Review - Deep Stretch / Yin Yoga - Wellness and Personal Development

Liberation Yoga :: Our Teachers

Expect a challenging asana practice, kirtan, and meditation in her yoga class. Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu. May ALL beings everywhere flourish
and be set free. May peace prevail on earth.
Om Shanti

Steven's highest intention is to inspire and empower students to remember their true greatness, infinite goodness and unlimited potential. His heartfelt approach to yoga, combined with his deep understanding of alignment, anatomy and therapeutics has allowed him to realize that desire.

In addition to teaching, Steven has also had two plays produced in New York as a writer. He has also sung on cd's with both Krishna Das, Dave Stringer and Wah! In 2003 he was the credited on-set yoga instructor for the cast & crew of the film LEGALLY BLONDE 2.

Come join Steven for a fun filled class that will open your heart and make you shine.

With a background as a Theatrical Actress, Writer and Teacher as well as a
Massage Therapist, she is drawn to guiding people on a journey of opening
their hearts and minds while reaching toward their higher selves.
Jeanne’s teaching is grounded in traditional Yoga philosophy, laced with
her own uniqueness, which incorporates a spicy blend of lightheartedness
and enthusiasum, meditation, chanting, and a passionate Asana challenge.

Jeanne teaches many styles of Yoga including Ashtanga, Hatha, Vinyassa
Flow, Gentle, Restorative, Prenatal, and Children’s classes. Her
inspirations are many, including her beloved Ashtanga teacher Eric Powell
who fearlessly guided her plunge into Yoga. Other teachers that continue
to shine light on her practice are Manju Jois, Richard Freeman, Dharma
Mitra, Judith Lasater, Julie Klienam, Jenny Arthur & Malachy Melville at
Yoga Works, Tias Little, Christine Burke and all the wonderful teachers at
Liberation Yoga.

Ella
Ella is a self proclaimed yoga dork! She even named her puppy “Anjali Patanjali”! Ella took her first yoga class while vacationing in Italy with her mom and sisters. She went against her will and much to her surprise; it was love at first handstand! As a former Jr. Olympic gymnast, she found it comforting to be back on her hands. Learning arm balances made her feel like a superhero and gave her a chance to reconnect to her inner child that had seemed lost to her. She took her mom’s yoga mat on the flight back to Los Angeles and placed it in Anthony Benenati’s class at “City Yoga.” She quickly became a dedicated student. Five months into her practice, she took a leap of faith and jumped head first into teacher training at Black Dog with Peter Barnett. With a big push from Dice Iida-Klein, she got her start as a teacher and loved it! She splits her time between teaching and being a student. Her teaching changes as she continues to grow as a student and human being. One thing that remains certain is her love for Iyengar and alignment. Expect inversions in her class but don’t worry if you’re new to them. She welcomes questions and takes the time to break things down. Her goal is to turn the whole world into super hero little yogi’s!

Jennifer Long
Jennifer has practiced yoga for 10 years and loves sharing yoga's
collective knowledge imparted by her brilliant teachers and students.
She has trained with Max Strom, Saul David Raye, Shiva Rea, Aaron Reed
and Micheline Berry among others. Jennifer's classes resonate with
music, prananyama and asana designed to open, stretch and relax the body
creating a greater sense of well being and consciousness. Her classes help
the students open to their heart, their intuition, and to revelation..

Bianca Mcclellan
Bianca is originally from England and first explored meditation yoga at the age of 16. Yoga became a way in to the way out of many emotional battles with her biological mother. She began exploring Asana yoga when she was 18, introduced by an amazing movement teacher she was lucky to have crossed paths with.

Through her deep searching for the meaning of life and her souls purpose on this beautiful planet, her path has continually led her back to the door of yoga. So, taking the plunge, she dove into workshops and teacher trainings, asking many questions (some un-answerable) to the many beautifully insightful guides in each room of awakening she entered.

Still on her journey of living and breathing life fully in the moment, she has come to understand the beauty of “impermanence” in life, love and happiness, and appreciate the beauty & wisdom in pain and sadness. She believes what really matters is what we do with each precious moment we are given as there really is beauty in both light & dark.

< Her simple saying is “Karma,” so be kind and embrace life for what it is; A Crazy Beautiful path with many roads to a certain destination.>

She invites you to come and question, breathe in the impermanent fire of asana, in a class to music from all over the world; from African, to Kirtan, to dub reggae and mantra. She simply hopes you learn to awaken your inner teacher and take some of what you embrace/learn/surrender to on your mat into your everyday activities.

Jill Miller
A student of yoga since age 14, Jill brings more than 23 years of expertise including the moving arts of Modern Dance, Pilates, Breathwork, Shiatsu, and Butoh. Her teaching playfully integrates the nuts and bolts of human movement coupled with profound yogic philosophy. Jill teaches workshops and retreats internationally, leads nationwide trainings for Equinox Fitness clubs and has traveled nationally choreographing programs for the Discovery Health Channel. Recognized for her unique approach, she has modeled for Gaiam, with her work featured in Yoga Journal, Fit Yoga, Breathe Magazine, LA Yoga and on NPR; the LA Times calls her “kinetically arresting.” Jill’s DVD series include Yoga Tune Up® and the Pranamaya produced Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art. She is currently creating a new yoga and weight loss program for Gaiam slated for October 2008. www.jillmilleryoga.com

Jennifer Pastiloff
Jennifer, originally from Philadelphia then on to NYC, has been practicing yoga for ten years. Starting with Iyengar, she discovered that yoga helped her in healing many aspects of her life: from depression to injuries from being a runner. She combines her love of words and poetry, music, and the healing arts in her classes. Classes are challenging , yet completely personal. Each class is different; depending on the students' energy, mood, level, and time of day/year. Jennifer knows that yoga helped change her life, allowing her to become more compassionate and to simply get quieter in the mind. The transformative quality of it is what intrigues her most. Her first yoga class was with Pagan 10 years ago and she credits him with turning her on to the gift of yoga. Jen knows you have to have a sense of humor about it all as well, and attempts to bring that sentiment to each class. If you can't laugh, then what is there? It's just yoga, after all! Another day, another downward facing dog.

" I am in awe of the things that cause change.

The forces, natural and apocryphal, that cause us to evolve-

The catalysts, those things working in our favor-

The impetus for us metamorphose, to mutate and transform.

Whether being trapped inside the earth in heat so blasting

A Guatemalan volcano has to spew its ashy breath-

Or having an old friend come to stay for a week.

We change.

We change shapes and figures over and over again.

We exchange one body for the next, one precious

Stone for a different one.

One pleasure for another."

Beth Peak

I am the owner of 'Little Tree Yogis', which is based in Los Angeles, California, I have been teaching children in a variety of different capacities for the past 10 years. When I discovered yoga, and the gem that is Liberation Yoga studio, I knew that somehow I had to incorporate my passion for teaching children with my passion for yoga. So here it is - Little Tree Yogis, serving young yogis (and big kids of course) around the globe. Originally from London, I am now based in Los Angeles, after completing both my 200 hour yoga teacher training, and my children's yoga qualification. In addition to my yoga, I am a french teacher, swimming instructor, gymnastics coach, and certified first aider, so have plenty experience when it comes to teaching! I believe that every single child is a star waiting to shine, and I cannot wait to see you blossom. Please contact me with any questions you may have, and I look forward to meeting you!

Molly Roemer
Molly studied Psychology and Dance at Michigan State University with the intention of becoming a psychologist so that she could help people heal. While in college, she found yoga, or perhaps yoga found her. In a convoluted way, teaching yoga revealed itself to her as her dream. She moved to LA to complete a teacher training program at Sacred Movement in Hatha Yoga with an emphasis on Vinyasa, studying under Saul David Raye, Shiva Rea, Max Strom, and Sherry Brourman. Molly’s dance background breathes fluidity into her sequences, yet she is careful that alignment is not compromised by the flow. She strives to give her students not only a physical challenge, but hopes to clear their minds and swell their spirits. She is beginning to live her dream by sharing yoga with others and infecting them with the passion she has for it.


Kathleen comes to Liberation Yoga with 12 years of experience in fitness and post rehabilitation exercise as a certified personal trainer in the Los Angeles area.  Combining her knowledge of fitness, illness/injury rehabilitation and yoga, she offers a unique perspective through her teaching that is complemented by her philosophy to make yoga fun, safe and accessible to all.  Kathleen received her yoga certification from the Center for Yoga in 2002 and is a member of Yoga Alliance.  In addition to her classes, she continues to train clients of all ages through her private training business,

Loren Russo
This year marks Lorenʼs 17th year practicing this sacred art of yoga asana. She has participated in 6 teacher trainings, and has been teaching in AAndanda teacher trainings or the past 4 years. She has spent her time practicing with the masters of yoga in india and N.Y.C. Teaches at Yoga Jounal Conferences over the years and held countless workshops on advance asana sequencing. Graduated Jivamuktiyoga teacher training in 2003, she is well known throughout south Florida, and has been teaching non- stop ever since. She is the main teacher at “The Standard Spa Hotel”, and has her E-RYT, (experienced registered yoga teacher trainer) certification from yoga alliance. Celebrity clients such as Russel Simmons, Owen Wilson, and Naomi Cambell all call Loren when there in town because of her strong, and very generous hands on assists. Sheʼs known for her powerful asana sequencing, and vibrant energy throughout the entire classe shes teaching. Currently living in Culver City, L.A., Loren is seeking to connect with the yoga community and share this wonderful purification practice in California.

