Let go of what binds you

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible."
-Arthur C. Clarke

People are constantly held back by images they hold of themselves as a true assessment of what comprises them, what makes them unique. Patanjali says that all feelings are only modifications of the mind, they do not represent us but rather reflect where we are at that moment in time.

For example, if I become jealous of someone, that is not to believe that I am a jealous person all the time, or that jealousy is an integral part of my composition but rather an ephemeral fluctuation of the mind. Written out this all seems fairly straightforward, self-intuitive even, yet I find that people (including myself) can experience these emotions and begin to associate with them, allow the emotions to define them and, eventually, allow them to override a perfectly formed template of self that was originally devoid of them.

Such was the case when I first started yoga. In my youth I enjoyed the sport of gymnastics, and during that time I found my flexibility to be above par, allowing me to excel for a short period of time. So naturally when I began my foray into yoga I expected this same flexibility to carry over, the ease of transitioning from one asana into the next would not be unlike performing a complicated floor or balance beam routine. And I was pleased to find this to be so - until I reached arm balances. Even with all my natural flexibility and muscles long-ingrained to contort into a multitude of poses, they baffled me, and in particular sirshasana (shoulder stand).

For a while I berated myself, scoffing at my initial beliefs that this impossible posture could be easily conquered simply because of my athletic past. What folly to think that I could have easily thrown myself up into a difficult inversion on my first try. In retrospect I see how defining myself solely on previous capabilities allowed me to use them to define the current version of self.

I find myself doing this often. But what I came to realize recently is that we are not just a static version of ourselves, but rather are constantly changing, improving and devolving. Yet this should never be looked at negatively, but rather as a tool, a mirror that can be held up to oneself to assess what changes have been made and how they might affect someone in the long run. If one chooses to define themselves in such a way as to limit their own actions, they are the ones placing the bars in a cage around themselves so as to never fly again.

What I cannot do now is not an obstacle forever, but instead something to work towards; inevitably, along that path of self-improvement there is not only one lesson to be learned. By stretching just a little more into the dreaded wheel pose, nervously stepping foot into your boss's office to ask for a raise, staring at a blank page of what could be your great novel: realizing that defeat is possible but not the only outcome of trying something new is the first step towards greatness.

Another reason to love Starbucks (or why we should give Starbucks another chance)

Whenever I show up at Starbucks to get my mid-afternoon hit of caffeine and have left my travel mug at home, I mentally rebuke myself. It actually pains me to enjoy the fruits of labor from a favorite barista to then throw the cup away as I'm walking out the door. "What a waste" I chant to myself while starting up the car, "if only I had remembered" as I pull out of the parking lot.

In such a busy life, it can be hard to remember all the little tricks that we use to be eco-friendly. Don't even get me started on the times that I have brought all my groceries to the counter and, as the cashier starts to ring them up, I remember (for the third time this week) that I have left my reusable bags in the car, again.

So you can imagine my excitement when I came across an article about Starbucks new initiative to get all their cups recyclable by 2012. While the cup itself looks like a pretty good candidate for the recycling bin, there is a thin layer of polyethylene plastic coating that prevents it from being recycled in many communities across the States. This translates to nearly 3 billion cups in landfills each year. What a shame.

Until Starbucks has reached its goal, I encourage everyone to bring their own travel mug when buying their favorite latte or triple red eye special. Every cup counts!

Does Your Toilet Really Need to Chirp Like a Bird? Japan's Un-green Lifestyle Expectations

As someone who lived in Japan for two years, I can recognize these to be true but counter by saying do we not utilize the same or similar devices? Can Americans not suffer a little bit of heat by rolling down the windows on a jaunt to the grocery store rather than putting the AC on full blast? And how about Christmas time, with the millions of gifts being wrapped in non-recyclable paper and taped together, only to be cruelly ripped apart and thrown away in the blink of an eye? Hand dryers, automated soap dispensers, automated water faucets, the last time I checked those were an excessive, unnecessary use of electricity.



