anything vs. everything

A quote by David Allen reminds us that, "You can do anything, but not everything." An obvious dig at our over-scheduled, under pressure, multitasking lives, most of us can relate to the fact that we can only do a certain amount of things or to a certain degree before quality and sanity begins to degrade. But think about how these words apply to your yoga practice. Are you okay with not achieving certain goals? Do you happily sit out certain parts of a yoga class? Really?

It's easy to answer, "yes," if you're just picturing a bunch of humdingers that you have no desire to work toward. When you see something as completely unachievable, of course you won't care if you don't do it. However, what about a pose that you have been working toward or a pose you've always struggled with? What if some poses are always a struggle for your body or just not appropriate for you to practice?

When you're enthusiastic about something like yoga, it's natural to strive toward progress. Finding more space in your hamstrings, deepening a hip-opener pose or nailing that first arm balance might feel like little milestones that have defined moments in your yoga. That's great if the progress is gentle and genuine. Yet there are times where we all feel frustrated and we might do well to focus on a few important reminders.

1) Prioritize meditation. Physical progress can only go so far without deep awareness and self-control. Eventually, you will hit a wall and if your mind is not where it should be, you will push through anyway, usually resulting in injury, frustration or perceived failure. I've been there! Early on in my yoga practice, I was focused on seeing and feeling physical changes. Little did I know how changing my focus would change my life. If everyone put their mental state first, there would be no such thing as a "yoga injury."

2) There is no competition. Though it might be obvious to control your frustration when you don't achieve a pose, remember the equal importance of avoiding patting yourself on the back when you do achieve a pose. I know it feels great when you're finally comfortable with a pose you've worked long and hard to pull off, but if we truly acknowledge this lack of competitiveness, it works both ways. 

3) Yoga is a lifelong journey. We all know this. Progress doesn't happen overnight, we need to have patience, take it slow, be content...etc. To embrace a yoga lifestyle is to know that we need to be gentle and tuned in to our bodies, but it's all easier said than done. 

4) Practice alone. When you first begin to practice on your own, I believe that it's one of the first steps toward accepting your real practice. When there are no cues from the instructor, no friends or classmates to impress, your mind and body come first. Nothing can replace a studio practice either, but practicing on your own can be a great way to bring things back to basics and simplify.

"You can do anything, but not everything," is a powerful phrase to meditate on. You can only push your mind and your body so far before you are compromising something. It's better to do a little bit of mindful yoga than a lot of mindless yoga, as with any other task in your life. So pay attention to wherever you are and let yourself be ALL there. Namaste!

yoga gift guide 2013

It's that time again! This list was great fun last year, so here it is again with a few go-to favorites as well as some new products and ideas for any yogi. Hang on to this list for your favorite yoga teacher or friend because this year's list starts as low as 17¢! :) Namaste!

1) Custom Yoga Music CD - 17¢
For just the cost of a blank CD, you can create a really special and useful yoga-related gift for any friend or instructor! DIY to share your favorite music style and personal flair. Instructors LOVE to receive music suggestions and it will be fun for you to hear the updated playlists in class! (hint, hint!) ;)

2) Yoga Jewelry Charms - $2.50
This Etsy shop boasts a variety of unique and affordable charms for everyone from the spiritual yogi to the sporty yogi. Great for charm bracelets, necklaces or keychains...maybe keep a few for yourself?

3) JuJu's Aromatherapy Eye Pillows - $4.00
These eye pillows will probably remain a staple on this list for quite some time. They're only $4 and they're all custom and handmade! You can mix and match from a huge variety of luxurious silk fabrics and scents. Pop them in the microwave or the freezer for a few minutes for an extra special relaxing treat before bedtime or use them to boost your meditation practice.

4) Chevron Elastic Hair Ties - $7.50
These types of hair ties are about as gentle as you can get without rocking the scrunchie. For those who need to pull their hair back often, these are a stylish and gentle option. At $7.50 for 10 hair ties, they make a great, cheap handmade gift!

5) Target Yoga Tights - $12
Target has recently stepped up it's game in the active-wear department, but if you're just looking for some not-plain-black cotton tights to add a little flair to your yoga practice, head over to the sock section. For around $10-$15, you'll find all sorts of cute (and don't worry: opaque) tights from simple stripes to crazy plaids. (I have the ones pictured here!)

6) Essential Oil Blend - $12.95
Essential oils have long been used to help to create a calming atmosphere, invigorate yoga practice or increase awareness of the senses. Oils make a great gift because there are tons of different scents and uses for them. You might dilute them with water and citrus to make a fresh mat-cleaning spray, pair with an oil-diffuser or gift with a carrier oil to use for massage.

