Jeweled Lotus Yoga

Yoga for you...yes, you!

2011-10-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

When we hear the word yoga, many of us envision a gumby-esque long-limbed waif gracefully posing with legs behind her head. Or perhaps we see in our mind's eye a small brown man posing with legs folded, eyes closed, lips moving in meditation. What most of us don't visualize - at least initially - is a rosy cheeked soccer mom balancing on one leg in Tree pose, or a military veteran in a strong Warrior pose, or an octogenarian practicing seated poses from the comfort of her wheelchair. However we first picture a "yogi" (someone who does yoga), chances are those images are all representative of the growing number of people who practice yoga.

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that can be roughly translated as "union." Usually this is meant as union of the body and mind (or, becoming present), and most yoga classes begin with the most fundamental way to become present: the breath. What millions of Americans are now discovering, this simple practice of becoming present - using breath and mindful movement - is having profoundly beneficial effects on their health. Research universities from coast to coast are embarking on more yoga-related clinical studies, from those focused on heart health, cognitive function, depresssion, and insomnia.

Unfortunately, many people get stuck on the misconception that one must be flexible, relaxed, strong, slender, or female (!) to do yoga: none of these qualities are a pre-requisite for learning how to connect body and mind and reduce the negative effects of stress and tension. While it's a good idea to begin a yoga practice under the supervision of a highly trained teacher, everyone can start to benefit now - with or without a sticky mat - from these simple tips.

1) Breathe deeply, preferably through your nose.
Although this is such a simple dictum, many of us forget this rudimentary building block of a happy, healthy body: take deep breaths. If you're like most of us in modern times, you spend some portion of your day hunched over. Even if you don't have a "desk job" chances are you drive a car, check email, or spend some time on Facebook! In most of these activities we slump our shoulders forward, collapse the abdominal muscles, and take shallow breaths. The simple act of sitting (or standing) tall and letting our abdomen expand on the inhale can make a tremendous difference in your energy level and in the overall health of your body. Try this now: sit up straight, close your eyes, and take a deep inhale (through the nose). Feel the breath move from the tip of the nostrils, down the back of the throat, into the upper lungs, into the lower lungs, then back out. Feel your chest rise, your abdomen expand, and your shoulders relax. Now breathe out as slowly as you can (again, through your nose). Breathing through the nose sets off a hormonal cascade that tells your body to relax. Breathing through the mouth does the opposite - causing you to feel stressed & harried.

2) Move your head above your shoulders.
Sound simple? It should be, yet again, our lives - and the action of our days - tends to be in front of us! So, we round our shoulders, drop the bowling ball (that big head of ours!) forward, causing strain to the neck and shoulder muscles, and creating a sense of heaviness in the body. Maybe this is why we need that 4 pm Starbucks fix!

3) Use your abs.
We know we should...we even know how to...but we don't. Don't worry, you don't need to drop and give me 20 sit-ups, just begin to feel how everything connects here. Stand up and place one hand on your low belly (right below your belly button) and the other on your lower back (right on the sacrum). Now collapse your low belly out - really push it out - and feel what happens to your lower back (the curvature deepened, right?). Keeping your hands where they are, draw your lower belly in just a bit. A little firming of those muscles is fine. You should feel the lower back curvature become more neutral and if you move the hand on your belly toward the top of your hip points, you'll find they're facing directly forward (not pointed up or down). This simple trick can be enough to alleviate some common lower back pain and it's easy enough to do when you're driving, walking, sitting, standing, cooking, cleaning, ..... you name it!

Now that you have the fundamentals, the yoga world is your oyster. Try these simple tips, then try to find a yoga class. Here are some pictures of common poses to get you started. Want more? Check out my YouTube videos for free classes, tips, and instruction!

Meet the teacher: Lindsay McLaughlin

2011-09-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

Jeweled Lotus Yoga gives a warm welcome (back) to Lindsay! Lindsay will be teaching Restorative yoga Mondays at 6:15 p while Andie is on sabbatical. Lindsay originally grew up in the mountains of Montana before moving to Leesburg around the age of 15. She went to high school and college in central Florida then developed a travel bug and moved to California. For the last 8 years shes been living in California and Colorado teaching skiing and embracing the mountain life.

