Indiana & Yoga Magazine Winter 2017 Issue

WINTER 2017

Hoosier Yogis:

Charles & Carol Crenshaw

Mindful

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Cancer Treatment:

Yoga & Modern Medicine

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Creating a Mindful State

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CONTENTS

In this issue Editor's Note 3 Our Contributors

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Opinion Column: The Yogarazzi 6 Community Celebrating Indiana's Bicentennial

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Buddhist Monastery Settles into Historic Indianapolis

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Hoosier Yogis: Charles & Carol Crenshaw

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Nature In-Deed

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Wander Winter Indiana

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Family & Kids Teachable Moments: Breathing Games

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Physical Yoga Yoga for Chronic Pain

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Yoga for Rock Climbers

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Self Study Mobile Apps for Mindfulness

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Mudras: Yoga of the Hands

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Class Descriptions

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Food

10 Titles...

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Editorial: Healthy for the Holidays 26

Sanskrit: Drishti 70

Column: Local Mindful Eating 28

How Yoga Changed Me: Kristine Camron

Meditation Three Days’ Silence: A Retreat to Bloomington

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Walking Mindfully

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Conscientious Life Living Local: Indiana Originals 36

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Directory of Studios 74 Poetry 80

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Indiana Artist: Julie Jackson 38 Indiana Made

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Feature Cancer Treatment 44 Yoga & Modern Medicine

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Editor's Note Politics, Fear and Compassion “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but it is really fear.” - Mahatma Gandhi Our magazine endeavors to be a voice for compassion and wisdom, these are essential elements of living a mindful life. In Indiana, the United States, or any other area of the world, a mindful life must include compassion, especially in regards to politics.

All of us recently endured the most emotionally brutal election in my lifetime, perhaps in my parents’ or grandparents’ lifetimes. The entire world has been watching our debates, rallies and protests. Our media was bombarded with more political advertising than ever before. Their message was that of doom, disgust and hatred of the opposing candidate.

Rarely did I notice a message of hope or optimism about the future, because political marketers (propagandists) know that fear is what drives people to vote. “Fear your enemy” is the message, but fear is the enemy.

The left and the right were wringing their hands for months leading up to the morning of November 8th, election day. What I see as missing is the wisdom, that it takes a left and right to make a whole society. Two siblings, sitting in the same church pew, and attending the same schools their entire lives will grow up with at least slightly different understandings about how this world functions. Perhaps one even leaves the church or votes a different way. But if all goes well, they have developed enough mutual compassion that religious and political differences don’t tear them apart.

They don’t fear each other at family reunions.

Multiply that on a global scale: There will never be universal belief systems, but we are capable of compassion for our neighbor.

Hate comes from fear. Buddhism teaches that fear, one form of suffering, comes from attachment. Political attachments are strong.

We fear that others do not share our own belief systems. We are attached to our belief systems. We fight to protect them. They are often an identity—even a cultural identity. We fear that our own subset of culture is threatened by outside forces, political opponents. There may be logical, natural, rational reasons to be afraid for one’s future, or a family member’s future. But by destroying this attachment to belief systems, we destroy the fear of politics.

Only then can we be open to making the wisest decisions, for both ourselves and others.

Openness, genuine open mindedness, allows us to replace the fear and hatred with compassion. I’ve read that “compassion” is the most frequently occurring word in the Qur’an.

Pope Francis is urging his church to have more compassion to those who don’t follow Catholic traditions. The Dalai Lama teaches that, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” We need political leaders who promote compassion rather than disdain or hatred. Perhaps we must cultivate such civil servants ourselves.

- Ryan Baggett

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CONTRIBUTORS

Our contributors Gregory Burdulis

Purvi Lippincott

Gregory is a mindfulness teacher

Purvi is from a small town in Michigan.

and certified professional coach. He

She is a Ball State Alum with a

specializes in guiding stressed leaders

Bachelors of Science in Psychology and

to work better (not more). Greg’s

Criminology. She is E­RYT 200 + 500

powerful methodology combines

RYT certified, teaches in Indianapolis

neuroscience, humor, and his seven

area and co­leads a 200 RYT program at

years experience as a monk in Burma.

Practice Indie. Family, community and

His training results in heightened

the sense of being a lifelong student are

emotional intelligence, sharpened

very important to her. She loves music,

focus, peak performance and ultimate

animals, dining out with friends and a

resilience. Google, Eli Lilly, and PepsiCo

good glass of red wine.

On page 34

On page 70

have sought his counsel and teachings.

Mindi Epstein On page 65

Mindi Epstein is the owner of Peace through Yoga in Zionsville, Speedway and Danville. Self-identified as a “corporate refugee,” Mindi credits her yoga practice with helping her manage the stress of her former position as a senior vice president of a large nonprofit organization. The right people and opportunities converged to propel Mindi into her new path, helping those seeking peace within.

Jennifer Malins On page 28

Jennifer Malins is a certified Integrative Nutrition Coach, Licensed HeartMath® Coach, teacher, and author of Soul Destination: 8 Paths to Balance, Consciousness, Inspiration and Freedom. She works with clients 1-1 and in groups, conducts workshops, and writes health-based articles for local publications. A yoga enthusiast, Jennifer practices yoga and meditation every morning.

She also loves writing fiction, figure skating, hiking, traveling, experimenting in the kitchen and playing various musical instruments.

Kara Kavensky On page 14

A born writer and storyteller, Kara loves sharing inspiring and informative stories. She has written hundreds of personal interest stories on individuals and organizations. Kara’s speciality is sharing the story of love that motivates others to do what they do.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. Kimberly Martin On page 10

Dr. Kimberly M. Martin, Kimberly is a licensed clinical psychologist with additional certifications in 200 hour yoga training, cognitive and behavioral therapy, and mind body medicine.

Dr. Martin was trained in Adlerian

Ellen O'Connor On page 6

Ellen M. O’Connor, “The Yogarazzi,” is a local Indy yoga enthusiast.

Yoga is her passion, community, and world view which dovetails well with her hobbies of iPhone yoga photography, social commentary,

Psychology, a branch of psychology

accessorizing, and chatting up

which examines the individual from

yogis at various Starbucks locales.

a holistic perspective and assists individuals with understanding the root

Roll out your mat next to hers. Hit her up on social media. Namaste.

of their difficulties.

Melissa Moran On page 20

Melissa Moran is Community Outreach Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, and her yoga home is at Santosha Yoga School. She has always experienced nature as wonder: a place to be inquisitive, a place to let mysteries be, and a place to realize that she is part of a creation much bigger than herself.

Alyssa Pfennig On page 54

Alyssa is the owner of Embarque Yoga Therapy + Wellness and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). For the past two years, she has assisted in research studies using yoga to manage chronic pain and PTSD with veterans in conjunction with the VA Medical Center in Indianapolis.

Danielle Wolter Nolan On page 57

Danielle is a yogi adventure guide and wilderness leader. A former Division I collegiate athlete and coach, Danielle especially enjoys working with women and athletes on advancing their true self and potential through adventure retreats and yoga. Along with her adventureracing wife, Kate, she founded outdoor adventure company, DNK Presents.

They focus on getting individuals to step outside their comfort zones, try something for the first time, and in turn gain confidence and empowerment through experiential learning.

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Kristina Sands On page 9

Kristina is a yogi, wife and full-time working mama. An Indiana native, Kristina grew up on her family’s farm and now lives in downtown Indianapolis with her husband and daughter, Emerson. Kristina began practicing yoga in college and recently became certified as a RYT-200. Kristina teaches yoga at Balance Yoga in Carmel and recently began teaching at Fleece Fitness in Pittsboro.

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OPINION

Opinion Column

The Yogarazzi

By Ellen O'Connor

Yoga Magick If you’ve ever gone to a stage version of Peter Pan, you will remember the scene where Tinkerbell is dying. After drinking Captain Hook’s poison to save Peter, she withers away while he tearfully implores the audience to save her life. “If you believe in fairies,” he pleads,” clap your hands.” After enthusiastic applause, Tinkerbell is revived. The idea that “if you believe something will happen, it will” is called the Tinkerbell Effect, AKA: magical thinking.

It’s practically an article of faith in yoga world that if you “trust” or “believe” or “dream” an intention, you can make it happen.

Faith and unwavering confidence are all you need. Of course, it helps to add in Ganesh and the right essential oils and crystals.

Nothing wrong with that. I have a herd of Ganeshes and gems galore, but they have never given me financial security, svelteness, or eternal life.

I believe yoga is magical– I even wrote a testimonial [How Yoga Changed Me], but I can’t say I think yoga is necessarily magick.* There are any number of studies and personal anecdotes attesting to yoga’s positive effects. Yoga can often help relieve chronic pain, reduce stress, increase energy, improve strength and flexibility, and so much more. Not here to harsh on that. I sincerely believe yoga has changed me and continues to help me. Just giving side-eye to the belief that the practice of yoga and intention will grant all of your wishes. Results may vary.

Some years ago, I dropped into a yoga class at a local gym. The practitioners were mainly fitness junkies unfamiliar with yoga.

They were strong, but muscularly tight. They were game, but many poses were unfamiliar. The instructor led everyone to the wall and cheerfully commanded the class to fly into handstand.

There was no set up for handstand other than the admonishment “you have to trust.” That day, trust did not result in many handstands, particularly safely aligned ones.

You can shed weight or addiction if you trust on your yoga mat.

Yoga magick can give you financial abundance. Inspirational memes adorned with unicorns and stars tell us everything is within our reach. [Spoiler alert: not everything].

The world would be less livable if we didn’t dream and didn’t try to act on those dreams. Too many people are timid or underestimate their talents. They benefit from repostings of unicorns and reminders to think positively. It’s not that believing we can make our dreams come true is a bad thing, it’s that we need more than belief. We also need luck, support, time, resources, grit, and Plan B. We need more than magical thinking from yoga. We need acceptance. We need contentment. We need to be okay after our trust was betrayed or our dreams never came to be.

In The Pure Heart Of Yoga, Robert Butera describes the honeymoon stage of yoga. In the beginning, you feel good and discover benefits from the practice. After a time, yoga isn’t always easy or consistent or convenient. You may feel frustrated by unmet expectations (like pressing up into handstand). You may be confronted by physical or emotional pain. After the honeymoon, it’s common to stop practicing regularly. It’s easier to mistrust and avoid discomfort. Butera says the mistake is to stop practicing. Personal growth comes from courage, discipline, and perseverance.

The pressure to believe is everywhere in modern yoga. If you believe you can handstand, you can do it! From an instructor’s perspective, it’s easier to encourage or command than to teach.

From a student’s perspective, it’s easier to “trust” you can do it than to learn. However, you can end up physically or psychologically injured if you try to nail a pose when you are not ready, even if you clap a lot, Tinkerbell. You may not have sufficient physical strength and risk injury. Possibly no one has cued the pose in a way that resonates. As Ronald Reagan used to say, “trust but verify.”

When you still can’t kick your legs up the wall into your dream handstand, when the soul mate you trusted would meet you at Starbucks never materialized, or when the 10 pounds you believed you would drop from Ashtanga remain in your yoga pants, you can’t always will these things your way with magical thinking. Maybe no audience has ever not clapped and Tinkerbell has always survived, but she is a fictional fairy. In real life, if your intention is to effortlessly perfect all the poses or to save all the Tinkerbells, your belief in yoga magick is going to be short lived. The real magic of yoga is trusting in your resourcefulness and resiliency. The real magic is in believing you can live a meaningful life whether your dreams are fulfilled in expected ways, unexpected ways, or not at all. ■

Yoga Magick is not found just on the mat. Classes, workshops, books, webinars, and social media are replete with yoga celebrities and recent teacher training graduates extolling magical thinking or chiding yogis for not believing enough. Health, wealth, love, beauty, and bling come to those who truly believe.

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*Magick is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will.~ Aleister Crowley

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PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Candice H. Baggett EDITOR IN CHIEF & ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ryan Baggett GRAPHIC DESIGN & MARKETING CONSULTANT Autumn Martin Glambeau Design glambeau.com PHOTOGRAPHER Michelle Jarvis Image Haus Photography Services image-haus.com Contact Us: Indy Yogi LLC P.O. Box 68223 Indianapolis, IN 46268-9998 yogi@indyyogi.com Advertise: sales@indyyogi.com Indiana & Yoga Magazine is published quarterly with the four seasons: Winter (December), Spring (March), Summer (June) and Autumn (September). The magazine is distributed throughout Indiana at many yoga studios and other local businesses.

Subscriptions are available throughout the USA for $38 per year, or $12 each issue at iymag.com. ©2016 Indy Yogi LLC All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

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Celebrating Indiana’s Bicentennial

By Kristina Sands Happy 200th Birthday Indiana! Our state, the 19th state to form in the USA, turns 200 years old on December 11, 2016.

Indiana has been celebrating and honoring Hoosier history and traditions in so many ways.

Have you noticed all of the Bison sculptures around? The Indiana Association of United Way initiated a statewide art project for each Indiana county to participate. These 5-foot fiberglass “Bison-tennial” sculptures, paying tribute to our state seal, were painted by local artists in honor of Indiana history.

I’m sure you heard about the big torch relay that kicked off in September in honor of the state’s anniversary. This relay took place throughout all 92 counties lasting nearly 5 weeks, beginning in our original state capitol, the beautiful little town of

thing new for you to experience. The Indiana State Museum is featuring an Indiana in 200 Objects Bicentennial Exhibition that displays important objects that shaped our state. There’s also an upcoming Gala on December 10th, the night before the anniversary, to honor the Bicentennial. Agriculture in Indiana is being celebrated with the Bicentennial Barn Project.

Pictures of barns across the state were submitted and the top 200 which featured the best architecture were chosen for this project. There’s also the Bicentennial Train that offers hands on activities for free!

Be on the lookout for the new state archives facility that’s in the works to be constructed in downtown Indianapolis. This space will hold permanent records of the Indiana government and it will preserve documents relating to our history. There’s even a way to experience the Indiana Bicentennial from your phone or computer. If you missed an event or just want to check out the beauty of Indiana, go to the Bicentennial Instagram page @ Indiana2016. ■

Corydon, near the Ohio River. Over 1,800 Hoosiers took part in carrying the torch during the relay, ending with a celebration in the current capitol, downtown Indianapolis.

There’s a lot of ways you can still participate in celebrating too. Check out visitindiana.com for Indiana’s 200 Bucket List.

There’s 200 things to do, see and try across the state. Even if you’re a lifelong Hoosier like myself, there’s sure to be someINDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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Buddhist Monastery Settles into Historic Indianapolis

By Dr. Kimberly Martin

The Herron-Morton Place historic district has always been a unique and diverse neighborhood. The diversity will continue to expand with the foundation of Dagom Geden Kunkyob Ling Buddhist Monastery. This center for Dharma will open In January of 2017, under the direction of Venerable Lobzang Dorje.

