some sort of bird

2009-09-19T10:35:00.001-04:00

curried spinach pea soup
6-8 servings, 20 min prep, 45 min cook

saute:
-4 c chopped onion
-1 T oil
after a few minutes add:
-8 cloves garlic
-4 c diced potatoes
-1 1/2 T grated fresh ginger
-1 1/2 t turmeric
-1 1/2 t ground cumin
-1 1/2 t ground coriander
-1/2 t cinnamon
-1/8 t cayenne
-1/4 t black pepper

once the spices get fragrant add:
-5 C water or a mix of veg broth and water
-2 t salt (or more to taste)
-1 1/2 T fresh lemon or lime juice

once potatoes are soft add:
-3 C fresh or frozen peas
-4 C fresh spinach (chopped if you're not going to blend it)
-1 3/4 C (14 oz) coconut milk

- fresh cilantro as desired
- blend or serve chunky. Its really nice blended and chilled too!

2009-08-11T09:54:00.002-04:00

Just heard an encouraging statistic on NPR, and its not often that one hears encouraging stats so it must be shared:

Local and organic food industries are growing by 20% per year consistently over the last 3 years. Conventional food industries are growing at a rate of 1-2%. Take that factory farms, pesticides and GMOS! Slowly but surely we seem to be coming around!

I just became a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club. Check out their website and consider joining if your in KW, if you're not check your local area for one or consider starting your own!!! Bailey's was started by Nina Bailey-Dick who once lived in Goshen and worked for Rachel's Bread. She's sourced an amazing array of local products and goes weekly to pick stuff up for the club. Saturday or Sunday you check the website for what's being offered that week. You make sure to place your order online by Tuesday at 8pm. Then Friday between 3-7 pm you pick up your fresh local produce, yogurt, breads (100 local spelt!!), cheese, dried beans, peanut butter, oils, etc etc!! The pick up is a km from my house, so it saves the effort of going all the way to the market and the offering in terms of local foods other than produce is much more than I've been able to source elsewhere!
yum.

Also, if you haven't seen Food, Inc check around to see if its playing in a theater near you, or make sure to rent it when it comes out later this fall.

2009-06-18T13:21:00.002-04:00

Sweet and Spicy Coconut Curry

curry base:
- 1 onion stir-fried
- 2-3 cloves garlic
sauté in veg. oil, when tender add...
- 1 c veg broth
- 1 can coconut milk (go for the creamy not the light!)
- 1-2T curry paste (depending on how hot you like it, i recommend green curry paste)
- 1 t turmeric powder (optional)
- zest from half a lime
- splash of lime juice
- 1 T fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 c brown sugar or maple syrup
- salt or a dash of tamari

to that add your choice of:
- peppers
- carrots
- broccoli
- potato
- sweet potato
- sweet peas
- egg plant
- bok choy
- dry-fried tofu
- chickpeas
(add green veggies later, potatoes, eggplant tofu and chick peas right away)

right before serving add 1/4 C + each of basil and cilantro

serve over brown rice or rice noodles

YUM!

2009-06-05T10:09:00.001-04:00

You can watch a full length version of HOME by Yann here for free!

2009-06-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

2009-05-16T20:21:00.005-04:00

Hanging out (upside down) on a Satuday afternoon!
today i went to fergus with meaghan and nancy from queen street yoga where i now teach a few classes a week. they are hosting a retreat at this awesome little studio/retreat center there in july, so we went to go check the place out. its a fully equipped iyengar studio with TONS of props to play with, including wall hooks and straps. you can see some of the fun ways we used them in the pics.

headstand with no pressure on the head! my cervical spine is so happy!
flying backbend!inverted child's pose. so so relaxing. there was so much sighing going on in this pose!

the studio is in an old converted mennonite barn, with gorgeous exposed beams. there are 5+ guest rooms each with stained glass windows and lots of character. and the property is beautiful with gardens, patio and a hot tub! it made me super excited to go on/help out at the retreat!

nancy and meaghan

if you're interested in the retreat, here are some more details:

Queen Street Yoga's very first weekend retreat! Meaghan Johnson, owner of QSY, and Nancy Shaeffer, author of the Body Means Well, and long time meditation instructor, will be joining their creative forces to bring you a weekend of fun and embodiment, health and restoration. We also plan to rock out around the the campfire Saturday evening with Charlena Russel, local musician and long time yoga student! This weekend getaway will be held July 10th to 12th, at the Soul Garden Retreat Centre in Fergus.
Go to the following two websites to see how beautiful it is!
http://www.yogaoffthewall.ca/
http://www.soulgardenretreat.com/
Come and enjoy a weekend of yoga, meditation, mindful walking, swimming in the gorge,good food, soaking in the hot tub, bonfires, music and singing.
The Yoga studio is a fully equipped Iyengar based studio with lots of fun props to play with!
We can take 12 residential participants and 10 non residential (drive from k-w is 40min, or guelph, 20min)
Cost:
Residential (room two nights, brunch and snacks Sat. and Sun.) $350 plus GST
Non-Residential (brunch and snacks included Sat. and Sun.) $280 plus GST The retreat centre is only 40min drive from Kitchener.
On Saturday night we will go to a wonderful Indian restaurant in downtown Fergus, please budget $20-25 for the meal.
Please email us to reserve your space. (email queenstreetyoga at gmail dot com)

Schedule of the weekend:
Friday night:
6:00-7:30 Arrivals, and registration
7:30-8:00 Greetings and Introductions
8:00-9:30 Restorative Yoga

Saturday
7:00-8:00am Mindful Walk (optional)
8:00-10:00am Yoga
10:00-11:15am Brunch
11:30-12:45pm Meditation and Mindful Movement
1:00-3:00pm Yoga
3:00-6:00pm Snack followed by free time for hiking, swimming, napping, etc.
6:00pm Dinner
8:00pm Camp Fire with music and sing along gudied by Charlena Russel
& hot tubbing (within ear shot of the music!)

Sunday
7:00-8:00am Mindful Walk (optional)
8:00-10:00am Yoga
10:00-11:15am Brunch
11:30-12:30 Closing activity and good byes!
You can plan to stay for the afternoon to enjoy Elora and Fergus or head home if you need to.

2009-05-16T09:05:00.002-04:00

thanks ben for sending me this- ha! its SO great. watch along with weightless (below). my favorite scene is jumping off the diving board. can you imagine how long the video took?

2009-05-11T15:18:00.001-04:00

2009-05-09T23:21:00.000-04:00

check out our garden blog!

groovyrootskw

2009-04-28T10:18:00.000-04:00

2009-04-20T09:30:00.002-04:00

my dad is great for lots of reasons (like driving all the way to waterloo to bring me to goshen for a week (no, not so environmentally friendly, but i am taking the train back), giving support and encouragement, and growing delicious vegetables), beyond that his commitment to environmentalism and sustainable living is really inspiring. he bikes or buses to work almost everyday, buys almost exclusively local produce, mows his lawn with a blade push mower (no gas, no electric), and always adds a few more layers before he turns up the heat. recently he made his commitment more public with his company Hertzler Systems. they planted 600 trees on their land in the industrial park. you can read a great article here and see some pics!

2009-04-10T00:19:00.000-04:00

2009-04-05T22:05:00.004-04:00

Don't try this at home...

Tanutara: Making of the Anusara Syllabus Poster from Ross Evans on Vimeo.

Amazing eh? Its awesome to see the possibilities and highly evolved skills of some yogis. But if you've never been to a yoga class before, don't watch this thinking that we teach anything remotely near this level. most teachers i know can't even do an 1/8 of those poses, and many of us don't aspire to. we want to just breath and move, stretch, and begin to understand our bodies and minds more, and guide people to do the same.
anyone can do yoga, it doesn't have to manifest that way (in the video) at all. last week i started teaching a seniors yoga class, all women, mostly between 60-70 yrs. we do a lot of poses from chairs or using chairs for balance, and other exercises relax and loosen joints and work on breathing and relaxation too.

2009-03-14T14:07:00.004-04:00

The reason i never blog anymore is all this silly anthropology i study. i get too sick of writing papers to really want to write on my blog. so how about an anth paper folks?
its for anthropology of religion. the assignment was to attend a religious service/ceremony or take a secular practice that has aspects of ritual in it and apply course concepts. what did i use? well duh, a yoga class. if you spot any typos/have comments let me know, its due thursday!

Yoga is a practice of Eastern spirituality that is gaining increasing popularity in the West. While many Westerners think of their yoga practice as secular, yoga classes retain many ritual elements. I am a certified yoga instructor and I teach a number of classes each week in studios and community centres. When I teach, it is important for me to differentiate yoga from mere physical exercise by incorporating elements of ritual. This paper will explore the significance of these rituals and relate them to theoretical concepts in the Anthropology of Religion.
In her paper “Transcendental Meditation, Reiki and Yoga: Suffering, Ritual and Self-Transformation,” Garrett, a sociologist as well as yoga practitioner, examines yoga as a form of ritual in Western contexts. She claims that “rituals are often used as initiations from one form of subjectivity to another” and that practitioners approach yoga, as a ritual, as a means of self-transformation (Garrett 2001:329). I often ask my students why they choose to take yoga classes. Although some of my students come seeking physical transformation in the form of weight loss or relief from physical pain, the majority are seeking transformations of their mental state: to reduce stress, relieve anxiety, or find a sense of calmness. An even broader transformation may be sought: to ‘work on myself,’ to learn acceptance, reconnect with ‘something bigger’ or ‘move towards closer union with the divine.’
Garrett says that yoga is “a constant process of initiation, an ongoing training devoted to deepening knowledge of the body,” and then, according to its philosophical roots in Hinduism, to ultimately transcend the body (337). As a process of initiation and transformation, a yoga class may be considered a rite of passage and would thus fit into van Gennep’s (2002:130) model for the stages of ritual rites of passage. Using a typical yoga class that I teach at a studio I will explain van Gennep’s three stages of ritual: separation, liminality, and incorporation. Turner, who has also developed important theories of ritual, defines ritual more narrowly than I do in this paper. However, his emphasis on symbols has influenced my analysis of yoga as a ritual. For Turner, rituals must involve spirits or mystical beings and this may be the case for some yoga practitioners but it is not the norm. Turner (2002:123) finds that among the Ndembu, “Each kind of ritual may be regarded as a configuration of symbols.” Turner also emphasized the study of the dynamics of social interactions. It is through ritual symbols that social interactions are made possible and maintained (Hicks 2002:122). In a yoga class, gestures, postures and the use of metaphorical language symbolize what the individual should experience and what the experience of relationship between student and teacher in the class should be.
In van Gennep’s first stage of ritual, separation, the individual is removed from their original state. The yoga student enters the yoga studio space and changes into yoga clothing (typically form fitting, comfortable stretchy cotton). They separate themselves further from their everyday state when they enter the yoga room: they become more quiet, collect the necessary props for the class such as blocks to sit on, and unroll their yoga mat on the floor which creates their delineated space upon which they will ‘do yoga.’ I, the teacher, motion that class will begin by sitting down at the front of the room, facing my students. I begin by instructing my students in how to take a seated position with good posture. I then invite them to close their eyes and become aware of how they are feeling, noticing the thoughts and feelings they have brought with them to the practice. I invite them to turn their awareness inwards to their breath, shifting the focus away from those thoughts and feelings. This is a period of transition, of coming into a greater awareness of the body and mind.
Next we enter into the liminal stage, in which van Gennep (2002:130) says that clear-cut status is lost,; we are “in between.” In a yoga class, this phase is the bulk of the class, where I lead students through postures, called asanas. Before beginning the asana practice, I lead the class in singing the sound of aum together three times. I have been taught that sound is the original sound of the universe, and in singing it we reconnect with the Universal Source of energy for our practice. In beginner classes, often no one or only few will sing along with me in the aums. In classes with students that have been with me for several months more students join in. Usually if a few loud people sing out, others will join in also. If it is a more advanced class, a chant is also sung. The chant in Sanskrit that I teach my students is typically sung at classes taught in the Anusara style of yoga:
Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
I offer myself to the Light, the Auspicious One, who is the True Teacher within and without,
Saccidananda Murtaye
Who assumes the forms of Reality, Consciousness, and Bliss
Nischprapanchaya Shantaya
Who is never absent and is full of peace,
Niralambaya Tejase
Independent in existence, the vital essence of Illumination.