Laurie Searle
Yoga is one of Laurie’s favorite things in the world. It is her path and her passion. She loves to study, question, reflect and share as much as she can.
She discovered yoga a decade ago as a wonderful tandem to marathon training.
A self-proclaimed Yoga-mutt, she teaches her students the benefits she’s experienced from Ayurveda and Ashtanga to Kundalini, Bikram, Anusara and Vinyasa Krama.  Say that ten times fast.
She believes that yoga can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age, size or other limitations and has the unique ability to make her classes accessible to all.
Laurie received her Yoga Alliance Hatha Flow Certification from Sonic Yoga in New York City with teachers Lauren Hanna and Jonathan Fields. She was then led to study with Dharma Mittra.
After moving to LA she received her Yoga For Youth Certification with Krishna Kaur and has enjoyed spreading the joy of yoga to at-risk and troubled youth within the city. She is continually inspired by the great teachers that keep coming into her life as well as the hundreds of students she has crossed paths with in New York, Los Angeles and Shanghai, China.
Her sessions use breath and intention as the foundation for living mindfully in the present and proper alignment to open the physical lines of communication throughout the body. Laurie guides movement through each posture to awaken and return to the true and natural self, building strength, power and calm within. Each practice is infused with fun and openness to all possibilities on and off the mat.
Laurie is also a nationally certified pilates instructor and personal fitness trainer.
She is the founder of www.ewishingwell.org - a site dedicated to your deepest wishes and the building of awareness for charities and causes of note.

Sasha Stone
Sasha’s yoga journey began in Toronto, Canada, with a weekly Hatha class at a local community center. Though health and fitness were always a huge priority in her life, her practice allowed her to access her body and quiet her mind in a way she had not yet realized. After moving to Los Angeles, she became an avid practitioner at Center for Yoga, where she completed her Yoga Works teacher training in 2008, with James Brown and Amy Lafond. Yoga has been, and continues to be, a profoundly transformative practice for her that allows healing to take place on many levels. As her practice expands into all areas of her life, so too does her teaching and desire to share the gifts of yoga with the world around her.

Sasha believes everyone can benefit from yoga as they allow their practice to open them to their own innate beauty and true potential within. Her classes are approachable and nurturing, while encouraging students to explore their boundaries and release old habit patterns. She uses mindful asana instruction and a breath-centered approach that allows students to experience greater fluidity and grace in their practice, while cultivating strength, flexibility, and balance in all aspects of the self.

Sasha feels blessed to be part of the incredible yoga community of Los Angeles and teach at wonderful studios like Liberation Yoga! She has continued to train with many brilliant teachers, including Shana Meyerson, Patti Assad, Shiva Rea, Saul David Raye, and Larry Payne. Sasha is currently studying Yoga Therapy at Loyola Marymount University, teaching yoga at Liberation Yoga and Yummy Yoga, and practicing Thai Yoga massage. www.beopenyoga.com


Lynn Taylor
A certified teacher since 1999, began her study and love for  hatha yoga, Eastern philosophies and meditation in the late 80’s.  Since then she has studied a variety of hatha yoga styles, including Iyengar, Vini, and vinyasa flow.  But when she met John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga in early 2000, she knew she had met a truly great teacher, and travels often to study with him.  Anusara’s precise yet playful style speaks to the heart and continues to inspire and inform her practice and teaching.  Lynn is honored to share her love, deep appreciation, and respect for all yoga traditions with her students. 

Deborah Eden Tull
Deborah is a meditation teacher, sustainability coach, and author who has been teaching Zen meditation and facilitating spiritual workshops for the past 10 years. She has been a meditator for 17 years and a student of Zen for 13. Her current passion is to practice and teach the integration of mindful living into every aspect of urban life. Her teaching style is grounded in compassionate awareness and an unwavering commitment to personal transformation. For more information please visit www.deborahedentull.com.

Brittany Wilkerson
Brittany discovered yoga at Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in New York City after a dance injury rendered her unable to run, leap, or spin! As the science of yoga healed her hip, the art of yoga opened her mind and heart to freedom she had never experienced before. A 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certified teacher through Liberation Yoga, and a Certified Light Leaders Children's Yoga Teacher, Brittany believes deeply in the power of yoga to change our lives and our world for the better. With a background in acting, music, dance, and improvisation, Brittany teaches a Family yoga class sprinkled with yoga games, songs, and heartful asana. She relishes the ability to share this ancient practice with others, and hopes to guide each student on the path to unique self-expression, healing, and joy! Brittany is especially grateful to all of her teachers at Liberation Yoga, including the little yogis who live so freely, vibrantly, and playfully in the present moment.

James Wagner
James Wagner has been acting for 20 years and teaching for 10. He has an MFA from the American Conservatory Theatre and used a PhD study to research and explore all manner of acting pedagogy. He has taught at the American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory School of Theatre and Privately.

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A comprehensive review of health benefits of qigong and tai chi ...

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A Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi Roger Jahnke, OMD1, Linda Larkey, PhD2, Carol Rogers3, Jennifer Etnier, PhD4, and Fang Lin5 Roger Jahnke: roger@healthaction.net Linda Larkey: larkeylite@msn.com Carol Rogers: carol.rogers@asu.edu Jennifer Etnier: JLEtnier@uncg.edu Fang Lin: fanglin60@hotmail.com 1 The Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi, 243 Pebble Beach Santa Barbara CA, 93117 2 Arizona State University College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation, 500 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 3 Arizona State University College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation, 500 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Phone: (602) 677-0711, Fax (602) 496-0775 4 University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27140 5 13448 E Bloomfield Drive, Scottsdale AZ 85259 Abstract Objective���Research examining psychological and physiological benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi is growing rapidly. The many practices described as Qigong or Tai Chi have similar theoretical roots, proposed mechanisms of action and expected benefits. Research trials and reviews, however, treat them as separate targets of examination. This review examines the evidence for achieving outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of both. Data Sources���The key words tai chi, taiji, and qigong were entered into electronic search engines for the Cumulative Index for Allied Health and Nursing (CINAHL), Psychological Literature (PsychInfo), PubMed, Cochrane database, and Google Scholar. Study Inclusion Criteria���RCTs reporting on the results of Qigong or Tai Chi interventions and published in peer reviewed journals published from 1993���2007 Data Extraction���Country, type and duration of activity, number/type of subjects, control conditions, and reported outcomes were recorded for each study. Synthesis���Outcomes related to Qigong and Tai Chi practice were identified and evaluated. Results���Seventy-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. The 9 outcome category groupings that emerged were: bone density (n=4), cardiopulmonary effects (n=19), physical function (n=16), falls and related risk factors (n=23), Quality of Life (n=17), self-efficacy (n=8), patient reported outcomes (n=13), psychological symptoms (n=27), and immune function (n=6). Conclusions���Research has demonstrated consistent, significant results for a number of health benefits in RCTs, evidencing progress toward recognizing the similarity and equivalence of Qigong and Tai Chi. Keywords tai chi taiji meditation qigong mind body practice meditative movement moderate exercise breathing NIH Public Access Author Manuscript Am J Health Promot. Author manuscript available in PMC 2011 July 1. Published in final edited form as: Am J Health Promot. 2010 24(6): e1���e25. doi:10.4278/ajhp.081013-LIT-248. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript

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A substantial body of published research has examined the health benefits of Tai Chi (also called Taiji) a traditional Chinese wellness practice. In addition, a strong body of research is also emerging for Qigong, an even more ancient traditional Chinese wellness practice that has similar characteristics to Tai Chi. Qigong and Tai Chi have been proposed, along with Yoga and Pranayama from India, to constitute a unique category or type of exercise referred to currently as meditative movement.1 These two forms of meditative movement, Qigong and Tai Chi, are close relatives having shared theoretical roots, common operational components, and similar links to the wellness and health promoting aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. They are nearly identical in practical application in the health enhancement context and share much overlap in what traditional Chinese medicine describes as the ���three regulations���: body focus (posture and movement), breath focus, and mind focus (meditative components).1, 2 Due to the similarity of Qigong and Tai Chi, this review of the state of the science for these forms of meditative movement will investigate the benefits of both forms together. In presenting evidence for a variety of health benefits, many of which are attributable to both practices, we will point to the magnitude of the combined literature and suggest under what circumstances Qigong and Tai Chi may be considered as potentially equivalent interventions, with recommendations for standards and further research to clarify this potential. Objectives Previously published reviews have reported on specific outcomes of either Tai Chi or Qigong, mostly addressing only one of these practices, and rarely taking into account the similarity of the two forms and their similar outcomes. These reviews have covered a wide variety of outcomes, with many focused on specific diseases or symptoms including: hypertension 3 cardiovascular disease 4, 5 cancer 6���8 arthritic disease 9 stroke rehabilitation 10 aerobic capacity 11 falls and balance 12, 13 bone mineral density 14 and shingles-related immunity,15 with varying degrees of support noted for outcomes in response to Qigong or Tai Chi. Other reviews have addressed a broad spectrum of outcomes to demonstrate how Qigong16���19 or Tai Chi20���26 have demonstrated improvements for participants with a variety of chronic health problems or with vulnerable older adults. While many of these reviews have utilized selection criteria which restrict their focus to rigorous empirical studies, others have used less stringent criteria. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the current evidence for a broad range of health benefits for both Qigong and Tai Chi using only randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and to evaluate the potential of treating these two forms of meditative movement as equivalent forms. A complete description of Qigong and Tai Chi is presented and the equivalence of their theoretical roots and their common elements of practice are established. Then, the body of evidence for outcomes in response to Qigong and Tai Chi is reviewed to examine the range of health benefits. Finally, to more critically evaluate similarities across studies of the two practices we discuss the potential of treating them as equivalent interventions in research and the interpretation of results across studies. Research Question 1: What health benefits are evidenced from RCTs of Qigong and Tai Chi? Research Question 2: In examining the Qigong and Tai Chi practices incorporated in research, and the evidence for health benefits commensurate with each, what claims can be Jahnke et al. Page 2 Am J Health Promot. Author manuscript available in PMC 2011 July 1. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript

