SUMMER 2014
THE
09 aging with grace by tao porchon-lynch 11 iowa city yoga festival review 12 return to maitreya 14 yoga for athletes 16 p eaceful paths
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Stay Young with Yoga he joyous atmosphere during the photo shoot for this issue’s main feature reminded me of a summer family reunion. It wasn’t exactly like my convention-like Banowetz reunion every July (I am from a family of nine, my grandfather was from a family of fourteen—well, you get the idea on the magnitude). Our YogaIowa “reunion” was intimate, consisting of seven yogis ranging in ages thirty-four to ninety, all who were “related” by their passion for yoga. There was no prize for the one who traveled the farthest, and we weren’t sharing Aunt Martha’s macaroni salad recipe. But what connected these seven yogis was how each was making the best years of their life with a yoga practice. After the photo shoot, I reflected on the conversations and interviews I had with our models and was left with these impressions: 1. You are never too old to chase your dreams (or climb mountains)! 2. Aging is an attitude, not a cream. 3. It’s never too late to start a yoga practice. 4. Never stop learning. Read their personal yoga stories and their advice on living well, now and for years to come, beginning on page 5. Not only does yoga help us age gracefully through life, but it can also compliment your summertime athletic pursuits. Read how yoga can boost your performance on page 14. Whether you enjoy a staycation this summer or travel out of state, there are always fun discoveries to be had. While on vacation last month, my family discovered a labyrinth while hiking the trails of The Clearing in Door County, WI. You’ll find a list of labyrinth locations in Iowa on page 17. Make plans to visit one before the summer is over. Please send me your photos at a labyrinth and we may print them in a future issue. Of course, there are many poignant articles and much wisdom, reflection, and perspective in this issue to inspire and guide you.
JULY 17
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P UB LISH ER /EDITOR
SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 3
Angela Banowetz Ossian TH IS ISSUE’S CONT RI B UTORS Toni A. Jacobson, Tao Porchon-Lynch, Lance Kinseth, Jim Bennitt, Olivia Kvitne, Sara Stiblitz, Linsey Grams, Dr. Kevin Birusingh, Tracey L. Kelley, Sandy Eimers, Leslie Klipsch, Renée Posner, Charlynn Avery, Lisa Acheson, Sheree Clark PH OTOGR APH ERS Doug Smith, Dani Fox ART DIR ECTION Cooper Smith & Co.
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Yoga, the Essence of Wellness for
Healthy Aging MEDICAL SCIENCE IS FINALLY VALIDATING WHAT YOGIS HAVE KNOWN FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. BY TONI A. JACOBSON
GONG FU TEA
®
140 LOOSE-LEAF TEAS | ACCESSORIES | GIFTS
In recent years, modern science has confirmed the ancient yogic understanding of the healing power of movement. This is particularly important in our aging society because a growing body of evidence suggests that regular, moderate exercise such as yoga is as close as we may come to a true fountain of youth. Study after study shows that physical activity can prevent, relieve, and sometimes even cure a host of ailments that often accompany aging. These ailments will reach epidemic proportions as the wave of “Baby Boomers” advance into and beyond their sixth decade of life, and many will survive for an additional two decades or more.
RETHINK YOUR DRINK 414 EAST SIXTH STREET, DES MOINES, IOWA 515 288 3388 WWW.GONGFU-TEA.COM
Yoga is the perfect form of a wellness practice for older adults for many reasons. Under the guidance of a well-qualified instructor, yoga involves non-competitive, mindful movement that encourages people to start where they are, breathe deeply, and release tension. Today’s aging adults have a broad spectrum of physical challenges and abilities, ranging anywhere from being unable to climb a single stair to running triathlons, and yoga offers a unique means of optimizing health and wellness at an individual level.
we want to look at aging as something to be celebrated and as an opportunity to reach deeper into ourselves, growing in wisdom, compassion, and joy.
Another benefit for aging bodies is that unlike the Western “no pain, no gain” mindset, yoga involves challenge without strain. Yoga postures have the dual qualities of alertness and relaxation, or steadiness and comfort. Forcing and over-exertion with the accompanying risk of injury has no place in a yoga practice. But even more important than yoga’s physical benefits are the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the practice. Yoga is much more than just exercise; it is a form of holistic self-care designed to enhance energy and boost wellness. Challenging the conventional wisdom that aging is a process of stiffening, rigidity, and closing down, many of the disabilities associated with age actually come from disuse. Yoga postures move each joint in the body through its full range of motion—stretching, strengthening, and balancing each part. The healing power of movement is so strong that a report for the National Institute on Aging states, “If exercise could be packed into a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.” Yoga has life-changing potential. For those with chronic health problems like arthritis, diabetes, or multiple sclerosis, regular yoga practice can help you live better and, in all likelihood, longer. And for people suffering temporary symptoms, such as tension headaches, hot flashes, or sinus pressure, specific yoga postures, breathing techniques, and other practices can bring relief. Timothy McCall, MD, author of the book, Yoga As Medicine, said, “As someone who has been an MD for over twenty years, I can tell you that yoga is quite simply the most powerful system of overall health and well-being I have ever seen. Even if you are among what might be called the temporarily healthy, as preventive medicine yoga is as close to one-stop shopping as you can find.” Yoga is the magic bullet we are all looking for to slay the dragon of aging!
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Toni A. Jacobson is a certified yoga teacher, registered with the United States Yoga Alliance, and has earned a certificate of therapeutic yoga for Seniors, from Duke University School of Integrative Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
BY ANGELA OSSIAN PHOTOS BY DOUG SMITH BLACKBOARD DESIGN BY ABBY CHARLTON
Special thanks to Carol Reinhard
James Miller
Hometown: Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, but grew up in the Midwest Current town: Des Moines
Bridget B. Ryan Hometown: Des Moines Current town: Des Moines
We’re a nation obsessed with youth, yet yoga teaches us to honor the aging process. Poses can be modified for every body, making yoga accessible to anyone willing to step onto the mat. Meet seven Iowa yogis whose attitude, confidence, and zest for life we admire. Age is only a number, as these yogis will tell you. Yoga isn’t a miracle, but yoga at any age is the fountain of youth. 5
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FOREVER YO UNG
Bridget B. Ryan Hometown: Des Moines Current town: Des Moines
It was a simple suggestion from her mom that nudged Bridget to a local yoga studio for her first class at the young age of 18. “I took a chance on something after my mom slipped a class schedule under my door,” she recalls. “I tribute my practice to her.” What she discovered inside that class was more than twists and turns, she discovered a yoga community that lifted and supported her. “There seemed to be an unspoken truth and trust in the room that everyone was embracing and through them, I grabbed ahold of their goodness and let it lift me up,” fondly recalls Bridget, a Licensed Massage Therapist at Family Tree Yoga & Massage in Des Moines.
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The demands of being a massage therapist, educator, yoga instructor and a mom can be intense, but Bridget finds healing from yoga and massage that helps avoid major meltdowns.
