blessings & ratitude g the
FALL 2013
issue
02 think thanks 04 body language 05 visual history of yoga 06 soulful journey 07 the best yoga for you 15 practice heroically 17 eating healthfully in social situations 18 hormones and their role in the body
Kody Waldstein, US Navy Veteran from Des Moines.
As Veterans Day approaches on November 11, we pause to thank those who have served our country so we can enjoy our many freedoms. Photograph by Doug Smith.
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fami ly & rela t io ns hip s
By Mark Minear
Family activities to consider • Highs and Lows. One of my
“ Now what do yo u say ? ” or many children, this question is a parent’s best effort to teach them how to be thankful. It is a method of learning based on seizing the teachable moments in life. This approach isn’t bad or wrong; almost all parents have done it. Yet we really hope for our children to have experiences of the head, heart, and body through which a spirit of gratitude is nurtured. We hope for gratitude as a deep core value, not just a temporary or superficial response. There is transformational power in being intentional about gratitude. When you notice others who clearly exhibit grateful spirits and ask them how this quality was developed in their lives, they will likely refer to another person whom they observed to be thankful. Though we all need to nurture this quality in our own lives, we also have the privilege to demonstrate gratitude to those around us. Authentically living a life in touch with everyday gifts is the most powerful way to teach the meaning of gratitude. Perhaps gratitude is more likely to be “caught” than “taught.” The part that may be most difficult to appreciate is that nurturing gratitude can be a matter of choice. Mindfulness is about developing the capacity for sacred pauses in our lives; it is those moments of reflection that give way to getting in touch with a grateful heart. For example simply paying attention to one’s breathing begins to elicit gratitude because one begins to more fully realize that the next moment of life is dependent upon this current breath. In this way, the most helpful counsel on gratitude may also be the most simple: pay attention. Mark Minear is a psychologist with the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center. He received his PhD in counseling psychology from Ball State University in 1997. Mark embraces a mindfulness approach to his therapeutic work. Nurturing gratitude in his personal journey has become an important spiritual path.
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clients shared with me an important exercise his family does each evening at supper. In a conversational experience, everyone is encouraged to share about her or his day—the worst part of the day and the best part of the day. Surprisingly it may be the opportunity to speak about one’s disappointments (the “lows”) that gets her in touch with those times she is thankful for the “highs.” • Everyday appreciation. Play a game of identifying the “small stuff” for which one is grateful in everyday life—perhaps the smaller the better. Identifying the possibilities with an internal whisper of thanks for the warmth of the water, the successful light switch, the quiet of the house, the blue sky, the sweetness of the apple, the gentle breeze, the fragrance of the wildflowers, and so forth is likely to be a benefit to moving appreciation in the right direction. • A feast of thanks. Welcome Thanksgiving Day as simply another opportunity, along with 364 others, where gratitude is affirmed in the home. In other words, create a “feast of thanksgiving” in the middle of the
dormancy of winter, the budding of spring, and the heat of summer. Celebrate the breaking of bread by infusing gratitude in poignant ways throughout the year. Sharing a meal together nurtures gratitude! • Thank you prayers. “If the only prayer you said was ‘thank you’, that would be enough,” said Meister Eckhart. Perhaps there is much to teach our children when our focus on the spiritual is graced with appreciation. Since gratitude is about recognizing the gifts we have already been given, “thank you” prayers highlight the “small stuff” that we might often take for granted. Prayer nurtures gratitude! • Make a love list. Each member of the family could develop his or her own list of “things I love.” From the first of November to Thanksgiving Day, everyone could add at least one item to his or her list each day. Love nurtures gratitude! • Give as a family. Just after Thanksgiving the family could share a project together for the season of giving, such as making an anonymous gift to an individual, family, or organization with a special need. Generosity nurtures gratitude!
strategic grow
e d itor ’s let ter
marketing strategy
Be gin ni n g t h e Jo u rney
Every new beginning offers a chance to bring your deepest desires to life. Little did I know that tiptoeing into my first yoga class at the YMCA in 2007 would lead me to start YogaIowa. What started as curiosity led to a regular yoga practice, which lead to enrolling in a 9-month yoga teacher training in 2012. I was hooked and eager to learn more about this ancient practice. As my knowledge about yoga exploded and my circle of incredible and inspiring yoga friends grew, I realized the yoga community in Iowa is as amazing as what you would find in Seattle, Washington, home of all things alternative and progressive. But our growing yoga scene seemed to be flying under the radar. Pretty quickly it occurred to me it was time to gather the warriors and start a publication that promotes the field of yoga in Iowa and connects like-minded individuals. But it wasn’t the connection to my “Feeling gratitude and heartfelt desire that got this first issue not expressing it is like in your hands. I’ve always been lucky wrapping a present to be surrounded by loving, kind, and extremely talented friends. People and not giving it.” whose work I respect, whose minds William Arthur Ward, (1921–1994), author intrigue me, and whose projects I have of Fountains of Faith, is one of America’s always taken an interest in. Through most quoted writers of inspirational maxims. their support and encouragement, the interlocking of each piece of starting a publication came together. I will always be eternally grateful for their guidance, counsel, and advice in getting YogaIowa off the ground and into your hands. With the holidays just around the corner it seemed appropriate to theme this issue the Blessings & Gratitude Issue. There is scientific evidence that gratitude produces health benefits. On the opposite page is a wonderful story about fostering a thankful attitude in your life and among family members by Mark Minear. My hope is that you will discover and realize your many blessings as you flip through this inaugural issue. There is plenty of inspiration and information to help you on your path to greater awareness, health, and YOUR new beginning with positive energy. Enjoy the journey!
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YogaIowa is distributed quarterly throughout Iowa. P ub lish er /Edito r
A dv i s ory b oa r d
Angela Ossian
Sheree Clark, holistic health and nutritional coach Diane Glass, facilitator, Tending Your Inner Garden Denny Kelly, founder of Yoga in the Park—Des Moines Ann York, PT, PhD, E-RYT 400, Associate Professor, Des Moines University
Th is Issue’s Cont ri b utors Sara Stibitz, Sandy Eimers, Tracey Kelley, James Miller, Sheree Clark, Diane Glass, Mark Minear, Evan Harris, Lisa Munger
fall 2013 volume 1, number 1
Ph otog r aph er s Doug Smith, Theresa Macdonald, Ellie Walter
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yoga-inspired t attoos by angela ossian The presence of body art stretched across shoulders, arms, and legs that you see in yoga studios is more than a work of art. For some yoga practitioners, yoga-inspired symbols, phrases, or images resonate deep within them. For Mathew Koder, 27, the Ganesh tattoo on his right forearm symbolizes his transformation from an unstable upbringing to a tension-free and conscious life as a yoga practitioner. While a student at Southeast Polk High School in Altoona, Mathew withdrew from his problems at home by participating in sports, spending long hours in the weight room, and doing martial arts. “Movement made me feel better and helped me overcome obstacles,” says Mathew. “I thought I was in great shape with six-pack abs. I thought I was healthy, but remember feeling there was something wrong. I was tense and not in as great of shape as I thought I was.” A yoga class, taken on a whim at a local health club, changed all that, and changed his world. “During the last thirty seconds of class, I found a sense of peace and tranquility and I knew I had to go back,” Mathew recalls. “The things that pained me dropped away.” For some yoga practitioners, the body is a temple that should not be tainted, but for Mathew, a Ganesh tattoo is a beautiful expression of what is sacred to him—“a symbolic reminder of how yoga chiseled away the baggage that life gave me.” “We create our own obstacles. We can overcome our own obstacles,” Mathew explains. “When on the mat, my tattoo ushers me into a new consciousness and refines my personal evolvement and how I see the world.”
Who is Ganesh? Ganesh is one of the most worshiped gods in the Hindu religion. He is the destroyer of vanity, selfishness, pride and is the remover of obstacles. He also is the symbol of abundance, since there is nothing stopping you between you and your ideal. He is the personification of the material universe in all its various, magnificent manifestations. Many Hindus have a statue, painting, or symbol to assist in praying to Ganesh at some time in their day. Since his main job is to remove obstacles in your life’s path, he has become one of the most praised and worshiped of Hindu gods.
