Y&s 2010 03 fall by Yoga & Spa Magazine

A Yoga & Spa Retreat in Tulum, Mexico Deepen your yoga practice and rejuvenate your body and soul at Eco-Tulum Resorts on the Caribbean waters of Tulum, Mexico. March 5th through March 12th, 2011 Give yourself a week long workshop of tranquility and joy. Yoga teachers and wellness specialists will take you on an adventure in yoga and a journey to meeting your True Self. Experience the healing body work of authentic Mayan body healers. Participate in an ancient sweat lodge ceremony on Mayan land. Tour the Mayan ruins. Rejuvinate your body and soothe your soul. Return to your life energized and glowing from the inside out!

Call 314-965-6133 for more information and to reserve your spot on this exciting trip to the Mayan coast. www.yogaspamag.com

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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636-537-3227 Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Publisher’s Letter Treat, Play, Love... Volume 1, Issue 3 Copyright© 2010 Yoga & Spa Magazine Stacy Hunsicker Publisher stacy@yogaspamag.com 314-965-6133 Dianna Lucas Editor-In-Chief & Cofounder dianna@yogaspamag.com 314-495-9960 Lucinda Moore Art Director & Cofounder lucinda@yogaspamag.com Celest Padberg Director of Marketing & Sales celeste@yogaspamag.com 314-341-7535 Sherry Summers Yoga Retreat Coordinator Contributing Writers Glenna Bedoya Jennifer Bondurant Maya F. Bradstreet Melissa Flores Stacy Hunsicker Dianna Lucas Michael Nobs Dr. Varsha Rathod M.D. Judith Shaw (Men on the Mat) Sherry Summers Photo Credits Laurent Torno III, Cover, Yoga Mommas Sarah Carmody, Men on the Mat Katherine Bish, Back Cover veer.com iStockphoto.com On the Cover: Erin and Carol are rockin’ Yoga Wear from Little Shark Athletic Co. on Delmar. Carol: “Women’s Hotline Top” in FFS by Patagonia. Cashmere fingerless gloves adorned with bloom/rhinestone and ruffled side seam, and the cashmere cap with bloom on side finished with vintage rhinestone button are from Angelina Accoutrements (see ad on page 10). Erin: Prana’s “Erin Top” (unplanned-no kidding!) November sweater, over-dyed in persimmon from Skif International on Marconi, Yoga pants on both are by Prana… Yoga & Spa Magazine does not endorse any information contained in articles or advertisements and suggests consulting a health-care professional before beginning any therapy or medical treatment.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Fall is upon us. As the weather cools, our rhythms, rituals, and wardrobes must adapt. We begin our transition from outside yoga, fitness and fun in the sun to indoor workouts and classes. I love the slowing down and quieting process of preparing to “go inside” for the winter; inside physically, mentally and emotionally. The Sanskrit word “pratyahara” refers to the spiritual process of turning inward and the autumn season mirrors this impulse to go deeper with our yoga and spiritual practices. Time to treat ourselves to the peaceful, sometimes melancholy mood of fall. But stay open to the playfulness of jumping in the leaves or carving Jack-O-Lanterns! Time to get closer to our loved ones and ourselves. Time to reflect on the how the journey is going thus far... “Treat, Play, Love” is my wordplay on Eat, Pray, Love, the Best-selling book and now blockbuster movie starring Julia Roberts. My personal journey shares many of the same aspects as the author’s; “Eat, Pray, Love... and Publish” could be the title of my story. I, too, left everything behind after a divorce and ventured to the mountains to meet myself, pray for change and learn to love myself and others more fully. In publishing the Healthy Planet-Aspen Edition magazine I shared with the readers both my struggles and my celebrations as I grew into a healthier way of life. With Yoga & Spa Magazine, my desire is to go a step further by sharing all that I gained along the way, the joy and freedom of living a balanced and healthy lifestyle, and the advertisers and practitioners whose job it is to help us move closer to a holistic reality, inside and out. May reading the articles bring you helpful information, inspiration and insight. May visiting the advertisers and using their services bring you health and prosperity! Our mission at Yoga & Spa is to bring you resources to help you lead an energetic, happy and fulfilled life. Following in the footsteps of national magazines such as Yoga Journal and Spa Finder, our own local Yoga & Spa Magazine is here to lead you to the perfect fitness program or salon and spa service to enhance your day and your life. This issue of Yoga & Spa is packed with fantastic health, fitness and self-care services for you to try this Fall. Here are a few of my favorites: The Skinny Massage at FLEX at Dougherty Ferry & Big Bend. I have experienced it for myself and I am here to tell you it is the real deal! See article page 41. Organic Bamboo Sheets at WARE in Carondelet Plaza. These sheets feel like you are sleeping in your silk nightie. They wash and wear well. Not a lot of wrinkling going on between these fancy sheets. See Eco Chic Homes feature page 25. The T-Zone Machine. Found around town at Vitality Unlimited Spa in Webster Groves, Flex at Big Bend and Dougherty Ferry, Chiropractic Healthcare on Kingshighway in South City. Another real deal, it shakes the pounds away. Seriously, it works on your whole body. Gets your blood pumping and your colon moving! I had to head straight to the restroom after an 8 minute session. Much less invasive than a colonic for digestive issues. Read more on page 47. Infertility Issues. Though I am not planning on another child, if I were having problems conceiving I would head straight to Debbie Heikel, RN at Wellness Alternatives in Town & Country for support. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and has your whole health in mind. See article page 43. Mother Earth Pillows in Arnold. Karen Kowel knows about pillows and massage. Her pillows bring you healing all day long, not just when you are in bed. And now she has created a new massage modality, Pillossage. See article page 50. Enjoy this Fall issue of Yoga & Spa Magazine. Treat yourself well, play often in the glorious Fall weather and love yourself and the world back to health! Namaste ,

CONTENTS 11 Pilates for a Youthful Body By Melissa Flores Stay strong, supple and stable for life.

15 Healthy Holiday Foods

By Maya Bradstreet The traditional Fall harvest to ward off the winter blues.

Balance Your Brain Waves

By Vince Miles Restore balance to your brain waves, body and your life.

19 Yoga For Everyone

By Glenna Bedoya Anyone can practice, everyone can benefit.

21 Eco-Chic Homes

Create an environmentally friendly home.

28 Yoga Mommaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s- Cover Feature

By Stacy Hunsicker St. Louis Bikram Yoga studio owners, Erin Stack and Carol Stocks .

31 Yoga Retreats

By Sherry Summers Venture on a journey to meet your True Self.

33 The Conscious Commute By Dianna Lucas Get there greener.

36 Men on the Mat

The men of Big Bend Yoga Center.

38 Mindful Holiday Gifts Inspired giving and delightful receiving.

50 Pillossage, Hot New Spa Treatment By Karen Kowal Thermal Connective Tissue Release.

54 Y&S Interview

By Stacy Hunsicker Om, with Saul David Raye.

54 Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Letter From the Editor by Dianna Lucas

weed |wēd| noun a plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with other plants. It is only a “weed” because we deem it so. I have considered this to be true with anger, as well. It is a normal emotion that everyone feels at times. Occasionally, it can be useful. It is a passionate response to a circumstance. Like the plant out of place, it is simply misguided passion. Ranging from feelings of mild irritation and annoyance to being intensely furious and full of rage, some people experience anger more intensely than others. Becoming aware of your response to different situations makes one better equipped to handle anger in a constructive way. Doing this reduces the physical effects of anger on the body. Anger causes a rise in blood pressure and heart rate, an increase in blood flow, and stiff and tense muscles. These physical reactions cause damage to the body over time as anger continues to be in control. Here’s the practice… find a way to become conscious in the moments of anger and redirect it. Count to ten, and resume the conversation with a potentially clearer head. I’m a Yoga Mama, but I too have my moments. A friend recently shared her success story. They ring a bell when a family member needs to take a time out. Kids are allowed to call upon this too! (Some days I want that bell in my pocket, and the whole neighborhood will think that it’s dinner time!) Another useful method is controlled deep breathing, so simple, and yet so out of reach on some of those momentous occasions. Take deep breaths from the diaphragm, four counts in four counts out, with a pause in between. Continue until the anger dissipates and you return to calm. Another successful technique is visualization. Watch the anger leaving your body in the form of heat or sweat. Take this to the next level by redirecting your anger into constructive physical actions. Go to a gym, take a walk or jog. Try washing your car, rearranging a closet, or mowing the lawn. Some useful bullets that will not result in jail time: * Participating in a sport * Meditation and yoga * Journaling * Creating Art or Crafts * Gardening * Cleaning or doing any household activity such as painting, folding laundry, or washing the floors. Activity imparts a sense of accomplishment and well-being, though not always practical in the reactionary moment. Whatever techniques you choose, Just Do It! Suppressing anger is more damaging than the anger itself. It causes anxiety and depression and other physical symptoms. When anger is continually suppressed, neuro-chemicals accumulate in the brain, blocking neural pathways. That old saying of clearing out the cobwebs of the mind becomes very vivid! What can we weed out of our lives? Start with the clutter in our homes, our basements, garages, and storage units. Clean out your closets, figuratively and literally releasing the mental clutter of all things which no longer serve us. When things can be passed along… remember to recycle and reuse. Rung (a non-profit boutique) is a great way to recycle your wardrobe…The American Kidney Foundation, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Craig’s List, Freecycle, and E-bay are all wonderful options to pass along useful items. Some will even come to your doorstep. There you go, no excuses not to move those things along and open space for what’s new. And just in time for the Holidays! Uproot, Cultivate, Sow, Germinate, Root down, Bloom where you are planted, Blossom, Flourish, …Just Grow I Weed, therefore I am… Dianna Lucas is a Wellness Specialist in St. Louis, MO, assisting clients in creating healthier lifestyles through coaching, diet modification, exercise, and holistic interior design; balancing mind, body, and spirit with environment. She works with cancer survivors through the Wellness Community teaching meditation and movement for recovery. She serves as President of the board for Venus Envy and Poetry Scores. She remains the loving mother of a teenage daughter and attributes her smile to her Bhakti Yoga practice.

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Anti-Aging: A Simple Approach by Dr. Varsha Rathod

The field of ‘anti-aging’ has mushroomed over the last decade. While one cannot reverse the body’s chronological clock, we can slow the biology of aging. This can be done via hormone replacement therapy, pursuing a healthier nutritional regimen, cosmetic make-over, supplementation of vitamins and anti-oxidants and detoxification strategies. Time tested ways of slowing your biological clock have often been overlooked as being too simple and perhaps not profitable. Here are a few approaches that you can incorporate into your daily lifestyle. 1. Consider reducing your caloric intake. I cannot give you an exact number as it will vary with each person’s level of physical activity, age, stress. At age 50-60, reduce by 1/3, then at ages 61-70, consider reducing by 1/2. The simplest way to cut calories is to consume a large variety of vegetables and some fruit. Start each meal with 2 cups of fresh or frozen, raw or cooked, vegetables or fruit. You should then move on to reduce calories from grains, legumes and starchy vegetables. Limit animal sources of food, as they exact a higher burden on your energy and detoxification mechanism. If you are unable to refrain from animal products, try gradually reducing to at least 2 days per week. The ideas presented in this step should be done in consultation with a health professional trained in nutrition. 2. Exercise Regularly. Try doing a half hour to forty-five minutes of aerobic activity five days a week and some strength training twice weekly. Do not eat to make up for the exercise. Exercising taxes the body’s anti-oxidant system. Therefore, it is important to eat plenty of colorful vegetables and fruit to compensate. Regular use of certain basic antioxidants such as Vitamin C-1000, Vitamin E-200IU, Vitamin A 5 – 25,000 IU and 3 cups of green tea/ day is a good start. 3. Hydrate adequately with good quality water that is devoid of chlorine and fluoride. This will help eliminate toxins through sweating, and through regular bowel and bladder activity. 4. Manage Stress. Stress is attributed to anything that throws the body off balance (i.e. proper functioning). Evaluate what causes your stress. It could be the wrong job, excess alcohol, drugs, sex, or

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

gambling. Find ways to eliminate or decrease stress by using strategies such as exercise, meditation, breathing techniques, laughter, social contact, eliminating toxic relationships or properly managing finances. My favorite techniques are daily meditation and diaphragmatic breathing. If you find yourself resorting to unhealthy habits such as stress eating, find a way to eat colorful snacks such as, carrot sticks, celery or other vegetables and fruits that you like. Choose your treat and eat it mindful of your stress with the aim to thoroughly enjoy it. You should relax and eat this treat while sitting rather than on the run. You might say to yourself: “I am aware that I am stressed and because of that, I am craving ‘x’ food. I will enjoy it.” Savor it. No guilt! Believe it or not you will find yourself eating less of it over time. 5. Get adequate sunlight exposure to ensure vitamin D. Check with your physician about checking vitamin D levels to maintain a level of 50-60 ng/ml. At night, make sure that you get an average of 8 hours of sleep in total darkness. Both daylight and darkness send powerful cues to your hormonal system that helps itself regulate. While this list is in no way complete, you would have at least started a program to make the time with your physician more productive and allow focus for additional needs based on family history, illness or other stressors. I wish you joy in your personalized ‘anti-aging’ program. Dr. Varsha Rathod is a board certified Rheumatologist and Internist at Preventive Medicine in the Westport Plaza Area of St. Louis, MO. The practice has focused on a combination of traditional and holistic medicine since 1967. For more articles and information about integrative solutions please visit www.preventivemedicinestl.com or call 314-997-5403.