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Aging gracefully means to me:
Loving life, my body, and challenging my mind. I am going to age. I believe it gives me something to look forward to. -Bridget James Miller
Hometown: Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, but grew up in the Midwest Current town: Des Moines, Iowa
James first encountered yoga in his early twenties and was determined to debunk it. “I was a trainer and I mostly focused on weight training and cardiovascular exercise,” says the former United States Marine. “I was certain it was an ineffective method of movement, but when I tried to follow along with the most simple sequences, I couldn’t keep up. Not only was yoga more challenging than I had anticipated, I was terrible at it!” To this day James is surprised by his positive reaction to finding something so difficult. “Somehow I knew that if yoga was challenging for me, then it was also exactly what I needed.” He started slowly, practicing Sun Salutation sequences for quite some time before progressing. “I think my greatest teacher has been my somewhat stubborn, but amazingly resilient body,” says the founder of Adamantine® Yoga. “As my physical body slowly opened to the practice, I was able to see the subsequent changes in my personality, and the deeper dimensions of yoga revealed themselves to me.”
Is your practice the same now as it was in your twenties and thirties?
My practice continues to grow deeper. I think this is the result of a more disciplined and structured approach. I went through years of exploring many different methods. Once I discovered Adamantine® Yoga, my practice blossomed. –James 6
Opening your heart to a more fulfilling life Kevin Thoren • (515) 577-7847 banyantreetherapy@gmail.com
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FOREVER YOU NG
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Ann York
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan Current town: Des Moines, Iowa
ad Laura Reed
Hometown: Marion, Iowa Current town: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Aging gracefully to me means…
Feeling healthy, strong, and at peace with change. —Ann
Laura got hooked on the gifts of yoga as a high school senior when the gym teacher introduced to the class Sun Salutations and a few balancing poses. “I loved how my body felt after each session, and so I continued working on them at home. I continued taking yoga classes at the YMCA and through various studios where I lived and traveled. I learned from different styles and teachers over the years and found what works for me.”
Ann describes her journey to the mat like many do. “I came to yoga for the physical practice, but soon began delving deeper into other dimensions of yoga,” she says. “The more I read and practiced, the more I wanted to know, so I decided to pursue teacher training.”
These days, Laura, who holds an MA in Education and currently is an educator in the Cedar Rapids School District, enjoys her self-devised yoga routine in her “yoga room” overlooking a wooded backyard. “I mainly focus on balance and stretches, and have integrated meditation in my daily practice,” says Laura. “When my day gets too hectic and I am not able to do my full session, I really miss it and feel off my game.”
Ann’s love for adventure took her to the Yandara Yoga Institute in Mexico for a three-week immersion. “It was a transformative experience, setting me on a path that I never imagined,” remembers Ann. That path includes completing her 500-hour training with James Miller, leading a 200-hour teaching training program, teaching Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), and producing the 2014 Iowa Yoga Festival— moving it from its original home in Iowa City to Des Moines this fall.
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Her passion for yoga even compliments her career as a faculty member at Des Moines University as she conducts yoga-focused research and examines how yoga is being used in healthcare by physical therapists. “Yoga has transformed my life and taken me in directions I had never dreamed—and the exciting thing is I know there is much more to come. It is a never ending journey!”
What I wish I knew when I was younger…
It is okay not to be perfect. I just have to be the best person I can be. —Laura The world could use more…
Vegetarians, yoga, and meditation practitioners - Laura
Peace, love, and yoga
- Ann
Compassion - Gordon
Eye contact - Bridget
The wisdom…
Stay curious and open to new ideas and experiences. - Ann Learn to bead patient and accepting. - Laura Have greater faith in yourself.- Betty 7
FOREVER YO UNG
aging with
PERSPECTIVES FROM TAO PORCHON-LYNCH, 96, AND LANCE KINSETH, 67
ging offers many gifts. The experiences of life can offer a sense of color or subtlety to life rather than rigid black and white, a capacity to find meaningfulness in events that were more easily overlooked when younger, and a value for presence versus production. These qualities of subtlety and meaningfulness and presence are values that are at the heart of yoga practice itself. And so, aging with grace and a sense of remaining young at heart might be optimized in yoga. Yoga offers suppleness that is crucial at any age, but especially as you age. Yoga can attend to physical aspects that are more relevant in aging: lower back, shoulders and upper back, neck, and balance. Next to influenza, physical symptoms due to compression of the lower back or lumbar region have been described as the second most frequent reason for medical intervention. Beyond muscular-skeletal systems, yoga can optimize the internal systems of the body such as the respiratory, neural, endocrine, lymphatic, cardiovascular, digestive, and overall energy systems. It is important to find the type of yoga that fits with your physical conditioning. Yoga emphasizes stretching, which people across all ages tend to avoid. This often means finding a gentle yoga for most people at any age as point of entry, and it can remain as a primary ongoing practice.
Virginia Norris
Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa. Left Iowa after graduating from Iowa State. Returned from Southern California in 2009. Current town: Des Moines, Iowa, at Wesley Acres, a WesleyLife Community
At the age of sixty-four, Virginia hiked to the Mt. Kilimanjaro summit (19,343 feet), at the age of sixty-six and sixty-seven she backpacked to Mt. Whitney summit (highest mountain in mainland U.S.), and at the age of seventy she hiked to Mt. Everest’s base camp. Yoga is her ally. She credits her practice to enhancing her endurance, balance and flexibility. “I was never very flexible, but I sure am now,” says the retired IT professional. She first discovered yoga at a fitness center in Ventura, California, where she was training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro “I really loved my first yoga experience,” she recalls. “The breathing and moving brought me much needed centering and calmness as I hiked the California mountains.” Virginia’s quest to engage with the world never seems to stop; you’ll find her scuba diving this August at the Caribbean island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezula.
How has your practice changed in the last ten years?
I am more limber and agile and able to do poses much better than when I was sixty. 8
Change your expectations. Be kind to yourself. Part of the problem in considering yoga practice is in the expectations one brings to the practice before even beginning. If you see someone bending over and putting palms on the mat or head to knee, and you cannot do this or you push hard in an attempt to do it, you are likely to feel frustrated and give up. Change your expectations. Be kind to yourself. In Awakening The Spine, Vanda Scaravelli admonishes us to free the body rather than control it and to allow the pose to come to you rather than try to rigidly assume a posture. In Yoga Beyond Belief, Ganga White reminds us that yoga is a field where everyone can win, because winning is not about who does the best asana but about learning to do the best asana for your body in each moment. Lance Kinseth teaches Yoga Metta (Kindness) in weekly restorative-yin yoga and soft power yoga classes at Unity Church in Des Moines and in private sessions. He writes a blog on yoga that is international in its reach: Islands Of Grace, http://santosharestorative-yinyogajournal. blogspot.com. In addition, Lance is a master martial artist [Facebook: search Martial Spirit—Iowa], visual artist and environmental author.
