plus size yogi

Just like you...

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I was finally able to log in and get everything fixed on my website. There's so much that needs updating so please bare with me as I get all of this completed. It has been so long since I've even blogged! September 2016... So much has changed since then. There are still things I very much plan to keep private. In fact, when I opened the blog tab and saw the "+" to create a new post I immediately froze and went into panic mode. It isn't that I don't want to create and share content with you all. I do! I'm just having an extremely hard time with putting words to paper these days. Writing has always been an outlet for me and to not have that, I have to say I've been a little lost. The 'problem' here is now I have this yoga business. I guess it's not really a problem; hence why I quoted it - But so many of my students think I am this person who has it all together. What happens when the walls come down and you see that I really am just like you? I have the same worries and problems as you all! And while I'd like to continue portraying that my life is near perfect; the simple fact of the matter is that it is very much so not anywhere near perfect!

I go to yoga classes and I think of my to-do list or my grocery list just like you. Something comes up that stresses me out and I deal with it just like you do! In fact, I have the added bonus of going to a class and paying attention to everyone else's mat but my own because that's just where my brain goes. "Is she in alignment?" "Does she need help?" "Why isn't this teacher offering her additional props or modifications?" Keeping my mind from wandering off my mat has become my BIGGEST challenge since becoming a yoga instructor. Add that to everyday worries and insecurities and well.... Here I am - just like you!

Being a yoga instructor isn't a magic fix for these kinds of things. They help; sure. But that's because they give me outlets to go to when I need it. I complain to my yoga instructor and she tells me to get my shit together and gives me a whole new outsiders point of view to look at the entire situation differently. I lag in my practice too guys! There are days when I just don't want to go to yoga. Maybe it's because I'm exhausted from the week... maybe it's because I don't want to deal with the issues that I have come up in my practice... maybe it's because the last 6 weeks in Savasana I've literally laid there and balled my eyes out for no apparent reason. Whatever it is; I give the same excuses as you do! I blow it off JUST like you do! and much like you, I can totally tell when I am needing yoga back into my life and still; it doesn't make it any easier! 

So; here I am. Back from my rut - or rather beginning to dig myself out of my rut because I'm done self-sabotaging myself. The mountains that I was merely only supposed to climb I've kept with me! I am only here in this place because of ME. MY ACTIONS! MY Choices! I want to hold better classes for you all and give you all what you all so desperately need! And that means you get to meet the real me! No smoke and mirrors this time!

I've got some things up my sleeve! I'm going to take the next couple weeks to get my website updated and I'll slowly unveil! If there's one thing I've realized it's that sharing yoga with you is most definitely part of my life's purpose. Being able to hold space for each and every one of you is one of the most humbling experiences I've ever witnessed. You all enrich my soul to no end and so I want to thank you for that! I'm so glad that I chose this path and yet somehow I think if I never ended up choosing it, it still would have been my destiny! 

 

Meditating with Mala Beads

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Some of you are probably thinking, “What on earth is a Mala?” Well, similar to the Holy Rosary, a Mala is a string of beads. Think of it as a Buddhist Rosary. Typically these beads are used to count mantras; or Sanskrit prayers in sets of 108 repetitions. However, you can also find them in numbers that divide into 108 evenly like; 18, 27 or 54. Use of a smaller amount of beads usually leads to a bracelet of some sort or a shorter necklace if using bigger beads.

Why 108?

The reasons for 108 puzzle just about anyone I meet. There are many many reasons for the meaning of 108 beads on a Mala. Here are a few as defined by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati;

Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.
Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.
Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come.
Pentagon: The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon equals 108 degrees.
Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.
Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.
Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.
Goddess names: There are said to be 108 Indian goddess names.
Sun and Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.
Moon and Earth: The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.
Paths to God: Some suggest that there are 108 paths to God.

Seriously, these are just a few. Regardless of the meaning, the importance of the beads is to count *mantras (*(originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation; typically given to you by a teacher or chosen by yourself.) with devotion, feeling and your utmost full attention.

The hardest part is choosing a Mala for your own personal practice. Many yoga studios will sell these, but you can also find them at places like Crystal Life Technology in Geneva, Illinois or Beadniks, Chicago. At Beadniks, you can actually sign up to make your own Mala. (You can find my experience on Mala making here).

You want to choose a mala that best suits your needs and style. The best advice I can give is to feel the beads in your hand. Close your eyes, and feel the energy of the beads. Go with what appeals most to you.

You also have the option of looking through Pinterest for Mala ideas as well as Googling the meanings of the various beads and materials. By doing this, you can use your intention of your yoga practice to pick the perfect mala for you.

As far as price, it truly depends on what you’re looking for. The type of material generally decides the cost of the Mala. I would say in general, expect to pay $35 + for your own Mala. Just because you’re making it yourself, doesn’t always mean it’s going to be cheap. The better quality of materials, the more expensive it gets. Sure, you can go to Hobby Lobby or Michael’s and use their coupons (I have). Starting out that’s a great option. But if you’re looking for something that’s going to last, it’s going to be an investment. Think between $70 and $200 easily.

Using a Mala is quite simple once you get the hang of it. You can use it in various ways of meditation, but the way I will break it down for you today depicts the old fashioned, sit down and meditate style.