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Pilates for a Youthful Body By Melissa Flores

Since 40 is now considered the new 30, then 60 must be the new 50, right? If you are looking to keep the youthful “spring in your step”, incorporate Pilates into your exercise routine. The older adult is poised to gain many benefits that will prevent or improve issues associated with aging. Loss of strength, poor posture, lack of balance, and painful joints are just a few challenges that a dedicated Pilates practice can help avoid or improve upon. The combination of strength and flexibility that is present in every Pilates exercise is appreciated by not only professional athletes and dancers but also the elderly. Joseph Pilates created exercises that work muscles uniformly and draw upon small, deep muscles that are rarely used in traditional forms of exercise. In all movements of Pilates, we focus on engaging the transverse abdominis, which is one of the primary muscles of the “powerhouse” (abdominal and back muscles also known as the core). By strengthening the powerhouse and improving motor control and coordination, we can help to prevent falls that are associated with aging. These exercises, designed specifically for balance, greatly benefit the elderly. A lengthening of the spine is the focus of Pilates. The instructor’s attention should always be paid to muscular imbalances and alignment in an attempt to have both sides of the body working evenly with equal strength and balance. This improvement in poor posture can provide pain relief throughout the body, increase range of motion, promote ease of breathing, provide a trimmer, younger appearance as well as a conveyance of self-confidence. A qualified instructor can adapt exercises through the use of equipment, pillows and towels to accommodate osteoporosis and kyphosis. Several of my clients have reported “growing” at their yearly check-up. Truly their posture improved resulting in greater range of motion which allowed them to stand tall! Due to long periods of sitting, many adults have diminished mobility in their spine and joints. After their very first session I have had

clients report a sharp decrease in back pain due to increased flexibility and awareness of proper movement. Many clients are able to live pain free because of the practice of Pilates. Continued practice results in improved functional ability. For example, clients can now get up and down from the floor to play with grandchildren, can put on their pants while standing and can stand while taking a shower. Spine mobility and joint stability are not the only benefits to the elderly population. “Contrology”, as Joseph Pilates named his form of exercise, emphasizes the mind controlling the body. The practice of Pilates and exercise in general enhances brain function and mental health in addition to the physical benefits. Older adults should consult a physician before beginning a new exercise program and should locate a qualified and experienced instructor. Your qualified instructor will devise a program to fit your needs and health issues that will improve the quality of your life. With over 500 exercises your fitness goals can be met with the understanding of the challenges of the elderly population. In my studies with Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates’ protégé and designated teacher trainer, I have watched her demonstrate advanced exercises while in her 80’s. I have also watched my grandmother place her knuckles on the floor with straight knees into her 90’s, both acts are inspirational to me. As an instructor and teacher trainer in my 50’s, I look forward to many more decades of studying, teaching and performing Pilates since Pilates really is for “Life”.

Melissa Flores is the owner of Pilates For Life And Yoga, Too, located at 2315 Technology Dr. Ste 121 O’Fallon, MO. She was certified under Romana Kryzanowska in 2002 and is a Level 4 teacher trainer. Private sessions and classes are offered in Pilates and Yoga. She can be reached at 636-561-9030 or www.PilatesForLife.net

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

What is Gyrokinesis? Have you ever wanted to be more flexible and stronger than you are right now? You really need to check out the work that is taking the nation by storm, GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® exercise. Body Fusion L.L.C , owned and operated by Anne Thomasson L.M.T., certified and licensed Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis trainer, is the only exercise studio that offers Gyrotonic in the St. Louis area. Marcia Wever is also a certified trainer and works with clients at Body Fusion. Body Fusion L.L.C. is holding the first ever Gyrotonic training in St. Louis in November 2010. Soon there will be many more trainers to choose from in St. Louis. Late last year a Gyrokinesis training was held at the studio and that training produced several qualified instructors, many of whom teach Gyrokinesis classes at Body Fusion. A few other exercise studios around town now also offer Gyrokinesis exercise. Gyrokinesis methodology is a unique mat exercise format that helps one understand the origin of the work with specially designed mats and stools. Each class lasts a little more than one hour, and can leave one with a feeling that the whole body has been worked, head to toe. Clients who enjoy yoga and mat Pilates find that Gyrokinesis exercise allows them a freedom of movement that can greatly enhance their current practice. Gyrotonic exercise allows clients to experience similar movement using carefully engineered equipment, much of which is handcrafted overseas. There are five machines designed by Juliu himself, all if which are unique to the Methodology. Body Fusion L.L.C. has all five. The machines can guide a client to experience the correct form of the movement. Both disciplines have several things in common – stabilization through contrast, lengthening and elongation of the muscles, and strengthening of the joints. The Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis methods are the brainchild of Juliu Horvath, a Romanian born dancer who transformed his body with this amazing work. He truly healed his body and soon realized that this Methodology could help others who wanted to experience freedom in their bodies, transforming themselves from the inside out. Juliu himself is constantly monitoring his trainers and making sure they have the most recent information in the evolution of the work. The unique Gyrotonic method has been around for decades and incorporates profound core strength and stabilization, unparalled flexibility and full body mobilization. The method centers around spinal strength and flexibility. Strength and energy emanate from your “seed center”, which in this discipline is your core. From a central, stabilized core, the body is able to move with fluidity and ease in all directions, strengthening the muscles and joints that are so integral to our structure. Many clients use Gyrotonic exercise to heal injuries. There is a very therapeutic aspect to the work. Paul Horvath, Juliu’s brother holds trainings on the therapeutic applications of Gyrotonic movement. Clients come to work on all kinds of musculoskeletal injuries of the spine, shoulders and hips. Runners and cyclists find that their muscles respond to this work and become more balanced so that they may continue their workouts without the normal restrictions. Most clients come for a great workout unlike any other. The basic work starts on the Gyrotonic Pulley Tower, which has been recently redesigned. Then a client can transfer what they have learned to be able to work on the Specialized Equipment. Hundreds of exercises can be preformed on each piece of equipment, depending upon the needs of the client. Clients of every age have benefited from the work. At Body Fusion, we really focus on the individual needs of the client, and customize each unique workout with that person’s limitations and strengths in mind. There are so many possibilities to explore with the work, that there is always something new to learn. Clients never have the same workout twice. One can learn more about the GYROTONIC® Method by visiting www. bodyfusionstl.com or www.gyrotonic.com.

Anne Thomasson can be reached by e-mail at athomassons@aol. com or by phone at 314-409-0229. Body Fusion L.L.C. is located on the southwest corner of Clayton and Hanley Rds at 7750 Clayton Rd suite 305, Richmond Heights Missouri, 63117. GYROKINESIS and GYROTONIC are registered trademarks of Gyrotonic Sales Corp, and are used with their permission.

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7750 Clayton Rd. • Suite 303 Richmond Heights, MO 63117 Cell: 314-409-0229 E-Mail: athomassons@aol.com We have GYROKINESIS® classes which can be accessed through our web site at www.bodyfusionstl.com and click on the big pink button in the middle of the page to see our classes. GYROKINESIS and GYROTONIC are registered trademarks of Gyrotonic Sales Corp, and are used with their permission.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Healthy Holiday Foods by Maya F. Bradstreet

Wholesome Holiday Eating As soon as the leaves show their first twinge of orange, my thoughts can’t help but turn to the joys of harvest time and the subsequent holiday season. Since Labor Day, my summer vacations have become a distant memory, and I look forward to donning jackets, sipping hot cider, and cooking up comfort foods. Many of you too may anticipate the lovely, delicious meals associated with colder months and family celebrations. Just as many however, may also cringe at - or even dread - what traditionally accompanies the holidays: excess, richness, overindulgence. Get-togethers often entail big meals with even bigger portions, more than likely served with an extra cocktail or two, and of course: dessert. How is one to enjoy the cornucopia of food and merriment, without the stress and guilt, and without losing one’s sense of balance? Below are some tips and ideas to consider as 2010 comes to a close. The Traditional Fall Harvest To Ward off the Winter Blues Autumn is truly the season of abundance. It’s the time of year when we reap all that we’ve planted and sown in the previous months. Luckily, farm stands and farmers markets are open through most of October, so that we may enjoy the local, fresh foods that abound. Eat up to fill yourself with the fiber and nutrients that are present in the following fruits and vegetables. Loading up on these can help mediate the cravings that may surface as the days get shorter. Winter Squash – Besides the well-known carving pumpkin, there is an array of sweet and fleshy varieties to choose from: Acorn, Delicata, Hubbard, Spaghetti, Butternut. Each differ ever so slightly in taste and texture, but any one of them can be a knock-out addition to a meal. Don’t be intimidated into buying the canned version; it’s really quite simple to purchase the real deal and to experiment in the kitchen… Seeded, stuffed and baked whole with a number of fillings (one as simple as wild rice, pecans and currents will do), a squash can be a stunning main-course. Or, it can be blended into a smooth, creamy, dairy-free soup. With enough flavor to shine on its own as a staringredient, it can be sliced, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and

then grilled or roasted. Its inherent sweetness can then be amped up by being drizzled with maple syrup or agave nectar. Last but not least, it can make the most perfect ending to a meal: a pie, cake or bread made from squash puree will guarantee a moist, nutritious and tasty bite. Root Vegetables – Sweet potatoes, yams and carrots are the most notorious examples of the root vegetable. High in vitamin A, fiber, and potassium, they are naturally sugary and filling, making it an effective weapon against the sweet-tooth that oftentimes surfaces at the end of an evening. Some lesser known, but just as flavorful veggies are: turnips, rutabagas, celeriac, and parsnips, all of which are absolutely amazing when roasted with a bit of onion, garlic, olive oil and herbs of choice. Apples & Pears – Fall is obviously synonymous with apple picking. Nothing can compete with the crisp crunch of biting into a raw apple. Unless it’s cooked up into a sweet or savory concoction: from stuffings and roasted fruit chutneys, to crisps and pies. Fall Greens – Kale, collards and brussel sprouts, among other winter greens, are an important addition to balance out a meal. Braising and roasting them, or adding them to hearty soups and stews will lighten things up in more ways than one. Local, Sustainable Meats for The Holiday Table If serving a traditional animal-based main course, a wonderful choice is to buy a local bird or cut of meat which has been raised sustainably. This way, you ensure that you’re getting something healthy: hormone-free, higher in nutrients, ethically raised and slaughtered. If you’ve never tried it, a holiday meal may be just the perfect occasion to make something so special, succulent, and flavorful. Some of the options in the St. Louis area: • Turkey: • Farrar Out Farms is taking orders and deposits for turkeys raised on their property. Find them at the Saturday Kirkwood Market or the Wednesday Maplewood Market at Schlafly Bottleworks, or by calling 573-579-9550. They will also sell 125 of their birds to Local Harvest Grocery. 314-865-5260. Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Nourish your Body, Transform your Life! custom health & nutritional counseling

cooking instruction & demos grocery & farmers market tours refrigerator & pantry organization weight management intuitive eating pre/post-natal & family nutrition detoxification & cleansing food allergies & intolerances

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• Baumann’s Fine Meats will be able to sell you a Heritage Turkey, specifically the Bourbon Red Tom variety a few weeks before Thanksgiving. 314-968-3080. • Whole Foods Market will be selling anti-biotic, cage-free turkeys, delivering the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday. Town and Country: 636527-1160. Galleria: 314-968-7744. • Goose: Overshadowed over the years by the ‘other’ big bird, goose was once an extremely traditional offering at the holiday table. It just might be the thing to add some pizazz to yours. Sassafras Valley Farms located in Gasconade County, will be offering their birds through Local Harvest and Baumann’s Fine Meats. • Meat: For special cuts of grass-fed beef, pork and lamb, contact the following local producers and butchers: • Prairie Grass Farms (lamb) : 573-835-2272 • Missouri Grass Fed Beef : 877-807-2333 • Greenwood Farms (beef, lamb, pork, poultry and dairy) : 800-253-6574 • American Grassfed Beef (sold at Whole Foods Market) • Boeckmann Family Farm (beef, sold at Baumann’s) Mindfulness: The Most Important “Ingredient” Lastly a word about being mindful, especially when it comes to eating… As nights become longer and days colder, we may lose touch with our bodies and our intuition. We may get caught up in the stresses of the holidays, in needing to get things done fast, and to buy gifts. It becomes easy to eat hurriedly and without thought, which may perhaps lead us to eat too much or to crave something we later regret. Take the opportunity to truly pay attention to and enjoy the experience of eating. Who are you cooking for or eating with? What are you preparing or ingesting? What does it taste like? How does it make you feel? These are all questions that will help you relate to the true meaning of the holiday season: Gratitude.

APPLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP w/ COCONUT CILANTRO CHUTNEY 1 butternut squash 2 large or 3 medium-sized apples 1 yellow or sweet onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter Bay leaf 5 cups chicken or veggie stock (or water) Salt & pepper to taste Coconut Cilantro Chutney (recipe follows) Cilantro sprigs - optional In a heavy soup pot, sauté onions in olive oil and butter over medium heat until soft and transparent. Throw in smashed garlic clove and season with salt & pepper. Add stock and bay leaf to the pot, bringing the heat up to high. While liquid is coming to a boil, peel and cube butternut squash & apples and add to pot. Season again with salt and pepper. When soup comes to a boil lower heat and simmer for 2 0 minutes – 1 hour, until apple and squash pieces are tender. Turn off heat. To puree, 1) use a handheld blender to blend soup in the pot, or 2) pour into blender in batches and return to pot. Ladle soup into bowls, garnishing with chutney and cilantro sprigs CHUTNEY 1 jalapeno 1 bunch cilantro ½ cup blanched almond (whole or pieces) ½ cup raw unsweetened coconut Salt & pepper to taste Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until slightly grainy or desired consistency. Can be frozen. RAW CRANBERRY RELISH 1 bag fresh cranberries 1 navel or other seedless orange (organic preferable, since using whole, peel and all) 1/2 cup - 1 cup (depending on desired sweetness) choice of sweetener (agave nectar, raw honey or maple syrup) Quarter the orange. Place into food processor along with remaining ingredients and pulse, adding water or more sweetener if thinner consistency desired. Maya F. Bradstreet, MS HHC founded A Recipe for Wellness, llc as a way to inspire & promote well-being in others through food choices. She teaches cooking classes and leads seminars in a variety of settings throughout the St. Louis Area, and works privately with clients around nutrition. A graduate of Brown University, she received her food and nutrition training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City, and a Masters degree in Health Promotion from Indiana University. She is a holistic health coach certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. You can contact her with any food and health-related questions at maya@ arecipe4wellness.com.

Balance Your Brain Waves By Vince Miles

The brain is made up of two halves often working independently of each other producing brain waves. These brain waves are all associated with different states of consciousness. In order to achieve harmony between the two hemispheres of the brain and therefore balance your life it is important to achieve a desirable alpha-theta state in your everyday experiences. Alpha waves are usually connected to relaxation, meditation and a sense of calmness. It is often linked to feelings of love, creativity and satisfaction. Theta waves are related to the point in between waking up and sleeping or just a light sleep. Theta waves are also associated with deep relaxation, day dreaming and imagination. Some who enter hypnotic trances are putting off theta waves. Relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, listening to soft music and guided visualizations help facilitate the alpha-theta state which will relieve stress, anxiety, depression, dis-ease in the body. Sound therapy from a singing crystal bowl is another alternative therapy to try. The effects these “singing bowls” can have on brain waves are still being explored. The experiments and tests have shown that with only 20 minutes of sound therapy from a crystal singing bowl many people coming from a high stress situation, including work or a traffic jam, were able to reach a relaxed state. Many of them were able to reach theta waves and a few even being able to peak into alpha waves. With continued use of singing bows and sound healing it is possible to make alpha waves the most prominent of your brain waves. The intention of the person is imperative in practicing any relaxation technique in order to create balance between the two hemispheres of the brain. As long as the person is willing to open up their

mind and body to the resonance of the singing bowl or any meditation technique, healing effects can mend and sooth the soul into a sense of peace and harmony. A series of pure crystal tone therapy sessions facilitates the rebalancing of the brain waves. For many adults, the left hemisphere of their brain is the more dominant of the two sides. The left hemisphere tends to deal with more logical thinking including mathematics and analysis, as well as being home to the speech center of the brain. While the right half of the brain is more creative based; dealing with feelings, visual perceptions, music, dreams and spirituality. In western cultures the right brain tends to be less valued compared to the thought processes of the left side. Interestingly, western cultures allow children to use their creative sides of their brain and in fact even encourage right brain thinking up until that age of about 5 years old. As one gets older, our society tends to better reward those who think logically using their left brain. Coincidentally, adults have a hard time using the right half of their brain, blocking creativity which leads to repression of feelings and emotions which leads to disease in the body. Crystal tone therapy sessions restore balance to the brain waves and will restore balance to your body and life.

Vince is nationally board certified as a holistic alternative psychology practitioner. He has completed all 6 levels of certification for Neuro Energy Transmission Technique.(NETT). He can be reached at 314-422-9939

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Yoga For Everyone by Glenna Bedoya

What is yoga? There is no universal definition that explains that yoga is adaptable movement for each and every one of us. Yoga continues to grow in popularity because it is a living tradition that has responded to its environment for at least 2500 years. We all come to yoga for different reasons and we all find benefit whatever that reason might be. I came to yoga because I needed a physical education credit in college. I was never one for team sports so it seemed the obvious choice. Who knew it would be my life’s calling. Many people have asked me what yoga is all about. For me, the answer is ongoing. After 16 years of practice, yoga is still divulging itself to me. We cannot assign rigidity to something so ancient and so pliable. The translation for the Sanskrit word yoga is “to yolk” or “union.” In yoga we come together with ourselves, with others, and with the world. Perhaps the most basic term we can use for it is freedom. Through yoga we can all find freedom. By moving through and holding poses we maintain elasticity in our muscles and bring blood circulation to all parts of the body and helps clear our lymph systems. Yoga strengthens and stretches the long muscles and brings awareness to the core helping with balance and connecting the body as a whole. This helps in preventing injury and promoting healing. Athletes have noticed improved performance, endurance, and focus when they add yoga to their training programs. Even professional basketball and football leagues have added it to their regimen. Nearly all forms of physical activities improve with the practice of yoga.

Doctors, both medical and psychological, are recommending yoga to their clients. Yoga calms the nervous system and stimulates the thyroid, balances the adrenals, detoxifies the organs, teaches us how to train our minds and move our bodies in specific ways. It supports anti-aging, and helps to control blood pressure, depression, arthritis, anxiety, autism, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, Chrohns disease, asthma, weight, and much more. The western world is just beginning to discover what yoga can do. It is allowing people a kind of freedom in their bodies that they had never before experienced. Through yoga the free flow of creativity can be accessed in every career or occupation. By moving differently, thinking in new ways and ceasing inner thoughts we can find new perspectives and open up to breakthroughs. Yoga helps to reduce stress in the workplace and at home, decreases sick days by promoting a healthier body and mind, increases job performance, and builds camaraderie when practiced together. By freeing our bodies and minds we open ourselves to a multitude of opportunity. Yoga inspires us to be free in our day- to- day activities. By finding a new level physical awareness we become conscious of muscles we never knew we had. It helps us feel our organs and locate where they are located in our body. By bringing this awareness we learn how to live inside our bodies. With this new presence we can be aware of our own emotions and conscientious of those of others. We learn that we choose how to react in a world that is constantly changing. We have the power to react intelligently and according to the present moment –not Continued on Page 20 Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

to what happened last week or half a lifetime ago. We learn how to see ourselves in others and, as a result, have a greater understanding of strangers and of our loved ones. It challenges us to be better people. Yoga disciplines us to cease all thought and to feel the vast amount of joy that exists around us. Yoga opens us up to every possibility we can imagine. Yoga brings newfound freedom into our everyday lives. For those of us who invite it, yoga allows for introspection and new thought processes adding discipline to our lives. It raises awareness of our physical bodies and of our mental status. Yoga reminds us that we choose how to react in a world that is constantly changing. It helps us find stillness within ourselves amidst the chaos. Yoga shows us how to bring joy and passion into a life we once thought lonely or mundane. It teaches us to open and to consider every possibility. There is freedom in yoga for you. Yoga adapts to its environment and adapts to your interests and needs. Today there are so many styles and so many different teachers, that it is simply a matter of finding one that speaks to you and what your body needs on a day to day basis. Some styles teach us to hold long supported poses, and some that flow quickly from one pose to the next, and everything in between. Also, many studios offer beginner series classes for the uninitiated practitioner. For those who may be shy, or have great need for privacy and personalization there are private and small group classes available. You will find classes that are affordable within different budgets. Many studios (even churches) have free community classes or donation based offerings. Look to your local yoga clothing company as many now offer complimentary classes for all. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to look for special workshops at your studio or by your favorite teacher. There are workshops for artists, corporations, athletes, and other interests providing specialized classes in all possible areas. I invite you to discover everything yoga can be for you. Yoga is constantly revealing itself to me. It has taught me to be present in, and to love a body I was once taught to despise. It has shown me that I can practice without pain and heal from sciatica, hamstring, knee, shoulder, and neck injuries. Yoga has helped me with anxiety and PTSD. It has carried me through the grief of losing my mother and shown me how to mourn past relationships. It brings me a physical, mental and spiritual freedom I never thought possible. I wish the same for all of you.

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Glenna Bedoya is a writer who currently lives and teaches yoga in New York City. Originally from St. Louis, her yoga journey through life has taken her to California, India and has now landed her in the heart of New York City. Glenna can be reached at glenna.bedoya@gmail.com.

Eco-Chic Homes Feature

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Eco-Chic Homes REMODELING TRENDS from Home Solutions in Des Peres As a growing remodeling company, Home Solutions is seeing some definite trends that focus on the environment and overall health of our clients. Specializing in kitchen and bath remodeling, room additions and sunrooms, as well as replacement windows for over 25 years, our attitude has always been that quality materials make durable living spaces, which last longer and make sense for the bottom line as well as the environment. At the same time, we are very conscious that the materials and services we offer are affordable and available for our clients. We have seen an increasing awareness among our clients and a new demand for products that offer high energyefficiency, along with the use of more natural energy resources. More strategic placement of windows to maximize natural light in the home, including the use of skylights such as the Velux SunTunnel skylight. Increased amounts of insulation and weatherizing to reduce energy consumption. New demand for products with reduced toxins, such as those found in plywood and paints. We now have access to low-VOC and no-VOC paints from all major suppliers such as Benjamin Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Natura line. Increased demand for and use of reclaimed wood products in flooring and windows such as the new Fibrex material from Andersen Windows. An increase in the use of recycled-content, glass and concrete counter-tops as an alternative option to granite. A new option that is lower cost than past products is Ecoâ&#x201E;˘ by Cosentino is a durable surface made of 75% recycled content composed of post-industrial or post-consumer materials and is bound by an environmentally friendly resin which comes in part from corn oil. ECO by Cosentino is also an ideal substitute for natural or engineered stone. LET THERE BE LIGHT! from Marcia Moore, interior designer and owner of Marcia Moore Design LLC Lighting is one of the most important elements of interior design, and one of the easiest ways to create ambience in your home. A well-lit room feels comfy to work and play in, and helps make your furnishings look their best. If that

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

isn’t enough reason for you to want to upgrade the lighting in your home then consider this. Good lighting also flatters your face. Ah, now I have your attention! Think of how you feel on a spring day with the bright sun warming your shoulders, or in your favorite chair where the only light is the warm glow of a fireplace and the soft flicker of candles. Different kinds of light can evoke different feelings and create very different moods in a room.

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can create a mini sanctuary for the soul. Beauty and comfort are the key components of this space. This space is less about decorating and more about feeling. Many of us live busy, busy lives full of many decisions and stressful situations. A calming space creates contentment; it’s a gift we give ourselves. I prefer using natural fibers when choosing upholstered furniture. Natural fibers are those renewable fibers that are taken from plants and animals which are transformed into yarn for textiles. Examples are cotton, linen, and silk. Cotton is strong, hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites. It also breathes so it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Linen is derived from the flax plant. It is expensive to manufacturer but it wonderfully comfortable; even its characteristic wrinkling lends to a comfortable, casual feeling. Luxurious silk is often too delicate for weaving into upholstery fabric. It’s beautiful coloration though makes it wonderful for window treatment and pillows. Creating a sanctuary for the soul does not have to be expensive or complicated. We can keep it simple, remembering the less is more philosophy and choose only items we love. The goal is to create an idea we equate with tranquility and peace of mind, a space we can breathe our calming breathes, thank the Universe for our many blessings and came away renewed and refreshed.