I met Dorje several years ago. The day was a typical day, with my usual drive down Pennsylvania Street. However, as I looked to my left, I saw a very unusual sight, a Tibetan monk watering his yard.

I made a slight detour, stopped my car and introduced myself as a lay Buddhist practitioner. We exchanged pleasantries and talked briefly about our journeys to Buddhism. I took a picture to share with others and was back on my way. Years would pass before I would reconnect with Dorje. When we did reconnect, I would discover that he was in the process of building a Buddhist center and creating a monastery on his property.

Dorje hopes to provide the Indianapolis community with an additional center where individuals can meditate, study and practice Buddhism. The biggest asset Dorje affords is an opportunity to study with a fully ordained American monk who has lived the Western experience, understands the Western mind, but also understands Buddhism according to the Gelugpa Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He views the center as a place for inclusion, reflecting the values and predilection of American culture,

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and where one can learn and practice the teachings of the Buddha. When classes begin in January 2017, offerings will include dharma talks, workshops and systematic teachings from the Lamrim (Tibetan Buddhist text on the complete path to enlightenment). The initial classes offered will be geared for those with limited or no exposure to Buddhism. Through participation in class, individual will develop a strong foundation in Buddhist practices.

Buddhist studies require commitment and dedication. Viewing the study of Buddhism as teachings which are designed to transform the mind, Dorje hopes that individuals will commit themselves to self-study and practice. He hopes that participants will be able to expand the Buddhist practice to more than simply sitting on their meditation cushions. While so many people often view the study of Buddhism as peaceful and meditative, Dorje adds that, the practice can be disruptive and challenging. Real progress and realizations require hard work. He describes the process as one which can bring unconscious aspects of self to the surface and these instances required the the individual to have great courage and face demons and assume individual responsibility. While this may sound scary or intimidating, Dorje adds that the community of Buddhist practitioners (The Sangha) is always available in providing support during the process of liberation and enlightenment.

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Timeline of Herron-Morton Neighborhood in Indianapolis Original area landowner, Samuel Henderson, was the first postmaster and first mayor of Indianapolis. By 1850 Henderson had sold his Indianapolis properties, some to the Tinker Family, and left for the California Gold Rush.

1859 — 1860 — 1861 — 1862 —

1865 — 1873 — 1888 — 1891 — 1902 — 1930-40s — 1940-70s — 1960s — 1983 — 2003 — Today —

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Northern part of current neighborhood acquired for Indiana State Fairgrounds First State Fair held on the grounds Civil War induction center for Indiana volunteers and troop training; named “Camp Morton” for Governor Oliver Perry Morton Camp Morton becomes prisoner of war camp, hosting more than 15,000 Confederate soldiers, where 1,700 died; just north of Tinker (16th) Street became “Camp Burnside” Post-war State Fairgrounds expanded with vast improvements, including...

Impressive exposition building designed by same architect of the Indiana State Capitol completed on 16th & Alabama Streets Impressionists T.C. Steele, William Forsythe, and others found “Hoosier Group” of artists on location of Old Tinker homestead State Fairgrounds moved to current location on the old Voss Farm; “Morton Place” residential plots developed for upscale neighborhood with distinctive architecture seen today Herron School of Art founded with growing art collection Great Depression & WWII homes split up into apartments, vacated Fire, neglect, demolition further deteriorates property values Indianapolis Museum of Art and John Herron School of Art separate Herron-Morton Place neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places John Herron Art Institute building becomes esteemed Herron High School Neighborhood revitalization continues

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Venerable Lobzang Dorje was born Leon Pettiway and grew up in North Carolina with a Baptist upbringing. He received his Master’s degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Cincinnati and his Doctorate degree from the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin. He served on the faculties of Temple University, the University of Delaware, and Indiana University. He retired as Professor emeritus from Indiana University in June 2012. He was introduced to Buddhism in 1999. He became a novice monk in 2002 and w as fully ordained in 2005.

As a member of the Gelugpa Tradition, founded by Lama Je Tsongkhapa during the 14th and 15th centuries, he studied with Buddhist masters in America, Europe, India, and Nepal. Prior to the formulation of Herron-Morton center, Dorje taught weekly “In-

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troduction to Buddhism” classes at the Bloomington monastery. After retirement from his academic career at Indiana University, he decided to create a place where he could devote time to his studies, but also a place where he could teach the dharma to others.

As an African American ordained monk Dorje hopes that more individuals of color will find their way to the Buddhist path since the Buddhist path is one that leads to personal liberation and a path to a more peaceful world. Over the months and years, he hopes to form a supporting organization that is socially engaged, benefitting the citizens of the Indianapolis area. ■ The blessing and open house of the Dagom Geden Kunkyob Ling Buddhist Monastery was on October 22, 2016. Venerable Lobzang Dorje plans to begin offering meditation and dharma classes in January 2017. The center is located at 2123 N. Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis IN 46202.

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Hoosier Yogis: Charles and Carol Crenshaw

By Kara Kavensky

Back to Basics Most exercise practices experience periods where there's a movement to get back to basics. For Charles and Carol Crenshaw, they've never strayed from their yoga and meditation practice, the way they learned it over 30 years ago. Their mission is to help people lead balanced lives through traditional yoga practices.

“Our teacher was like a Pope in India when he was young,” says Charles Crenshaw, co-founder of the Inner Peace Yoga Center. Charles is speaking of Sri Swami Rama, or Swamiji, as he was affectionately referred to by Charles and his wife, Carol. “Our approach to yoga is with spiritual understanding.”

Something happened during the sun salutations, Carol was opening up and experiencing changes that most people relate directly with meditation.”

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In the book, Yoga Body, the scholar Mark Singleton states that there are two elements to the term yoga. “One is an exercise regime, pure and simple. The other is a tool for the evolution of consciousness, a tool that provides you with a strong body, but leads you someplace totally different.” This latter aspect is the focus of the teaching at Inner Peace Yoga Center.

Entering Inner Peace Yoga Center, there’s a sense of calm and peace. It’s not trendy. It’s traditional. The wall of bookshelves was undoubtedly inspired by the years Charles and Carol spent running the East West Books in the East Village, New York City during the 1980s and early 90s.

Carol grew up in Queens and began practicing yoga in 1977. She was living in Buffalo at the time and worked as an elementary school teacher. A friend suggested yoga as a means to alleviate stress in her life. Prior to beginning a yoga class, Carol had only experienced some breath work she learned from a book.

Carol fell in love with yoga immediately.

The yoga studio she attended was right across the street from a branch of the Himalayan Institute.

At the time, Carol had no idea what it was going to mean to her. The meditation and the yoga had an impact. She experienced that sun salutations are not just for relaxation and stretching. Something happened during the sun salutations, Carol was opening up and experiencing changes that most people relate directly with meditation.

“Sun salutations are for tuning in to the divinity within us. There is actually a mantra and chakra that goes with each position,” shares Carol. “The sun is the symbol of light. We are connecting our inner vitality (prana) with the external sun. The practice aids us in developing an awareness that there is an inner sun that shines in us. The same one light shines in the sun and within us.”

In “Philosophy of Hatha Yoga”, Pandit Usharbudh Arya (the late Swami Veda Bharati, one of Charles and Carol’s

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revered meditation teachers) states, "When the solar salutation is taught, we are told that the ridges of the thumbs are held against the cardiac center. A gentle pressure is applied; the emotional center is released. You are conscious of a humble, devout attitude arising within you.”

A meditation retreat was scheduled at the Himalayan Institute and Carol enrolled. Carol had never experienced meditation. “During the retreat, I was surrounded by experienced practitioners. Not having any prior experience, I started looking around and mimicking what I saw,” recalls Carol. “Over the course of the weekend, I received a solid foundation of how to meditate.”

The following day after the retreat, she began a consistent practice of meditation. Carol understands that mediation seems to be a hard thing for most people. It requires someone to deal with themselves on multiple levels. She started with 5 minutes per day and built up time from there.

In 1981, Carol traveled to the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, Pennsylvania to attend a Self-Transformation program. “I thought I would be there for one month and stayed for five and a half years,” says Carol. She earned a degree in Eastern Studies, Comparative Psychology, and Holistic Health. It was here that she met Charles as she was finishing her graduate program.

Both were drawn to the Himalayan Institute for different reasons, yet similar.

Charles and Carol were both wanting to learn more about meditation, and through meditation seek peace. They found what they were looking for, both within themselves and in one another.

In Charles’ memoir, Pathless Path: God, Grace, Guru, he describes his life transformation through yoga and meditation. The book is a thoughtful and honest memoir of an African-American life being transformed through meditation.

For those who are EAT, PRAY, LOVE fans, if you take the PRAY section and place it on steroids, add in more characters and experiential learning, you

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will love Charles’ book. It’s especially unique, as the title implies, that for Charles to chose the path he did, there were no footprints for him to follow.

Charles grew up in a rough neighborhood on the south side of Indianapolis.

He claims it was on the wrong side of the tracks. His parents were members of the Baptist Church, where Charles attended with his twin sister and younger sister.

Charles’ parents were hard-working, nononsense parents who raised their kids to be amazing people, in spite of the bad influences that existed in their neighborhood.

Growing up during the Vietnam era, Charles enlisted in the Navy. He wished to “avoid killing people if drafted.”

His number had already been pulled.

Charles spoke with friends returning from Vietnam and found that there was educational benefits to being in the service. His father is a WWII Vet who also

served in the Navy. Charles was studying at Purdue when he took time off to serve his country.

After his first deployment in 1974, Charles picked up a book on meditation at a bookshop in San Diego. He explains that he used this guide as he sat, alone, in the compartment he shared with19 other shipmates and meditated.

This was the start of something greater for Charles. As the Beatles sang about Revolution, Charles experienced one of his own.

Six years later, after being honorably discharged and having graduated from Purdue, Charles found himself working for the phone company in downtown Indianapolis. While eating lunch at his favorite (and then only) vegetarian food vendor in the City Market, Charles learned of a presentation by Sri Swami Rama of the Himalayan Institute. He

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had been practicing meditation on his own until he experienced this event, but now Charles had found his guru.

There are many mystical stories surrounding Sri Swami Rama. He was raised in a cave in India, oversaw an ashram and the Himalayan Institute, and impacted thousands of lives by opening hearts and minds to the discovery of human potential. The foundation of the ashram and of the Institute is based upon ancient practices and origins of yoga and meditation. These are the same principles on which Carol and Charles founded the Inner Peace Yoga Center.

Once Carol and Charles completed their education at the Institute, they worked in the Village in New York City during the 80s and 90s where they served as Directors of a branch of the Himalayan Institute, East West Books, and The Center for Holistic Medicine with Dr. Rudolph

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Ballentine. Located along 5th Avenue, the East West Bookstore was famous in its time. The mission was to have a world class bookstore and the best selection of spiritual books available anywhere. They covered all elements of thought and philosophy, and all religions.

“We carried anything you would want to read about,” says Charles, who was the buyer for the bookstore. “East West Books attracted Sanskrit and religious scholars, celebrities and visitors from across the globe.” A representative from the Vatican told Charles that he travels all over the world visiting bookstores like East West Books theirs was one of the best he had seen.

Charles taught asana and meditation for the Institute. He also conducted biofeedback, hypnosis, and yoga therapy sessions through the Center for Holistic Medicine. “Amongst other things we

were taught to deliver yoga as a therapy, something often overlooked in the fitness paradigm. This was a significant part of our extensive graduate program.

Doing asana makes one aware of the connection between muscles and the breath, muscles and the internal organs. For example, every major muscle has an organ associated with it,” says Charles, who gives the example that the quadricep muscle is directly associated with the small intestine. “These are the kinds of things that yoga’s sister-science Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine make clear.”

Carol did promotional work for the Himalayan Institute. She wrote the mail order catalog, which was a big project in those pre-computer days. She handled all of the class scheduling and daily events as well as coordinated all of the teachers. She also taught breathing, asana, relaxation, nutrition, Ayurveda,

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meditation, and held vegetarian cooking classes. Carol did the programming for the entire New York City Institute and saw patients at the Center for Holistic Medicine. She assisted them with biofeedback training, general counseling, and dietary counseling. She also worked in the bookstore. “We did it all,” says Carol of the time spent in New York City.

The Crenshaw’s worked in New York for a total of nine years.

Each year, Charles or Carol would ask Swamiji if it was okay to move on somewhere else, and the response was “One more year, I have projects for you.” They longed to escape the noisy, hectic city and visit the ashram in India. In their last year in NYC, they asked the same question but this time it was met with, “One more year, there are debts to pay.” Carol and Charles were perplexed. They did not have any financial debts and were not sure what that meant. A month later, Carol, whose father lived nearby became quite ill. During that period, Carol and Charles were able to spend quite a bit of time with him. He passed just before their final year in the city was over. The debt was paid.

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From there, Charles and Carol went to India to live in the ashram. What they thought would be a three month trip, lasted 16 months. Their adventures during this period are shared in Charles’ memoir.

Meditation and yoga transcends the boundaries of religion and culture. While prayer is speaking to the universe, meditation is listening to it. In India, both Charles and Carol’s meditation practice deepened under the direct guidance of Swami Rama.

“Yoga is about transcendence and mastery,” states Charles. At the ashram in Honesdale he was confronted with all of his doubts and fears. “Being a black man, I am not the typical student of meditation or yoga science. My experiences inspired me to share them in my book.

Charles worked in the Rehabilitation Department of the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust in India doing yoga therapy with people diagnosed with high blood pressure. His patients experienced miraculous results, with breathing and relaxation being the primary tools. “Swamiji” was a physician and scientist and stated that 85% of all illness is psychosomatic,” says Charles.

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“High blood pressure often fits into this category. When it does, yoga postures, breathing and relaxation are quite effective in managing it.” Outside of such very serious yoga practitioners, the basic foundations of yoga are commonly overlooked in favor of seeking physical fitness. Charles and Carol are very much focused on the science of yoga.

They opened Indianapolis’s Inner Peace Yoga Center in 2000. It is a registered non-profit educational organization. No teacher receives payment. It is all volunteer. “This structure resonated with us, as we see yoga as a way of life,” says Carol. Their courses and teachings revolve around their training and stay true to their foundation of yoga and meditation. They allow their students to evolve in their own time.

“Our Teacher Training is designed for people who really want to go beyond just a surface understanding of yoga, an understanding beyond asana. Whether or not they realize it, people come to the teacher training for life transformation,” says Carol. “Our teachers in the tradition have taught us this. Students are looking for teachers, but more important, a good teacher is looking for a ‘good’ student.” ■

Their teacher training and meditation classes pull from the best of what they learned from their teachers, who were all yogis, all published authors in the field of yoga science, and all experienced meditators. Instruction during the teacher training involves medical doctors, including Dr. Young Park, Dr. John Peterson and Dr. Kevin Logan.

At the ashram in Honesdale he was confronted with all of his doubts and fears. “Being a black man, I am not the typical student of meditation or yoga science. My experiences inspired me to share them in my book.”

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Photo: Courtesy of Nature Conservacy, by Steven Gnam.

