The yoga classes we took were with a few different instructors. The first class, with Margaret, was a good intro class to start off the retreat. The next time we met up we were practicing for three hours! The next day we had a couple different classes and were split up into two groups, either doing yoga or with the horses. I ended up with Lisa who taught a very challenging class, which was restorative at the same time. The classes were not designed specifically for cancer survivors, but the teachers offered modifications and reminded us to go at our own pace.

Many of the survivors seemed to be fairly knowledgeable with yoga already. The staff was aware of our abilities since we completed a questionnaire prior to arrival regarding any injuries or limitations. One of the survivors was still recovering from shoulder surgery, but as a yoga teacher she knew how to modify. I would say that meditation, restorative poses (like supine baddha konasana), and forward folds were the most rewarding for the group. These practices are great for quieting the mind, as well as relaxing and calming the nerves. I often hear from other survivors that this can be one of the most beneficial aspects of yoga.

The yoga classes incorporated some poses specific to riding horses, including heart and hip openers such as horse and camel. The heart openers were to connect to the horse and the hip openers were to prepare for riding. When we were introduced to the horses, we were given very thorough instruction to be able to groom, care, and connect with our horses. We weren’t allowed to just blindly jump on the horse and start riding. We were taught that horses are like prey and we must approach them with care and ease. Working with the horses was a very mindful practice, similar to yoga. We were even introduced to a horse named Oz diagnosed with cancer. Ironically, he was awaiting our arrival in the pen.

We did learn to do some breathing and get correct alignment on the horse, even though it’s not exactly doing yoga. But yoga is all about the breath and alignment is a huge part of yoga poses. You could call it yoga on the horse, but it’s not the yoga that comes to mind. It’s cowgirl plus yoga. It’s yeehaw and Namaste. It’s fully committed and ready to go, but honoring yourself and your relationship with your horse.

The biggest gift that we all took away from this retreat was making what I believe will be lifelong connections with other breast cancer survivors. I felt like I had known these women my whole life and was sad to leave. We are already planning our reunion in other destinations, so you can imagine how much this trip meant to all of us. As survivors we have all been through so much personally, but the depth of gratitude we felt was beyond words. So, yeehaw and Namaste!

Photos courtesy of Larry Stanley Photography.

The post Yeehaw and Namaste: Cowgirl Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

My serenity was suddenly shattered when my manager handed me a scathing complaint from a client (commonly known as a bridezilla). The email evolved into a judgmental blaming game that wasn’t fun to endure. I was high on life until my happy bubble was so poignantly popped. It was in this moment that I wanted to freak out.

Thoughts started streaming into my mind and my reality was shaken up. I started to question my abilities and recall the incidents last week leading up to this earth-shattering email. How could I allow my peace train to be derailed into a dark ravine? I have suddenly lost the good feelings that were interrupted by such grand claims. It was only my intention to help these clients and somehow this all got lost in translation.

I wanted to throw myself onto the ground and throw a tantrum. Not literally, but the situation was nothing I wanted to deal with and a tantrum is in some ways tempting. I have found that I am less tolerable of petty situations after going through my own life-altering changes. I find myself just chalking it up as another misunderstanding or collision that is pointless to battle, so I just move on. There are so many more important things to focus on in life rather than something so miniscule.

I bolted out the door at lunch and called a dear friend who I knew could offer some perspective and possibly talk me out of saying something I might later regret. Her advice was “be still.” Those words sounded loudly in my psyche and I repeated this silently to myself – be still. My mind argued with the ability to be still in a time of chaos. That’s where the yoga practice comes into play, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. I find that sometimes it’s the little things that get me, not the big deals in life.

It wasn’t until later that I found my inner calm and I was especially grateful for my yoga class that night. I began teaching the beginner’s class and I suddenly felt a peace wash over me. This is what I love doing, teaching yoga. I could finally breathe and felt the calm amidst the storm. I didn’t exactly find any resolution after the incident, but I just wasn’t buying into the fear anymore. That’s where it all begins. For me, it’s either fear or faith. Sometimes I forget what to do and then I remember. Ah yes, all is okay. Be still.

How to find your inner calm:

• Call a positive and wise friend. He or she is your 911 lifeline.
• If you don’t know what to do, don’t do anything. Be still.
• Breathe. Inhale, exhale, and repeat.
• Ask yourself does this really matter?
• Let go of the fear. Trust it will work out.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How Yoga Can Help You Survive a Really Bad Day appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Of course, meditation also benefits the mind. According to the Journal of the Association for Psychological Science, meditation and mindfulness training can actually improve memory and test scores and reduce mind wandering. I definitely could have used this during my childhood years. I was such a daydreamer, and I guess still am to some extent. According to these studies, there’s something to be said for sitting still and quieting the mind after all.