The aums and chant underscore liminality because students are invited to let go of their previous ego-centred self. They connect to a Universal Source of energy/The Light/The True Teacher through the chanting of aum or by singing a chant like the one above and they join their voice with the teacher and other students. It is important to note, that although these more “spiritual” or philosophical parts of the yoga class are offered, not all students participate, some remaining quiet during chanting. As the teacher, I explicitly give the choice to participate by telling students to join in as they like or feel comfortable.
The liminal stage continues as we move into the asanas, the physically active part of the class. Students move together as I instruct. In our day-to-day lives, we choose how and when to move our bodies, at least to some degree. In a yoga class, students defer the freedom to move as they choose; they are in different state where a teacher directs their movement. Many of the asanas, in name and form, invoke symbols in Hindu mythology or embody characteristics of animals. One example is virabhadrasana, or warrior pose, which refers to the Bhagavad-Gita where a symbolic battle is being fought against self-ignorance. I plan my classes so that asanas fit together in a sequence, poses progressively opening the body and eventually bringing the students into a peak pose, the most difficult pose or sequence of poses that brings the class to a climax physically and emotionally. Then I follow with postures that are gentler, preparing students for final relaxation. The final pose is savasana, which is translated as corpse pose. Students lie on their backs, with palms facing up for about five to ten minutes. During savasana I encourage students to let the body go completely,; there should be no effort in the pose. I also instruct them how to gradually let the mind go, trying to suspend the busyness of thinking for several minutes. This pose can be seen as a symbolic end to the liminal stage in which the old self dies.
The last phase of van Gennep’s triad is incorporation; it begins as we end savasana. Students are awakened from their relaxation (not sleep) gently by the sound of a bell. While still in the lying on their backs, I invite students to become aware of their breath, and then slowly bring movement back into their bodies. Next, I tell students to roll onto their right side, and “check in with how you are feeling:” noticing the breath, sensations in the body, thoughts in the mind, and emotions. Then I invite students to slowly move into the cross-legged seated posture that we began with at the start of class. Here students have entered into a new state; it is often evident from their body language that they are more relaxed and peaceful than when they began. I invite students to again close their eyes and bring their focus to the breath, becoming aware of how their bodies feel in the new state. We then sing the sound of aum together one time. The class ends when I say the word namaste with my palms together in a prayer position over my heart,; at the end of the word I take my hands to my forehead bowing to my students and they do the same bowing to me and one another. In India namaste is a common greeting that literally means “I bow to you,” but in yoga classes (at least in the West) we translate it as meaning “the light within me honours the light within you.” The meaning assigned to this word in yoga classes is significant. It signifies the transformation that has occurred throughout the class, whereby the individual transcends their small self (ego) and connections with something larger, a “light” or “spirit’” that is thought to reside in all.
Human action, according to Leach, serves two purposes: to do things, “altering the physical state of the world,” or to “say things,” communicate information, particularly information about human relationships (Leach 2002:118). Leach argues that the term ritual is “best used to denote this communicative aspect of behavior” (119). Yoga alters the physical state of students, providing exercise as well as relaxation. Yoga has come to signify a number of things in our society: health, relaxation, the East. In taking yoga classes individuals might be communicating their interest in improving their health, their need for stress-reduction, their desire to be more self aware or their curiosity about “Eastern” or “New Age” spirituality.
The symbols within a yoga class also communicate important information about students and their relationship with each other and with the teacher, and also about the transformation of the ego through yoga. Turner (2002:124) explains that symbols in Ndembu ritual “connects the unknown to the known.” In the process of ritual, the “unknown, invisible, hidden” may be revealed and in turn what is private may be made public, what is personal may be made social. Among the Ndembu this process allows social tensions that may at other times threaten the cohesion and continuity of the group to be expressed in ritual and dealt with in a socially acceptable way. These processes, of revealing the unknown, hidden and invisible occur on several levels in a yoga class.
The first unknown is the body. There are few contexts in the West when we are encouraged to actually pay attention and be aware of our bodies, especially not in the context of a group. In a yoga class, I teach students to become aware of their breath and how it changes and affects movement, of the way that the body moves within space, and of the way that parts of the body move in relation to one another. I also encourage students to allow bodily processes that are normally expected to be hidden in social situations to be exposed throughout the class; for example, by telling students that it is normal for certain poses to cause them to pass gas. (One instance is pavanamuktasana, a supine pose, where one knee is drawn into the chest. The Sanskrit word pavana means air or wind and mukta means release, therefore this is the "wind relieving posture" and often releases trapped gas in the intestines). Another example is that I ask my female students to tell me when they are on their menstrual cycle as it is beneficial to modify some asanas at during this time. Here women are asked to reveal to a group of other students whom they may not know at all a matter that is normally expected to be kept private and cleanly concealed. In yoga classes the teacher creates a space in which students can experience their bodies and even reveal aspects of their bodies in ways that are not normally socially sanctioned. Here the private realm of the body is experienced publicly. However, there is a contrast from Turner’s theory of Ndembu ritual here. Turner argues that by expression of anti-social sentiment in ritual contexts, individuals “are purged of rebellious wishes and emotions and willing to conform once more to public mores” (2002:124). Although I don’t think my students will start passing gas in other public contexts due to their yoga studies, it is my hope, and I think the hope of many teachers that through yoga students will become more comfortable sharing about specific functions such as menstruation, and become more aware of their bodies and their health in general.
Several of the components in the ritual of a yoga class symbolize what is happening to the ego. These symbols, which are acted out physically and verbally, make public and social the more personal or private psychological experience of transcending the ego. Students come to a class as individuals, with their egos intact. In the separation phase they prepare themselves to begin to transcend the ego. In the liminal phase the teacher guides them through this process by performing asanas, such as virabhadrasana, which may symbolize the battle to defeat the ego.
The final asana, corpse pose, is a symbolic death of the ego, after which the student is reborn in a state of oneness with the other students and the teacher, so that they are all carrying the same light within themselves. Richard Rosen (2009), a well-respected yoga teacher and author, writes, “In Corpse Pose, we symbolically ‘die’ to our old ways of thinking and doing. The normally perceived boundaries of body image dissolve, and we enter a state of blissful neutrality.” This state of oneness is communicated by the gesture and vocalization of namaste that ends the class. Aadil Palkhivala, a prominent teacher in the Iyengar style of yoga explains, “For a teacher and student, Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection” (2009). This word is a symbol that communicates the relationship between student and teacher. Palkhivala continues, “If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.” This symbolic gesture and word reveals a common sentiment between students and teacher that may otherwise be hidden, and that is normally only expressed between individuals who are in very close relationship.
Van Gennep’s model for the phases of ritual provide a viable framework for examining the journey of letting go of the ego and coming into a peaceful state of oneness that is an underlying goal of yoga. Yoga differs from Turner’s theories of ritual in some respects, but his insights to symbolism in ritual apply to yoga in a number of ways, particularly as pertains to processes of revelation and making the private public and the personal social. In contrast to Turner’s perception of ritual as a bounded event in time, the practice of yoga forms a ritual that can continue to influence the individual’s mental and physical state long after the ritual actions are over. Many students report a sense of mental clarity and physical well-being that persist through the remainder of the day after a yoga session. For some, yoga begins to approach the status of religion in their lives. I practice yoga regularly every morning, as many people might begin their day with scripture reading or prayer. Yoga becomes a resource to turn to in times of stress and anxiety, and a means to celebrate on a joyful sunny morning. In fact, yoga has become so integrated into my life that I will often do a sequence of poses as a study break, or while I am having a relaxed conversation with friends. This practice might be compared to the pervasiveness of prayer in the life of a devoted Christian, Jew or Muslim. In a functionalist sense, yoga and its accompanying philosophy provides much the same framework for understanding the world and interpreting events as any established religion. In this way, it surpasses merely the practice of ritual and encompasses the realm of belief as well.

References
Garrett, Catherine
2001 Transcendental Meditation, Reiki and Yoga: Suffering, Ritual, and Self-Transformation. Journal of Contemporary Religion 16(3):329-342.
Hicks, David, ed.
2002 Ritual and Belief. Second ed. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Leach, Edmund
2002 Ritual. In Ritual and Belief. David Hicks, ed. Pp. 114-121. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Palkhivala, Aadil
2009 The Meaning of "Namaste". Electronic documnt, http://www.yogajournal.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/basics/822.
Rosen, Richard
2009 The Purpose of Corpse Pose. Electronic documnt, http://www.yogajournal.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/basics/824.
Turner, Victor
2002 Ritual Symbolism, Morality, and Social Structure among the Ndembu. In Ritual and Belief. David Hicks, ed. Pp. 122-129. Boston: McGraw Hill.
van Gennep, Arnold
2002 Conclusions. In Ritual and Belief. David Hicks, ed. Pp. 129-133. Boston: McGraw Hill.

2009-03-09T12:19:00.003-04:00

Premio Dardos

Beth just passed on one of those virtual awards to me, "And who blogs better about her ethical and personal values than Leena ? She's beautiful and truly good person." Thanks beth!

Premio Dardos means "prize darts.” This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his or her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day.

Step 1: Respond and rework — answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.
Step 2: Tag other bloggers to do the same.

Here are the questions:
What are you wearing right now? brown cords, and a robin's egg blue sweater with an ani difranco tshirt under it.

What part of your house never gets cleaned? i'm not great at dusting. and right now my desks a mess with research papers.

Do you nap a lot? yes, i LOVE naps. at least a few times a week.

Who is the last person you hugged? kunga

What websites do you visit when you go online? gmail, blogs, webct for school work, lately the university library and JSTOR and other search engines for anthropology journals and research texts, yoga journal.com

What was the last item you bought? I bought groceries on saturday- free range eggs, spinach, grapefruits and echinachia for my cold.

What’s the last book you read? Struggling with Destiny in Karimpur, about caste, gender and structural inequalities in an Indian village, reading it for anthropology of India.

If you could go to the Oscars, who would you want to sit next to? I'm with, beth, not too into going to the oscars...

What did you last eat?: an omlet with mushrooms, peppers, spinach and goat cheese, and fried potatos with rosemary and thyme. mmm mmm mmmmmm.....

What is one skill you wish you had, but don’t: I wish i had more patience.

What was the last movie you watched? Slum Dog Millionaire

What is the luckiest thing that ever happened to you? Being born into the family I have.

If you had a whole day to yourself; no work, commitments or interruptions what would you do? make delicious food, practice yoga, and walk in the park.

Is there a major goal you have that you haven’t yet achieved? Yes, many. i'm only 21 here.

Where did you meet your spouse/partner/bf/cat? In a yoga studio.

What is something that those in blogland might not know about you? I hated mushrooms until last july, i don't know what was wrong with me. This year i've been making up for those 20 years sans mushrooms and I sauté them up and put them in as many dishes as i can think of. still haven't ventured to incorporate them into a dessert...

What Countries have you visited as an adult? The USA, Canada, Burkina Faso, Senegal and England, Paris for one day.

Would your rather give up salt or sugar? sugar, i could never give up kettle chips with sea salt and black pepper... as long as i can still have maple syrup!

What do you do to relieve stress? breath, do yoga, take naps, and go on walks.

What is your first clear memory from your childhood? Walking out of my room one morning and seeking my dad shaving off his mustache in the green bathroom. I was traumatized.

As this is supposed to be a cultural award, what is the most recent piece of painting or sculpture that really impressed you? I love my roommate Christina's paintings, she's working on a website right now, not sure if its up yet. www.christinavanelli.com. Also think angie's scultpures sound brilliant, but i haven't seen any recent ones yet!

What is the last piece of music that you heard and what did you think of it? Craig Cardiff, love love love him. he played at UW last week and I've been listening to him non-stop since. His voice is like dark chocolate and sea salt. also loved the goofy opener for Craig named Mike Evin, he plays the piano and sings silly songs like "(all i wanna do) is brush my teeth with you," love love love him. he's from montreal, of course.

Who will I tag to receive the honor after me?
I'll chose MAWG because i'm his favorite daughter. and uncombed threads and herbacious babe because i love reading their insights, but like me they haven't been blogging enough lately.

Thanks again beth!

2009-02-15T10:24:00.000-05:00

The Sweetest Yoga Teacher

2009-02-04T22:26:00.002-05:00

The National Parcs

I saw this band back in August, they were wicked performs, amazing fun energy. I just rediscovered them, and i love the way their music originates in the outdoors. check out the creative dudes from montreal in these videos.

Timbervision - The Making of from thenationalparcs on Vimeo.

Border Patrol - The National Parcs from thenationalparcs on Vimeo.

2009-02-02T22:14:00.003-05:00

The Ugly Sweater Fanuary Blues Party
On the night of January 31st we gathered, in all ugliness, to put an end to the blues of January and welcome a new, fresh February.

Some proof of the ugly...

aghast at our ugliness

playing a crazy game of celebrities

and to finish off the night my favorite local band, the Shady J's serenade us with the blues. you can watch their music video below!
(if you watch closely you might see some people your recognize like the beautiful MHJ)

2009-01-27T12:42:00.002-05:00

Have you ever heard of a pangolin? Today I did in my anthropology class on religion. Long story about how we got to that topic. Needless to say, evolution is crazy. Pangolins are native to Africa and pasts of Asia.

2009-01-20T10:57:00.001-05:00

My friend e.d. sent me this, i think some of you might really appreciate it. Happy Obama day!

This prayer was given yesterday, Martin Luther King Day, by V. Gene Robinson from New Hampshire (the first openly gay Episcopal bishop).

Calling up the "God of our many understandings," Robinson said "we pray that
you will:

"Bless us with tears -- for a world in which over a billion people exist on
less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and
raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition,
malaria, and AIDS.

"Bless us with anger -- at discrimination, at home and abroad, against
refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people.

"Bless us with discomfort -- at the easy, simplistic 'answers' we've
preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about
ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to
the challenges of the future.

"Bless us with patience -- and the knowledge that none of what ails us will
be 'fixed' anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a
human being, not a messiah.

"Bless us with humility -- open to understanding that our own needs must
always be balanced with those of the world.

"Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance -- replacing it with a genuine
respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in
our diversity, we are stronger.

"Bless us with compassion and generosity -- remembering that every
religion's God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the
human community, whether across town or across the world.

"And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office
of President of the United States.

"Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln's
reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best
efforts, and Dr. King's dream of a nation for all the people.

"Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain
in these times.

"Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to
make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges
ahead.

"Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his
leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United
States.

"Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that
experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of
those who are still its victims.

"Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him
remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at
his daughters' childhoods.

"And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents,
and we're asking far too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife
are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep
him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand -- that he might do the work we
have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling,
and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity,
prosperity and peace. Amen."

2009-01-19T18:57:00.004-05:00

Potato, Leek and Celeriac soup

1-2 Leeks, thinly sliced
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c butter
3-4 medium potatoes, diced
1 celeriac - don't be scared, i know its ugly, but its delicious. peel and dice, use greens if desired.
2 cups + h2o
1 vegetable bullion (or 1-2 tsp sea salt- to taste)
black pepper, rosemary, thyme to taste
1/3 c dry white wine
1 C milk (cow, unsweetened soy or rice)

1. Sauté leeks, onion and garlic in butter in a soup pot until tender and golden
2. Meanwhile chop the potatoes and celeriac and then add to onion mixture.
3. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes
4. Add water, bullion and spices and bring to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes until everything is tender/well cooked
5. Blend with hand blender in pot, or transfer into a regular blender to purée smooth.
6. Add wine and milk, and heat gently if its cooled too much.
7. Serve as is or grate cheese and sprinkle fresh parsley on top.

Enjoy!

2009-01-17T13:38:00.002-05:00

hi interneters, its been a long time i know. maybe you've thrown in the towel on me... its been a busy adjustment getting back into school this winter. i just finished my second week of classes. i'm doing three UW classes, all in anthropology (anth of India, anth of the lifecycle, and anth of religion). I'm also teaching 4-5 yoga classes a week, and i'll be adding a few more later next month! add my own yoga practice, lots of reading and assignments, cooking (bread is presently rising on my stove), and time with friends and you get one busy bee.
i'm staying sane through my yoga practice and also geting a bi-monthly massage, which only costs me $12 thanks to my fabulous student insurance plan!

My Indian anth class has been really interesting so far. here's a commentary piece that's due monday.

Your first commentary will be on the subject of “Colonialism”; there are two sub themes: “Knowing India” (the construction of knowledge on India through Orientalism/anthropological discourses); Indian reaction to colonialism via clothing as ‘identity. To guide you in writing the first commentary, consider the following question:

‘India is the West’s other" - relate to knowledge construction on “India” and ‘Indians.” How did this constructed knowledge shape and influence Indians’ self-perception of themselves?