She started practicing yoga 6 years ago after going through a huge transformation in her life. A couple years later she attended a yoga teacher training at Core Power Yoga in San Diego which introduced her life to wellness, awareness and she received her 200 CYT teaching Vinyasa. Since then shes shared her passion by teaching Yoga in the Park in California, Adaptive Yoga to people with disabilities in Colorado, Vinyasa, Restorative and Power yoga in between.

Now after relocating to the Leesburg area Lindsay is delighted to be teaching at Jeweled Lotus Yoga and to be a part of the yoga community here. In her classes she offers the importance of movement with breath and the practice of embracing every moment. By practicing herself and teaching yoga she hopes to contribute to the growth and awareness of her students and lead them through a deeper understanding of the union of body, mind and spirit.

Goddess Namaskar

2011-09-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

National Yoga Month's Global Mala practice at Jeweled Lotus Yoga is tomorrow, Saturday, 9/24, and to celebrate the 108 salutations, Kellie has created an inspirational, non-traditional salutation entitled "Goddess namaskar" to spice things up.

The Goddess namaskar - unlike the traditional Sun Salutation - incorporates side-to-side movements, lateral extension/flexion in the spine, and more opening & strengthening for the inner legs. This is an excellent addition to your dynamic warm-up or a great building block for a full practice (just add more repetitions if you want a longer practice).

View the video below (more videos on Kellie's YouTube channel):

Meet the teacher: Amy Tucker

2011-09-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Jeweled Lotus Yoga is honored to welcome to it's teaching staff our newest yoga teacher, Amy Tucker. Amy is a hometown Leesburg girl with big city fashion sense and a playful teaching style. You'll appreciate Amy's sense of humor - even while you're sweating from your shins (shins can sweat!!) and holding yet another side plank. Amy has always been interested in exercise and athletics. Four years ago she turned to yoga to supplement her running following the advice of a friend; it didn't take long for a passion and love for yoga to develop. While practicing at Jeweled Lotus Yoga, she has had the opportunity to study under several wonderful instructors. Motivated by these teachers, she pursued the opportunity to begin teaching. In her classes, she strives to give each student a terrific practice - complete with humor, challenges, and relaxation - each time they come to their mat.

Amy has completed 100 hours of yoga teacher training and will complete her training in 2012 with the Wisdom Method School of Yoga.

Amy teaches the Hot Yoga (yea, baby!!!) class on Tuesday evenings at 6:15 p and the Detox Flow class on Wednesday mornings at 9 a. Warning: these classes are addicting!

Let's give Amy a warm welcome. Click here to view our full schedule.

108 for Peace

2011-09-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

With only one week left of National Yoga Month, we'd like to take the opportunity to say welcome to our new students and welcome back to old friends. We hope the free week of yoga, donation classes, and special events have afforded you the opportunity to try yoga on for size, to find the instructor that best suits your personality, and to find the class that best fits your goals.

This Saturday at Jeweled Lotus Yoga, 9/24, we have a very special practice jointly taught by Kellie Adkins, Amy Tucker, and Lindsay McLaughlin.

Some of you may already be familiar with the Global Mala practice, but for our new yoga friends, here is a brief explanation: yogis around the world will perform a sacred number of namaskaram with their common intention as world peace. Ideally, the number we perform is 108. Our class this Saturday will be taught in 3 portions (1 each taught by Kellie, Amy, & Lindsay), each of which has 3 portions itself. Throughout the class you will have ample opportunity to rest if you choose.

If you can do 3 salutations (namaskars) then do so! If you choose, you can perform 9, 12, 36, 72, or the full 108. Any multiple of the sacred number three -which itself represents the threefold nature of time (past, present, future) and divinity (creator, preserver, destroyer).

The class is by donation (suggested donation $10). We hope you'll join us!

Peace Power Practice

2011-09-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight we celebrate the day 9/12 in a commemorative practice dedicated to world peace...beginning with us. Global peace has to start local. Local peace has to start with the individual. The day after September 11, 2001, millions of Americans were reeling with the shock, pain, and fear that the 9/11 attacks brought. Some people lost their lives that day, other people lost loves ones, and some of us just lost the sense of invincibility we felt as Americans. On a personal level, millions of us changed: some for the better.