Nature IN-Deed

Children of Indiana Nature Park, where kids own the outdoors!

By Melissa Moran, The Nature Conservancy

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Nature deficit For many reasons, modern American children spend little time outdoors and rarely enjoy free play. This is a problem the Nature Conservancy strives to solve. Letting kids take ownership of a piece of nature just might help.

Children’s lives are fully scheduled, leaving little unstructured time for exploration of the outdoors. Then there are electronic devices. Pediatricians recommend that kids between the ages of 8 and 16 spend no more than 2 hours viewing electronic screens (smartphones, tablets, computers, etc.) per day. Unfortunately, most kids spend more than the two-hour daily limit.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, kids are spending more than 40 hours a week on their devices— more than a full-time job!

The importance of identifying with nature, McConnell says is, “when you can identify with something, you care about it. And when you care about it, you want to see it protected and you’ll fight for it.”

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These changes in how children spend their time have been so dramatic that health and social scientists are studying the benefits of nature, for children and adults alike. Research is showing that the effects of being so plugged in and penned-in include childhood obesity, nearsightedness, decreased family time, and lack of knowledge about the natural world. According to the Solutions Journal, young children can recognize over 1,000 corporate logos, but few can identify more than a handful of local plant or animal species.

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network, coined the term “nature deficit disorder” to describe the lack of time in nature and the problems that result when kids are not connected to nature.

One Hoosier’s Vision Several years ago, Mary McConnell, state director at The Nature Conservancy, found herself wondering about

the future of conservation in Indiana.

With kids being far more interested in technology and gadgets than in the outdoors, where would the next generation of conservationists come from?

Never one to shy away from a daunting project, McConnell set in motion one of the most out-of-the-box projects in the chapter’s history. McConnell shared her vision at a 2015 TedX Indianapolis presentation of “a world where the next big global environmental movement is led by children” On the importance of identifying with nature, McConnell says, “When you can identify with something, you care about it. And when you care about it, you want to see it protected, and you’ll fight for it.”

What is one thing we can we do to get kids excited about nature? The answer to that question is the innovative and first-of-its-kind Children of Indiana Nature Park. With Indiana’s First Lady and scores of Hoosier kids in attendance, the Children of Indiana Nature Park kick-off was held in June of 2016.

The Park, a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, Cope Environmental Center, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and the Indiana Department of Education, is a gift of nature to our younger generation. The goal is for young Hoosiers to build a personal connection with nature, and ultimately to inspire the desire to care for our precious lands and waters.

Each K-12 student in Indiana now has the opportunity to visit www.ilovemyland.org and claim their personal “Nature IN-Deed,” with a unique geographic coordinate to their very own spot in the Children of Indiana Nature Park.

The Park is located in Centerville on the property of the Cope Environmental Center (near Richmond in Wayne County). Children can visit their spot in the Park virtually on the website using geographic coordinates and information from their deed, or by visiting

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NATURE IN-DEED* First Lady Karen Pence Bicentennial Ambassador

IN CELEBRATION OF INDIANA’S 200 TH BIRTHDAY, A DEED OF NATURE IS BEING HELD IN TRUST FOR

PRINT NAME HERE

AT THE

Visit ILoveMyLand.org to find your piece of nature!

North Latitude, West Longitude

39.7996553524863 -84.9702736862909 DEED # C2FD6J COUNTY Hendricks

Mary McConnell

Alison Zajdel

Cameron Clark

Glenda Ritz

State Director, Indiana Chapter

Executive Director

Director

Superintendent of Public Instruction

*“Nature IN-Deed” is for ceremonial and educational purposes only; no actual conveyance of land or creation of trust is intended or accomplished hereby.

All Hoosier children grades K-12 are eligible to claim their Nature IN-Deed, and in doing so, are invited to learn how to care for and love their land.

the Children of Indiana Nature Park in person. The website also provides nature-based curriculum and other resources for teachers, libraries and families, including an “Outdoor Fun” prompt with an outdoor activity idea to jump start a few moments of nature fun.

Children unable to visit the Park in person can still enjoy nature near them. McConnell says, “Children who spend time in nature are more creative, healthier, more confident and better problem solvers. The Children of Indiana Nature Park can serve as a springboard, inviting kids to reconnect to nature.” The Bicentennial Nature Center Network, a network of 20 nature centers around Indiana, is using the Nature IN-Deeds for the Park as an invitation to children and families to learn more about nature in their local communities. Every Hoosier child lives within about an hour’s drive from a participating nature center.

Deeds will be invited by the Cope Environmental Center to participate in activities to care for the land, such as tree planting and invasive removal. Over the next several years, The Nature Conservancy will lead efforts to reestablish hardwood forest at the Park with a diverse understory of native plants. The project partners hope that the deed inspires kids to learn about their land and make a personal connection with nature.

Not every child in Indiana will be able to visit the Children of Indiana Nature Park (Wayne County, Centerville, IN) in person. But every K-12 Hoosier child—with the help of their teacher or trusted adult—can claim their Nature INDeed and learn to love their land.

To reach Melissa regarding the Children of Indiana Nature Park, email childrenofindiananaturepark@tnc.org. ■

Over the next several years, the kids who hold Nature-IN

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INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

Invoke Studio is Indianapolis’ urban fitness oasis.

We are a community-minded space for people who aspire to fulfill the full potential of both mind and body, offering a full schedule of yoga, Pilates, fitness classes and teacher trainings.

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Wander Winter Indiana

The days may be cold, but there is still plenty of outdoor fun to have during the winter months. Find your own winter wonderland at one of these beautiful Indiana locations.

Caving Where: Corydon and Marengo The air temperature may dip low but underground the temps are always around 55 degrees. Ditch the heavy coats for a light jacket and head underground to discover what is deep underneath Southern Indiana. Marengo Cave and Indiana Caverns are open all year round and have guided tours.

Cross Country Skiing Where: over 25 locations throughout the state: xcskiing.com According to xcskiindiana.com there are more than 25 different locations to cross country ski in Indiana. Plan on going the day after a big fluffy snow and everyone in the family will enjoy their time in nature.

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Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding Where: Lawrenceburg and Paoli Wait, you can go skiing in Indiana? It’s true! Both Perfect North in Lawrenceburg and Paoli Peaks use the hilly local terrain and manmade snow to create an Indiana skiing destination. Both locations offer lessons for first timers.

Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides Where: Statewide If you live in Indiana, chances are there is a sleigh ride near you. Buckley Homestead in Lowell offers offers

horse-drawn

sleigh

rides

on

Saturday

and

Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3pm, weather permitting.

Call before you go 219-696-0769

Photo: Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Toboggan Run at Pokagon State Park Where: Angola With or without snow the toboggan run operates on a refrigerated quarter mile track. The quarter mile track boasts a 30-foot tower and a vertical drop of 90 feet. It is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from November 25 to February 26 with extended hours on holidays and winter break.

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FOOD

My Philosophy about Sweets: A treat doesn’t have to be a cheat."

- Dawn Parker

Healthy for the

Holidays

The end of the year brings endless parties and celebrations. Treat your holiday guests with healthier chocolate options that are both gluten and dairy free. Certified health coach Dawn Parker has created over 60 delicious chocolate recipes in her new book The Healthy Chocoholic.

Photographs by Dawn Parker

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The Healthy Chocoholic is available online at Amazon where it has a five star rating. And to support local businesses, purchase it from...

• • • • • • •

Black Dog Books - Zionsville, IN Peace Through Yoga - Zionsville, Speedway and Danville Ezra's Enlightened Cafe - Broad Ripple, IN Perfekt Fit pilates studio - Zionsville, IN Fully Armored Health Care - Carmel, IN Allure Salon - Zionsville, IN Love Your Body Yoga & Loungewear Boutique - Indianapolis, IN INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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Chocolate Mousse

This is a rich and creamy dessert that is much easier to make than traditional chocolate mousse. Adding chocolate shavings on top results in a beautiful presentation and adds a nice texture to the decadent mousse.

Yield: 2 small servings

Ingredients: 3/4 cup canned coconut cream* 2 tbsp raw cacao powder 1 tbsp 100% pure maple syrup Pinch of Himalayan salt Shavings from a dark chocolate bar, optional

Photo: Dawn Parker

Directions: 1. Add all ingredients except for the chocolate shavings to a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Pour into two very small dessert bowls or glasses.

3. Using a vegetable peeler across the thin edge of a chocolate bar, top

each with chocolate shavings.

4. Serve immediately for a silky, soft and smooth chocolate treat.

5. If not serving immediately, store them in the fridge and they will cool and firm up.

*Coconut cream is the thick cream part of canned coconut milk. For this you want full-fat coconut milk in a can that is free of BPA. Open the can and on top you should have coconut cream, with the coconut milk below.

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FOOD

Local Mindful Eating

Sattvic Sauerkraut:

Fermented Foods and the Gut-Brain Axis

By Jennifer Malins While on the mat, we focus on becoming more connected with our bodies and what’s going on inside them, our breath, and the thoughts that fill our minds. When we walk the path of yoga, we weave the philosophy into our daily existence, such as consuming sattvic foods, or foods that are light, nourishing, energizing and balancing. This level of consciousness enables us to sharpen our intuition and to gain the courage to follow up on “gut feelings.” This means making decisions that aren’t based on perceivable logic, but turn out to be exactly the right choice.

I was fascinated when I read that the gut and brain develop from the same tissue, remain connected by the Vagus nerve, and continuously communicate with one another. Research shows that the two impact each other on a biological and psychological level, and that certain foods, such as fermented foods, not only help heal the gut, but impact one’s psychological state as well. Healing our digestive system through this sattvic food, which brings balance to body and mind, may be instrumental to our success on the yogic path.

The gut, with its 100 million neurons, has been classified as a second brain. Known as the enteric nervous system, the “gut” also contains 30 neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which is understood to contribute to feelings of wellbeing and happiness in the first brain. A February 2010 Scientific American article entitled “Think Twice: How the Gut’s ‘Second Brain’ Influences Mood and Well-Being,”noted that “Although gastrointestinal (GI) turmoil can sour one's moods, everyday emotional well-being may rely on messages from the brain below to the brain above.” While we are all are aware of the knot in our stomach as a result of anxiety, how many of us have compromised digestive systems as a result of the modern diet and lifestyle without even having symptoms?

Clients often come to me for stress management, only to find they have digestive issues they were unaware of, while others notice their mood improves as they heal their gut.

I became fascinated with digestion as a result of my gut failing me, or rather me failing it.

In my teens, I took every antibiotic available for acne. I ate fast food and processed foods on a regular basis. I managed stress horribly, and my blood sugar was out of control.

By the time I reached college, I was dealing with ulcers and depression, and by the time I finished graduate school in the United Kingdom, I could barely digest food at all. In fact,

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the year after I finished graduate school, I lived mostly on yogurt and cornflakes since everything else made me nauseous. Every day, I used deep breathing to help me keep my food down, which was when I discovered the power of breath and meditation. It wasn’t until I entered nutrition school that I began to figure out what was going on with my digestive system.

My recovery rapidly sped up when I discovered what I believe to be the gold mine of nutrition: fermented food, particularly sauerkraut. No, I’m not talking about the gray stuff you heat up and serve with sausage.

This sauerkraut consists of raw, fermented vegetables that have live probiotic organisms that populate the gut with good bacteria, which aid us with the digestive process.

I discovered its power through an intuitive accident during a bout of insomnia. I had no problem falling asleep, but I used to wake up at 3 a.m. on a regular basis, feeling wide awake and unable to go back to sleep for at least 90 minutes to 2 hours. There are a variety of possible reasons for this type of insomnia, but in my case, I believe it was a combination of poor digestion and chronic stress, both of which contributed to the other.

While on the mat, we focus on becoming more connected with our bodies and what’s going on inside them, our breath, and the thoughts that fill our minds. When we walk the path of yoga, we weave the philosophy into our daily existence, such as consuming sattvic foods, or foods that are light, nourishing, energizing and balancing. This level of consciousness enables us to sharpen our intuition and to gain the courage to follow up on “gut feelings.” This means making decisions that aren’t based on perceivable logic, but turn out to be exactly the right choice.

I was fascinated when I read that the gut and brain develop from the same tissue, remain connected by the Vagus nerve, and continuously communicate with one another. Research shows that the two impact each other on a biological and psychological level, and that certain foods, such as fermented foods, not only help heal the gut, but impact one’s psychological state as well. Healing our digestive system through this sattvic food, which brings balance to body and mind, may be instrumental to our success on the yogic path.

The gut, with its 100 million neurons, has been classified as a second brain. Known as the enteric nervous system, the “gut” also

Photos: Courtesy of Jennifer Malins

contains 30 neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which is understood to contribute to feelings of wellbeing and happiness in the first brain. A February 2010 Scientific American article entitled “Think Twice: How the Gut’s ‘Second Brain’ Influences Mood and Well-Being,”noted that “Although gastrointestinal (GI) turmoil can sour one's moods, everyday emotional well-being may rely on messages from the brain below to the brain above.” While we are all are aware of the knot in our stomach as a result of anxiety, how many of us have compromised digestive systems as a result of the modern diet and lifestyle without even having symptoms?

Clients often come to me for stress management, only to find they have digestive issues they were unaware of, while others notice their mood improves as they heal their gut.

I became fascinated with digestion as a result of my gut failing me, or rather me failing it.

In my teens, I took every antibiotic available for acne. I ate fast food and processed foods on a regular basis. I managed stress horribly, and my blood sugar was out of control.

By the time I reached college, I was dealing with ulcers and depression, and by the time I finished graduate school in the United Kingdom, I could barely digest food at all. In fact, the year after I finished graduate school, I lived mostly on yogurt and cornflakes since everything else made me nauseous. Every day, I used deep breathing to help me keep my food down, which was when I discovered the power of breath and meditation. It wasn’t until I entered nutrition school that I began to figure out what was going on with my digestive system.

My recovery rapidly sped up when I discovered what I believe to be the gold mine of nutrition: fermented food, particularly sau-

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

FOOD

erkraut. No, I’m not talking about the gray stuff you heat up and serve with sausage. This sauerkraut consists of raw, fermented vegetables that have live probiotic organisms that populate the gut with good bacteria, which aid us with the digestive process. I discovered its power through an intuitive accident during a bout of insomnia. I had no problem falling asleep, but I used to wake up at 3 a.m. on a regular basis, feeling wide awake and unable to go back to sleep for at least 90 minutes to 2 hours. There are a variety of possible reasons for this type of insomnia, but in my case, I believe it was a combination of poor digestion and chronic stress, both of which contributed to the other. One of the side effects was my inability to produce a sufficient amount of GABA, a neurotransmitter that has a tranquilizing effect. GABA“directly affects the personality and the stress management,” among other things according to a 2012 article in the Brazilian Journal of Microbiology. One night, I reached for sauerkraut to discover that I fell back asleep more quickly. Time and time again, this seemed to work magic. While doing research, I learned that Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), which sauerkraut contains in abundance, is one of the major organisms that produce GABA. I had found a natural sleeping pill! I continue to make my own sauerkraut regularly and consume it daily in small amounts. When I’m stressed, I reach for sauerkraut instead of sweets. Because fermented foods have been just as healing for my mind as my gut, I am able to stay on the yogic path more easily.