Orientalism is a western-based discourse on India and Asia that prevailed during the colonial period. It was a way of understanding and an attempt to classify a very diverse group of people. Orientalism tended to essentialize and homogenize the very diverse cultures of India and Asia and then pose them in opposition to the “occident” or European culture. Orientalist knowledge and discourse emphasized the differences between the orient and occident in order to provide grounds for subjugation and domination through European colonialism. This process of opposition and distancing is known as “othering.”
Understanding how and by whom knowledge was constructed on India is important in understanding colonial and post-colonial history. As well, the knowledge constructed during these eras continues to play a role in Indian political discourse today. In recent decades, post-modern anthropologists have emphasized the importance of deconstructing knowledge to uncover the individual interests and subjectivities of those involved in creating knowledge. Orientalist colonial administrators, scholars (who often worked for the colonials), and missionaries constructed knowledge on India in order to fulfil their needs. Thapar claims that during the colonial era “scholarly and administrative interests coalesced” (2). Scholars, such as anthropologists and ethnologies were often hired by administrators in order to help them understand in order to rule. Who these scholars were working for influenced the type of knowledge they generated and how it was generated. Many scholars studied Vedic religious texts and gathered knowledge from Brahmins. Brahmins were high class/caste and had a particular view about Indian society that they imparted to scholars did not necessarily represent the beliefs, conditions of life, and understandings for the majority of Indians, yet it was taken to be so by the Europeans. Knowledge from Brahmins was then reinterpreted, translated and given back to Indians with much nuance and understanding being lost in the process. Many of the colonial anthropologists were interested in the comparative study of culture, and the comparisons and generalizations they made contributed to the othering of India.
In her article Das critiques the notions of these anthropologists, particularly Dumont. Her goal is to deconstruct knowledge on India and then reconstruct it using a more comprehensive perspective. Das explains that the Western anthropologist is the Self and they construct the societies they study as the “other”. As the other, India and her people are objectified. In Oriental discourse, Indians were essentialized as over-sexed, immodest, intellectually inferior, and bizarrely spiritual. Their culture was seen as static, unchanging and without history.
Clothing is a lens through which the West “othering” India can be examined further. Clothing is a means of both expressing and constructing an individual identity as well as cultural and national identities. The British saw traditional Indian dress such as the sari, dhoti and langoti, as unsophisticated, immodest, effeminate, and childish and used dress as another reason for European superiority and higher evolutionary status. As Tarlo explains, “the ‘disgraceful’ nature of Indian clothes acted for the British as proof of Indian effeminacy and barbarism but also as a justification for their civilizing presence in India” (pg 35). The British wanted to civilize the Indians, and changing their dress was seen as one task in this process. Yet the British also wanted to maintain their distinction from Indians, and did not want Indians to look too Western. In 1830 the British instituted strict dress codes prohibiting wearing of Indian styles for British citizens working in India. If a British man were wear Indian styles he was discredited and called a ‘white baboo’. Distinct differences in dressed helped the British to maintain their position of superiority and perpetuate the view of the Indian as the uncivilized “other”.
Some Indians, especially those educated in Europe, did adopt forms of European dress. Some incorporated European styles by blending them with Indian ones. Others wore European styles at the workplace and Indian clothing at home. The wearing different forms of dress depending on the location and occasion expressed distinct identities for these Indians. For some this meant a public, more westernize identity (workplace) and a private more traditional identity (home). In general, women maintained traditional dress more than men, however some European elements were incorporated into their styles and codes of modesty were affected (for example the blouse being adopted under the sari). Tarlo’s article demonstrates the way that clothing, as a reflection and part of identity, is a process that is always being reworked and remade. Indians were constantly re-evaluating the degree of Western dress they took on, and what it meant to wear Western versus Indian dress.
Clothing itself also became the medium for a discourse of colonial resistance. In this Indian discourse, leaders such as Gandhi appropriated and then subverted some of the views of Orientalism to serve their cause. Prior to colonialism, India had a strong textile industry. This decentralized industry involved the labor of cotton growers, thread spinners, dyers, and weavers. The British started producing fabric that in colours and textures that would appeal to Indian aesthetics. This fabric was popularized because kings bought it and others imitated. By the 1900s few Indians wore fabrics made in India. In the 1920s, upon his return to India, Gandhi began working for independence in India. He saw economic independence as a crucial part of political independence from the British, as a form of resistance he advocated Swadeshi (self-sufficiency). As the head of this movement he adopted a langoti (loincloth) made of khadi. Khadi is a coarse, homespun fabric that to Gandhi’s movement symbolized local industrial independence, loyalty to the nation, a rejection of materialism, and a desire to unify social groups. Gandhi’s choice to wear khadi as a loincloth is also of crucial symbolic importance. To the British the fact that Indians (lower caste) wore loincloths was grossly immodest and offensive. Tarlo’s article cites British administrators who were shocked and appalled the ‘nakedness’ and ‘blackness’ of Indians working in the harbour. By taking on the loincloth, Gandhi co-oped this view of nakedness and turned it into a symbol of the nakedness, extraction of resources, and impoverishment caused by colonialism. The British had colonized the Indian body with their Orientalist and othering views of the Indian. Gandhi was then in response decolonizing the body and re-Indianizing it by reclaiming the traditional Khadi fabric and the loincloth. Another way that Gandhi’s symbolic dress can be viewed is he was accepting himself as the ‘othered Indian’ and in fact embracing and asserting this identity in order to unify India to resist the British.

2008-12-17T11:17:00.003-05:00

My dad just sent me this fabulous video... The Rant of the Cellist

I played cello for 7 years growing up, and remember complaining endlessly about this piece. Thank you Rob Paravonian, you speak for us all.

2008-12-15T15:40:00.000-05:00

check out obama's speech!

2008-12-14T09:05:00.003-05:00

The 2nd Niyama: Santosa
Santosa is a really important Niyama for me to work on. My affirmation for Santosa was “I focus on the positive and express my gratitude openly and often.” I found myself reflecting on how in our society we (I certainly do this) think we are entitled to a lot. In fact North American’s are less than 10% of the world population, yet we consume more resources than any other continent. Canadian consume more energy per capita than any other country! (We, in Canadians and Americans, are also the largest emitters of green house gases). Although these sorts of statistics seem to be fairly widespread knowledge, most North Americans don’t question them much or think about how they could make things different.
To me, Santosa is about being grateful with what we have and starting to question this sense of entitlement. And for me this questioning has led me to work to find ways to be content with less. Wanting less, not more, is particularly hard right now around the holidays when we’re bombarded with consumerism and encouragement to want want want and buy buy buy. I already realize that I don’t need many of the things I want, I could happily live without them. Realizing this is a first step, but letting go of the want is another step. When I spend more time meditating and doing yoga I notice that this wanting is less dominant than when I spend lots of time watching/interacting with the media on tv and internet. Also when I make an effort to express gratitude it reminds of how blessed I actually am, and that makes me feel more content and less wanting. This also applies to non-material goals. I am full of wants for my future: academic goals, dreams for my career, for a home, for a family someday. Often these dreams take me away from being contended with the present moment. I strive to reach these dreams so much that I forget that what really matters is my happiness and the effect I’m having around me in this present. The main determinant of my future happiness won’t be endlessly worrying about it and preparing for it, but rather learning to be content with where I am in each present moment.
(note: Santosa can alternatively be spelled 'Santosha' or 'Samtosha')

2008-12-04T11:52:00.003-05:00

The Wheel of Yoga: Many Paths to Enlightenment

Yoga can be illustrated as a wheel. The tire, encircling the spokes, are the yamas and niyamas. The wheel has eight spokes which are the different paths of yoga: Hatha, Raja, Jnana, Karma and Bhakti. The hub of the wheel is transcendence or enlightenment. This is similar to my view that all religious paths lead to the same God. God is to big to fit into one religion, many paths to see and und. Likewise, there are many paths to follow towards enlightenment.
The path of Raja-Yoga embraces meditation and contemplation. Raja means royal. Its goal is to train the mind to concentrate deeply, and learn to discover the innermost depth of out minds. Eventually it leads towards the discovery of transcendental Reality that is beyond thought. Raja-Yoga is a dualist path which distinguishes many transcendental Selves and Nature.
Jnana means knowledge, insight or wisdom. Jnana-Yoga is nondualistic. It is not the worship of a God outside of oneself, but rather the development of wisdom to encounter and see the divine within. The path to enlightenment through Jnana-Yoga follows for steps:
1. discernment and constant practice of seeing the ever-changing world as it is
2. renunciation and engaging in action without expecting reward
3. the six accomplishments: tranquility/calmness, sense-restraint, abstention of activities that don’t maintain the body or lead to enlightenment, endurance, mental concentration, and faith
4. the urge towards liberation, desire for enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
I identify with Jnana-Yoga’s non-dualistic views more so that Raja-Yoga. Raja-Yoga is dualistic in that is sees the Divine Self as separate from Nature. I believe that the divine is animate in all forms of life, in the trees, the rocks, the stars, and in each and every person on earth.
Hatha-Yoga’s goal is the same, to transcend the ego. Hatha-Yoga however, focuses intensely on developing the body’s potential, “so that the body can withstand the onslaught of transcendental realization” (Feuerstein pg. 29). It is necessary that the body is strong because transcendental states are understood in Hatha-Yoga to have a profound effect on the body, particularly the nervous system. Underlying Hatha-Yoga is the belief that by embodying the divine, in our physically and mentally, we get closer to it. One of the dangers of Hatha-Yoga is to become overly focused and narcissistic regarding the body. It is necessary to always keep in mind the purpose of improving the body: to embody the divine, not to attain some sort of human standard of perfection.
Hatha-Yoga advocates “integralism,” which means that we do not withdraw from life, but rather live fully in it in order to gain enlightenment. This is something that I identify strongly and this path comes to me most naturally. I find my body to be one of the best ways through which to understand, feel, and learn to honour my spirituality. The body’s intricacy and evolution is completely astonishing to me. The way that I breath, my heart beats without me having to do anything is a metaphor for the way that the divine works in our lives, the way the life-force flows effortlessly. But I do also believe that we can become more skilful at navigating this flow of the divine, and learn to channel it in beneficial ways.
Bhakti-yoga is also dualistic in nature. Bhakti means devotion, love or supreme attachment to the lord. In Raja-Yoga the focus is on enlightenment through the cultivation of the mind. In Bhakti-Yoga the focus is on expressing love, devotion and faith to the Lord. This can be expressed through many means such as chanting songs of praise, ceremonial workshop, ritual, prostration. To reach enlightenment, the worshiper enters into the immortal body of the divine in “self-offering/self transcendence.” I do not identify so strongly with this path as others, especially because I disagree with dualism. I do however, love some aspects of it and feel that they bring me closer to God. I am especially learning love chanting and the way that this quiets my mind and helped me peaceful and protected.
Karma-Yoga means freedom in action, it is “Yoga of Action.” In Karma-Yoga the practitioner transcends the ego through selfless service. The idea behind Karma-Yoga is that we are the intention behind our action. So to reach enlightenment we must make every action a sacrifice to God. Gandhi or Saint Mother Teresa are humans who I believe demonstrate true Karma-Yoga. I appreciate the way that in Karma-Yoga we assume responsibility for our destiny. Everything, every obstacle, triumph, pain or love we encounter in this lifetime happens because it is part of our Karma to learn and be shaped by it. I strongly identify with Karma-Yoga. I believe that all beings are divine. By caring, loving, and serving for others (including people, animals, the environment) I am manifesting my care, love and service to God.
I don’t think it is necessary to follow only one path of yoga. For me, Hatha-Yoga and Karma-Yoga feel most natural. However, I think it is also important for me to practice the more introspective path of Jnana-Yoga that emphasizes meditation and cultivation of wisdom as well.

2008-12-02T19:15:00.004-05:00

Intro to Pranayama

Anusara yoga is rooted in Tantric philosophy that looks for the good in all things. It is accepting things as they are and then responding with love (to paraphrase John Friend). This viewpoint underlies they way that we see pranayama. Prana, in Sanskrit, means life force that animates all things. Prana can be seen as manifesting in the breath. Yama means restraints or control, so together the word pranayama is sometimes understood to mean control of the life force. Alternatively pranayama could be broken to the too root words prana and ayama. Ayama means to lengthen, stretch or extend, so with using these two root words pranayama means extending and freeing the life force. Doug Keller explains that we can control prana no more than we sit in a rowboat and move the ocean with our paddle. But floating on the ocean of prana we can navigate our way thorough its currents. Some schools of yoga see prana as dangerous and so powerful it may harm us, therefore prana must be controlled so as to not harm. In Anusara we recognize that all is divine and good, including ourselves. We are not separate from prana, it is part of us, so it cannot harm us.
Pranayama, more specifically, is used to refers to conscious expansion of our natural capacity for breathing. There are many forms and techniques of pranayama, or patterns of breathing that are consciously engaged for a period of time. The three most basic forms are Full Yogic Breath, and Ujjayi. They both build upon the natural breath.
Many people breath shallowly, overusing our chest, neck and shoulder muscles rather than the diaphragm. When stress is frequent, this can quickly become a habitual way of breathing, even when a person is not under stress. This is a learned habit, no the natural way of breathing. Natural Breath is breathing fully, starting in lower diaphragm (belly and lower ribs). With this breath the parasympathetic nervous system is activated and it helps the body and mind to relax. Once diaphragmatic breathing is mastered, students can move to full yogic breath, where breath is even and full through the three distinct areas of the torso: belly/diaphragm, mid-chest, and upper chest.
These are the step for Full Yogic Breath:
• To begin, learn to breath into the 3 distinct regions where the breath flows.
1. Bring your hands to rest gently on your belly. Invite the breath to flow all the way down into the hands. Feel the diaphragm expand downwards into the hands with each inhale and contract upwards with each exhale.2. Place the hands on the lower ribs, with the thumbs hooked around towards the back and the fingers spread wide. Feel the ribs expand to the sides and into the hands on the inhale and soften inwards and down on the exhale.
3. Hook the thumbs under the armpits and rest the hands on the upper chest. Feel the chest and collarbones rise on the inhale, and soften downwards on the exhale.
• Practice inviting the breath into each region individually, when you feel comfortable with this, link the three together for the Full Yogic Breath:
• Inhale expand the breath into the belly, continue to expand into the lower ribs, and then all they way up to the collar bones.
• Exhale, draw the belly inwards, the ribs soften down and the collar bones soften downwards.

Ujjayi means “victory from expansion.” Ujjayi breathing is a type of pranayama in itself and is incorporated into other forms of pranayama. Ujjayi breath is characterized by its sound and by its evenness of flow from beginning to end. The ujjayi sound is made by toning the epiglottis in the throat. It is made as if you were making a “haaa” sound to fog up a mirror, but through the nose rather than the mouth. In addition to feeling the evenness of inhale and exhale, with the ujjayi sound you can hear it as well. The softness of the ujjayi sound is calming and in itself can be used as a manta, as a point of focus to take us deeper into meditation. As Doug Keller eloquently explains, “When we focus on the breath, we are listening to and contemplating the true nature of Consciousness as it is spoken through the breath.”

2008-12-02T15:57:00.000-05:00

Meditation practice: Describe your meditation practice and what you have learned about yourself through this practice. Of the possible Distractions and Obstacles that hinder the aspirant’s practice of Yoga, which of these challenges do you find most resonates with you and why?

My feelings about meditation are very similar to common sentiment of going to the dentist. I dread it, avoid it, resist it. But doesn’t it feel good to roll your tongue over those smooth, freshly cleaned teeth? Experienced mediators crave meditation; they talk of feelings of deep inner peace it gives them, of nirvana and spiritual ecstasy. I definitely don’t crave meditation yet, but I have an idea of this peaceful feeling. I obtain the feeling about 20% of the time when I meditate. The other 80% of the time I am frustrated, scattered, annoyed. But the chance of the entering into that mental state, where my mind stops churning like a windmill on the prairies, where my body is filled with warmth all the way to my finger tips and toes, where my mind and body both become so still that I can float above them observing from a distance. This is why I am not going to give up on meditation. And the fact that it’s so hard, that I resist it so much is exactly why I need it.
For me it’s still about the end results, going back to the dentist metaphor here, it’s about that clean feeling afterwards. Most of the during is quite uncomfortable, but I do notice a difference in how I feel afterwards. Its like my metatarsals have sprouted roots into some deep warm earth, and my whole body feels giving, heavy and soft. Eventually, I want it all to feel blissful, not just at the end, not just sometimes. Probably unrealistic, and boy to I have a long way to go. We are working with some ADHD here you know.
Many of the common hindrances to meditation are affecting me. My meditation schedule is not very regular because I have a different school schedule each day. This will improve next semester however, when I have no morning classes (So I can always do meditation and yoga as part of my morning routine). I also don’t have a special room to practice in away from noise from the kitchen and living room. These are more obvious hindrances. On a subtler level I am dealing with hindrances of doubt, the desire to talk too much, laziness and aversion from unpleasant feelings (Dvesha).
What I’m learning in meditation is patience, something that the society I live in doesn’t facilitate very nicely. I’m learning that I have weaknesses, that I have anxiety, that I’m not that totally zen yoga teacher that I’d like to project an image of. But I am me, and me now has come a long way since the days in high school when I was on Ritalin and antidepressants. I’ll stick with it (meditation) and I’ll try to spend less time resisting and more time doing, because how much further I have to go is far, inside.