FOREVER YOU NG
Gordon Bivens
Hometown: Nevada, Iowa Current town: Indianola, Iowa, at The Village, a WesleyLife Community
Tao will be a presenter at the Iowa Yoga Festival on October 11 and 12. oga has been such a part of my life that I’m more convinced it takes me through all the hurdles of life. I feel an inner strength as it opens up the door to the creator of life within me. Nothing is impossible as the breath and the kundalini energy travel throughout the inner subtle spine and unfold to reveal the answer, “nothing is impossible” (my trademark). Yoga gives us the answer and power to do all things. Know there is no such thing as “age.” Tune in to the power of the eternal and feel the beauty of life. Nothing is impossible. Yoga revitalizes us with every breath we take. Yoga awakens the power of the inner energy like the dawn of a Know there is no day. Yoga resembles the sun such thing as “age.” new rising over the horizon, opening Tune in to the power the new dawn of life for nature and mankind. The subtle energy of the eternal and of the breath of life wipes out the darkness; then this inner feel the beauty energy brightens our mind and of life. Nothing is body to face the dawn. As we breathe, we can feel the beauty impossible. of nature stir within us. Yoga is more than a powerful physical exercise to stimulate the flow of energy within the body. The subtle energy of the breath of life enables this “inner energy” to wipe out the darkness of fear, then brightens our mind and body. Experience taught me it illuminates the inner self, like the rays of the sun draw from the earth the food of life and makes it blossom. Yoga moves us from the dark corridors to open up the passage of life within us. Yoga is more than a meditative journey rising from the network of the chakras to another level of consciousness. The sutras of my life, I recognize with each moment of research of who I am. Words never describe the deep oneness I am searching to attain. The breath of the infinite power that reigns in us or over us, neti, neti, neither this nor that, has the answer. Yoga is the route that brings forth that which lies dormant within us, the emblem that chases away any fears or negative omens binding us; that prevents us from procrastinations that mar our living the power within; and that allows us to fulfill our dreams. My journey to experience the eternal may only be fleeting, never to be realized, but I am convinced that yoga, the breath of the creator, helps me open the door to help others reach this wonder of life. Attend one of the great workshops during the Iowa Yoga Festival, where you can experience the many styles that answer your questions. Don’t be one sided. As the Maharajah of Mysore many years ago advised me, don’t get stuck with one style, for you need to find the answers to your practice by working many types of yoga. You will open the path to the top of the mountain, where all will teach you the oneness of yoga. This will be my third conference in Iowa and these Iowa conferences are some of the best I have attended. Maybe I will have the pleasure of meeting you there.
Tao Porchon-Lynch, master yoga teacher, ninety-six years young, synthesizes the most positive aspects of Indian, European, and American thought. Tao is uniquely equipped to spread yogic insights, originating in India, to westerners seeking enlightenment. She has trained and certified hundreds of yoga instructors since founding the Westchester (New York) Institute of Yoga in 1982. Tao has over seventy years of yoga practice and more than fifty years of teaching yoga to students in India, France, and the U.S. Tao encourages questions and welcomes students who are interested in experiencing her wisdom and joy for life. For more information about Tao, go to www.taoporchonlynch.com.
During his successful career, Gordon received many honors, awards, and appointments in the family and consumer science field and served on the faculties at Pennsylvania State University, Iowa State University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and University of Missouri-Columbia. So it is not surprising that this academic taught himself yoga “using some good books” during his mid-sixties. “Quite often I would practice at Noon on campus,” remembers Gordon. “That was a refreshing break in the day.” About a year ago, his solo yoga practice turned to a group class offered at The Village where his practice, led by a certified yoga instructor, has progressed.
How has yoga helped you feel better and be better?
yoga Helps with centering, increased flexibility and balance, all of which lead to
feeling younger and more vital.
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FOREVER YO UNG
Yoga for the three Stages of Life BY JIM BENNITT I was introduced to yoga in 1997 at the age of twenty-six when I was working as a clerk on the hectic trading floor at the Chicago Board of Trade. After years of wrestling and a very stressful job, I was experiencing low back pain and constantly felt beaten up physically, mentally, and emotionally. I began looking for a holistic approach to exercise that would nurture not only my body but also my mind and spirit. The first few years of my journey into yoga were a slow transition. Like most people, I began attending an introduction to yoga class once a week. When the series ended, I took a little time off and then returned months later to try it again. After a few years of this pattern I took the big plunge and did not renew my gym membership in order to spend more time at the yoga studio. It wasn’t long before I was attending the advanced classes five times a week and noticing huge gains in my ability to move gracefully through the complex postures. The wrestler in me really enjoyed a strong and challenging approach to hatha yoga. In the following few years it wasn’t uncommon for me to spend three hours a day practicing advanced postures and movements which in turn left me with a feeling of great accomplishment upon rolling up my mat.
Alice “Betty” E. Ogbourne Hometown: Grand River, Iowa Current town: Osceola, Iowa
When Carter the anthropologist looked into King Tut’s tomb he said, ‘I see beautiful things.’ If someone were to peek into my brain I would see beautiful marvelous, fantastic things...
wisdom, creativity, concentration, love and grace. I think yoga helped achieve that.” “I started to read about the benefits of yoga in my forties and initially thought it wasn’t for me,” remembers the now ninety-yearold who still takes care of her yard, flower garden, and home on an acre lot in Osceola. “It was quite a while before I found a teacher…I think I have benefited greatly from yoga. I am still quite limber and move easily.”
In yoga philosophy there are three stages of life that can be compared to the movements of the sun throughout the day; sunrise, midday, and sunset. At each stage the focus of our practice should shift to help meet our needs.
The sunrise stage
covers roughly the first 30 years of life and is classically known as srsti krama or the development stage. While the body is growing, a yoga practice should focus on asana to help develop strength and discipline. This is the time to work intensely on your physical practice. You may remember the body has an incredible ability to recover and recuperate during these formative years.
The midday stage
of life covers roughly the years between 30 and 70 and is classically known as sthiti krama or the stage of stabilization. This is the time when you focus on building a family and/or career, both of which require much energy and can leave you feeling depleted. A yoga practice should now begin to shift from asana to pranayama, which will help in creating stability and rebuilding your energetic reserves.
The sunset stage covers the years between 70 and the end of life, which is classically known as laya krama or the stage of merging. Now it is time to slowly move away from involvement in the external world and prepare for merging back to one’s source. A yoga practice should begin to emphasize dhyana (meditation) as a way to make peace.
She credits years of yoga practice to bouncing back quickly from hip surgery last year. “Me? Break a hip? I was stunned!” Betty recalls. “With three titanium rods, I was so determined to overcome the set back. Yoga was my secret weapon, and I got my mobility back and the ability to do what I could do before.”
I now understand that a yoga practice should improve every aspect of life, not just the time we spend on the mat. Modify your practice to meet the specific needs you have at this time in your life. Don’t serve the practice; make the practice serve you.
Aside from yoga, Betty nurtures herself by lying down with her feet elevated higher than her head for fifteen to twenty minutes, reading, meditating, swimming, and walking.
“When I was younger, the head or shoulder stand would serve for the feet above the head, but no longer.” 10
To my surprise, once I left the yoga studio that feeling of accomplishment began to shift into a feeling of exhaustion. Years later I would discover my approach to the practice was not really suitable for an adult now in his thirties. I was practicing yoga like a child!
Jim Bennitt began studying hatha yoga, raja yoga, and ayurveda in 1997 and has been teaching since 2002. He has studied numerous styles of yoga and been influenced by many teachers, most notably his mentor Rod Stryker. Jim is the co-owner of Tejas Yoga in Chicago and leads classes, retreats, and trainings that emphasize a balanced approach to yoga including physical practices, breath work, and meditation.