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Exceptionally Eco-chic Linens from HomeSource @ WARE in Carondelet Plaza, Clayton Our NEW and Improved Bamboo/Cotton towels have arrived and are in stock. Four colors are available now: aqua, oat, ivory and white in bath, hand and wash sizes. 40% Bamboo/60% Cotton blend adds up for more absorbency and softness compared to our original B/C towels. Naturally silky, soft and anti-bacterial. Very high absorbency and ventilation provides for quick drying. Sustainable/Renewable! The NEW colors coordinate with our Cotton Reverse or Egyptian Cotton Non-Slip rugs for a complete bath make-over. Naturally silky soft and exceptionally chic, bamboo sheets and bedding are also antibacterial and eco-friendly. The structure of bamboo provides superior ventilation and wicking that keeps the user cool and comfortable when hot and warm when cold. 250 count construction gives bamboo sheets unique HIGH comfort and performance NOT found in higher count sheets.

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Benefits of Stott Pilates By Michael Nobs

Just about everywhere you look these days youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bound to find a mention of Pilates. There are classes at the gym, infomercials, videos at the grocery store, and mats at the bookstore. It is one of the hottest topics in fitness. The benefits of Pilates are often described as a toned body, weight loss, long lean muscles, improved posture, improved athletic performance, reduced pain, faster rehabilitation, and more energy. Pilates shares some aspects of Yoga. Both are mind-body type methods of movement; both emphasize deep breathing and smooth, long movements that encourage the mind-body connection. The difference is that while Yoga can require moving from one static posture to the next, Pilates flows through a series of movements that are more dynamic, systematic and anatomically-based, incorporating resistance equipment. The goal with Pilates exercise is to strengthen the postural muscles while achieving optimal functional fitness. There are several established organizations offering training in Pilates. Some claim direct lineage to Joe Pilates. Some appear devoted to doing only the exercises that Joe personally developed in the exact way that Joe did them 50-80 years ago. Others used those exercises as a starting point and created their own approach. STOTT PILATES employed a team of physical therapists, sports medicine and fitness professionals and spent over two decades refining the method of exercise and equipment. They wanted to include modern principles of exercise science and spinal rehabilitation, to develop the safest and effective methods possible. All of the recognized methods offer instructor training. This usually includes hundreds of hours of instruction, practice teaching, and some have an intern requirement. The cost for this training is expensive and takes many months, and even years. There is an internet

option which takes less than a day and under $100, but it is not recommended. As with any form of exercise, it is possible to injure yourself if you have specific functional issues or donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly how to do the exercises. Most of us are not professional dancers or athletes, except in our fantasies. When we begin Pilates, we need a method and an instructor with the training to recognize our individual body issues. The average active person doing 2-3 classes per week should see results within 10-12 classes. This will vary depending on your starting condition, the number of classes taken per week, and whether you take private or group classes. Monika and Michael Nobs have been professionally certified exercise instructors for over 20 years. They were looking for a more complete and comprehensive system of exercise that was adaptable to all bodies. After a thorough examination of Pilates methods, they felt that STOTT PILATES would prepare them best to develop exercise programs for anyone. The applicability ranging from professional athletes, to seniors, rehab and prenatal clients, proved to be the comprehensive system Monika and Michael were looking for to better serve a full range of clients.

Performance Pilates is a Private Studio, Training and Certification Center located in the Chesterfield Valley for the last 5 years. In addition to Monika and Michael Nobs STOTT PILATES training on all equipment, Monika is a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor Trainer which allows her to train and certify instructors in the STOTT PILATES method, and offer a variety of workshops for continuing education.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Yoga Mommas

by Stacy Hunsicker

Shot on location at City Garden atop Tom Claasen’s untitled but adorable two rabbits, Y&S ace photographer, Laurent Torno III, has captured the graceful and playful nature of our “hot yoga” mommas. Bernar Venet provided a gorgeous frame with his Two Arc’s for standing bow pose (photo next page). Erin Stack was born and raised in Kirkwood, Missouri. She has a fitness background, with a degree in Exercise Science from Truman State University. But it wasn’t until her move to Dallas, TX in 2001 that she fell in love with Bikram Yoga. She was immediately drawn to the immense challenges of the class – both physical and mental. She was amazed at how empowered the 90 minutes made her feel. At the time, Erin was working as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Eli Lilly. It did not take long for Erin to recognize an opportunity to introduce Bikram Yoga to her hometown of St. Louis. Erin had expected to see physical benefits of a regular practice, but had no idea how much she was about to gain. She grew leaner, stronger, and more flexible. She was amazed at the cardiovascular component of the class. But more than anything, the practice has taught Erin patience – she has embraced the “Rome wasn’t built in a day” philosophy. Knowing now that a strong yoga practice is built on breath, form, and patience. Erin appreciates that the mental focus needed to maintain a posture in yoga is a skill that can be applied outside the studio. That mental focus can improve every aspect of a person’s physical and mental health, relationships, family life, and career. Erin believes that Bikram Yoga clearly illustrates the relationship between effort and outcome. In a Bikram Yoga class – as in life - if a person is only willing to give the same effort that they always give,

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

then the person will never leave class with more than they came with. You must give more. Erin attended teacher training in Los Angeles, California in 2002 with the intention of opening a studio in St. Louis. Just before leaving for teacher training, the owner of the Dallas Bikram studio introduced Erin to her current business partner and close friend Carol so that they would have a familiar face amongst the 250+ participants. When they both returned from the training, the opportunity to teach at the Dallas location as well as take on other managerial roles presented itself. They both received a taste of what it would really be like to run a successful Bikram Yoga studio and when Erin casually suggested that they open a studio together in her native St. Louis, Carol jumped at the opportunity! Their first studio in Richmond Heights opened in September of 2003 and they opened a second location in Chesterfield in July of 2007. The Bikram Yoga community in St. Louis is amazing and Carol and Erin are extremely grateful to their students. Those who practice Bikram Yoga in St. Louis come from every imaginable background. Sharing one yoga practice brings them all together. Erin is thankful for the continued support of her husband, Matt, for pushing her to take risks and follow her dreams. Maintaining her yoga practice was extremely beneficial during both of her pregnancies. Because each posture is so incredibly demanding, it forces you to live in the present. One posture at a time. One day at a time. This makes life seem less overwhelming. Erin feels incredibly blessed to be able to share this yoga with others. Because of her pharmaceutical sales background, she still jokes to

her students that she used to sell drugs, and now she just sells the cure. And she truly believes it. Carol Stocks has been practicing Bikram Yoga for 9 years. She started taking classes when she lived in Dallas where she was working as an IT consultant. As soon as she found Bikram Yoga she was hooked, and knew very soon after starting her practice that she wanted to eventually attend Bikram’s teacher training and open her own Bikram Yoga studio. Carol and her husband Rick are expecting their first child at the end of October. She has continued her practice beginning in the second trimester as suggested by Bikram. As long as one has a consistent practice before becoming pregnant and not considered “high risk”, a continued practice during pregnancy is completely safe. Most people are concerned about the heat during pregnancy. What they don’t usually understand is that the sweat is cooling the body off so the practitioner’s core body temperature does not raise more than about one degree throughout class. We have had many pregnant women practice who have taken their temperature throughout class to give them and their doctors this peace of mind. Taking class is different than sitting in a hot bath or hot tub where your body can not cool itself off by sweating. I haven’t had any back pain or swelling in my hands or feet. I’m almost 8 months along and feel great! I also feel confident that the yoga will help my body bounce back after the baby arrives. Erin has been an inspiration after seeing how great she looks after having two babies! Other reasons that she love this yoga: Stress relief. It teaches us focus and concentration. This style is very disciplined and it is HARD, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. “I love to sweat!! If I don’t sweat like I do in a Bikram class, I don’t feel like I got a workout. I take comfort in knowing that I’m getting a true total body workout. Not just the muscles, but ligaments, tendons, organs, joints, every system (circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, etc.) is working better because of my yoga practice.” Why 105 degrees? Yoga changes the construction of the body from the inside out, from bones to skin and from fingertips to toes. Before you change it, you must heat it up to soften it, because a warm body is a flexible body. Then you can reshape the body any way you want. Hatha Yoga flushes away the waste products, the toxins of all the glands and organs of the body. It provides a natural irrigation of the body through the circulatory system, with the help of the respiratory system. It brings nourishments to every cell of your body so that each one can perform its function and keep your body healthy. Bikram

Yoga also employs heat to further that cleaning process: When you sweat, impurities are flushed out of the body through the skin. Practicing yoga not only increases our supplies of oxygen, but it also teaches us how to use that oxygen properly – we learn to control the breath through pranayama (focused breathing). Bikram Yoga is the 26 postures Sequence selected and developed by Bikram Choudhury from Hatha Yoga. It has been proven and experienced by millions that these 26 postures systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. Each component takes care of something different in the body, and yet they all work together synergistically, contributing to the success of every other one, and extending its benefits. “ It’s never too late, it’s never too bad, and you’re never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again.” ~ Bikram Choudhury The Origins of Bikram Choudhury and Bikram Yoga Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury is the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India TM. Born in Calcutta in 1946, Bikram began Yoga at the age of four with India’s most-renowned physical culturist at that time, Bishnu Ghosh, the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda (Author of the most popular book on Yoga, The Autobiography of a Yogi, and founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles). Bikram practiced Yoga at least four to six hours every day at Ghosh’s College of Physical Education in Calcutta. At the age of thirteen, he won the National India Yoga Championship. He was undefeated for the following three years and retired as the undisputed All-India National Yoga Champion. At seventeen, an injury to his knee during a weight-lifting accident brought the prediction from leading European doctors that he would never walk again. Not accepting their pronouncement, he had himself carried back to Bishnu Ghosh’s school, for he knew that if anyone could help to heal his knee, it was his teacher. Six months later, his knee had totally recovered. Ghosh was a celebrated physical culturist and the first to scientifically document Yoga’s ability to cure chronic physical ailments and heal the body. Bikram was asked by Ghosh to start several Yoga schools in India. The schools were so successful that at Bishnu’s request Bikram traveled to Japan and opened two more. He has since brought his curative methods of Yoga therapy around the world which led the two American girls featured on the Fall cover of Yoga & Spa Magazine to bring Bikram yoga to hundreds of students in St. Louis.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Yoga Retreats By Sherry Summers

It’s always wonderful to take a vacation in a beautiful, tranquil, relaxing place. But did you ever arrive at the beach or the mountains and find that you couldn’t quite “be in the moment” enough to really open to the experience? Did you find that you brought your worries and stress with you... back aching from the flight, anxious over itineraries, nitpicking the flaws in your food or hotel or your travel comtpanions, and just unable to really relax? Have you thought about making your next vacation a yoga retreat? Yoga retreats are becoming so popular because the healing effect of nature and the practice of yoga conspire to bring you into a true state of balance and harmony. Your level of yoga experience shouldn’t matter. Just breathe deeply, let yourself be guided to gently stretch and move your body while watching an ocean sunset or an eagle soar above an alpine forest. You’ll soon discover the artistry of yoga; to savor every moment and to simply drop whatever doesn’t bring joy and contentment. Many Yoga retreats offer secluded, eco-friendly, off-the-grid lodging, allowing a pure experience of fresh air and candlelight instead of the usual car fumes and incessant hum of machinery. True tranquility exists nowhere as it does in nature herself. And Yoga brings you into synchronicity with that peaceful vibration. Retreat life makes it easy to slow down and heal bad habits, opening the way to a more yogic lifestyle. Daily immersion in yoga and meditation brings a newfound sense of youthfulness, flexibility and strength and will reconnect you to your body’s innate wisdom and natural desire to choose health. It’s easy to make nutritious choices when the food is all so sumptuous and fresh. Expect the authentic warmth and openness of the local people to soften your heart, as you let go of the need to be constantly moving fast and hard. Many indigenous healers offer bodywork derived from ancient traditions not available in the United States. Choose to receive rejuvenating bodywork of all kinds to detox and bring relief for chronic issues.