2008-12-01T22:52:00.002-05:00

The Five Principles of Sivananda Yoga: Explain how does each principle affects and/or supports the other.

The five principles of Sivananda yoga are: right exercise, right breathing, right diet, right mind and meditation, and right relaxation. These five principles are closely interrelated and build upon one another. To me right exercise means regular asana practice (at least 6 days a week) that works all areas of the body including the cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, nervous system and muscular system. Yoga opens up my body and prepares it to receive the breath.
Right breath means that I’m breathing fully and evenly using my diaphragm not just the chest. I find it important for my breathing and for my mental state that I get fresh air every day, rain or shine. I try and walk several kilometres a day. Walking is a form of right exercise and also works my muscular and cardiovascular system. By walking outside I get plenty of fresh air to breath and my lungs feel clean after a walk. Walking can also be a form of meditation and right mind for me. I use the time when I’m walking to and from school to repeat mantras, sing chants and just clear and calm my mind. Meditation is also important for me calming and quieting my mind, and improving concentration. At this time in my practice I find it useful to have a point to meditation on, and that is often the breath. I do this by counting my breaths and practicing different forms of pranayama.
Through right diet the body is nourished for exercise. For me, right diet means following a vegetarian diet with only small amounts of dairy and sugars, no wheat or corn. I staying away from these foods that my body doesn’t digest well and chose whole ancient grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. Eating this way, I have more energy because my body doesn’t have to put so much into breaking down the foods that are difficult for it to digest. Right diet also means drinking plenty of water, often with lemon juice added, and herbal teas. Herbal teas help me to calm my mind for meditation and also to relax.
Right relaxation is the most difficult of the 5 principles for me. I tend to become wound up and anxious easily. I need to constantly remind myself to let my jaw and muscles of my neck and shoulders soften and relax. This tension is worst when I haven’t done enough yoga or had fresh air, when I eat too much sugar or caffeine, and my breathing is in my chest rather than full belly breathing. Through yoga, full yogic breathing, meditation and right diet I am able to assume a relaxed state more easily. Relaxation in turn helps my mind quite, my body be more open, and my body more able assimilate the nutritious food I eat.

2008-12-01T22:30:00.004-05:00

Last day of classes today! So I've finished university work until my only exam on the 18th. This means I've got lots of time to finish up all my Yoga Teacher Training assignments and get my full certification. I'll try to post them as I finish each one for your reading pleasure. Feel free to ignore my blog for a few weeks if you're sick and tired of all this yoga stuff!
1. Eight Limbs: In your own words, explain each of the Eight Limbs, and how each limb affects and/or supports the other.
The Eight Limbs where recorded by Patanjali sometime between 150-200 AD. Eight Limbs comes from the translation of the Sanskrit word Ashtanga. The limbs, if followed in order, are a guide to attain enlightenment.
1. Yama
2. Niyama
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara
6. Dharana
7. Dhyana
8. Samadi
Yama, the first limb, are ethical guidelines or moral commandments that pertain to an individual’s relationship to their environment. They are:
1. Ahimsa: non-harming, non-violence
2. Satya: truthfulness in word, thought and deed
3. Asteya: non-stealing
4. Bramancharya: moderation in all things
5. Aparigraha- non-coveting, non-possessiveness
The yamas facilitate an orderly society, and by following the yamas a person can overcome the lower, more animal natural state and be at peace in their relationships with others and begin the journey towards inner peace. R
The Niyama, with means self-purification by discipline, are the second limb. There are also 5 Niyamas:
1. Saucha: purity
2. Santosha: contentment
3. Tapas: burning desire
4. Svadhyaya: self-study
5. Isvara Pranidhana: dedication to the divine, making everything an offering to the divine.
The niyamas build on the yamas, giving the individual restraints/ethical guidelines in relating to themselves. The Niyamas start with purification of the body and mind (saucha), then move on to focus on contentment (santosa), so that the mind is free and can focus on knowing the love of the divine and the burning desire to unite with the divine (Tapas). Next is svadyaya which is study of the self which is exploring the widsomd and divinity within, and also study of sacred texts that can help us better understand this divinity. Last of the niyamas is Isvara Pranidhana which means dedication and offering to the divine. In Anusara we believe that all is divine, so this means that we are dedicated to all we do in life, and everything we do in life becomes an offering to god.
We practice the yamas and niyamas before asana (physical postures) because when we come to the mat we want to come to the mat with pure minds and pure hearts so that we can fulfil our highest intention in the physical practice (“Don’t bring your shit to the mat”). John Friend once said that when we practice you to fulfill one of two intentions: either to help us recognize the divine with in us or to celebrate that divinity. Asana is just one piece of the puzzle that is enlightenment. Often in western culture we get stuck on asana and never move beyond it. Our asana practice we tone our minds and bodies and is very important, but we must also practice the other Eight Limbs. Asana opens out bodies and makes them ready to practice pranayama.
Pranayama is the rhythmic extension of the breath. In some styles of yoga it is a very controlled approach to breathing. In Anusara we like to think of pranayama as expansion and the emphasis is on more passively welcoming the breath in rather than controlling it so rigidly. Pranayama helps us to purify the energies in the body and purify the mental state, so in that way it is an extension of the niyamas and asana. With pranayama the yoginis breath and mind become one, and it brings her towards the next limb.
The 5th limb is Pratyahara, or withdrawal of the senses and emancipation of the mind from the domination of the senses and exterior distraction. The senses are free the mind is completely turned inward. In this place, the yogini can move towards Dharana, which is concentration. In Dharana, attention is focused on a single point. Dharana is not concentration for its own sake, but rather this single point of concentration must be purely centred on the divine. To maintain this focus the yogini concentrates on AUM, which is the symbol of universal oneness.
When concentration is sustained it becomes Dhyana, or meditation. When the mind is continuously focused on divinity it transforms to be the likeness of its focus. In dhyana the mind is illuminated like the sun in a cloudless sky. Through profound meditation (Dhyana), Samadi or enlightenment is reached. Samadi is a state of super-consciousness where the self becomes one with the Universal spirit. In this state, the yogini is fully awake and alert, yet she has risen beyond consciousness. There is no “I” or “me”, the yogini is one with the divine in a state of enlightenment. The eight limbs build on one another as a guide to help the yogini progress towards enlightenment.

2008-11-25T18:05:00.006-05:00

only one more paper and 2 tests to go!

Here's a paper i just finished for my women and contemporary health class. skim it if you're interested in yoga and mental health...

(note-i'll try to post the appendix one of these days)

Yoga: A Prescription for Anxiety and Depression

A 2002 study by the Public Health Agency of Canada found that twenty percent of Canadians experience mental illness at some point in their lifetime. Due to this high prevalence, nearly all Canadians are affected by mental illness in some way: themselves, a family member, friend, or colleague. The study defines mental illness as “alterations in thinking, mood or behaviour associated with significant distress and impaired functioning” (Public Health Agency, 2002). This paper will focus on two of the most common mental health issues, depression and anxiety. I will explore how these issues are of importance to women’s health, share why the issue is of particular personal interest to me, and offer an argument for the application of yoga as a solution in treatment of depression and anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental illness, affecting 12% of the population (Public Health Agency, 2002). There are a number of anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about events and activities that occurs more days than not for a period of at least six months. Other anxiety disorders include Specific Phobia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Panic Disorder. Symptoms related to anxiety disorders include fatigue and poor concentration, palpitations, sweating, gastrointestinal discomfort, and in the more serious cases, Panic Attacks (Public, 2002).
Depression is the second most common mental illness in Canada. Eight percent of adults experience a major depression at some point in their lives (Public, 2002). Some common symptoms of depression include feelings of worthlessness, sadness and emptiness, poor concentration, loss of interest in normal activities, change in appetite and sleep patterns, decreased sexual desire and decreased energy (Public Health Agency, 2002). Depression can occur at any age, but often appears in adolescence or young adulthood.
The Public Health Agency study explains that research consistently documents rates of depression in women to be twice as high as in men. Another study by Klerman and Weissman found that the risk of depression is consistently two to three times higher among women than among men in all age groups (1989). In 1999 women were hospitalized for anxiety disorders at higher rates than men in all age groups (Public, 2002). There are many possible explanations for the higher prevalence. Some explanations are different biological and social risk factors such as the major hormonal and identity changes that occur throughout the female lifecycle through menarche, childbirth and menopause. Another explanation is that women maybe more likely than men to seek help, so that depression and anxiety in males more often goes undetected.
Whatever the cause for higher prevalence in women, depression and anxiety are of critical importance for studies of women and health. With rates of anxiety and depression so high, the detriments to society are great. Mental illness is costly to individuals, families, the health care system and entire communities. The Public Health Agency study estimates that the economic cost of mental illness was over seven billion dollars in 1993 in health care costs and lost productivity (Public, 2002). Additionally, mental illness can increase chances of other physical illnesses. Prevention and treatment of mental illness should be addressed on a wider scale, beyond just the mainstream medical profession and within the support of whole communities.
There are many complimentary and alternative treatments available for treatment of mental illness. These treatments can be taken alongside conventional medical treatments (pharmacotherapy) or as an alternative for those with milder cases who wish to avoid drug therapies. Some options include psychotherapy and counselling, biofeedback, naturopathy, acupuncture, reiki, and yoga.
Many Canadians associate yoga with the popularized styles of Bikram, Moksha and Power Yoga that focus primarily on a vigorous physical practice. Yoga has much more to offer than an intense workout. Other styles of yoga, such as Iyengar and Anusara, incorporate conscious breathing (pranayama), meditation, and emphasize the therapeutic benefits of physical postures (asanas). It is the Iyengar and Anusara methods that I will be referring to when I use the term “yoga” throughout the remainder of this paper. Iyengar Yoga is a system developed by master B.K.S. Iyengar. It is a form of Hatha Yoga that emphases correct alignment of the body in asanas and is known for its use of props to safely support beginning students. Anusara, which means, “flowing with grace,” is a method of yoga founded by John Friend. It stems from Iyengar’s teachings and similarly emphasizes alignment and the therapeutic benefits of yoga, both physically and mentally. Both Iyengar and Anusara Yoga incorporate pranayama (yogic breathing), but they do so gradually as the body becomes more open.
The therapeutic application of yoga in treating depression and anxiety is of personal interest and concern to me for a number of reasons. I struggled with both anxiety and depression throughout my adolescence and into early adulthood. Yoga has been an important practice for me in dealing with both mental illnesses. I used prescription medications to deal with these illnesses for many years as well as some periods of psychological counselling. These were sufficient treatments, but neither helped me to recover. It is through my practice of yoga, which I continue to do daily, that I no longer need these medications.
In the summer of 2008 I completed my yoga teacher training, based in the Anusara method, and I am now a Certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. During my teacher training I met a number of women who have also dealt with periods of anxiety and depression and have found yoga to be incredibly beneficial in dealing with these illnesses and as a means of recovery. Through my own experience, and the stories of these other women I am encouraged by the prospect of using yoga therapeutically in my work as a yoga instructor to compliment conventional medical treatment for depression and anxiety and even as an alternative treatment in more mild cases. The following sections will explain the findings of published, peer-reviewed studies on the efficacy of yoga in treating mental illness. I will supplement these findings with anecdotal evidence from my own experience and those of my colleagues.
Michalsen et al’s (2005) study investigates the impacts of Iyengar yoga on women’s levels of stress. In this study 24 self-referred female subjects who perceived themselves as emotionally distressed took bi-weekly Iyengar Yoga classes for three months. The study included only females because women manifest a 50% higher prevalence of “frequent mental distress” than men (Michalsen et al, 2005, 556). The results of the study supported the authors’ hypothesis that the yoga course would “result in a reduction of perceived stress and related symptoms of anxiety and depression…as well as increased emotional and physical well-being.” The classes included asanas (postures) that, according to the Iyengar method, are thought to alleviate stress: backbends, standing poses, forward bends and inversions.
At the beginning of Michalsen et al’s study participants had baseline scores of stress, anxiety and depression that indicated clinically relevant stress. Upon completion of the program there was a 50% and 30% yoga-induced improvement for depression and anxiety respectively. Additionally, overall psychological well being improved significantly, by 65%. There were also many reported physical benefits: lower frequency of back pain, headaches and sleep disturbances (2005, 557-8). These findings are suggestive of the interconnectedness of physical and mental well being. The authors explain, “there is growing evidence that perceived stress has a major impact on the initiation and progression of disease, i.e. cardiovascular disease and chronic pain syndromes” (Michaleson et al. 2005, 559). Lastly, there were no adverse effects associated with yoga for all subjects. In light of the positive effects of Iyengar Yoga on stress levels, yoga could be an important tool in preventative medicine, particularly in preventing anxiety and depression in women. Beyond preventative medicine, yoga may be an important tool in treatment.
“Yoga as Complementary Treatment of Depression” evaluated the effects of yoga on patients taking anti-depressants for a minimum of three months and who were in partial remission (Shapiro et. al, 2007). By partial remission the study means patients had self-reported improvement in depression severity through pharmacotherapy, yet still had residual symptoms of depression. The style of yoga taught to participants was again Iyengar Yoga. Classes were taught three times a week for a period of 8 weeks. The classes emphasized inverted postures, gentle backbends and restorative poses which use props to make the postures more passive and relaxing.
The study found significant immediate changes in mood before and after classes: negative moods decreased, positive moods increased and energy/arousal moods increased (Shapiro et. al, 2007, 6). Further the study found that over the course of the session both pre- and post-class average levels of happiness increased. They found that benefits of yoga were felt class-by-class and accrued over time. Lastly, the study observed that yoga not only affected depression, but also “affected psychological and biological processes indicative of improved mental health in general and more effective social behavior.”
The academic studies reviewed above include relatively short and infrequent yoga practices. Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga for Depression, and one of the leading practitioners and teachers in the therapeutic use of yoga for depression, explains that you would not take an anti-depressant just once and expect to no longer have symptoms. For yoga to have a significant and lasting effect it should be done regularly. Weintraub suggests, “the very commitment to practice can begin to diminish depressive symptoms” (2004, 59). Unlike using pharmacotherapy, when a woman who is experiencing mental illness practices regularly she is becoming “actively involved in the healing process.” In this she gains a sense of self-determination, which, Weintraub claims, has been proven to positively affect recovery from illness, including depression (2004, 60).
Anna*, who has suffered from anxiety disorders and specifically from Panic Attacks, found regular practice to be important in maintaining her mental health: “Whenever I feel angry or depressed I know its because I haven’t practiced in a while so I have to practice to feel better. Practicing asanas definitely releases tensions and makes me happier” (A.E., personal communication, Nov. 9, 2008) (*names changed for confidentiality). She also explained that whereas medications and counselling help in the short term, “yoga helps in the long term, not only temporarily.” Nancy*, who has also suffered from Panic Attacks concurs that regularity of practice has been vital to her recovery, “What really changed for me was when I started to do more yoga regularly at home.” In addition to yoga, Nancy sought the help of her family doctor, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, an Osteopath, and a Reiki therapist. She found, “The other medical interventions helped me maybe at 30% but yoga helped me at 70%. Yoga is a tool for everyone to do at their home, in their car, at work… every time they feel the anxiety coming, they can control it.”
A number of studies have show that yoga creates short-term biochemical changes in the brain, for example in cortisol levels (Weintraub 2004, 59; Michalesen et. al 2005). Weintraub explains that over time, these short-term changes build up and cause long-term biochemical changes (62). Over time and regular practice, yoga asanas target the major glands in the body. The hormones in these glands are in part responsible for moods and modes of thinking. Asanas thought to be particularly effective in targeting the master glands (pineal, hypothalamus and pituitary), which naturally stimulate the body and mind, will be examined in following sections and in the appendix.
The evidence of yoga’s success in treatment of mental illness is substantial. Shapiro et al conclude that yoga, as an intervention for depression, is both cost effective and easy to implement (2007, 9). There are a growing number of yoga professionals practicing “Yoga Therapy”. Yoga Therapy is an emerging field of practices that use yoga to prevent, reduce and alleviate mental and physical illness. Practitioners work one-on-one or in group settings, teaching clients how to use yoga postures, breath and meditation to promote healing. There is a need for greater regulation of Yoga Therapy through a professional organization and potentially the government in order to make practitioners more accountable and credible. The International Association of Yoga Therapists is a non-profit organization that promotes Yoga Therapy, but is not a regulating body in itself. An article on their site argues that without high standards for practitioners, therapeutic applications of yoga will be marginalized (Kepner et al, 2004).
In Quebec, some progress has been made in terms of making Yoga Therapy a more credible and accessible form of complimentary care. Heaven on Earth Yoga Institute of Montreal has a training program for Yoga Therapy. After completion of the program, which requires over 500-hours of study in yoga pedagogy and yoga’s therapeutic applications, graduates can register with the Association of Naturotherapists of Quebec (ANQ). By registering with the ANQ, Yoga Therapists in Quebec can give insurance receipts to clients, much like a massage therapist.
Yoga’s effectiveness in treating mental illness is already reasonably well documented. The next step is to regulate the profession in a way that Yoga Therapists are seen as credible by the medical mental health profession so that doctors, psychologists and therapists may refer patients to Yoga Therapists. In addition to one-on-one work between Yoga Therapists and clients suffering from mental illness, yoga classes targeted to those suffering from depression and anxiety should be offered in mental health centres, hospitals, schools, and local yoga studios. A study conducted with 113 psychiatric inpatients at a New Hampshire hospital found yoga to be a useful way to improve mood and reduce stress during inpatient psychiatric treatment (Lavey et al, 2005). Classes targeted towards specific mental illnesses would also potentially provide a safe place for social support from people sharing similar experiences.
This final section will provide an explanation of what yogic techniques are most relevant for dealing with mental illness. In Michalsen’s et al (2005) study the classes focused on back bends, standing poses, forward bends and inversions. Back bends open the chest and improve posture. Often the posture of a person suffering from depression is hunched over. We often embody our mental state through our posture, so addressing muscular patterns in our posture may positively affect mood (Weintraub 2004, 67). By opening and expanding the chest through backbends, the mental state may follow becoming more open and receptive. I would recommend only gentle and more passive backbends in the beginning (Appendix, 5). Especially if a client is dealing with anxiety, the openness of backbends can make students feel vulnerable and much emotion can arise. Standing poses such as the Warrior series help students to cultivate balance and courage both physically and mentally (Appendix, 4). Instructing students to embody someone courageous helps them start to open to this possibility for themselves.
Inversions are perhaps the most important posture for people suffering from depression. Inversions are poses like Handstand, Shoulderstand, and Headstand, where the body is turned upside down. Weintraub explains that inversions increase tone and muscle extension of our postural muscles. So like backbends, inversions support a strong standing posture, which may in turn affect mood (2004, 67). Weintraub also explains a number of other physiological benefits of inversions. When inverted, the blood flow is altered and there is increased blood flow to the brain. The brain is bathed in blood, increasing the availability of oxygen and glucose. Both are important in the creation of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, two chemicals that greatly affect our moods. All type of inversions can be beneficial for depression and anxiety; however, experienced practitioners have discovered that pressure or stimulation closer to the front of the head (Appendix, 6) may lift a depressive attitude, while pressure on the crown stabilizes the mood in general. Additionally, pressure on the back of the head can be calming and neutralizing, especially beneficial for those suffering from anxiety (Appendix, 7). Inversions are more difficult to practice safely and it is important to learn more difficult inversion poses under the guidance of a qualified teacher. Also, it is important to respect several contra-indications for inversion. Women should not practice them while menstruating, nor should anyone with heart disease or glaucoma (Weintraub 2004, 68).
Forward bends are very useful, particularly for those suffering from anxiety (Appendix, 8). The Women’s Yoga Book explains that forward bends “calm the mind, soothe the nerves, and remove fatigue” (Clennel, 2007, 87). Nancy* explains, “I found it feels better for me and for my mental health if I do lots of forward bending pose, it is more calming and I go deeper into my soul” (N.C., personal communication, Nov. 10, 2008). Nancy also emphasized how much breathing techniques from yoga have helped her deal with anxiety. Julie* who has dealt with an anxiety disorder since her teens explains, “The tool that saved me when learning about yoga was the breathing. When I learned how to breathe and calm my mind I was able to understand and control my anxiety attacks” (J.Y., personal communication, Nov. 14, 2008).
Mindful breathing techniques are an essential part of yoga and may prove to be one of the most useful tools for students working with mental illness. Under stress, the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight or flight response). We start to breath shallowly, overusing our chest, neck and shoulder muscles rather than the diaphragm. When stress is frequent, this can quickly become a habitual way of breathing, even when a person is not under stress. In shallow breathing, too much carbon dioxide is breathed out which changes the chemical make up of our blood and leads to feelings of apprehension and anxiety. This becomes a vicious cycle as the breathing pattern becomes even worse and a panic attack may ensue (Keller, 2003, 20).
By changing their breathing patterns Julie and Nancy found that they could stop a panic attack from developing. By breathing fully, starting in lower diaphragm (belly and lower ribs), the parasympathetic nervous system is activated and it helps the body and mind to relax (Appendix 1-2). Once diaphragmatic breathing is mastered, students can move to full yogic breath, where breath is even and full through the three distinct areas of the torso: belly/diaphragm, mid-chest, and upper chest (Appendix 2). Another technique particularly helpful for dealing with anxiety is counting breaths and making the exhale several counts longer than the inhale. Once experience with full yogic breath is gained, students dealing with depression can work with more energizing techniques such as “breath of joy” (Appendix, 3).
The costs of mental illness are great for individuals, families and society. Given the high rates of anxiety and depression in Canada, particularly among women, mental health care should not be limited to the mainstream medical establishment. Yoga, and particularly Yoga Therapy, is a promising aid for healing from both depression and anxiety. If rigorous professional standards are developed, the value of Yoga Therapy may become more recognized as a mode of complimentary and alternative care. The studies and personal stories recounted in this paper demonstrate that yoga holds great potential in both prevention and treatment of mental illness. Through yoga, I have overcome years of intermittent anxiety and depression. I am now free of prescription medicines to deal with these illnesses. When feelings of anxiety and depression do arise, my strong practice of yoga has given me the tools necessary to deal with these feelings fully and then move on to a more contented mental state.