A GATHERING OF LOVING PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF A SHARED PASSION. BY OLIVIA KVITNE The revamped Iowa Yoga Festival is just months away and excitement is growing for its makeover to be revealed. (What we already know, of course, is the name change from Iowa City Yoga Festival, to Iowa Yoga Festival.) Last year I was a first-time attendee, wide eyed and thrilled at how much yogic energy was buzzing in the Hawkeye state. This year, I go from attendee to faculty, as I will be teaching two workshops and serving as the festival’s official blogger. Below is a review I wrote of the festival just after experiencing it last fall. If you haven’t attended the festival before, it will give you a peek inside the experience. If you have been lucky enough to attend, let these reflections take you back to that special weekend and help you look forward to this year’s festivities.
t’s Friday night at the Marriott Hotel in Iowa The Iowa City Yoga City, and I’m watching MC Yogi, Mas Vidal, Festival 2013 was and DJ Drez boost the energy of the room a true celebration with their contagious beats and uplifting mantras. I have seen them perform separately of community, before, but felt lost amidst hundreds of other tradition, and yogis jumping and dancing. This experience was up close and personal, warm and inviting, right devotional practice. in America’s heartland, and I knew this weekend was going to be something special. This was my first year at the Iowa City Yoga Festival, but many hands rose when James Miller, festival producer, asked the crowd at the welcome party who had attended all three prior years of the festival. James started producing the festival in 2010 after recognizing the blossoming yoga community of Iowa needed a gathering of celebrated yoga teachers in order to learn and grow. Four years later, over 250 attendees, eighteen vendors and twenty-five presenters make up a cozy conference packed with knowledge and zero ego. From A-list presenters known worldwide to experts from our own home state, all have given the festival a reputation of excellence throughout the industry. The workshops are intimate, which provides a more conducive environment for learning. They are not only spiritual but also practical, helping yogis stay grounded as well as connected to consciousness. My first workshop started at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning with Faith Hunter. Still feeling vibrationally hung-over from the celebratory kirtan the night before, Faith immediately inspired us to the present moment with soulful music and her “spiritually fly and hip” way of life. Faith is owner of Embrace in Washington D.C., featured teacher on My Yoga Online, and has graced the covers of Yoga Journal and OmYoga magazines. “The amount of yoga that’s being practiced in the Midwest is amazing and beautiful; it’s important for us to show up and help the community grow,” says Faith. MC Yogi is known to many for blending his gift of rhyme and hip-hop with stories of Ganesh, Gandhi, Shiva, and Shakti. You will find him performing all over the world for enormous crowds. He’s a true devotee of yoga, and I experienced his yoga class right in the front row! DJ Drez provided beats as MC Yogi turned cueing asana postures into a soulful hip hop groove for his workshop, “Beastie Yoga.” This workshop paid tribute to one of his biggest influences, the Beastie Boys, whose music provided his first introduction to the word “Namaste.”
My inner understanding of yoga grew while learning from the great Tao Porchon-Lynch, ninetyfive years young; I learned safe and effective ways to lovingly adjust my students with Jill Abelson, and how to grow my business and increase my reach to the public with Michelle Martello. Between workshops, I perused the vendors’ village with beautiful handmade malas, meditation pillows, samples of Ayurvedic herbs, and my favorite product of the weekend, The Soul Seat. Imagine an office chair and meditation seat combined. As a yogi and a writer, this is at the top of my wish list! Late afternoon on Sunday, physically exhausted yet mentally charged, I went out with a bang and practiced meditation through dance with Iowa native, Lovar David Kidd. A dancer like myself, Lovar introduced lifting the consciousness through expression of movement, an invaluable tool appropriate for dancers of any level and ability. I wasn’t the only first-timer to the festival this year. Drew Mayfield of Des Moines especially loved the opportunity to speak to Kamala Easton, the spiritual intuitive who he said “helped me shine a light on some of the deepest issues of my heart,” and “address my life’s purpose and Karmic Path.” The closing ceremony was bittersweet as we all gathered to reflect on the weekend and acknowledge those who made it possible. In 2014, the festival will move to Des Moines and become the Iowa Yoga Festival with Ann York as producer. “Ann has more experience and ability in community building,” says James. “She has been an enthusiastic attendee of all four years of the festival and an established leader and recognized authority on yoga.” James is happy to hand over the reigns to someone of this caliber as he focuses on the development of Adamantine® Yoga. The Iowa City Yoga Festival 2013 mirrored Iowa’s hometown feel, maintaining a balance of wise sages, edgy musicians, and running the gamut of different ideas and perspectives. It was a true celebration of community, tradition, and devotional practice. May this festival continue to be a tradition for many. Olivia is happy to be part of both Los Angeles and Iowa yoga communities. She has been called “The Lois Lane of Yoga” as she is Assistant Editor for LA Yoga Magazine and specializes in yoga classes for veterans, military, and first responders. She has taught for the LA Fire Department and LA Police Department, and created and taught the yoga workshop, Yoga for Heroes, held in Des Moines in July 2012. Look up her YouTube page to see Olivia in action. Twitter: @OliviaKvitne
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the return of
THE MAITREYA LOVING KINDNESS TOUR RETURNS TO DES MOINES. BY SARA STIBLITZ PHOTOS BY BEN EASTER
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hen Kevin Thoren first heard of the Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour, he was intrigued but “didn’t quite get it.” After seeing a video about the relics featured in the tour—before even visiting them himself—he knew they had to come to Des Moines. The tour is a free exhibition of ancient and sacred relics of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni and many of the great Buddhist masters from India, Tibet, Korea, and China. Buddhists believe the relics, most of which resemble pearls or crystals, were deliberately produced upon the cremation of each master and left behind as physical remnants of their energy. They believe the relics contain and embody the compassion and spiritual wisdom of each individual master. The collection includes over 3,000 relics, including some that are as old as 2,600 years. The relics first came to Des Moines in 2012. In just three days, there were over 6,800 visitors, making it the highest-attended weekend stop in North America. Nearly all of the visitors stood patiently in line in excess of three hours just to experience the loving energy emitted from the relics. All but one. Matt Garvey was skeptical, and in a tough place emotionally. He had returned from serving in Afghanistan in 2010 and was suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). His wife wanted him to visit the relics but he resisted because of the crowds. Convinced this was good for her husband, she asked Thoren if her husband could forgo the wait. Thoren acquiesced. Garvey laughs self-consciously as he recalls his frustration trying “I was flooded with to move through the crowd to the a lot of emotions. It front of the line. Someone was was like a storm at standing in his way, distracted first.” Three things by their smartphone. He felt came to mind: aggression move through him as he tried to pass by, bumping forgive, love, peace. into the person purposely and remarking about the phone. There just to please his wife, Garvey felt impatient to get this over with. They went through once, and then again. The second time around, Garvey started to feel something. After the blessing, he and his wife sat down. It was in that moment that it all started. “I was flooded with a lot of emotions. It was like a storm at first.” Three things came to mind: forgive, love, peace. It wasn’t long before he started to cry. “It wasn’t about other people, though. It was more for me, to love myself. By doing that, I’ll have peace.” Maitreya Loving “I don’t like to show emotions,” Kindness Tour says Garvey. Strangely, he was okay August 15 - 24, 2014 with the show of emotion and had Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines a general sense of oneness and For more information, visit completion. The tears felt cleansing. lovingkindnesstourdsm.org He went around a third time, and instead of focusing on what the relics looked like (in some cases, a hunk of bone), he was able to recognize what they stood for: love and compassion. “It’s not just for Buddhists; I consider myself a Christian. This is for everyone.” Garvey credits his experience with the relics as a major part of his spiritual growth. That’s not uncommon, according to Thoren. One woman approached him and said, “I’ve been keeping God in a box all of this time. It’s time to let him out.” Thoren believes the relics remind us that “we are love and compassion, that human quality that exists in all of us.” This year, the tour will be in town for ten days, making it one of the longest stops in North America. The opening ceremony will take place August 15, followed by the first chance to view the relics. Buddhist teachers define the word ‘Maitri’ as lovingkindness, particularly toward oneself. As the Dalai Lama says, “In today’s world, we really need the promotion of Maitreya, Maitri, loving-kindness.”