When you meet Mathew and shake his hand, not only will you be greeted by someone who is always in the present moment, but you’ll also be greeted by the positive energy and vibration of his Ganesh. You are sure to be inspired. Angela Ossian is publisher/editor of YogaIowa and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University. She has held several marketing and management roles in retail and financial services, as well as publishing experience having launched several niche magazines for the Des Moines Register. Angela is currently Director of Marketing for SMG at the Iowa State Center, Ames. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) through Yoga Alliance and an instructor at balance yoga lounge in Ankeny and YMCA of Greater Des Moines.
Show us your ink! Submit a photo of your yogi-inspired tattoo for a chance to appear in the next issue of YogaIowa. comments@yoga-iowa.com subject line “tattoo”
ins pire
Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery Debuts World’s First Exhibition on the
“Yoga: The Art of Transformation” Opens October 19, 2013 oga is a global phenomenon When properly placated, fierce Yogini goddesses bestowed worldly powers on that millions of people tantric yogis and royal devotees. This practice, seeking spiritual is one of three life-size yoginis, from a insight or better health. temple that was destroyed at an unknown Few, however, are aware point in the past, that are re-united in a of yoga’s rich diversity and historical dramatic installation in the exhibition. transformations. Opening October 19, at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, “Yoga: The Art of Transformation”— the world’s first exhibition about the discipline’s visual history—will reveal its fascinating meanings and histories over the past two thousand years. “The Art of Transformation,” on view through January 26, 2014, explores yoga’s philosophies and its goals of transforming body and consciousness, its importance within multiple religious and secular arenas, and the varied roles that yogis played in society, from sages to spies. Exhibition curator Debra Diamond worked with an interdisciplinary team of scholars to compile a remarkable survey of Indian art, with more than 130 objects from 25 museums and private collections in India, Europe, and the United States. As much of yoga’s history remains shrouded in mystery, this comprehensive look at yoga’s visual culture marks the start of a new field of study. “These works of art allow us to trace, often for the first time, yoga’s meanings across the diverse Encounters with western social landscapes of India,” said Diamond, curator medicine led to new ways of of South Asian art at the Arthur M. Sackler ‘seeing’ yogic physiognomy, Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art. “United for the as in this textbook illustration first time, they not only invite aesthetic wonder, that locates the chakras and but also unlock the past, opening a portal into channels of the subtle body on an anatomical figure. yoga’s surprisingly down-to-earth aspects over two thousand years.”
Following its Washington, DC, debut, “The Art of Transformation” will travel to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum (February 21–May 25, 2014) and the Cleveland Museum of Art (June 22–September 7, 2014). Photos courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute
mathewkoderyoga.com
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” . , a l e n e d t h i w t i i g s n e t i he only thing you control. Us eer t s r u is yo
Photos courtesy of Sara Stiblitz
soulful journey Des Moines yogi is most alive as she learns new languages, experiences new cultures, and meets all kinds of people. By Sara Stibitz
s I write, I’m sitting at a shaded sidewalk cafe while Cariocas (the term the residents of Rio de Janeiro have given themselves) and tourists alike walk by. The Atlantic Ocean is just blocks away and the smell of salt and sand mingles with the smells of bread, seafood, and garlic emanating from the restaurant. In the middle of considering how I will describe my travels, I stop to notice the beauty of the moment and think back to how it all started. My trip started May 9, but the journey began in February this year. I was in Minnesota visiting family and decided to take a Kundalini yoga session. After class I returned to my father’s home and lay down to take a nap to prepare for the long drive back to Iowa. As I lay there, I suddenly felt overwhelmed; everything felt wrong. For as long as I could remember I wanted to travel. The destination wasn’t as important as the journey, and there was no particular location I had in mind (in truth, I’d be excited to go just about anywhere). I was fortunate to have had wonderful opportunities to travel but only for short periods of time and always with other people. Frequent fantasies took up a lot of space in my mind, and anything could set me off—a travel magazine with breathtaking photos or a Facebook post of some friend’s vacation. My travel fantasies featured me going it alone over a long period of time. There were always reasons to deny myself what I wanted: family obligations, relationships, a solid job, or copious amounts of student debt. But the truth was I was finally at a period of time where those things were no longer an issue—or at least not enough of an issue to stop me. As I lay there that day, the feeling washing over me was powerful, as though a voice in my head 6
was telling me I was in the wrong place and that I knew what I should be doing—and then asking me, why hadn’t I done it? I realized on my drive home I no longer had an answer to that question, but leaving everything behind (friends, family, my job) was scary. I waited in vain for the feeling to pass. It didn’t. A week later I made the decision to take the leap. I turned in my resignation and got ready to hit the road. Since May I have traveled through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and now Brazil. I have traveled thousands of kilometers by foot, car, boat, train, bus, and plane. I’ve been lucky enough to swim with sea lions, (attempt to) surf, and climb volcanoes in Ecuador; trek to Macchu Picchu and camp in the Andes in Peru; hike around the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca and study Spanish in Bolivia; get a taste of what day-to-day life is like in Brazil, and take in the sun on the beautiful beaches of Rio de Janeiro. I’ve met some wonderful people who’ve shared my journey, despite my visions of going it alone, since we never really do. There have been ups and downs. Along the way I have actively sought out tests of both my mental and physical abilities, collecting them like Girl Scout badges. I can’t help but think of the challenges of the last few weeks of my trip and the challenges facing me when I return, so I hone my skills of persistence and determination. While in Peru I met a shaman who told me, “Your breath is your steering wheel, and it is the only thing you control. Use it.” Despite my training in pranayama, I’d never envisioned it that way. The visual has stuck with me, and whenever I find my mind wandering too far ahead on my journey, I
Overlooking Macchu Picchu in Peru
Overlooking La Paz in Bolivia
come back to my steering wheel and guide myself through the present moment. Every step along this road has held lessons for me, but the real transformation came when I finally gave in to the desire I’d had for as long as I can remember—the desire that was in my heart and bones no matter what I did to ignore it. Once I finally stopped resisting and took the first step, everything else fell in to place. I can’t wait to see what’s around the bend. Sara Stibitz is a Minnesota native who now calls Des Moines her home. Before leaving to pursue adventures, Sara worked for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission as a mediator and investigator. Sara has been practicing yoga for seven years and became certified as a RYT 200 in May 2012. Read more about her travels at TravelingWithoutAMap.org.
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adamantine
iyengar
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Yoga styles today range from very gentle and meditative to vigorous and technically demanding. How will you know which is the best yoga for you? There is only one way to measure the effect—through the strength of the inner peace that it produces. By TRACEY L. KELLEY
n the United States, innovation is the heart of yoga. More than thirty distinctive methods are enjoyed by devotees around the country. Far be it for any one person to say a particular yoga discipline is better or worse for an individual. So how do you know which method is right for you? In this article, we feature some of the more popular types of yoga available in Iowa. Some styles are taught by individual certified instructors; others are the sole discipline featured at a studio; still others are part of a diverse selection of many styles available at a studio. The unifying factor is the dedication with which each form is practiced. The following experts provide a primer to understanding how a certain method may appeal to you.
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practi ce “Adamantine® Yoga is a spiritual discipline that offers a simple and empowering means of discovering the heroic qualities within each of us,” says creator James Miller, a Master Teacher and yoga educator. “Posture, breath, and concentration combine to form a moving meditation built around a framework of twenty yogic positions.” Adamantine Yoga is taught in a format known as Guided Self-Practice (GSP). All instruction is individualized, with an authorized Adamantine Yoga teacher supervising each practitioner one-on-one, but within the support and community of a group setting. “GSP allows students to move through the sequence with modifications and adaptations that uniquely fit their experience level and ability,” Miller says. “The teacher assists students individually with physical adjustments and verbal instructions to allow them to move deeper into the postures.”
