meditation for mojo

I've really been wanting to get out into nature lately. Spend some time hiking, running or just sitting outside. I also find my mind wandering down to the basement where a few neglected projects sit, calling me down to putz. I haven't been making it to an actual yoga studio to practice nearly as much as I'd like and poor Zero hasn't been to the dog park in weeks. I also want to garden, play my drums, try some new recipes, go spelunking, paint the spare room and work on fundraising for Relay for Life. For every little diversion I'm perseverating on lately, there's just something else I need to do instead. My busy, mojo-killing routine is getting in the way of my chill-time.

During this particularly hectic week, rather than randomly trying to make time to juggle any of these hobbies, I'm making time for meditation. As my mind jumps from one scheme or interest to the next, I realize that what I really need is quiet, not more things to do, even if I convince myself of their relaxing qualities. Once you've had a taste of meditation, you'll begin to notice when your mind is slipping into a state of chaos, and trust me, it doesn't take much. But if headed-off, you can avoid the manifestation of stress-induced issues like insomnia, illness or a full-blown meltdown. (It's no coincidence that all of these issues rear their ugly heads at the utmost inopportune times. ie: strep and pink-eye during finals week in college)

I always feel better after meditating, even if 90% of the time is spent telling myself to shut-up. Through just 5-15 minutes of meditation each morning, I'm discovering a lot about what I'm so flippantly referring to as "my routine," AKA, my life. More constructive and restorative than all of my little activities combined, silent mindfulness meditation helps me get my priorities straight. Even if I feel antsy or stressed out before my meditation, I find that it actually GIVES me time, clearing my mind of clutter, allowing me to focus and be more efficient.

Regardless of how much you stress, plan or worry, often times, you have NO idea what's really on your mind until you meditate. Try just sitting down in a quiet space, closing your eyes and tuning in. Listen to what your internal dialogue says, but just let it go. Try to focus on your breathing or create your own meditative mantra, keeping a few words or a short phrase at the center of your attention. Once you're quiet, your own subconscious will reveal things to you and help you put everything into perspective, one breath at a time. Namaste!

the bee breath - pranayama

If you're new to pranayama (breath practice), the Bee Breath, or Bhramari, might seem a little strange at first; but once you understand the science behind it and why it's practiced, you will come to appreciate it's many benefits. 

Performing this breathing exercise helps to induce a calming effect on the mind almost immediately. As with any intentional breathing practice, "Lengthening exhalation relative to inhalation reduces the 'fight or flight' impulse and maintains a healthy level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which helps you relax." - Source  Our restorative parasympathetic nervous system takes over, as it does in meditation or sleep.

What sets the bee breath apart from other breathing techniques is obviously the soothing noise. As we gently close our ears and hum on each exhale, everything else around us is easily drowned out. The noise of our own voice is relaxing, calming background noise, quieting our busy minds and gently stimulating the brain.

The bee breath is especially beneficial for pregnant yoginis. Not only is it invigorating and relaxing, but many women report that they can feel the sound vibrations stimulating their baby. Further, if Bhramari practiced regularly during pregnancy, it helps to keep the endocrinal system regulated, facilitating an easy and trouble-free childbirth. - Source
I love to introduce this technique to my prenatal students and always encourage them to practice this and/or meditation at least once a day. Give it a try!

buckwheat bread

For those of you on a candida gluten-free or sugar-free diet, this grain-free, sugar-free buckwheat bread is a lifesaver...much more bread-like bread than coconut bread and is sturdy enough for sandwiches. It's great toasted with the addition of avocado, scrambled eggs or some coconut oil. This bread can also easily be made either sweet or savory with the addition of stevia or garlic powder.

Buckwheat Bread Recipe:

1c buckwheat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

2 eggs of flax eggs (1T flax + 3T warm water = 1 flax egg)

1 tsp sea salt

1c of unsweetened coconut milk, other milk or water

3/4 tbsp baking soda

Mix all the ingredients together and spoon into a medium lined baking tin. Bake at 350º for 50 minutes. 