Sara has been practicing yoga for eight years and became certified as a RYT 200 in May 2012. In 2013, after a seven-year career as an investigator and mediator, Sara left to follow a life-long dream of traveling solo. As she blogged about her adventure, she discovered the creative possibilities of writing, and it has become her passion. Since returning, Sara has written for the Des Moines Register, YogaIowa, Juice, Spoilage Literary Magazine, and works regularly as a freelance writer and editor.
THE LOVING KINDNESS TOUR
Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour An exhibition of sacred relics of the Buddha and other Buddhist Masters
August 15-24, 2014 Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines Admission is free In partnership with
LKTdsm.org
The Healing Concert is an evening immersion into Healing Concert is an evening immersion into “Blisslights.” It is an invitation to access deep relaxation, natural healing, and rejuvenation. An accomplished musician, author, and one of the founders and leaders of today’s World Music movement, Wah! has performed with Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and Neale Donald Walsch. Wah! awakens a journey of love and expansion through her music. LKTdsm.org/wah
Thursday, August 14, 2014 7:30 p.m.
Hoyt Sherman Auditorium, Des Moines
Tickets:Ticketmaster.com or Call 800-745-3000
THE LOVING KINDNESS TOUR
Proceeds benefit: Buddha Relics - Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour in Des Moines 13
BY LINSEY GRAMS & DR. KEVIN BIRUSINGH
s an endurance athlete, nothing can replace “When you calm that moment at the finish line when all of the mind, you’re your hard work brings you to your goal. able to flow, and But that finish line high costs more than when you’re able some sweat and an entry fee. Athletes are often left with tight muscles, worn joints, compacted spines, to flow, you’re overuse injuries and more. This is where twentyable to run.” year running veteran from Des Moines, Richard Mockobee, says yoga saves. “It’s like humpty dumpty fell off the wall, and she’s right there to put me back together again,” he says of his restorative yoga teacher, Gayle Vettese of Radiant Om in Windsor Heights. Like thousands of Iowans, Mockobee is signed up for an endurance race. Whether it’s RAGBRAI, the Hy-Vee Triathlon or the Des Moines Marathon, he recommends entwining a restorative yoga practice with your training. Besides rescuing a worn body, it opens the hips, strengthens the core, reinforces stabilizing muscles around the joints, increases range of motion, and focuses the breath and mind. Mockobee says he’s now able to power through, even on 90°F training days. “When you calm the mind, you’re able to flow, and when you’re able to flow, you’re able to run. It’s like an ocean wave. When you’re stressed and tense, the water is choppy. When you’re relaxed and centered, you’re fluid.” True. Olympic gold medalist runners like Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson have no tension in their bodies when they run; even their fingertips are at ease. Their breath is seemingly effortless, going almost unnoticed by spectators. This is the epitome of good running form: relaxation through focus and breath. Building a stronger mind-body connection does more than refine form. Pauline Tan, a triathlete and yoga instructor specializing in endurance athletes at Spark Barre Pilates and Yoga in Urbandale, says, “It teaches [runners] to slow down a little bit, be a more responsible athlete. A lot of them get injured when
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they are training because they’re trying to get their miles in and do what their plan said, and they don’t know to listen to their body.” Marathon training regimens have you running 6-7 days a week, which can lead to overuse injuries. Tan recommends a full yoga class at least once a week, and stretching each day. This may force you to make three positive changes: take a day off of training for mat time, rest those overworked muscles, and use muscles that are neglected during your usual repetitive unilateral movement. Tan says the one thing an athlete shouldn’t bring to the mat is their competitive drive. “Leave the ego out. Practice yoga to enhance the sport you love. It doesn’t matter what other people look like in a pose. Feel it in your body. The last place you want to get injured is in yoga. Make sure the class you go to is time that serves you, and your ultimate goal, well.”
Linsey Grams is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher, television host and journalist whose experience includes reporting for international news outlets. Outside of work, Linsey can be found on her yoga mat, with family, traveling, trying new restaurants and drinking wine. Kevin Birusingh, M.D. is a urologist at The Iowa Clinic in Des Moines. He is an ultra-marathoner who’s completed a 50-mile race and hopes to finish a 100-mile event next year. Before medical school, he earned his degree in exercise physiology.
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Dowling Football Coach Brings Yoga to his Players The mat next to me was different. Upon it was someone you don’t often see at a yoga studio, at least not voluntarily. There he was, stretching to his toes: a high school football player.
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One of the diverse groups hitting the mat these days is the Dowling Catholic High School football team, all thanks to strength and conditioning coach Adam Jack. “The benefits of yoga also benefit athletes. To combine the two is a no-brainer. I’ve seen a lot of benefit personally and want to pass it on,” says Jack. The former college football player became a certified yoga instructor through Power Life Yoga when Dowling administration approved his idea last year. Since then, he’s incorporated hourlong yoga sessions twice a week. Yoga has increased the team’s flexibility, core strength, and breath work. It’s also proved key for shoulder stability when taking hits, injury prevention for tackling, and range of motion for speed. Balance work has helped too, something Jack likes to keep fun. “I have all of our athletes walking on their hands right now. We do a lot of crow and side crow,” he says. And they’re eating it up. This summer, Jack will run a yoga camp for seventy-five students. Next year 320 are taking his physicaleducation yoga class. “When you teach anything, you feel like you’re standing up there telling them what to do. But with yoga, you feel a connection with the class. They pick it up so quickly and see personal growth.” As for the player next to me in class, he was, in fact, deepening his practice voluntarily. Jack has many players who do—for instance, his quarterback. He really likes how yoga’s focus helps him in the pocket. “These kids want to be the next division-one player,” Jack says. “So when you tell them, ‘this will help you get better or faster,’ they really make it their own. I tell them what we do here only scratches the surface of what it takes to reach your personal goals.” — Linsey Grams
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PILGRIMS OF ALL FAITHS, TRADITIONS, AND CULTURES USE LABYRINTHINE PATHS TO GO DEEP WITHIN THEMSELVES AND EMERGE WITH CLARITY. BY TRACEY KELLEY 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 “The labyrinth powerful reminder of the possibility of clarity, serves as a awakening, release, and focus. metaphor for Unlike a maze, labyrinths are unicursal; life...Walking its there is only one pathway, and no need to twists and turns decide whether to go left or right. On a unicursal venture, the left side of your brain, helps us to come responsible for governing logic and linear into touch with thought, rests. The right side of your brain, the challenges which prompts intuitiveness and non-verbal and experiences exploration, engages. The belief is that walking a labyrinth creates a balance between of our lives.” both hemispheres of your brain. Why are you a pilgrim in a labyrinth, and not merely tiptoeing 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 is 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 is a place to receive whatever gift is being offered.” Daugherty says the path is based on the universal understanding of meditation: 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. Jennifer Rupp is a naturalist at Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids, and helps to coordinate events at the
YogaIowa Editor Angela Ossian finds solitude at The Clearing Folk School’s labyrinth located in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin. It was built over the summer of 2012 by a Clearing landscape architecture intern of the University of Minnesota.