7) Watercolor Yoga Art - $20

If you're not artistic enough to DIY, consider purchasing a watercolor print or notecards from the talented, Lindsey Satchell. She creates simple, yet powerful yoga asana designs that would fit beautifully into any yogi's home and for just $20, you can choose an 8.5" x 11" print from her huge collection of poses. 

8) Wholehearter Yoga Spreadshirt Apparel - $25+

Shameless plug? Perhaps. Excellent, custom gift? Absolutely. New designs are posted periodically and you can choose any product, design and colors you want! "Stay Present" pictured here, is one of the more popular designs for yogis and non-yogis alike.

9) TOMS gift certificate - $50

Whether it's the incredibly comfortable and practical shoes or the charitable organization that attracts yogis like flies, you'll usually find at least a few pairs of TOMS outside of any yoga class. If you're not familiar with the company, for every pair of shoes they sell, TOMS donates one pair to a child in need. "One for one." <3

10) Hand-Dyed Ombre Yoga Tights - $50

Handmade gifts are the best and this Etsy shop has all different colors of these entirely customizable ombre tights. Comprised of a 90% cotton/10% lycra blended knit, they offer a lot of stretch, but are breathable. 

11) oGorgeous Designer Yoga Mat Bag - $82

No, of course you don't need to spend $82 to get a decent yoga mat bag. But if you're going to splurge, it darn-well better be cute and oGorgeous has you covered with these unique bow bags. 

Namaste, people!

Check out last year's gift guide here!

yoga selfies: to share, or not to share?

Back in July, you may have seen the New York Times article called, "Yoga Practitioners Gaze at Their Inner Selfies."Author Kayleen Shaffer examined the juxtaposition of vanity and yoga and created quite a stir among supporters and haters alike. Though nobody wants to admit it, most selfies are about vanity; but with yoga, there's another dynamic: yoga isn't supposed to be about the shape of the poses. (If it were, it would be a competition that pre-teen gymnasts would win.) If it's so much about controlling the mind, breath and ego, are we trivializing the practice by snapping photos of ourselves in awesome poses? Or are we just celebrating this beautiful practice? In a world where many yogis also enjoy photography and iPhone apps, how do we strike a balance?

As an instructor, I have a love/hate relationship with selfie yoga photos. I love the inspiration that we can glean from others photos; getting ideas for our practice or new friends for support is great. But what I dislike is the way that yoga is represented in many of these photos. Is it making yoga feel too exclusive or intimidating? Are we portraying an art form or just snapping crappy photos to show-off? Is some of it over-sexualized? (That's hilariously rhetorical.) 

Whether you're a beginner or have been mindfully practicing yoga for years, we all need to keep our wide, diverse audience in mind; they're developing opinions about yoga, creating new goals or trying new poses. Though it's up to any practitioner to monitor their body in any pose, we (as selfie-posters) still have a responsibility to express our passion in a fitting way, not always a flawless, unrealistic reality. Balance your humdinger photos with peaceful, basic asanas.

Once you've come to grips with the idea of even sharing a yoga self-portrait, consider the Instagram "yoga challenges." Each day, the host of the challenge shares a pose for followers to mimic and share their versions. Often, winners are chosen at the end. (Sometimes, the word 'challenge' is just an unimaginative synonym for the word, 'competition.') Though these can be a great way to get yogis motivated for daily practice, they also can be a perfect way to encourage mindless, ego-driven practice....a recipe for disaster and injury.

That all being said, you'll find lots of yoga photos on my iPhone, here on the blog and some on my Instagram feed, even though I still dislike the idea of selfies. This blogger explained it well:

"Yes, there are some beautiful people performing near perfect poses, but more often than not, these are people who love yoga and want to share their passion. There are teachers who now have a new outlet to teach and can break down a pose in both words and photos. Photography is also a very powerful tool. It allows me to see myself in a pose, to pinpoint the areas that I need to work on and, most importantly, to document progress."

Yoga selfies are a great way to show steps-by-step instruction

I think it's pretty cool that yogis all around the world can unite and share interesting poses in unique places or artful ways. It's fascinating to see all the different people and it's equally fascinating to catch tiny glimpses of my own practice that I never get to see. I can hang on to a moment of how I felt in these poses...free, open, balanced or strong. And other yogis on Instagram have inspired my practice or given me ideas for teaching. What do non-yogis think of these photos? I don't know. But yoga photographer Robert Sturman says, in his own words, "I often think of Rumi: 'I Can't stop pointing to the beauty.' That feels right to me." It's okay that yoga is inherently beautiful.

If you're not sure about it or you've never tried it, maybe download a timer app and try your own yoga selfie or two. You certainly don't need to share or post any of the photos, but it's exciting to see such simple beauty through yourself in any yoga posture. If you're worried about doing the pose "wrong" or not looking good enough, it's also an excellent platform to step out of your comfort zone. :) What are your thoughts?