iBeautyTips

I took these grippy ToeSox for a spin. If you have cold feet, slippery feet, ugly feet or you travel a lot, read all about it.

Yoga ToeSox Review originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 10:21:11.

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I’ve heard a couple of people say that when March 1st rolls around, that means it’s spring, no matter what the weatherman might say about snow flurries. Apparently, March 1st is when people realize that they will soon be stripping off the winter layers and exposing their pale flesh to the world again. Which, in turn, means that everyone is suddenly interested in exercise again. If all this is ringing a bell inside your head loud enough to drown out the snow plough toiling down your street, then check out 6 Fitness Programs to Get in Shape, which includes information on Pilates, weight training, running, and walking. Oh, and yoga! This would also be a good time to check out my 30-Day Quick Start Yoga Guide for Beginners which lays out a month’s worth of yoga for you, so you can get your spring off to a great start.

Is It Spring? originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 23:16:22.

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While I’m feeling the love for the hamstring stretches, let me direct your attention to supta padangusthasana. Lovely little stretch that packs a big wallop. Be sure to keep both your hips down to the floor, resisting the urge to raise the one attached to the leg you are lifting. That’s really all you need to know.

Reclined Big Toe Pose – Supta Padangusthasana Is the Yoga Pose of the Week originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 22:08:55.

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The yoga path shows us how to charge neutral when we feel disagreements with our fellow human beings. The greatest yoga teachers know that we will not always get along, so they teach us that we do not need to make war based on our divergent points of view. We will not always feel joyful or loving, but we do not need to take out our unhappiness on others. We will not always be able to live totally without fear, but we do not need to let desperation for control determine our actions. This is the essence of ahimsa, non-violence, in action.

One of the most basic commitments on the spiritual path is ahimsa, the resolution not to do harm to other beings. Ahimsa is a noble proclamation that aims to align our actions with our intentions to be a force of healing in the world. However, a heartfelt commitment to refrain from harming others does not mean that we will never feel a negative thought again. Nor does it truthfully mean that we will never perpetrate another violent act. Instead the vow of non-violence undertaken by spiritual seekers throughout all time stems from a basic recognition that we have a choice in how we live our lives. While I practice yoga almost every day and live a spiritual life to the best of my ability, I am not always a peaceful person. Sometimes my past ways of waging small interpersonal wars tie me into a sticky knot of anger, fear, sadness and resentment. When I find myself in that hot, uncomfortable space I often feel trapped with no way out. Sometimes I am present enough to remember my desire to live in alignment with ahimsa, and sometimes not.

In moments when anger is too large, practiced and habituated the commitment not to do harm can feel like another burden to bear instead of the release it actually is. Anger breeds illogical states of mind and the nervous system needs time to cool down before any positive action can take place. We will never solve something in the midst of an angry wrath that we cannot solve when we are even tempered and clam. In fact sometimes the mere presence of anger and the urge to fight is itself the problem. Like fiery goggles that paint the world in bright hues of red, anger prevents us from seeing reality clearly. The most peaceful thing you can do when you find yourself caught in a conflagration of emotions is to walk away and regain the balance of your mind. Only once you train the mind to return to a clear state is it possible to reconnect to the path of peace through ahimsa.

All human beings want to live in peace and feel love. What gets in the way is not the desire to do good, nor the desire not to harm, but instead our past patterns of warfare and disagreement. Whenever we react in a callous, confrontational way with people close to us it is more often based in an assumption made in the past than in an actual grievance in the present. Sometimes drama is all we know because that is all we have experienced in the past so we keep recreating it in the present. It could even be said that some people have an addiction to pain and drama that prevents them from living a peaceful life. But when a dramatic interlude is a substitute for a way of living, it is a deep samskara, or habit pattern, that is a detrimental force of pain and suffering in life. Yoga helps build the bridge from past addiction to pain into a more peaceful life in the present.

The only benefit that waging war with those around actually has is that a state of combat is perhaps the greatest motivator for a desire for peace. You never want peace more than when you feel yourself surrounded by war. War does not have to involve dropping bombs, gunfire and fighter jets. It can be waged with an arsenal of words and actions that are almost as traumatic to the heart as weapons of destruction are to the body. When partners live in war zones, erect mine fields around our hearts and cast out others whose culture or appearance is different than ours, peace and ahimsa are simply not possible. As the people of nations sometimes at way we have a responsibility to live more peaceful lives on a direct and personal level. It is an ironic double stand when we expect entire nations to sign peace treaties and when we are not able to make peace with our neighbors. In some sense world peace is a personal ethic choice as well as an global governmental action. The yogic path pledges its allegiance to peace through the ancient vow of ahimsa.

