1 Pose Wonder of the week: Yogic Squat

Squat. What a weird word. Seems like adding "Yogic" in front of it makes it more appealing. It may not sound (or look) that appealing, but the benefits certainly are. In fact, I just saw it featured in the October Health magazine (for the record, this was after it was already on my 1 pose wonder list, lest you think I copy). It's one of the first things I do every morning. Well, actually, the first thing I have to do every morning is feed our 3 dogs, but while they are eating I squat. Now there's an appealing image for you.

For years I've been telling my beginner yoga students to do this pose while they watch tv; the longer you can be here, the more you will release tension in the low back and hips. Sitting in chairs makes this pose challenging, especially for those who do nothing besides sit in chairs with a little walking around in between. Think about it: most of the non-Western world hangs out in a squat. And I'm pretty sure they have less trouble with their backs and hips as a result. The squat is a great antidote for the effects of our sedentary society. Find ways you can incorporate hanging out in a squat into your day. Trust me, the tv thing really works.

The How-to:

• Stand with your feet wide apart, toes turned out slightly, hands in prayer position at your heart center.
• Keeping your spine straight, lower your hips down as far as they will go. You may have to take your hands to the floor to help you balance, but you need to take the weight in to the heels as much as possible.
• Adjust your feet width and toe turnout as necessary, but don't allow them to turn out farther than 45 degrees. Your knees should line up over your toes. If your heels don't touch the ground, roll up a yoga mat, towel or blanket to put under them; you need to be able to release them completely so you aren't taking weight towards the balls of your feet. Make sure any heel support isn't too high, and you need to work towards lowering it as your calf muscles open more.
• With your hands at heart center, use your elbows to gently press your knees open. Lift your chest into your thumbs to lengthen your spine.
• Stay here and breathe. Work up to 3-5 minutes. Every day.

Happy squatting! Namaste.

1 Hike, 11 Waterfalls & Alpacas

The month of September has had more sunshine and warmer temps than the summer months did. We've spent this weekend soaking it up, since it looks like things are going to change next week, with highs only in the 50s. I'm looking forward to shifting into full fall mode. But before then, husband and I got in one last hiking date to Hyalite Lake yesterday, which I believe to be one of Bozeman's best: 1 hike, 11 spectacular waterfalls, 11 miles round trip, and almost 2,000 feet elevation gain. Even our 10 month old puppy was pooped. Check out the pix of Champagne Falls, my fave, where a couple we met on the trail got engaged yesterday; and of me doing some much-needed yoga at the top of the hike.

We did something today that still has me smiling. One of the routes to our house passes an alpaca farm, Alpacas of Montana, which has fascinated me since we moved here. "Why don't you stop by and check it out?" husband has been saying to me for the last 2 years. Finally got to do that today, as they were having an open house to celebrate National Alpaca Farm Day. These guys are soooooooo cute! They are very sweet and shy, and make this soft sort of baaa-ing noise. Needless to say, both Morgane and I were enchanted by the alpacas and their soft fleece. We learned that alpaca fiber is 5x warmer than wool, softer than cashmere, hypoallergenic, stronger than other natural fibers and with more thermal capacity. Wow. We also learned the difference between alpacas and llamas: alpacas are small (120-150 lbs.) and used solely for their fleece; llamas are almost twice as big, and are used for packing in the mountains or guarding livestock. In fact, the farm has some llamas to guard the alpaca herd from predators when they are in the pasture. Who knew? Our visit had me musing about my next career change - yoga teacher to alpaca farmer? Well, maybe not quite yet.

Ashtanga Ass-kicking

Those of you who know me already know that I am a yoga "mutt" - I mix and match styles in the ongoing yoga experiment that is my teaching style. I also practice this way, but am most consistent with Vinyasa Flow and Ashtanga. I'm just a girl that's gotta move. But things have changed soooo much in the last ten years, and it makes me smile to think about the intensity I brought to my mat in the beginning, when it was hard to disconnect from the achievement side of things. Ashtanga, my yoga roots, kind of cultivates this approach - what pose did you get to today? did you do all the jumpbacks? can you do full primary? blah blah blah. I'm certainly no disciplined Ashtangi - and quite honestly, really never was, even when I might have thought I was. But, I still consider this practice the foundation of my personal one, and what has enabled me to be strong, supple and grounded in so many ways. Sooo, where am I headed with this? I've been really bad about my Ashtanga practice lately. Like, it's been non-existent. And I recently recognized the gap not doing it has left. I need this practice. It always feels like coming home, even if I get my butt kicked when I get there.

