppose I had reached the halfway point and the Lighthouse was not growing in size as I paddled toward it. I had no watch and hadn't eaten breakfast. I did not know how long I had been out and I was getting hungry. It was a good bet I would find no snacks waiting for me near the lighthouse. But as I cataloged my discomfort and my fear of not accomplishing my task, I also kept drawing closer to the far off spot I had set out toward, since I hadn't stopped to ponder all this but rather, kept paddling despite my uncertainty.       And soon I could tell from the growing size of my far off goal that if I just stuck with it I would get there, most likely with enough energy to stroke my way back to where I had started. And so it was that I got within a short walk of the Lighthouse. The way was a rocky jumble, however and would have taken me half an hour or more to pick my way to the out crop that supported the enticing structure. An extra hour of walking might mean missing breakfast with my mates so I chose not to take that tedious yet glorious stroll. Rather I sat on the rocks watching a distant woman playing with her dog on the beach for a few minutes and after a short rest headed back to the sound to rejoin my group satisfied that I had gone further than I could have imagined just a year prior.      So, when i got home from the festival, I was ready to cross the Hudson River. I had paddled much further in less than ideal circumstances, I would wear my waterproof watch and leave plenty of time for the unexpected. I would look both ways and avoid getting in front of any ships big or small and I would find out what there was, if anything, to fear out there.       The climax here is thankfully, anti-climactic, unless a lovely few hours on the water thrills you, like it does me. It was a quick sprint across the river from my put in at Highland Landing to a spot off the shore on the the other side. At one point as I paddled South toward Waryas Park and the public boat Launch near the Ice House Restaurant, I felt disoriented. It was as if the paddleboard was foundering. I paddled and seemingly made no progress. Fortunately, I knew this sensation from canoeing as a teen. When you move at the same rate as the current and don't look ashore, it feels like you are not moving at all. If the River was moving at the speed of light I suppose I would have stopped aging in that moment and perhaps I did. It is an odd feeling to be exerting and knowing something should be happening and yet seeing no sign of it. I took a deep breath and scanned the shoreline where my soutward progression, while not swift, was at least evident. So much for the dangers of the current.      I met some interesting locals in the park and we had a chat about swimming and sharks and chemical pollution in the Hudson, only one of which was actually present and that would be the bathers. I had a rest and some water and headed back out into my chosen, gently flowing milieu. This time rather than sprint across however, I headed diagonally, maximizing my time in the center of the channel. I felt strong and competent on my little board surrounded by half a mile of water side to side and miles of it north and south. I have camped hard by Lake Tear of the Clouds, which is the northernmost feeder into the Hudson and played in the Sea at Rockaway Beach near where the Hudson joins the ocean. So for me, being here in the middle of this sparkling, mildly churning pathway, warmed by the sun, cooled by the breeze and rhythmically paddling, bobbing as I go, feels like coming home. And that my friends was my big adventure.   Endnote about water safety!     In talking to folks this Summer about SUPping in the Hudson, one thing has become clear, most people haven't got the first clue about water safety. I would no more head across the Hudson on a board without a life vest than I would go outside for a ten mile hike on a 10 degree night naked and without a flashlight. It would be madness. Funny thing about that though is, I have found, that unless I mention my life jacket, people assume I am out there without one.      It has been my great good fortune to grow up on waterfronts and have my Senior Life Saving Cerificate (expired) and my Small Craft Certificate (also expired) so water safety is second nature to me even now.      I know of two people who died this summer in the Hudson. One, evidently at the hands of an angry lover who sabotaged his kayak and one who was perhaps intoxicated or just horsing around too much. In the articles I read there is no mention of them wearing flotations only details of dredging for their bodies to clue one in that they sunk rather than wore a life vest. If you go out on any body of water without protection from drowning you take your life in your hands and sometimes lose. Don't do it and stop anyone you can from doing it as well.