Joshua Henson of Indy’s Fermenti Artisan, a trained chef and fermentation workshop facilitator, has had a lifelong interest in food.

“Fermented food is a great gateway food for people reclaiming their health,” he said. Henson claims to control his psoriasis through

consuming fermented foods and eating clean.

Many of his clients noted that consuming fermented foods helped them with anxiety and depression. Some connected fermented foods to healing health conditions such as diverticulitis. Henson has even heard “Your food saved my life!”

But why not just take a probiotic pill? It’s certainly easier. Henson explained that one quart of fermented vegetables has 10-100 times more live active probiotic organisms than your typical probiotic supplement.

Also, due to the freeze drying process when making probiotic supplements, there is not only some loss of these beneficial organisms, but those that survive become dormant. The digestive system may not wake them back up. Sauerkraut, on the other hand, is a live food. Henson recommends a forkful with or right before a meal once a day if you are new to consuming fermented foods. Pay attention to how your body responds, and then try a forkful with every meal, increasing the “dosage” until you can eat as much as you want with no side effects.

When I work with clients who have very sensitive digestive systems or complex symptoms, I follow the same protocol. I always start clients with probiotic foods, particularly fermented vegetables, rather than kombucha, which can be too high in sugar for sensitive guts. There are many ways to incorporate it into the diet. Henson suggests consuming it with dried fruit. I love it as a salad topping or with some hemp seeds for an easy-to-digest probiotic snack that also contains protein and healthy fats in addition to the fiber from the vegetables. In her book, Body Ecology, Donna Gates recommends consuming it with organic blue corn chips.

While eating fermented foods can bring balance to the body and mind, there are deep philosophical implications as well. According to Erica Sonnenburg, researcher at Stanford University, “By cell number, we actually have ten times more bacterial cells associated with our body than human cells, and we even have 100 times more bacterial genes associated with our collective genome than human genes, so both by cell number and by gene number, we are actually more microbial than we are human.” So the question is, are we humans hosting a huge number of bacterial cells, or are we an intricate constellation of bacterial cells having a human experience? This is where food meets spirit. If we are more “other” than human in terms of the DNA in our bodies, where does the “I” really begin and end? Can we really divide ourselves into human and “other?” Is there really a boundary between mind, body and spirit if foods that affect the body also affect the mind and spirit? What kind of karmic debt do we owe when we consume harmful foods that damage these friendly microbes?

When we pay them the respect they deserve, they are more able to aid us in digestion, helping us to heal our bodies, increase our vitality, balance our emotions, and connect with our spirits. Since consuming fermented foods is one way to achieve harmony and union, sauerkraut can be a powerful tool in a yogi’s toolbox. ■

Easy Sauerkraut Recipe by Jennifer Malins You will need:

Head of green cabbage

Sea salt

Directions:

1. Buy a head of green cabbage at a local farmer’s market or pick it from your own garden. Make sure it is chemical free. Cut off stem and pull off a few of the outside leaves. Set aside.

2. Chop or grate cabbage.

3. Add sea salt. [I’m not particular about salt measurements, so I add enough to be able to taste it without it being too salty.]

Any kind of salt will do, but gray Celtic sea salt is considered best. [I’ve successfully made kraut with both Herbamare and pink Himalayan salt.]

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

Ball jar

4. Break down cabbage with your hands until it releases a good amount of water.

You are going to ferment it in its own brine.

5. Pack it down into a Ball jar and add the outside leaves and stem you set aside earlier to the top of the chopped cabbage.

This will serve as a weight to help keep the kraut under water and thereby prevent mold.

6. Screw on lid and place in area where temperature is consistent. I keep the jars in my basement for this reason.

7. The first 3-4 days, unscrew the lids to release pressure and then re-tighten. Put a reminder on your phone so that you remember to do this. The kraut is very effervescent at this stage, which could result in it blowing its lid if you forget!

8. After 10-14 days, it should be ready to eat, but you can taste it at various stages in the process to see if it’s ready. Discard outer leaves and stem. Will keep in fridge for months.

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MEDITATION

Three Days’ Silence: A Retreat to Bloomington Imagine having the time to spend 15 minutes eating one dried cranberry.

Imagine walking so purposefully slow that you inhaled and exhaled while noting the slight touch of a breeze on your barefoot heel before it finally touches down in the cool grass. Imagine getting to know complete strangers, without using words, in hour after hour of continuous silence.

It’s not often I can afford three days to spend by myself or with my Self.

Time is now the rarest, most precious luxury. But Vibe Yoga Studio of Bloomington, Indiana offered a silent meditation weekend led by a Buddhist monk, Gregory Burdulis, and I took advantage of it. Three days and two nights of silence sounded like a perfect retreat from my busy family and business-centered life. Sleeping in a remarkable, historic bed and breakfast, The Showers Inn, didn’t sound half bad either.

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After taking the plunge by enrolling into Deep Down Quiet: A Silent Retreat, I grappled with a sense of apprehension: What had I just gotten myself into? I’ve never done anything like this before. Are the people going to be weird? Is the meditation leader cool?

Is he some sort of guru? I don’t trust gurus. Would I be able to meditate for three freaking days, or would I just be worried about work, family and bills the whole time? What if the vegetarian meals were awful? I hate couscous.

There better not be couscous. I won’t even be able to voice a complaint.

Plus...NO smartphone! This was sure going to be something.

The Last Meal: Runcible Spoon After the pleasant, sunny, constructionfilled drive from Indianapolis to Bloomington, I required one last meal

By Ryan Baggett

before I transformed into a vegetarian for the weekend. With so many unique restaurants in town, it was not easy to decide. I chose the Runcible Spoon.

They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon…

- from “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat”

by Edward Lear

The weather was so agreeable, even in late summer, that I chose to sit outside on the flagstone patio. The friendly and personable wait staff was likely composed of Indiana University students. The patio was not elegant, and my little green chair and table wobbled on the flagstone, but I enjoyed the homey rustic atmosphere, surrounded by shrubs, trees and begging little birds.

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MEDITATION

After looking over the menu, I balanced my desire to immerse myself in a healthy mindset with my lust for meats. I chose the sensible pan-seared salmon, served with horseradish caper sauce, sauteed vegetables, smashed potatoes and black beans. It was the right choice.

The salmon itself was moderately seasoned with herbs that complemented the horseradish sauce. The black beans and sauteed vegetables were slightly overcooked, blending into the texture of the potatoes. but the addition of raw baby spinach provided a fresh balance. Overall the meal satisfied my need for both comfort and health. I was already entering into a mindful state of being. I was ready to face the unknown.

The Showers Inn Rarely does the opportunity arise to stay in such a fabulous, historic home. Built in 1903 for the Showers family, who made their fortune from manufacturing furniture sold by Sears, Roebuck and Company, the old wood floors and wall panels, alongside the marble fireplaces and period decor create one impressive first impression.

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The Showers Inn is not only well-preserved, but it has been updated and remodeled with tasteful modern fixtures and timeless elegant furniture. Each suite of the house is unique, and each appears to be as lovely, elegant and comfortable as I’ve experienced in Indiana. Expenses were not spared to create luxurious atmosphere for all guests.

The room where I was to stay happened to be in another building they call “The Composer House.” This house, where the Showers’ family chauffeur lived, underwent a recent renovation. The entire interior, from basement to attic, was rebuilt and reimagined as eight high-end suites. All rooms carry a similar quality, comfort and elegance from the main building, only missing that classic hundred-yearold charm. I was very pleased with my accommodations: a very comfortable queen size bed, a superb bathroom with tile shower and jacuzzi tub, and a kitchenette with granite countertops and contemporary light fixtures. Everything felt brand new, and I felt right at home in that old house.

Arriving early to the Showers Inn after my late lunch, I was the first attendee to arrive. My tour of the Showers Inn prop-

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MEDITATION

Greg led us through some interactive, social exercises that successfully broke the ice and set up a good mood, yet a serious intention, before we all entered into Noble Silence for the duration of the weekend." erty was given by Laura Patterson, the owner of Vibe Yoga Studio, who once-upon-a-time lived on the property in the caretaker’s apartment, above the large garage (what I assume was once the old carriage house). Laura was an excellent guide and introduced me to the current owner, Michael. Together, they shared some of the rich history of this beautiful property as related above.

In the front wood-lined room, where I would be spending much of my weekend cross-legged on the floor, I met our meditation leader, Greg. He was busy moving furniture out of the way and arranging blankets and bolsters on the floor for the group of eight people to congregate. Greg Burdulis has an ageless quality about him. He has the bluest eyes imaginable that always seem to be full of laughter, and they would remain that way even if he were to cry.

Greg spent seven years as a Theravada Buddhist monk practicing meditation in monasteries and caves. His lectures about meditation and mindfulness have a deep well of experience to draw from, and he communicates with a native understanding of our American society, delving into problems we Americans face in attaining meaningful happiness: He was born in Madison, Wisconsin after all.

All the other attendees were as pleasant, interesting and personable as one would expect to find at such a retreat. We did not begin our period of silence until later at night, after we had a chance to talk and get to know each other a tiny bit.

Greg led us through some interactive, social exercises that successfully broke the ice and set up a good mood, yet a serious intention, before we all entered into Noble Silence for the duration of the weekend.

The Noble Silence and the Meditation This Noble Silence was a new concept for we who were not monks. Everyone, with the exception of Greg, made a commitment to refrain from all social, frivolous communications. This meant no small talk and no conversations about the infinite thoughts running through our brains. Simply

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no talking unless there was a specific purposeful reason for speech. Greg said we were allowed to speak something like “please pass the salt” to our companions, but that never happened—although I was tempted to ask for salt at the communal dinner table.

Speaking of dinner table, the vegetarian food, excellently prepared by our caterer Carl Meyers, was refreshing. My palate, no stranger to bloody red meats covered in cheese, was open to this vegetarian experience. I enjoyed the homemade hummus, baba ganoush, quinoa tabouli, dal, red lentil & squash polow, carrot-ginger soup, and a variety of fresh vegetables. I found myself initially self-conscious, eating without speech yet unable to eliminate the chewing, slurping and swallowing noises that are apparently necessary functions of these human bodies. I quickly got over myself.

In the mornings before breakfast each day, I spent time on my yoga mat, in my room, preparing my body for the un-

MEDITATION

known activities ahead. For breakfast we had plenty of good coffee and teas to choose from, which I enjoyed in solitude out by the pretty courtyard fountain. A wide selection of fruits, yogurt, granola and more was made available in the main kitchen, as well as fresh banana and zucchini breads. I relearned to eat slow, sitting in Noble Silence at full attention, and enjoyed the textures, smells and vivid flavors that came to life in my mouth. They consumed me as much as I consumed them.

Committing yourself to non-speech, and non-communication in general (no winking, nodding, goofy eye-to-eye grins, or other intentional gesticulations), was not as scary as I had anticipated. It was actually very fascinating. By participating in Noble Silence, we were focusing our minds and attention towards a deeper level of mindfulness, meditation, and overall awareness. When greg led us through some guided meditations, and there were many, my mind was more capable of concentration on the present, without the distraction of awkward social interactions.

On Saturday morning, 12 hours into the silence (much of that sleeping), despite many years of (irregular) meditation practice—for the first time ever, I really found my breath! I was able to focus all my attention on the present moment for what seemed to be the first time. Inhale, “I am inhaling.” Exhale, “I am exhaling.” This retreat allowed me to silence all the constant “noise” from the eternal circus of my brain. This was not a permanent state. Thoughts are as natural as breathing. They come back. But with Greg’s guidance, I was able to note their existence, see them for what they were, and return my attention to just breathing. Inhale. Exhale.

I had no idea that there were so many ways to practice walking meditation. Often when I go for an intentional walk at an average pace, I will practice mindfulness, even bringing my focus on each step while taking in the world around me. But we practiced several, intense walking meditations at this retreat. [Check out the Gregory Burdulis instructions for a few of those in the next article.]

I’ve been on amazing memorable vacations, to Denali in Alaska, the Grand Canyon, and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. They were worth every last cent. I once participated in an eye-opening spiritual retreat to Oklahoma with my old church youth group, repairing the roofs of dilapidated, Native American housing. But no experience of travel, within or beyond the borders of Indiana, was as soulsoothing and mentally restorative as this Deep Down Quiet in nearby Bloomington, Indiana.

For now, perhaps from now on, wherever I might be traveling, I take with me the tools to realize that here is where I am supposed to be. Typing this sentence is what I am supposed to be doing.

Here, now, breathe. ■

Throughout the weekend we were taught more than 15 different meditations. I can’t quite count them all from memory.

Not all of them were sitting cross-legged. Some were eating.

Some standing. Some walking blindfolded outdoors, led by a silent guide. Each meditation had similar elements, often focusing on our breathing, the present moment, but each was quite unique in purpose or method and exquisite to experience. As I mentioned earlier, I spent an eternity eating one dried cranberry.

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MEDITATION

Walking Mindfully Walking Mindfully is the yogi’s perfect transition from daily activity to sitting meditation. Walking practice is over 2,500 years old. The Buddha discussed and practiced it. It’s used today as a communal practice in the Zen tradition and an individual practice in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.

The purpose of walking meditation is to develop concentration and mindfulness, just like in sitting practices, except you are upright and moving. Walking practice bridges the stillness of sitting practices with the movement of daily life. Walking practice is also great to use if you are falling asleep in your sitting practice.

Below are 3 short descriptions of practices that can be done where you are comfortable, won’t be disturbed and have merely a 6-foot straightaway. For the richest sensations, do it barefoot. Inside or outside. Try taking small steps, so the heel of one foot barely clears the toes of the standing foot.

This walking isn’t about getting anywhere.

There is no destination and it doesn’t matter how much distance you cover. Remember that once you didn’t know how to walk.

It took all your might and great perseverance to learn. Muster that might and perseverance again to learn walking mindfully.

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By Gregory Burdulis

Walking while Noting This practice uses a silent mental process called “Noting.” It functions to keep the mind tethered to the sensations in your feet instead of wandering through all time and space. As you lift your foot, say silently to yourself, “Lifting.” As you move your foot forward through the air, say silently to yourself, “Moving.” As you place your foot, say silently to yourself, “Placing.” Repeat the same with the other foot. As you engage the language center of your brain you expand the number of brain areas involved with processing the simple act of walking. This increases both concentration and awareness.

Inhale Step, Exhale Step Inhale as you step forward with one foot and exhale as you step forward with the other foot. Breathe normally, or a little slower than usual. You will notice right away you need to slow down to be able to match your pace with your breath. Moving this slowly takes concentration. This is not about imagining how your feet look, or holding a mental picture in your mind.