I believe Savasana (meditation) is one of the most beneficial aspects of yoga. I can’t tell you how many of my students have never tried meditation before and enjoy it. If you’re not experienced with meditation, it can be quite challenging at first. Our society just doesn’t encourage sitting still or being quiet. We don’t place much value in doing nothing, but more on achievements. In this way, we may be actually doing a disservice to our society at large. If our entire world incorporated meditation into their daily lives, I can only imagine the huge impact it would make.

Most yoga classes conclude with about a five-minute meditation at the end of the class, but this often seems too short to me. Sometimes I give my classes a good ten-minute meditation and they are surprised at how quickly the time goes by. But if we as yoga teachers taught a class with a thirty-minute meditation and thirty-minute asana (physical) practice, I would think people might be discouraged from starting out. We are a society on the go and we just don’t value sitting still. We simply don’t have time for it, or so we often think. However, the truth is we can make time for meditation if we want to.

If you’re new to meditation, it can be a bit intimidating at first because it’s unfamiliar. Trust me, it’s actually pretty simple to do. It’s really a matter of just sitting still and quieting the mind. Have you ever tried to not have thoughts before? That’s exactly at the moment when your mind thinks about trying not to think. This is very normal and it takes practice to quiet the mind, but it is achievable.

Here are a few tips to begin your meditation journey:

• Take five minutes out of your day to meditate. Then increase the time as you’re comfortable or able.
• Meditate in the early morning before you start your day or in the evening before bed.
• Pick a quiet place to meditate alone with the least amount of distractions. Meditate in the closet if that’s the only quiet place in your house (I heard a friend talk about doing this one time).
• Sit in a comfortable position with your hands on your knees or use a mudra (hand gesture). Lying down is also an option. Just get comfortable.
• Close your eyes. If you don’t want to close your eyes, focus on something like a candle.
• Start breathing exercises. Basically, take deep breaths. Slow your breath and try to quiet the mind.
• Don’t think about anything. Literally, nothing! Thinking about nothing is something, so just don’t even think. Just BE. When you have a thought come up, acknowledge the thought and then return to the breath.

Try meditating with relaxing music, guided meditation, or simple quiet. Nature is always a good option. Sit in the sun and listen to the birds. I enjoy listening to either chimes or nature sounds like ocean waves. Deepak Chopra occasionally offers a 21-day guided meditation available to download. I participated in the last two meditations and really enjoyed listening to his soothing voice. It’s easy to follow along and includes very positive messages.

I won’t make the claim that mediation will radically change your life, but I can pretty much guarantee that if you practice meditation you will notice some positive shifts. I can’t tell you what will happen for you because I believe this is a personal experience. However, I can say that I have walked through many personal difficulties with meditation. For me, meditation and yoga have improved my overall life, peace, mindfulness, awareness, and spiritual connection.

I wish you well in your meditation journey. OM Shanti.

References:

1. Judson A. Brewer, et al., “Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(50), 2011

2. Michael D. Mraczek, et al., “Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering,” Journal of the Association for Psychological Science 24(5), 2013

Photos courtesy of Jacqueline Kaufman Photography.

The post Meditation: It Does A Body Good appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

When you think yoga probably a few words come to mind – flexibility, stretching, and breath. For those of you who might not be able to touch your toes, this can be very discouraging. I can’t tell you how many people tell me they can’t do yoga because they are not flexible, so they don’t try it. But what people actually know about yoga might be limited to that pretzel yoga pose they saw on the cover of Yoga Journal.

So I showed up to teach the first day of beginner yoga class and discovered fifteen students with that new-to-yoga, deer-in-the-headlights look. I announced to the class that this would be a beginner gentle class and we would start off slowly. The class almost immediately seemed relieved and took a deep breath. Several students in the class had little flexibility and required modifications. I always encourage my students to start off where they are and sometimes I share my own personal struggles. I know as yoga teachers we say it doesn’t matter if you touch your toes, but we mean it. If you are breathing, you are practicing yoga.

Don’t swear off yoga forever if your forward fold looks like you’re standing in mountain pose. This is where my student says, “I am folding forward!” It can definitely be discouraging if your flexibility feels like a bad joke, but it’s all about baby steps. A marathon runner doesn’t wake up one morning and start running marathons. So, it’s unrealistic to believe that you will be an advanced yogi without practice. As I’ve often heard, slow and steady wins the race. Yoga is definitely not about winning, but it sure feels good when you finally get that favorite yoga pose.

Here are a few beginner tips to get started:

1. Start practicing! Don’t make excuses.
2. Pick one yoga pose and work on it.
3. Got tight hamstrings? Forward fold every day is your friend.
4. If you’re short on time, practice for 5-10 minutes per day.
5. Don’t dismiss breathing and meditation. It works!
6. Find a teacher and class that work for you. All types of yoga exist.

