Yoga for Peace: Spring 2017

SPRING 2017

for peace yoga

5 a contemplative practice 9 from political pain to peaceful power

13 actions for peace 21 an immunity boost

CHoose how you grow

FESTIVAL 2017

NEW BO CITY MARKEt / Cedar RApids, IA

2

• SPRING 2017

friday, AUGUST 11TH SATURDAY, AUGUST 12TH

YOGA Music Community www.fieldsofyogis.org

letter from the general manager If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. We all have heard this voice at one time or another. When first approached about YogaIowa, writing was the scariest part for me. But then I just started writing.

When you first walked into a yoga class, the voice telling you "no" was louder, but then as you practiced, you found a new voice inspiring you to become better, lighter, compassionate, and more loving. We’ve all walked in with a set agenda of becoming more fit or losing a few pounds, but the reason we come back to the mat is not the same. We find that yoga is so much more than a practice. We look for these same attributes outside the mat in family and work life. And I hope you continue to look for those same attributes in YogaIowa, as we show yoga in all realms of life. As YogaIowa grows, I hope to bring that connection of our world around us into We find that yoga each issue. is so much more

than a practice. We Peace is this idea we all look for these same strive for and become familiar with as the path attributes outside to enlightenment. And the mat in family throughout this issue, and work life. we hope you'll find inspiration to uncover that in everyday society. Our path to enlightenment is often found on the road we took to avoid it. While we may sometimes try to eliminate the chaos surrounding us and—and the chaos in our heads—when forced to sit and mindfully listen to it, we may finally hear the stillness that guides to a higher sense of self.

I’m so blessed and honored to overcome my fear and become so much more than I’ve ever known. Thank you for this opportunity to be your new general manager.

Sheree Clark, EdM., AADP, CHHC, is an inspiring author, television show host, health coach, and raw vegan chef (fork-road.com). She's written about and presented on topics ranging from raw food 101 to overcoming career burnout.

Currently, she hosts a television show called "Fork in the Road with Sheree Clark" and advises private practice health and nutrition clients.

Eric Gutschmidt is a Cedar Rapids-based real estate developer and owner of Gutschmidt Properties who's been practicing yoga for 12 years. In his free time, he started Backpackers United (backpackersunitedtravel.org) and partnered with a local charity to lead international backpacking trips to promote crosscultural exposure.

Evan Harris, RYT, LMSW, co-owns tapas yoga shala (tapasyogashala.com) in Rock Island, IL with his wife, Kelly. He's also a licensed social worker. He's studied yoga and meditation traditions extensively since 2002 including several trainings and retreats in India and South Asia. Connect on social media @evan78.

Driven by a deeply-held belief that clear, authentic communication is at the heart of good relationships, Christine Hawes has worked for 20+ years in the fields of journalism, public and media relations, and political consulting. She specializes in topics related to education, alternative health, spirituality, government, and arts/ entertainment. Learn more at ChristineHawes.com.

Dana Hinders first became interested in practicing yoga as a way to naturally cope with her anxiety and depression. She's currently a full-time freelance writer living in Clarksville, experienced with a variety of topics and platforms. Learn more at danahinders.com.

YogaIowa's Managing Editor Tracey L. Kelley, E-RYT 500, teaches at her boutique yoga studio in South Des Moines and specializes in working with beginning students. Tracey is also the founder of re: communications, a firm focused on improving communication through mindful listening. Find her at recommunicationsmedia.com.

Theresa Macdonald has pursued photography for most of her life. After being introduced to YogaIowa while studying graphic journalism at Grand View University, she became a marketing assistant for Des Moines Parks and Recreation. Theresa has a passion for photography and loves capturing happy moments.

Zak Neumann is the staff photographer for Little Village magazine. He's been an avid photographer since high school, and his favorite subject to capture in the lens is live music. He and his wife, Tabetha, live in Iowa City with their two cats and a dog.

Julie M. Poore is an E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP, and a fulltime pastor of Osceola United Methodist Church. She teaches four-to-six yoga classes a week, and enjoys offering workshops for children, teens, and adults in a variety of settings. Sharing the blessings of yoga with others brings her deep joy.

Matthew Steele is publisher of Little Village magazine in Iowa City and now, YogaIowa. His grandmother was a pioneer in journalism and yoga. In the 1930s, she was among the first women to have her own office at the San Francisco Chronicle, and she began her yoga practice in the 1920s, never stopping until she passed away at age 95 in 2006.

Melissa Stukenholtz of Gorman House Photography (gormanhousephoto.com) lives on a farm in rural Jamaica with her two dogs, one cat, and 17 organic freerange chickens. Yoga, meditation, healthy meals, and enlightening conversations are a few of her favorite things.

In our Winter 2017 issue, the lovely photo of Beatriz Marina Garcia didn't appear in her "Off the Mat" feature as intended. So here she is.

Photo by Theresa Macdonald.

• SPRING 2017

Mackenzie (Ken) Appleby of Cedar Rapids, LGBTQ advocate and camp director of Camp Bow Wow & Home Buddies, with her pals Stella and Cambrian. Photo by Zak Neumann.

Correction

3

On Our Cover

You are Invited!

Meet & Greet with the New YogaIowa Staff When

Friday, April 28 @ 4-6 pm Where

Jasper Winery

2400 George Flagg Pkwy Des Moines, IA Who

Our readers, contributors, friends, and supporters RSVP on our Facebook Events page or by emailing angela@yoga-iowa.com

We are so grateful to all!

Great

Join us in celebrating five years of Giveaways producing an amazing statewide yoga publication. As one chapter closes, we extend our gratitude and thanks to all who have supported YogaIowa over the past five years. Each issue would not have been possible without your trust and loyalty.

Complimentary Wine

In addition, we’re excited to welcome and introduce the new YogaIowa staff and debut their first issue.

Please stop by to share food, wine and friendship, and meet and mingle with the new staff.

Beer

& Snacks

Matthew Steele, Publisher Ally Thompson, General Manager Ad Sales Natalia Araujo, Graphic Design & Billing Jordan Sellergren, Art Director

4

• SPRING 2017

Tracey Kelley, Managing Editor

2017 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Jasper Winery Begins Thursday, May 11 from 6-9 Check out the lineup at: jasperwinery.com

SPRING 2017 VOLUME 5, NUMBER 2 P UB L ISH ER Matthew Steele GENER AL MANAGER Ally Thompson MANAGING ED ITO R Tracey L. Kelley ART D IR ECTIO N Natalia Araujo CO P Y ED ITO R Becky Langdon ADV ERTISING R EP R ESEN TAT IVE S Matthew Steele Ally Thompson Sarah Driscoll Jav Ducker Frankie Schneckloth

Comments & submissions

ADV ISO RY B OAR D Angela Banowetz Ossian, founder, YogaIowa magazine Sheree Clark, holistic health and nutritional coach Diane Glass, facilitator, Tending Your Inner Garden Dennis Kelly, founder of Yoga in the Park and Meditation Around Town, Des Moines

Advertise

Send comments, story ideas, calendar submissions, press releases & public announcements: editors@yoga-iowa.com FIELD EDITORS: Central Iowa: Linsey Birusingh thehumblehedonist@gmail.com Cedar Rapids: Kim Reed dancingbuddha@gmail.com Dubuque: Shelia O’Laughlin sheliaolaughlin@mchsi.com Quad Cities: Emilene Leone emileneleone@me.com Western Iowa: Trishia Gill trishia@evolvesiouxcity.com

Ally Thompson, General Manager Ally@LittleVillageMag.com (319) 640-0091

Subscribe YogaIowa is available free of charge at Iowa yoga studios and more than 400 locations throughout central Iowa. To order an annual subscription delivered to your door, please send $15 to

HELP US CONSERVE RESOURCES. Share this publication with a friend.