This is all about the sensations in your feet and coordinating the stepping with the breath. You will soon get the hang of it, and your mind will wander elsewhere.

That’s the moment of magic. When you notice your attention is elsewhere you

have options: 1) remain distracted, or 2) bring your attention back to your feet. For developing concentration, bring your attention back to your feet.

Inhale, Exhale Step This practice goes even slower. Inhale as you lift your foot. Exhale as you move it forward and place it. Do the same with the other foot. Now you are going very, very slowly, which helps to heighten your awareness. Pay attention as the foot goes soaring through the air. You may notice a wonderful, unusual and mysterious sensation. As you place your foot, you may notice you can’t predict which part of your foot, precisely will touch first. Allow yourself to be continually surprised.

As you begin to pour weight into the foot, see if you can notice how the foot flattens and more of the sole touches when your full weight is on it. As you peel your heel off the floor for the next step, see if you can notice the sequential nature of the action of the lifting of the heel, ball and toes.

Bonus: As you go about your daily life and you are crossing the parking lot and you want to practice mindfulness but can’t slow way down, use the labels “Left, Right, Left, Right…” to help keep your mind tuned to the present moment and the sensations of here and now. ■

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317.524.2266

CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

Local Living for Quality of Life: Indiana Originals

By Mel McMahon Stone

Living local is not a new concept. In fact, local consumption is how our economy started. You ate, traded, and used what you could find around you or what those closest to you had. With upgrades in technology, increased competition from online retailers, and the growing presence of national chains, putting your money into local, independent businesses is becoming quite difficult. Why does this matter?

Living local is more than just a “feelgood� concept. Living local directly impacts your quality of life.

Several studies have shown that when you buy local, you are really supporting yourself and the economic base of

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the community in which you live. According to nine studies completed by private research firm Civic Economics, 2012, independent locally-owned businesses put three to five times more money directly back into their local economy compared to businesses headquartered out of state. In other words, spending money locally directly impacts your standard of living and creates more jobs and wealth in your community.

likeliness of tourism dollars spent in your community. Those independent businesses also impact your environment. Locally owned businesses generally make more local purchases requiring less transportation and contributing less to sprawl, habitat loss, pollution, and congestion. Buying local foods supports more sustainable agricultural practices including the reduction of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Living local also helps keep your community unique. A varied marketplace encourages innovation and competitive prices. One-of-a-kind businesses increase community appeal and the

Oftentimes, you will hear that you get better services at independent businesses, and there is some truth to that.

Local businesses often invest more time in training their employees, and

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CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

those employees often get to know their regular customers, contributing to this belief. Small local businesses are the largest employer in the US and local business owners are less likely to leave the community they are investing in, also impacting your quality of life.

So how can you make an impact? Lots of people want to buy local, shop local, and use local, but identifying local is a challenge. Convenience is also a factor when it comes to spending your dollars locally. If you could easily identify local businesses and find them faster, would you be more likely to use them? Indiana Originals hopes so.

What started as a personal list of favorite entertainment spots, restaurants, professional services, and more has become Indiana Originals. Indiana Originals is a growing, statewide directory of locally owned and operated businesses headquartered in Indiana. Through an online search engine and an app, Indiana Originals is making it easier to identify Indiana-based businesses—those businesses that recirculate a far greater percentage of revenue locally

compared to out-of-state businesses, or even locally-owned franchises. Every business listed on IndianaOriginals.com is Indiana owned, operated and headquartered in Indiana.

You won’t find any franchises headquartered out of state or direct sales reps for businesses headquartered out of state.

As a consumer, you can search the directory for free.

Love to cook? Try a new sauce from Hot Heads Pepper Store out of Gas City. Thinking of a special way to remember a loved one? Contact Poppy’s Petals in Jasper about a oneof-a-kind keepsake made out of dried flower petals. Want to support the largest organic farm in Indiana that is donating all their produce to food banks and service centers?

Look up Brandywine Creek Farms in Greenfield. For help with extreme dryness, psoriasis, eczema, or dermatitis, or if you need a product that is gluten-free and has recyclable packaging, try Happy Hands and Feet Balm by Shea Bodyworks out of Carmel. Need landscaping, tax help, t-shirts, or custom fortune cookies? You can find those all on IndianaOriginals.com, too. ■

Mel McMahon Stone Mel is the founder of Indiana Originals, a business on a mission to lead local living. A mom, wife, radio personality, and entrepreneur, Mel is committed to making sure Indiana Originals does everything it can to help locally owned, Indiana based businesses be prosperous and positively impact our communities.

She is an honored member of the 2013 IBJ Forty under 40 class.

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

Indiana Artist: Julie Jackson Julie Jackson founded Scrap Cycle in her garage in mid 2015 with the mission of creating functional art, showcasing

the

beauty

of

trees

without contributing to deforestation.

With a BA in Environmental Health and Science and an internship with a reclaimed wood furniture maker, Jackson’s pursuit of sustainability and resource conservation runs deep in her business. Scrap Cycle uses reclaimed wood, mostly Indiana barn wood, to make custom furniture pieces. Milling the old wood yields beautiful grains, colors, and character, making for lovely tables, shelves, and home dÊcor.

Scrap Cycle makes items as large as a dining table to as tiny as a wooden

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The artist at work.

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CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

necklace, with bowls, bike shelves, and candleholders in the mix.

You can find more of her work at scrapcycle.info and may contact her

for

inquiries

scrapcycle.info.

at

jjackson@

www.scrapcycle.info. â–

Photos: Courtesy of Julie Jackson

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

Indiana Made

Local artisans and small businesses that make us proud to live in Indiana.

Handcrafted Jewelry

By Teri C. Handcrafted Jewelry By Teri C., is a locally woman-owned business. She specializes in pieces for women and men that are moderately priced, distinctive, yet still appropriate for office wear. Whatever your

fashion

style

is,

Handcrafted

Jewelry by Teri C. will meet your needs.

She specializes in bracelets, gemstone necklaces

,leather

bracelets

stamped cuff bracelets.

and

Her materials

range from different types of beads, Her creativity is limitless.

copper, leather, polished aluminum and different crystals.

Her inspiration

for

Her jewelry can be purchased at

each design can come from browsing

Neat-OArtshop,

through a fabric store, flipping through

in

Broad

Ripple,

Indianapolis, IN and on her online

magazines, listening to music and even

store at, www.tacbeaddazzled.com

from dreams.

People for Urban Progress We at People for Urban Progress, or PUP, are an Indianapolisbased not-for-profit. We advance connectivity, environmental responsibility,

and

good

design.

We

rescue

discarded

materials, redesigning them for public benefit. Our locallydesigned products fund big projects and big ideas that improve Indianapolis’ urban spaces. Our team of designers, makers, thinkers, discarded

and

doers

materials,

rescue such

as

Super Bowl XLVI banners, RCA Dome

fabrics

and

reclaimed

seatbelts, redesigning them so everyone can benefit. Proceeds benefit PUP's ongoing community design initiatives.

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INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

Sprigati Sprigati’s journey started 15 years ago, shortly after

requested the homemade sauce) Ryan returned to

the 9/11 tragedy. Ryan lost his job and without much

Indiana, and Sprigati was born! Sprigati launched

choice, he relocated to Chicago leaving behind his wife

in June of 2015 and sold 780 jars in the first 5 weeks!

and dog in Indianapolis. Ryan always had a knack for

Sprigati’s wholesome sauce is made with premium

cooking. His dishes were family favorites, but it wasn’t

ingredients. It’s extremely versatile for meat, veggies,

until he was separated from his family that he used

fish, pasta, and a fan favorite for homemade pizza! To

this time to perfect his now famous sauce! Through

learn more and find a retailer near you, visit us at www.

encouragement of family/friends (who continually

sprigati.com.

Fermenti Artisan At Fermenti Artisan, we are committed to Indiana, its sustainable family farms, and the lifestyle of Slow Food. Using ancient traditions and modern science, our focus is nutrientdense foods that nourish the body so it can heal itself. We believe that there is a direct link between flavor and nutrition.

There is always a place on the table for food that pleases all of the senses and improves the health of the customer.

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CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

The Rugged Co. We are a locally, family owned and operated business.

our leather goods. We produce products for every man

All of our grooming products are 100% organic and/or

in your life, even the little ones. Check us out online at

all naturally made. We source locally and responsibly.

www.ruggedcompany.com. Look under the FIND US tab

We handcraft and small batch every single product in

for a list of our retailers around the country.

house, from our grooming products, to our denim, to

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INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

INDIANA MADE CONSCIENTIOUS LIFE

Shea BODYWORKS Shea

BODYWORKS

products

are

enriched with the world’s finest and purest ingredients. When it comes to skin care and body care products, we know that our products will deeply moisturize and transform your skin.

You will fall in love with our products after the very first application. Shea BODYWORKS products were created to nourish dry to extremely dry and sensitive skin. All products are plantbased, non-toxic, cruelty free and eco-friendly. We believe that you will love our products because they are made with natural and simple ingredients

that

come

from

the

farm and fields. Products can be

Products can be purchased at:

purchased at www.sheabodyworks.

www.sheabodyworks.com.

com, Whole Foods Market in Carmel, and Good Earth Natural Foods in

Whole Foods Market Carmel

Indianapolis. â–

14598 Clay Terrace Blvd Carmel, Indiana 46032 Good Earth Natural Foods 6350 Guilford Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46220

Find your balance before you tie the knot!

Let yoga liberate you from wedding day anxiety! With a custom wedding yoga class, you can find your inner blissed-out bride, or groom, and enjoy every second of your journey to I DO! Learn more & Book online!

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

themeditativecreative.com

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FEATURE: CANCER TREATMENT: YOGA & MODERN MEDICINE

Cancer Treatment: Yoga & Modern Medicine A diagnosis of cancer is universally feared.

There is no running away. The lion has you cornered. This initial reaction varies from person to person, depending on emotional health, support network, and many other factors, but there are emotional and social repercussions common among new cancer patients. The diagnosis alone is similar to facing the death of a loved one, with classic stages of grief including denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The stages are very real and difficult to navigate.

Those are large concepts to deal with, but grief is a sorrow so large and powerful that one cannot help but be overwhelmed.

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Grief is natural. The earth-shattering aspect of a cancer diagnosis screams out for something solid to ground the new patient. This is why yoga has been a growing component of cancer treatment alongside modern medicine. Yoga is large enough to encompass physical, mental and spiritual health.

Most cancer patients are unfamiliar with yoga, and few know that it is offered through many hospitals and partner organizations such as Cancer Support Community (CSC), Little Red Door, and Pranayoga Foundation. Yoga has found a home in our medical community as a powerful tool to improve the emotional

By Ryan Baggett

and spiritual being while the body heals from cancer or other traumatic illnesses.

The CSC in Indianapolis occupies a beautiful spacious building with a central, high-ceilinged rotunda that emanates peace and tranquility. All types of classes, counselling, support groups and other services are completely free. This is made possible by donations, grants and fundraisers. The largest fundraiser is an annual event called “Laughing Matters,� and next March they are bringing Jay Leno to the Hilbert Circle Theater.

Elaine Drew, a regular attendee of the CSC yoga classes, was diagnosed with

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FEATURE: CANCER TREATMENT: YOGA & MODERN MEDICINE

throat cancer several years ago, received treatment, and has been in remission for a few years since. “I wasn’t aware that this program existed while I was in treatment,” Drew said. “I was weak from chemo and radiation, needing a wheelchair to get around.” She found the CSC and the yoga classes a couple years into remission and used yoga to increase her balance and flexibility. After three years, she appears quite fit and mobile. “I am retired, so I have the time for yoga now.”

Time is definitely a key, and many cancer patients struggle to make time for the “luxuries” of yoga practice, especially when they are worried about their life being torn apart at the seams.

Some struggle with transportation. Even if a patient is mobile enough to get through work and family life, with the added burden of doctor visits, they may live far away from any suitable yoga class.

Yoga is not only beneficial for the patient. “Anybody impacted by cancer is welcome [at the CSC],” according to Eric Richards, president & CEO of the nonprofit organization. Yoga, among other programs, is offered to help both family and caregivers of the patients. Nurses, doctors and therapists who are fighting alongside the cancer patients for weeks and months at a time may need support after developing relationships and experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions during this traumatic time. “We encourage our staff to participate in programs,” Richards said.

“We [CSC staff] are impacted by cancer everyday, if you factor in the secondary trauma.”

The CSC will serve about 5,000 individuals in 2016, according to Richards. “We’re proud of that but we know it’s just scratching the surface.”

He estimated there are 200,000 people with cancer in Central Indiana, with 20,000 diagnosed each year. Richards believes yoga is an “anxiety, depression and isolation reducer,” and those types of issues are multiplied by a cancer diagnosis. “Forty percent of cancer patients suffer from extreme distress, to the point where they are choosing whether or not they want to live, or go to treatment, or just give up.” Organizations that provide yoga, counselling and other quality of life programs help alleviate some of that.

PranaYoga School of Yoga and Holistic Health in Fort Wayne is one of the first 25 yoga therapy programs approved by the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and the only such school in Indiana. Their 830 Hour Sattva

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FEATURE: CANCER TREATMENT: YOGA & MODERN MEDICINE

Therapy program helps train yoga therapists to work with the medical community and patients who have specific needs, including cancer. Their nonprofit “wing,” Pranayoga Foundation, brings yoga classes to many different yoga programs, partnering with hospitals and others, such as the Little Red Door.

Yoga instructors who specialize in yoga for cancer are trained to take into account the physical limitations of each individual patient. Some who are going through treatments can have severely limited mobility. A lot of physical therapy and time is needed before the healing process allows some cancer patients to attend anything as physical as regular yoga classes.

Bringing Yoga Into the Hospitals Dr. Darrel Ross of Community Health Network is an oncologist who also practices yoga. He was instrumental in organizing the funding that brought “integrative” oncology treatments to the Indianapolis area Community Hospitals. These integrative components, established in August of 2015, include yoga, tai chi, art therapy, counselling and much more. “It started because of the recognition that no one ‘piece’ can fix or heal a total spiritual entity,” Ross said. Yoga and other therapies are being used to complement more traditional cancer treatments and pain control efforts provided by the oncological staff.

In addition to improving quality of life, various yoga techniques also help with the physical healing and pain management after surgery, chemo or radiation therapy. “Yoga is all about the breath.

We are not so rigid in trying to get individuals to strike a pose,” Ross said. “It’s more about getting them into a calmer,

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

Photo: Dr. Darrel Ross, M.D.

more meditative state, allowing them to understand the flow of their physical body, in alignment with their spiritual arena.”

they want it to be, not where it was. We want them to be focused on where there body is at today.”

Yoga in medicine has had skepticism surrounding it because until recently there was little scientific research on the physical and medicinal benefits of yoga.

That has begun to change over the last decade. Dr. Ross now sees a growing body of published research done on the effects of yoga while patients are going through the process of their treatment, as well as post-treatment.