At home, we are usually much too busy to hear the voice of our inner guidance. Compromise and fear can contract us and we lose touch with what brings meaning in our lives. We get used to carrying this tension in our bodies. But when people dedicate a whole week to nurturing and challenging themselves on a yoga retreat, they come to important realizations about what they really want in their lives. It’s a time for naturally letting your Dharma, your heart’s deepest desires, speak to you. This is no small thing! After a few days of opening your heart, body and soul with walks on the beach, healing massage, insightful yoga practices and serene meditation, your mind will spontaneously seek to answer the question, “How do I continue this experience in my “regular life?” In a beautiful and natural way, you will embrace new, empowering habits, not just having a nice time on vacation... but learning how to have a nice time at home too. Find the right yoga teacher who will support you to clarifying this intention and who gently guides your retreat experience with a strong sense of purpose and joy. Choose the teacher who can help you open to gratitude and a greater awareness of the beauty you carry within you, no matter where you happen to be. You’ll come home feeling toned and tanned, rested and revitalized, focused and vibrantly alive!

Sherry Summers, ERYT 500 hours, teaches Yoga in St. Louis in group classes at Cheryl’s Herbs, and private students in their home or in her sweet studio cottage in Maplewood. Passionate about Yoga as a path to healing and transformation, Sherry loves to co-facilitate retreats and workshops with other dynamic leaders exploring the synthesis of Yoga with other modalities including Advaita, Breathwork, past life regression, Non-Violent Communication, healing movement and other therapies. Combining Restorative Yoga with live music and offering Thai Yoga Massage workshops are current favorites. You can contact Sherry at: SherryYogaBliss@yahoo.com or at 314-378-5942. Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

The Conscious Commute Reducing your carbon footprint By Dianna Lucas

If you’re at all like me, then you would probably prefer to consider your Om’s than your amps. But you are also most likely considering your carbon footprint in those in between breaths. How we get from place to place makes a lot of impact. Let’s look at it in three categories… Body. Mind. Spirit. Really. When we are in a car, are we less conscious of our bodies and our behavior? We can do 17 different things while we are driving. We can watch a movie, we can surf the net, we can surf the radio for music (so old school) we can search through our CD’s for the perfect soundtrack to our lives… we can talk on the phone, we can text, we can eat, drink, do our hair and makeup, get dressed, exercise, read the article on page 7 for some little tips for when someone cuts you off on the freeway. And that doesn’t even include actually dropping it into third and getting on the highway! Take a minute to consider those cyclists who are “slowing you down” as you try and pass them on the left without running them down and think about how much they are doing for their bodies by taking the longer road, so to speak. They are burning calories and creating endorphins while they save on fossil fuels and rubber and steel and plastic and emissions, and, occasionally emotions. Consider getting a Big Shark bike to ride around town, for those short trips to the grocery or a quick commute to work. And maybe a Little Shark bike to ride to the playground. Good habits start early. Just think about how much time you will have to mull things over, so that when you arrive you are calm cool and collected. Creative juices flowing, and

productivity on the upswing. You might have time to plan your next big adventure as you bike the road less traveled. Think about all the beauty you are able to see from that perspective. Remember how restorative nature can be when you’re in it, and not flying past it going 60 miles per hour? If you need a little more get up and go to get you from your “here” to your “there”, hop on a Scooter. Vespa is the classic way to get where you’re going in style. Picture Audrey Hepburn and Tony Curtis in Paris when it sizzles. Or Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday… There are some fantastic accessories available to assist you in that endeavor. Vespa St. Louis has a great selection of jackets, helmets, rain gear, and even picnic baskets. Vespas have amazing storage capacity under the seat and you can also attach a basket on the front and back. I’ve been told that one can fit a weeks worth of groceries under the seat. I’ve even seen a dog on the back of one. Aracelli Kopiloff-Zimmer’s Frankie, wears goggles on his way to Rue Lafayette for his daily doggie biscotti (photo next page). The fuel economy is fabulous at more than 99 miles per gallon. You will also receive the same visual benefits and endorphins as biking but you will arrive a lot faster and with less perspiration. Scootering is it’s own form of awareness raising meditation. You will enter a world without doors and it becomes a window to see both within and beyond. And furthermore, it’s just fun! A good old-fashioned walk will get you there, and you will have the freedom to think, to observe, to converse, and to really be present Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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to the environment that you’re in. Put on your Vibram 5 finger shoes and you will receive all the benefits of bare feet without the threat of a Tetanus shot. Public transportation is great when you really have to go the distance. Metrolink and BiState are going your way. You can even take your bike for destinations off of the general routes. You can do all 17 of the things you ought not do while driving. You can even take your laptop and finish your project on your commute so that once you reach your destination all that’s left to do is relax and enjoy. How about Enterprise’s answer to green? The WeCar is such a great concept in sharing, in saving, and in using alternate fuel source vehicles. Enterprise says “WeCar is a membership-based car sharing program for people who are looking for an alternative method of transportation that lowers the cost and reduces the hassles of traditional transportation. Like a true community, WeCar members are concerned about their environment. That’s why most cars in the WeCar fleet are hybrids and all are very fuel-efficient. And because car sharing can help reduce the total number of cars on the road, WeCar members help to contribute to a cleaner, greener environment. “ The beauty is that it’s there when you need it, and when you don’t, you won’t need a garage or a parking space, and you will never get another ticket for parking during street sweeping day again! They are already waiting in designated locations, so you don’t have to go across town to get one. Online reservations insure there will be one available when you need it. The affordable hourly rate normally includes gas & basic liability coverage based upon your membership agreement. Put the stress behind you and the road rage to rest. We’re all in this journey together.

Dianna Lucas is a Wellness Specialist in St. Louis, MO, assisting clients in creating healthier lifestyles through coaching, diet modification, exercise, and holistic interior design; balancing mind, body, and spirit with environment. She works with cancer survivors through the Wellness Community teaching meditation and movement for recovery. She serves as President of the board for Venus Envy and Poetry Scores. She remains the loving mother of a teenage daughter and attributes her smile to her Bhakti Yoga practice.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Y&S Around Town Hundreds of St. Louis Yoginis and Yogis have done more than 216 sun salutations this summer! Rise and Shine for Ovarian Cancer Awareness was a beautiful event at the World’s Fair Pavilion on August 29. Participants did 108 Sun Salutations accompanied by music from Brad Smith and friends and led by area instructors to raise OVER $6000 for SLOCA. See SLOCA.org to continue your support.

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The following Sunday, Global Mala for Peace, held in Lafayette Square Park, was another opportunity for 108 salutations to the sun to raise energy and awareness for Peace, in conjunction with the national event. http://yogamonth.org/globalmala/ Special Thanks to Saul David Raye for his transformational OM Workshop at Sunnen Lounge at Webster University which was part of his weekend workshop hosted by Big Bend Yoga. www.bigbendyoga.com/

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Men on the Mat It should come as no surprise that all these yogis found their way to the esteemed Big Bend Yoga Center. One of the first yoga centers to open in St. Louis, BBYC recently celebrated it’s 15th year of operation and offers a wide variety of classes that attract a dynamic and diverse group of practitioners. Featured here in the fall issue of Yoga & Spa Magazine’s Men on the Mat, Mike, Paul and Gary are among those avid yoga practitioners. All of these guys are long-time students of Kitty Daly, one of the founders of the Webster Groves studio and a co-owner with Lyn Magee. Kitty considers it a gift to have such diversity in her yoga classes; you’ll find doctors, artists, horticulturalists, retirees, attorneys, chefs, research scientists, college kids, moms and dads, therapists, and body workers all laying down their mats along side each other at BBYC. A common bond shared by everyone, she says, is a devotion to yoga practice and support of the Big Bend Center community. “Our vision was to create a serene and sacred space where students of all ages, ability and interest levels, as well as body types, would feel comfortable practicing yoga. More and more, students are looking to yoga to find harmony and balance in their everyday lives as well as a sense of connection to others,” she notes. While Kitty began practicing yoga at about the time these forty-something men were born, their commitment continues to inspire and inform her teaching. Over the years, Kitty has studied with many of the country’s most renowned teachers as well as with master teachers in India where she brings students yearly.

Institute, originated with Sri Swami Rama and teaches Tantra, yogic philosophy and meditation techniques. As students of Spiritual Head, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Christine and Gary travel often to the Himalayan Institute centers in Pennsylvania and in India. Meditation and yoga helps Gary maintain the high energy needed to raise five kids and run two businesses successfully. It all began out Gary Hughes in yoga pose Virabhadrasana II. of curiosity; his ongoing practice provides balance and spiritual deepening. He testifies that yoga also healed old pain from an injury he suffered in a pole vaulting accident in high school.

Paul Cunningham in yoga pose, Astavakrasana. Paul Cunningham, an athlete featured here in Astavakrasana, loves to run and bike as well as practice yoga. He first experienced yoga in 1995 when his girlfriend took him to a class. He loved it! He recalls feeling “good and tired all at the same time.” Says Paul, “It is a good physical practice that challenges and rejuvenates.” In particular, Paul appreciates the sense of completeness that comes at the end of a class. As a commercial real estate agent, Paul values his yoga practice because it provides centering, grounding and a way to quiet his mind – balancing the demands of his stressful career. Paul is currently training for triathlons and biathlons. Gary Hughes, shown here practicing Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) pose, began his yoga practice at Big Bend Yoga Center in 2003 in response to his wife’s interest. Gary, an avid runner for the past 12 years, runs the 2010 October Lewis & Clark 1/2 marathon in St. Charles. Hughes says yoga counterbalances the intensity of running forty miles per week. Gary and his yoga teacher wife, Christine, organize efforts for the Himalayan Institute here in St. Louis. The Himalayan

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Mike Shabsin in yoga pose, Vasisthasana. Mike Shabsin, pictured here finessing Vasisthasana, discovered yoga in 1999. Feeling the effects of stress from career, family and life in general Mike sought relief by exploring yoga videos at home. As he progressed to taking classes, his interest deepened and has never stopped. Currently, you’ll find his name among the dedicated yoga teachers at Big Bend Yoga Center in Webster Groves. Mike tries to live his yoga and embody the teachings in all aspects of his daily life as a husband, father and practicing attorney. He is a managing partner at Scher and Shabsin, PC. Married 17 years, his wife practices yoga at BBYC, too. Mike loves to bike and coach his sons’ baseball teams. Meet the Y&S Men on the Mat at our October 13th, Hot-off-thePress Party at Scape at 48 Maryland Plaza in the Central West End. 6-8pm, FREE wine, cheese and attendance prizes. Bring your business cards to network and enter drawings.

Y&S Upcoming Events Anusara Workshop with Desiree Rumbaugh Halloween weekend Clayton Center October 30&31 see ad, page 18 www.shaktiyogastl.com Monthly Kirtan at Living Insights Center 6361 Clayton Road 3rd Sundays from 7-9 pm www.livinginsights.com Partner Yoga Class at Pilates for Life November 5, 6pm www.pilatesforlife.biz Thomas Fortel at Yoga Source December 12 & 26 www.stlouisyogasource.com Solstice Partner Yoga at Pilates for Life December 21, 7:45 pm www.pilatesforlife.biz Spa Shiki New Year Yoga & Spa Wellness Weekend January 28-30 At Lodge of Four Seasons on the Lake of the Ozarks www.4seasonsresort.com/spashiki.php

photo by Bill Freeman

Y&S Living Fit Expo Plaza Frontenac January 29, 2010 10AM-3 PM, see ad, inside back cover. www.yogaspamag.com Rod Stryker at Big Bend Yoga February 2011 www.bigbendyoga.com Y&S Week long Retreat in Tulum, Mexico March 5-12 2011 see ad on page 30. www.yogaspamag.com TriadBankAd:Layout 1

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

A Revolutionary new 60-year-old diet!

TransFigure Total Health is a Clayton-based company responsible for transforming local bodies up to 30 pounds lighter in 40 days. Many people who have failed using other diets have gotten into shape through this 1950’s program that focuses on releasing and recirculating abnormal and stored body fat without hunger or excessive exercise. Modern research and dieting techniques only add to the success rate of this tried and true plan. “It’s so exciting to watch people lose so much weight so fast using our program,” says Jane Arrington, CEO of TransFigure. Usually the program starts with an optional Detoxic Week, including only fruits and vegetables. The goal is to clean the colon, liver and intestines quickly. Clients begin to feel better almost immediately and start losing some of their cravings. “The fact that they also lose weight during this period only proves to stimulate them even more”, says Arrington, a licensed Registered Nurse. A very important component of this program is HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) that helps to free stored fat, use it as energy and then pass it harmlessly through the kidneys. It also suppresses hunger pangs so dieters stay in compliance with the program easier. Two ounces of HCG, a workbook, teaching packet, the new “TransFigure Cookbook” and Stevia natural sweetener are the basic components of this plan. “We meet with each of our clients in a 60 minute Introduction Class followed by three private

weigh-ins and measurements. Our councilors then call twice a week and our clients are encouraged to call us at any time”, said Arrington. But the support doesn’t stop at the end of 40 days. The TransFigure Maintenance Plan is strongest part of their program. All clients receive the Maintenance Book but this part of the plan is individually tailored to their needs. Arrington observes, “People who diet constantly do so because they really don’t know how to eat properly and maintain a healthy lifestyle. So we offer an optional six week class to help them learn how to do so.” This program takes the HCG diet and brings it into the present by adding the glycemic index to teach them how to pick foods. “I love seeing people put on a pound or two and then get it off quickly by following our program. I love seeing clients change their lives, “ she continued.