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labyrinth there. “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 are 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 is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. Your individual experiences, beliefs, and values all influence the journey. 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. 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.
Tracey L. Kelley, RYT 500, is certified in Freestyle Hatha Yoga, Adamantine Yoga, and Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga. She specializes in working with beginning 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
come B whatever you want to B.
BY SANDY EIMERS Nestled in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts lies the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Alone in the midday sun, I paused at the entrance of the labyrinth, just across the road from the main campus to get quiet, and started walking. Miniature evergreen trees, wild flowers, and weeds had become overgrown and obscured the path. At times the embedded and thinning mulch path nearly dissolved, and I was drifting everywhere; and getting nowhere! Slender stems bent over the path from the weight of wildflower blooms, and tiny evergreen trees swelled over the path. At times it felt like I was retracing my steps rather than moving forward. I began to doubt myself; looking in all directions instead of the path before me. Was I going the right way? Was I even on the path? Where was the center? I could see it through the foliage, but felt as if I might never arrive… I had been walking a long while and still hadn’t arrived at the center. Finally, just beyond a misshapen evergreen sat a jolly Buddha statue, obviously laughing at my anxiety over not being given a clear path. And in that moment I realized the labyrinth was a perfect parallel to life; neither wellmanicured, nor predictable. Well played, Swami Kripalu.
Sandy Eimers is a pharmacist, yoga therapist, and owner of balance yoga lounge and balanced breath school of yoga, in Ankeny, Iowa. She recently completed four weeks of study at the Kripalu Center of Yoga and Health in western Massachusetts with Joseph LePage of Integrative Yoga Therapy. She is available to work with health care practitioners interested in learning how therapeutic yoga can assist in managing chronic dis-ease, and works one-to-one with students in search of health through unity.
Yoga for everyone—young to young-at-heart. Feel comfortable, inspired, and empowered. 1830 SE PrincEton DrivE · GrimES facebook.com/studioBiowa studioBiowa.com
B
STUDIO
I have walked and photographed many beautiful labyrinths from Sedona to the Smokey Mountains…but the rough terrain of the Kripalu labyrinth offered the best experience.
Photos by Sandy Eimers
a walk at kripalu
bright. happy. open. relaxed. blessed. simple. free. authentic. inspired. confident. strong. present. awesome. flexible. calm. encouraged. powerful. linked. challenged. connected. playful. crazy. friendly. creative. courteous. loved. truthful. energized. alive. balanced. patient. focused. courageous. badass. true. just b you.
YOGA
local LABYRINTHs
There are a number of indoor and outdoor labyrinths in Iowa. These are open to the public, but you may want to contact locations for specific visiting hours: Collegiate Presbyterian Church, Ames Pure Intentions, Bellevue St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Bettendorf St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Cedar Falls Open Space, 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids Christ Episcopal Church, Cedar Rapids Prairie Patterns, Cedar Rapids Indian Creek Nature Center, Cedar Rapids Open Space, Hawkins Dr., Charles City Galilean Lutheran Church, Clear Lake United Methodist Church, Dayton St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Des Moines Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines First Congregational United Church of Christ, DeWitt Open Space, State St., Ely United Methodist Church, Fairfield Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, Hiawatha Virtue Medicine Studio for Ethics and Contemplative Arts, Iowa City Sacred Heart Church, Maquoketa Sacred Intentions, Marshalltown Trinity Lutheran Church, Mason City Presbyterian Camp on Lake Okoboji, Milford Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City Morningside Presbyterian Church, Sioux City Hannah Marie Country Inn, Spencer Crooked Creek Christian Camp, Washington Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Wheatland Camp Wyoming, Wyoming
2815 BEAVER AVE, SUITE 210 515.978.8238 EMBRACESELFWELLNESS.COM
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Tai chi
For the life-long pursuit of balanced health BY LESLIE KLIPSCH When devoted yogi Sandy Walter of Ankeny checked into Chicago’s Diamond Headache Clinic in search of relief from the painful and frequent migraines she endured, she was introduced to a 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art that doctors believed might help: tai chi.Since then, in addition to her regular yoga practice, the sixty-threeyear-old has embraced tai chi and believes that the discipline has made a significant difference in her life and health.
“Our bodies are constantly changing, and practicing tai chi helps us offer empathy and compassion to both ourselves and others.”
Migraine sufferers aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the age-old marital art of tai chi. Peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that consistent practice can ease arthritis, lower blood pressure, and promote better sleep. The slow, focused movements also help with balance, reduce stress, boost the immune system, and even slow aging. Like yoga, tai chi is a physical, mental, and spiritual exercise that many Americans have begun to consider part of their health regimen.
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Don't move the way fear makes you move, the way love makes you move. Move the way makes you move. -Osho
move
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”
MAKE YOUR MOVE
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for more information, visit www.hothouseyoga.com or call Maureen at 319.631.0438 250 12th Avenue Suite 280 • Coralville, IA 52241 • 319.338.9642 224 S. Clinton Street • Iowa City, IA 52240 • 319.351.9642
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Kim Johnston, fifty-five, also of Ankeny, began the practice hoping to relieve knee pain she experienced due to her osteoarthritis, and found that tai chi, which is sometimes referred to as “meditation in motion,” also helped rid her of the anxiety she had suffered for decades. Part of what makes the gentle, easy-to-learn exercise so appealing is its accessibility. Scott Caulpetzer of Great River T’ai Chi Chu’uan in Davenport, teaches everyone from college students to seniors the sixty different postures of the short form of tai chi. This August he’ll host the renowned Grandmaster Chen for a three-day workshop that will be attended by enthusiasts from all over the Midwest. “With tai chi, you’re never done,” says Caulpetzer, who has been practicing for over forty years. “It’s true with all of the internal arts— yoga, aikido—there’s always something to learn, perfect, and refine. It’s a transformative practice that’s a life-long pursuit.” Walter, whose recently retired husband is now learning tai chi as well, agrees. “Tai chi stretches the mind and body in a way no other exercise has for me,” she says. “It’s something I can see still doing when I’m ninety.”