We probably all remember where we were on 9/11. But do you remember where you were on 9/12? Tonight - as we have since the studio opened - we again practice on 9/12 for inner peace and sacred power, in the hopes that our individual changes can have cosmic consequences.

9 * 12 = 108, a sacred number in the yoga tradition. It's said that if you set an intention, and commit to a discipline of repetition 108 times, that your actions (or intention, or wish) will reverberate on a universal level.

Practice with us tonight. Let your intention be peace: in your heart, in your community, in your country, and in your world.

Divine Play

2011-09-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

September is National Yoga Month and throughout the month, yogis & yoginis worldwide celebrate yoga - in all it's forms - as a tool for personal growth, physical health, and emotional & psychological well-being. But let's not forget that yoga is also pretty fun, too. Especially as more innovative and creative people become inspired to put their "spin" on the movement discipline of hatha yoga, specifically, and the transformative practice of Yoga, generally.

Yoga isn't just for flexible people, or serious people, or hippies. Next week in Central Florida, a group of yogis is getting together to celebrate the "divine play" that yoga is becoming. Yoga is catching fire around the globe and now more than ever is the time to begin (or revive) a practice.

Think you can't bend that way? Fine, don't - grab your hula hoop instead and shake it up with some yoga hoop dancing. Grab your paddle board and challenge your balance with some yoga on the lake. Bring the kids, too, because yoga isn't just for grown ups! Join Kellie at the Wellness booth at 9 a to Rock Your World with Yoga, and stay until 9 p for a screening of YogaWoman.

We'll see you at Rasa-Lila Fest!

Doing less

2011-08-17T05:16:00.000-07:00

As a new(ish) mother, a business owner, and a self-professed overachiever, doing less is the most challenging part of my yoga practice. Yet yoga invites us to live in the moment and to let go of grasping (things, people, outcomes, recognition, the fruits of our action). In fact, this aspect of staying content in what you have and what you ARE, takes so much precedence in the Yoga Sutras, it's discussed twice: once it appears in the discussion of the Yamas (moral codes) as "non -hoarding" or aparigraha, and once in the discussion of the Niyamas (personal observances) as "contentment" or santosha.

Although these two terms are not interchangeable, the heart of their message can be essentialized into "be ok with what you are, what you do, and what you have."

Applying this message, for me, is at the heart of the profoundly beneficial form of restorative yoga: Yin Yoga. In Yin Yoga, we're invited to create space in our hearts and in our bodies for softening, releasing, and acceptance. We are encouraged to "do less" in terms of effort and allow our bodies and minds to catch up to the expansion that happens naturally when we surrender.

Surrendering to the moment, to our circumstances, and to our efforts (even more so to the outcome of our efforts) is a lifelong practice, in my mind. Each day, we come to the mat, or to the meditation cushion, or we step into our busy lives and make an effort to stay above the tidal wave of busy-ness, of distraction, of doing more, and of judgement of self & others. Some days, surrendering to the flow is simple and we just dive in. Other days, we resist...and what we resists persists.

So, although this message seems counter intuitive, and certainly contrary to our acculturation, try to do less in your practice and in your life, and try to be ok with your efforts, and know that you are ok just as you are.

The Jewel and the Lotus

2011-08-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

In the Buddhist tradition, there is a common mantra used to burn through negative karma and generate powerful positivity for this and future lives: Om Mani Padme Hum. Sometimes translated as "The jewel is in the lotus," this is the most commonly recited mantra (or prayer) for the Tibetan people. It is said that with ceaseless repetition of this prayer throughout one's life, one can generate the altruistic compassion of a Buddha (an awakened being) and choose to exit the continuous cycle of death and rebirth called samsara.

The "jewel" and the "lotus" are both powerful symbols for the spiritual tradition of Buddhism, yet the symbolism of the jewel and the lotus extends across many Asian spiritual traditions (yoga included). The imagery (and the mantra) are also powerful reminders of our inner struggle to rise above darkness and come into the light, into our true nature.