Here’s the skinny on yoga that you won’t know before you go: You will not be required to stand on your head or do other advanced poses. Your teacher will not require you to touch your toes. You do not need to be flexible, nor do you need to wear yoga pants. (I don’t think I have ever seen a guy wearing yoga pants, but I’m sure it exists somewhere. Definitely not in Quincy, Illinois.) You will be able to use modifications. You do not need to be good at yoga or know what you are doing.

All of that is what we yoga instructors are here for and if you have the right teacher, you’ll see just what I’m talking about. Go for it!

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post The Truth About Yoga: You Don’t Need to Be Flexible appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

So to prepare for your first yoga class, pick-up a few yoga supplies beforehand:

Yoga Mat

Selecting your yoga mat can be quite a process and you get what you pay for. There’s everything from the 99-cent special I recently found at a local department store to the Manduka Black Mat PRO currently going for $100. My new yoga mat is a Manduka PROlite Mat 71” that I purchased for $78. My favorite part about the mat is that it’s very travel friendly. Since I’m a traveling yogi, I like to have a mat that I can use on the go. I love the bright aqua color, it has more cushion than my previous mat, and it’s also non-slip.

According to the Manduka website, the PROlite yoga mat is a great alternative for people who like travel yoga mats with superior quality and comfort. For more info you can visit the website.

Yoga Towel

Another item in my yoga kit is the Manduka eQua mat towel. It cost $42 and fits perfectly with my mat. I lent this towel to a few of my yoga students and I noticed it was very helpful for those who tend to sweat a lot in yoga. I don’t sweat too much in my practice unless I’m taking a hot yoga class, but then it would be ideal.

The towel isn’t intended to replace the yoga mat, but spreads out over the yoga mat to provide a slip-resistant, hygienic surface. Designed for mats up to 71″ long, this towel works great for all types of yoga including hot yoga and Vinyasa flow yoga. For more information you can visit the website.

Yoga Blocks

The next item in my yoga kit is Manduka’s cork block, which cost $20. Don’t forget that you will probably need two! Foam blocks also work well, but I find the cork blocks to be extra sturdy. Be wary of cheaper foam blocks that are narrower, and hence less sturdy. I find this is especially important for those needing modifications such as my cancer survivors and elderly students.

According to the Manduka website, the block is made of sustainable cork. For more info you can visit the website.

Yoga Strap

The last item in my yoga kit is a yoga strap. Mine is a non-name brand strap, but it works just fine. I often suggest to students who don’t have a strap that they can use a belt or a tie. If you like to use a strap with a buckle, this won’t be the best option. I do not recommend stretchy bands because they don’t have the tension that I find useful with a yoga strap. Plus, I would be concerned about the band slipping. That would not feel good!

Here’s an option for a yoga strap by Manduka. Details can be found at the website.

Yoga Bag

Finally, you may want to find a yoga bag to lug around your mat and yoga props. My new travel bag is Yoga Rat’s MatPak yoga bag. I’ve tried other non-specific yoga bags, but it’s great to have a bag designed just for yoga. My entire trunk is filled with yoga supplies, so yoga carriers come in handy. I’ve tried another yoga bag that holds just the mat, but this one is a great travel option.

According to the website, this bag is made from recycled plastic bottles and accommodates mats up to 26″ x 85″. I find this bag to be very roomy, easy to carry, and lightweight. I can pack my travel mat, yoga towel, change of clothes, and some other small items in this bag very easily. For more information you can visit the website.

What type of yoga mat and props do you have in your kit? Please post to comments below.

The post Yoga Props: How to Be Prepared for Yoga Class appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Wanderlust Chicago – June 2

“Yoga in the City,” as Wanderlust calls it, could almost be a hit television series! The windy city is lucky to welcome back Wanderlust. The festival will be held at Butler Field at Grant Park in Chicago. You can’t take the city out of the yogi, but you can definitely take the yogi out of the city, or in this case to the city. Wanderlust Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York are all on the books. This is a mini version of the big Wanderlust, which includes inspirational master teachers, musical performances, and more. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Starnes and practicing AcroYoga with her in Chicago, so I’ll be sure to check out her class. She’s got some amazing AcroYoga skills. I definitely don’t want to miss the yoga performances by MC Yogi. For more information see where Wanderlust will be showing up near you.

Big Sky Yoga Retreat – June 6-9

This is where you say “yeehaw” and “namaste” all at the same time! I’m heading off to Bozeman, Montana for some cowgirl-style yoga. I’ll be riding horses, practicing yoga in the barn, getting a massage, and eating gourmet meals. The best part is I will be attending this retreat with other breast cancer survivors selected for a scholarship. I was so surprised and grateful to be selected as a participant. I will be making my way to Bozeman in June and I’m really looking forward to it. For more information you can visit the Big Sky Yoga Retreats website. All of the breast cancer survivor personal stories (including mine) are posted there, too.