There is a physical component as well as a mental component regarding the integrated yoga. “For breast cancer patients, yoga can actually help relax and release tissue,” Ross said. After having breast work done, such as surgery or radiation treatments, “the tissue can be firmer, more scarred and tighter. Doing yoga allows them to inhale deeper, expanding the tissue, expanding the muscles, relaxing the upper extremities if they’ve had a lymph node dissection.”

“Many cancer patients feel like their body has already betrayed them,” Ross said. “We want to instill in them a new sense of hope, and a sense of compassion, for where their body is today-—not where they think it should be, not where

Head and neck cancer patients can experience similar tissue damage and scarring. Yoga is beneficial with simple movements such as moving the head

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FEATURE: CANCER TREATMENT: YOGA & MODERN MEDICINE

from side to side and putting the chin to the chest. “The same thing goes for our lung cancer patients,” Ross said.

Yoga helps them master “the deep part of breathing, as opposed to that surface or superficial part of breathing.”

Patients struggle with more than cancer on the inside. The emotions run deep.

“The pieces that you hold onto as being your ‘foundation’ are changed, shifted, or in some cases crumbled.” Ross said patients are constantly asking themselves “Where has this spread? Where will it go? Where will I be in a year from now—three years from now? Cancer gives a whole new perspective as to how you’re going to choose to live your life.”

How does yoga tackle this? “Sometimes cancer almost stuns people.” Ross said.

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They don’t know where to go from this point. People need an emotional release, such as yoga can provide. People need to rid themselves of the guilt, the shame or the blame factor. Yoga gives one permission to accept where they are at, to be okay with the present moment,” Ross said. “In a world where we are constantly in production and consumption, life doesn’t always afford that for people.

We’re busy working, going to school, and trying to fit all the modern tasks into a day. Taking a 45 minute or 60 minute session to focus on the moment is really critical to the patient’s overall wellbeing. Now they are finally able to stare their lion in the face.”

When discussing tobacco use and addiction, Ross showed genuine compassion for smokers who he often meets as

cancer patients. “They receive the brunt of our society’s harsh judgement. He believes yoga, at the very least, might lead a smoker to reduction of tobacco use or transition to more positive coping mechanisms for stress. “Smoking is disdained, and there is some credence in that, but at the same time there is an addictive quality and a stress-relieving component that [smoking] provides.”

Yoga can help one work through “the gremlins,” as he calls them, that are holding them “shackled to 40-years of bullshit.” Ross said, “You’re not going to wake up one day and say ‘I’ve released every bit of negative energy, and my chakras are in alignment.’” That’s unrealistic. Guilt can keep a smoker smoking.

“Patients say to me, ‘Fuck it, I already got cancer, so who cares?’” Ross believes they don’t feel of value in their world.

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FEATURE: CANCER TREATMENT: YOGA & MODERN MEDICINE

“Society has been telling smokers they don’t matter for decades, so [after a cancer diagnosis] go ahead and destroy yourself.” But yoga can help balance that negative judgement with self-compassion, and replace the crutch of that addiction with a healthy stress-reliever.

the most out of the yoga practice. In hot vinyasa classes, a teacher might say ‘engage your core,’ but in a yoga for cancer class, a patient might need a chair. It’s important to work within the confines of the physical body as it exists in the present moment.”

Many cancer patients have never tried yoga before. Just by attending is enough to start. Ross says, “In this accomplishment-seeking society, the cancer poses are not the accomplishment. The important thing is that the patient is taking the time to practice yoga for themselves. Use the blocks, use the belts, use the bolsters and devices to help you get

Other non-traditional programs for oncological care are considered for future implementation. Ross is looking into the possibility of herbal medicines, traditional Chinese medicines, meditation, acupuncture and acupressure, ultra-healthy cooking classes and community gardening—where patients can plant healthy organic foods. Next year

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

there may even be a drum circle as a first step towards using music as a form of therapy. These are the types of activities that can improve quality of life for those whose lives have been disrupted by cancer. Hospitals such as Community Health are looking for progressive, non-medicinal options to relieve the symptoms of harsh cancer treatments. ■

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FAMILY & KIDS

Teachable Moments: Breathing Games

By Candice Baggett

Control the breath and the mind will follow.

Why does breathwork work?

•

Calms the mind

•

Reduces stress and anxiety

•

Balances low/high energy

•

Increases concentration

•

Improves self regulation

Anyone who works with children will know it is an important task to instill in them a strong sense of self. Giving young people the tools to handle life’s challenges is a priority. As teachers and parents teaching moments are presented constantly. Having techniques to guide children through challenges and stress will increase a child’s self awareness and further build a trusting relationship.

Why breath? When we are excited our breathing speeds up, and when we are tired it slows. If we become surprised or frightened we gasp and even hold our breath. A beautiful sunset or really cute puppy will make us sigh awww. Usually the mind is controlling our breath, an automatic response to being alive and having feelings. However, our automatic responses are not always helpful. Feeling anxious for too long is disastrous for our health. Becoming frightened to speak in

public does not let us perform to our best abilities. So if we reverse the process and control the breath, those thoughts, feelings and even physical responses can be controlled as well.

As a teacher of almost 20 years and a mother of two, I have taught all ages including babies, school-age children, college students and older adults. All students have this in common: in order to learn they must be present. The list of distractions that keep students from being present is long and varies from day-today, even hour-to-hour. While teaching in a public school for the last ten years I saw around 200 students every day. Having techniques that helped students become centered and present was part of my daily plan. Here are a few of the activities I have used in school and with my own children to help them become more self aware.

To Energize

Conductor Breath (also known as Breath of Joy) When children are feeling sluggish and sleepy conductor breath will energize and rejuvenate. Used just before a test or other event where concentration is essential this technique will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to go.

Standing up, inhale with the child through your noses as you bring your hands straight out in front of you.

Inhale more as you move your hands out to your sides at shoulder height. Inhale completely as the hands come over head. Finally exhale through an open mouth as you hinge at the hips to a forward fold. Pause, then slowly come back to standing. Repeat 4 more times.

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Power Breath (Bhastrika or Bellows Breath) While standing tall inhale as you reach your hands up as if reaching to grab the sun.

Quickly and forcefully exhale as your grab the sun and bring it into your belly. Repeat at least three more times.

Blowing out the Candle This can be done standing or sitting comfortably. Bring an index finger in front of the body 6 - 12 inches in front of the face. Ask the child to blow out the imaginary candle, exhale forcefully and all at once.

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FAMILY & KIDS

To Calm and Collect Belly Breathing Utilizing an object during this exercise allows your child to see where the breath comes from, the diaphragm. Have the child lie on their back. Place a friendly stuffed animal or other weighted object on their belly just above the navel. Tell the child to inhale and exhale slowly and evenly, so that the object moves with a steady and slow rhythm. Either set a length of time (about 1 -2 minutes) or number of breaths.

Take 5 Sitting upright and comfortably count to five as you breathe in slowly. Pause before exhaling at the same rate using the fingers to count backward from five. Pause and repeat 3 to 5 times.

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To Explore the Breath Airball This group activity can be adapted to fit any space or group size. Choose either a race or a cooperative group challenge whichever fits your needs.

Each child needs a drinking straw and a cotton ball. In this race players use the straws to blow cotton balls from one side of the room to the other.

The breath must be controlled and steady or else the cotton ball will fly willy-nilly. If competition is not

appropriate for your group it can be a cooperative game. In the cooperative version had students lay on their bellies in a circle. Starting with one cotton ball for young children and up to three for older kids players must pass the cotton ball around the circle using only their breath and straws. Again the breath must be controlled and steady to pass the cotton ball to one person to the next.

Conclusion Remember to present these exercises as fun and as a game. Children learn through play. Introducing the concept or exercise while children are feeling positive and engaged will allow them to access their self regulation tools when they feel anxious or sluggish. Whether you utilize the following exercises in a class environment or during a challenging experience at the grocery store you and your young person will find connecting with the breath helps move from anxious irrational thinking to calm and rational thinking. â– CANDICE H. BAGGETT

Candice H. Baggett, RYT 200, has worked as a music educator for nearly twenty years. She holds degrees from the University of Indianapolis and Butler University. She now uses her education experience to make Indiana a more mindful state through the Indiana & Yoga Magazine.

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PHYSICAL YOGA

Yoga for Chronic Pain

By Alyssa Pfennig, CAE, E-RYT 200, RYT 500

Pain is the language of the body. It tells us that something is wrong. Too often we are conditioned to ignore the whispers of sensation, not taking the time and care we need to nourish our bodies. Maybe it’s because we believe that we don’t have enough time to stop and take notice. Maybe it’s that we learned if we admitted we had pain, we were considered weak. Whatever the path that led to more disconnection from the body, the same outcome occurs. When the body is ignored for too long, it will continue to try to get your attention, maybe by shouting this time. And the pain increases.

Oftentimes, the individual living with chronic pain believes they are not able to help themselves and become paralyzed with fear of anything that could trigger or increase the pain. In fact, the fear of pain can lead to isolation and opioid addiction. ”

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According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, there are an estimated 100 million Americans living with chronic pain, more than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined.

For years, scientists and the healthcare community thought pain could only be caused by damage to the structure of the body. However, some people suffer from chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. Arthritis and back pain, the two most common forms of chronic pain, and other forms could be related to past pain, stress, grief or illness. And recent research has discovered the connection between the experience of chronic pain to our thoughts and emotions—our mind. For example, even though an initial injury such as a car accident damages the physical body, the pain is sustained by how the trauma changes the mind-body relationship. Even further, those with more traumatic initial expe-

riences may end up with chronic pain later in life, including fibromyalgia. No matter where the pain originated, the pain is still real for the person suffering.

And by understanding chronic pain as a mind-body experience, we can use yoga as a therapy to help find relief.

Yoga therapy reflects a biopsychosocialspiritual approach to managing conditions such as chronic pain. Oftentimes, the individual living with chronic pain believes they are not able to help themselves and become paralyzed with fear of anything that could trigger or increase the pain. In fact, the fear of pain can lead to isolation and opioid addiction. The emphasis in yoga on selfawareness, self-regulation, effort and grace can help to instill and cultivate an individual’s sense of self-efficacy—a crucial component in learning how to manage pain.

Yoga therapists can reach into their yoga toolbox to address the mind-body connection in supporting clients dealing with chronic pain. They often work in conjunction with healthcare professionals to provide complementary support to the individual in creating healthier responses to their pain. Due to the fear of movement exacerbating the pain, the first tools used are often breathing techniques (pranayama), isolated, supported or slow movements (asana) and guided meditations to get in touch with the pain. If someone is afraid to move their neck, then you’re not going to make them, so a yoga therapist works with each individual where

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they are and progresses at the individual’s pace. Through guided meditations, we can even discover if the pain is purely physical or has its origins in the mind.

Through these yoga practices, the individual activates their innate relaxation response and brings the nervous system into rest, renew, heal mode. The stress response is turned off and can now allow the mind

and body to learn to rest in a sense of safety rather than fight or flight. Ultimately, these practices are used to help rewire the brain’s response to the pain and empower the individual with tools to manage the pain themselves.

Exercises for Chronic Pain Supta Baddha Konasana

(supported, reclined bound angle pose) Restorative yoga is a deeply nourishing practice that helps us relax and rest deeply and completely through the support of props such as blankets, bolsters and eye pillows. During deep relaxation, the nervous system can settle down and the systems of the body can rejuvenate. This is especially important for the digestive and reproductive systems, which tend to shut down during periods of extreme stress. Supta Baddha Konasana relaxes tension in the abdomen, chest and shoulders, allowing the breath to flow freely through the body.

Lean a bolster on a block or stack of books at an angle.

Sit in front of the bolster with your sacrum close to the prop. Bring your feet together and knees apart in a diamond shape. If you want more support under your knees, place a pillow, block or rolled blanket under the outer thigh and knee area of each leg. You want to use as many props as you need to ensure there is no deep stretch or strain in the knees, legs or hips. Lay on the bolster so that your back and head are supported, including your low back. Rest your arms on the floor beside you, on your abdomen, or wherever is most comfortable. You may even want to place pillows or blankets underneath your arms, so they are not straining without the support.

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Supta Baddha Konasana

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Extended Exhale By extending the exhale, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, or your rest, renew, heal mode. Try this simple breathing technique while lying on your bolster in the setup just described. You may also try this lying in bed before you go to sleep, or seated, anytime you want to relax.

Begin by bringing attention to your breath. Feel the air come in and out of your nostrils. Cool air coming in, warm air going out. On your next inhale, begin counting to 4 and on your exhale, slowly let the air out to a count to 6. You’ll work your way up to extend the exhale so it’s twice the length of your inhale. So, after you do a 4:6 ratio breath, maybe you begin a 4:8 ratio breath. As it may be more challenging to get the entire exhale out, know that you may wish to engage or squeeze the muscles of the rib cage (i.e., intercostals) or bring your navel to your spine to assist you.

First try...

■ Inhale 2, 3, 4 ■ Exhale 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Repeat 2 times.

■ Inhale 2, 3, 4 ■ Exhale 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Repeat at least 4 times and continue on as long as you like. Maybe set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes.

Extended Exhale

If you find that practicing a 4:8 ratio breath is too much or leaves you with more anxiety or frustration, remember that the entire practice is just to make your exhale longer than your inhale. So your ratio may be 2:4 or 3:6 for now, until you build your lung capacity. ■

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Sugar Creek Retreat Yoga Center sugarcreekretreat.com INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

PHYSICAL YOGA

To the Top! A Rock Climber’s Yoga

By Danielle Wolter Nolan

I began practicing yoga nearly ten years ago, and within the past five years started implementing yoga into my pre and post athletic training. Studies indicate, having a dynamic and active warm-up routine that engages body and mind can improve performance and decrease injury for athletes. Yoga is becoming not only a standalone practice, but also a complement to numerous sports to increase athletic ability.

Rock climbing is gaining a massive amount of traction in the United States.

This year is experiencing a 13 percent

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growth rate for rock-climbing gym openings, the highest increase expected in the history of the sport. Epic documentaries, such as Meru and Valley Uprising, are beginning to increase awareness and make the sport more popular. I began rock climbing in college but did not get serious about the sport until several years ago. My wife and I started climbing together to switch up our own workout routine. Soon we wanted to take our skills to the next level with an outdoor climbing trip, so we could become “real” rock climbers.

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Our first outdoor experience climbing began at the Red River Gorge in Slade, Kentucky. An easy fourhour drive from Indianapolis, it was a fun, convenient road trip to take with friends for the weekend. What we didn’t realize was that we were heading to one of the most famous rock climbing areas, not just in the country, but the world. Throughout the weekend we met folks from all around the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

After our first rock climbing adventure outdoors we were hooked! It was a completely different experience than climbing in they gym, after returning we worked hard to improve our skills for our next trip to Red River Gorge. The following year we pursued the Single Pitch Instructors certification by the American Mountain Guides Association. We began our apprenticeship program in order to guide others climbing outdoors.