I will say that the Japanese are much better about recycling than we (Americans) are. Each week I was responsible for dutifully separating out the recyclables and putting them into the correct color coded bins - and if I missed something, the local garbagemen would identify it immediately because the only type of bags we could buy were see-through. Bags that were not correctly sorted were left at the curb. Imagine if we had that sort of regulation here in the States.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Fizzy mind from an all-natural tea?

I admit it, I am a sucker for Whole Foods. As someone who can describe herself as "never the chef, always the dinner guest" I have just complete reverence for a store filled with delicious goodies that can be thrown together in endless ways - and most under the premise of being great for you, yum!

For a few weeks now I have been eyeing a drink that looked, let's be honest here, a tad disgusting. With chunks of who knows what floating on the bottom, barely hidden by the beautiful labeling, Kombucha appealed to the raw side of me. Not that I venture down the raw road very often, but when I do, I am sure to do a little research before. In this case, research came in the form of an expert Whole Foods employee who, incidentally, also happens to be a member of my YTT program. Bonus.

She explained to me that it "is like, so AWESOME for your body, and you definitely need to drink it on an empty stomach, it will make your head feel all light and crazy!" With those excellent recommendations, I grabbed my sweetie and rushed off to examine their selection. Choosing citrus as my own and mango for him, we couldn't even wait to get home before opening them. So there we are, in the parking lot with a bit of Citrus fizzing out of the top (they weren't joking when they say not to shake) and after the first sip I felt something amazing happen. Almost like a warm tingling, my mood was elevated and each part of my body felt a little more alive. Although it took a few sips for him, my sweetie agreed that there was definitely something to this ancient Chinese tea.

A few days later, I mentioned to my mother this amazing tea I had tried. Let it be stated for the record here that she is not a fan of most "crunchy, hippie stuff," but once I said "fizzy in the head," she was already gathering up her purse and was waiting by the car door for me like an eager puppy. For the second time that week I led someone to the Kombucha section and as we walked up to the register with six bottles between us, we garnered not a few stares.

The friendly cashier, as they always are, patiently answered my mothers questions on the tea. And then she told us that it was so popular that a truck came in with a new batch every other day. Lo! Here I had found a quiet Kombucha revolution, who knows how many hundreds of secret Kombucha drinkers filling the Charleston area. Back at her home we sat there like proper ladies with our teas, and as the fizzy effects of the tea hit her, my mother felt inspired and decided to show me some off the cuff yoga moves she had just invented, like the "flying goose" and the "meditating crane."

As I told more people about Kombucha, they came up with more intricate questions that even I, newly knighted Kombucha expert, could not answer. So I began my research.

To start I visited the Synergy Kombucha site, the creators of the variety sold at Whole Foods. While I do not want to give everything away (as I want to whet your appetite so you will check it out yourself), here are a few juicy tidbits listed there:

*NBC Dateline reported that 3 million people drink Kombucha regularly
*A Nobel Prize winner stated that he drank Kombucha when he was in a Siberian slave camp
*Only 60 calories per bottle!
*Even kids can drink it (up to 8 ounces per day)

So what is Kombucha tea? It is a medicinal tea made from a culture of acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter) and yeast. Depending on culture, the final anaerobic (without air) fermentation may yield a variety of goodies: Acetic acid,butyric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, usnic acid and some B-vitamins.

As often happens, those of us in the Western world were the last to jump on the bandwagon. Wikipedia states as far back as the 19th century Ukrainian and Russian historical documents reference the tea. The Chinese and Japanese were also well-aware and enjoying the benefits of this tea well before we were. Although there are a community of home-brewers out there, I would recommend that the average Joe (or Jane) to pick some up at Whole Foods rather than attempting to create it themselves.