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made for equivalence of these two forms of practice/exercise that have typically been considered to be separate and different? Overview of Qigong and Tai Chi Qigong is, definitively, more ancient in origin than Tai Chi and it is the over-arching, more original discipline incorporating widely diverse practices designed to cultivate functional integrity and the enhancement of the life essence that the Chinese call Qi. Both Qigong and Tai Chi sessions incorporate a wide range of physical movements, including slow, meditative, flowing, dance-like motions. In addition, they both can include sitting or standing meditation postures as well as either gentle or vigorous body shaking. Most importantly, both incorporate the purposeful regulation of both breath and mind coordinated with the regulation of the body. Qigong and Tai Chi are both based on theoretical principles that are inherent to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).1 In the ancient teachings of health- oriented Qigong and Tai Chi, the instructions for attaining the state of enhanced Qi capacity and function point to the purposeful coordination of body, breath and mind (paraphrased here): ���Mind the body and the breath, and then clear the mind to distill the Heavenly elixir within.��� This combination of self-awareness with self-correction of the posture and movement of the body, the flow of breath, and stilling of the mind, are thought to comprise a state which activates the natural self-regulatory (self-healing) capacity, stimulating the balanced release of endogenous neurohormones and a wide array of natural health recovery mechanisms which are evoked by the intentful integration of body and mind. Despite variations among the myriad forms, we assert that health oriented Tai Chi and Qigong emphasize the same principles and practice elements. Given these similar foundations and the fashion in which Tai Chi has typically been modified for implementation in clinical research, we suggest that the research literature for these two forms of meditative movement should be considered as one body of evidence. Qigong Qigong translates from Chinese to mean, roughly, to cultivate or enhance the inherent functional (energetic) essence of the human being. It is considered to be the contemporary offspring of some of the most ancient (before recorded history) healing and medical practices of Asia. Earliest forms of Qigong make up one of the historic roots of contemporary Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and practice.2 Many branches of Qigong have a health and medical focus and have been refined for well over 5000 years. Qigong purportedly allows individuals to cultivate the natural force or energy (���Qi���) in TCM that is associated with physiological and psychological functionality. Qi is the conceptual foundation of TCM in acupuncture, herbal medicine and Chinese physical therapy. It is considered to be a ubiquitous resource of nature that sustains human well-being and assists in healing disease as well as (according to TCM theory) having fundamental influence on all life and even the orderly function of celestial mechanics and the laws of physics. Qigong exercises consist of a series of orchestrated practices including body posture/movement, breath practice, and meditation, all designed to enhance Qi function (that is, drawing upon natural forces to optimize and balance energy within) through the attainment of deeply focused and relaxed states. From the perspective of Western thought and science, Qigong practices activate naturally occurring physiological and psychological mechanisms of self-repair and health recovery. Also considered part of the overall domain of Qigong is ���external Qigong��� wherein a trained medical Qigong therapist diagnoses patients according to the principles of TCM and uses ���emitted Qi��� to foster healing. Both internal Qigong (personal practice) and external Qigong (clinician emitted Qi) are seen as affecting the balance and flow of energy and enhancing Jahnke et al. Page 3 Am J Health Promot. Author manuscript available in PMC 2011 July 1. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript

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functionality in the body and the mind. For the purposes of our review, we are focused only on the individual, internal Qigong practice of exercises performed with the intent of cultivating enhanced function, inner Qi that is ample and unrestrained. This is the aspect of Qigong that parallels what is typically investigated in Tai Chi research. There are thousands of forms of Qigong practice that have developed in different regions of China during various historic periods and that have been created by many specific teachers and schools. Some of these forms were designed for general health enhancement purposes and some for specific TCM diagnostic categories. Some were originally developed as rituals for spiritual practice, and others to empower greater skill in the martial arts. An overview of the research literature pertaining to internal Qigong yields more than a dozen forms that have been studied as they relate to health outcomes (e.g., Guo-lin, ChunDoSunBup, Vitality or Bu Zheng Qigong, Eight Brocade, Medical Qigong).2, 27���29 The internal Qigong practices generally tested in health research (and that are addressed in this review), incorporate a range of simple movements (repeated and often flowing in nature), or postures (standing or sitting) and include a focused state of relaxed awareness and a variety of breathing techniques that accompany the movements or postures. A key underlying philosophy of the practice is that any form of Qigong has an effect on the cultivation of balance and harmony of Qi, positively influencing the human energy complex (Qi channels/pathways) which functions as a holistic, coherent and mutually interactive system. Tai Chi Tai Chi translates to mean, ���Grand Ultimate���, and in the Chinese culture, it represents an expansive philosophical and theoretical notion which describes the natural world (i.e., the universe) in the spontaneous state of dynamic balance between mutually interactive phenomena including the balance of light and dark, movement and stillness, waves and particles. Tai Chi, the exercise, is named after this concept and was originally developed both as a martial art (Tai Chi Chuan or taijiquan) and as a form of meditative movement. The practice of Tai Chi as meditative movement is expected to elicit functional balance internally for healing, stress neutralization, longevity, and personal tranquility. This form of Tai Chi is the focus of this review. For numerous, complex sociological and political reasons,2 Tai Chi has become one of the best known forms of exercise or practice for refining Qi and is purported to enhance physiological and psychological function. The one factor that appears to differentiate Tai Chi from Qigong is that traditional Tai Chi is typically performed as a highly choreographed, lengthy, and complex series of movements, while health enhancement Qigong is typically a simpler, easy to learn, more repetitive practice. However, even the longer forms of Tai Chi incorporate many movements that are similar to Qigong exercises. Usually, the more complex Tai Chi routines include Qigong exercises as a warm-up, and emphasize the same basic principles for practice, that is, the three regulations of body focus, breath focus and mind focus. Therefore Qigong and Tai Chi, in the health promotion and wellness context, are operationally equivalent. Tai Chi as Defined in the Research Literature It is especially important to note that many of the RCTs investigating what is described as Tai Chi (for health enhancement), are actually not the traditional, lengthy, complex practices that match the formal definition of traditional Tai Chi. The Tai Chi used in research of both disease prevention and as a complement to medical intervention is often a ���modified��� Tai Chi (e.g., Tai Chi Easy, Tai Chi Chih, or ���short forms��� that greatly reduce the number of Jahnke et al. Page 4 Am J Health Promot. Author manuscript available in PMC 2011 July 1. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript

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movements to be learned). The modifications generally simplify the practice, making the movements more like most health oriented Qigong exercises that are simple and repetitive, rather than a lengthy choreographed series of Tai Chi movements that take much longer to learn (and, for many participants, reportedly delay the experience of ���settling��� into the relaxation response). A partial list of examples of modified Tai Chi forms from the RCTs in the review are: balance exercises inspired by Tai Chi,30 Tai Chi for arthritis, 5 movements from Sun Tai Chi,31 Tai Chi Six Form,32 Yang Eight Form Easy,3334 and Yang Five Core Movements.34 In 2003, a panel of Qigong and Tai Chi experts was convened by the University of Illinois and the Blueprint for Physical Activity to explore this very point.35 The expert panel agreed that it is appropriate to modify (simplify) Tai Chi to more efficiently disseminate the benefits to populations in need of cost effective, safe and gentle methods of physical activity and stress reduction. These simplified forms of Tai Chi are very similar to the forms of Qigong used in health research. For this reason, it is not only reasonable, but a critical contribution to the emerging research dialogue to review the RCTs that explore the health benefits resulting from both of these practices together, as one comprehensive evidence base for the meditative movement practices originating from China. Methods Data Sources The following data bases were used to conduct literature searches for potentially relevant articles: Cumulative Index for Allied Health and Nursing (CINAHL), Psychological Literature (PsychInfo), PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane database. The key words included Tai Chi, Taiji, Tai Chi Chuan, and Qigong combined with RCT or with clinical research terms. Additional hand searches (based on word-of-mouth recommendations) completed the search for articles. Study Inclusion Criteria Criteria for inclusion of articles included that they: a) were published in a peer-reviewed English-language journal between 1993 and December, 2007 b) were cited in nursing, medical, or psychological literature c) were designed to test the effects of Tai Chi or Qigong and d) used a RCT research design. The literature search resulted in the identification of 576 articles to be considered for inclusion. The full texts of 158 articles appearing to meet initial criteria (a���d) were retrieved for further evaluation and to verify which ones were, in fact, RCTs, resulting in a final set of 77 articles meeting all of our inclusion criteria Data Abstraction Articles were read and results were entered into a table according to criteria established by the authors for categorization and evaluation of the studies and outcomes. Included in Table One for review and discussion are: country of study type and number of patients randomized duration and type of intervention and control condition measured outcomes and results. As the information was entered into the table it became apparent that some of the authors reported results from the same study in more than one article. Thus, the 77 articles selected actually represented 67 unique studies, with 1 study reporting a range of outcomes across 4 articles, and 5 other studies��� results published in 2 articles each. An additional two articles were not entered into the table36, 37 as the same results were reported in newer articles. Other than these two dropped articles, multiple articles are entered into the Jahnke et al. Page 5 Am J Health Promot. Author manuscript available in PMC 2011 July 1. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript

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Yoga Daily News, 14th Oct. – Commercial Yoga Versus Real Yoga + MORE

Yoga Journal - Samadhi & the City - Yoga Blog

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During these crazy times, remember the good stuff.