Wanderlust Colorado – July 4-7

This is where yoga, music, art and culture all come together in the Colorado mountains at Copper Mountain. There’s a definite spirit of adventure and health-conscious living amongst those who travel to Wanderlust festivals. You can expect to participate in many different activities at the festival, including different styles of yoga, slackline yoga, AcroYoga, hula-hooping, musical concerts, artistic performance, hiking, ziplining, paddleboard, bumper boats, and more. The festival also provides the Wanderkind Kids Program, which offers childcare and activities while parents head off to their own adventures. Not only is this Wanderlust festival family friendly, but also it’s located in the Rocky Mountains. There are so many things to do at this festival that one could literally attend and not take a single yoga class. This is a true summer adventure, not just a workshop. Visit the Wanderlust Colorado website for more information.

If you haven’t yet planned your yoga summer vacation yet, you may want to check these out. If you do make your way to any of these destinations or elsewhere, be properly prepared to make the most of your experience.

Here are just a few tips from me, as both a travel agent and yogi adventurer:

Learn more about the festival or retreat center before you go. You can only get so much information from the website. If possible, talk to past attendees to get an idea about what to expect. Plan ahead and be prepared so you can just let go and enjoy the experience.

Book your travel plans ahead of time. Don’t wait until the last minute! Check prices for travel arrangements as soon as you know you’re going. Airfare is always subject to change, so get your trip locked in early. The early bird gets the yoga.

If you are selecting activities like yoga classes, talk to the experts. If you have yoga teacher friends, ask them whom they would recommend. Of course this will be subjective, but it will give you a better direction on how to choose. In my experience, the suggestions I received from a fellow yoga teacher really helped maximize my festival schedule.

Plan your trip with family or friends with the intention that you will go no matter what. Traveling alone can actually be the best-case scenario because you have the opportunity to meet so many more people. It’s enjoyable to travel with a group and feels more secure, but try expanding your horizons by experiencing solo travel.

Expect to have fun, experience new things, and be positive. Travel can only be planned so much – until the unexpected happens, which is half the fun. Relax, breathe, and allow the universe to bring forth the experiences you were meant to have. Let go and practice yoga – on and off the mat.

All photos except photo 2 courtesy of Wanderlust.

Photo 2 courtesy of Larry Stanley Photography.

The post Time to Schedule Your Summer Yoga Festival Vacation appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Yoga teachers are human, too, and I’m going to argue that I’m in a much better position to teach a spiritual life, because I have been to hell and back. I relate to my students because I know how it is when the monkey mind won’t shut up, and you can’t pay your bills, have major relationship issues, or actually stop breathing. Let’s face it – life is tough for all of us. Just because I’m a yoga teacher doesn’t mean I don’t have life struggles and I’m suddenly above it all.

There’s a certain stereotype about yoga teachers that just isn’t accurate. We are not all granola-eating, tree-hugging, spiritual giants conquering the world through our yoga poses and meditation practice. I will admit that I am personally a vegetarian and enjoy hemp cereal occasionally (no, THC is not an additive). However, I became a yoga teacher solely to share my love for yoga with others, not due to my lifestyle or personal choices. I am the first to admit that my draw to yoga is because I need it. I sometimes find my life unmanageable and yoga helps me get through each day.

Now, I can’t speak for all yoga teachers, but I will speak for myself, and I know there are others out there like me who don’t fit the yogi stereotype or conciously choose not follow the stereotype. So, I’m going to dispel a few yoga myths for you:

I’m not a spiritual guru.

Just because I have a yoga certification, doesn’t mean I’m holier than thou. Sometimes I get upset, pissed off, and forget to breathe. I struggle through life just like non-yoga teachers. I have to remind myself about spiritual principles that I tend to forget often. I’m constantly learning and growing. I don’t believe I will ever reach a point of spiritual guru, but the point is that I’m striving for it. For me, spirituality is not about being afraid of going to hell, but for people that have been there.

I don’t know everything about yoga.

Yes, I said it. I don’t know everything, nor will I ever claim to know everything. There is so much to learn about yoga and life in general, so I continue to strive for more. I do make a conscious effort to educate myself and be the best yoga teacher I can be. What I do know is how to teach yoga and how yoga has helped me personally. I learn something new every day and what makes me a good teacher is that I’m a good student.

I don’t have a perfect diet.