So why are people downing this live, raw drink in great quantities? The health benefits include "stimulating the immune system, preventing cancer, and improving digestion and liver function." As with anything, it is always important to do research and determine what is best for your own body.

It seems that in this time of uncertainty we are on a quest to control what we can, in the form of our own health. Different products abound offering promises of all sorts, from shinier hair to preventing the onset of cancer. While I am grateful for my own good health, I am always curious as to what is available, particularly in a natural form. As yogis we should always be seeking the truth, and to take care of the vessel in which we enjoy the wonders of yoga.

Have mat, will travel. Destination: island yoga retreats

Whenever I step into a new studio or one that I have never attended before, there is a feeling of shyness and excitement about the new adventure about to begin. The smell is different, the layout is unique, the faces on the mats are all brand new and just a feeling in the air uniquely defines each studio. As I progress farther into my own yogic studies I have started to challenge myself to go to new studios, try different classes and break free from the comfort zone that I have already established at previous locales. Eventually I would love to tour larger cities, and then conquer yoga internationally.

Speaking with my father the other day, he reminded me of my Scottish roots and how he had always wanted to visit but never got the chance, and most likely never would. I thought about this all day, and when I opened up my email account that evening I saw a story on two gentlemen purchasing an actual Scottish isle to open up an international yoga camp there. Who knew that the ancient Indian practice would find a home on Scottish soil?

Inspired by the Indian guru Baba Ramdev, these men are the sole financiers of the future Peace Island, formally known as Little Cumbrae. Ramdev already has quite a following, 85 million in fact, who watch his televised broadcasts and videos that are based on his yoga camps. In addition he helped found the Divya Yog Mandir Trust that hopes to popularize yoga and teach about the wonders of Ayurveda. As a social activist he has spoken about worldwide poverty, the inherent dangers in a diet fraught with "modern foods": soda and fast foods, maltreatment of farmers and so much more. It is easy to see how he has gained such a devoted following, and he just added one more to his list today.

As usual, a quick Internet enquiry about Baba Ramdev led to a several-hour long meandering on which I found so many more unique and intriguing island retreats, all of which I would personally love to go. Take your yoga mat and go explore the world!

Lopez Island, Washington
Yoga retreats and residential study
http://felicityoga.com/

Clare Island, Ireland
Retreats, Christmas and New Year's retreats
http://www.yogaretreats.ie/Retreats.htm

Paros, part of Cyclades island chain, Greece
Week-long Hatha yoga retreats
http://www.yoga-paros.com/

Biosphere of Lanzarote, Canary Islands
http://www.hoho.co.uk/

Kadermo Island,Finland
Special weekend retreats, best to go during the summer
http://www.yogaartsmagic.net/

Embracing the air within me

On a weekend when many Americans were out on the beaches, having backyard BB Q's and taking a general breather as they bid adieu to summer and welcomed the cooler winds of fall, 16 of us were on our mats for a long YTT weekend.

Begrudgingly I walked into the studio, slightly jealous that my sweetheart was at home resting while other friends and family were enjoying the long weekend without a trace of school or work on their minds. I found a spot for my mat and was immediately invited to join the circle by Ellie Bolland,Holistic Personal Coach, who is now on the list of people whom I think are pretty darn cool. She was invited there by our YTT teacher to introduce the concept of Ayurvedic nutrition, which she did with such genuine love and zeal for her practice that many of us walked away wanting to learn more.


As she was explaining the different doshas to us, I was (and I imagine everyone else as well) deciding which dosha I was. Was I a hot, sensual Fire? A balanced, nurturing Earth? Or the flighty, full of whimsy and flight Air? Yes, without a doubt, I was an Air. "100 percent air, which is rare to find" Ellie proclaimed while the students around watched my reaction as she laid this title upon me, one that had some not-so-positive defining characteristics.