All yoga is Hatha Yoga, but in the modern world of yoga, Hatha has a number of interpretations. Brette Berlin Scott, E-RYT 500, is an experienced registered yoga teacher (E-RYT) and owner of Shakti Yoga Shop in Des Moines. She says her Hatha Yoga is inspired by teachers such as Desiree Rumbaugh, John Friend, Noah Maze, and Christina Sell. “Our style of Hatha Yoga is a dynamic and engaging exploration of asana for all levels of practitioners. We offer safe and effective yoga classes emphasizing good alignment,” Berlin Scott says. “Through a physical practice we assist students to step into the fullness of what both yoga and life have to offer.” Students can enjoy classes from Basics to Intermediate/ Advanced and expect to move, breathe with awareness, and work on poses and sequences appropriate for them. “Our classes are best for anyone wanting to develop an ongoing physical practice engaged in a mindful way, and for those who seek an experience that invites them to learn more about what is possible,” says Berlin Scott. Numerous Hatha Yoga classes are available with instructors in locations throughout the state.
“Through this path, we explore the Art of Yoga: spiritual awakening, emotional growth, intellectual refinement, and physical unfolding,” says Marsha Nieland, E-RYT 500, owner of Fusion Studio in Cedar Rapids, and a certified teacher trainer. “And through our growth individually and as a community, we choose to celebrate life, to cultivate more beauty in the world, and to uplift others around us through our actions.” Nieland says instructors of this Hatha Yoga method teach from the heart and with sound alignment to safely promote physical and mental well-being. “Our mission is to help yoga students bridge the gap between ancient yoga wisdom
Miller says the benefits of this discipline move beyond the physical. “By encountering the physical and mental challenges of Adamantine, your true spirit will be revealed, and you’ll have the opportunity to choose new ways of approaching adversity. The heroic qualities of integrity, non-violence, surrender, and gratitude become your natural response to challenge, and you’ll find you navigate life with greater grace and ease.” Look for individual instructors around the state certified in this method.
All yoga is Hatha yoga, but in the modern world of yoga, Hatha has a number of interpretations.
and our modern lives. We create an approach that is physically dynamic, mentally stimulating and therapeutic,” says Nieland. This discipline of Hatha Yoga focuses not on the attainment of a perfected physical pose, but the practice of opening to the beauty to be found in each day and in every situation. “Our philosophy is, ‘If you can breathe, you can do yoga,’” says Nieland. “We believe that everyone wishes to be healthy, content, free, and fulfilled, and encourage each student to find a comfortable starting point and move forward from there, since ‘Yoga is the art of getting good at being yourself.’” In addition to Cedar Rapids, you’ll find Anusara Yoga classes in Iowa City.
TriYoga® is a flow-based method of Hatha Yoga created by Kali Ray, yoga master and founder of TriYoga, that connects breath with movement, posture, and focus. Sterling ‘Satyam’ Hart, a yoga instructor since 1992, has studied with Ray for over a decade, and is one of the certified instructors at TriYoga of Cedar Rapids, a 501c3 nonprofit organization and official chapter of TriYoga International. “TriYoga is a complete system of asana, pranayama, and mudra,” Satyam says. “The systematic approach allows the practice to be as gentle or as challenging as desired.” TriYoga, which includes the full range of yoga practices, is taught around the world by more than one thousand certified teachers. Students progress through levels as they increase their flexibility, strength, endurance, and knowledge of the method. Satyam says, “TriYoga fundamentals include relaxation-in-action, wave-like spinal movements, and economy of motion. These increase strength, endurance, flexibility, and alignment awareness. Key aspects to the flows are the influence of the flow of movement, breath, and postures on the state of consciousness, the energy, and the subtle body.” There are currently thirty-three TriYoga centers in thirty countries and Iowa is home to two centers located in Cedar Rapids and Davenport.
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If you are a yoga instructor of a method not mentioned in this article, contact YogaIowa editor Angela Ossian at editors@yoga-iowa.com.
The Iyengar Yoga method is based on the work of the living yoga master, B.K.S. Iyengar, who is still practicing and teaching at age ninety-five. For more than seventy years, Iyengar has ushered classical yoga into the modern age. Nancy Footner is a Junior Intermediate I certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and owner of Friendship Yoga in Iowa City. Nancy traveled to India four times to study at the Iyengar Institute. She says, “Iyengar Yoga is accessible to all ages, body types, and levels of fitness, and is widely recognized for its dedicated and highly-trained teachers, and for the depth and breadth of its curriculum. The method is a systematic and dynamic practice, with a strong emphasis on precise alignment.” Certified Iyengar Yoga instructors are held to an unusually rigorous standard. Only after years of training and evaluation do they become certified. Iyengar Yoga teachers are trained to modify the classic asanas for the individual student with props such as blocks, chairs, blankets, and belts. “Props allow for a deeper penetration into the posture, provide safety and security, as well as a longer stay,” Footner says. “Iyengar Yoga teachers also use their deep-seated knowledge of the asanas to individualize corrections for each student. Clear demonstrations of the posture, a welldeveloped eye, and specific teaching points which awaken the body’s intelligence are all the marks of Iyengar Yoga teaching.” Iyengar Yoga classes are organized based on the level of the students. “Anyone with special needs such as senior citizens or those with minor health issues are encouraged to join a class that will address their issues,” Footner says. “Most students begin with an intro class and are encouraged to progress to a higher level over time.” In addition to Iowa City, you’ll find Iyengar classes in Boone and Decorah.
“If you can breathe, you can do yoga”
—Marsha Nieland
“The origins of Vinyasa flow date back to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, a type of yoga in which the postures are consciously linked together using breath, motion and focused mind,” says Nikki Thies, RYT 200, a certified Vinyasa instructor at the Healthy Living Center YMCA in Clive. “The word ‘Vinyasa’ may be broken down into its Sanskrit roots, which reflect its true meaning. Nyasa translates as ‘to place or to step’ and vi translates as meaning ‘in a special or specific way.’” A good example of a Vinyasa flow sequence of poses, Thies says, is a Sun Salutation, which builds heat in the body and expels toxins through breath and movement. Synchronized breathing helps bring control and awareness to the breath to allow for mind-body connection. Thies says the benefits of Vinyasa flow include increased circulation, improved respiratory function, and stimulated metabolism. “It’s a good choice for yogis of all levels and ages. Vinyasa promises a workout while incorporating great stretches to provide an overall balance between strength and flexibility. If you like variety in your classes, this style is one that may fit your needs,” she says. The principles of Vinyasa may also be included in other Power and Hot Yoga classes. YMCA instructors in the Ames/Des Moines metro area and across the state offer many Vinyasa and other types of yoga classes.
Evan and Kelly Harris own tapas yoga shala in Rock Island, Illinois. They’ve practiced Ashtanga Yoga since traveling to Mysore, India, in 2008, and continue to update their teachings with annual international sabbaticals. They’re also authorized students of Matthew Sweeney, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s most advanced exponents of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga as taught by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois. Evan Harris says, “Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has both physical and spiritual development as its aims, taking the writings of the ancient philosopher/sage Patanjali as its theoretical underpinning. In practice this style is very physical and rigorous. It is a flowing style of practice, with little use of props, and is the model from which all modern ‘Vinyasa’ styles developed.” Harris says there are two defining characteristics of Ashtanga Vinyasa: self-practice and breath/ movement synchronicity. “‘Ashtangis’ memorize set sequences of postures which are then practiced ‘Mysore style,’” says Harris. “This means a group of students, all practicing in the same room, but each at his or her pace. The teacher circulates and works with students individually, gradually instructing one posture at a time.” Harris says Ashtanga works for students who like an intense, sweaty practice, as well as those who enjoy the engagement of independent practice. You’ll also find Ashtanga studios in Des Moines and Iowa City.
The principles of Vinyasa may also be included in other Power and Hot Yoga classes.