I became a vegetarian post yoga school and breast cancer. My personal reasons were mostly due to medical and spiritual choices, but a large portion was because meat started to gross me out. I used to be able to eat chicken and milk just fine, but now it feels very heavy. I can’t say that I have the perfect diet, but I do make a conscious effort, especially for medical reasons. My guilty pleasures are the occasional Mexican food (I’m a California girl through and through!), and definitely chips and salsa. You may see me with my power smoothie one morning complete with spinach and chia seeds, while the next evening I’m sneaking off for some Taco Bell. So, now you know.

I don’t have Pandora channel set to only Krishna Das music.

My musical taste is actually quite broad. You may catch me listening to Pearl Jam, MC Yogi, Rebelution, or maybe a little Eminem. It really all depends on my mood. When I was living in New York City, I taught a Punk Rock Yoga class to the Long Island Roller Rebels team, for which my sister plays. Lately I’ve been on a MC Yogi kick and he’s my new hero. The fact that he rhymes about yoga and spirituality is pretty awesome.

I don’t wear yoga pants every day.

I will admit it’s probably a dream of mine to wear yoga pants every day and it’s getting worse. I have a day job and I am forced to wear business attire. I am not a fan of slacks and my other wardrobe. If I had my way, I would wear jeans or yoga pants, tank tops, and flip-flops every day. I really don’t get why we feel the need to “dress up” to impress others, but I do it because I’m told to. I guess I’m a little rebellious in that way, but I like to call it free-spirited. If I want to wear a costume, I think I should be able to. We sure do have a lot of silly rules.

To me, being spiritual sometimes means being the first to admit you don’t have it all together. I’m a work in progress and it’s freeing to accept the humanity of it all. The people who actually claim to have it together really have me wondering how they do it. Maybe they are just somehow magically blessed through some completed karma cycle. My life has never come easy and I make the best of it, whatever happens. If you’re in the human race, you’ll probably relate. I think it’s important to be authentic, real, raw, and genuine. That’s where the real spirituality happens and I embrace it fully.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Dispelling The Myth of the Spiritual Yoga Guru appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I thought, “This really can’t be happening to me!” I’m young, healthy, and active. I don’t drink or smoke. I exercise regularly, eat healthy, and have no history of cancer in my family that I’m aware of. The truth is that if this can happen to me, this can happen to anyone. I was the last person to get diagnosed.

My world quickly turned upside down. That was the longest year of my life. I lost my breasts, hair, feminity, health, career, lifestyle, and later husband. I spent a lot of time alone and very ill. It was a gift just being able to feel well.

Some days it took everything I had just to eat (and by “eat” I mean consume a cracker). I couldn’t relax and spent countless hours trying to just manage my pain and symptoms. You can imagine that sometimes the highlight of my day was walking my dog around the lake. I would watch my husband play countless hours of Call of Duty and it didn’t even phase me.

To get through something so traumatic and life altering, you need something to rely on. There are many people and things that helped me along the way. It was the small gestures and moments that helped me keep my spirits up when I felt I couldn’t continue.

During my treatment, I turned to yoga classes and other cancer survivors. I didn’t feel normal enough to go to yoga at the gym and was vulnerable to infection, so I joined the survivors class. It was the best thing I ever did for myself during that time. It was like a mini support group, and the love that I felt there helped me immensely. I was able to make only small movements, focusing on my breathing and relaxing on my yoga mat, but it meant the world to me.

I decided that after breast cancer I was going to become a yoga teacher. After all, I had nothing to lose after I had lost everything. Shortly after my husband deployed to Afghanistan, I moved to Brooklyn and got my yoga certification. I’m now teaching seven yoga classes per week at four different locations, including a free yoga for cancer survivors class in Quincy, Illinois. This is what I envisioned!

I became a yoga teacher first off because I love it, but ultimately to give back. Yoga carried me through my illness and literally saved me. I don’t know what I would have done without it. At the time, I could only imagine what it was like to be able to teach others yoga. Now I’m standing on the other side of the mat, changing lives and helping others.

Yoga isn’t just a physical practice. Once you begin the practice, you start noticing how your life changes for the better. After yoga school, I just quit eating meat altogether. I couldn’t eat it anymore. Not to say that if you practice yoga you will go vegetarian, but your life just changes.

I had one of my students tell me that he started feeling more in tune with things and had a keener awareness. He really couldn’t describe it very well, but he wanted to know if that was normal. He was fairly new to yoga and never had this experience before. Yoga introduces people to not only the physical practice, but the spiritual and meditative side.

Shavasana, the meditation, is probably one of the most important aspects of the practice and yet we generally only set aside five minutes at the end of a session. One of my student’s jokes about coming “only for the shavasana,” but there’s definitely some truth in that. My meditation includes a lavender massage, but there’s a lot more to it. It may be the only quiet you have all day, or it may be your first quiet time ever.