Which is exactly what happened yesterday - I had this energy that was just calling out to be directed into the intermediate series: bigtime backbends, pincha mayurasana and scorpion, strong stuff. I got my ass kicked. But it felt really, really good. And as can happen when I practice Ashtanga on my own, I imagine the Ashtanga police calling me on every thing I don't do by the book. Like when I was adding in lots of breath work (pretty much just in order to catch it again), playing around with pose variations, etc. Then suddenly I heard another voice that said: This is MY practice - back off! And that felt good too.

My point being, we all need to be challenged sometimes, but we also possess a deep inner knowing about what we truly need. It's a moving target, and yoga becomes the tool with which to find that balance. The more you do it, the more you'll know what works best for you. Me, I've resolved to get my Ashtanga on (however non-traditional it may be) at least twice a week. Check out this picture circa 2004 of my Ashtanga teacher helping me put both legs behind my head - Ouch. Don't think I'll be doing that again, though.
Namaste.

One-Pose Wonder of the week: Supta BK

Ready for a bit of restorative yoga? Last week's One-Pose Wonder was more of a heat-building backbend (the wheel portion of it), this one is a passive backbend that you can hang out in for 10-15 minutes. Got 20? Even better. Wait til you feel the results from just ONE pose! (hence the name.) I especially like this at the end of the day, to transition into a more relaxing mode for evening. The great thing about restorative work is, well, that it's not really work - you get to lie there and allow the props to support you. And having the support of stuff like blankets and blocks allows you to stay in the posture for much longer, which gives things a chance to really open up and release. Here we go. Thanks to my Boston Terrier Rocco and my daughter Morgane for being my yoga models.

Supta Baddha Konasana with blanket

SBK is a lovely pose on its own, but the blanket just makes heavenly. Use a yoga blanket or towel to make a tight, fairly thick roll (as pictured, with Rocco showing you how it's done). You can adjust the height by unrolling part of it if needed.

• Sit at one end of the blanket, placing the roll right up against your tailbone (your butt stays on the floor). Carefully lay your spine down on the roll, keeping your seat on the floor. This is where you may need to adjust the thickness of your roll. If your head is off the roll, place a pillow or a yoga block under it to keep head lined up with spine.
• You can keep your legs straight, or for more hip opening, bring the legs into BK position by bringing the soles of the feet together so that your knees open out. You can play around with the distance between your feet and hips; the more you bring your feet in, the more hip opening it will be. For less intensity, take your feet further away from your hips. If you have 2 yoga blankets or big books, you can place those under your knees for support.
• Arms are by your sides with the palms up (backs of hands on the floor).
  
• Stay here for at least 10 minutes, keeping your awareness on your breath. When you finish, slowly bend your knees and bring your feet flat, then roll to one side and draw the knees into the chest. Sit up. All done.

Hope you'll report back, and let me know what other One-Pose Wonders you'd like to see. Namahhhhhhste.

Backing Up Backbends

I heart Yoga Journal. Although I have to admit, I get so excited about cuddling up with the latest issue each time it arrives, and then quite frankly can't ever remember anything I read. It's a beautiful publication, but it doesn't seem to impact my brain significantly. Now please don't get me wrong - I am NOT dissing YJ (especially since they wrote a lovely article about Cowgirl Yoga this past June), perhaps it's just me and the fact that I typically take this mag to bed and am not at my sharpest while reading it. Something to work on, I know.

Anyhow, something in the October '09 issue caught my eye (that I remembered), and it's a nice addendum to Monday's post on backbends. Check out the article entitled Reinvent Your Wheel on page 90, which includes the following:

Why We Do Backbends
Whether they come naturally or not, beckbends are well worth your effort. Here are a few reasons why:

They stretch and strengthen. Backbends stretch the entire length of your front body and strengthen your back, arms, and legs. This adds up to better posture. The stress of sitting and of doing day-today tasks hunch you forward; when done well, backbends open the upper back and chest, and stabilize the shoulders so that your posture feels integrated.