Beryl Bender Birch. Bryan Kest. Baron Baptiste. Justin Kaliszewski. These are just some of the internationally-recognized leaders in one form or another of Power Yoga. Throughout Iowa you’ll discover many variations on the style, but one aspect remains the same: “Contemporary Power Yoga stresses intense physicality,” says Vincent Nola, RYT 200, trainer, and co-owner of Power Life Yoga in Des Moines and West Des Moines. “For something to be strong takes only strength. For an action to be powerful requires strength and an honored intention.” At Nola’s studio, classes are a unique blend of yoga traditions and philosophies emphasizing the flow of breath while moving with strength through poses in a semi-heated environment. “Students of all levels come to reset, refresh, and realize their true potential on and off the mat,” Nola says. “The most transformative classes are physically challenging and technically simple.” Sign up for Power Yoga classes in Clinton, Coralville, Des Moines, Iowa City, Sioux City, and Urbandale.
“Many people would argue that Hot Yoga began in India because of the climate and the origins of yoga itself,” says Kris Larrison, RYT 200, student of Shiva Rea and owner of Kris’ Hot Yoga in Waukee. “But the real pioneer of Hot Yoga was Bikram Choudhury, who developed Bikram Yoga, which includes twenty-six postures performed in a heated room. With the influence of his style, there are many other versions of Hot Yoga, and the name doesn’t refer to one ‘style’ of yoga, but rather any yoga practiced in a heated environment with temperatures that may range 90–104 degrees.” The philosophy behind Hot Yoga, Larrison says, is not only that the body becomes more pliable, but also the method helps strengthen your immune system to sweat out toxins and eliminate waste more efficiently; increase your metabolism; work the cardiovascular system; increase your lung capacity; rejuvenate your body; and relax your mind. “Just like any other form of yoga, Hot Yoga gives you more mental clarity, a real feeling of satisfaction, and it’s a detox of not just the body but also the mind,” Larrison says. “By sweating out all the negative emotions and feelings from the day, or even years, it’s a baptism of the soul.” Hot Yoga can be “for anybody and everybody,” but Larrison cautions those who have medical concerns to seek a doctor’s approval before starting class, and for pregnant woman to forgo a Hot Yoga practice until post-partum. Other locations of Hot Yoga include Cedar Falls, Coralville, Des Moines, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities.
There’s More to Know “By sweating out all the negative emotions and feelings from the day, or even years,
it’s a baptism of the soul.”
—kris Larrison
This article is only a snapshot of the numerous opportunities to find the right practice that expands your ability, insight, and dedication. Visit YogaFinder.com to search for more types of yoga throughout Iowa. Before trying a new method of yoga, take time to learn more about it. Arrange for a consultation with an instructor certified in that style so you can ask questions and also review any health concerns. Tracey L. Kelley, RYT 400, is certified in Freestyle Hatha Yoga, Adamantine Yoga, and Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga. She specializes in working with beginner and intermediate yoga students. Contact her at tracey@traceykelleyyoga.com. She’s also the founder of re: communications, a firm focused on improving communication through mindful listening. Learn more at recommunicationsmedia.com
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Why are pictures of professional athletes doing “women’s” exercise always greeted with snickers? In the ’70s it was Lynn Swan doing ballet. Today it is NFL stars practicing yoga—often in full pads! Who wouldn’t chuckle at the incongruity of Diamond “Dallas” Page becoming a yoga instructor? As a culture we see the humor in the contrast of these exercises. Yet serious athletes (professional and otherwise) know that yoga is the perfect supplement to any Western exercise or sport, especially for men. What are the contrasts between these systems? Western exercise comes from Roman culture as training for sport for entertainment and war. Yoga comes from Indian culture and is aimed at health and longevity. Typical Western exercise pursues strength, cardiovascular fitness, and performance, while yoga holds a “balanced” body as paramount—strength on par with flexibility. This last element is what has attracted so many serious athletes to yoga. Weights, running, and competitive sports typically underemphasize flexibility, if recognizing it at all. This is true even though the vast majority of injury has inflexibility at least as a contributing factor. Of course this is common knowledge; we all know the
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importance of “warming up” (increasing the flexibility of the body) to prevent injury. Yoga takes stretching as its main activity. In doing so it directly balances the tendencies of strength and performance training as well as countering the single most significant aspect of physical aging—the decrease in tissue elasticity. Of course yoga is more than stretching. Its emphasis on calming and centering the nervous system is an extension of the theme of “balance,” which is another opportunity for yoga to complement the emphasis on performance and exertion in Western exercise (marathons, triathlons, etc.). So why do men need yoga? Because we are naturally stronger than we are flexible, and Western exercise takes us even further in that direction. We excel at performance and achievement, but we are at risk of stress and burnout. As many serious athletes and weekend warriors have already discovered,
Photo by Shuva Rahim
By Evan Harris
yoga provides all the necessary elements to bring running, weights, competitive sports, and crosstraining into balance in the body. This leads to higher performance and fewer injuries as well as greater satisfaction and longer athletic careers. Evan Harris has been studying yoga traditions since 2002, including a total of six months in India and Southeast Asia. He is currently learning the Fourth Series of Ashtanga yoga under his teacher, Matthew Sweeney. With his wife Kelly, Evan owns and operates tapas yoga shala in Rock Island, Illinois, teaching Ashtanga yoga in guided and self-practice classes. Evan and Kelly also teach one of the most in-demand yoga teacher training programs in the area. Evan is a masters level social worker and a Vipassana meditation teacher. He can be reached at evan@tapasyogashala.com.
A ne w m i s s i o n i n t ro d u c i n g yo ga t o m i l i ta r y a n d v e t e ra n s may be t h e s e c r e t i n t r e at i n g PTSD a n d prov i d i n g t he m i l i ta ry w it h a n e w e d g e . By Olivia Kvitne photos by doug smith
Jennifer Mlocek, a member of the Iowa National Guard, teaches yoga at Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. 11
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Your mind is the only
“Your body can perform twenty times the work you think possible.
y thing holding you back from achieving your full potential.” —Kody Waldstein, US Navy veteran
Photo by Ana Painter
cover stor y
n July 2, thirty veterans, military personnel, and their supporters rolled out their mats for a yoga workshop at the Fred Maytag Scout Center in Des Moines, Iowa, opening their minds and bodies to find focus, power, and a new sense of awareness. This workshop, Yoga for Heroes, introduced both veterans and active military to the physical demands and profound mental focus yoga offers. For our military members who are constantly finding themselves in high-stress environments, encountering traumatic events most of us can’t even imagine, the “spiritual science” of yoga may be the missing piece in healing mental struggles and finding another level of strength. Through this workshop, participants were able to learn about yoga and the mind-body connection and experience some of the benefits firsthand.
Olivia Kvitne from Los Angeles visited Iowa this summer to conduct a Yoga for Heroes workshop for military at the Fred Maytag Scout Center in Des Moines.
to non-medical counseling. In addition, Captain Renee Rausch explains that unittraining assemblies at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, regularly address handling stress and mental struggles. The awareness of the problem is there but conventional methods seem to have failed in stopping this epidemic. While the Veteran’s Association hasn’t yet fully explored yoga as a method of healing,Yoga for Heroes and other similar programs have caught the attention of US military members like Colonel Todd Jacobus. Colonel Jacobus has a long career with the US Army and Iowa National Guard, having served twenty-nine years. He was deployed in Iraq as the Commander of the 224th Engineer Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard in 2005. He says, “I’m a firm believer that our veterans need a menu of options to deal with the physical and mental stressors during
“I’m a firm believer that our veterans need a menu of options to deal with the physical and mental stressors during and following deployments, and yoga should definitely be among those items on the menu.” —Colonel Todd Jacobus “This was my first in-person yoga class,” said Miyoko Hikiji, a veteran of the US Army and Iowa National Guard and author of All I Could Be: My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq. “The yoga workshop had intense and challenging poses and deep stretches, but I felt I was working with my body instead of against it. Yoga is a fitness workout and a mental break at the same time.” For some, the possibilities of strengthening the mind-body connection through yoga may be life changing. Today a quarter-million veterans have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and many others suffer in silence. The effects of a traumatic event can trigger the sympathetic nervous system (the fightor-flight response) long after the event itself resulting in a change in brain chemistry. This lingering manifestation makes it difficult for a veteran to return to civilian life. In 2012 the suicide rate among members of the US military grew by fifteen percent with a documented twenty-two veterans taking their lives every day. The Pentagon has announced the leading cause of soldier death is no longer from battle. A variety of treatments exist for active military and veterans, from suicide prevention medication 14
To find free yoga classes for vets anywhere in the country, visit www.yogaforvets.org.