Traditionally, the jewel represents the kernel of wisdom that each of us have inside. As yogis, we recognize this in ourselves and others at the end of yoga class with the traditional closing word "namaste:" with this greeting, we are recognizing in self & others that place of eternal, everlasting wisdom. The lotus represents the flowering of awakened consciousness that occurs with dedicated spiritual practice...whatever that spiritual practice may be. The lotus is also the supreme symbol for rising above circumstances; the lotus rises out of the muddy depths of ponds, and blossoms pristinely on the surface, its petals unblemished by any surrounding stagnation.

The jewel in the lotus can be a powerful image for awakening our inner teacher, our inner wisdom, with perseverance, dedication, and discipline...all things that yoga asks of us as well.

Yoga Month

2011-08-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Exciting things are happening this month & next here at Jeweled Lotus Yoga! Together with studios around the globe, we are offering free & donation-based events to celebrate & support National Yoga Month. Not only are we offering free classes & events, we are giving 1 week of free yoga to anyone & everyone! All you need to do is visit www.yogamonth.org to print your coupon. Print & bring your coupon to the studio by September 30, 2011, to receive your free week. No purchase necessary. September is a perfect time to start yoga or to start again. And, if you already love yoga like we do, why not tell a friend? Our studio ALWAYS gives free classes for referring a friend, so you could get double free yoga. Yummy ;) Can't wait to see you on the mat!

Namaste,

Kellie & the Jeweled Lotus Yoga Crew

(P.S. the image above - our September schedule & events - can be printed as a pdf file by visiting www.jeweledlotusyoga.com/events)

Ancient history

2011-07-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

....as in, lessons from ancient history. Our book of the month for July and August here at Jeweled Lotus Yoga is the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita was Mahatma Ghandi's spiritual guidebook and continues to be an inspiration for yogis from all walks of life. Regardless of religious affiliation, personal spiritual practice, or idealogical leanings, one can cull lesson after valuable lesson from the Gita. At times, the Gita reads like a self-help book or a manual for highly effective people: "what the outstanding person does, others will try to do" (3:21) and "fulfill all your duites; action is better than inaction" (3:8). At other points, it seems to be chiding the reader (and Arjuna) for the normal human emotions of confusion and indecision: "considering your dharma, you should not vacillate" (2:31) and "for those who lack resolution, the decision of life are many-branched and endless" (2:41b).

Truly, the Gita is a book of astounding spiritual insight and inspiration; yet, perhaps more pertinently, the Gita is a handbook for those of us trying to live our authentic lives within the world: as parents, as employees, as sons & daughters, as friends. The Gita calls us to action from right where we are - covered in baby throw-up, stressed out with the demands of daily life, up to our elbows in deadlines - encouraging us to keep going and reminding us that "on this path, effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear" (2:40).

Join the conversation...from right where you are. Post a comment here, find us on facebook (Jeweled Lotus Yoga) or join our next Yoga Book Club (in person) at Jeweled Lotus Yoga, 110 S. 3rd Street, Leesburg, Fl, Friday, August 12 @ 6:30 p.

Leading from the heart

2011-05-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

In yoga class we often hear the phrase "lead from the heart" both as a cue to come into and out of poses and as a direction to go deeper into certain types of poses. Backbends, of course, are an obvious category of poses in which the phrase "lead from the heart" can apply; we try to open the chest, expand the space between the collarbones, and offer up our vulnerable spaces.

Yet forward folds offer us an excellent opportunity to expand our heart-space and offer more. Frequently, the first area to collapse in our forward fold is our thoracic spine and upper chest. We naturally bow, or round, forward when approaching this challenging set of postures.

Try this, if you like, to get a feel for what I mean: sit comfortably in Sukhasana (easy pose) elevating your hips on a folded blanket if you need. Align the spine first; root evenly through each of your sitz bones, lengthen the lumbar spine, draw the ribcage in and up, slightly roll the shoulders down and back. Take your hands to your knees and begin to straighten your elbows (if possible for you). Bring the shoulder girdle directly above the pelvis. On an inhale, expand your upper chest, then the lower belly. Feel the fullness of the breath - especially focusing on the space behind the heart - then begin to slowly exhale. Practice this deep, easy breath a few more times to draw your focus to the physical (and emotional) heart.