The battle in yoga, if there is one, is actually fought on the inner terrain. The great paradox that many longterm practitioners find out is that the only one they are really fighting with is themselves. Yoga asks you to make peace with the deepest, most secretive, terrifying and even shameful parts of yourself. In doing you you find the only way possible to make that peace with the external world too. It is not that you will never feel irritated, frustrated, angry, sad or fearful again, but that you will learn how to manage these difficult emotions when they do arise. In actively choosing your course of action you will transform the old habituated patterns of war and fighting into peace and friendship. By doing so on the internal level you will naturally change your outer world as well. Yoga means to unify, to yoke, to bring together and one of the most omnipresent things that yoga brings together is the unity of the inner and outer worlds. For was is possible only when we believe we are separate from others and we focus on that separation. Like battle-tired soldiers we must learn to lay down our weapons and surrender to the true power of peace.

Navigating the inner world is not easy and sometimes when we truly realize the harm of being at war with one another we take a inner vow of ahimsa. This vow sometimes creates non-confrontational people who are actually unresolved on the inner plane. While the intention is good, the path to peace sometimes involves a bit of confrontation and inner searching. The non-confrontational person who feels anger and avoids confronting it or other difficult emotions ends up in a kind of cold war with themselves and the people in their lives. This type of peace is not really peace, but instead is a kind of passive aggressive boiling pot that usually bursts at some point. Yoga practitioners cannot dig their heads in the sand like ostriches in the name of peace when conflict arises. Instead we must learn to negotiate a peaceful solution with presence, consideration, compassion and compromise. Just like we learn to practice through an injury into healing we must approach difficult emotions and situation with the same consciousness and awareness if we are to experience true healing.

While it could be said that holding the unhappiness in is at least better than lashing out at others, the danger in being so outwardly peaceful in the midst of inner turmoil is the falsity of peace. The pretense of a desired state is not replacement for the actual experience of it. The substitute for the real goal does not produce a sense of accomplishment. The Yoga Sutras state that the deepest benefits of Ahimsa are not gained when we go about the world in a state of non-harming, but instead when a state of absolute non-violence lives within us to the degree that violence is no longer possible on any level in our very presence. Friend and colleague Govinda Kai introduced the notion of ahimsa as being more than merely non-violent. He stated that ahimsa must mean the radical and spontaneously occurring opposite of violence. As such non-violence cannot be the true antithesis of violence. Perhaps peace is the true opposite of violence, but perhaps healing is as well. For only if we heal the root cause of the violent action can we truly experience peace and resolution. It is healing on all levels that allows our souls to rest in the peaceful acceptance of a situation. Until that healing has transpired the risk of recidivism into a state of warfare will always be there.

In a karmic sense healing could be understood as removing the root of a negative habit pattern. Unless the samskara is healed at the deepest level so that there is no trace of it remaining then there is always a chance that it will resurface and re-ignite the fire again. Yoga is the process of burning away old karmic seeds of destruction and planting in their place the vow of ahimsa. Whenever you practice yoga and align your actions with the spiritual path you nurture these new seeds of change in your life. Peace is a moment to moment choice just like healing. It is a fragile balance that is easily lost in a hateful argument. Peace is an active choice made each time we maintain our balanced mind amidst difficult circumstances. The peace of ahimsa is not boring, just as the meditator’s mind is not dull. Instead this peace, like love, is a dynamic balance where life happens.

About Kino MacGregor
Kino MacGregor is a small business owner (www.miamilifecenter.com), yoga teacher and freelance journalist who has produced two yoga DVDs and is currently working on her first book, Inner Peace, Irresistible Beauty to be released late April 2009. For complete details please see www.ashtanga-awareness.com.

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My Yoga Online has posted a new Yoga Anatomy video featuring David Keil: The Hip Yoga Anatomy yoga video. Learn the important aspects of the hips including major muscles surrounding the hip joint. Discover why the hip has the amount of tension it has around it. Learn how the hamstrings and quadriceps function as “two joint muscles”. Demonstration of where and how tight hips play a role in knee dysfunction. Demonstration to show where movement does or doesn’t happen at the hip joint.

Click to watch this The Hip Yoga Anatomy video class

About David Keil: David Keil was introduced to yoga in 1989 by his Tai Chi Chuan teacher. Both the Tai Chi and Yoga practice at the ripe age of 17 began his research into his own mind-body connections. As an instructor of Kinesiology (the study of movement and musculoskelatal anatomy) at Miami’s Educating Hands School of Massage, David had developed a fun, informal and informative style of teaching. Because of his passion and desire to share the human body with everyone, he delivers this complex and sometimes frustrating topic in a way that is very accessible and understandable to yoga practitioners.