References:

Clennel, B., (2007). The Woman’s Yoga Book. Berkley: Rodmell Press.

Keller, D., (2003). Refining the Breath (3rd ed.). Do Yoga Productions.

Kepner, J., Knox, H., Lamb, T., & Zador V. (2004). Standards for Yoga Therapists? Retrieved Nov. 10, 2008, from http://www.iayt.org/site_Vx2/publications/articles/standards. htm?ProfileNumber=&UStatus=&AutoID=&LS=&AM=&Ds=&CI=&AT=&Return=../.. /site_Vx2/about/mission.htm

Klerman, G., & Weissman, M. (1989). Increasing rates of depression. Journal of the American Medical Association, 261, 2229-2235.

Lavey, R., Sherman, T. Mueser, K., Osborn, D., Currier, M., Wolfe, R. (2005). The effects of yoga on mood in psychiatric inpatients. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 28(4), 399- 402.

Michalsen, A., Grossman, P., Acil, A., Langhorst, J., Ludtke, R., Esch, T., et al, (2005). Rapid stress reduction and anxiolysis among distressed women as a consequence of a three- month intensive yoga program. Medical science monitor, 11, 555-561.

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2002) A Report on Mental Illnesses in Canada. Retrieved November 11, 2008, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/sum-eng.php.

Shapiro, D., Cook, I., Davydov, D. Ottaviani, C. Leuchter, A., & Abrams., Michelle. (2007). Yoga as a Complementary Treatment of Depression: Effects of Traits and Moods on Treatment Outcome. Oxford Journals Online: eCAM. Retrieved Nov. 12, 2008, from http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/nel114v1

Weintraub, A. (2004). Yoga for Depression. New York: Broadway Books.

(c) 2008 Leena Miller

2008-11-23T10:13:00.001-05:00

2008-11-21T20:38:00.003-05:00

Tarka Dahl with Butternut Squash

For Dahl, in a large pot simmer:

2 C. red lentils (rinsed)
1 C. + butternut squash, chopped in 1cm cubes
1 inch + fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 stick of cinnamon
2 tsp sea salt
cover with water

For Tarka, fry in a pan until onions are really sizzling and turning golden on the edges

1/4 C + oil or butter
2 medium onions, sliced thinly
1 tsp cumin seed

Once the lentils are squash are soft, remove the cinnamon stick, and puree until the squash is blended in. (a hand blender works really well).

Remove the Tarka from the heat, and mix in with the lentils, or you can add it on top as a garnish.

2008-11-18T21:58:00.001-05:00

Teaching Yoga on Erb...
One of my students gave me really affirming feedback after class today. She said, “I love how your classes are always different, the theme is always new.” This was affirming because its something that I put a lot of effort into when I’m planning my classes. When I plan a class I usually start with a theme, often something that’s been on my mind that week. Then I think of poses and imagery I can use in my instruction that help convey my theme. I want every class to feel fresh, and have a different flavour. (Not just for my students, but also because I would find teaching the same thing every class incredibly dull!).
This week my theme was on community and interconnectedness and I had a lot of fun with it. I started off the class with foot stretching exercises that help you realize how the facia in your feet connect to the rest of you body all the way to the crown of the head. Then I incorporated partner poses through the class. This worked really well because in this class most people know each other a bit. It wouldn’t work in every class, but I think everyone had a lot of fun and helped to support each other in their own growth.
Also, the last two weeks I’ve introduced the Anusara invocation to my students and they’ve been really open and receptive to learning it. I can hear a number of them humming it as they leave. It’s pushed me to my edge and taken me a lot of practice to get over my fear of public signing. Thankfully the room I teach in has wonderful acoustics, and I actually don’t sound too bad.
you can hear the chant below...

2008-11-18T21:42:00.002-05:00

Aparigraha: non-attachment

For my practice of the 5th yama, Aparigraha, the affirmation I was working with was “I tap into the endless source of love and wisdom rather than clinging to others and material things for fulfillment.” I feel like I’ve been bombarded with lessons of Aparigraha and the lessons of this affirmation these two weeks. I’ve been conciously working with it in my relationships through setting boundaries and remembering my sense of self. And I’ve been forced to work with it in material things… I happened to lose a couple of random things these two weeks, one of them being my favorite green winter hat. I searched all over for it, and have had to let it go. It served me well and was just material, which can be replaced and no doubt will be. The biggest lesson of Aparigraha has been non-clinging to (and therefore letting go of) worries.

One thing that struck me as I was reading about Aparigraha in the Sutras was Iyengar’s commentary that Aparigraha is not just about non-possession/non-hording of physical things but also of “freedom from rigidity of though”. I had never contemplated how holding onto one’s thoughts, and that ideas can be a form of possessiveness, but I can certainly see the truth in this. Over this lifetime I have developed patterns of thinking and ideas that I have held on to as “truth” that may not be such. And that possessiveness of these thoughts, holding on to these patterns of thinking hold me back from developing spiritually, from loving myself and others fully, from connecting with the divine.

This is particularly true in my clinging to worry or obsessively planning for the future.
Whenever something is unpleasant or frustrating in the present my unconscious reaction is to plan/worry about the future, rather than really experience what is going on in that present moment. I’ve got a long way to go in order to overcome this ingrained pattern, but realizing is one step in the right direction. And spending time doing yoga, returning to my breath, slowing down, is another.

2008-11-15T21:51:00.003-05:00

Ang just turned me on to Canadian photographer Fred Muram.

I want my audience to experience images and video that can be understood within the context of similar experiences that might have occurred within their own lives. As individuals we share so much in common with other people, but we are isolated within our own minds. There is a disconnectedness created between every individual and their surrounding universe that is fundamentally integrated through that person’s ability to accept sensory information and respond with language.

his series, kissing the ceiling is my favorite. here are a few images.

also love the rug series

and this image "some day i will learn how to use these"

2008-11-14T10:17:00.005-05:00

playing anthropologist...

well we're actually busy at work, but it felt like a game! my great friend and favorite classmate MHJ and I have spent the semester of our anthropology research method course working on a project on "green consumerism". we conducted 12 semi-structured interviews on green consumerism and how people construct "green identities". the interviews were extremely interesting and insightful and now we're busy drawing out themes and trying to make meaning of it all. one method for drawing out themes is to pull out interesting quotes from the interviews, cut them all up on paper and then pile sort them into categories and themes.

so that's what we just finished in this pic. we started with 117 quotes, all numbered, and read them aloud to each other and figured out how they went together. we used orange sticky notes to mark different categories/themes. once we'd sorted everything, we typed it all up:

SELF IDENTITY: 7,112,114,4,45,107,117,103,72,78,67,40,83 (others perceptions of you: 64,65,43,44,49,33,20)
- communication of green identity
- education and leading by example: 82,81,100,6,41,106,79,31,17,97,16,109,58
- communication of identity through comparison with others (positive or negative): 30,97,113,91,22,32,55
- lifestyle: 89,11,80,26,28,27,62,99,14,37,92,110,93,71,29,56,74
- motivating factors
- personal experience of nature: 51,53,59
- guilt: 36,118,116,84,96,94,85
- interconnectedness of green and other social issues, social responsibility: 2,12,42, 34,35,38,24,104,111,54,57,108,101,23
- personal responsibility: 5,60,76
- hope: 50
- health: 15
- feel good about green: 25,48,69
- knowledge and research: 68,21,102,18,70
- limiting factors: 88
- money: 75,115,77
- suspicion: 66
- convenience: 63,87,39
- not personal responsibility: 90
- problem of consumerism: 1,3,13,10,19,8,9
- hypocrisy: 95,47,73,86

then we drew flow charts and webs of how themes and ideas related.
pretty cool technique! who knew a research methods course could be so fun? (okay, maybe fun is a bit of a stretch, but it certainly isn't as boring as i had expected).

i'll post an abstract of our paper when we're finished.

2008-11-12T13:29:00.001-05:00

playing with yoga outdoors!