TransFigure Total Health is located at 7800 Clayton Road or on the web at www. TransFigureTotalHealth.com. Call 314.304.3380 for an appointment. It’s the first step to total TransFiguration. We are now offering yoga and meditation classes on site. Call for availability.

Diabetic nurse’s local weight-loss clinic reports 90% success rate

CLIENTS LOSE UP TO 30 POUNDS IN 40 DAYS

A diabetic registered nurse in Clayton, Jane Arrington, has found a way to help 90% of her clients lose 20-30 pounds in just 40 days. SUCCESS RATE: 90% PLUS. For those who complete the 40-day program, the figure is closer to 100%. Even when they report nothing’s ever worked for them before. Not diets or exercise. Not pills or shots. In fact, Arrington says, many turn to her as a last step before considering surgery. JANE’S STORY: A LIFE-THREATENING DIAGNOSIS Arrington discovered the secret when she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes as an adult. The treatment she needed put her in a constant struggle with her weight. So she started searching for answers that were medically safe and simple to follow. Kim is a typical TransFigured success. Like 90% of TransFigure clients, she loves her new body. transfiguretotalhealth.com

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

DISCOVERY: A SECRET OF NATURE – FORGOTTEN FOR 60 YEARS! After much searching, Jane found the work of a European spa doctor who helped his elite clientele in the 1950s. But ever since, his work had lain buried and forgotten. A NATURAL FAT LIBERATOR. WAS THIS THE ANSWER? It worked for Jane in just 40 days. And it became her mission to help everyone – not just diabetics – start new lives of total health. HUNDREDS OF LIVES CHANGED SINCE 2008. Today Arrington runs a thriving practice on Clayton Road near the Galleria. Clients say the fat liberator helps. But it wouldn’t work by itself. PERSONAL SUPPORT: THE REAL KEY TO SUCCESS. They credit the ongoing support from Jane and her TransFigured Counselors, who have done the Lots of clients lose more than 30 pounds. They do several rounds – 40 days on, 40 days off – and lose 60, 80, pounds!

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Wanna Hear the Skinny?

Have you ever wished your Massage Therapist could rub your extra inches away, or rid your body of cellulite? Now that really would be too good to be true, wouldn’t it? We all understand the benefits of massage. How it can help you relax, soothe achy muscles, and works with your lymphatic system to help remove toxins from your body. But can a massage actually help you sculpt your body? Imagine your massage therapist using NATURAL products that actually help tighten, tone and firm your skin. Imagine these same products working with your lymphatic system, consequently aiding your body in the detoxification process. Also, imagine these products enhancing the Massage Therapist’s efforts to give you a deeply therapeutic massage, without them having to work harder. Finally, picture yourself 72 hours after your massage, as the products continue to work for progressive changes! This is NOT water lose, these are real results! Mother always said, “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. Well, this is one time that mother is wrong! Diets and exercise just aren’t enough for many of us. Frustration sets in when we don’t see results no matter how hard we work at it. And if you’ve already lost weight, now you’re faced with loose skin! Surgery is not the answer! The aging process can be brutal, leaving us wonder ‘How our mothers got into our mirrors!!!’ Now show me NATURAL products that will help me look younger and live longer! Flex Health & Fitness offers a skinny massage that gives you rapid results at a very affordable price. A trained professional will apply the pre treatment creams and then an ultimate body applicator will literally melt the inches away. Results vary based on individuals but the average inch lost in one area is between 3-5 inches with just one treatment. Imagine a relaxation massage with the added benefits of fat loss. It’s true. Flex is the first in the area to offer these exclusive services. Located at 13645 Big Bend at Dougherty Ferry. Call Flex to schedule your skinny massage and receive $20 off when you mention this ad. 636-861-3539. What are you looking for? What area do you need help in? If you’d like more info, take a look at this website: www.itworks.net/flex. There you can get the skinny on the info and then try it for yourself and schedule a massage at Flex.

Welcome lululemon athletica. Plaza Frontenac welcomes lululemon athletica to St. Louis’ premiere shopping destination where more than 40 specialty shops, a premiere six screen fine arts cinema, fine dining and casual restaurants offer a spirited atmosphere of compelling invitations. Our uncompromising commitment to quality and style inspires new levels of expectation. Neiman Marcus Saks Fifth Avenue Tiffany & Co. Lucky Brand Jeans Juicy Couture Ann Taylor

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Weight Loss and Fitness for Women

1 year with Applicators/Defining Gel & Nutrition 13645 Big Bend at Dougherty Ferry 636-861-3539 • www.flexstl.com Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

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fat cells before

fat cells After

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(636) 227-4949 www.stlwa.com 42 Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

The Clock

by Dr. David Peterson, DC, DCCN

You’ve planned your life - college, career, marriage and now you want to get pregnant. It is time. Do you hear it? You were careful. You took precautions and used birth control. Can you hear it? Your clock? Your biological clock? It has been ten years using birth control. It is time to get pregnant. Listen – can you hear it? Or maybe you have never used birth control pills but you are still having difficulty achieving a healthy pregnancy. You see the calendar pages flipping away. Month after month. Rushing home in the middle of the afternoon during peak ovulation. To increase your chances of getting pregnant, you are lying there propped up with pillows in the afterglow and eating organic kale. Can you hear it? No nothing? Not your biological clock? Listen closely, it’s stopped. What? Why? How? Infertility. Hormonal contraceptives (pill, implant, transdermal, intrauterine) are widely used in the current healthcare model not only to prevent unwanted pregnancy but also to manage irregular menstrual cycles, acne, and more. This is dangerous. Every year you are on birth control methods regulating hormones, the risk for estrogen- based cancer goes up by 2% (i.e., 10 years = 20% increase). Other problems resulting from hormone altering birth control include: depletion of many vital nutritional cofactors including methyl donors (needed to eliminate excess hormones from your body); an increased risk of stroke and heart disease; the loss of the ability to burn fat; and a loss of proper pituitary-ovarian feedback loop coordination, AKA – The Clock. The medical term for this alteration in the pituitary-ovarian feedback loop is “post-birth control syndrome”. It is the result of long-term usage of hormone contraceptives and rarely addressed until infertility becomes an issue.

As in real clocks, the pendulum must swing. Birth control stops the normal fluctuation of hormone levels. If the pendulum is stuck, the clock is slow to start or stops working completely. Physicians that specialize in Functional Medicine/Endocrinology can help correct Post Birth-Control Syndrome. (If discontinuing hormonal contraception is not an option for you, it is possible to offset the side effects and problems by assisting liver clearance and maintaining rhythmic fluctuations.) Post-Birth Control Syndrome is an epidemic condition resulting in infertility for the new generation of parents-to-be. However, several issues are often overlooked and may contribute to infertility problems. If you are having difficulty conceiving or sustaining a healthy pregnancy, you may want to evaluate and correct the following: 1. Post-birth Control Syndrome. 2. Do you have Insulin Resistance and/or PCOS? (many women do not fit the traditional profile) 3. Do you suffer from adrenal fatigue? 4. Is circulation impaired to the reproductive organs? 5. Is your pituitaryovarian feedback loop coordination disturbed? Blood and saliva testing can determine your pre-conception health in order to help you achieve the pregnancy you desire. Natural therapies have proven results and are very affordable. If you are struggling with infertility and would like an experienced physician who understands the complex issues surrounding infertility, consider a trial of natural compounds that direct you to parenthood. We can assist you to naturally restore your clock. Wellness Alternatives 636-227-4949. www.stlwa.com

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Treating The Whole Individual At Kincaid Medical Associates we believe that good health is the foundation for everything. We believe that when health is absent wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied. For these important reasons, we ambitiously endeavor to utilize our knowledge and experience in healthcare to heal the whole individual, so that he or she is better equipped to live a more vibrant life. ~Dr. Rosa Kincaid, MD

Dr. Rosa Kincaid, MD 3016 Locust St. Suite 104 • St. Louis, MO 63103 www.DrRosaKincaid.com

Dr. Alison DiBarto, D.C. 5859 S. Kingshighway, St. Louis, MO 63109

314.647.3399 www.HealingHandsHealingLives.com 44

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Senioritis by Dr. Rosa Kincaid

I will soon be 63 years old. People my age tell me that they are having “senior moments” and feel like they are breaking down. They have whole lists of things they don’t do because they are “seniors,” like: thinking about sex, checking out the latest fashions, riding in bicycle marathons, etc. As I returned from my recent audition for a dance company (Afriky Lolo) I was wondering if I wanted to call myself a “senior.” I can recall my high school days in New York City where all I ever wanted to be was a senior. They got respect. No matter what, they were cool. And what about college and medical school? What an accomplishment to be the first in my family. It meant the start of a new life, unknown to any in my clan, from moving from tenement basements to condos. I don’t have senioritis now. Today for me, it just means I’m old. I have no problem with being old, but what does “senior citizen” imply?” What do old folks have to look forward to after “graduating” with a CC degree? Today’s seniors are not revered for making it to “seniordom.” Instead their beauty and wisdom is overlooked by youth-crazed media voyeurs bent on cashing in on adolescent drama. We’re not so interested in seeing the “Golden Girls” any more. We want to see what “Snookie” is up to. Seniors are typified as trying to keep up with doctor appointments, complaining about their arthritis, and criticizing young people. The media shows people my age in ads where they are always having some form of dysfunction like keeping false teeth from falling out, urinary incontinence and getting ripped off by young people. And getting these problems fixed is supposed to make you the happiest person in the world for the rest of your life. When fashion magazines have articles about how to make yourself beautiful at any age, the cut-off seems to be around 55 or so, as if after that age you might as well stop trying. The models are never going to be anyone you can relate to. It is as though you cant’ have model good looks after the age of 35. Forget about 63! However, I have seen some very handsome senior male models in clothing ads and they looked great. Some other things that don’t thrill me about the “senior” label is that when you ask for a senior ticket at the movie theatre, most people don’t even look at you to see if you are a senior. It’s like they’re saying, “Seniors-I don’t see you. Here take the ticket and get outta here!” Will they do the same thing if I ask for a student ticket? A “senior moment” is not a moment when you have imparted your great wisdom, derived from so many years of living. It is a brief interlude when you can’t remember a name, detail, or maybe even your own telephone number. Not because you may be tired, overworked, hypoglycemic, etc., but because when you are a “senior,” it is expected that you are undergoing some form of dementia or brain rot. If there is a senior section at an event, it’s not going to be located where the revered and respected are located, but it will be not far from the “disabled” area, near a bathroom and a wheelchair ramp. At 63 years old, I am “not feeling,” the need to be placed in this stereotypical mold. I am therefore renaming my situation in life as being that of a “Super-Senior.” In my high school, it meant someone embarking on his or her second year as a “senior.” However, I am redefining it for myself and others like me. As a “Super-Senior,” I have: 1. Never stopped working out- I feel the same and have the same energy level. 2. Lived as a raw foodist and therefore my cells have regenerated not degenerated. Nothing is “breaking down.” 3. Lived each day, loving each day, learning each day. What can I say? I’m hot (and I don’t mean hot flashes). Wouldn’t you like to be called a “Super Senior” too? Dr. Rosa Kincaid, MD is owner of Kincaid Medical Associates and writer of the book, Miracle Self Healing. Her website is www. DrRosaKincaid.com.

Wellness Weekend Getaway by Jennifer Bondurant

It’s autumn, which means that the holidays are right around the corner. Staying with a fitness or self-care routine can be challenging during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, so start planning now for a January wellness experience that will put you back on track for good health. Spa Shiki at The Lodge of Four Seasons, located on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks, will host a New Year Yoga & Spa Wellness Weekend, January 28-30, 2010. You’ll find a focus on whole body health at the weekend event at Spa Shiki, rated one of the Midwest’s top resort spas by Spa Magazine. “The wellness weekends give our guests a chance to retreat and really focus on their own health and self-care strategies,” says Ann Brown, Spa Shiki Director. “By holding this event in January, we hope to help set people up to succeed in their health goals for 2011.” The New Year Yoga & Spa Wellness Weekend will feature yoga classes led by yoga instructor Megan Sappington, RYT. Sappington has more than a decade of experience teaching yoga, has studied yoga techniques with several international teachers and taught more than a dozen workshops on health and yoga. She has written several articles on yoga for national magazines and was included in the book Teaching Teenagers Yoga. A Balancing Twists class will explore the yogic principle of “samaha” (balance). Twists are a fundamental part of any yoga practice and extremely beneficial to internal organ health and spinal flexibility. Through Vinyasa (flow practice), the class will dig deep into the power-house of the body (the core), massage away toxins held deep within and allows an expansive release of the spine and re-lubrication of the discs. This class is for all levels and particularly therapeutic for those with disc degeneration and back pain.