They help you breathe. Since backbends stretch your breathing apparatus - the diaphragm, the lungs, and the intercostal muscles between each rib - they can help you breathe deeper in daily life.

They lift you up. Energetically, backbends are uplifting, stimulating poses. If your energy feels down or low, a backbend practice can shift your energy in a positive direction.

They empower you. Backbends help you connect to the mysterious intricacies of your back body, an area that is usually neglected - out of sight, out of mind. Learning more about your body and its abilities is always confidence boosting. When you press up into your first Wheel or you balance in Scorpion pose, you will undoubtedly feel empowered.

And all this is why they feel sooooooo good. I love the languaging here, particularly the empowering part; I also like to think of my back body as having 'mysterious intricacies'. Who knew? Hooray for backbends, and the weekend too.

Dude Boy gets a bath

I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition and even some affection but with Montana it is love, and it's difficult to analyze love when you're in it.

John Steinbeck

It amazes me that I live in a place where I can wake up and say to myself, I think I am going to go give my horse a bath today. This simply would not happen anywhere else I have ever lived. This morning Morgane and I helped Janice give Dude Boy a bath, and he loved it. His blonde mane and tail were soooo silky afterwards and he looked simply gorgeous. Which is perfect timing, since I'll be riding him in a parade on Saturday. It was so warm this morning that Morgane ran around naked while Janice sprayed her with the hose and filled a bucket with cold water for her to sit in. We all felt relaxed and refreshed by Dude Boy's bathing activities, so he wasn't the only one to benefit from his getting clean.

Adding to the list of things that have made me smile today are 2 emails I received from recent retreat alumnae:

• Carolyn told me that after our retreat she headed to Le Chatelaine to get some chocolates: I ended up getting a box with 2 layers! I've been having 1 piece every evening and doing a little chocolate meditation with it to really enjoy it. Hhhmmm, sounds like she ought to consider our Yoga & Chocolate Winter Weekend in February...
• Elizabeth told me how she is coping with some challenges in her life: I stand on my head every day and stop and quietly chant 'om namah shivayah' in my head...when I feel like I am going to freak out.

Om Namah Shivayah, chocolate meditation, and a bath for Dude Boy. Aaaahhhh, what a great day here in Montana. Namaste.

Monday Medicine - Backbends

It's been one of those little stretches where I lost my enthusiasm. Husband was in the backcountry camping with his brother for a few days and our water stopped working one evening. City girl here headed to bed with Morgane, hoping that it would just come back on during the night. Woke up the next morning and as I was wondering if we forgot to pay a bill, remembered that we have a well. Called father-in-law at 6 am to find out exactly who you're supposed to call for well problems. Do you know who dug your well? he asked me. SHOULD I???? I replied. Alright let me cut to the chase: water was restored after many hours of interesting things happening at our house, including the digging of a huge hole in the yard that our puppy was really excited about, and fell into multiple times. Add to this the anniversary of a terrible day 8 years ago, my daughter waking me out of a deep sleep the next night by barfing on me, and it's no wonder I wasn't feeling myself by yesterday.

I am however back in the game today, on a Monday no less! Needless to say I didn't get much opportunity to practice yoga the last few days, but it got me thinking about the yoga "quick fixes" I can do when I'm feeling challenged. I think I'd like to start a new weekly blog feature called "One-Pose Wonders", the idea being that you can whip these babies out almost anywhere when you need to tap into that uplifting, healing power of yoga but can't do a longer practice. My friend and owner of Be The Change yoga studio in Bozeman where I teach, Jessica, says backbends are medicine. I agree. So here goes with our very first One-Pose Wonder, a backbend (uh, I guess this is actually 2 poses) - setu bandhasana (supported bridge) into urdhva dhanurasana (wheel). The supported pose helps to ground and release your lower back, a spot that can hold a lot of our stress, and the full backbend uplifts and energizes. It's a great combo.
Note: If you do not regularly practice wheel pose, then stick with supported bridge only.