2008-11-08T14:04:00.001-05:00

The fourth Yama: Asteya- non stealing
The past few weeks I’ve been working on Asteya. My intention has been, “I only take what is freely given to me, for this is bountiful. Particularly I don’t manipulate conversation for my own gains, or bring unnecessary attention to myself.” This is been the hardest yama for me so far. I am youngest child in my family with only one other sibling who is very quiet and introverted. Growing up I loved being the centre of attention in my family. As I matured, this has also become the case in other social settings, though less so in the past few years. Although I don’t fight to be in the centre of attention as I did when I was young, I am still very assertive, and tend to always have something to say. During the past few weeks I’ve tried to be conscious of when I’m stealing other people’s turn to shine or receive attention. I notice that I do it fairly often, especially in conversation with just a few friends. I’ve been trying to let go of the notion that I always need to say something, and allow others a turn to talk rather than always steering conversation in the direction that I want it to go. I think that this has helped me work on being a better listener. Rather than hearing a few things people say, and then cutting in with my own thoughts, I’ve been really trying to hear people out, and then wait for them to solicit a response from me.
Another thing I have to work on for Asteya is just trusting that there is abundance and I don’t need to spend so much energy and time worrying about money and material things. When I really need something it will find its way, or I’ll find a way to live without it. If you live with the mentality that everything you need is within you and all around you, you don’t have to obsess about these wants and desires, and you can work more at fulfilling my true needs: to reconnect with myself and spirit, to give and receive love, to sleep well, to eat well, and to practice yoga.

2008-11-08T11:36:00.002-05:00

Big ol' Batch of Pumpkin Muffins

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of ground allspice
2 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temp. or 1 c oil
1 1/8 maple syrup
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c chocolate chips (optional)

mix dry ingredients
mix wet ingredients
then mix them together
spoon into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins

2008-11-05T22:28:00.005-05:00

election party!!

keeping tally

4 american girls in canada. hysterically happy!

wow, what a night it was. it is a strange, foreign feeling for me- pride for my country, and even my state!

2008-11-03T14:40:00.002-05:00

a couple of montreal comedians prank sarah palin. i can't believe they pulled this off!!

she doesn't even know who the prime minister of canada is! if she gets into office with that f*$%@&# maverick tomorrow i will shit a brick. i've got my fingers crossed so tight for obama they might break.

2008-10-31T14:12:00.001-04:00

2008-10-14T17:58:00.004-04:00

election day!

2008-10-14T17:50:00.004-04:00

thanksgiving weekend
pumpkins at the market
pumpkin pie, 100% from scratch. ok, well i guess it didn't mill the flour, but...

i had a lovely thankgiving. my mom came up to celebrate. We spent saturday shopping at the market, doing yoga in th park, cooking (lentil tortier, pumpkin pies, cranberry salad), eating our hearts out with our guests, and taking a nice long walk.

Sunday afternoon it was at least 70 degrees, and i found a lovely spot in the park to read, nap and do yoga.

i'll post the recipe for the delicious tortier sometime soon!

2008-10-12T19:28:00.001-04:00

My dad just sent me this great video... if you care as deeply for sarah palin's health and well-being as i do, you might want to check it out.

2008-10-06T13:46:00.002-04:00

October 5, 2008
Today was my first class of my 8-week series- it is full! I’ve got 13 signed up, and we fill the space. Its not too crowded though. I'm renting a nice room from Erb St Church. Good energy and lighting in the room, nice windows on one wall. No props though, so that makes teaching a bit harder, there's just some things, like shoulder stand, you can't do without props.

I was really happy with the way the class went. My theme was intention and I think I did the best I’ve ever done at integrating it throughout the whole class. I started with setting your seat with intention, then read a section from John about intention. Next, I invited everyone to bring to mind an intention for the class, and perhaps the whole session. I kept bringing people to their intention when we would come to the top of the mat or in the middle of poses I would invite people to embody there intention. Before savasana I brought the students into a brief meditation. I asked the students to chose one word that sums up their intention. And then hold it in your mind- like your mind is a laser beam pointing to this one point- your intention. I rang a bell once ever minute to bring students back, to their intention, and then ended with 3 rings after 4 minutes. I had a student come up after and said that this meditation and the way we then transitioned into savasana (reclined relaxation pose) was really meaningful for her.
One thing I want to keep working on is my hands on adjustments. I did a good job of stabilizing people in standing poses before adjusting them, but I need to work on them so I can go in and adjust a bit more quickly so I can get around to more people. I think I am getting better at giving verbal adjustments when I see a number of people that could improve on something.

2008-09-30T16:13:00.003-04:00

The weekend on Pelee was really lovely. It was great to see friends, enjoy the delicious harvest dinner, and spend some time a bit closer to nature.
This week I'm busy working on all the schoolwork I didn't do over the weekend!

2008-09-26T13:28:00.002-04:00

Its been busy week with school and yoga... so to relax I'm heading down to Pelee Island for the weekend with my girlfriends D, L, E and S! Hopefully we'll have great weather, but either way I'm sure it will be a blast. I'll be sure to post some pics when I get back.

2008-09-23T09:08:00.000-04:00

Another reason:

We Can't Afford McCain and Palin's Anti-Science Beliefs
By John Tirman, AlterNet. "Their combined anti-science positions may be devastating for the economy, the environment and our health."

2008-09-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

check out my the new website i'm working on for my yoga!

www.ananda-bliss.com

2008-09-22T18:57:00.002-04:00

Southern Spiced Roasted Veggies and Quinoa

I'm on a roll with making up recipes here!

(what's quinoa?)

Wash and chop into bite sized pieces, then set aside
3-4 large Kale leaves,

Chop:
- 2-3 medium sweet potatos
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 6 cloves of garlic

combine veggies them in a bowl with:
2-3 T olive
1 T cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t sea salt

put the veggie mix on a pan and broil until the potatoes are cooked through and everything is getting golden brown, about 30 minutes.

in the mean time, cook 2 cups of quinoa in 4 C water. (its good to rise it first). bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until soft and fluffy. Remove from burner. Mix in kale, so it gets steamed in heat of quinoa.

Mix the roasted veggies with the quinoa/kale.
Add 2-3 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 C + chopped cilantro or parsley.

taste and add more cumin, chili, and salt if desired.
Serve warm or chilled. Makes 4-6 servings.

2008-09-21T13:06:00.000-04:00

Yoga Teacher Training reflection assignment...
6. Opening to Grace
Every day Grace is happening in big and small ways in our lives, through blessings, guidance, coincidence, synchronicity, moments of inspiration, etc. Write about two events that occur in the time span of Module 2 where you are aware of Grace in your life.

September 21, 2008
Since I’ve moved back to Waterloo at the beginning of September, it’s been really great reconnecting with old friends here. However, I’m connecting with new people in university classes, in yoga classes, even on the bus in ways I hadn’t for years.
I remember when I was a child I made friends so easily- I would meet someone on the playground or on a camping trip with my family and instantly have a new playmate.
But somewhere between then and now, I became hesitant and scared of meeting new people, I was closing inwards.
However, something shifted during the my YTT. I feel much more open-hearted and less afraid of people and of making friends. In the YTT I discovered how we're not all so separate as I used to think. Connecting with others just starts with an open-heart and a smile. It something that takes practice for me, but its become more effortless again, like it was when I was a child.

2008-09-20T11:27:00.004-04:00

big batch of ginger-peace-almond muffins

mix and let it sit to get gelatinous
1/4 C ground flax and 2/3 C water

in a large bowl mix:
4 C flour
2 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
1 t sea salt
1-2 T cinnamon
4 T fresh grated ginger
1 C ground almond
1/2 veg or olive oil

to the flax mix in:
1/3 c pure apple butter
1/3 + C pure maple syrup

mix the wet and dry ingredients. then add 4 C chopped peaces.
spoon into muffin tins, and then sprinkle with cinnamon

2008-09-17T15:59:00.001-04:00

Eve Ensler, the American playwright, performer, feminist and activist
best known for "The Vagina Monologues", wrote the following about Sarah
Palin.

Drill, Drill, Drill

I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was
a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of
drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular
thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness or their bigness
or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one
in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so
comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears.

I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life
trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against
them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin
choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this
choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.

But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical
to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the
earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options,
opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.

I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous
choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates
the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas
that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the
impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately,
this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept,
the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.

Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor.
In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets
better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting
of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution
and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to
take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in
Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the
bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, "It was a task from God."

Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women
who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should
have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not.

She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I
imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many
babies that makes.

Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she
has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with
people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of
ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well
be the next president of the United States . She would govern one of the
most diverse populations on the earth.

Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting
rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot
hundreds of wolves from the air.

Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private
right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when
war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in
his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the
undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.

I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this
election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the
future not just of the U.S. , but of the planet. It will determine
whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever
uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards
dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence
through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we
go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in
alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will
determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we
build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether
America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear,
fundamentalism and aggression.

If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your
power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall
after Palin spoke at the RNC, "Drill Drill Drill." I think of teeth when
I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of
domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless
repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent.
I think of pain.

Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the
floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between
nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we
call life?

Eve Ensler
September 5, 2008

2008-09-16T20:47:00.004-04:00

Sad stat of the day:

In North America, humans now spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors and a further 5 percent in cars, leaving only 5 percent of the time when they are outdoors (Leech et al, 1996)

I'm not sure if this is waking time or based on 24-hour day. But still, we need to be outside more, trees and earth and sky is so much more inspiring than four walls and furniture!!! enjoy it while you can before it gets too cold! (if you're reading from somewhere in N. America that is). This stat is pretty accurate for me in the winter, but this summer I often spent 4-5 hours outside everyday.

I got this stat from an interesting report on Urban Ecosystems and Human Health that i'm reading for my Environment and Resource Studies course called "Building Sustainable Communities"

2008-09-15T17:59:00.005-04:00

This evening I made up two recipes all by myself!
(the soup is an attempt to replicated something i had a veg resto in montreal- my variation is a bit more complex, might i say, more delicious?)

Sweet and Savory Beet Soup
6-8 beets (less if they're really big ones, more if they're tiny)
1 small head of garlic
1 large leek, thinly sliced up to the start of the dark green park
1 small onion, chopped
5 C water + 1.5 vegetable bullion OR 5 C vegetable stock
1 C brown (french) lentils, rinsed
2 T pure maple syrup
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 T fresh parsley (or 1 t dried)
1 T 1 T fresh rosemary (or 1 t dried)
1 T fresh thyme (or 1 t dried)
1-2 cups green or yellow beans, cut into bit sized pieces (optional)

1. Rap the beets (washed but not peeled) and the head of garlic in tin foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour at 375 degrees. (toaster ovens are great for this!)
2. Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients
3. Sauté the leek and onion in a bit of olive oil for several minutes until tender
4. Peel and chop the beets into bit-sized pieces and squeeze the cloves of garlic out of their skins.
4. Add the beets, garlic, stock, maple syrup, lentils, pepper, and herbs to the leek and onion.
5. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
6. 5-10 Minutes before serving add the green beans and continue to simmer.

Brown rice and lentil pilaf
1 small onion, chopped
1 pepper, any color will do, chopped
a handful of mushrooms, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 C brown rice (rinsed)
1 C brown/french lentils (rinsed, check for pebbles!)
4 C water
1/2 t sea salt or vegetable salts
1/2 t thyme
a dash of pepper

1. Sauté the vegetables until tender in vegetable or olive oil
2. add spices, rice, lentils and salt.
3. bring to a boil uncovered
4. once boiling, reduce to low temperature and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are tender.

and serve with love...

tell me what you think if you have a chance to give them a try!

(image from http://pinchmysalt.files.wordpress.com)

2008-09-14T23:15:00.003-04:00

Savory Sun-dried Tomato bread or muffins

3 C flour ( i used a combo of slept, kamut and chickpea flours)
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T cumin seeds
2 T+ ground cumin
1/2 T cayenne (optional)
1/2-3/4 C finely chopped sun-dried tomato
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 C water

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium boil. Then slowly add the wet ingredients until a thick sticky dough forms. Place into oiled muffin tins or a bread pan and bake at 350 (20-30 mins for muffins- until knife comes out clean), or 40-50 mins for bread.

(for a variation you could try adding kalamata olives, maybe 1/2 C olives and less sun-dried tomatoes.)

2008-09-14T23:13:00.001-04:00

I taught my 2nd class today in Waterloo Park. I was really nervous for some reason that few people would show up- which turned out to be futile, because 14 people came. (Including Joan Schaner- who after my class let me know that she wants me to teach at her studio- hoorah!!). I think I was able to offer a meaningful experience for students, and got good feedback after class that people felt different/better after the class and had fun. I kept my theme simple, talking about staying centred in the midst of transition. I think this was good, and it connected to where most of my students, who are area also university students, feel this week because it’s the start of a new semester. I shared the theme from my heart by talking about how my personal practice had helped me feel grounded and centred through the week. At the end of the class I invited everyone to take a moment to set an intention to take yoga into their week; for example, by being more mindful about their posture, by posing to take a deep breath in a difficult situation.
My sequencing was ok, but I think if it weren’t for the strong theme and my enthusiasm it wouldn’t have held together on its own so well. I taught some difficult poses like navasana and bakasana. It was my edge to teach these in the park to intermediate/beginners with no props. I think I could have done a better job if I could have given assists and variations using props. I did a demo for bakasana and thought I was clear about the main points, but when people came into the pose they weren’t applying them. So, I need to find more ways to say the same things and repeat it a few times. Or for more visual learners I could have demoed one correct pose and another incorrect pose to accentuate the key points. Over all though, it was a good class and I felt a really positive vibe and response from the group. One thing I really appreciated was that people lingered to chat with each other and ask me questions- it feels really good to be facilitating the building of community- KULA!

2008-09-13T19:45:00.000-04:00

tonight i'm watching....

2008-09-11T20:41:00.005-04:00

Squash, over the last few years, has become one of my favorite things about fall. You can do so many things with it and meld it with a great range of flavors.

So far, butternut is my favorite, mostly because I've got lots of good recipes for it. This fall I'm going to experiment with buttercup and acorn and whatever else i get my hands on.

Here's a recipe I've adapted from La Dolce Vegan, I'm calling it...

Butternut Dhal
1 small onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
2 C butternut squashed, cubed
2 C vegetable stock
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or a 14 oz can of diced toms)
1/2 C red lentils
1/2 t salt +
1/2 t ground pepper
1/4 C chopped cilantro

in a medium soup pot, sauté onion in oil until translucent. Add the ginger and squash and sauté for 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients, except the cilantro. Bring to a boil and then reduce temp and simmer for 15-20 until squash is cooked. Add cilantro. Blend with a hand blender or food processor. Makes 2-3 large servings and 4-5 small.

I've also been discovered the deliciousness of steamed greens lately. On my plate tonight was a mix of beet greens and kale with sea salt.

tell me what you think of the recipe if you try it!

2008-09-08T00:02:00.006-04:00

things i loved about today:

-wandering around kitchener
-using my austrian Klimpt bag
-cooking butternut squash that was larger than many newborn babies
-my roommates being awesome and making me laugh

we had family dinner tonight. I made ginger-pear-peach rice pudding.

purée together until smooth...
-2-2.5 cups cooked brown rice
-2+ cups peaches and pears, or other seasonal soft fruits
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-1/2 cup milk (soy, rice, almond or cow)
-1+ T grated fresh ginger
sprinkle with cinnamon before serving (optional)

2008-09-04T16:34:00.002-04:00

Time to start working on a couple more YTT assignments...

9. Teach 4 Yoga Classes
Note to Summer Intensive participants: this portion is to be done after the 3-week-training.
Teach at least 4 yoga classes (45 to 90 minutes each) to friends, relatives or students. Take a risk and share your passion for yoga. Write approximately half page per class describing your experience. What did you appreciate about how you taught, and what was your teaching edge (challenge)? What did you learn? 2-3 pages.