Recycle it when you are done.

yoga-iowa.com

Subscription-YogaIowa, 623 S. Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52240. For changes of address and other inquiries, contact us in writing at the address above, or subscriptions@yoga-iowa.com. To request delivery to your business, contact editors@yoga-iowa.com.

@YOGAIOWA @YOGAIOWA_MAGAZINE YogaIowa is published four times annually by Little Village, LLC. 623 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240 Copyright 2017 Little Village LLC. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission by the publisher. All rights reserved. Little Village assumes no liability for damage or loss. Locally owned, locally minded.

Printed in Webster City, IA

Find Solace and Strength in a Contemplative Practice

BY EVAN HARRIS Tragedy and trouble find us all, sooner or later, even living in the most stable, wealthy, and just societies in history. What do the perennial wisdom traditions have to say about optimal living in difficult times? hey tell us that circumstances come and go, improve and collapse, ebb and flow, but through it all the mind is the turning point. On the deepest level, we possess the same minds as our ancestors. While the content of our challenges may be different than theirs, the contours are the same: gain and loss, fulfillment and disappointment, uncertainty and impermanence.

Luckily, we needn’t renounce to a monastery to encounter this wisdom; it’s all around us and part of our conscious culture. Here’s the caveat: intellectual understanding is fast and easy, but to benefit from this wisdom we must dig into the practices and engage with our struggles.

Here’s a five-point plan for conscious living practices in troubled times: Acceptance vs. action. Perhaps the greatest confusion for modern, lay practitioners is the question of how much to focus on acceptance of reality as it is vs. focus on changing those circumstances. How can we “be here now,” not running away from our problems, yet want to change our lives and solve those problems in the real world?

Here’s the golden rule: work to change the outside, learn to observe the inside.

In meditation practices such as vipassana or mindfulness of breathing, learn to simply allow emotional states—even “bad” emotions—to be felt resonating in the body, as a kind of energy. A lump in the throat or a heavy heart can be experienced intimately without any need to make them go The entire tradition away. You will find that they pass on their own.

Lay the groundwork. The time to cultivate a strong yoga practice is now. A regular practice gradually (and permanently) raises our capacity to be responsive rather than reactive in our lives. If and when something unwanted comes along, you’ll be prepared, and even if it doesn’t, you’ll find there’s not an upper limit to the finegrain improvement you can make in day-to-day living.

of asceticism is about creating and joyfully engaging with adversity to foster emotional and spiritual growth.

The body knows. Yoga postures offer an opportunity to feel in our bodies the qualities we would like in our lives: strength, flexibility, balance, equanimity, focus, determination, nurturing, healing, ease, poise, relaxation—the list goes on. These qualities become real experiences in our bodies in real time; they take on a depth far beyond the ideas of those qualities.

Break it down. Train yourself to realize that when life overwhelms you, it’s a red flag, and make time to stop and take stock. All experience is made of images, sounds, and sensations. That’s it. Breathe deeply and choose one of these threads to follow, trying to ignore the others. Track the sensations of the breath or the sounds in the room while you get your bearings.

The hidden gem. We grow through adversity. The entire tradition of asceticism is about creating and joyfully engaging with adversity to foster emotional and spiritual growth. When difficulty comes into our life, we can decide to step up and make this too part of our practice.

5

• SPRING 2017

Living a conscious life doesn’t mean being passive. Contemplatives have often worked to change and improve lives though charity and social activism. The same is true today, and practitioners can and should step up and improve their own and others’ circumstances. Ethics is a contact sport. But as hard as you work for change on the outside, you must learn to experience the flow of thoughts and emotions on the inside without interference.

GONG FU TEA

®

140 LOOSE-LEAF TEAS | ACCESSORIES | GIFTS

AP

1 2- H R S A L I R L

yoga

E

COUNTDOWN

Quality yoga products at great prices!

RETHINK YOUR DRINK 414 EAST SIXTH STREET, DES MOINES, IOWA 515 288 3388 WWW.GONGFU-TEA.COM

APR

18 2017 CODE: YOGA10

FROM 6AM-6PM

20

www.shanti.fitness

Lucid Buddha | Atelier ART • HEART • MIND • BODY

CARRIE MAHONEY Mixed Media Artist | Pilates Instructor

319 389 0292 Historic Shores Building 700 16th St NE, Ste 304 Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 LucidBuddhaAtelier@gmail.com Lucid Buddha Atelier Lucid Buddha Shop

On your road to health and wellness, we meet you where you are.

• Specializing in the Gonstead Technique • The only woman Chiropractor in the Historic East Village • Focusing on women’s healthcare needs

• SPRING 2017

help you on a better road to health.

515.868.6155 Dr. Penny Hanson

6

855 East Court Avenue • Ste 4 Des Moines, IA 50309 twolanechirodsm.squarespace.com

% off

For a Better World, First Heal Inside

BY CHRIS HAWES orld peace starts with inner peace—and there's perhaps no greater advocate of this worldview than Max Strom. Respected internationally as a motivational speaker and author, Strom has practiced and taught yoga since 1991. He travels the world sharing his insight on how to attain true happiness in a society increasingly obsessed with technological shortcuts.

Photo via Max Strom

Fresh from a talk to the World Government Summit in Dubai and yoga workshops in Nuremberg, Strom expands in this Q&A on how yogis can do more to guide others toward the true inner peace needed to soothe an increasingly turbulent world.

At the heart of your guidance to yogis is to "live the daily experience of a meaningful life." How can pursuing this goal help people foster greater peace in the world at large?

Max Strom returns to Iowa to present:

An Introduction to Inner Axis Saturday, April 29—8:30 - 10:30 am

Crisis is the Axis for Transformation Saturday, April 29—11:00 - 12:30 pm

ONENESS: The Art of Teaching Yoga From a Universal Platform Saturday, April 29—2:00 - 4:00 pm His system, Inner Axis, is a daily life practice—a breathing system that's a synthesis of yoga, qi gong, and movement therapy. Learn more at maxstrom.com.

But at some point, you pay for that with your health. And if you lose your health, you lose everything. It's like having a car with a defect. If we don't fix it immediately, it may still last awhile, but eventually collapses, and then the damage is much greater.

What are some principles of yoga that can be most useful in building better connections with people with whom we differ?

I introduce ideas in a way that a religious person or an atheist can both understand and agree upon. Instead of referring to God, I speak of the aspects of God: forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, happiness, and how to heal grief, anger, depression, and so on. I forgo using Sanskrit terms or chants, because that causes many people never to return to the practice.

A religious person or an atheist both deal with stress and thus, both need to learn to control and heal the nervous system. And both need to learn to forgive. To be clear: people can sometimes misunderstand, thinking that I mean we should water down our message to reach more people. No. There’s a vast difference between watering down, which means diluting your message, and distilling your message. When you distill your message, you remove anything unnecessary, leaving only the most potent essence, so it actually makes it more powerful, not less. Remove what divides people so that we can bring people together, because this world needs uniting now more than ever.

Many Americans are experiencing feelings of fear and anxiety as the world seemingly becomes more turbulent. What helps bolster your belief in enduring world peace?

I find there's so much news that people are missing a lot of the big stories of our time and are actually unaware of where the global society is heading and how it's going to be done.