We also noticed a significant increase in the participants’ performance with the added yoga training, compared to our previous class without the integrated yoga. Being a Division I athlete and coach, it was important for me to include the yoga, to warm up the body and visualize a great workout and training class.”

Partnering with EVO Rock+Fitness in Indianapolis we began an unprecedented program in Indiana, an indoor to outdoor rock climbing series. Participants spend four weeks with one-on-one instruction in the gym, including unlimited gym membership for the month. They receive their own climbing kit, including a harness, belay device and chalk bag. The last “class” is a weekend adventure trip to the Red River Gorge, where the group climbs on real limestone rock for the first time.

Before our program this fall, we offered a yoga class for our participants and collaborated with our friend and fellow yogi, Daniel Stafford. The class focused on stretching the muscles and preparing the breath and mind for the workout. Rock climbing is just as much mental as it is physical, if not more so. Deepening my yoga teachings and practice, I was able to see improvement in my physical strength. More importantly, my mental focus greatly increased.

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Including yoga before our program allowed time to engage our physical bodies and mental capacity to it’s full potential. We also noticed a significant increase in the participants’ performance with the added yoga training, compared to our previous class without the integrated yoga. Being a Division I athlete and coach, it was important for me to include the yoga, to warm up the body and visualize a great workout and training class.

Our first asanas we went through allowed a great warmup for our rock climbers by making sure to stretch the wrists, fingers and forearms. Our fingers are very delicate, and at times during rock climbing we rely on the strength of our fingers in the tiniest of holds to propel us to the next crag. Warming up these

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parts of our bodies are very important to increase longevity and performance, and decrease injuries such as trigger-finger syndrome and pulley tears.

Next, we moved to shoulder stretches. Common injuries for rock climbers is subluxation, which usually occurs in the shoulders, and rotator cuff tears. Stretching the shoulders and warming up the muscles decreases injuries and increases strength in these muscles over time. Hanging from the wall by one arm and making a big move to the next crack can strain our muscles if they aren’t warmed up properly.

Our peak poses consisted of hip openers, balancing poses, and low back stretches. If the hips are stretched and open, it increases the chances of being successful on the harder routes. Opening the hips increases flexibility, and reduces the risk of straining and pulling muscles. Balancing poses are great for improving tempo, stamina, and strength on the wall. Stretching and strengthening the low back and core improves the spine flexibility and lengthens the hip flexors, increasing agility.

Not only has my strength increased, but my tempo and fluidity also improved after adding yogic breathing to

Our peak poses consisted of hip openers, balancing poses, and low back stretches. If the hips are stretched and open, it increases the chances of being successful on the harder routes.�

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PHYSICAL YOGA

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my pre-rock-climbing routine. By increasing and deepening my ujjayi breath, when I felt my arms and fingers could no longer hold my body, I was able to find strength and stamina to carry on. Thanks to my yoga teacher training immersion and deepening my meditation practice, I find that my breathing may have the greatest impact on my rock climbing performance.

Through the postures, breathing, and meditation, yoga is something that should go hand in hand with rock climbing. Plus it can be used to increase athletic performance with any and every other sport. Namaste! â–

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SELF STUDY

Mobile Apps for Mindfulness

Focus on the present on the go.

Available for Apple and Android devices.

Calm

Sattva

Calm is a visual mindfulness

Sattva is an advanced

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statistics. “You can’t improve what you don’t measure – What gets measured, gets managed!”

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Mindfulness Bell The Mindfulness Bell app rings periodically throughout the day as a reminder to momentarily pause and consider your current state of mind – an effective means of developing mindfulness.

Medigong Medigong timer

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The gong timer notifies the end of meditation with one or three clear rings of the gong.

Additional gong intervals can be set to strengthen mental dexterity against distractions and to help bring focus inward again.

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Mudras: Bringing Harmony to the Belly

By Mindi Epstein

Mudras, “yoga of the hands,” add another dimension to the poses, breath work, mindfulness and meditation aspects of our yoga practice. While symbolic hand gestures are predominant in Hinduism and Buddhism, archaeological evidence suggests mudras and yoga itself predate these traditions by approximately one thousand years.

These graceful hand gestures are practiced to aid in maintaining health and vitality. Their association with specific systems and internal organs of the human body enhances the flow of energy to these areas to promote healing.

The Matangi Mudra is a powerful gesture practiced to strengthen the digestive organs and regulate respiration. Yogis and healers identify this mudra with the region of the solar plexus located in the abdomen above the navel. Known as the Solar Plexus chakra, this area is the third of seven en-

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ergy centers aligned along the spine from the root through the crown of the head. Here lies the seat of personal power.

While mudras can be practiced anywhere at any time, their power is amplified when integrated with meditation. To experience the Matangi Mudra’s greatest benefits, first interlace the fingers and place the left thumb over the right.

Next, extend the two middle fingers and press them into one another. The hands should then be placed in front of the navel, the extended middle fingers pointing away from the body to become a potent energy channel.

Bring consciousness to this region by directing breath to the belly. Allow your inner fire to ignite your self-esteem and burn away any self-defeating thoughts. Further enhance your healing experience with the Matangi Mudra by incorporating an affirmation: “I love and accept myself. My inner light guides me on my path.” ■

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Class Descriptions

Which Class is Right for You? Class descriptions can seem ambiguous and nondescript. What is Iyengar like? Is Yin and Restorative the same thing? Getting started with the right class type is just as important as finding a teacher you like. Here are some classes you might find in Indiana.

Acro

This physical practice combines yoga and acrobatics. Usually practiced with a partner, you don’t necessarily need one before you show up to a class or “jam.” Even though this type of practice is not for the faint of heart, anyone can be successful in an acro practice. Also you will make some great friends and have fun!

Aerial

Did you ever want to join the circus? Do you find that hanging feels so good on your spine and hips? Aerial yoga utilizes a “hammock” that is suspended from the ceiling to allow

Aerial

your body to move in ways that gravity doesn’t always allow.

Ashtanga

If you like a practice that moves through the same series of postures every time this

Acro

is for you. If you are new to Ashtanga the instructor will lead you through the primary series but don’t be surprised if others in the room moving at their own pace.

Bikram

This style of yoga is practiced in a heated room (104° F) and will work out your entire body. There

Bikram

are only 26 postures and two breathing exercises to learn, but be prepared to move and sweat in this energizing class. Pro tip: Bring water and a towel.

Chair

Chair yoga classes are for anyone who finds it difficult to get up and down from the floor. If you are recovering from an injury or surgery, or if for any other reason sitting on the floor is difficult or impossible, this class is for you.

Hot

Hot classes can be many different styles practiced in a heated room.

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Iyengar

B.K.S. Iyengar developed and popularized this style of yoga. Be prepared to spend time focusing on proper alignment for each pose. To find proper alignment props of all different kinds are utilized. Postures are usually held for longer periods of time allowing the practitioner to breath in the pose and find balance.

Kundalini

Postures, breathwork, meditation and chanting - Kundalini will increase your consciousness as well as energize your body. There is a strong focus on spirituality and mindfulness in this class. Sat nam. “I am truth.�

Restorative

Prepare to relax and unwind but also to stretch and release. Almost

Restorative

all restorative classes will utilize props to maintain balance and support while postures are held for up to five minutes or more.

Slackline Yoga

Yoga has many benefits including teaching balance and concentration. Slackline takes balance and concentration literally. This form of asana (posture) practice takes place on a 1-inch piece of webbing lightly tensioned between two anchors. Be prepared for a challenge.

Vinyasa

One breath one movement is the general feeling of a Vinyasa class. Postures are usually linked so that you flow from one posture to the next. Do you like sun salutations?

You might like Vinyasa. Vinyasa classes are usually faster paced than others, and no two vinyasa classes are the same. There are often different levels of this style of class.

Slackline

You may want to ask the teacher about level of difficulty before you sign up, especially if you are new to the practice.

Yin

You will spend almost the entire class either seated on your mat or lying down. Postures are held for longer periods of time during this passive and slow-paced class. This class is great for

athletes as it complements vigorous exercise. â–

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SELF STUDY

10 Titles for Self Improvement You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment

by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Book of Joy

by Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Carlton Abrams

In this book Thich Nhat Hanh, the renowned Zen monk, author, and meditation master,

Two spiritual giants. Five days.

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exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them— they are two of the most joyful people on the planet.

Perfectly Imperfect: The Art and Soul of Yoga Practice by Baron Baptiste

Meditations

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Perfectly Imperfect: The Art and Soul of Yoga

World-changing ideas meet

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The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz In The Four Agreements, bestselling author don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of selflimiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.

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SELF STUDY

The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time

by Arianna Huffington We are in the midst of a sleep deprivation crisis, writes Arianna Huffington, the co-founder and editor in chief of The Huffington Post. And this has profound consequences – on our health, our job performance, our relationships and our happiness. What is needed, she boldly asserts, is nothing short of a sleep revolution.

Only by renewing our relationship with sleep can we take back control of our lives.

Joy on Demand: The Art of Discovering the Happiness Within by Chade-Meng Tan Joy is the root of happiness.

Joy is a sustainable state that fuels our creativity and inspiration for innovation. It strengthens our ability to attract friends and to get along with people. Learning to cultivate joy is the fundamental secret to success. In this long-awaited follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Search Inside Yourself, ChadeMeng Tan shows us how anyone, no matter where they are, can access this source of happiness.

Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom

by B.K.S. Iyengar, John J. Evans, Douglas Abrams B.K.S. Iyengar―hailed as "the Michelangelo of yoga" (BBC) and considered by many to be the most important living yoga master―has spent much of his life introducing the modern world to the ancient practice of yoga. Yoga's popularity is soaring, but its widespread acceptance as an exercise for physical fitness and the recognition of its health benefits have not been matched by an understanding of the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development that the yogic tradition can also offer. In Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar brings readers this new and more complete understanding of the yogic journey. Written with the depth of this sage's great wisdom, Light on Life is the culmination of a master's spiritual genius, a treasured companion to his seminal Light on Yoga.

Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life

by Susan David, PhD The path to personal and professional fulfillment is rarely straight. Ask anyone who has achieved his or her biggest goals or whose relationships thrive and you’ll hear stories of many unexpected detours along the way. What separates those who master these challenges and those who get derailed? The answer is agility—emotional agility.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.

Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams. ■

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SANSKRIT

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SANSKRIT

drishti “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”

- George Lucas

By Purvi Lippincott

Have you ever caught yourself staring off into the distance while lost in thought? Something might catch your line of sight and you snap back to reality. Other times you look up and realize someone is staring back at you. Whatever the circumstance, when we reduce the sensory experience so that everything else fades away we are using drishti, even if we didn’t know it. Drishti is a yogic gaze used to focus, to see past layers of thought to the most central point of being. To immerse yourself in a moment.

Drishti is a tool used in yoga practices that can help you concentrate and maintain presence when the thoughts start creeping in. When close to the ground we may look somewhere on the Earth. When standing and balancing we may look straight ahead or even above to intensify the challenge. Always available to us in any pose is the opportunity to close the eyes, look to the back of the eyelids or focus on the mind’s eye, internally looking to the place above and between the eyebrows. Wherever you may look, it is important to find something that is still and not moving so the mind can hone in and less likely to be distracted.

There are nine specific drishtis, but it could be argued that there are an endless amount of these gazes. It varies with each asana (posture) in your practice. You can work your way through the eight limb path of yoga, which helps to deepen the practice, giving us better technique in the journey to the end goal of yoga, Samadhi.

Samadhi is the final stage in which we transcend our Self and become one with all that is. The asana practice helps us work

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towards self-observation. This allows us to turn so far inward and away from all the sensory experiences. We can concentrate with focus and intent, which eventually leads us to a deep meditation that guides us to this last stage of enlightenment.

Meditation, postures and breathing techniques are various aspects of yoga that incorporate drishti to dig deeper. We can utilize this yogic tool in helping us become one-pointed in mind, keeping the mind from running off with our thoughts. This intentional gaze allows you to combat the scattering of the mind which is often the biggest obstacle in finding presence. Yoga does not free us from our thoughts, but keeps us from attaching to any thought in particular.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, an ancient yogic text, breaks down the eight limbs through the second pada (book/chapter). It is early on that the Patanjali shares the purpose of our yoga. Sutra 1.2 says “Yogas Citta Vitti Nirodhah.” Translated, this means “the restraints of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga”.

Some would say that if you have reduce the chatter of the mind, than you have reached the goal of yoga. The entire science of yoga is based on this philosophy. To free ourselves and find inner stillness, we use yoga. Allow drishti to help keep you from the distractions.

“The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress.” Ramana Maharshi ■

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HOW YOGA CHANGED ME

How Yoga Changed Me

An Introduction to Self-Love

By Kristine Camron

I am not the same person that I was before I found yoga. I still remember walking into my first yoga class with Erin at Invoke Studio. I was diagnosed with cancer the day before. I hung up the phone with the doctor’s office and I sat in my car in shock, disbelief, and fear. I started to cry. I had scorned organized religion years before. I wasn’t ready to step back into a church to reconnect to God. Then I heard a voice whisper to me that I needed to find my way back to a higher power. The next day I walked into my first yoga class.

My mat became my safe haven. It was the only place where I could get away from the hectic pace of my life and connect to my breath and still my mind.

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Yoga was my first step towards rekindling my spirituality practice.

Like most new yoga students, I hid in the back of the room and watched the people in front of me in order to learn the various yoga poses. My lack of flexibility made the yoga class difficult for me, but after the class was over, my heart felt lighter and I was able to let go of my fears about my upcoming cancer treatment.

At the time of my cancer diagnosis, I was 37, a partner in a large law firm, a mother to three young boys and married to my second husband. My life was consumed with client demands, networking events, community volunteering and family obligations. My life was not my own and the stress of the situation had made me sick. I needed to start taking care of myself.

After my recovery from cancer treatment I started going to yoga regularly. It was slow at first because I was still physically healing from my surgery. Eventually I was going to yoga several times a week. My mat became

my safe haven. It was the only place where I could get away from the hectic pace of my life and connect to my breath and still my mind. As my mind became quieter, I was able to hear the inner voice that I had ignored for many years. Yoga teaches us to be open to receiving guidance from the inner voice. As I allowed myself to listen, my life changed dramatically.

By all outward appearances, before my yoga practice, my life appeared to be picture perfect. But on the inside, I was miserable. I began to realize that the life I had created didn’t reflect who I truly am and how I wanted to live my life. I lived in fear that I was not “good enough” and therefore was not worthy of love and happiness in my life. My fear of not being good enough drove me to look to others for approval and love by taking actions to please them and make them happy. However, during this process of making everyone else happy, I had forgotten who I was and what I wanted in life. I was hopelessly lost, so I hid behind a mask of a successful professional woman who “had it all.” But deep down, I was a mess. I lacked self-confidence and, more importantly, self-love.

Through yoga and the teachers that I met, I was introduced to selflove. I started taking care of myself and made key changes in my life.