and following deployments, and yoga should definitely be among those items on the menu. Yoga for Heroes was a good experience for me. It made me feel quite relaxed.” While this was a brand new experience for Hikiji and Jacobus, other attendees already had an acquaintance with yoga. Major Jennifer Mlocek, a full-time member of the Iowa National Guard, discovered yoga classes offered at the air force fitness center while deployed in Afghanistan. Eventually she started leading the classes when the other instructors finished their tours. Back home Major Mlocek offered classes at Camp Dodge and the Joint Forces Headquarters. Her classes have been well received among the highest level of leadership with both the Adjutant General and Army Chief of Staff attending several. Kody Waldstein, a young US Navy veteran, began practicing yoga as part of the Iowa State University Triathlon team. He says, “I understand the intense physical punishment one undergoes in the military. A good yoga class not only helps loosen and revitalize the body, it strengthens areas that conventional fitness neglects.” Waldstein says he personally knows SEALs and US Army Special Forces operators who practice yoga.
The following Iowa yoga studios offer these classes free for vets: Field of Yoga, Cedar Rapids “Seva pass” given to vets for unlimited classes on schedule. Does not include workshops. Harmony Yoga, Shueyville Mondays at 5:30 pm & Thursdays at 9:15 am Power Life Yoga West Des Moines Wednesday 5:45 pm Downtown Saturday 11:30 am Studio Z, Grinnell Entire schedule free for vets. Veldt Yoga, Ankeny Tuesdays at Noon
“The mind is extremely powerful, and anyone who has attended a military special operations school knows that firsthand,” he says. “Your body can perform twenty times the work you think possible. Your mind is the only thing holding you back from achieving your full potential.” Programs such as Yoga Warriors International, iRest, Warriors at Ease, and YogaFit for Warriors are specifically geared toward healing the wounds of our veterans and offering certification programs to yoga teachers. Yoga for Vets, developed by Paul Zipes, a veteran US Navy Diver and yoga teacher himself, created a website posting yoga studios and teachers offering free yoga classes for veterans around the country. The incorporation of yoga into active military training is already on the brink of becoming part a proposed military fitness-training overhaul by the US Training and Doctrine Command. Yoga holds the potential to give the “push-up population” a new level of aptitude by training our troops in a different kind of physical agility and mental “toughness” that will complement their current system. Top commanders have taken note of these benefits, and as Hikiji puts it, “It’s a military leader’s responsibility to care for her or his troops as human beings so that the unit maintains its mission-capable readiness. If including yoga accomplishes this, then a smart leader will embrace it.”
Olivia Kvitne has been teaching yoga for ten years and is a certified Yoga Warriors International instructor. Both her grandfathers served in World War II, which continues to inspire her to give back to our veterans and eventually offer yoga to first responders as well. Although she lives, teaches, and writes in Los Angeles, she is frequently in Iowa to visit her wonderful in-laws who were giant supporters of Yoga for Heroes. www.TheYogaAbbey.com @OliviaKvitne
pract ice
By james miller
L esson # 1
You can know exactly what you need to do to get the most out of your yoga practice, but if you don’t actually do it, nothing happens. Don’t wait. Make a commitment and hold yourself to it. It might take a hero’s strength to drag yourself out of bed thirty minutes early, or to step away from the brownies your coworker brings, but you have to honor the commitments you have made to yourself if you wish to succeed in your practice.
Photo by Doug Smith
L esson # 2
hanks. t e v i g — s t r o f — h f o d e w e t d e s e r v b a e r they are rew our For all of y
Practicing yoga will teach you very quickly that an aggressive attitude will only lead to an injury. Some people come to the practice having already learned this lesson, some people learn it on the mat, but regardless, nonviolence is impotent unless you make it an integral part of the way you live your life. Yoga asks that you practice this skill daily, first on yourself as you encounter the challenges you face on the mat, and then eventually with every being you encounter beyond. L esson # 3
have just returned from teaching in White Plains, New York, being hosted by the grand matriarch of modern yoga herself, Tao Porchon-Lynch, as part of her annual yoga teacher training program. At ninetyfour years of age, this amazing woman is as active and inspiring as ever, whether she is traveling the world and teaching master classes in locations like Moscow and France, or simply driving herself around town in her tiny blueand-silver Smart Car. Tao Porchon-Lynch is a living testament to the power of a lifelong yoga practice, and she is a personal hero to me. We all need people like Tao. We need people who live their lives heroically, people who defy the odds and somehow thrive in the face of the extraordinary challenges that each and every one of us faces just by virtue of being alive. A few years ago I came across a video of another such person that eventually went on to become viral. I’m sure you’ve seen it. It is about a man named Arthur Boorman who, as a wounded war veteran, documented his personal journey of self-healing. Few videos have had such a profound effect on as many people, and watching him go from hobbling about on crutches in the beginning of the video to sprinting full speed by the end is nothing short of breathtaking. Through his heroic efforts to heal himself, he has become an inspiration to countless people who face enormous challenges in their own lives. But a hero isn’t just someone who does amazing things. It’s not just the people who defy the norm by thriving at age ninety-four, or healing themselves against enormous odds.
A hero can be the average, ordinary person who finds within themselves the courage to struggle against the challenges they face every time they step to their yoga mat to practice. Over my years of teaching yoga, I have had the honor of knowing many yoga practitioners. I have never met a single one who I didn’t feel had enormous odds stacked against them. Yoga is not easy and it’s not meant to be. To successfully walk the path of yoga is to pit yourself against powerful forces pulling on both your physical body and your emotional and mental well-being. Trying to maintain the highest level of physical health is a lifelong battle we will all eventually lose. Your physical body is not meant to last forever, and it would be a mistake to interpret the goal of your yoga practice to be solely that of lengthening your life. Yoga exists not for your physical body, but to create a forum for you to shine your spirit, to forge skills that can allow for you to thrive in your life as you live it off the mat. Yoga creates for you a path and asks one thing—that you practice heroically. That you disregard the odds that you may never press to handstand or put your foot behind your head, but that you seek out the best personal expression of who you can be, and you move closer to it with each and every breath, every day of your life. Facing the mat daily as part of your own personal hero’s journey can be at times difficult and at times absolute bliss. Along the way as each of us encounters the practice, we all evolve certain heroic qualities in response to the lessons we inevitably learn on the mat.
Your yoga practice won’t always make sense. It’s not linear or logical. You must learn to surrender to whatever happens, whenever it happens. Surrender is rarely a skill that a yoga practitioner learns in daily life. Everything screams that we make change happen, we’re in control! What if we’re not? What if everything is as it should be, and there’s nothing you need to do but breathe? Believe it or not, the quickest way forward in your practice is to stop expecting, stop anticipating, stop trying to achieve, and just let it happen. L esson # 4
Whatever happens, be grateful for it. For all of your best efforts—however they are rewarded—give thanks. It’s an important part of creating a life worth living, a life you truly enjoy. An attitude of gratitude is so much more enjoyable than of frustration or disappointment. Try it, it works. Yoga necessitates a change in every practitioner. New ways of approaching challenge emerge naturally, whether or not you are even aware of them. A better, stronger, more present version of you emerges at the end of every practice, and this person, without even realizing it, might be the inspiration for countless others.
Practice heroically. The world needs people like you. James Miller is one of the most innovative and inspiring modern yoga teachers and the founder of Adamantine® Yoga. A contemporary yogi, James is aware of the unique challenges presented by modern society and his work attempts to integrate the needs of today’s yoga practitioner with the wisdom of the ancient discipline. His passion for making spirituality accessible and empowering has led him to search deep into the mysteries of the world’s most esoteric traditions and emerge with something both authentic and current.