In the Hip Opener Yoga class, yogis will open the floodgates of energy locked within the hips, both physically and mentally, through Vinyasa (postures linked with the breath), Pranayama (Breath Control) and Asana (deep stretch postures). Work will focus on the deepest joints of the body (the hips), releasing chronic tightness, lower back pain, fatigue, and resentment. You’ll leave feeling a new freedom in your lower back, hips, thighs, and hamstrings – and your spirit! The January wellness weekend will also give guests a unique insight into their health with workshops on the benefits of spa treatments and a spa inspired lifestyle. A cooking class and wine tasting adds healthy indulgence to the yoga and spa weekend line-up. The Spa Shiki New Year Yoga & Spa Wellness Weekend package for a standard room starts at $155 per person, based on double occupancy (plus tax and guest service fee) for a two-night stay. A $25 spa credit per person is included in the package costs. Guests can customize the weekend experience by adding Spa Shiki treatments. As one of the largest spas in the Midwest with more than 15,000 square feet, guests experience a variety of spa treatments in a relaxing environment. Spa Shiki suggests making spa treatments at least two weekends in advance to guarantee availability and your preferred treatment time. Without lodging, the New Year Yoga & Spa Wellness Weekend costs $75 per person and does not include the $25 spa credit per person. There is limited availability.

For more information please visit www.spashiki.com or call (573) 365-8108 or 1-800-THE-LAKE. Visit The Lodge of Four Seasons on line at www.4seasonsresort.com. Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

29 W. Moody - Webster Groves, MO 63119

314-968-1808

First T-Zone visit is FREE Unlimited Use for $50 a Month

Massage • Facial • Body Wraps Manicures & Pedicures Hair Removal • Nutrition Weight Loss www.vitalityunlimitedspa.com

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

The Benefits of Vibrational Therapy Vibrational Therapy, also known as Vibrational Medicine, puts a scientific twist on health and wellness. It’s based on a scientific principal that all matter vibrates through natural energy. When injured or damaged, energy in our body can become stagnant and out of balance. By standing on a vibration plate, the body moves in a rocking movement – similar to walking – and begins to naturally stimulate every cell in your body helping it harmonize its What Is HCG? energetic rhythm and promote healing and balHCG is also known as Human ance of all bodily matter. Chorionic Gonadotrophin. It is a Vibrational Therapy protein hormone typically produced has been used in Europe in high quantities by a woman durfor years for the ening the early stages of pregnancy. hancement of muscle When taken in the oral or injected strength, performance, form, it tricks the body into using conditioning and overall the fat reserves stored on your body health and wellness. It – typically the buttocks, thighs, and was further developed stomach area. This diet plan limby Russian scientists for its you to a 500 calorie diet but is Olympic athletes during supplemented by the calories being the 1970s. Their outreleased back into your system interstanding performance nally from stored reserves. Weight at the Olympics during loss on average is about 1-2 pounds this era also caused the per day within a 40 day cycle and can Russian Space program vary slightly from Men to Women. to introduce Vibrational

Reduces Arthritis Pain – As Vibration Therapy has already been proven to help the joints it has also been proven successful in soothing the effects of arthritis attacks and reducing their frequency. Accelerated Weight Loss with Vibrational Therapy In addition to the many benefits already identified for Vibrational Therapy, one of the more popular happens to be how it can support an accelerated Weight Loss program. Vibrational Therapy can increase your metabolism by approximately 18%. This means that as you’re relaxing watching TV, you’re burning considerably more calories than what you did before Vibrational Therapy. It’s also more effective in developing lean muscle mass than resistance exercises helping you tone while losing weight. Mixing this program with an effective Diet Plan like Homeopathic HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) – the protein diet – you’ll have a well rounded weight loss program that includes diet and exercise without being tired or hungry.

Therapy to their For more information visit: Cosmonauts to increase www.vitalityunlimitedspa.com their bone and muscle density typically effected by a zero gravity environment. Today, many athletes contribute Vibrational Therapy as their “miracle cure” in contributing to a speedy recovery of their injuries or helping them to develop greater strength. Continued studies have also shown that Vibrational Therapy has had a positive contribution to these health concerns: Osteoporosis – By experiencing regular stimulus, Vibrational Therapy has been proven to contribute to the increase in bone density. Joint Therapy & Back Pain - Regular use of Vibration Therapy can cause the glands to naturally lubricate the joints reducing back and joint pain. Reduce Fatigue and Increase Agility – Use of vibrations causes the muscles to experience continuous contractions creating a more effective workout in shorter periods of time thus reducing fatigue and increasing agility. Reduces Stress – During a vibration therapy session, it has been discovered that the body excretes testosterone and reduces the production of the body’s stress hormone. This promotes the development of muscle growth.

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Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Restaurant Rave By Dianna Lucas

The Atomic Cowboy is not just a bar; it is an experience. Some might even say a spiritual one. There was once a huge Buddha on the dance floor and the DJ’s would spin a level of house music that would raise anyone’s energy. Dancing has been a focus at the Cowboy since it’s inception. Now we can enjoy evenings of Salsa, Swing dancing, and there may even be rumors of a Tango night. If you come early enough, you can take a free lesson with a pro before you dance the night away. There are events in every part of the space, so when you walk from one side to the other, or from inside to outside, you get to have multiple experiences. Enjoy live music on the back patio and the Quonset Bar every Friday night, or “Hop in your saddle and join fellow two-wheelin’ film fanatics for a bike-in movie night at the Cowboy.” There is always something interesting going on, and you will surely bump into friends. In the newly opened Foxhole, there are events such as Poetry Scores experiential auction and according to STL Today, “ … what might be the most interesting artistic mix of the year, Missouri Poet Laureate David Clewell… to read a long poem accompanied by a band and a burlesque dancer.” Check the website for schedules of events. http://www.atomiccowboystl.com/ You can rent any or all of the spacious areas for private events. And you can bring your own cake. Atomic Cowboy has been consciously smoke-free (on the inside) since it opened in 2005. It has been a cornerstone of the Grove Neighborhood, which gained visibility in 2004 when Venus Envy, a

multi-media, all-female art exhibition and celebratory event founded here in STL, hosted their annual event in the then vacant buildings. The Cowboy bar You will find everything from Top Shelf margaritas to PBR behind the Cowboy bar. Organic ingredients, infused into vodka, tequila, and gin, are decanted on the bar in glass containers so that you can see the beauty of the fruit and herbs. Consider them to be enjoyed in small quantities with reverence. Make it a ritual and go often. The Atomic Cowboy Menu There is a real family in the kitchen, hailing from Mexico City. Paco Diaz, his sisters, cousins, aunts and brothers, are the heart of the Cowboy and they are filling every family recipe with love. This is the secret ingredient of the clean and fresh authentic Baja recipes. Here’s the big surprise about the Atomic Cowboy’s Tex Mex mix, they feature many vegetarian (vegan- upon request) items on the menu and you don’t even have to mention ‘sin carne’. Have Lunch and Dinner Monday through Friday, Saturday & Sunday Are dinner only. And remember that The Cowboy is a SMOKE FREE environment, except on the Q-Hut & Patio. Veggie Escabeche appetizer - Marinated cauliflower, chiles, radishes, carrots and celery. It’s healthy and delicious.

www.AtomicCowboySTL.com FOOD

Award Winning Housemade Vegetarian Food Portabella Mushroom Sandwich Veggie Enchiladas, Plantains, Eschabeche “Best” Veggie Burger & “Best” Veggie Chili

DRINKS

Artisan Organic Infused Spirits & Cocktails Organic Regional Wines 20 Craft Micro Brews on Draught

FUN

Expansive Patio & Bamboo Sanctuary Entertainment 7 nights a week... Only at The Cowboy

4140 Manchester Avenue (in The Grove) STL, MO 63110 • 314-775-0775 48

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Baja Lobster Rangoon. Freshly made here in St. Louis. These ravishing rangoon are served with Atomic Cowboy’s own sweet and sour sauce. Vegetarian Chili made with chickpeas, lentils and pearled barley combined with serrano and chipolte peppers topped with spinach and Mexican cheese gives this vegetarian option a smoky zesty bite! Flyin’ Mayan Burrito –get one before the Mayan Calendar ends in 2012!! This is an amazing burrito with Veggie and Vegan options. Top off your dinner with the Bourbon Brownie Surprise. This incredible dessert made with Makers Mark Bourbon, and served with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream will have you feeling warm and fuzzy and maybe even tipsy in the most delightful way. “Sometimes we get busy” says Ringmaster Chip Schloss, “but if you use your compassion and patience, it will be rewarded with excellence.” Don’t miss the Atomic Cowboy’s Circo Atomico on October 16th They’re throwing a jumbo celebration commemorating 5 years of mirth & mayhem. Join Atomic Cowboy, Alive Magazine, and Belle of the Ball Productions for an outdoor circus fun fair. There will be a magical carnival midway, hi-flying acts, aerial artists, acrobatics, juggling, sword throwing, fire dancing, lasso, and clowning galore, and The Fox Hole will feature a very special Weird & Wonderful Sideshow … You won’t believe your eyes at the mysteries they’ve collected …reminiscent of Coney Island full of surprises. And to top it all off the outside stage will feature electrifying live music! 9PM Doors | Showtime Promptly at 9:30PM | $10 admission RSVP To: Atomic@alivemag.com by October 13th. A portion of proceeds will benefit Circus Flora… Cowboy Valet Parking will be available. So jump on your horse and get over there.

A Contemporary Wine Bar

OCTOBER OPENING FRONTENAC www.viaviavino.com

A MICHAEL DEL PIETRO RESTAURANT also try our other restaurants: SUGO’S SPAGHETTERIA 10419 Clayton Road Frontenac, MO

314-569-0400 sugoscucina.com BABBO’S SPAGHETTERIA 17402 Chesterfield Airport Rd. Chesterfield, MO

636-536-0000 babbosspaghetteria.com

A MICHAEL DEL PIETRO RESTAURANT mdprestaurants.com

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Thermal Connective Tissue Release with Pillossage by Karen Kowal, RN, LMT, NCTMB “…it’s not just a HOT Pillow, it’s how you use it.” Pillossage™ is a new modality that combines hands-on techniques with specifically designed thermal flax pillows. These innovative protocols deepen the therapeutic effect. Rather than using heated products or equipment to warm or simply lay over or under the body, Pillossage™ differs by using light touch ranging to specifically direct deep compressions through heated flax pillows. This modality is a whole-body sequence utilizing thermal connective tissue release, which can be added to your menu selection or custom-tailored to address specific client needs. Pillossage™ utilizes wave-like compressions, initiating relaxation to decrease guarding when tender areas are located. This creates a calming massage session for both body and mind. Attention to skeletal landmarks and softtissue attachments aide the therapist as she addresses painful, regions of the body that may be challenging to treat. This powerful thermodynamic modality can effectively and rapidly reduce pain patterns, release adhesions and dislodge cellular debris that can linger after injury without causing discomfort to the client. Beyond rehabilitative, sport and chronic pain clients, Pillossage™ techniques are ideal for clients who need a gentler touch, such as the elderly and those recovering from surgery, as well as clients presenting with conditions including fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, sinus problems, repetitive stress injuries and lowback pain. Decreasing pain patterns and creating deep relaxation are vital components of this modality, as the therapist creates a rhythm of smooth transitional movements to gently re-educate the body helping validate the client as tenderness or pain is located.

without the sensation on the part of the client of being bumped or poked.