Leslie Klipsch is a writer and editor who lives in Davenport, Iowa. She writes about food, faith, and healthy living, all the while endeavoring to provide a joyful, creative childhood for her three young children. Read more of her work at LeslieKlipsch.com.
ayurvedic beauty secrets INSIDE OUT BEAUTY FITNESS BY RENÉE Z. POSNER Before there was yoga, there was ayurveda, the “science of life.” This complete healthcare system strives to restore and maintain balance and purify the mind, body, and emotions. In fact, yoga asana practice is a branch of ayurveda. Many yogis are starting to learn and incorporate ayurveda into their practices. Here are four basic tips for getting started:
HEALTH STARTS IN YOUR GUT Nutrition is important, but ayurveda emphasizes digestive health first. Why? If you’re not digesting food properly, the nutrients you’re eating won’t be absorbed and metabolized properly. Feeling sluggish, dull, or occasionally constipated? Your digestive system could be off kilter. Simple ayurvedic practices can help. Have your main meal at lunch when your “digestive fire” is functioning best. Eat a light breakfast and a light, well-cooked dinner. This will allow better and deeper sleep. Ayurveda offers herbals designed to keep your digestive system in proper balance. Organic Digest Tone (Triphala Plus), taken at bedtime, rejuvenates an unhappy gut. BE YOUR OWN MASSAGE THERAPIST If getting on a massage
table once a week is out of the question, you can practice the art of abhyanga, ayurveda’s daily oil massage, on your own. A powerful tool before or after a shower, abhyanga aids circulation, rejuvenates muscles and tendons, and stimulates nerve endings and the lymphatic system. Massage a small amount of organic sesame or coconut oil in a circular direction over your joints and in a back-and-forth motion over long bones, giving extra attention to your feet, hands, and legs. After abhyanga you can use a natural bristle body brush with a vigorous motion upward toward your heart, starting with your feet, legs, back, and stomach.
why rosehip seed oil is worth the hype BY CHARLYNN AVERY From Dr. Oz to the cover of beauty magazines, the rising popularity of rosehip seed oil is due to its many uses as one of the best beauty serums for facial care. We put together six reasons why it’s worth the hype.
• Rosehip seed oil contains essential fatty
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EMBRACE AROMATHERAPY Ayurvedic practitioners have used aromatherapy for thousands of years. The olfactory receptors travel to the limbic system, the part of the brain that regulates emotions, behavior, motivation, and long-term memory. For this reason, aromas have a subtle but very powerful influence on our mind, body, and emotions. There are essential oils formulated to produce a calming mood, encourage sleep, reduce anger, and boost the immune system. Sample different scents to see which you most respond to at any given time. Then keep a few balancing ayurvedic essential oils or therapeutic mists at your desk, at home, or stashed in your travel kit. STOP SKIMPING ON SLEEP One of the best ways to restore, repair, and rejuvenate the body is free of charge and requires no skill—sleep. Ayurveda recommends turning in before 10:00 p.m. and waking with the sunrise. If you can’t manage an early bedtime, you can at least improve the quality of your sleep with ayurvedic techniques such as self massage, aromatherapy, and herbal formulations. In the morning, your well-rested body will be more balanced, feeling fit from the ‘inside out.’
Renée Posner joined MAPI (Maharishi Ayurveda Products International) as VP of Marketing in 2013. Renée’s experience with the mind-body connection goes back even further. Renée learned transcendental meditation while studying physiology and has been practicing for more than thirty-five years. Renee has a B.S. in biology from American University and studied physiology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, providing her early foundation in health and critical thinking.
For more information about ayurveda visit vpk by Maharishi Ayurveda, mapi.com.
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acids, including linoleic and linolenic acids, which are known for their skin conditioning properties and for restoring skin suppleness. It’s a natural skincare powerhouse. Rosehip seed oil is called a “dry oil” because it quickly and easily absorbs into skin, leaving no greasy residue due to the high level of skin-benefiting unsaturated fatty acids. One of the constituents in rosehip seed oil is natural vitamin A (retinol), rather than synthetic vitamin A (retin A) used in many skin care products. Rosehip can be used alone or combined with 100% pure essential oils for added therapeutic benefits. Make sure it’s cold-pressed, not solventextracted. Rosehip seeds only yield a scant 3% oil, making it a rare and expensive commodity. The yield of oil can be increased if the seeds are extracted with chemical solvents, but it’s important to always use the cold-pressed version. Ensure its freshness. The high levels of essential fatty acids are susceptible to rancidity, making it vital to have a directsourced, fresh oil. To best preserve the life of rosehip oil, store it tightly closed in a dark container. Refrigerate and use within six months after opening.
Restoring Facial Serum 1oz. bottle rosehip oil 14 drops geranium essential oil Add geranium to rosehip oil and turn bottle over until well-blended. Apply to skin, concentrating on areas around eyes and corners of mouth.
Charlynn Avery is an aromatherapist and educator for Aura Cacia, a registered brand of Frontier Co-op. In her work, she travels around the U.S. teaching about safe and effective essential oil use. Avery is a licensed massage therapist and aromatherapist and currently holds additional certifications in holistic nutrition, Thai massage, life coaching, and hypnotherapy. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and received her additional education through both Carlson College of Massage Therapy and the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.
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BY LISA ACHESON JULIA THEISEN
At last year’s Iowa Yoga Festival, ninety-six-year-old yoga teacher Tao-Porchon Lynch
BODY AND SOUL WELLNESS CENTER DUBUQUE, IOWA
talked about what kept her feeling young and full of vitality. Through yoga she’s cultivated a mindset that really only allows her to consider that she’s young and healthy. She mentioned if she began to think about aging and getting older, her body never reacted well to that and began to express those thoughts through aches or illness. Tao’s outlook on aging is inspiring. Through yoga, teachers in Iowa and Nebraska have also discovered some secrets to aging. We asked:
Apart from the physical practice, which I’ve adapted over the years according to my body’s unique needs, I find that teaching students of all ages (including young children) brings me back to my playful, childlike self—the self I sometimes ignore for long periods while I’m doing grown up things, like running a business.
How does yoga keep you feeling young? MARY CLARE SWEET
LOTUS HOUSE OF YOGA OMAHA, NEBRASKA
Yoga keeps me feeling young because, like the best rock and roll songs, the practice is dynamic and energizing. At the beginning of a song one could be in a stagnant mood, but by the end and after a great guitar solo, my vibration has totally shifted. My yoga practice offers me that same energetic shift. I always feel better after the last note!
STERLING HART
(SATYAM)
TRIYOGA OF CEDAR RAPIDS CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
The flow is always present, and even in times of hardship, one can practice. In times when things seem to be routine there is always the silence and something deeper. As time goes on spiritual progress continually unfolds. Youthfulness is simply growth. Yoga provides me with continual and unending discovery.
Leaving chronic headaches and the corporate world behind, Lisa Acheson, RYT 500, has yoga to thank for her new life of ease. Lisa is an authorized Adamantine® Yoga teacher, sharing this sequence with students via Guided Self Practice and private sessions in the Beaverdale neighborhood in Des Moines, Iowa.
JULIE FARMER
HARMONY YOGA CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
I have learned so much about self-care through yoga. There is such a difference between the ways we think we need to age and the ways we really do. I know through a higher level of awareness, there are certain aspects of aging I don’t need to accept or expect. I feel empowered through yoga to make my aging process my own. I am so thankful yoga found me!
submit your questions for ask the teacher to editors@yoga-iowa.com
Be foolishly in love because love is all there is
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-Rumi
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yoga is taught and learned in relationships...