How yoga helped me through cancer:

• Yoga met me at my level: It didn’t matter that I couldn’t move much or that I was bald and sick. I could practice yoga at the level I was at and nobody cared if I didn’t have any hair. The other students would hug and encourage me, and I would walk away feeling better than I did before.
• Yoga found me: I found my passion and career through yoga. I never thought that I would have the opportunity or be able to be a yoga teacher. The drive to help others through yoga helped me see that as a possibility.
• Yoga gave me breath: With cancer comes a lot of moments of holding your breath. You can be so full of fear and negativity that you find yourself not breathing or relaxing at all. Yoga reminded me that nothing else mattered except breath.
• Yoga moved me: Not only did I physically move my body, but my mind and soul moved to different levels. It’s an individual and spiritual experience that’s difficult to describe. Yoga makes my heart sing. It changes my life from the inside out and I do things I never thought possible.
• Yoga carried me: When I wasn’t able to walk, function, or live, yoga was my rock. I could rely on yoga every week to help me through. When my husband or family wasn’t there, yoga was, and I could take it with me.

Yoga has become one of the most important aspects of my life. When people comment on my Facebook page, it’s all yoga-related. I eat, drink, and breathe yoga. Yoga is my life and I’ve got to say it’s pretty good. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m a true yogi to the core.

If you’re a cancer survivor or know someone who is, try yoga. It could mean the world to you, too.

The post How Yoga Found Me and Carried Me Through Cancer appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

My schedule is quite full right now. I work a full-time job as a travel agent, teach at least five yoga classes per week, and write for Breaking Muscle. I take yoga and CrossFit classes at least two to three times each per week. I have a couple pets and help out with my nephew. In between all that, I try to stay on top of the household chores, finances, and life stuff. I have had some major life-altering personal and medical situations that add stress on top of all that. It’s not surprising that I find myself exhausted at the end of the day.

If I could create the life I wanted, it would look something like this: I would wake up every day and practice yoga and meditation. I would have time to teach yoga, travel the world, and take more yoga workshops. I would live nearby a Trader Joe’s grocery store and have time to make delicious healthy meals. I would be in close proximity to a beach and be able to listen to the sound of the waves. I would have a giant bathtub with Jacuzzi jets, heated hardwood floors, and a comfy king-sized bed. I would have the ability to spend time with family and friends. I would be healthy, fit, and cancer-free.

Creating more balance for me means I’m taking steps towards the life I want. I don’t have much that I can cut out without sacrificing my goals. Right now balance consists of taking baby steps in the right direction. I believe it is possible to create the life that you imagine if you set your mind to it. It’s a matter of positive thinking, setting your intention, and taking risks. Balance for me is sometimes just saying no. It looks like setting aside the laundry, and meditating in the morning or taking a short break to have a cup of tea.

Here are some things I do to create balance in my life:

1. Practice five to ten minutes of yoga every day or at least one handstand
2. Soak in the hot bathtub with homemade bath salts every day
3. Use the word “no” or say “not right now” when necessary
4. Set aside the household chores for a change and do something for me
5. Make a Starbucks run for a chai tea latte
6. Spend time with people who lift me up, encourage me, or make me laugh
7. Do a random yoga pose whenever I feel like it, whenever or wherever
8. Relax, unwind, or take a nap in the middle of the day
9. Set aside my phone, don’t answer emails, and avoid Facebook
10. Drink more water, exercise, and eat healthy meals
11. Allow myself a little splurge (like Dagoba lavender blueberry dark chocolate)

When I step back to look at my life, I wonder how I manage it all. It’s not this perfectly wrapped little life with a pretty bow on it. It’s a mess, and I’m doing my best to keep up. Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning or about to go under, but then it all works out.

What I’ve realized is that balance involves having both the yin and the yang, the darkness and the light. We cannot exist without both and we have to face it. Balance may not look like what you picture it to be. To the best of your ability, try out some bite-sized bits of balance. It’s much more attainable and might make all the difference in your day. Ultimately, it’s a journey and not a destination.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How to Achieve Bite-Sized Bits of Balance in Life appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I’m now a proud owner of a Manduka Pro Lite Breeze 71” yoga mat. Now that I have this gorgeous aqua yoga mat in my possession, my budget yoga mat doesn’t look so appealing. Having never owned the prized Manduka yoga mat, I’ve never really considered how to properly care for a yoga mat. Since there is such a significant difference in value and quality, and I’d like my mat to last a long time, I’m giving it some thought now.

I have researched proper cleaning for your yoga mat and there just simply isn’t a magic recipe. I thought I would find the specific care instructions posted online and it would be easy. That’s not the case at all. In fact, I found out that even yoga mat care varies among yoga teachers. My short survey revealed that some admit to throwing their mat in the washing machine, while others use a tea tree oil and water mixture. Still others swear by a vinegar and essential oil concoction. Yoga mat care and the associated yogis come in all types!