Now begin to take this expansion into a gentle fold. Again, deeply inhale, then walk your hands as far forward as your hips (and you heart!) allow. We're searching for length in the lumbar spine, openness in the heart, and a gentle sensation of stretch of outer hips. Feel good? Go a little further, keep expanding the upper chest and broadening the heart-space with each inhale. Go as far as your body will allow comfortably, then relax into the fold without collapsing the chest. Stay as long as you like. Repeat once more with the opposite leg folded in first.

Yoga affords us the opportunity to experience our life more fully. When we practice leading from the physical heart on the mat, it becomes easier to lead from our heart as we step off the mat. Heart-hardening habits like gossip and cynical hostility begin to feel wrong, unnatural. Those things (or people) that drain our emotional energy become less important. We find it easier to tell people we care for how much we care for them (when was the last time you told a dear friend you loved them? Tell them now). Perhaps most importantly, we learn to follow our heart. Yes, as the dreamers do. As the sages do. As the yogis do.

The Great Wall

2011-05-28T16:07:00.001-07:00

Lately in my classes, I've gone back to my "roots:" teaching more classes using a wall for support. Incorporating wall-work into your practice - whether as a prop, as a sturdy base of support, or as a tool for promoting deeper realeases - can result in some profound insights. Over the last few weeks, my students and I have expiremented with standing poses such as Cresent Lunge, Warrior 1, 2, reverse Warrior, Triangle, Side Angle, and Intense Side stretch at a wall. Of course, using the wall for support in inversions is an obvious way to build up both strength and confidence in these challenging poses; however, consider using a wall to avoid "cheating" your alignment, and to promote even work in both legs in standing and balancing poses.

Try this for yourself...align your mat with the short edge against the wall and come into Downward Dog. Lift your heels onto the baseboard and firm your hands against the mat. Being mindful of the your toes, take your right leg up and press the toes against the wall. If you can easily do so, press the ball of the foor (or even some of the heel) against the wall. Aim to keep the toes on the lifted leg facing the mat. Level your hips here and strengthen your supporting leg (the left one), by pulling the quadriceps in and up. From here, step forward to Crescent lunge keeping your back heel lifted onto the wall. Bend the back knee a little bit and shift your hip points forward and up. Firm both thighs - drawing toward the center line - as though you were riding a horse. Take the arms up in line with the ears. When you feel steady, straighten the back knee as best you can while maintaining a strong, engaged core. Take this to a twist: either hands to prayer or left hand to the mat, right hand to the thigh. Keep evenly pressing into the wall with your back heel as you extend forward through your front shin bone. Hold as long as you like, then rest in Downward Dog. Repeat on the second side.

You can use this same principle - using the wall as your foundation, as your reminder to root down - for any of your one-legged balances (try Warrior 3 with your back foot against the wall, or try Standing Split with your top leg moving up the wall).

Have fun and be sure to share your "great wall" stories!

Is yoga enough?

2009-11-11T04:30:00.000-08:00

Many students begin a yoga practice for stress relief or for increased flexibility. Some people began practicing yoga for other emotional, psychological, or physiological reasons. Personally, my yoga practice started at a vulnerable and stressful time - I was facing a number of tough decisions and a heavy work load. I turned to yoga for clarity....and I found it.

More and more people each day are discovering that a regular yoga practice yields tremendous benefits. Leaving aside the competitive, zero-sum mentality of many sports and the "no pain, no gain" mentality of many gym workouts, people worldwide are turning to yoga for peace, strength, and balance.

But is yoga enough? Is it enough to keep our bodies healthy over our life cycle? Studies conducted in both the US and India seem to agree: Yes. Yoga (especially the strenght-building yogas) IS enough. In fact, certain styles of yoga (Ashtanga, Anusara, Vinyasa/Power) may be even BETTER suited to life-long physical activity than some other athletic pursuits.

Wanna read more? Check out this Yoga Journal article with summaries from studies performed at UCDavis & Stanford Universities: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/739

The best thing about yoga? It's never too late to start. Today is always the best day to practice. Find a class in your area! Yoga Journal (www.yogajournal.com/directory) & Yogafinder (www.yogafinder.com) both have listings of classes searchable by zip code. Have an iPhone? Shoot, there's even an app for that! Download class information, current schedules, and teacher bios right to your iPhone with the MindBody App.