Owning that attitude of gratitude became an inspiration for my Kundalini Yogi friend Jodi Fuchs and her sister Wendy. The Fuchs sisters, both yogis and artists too, started the Gratitude Art Project (GAP) during a time when Jodi was experiencing some financial hardship. "I knew if I focused on what I had instead of what I was lacking, that might offer the key to unlock more prosperity in my life," says Jodi. The sisters also had wanted to work together as a way to heal, co-create, uplift, inspire themselves (and others) by focusing on the positive that already EXISTS in all of our lives.

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So they distributed a 1,000 postcards via friends and in yoga studios all over the country asking for people to mail back their "gratitudinals". They also started a blog and a Facebook group (The Gratitude Art Project), so they could share all this gratefulness and use it as inspiration to create works of art (pictured here) focusing on big themes like family, health, God, abundance and small thank yous like car seat warmers, great lip gloss, and good coffee.

This grateful theme is also something near and dear to my New York friend and YJ colleague Valerie, who has been blogging about her gratitudinals both big and small, mundane and fabulous, for quite some time.

Thanks ladies. Your attitude of gratitude reminds me that I have lots to be thankful for too. Please share your gratitudinals with Jodi and Wendy either on Facebook or on the GAP website and if you like, post them here.

Sat Nam.

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WHAT: Eco Gift Festival
Over 150 green companies presenting innovative gifts, an organic food court, children's Stage, live music and a speaker series with leading Eco-Preneurs and Visionaries.

WHO: Speakers include:
Arianna Huffington (Founder-Huffington Post), Michael Brune (Executive Director-Rainforest Action Network), Josh Tickell (award-winning filmmaker "Fuel"), Shallom Berkman (Founder-Urth Caffe), Blake Mycoskie (Founder, Tom's Shoes), Eco-designer Linda Loudermilk, Tom Szaky (Co-Founder TerraCycle), Susan Olsen, aka Cindy Brady on the Children's stage. John Marshall Roberts ("Igniting Inspiration, A Persuasion Manual for Visionaries"). Mallika Chopra "The Power of Intent to Affect Global Wellness" plus more.

WHERE: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium - 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica 90401

WHEN: Friday December 12 & Saturday, December 13 - 10:00am-8:00p,
Sunday, December 14 - 11am-8pm.

* 10% of the profits from the show will be donated to select Los Angeles charities, including GLOBAL GREEN USA.

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B.K.S. Iyengar turns 90 on Sunday, December 14. Come to the new and improved Iyengar Institute and celebrate 90 glorious years with 108 Sun Salutations and chanting too.

"The sun-salutation is a part of daily religious prayer, which comes from time immemorial. Every one, along with offerings and prayers, saluted the sun, since Surya, the Sun God has a tremendous solar energy, which is a vital need for mankind." - Geeta Iyengar

What: 108 Sun salutations for Guruji led by Jim Benvenuto and chanting led by Eric Small

When: Sunday, December 14 at dawn - 6:30AM

Where:
IYILA

Who:
all who wish to honor Guruji -- any level of student, any yoga tradition -- practice one or all the sun salutations, chant and be part of the community.

FREE & Open to all - Chai & sweets follow!

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Taking the time to develop a home asana practice is hard enough. Add a restorative element and you've got another challenge. But for me, restorative yoga is essential, especially during the holidays when designated chill-time keeps me sane and grounded.

Thanks to yogitoes and one of Los Angeles' favorite teachers, Annie Carpenter, the new relaxDeeply CD ($24.95) is a no-brainer path to relaxation. With three options -- the full 73 minutes, a 32 minute moonCYCLE sequence or the sleepWELL 41 minute choice -- Carpenter takes you on a soothing journey that allows you to sink comfortably into poses like Viparita Karani, Supta Baddha Konasana and Balasana accompanied by a mellow soundtrack of Michael Perricone's Tibetan bowl music.

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You'll need props to get the full benefit (a bolster, a couple blankets, a block and a strap should suffice). Carpenter's expert direction and the accompanying booklet that gives detailed photographs helps you to transition from pose to pose to pose.

But if you want to get the full yogitoes rKit, you can purchase all the props plus the CD for $225 (gift idea, anyone?). And I have to say, I think the yogitoes prop line is one of the chicest and sleekest out there, thanks to the vision of yogitoes founder Susan Nichols.

So take some relaxation time this holiday season and let us know how you unwind.

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Mani Niall is known in L.A. as the namesake of Mani's Bakery -- the wholesome cafe that uses natural ingredients and specializes in pastry that is gluten-free, low-fat, and sugar-free. While he no longer owns the bakery, his cookbook from that time Sweet & Natural Baking: Sugar-Free, Flavorfull Desserts from Mani's Bakery is a staple in my library and highly coveted since it's out print. Lucky for us, Mani hasn't abandoned his mission to develop healthful, satisfying desserts and continues to bake and publish.

His latest book Sweet! could not have come at a better time, especially for bakers looking for something a little different (and more mindful) for the holiday table. I was lucky enough to get a copy of the cookbook this week at Niall's L.A. book signing, where samples of his sweet treats were served. Did I mention the Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche was not too shabby and unbelievably rich and moist?

Sweet! is a great primer for anyone interested in baking with specialty sugars that offer a lot more than just sweetness. And Niall does a really good job of breaking down the flavors and characteristics of different sugars including ethnic varieties like Jaggery (from India), Panela (from Mexico and South America) as well as raw sugars like evaporated cane juice and sucanat. Then there are my favorites: the moist brown sugars like muscovado and demerara.

If you thought there was only one kind of white and brown sugar in the world (and generally the brown sugar you buy in the market is just white sugar with food coloring) and if you didn't know that most conventional white sugars aren't vegetarian-friendly because they are processed using bovine bones, then this is the book for you. It will definitely make everything a bit more sweet.

Any favorite sugars or recipes you love? Share the wealth, please.

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Last weekend I signed up to join 478 Kundalini yogis for a one day
White Tantric meditation workshop. It was a leap of faith for me and the other White Tantric virgins who, wore all white, covered our heads and gathered in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom on the UCLA campus. Sure there were many who had been there and done that, but for us novices, we had a case of the unknown jitters. (Yes that's me on the right with my lovely partner Regina Gelfo).

The White Trantric tradition was initiated in Los Angeles by Yogi Bhajan in 1970 and ever since, it's taught annually all over the world. Since Yogi Bhajan died in 2004, the wisdom (and the kriyas) are passed via a video-taped series of six to eight meditations lasting anywhere from 11 to 62 minutes. We were lucky enough to have Satsimran Kaur as our facilitator who worked with Yogi Bhajan for many years and helped him prepare the White Trantric tradition for dissemination after his passing.

The purpose: balance the chakras, create an energy force (of 478 chanting, doing asana, meditating and mudra making yogis) to cut through the blocks of the subconscious and release the burdens that plague the mind. Satsimran put it another way. "Kundalini yoga is like liquid plummer. You pour it down the drain and eventually it works. White Tantric is like the roto-rooter guy. He's able to get the job done right away and go were no one else can go."

I was also relieved that Satsimran set an important ground rule, "Don't take it so seriously," she said, "Enjoy and have some fun."
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So go ahead, get some wings and let us know how you fly.

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Question: is downdog an "American circus" trick and are yoga teachers "circus clowns"? According to Los Angeles' own Bikram Choudhury the answer to both is, yes. At least that's what the founder of hot yoga's Bikram College of India told Chicago Tribune blogger Julie Deardorff .

When asked why he called yoga teachers (with the exception of those who teach his system) clowns, he said:

"They completely (expletive) up yoga. They crucified yoga in America. There is no yoga called Kundalini, Power, Vinyasa, dog yoga. We follow 4,400 years of Patanjali's The Yoga Sutra. There are eight kinds of yoga--karma, hatha, raja, vedanta, bhakti, mantra, jnana and laya. What the hell is vinyassa? And Iyengar school (which uses props) looks like a Santa Monica sex shop. You don't need those things to do yoga. They make so many stupid things here (in America.) I am teaching the exact same postures as my guru (Bishnu Ghosh) taught me. "

On materialism and yoga, specifically about his $58,000 Piaget watch and his fleet of 35 Rolls Royces, he explained:

"There's nothing wrong with material things as long as you don't lie, cheat and steal... Let me ask you, what is the worth of one human life? It's priceless. I give that life to people. Next to that, what is a watch? Having doesn't mean anything unless you know how to use it. My job is to pick up the good of the East and the good of the West. I don't want to starve to death in India and I don't want to be a billionaire living in a mental hospital in the U.S. Maintaining spirituality and humanism are the keys to success. It's a balance."