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are you a friend to Your Body? by Diane Glass
With a diagnosis of breast cancer in 1999 my relationship to my body changed. Previously I had often pushed it beyond its limits, rarely consulting it before moving ahead on my latest venture. That changed one day when suddenly I heard, “You are ready to deal with your cancer.” What cancer? Where did that message come from?
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My body was talking to me, or so it seemed. Although routine tests showed no sign of the disease, I continued to press for biopsies until the cancer was confirmed. In the year ahead my body and I worked together undergoing treatments for this life-threatening disease. We took advantage of acupuncture and somatic yoga and made time for rest. I left my corporate job to live in greater accordance with my body’s needs and wants. My body became my friend, an ally, and a respected source of information and wisdom. Years later, healthy, I take every opportunity to encourage people to tap into their bodies’ innate intelligence and to view their precious bodies as partners—as friends—on this lifelong journey they share.
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How can you listen to your body? • Show your desire to live in harmony with your body. Not surprisingly your body hears everything you say. If you show a genuine interest in your body’s wants and needs, it will provide intuitive insights, feelings, and images for your reflection. • Scan your body for areas of discomfort, pain, or blockage. In a relaxed state simply notice particular sensations by moving slowly from your feet to your head. Later, dialogue with the part of you that calls for your attention. Imagine yourself sitting across the table from or in comfortable chairs with your headache, your stomach, or the heaviness associated with loss. Ask, “What would you like me to know?” Wait for a truth to be revealed. • Listen to what you hear without judgment or negative emotion. Let your curiosity guide you. What is this feeling? Where does it come from? How does this image speak to me? How can this insight be helpful? Write down or draw what you hear or see. • Act upon what you learn. Is your back tired of sitting? Find other ways to work or engage in less sedentary leisure pursuits. Does your stomach ask for a change in your way of eating? Respond with changes to your diet.
Your body is the only companion you’ll have from birth to death. It merits your respect, your consideration, and your compassion. View it as a your friend, and you’ll experience life with greater joy and peace.
immersion november 9-10 James miller | Founder
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Diane Glass serves as a spiritual companion and retreat leader for individuals seeking peace, joy, and purpose in their lives. She co-founded Tending Your Inner Garden, a program of creativity and spirituality for women, in 2002. As a member of the staff of PrairieFire at the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center, she offers classes in the body as a vehicle for spiritual growth and supervises a practicum in spiritual direction. She can be reached at diane.glass@mchsi.com or TendingYourInnerGarden.com.
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eating healthfully in social situations By Sheree Clark
ne of the biggest challenges in adhering to an eating regime— especially during the holidays— is societal and peer pressure. Our culture is undeniably food driven, and we alternately use meals as a means to establish community, a way to celebrate, and as a demonstration of love. Conversely consumption of food can also be used as a stress release, a way to commiserate with others, or even a peace offering. Food is laden with meaning, and if we let it, what we eat takes on significance far beyond its mere calorie content. Imagine inviting someone to your home for an evening and not offering them something to eat or drink: you’d feel inhospitable, and they might even be insulted! Once you gain a level of confidence, you’ll find it’s not necessary to avoid family gatherings, holiday parties, and happy hours in order to stay true to a healthy food lifestyle. The first step in being able to handle the pressures of eating out is to reconcile what the event is really about. Unless you are attending a gourmet food writers’ conference, the reality is that the occasion is about something other than the food. Yet many times food and drink can take center stage, and our focus shifts away from the real reason for the gathering: usually that would be spending time with friends and family or celebrating a milestone. The challenge becomes how to replace patterns or at least substitute behaviors in a way that serves you better in the long term.
tried-and-true tips for your next social occasion Master the art of dodging. From cocktail parties to sit-down dinners, I have learned how to identify opportune times to visit the ladies room or go greet a colleague across the room, and usually it is when there is something being served that I do not choose to eat. Although these days I am comfortable enough to simply say “no thanks” without a grand explanation, when I was first transitioning to the raw food lifestyle, I needed to feel like I didn’t stand out too much. I learned that sometimes the easiest way of handling a potentially awkward situation is to simply avoid it. Eat before you go. It’s a lot harder to resist a slice of cheesecake when you’re famished than when you’re genuinely satisfied from the green smoothie you just had an hour before. If you can honestly say, “Oh, it looks wonderful, but I am full right now,” you’ll be that much closer to being able to stay the course. Try to keep your focus and attention on the occasion and the camaraderie of other people.
Have an alibi. Sometimes having a ready-made reason why you’re only eating a salad or not having dessert makes it easier to avoid having attention directed at your plate. While I am certainly not an advocate of lying, I will confess that some stretching of the truth has helped me in the past. A few excuses that helped me over the hump were: • “My stomach has been acting up. I’d better not.” (This one is actually true: My stomach was revolting from years of crappy food, and I wasn’t going to give it any more!) • “My doctor has me on a special diet.” (After all, your doctor knows everything, right?) • “It looks great, but I am stuffed from a late lunch… maybe in a little while.” (By then, everyone else will have eaten it anyway, and you’ll be off the hook!) The idea is to have a ready-to-go reason why you’re doing what you’re doing—assuming you are in a situation you feel that you can’t (or don’t) choose to be open about your food choices. Sure, the pressure can be tough at times, but if you keep in mind that for most social engagements it really isn’t about the food, you’ll be in a better place. <<This
a is a nice, s
tisfying, fall-flavo red snac k.
Pumpkin Pie
3 tablespoons cashews, soaked 1 cup coconut water 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 frozen banana 2-3 leaves romaine lettuce
Sheree Clark, EdM, AADP, CHHC, is a holistic health and nutrition counselor with a private practice she calls Fork in the Road (fork-road. com). An inspiring author, presenter, teacher, motivator, and raw vegan chef, Sheree works for clients across the country to help them get the most out of life by improving their health.
Blend ingredients together in a high-speed blender. You won’t taste the romaine, but you will benefit from the extra fiber and nutrition!
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H by sandy eimers
ormones are the ever-present servants of our mental and physical balance. Each is secreted in one part of the body, travels to another part, and influences it to do whatever the body needs to achieve equilibrium in the moment. Hormones enter the cells of every tissue in our bodies and brains, and affect both our physical and mental well-being. Whereas some hormones (like stress hormones) kick our bodies and minds into high gear, others (such as the dominant sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone) lead us to calm our minds and slow down so our bodies can replace depleted energy. Stress and sex hormones exert opposing influences, yet their ever-changing relationship serves to maintain equilibrium in the body and balance in the mind.
Throughout our lives we need both yin and yang qualities to stabilize our minds and bodies. Every cell in the body—as well as in the greater Universe—has to have a balance of yin and yang to function well. Finding balance, in theory, sounds pretty straightforward, but in reality it’s a little tougher to achieve and nearly impossible to maintain. The ancient Ayurvedic principles of yin and yang illustrate the delicate balance of hormones in the human body. Yin energies are cool, dark, slow, stable, tranquil, moist, and female. Yang energy is hot, bright, fast, mobile, dry, aggressive, and considered male. Yin is nighttime and yang is daytime. Yin and yang are opposites that depend on each other for the whole to function. Throughout our lives we need both yin and yang qualities to stabilize our minds and bodies. Every cell in the body—as well as in the greater universe—has to have a balance of yin and yang to function well. When we have a good balance of yin and yang, we feel healthy. But keep in mind that yin and yang are relative concepts. Nothing that exists is totally yin or totally yang. They are simply yin or yang in relation to other things. This is nature’s way of ensuring that there are always opposing forces present and available to maintain or regain equilibrium. For example, in women, the predominant sex hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, have a predominantly yin influence in the body, whereas stress hormones, like adrenaline or cortisol, have a predominantly yang influence. Having an imbalance of yin or yang hormones can unleash a cascade of symptoms that undermine health.