We need to pay attention to the news, but identify what actual news is. Not just the most recent tragedy, fire, hurricane, or political arguments, but globally, what's actually going on? What's being invested in? We need to filter what we bring into our mind to make sure it's, like food, of the highest quality possible.

You've been known to describe social media as "the white sugar of our time:" never really satisfying, leaving us wanting more of it the more we partake. How can we integrate technology in our lives healthily and productively?

Technology can be a great tool for learning, but we have to make sure that the content we're learning is of the greatest value to us. Not just entertaining. If we record our verbal communications with people, we can improve our relationships. If we video record our interactions with people, we can improve our behavior and even put an end to destructive habits. But people rarely take “selfies” when they're angry, depressed, or having a panic attack. Couples don't video their arguments. We should. In this way, we can learn so much so quickly.

Also, if you want to be less isolated, which we all do, you have to be there in person. But it's not just your lover—it's your friends, it's your family.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

• SPRING 2017

April 28th-30th dubuqueyogafestival.com

7

Dubuque Yoga Festival

It's important to set priorities. Whatever is most important in life, I recommend writing it down and consistently analyzing it. It's possible to make your own wellbeing for a while, and to even think it's romantic by getting too little sleep or indulging in even more work.

Choosing Light

BY JULIE POORE n these days when every few minutes, something unbelievable comes across the news that infuriates, irritates, or frightens, it's puzzling to know how to react. It's challenging to discern a way to respond that's poignant and meaningful without going off the deep end.

Looking to Regain Your Health?

Homeopathy can get you back on your feet!

For more information, testimonials, and health enhancing strategies visit www.natural-wellness.us

Marybeth Buchele HMC, CCH, RSHom(NA)*

Professional Homeopath & Flower Essence Practitioner Certified CEASE Practitioner 17 years of Experience *Homeopathic Master Clinician Certified Classical Homeopathy Registered, The Society of Homeopaths (North America)

208 5th St., Ste. 203, Ames, IA 50010 www.natural-wellness.us

C E N T E R

515.233.6068 (landline)

ecospirituality retreat & conference center

s d o iewo rmation

r i ransfo a T d r n a P ace of Peace A Pl

offering programs & retreats focused on holistic health, ecology & spirituality

Receive 10% off any 2017 program or retreat with this ad!

Good for one event in 2017 for which Prairiewoods accepts registrations.

319-395-6700 • www.Prairiewoods.org

Bring Balance to Your Finances TAX PREPARATION FOR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS

8

• SPRING 2017

A strategic tax review of your financial position can greatly reduce your tax burden.

Call today for a free consultation.

STEVEN V. SMALL, CPA

4090 Westown Parkway, Ste. A1, West Des Moines 515-222-1735 | steve@stevesmallcpa.com

As a person who practices yoga as a spiritual discipline, sometimes I feel I walk a fine line. My gut reaction to some of the absurd situations popping up all around us is to put signs of protest in my yard; adhere bumper stickers to my car; march at the Capitol; go to town meetings and ask our legislators, “What the heck do you think you're doing?;” By seeking to and have intense, provocative live this way, I conversations with people feel I'm better who disagree or who choose prepared to to do nothing.

But, I cannot always do those things, or sometimes I choose not to do them.

be open to all people; to be better able to discern how to respond to the situations that I encounter in the chaos [...]

I'm not only a yoga instructor, but also a pastor of a mainline church. This makes my decision about how to respond to the world around me even more difficult at times. I have this inner dialogue about being authentic to myself as a yogapracticing progressive Christian, and speaking and acting in a way that allows my yoga students, my parishioners, my family and friends, and the world to continue to see the light within me and around me. I want to live in such a way that light and love are the auras around me, so that others may be blessed by that same light, love, and peace.

My children, niece, and nephew have lovingly accused me of being a “peace, love, and joy flower child." I gladly accept that designation. That's what I seek to be through my yoga and faith spirituality. I move through my daily practice of yoga, meditation, and reflections so that I may come to know Spirit more completely and be that peace, love, and joy.

By seeking to live this way, I feel I'm better prepared to be open to all people; to be better able to discern how to respond to the situations that I encounter in the chaos; and to live and love with the heart of the Spirit. Sometimes that means I march at the Capitol.

Sometimes it means I spend time in solitude and meditate. Sometimes it means I have intense, meaningful conversations. And sometimes, it means I simply have to live through the chaos and the puzzling twists and turns of our world with the peace of the Spirit.

From Political Pain to Peaceful Power

BY DANA HINDERS he 2016 presidential election was so tumultuous that it’s given birth to an unofficial name for a new mental health disorder—Post-Election Stress Disorder. Around the country, psychiatrists, therapists, and other mental health professionals have seen a spike in people saying their stress levels have increased as a result of the hostile political climate.

Democrats, Republicans, and Independents have all been affected.

Opening the Lines of Communication

Mary Miller, a private yoga instructor and retired psychiatrist from Quincy, IL, sympathizes with the feeling of anxiety and depression people have been experiencing since the election season. However, she says these emotions can’t be used as an excuse to argue needlessly with others. “To continue a relationship that’s not toxic, you need to set boundaries,” she says. “Getting Instead of spending into a fight won’t change anything. your time arguing with The literature shows you’re unlike to friends and family, change someone’s deeply-held views.

We’re all programmed to prioritize Miller urges you to information that confirms what we get involved with the already believe to be true, even when issues you feel most the facts turn out to be false.”

passionate about.

Instead of spending your time arguing with friends and family, Miller urges you to get involved with the issues you feel most passionate about. She feels activism efforts such as the recent Women’s March in Washington, DC are a positive way for people to deal with their conflicting feelings. “Feelings of helplessness and isolation fuel depression,” she says. “Take charge of the situation by looking for opportunities to make a difference. Call your representatives. Become active in movements that matter to you. Look for ways to change our culture.”

Sarah Neary is a licensed master social worker and yoga instructor with Body Moves in Coralville. She encourages you to remember that discussions won’t be productive unless you resist the urge to lecture and argue. “Be willing to actually discuss—which implies a give and take of openness, sharing, and listening without a righteous agenda,” she says. “This can be difficult, but if approached with genuine curiosity and openness for the other’s view, it’s quite healing and transformative.”

Remembering the Importance of Self-Care

When you’re feeling stressed, it’s easy to forget the importance of self-care.

However, your yoga practice can be used to cultivate a peaceful, nonreactive ground from which you can relate to others. Think of yoga as a break from our hyper-stimulated culture.

9

According to Miller, taking care of your body and mind will help you feel clear and centered. She recommends adapting each day’s practice to how you’re feeling at that particular moment in time. “Yoga is a wonderful self-care tool because it’s so flexible,” she says. “One day you may need a rigorous practice to work out your angst, but you can be more gentle when you’re feeling depleted. Sitting meditation lets you process fear and anxiety. Strive to use your practice to help process internal angst and figure out external actions.

Remember, we’re all in this together.”

• SPRING 2017

Neary recommends focusing on your breathing when you’re feeling anxious about the world around you. “Pranayama, or the practice of breath control, is a yogic practice with a lot of different strategies and exercises for changing the quality of the energy in a person,” she says. “For anxiety, simply bringing the attention to the breath, then lengthening the inhale and exhale in equal measure for several minutes brings a sense of calm and balance to the mind and body. These techniques can be done anywhere, anytime, and just like any other ‘prescription,’ should be taken regularly. I encourage people to use these yoga practices out in the world: in traffic, waiting in line, and certainly during these tumultuous political times and the heated encounters that can result.”