In the yoga community, people are sometimes afraid to say what they really think, fearing they may appear unyogic so Bikram's blunt utterances are weirdly entertaining and somehow refreshing. Though, I have to wonder if he should apply his advice about how to treat the human body to his criticisms of the yoga community: "It's so sensitive, but if you treat it nasty for too long, of course it will backfire."

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photo courtesy of Bikram College of India

On August 9th, Los Angeles own classical Indian dance troupe, the Rangoli Dance Company, will perform Patanjali: Legends of Yoga and Dance at the Main Stage at Santa Monica College.

The evening, which is a tribute concert honoring Daniel Pearl and Daniel Pearl Music Days (the non-profit founded in his memory), was conceived and choreographed by award-winning artistic director Malathi Iyengar.

Iyengar's dedication to classic Bharatanatyam dance led her to explore the powerful relationship between yoga and dance. This piece features live music and explores legends like the cosmic dance of Shiva. It also attempts to answer questions like how did the great spiritual discipline of Yoga originate? Why did Patanjali to write commentary on yoga that inspired so many all over the world to practice? And who was Patanjali?

Here's a trailer from last year's performance for your viewing pleasure:


MAIN STAGE, Santa Monica College,
1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Unwritten Rhythms: 7:30 pm
Patanjali Dance Concert: 8:00 pm.
Admission: Door $25 Advance $20
Student, Senior, and DRC members $15
Groups of 10 or more $15 per person
Tickets & Concert Information: 818 788 6860 or email malathisiyengar@gmail.com

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After an invigorating Kundalini class with Gurmukh at the Golden Bridge in Hollywood, I stop by the Dragon Herbs store inside the yoga studio and sidle up to the Elixir bar for a tonic pick-me-up. The barrista on call asks a few questions about my practice and when I explain that a 11-minute Kriya that included lots of breath-of-fire posed an understandable challenge; she offers me a hot golden-colored brew with an earthy aroma and a sweet taste.

The elixir, called Tibetan Magic, contains Rhodiola Sacra, a sacred Tibetan herb revered by monks for it’s capacity to increase spiritual power, and known among herbalists as an energizer that increases blood circulation, oxygen and supports the immune system.

The whole world of elixirs is big. Just looking at the variety that line the shelves at Dragon Herbs is a bit overwhelming. It's part art, part science and even a little about spirit. But my friend Neka Pasquale, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist in the Bay Area demystifies the subject when she explains there are classic formulations, or standard remedies, that have been used for 1000s of years, for purposes like enhancing kidney function or balancing reproductive hormones and that there also ways to formulate custom blends to treat individual conditions.

But ultimately, in her view, an elixir is anything that's soothing and healing. "Juicing for an energy boost, making a fresh ginger tea to calm an upset stomach, those things are elixirs too," she says. "Even making soups and adding herbs like burdock root and dong quai makes it more than a meal, it's like a medicine too."

With that in mind, I make almond milk -- something to ground my vata constitution -- and as I soak the almonds and then peel off the skins one by one, it becomes a mindful meditation where I slow down and take the time to make something nourishing for my body and my soul. How about you? Any elixirs that you've found to boost your practice or your health?

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What happens when a chef classically trained in Italian, French and Japanese cuisine decides to also become a Kushi Institute certified Macrobiotic chef? You get M Cafe de Chaya which, is one of my favorite destinations. And with their new Culver City location, there's yet another excuse to indulge in Chef Shigefumi Tachibe's creations like the M Chopped salad (romaine with herb baked tofu, almonds, avocado, ume-picked radishes, tempeh bacon) or the wild salmon teriyaki rice bowl.

There are also bento boxes, macro burgers and a wide variety of vegetarian sushi, scarlet quinoa, kale with spicy peanut sauce and so much more. Oh and did I mention a whole slew of vegan baked goods. Chocolate cupcake anyone?

I interviewed Chef Tachibe recently for an article about rice that appears in this month's issue of Yoga Journal and he explained that he developed this cuisine specifically because it's what he wanted to eat. He's certainly filling a void because the place is always packed.

He also passed on his secret for perfectly cooked rice. He uses organic brown rice because the intact bran layer, which makes it brown, contains b vitamins, fiber and immune boosting antioxidants such as selenium and manganese. His trick: soak the rice at least five hours, put in your rice cooker, add salt and let the steaming begin. "This makes it moist and sticky and the salt helps bring out the flavor." I've tried the technique it produces an aromatic and perfectly textured bowl.

Anyone who's ever tired to eat the Macrobiotic way knows it's a labor intensive feat so it's certainly a luxury to have a chef close by who prepares healthy, delicious food and all you have to do is remember to chew mindfully and savor every bite.

Sorry guys, it's ladies night at City Yoga Tuesday, July 8th from 7:30-9:30. Rebecca Benenati is teaching a FREE deep, butt-kicking class to help open the heart for some discussion and contemplation -- female style.

Which got me thinking, it might be nice to list some of the other women's only classes (excluding pre and post natal).

YogaWest
Women for Women
9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Guru Jagat Kaur teaches an envigorating Kundalini women's class where you're likely to dance, which is never a bad thing.

Goldenbridge
Women's Kundalini Yoga and Meditation
10:30-12:15
Wednesday
Gurmukh is a master at the Ladies' only genre and you're certain to leave with pearls of wisdom and mind-clearing peace.

If I've missed any, please let me know and feel free to weigh in on whether or not the ladies-only model works for you.

On another note, City Search just released their reader selected choices of the 10 best yoga studios in L.A. Seems to be stacked with the usual suspects so I'm curious to know how they compare to your own assessement of the best Yoga in L.A.

Now, go enjoy your independence day.

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My library is filled with books I've picked up at garage sales, thrift shops and used book stores because I love finding rare, out-of-print editions.

Of course, I have a yoga section and over the years some of my favorite finds are Yoga for Americans originally published in 1948 by Indra Devi (one of the first female yoga teachers, who was a student of Krishnamacharya and had a celebrity following among starlets like Gloria Swanson) and Swami Vishnu-devananda's The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga from 1959 which is a yoga primer from the Swami Sivananda lineage.

And one of the best places to find books is the Bodhi Tree Used Book Annex, right behind The Bodhi Tree bookstore, which has been a metaphysical mecca here in Los Angeles since 1970, with readings, events, free tea and a wide selection of books and a knowledgeable sales team.

The used shop is jam-packed with books at a fraction of the new price and while books in the yoga section seem to go fast, the cookbook section never seems to disappoint. Most of the titles are vegetarian and the selection is satsifying for all palettes -- everything from Deborah Madison, to the Moosewood series, Tassajara, Madhur Jaffrey, and vegan choices abound.

I refer to these books often, as reference, as entertainment and of course, to cook. I wonder: any books that have particular significance in your library?

Kimberly Fowler has built a business on her no-nonsense approach to yoga specifically designed for athletes, who may not be interested in the spiritual side of the practice. She is the Yoga Nike spokesperson and her YAS studio -- which teaches a hybrid of yoga and spinning -- is a bustling hub in Venice.

So when I recently got a copy of her DVD Yoga for Athletes, which boasts "No Chanting. No Granola. No Sanskrit", I was skeptical. Didn't think it was my thing. But then I popped the sucker into my MAC and discovered a well-sequenced, well-considered and challenging class that focused on areas crucial to athletic performance -- the hips, the hamstrings, the core and the upper body. It was an efficient, tightly crafted hour and a great way to mix up my already eclectic practice.

Then another Fowler DVD arrived and this one was called Overcoming Obstacles: The Secret to Success. Again with a skeptical eye (oh no, not another wanna-be guru), I popped in the disc and learned that Fowler is someone who has overcome a myriad of obstacles -- poverty, alcoholic parents (and a dad who died homeless), a miraculous recovery from a harrowing climbing accident and brain cancer.

Even though Fowler claims she's more interested in the physical than the spiritual aspects of yoga, I think the focus, determination and self-awareness she touts are very yogic indeed. And like she says, "I'm not your guru...you are. "

Here's a clip from the DVD for your consideration. Curious to know your thoughts.

With gas and airline prices soaring and summer vacation on the brain, I've been trying to figure out ways to enjoy the summer while staying close to home.

scents11.jpgSo when I was invited to Spa Ritual

nail products, all which are vegan and free of scary chemicals like DBP, Toluene and Formaldhyde. I picked up a bottle called (and I blush) "Aroused" and it's a friendly shade of summer red, perfect for toe gazing during shoulder-stand.

Forgive me today as I digress from serious yoga talk but sometimes I find beauty talk almost as relaxing as a good gentle yoga class. I often wonder why and I think the answer lies in a Mel Gibson/Helen Hunt movie called “What Women Want.” Bear with me here, I know we haven’t gotten over Mel and his anti-semitic “sugar tits” rant. But there’s a brilliant scene in the movie. The premise is that Mel has a gift — he can hear women’s thoughts, the subtext, the ruminations, the real feelings, all of it. But when he goes to the beauty department at Bloomingdales in NYC he’s befuddled b/c all he can “hear” in the women’s heads is idle chatter about lipstick and moisturizer and eye liner.