Fantastic flax Using thermal flax pillows of varying shapes, the Pillossage™ therapist offers assisted stretching, guided breathing patterns and directional compressions to reach deeper layers of connective tissue. The professional products used to execute Pillossage™ are contain organic golden flax and are constructed with two layers of quality natural cotton fibers. These pillows offer professional quality and are durable to withstand repetitive compression while maintaining their effectiveness for many sessions. These pillows also allow for compression, yet

CLIENT RELIEF Slowly and gently, a long, heated thermal pillow is draped down the spine, reaching from T-1 to the sacrum affecting every spinal nerve. Feather-light directional strokes over the warmed pillow initiate the relaxation response. The therapist smoothly transitions to rocking, then deeper compressions. This initial introduction to Pillossage™ is a vital step as guarding is reduced and the client ‘let’s go’, offering no resistance as the therapist continues. The session continues as a full body Pillossage sequence or as Thermal Release is integrated to create a custom massage.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Melt away tight layers Heat has been used for therapeutic purposes for thousands of years. Many ancient cultures used heat in the forms of thermal baths and poultices to ease symptoms of disease and pain. Today we also have hot stones, grain packs, heating blankets, hot gel or water packs, analgesics and electric heating pads. Applying heat to the body affects the central nervous system, enhances sedation and aides the release of natural pain-reducing hormones like endorphins and oxytocins by increasing viscosity of the ground substance of connective tissue. Heat can behave like radar, locating tender, exhausted muscles, adhesions, trigger points, fascia tension or impingements. The basic function of heat is to alter the solgel condition of the ground substance of connective tissue. Thermal connective tissue release creates space by releasing tight, stuck, fuzzy, hard fascia as it transitions to a more liquid, sliding and gliding state. As tight layers melt away and composition is altered, the therapist can enter deeper tissues to accomplish work without pain to improve range of motion and flexibility. Outcomes of Thermal Connective Tissue Release are twofold: first, the client experiences relief from pain, a feeling of lightness, greater range of motion and nurturing support; second, the therapist uses body mechanics that reduce strain on her own body as she offers a fresh and innovative modality that can be incorporated into any massage session.

“Pillossage™ can help treat the fascia and decrease chronic pain,” says massage therapist Terrie Yardley-Nohr, of Allied School of Massage, Fenton, MO, “and these techniques definitely fit within our scope of practice.” Easy on the therapist With Pillossage™, the therapist learns to use relaxed body mechanics and slow down to allow the heat to work through layers of tissue. Using elbows, relaxed, open palms, forearms and soft knuckles, and proper stances, the therapist learns to shift his weight to reduce damage to thumbs, shoulders and back. Heat amplifies any compression, so less effort is required of the therapist to achieve tissue transformation. Pillossage Level 2 addresses self-care for the therapist, as the therapist practices how to incorporate teaching and coaching self-care skills for clients. Clinics, spas and independent therapists find selfcare and prevention are an effective marketing focus. “I am an advocate of teaching my clients how to help themselves, so educating clients using these pillows encourages self-care to my clients while generating extra income for my practice,” explains Theresa “Tess” Contos, owner of ACSEND Spa in Syracuse, New York. “My clients leave with a home treatment plan [that includes] a thermal pillow after every session.” At Ginger Bay Aveda Spa and Salon, in St Louis, Missouri, Pillossage™ equipment is offered in the retail area. “Deeper pain can originate from the periosteum and the attachments of tendons and ligaments to the periosteum,” explains Manish Suthar, M.D., Pain Prevention and Rehabilitation; Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Barnes-Jewish Hospital West, in St Louis, Missouri. “These problems can be challenging to treat because of the depth of the tissue and nature of the tissue itself.” If a massage therapist can access these attachments without causing more pain and tissue trauma using thermal therapy and specific techniques, “it will help my patients reduce pain and initiate the healing process,” Suthar continues. “And if the therapist can teach individuals how to use these strategies at home for self-care, it’s a win-win for all of us,” he adds. “In the end, I hope patients become more independent with their own health care needs, including reducing medications and other medical interventions,” Suthar says. Diversity and integration The diversity of Pillossage™ creates techniques can be integrated into other modalities, or to be used as a stand-alone modality. The mission of Pillossage™ training is to educate and excite massage therapists to successfully integrate the age-old property of heat with compression and stretching in new and creative ways. Our vision is a world in which a thermal flax pillow becomes the massage therapist’s second-favorite tool.

Karen Kowal, R.N., L.M.T., N.C.T.M.B., is founder of Mother Earth Pillows®, CEO of Mother Earth Designs Inc, and creator of MEDINC Education, which offers a variety of techniques, including Pillossage. She is a National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork-approved continuing-education provider. For more information, visit www.Pillossage.com.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Happiness is an Inside Job by Rebecca Wiederkehr

Remind yourself how you feel being in a spa or your yoga class; peaceful and calm, all is right with the world. Wouldn’t you love to stay in that space more of the time? We all would. Most of our issues and stresses come in relationship dynamics with self and others. Almost all conflict occurs when people are in low moods. The bottom-line is when we are in a low mood we get faulty information from the brain and we believe it is true and act on it. This causes much grief. If you look at the chart here note the red represents that faulty brain information. These insecurities keep us thinking negatively, creating low moods. On the other hand look at the gold in the chart to notice what represents a high mood. Here we are aware of our goodness and wisdom. This is who we are. Many call this our innocence and natural state of being, God Within or Mind, that formless form of energy that runs through everything. This never leaves us. It is just a matter of bringing our attention back to this awareness, our happy place, when we get distracted. It is my belief that this gold is all there is and we make up the red part. The red literally exists only in our head, from our past. We have these negative thoughts that create uncomfortable feelings. We keep remembering and re-abusing ourselves. Then we build stories to fit these thoughts and feelings. True, many unfortunate and painful things could have happened to us -- serious trauma and/or unhappy childhood. We can’t change our history, our stored memories, but we can de-stress them. Sometimes we need assistance to de-stress. Imagine a vertical line going from the center of the gold to the bottom edge of the red with ‘high mood’ at the top and ‘low mood’ at the bottom. We are all constantly moving up and down that continuum. When I heard these ideas about low mood or high mood (not good or bad mood), and that everyone across the board is experiencing them, something shifted in me. I stopped my judgment of my moods and saw them as normal. Anything can cause a low mood; low blood sugar, not enough sleep, stressed with a deadline, and on and on. We can learn to have moods without moods having us.

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

A sure measure that we are in a low mood and drawing from the ‘red circle’, is if we want to engage in conflict with someone else, either verbally or in our head. Our best strategy is to stop engaging and keep quiet. We are caught in a problem with no solutions in sight. It is amazing when we let go and relax, moving into a higher mood, allowing our head to clear, that either solutions present themselves or there is no longer a problem. It is so important to support each other in our moods and let them be. When two persons interacting are both in a low mood each must

NOW

Faulty Brain Information Past or Future

Potts/Wiederkehr, 2005 Adapted from Jack Pransky

learn to keep quiet until someone gets their bearings. Conflict resolution during a low mood is unproductive or counterproductive. We will learn that interacting with each other’s goodness, remembering who we are, can create a happy healthy place to be, and it is a lot more fun. It takes discipline to stay quiet when we or someone else are in a low mood. It takes patience to keep forgiving ourselves as we learn. Happiness really IS an inside job.

Rebecca Wiederkehr is a licensed clinical social worker who works with clients to build healthier relationships. See ad on next page.

Sherry Summers Yoga Teacher, ERYT 500 Hrs., Retreat Facilitator, and Personal Growth Coach

Essentials For Wellness Dr. Leonard B. Wilbert, Wellness Physician

(314) 378-5942 SherryYogaBliss@yahoo.com www.cherylsherbs.com/SherryYogaBliss.htm Retreats * Workshops * Private & Group Classes "Helping you embody your true nature and live your joy!"

The Bottom Line: Our Relationships Heal, strengthen, and grow your relationship with self and others. Rebecca integrates Energy Psychology tools with her psychotherapy making her work magical.

Rebecca Wiederkehr, LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker

(314) 822-4752

WHAT you do in six essential areas determine how well you are and how well you age. The more alkaline you are, the slower the aging process. The choices for maximizing health, wellness and longevity are: :P_ ,ZZLU[PHSZ -VY 3P]PUN >LSS 1) What you eat 75-80% of food intake fruit and vegetable (raw or steamed, lightly/moderately 2) What you drink Drink 64 or more ounces of pure water 3) How you breathe Deep, rhythmic, abdominal intentional breathing. 4) How you exercise 10 to 30 minutes of active exercise daily. 5) How you rest The body heals while you sleep. 6) How you think Make all thouhts positive Contact Dr. Leonard B. Wilbert to schedule a complimentary consultation. Determine your level of alkalinity and your TRUE wellness status.

(314) 427-8900

www.essentialsforwellnessllc.com doctalbw1@yahoo.com

“Honoring All Paths to God” Services at 9:30 am & 11 am • Wedding space is available to rent

Center for Spiritual Living 12875 Fee Fee Rd., Creve Coeur, MO 63146

314-576-6772

www.cslstl.org

Tina Michele Perrmann Channeling your Higher Angelic Guidance Intuitive Life Consultant (314) 704-3433 tina22@myarbonne.com

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

Y&S Interview

OM, with Saul David Raye By Stacy Hunsicker

Yoga & Spa Magazine was able to spend a little time with Saul David Raye while he was in St. Louis in September. Many thanks to Big Bend Yoga Center’s, Kitty Daly, for bringing Saul to St. Louis and honoring Y&S with an interview and for the Saturday evening The Power of OM: Sacred Sound Healing Workshop. Sacred is what comes to mind as I try to describe my experience with Saul; having a very human presence he was gracious, authentic and passionate about the true meaning of yoga. The Interview I prepared to meet Saul David Raye at Kitty’s home in Webster Groves. Anticipating a formal private meeting I entered into a very relaxed gathering of people about to enjoy a beautiful feast prepared by Kitty’s husband of 30+ years. As a beautiful community of people gathered to deepen their spiritual practice and connection with the Divine, the evening reawakened my ability to embrace St. Louis as a spiritual home. Y&S: What drew you to yoga and Thai yoga Therapy? SDR: My father introduced me to yoga. When I was 25 I was traveling and visiting Thailand and was introduced to Thai Yoga Therapy. I still teach workshops and have trainings for Thai Yoga Therapy today. It found me. Thai Yoga Therapy is a beautiful art form. Y&S: How does your yoga and spiritual practice look today? SDR: I have a very intuitive practice on a daily basis to enter into that timeless place, the natural state of who we are. Dynamic asana, breathe work. I integrate Ayurveda. Life is really the practice. Yoga is relationship. Relationship with others arises from relationship with ourselves. Yoga and life are sacred. There are no accidents. Dancing with Life is the true Yoga. Not the physical poses. Y&S: Do you see the world transforming with the popularity of yoga in mainstream society? SDR: Yes! It is fantastic! Mainstream everywhere is becoming open and practicing yoga. Christians in Kansas, Israeli’s in the West Bank because it is so adaptable. Yoga more than any other modality is growing on the planet through connection with the body and breathe because it is so adaptable. The Universe always brings us what we need when we are ready. When the student is ready the teacher will come. We only need to be a sincere seeker. Asana (yoga) is a powerful means of opening the channels. The only danger in the West is too much focusing on

Autumn 2010 | Yoga & Spa Magazine

the body can lead to more ego around the poses. Y&S: What does it all come down to, really? SDR: Consciousness. Infinite practices. We are in a revolution in transformation of our current consciousness. One thing missing is the heart connection the past 5,000 years on the planet. With this absence of heart consciousness we are now faced with our own destruction through our own hand. We reconnect with our heart everyday when we get on our yoga mat and breathe. It is all about co-existing. Creator has given us each the right to exist. Truth is subjective. The one sacred law is to co-exist. If we can find a way to co-exist, find an understanding that we are all sacred whether black, white, yellow or red (...and maybe blue or green). Yoga practices give us a way to live from that deeper part of us, a heart connection with life. Y&S: What is fresh and new in your life? SDR: I am expecting another baby in December! A girl. We have three boys and this time a girl. Y&S: Do your children participate in yoga with you? SDR: The children get to be around the yoga lifestyle and absorb it. I don’t push. They are boys! I let them be boys. After the interview, we moved on to the Om meditation, chanting and discussion in order to revitalize the body, calm the mind and nourish the soul. And what a gift to learn the origins of Om, the meaning of the Sanskrit symbol and the intention and practical use of this powerful sound vibration! Sharing the same sound and meaning as Amen, Shalom, Salem and Aho (Native American Amen), we hear the “ah” sound vibration in various sacred traditions such as Yaweh, God, Goddess, Buddha, Mohammad, Gaia, Wakan Tanka (Great/ Sacred Spirit) and Namaste. As Raye describes Om: in the Vedic tradition, OM is the sound of life. It is the primordial and cosmic sound current that was present at the beginning of creation and continues to vibrate as the essence of all things. Giving life, energy and sustenance to all of creation. Thanks, Saul David Raye, for lifting the vibration and consciousness in St. Louis once again!

Living Fit Expo at Plaza Frontenac

January 29, 2011 10am-3pm FREE admission & lots of giveaways

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Introducing the New Raw Vegetarian.

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An American Bistro with European Style