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Busy, stress-filled lives favor the excess of stress (yang-cortisol) hormones circulating in the body, without enough yin (estrogen and progesterone) to create and maintain balance. At this point, the body becomes out of balance and symptoms emerge to get our attention! Day by day, we deplete both our sex hormones and our stress hormones (estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and cortisol) and the organs that produce these hormones (adrenal glands and ovaries) burn out. An overabundance of stress hormones in the body promotes the breakdown of all yin tissues in the body, that is, all structural material including the bones, skin, muscles and brain. For more than thirty years, synthetic hormone replacement therapy was nearly standard for menopausal women. But everything changed abruptly in 2002 when studies directly linked invasive breast cancer, heart attacks, stroke, and dementia to synthetic hormone replacement therapy. (Estrogen replacement therapy does slow osteoporosis but does not prevent or reverse it.) In contrast, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is derived from plant sources (yam) and is exactly the same as sex hormones produced in the body. But it turns out you can’t patent naturally occurring substances (which bioidentical hormones are) and there is not a lot of money to be made in testing their safety and effectiveness or in bringing them to the mass market. The good news, for both men and women, is that hormone loss and imbalance is easily correctible. Through state-of-the-art diagnostic hormone testing, using saliva, urine, and/or blood analysis, your hormone levels can be determined and your unique bioidentical hormone needs identified. Talk to your healthcare provider and ask if there is a local pharmacy that can work with you and your doctor to prescribe the BHRT that is right for you. Natural BHRT, along with stress management techniques such as spiritual practices/meditation, massage, pranayama (breathing practices), and laughter, may improve your quality of life with renewed energy, and restored youthfulness—just as nature intended.
Sandy Eimers, RPh, E-RYT 200, is stumbling through the labyrinth of life with its many twists and turns—sometimes following a path and other times wandering off in search of answers, but always asking too many questions. The common thread in the many hats she wears is green, and it radiates from the heart chakra. She is fluent in Western and Eastern modalities of healing through her experience working as a pharmacist, owning balance yoga lounge and balanced breath school of yoga, and working as a professional yoga therapist.
FINDING BALANCE IN autumn USING
by Lisa Munger
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Crisp leaves crunch be
yurveda is yoga’s sister science, both derived from the same ancient texts. In fact, historically, Ayurveda actually precedes yoga. Ayurveda categorizes everything— our minds, bodies, interactions, natural world, food, energy—as comprised of a mix of five basic elements: earth, water, fire, air and space. Each person has a unique constellation of these elements in his or her body and mind, a pre-set constitution determined at the moment of conception that remains in place throughout one’s life. As the seasons change, so do the elements. In autumn, the elements of air and space, also known as Vata dosha, increase. As a result, the macrocosm of the natural world is drier and lighter. Crisp leaves crunch beneath our feet, cool wind nips at the backs of our necks and our joints snap, crackle and pop when we move in yoga class. Just as air and space increase in the macrocosm of the external world, the microcosm of our
neath our
feet.... a nd our jo
ints snap, cr
bodies and minds experience the same phenomenon. Too much air and space in the body and mind create anxiety, insomnia, constipation, dry skin, feeling flighty and having difficulty completing a task before flitting off to start something else. In short, we’re a little scattered. Fortunately, Ayurveda prescribes many mechanisms to seek balance and bring ourselves down to solid ground for autumn. • Keep your yoga practice fluid, grounded and moderately heating.
Don’t practice in a “hot” yoga room–it’s too aggressive on the body–but consider practicing until you feel some naturally-generated internal heat. Avoid jumps, kicking up to a handstand a bunch of times, anything light and erratic. Use your intuition to develop a grounding practice; stay simple and fluid.
ackle and pop when
we move in yoga class.
• Avoid raw food. Digestive fire burns more weakly in autumn and we can’t tolerate raw like we can in summer. Favor root vegetables, soups and stews, warming casseroles and wellspiced meals. • Keep a routine. Vata is inherently erratic. Counter this by doing your best to eat and sleep at the same time every day. Force yourself to sit still and complete one task at a time, particularly when feeling scattered. Lisa Munger has been teaching yoga and Ayurveda for more than fourteen years. She works with these tools to help people connect with their innermost wisdom and move toward fruition in their lives. This year she was featured in nationally-distributed ORIGIN magazine as one of 120 “Yogis We Love.” Besides her work in healing arts, Lisa is a writer and holds a master’s degree in journalism. She recently made Des Moines her home with her husband Greg Oakes.
Hot Yoga • Kundalini • Chakra • Hatha • Tai Chi • TRX Floga • Restorative • Vinyasa Flow
Yoga therapY To manage THe sYmpToms oF
Sandy Eimers, RPh, ERYT200, founder, is a practicing yoga therapist and licensed pharmacist focused on holistic medicine. Sandy uniquely builds a bridge between ancient Eastern and modern Western medicine.
2202 west first street ankeny ia 515.210.8138 balanceyogalounge.com 19
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HERE At YogaIowa, we encounter many different yoga-related products, as well as wellness, spa and beauty products from near and far. This is where we share what we are currently loving and using! 1. Catspaw Meditation Cushions Catspaw Yoga is a Coloradobased company that makes handcrafted yoga and meditation cushions stuffed with traditional organic buckwheat hulls. They also make neck wraps and eye pillows, both filled with organic millet. $17.50–$69, catspawyoga.com 2. Aveda Comforting Tea This certified organic blend calms the senses with soothing herbal infusion of licorice root and peppermint. 20 tea bags, $17, Aveda.com 3. Green Mama Soap is an all-natural, locally (Des Moines) made vegan soap. Of the scent combinations (six total), eucalyptus and spearmint is a serious exfoliator and great for this time of year since eucalyptus wards off fever, aches, chills, and coughs. 4oz. bar, $5, greenmamasoaps.com 4. Yoga Fan is great for home when you can’t make it to a class and small enough (and sturdy enough) to throw in your purse or slip into
by Sandy Eimers, RPh, E-RYT 200
Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to understanding yoga, but are not interested in the dogma associated with any particular lineage, this might be your book! Once you start investigating yoga, it’s a little like learning about wine—the more you learn, the more there is to learn (sans hangover). With chapters outlining the history of yoga, why yoga works, meditation, breath utilization, and why yoga works for YOU, there are gems of information on nearly every page; “Smiling lifts the spirit and is an indicator your energy is flowing upward.” An easy to read (no Sanskrit) that brings understanding of yoga into greater focus. 20
luggage when traveling. Over 50 postures with step-by-step illustrated instructions and modifications. Tips on safety, form and alignment, breathing and meditation. For all levels of experience. Beneficial for a student AND a teacher. $16, athleta.com 5. Spa Ritual Nail Polish These eco-friendly vegan nail lacquers are free of DBP, formaldehyde and tolune. Each shade is associated with a unique message, meaning or numerological value, and the bottles are made with reusable glass. $10, Sparitual.com 6. Fertility Ball While actress Brenda Strong is best known to the public as Mary Alice Young on Desperate Housewives, she is a spokesperson for The American Fertility Association and serves on the board. She’s also a 500 E-RYT (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) who developed Yoga4Fertility to help women maximize their reproductive potential through fertility-enhancing postures she designed for use with the ball. $39.99, yoga4fertility.com
7. In this fourth in a series of Tending Your Inner Garden books themed to the seasons of the year, women from around the U.S. and Canada share their reflections on the themes of gratitude, surrender, harvest, authenticity and remembrance. In poems and stories, you’ll find inspiration for your own spiritual journey. The book offers journaling prompts to aid you in your discovery. tendingyourinnergarden.com or visit Beaverdale Books, 2629 Beaver Ave., Des Moines. 8. Technology is exploding. We are becoming less happy. In his new book, There Is No App for Happiness (Skyhorse), Max Strom argues we’ve traded actual lives for virtual equivalents, and offers a guide to get your life, and your happiness, back.
FREE culinary events and technique classes at Williams-Sonoma, Jordan Creek Town Center, Jordan Creek Pkwy., West Des Moines! Send your email to 721@stores.williams-sonoma.com to receive monthly reminders.