Those conversations are like Zen. There is nothing else present. No future, no past, just make-up. Moisturizer. Nail polish. Even acne control. So pure. And perverse.

Perhaps I should not admit these things here but I wonder, do you have any guilty relaxing pleasures?

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This month's Elle has a juicy article about the artist Vanessa Beecroft, and the piece opens as she drags the reluctant reporter to a Kundalini class taught by Tej Kaur at the Golden Bridge studio in Hollywood.

Beecroft has been called a controversial narcisist, even colonial for her naked performance driven pieces and her proclivity for airing eccentricities (or pathologies) like exercise bulimia. Her latest project, and the impetus for the article, is a film documenting her quest to adopt African twins despite her husband's objection to the whole charade.

It's always interesting to see how the mainstream media characterizes yoga and in this case, it becomes an esoteric, out-there practice -- one more controversial aspect of Beecroft's "art".

Here's an excerpt toward the end of the article where Beecroft explains she was drawn to yoga to help deal with the bad reviews of her movie and her disintegrating marriage:

Beecroft is doing her best to respond to this perceived injustice in a new way, with the help of daily euphoria-inducing Kundalini yoga at Golden Bridge. “I am trying not to react, to be still,” she says. “I am doing Kundalini with these Sikhs because I want to understand better what this story is telling me by these series of events that are pretty unfortunate.”

Whether Beecroft really wants to change remains to be seen. It’s ambiguous, as usual, whether the yoga is for her personal growth or for her art. The yoga class, she confesses, “is something a bit exotic” to make the domestic stasis bearable. The class, like Los Angeles itself, is also a productive place for a zeitgeist channeler like Beecroft to be as she untangles her concerns about Africa, the environment, and her relationship with her aging body (the sculptures that will be in her next performance reference aristocratic funereal forms). This is the studio to attend if you want to do Breath of Fire next to a star; here, the students have the accoutrements of urbane enlightenment down, little lambskins for their mats worn just enough and stealth-wealth waffle-weave T-shirts sewn on the bias.

I don't know about you, but I like my yoga accoutrements; I also like Breath of Fire and fashion. If that's urbane enlightenment, sign me up.

Summer begins and workshops are abundant. So if you can't get out of town, no worries. There's plenty going on right here in L.A. to help you rejuvenate and learn something new.

Vinyasa Flow Intensive with Vinnie Marino at YogaWorks
June 16 - June 20
Mon-Fri 7:00 - 9:00am
$185 by 6/2; $210 after 6/2

This intensive will take you deeper into your practice. And the intimate setting will give you an opportunity to explore variations not usually offered in Marino's crowded, drop-in classes. As always, Vinnie's eclectic music will set the mood for an energizing and inspiring practice.

Family Yoga with Gurmukh at Goldenbridge
June 15, July 13, September 21, October 19
Sundays 11:30 - 1:00 pm
Cost: $16/per class - kids under 16 are free!

This once-a-month class is designed for the whole family. Play, Dance, meditate and gather with your children (all ages welcome). Bring everyone - dads, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, & uncles.

Explore the Chakras with Ashley Turner at Exhale
June 14 and 15
Saturday and Sunday
12:30 PM - 3:45 PM
cost: $35 each day

The Chakra System is an ancient map detailing the 7 primary energy centers and the 5 elements that comprise the body-mind-spirit. If you always wondered what the Chakras are, this class is for you. Beginners, therapists, teachers, bodyworkers are all welcome.

Intro to Shadow Yoga with Matt Pesendian at Golden Monkey Healing
June 12, 14, 19, 21, 26 and 28
Thursdays and Saturdays
8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.
$100 per series (a bargain!)

Pesendian just moved back to Los Angeles from Santa Barbara and he's eager to expose more Los Angeles yogis to Shadow Yoga. Developed by Natanaga Zhander, Shadow Yoga is rooted in classical hatha yoga but incorporates elements of Indian cultural dance, martial arts and Ayurvedic and Siddha systems of medicine. To sign up, email matt@goldenmonkeyhealing.com.

Just add the alcohol of your choice (and the Modmix website has all kinds of fun recipes) or for a great virgin alternative, use sparkling water for a refreshing and delicious soda concoction. But the real recipe: good friends and lots of laughter.

When it comes to New Year’s Eve, you may consider ringing it in at Liberation Yoga as they present their second annual New Year’s Eve Practice and Celebration.

The all-levels class is from 10 p.m. to midnight and it will include salutations to the New Year’s Eve
Moon, meditation, pranayama, champagne and chocolate.

As the flyer says: “No need to find the perfect dress, no worries over the “big moment” no falling asleep on the couch while the ball drops – just some good clean fun and a healthy glow for the first bright and shiny moments of 2008!”

Happy New Year.

When the world takes the day off for the holiday, the streets are empty, parking is aplenty and the calm after the holiday preparation storm is an ideal time to unwind and refresh with yoga.

Even though most studios are closed for Christmas, a few are offering holiday classes. Here’s a quick list to make sure your Christmas day yoga class shopping is completely stress-free:

City Yoga

9:00 a.m. Mixed level Anusara with James MacDonald
10:45 a.m Mixed level Anusara with Hillary Rubin

Black Dog Yoga

9:30 a.m. Level 1-2 Hatha Flow with Hanna Gilan
10:30 a.m. Level 2-3 Anusara-inspired with Jenny Brill

Iyengar Yoga Institute

9:00 a.m Level 2 with Marla Apt
11:00 a.m. Level 1 with Miriam Kramer

Golden Bridge

10 a.m Mixed level Kundalini with Gurmukh

Enjoy the season!

Conscious consumerism is a bit of an oxymoron, especially during the holidays. This time of year I find it hard to reconcile my desire to buy and possess with my desire to be mindful and leave a smaller footprint. But it also can be fun (or stressful) to find gifts for friends and family.

Next weekend the first ever Eco Gift Expo at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium will be an alternative to mall madness as 150 eco-friendly companies present their wares all in one place. It also sounds like a fun afternoon. I’m told there will be organic chocolate, an organic food court, musicians, minstrels, and a gift-wrapping booth offered by the Los Angeles Times (recycled newspapers for gift paper, of course). The details: Saturday and Sunday December 15 and 16 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. $10 tickets on-line, $15 at the door, kids under 12, free.

And for those interested in taking mindfulness beyond shopping, this Sunday Sylvia Boorstein will lead a workshop at Loyola Marymount University sponsored by Insight L.A. The afternoon of teachings will be from Sylvia’s new book “Happiness is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life.”

I just got a copy of the book and it’s easy-to-read and offers useful ideas like equanimity is sometimes just a reminder away and bad feelings just aren’t good for you. It’s also refreshingly candid as Boorstein admits that even after 30 years of meditating, she still gets mired in the trappings of unskillful thoughts. Good things to know as the holidays heat up.

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This morning I met Jim Walsh for a cup of coffee and as he began to tell me about his Los Angeles-based company
Intentional Chocolate, it made me wonder why it is that food cooked with care and love tastes so good. After all, there’s nothing more delicious than chicken soup made especially for someone with a cold, or home-baked chocolate chip cookies received as a gift.

I think we all know intuitively that intentions can make or break an experience. With that in mind, Walsh set out to infuse his new chocolate line with a very specific intention: “Whomever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and function at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well being.”

But Walsh, a successful businessman who has launched several products and companies (including Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate, which was the first to grow cacao domestically), took this idea one step further. He literally enlisted monks from the Deer Park Buddhist Center in Wisconsin (including the venerable Geshe Sopa), and had them use their powers of meditation to “imprint” this intention into his products.

Then, with the help of Dean Radin, a scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, he conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled experiment that proved the mood elevating properties of chocolate were enhanced by this intention and published the findings in the peer-reviewed publication Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing.

This afternoon I drank a cup of Intentional Dark Hot Chocolate and enjoyed the hint of vanilla and cinnamon in the warm elixir. I felt good knowing 10 percent of net proceeds from sales of International Chocolate will go to the Deer Park Buddhist Center and it was fun to think that eating Intentional truffles or baking with Intentional pistoles would not only make me feel good, it might just spread a little joy.

The holiday season has officially arrived and in the coming weeks there are so many great activities to choose from that I thought I’d keep you up to date and let you choose from this embarrassment of riches.

Krishna Das is coming to town, gracing Yogaworks on Larchmont with his awesome voice and Kirtan leadership from Friday Nov. 30th through Sunday Dec. 2nd. The weekend program also includes a three-hour workshop on Sunday, complete with musical accompaniment, stories about his Guru (Neem Karoli Baba), readings, teachings and intimate discussions.

Dave Stringer, with his more modern Kirtan arrangements/inspirations (sometimes even with a pop music twist), will be at the Goldenbridge on December 8th -- sure to be a fun way to spend a Saturday night.

And for those interested in meditation, don’t miss Sylvia Boorstein’s December 9th workshop at Loyola Marymount University sponsored by Insight L.A. The afternoon of mindfulness practice and teachings will be from Sylvia’s new book “Happiness is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life.”

Finally, on Saturday December 8th you can help celebrate B.K.S. Iyengar’s 89th birthday at the Iyengar Institute with a “movie night”. The evening will feature excerpts from different historical periods in Guruji’s life, commentary and, of course the master performing asana.

Tis the season. So Enjoy.