Soaring Crane Acupuncture

Chiropractic Traditions

RENEE DALRYMPLE

DR. NICHOLE RINEHART

Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine

Doctor of Chiropractic

Licensed Acupuncturist

New Student Yoga Package*

515.962.2015

515.962.9093

2 WEEKS UNLIMITED $25

We are mother/daughter team dedicated to your wellness. Call for an appointment today.

1517 N. 1st St • Indianola

Beginners Yoga Weekends APRIL 29–30 1-3 PM • $40 MAY 6–7 (Gentle) 1-3 PM • $40

42ND & ROLLINS • IN THE SHOPS AT ROOSEVELT

SHAKTIYOGADM.COM

*New students only. Limit one offer per student. Not valid for workshops or special events.

APRIL 20

COMMUNITY HEALING DAY

Cedar Rapids Public Library 2nd Floor, Rooms A and B

A safe and loving place of exploration, learning and transformation.

YOGA • MASSAGE • REIKI • CHIROPRACTIC

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, The Exhale Project is proud to offer a free day of healing for the community. www.exhaleproject.org

SHAMANISM MEDICAL INTUITION •

READINGS • SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE

12 - 1 pm Sound Healing Meditation 1 - 2 pm Mini Resource Fair and Expo 2 - 3 pm Trauma Informed Yoga class Limited mats are available; please bring a mat or blanket

Breathing Room Yoga will be offering free community classes at 6:30am and 9:30am at their location at 608 2nd Ave SE

At Illuminations, we provide a large variety of holistic services for total health in mind, body, and spirit.

We hope that you will join us in making the world a better place by starting with healing for yourself!

10

• SPRING 2017

SHOP OUR METAPHYSICAL STORE: • Spiritual Tools

• Books

• Candles

• Pendulums

• Crystals

• Statues

• Stones

• Essential Oils

• Herbs

• Jewelry

Please sign up for our newsletter to receive class schedules, information about monthly events, and much more at:

www.IlluminationsCenter.com

TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT Call 319-775-0117 or email illuminationscenter@gmail.com The Cherry Building • 329 10th Ave SE, Ste. 115 Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Two Rivers Acupuncture & Bodyworks “I noticed a difference from the very first session” Melissa Harris, Yoga Teacher

Morgan Rivers, LAc

5 Element Acupuncture Zero Balancing Bodywork Craniosacral 

Enhancing health and well being through the healing arts since 1991

515.783.5122

www.healingpartners.biz/

9001 Hickman Rd. Suite 300 Urbandale, IA 50322

Parisian Perspective

BY MATTHEW STEELE

We started practicing our French when we got on I-88, headed to O’Hare.

“Hello,” “Goodbye,” “Good day,” “Good night.”

We got to the phrase, “How is it going?” and discovered that the negative answer, “It’s not going well,” (“Ça ne va pas”) sounded like “suh-nuhvuh-pah,” a delightful improvement on the English phrase with a similar meaning. We were just getting started but we already had a useful phrase for the next time one of us stubbed our toe, or got a papercut—and we had our trip’s first inside joke.

We were feeling pretty great—a young couple in love, on their way to Paris—but we also needed the jokes. When we bought the tickets last spring, we couldn’t have predicted that everything we stand for—environmental protection, support for public schools, progress toward universal health care, cultural pluralism, rule of law (Andrea’s an attorney), freedom of the press (I publish Little Village, an independent newspaper based in Iowa City)—would soon go up for referendum... and we would lose.

Similar events such as Brexit might have indicated that a toxic blend of economic anxiety and cruel rhetoric against refugees was also emboldening ethno-nationalist factions in Europe, but we still worried how we would be perceived as U.S. citizens following the November election of a

In January, the streets of Paris are quiet. With few tourists around and most of the city on vacation, we shared quiet nights in restaurants exchanging views with Parisians across the political spectrum. We gave to the homeless, most of whom seemed to be refugees, and saw signs of resistance scrawled on the walls throughout the city. We absorbed a sense that "American Exceptionalism," had come to an end, and saw the U.S. for what, perhaps, it always was: just one front in a complicated, international and intersectional struggle for a just future.

Amid all of our uncertainty, Paris gave us heaping spoonfuls of perspective and space on its quiet wintry sidewalks to think and feel the age of its cobblestones, all the city had been through.

Linguistic limitations aside, we had some very heartfelt interactions. For example, the elderly security guard who held the door for Andrea as we entered San Chappelle Cathedral.

“Bonjour!” he greeted us and we responded in kind, using our best accents.

“Where are you from?” He leaned in to ask in English; Andrea answered bravely.

With a twinkle in his eye and a devious smile, he went straight to the hot topic: “Donald Trump?” And Andrea’s quick, unexpected reply drew a laugh from him so rich and warm that, for a moment, it mended all of our souls:

hew Steele Photo by Matt

Most Memorabl

eM

oment The fairy tale ending: I aske d Andrea to me while we marry were there. I ha d just finishe school in Dec d grad ember, so ha ving survived knew we wer th at, I e meant to b e. I also knew a saint, and she was I was going to need a lot of I took the ch luck. ance at Chez Pa pa, an old ja club in St. G zz ermaine, whi le the band p “Unforgettab la ye d le” at my spec ial request. Sh “yes,” there e said was a champ agne toast, an are now livin d we g happily ever after.

Website

If you go to Pa ris in Januar y, expect a lo Make your w t of rain. ay to Chez Pa p a (papajazzc paris.fr/). Yo lubu might have a bucket on table catching yo ur raindrops, b ut it will be w it—you’ll feel or th the authenti city of this sp an alley, off an ac e (in alley, off an al ley) that feel it’s been a per s like formance ve nue since th walls were fir e mud st put in place .

“Ça ne va pas!”

Have a yogic trip to share?

Photo by Natalia Araujo

E-mail us at editor@yoga-iowa.com.

• SPRING 2017

Between work and keeping up with our somewhat far-flung family, Andrea and I are lucky enough to travel a fair amount. But this trip to Paris was immediately special for a few reasons: We had no reason to go, I’d never been, and it’s Andrea’s favorite city on Earth.

president who ran on a promise to literally build a wall around our country.

11

his winter, my partner Andrea and I went to Paris for one transformative week. We went in January, which is usually the time of year that we combat seasonal mood dips with a trip to see my father in Florida, but an email last spring alerting us to special off-season rates ($480 each, round trip from Chicago to Paris!) persuaded us to switch it up a bit.

COVER STOR Y

Actions for Peace ultural anthropologist Margaret Mead said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

As your awareness expands, change happens—a visceral change that influences other aspects of your life, revealing points of evolution in profound and dynamic ways. So we wondered: are people who practice yoga and meditation more likely to be the citizens who respond to calls to action? If so, why?

We asked three Iowa practitioners to share their experiences of how yoga provided a pivotal point in the formation of advocacy, business, and involvement—and how their practices continue to reinforce these efforts.

Photo by Zak Neumann

Mackenzie (Ken) Appleby Cedar Rapids Breathing Room Yoga

I’m organizing a free monthly yoga practice specifically for transgender and non-binary (genderqueer) community members. Transgender people are individuals whose gender expression isn’t the same as their assigned sex. Non-binary/ genderqueer folks (myself included) are persons who don’t identify exclusively feminine or masculine.

The inspiration for the project starts with a close friend of mine. Let’s call him Sam. Sam came out as transgender about two years ago, shortly after he started his journey with hormone replacement therapy to combat his gender dysphoria and become his true self. During my training to become a yoga instructor, Sam expressed an interest, but was nervous, since he wasn’t comfortable with his body, let alone others seeing him in a vulnerable light.