What Type of Yogi Are You?

The All-Natural: Who needs a clean yoga mat? You’re a true yogi down to the core, and you like your yoga practice, raw, natural, and earthy. You don’t mind your own sweaty mat because it defines your hard-earned practice.

Quick and Dirty: You simply like it easy. You don’t have time to make some homemade organic eco-friendly mat cleaner, so you buy the fast food version of yoga mat cleaners. You may resort to chemical- filled disinfectant wipes, a bottle of Amazon’s yoga mat cleaner, or try the washing machine approach.

Eco Matters: Your prized yoga mat deserves as much attention and care as the earth below you. You have properly researched the carbon footprint on all the ingredients for your homemade yoga mat recipe. You buy all the ingredients on your next Whole Foods shopping excursion.

There are many different options for caring for your yoga mat. Deciding on how to care for your mat depends on your preferences and what type of yoga mat you own. Make sure you check with your yoga mat supplier to see if they recommend care specific to their product. If you purchase a new yoga mat, you’ll want to clean your yoga mat to get the desired sticky quality before you start using it.

Here’s what a few of the top yoga mat suppliers have to say about caring for your yoga mat.

For Manduka Yogis: According to the Manduka website you should “scrub the mat with a fifty-fifty mixture of water and organic cider vinegar solution.” If you’re more of a quick and dirty type yogi, Manduka Mat Renew is available for purchase. Lightly scrub with a soft brush, cloth, or sponge, and then wipe clean with water and air dry. Do not use a washing machine or dryer. If you have this king of all yoga mats, it’s worth the organic purchase and best part is it’s eco-friendly.

For lululemon Yogis: According to the lululemon website you should “clean it after every practice with a natural cleanser like water mixed with lemon juice.” For a deeper clean you can soak the mat in water and allow to air dry. lululemon’s yoga mats are made with an antibacterial treatment to prevent growth of unwanted critters.

For Jade Yogis: According to the Jade website you should “wash your mat by soaking in a bathtub, hosing it off or in a front loading washing machine on gentle.” Use a mild soap and then air dry, but avoid long periods of direct sun. Stay away from oils or any abrasive cleaners. Jade mats act like sponges, so simply wiping the surface with water will do the trick. Jade makes it pretty easy, hence more time for yoga.

Do you have a favorite yoga mat cleaner you use or make? Please post to comments below.

Photo 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Yoga Mat Care: Make Your Own All-Natural Cleaning Solution appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I had a conversation with another yoga teacher recently about how he got injured in yoga years ago. At the time, he was really into an intense yoga practice and pushing beyond his limits. He was reaching his arm around his back, his teacher made a slight adjustment with her leg, and then pop. He knew his shoulder was broken.

I had my own experience with injury in a yoga class after attending an advanced master class with a prominent yoga teacher in New York City. I tried to keep up with the pace of the class, but I was still recovering from breast cancer and the class was more advanced than I expected. The yoga teacher remarked on my extended side angle pose, saying I was “wasting time.” He twisted me a little further and I heard my back pop and felt a sharp pinch.

I walked away from this painful and humiliating experience learning a few hard lessons. Forcing yourself into a yoga pose is never a good thing. Yoga is not meant to be practiced that way. It’s about focusing on the breath and being in acceptance. I try to instill this in my yoga students more than obtaining a pose. Challenging yourself is great, but forcing is an entirely different mentality. This is a tangible concept you can incorporate into your everyday life, not just in yoga.

Being in acceptance about your body and limitations can be challenging. I have personal experience with not being able to move the way my mind wants to. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, reconstruction, and a host of other medical treatments. I battled this illness for the better part of a year and felt frustrated by my inability to move. I attended yoga classes for cancer survivors and I was the youngest person in the room. I could barely lift my arms up over my head without feeling pain.

I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been injured and the majority was not in yoga classes. In fact, I dislocated my elbow playing on the playground in elementary school. That doesn’t mean I stop going to the playground because something happened. I go to the playground still, but I may be a little more mindful about how I’m playing.

Here are a few tips I’ve come up with for safely practicing yoga:

Find a yoga teacher who uplifts, encourages, and safely guides you into furthering your yoga practice. If your teacher spends more time showing off her yoga skills rather than helping, you may want to look around. Notice your yoga teacher’s own limitations and how he or she handles them. We all have limitations, but it’s just a matter of how to work through them. Work with a teacher who helps you grow, not go. Fewer egos are more in yoga.

Focus on the breath. I can’t say it enough in my yoga class. If you’re not breathing, then you’re forcing it. Breathe! What’s funny is that at my last job when my boss let me go, my response was “It’s okay. Just breathe.” I noticed he was all flushed and not breathing. It’s our job as yoga teachers to help you breathe. Learning how to breathe in life is going to be a much bigger asset than learning how to stand on your head. Breath is more in yoga.