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It’s underground. It’s rough. It’s roving. That’s how Marc Holzman characterizes his
Guerilla Yoga – donation only mixed-level Anusara classes that take place wherever he can find a space big enough to accommodate his loyal students.

It started as a solution for wayward yoga orphans abandoned when two local studios ceased to be. (First Ross Rayburn’s Yoga Inside Out merged with Bala Yoga and then the latter closed too). “I thought just because the studios no longer existed didn’t mean the community had to disband,’ says Holzman, who is the kind of guy you want to hang out with, like a hip, gay Uncle.

So he borrowed the donation-only model of Bryan Kest, his first yoga teacher, who has been teaching such classes in Santa Monica for years. He got a couple of friends to join him – Tiffany Fraser and Acro Yogi Huck Hirsch – and created a teacher collective without the hassles that come with running a yoga studio. Students need only to log-on to the website to find out where and when.

Right now, there are at least three weekly classes and they take place either at the Hollywood Dance Center (an old-fashioned dance studio replete with well worn wood floors and hip hop classes in the next room) or at the Woman’s Club of Hollywood (the building is a historic landmark and has been home to this group of ladies since the late 1940s). Both have ample parking and offer-up an inspired spaces for no frills classes.

One recent Sunday morning at the Hollywood Dance Center, about 40 people showed up for Holzman’s 9:15 a.m. class including a few moms with kids, a photographer from one of the local yoga magazines and everyone was happy to give urdhva kukktuasana a whirl. Those in town for the holiday shouldn’t miss Fraser’s two hour Thanksgiving day class and be sure to check the website for future updates.

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The World Festival of Sacred Music is seeking applications for performers, venues and presenters to participate in this coalition of arts, faith and music scheduled for September 20-October 4, 2008 here in Los Angeles.

Initiated in 1999 by his Holiness the Dalai Lama to mark the millennium with a message of peace, cultural understanding and spirituality, the 15 day, 40 event multidisciplinary festival takes place in venues large and small, sacred and secular, public and private all in attempt to cross religious, neighborhood, and cultural boundaries.

Over the years, the festival has grown to encompass everything from gospel, to aboriginal didgeridoo, Buddhist chanting, Latin American folklorico dance and kirtan.

In fact, during the last festival Jai Uttal performed at the Goldenbridge and members of the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in Hollywood presented more devotional chanting accompanied by harmonium, tablas, cymbals and bells.

Anyone interested in applying should attend one of three community meetings being held in December. There, you’ll meet fellow artists, presenters and learn about the guidelines for the Application process.

Here are the details:
RSVP: Call 310-825-0507 or email info@festivalofsacredmusic.org
Mon, Dec 3 (6-8pm) UCLA Glorya Kaufman Hall
Wed, Dec 5 (6-8pm) Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Thurs, Dec 6 (6-8pm) St. James Presbyterian Church

photo credit: Jorge Vismara

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Back pain is an unfortunate part of my life and my yoga practice. While I've made great progress, there are days when I may have tweaked my neck during a sun salutation or long hours in the front of the computer make my back unhappy.

But Annie Carpenter and O.N.E.

natural coconut water. The company that makes O.N.E. is based here in Los Angeles and while I had seen the boxes at yoga studios and at Whole Foods, it wasn’t until I attended the Mindfulness and Psychotherapy: Cultivating Well-Being In the Present Moment

conference.

I’ve already signed up and look forward to Saturday’s keynote address by Thich Nhat Hanh (walking meditation, silence and box lunch included), a Q&A with Jack Kornfield, and chanting by the nuns and monks of Plum Village and Deer Park monasteries.

There’s also an array of workshops and speakers that will surely enhance any level of meditation practice. I’m fairly new to meditation and have been fascinated by the work of neuroscientists, like conference presenter Sara Lazar, PhD (also a yogi), who conducts double-blind, clinical studies proving that meditation is more than just a stress reducer; it can change the brain much like asana can change the body.

In fact, Lazar’s most recent study – one of the first to look at ordinary westerners who meditate and not Buddhist monks who meditate all day – found evidence that daily meditation thickens the part of the brain responsible for decision making, attention and memory and it can even slow the natural thinning of the brain that occurs with age.

Even if you can’t make it, a look at the program line-up will give you a google primer to start your own educational discovery on the role of meditation in emotional well being. And I’ll report back next week to tell you what I learned.

This weekend marks the Global Mala ritual to celebrate world peace . Lucky for us, the hub of the international effort is right here in Los Angeles at the Yogi Ramesh

, take a class from Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, and Gurmukh, chant with Jai Uttal and Wah! as well as see a screening of Jeremy Piven’s documentary
"Journey of a Lifetime"
about his trip to India.

Here's the full schedule of Saturday's events, but please visit the Global Mala website for updates and details.


10:15 AM: Sri Chakra Puja Blessing with Sri Karunamaya Baba
11:00 AM: Gayatri Chanting with Saul David Raye & Friends
11:30 AM: Meditation and Satsang with Paramahamsa Nithyananda
12:30 PM: Inhale Kirtan with Sreemati, Suzanne Sterling, The Wild Lotus Band, Laughing Yoga

2:15 PM: Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
3:30 PM: Kirtan Music with Joey Lugassy & Daphne Tse
4:00 PM: Yoga Mala, 108 Surya Namaskars with Core Yoga Teachers and Kirtan hosted by Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, Krishna Kaur Khalsa & special guests
with kirtan with Donna De Lory, Girish, Wah!, and Govindas & Radha

6:30 PM: Jeremy Piven intro Journey of a Lifetime with Shiva Rea and Bob Wisdom
7:00 PM: Sheila Chandra
7:40 PM: Kirtan Mala with Jai Uttal and the Global Mala Kirtan Members
8:40 PM: Agape International Choir opening for RISE! Paradigm Shifting Speaker, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Founder and Spiritual Director for Agape International Spiritual Center
9:30 PM: Yoga Trance Dance ignited by Shiva Rea with DJ Cheb I Sabbah and master drummers, hosted by Bob Wisdom and Craig Kohland
11:00 PM: Closing with 108 OM Chant, Kirtan with Wah!, Joey Lugassy and the Global Mala Project Kirtan Members

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I love Yoga and I love wine. So when I saw a flyer for David Romanelli’s Yoga + Wine workshop at
Exhale in Santa Monica, I had to sign up.

It’s true that some yogis are more ascetic than others. I happen to be one who enjoys gathering friends together for great food and wine. And as David pointed out last Saturday, the intention of Yoga + Wine is not drinking to “catch a buzz” rather, it’s about spending time with those you love, creating ritual and savoring delicious flavors in an effort to honor and appreciate the small moments that make up our lives.

He even quoted Jim Morrison who said, "We are looking for ritual to join our fragments,” and then he played the Doors “L.A. Woman” (and among others, Guns and Roses, Jimi Hendrix, Bonnie Raitt) while we all flowed during his vigorous vinyasa class.

The asana part of our day done, we sat relaxed on our mats ready to taste Sicilian wines from the Feudo Arancio vineyard. With a small glass of white Grillo (fragrant with green tea, green pepper and jasmine) and another of red Nero d’Avola (flavors of sour black cherries, blueberries and nuts), we tasted while nibbling on dried figs, apricots accompanied by two cheeses: a soft, mild tallegio and a tangy, hard provolone.

The wines weren’t the best I’ve ever had but they were a drinkable reminder that wine, music and friends are simple gifts. And it sure was a nice way to spend an afternoon. Stop by David’s website, for more information about upcoming Yoga + Wine workshops and to hear his playlists, too.

Like most of us, Arthur Klein woke up on the morning of September 11th, 2001 to the horror of the collapsing Twin Towers. Klein, who lives in Santa Monica but grew up in New York, was particularly shaken since he remembered watching the buildings being constructed in high school and had friends who worked there. The only thing he could think to do that day was go to a yoga class.

"I didn’t know what was next," he recalls. "But somehow I thought yoga would be a good way to regain a sense of peace and understanding of the world."

Before then, his yoga practice was limited to gym yoga. A filmmaker, Klein soon realized that some of the most renowned yoga teachers in the country were right in his Santa Monica back yard so he started to take his practice seriously and make a documentary. What came from all those hours of footage is a self-funded film called Y Yoga featuring interviews with teachers like Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Bryan Kest, Hala Khouri, Diamond Dallas Page (who went to Iraq to teach the troops yoga with one of Klein’s cameras), and many more.

On September 16th, there's a free screening of Y Yoga at the Hill Street Center in Santa Monica accompanied by a yoga class taught by Jasmine Lieb. Klein will also be there to answer questions. With the sixth anniversary of 9/11 right around the corner, check out the trailer and think, why yoga?


Avi Rothman aka The Inappropriate Yoga Guy first came to my attention after I read about his You Tube sensation short on one of my favorite L.A. yoga blogs, The Accidental Yogist. In fact, Rothman’s comedic sketch about a lecherous yoga enthusiast who cruises classes for dates inspired an article in the New York Times about yoga pick-ups.

So I called Rothman and found out he is neither a lech, nor has he ever asked anyone out from yoga class. Instead, he has a Yoga Works annual pass and practices flow or ashtanga almost every day – a nice respite from the stresses of being an actor/writer who spends his working hours navigating traffic to auditions and meetings.