The Language of Letting Go
Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko
The New Rules of Posture
(fifty card deck) by Melody Beattie
Genetically, chimpanzees are 99.4% identical to human DNA—but our diets are radically different. While chimpanzees nosh on fruit, greens and blossoms, insects and roughage, humans consume processed foods and buckets of high fructose corn syrup. It’s an interesting comparison that easily sheds an unfavorable light on the standard American diet. While most of us consume a mostly acidic diet (which has been strongly linked to disease), it appears there are numerous health benefits to adding greens in abundance to the human diet. If you have an aversion to green drinks, you won’t enjoy trying the recipes in the final chapter, but I’ve tried at least a half-dozen. Green smoothies and “puddings” leave you feeling full and energized, with no cooking skills required. Be sure to try the Creamy Ginger Spinach smoothie, definitely my personal favorite!
by Mary Bond The vast majority are born
Sometimes a book can be intimidating, especially when it’s found in the self-help section, and we are required to admit that we have some work to do! Melody’s affirmation cards are perfect for anyone who is looking to live in the present moment and allow life to happen rather than trying to force outcomes. Take a photo of the card you’ve selected and save it as the lock screen on your smart phone to keep you on track all day! Perfect for all ages, each card begins with the statement, “Today I will…” Everyday situations and emotions are addressed including: relationships, health, patience, fear, trust, change, and gratitude. The graphics are whimsical and colorful while the messages are crystal clear. The Language of Letting Go is the perfect gift for yourself or someone struggling against the flow of life.
with perfect posture and easy, unrestricted breath. But somewhere between infancy and adulthood, many of us develop poor posture and so much tension in our breathing that we can no longer enjoy a full inhale. The way we orient our bodies in space has a direct impact on how our inner world of communications (nervous system), circulation and digestion work (or don’t work). Internal tensions within the body ultimately define the outer shape of our bodies. This primer for aligning the body in movement is filled with exercises designed to expand your awareness of how your body moves through gravity and gives detailed breakdowns of how to stand tall against the forces of gravity to stay open to all that life has to offer. Recommended for all posture geeks.
Ames
Okoboji
Artful Yoga
Study Weekends at Yoga Okoboji
Wednesdays at 5:20PM through November 20 at the Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall, Iowa State University, Ames. Free. Sponsored by University Museums & Recreational Services. Bring your own mat. www.museums.iastate.edu
Saturday 8am–9pm, Sunday 8am–5pm Each study weekend has a focus and includes anatomy, chanting, philosophy, asana, pranayama and discussion. October 26-27: Standing Postures; November 16-17: Balancing Postures; December 14-15: Back Bends and Hot Yoga; January 22-23: Hips; Cost: $300 per weekend; For more information, visit www.yogaokoboji.com/classes/events/
ANKENY
Veldt Yoga Presents: A weekend with Max Strom, Author, Teacher March 21-22, 2014 Tickets on sale now at www.veldtyoga.com
West Des Moines Conscious Living Retreat Series
9am–5pm, Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge; Deepen your conscious living through yoga, discussion, meditation, and connecting with nature. Taught by Shakti Yoga Shop’s Brette Scott and Inner Prosperity’s Rita Henry. January 19: Relationships— Creating Healthy Boundaries; March 9: Abundance—Connecting to the Divine; Cost: $175 per retreat. Lunch is included. For more information, visit www.innerprosperity.com
Des Moines
Adamantine® Yoga Immersion
November 9: 9am–4pm; November 10: 9am–Noon Participants will explore the core principles that inform the style, receive in-depth instruction on the Adamantine® Yoga postures and sequencing, and learn to tailor the tools and techniques gained into a comprehensive self-practice; Cost: $197, manual included. To register, contact james@adamantineyoga.com
have an event for our Winter calendar? Submit it to editors@yoga-iowa.com
Exotic India Authentic Indian Cuisine 102 B 2nd Ave Coralville IA 52241 319-354-4710 exoticindiarestaurant.com
Lunch : Tuesday—Sunday
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Mind. Body. Soul.
Om
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Infinite Om 60 S. Main St Fairfield IA 52556 641-469-3242 infiniteomfairfield@gmail.com
clothing huge selection of stones
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Special Discounts for Students 2707 Stange Ave Ames, IA 50010 • www.igniteyoga.com • 515.292.9600 21
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Julie Rice
R Studio, Urbandale, IA
What brought you to R Studio? A few years ago, my teacher made the decision to move to Sedona, Arizona. She had created this beautiful community, which we wanted to honor by finding a new space to gather. We approached Kristen, the owner of R Studio and she immediately took us in. Her vision matched our vision of creating and maintaining a community, as well as honoring the body with awareness of what we feed it on all levels and mindful movement based on the individual’s need. It has been a place where I have grown as a student and as a teacher, where our community not only was maintained but has also grown, revised, and refined itself. Why do you practice and teach yoga? I began practicing 13 years ago to find some balance for myself. We have a son with special needs who is lovely and challenging. The practice was a place to go as a sanctuary, to challenge myself to get stronger, to challenge myself to take care of myself. After a year or so of practice, my family would ask if it was yoga night when I was getting frazzled. It reminded me that this practice touches everyone we come into contact with. I began teaching as an extension of that growth my practice provided to me as a student. I also wanted to share my passion for the practice and to share the healing that I had received. I now find myself in a beautiful, reciprocal state of learning from my students in the act of teaching them. It’s wonderful to see the connections occur in their body, in their state of mind, to hear their stories of challenges overcome by mindful breathing or a simple pause that changed the trajectory of their day. It is a humbling and delightful practice. What inspires and motivates you? I am inspired and motivated by that moment where you know someone is about to have a change of perception in their world that will bring them a newfound freedom in their life. Whether that is on the mat with a new pose or finding comfort in a challenging pose, or in my home with my family or in a conversation with another. I love to create and witness freedom. I am jazzed beyond compare when someone finds a new way of seeing things! It is witnessing growth as it happens. This shift of perception that creates freedom is why I show up on my mat, as a student and an instructor. How has the yoga philosophy resonated with you? Yoga reminds me that balance is what I look for every moment. It reminds me to start with awareness, be conscious of my thoughts, my breath, my body, my spirit, and find balance for all parts that are me. It has taught me that balance doesn’t mean equal, it means a daily and sometimes an hourly shift of attention and awareness. Its simplicity is not always simple, which fascinates me.
Photo by Doug Smith
Valley Junction’s Natural and Organic Coffee Shop
The pure love of yoga brought Iowa yogis outside throughout the summer to embrace the sun, the air, the trees, and the freedom.
All over Iowa teachers and students got out of the studio and enjoyed all the elements of nature that can make for a radically uplifting practice. Here are some photos capturing some of you enjoying yoga alfresco. COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP : 1. Renae Kreutner, Angela Andrews, Lauren Hupp and Bryce Gilbert build whole body strength and balance while enjoying Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga at Gray’s Lake Park, Des Moines. Photo by Theresa Macdonald 2. Gillian Wyman, Mary McInnis Meyer, Tara Pickering, Laura Christensen, Julia Abbott, and Sherry Johnson take a down-dog over a downtown Cedar Falls stairwell at Field of Yoga’s Urban Yoga Playground Tour. Photo submitted by Angel Johnson 3. Craig Cohea gets a playful sirsasana assist from teacher Mary McInnis Meyer at Field of Yoga’s Kayoga trip. Photo submitted by Mary Avenanti 4. Nicole Lunders of Urbandale at Yoga on the Lawn, West Des Moines. Photo by Ellie Walter 5. Christina Campbell and daughter Lola 23 enjoy a beautiful Saturday morning at Yoga in the Park at Bandshell Park, Ames. Photo by Theresa Macdonald
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Now hiring licensed massage therapists! *Introductory rate valid for Members and first-time Guests only. Actual massage and facial time is 50-Minutes hands-on. Additional local taxes and fees may apply. See Retreat for details. Each Massage Heights Retreat is independently owned and operated. Franchise opportunities available. ©2013 Massage Heights, LLC.
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9/19/13 5:37 PM
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