Be in acceptance and honor your body. Work with the limitations you are given and take baby steps towards your goals. We may have injuries, weaknesses, and issues that we have to contend with in our yoga practice. Yoga is being in a place of acceptance exactly where we are at right now. It helps to stay positive and envision yourself where you want to be. Remind yourself that you’re exactly where you need to be at this moment. Acceptance is more in yoga.

Yoga is not a competition. When you see your yoga neighbor contorting and you feel that tinge of jealousy, hold back. Notice and appreciate how beautiful the pose is and set the intention that you would like to be there someday. Go within and try to live in the space of loving yourself and those around you. You will get there when it is time. You are exactly who you need to be in this moment. You don’t earn medals in yoga.

Respect your level. I have been practicing yoga for the better part of my life and I don’t just pop into scorpion pose. I mindfully work on dolphin pose and kick my feet up over my head against the wall and practice working towards scorpion. That doesn’t mean I don’t challenge myself, but I respect where I’m at. There is no finish line in yoga.

Be patient with yourself and your yoga practice. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you progress in your practice. Surprisingly, I find that I progress even quicker when I focus on my breath and allow things to happen rather than force. That’s just a life principle that works with the flow of life. Enjoy the journey in yoga.

Yes, injury can happen in yoga just like in anything else. Incorporating a few of these suggestions into your daily life may help you avoid this from happening to you. Things happen, life happens, but yoga continues. Don’t blame the practice; blame the ego. Yoga won’t injure you, but you practicing yoga the way it wasn’t intended just might.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How to Practice Safe Yoga appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Being afraid I’ll end up looking like the humpback of Notre Dame when I’m older is a reasonable fear. Either osteoporosis or poor posture may be my fate, unless I take some steps in the right direction. Overall health and wellness has become much more of a priority now that I’m in my thirties. Good posture was something I may have only heard about from my mom when she told me to straighten up (or when I was acting out, more likely).

As a yoga teacher I find myself more conscientious about the way I’m sitting or standing. Sometimes at my day job I find myself slumping over in my chair and then it suddenly dawns on me how I’m sitting. I have been practicing poor posture for so long that I now have to practice good posture. Especially as a yoga teacher, I should lead by example and should not be sitting hunched over. So, even I have to remind myself about good posture once in a while.

Recent studies have shown yoga to improve posture, and it’s not surprising that this is true. In addition to increasing body awareness, yoga strengthens the core and lengthens the spine. The spine is the thing that holds up our body all day long, so it’s important to keep it in tip-top condition. Not to mention it has to support that heavy bowling ball of a head we carry around all day long!

Try these simple poses during your day to improve your posture:

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Yes, this is a yoga pose. It doesn’t feel like it at first, but it’s a very active pose. Stand tall, feel your feet on the ground, open your chest with arms at your sides, slightly tuck your tailbone, engage your thighs, roll your shoulders back and down to lower your shoulder blades, and bring your chin back so your ears are above your shoulders. It’s all in the chin and you want to align your body from feet to head.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

This is probably one of my favorite poses because I can literally feel my spine lengthen as I fold over towards my feet. Just hang there, grab your elbows with your opposite hands, and breathe. After you release your arms, try looking up by opening the chest and flattening your back on an inhale. Then exhale and fold again. This pose saves me on visits to the chiropractor!

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This is an ideal pose for strengthening the back and opening the chest. Place your hands on the mat in front of you in a sphinx position and then slowly straighten your arms into your full extension of cobra. Bring your shoulders away from your ears, while keeping your pelvis and toes on the mat.

Hero Pose (Virasana)

This is a seated yoga pose that makes it difficult to slouch. Sit on your heels and sit up straight with the crown of your head towards the sky. If you have knee issues, this will not be your pose. If you can’t sit on your heels, get an ergonomic chair that mimics this pose or use a pillow for cushion.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This is also known as resting pose in yoga. Sit back on your heels and reach your arms out in front of you or bring them alongside the body towards your feet into a tiny little yoga ball.

Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

This is another great pose for strengthening the back. Open your chest lifting your arms and legs off the mat while keeping the pelvis on the mat. If necessary, you can lift just your chest and aim your arms towards your feet. A more advanced yoga pose would be to go into bow pose, but proceed with caution until you’re ready.

Remember, just like our bad habits developed over time, our good habits take time to build back up as well. Try practicing these poses and see which ones resonate with you. Give yourself reminders in your calendar or on your desk to be present to your posture. In the end you will breathe, move, and feel better.

Watch my video to work through Mountain, Hero, and Cobra with me:

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post 6 Yoga Poses for Better Posture appeared first on Breaking Muscle.