His inspiration for The Inappropriate Yoga Guy was an exaggerated composite of real-life characters he’s witnessed in his own yoga classes. “Yoga happens in hot rooms where people are wearing practically nothing. Whether you want to admit it or not, yoga is sensual so of course, you’ll be attracted to people there,” he says. And since he’s a comic, he found the funny in the situation. “I knew I might offend someone but I had to get over that. Besides, sometimes I feel like people are too scared to laugh at yoga, that they think you have to take it so seriously. I just wanted to bring to light the humor.”

When he’s not doing yoga, writing or acting, Rothman, who is 29 and single, can be found at the bulk food bin at the Santa Monica Coop stocking up on Goji berries and dreaming up Inappropriate Yoga Guy II. What can we expect from the sequel? “I’m not at liberty to say,” he teases. I guess we’ll have to stay tuned.

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Labor day is almost here and that means it’s back to school. The arrival of fall is an ideal time to consider the myriad of top-tier teacher trainings. At
Goldenbridge, Gurmukh will share the energy-shifting art of Kundalini yoga and Erich Schiffmann will teach how to move into stillness at Exhale in Venice. Of course, Yoga Works has a well-rounded hatha teacher training as well.

But for something a little more academic, outside the for-profit yoga studio world, Loyola Marymont University’s Yoga Studies program offers an intriguing line-up of courses exploring topics like the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, mindfulness meditation, pranayama, the principles of Buddhism and Sanskrit too. The yoga RX therapeutics program, a blend of yoga therapy and complementary medicine, is taught by experts like Larry Payne and Leslie Kaminoff and the Vinyasa certificate is led by Srivatsa Ramaswami, who learned his art and science directly from Krishnamacharya.

The program is also a hub for the yoga theological community and attracts high-profile visitors like Thich Nhat Hanh, who will be on campus September 5th. For a taste without full enrollmnet, try the Thursday night, donation-only class led by Trudy Goodman that includes sitting, walking meditation, and a dharma talk.

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I like a massage as much as the next girl. And while fancy spas with scented candles and cucumber-infused water are certainly a worthwhile treat, in Los Angeles, there’s no reason not to take advantage of authentic, reasonably priced, no-frills Thai massage.

This therapeutic technique, believed to have been invented by the Buddha's personal physician, compliments any yoga practice and is a great opportunity to just be. And since the therapist moves you into a series of yoga-like stretches and incorporates acupressure massage, all you’re required to do is focus on your breath, on the present moment, and receive this great, relaxing offering.

A few favorite L.A. spots:

Thai Sabai

With two locations, one in Westwood and one in Hollywood, this is a straightforward, what-you-see-is-what -you-get place. You won’t be disappointed

Wat Po Thai Massage

If can get over the dumpy Westside strip mall location, you’ll definitely be happy you stopped in.

Pho Siam

For a fancier (and more aesthetic) experience, this Silverlake spot is the place.

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Susan Nichols has turned her practice into a profession.

It started innocently enough in New York. Once an avid Ashtanga practitioner, who relished the discipline of her daily 4 a.m. yoga practice, Nichols was frustrated when sweating turned her yoga mat into a hazard rather than a grounding tool. And when she tried using a Mysore yoga rug eventually, she said, "It smelled like a wet dog." Not pretty.

So when she moved to Los Angeles, she used her skills as a former art director at a toy company to invent a "yoga towel" that would absorb perspiration and stay put. Enter the "skidless"—a micro-fiber mat with silicone nubs that launched Nichols company

With all this talk of sustainable materials, bamboo has moved out of the realm of tiki and into flooring, furniture, house wares and now, yoga clothing. Los Angeles-based Sworn Virgins just launched a line of bamboo-jersey yoga clothes and the fabric is soft-as-silk, breathable as cotton, wicks moisture and they even claim the anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties of this woody grass (the same quality that allows it to be grown without pesticides) also prevents odor.

But not all bamboo fabric is created equal. According to Sworn Virgins owner Alex Amini, Bamboo textiles are made by breaking down the wood with caustic chemicals until what’s left are the cellulose fibers which are then turned into yarn and later knitted into fabric. Sworn Virgins sources their bamboo yarn from vendors who guarantee their manufacturing process is as low-impact as possible. Almost all bamboo comes from China but once they get the yarn, Sworn Virgins knits, designs and manufactures locally in Los Angeles.

The fall line includes camisoles and racer back tops which come in rich colors like Chianti, nickel, midnight and cafe and they offer a variety of yoga pants—from tight ballet leggings, to more relaxed, bootleg bottoms. Then there are their flirty dresses—all with 5 percent spandex, which gives the fabric a bit of support. Like bamboo, spandex is 100 percent biodegradable. What more could you ask for?

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Quiksilver skateboarder and yogi Reese Forbes.

I’m a southern California girl, which means I grew up skateboarding and body surfing. I didn’t pick up a surfboard until later in life but when I rode my first wave in Hanalei Bay on Kauai, I quickly realized all those years of Chataranga Dandasana (Four-Limb Staff Pose) and Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) prepared me for that sweet moment.

The folks at Quiksilver and Yoga Works have also figured out the connection between board sports and yoga. That’s why they're hosting a free “Yoga for Surfers” class every Saturday at 10 a.m. until August 25th at the Quiksilver Edition Mission on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice.

Last weekend, skateboarder Reese Forbes joined the group for a well-balanced hour class led by Yoga Works program director Julie Kleinman. Kleinman, who always braves the chilly Los Angeles swells in a wet suit says, “I really believe I was able to pick up surfing faster because yoga gave me the upper body strength, endurance and balance I needed.”

To prepare for board sports, Kleinman recommends balance poses, like Vrksasana (Tree Pose) or Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) and core strength builders like Navasana (Boat Pose). When it comes to upper-body boosters like Chataranga, Kleinman says, “If you don’t use your core, you’ll never be able to stay standing.” Also crucial are shoulder openers like Dolphin Pose and passive backbends.

For Forbes, Bikram yoga gave him the ability to trust his body again after he blew out his knee. He also realized there was much more to the practice than the poses. “In skating a lot of the stuff we do requires that we constantly challenge ourselves. It’s kind of the same in yoga. You may not think you can do it but eventually you come to a place where you’re not over-thinking, you're just doing." And that's when you can really enjoy the ride.

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For years, I read the arresting, yet charming rants on bottles of
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps and wondered, who is this guy? I never found out. Instead, I continued to use the lavender pure castile soap to clean my yoga mats, the almond in the shower to smell like fresh marzipan, the eucalyptus cleaned the dogs, and my husband favored the original peppermint scented bar soap.

Now the mystery of Dr. Bronner is unveiled in a new documentary that opens today in Los Angeles (and San Francisco). It’s called City Yoga or you can make a donation. And if you know of other ways local Yogis are making a difference please, let us know.

Namaste!

Stacie Stukin is a Los Angeles native who has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years and writing about it for nearly as long. Her personal practice incorporates elements of Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Kundalini, and she checks out classes and teachers all over the city.

In addition to writing about yoga, she writes about health, design, food and wine, and travel for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Yoga Journal, Time, Elle, Vegetarian Times, among others. She has written a book with Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin, called the Alabama Stitch Book: Contemporary Stories, Lessons and Projects Celebrating Traditional Hand Sewing, Quilting and Embroidery, which will be released by Stewart Tabori and Chang in the spring of 2008.

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Demetrios Salpoglou Fishing Blog

Demetrios Salpoglou

Demetrios was studying environmental science and political science at American University, as he honed his business acumen, leading to an in-depth understanding of East Coast real estate business practices. Practicing is skills during the dot-com era of the Internet in the early nineties and through the dot-com bust, Demetrios learned to adapt quickly.

Demetrios continues to spend large amounts of time creating efficiencies through all levels of organizational models with a mixture of technological and layman’s terms.

Demetrios recognizes the importance of communication and uses his ability to be both clear and concise to build confidence in and maintain lasting relationships with his clients. He inspires his peers, real estate associates, and hard working staff to never settle for less than the best. Natural leadership skills have enabled Demetrios to not only work as a business consultant and motivational speaker but also sit on the board of directors of many start-up companies.

Demetrios Salpoglou

Demetrios Salpoglou is CEO and broker of record for Boardwalk Properties, Nextgen Realty and Jacob Realty. These three companies form New England’s largest apartment leasing team in the Greater Boston area. He is more than just an impressive real estate agent; Demetrios is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of the company, business development, and day-to-day operations.

Demetrious prides himself on his professionalism; every business transaction is as important and any other. With the Realtor Code of Ethics, fairness, and honesty as his guiding principles, he not only treats buyers and sellers alike with the utmost respect, but strives to provide the best possible service to all who may need it.

Demetrios has successfully created business strategies that allow for the Boston real estate market to be streamlined and consolidated. Self-driven and goal-oriented, he is recognized for his ability to blend enduring prospecting practices with highly innovative methods to develop business opportunities. Always looking to better his business and, in turn, himself, Demetrios is continually tweaking and tuning models to optimize on the current conditions of the market.

Fishing one of Demetrios' passions

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Demetrios has successfully created business strategies that allow for the Boston real estate market to be streamlined and consolidated. Self-driven and goal-oriented, he is recognized for his ability to blend enduring prospecting practices with highly innovative methods to develop business opportunities. Always looking to better his business and, in turn, himself, Demetrios is continually tweaking and tuning models to optimize on the current conditions of the market.

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