The How-To:

1. Have your yoga block next to your mat within reach. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Your feet and knees should be hip distance apart.
2. Extend your arms by your sides; your fingertips should touch or almost touch your heels (but make sure your feet and knees stay hip width apart here).
3. Move your shoulders in towards one another underneath you, so that you feel a slight lift in your chest.
4. On an inhale lift your hips up, keeping your feet grounded and your knees over your ankles. Grab your block and carefully put in under your sacrum; block can be any height so experiment to find what works best. Make sure the block isn’t tilted and that all four bottom edges are firmly on the floor. The block should feel good and supportive, not like it is digging into your low back; it is very important that it supports the sacrum, just above where your rear begins.
5. Release entirely into the support of the block for 5 breaths.
6. You can stay here for another 10-15 breaths, or take your hands back into position for wheel. Push off your hands and feet to come to the top of your head first; keep the elbows drawing in as you straighten your arms into full wheel. Hold for 5 breaths, and then lower onto the block (you may have to readjust the block position under you).
7. Repeat the supported bridge to wheel sequence two more times.

Let me know what you think, and if you have any requests for future One-Pose Wonder posts. Namaste.

9/9/09 = my 9th anniversary!

Not only is today 9/9/09, it is also my NINTH wedding anniversary! How cool is that? Had to share this fun yahoo article, Why 9/9/09 is so special. Happy Nines!

Eat, Pray, Love, and sometimes Yoga

Just winding down into a slower pace after getting ready for the Eat Pray Love yoga retreat all last week, leading the retreat all weekend, and horseback riding in the mountains yesterday with a few of the EPL yoga girls turned cowgirl yoginis. To top all this amazing activity off, one of our retreaters was a friend from high school that I haven't seen in over 20 years. So we had a lot of catching up to do. I'm looking forward to becoming a homebody for the next few days: cooking, hanging out with Morgane, and reconnecting with my own yoga practice after lots of teaching.

On our EPL yoga retreat we share parts of the book that really spoke to us, and if you've read it more than once (which many of us have), different parts resonate each time. My latest and greatest fave isn't exactly super profound (I'll save those parts to share with you when you come on the EPL yoga weekend next year), I keep thinking of it when my yoga practice isn't exactly, well, consistent. One of my favorite things that I've told my yoga students over the years is that yoga will always be there. It's waiting for you while you do whatever else might need your attention, like an old friend.

From Eat Pray Love, Book One Italy:
Here's what's strange though. I haven't seemed to be able to do any Yoga since getting to Rome. For years I've had a steady and serious practice, and I even brought my Yoga mat with me, along with my best intentions. But it just isn't happening here. I mean, when am I going to do my Yoga stretches? Before my Italian speedball breakfast of chocolate pastries and double cappuccino? Or after?...The culture of Rome just doesn't match the culture of Yoga, not as far as I can see.

Well, we might not all get to experience this conflict in Rome, but most of us yogis can probably relate. I say, roll with it sometimes. The yoga is always going to be there. So I've stopped beating myself up for "skipping practice", and instead look to find meaning in whatever practice I'm in the midst of - knowing that as much as yoga means to me, I'll make my way back to my mat when I'm ready.

Here's some pix from our weekend: the EPL yoga girls with their dog-eared and highlighted books; spectacular moonrise out back at the Big EZ Lodge (yes, it's a full moon, and YES, I actually took this picture!); Warrior II at the top of our Beehive Basin butt-kicker hike, and sunrise mountain meditation. Namaste.

Cowgirl Yoga last Yeehaw

September 1 already!? A good day to share the last of the fun Cowgirl Yoga pix from early August's Ranch Camp, before I get myself in the mood for fall...which I am planning to do at the Big EZ Lodge up in Big Sky this weekend on our Eat Pray Love Yoga retreat. I am sure it will be chilly enough at night up there to sit fireside in a cozy sweater sipping a big glass of full-bodied red vino, and I'm packing lots o' layers for Saturday's hike up to 9500 feet (where it snowed on this very same weekend last year).

These Cowgirl Yoga last Yeehaw pictures include: Warrior II under the big sky; horseback Namaste at Yeehaw hill; foam fighting on horseback, which is major fun and improves your balancing act (note me pondering my next move); our supermodel and her gorgeous Tango; Janice doing her best Natarajasana pose.

As we ease our way towards Autumn, have a look at my latest on the Athleta Chi, Yoga Philosophy for Fall, and let me know what you think by posting your comments there. Namaste.