Reflect to your own first yoga class. Were you a little anxious?

Imagine how daunting it would be if you weren’t comfortable in your own skin! Sam began his yoga experience in my living room, where he didn’t feel the need to bind his chest, and could move freely without fear of judgment. After a few rounds at my place I convinced him to take the plunge and attend a free class taught by my good friend, Sarah Cram Driscoll. The very next day, Sam texted me and said the 60-minute practice from the night before had helped soothe his anxieties and allowed him to get the best sleep he had in years.

12

• SPRING 2017

Reflecting on Sam’s experience and my own, I’ve come up with a plan of action to offer others in our clan the chance to give back to themselves. Yoga gives us the opportunity to look inward, to seek love and peace within inside us. I'll be reaching out to Gay Straight Alliances (GSA) at local high schools to contact with the younger generations, in addition to colleges, and the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City LGBTQ groups. I invite you to share this with others! My hope is that by making yoga accessible in a safe and tranquil environment, lives may be touched.

Photo by Theresa Macdonald

Photo by Melissa Stuckenholtz

Vivette Perry

Ciji Mitrisin

Picture this: a young woman growing up in the 1960s during a time of racial unrest in the south. Born and raised in Memphis, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968 at the Lorraine Motel, my mother, Viola, participated in sit-ins and marches, advocating for civil and equal rights.

My true relationship with yoga started as a way to continue my dedication to RecycleMe Iowa’s (RMI) progress. Before RMI, my yoga practice consisted of watching a P90X yoga video once a week and stopping at the 30-minute mark. Then, in the midst of the extreme excitement, chaos, and stress that comes with starting a business, my social media intern invited me to a yoga class at the old Harmony Yoga studio in Des Moines. This is where the commitment began and I felt the need for yoga in my life. For an hour, a teacher guided movement and breath with such encouraging words, helping adjust my body to align with the poses correctly. The next thing you know, the class was over and I left the studio feeling lighter, less stressed, and calmer. I was hooked.

The path of enlightenment is something that I seek every time I step on to my yoga mat. This path hasn't been easy—even challenging at times—bringing up fears, anger, and regret, wondering "Can I do more?" "Can I make a difference?" In these trying times, I must remember to hold on to my breath, my inner peace, and allow that “this too shall pass.” I set an intention to be aware of these things. Turning my attention inward allows me to breathe, find calm, and be still, all while providing the strength to carry these characteristics off my mat and into everyday life. Holding compassion and understanding for others as well as unifying others as one is something I send out into the universe for the greater good—which we need now more than ever. This is the energy my practice affords me. Since we're all human, all of us deserve basic human rights. Standing on the shoulders of all those who came before me is why I protest, march, make calls, and send letters for those that don't have a voice, because as Mom always tells me, "How do you know where you're going if you don't know where you came from?"

Yoga slowly became the main ingredient in my new business venture-filled life. It provided a sense of willpower and determination off the mat when difficult business decisions needed to be met. Since 2010, RMI has walked an uphill battle in a land-locked, landfill-prized city, taking on many issues in the waste industry. We provide door-step services for apartment tenants with no recycling dumpsters, execute recycling programs for businesses with environmental standards, and work with vendors and event organizers to divert event waste away from the landfill. I hope to make the amount of recycling going to landfills due to lack of convenient services a thing of the past.

When critics said it won't work, I would turn to my yoga practice to stay grounded in believing Des Moines residents could adopt a landfill free system given the proper tools and services. Knowing I’ve held more difficult positions in yoga than holding my ground in a board room always adds a little extra confidence going into meetings. Whether it’s focusing on breathing through difficult conversations or digging the four corners of your feet into the floor to stand your ground, you can almost hear your yogi voice say, “Just breathe, you got this.”

• SPRING 2017

Listening to her, a former educator, recall these memories is humbling and fascinating to me, since I didn't endure these trials growing up. Nevertheless, she raised me to fight for what I believe in, to stand even if no one else is with you. This is the fiber and the strength that runs through my veins. Participating in marches, rallies, and parades is second nature. My latest endeavor was rallying at the Des Moines Women's March On January 21, 2017. Mom couldn't attend, so I stood in the gap for her. It was a humbling, uplifting, and enlightening moment for me as well as many others across the world.

Des Moines Shakti Yoga and Power Life Yoga

13

Des Moines Shakti Yoga

This is Your Village

Community-based Impact-oriented Journalism Essays Interviews Events In print Online Out loud Alive.

Raise Your Voice CORE VALUES - Affordability & Access - Gender Equity - Racial Justice - Environmental Sustainability - Economic & Labor Justice - Quality Healthcare - Economic & Labor Justice - Quality Healthcare - Quality Education - Critical Culture

NEWS & CULTURE ONLINE COVERAGE LittleVillageMag.com

NEWS TIPS & SUBMISSIONS Editor@LittleVillageMag.com

SUBMIT AN EVENT LISTING Calendar@LittleVillageMag.com

14

• SPRING 2017

CALL US: (319) 855-1474

join our

koboji Yoga Retreat Oct 6-8, 2017

$560 Early Bird Discount $600 after August 1

(cost includes meals, workshops, and lodging) Accomodations & Vegetarian/Vegan meals

Oakwood Inn Yoga Classes

Yoga Okoboji CREDIT TOWARD 500 HOUR RYT WELLNESS & LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

To Register

Email Mona Ceniceros, Sun Moon Teacher Training Programs Director at sunmoon@hickorytech.net

is all-inclusive yoga teacher retreat runs Friday evening through Sunday afternoon in Okoboji, Iowa.

Yoga Teachers: get ready to recharge and dig deeper into your own yoga practice. You'll leave feeling nurtured, refreshed, and inspired.

Find Out More at

facebook.com/events/648003962050703

YOGA IN THE PARK Every Saturday May 6 - Sept. 23

• SPRING 2017

Sponsored by

Corner of West First Street & Northwest Ash Drive

15

8 - 9 a.m.

Ankeny Band Shell

KEEP MOVING

off the mat

with the DMU Physical Therapy Clinic

GET TO KNOW AARON WASHINGTON Where do you teach?

The DMU Physical Therapy Clinic has therapists trained in medical therapeutic yoga to provide a holistic treatment plan to restore your health and wellness.

Services can help you:

One Tree Hot Yoga, Davenport, and Scott County YMCA, Utica Ridge Website: onetreehotyoga.com Indulgent munchies: Little Debbie Brownies, Pringles, flavored almonds

One thing many people don’t know about you?

My best friend and I sing at weddings. We've done more than a dozen in past few years.

✷­ ­ OPTIMIZE FUNCTION

What did you find challenging about yoga at first?

IMPROVE STRENGTH ✷­ ­

I played football and volleyball in college, and then arena football and semi-pro for six years after college. Due to my lifelong competitive nature through sports, my initial challenge in practice was to let go of competition, judgment, and frustration. It took years to find balance between life's trials and tribulations and the opportunities to be present.

REDUCE PAIN ✷­ ­ INCREASE RANGE OF MOTION ✷­ ­ PREVENT INJURIES ✷­ ­

Even now, it still takes a few breaths to overcome everything that happens in a single day, but knowing a single breath can produce a positive emotion has made the practice and my life more meaningful.

Our clinicians are dedicated to improving your health beyond treatment, too.

A variety of exercise classes, including those taught by yoga-certified therapists, are available to keep you active in each stage of your life. Course options include physioyoga, core strength with Pilates and active older adult exercise.

What makes your style of teaching unique?