I returned to work after my cancer treatment, but it wasn’t business as usual. I was committed to protecting my health, so I set boundaries with clients and colleagues in order to keep a more sane work schedule.

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HOW YOGA CHANGED ME

I stepped away from volunteer positions that were not fulfilling to me.

And most painfully, I chose to end my marriage with my husband. The changes that I made were incredibly difficult and my yoga mat served as a place of solace where I could find comfort, shed tears and breathe.

Yoga has continued to play a major role in the evolution of my life. Earlier this year I became certified as a yoga teacher. I wanted to share the lessons that I learned (and still continue to learn) along my life path.

Perhaps it is a bit of the legal advisor in me who wants to provide support and guidance to others as they endure setbacks and overcome obstacles on their own journey. Teaching yoga ignited a spark inside of me that was long missing, and I found my passion in helping others on their yoga mat.

I recently took another step on my yoga journey by opening kOMpose Yoga in November 2016. kOMpose

Yoga is located in Broad Ripple and its mission is to create a positive space for individuals to construct and compose the steps of their life journey, by engaging in an unique process of self-discovery and transformation.

Yoga helped me shed the mask that I hid behind for so many years. Yoga helped me to reconnect to my true, authentic self and find my passion.

Yoga led me to my passion, which is teaching yoga and personal coaching, incorporating all that I have learned from my personal and professional transformation. I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the opportunities and lessons that yoga has brought into my life. I am looking forward to the next steps of my yoga journey with an open heart and an open mind. Sat nam. ■

KRISTINE CAMRON

Yoga Teacher and Life Coach (Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher (RYT200) Kristine has nearly twenty years of experience advising entrepreneurs, startups and growing companies on various legal issues. Counseling people is at the heart of who she is. Kristine found yoga during her battle with cancer. Yoga helped her to heal physically, emotionally and spiritually during that challenging time in her life. Yoga blessed Kristine’s life in many amazing ways and she has a strong passion for sharing the gift of yoga with others.

Kristine recently opened kOMpose Yoga in Broad Ripple. Kristine’s style of teaching unites conscious breathing with dynamic yoga poses to create a vinyasa flow that focuses on proper alignment, building strength and creating flexibility, both in the mind and in the body. Throughout the practice, she incorporates empowering messages along with modern day life lessons to create a space that allows students to explore their own unique journey of self-discovery and transformation and reconnect to their inner spirit.

zionsville | speedway | danville

march 26–november 26, 2017 www.peacethroughyoga.com

200-hour teacher training INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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DIRECTORY OF STUDIOS

Indiana Yoga Studios CENTRAL

LAFAYETTE Pink Lotus Yoga Studio

ANDERSON Yoga for Everyone 12 E Cross St

CRAWFORDSVILLE

inYoga 605 Ohio St, Ste 216

2139A Ferry Street

Sunshine Yoga 527 Main St

Zen Cat Yoga

MUNCIE

5127 1/2 S. US Hwy. 41

zencatyogaterrehaute.com

Lotus Wellness Center 814 West White River Blvd

Finish Strong Studio 1323 Darlington Ave

finishstrongstudio.com • 765-376-6552

Quest for Balance 2886 US Hwy 231 S

Studio Exhale 103 N High St

RICHMOND Community Yoga

GREENCASTLE

480 W Navajo St, Ste B

communityyogalafayette.com • 765-201-0494

Serendipity Yoga Studio 3875 W County Rd 250 N

KOKOMO

M Power Yoga Journey Yoga 424 N 10th St

journey-yoga.com • 765-969-3793

SHELBYVILLE Bodyworks Kokomo 3717 South Reed Rd (back door) bodyworks-studio.com • 317-920-9642

Moving Toward Balance

WEST LAFAYETTE

Pure Motion 9 Public Sq

TERRE HAUTE

1020 Sagamore Parkway W, Ste D

Tenley Studio 332 Main St, Ste B

Yoga Balance The Morton Center, 222 North Chauncey Ave

YORKTOWN

1620 W Defenbaugh St

Peace of Yoga 3905 Southland Ave

Common Ground CrossFit + Yoga 1625 South 25th St

commongroundcrossfitandyoga.com 812-208-8946

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The Corner Mat 2005 S Tiger Dr

thecornermat.com

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

DIRECTORY OF STUDIOS

INDY METRO CARMEL

Peace Through Yoga 134 S. Washington

peacethroughyoga.com • 317-753-1266

FISHERS Body Mind & Core 1344 S Rangeline Rd

Breathing Space Yoga 5026 E 62nd St

breathingspace.yoga • 317-900-2312

Christian Theological Seminary Yoga School 1000 W 42nd St

Flourish Yoga and Wellbeing 10138 Brooks School Rd

bodymindandcore.com • 317-696-0720

CITYOGA School of Yoga & Health 2442 Central Ave

cityoga.biz • 317-920-9642

Indy Balance 404 W Main St

Dragonfly 360 Yoga & Wellness

indybalance.com

Source Yoga

Inwelligent

sourceyoga.net • 317-915-9642

1724 E 86th St

8609 E 116th St

13420 N Meridian

Shamrock Wellness 14535 Hazel Dell Parkway

GREENWOOD Evolutions @ Yoga

Embarque Yoga Therapy & Wellness 5345 Winthrop Ave, Ste E

embarqueyoga.com • 317-762-9642

2801 Fairview Place

The Hub by ProMotion Fitness

Studio You 862 South SR 135 Ste I

620 S Rangeline Rd

thehubindy.com • 317-914-4316

The Yoga Studio 736 Hanover Place

DANVILLE

INDIANAPOLIS

Heartfulness/Healing Arts Indy 805 S Meridian St

en-us.heartfulness.org • 317-955-7811

BodySpace 1315 Shelby St, Ste B

Breath Life Yoga 8202 Clearvista Parkway, Ste 8C

Inner Peace Yoga Center Hendricks Regional Health 998 E Matin St

5098 E 56th St

innerpeaceyoga.com • 317-257-9642

hendricks.org/YOGA • 317-718-8160

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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DIRECTORY OF STUDIOS

PENDLETON Invoke Studio

The Hot Room - Downtown

970 Fort Wayne Ave

305 E New York St

invokestudio.com • 317-631-9642

Exhale Yoga 207 W State St, Ste B

indyhotroom.com • 317-650-7736

PLAINFIELD Invoke Wellness Cetner 1315 W 86th St, Ste D

invokewellnesscenter.com/yoga • 317-802-1374

Irvington Wellness Center 17 N Layman

The Hot Room - Uptown 3855 E 96th St

indyhotroom.com • 317-650-7736

The Playful Soul 6516 N Ferguson

The Yoga Studio 6245 N College Ave

Rejuva Wellness and Yoga 1915 Gladden Rd

rejuvawellness.com • 317-520-2210

SHELBYVILLE Pure Motion

JCC - Community Yoga School

9 Public Sq

6701 Hoover Rd

jccindy.org/yoga • 317-251-9467

Karma Yoga Williams Creek Area

Tree House Yoga

SPEEDWAY

22 E 16th St

treehouseindy.com • 317-602-7707

Yogaworx 4550 Central Ave

kOMpose 6201 Winthrop Ave

LEBANON

Metta Yoga Initiative

1475D W 86th St

peacethroughyoga.com • 317-753-1266

ZIONSVILLE

3125 E 10th St

Mindful Movement Studio

Peace Through Yoga 1032 Main Street, Suite B

A Yoga Lounge Indiana Yoga Studio

4400 Weston Pointe Dr, Ste 120

116 N Lebanon St

indianayogastudio.com • 317-225-7867

Nourish Wellness 826 W. 64th St

nourishwellness.com • 317-524-2266

Practice Indie

MARTINSVILLE Breathe & Flow Yoga 188 E Morgan St

922 N Capitol St

NOBLESVILLE

Santosha

Shine Yoga

8580 Cedar Place Dr #120

833 Conner St

Studio G Lafayette Square Mall

76

Blooming Life Yoga Studio & School 30 S Elm St

bloominglifeyoga.com • 317-800-4037

Peace Through Yoga 575 S. Main Street

peacethroughyoga.com • 317-753-1266

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

DIRECTORY OF STUDIOS

DECATUR

Simply Yoga 260 S 1st St

NORTHWEST

MICHIGAN CITY Sacred Dunes Alternative Health 410 Wabash St

CEDAR LAKE

SHERERVILLE

Love and Light Yoga Studio

YOUnique Yoga of NWI

13115 Wicker Ave

CHESTERTON Bleu Lotus Yoga 326 Indian Boundary Rd

East Wind Studio 101 Second St

Yoga Mecca 1587 S Calumet Rd

CROWN POINT Salt Mine Yoga 121 N Main St

354 E Lincoln Highway

VALPARAISO Asana Yoga Center 155 Linocolnway

YOUnique Yoga of NWI 65 W 112th Ave

4403 N Calumet Ave

Yoga Sukha Shala 505 Don Hovery Dr

YOUnique Yoga of NWI 70 Lincolnway

NORTHERN ANGOLA Bike and Soul

Shakti Yoga & Wellness 225 W Maumee St

PurePower Hot Yoga 2645 Main St

ELKHART Tree of Life Yoga Center 29666 County Rd 10 W Yoga Bodyworks 224 S Main St

FORT WAYNE Fusion Yoga 6382 Jefferson Blvd W

Hot Yoga Fort Wayne 1202 W Main St

MYoga

Simply Yoga Fort Wayne 918 Woodland Plaza Run

Studio Seva 3511 N. Anthony

Urban Body Yoga 4930 Illinois R. Suite F1

Hot Yoga Highland 9001 Indianapolis Blvd.

decaturdowndog.com • 260-724-9642

6208 Covington Rd

120 North Public Square

HIGHLAND

164 S 2nd St

The Lotus Center

The Yoga Room 418 N Main St

Decatur Downdog

AUBURN

West Central Yoga 727 Union St

Yes You Can Fitness 500 S Grandstaff Ste D

Yoga on 45th 2008 45th St

COLUMBIA CITY LA PORTE Barn Sante

Laughting Lotus

Pranayoga Insitute of Yoga and Holistic Health

1746 S 350 W

1301 Lafayette St

pranayogaschool.com • 260-627-9642

1612 W 400 S

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

77

DIRECTORY OF STUDIOS

NEW HAVEN

Evansville Power Yoga

Pranayoga Insitute of Yoga and Holistic Health 10329 Illinois Rd

pranayogaschool.com • 260-627-9642

4814 Tippecanoe Drive Monarch Yoga 512 Broadway Ste 102

monarchyogastudio.com • 260-467-3152

GOSHEN Spacious Heart Yoga 302 S Main St, Ste 1

PERU

Beyond Zen Studio 318 Toscana Boulevard

LOGANSPORT

Evansville Yoga Center 1421 Main St

Yoga 101 2800 Lincoln Avenue

Joyful Yoga 10 S Wabash

GRANGER

evansvillepoweryoga.com • 812-449-2239

The Breathing Room 1936 W Airport Rd

ROANOKE

HUNTINGBURG Yes Power Yoga 412 E 4th St

VINCENNES Elements

Powers of One

4 North 2nd St

151 1/2 N Main St

powersofone.com • 260-494-0222

Bodyworks Logansport 213 S 3rd St

bodyworks-studio.com • 574-398-1401

SOUTH BEND Dhanwantari Center for Yoga & Well-Being 402 W Washington St

MISHAWAKA

WARSAW

Solace Yoga Studio

Warsaw's Secret

620 W Edison Rd St 132

601 E Smith St, Ste A

SOUTHERN BATESVILLE b inspired yoga 304 E Pearl St

BLOOMINGTON Bloomington Body Bar

MONTICELLO

SOUTHWEST

1543 S Piazza Dr

Ekah Yoga 615 N Fairview St

EVANSVILLE Bodyworks Monticello 101 Main St

bodyworks-studio.com • 574-870-0258

78

Bliss Yoga 600 N. Weinbach

Enlighten Wellness Yoga 4001 E 3rd St

Know Yoga Know Peace 234 North Morton St

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

DIRECTORY OF STUDIOS

Touchstone Yoga & Massage 2864 E Buick Cadillac Blvd

HELMSBURG Barefoot Yoga 2082 SR 45

JEFFERSONVILLE Vibe Yoga vibeyogastudio.com • 812-335-9642

116 1/2 S College Ave

1931 E Spring St

Pure Bikram 824 University Woods Dr, Ste 1

PAOLI Healing Arts Center of Southern Indiana

1705 N College Ave

Yoga Mala

Lionflow Yoga

10 E Court St

Inner Spring Yoga 335 Spring St

isyoga.me • 812-207-2070

COLUMBUS Uptown Yoga

NASHVILLE

422 1/2 5th St

Zen Fitness 331 Franklin St

CORYDON

Riverlight Yoga 61 W Main St

www.riverlightyoga.com • 812-988-9642

Yoga on Ridley 400 Ridley St

NEW ALBANY FLOYDS KNOB FlowMotion 3413 Paoli Pike

Dawn to Dusk Yoga 3660 Paoli Pike, Ste 2

Inner Spring Yoga 137 E Market St

isyoga.me • 812-207-2070

The yoga studios shown with logos above are Official Distributors of this publication. Please visit indyyogi.com for our online directory which includes Studios, Independent Yoga Instructors, Yoga Retail, Nonprofit Organizations and much more.

For questions about the Indiana Yoga Studio Directory, becoming a distributor, advertising, sponsorship, or this magazine, email yogi@indyyogi.com.

INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

79

POETRY

Poetry Oh, Feet!

I remember the beat of childhood: one foot, then two, when you hopscotched across the sidewalk after a rock.

And that year when my palms sweated holding my partner in the middle school gym, you traced the outlines of a new box.

How you gained your cha-cha confidence, cut loose your own jitterbug snap.

And in high school, marching in my new dress shoes my dad bought for me and when I took them off to blisters, red and sore, he called you barking dogs.

O feet, 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles, one hundred ligaments. Distant cousin to fin, you speak the alphabet of pleasure, barefoot in sand and sea; then talk the math of engineering, toeing my lover’s side of the bed.

O my jaunty swingers, my forward thinkers, my shock absorbers, leaf rustlers, pencil-picker uppers, with you, I bear the weight of the ages.

Even as I kick up my heels, and click in the air, you land firmly planted on the ground.

Do not become callous or flimsy as lace. Take me to that chocolate shop in town, to the gallery at the square, to the Jazz Kitchen on the avenue.

—Bonnie Maurer

BONNIE MAURER

Bonnie Maurer, MFA, poetry, IU, is the author of the following chapbooks: Reconfigured, Finishing Line Press, 2009; Ms. Lily Jane Babbitt Before the Ten O’clock Bus from Memphis Ran Over Her, Ink Press, 1979 and Raintree Press,1979; Old 37: The Mason Cows, Barnwood Press, 1981; and Bloodletting: A Ritual Poem for Women’s Voices, Ink Press, 1983.

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INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2

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