Enjoy! The only unfortunate thing about this sugar-free bread is that it very closely resembles a giant log of chocolate cake. :( Sorry about that.

Chocolate cake? Nope. It's Buckwheat Bread.

3 steps toward a more mindful handstand

If you're working toward handstand, you might be used to practicing up against a wall, facing away from the wall and kicking-up. Though this method provides a bit more (false) security, I find the "kick-up" technique to be a little bit unrestrained. When we kick straight up to the wall, cruising past the point of balance (often slamming ankles into the wall), we then have to slowly reach away from the wall, finding our way back to that point of balance, rather than slowly working our way there.

If you're having luck facing away from the wall and kicking-up, more power to you! But if you're not having much luck, try facing away from the wall.

After a long, thorough warm-up, focusing on the hips, wrists, shoulders and back, place your hands about 2-3' away from your wall. Begin by reaching one foot up and back, resting it on the wall, finding leverage. Sort of like a short, 3 Legged Dog.

Step 1

From there, work your other foot slowly up the wall, being sure that you're distributing your weight directly over the wrists, stacking the shoulders. Feel free to play around here, finding balance with one foot away from the wall.

Step 2

 Lastly, when you find a stable position, slowly bring up one foot and then the other, pausing to balance. Be sure you're not holding your breath here! 

If you feel unstable or are ready to come out, just slowly bend one leg back to the wall and carefully walk back down.

Step 3

I personally find this to be a more mindful, careful way of learning handstand, but as always, use caution and a spotter. Namaste!

3 common mistakes in 3-legged dog

3-Legged Dog has always been one of my favorite yoga asanas. I think it's a great way to lengthen the spine and warm up the legs for practice. But if you feel like there's something missing from your 3-Legged Dog, you might be making one of a few common mistakes.

1.) Twisting the foot/torso: As we raise the leg in 3-Legged Dog, it might be tempting to twist the foot or pelvis, thereby achieving a bit more height for the leg. Although it is appropriate sometimes, leg height is not a goal of this pose and for beginners, twisting the foot or hips can create instability and loss of balance.

"The alignment instructions for Downward Dog also apply to this uneven variation: Even though you are standing on two hands and one leg, the shoulders and pelvis must remain square. This is the key to finding stability when you begin to lift one leg." -Yoga Journal

When we keep the hips square and toes facing the mat, we're engaging the deep lower back muscles and glutes. When we allow ourselves to twist open, we lose some of the spinal stretch in favor of stretching the front of the hip and side body.

2.) Rocking backward: As in Downward Facing Dog, stable hand position is imperative here. When we challenge our balance by lifting the leg, a common mistake is to compensate by shifting the weight slightly backwards, putting more weight into the grounded foot. Though this might feel more stable, it's actually bringing the entire spine out of alignment, usually collapsing and pinching the upper back. With this shift, the knuckles might curl ever-so-slightly and the hands are no longer grounded into the mat, so we totally lose the spinal extension.

3.) Rocking forward: As with rocking backward, coming forward onto the hands defeats the goal of the pose. Not only does it put unnecessary pressure on the wrists and shoulders, but rounding the upper back will create tension in the shoulder blades/scapula. Coming off balance as you move forward will also prevent the leg from reaching it's full height, thereby, again, losing that spinal extension.

3-Legged Dog

So when we focus on our Downward Facing Dog position before floating the leg into 3-Legged Dog, our hips, shoulders and hands stay grounded and aligned. From here, when the leg rises, we experience a deep spinal stretch and opening of the hamstrings.

One of the best tips I can offer to feel the full alignment of this pose is to flip it! Take the balance challenge out of the equation and lie on your back. 

Practicing 3-Legged Dog on the floor will help you to take note of how your body is aligned. Stay here for a few breaths, really being mindful of how each muscle feels before taking it back to hands and feet. Namaste!