I practice and teach with the belief that health and fitness require a strong physical body and mind. Strength in all aspects of life requires experiencing the muscles of the body through asanas and the "muscles" of the mind through pranayama and meditation. My instruction is grounded in my experiences in the medical field, personal training, and athletics. I work to find ways to embody everyday experience into a practice that allows students to move at their own pace and allow their bodies to work with them, not against them.

For details: VISIT dmu.edu/clinic/physical-therapy CALL 515-271-1717

Yoga Iowa Ad - winter 2017.indd 1

What inspires and motivates you?

Integrity and the ability to affect others in a positive way. God and my family inspire me to find personal growth daily. Most of the members of my family are educators or medical professionals, and have encouraged me throughout my life to lead, inspire, and motivate others.

11/29/16 2:11 PM

WINTER 2017

How does the yoga philosophy resonatewith you?

& awareness 05 transformative travel 07 sound healing 12 chakras 15 ask the teacher

My personal mantra is "fear of failure is a self-imposed limitation" and comes from not having control of everything at all times. Yoga gives me an opportunity to get comfortable in physical spaces normally never accessed. Some poses are expressed naturally; others can only be accessed with a connection of the mind and body that come with practice. Yoga resonates throughout my life, especially during the hectic times where I remember to take a deep breath and let go.

When you advertise in YogaIowa, you are immersing your company, product or service into Iowa’s thriving, conscious, active community of dedicated yoga practitioners. YogaIowa readers are passionate supporters of local businesses.

Whether you are a new company, a small business, or an established business, our trained staff is ready to raise your profile to the influential YogaIowa audience, and help you optimize your advertising budget that aligns with your strategies, goals and vision.

To place an ad or for more information, contact Ally Thompson at ally@littlevillagemag.com or 319-640-0091.

16

YogaIowa is a quarterly publication. A total of 10,000 copies are distributed each issue, reaching an estimated 23,000 readers all over the state.

View the distribution list online at yoga-iowa.com.

Photo by Adam Burke

• SPRING 2017

In what way do you define peace?

Peace isn't just quiet or calm. Peace is control of stillness and the force behind a positive action. Yoga helps to accept change, celebrate facing challenges, embrace positive experiences, and be present throughout.

It's a physical and mental expression of "getting comfortable by being uncomfortable." Peace comes with experiencing these daily life occurrences and not allowing them to disrupt your attitude.

Upcoming Highlights:

I have two senior seminars scheduled at various Chicagoland studios this spring, and I'm working with newly established juice/kombucha company for a bi-monthly Whole30 campaign.

ask the teacher

COMMUNITY-OWNED • FULL-SERVICE NATURAL FOODS GROCERY EVERYONE CAN SHOP

BY TRACEY L. KELLEY n myriad conversations with yoga teachers, I continue to learn the power of individual action, and what it represents during the sea change of local, national, and world issues. But this power can be subtle, and to respect an individual is to respect his or her course of action, or even non-action.

I'm not afraid to rise up in defense of others, honoring the Gaelic meaning of my first name: "warrior" and "more powerful." However, knowing the energy that entails, I require the balance of keeping the peace, preferably in a safe, fuzzy place.

FRESH LOCAL ORGANIC

So we asked our teachers: "Are you a peacenik, an activist, neither, or both? Why?"

Verna Bennett {BE} Studio Sioux City

I'm both a peacenik and an activist. My soul resounds “Yes” to peace, resolution of conflict without fighting and bloodshed, open-minded people agreeing to disagree, and working together for solutions. Live and let live—and all the gooey, rasa, nectar that life can bring to us on a daily basis. We were created to love and that's what resonates in my heart!

I'm also strongly passionate about social justice issues—how we treat people, animals, the earth we live on. In these trying times, we all need to come together with one voice to support those around us who aren't treated fairly, be it due to race, religion, sex, and other circumstances. We all need to think more about the earth we live on, and bring awareness to the ways we can keep our world safe and sustainable.

Kali Judd

Power Life Yoga Des Moines Personally, I believe in order to be a peacenik you also need to be an activist. One of my favorite quotes is from Desmond Tutu: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." As a yogi I practice ahimsa, or nonviolence. I do so through my personal actions towards others, and also by standing up to violent actors in the name of peace. You cannot practice one without the other.

EVERYDAY

t

f

413 NORTHWESTERN AVE, AMES (JUST OFF MAIN ST) AMES 515.232.4094 • DAILY: 7AM-9PM • WWW.WHEATSFIELD.C0OP

mind-body PSYCHOTHERAPY blending the wisdom traditions of Yoga and Western psychology

Kate Connell Potts

Private Yoga Teacher Iowa City I'm an ally and activist for social and political change in our country. In the past, I was careful not to use yoga teaching as a stage for sharing my passion for activism. But as my platform has grown, so to has my responsibility to ensure my influence is used positively. My intention is to promote equality, build a safe and welcoming physical and digital space, and share insights and resources that ultimately aim at unification—the essence of yoga! The yoga community is filled with facets of such activism and it’s inspiring to see a rise in efforts focused on inclusivity, in particular.

dr. yoga momma

June Burns

• Licensed Psychologist and Owner, Heartland Yoga 221 E. College St. Iowa City, IA | icheartlandyoga.com | dryogamomma.com

BETSY RIPPENTROP, PhD

17

I've played both the peacenik and activist roles at different times in my life. I've felt pulled to one or the other depending on the historical circumstances, my age, personal development, and my perception of a situation. During asana practice with my teacher, Mathew Koder, I'm working with the qualities of both passivity and activity to use them as tools for whatever a situation demands. I lean a lot towards activism based on my convictions about social justice, and my desire for everyone to be treated fairly. As the sage Sadhguru reminds us, more important than being either an activist or a peacenik is choosing to let your life experiences "wound you or make you wise."

• SPRING 2017

Ames Racquet and Fitness Center Ames

New Student Specials for Pilates Equipment or Yoga, Mat, & Barre Group Classes 515-276-6087 2773 100th St. Urbandale, IA 50322

www.sparkbarrepilatesyoga.com www.sparkbarrepilatesyoga.com

+ ++

+ + + ++

+

+ + e g n e l l a h + + c change +o +

+

Offering 3 sessions this summer. Sign up today!

YogArt Camp YogArt is a fun, energizing camp that integrates

the calming and focused practices of art and yoga. Children (ages 7-14 grouped by age) will experience the beauty of group activities at opening and closing each day along with one hour of daily yoga and art instruction.

June 12-15 or July 17-20 or July 31-Aug 3 Mon-Thurs 10:30am - 2:30pm • $125 per week TO REGISTER Call Molly (563) 542-1168 or email mollymschreiber@gmail.com CHALLENGE TO CHANGE • 3337 Hillcrest Rd • Dubuque

YOGA-BASED MEDICINE • injury recovery • chronic illness improvement

2614 Beaver Ave. Des Moines, IA 50310

• biomechanically correct postures

515.954.7606 PHONE

• medical therapeutic yoga

Molly Lechtenberg, DPT

Libby Trausch, DPT, PYT-C

• trigger point dry needling Call today for an assessment and evaluation of your needs.

breathedsm.com facebook.com/breathedsm

EARTH ACUPUNCTURE uses both ancient & modern means to locate & eliminate, or greatly reduce the effects of naturally occurring stress zones in the home & workplace.

These can affect a person’s physical health and even mental & emotional equilibrium.