September 4, 2008

Today I taught my first post-teacher training yoga class in Waterloo Park. I emailed a group of friends who I thought might me interested and told them to invite others. A group of 15 showed up! That was surprising and exciting. We found a lovely spot on the boardwalk by the pond, and I think everyone really enjoyed practicing outside. It was a mixed group or students some of who have studied for several years in various styles and a few newbies. It was challenging to try to teach to all levels, making it basic enough yet giving the more advanced students some challenge.

What I appreciated about the way I taught was my enthusiasm and my love for yoga. Not everyone was relaxed to start off, but my the middle when everyone was working their abs to the max people were loosing up and relaxing and I was able to like some humor and light-heartedness shine through in my teaching. This is the best part of teaching- when you can really convey how fun yoga is and share your passion and enthusiasm. I feel that the more experience and comfortable I get with alignment, breath and sequencing instruction the more this can flow naturally.

This email from one of my students and my response help to convey my teaching edge (my challenge and place to work on)….

hi L.
great class this morning. i really liked the rest at the end and all the feedback.
you're probably aware of this already, but the one thing i'd suggest is being a little more sensitive to whether people prefer to be corrected verbally or by touch. if there's a way for you to correct posture without addressing me by name, that would be my preference. overall though, i enjoyed the class. i hope you'll let me know if you're doing any more, or if you begin teaching through a studio (or WYC)...

hey T.
thanks for coming this morning and for your feedback.

knowing when its better to make verbal or physical adjustments is something we talk about a lot in teacher training. it takes much practice as well as intuition to know what would be more effective for someone. in my training we're taught to use both so we can reach both kinesthetic and auditory learners- so i guess it just takes time to figure out how different people in your classes respond best.
i also appreciate knowing that you prefer to be corrected without using your name. i'm sorry if you felt i was singling you out. naming people for adjustments and enhancements to the posture is also tricky. we're taught to give general adjustment terms if we see several people who could benefit from the adjustment. if its just one person in specific needs the adjustment, or if someone didn't get the more nuanced instruction to the group we're taught to kindly instruct them individually, in order to be quick and effective. i agree with the way i've been taught, but definitely recognize that it's an area that i can work on cultivating sensitivity with. and also just getting to know individual students will help me know their learning preferences and how they respond best. - so thanks for being honest and making the figuring out easier for me!

if you have another other feedback ever, i really appreciate it. and i'll definitely keep you in the loop when i teach again, and if i find any gigs at local studios!

cheers,
leena

2008-09-03T23:43:00.003-04:00

Peach Salsa, by L and A

12 large field tomatoes, diced, seeds removed
1 large red onion
2-3 cloves garlin, minced
2 sweet peppers, diced
1 large red onion, diced1 jalapeno pepper, chopped very finely
2-3 other small spicy peppers of your choice
8-10 peaches, diced
1/4 C lime juice
1 t salt
1 t cumin
1 t cinnamon
1/2-1 C fresh minced cilantro

1. core and chop tomatoes (you can peel them if you like, i didn't bother, there's lots of vitamins in those skins)
2. put diced tomatoes in a large pot and bring to a simmer, allow the tomatoes to simmer, uncovered until they get soft. (if there is lots of juice, take off as much as you can. you can save it in the freezer for vegetable soups).
3. while tomatoes are simmering chop onion and garlic, add it to the tomatoes. then add the peppers and peaches, spices and salt once the tomatoes are soft and reduced down.
4. remove from heat and add the cilantro

you could make a smaller batch and chill and serve fresh or you can can the large batch like we did, it makes 4-5 pints.
for water bath canning directions watch this video

2008-09-03T22:58:00.004-04:00

Past weekend in Lachute, Quebec chez (at the home of) K., H, and the adorable C.

2008-09-02T23:32:00.003-04:00

after our last day most of us went out for indian to celebrate

2008-09-02T23:03:00.002-04:00

the whole gang!

2008-09-02T22:58:00.000-04:00

chair yoga

2008-09-02T22:46:00.001-04:00

body sculpture

2008-09-02T22:38:00.001-04:00

partner yoga class

2008-09-01T22:44:00.002-04:00

Learning Pre-natal Yoga

2008-09-01T22:19:00.003-04:00

Made it to waterloo this morning at 9am, after 8.5 hours on the bus. A friend picked me up at the bus stop and i spent the day priming my room for painting (green), scrubbing and arranging the kitchen, and hunting and finding furniture on the side of the road.

My YTT wrapped up beautifully, it was hard to say goodbye to everyone. My friend A. and I went up to K.'s country house in Lachute and slept in a big tent under the stars, played with K's Adorable 4-year old daughter and with her chickens, had a fire, and ate poutine. Sunday we went into montreal to the for brunch at a great little vegan and raw cafe called Crudessense and to the Tam-Tams and met up with some other YTT friends. The next couple of posts I'll go back and put up some more YTT pics for you!

2008-08-23T12:30:00.006-04:00

eating vegan-macrobiotic

On Thursday mornings we have a macrobiotic cooking class with Karen. Before getting into teaching yoga, Karen, our instructor, was a macrobiotic vegan chef. she's even written a cookbook full of deliciousness! This thursday she made the most delicious soup that i've ever had. it was a buttercup squash and had coconut, ginger and cilantro. I've made a number of different purée squash soups, but this was mind-blowing!

2008-08-23T12:25:00.002-04:00

although we have tons of fun, the YTT intensive is lots of work! every friday we have a 2-hour exam that requires memorizing sanskrit terms and names of poses, anatomy, and written explanations of philosophy concepts and teaching principles. in order to pass the program and get certified we have to get above an 80% on all exams and homework. can i brag a bit? i got a 99% on the first test! studying for all this is just fun for me and when it's fun it comes easy.

2008-08-23T12:21:00.000-04:00

hand balancing day!

2008-08-16T14:43:00.003-04:00

i'm at a starbucks, which is an hour walk from the studio where i'm living and doing my teacher training. i paid 13$ to have internet access for the day so i can catch up on emails, banking, blogging. thankfully they have an outdoor patio with umbrellas, so i can be outdoors and not in the freezing aircon. the downside of the patio is that many people smoking. like the guy across from me, who downed a cup of jo and has since smoked at least 5 cigs in the last hour. just sitting there, smoking in his white Hilfiger polo and trendy jeans. he holds his cell phone flips it open every once in a while like he's hoping for a call. he doesn't look very happy, and despite his muscular physique its hard for me to imagine he's very healthy. but these are all of course my superficial judgments. i don't feel much that i fit in on this patio after a week of intense yoga practice, hours of stimulating esoteric discussion and delicious vegan eating. but we're all human: smokers, coffee drinkers, vegans.

so let me tell you more about teacher training at Heaven Studio. we are a group of 11. the diversity of background, age, geography is refreshing- everyone brings different strengths and energy and i really love getting to know everyone. there R. who is a high-up government deputy in ottawa, he's in his 50s. there's A. who is a montrealer with lebonese background, she's in her 30s and is burnt out of her career in marketing. there's Ap. and N. from New Brunswick, they're francophones and have both doing training in Reiki. just to name a few.
(update: someone called the unhappy guy. and i think he just might have even smiled.)

we start at 7:00 with a vigourous physical practice of asana and pranayama (posture and breathing) until 9:00. then we have a breakfast break. Then we have morning session. lunch at 1:30. Then afternoon session until 6ish. In the morning have teaching and discussion philosophy, demonstrations on anatomy and alignment, activities on communication, interpersonal and personal development. we also have practice teaching session and an exam each friday. About half of us sleep over at the studio and the rest live close enough the can go home in the evenings. in the evenings we eat, study and relax together.

its hard to imagine life get much better than this- learning, moving, bending, stretching, opening, forming new relationships, going deeper into understanding of self and spirit, enjoying the sun and blue sky and breeze, eating well, sleeping deeply, breathing fully.

2008-08-16T14:40:00.000-04:00

on late after noon in parc st. louis in montreal, 2 weeks ago

2008-08-16T14:34:00.000-04:00

This is a really old post that i just didn't get around to publishing till now...

June 12, workshops with Anusara teacher Desirée Rumbaugh- 2-hour all-level class.

Desirée started the class with a discussion on worries- and how for the class we could chose to let them go and be present. She said how gas prices are still going to be high, our country will still be at war, we will still die someday after this practice- so worrying about all that during the class won’t do us any good at all.
During the warm-ups she talked about how Anusara practitioners are know as the yogis who are all about opening the heart. It’s a great focus, but in Anusara we often jump straight to that too quickly. Before opening the heart we have to connect to something bigger- and we can act this out physically by drawing the front body to the back body, puffing out the back and bowing slightly. From there we have created the space and openness and engagement of the core and we can open our hearts even more.
This was the theme- connecting to something bigger and coming into our core. We started with warm ups and then went straight into abdominal work where she step by step teaching us to fully engage by puffing the back and scooping the tailbone. Then we went into some standing poses, but went up by puffing and scoping first. Then we went to a totally different child’s pose- I have NEVER WORKED THIS HARD in child! We scooped the tailbone strongly to the heels, almost slouching back a bit and then curled forward, hugging in the abdominals to the back body and keeping the ribs in the entire time.
Then we went to Crow, which the used me to demo, then twisted child and shoulder stand. This was a different sequence, particularly having the ab work some early in the class, but it was really effective in conveying the actions of the theme. Desirée beautifully and seamlessly went from one posture to the next- postures worked to step by step teach us the principles we were working on.
I felt physically and mentally challenged in a positive way. Spiritually, I had a complete breakthrough. I’ve had other teachers introduce the idea of the back body symbolizing the universal and the front the individual, but I’ve never had someone take it to the extreme the way that Desirée did through the practice- and it finally clicked for me. I had a major realization that I’ve been relying primarily on my individual self and through some difficult experiences in the past several years have lost trust that something bigger (God, the Divine, the Universe) is supporting me. What I learned was that when I come into the back body, hugging the front body in and engaging the core I have so much more power in poses. I learned that connecting with the universal gives me even more power and strength as an individual. Throughout the workshop I felt enthusiastic and awed. And at the end I hugged my friend and teacher Kara and just started crying. I was so joyful and grateful.

2008-08-15T20:49:00.003-04:00

we've got catching up to do! this evening ended an AMAZING first week of my yoga teacher training. i love love love it. i am learning from and with 12 incredible people. i am feeling connected, whole, stretched, relaxed. i can't wait to tell you all about it in future posts. but for the sake of chronology, let's go back to sunday and monday the 3rd-4th of august...

osheaga music festival:

held on the montreal's man-made expo 67 island, so many thousands of urban young, in their skinny jeans and tattoos, and trendy haircuts. my favorite band was gogol bordello. they are absolutely nuts. gypsy punk. must go if you ever get the chance to see them. ben, i know we have very different tasted in music, but i think you might love them.

the rest of the week i read in sunny parks, dinned at my favorite vegetarian restaurants, wandered the streets through the rain with my red umbrella, and had lovely times with old friends.

2008-08-03T12:05:00.000-04:00

I’m on the 3rd leg of my trip. The first, driving from goshen to windsor, started at 5am this morning. The second, the train from Windsor to Toronto, at 10am. Now its 5pm and I’m somewhere between Toronto and Montreal. I get in at 8pm. 13 hours, 2 states and international boarder and 2 provinces later I will arrive, returning to the pulsating, buzzing city. Although I am of course excited to arrive, I’m thankful for these hours in between places. Today I am glad we haven’t figured out how to travel at the speed of light. The speed of this train is just right.

The trip is pleasant. I doze, read, snack (on a carrot from the farmer’s market currently). Andrew Bird whistles sweetly through my headphones. Across the aisle is a Japanese family. Two cute girls dressed in pink chatter in sounds I even begin to comprehend as their dad reads the National Geographic Traveller’s Guide to Canada. I sit next to an Indian man who I haven’t exchanged more than a few excuse me’s and thank you’s with. He is clearly not North American. As I alternate between listening, ready, writing, eating, or all doing all simultaneously he sits and dozes contently. He hasn’t wiggled at all. The only media I saw him consume was reading the fine print back of his ticket.

At first was reading the “Yoga Tradition” a 500-page history of yoga, one of the required readings for my teacher training. After a couple of hours I was exhausted of that and started “Eat, Pray, Love”. This is a memoir of sorts by Elizabeth Gilbert that was recommended to me early in the summer, and which I was hoping to get my hands, but was also reluctant because of all the required reading I need to do for YTT. But then a day before I left, a gift showed up on my doorstep from my most lovely friend summering in NYC- and it was serendipitously the aforementioned book. I only just started it, but I’m loving and savouring it already.

Gilbert is insightful, thought provoking, honest and makes me want to laugh out loud- all at once. She articulates so well many of the questions that I am asking myself in this growth-spurt of the soul that I’ve been experiencing over the past few months. And her portraits of foreign as well as American culture are strikingly pointed and witty.

In this day of transition and travel I feel present, full, well and thankful.

2008-08-01T00:55:00.001-04:00

I’ve been packing up and getting ready to move back to Canada this week, and the past couple of days I’ve started to say some goodbyes. And its been hard in some ways, but in saying goodbyes I’ve been filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the richness of my friendships and relationships and the greatness and beauty of the people who have touched my life this summer. Goodbye and thank you goshen, it has been a summer well spent.

I’m heading back to montreal this weekend and I’ll be there visiting friends and hanging out for one week, and then doing three weeks of yoga teacher training. In September its back to the ‘loo for school.

2008-06-20T23:11:00.003-04:00

i just want to give a shout out to my friend beth in burkina for being like the coolest mom in the freaking world! i should also give some credit to her kids for being fabulously creative and hilarious.

don't believe me? check out this post. i would have burst with excitement i could have held goat weddings when i was 10. check out that wedding dress, beth doesn't mess around.

2008-06-19T22:41:00.001-04:00

2008-06-16T12:06:00.003-04:00

Workshop with Desirée Rumbaugh

Thursday a group of us from Spacious Heart took a fieldtrip up to Yogaview in Chicago to take classes with senior Anusara yoga teacher, Desirée Rumbaugh. I had an amazing time! A full review of the workshop coming soon... for now here's some pics.

angie, me and tina

me, desirée, and kara

me demoing crow

2008-06-10T01:27:00.000-04:00

memory, 5 years old. i am sincerely afraid of being kidnapped in my sleep. i insist on precautionary measures: door about a foot ajar, hallway light on, windows closed.
but in the eventuality, i must be prepared. after they've put me to bed, i slip on 3 pairs of panties under my nightie. i've hidden them there under my pillow. between each layer of cotton hanes her way i place 2 photos. one, my best friend L and I in matching dresses that my mum sewed. the other, my family outside our house, dad has a mustache, mom still has some brown in her hair, ben is wearing a white sweatshirt and i a bathing suit and black rubber boots. now when they've taken me away at least i'll have clean underwear and the people i love.
some weeks later mom discovers my new custom. she insists that i will not be kidnapped, and that i not wear panties to sleep. i must "let it air out down there at night." i comply as long as the door to my room is kept even more ajar and they promise to keep their ears open incase i scream.

now, i am struck by the simplicity of the few things i needed: clean underwear, a friend and my family.

2008-06-04T22:49:00.001-04:00

somewhere around 3rd

2008-06-04T22:37:00.004-04:00

Rhuba-a-pa-ruh-ba-pa-rhu-barb Muffins!