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My Yoga Online has posted a new Pilates video featuring Rachel Wainwright: Pilates Workout video. Is fun yet effective way to reshape your backside. This class provides exercises to tone & tighten your glutes for all fitness levels. These Pilates exercises will heighten your body awareness and improve your self-image. Be prepared to fall in love with your booty.

Click to watch this Pilates Workout video class

About Rachel Wainwright: Rachel is the creator and owner of Exhale Studio. Her goal is to create a very special comfortable environment so her clients get a great workout, relieve stress, gain fulfillment, feel stimulated and have fun while doing it. Her hope is to inspire people to better themselves, to enhance their self-image and self-confidence.

A highly qualified teacher, Rachel is a Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Instructor, BCRPA Registered Pilates Instructor, BCRPA Registered Group Fitness Instructor, and BCRPA Registered Personal Trainer. She also, did her Advanced Pilates Mat & Reformer Certificate at The Pilates Den to PMA standards.

Rachel is a professional dancer, and has performed in a variety of stage shows, TV and film work. An avid practitioner of Yoga and Pilates, her other main interests include snowboarding, wakeboarding, scuba diving, surfing, soccer, and traveling.

Rachel combines all of her diverse background, experience, and knowledge to create a well-rounded and effective class. She uses her energy and motivational skills to get you inspired and moving.

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I’ve been in the mood for twists lately, and revolved side angle pose fits the bill. To deepen the twist, you can bring your bottom hand to the outside of your front foot instead of the inside as it is shown here.

Revolved Side Angle Is the Yoga Pose of the Week originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 22:16:29.

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Lots of yogis love their Manduka Black Mat PRO mats. These super-luxe mats are long-lasting, thick, and endowed with anti-slip properties. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Manduka is offering a limited edition Black Cherry colored version of this popular mat. Get ‘em while they’re hot. And for other V-Day ideas, check out my gift guide. Yeah, there’s chocolate on there.

Limited Edition Manduka Black Cherry Mat originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 22:23:00.

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This yogi tea (also known as chai) is getting me through this rough season of colds. It’s the most delicious medicine you’ll ever take. And great for anyone trying to cut back on coffee.

Drink This originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 11:34:12.

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While the 2010 Winter Olympics are getting underway in Vancouver, the 2010 U.S. Yoga Asana Championship is also taking place this weekend in sunny Los Angeles. Though many balk at the idea of competitive yoga (including a campaign to include yoga in future Olympic Games), it has a long established history in India. Rajashree Choudhury, the founder and president of USA Yoga (and wife of Bikram) was kind enough to offer the following commentary on the value of yoga competitions:

The purpose of these competitions is to demonstrate and educate the general public as to the life renewing properties of yoga. When people see the healthy, strong, flexible bodies, the calmness of mind and the beauty of spirit in the competitors, they come to understand the magnificence of what yoga is and what yoga can do for them. Search within yourself to be the best person you can be, and encourage others to do the same.

An admirable sentiment, though one could certainly argue that, in fact, yoga competitions do just the opposite by promoting a level of practice that is not realistic for most people. And I’m still not clear on why it needs to be a competition. Drop your thoughts in the comment box.

USA Yoga Asana Championship originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at 00:09:50.

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More forward bending fun this week with prasarita padottanasana. This is actually one of my favorite poses. When this is taught in class, I always feel a little disappointed if the teacher doesn’t use it as a spring-board to a tripod headstand. (Which, inexplicably, I don’t have a picture of.) Add it to your home practice and you can headstand all you want.

Standing Straddle Forward Bend – Prasarita Padottanasana Is the Yoga Pose of the Week originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 22:02:39.

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You’ve heard the saying “necessity is the mother of invention,” right? Since I’m trying to rest a sore shoulder, I’ve turned my daily stretch routine into a hip-opening, hamstring-stretching workshop. Try out this sequence when you want to work on your legs for awhile.

Hips and Hamstrings originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 11:46:14.

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Yoga may not be in the Olympics yet, but there are definitely yoginis in the Olympics this year. Speed skater Katherine Reutter is in the thick of her four race events, while freestyle skier Emily Cook gets going in the women’s aerials this weekend. I’m getting extra excited rooting for these yoginis!

Catching Olympic Fever originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 11:22:38.

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Seems like hips have been on a lot of minds lately, judging from several emails I’ve gotten about how to make easy pose easier. Luckily, Aunt Yoga has got it covered: How to Get Comfortable Cross Legged.

Easy Pose – Sukhasana Is the Yoga Pose of the Week originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 22:11:42.