REDUCED APPRENTICE RATES apply to installations this spring & summer. Book now. www.fb.me/earthacupuncturehealing

18

• SPRING 2017

•Yoga & Ayurveda Privates •Earth Acupuncture •Crystal Healing •Pranic Healing •Dharma Type Counselor •Quantum Healing Hypnosis

• RYT • AYS • QHHT • CCH • Pranic Healing •

Suzanne Van Englehoven-Wedeking suzanne@flyingmango.com • 515-314-2661 4345 HICKMAN ROAD DES MOINES 515-255-4111 eat@flyingmango.com

As Seen on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. Serving generous portions of BBQ & Southern-inspired meals.

peaceful paths

BY TRACEY L. KELLEY Pilgrims of all faiths, traditions, and cultures use labyrinthine paths to go deep within themselves and emerge with clarity swirling path that leads to a purposeful center is an image replicated throughout nature. From fern leaves and spiders' webs to nautilus shells and the spirals on our fingertips, we're reminded that at the source, we're all connected.

The sacred symbol of the labyrinth is imprinted in Neolithic tombs, on Hopi Indian baskets, in Parisian church courtyards, on Grecian clay tablets, and across the English countryside. As a universal divine space, it doesn't have the usual boundaries of faith, culture, or tradition: it's open to everyone, and provides a unique experience for each individual. For some ancient peoples, the labyrinth represented a path to the afterlife.

For others, it embodied the passage of birth. Today, many pilgrims consider the walk within a labyrinth to be a powerful reminder of the possibility of clarity, awakening, release, and focus.

Unlike mazes, labyrinths are unicursal; there's only one pathway, and no need to decide whether to go left or right. On a unicursal venture, the left side of your brain, responsible for governing logic and linear thought, rests. The right side of your brain, which prompts intuitiveness and non-verbal exploration, engages. The belief is that walking a labyrinth creates a balance between both hemispheres of your brain.

"The labyrinth serves as a metaphor for life.

Walking its twists and turns helps us to come into touch with the challenges and experiences of our lives."

Why are you a pilgrim in a labyrinth, and not merely tip-toeing between the lines? Sister Betty Daugherty is the leader of spiritual retreats at the Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Hiawatha, and co-creator of the labyrinth there. "The labyrinth serves as a metaphor for life," she says. "It's an ancient symbol that spoke to our spiritual ancestors of their pilgrimage here on earth. Walking its twists and turns helps us to come into touch with the challenges and experiences of our lives. Time spent in the center of the labyrinth is to allow the heart to be opened, to welcome insights about our lives. It's a place to receive whatever gift is being offered." Daugherty says the path is based on the universal understanding of mediation: to release and quiet; to open and receive; and to take what was gained back into the world.

It's no coincidence that many labyrinths are established as part of tranquil landscapes, or created with elements of earth, fire, and water. Returning a wandering pilgrim to the center of his or her being often requires a literal reconnection with the natural world.

Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids will construct a Baltic grass labyrinth at its new location later this spring. Jennifer Rupp, a former naturalist there, says, "Evolution occurs in nature, but society puts four walls around us and isolates us from this environment," she says. "Spending time in nature reminds us that life carries on at all levels, and we're a small piece of that big picture. And a nice stroll outdoors in a labyrinth does so much for our wellbeing. We have the opportunity to refocus our splintered minds, exercise our bodies, and receive the energy of the labyrinth."

There's no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. Your individual experiences, beliefs, and values all influence the journey. However, both Daugherty and Rupp suggest taking a moment before you enter it to release worldly burdens, pause for reflection on where you are in your life, and then proceed with a sense of calm. When you reach the center, stay as long as you like, and be receptive to whatever energy, emotions, or insights you might encounter.

Illustration by Natalia Araujo

19

In Iowa, there are numerous labyrinths, both indoor and outdoor. Many are open to the public, but you may need to contact locations for specific visiting hours. Find them easily at labyrinthlocator.com.

• SPRING 2017

As you leave the labyrinth, take with you whatever peace or perceptions obtained on your journey. Everyone has a different reaction to time spent within the symbol. Daugherty recommends journaling as a way to reflect upon your experiences.

INTRODUCTORY 1–HOUR

Experience how a custom treatment at Massage Heights can build an overall feeling of well-being that gets even better each time and truly elevates your everyday.

NEW LOCAL OWNERS • 5 FAMILY-OWNED LOCATIONS Total ReJavanation™

Natural Coffee Bean Scrub

Naturally Naked™

Organic Coconut Oil Moisturizer

Bring in this ad to receive a

FREE ELEVATION

FACIAL ELEVATIONS Skin Enriching | Skin Refining | Skin Purifying BODY ELEVATIONS Hot Stone Therapy | Revitalizing Face Massage | Reviving Foot Scrub NATURAL SKIN CARE order online

COCOROOBODY.COM MADE IN THE USA PROUND TO BE ANOTHER GREAT FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESS LOCATED IN IOWA

AMES

ANKENY

JOHNSTON

637 Lincoln Way Ste Suite 103 (515) 337-2939

2732 SE Delaware Ave. Suite 260 (515) 963-2000

5441 NW 86 th St. Suite 300 (515) 278-0200

MERLE HAY

WEST DES MOINES

3800 Merle Hay Rd. Suite 403 (515) 276-7529

640 S 50 th St. Suite 1130 (515) 222-3102

B E CO M E A M ASSAG E H E I G H TS M E M B E R USE CODE cocoyoga at checkout for $5 off our starter pack!

*Introductory rate valid for first-time Guests only. Actual massage or facial time is 50 minutes hands on. Offer expires Sept. 1, 2017.

Valid at the following Retreats: Ames, Ankeny, Johnston, Merle Hay, West Des Moines. Additional local taxes and fees may apply.

Rates and services may vary by location. Each Massage Heights Retreat is independently owned and operated. ©2016 Massage Heights.

SOME LIKE IT HOT! Offering the following classes and more: • Pilates • Hot Vinyasa Flow • Power Sculpt • Warm Vinyasa Flow

• Cardio Barre • Power Barre • Restore Yoga • Yoga Strength

GIVE US A TRY! Your First Month of UNLIMITED Yoga for $50!

View our class and event schedule online at IGNITEYOGA.COM 2707 Stage Road, Suite 101, Ames, IA 50010 facebook.com/IgniteYogaAmes twitter.com/IgniteYoga

Singing Bowl Sound Therapy Yoga & Pilates (private & small group) Group Meditations Learn to Heal with the Singing Bowl Classes Speciality Workshops

• SPRING 2017

Himalayan & Crystal Tones® singing bowls/accessories available for purchase

SAGE P R AC T I C E S located at: Sage & Sole 329 10th Ave SE, Ste 122 Cedar Rapids, IA 52403

20

319-270-4397

dumma4@msn.com www.mariadummermuth.com

Spring Into Action With an Immunity Boost

BY SHEREE CLARK

SPICE FOR LIFE

These are just a few immune-enhancing natural supplements worth your consideration.

Astragalus is an inexpensive herb regularly used in Chinese medicine. It’s often used preventatively to boost immunity in people who frequently suffer from colds and other respiratory infections, while it also promotes faster recovery in those already dealing with an infection. Astragalus is especially effective when taken as soon as symptoms appear. Bonus: it’s one of the most-researched medicinal herbs and is considered safe to take daily.

ilder Tea Yield: one quart The ingredients in this tea can be fo und at your loca shop or online. It l herb ’s best to locate organic or wild-c herbs. Drink two ra fted cups daily.

2 TBS dried astr agalus 1 TBS dried ginger (“cut and sifted,” not the powdered kind) 1/8 tsp dried lem on peel 1 TBS lemon balm Honey to taste Simmer the astr agalus, ginger, an d lemon peel in a of water for 20 quart minutes, covered.