Start now!

Recycle your old fabric scraps!

2009-06-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Furoshiki gift wrapping from RecycleNow on Vimeo.

Asana of the Week- Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

2009-05-11T10:54:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Jeweled Lotus Yoga's Asana (pose) of the Week post for the week of May 10-17th. This week, we're looking at the alignment, benefits, & contraindications of the pose Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I):

Before trying this pose, please take a moment to read through all of the instructions. It's always a good idea to practice yoga with a teacher, and to check with your physician before beginning an excercise regimen.

Warrior I position is a basic standing hip opening pose. Depending on the tradition of Hatha Yoga that you follow (Iyengar, Ashtanga, Sivananda, Classical), you practice it with different alignment cues than the ones given here. My training and my teaching philosophy is a multi-style blend of many of the major yoga traditions.

Alignment cues for Warrior I:
Stand with your feet together at the top of your yoga mat, or on a non-slick floor (like wood or outside in the grass!). Look down at your feet and notice if they are inturned, out-turned, or if your ankle bones touch. Try as best as you can to bring the feet towards parallel and to lift the arches in the feet (you can feel the arches engage by spreading & lifting your toes up - try it out!). Keep the arches engaged as best you can (but feel free to put your toes down!). Do not lock the knees, but do keep the muscles on the front of the thighs working throughout the pose.

Take a large step back with your left foot and try to keep the toes of that foot angleing toward the front of your mat (the back heel will be further out than the back toes). Bend your front knee up to 90 degrees, but no more. Look down & make sure that your front knee is directly above your front ankle.

Bring your arms out to the sides and spin your palms up toward the ceiling. Try to relax your shoulders as you bring the arms to frame your ears. If this is uncomfortable on your arms, your neck or your back, then please bend the elbows and keep the upper arm bones in line with the shoulders; the upper arms will be parallel to the floor & the forearms will be perpendicular to the floor in this variation.

Take a few moments here to notice your breath. Notice your inhales and your exhales. Is it easier to breathe in deeply with your arms to the sides or above your head? Notice if you are tensing your shoulders, your face or your jaw. Try to relax.

Strongly engage the muscles in the lower abdomen as you exhale and now try to bring your shoulders right above your pelvis. Elongate the tailbone toward the heels and feel your strong leg muscles working.

If you are comfortable here, consider looking up towards your hands. If this bothers your neck, simply look forward.

Hold as long as you can remain comfortable and steady. Remember to breathe!

Step back to the front of your mat. Repeat on the other side.

Some Benefits of Warrior I pose:
Strengthens legs
Slenderizing for the abdomen & hip region
Increased lung capacity (lengthens the intercostals)
Improves balance
Lengthens iliopsoas (hip flexors on the front of the pelvis)
Increases flexibility in the shoulders, groin, & upper back

Some Contraindications of Warrior I pose:
Knee injury (be careful of hyperextending or twisting the back knee & overbending the front knee)
Poor balance due to neurological disorders - face a wall or use a chair for extra support
Low blood pressure (this pose may cause you to become dizzy - please face a wall or use a chair for extra support & remember to breathe)

New Schedule

2009-05-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

We have a new schedule now with more classes per week and more classes in the evening. Join us on Mondays & Wednesday evenings at 5 PM for an hour long Power Yoga class, then stay for an hour long Hot class from 6:15-7:15 PM! Also, the studio is now offering a Community Yoga class (Fridays from 11-noon) for a special rate of $5 - all proceeds will be donated to local charities! Check out our full schedule online at www.jeweledlotusyoga.com/schedule

Recycling everything!

2009-04-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the official blog of Jeweled Lotus Yoga - a cyperpalace dedicated to all things yoga! We hope you enjoy reading our random ramblings here.....Feedback is always welcome, so please feel free to dialogue here or via email: jeweledlotusyoga@gmail.com.

In honor of Earth Month, here is a link for how to recycle pretty much anything you can think of....a very valuable resource for those of us who obsessively recycle EVERYTHING: http://www.lime.com/features/limes_guide_to_recycling