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A very interesting story on NPR today explains why we gain weight as we age. The story references research showing that yoga can help older folks retain their muscle mass, therefore improving strength, flexibility, and overall health. A new study is now underway that hopes to make recommendations and modifications for specific poses that seniors can do for maximum effect.

Is Yoga the Fountain of Youth? originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 23:45:02.

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As I was contemplating my own home page, as I sometimes do, I realized that something has been missing from my standing poses sequence: reverse warrior (see above). So here’s your revamped sequence. Feel free to reverse your warrior at your leisure.

Standing Poses Revamped originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 23:44:09.

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My Yoga Online has posted a new yoga video featuring Clara Roberts-Oss: Twist It Out Yoga video. This yoga sequence balances twisting with heart opening. The flow moves through a standing series of twists and leg balances coupled with a cycle of back bends. Enjoy practicing to the beautiful outdoor setting of North Vancouver, Canada.

Watch our latest video: Twist It Out Yoga

About Clara:
Clara originates her practice and teachings from New York at the Jivamukti Yoga Center. She received her certification at Sonic Yoga NYC with Lauren Hanna and Jonathan Fields in 2003. Her unique sense of sequencing is influenced by teachers Shiva Rea, Lauren Hanna, Stacey Brass (Laughing Lotus), David Life (Jivamukti) and from her background in dance.

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My Yoga Online is proud and excited to be supporting the 2010 Power of Movement Yoga Challenge March 7, 2010 – the world’s largest yoga challenge in support of arthritis and autoimmune research.

“Nothing happens until something moves.” -Albert Einstein

It all started in 2005 when Dorna Chee made a phone call to the Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Centre (AARC) Foundation in Toronto with an idea. A yoga teacher, Dorna had turned to her yoga breathing exercises to help her get through a long stay in hospital after being diagnosed with lupus, and she wanted to share her experience with other people who might benefit from yoga to manage an autoimmune illness.

She found a supportive listener in Erin Moraghan, who had recently started working at the AARC Foundation and was an active yoga practitioner. Erin took Dorna’s story to Moksha yoga studio owner Tracey Dos Anjos, and together they developed the concept of Power of Movement – a way to bring yoga into the lives of people like Dorna, who live with arthritis and autoimmune conditions, and to raise money for critical arthritis research in Canada.

In its first year, the team behind Power of Movement aimed to bring 100 people in Toronto together to practice yoga at the same time and place, with the goal of raising ,000 for research. The event shattered their expectations, with 250 people participating to raise ,000. Today Power of Movement has raised nearly 0,000 with hopes to raise an additional 0,000 through the 2010 campaign!

On March 7th, do it for a good cause. REGISTER NOW to join Canada’s yoga challenge! Major events happening in a city near you, or join the virtual challenge.

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My Yoga Online has posted a wonderful new nutrition article by guest author Carol DiPirro: Why choose Steel-Cut Oats. As we all know, whole grains are vital to a healthy lifestyle. Steel-cut oats offer a nuttier alternative to the rolled oats most people know.

Steel-cut oats are essential grains which are full of nutritional value, rich in B-vitamins, calcium, protein and fiber while low in sodium and unsaturated fat. In fact, just one cup of steel-cut oats contains 8g of fiber. Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats, the inner portion of the oat kernel, which have been cut into two or three pieces rather than flattened. Because of this it takes longer to digest, making us feel fuller for a longer period of time. They are a golden hue and look like chopped nuts or tiny grains of rice. Rolled oats are flake oats that have been steamed, rolled, re-steamed and toasted. Due to all of this additional processing they lose some of their fiber, nutritional value, natural taste, and texture.

Read the full article including a great Over-Night Oatmeal recipe.

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My Yoga Online has posted a new nutrition article by guest author Brendan Brazier: Guide For Transitioning To A Healthier Diet. Brendan offers simple, but effective advice in how to start adding healthier foods into your diet in order to avoid physical shock to your systems. Enjoy these great nutrition tips as part of your overall yoga and wellness program.

At this point, most of us know what foods are healthy. The challenge is no longer in finding the best health-promoting foods, but rather conveniently incorporating them into the diet on a daily basis without overextending our time budget. What then is the best route to take when aiming to integrate more healthy foods into the diet by replacing the less-healthy options?

A common approach when transitioning to a new way of eating is to eliminate certain non-health promoting foods. However, the most effective way to seamlessly adopt a new eating plan is to include more health-promoting foods as opposed to eliminating the less healthy. This is a practical solution that works on a physiological level as well as a psychological one.

Enjoy reading more Guide For Transitioning To A Healthier Diet

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