Turn off heat an the lemon balm; d add cover and steep for another 20 m Strain and discar in utes. d or compost spen t herbs. Add hone taste. y to Tea will keep in a glass containe r in the refrigerat 24 hours. Reheat or for before drinking.

Ginger has been used for medicinal purposes for over 2,000 years, and it’s no wonder, given the range of the herb’s impressive powers: it kills cold viruses, is a strong antioxidant, is antimicrobial (kills bacteria), eliminates congestions, suppresses fevers and chills, and contains anti-inflammatory agents as well as natural antibiotics. A pleasant-tasting root, it’s great cooked in recipes or taken as a tea with a little lemon and honey.

Yoga’s twists, bends, and deep breathing stimulate your immunity to help it perform better. Some poses open up the back, which in turn recharges the kidneys, allowing your body to filter out waste. Yoga poses that constrict the abdominal area stimulate lymphatic fluid to flow, while poses that open the chest stimulate the thymus gland.

Lemon juice offers medicinal properties because it contains immunity-boosting vitamins such as Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Heating lemon juice reduces its sour taste and eliminates some of the acidic qualities. When it’s warmed—and especially if consumed first thing after waking—lemon juice stimulates the bowels to eliminate toxic waste. Because lemon contains vitamin C, it prevents cold and flu illnesses as well as soothes illness symptoms including headaches and sore throats.

Nutrition is always important, and a diet high in fruits and vegetables has the phytonutrients needed to enhance immunity. You can take all the supplements in the world, but nothing beats the real thing: whole, fresh, organic food, eaten in a calm space with a spirit of gratitude.

MIND-BODY

One secret to stress management is to be patient, offer yourself compassion, and to respond to challenges from a place of peace and calm.

Photo by Zak Neumann

Sleep and immunity are undeniably linked. The body repairs itself almost exclusively as you snooze. Sleep deprivation is linked to lower immune function as well as being a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Most adults should get seven to nine hours each night. Fall in love with sleep. Make it a pleasurable experience: take a bath beforehand or snooze with a lavender-filled pillow. And take some deep relaxing breaths as you drift into slumber.

• SPRING 2017

Natural immunity—a protection achieved without immunizations or drugs—occurs through a combination of diet and mind-body choices. Through mindful attention to what we consume, and how we treat ourselves in general, we can improve our ability to handle stress without becoming sick.

Immunity Bu

21

t first glance, it seems we get sicker when the average temperature changes. But there may be other reasons why we are “under the weather,” and a main factor is stress. When tension is prolonged or unrelenting, it becomes known as chronic stress. Constant worry about things like work, family, or world problems are examples of chronic stress, and can cause mental symptoms including anxiety, sleep problems, and depression. Another side effect of constant worry is a weakened immune system.

on our

Allow different perspectives to inform your views and determine a more open course.

Mindful Politics: A Buddhist Guide to Making the World a Better Place

by Melvin McLeod This compilation of expert views explores the possibilities of moving beyond the ideology of party affiliation to allow space for advocacy, personal growth, and progressive action. McLeod is president/editor-inchief of Lion's Roar magazine.

Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists

by Valaida Fullwood Now a touring art exhibition, Fullwood documents more than 200 stories of black philanthropists with sizable impact on communities. If purchased through the New Generation of African American Philanthropists, a portion of the proceeds benefits this giving circle: new-philanthropists.org

Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and the Art of Living by Krista Tippett Tippett uses this book to encourage readers to "nurture new realities in the spaces we inhabit" to discover common life between others and personal depth in a fractured world. Tippett is creator/host of "On Being."

When We Rise: My Life in the Movement by Cleave Jones Born in 1954, Jones grew up in a society that believed his homosexuality was a mental illness. But he was also part of a pioneering generation of LGBTQ advocates who fought for civil rights and equality. Jones' autobiography is the basis of a 2017 miniseries.

Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

by Thich Nhat Hanh As a Vietnamese monk, poet, and peace activist, Nhat Hanh's exercises teaches readers to apply positivity to the situations that may antagonize them. Further meditations and anecdotes allow for developing a more humanitarian perspective.

In Downtown Cedar Rapids BreathingRoomYoga.net

PRESENTED BY BREWHEMIA & L I T T L E V I L L AG E M AG A Z I N E 4 5 1 6 T H AV E S W

Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit With decades of activism to support her theories, historian and prolific author Solnit insists radical change isn't immediately seen or even measurable, but transformative victories happen regardless. Her key message: activism is a journey.

• SPRING 2017

C E DA R R A P I D S

AVA I L A B L E F O R P R I VAT E P A R T Y A N D S P E C I A L E V E N T R E N TA L S 22

littlevillagemag.com/thevillage

tix L I T T L E V I L L AG E T I C K E T S .C O M

Yoga for Men:

Peace at the Center

BY ERIC GUTSCHMIDT I’m not a guy’s guy… or maybe I am. I don’t even know what that means anymore. I work in the construction trades. I like beer and loud music. I drive a Subaru and like to go fast as I head to the woods to hike.

I don’t do yoga to get huge or compete as a bodybuilder, but it does offer a great core workout. I don’t do yoga to become enlightened, but I find the tranquil space that it occupies to be rejuvenating. I don’t do yoga to pick up women, but it has afforded me some great friendships because in each class, everyone seems to be on the same wavelength.

My life is hectic. It’s go-go-go from one jobsite to the next, all the while trying to keep up with texts and emails. Coffee is a must and often breakfasts and lunches are a luxury. At night before bed, I feel as though my mind is filled with hundreds of details, from people and conversations to materials and stores and prices, all while I try to count sheep as the schedule of my upcoming day, week, and month play out before me.

It’s against this backdrop that yoga enters the picture. While I’m doing yoga, my phone is off and all those details listed in my mind can be a million miles away. In those moments that seem to stretch on for hours, my thoughts recede into the background and I feel centered.

I think that’s the whole point.

I start by paying attention to my breathing, which brings my focus to the core of my body. Then my previously-scattered mind starts to draw itself in and focus on the here and now. I begin to move methodically through the poses while paying attention to my center of gravity and my breathing.

When I walk out of yoga, I feel more grounded and more concentrated.

It’s as though all of my energy has drawn close to my inner being. I always enjoy these post-yoga moments of clarity. Then when I’m ready, I turn on the phone and plug back into the details of life, but somehow things always feel different. It’s as though the time doing yoga cleared everything off of my plate. Afterwards, I can put the pieces back on one at a time, arranging my life in a more orderly fashion.

3607 1st Ave SE C, Cedar Rapids, IA

May 6-7 Saturday 10:30-6:30 & Sunday 10:30-5:30 $400 / $350 Early Bird by April 21 Sign-up Today!

heatyogacr.com

•

info@heatyogacr.com

Targeting the areas of the spine, hips, and legs, Yin Yoga is done on the floor and poses are held for a period of 3-5 minutes allowing the connective tissue to deeply stretch. Core stability keeps the core strong and the upper body supported.

• SPRING 2017

23

Photo by Eric Gutschmidt

fundamentals and posture • core anatomy and fascia sample classes • the practice of yin yoga • core stability certificate of completion • Yoga Alliance 15 CE hours

HealthMarket

®

THERE’S NO NEED TO BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO EAT HEALTHY. With more than 6,000 natural and organic products, your Hy-Vee HealthMarket® makes it easier to be healthy.

SAVE TIME. SHOP ONLINE. Pick-up or delivery available. hy-veeaislesonline.com