I just created this recipe all on my own

2 C flour (spelt or whole wheat)

1/4 tsp powdered stevia (or 1/4 C sugar (or more if you like sweet))

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 c + chopped pecans

MIX

1 free-range, local egg

1/4 c vegetable oil

3/4 vanilla yogurt (or plain, but add a bit more sugar then or strawberry would be good)

1/4 apple butter

1-2 tsp + grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 C finely chopped rhubarb

MIX then add to Dry ingredients

TOP with cinnamon sugar

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until a knife comes out clean.

Tell me what you think!

2008-06-03T15:29:00.002-04:00

When I first looked over my list of YTT assignments I was intrigued and excited by the “24-Hour Silent Retreat”.

7. Silent Retreat Day
Arrange to spend an entire day, 24 hours in silence. You may do this at home if you can create the seclusion, or you may go to a silent retreat center or arrange to spend a day at a country house or location where you will not be disturbed or tempted to speak to anyone. Please observe the following guidelines:
Do not speak out loud or talk to anyone, no communication for 24 hours (unless it’s an emergency).
Create the support you need around you, such as: let your family and friends know that you are doing this and ask them to give you the space necessary during this 24 hour period; unplug phone; turn off the TV and radio; do not receive the mail for a day.
Do not make eye contact or any physical contact with another human being, including pets. Just be with yourself. You may practice yoga and mediation, pranayama, walking and being in nature. Be mindful of whatever you are doing. Notice your breath throughout the day. Notice stretching, feelings of loneliness, sadness, joy, and peacefulness.
DO NOT work at your desk, your job, or your computer, answer or send emails, write in your journal, or do your YTT homework during your silence.
Eat slowly and consciously; or fast on broth or juice; eat lightly. Do your cooking in advance so you spend as little time in the kitchen as possible.
Give yourself this GIFT of 24 hours to be with yourself and your thoughts and feelings. Be loving and compassionate with yourself; giving full undivided attention to yourself. Be a conscious listener for yourself.
Draw a self-portrait as you begin the 24-hour period; and then draw another portrait of yourself at the end of the 24 hours.
Compare the two portraits. What differences do you notice? Journal about the experience once the 24 hours is over. What were your discoveries and revelations? What was easy? What was challenging? Why? What feelings came up before, during and after? How might silence enhance your life? 2 – 3 pages.

A friend, J.R., recommended The Hermitage, near White Pigion, MI as a good place to retreat. So I made reservations to arrive at 11am on June 2 and depart at 12 on June 3rd.

When I was preparing to leave for the retreat I was fairly calm. My backpack was light since I wasn’t allowed to bring any distractions: no computer, no books, no music or games. Just a change of clothes, toothbrush, vitamins, a couple of light meals, pillow and yoga mat. Leaving I was perhaps a little bit apprehensive. Would I have everything I needed? Will it be challenging? Would I go crazy all alone in the woods? Would I have some transformative enlightening experience?

As a drove to the Hermitage I started to breath more deeply, my mind started to quiet, and I just enjoyed the drive through the countryside. Upon my arrival David graciously welcomed me, showed me a map of the grounds and how to get to my cabin. My cabin, Caryll House, was a 10-minute walk through the woods and over a pasture from the main building. It was a beautiful 20-foot house with 8 walls, 4 of which had huge picture windows in them. It was beautifully set right in the middle of the forest. It had everything one could need, but nothing to clutter the space: several jugs of water, kerosene lights, heater and stove, a comfortable bed, chair, and table, a deck all the way around and a latrine 40 feet away.

From the moment I arrived I felt relaxed and at ease. Throughout the afternoon I meditated, drew my first self-portrait, took a nap, ate a light lunch. In the late afternoon I walked over to the labyrinth, which was in a valley of a meadow 5 minutes away. I walked through the labyrinth repeating my own version of the loving-kindness meditation:

May I be filled with loving-kindness.
May I have vibrant health.
May I be completely present, letting go of sorrows of the past and worries of the future.
May I be happy.

As I started walking through the labyrinth I felt a bit impatient, wondering how and when I would get to the centre. But within several minutes as the loving-kindness meditation began to sink in and be spoken from my heart, my core, and not just my head, I slowed down and began to just trust the path to take me where I was supposed to go. Looking back, I find this is quite metaphorical for what I need to do in life in general- that I need to continue my devotion to the path, continue lovingly reminding myself to be present, asking to be filled with loving-kindness, while trusting that life will take me where I need to go. In time, I arrived at the centre. I sat into a deep squat and spend several minutes meditating there. When I felt ready, I started the journey back out of the labyrinth. I still walked slowly, just repeating the word love over and over in my mind and took in the surroundings. Listening to the birds, noticing the wildflowers covering the hill, the trees on either side of the valley. I felt deeply grateful.

For the remainder of the evening I hiked several trails, and practiced asana and pranayama in my cabin. I fell asleep softly just as a thunderstorm was rolling in. Warm rain fell throughout the night, and I woke up slowly in the morning, taking the sounds of the birds coming back out after the rain, the bugs starting to buzz again, the leaves dripping off in the breeze. I made tea and sat on the porch where I meditated for some time, drawing my second self-portrait and sent the loving-kindness meditation out to all the creatures of the forest and several friends back home. I practiced several more asana and some pranayama. Then I slowly prepared to leave. The Hermitage asks you to clean and cabin and change the linens for the next guest, and while you do this you are to pray for them. I think this was a really beautiful way to leave the place- leaving love and blessings there for the next hermit. The entire time I was there I felt like I was in a very blessed, loving space.

Overall I found the experience easier than I expected. Time passed slowly but did not drag on. The allotted 24-hours felt like the right amount of time for my first experience of the sort- it didn’t feel rushed or too short, yet I left hoping for more sometime soon.

Throughout the entire time, I noticed how steady my emotional state was. Normally I have quite rapid inflection in my emotional state, throughout one day or even several hours I may experience happiness, excitement, frustration, uncertainty, annoyance, light-heartedness, and so on. This 24-hours was different. I felt a steady sense of contentment peacefulness, gratitude, and even enthusiasm. None of these emotions were outwardly experienced, I didn’t smile or laugh or skip through the fields. I felt them deep inside, through the core of my self. I think this is the most powerful thing I will take away from this experience. I feel that these feelings took hold, grew and strengthened through the 24-hours. As I am returning to the world filled with people, noise, talking, I’m sure I will again experience all the emotions that I previously experience outwardly. Yet, I trust that I can return to the inner sense of contentment that I cultivated during the retreat. I am discovering how I can maintain this grounded inner contentment that stays with me at my core despite other emotions that may come and go.

How might silence enhance my life? Silence is my tool as in continue to cultivate and strengthen this inner sense. When I meditate, and practice asana and pranayama on my own in silence I can ascend into the core of my being where this steady contentment resides. I can help it to grow through being silent, through consciously listening. I can see silence playing an important part in my life through these sorts of daily moments of silent meditation and yoga. Also, I would like to set an intention to take silent retreats on a regular basis, perhaps several times a year. I think it is through retreats, of a day or more, that I can cultivate this sense of inner steadiness and contentment most fully and effectively.

I am deeply grateful for this assignment, for Karen’s guidance and restrictions for the 24-hours; to the Hermitage for a most beautiful and comfortable setting for my retreat; and to myself for taking the time, for being open to let the silence touch me, and for the divine in me and all around me.

(If you’re interested in taking a retreat at the Hermitage, I’d be happy to pass on their contact info, just post a comment with your email.)

2008-06-02T10:25:00.001-04:00

an evening at the bakery

2008-06-01T19:25:00.005-04:00

I started off my summer, ready to jump into my YTT (yoga teacher training) head first- 75 minutes of practice a day, 6 days a week. I had my calendar all marked with by-whens for different readings and assignments to be completed.

But then life happened. I started working, reconnecting with friends, I went to Pelee Island for a long weekend, and when I came back I had a10-day bout of bronchitis. My bodily energy dwindled and so did my physical practice of yoga. But during this time, I’ve inched my way into my yogic philosophy readings. I’ve started with the Yoga Sultras of Patanjali. The Sultras are basically a guide to transformation through yoga,

“through yoga practice, we can transform ourselves, gain mastery over the mind and emotions, overcome obstacles to our spiritual evolution and attain the goal of yoga: kaivalya, liberation from the bondage of worldly desires and actions, and union with the divine."

At the foundation, is the 8-fold path, Astanga yoga. The predominant yoga practiced in the west skips right to asana (body postures), which is the 3rd limb of the 8-fold path. That’s what I started with some 8 or 9 years ago and asana is all I have practiced and known of yoga for all these years of practice. I’m just beginning to grasp how much more yoga is and can be for me.

Being sick not having the bodily energy to practice asana has helped to slow me down enough to realize this. What does it mean that it’s called a “path”? Do paths have a prescribed start and finish? I got on the path somewhere in the middle of the beginning (at the 3rd limb). I’m ready to loop back to the first and second limb- start contemplating what the Yamas and the Niyamas mean for my life.

Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga

Yama (Principles or moral code)_* Ahimsa - A principle of non-violence_* Satya - A principle of Truthfulness_* Asteya - A principle of non stealing_* Brahmacharya - Continence / celibacy_* Aparigah - A principle of non-hoarding or non possessiveness
Niyama (Personal Disciplines) _* Shoucha - Purity_* Santosh - Contentment_* Tapa - Endurance_* Swadhyaya- Self study_* Eshwar Pranidhan- Dedication
Asana - (Yoga Postures / positions) A stable and comfortable posture which helps attain mental equilibrium.
Pranayama - (Yoga Breathing) Extension and control of breath.
Pratyahara - (Withdrawal of Senses) A mental preparation to increase the power of mind.
Dharana - (Concentration on Object) Concentration of mind on one object and its field.
Dhyan - (Meditation) With drawing mind from all external objects and Focusing it on one point and meditating on it.
Samadhi - (Salvation) State of Super bliss, joy and merging individual consciousness in to universal consciousness. Union between Jivatman and Paramatman. Union of Shiva and Shakti in Sahasrar Chakra (the top of the head). Realizing the Bramhan (pure consciousness) or Realization of God is the ultimate achievement of Human Birth.

2008-06-01T10:10:00.003-04:00

the graduate

2008-05-30T21:39:00.002-04:00

our hands at work

2008-05-29T03:22:00.001-04:00

memory, childhood. we live on 8th street, the tracks are behind the pink run-down apartments on 9th. the trains run at all hours of day and night. at night, their horns echo in my sleep, no more disturbing to me than the sound of my own soft heavy breath.

now, 2:44 am. i lay awake, hearing every single train on its way through town, despite being over a mile from the tracks in a different house. despite having slept through a university dorm, a lively apartment of 7, a loud bustling city. they are ceaseless, endlessly annoying. it becomes more and more evident that i have been away for some time.

2008-05-29T03:12:00.003-04:00

pure and natural cures

the last 10 days i've had a sinus infection that turned into bronchitis. i spend 3 solid days in bed, sleeping 20+ hours each and coughing the remaining hours of the day. but i think i'm on the mend, due to strictly following my naturopath's orders given over the phone tuesday. today i only slept 12 hours and coughed less than 1 hour! tomorrow i'm hoping might be able to go to work a bit.

here's what the naturopath recommends for upper-respiratory infection and bronchitis:
- Homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla 200CH or K, esp when there is yellow and green mucous
Herbs, preferable in tincture, 3 times a day, away from food in a little water.
- Mullein 30 drops
- Coltsfoot 30 drops
- Marshmallow 10 drops
For coughing:
-Slippery Elm lozenges or powder mixed into tea
Also:
- Vit C, up to 1000mg every hour.
- lots of echinachea, tea and tablet
- Eucalyptus and mint vaporized, and also rubbed on chest and back 3x/day.
- Thyme and sage infusion
- For swollen lymph glands- Genstra’s Lymphogene
- sleep sleep sleep
(note, this was her recommendation for me personally. i am not handing out general naturpathic advice here, it might be totally different in another patient!)

2008-05-12T14:13:00.007-04:00

on a sunny day in may...

a bee pollinates a blueberry bush

spearmint parfumes the air

the plastic hummingbird feeder casts a colorful shadow

clean laundry sways in the breeze

toes wiggle into a new pair of sandals

and a perfect spot for lunch is found

2008-05-08T22:25:00.003-04:00

home again home again jiggity jig

i've been home for less than 3 days, but it seems like much longer- like i'm in some sort of small-town time warp. the first couple of days were busy, seeing people, unpacking, getting settled back in. my head has been especially busy trying to figure out where i am and what the hell i'm doing back here. today, i started work back at rachel's bread where i worked all through high school. it was a busy day, and i was tired by the end of it, but i felt a gradual realization throughout the day that this is where i need to be right now. working at rachel's- chopping veggies, washing dishes, bagging bread, having engaging as well as light conversation with co-workers will, i hope, give my mind time to slow down a bit. after work, i bike over to my dad's place and he made me dinner while i took a nap on the couch. its nice to be close by so i can have more regular interactions with my family, rather than just one intense week over a holiday.

i haven't been back to goshen for more than a week or two in the last 3 years, since i graduated from high school. and i think that as my parents marriage dissolved a year and a half ago it became more appealing to avoid goshen. but i feel like after a roller-coaster that the last two years have been, goshen is where i need to be. i need to be here for the familiarity, for the sense of community and support, for the acceptance of my whole self that i feel so much more readily from those whom i have grown up with and known for long periods of my life. i need to be here to regain some equilibrium.

in other news, i just found out that i was awarded a nice scholarship from MMA for school next year that i applied for back in february. yeh! thanks for urging me to apply grams!

2008-05-04T22:47:00.006-04:00

leavings

my last week in montreal was quite a whirlwind of work, spending time with friends, packing and goodbyes. here's a rundown monday to thursday i worked at least 30 hours at Maison de l'Amitié to help the registration run smoothly and train the next batch of teachers. although i've enjoyed the job, its been stressful these last few months and it was a good feeling to tie up loose ends and be finished on thrusday. in the last few weeks i had been putting in extra hours to prepare a manual for the new people who will be working for the program.

Thrusday night my mom got in to montreal. Friday morning we wandered around the plateau, did a few last minute things, shopped a bit, and ate at my favorite vegan restaurant for lunch. in the afternoon we cooked a big meal of homemade spring rolls (recipe soon to come!), coconut veggie curry over rice, and fresh fruit with orange-blossom water and dark chocolate for dessert. about 8 friends and roommates joined us and we had a really lovely time sharing food and stories.

Saturday we packed an in the afternoon mom and i went to a partner yoga workshop at with Karen at Heaven Yoga. It was really great, and i'm excited to learn some of the postures in my classes this summer!!

Sunday morning we left montreal and now we're in waterloo. Here, I put half my stuff in storage and saw a few friends and we're crashing at a hotel and will do the second leg of the trip to G-town tomorrow morning.

here are some pics from the workshop, more from the rest of the weekend to come once i get home

2008-04-28T19:53:00.003-04:00

fruity muffins

INGREDIENTS
2 cup rolled oats, ground
2 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 T + Fresh)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1 cup mashed peaches
1/2-1 C blueberries
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 C plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
Place 1 cup rolled oats in a food processor and process until ground. In a large bowl, combine ground oats with flour, 1 tablespoon rolled oats, chopped walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the banana and vanilla. Stir in yogurt. Mix oat/flour mixture into egg mixture. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans.
Topping: of brown sugar and cinnamon
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

2008-04-28T19:49:00.002-04:00

some spring shots

2008-04-26T11:26:00.001-04:00

i'll admit it, i love kids on youtube.