Yet I didn't mind. With a laugh and a newly ignited spark, I went home that evening and immediately set to the task of discovering what all this "Air" business was all about and how I could alter my diet, Ayurvedically, to attack the imbalances to bring about the positive aspects that include having a disciplined mind, finding happiness amongst the beauty of nature and being an excellent teacher. And isn't that what I was there to do this past weekend?


Ayurveda also claims to have a proactive approach to disease, rather than reactive. By reading the subtle signs that our bodies send to us everyday we can anticipate an oncoming illness and combat it so that we don't need to rush off to a doctor and be given an assortment of drugs. As yoga has influenced my life and thinking, the desire to use prescription drugs of any sort, even aspirin, has declined greatly. If there is a natural option, a holistic approach to solving problems, than I am more inclined to research and utilize this as it is applicable to my own body. Why use something created in a laboratory if Mother Nature already has supplied us with the remedy in a natural form? Especially if it has been part of a 5000 year old process that has proven successful for generations of Indians and modern followers around the world.

I invite everyone to discover their own dosha, and whether it is Air, Fire, Earth or a combination of them, embrace it and learn the steps you can take to balance the doshas to create a healthier and happy lifestyle for yourself. Ellie told us that she loved Ayurveda as it helped her towards becoming an endless pit of energy, to fully embrace the gift of life and suck from it every wonderful nutrient that we possibly can.

If you live in the Charleston area, I would greatly encourage you to contact Ms. Bolland at elli@coreform.com. Otherwise there are wonderful resources on the web to start your Ayurvedic journey, whet your appetite for Ayurvedic nutrition or just gain a little more knowledge about a different style of taking care of one's body and mind.

* www.ayurveda.org
* www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/ayv_home.htm
* nccam.nih.gov/health/ayurveda/
* www.healthy.net/scr/Therapy.asp?ThId=3

Breaking down our own barriers

I always thought that I had weak arms. Give me a few miles to jog and I can finish with a smile on my face, but the thought of doing a few push ups and I am running for the hills. So when I started doing arm balances in yoga, I was amazed at the ease with which I flew up into crow pose, the joy when I finally managed to get my back foot off the floor for flying pigeon. It is amazing how we can set our minds to believe something so firmly and when we get caught off guard, we can finally realize our full potential by forgetting these barriers that have been erected in our minds.

I once knew a man who was former special ops in the Army and he would tell me stories about the crazy things he had to do, and in particular I remember how, in three days, he ran 150 miles. "Molly, your body can do anything you tell it to do. It is all in your mind, once you realize that you can do whatever you want!" Easy enough for him to say, all 6' and 250 pounds of solid muscle compared to my barely 5'2" and 105 pounds. But in the end I found it to be true.

And not only for physical endurance.

At my former studio where I studied Jivamukti, the teachers spent a month discussing addictions. Of course we are all familiar with addictions to alcohol, drugs, exercise, etc, but what we do not realize are the patterns that we set in our lives that are actually hidden addictions. When you tell yourself "I cannot make it through the day without coffee" -that is an addiction. "Every Thursday I sit down for my special shows on TV, without fail." "I need to buy this brand of cereal, it is the only kind I like." "I only date people that meet these requirements." When we come to believe that certain habits are the only methods by which we can live our lives, we have fallen prey to an addiction: "the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming" (dictionary.com).

So of course, when we fall into these habits we become comfortable and then happy in our complacency. I loved doing arm balances so much that I would often leave class disappointed when we didn't do any. It didn't feel like a worthwhile way to spend my time until I realized that yoga isn't about our favorite poses, the ones that we feel happiest doing and the most successful completing. It is about trying new poses, tweaking the ones we already know in a state of constant self-improvement, and never judging ones self-worth on whether we can do a pose or not.

And this should be held true off the mat as well. We should always try to be the best version of ourselves that we can be without bringing additional mental or physical harm to ourselves. What we cannot do today, maybe we can do tomorrow or perhaps never at all, but certainly the greatest worth is in the journey we take along the way and just knowing that we set forth on the journey at all.