the water fountain of youth and Other Secrets BY SHEREE CLARK
EARN YOUR RYT200 IN
AT THE LOUNGE. Experiential learning in small weekend classes over nine months. On-site overnight accommodations available. Email info@balanceyogalounge.com to receive further details. New session begins September 2014. 2202 west first street ankeny 515.210.8138
There are many theories on aging, and the topic has been explored by cultures around the world since the beginning of time. It is interesting—but not surprising—that in every theory on aging, diet and lifestyle are believed to have a direct impact (both positive and negative) on the process. To maintain youthful energy means to possess an abundance of the vital life force sometimes known as chi or prana. It might help to think of chi as a bank account that we’re all given at birth. While you may have started with more life energy in your personal account than I did, if you spend yours more quickly, you will go broke faster. To carry the money analogy even further, if we simply spend—and never replace or save—we will reach our later years looking and feeling “spent.” After birth, chi comes from the good things we allow to enter our bodies and our lives. A primary energy source is the food we eat, including nutrient-rich fruits and vegetable. Let’s get specific, though. What are some sure-fire aging impediments? Here are my top three picks beyond eating your greens:
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Quality water. Dehydration plays a huge role
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Fermented foods. Whether you call
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in the aging process. Water carries nutrients and oxygen into our cells and waste products out. Water makes skin smoother, helps reduce LEMON LAVENDER fatigue, rids the body of toxins, lubricates INFUSED WATER joints, helps prevent arthritis, and more.
them live-cultured, pickled, fermented or something else, these old-fashioned foods are nutritional powerhouses. The beneficial bacteria, which form during the fermentation process, aid in the assimilation of nutrients. They also support our immune systems. Enzyme-rich, cultured foods are available in many forms—from liquids such as kefir and kombucha to pickles, miso, and sauerkraut.
3 large lemons, thickly sliced ¼ cup fresh lavender ½ gallon water Place ingredients into a glass pitcher. Pour water over and allow to infuse in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Serve over ice.
Quality fats. Fats moisturize skin, and help
keep hormone levels from declining. Essential to cognitive function, fats make up sixty percent of the brain. The right fats can soothe inflammation in the body, a significant factor in aging. Look for fats that are labeled organic, unrefined, virgin, or raw. Eat fresh (not roasted) nuts.
YOGA PILATES BARRE ZUMBA CARDIO 1555 SE DELAWARE SUITE J ANKENY • (515) 306.6700
DebClarksYogaExperience.com
Just as there are factors that support longevity, choices that drain the potential for vitality include smoking, alcohol and other intoxicants, caffeine, refined and processed foods, sugar, and poor quality fats. Also stress, overwork, poor sleep, and lack of exercise. Want evidence that you’ve overspent your longevity bank account? Warning signs include decreased sexual desire, weight gain, graying hair, sagging skin, poor muscle tone, memory loss and depression. So, what if you’re feeling that your energy bank account is a little overdrawn? Know that for each remaining day of your life you must create enough energy to carry you through this day plus a little bit extra to replenish the life energy that you’ve spent in the past. It’s never too late to start saving and restoring your chi. Whatever you do to replenish your energy will enhance the quality of your life. It’s also the secret to longevity.
Sheree Clark, M.Ed., AADP, CHHC (fork-road.com) is an inspiring author, television show host, health coach, motivator, and raw vegan chef. Sheree has written and presented on topics ranging from raw food 101 to overcoming career burnout. Currently she hosts Fork in the Road with Sheree Clark, a weekly television show, while continuing to carry a full load of private practice health and nutrition clients.
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GET TO KNOW DEB CLARK YOU THINK YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA…WELCOME TO “OFF THE MAT,” AN INTERVIEW SERIES THAT FOCUSES ON THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF YOUR FAVORITE YOGA TEACHERS AND PERSONALITIES. Could you please describe the difference that yoga has made in your life? It makes me a better person, I have a tendency to rush my life. Yoga calms that part of my personality, and it gives me pause to slow down and live in the present…most of the time!
If you weren’t teaching yoga, what would you be doing? A travel writer, so I could travel all over the world and write about the things I experience.
What did you find most challenging about learning yoga, and how did you overcome that challenge? Balancing, because of an injury sustained
Why do you practice and teach yoga? I love to hear people say, I never thought I could ____ and you can fill in the blank with just about any word you can think of and then the look on their faces when they find out they can. What makes your style of teaching unique? Because I broke my back in several places in a car accident, I focus a lot on the back. My style of yoga really helps people that have back issues. There is a Chinese saying, “Healthy Back Happy Life” I agree wholeheartedly.
in a car accident. I have little to no balance on my left side, so it was adjustment and compromise and letting go of pride.
What’s the most frequently asked questions you get being a yoga teacher? How did you learn to
What was your most memorable experience from teaching or practicing yoga? I have had
What inspires & motivates you? Who or what inspires your practice and your teaching? I see a
people say that I healed them and that I have changed their life. It was yoga, not me, but it is the main reason that I teach, to touch people and to help them.
lot of people that are in pain and/or unhappy. I believe that yoga can help alleviate much of that. Rodney Yee and Baron Baptiste are two of my favorite yogis and in the early days I relied a lot on their teachings.
What advice would you give to someone new to yoga who may feel intimidated? Just do your best and your best is good enough.
Favorite pose: Humble Warrior
become an instructor?
Munchies: Chips and Salsa Splurge: Perfume
One thing people don’t know about you: I love to garden, even the weeding part. Gardening is like meditation to me.
WHERE TO FIND DEB
How has the yoga philosophy resonated with you? Kindness. As much as possible, to as many people
The Yoga Experience, Ankeny, Iowa DebClarksYogaExperience.com
as possible, as often as possible.
zero residue zero worries
Feel clean and good. Here’s $25 toward your carpet cleaning service. We’re waiting for you at zerorezdesmoines.com/yoga.
Mind. Body. Soul.
Stretched thin? if your finances could use some flexibility, call us today.
incoMe tAx buSineSS conSulting
Special Discounts for Students 2707 Stange Ave Ames, IA 50010 • www.igniteyoga.com • 515.292.9600 22
Steven V. Small, CPA 4090 Westown Parkway, Ste A1 West Des Moines • 515.222.1735
IowaYogaFestival.com OCTOBER 10-12, 2014 EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL / DES MOINES
SADIE NARDINI / TYLER MCCOY / BRIOHNY SMYTH DICE IIDA-KLEIN / MARA HEALY / JAMES MILLER TAO PORCHON-LYNCH / MOSES LOVE / DJ DREZ / HEMALAYAA JUSTIN KALISZEWSKI / MICHELLE MARTELLO / LD KIDD JOSIE SAY / OLIVIA KVITNE / MAHARA / JILL ABELSON ANN YORK, PRODUCER EARLY BIRD SIGN-UP JUNE 1- AUG 15 - $299 / AFTER $349 PREMIER MEDIA PARTNER
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Let’s Get Together & Have Some
August-October 2014 Events westglentowncenter.com/events
AT THE GLEN
FRIDAY AUG 1 5:30 PM
FRIDAY AUG 15
6:30-9:00 PM
FRIDAY SEPT 12
FRIDAY AUG 22
5:30 PM
7:00-11:00 PM
AT THE GLE N
All ages are welcome to the Center for outdoor yoga to live music.
Admission: Free
5:30-9:00 PM
AT THE GLE N
Enjoy free live music along side our dancing, light-up fountain. This event is family friendly!
Cabaret will hold an End of Summer Bash featuring the band Burnin’ Sensation
All proceeds for Yoga at the Glen benefits the The Hannah Geneser Foundation!
Admission: Free
cabaretnightlife.com
Admission: Please donate to The Hannah Geneser Foundation.
5465 Mills Civic Parkway #260 West Des Moines, IA 50266 515.223.7885 • westglentowncenter.com 24
SATURDAY OCT 18
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk funds treatments that are saving the lives of patients today. lightthenight.org/IA
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