1.    Find a comfortable space in your home or yoga practice area and come to a seat either in crossed leg position or any position that suits your comfort level. If you’ve got a bolster, sit on that.
2.    Close your eyes and begin to notice your natural breath.
3.    Now, bring awareness and attention into your breath and continue to breathe deeper and slower.
4.    Set your attention to your mantra or affirmation.
5.    Next, hold on to your mala beads by gently hanging the first mala bead on the middle or ring finger of your right hand. If you’re left handed and this is more comfortable, use your left. (*In India, using the left hand is considered impure, but from a more Westernized perspective, either hand is okay.)
6.    Place your thumb on the guru bead and begin reciting your manta. Each time pushing the mala bead away with the thumb and moving onto the next bead.

For mantra ideas, start here. It doesn’t have to be something in Sanskrit though. Even the simplest thing such as; “I am filled with love and kindness” can be your mantra for mediating with your mala. (Whew! Say that 5 times fast lol)

Don’t have a Mala? That’s alright! Try using a mantra and repeating it 108 (or a smaller amount of times that divides evenly into 108)

Source: http://www.gaia.com

Second Look: Manduka EKO SuperLite yoga mat

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Last month I received an email letting me know of the add-ons for my monthly Birchbox subscription. Birchbox is a monthly subscription service that sends you 4-5 beauty products to test out monthly. You can review the product on their website for points that eventually equal to dollar amounts. (For every 100 points, you earn $10) You can also order products through their site and earn points to use on different products you are interested in trying or those that you love and want to repurchase again and again.

In my e-mail I was excited to see that not only was a yoga mat an add-on item, BUT it was a Manduka mat. I thought the price was pretty decent, and without overlook added it onto my January box. After ordering I checked over the reviews and I've come to realize that they are pretty much 50/50. So, I decided I would pass along my review if you're on the hunt for a new yoga mat and are looking at this one.

The Mat:

Manduka EKO SuperLite(TM)

The Claims:

"The eKO SuperLite Mat is a superior travel yoga mat that provides excellent grip. Wherever your practice takes you, the eKO SuperLite is the best yoga mat for yogis on the go!"

The Cost:

$32 as a Birchbox add on but you can expect to pay between $30 and $40 respectively depending upon location.

I actually tried this mat for the first time during a class I taught last night. The first thing I would say I noticed was how light the mat was. The better quality the mat, the heavier they seem to get. All through training I had (and still have) a Jade yoga mat; which I love. But lugging that thing around the city was such a pain in the butt. It was just heavy! I dreaded bringing it to class with me and ultimately ended up keeping it there at the studio for the duration of training. This mat was literally SUPER LIGHT! I think I caught myself thinking this quite a few times actually. Especially when I rolled it out to set up my area for teaching. It unrolled like a dream. For sure a win in my book!

Of course with the mat being literally weightless, you're going to lose out on thickness. This mat comes in at only 1.5mm thick. So, I guess this is where you could start with the pros and cons. Unless you prefer a pretty dense and squishy yoga mat, then this is perfect. Now that I've tried it, I almost think I prefer it to my thicker Jade mat. I get the same grip, and I like the firmness of the floor that you can feel through the mat. Which brings me to my next point; grip.

Typically until broken in, Manduka mats are somewhat slippery. While I did have socks on (hey, I was cold), I have to say, I didn't notice at any point where I felt I was slipping. Granted, my practices are usually more gentle and restoring. I think I will have to play with this and see what happens when I do more of a vigorous practice and also practice without socks. I feel like if you use a carpeted surface, you will probably prefer a thicker mat that will stay in place. But on a hard surface, this mat doesn't move much for me.

The thinness of this mat allows it to be rolled OR folded. This makes this mat to be the PERFECT travel mat because it can fold up to fit in your suitcase, carry-on or even purse (depending on your purse size, of course). The downside to this; this mat tends to have a memory of those folds. So, you'll likely permanently have them in your mat if you chose to store/transport it this way. But if that's not something you mind, and you're solely looking for a travel mat then I think you'll still be perfectly happy with it. For me, I'm just a little too OCD to have the folds permanently in my mat. So, I prefer to roll it.

Another downside you could say would be if you normally use a yoga mat bag. I just got this one here from Hugger Mugger and I absolutely LOVE IT. Expect to have TONS of room left over (which actually might be great because you can throw in a block (foam so it doesn't get too heavy), strap or an extra sweater/shirt to change into. You may actually not even need the yoga mat bag anymore. Which for me is sad, because I really love my bag.

All in all, for the price of the mat and durability I've experienced thus far, I have to say I'm super happy with this mat.

Be on the look out for this mat at a discount similar to what I paid for it through Birchbox at retailers like; Marshall's, TJ MAXX, Nordstrom Rack, etc. You can also order it here on Manduka's website at normal retail price ($40 + shipping).

*If you're interested in signing up for Birchbox and it's $10 monthly subscription that you can cancel at any time; please check out Birchbox's site and sign up here!

Flash Forward:

  • Beginning February 3rd, Curvy Yoga will now be held Wednesdays at FocusOm Batavia from 7:00 - 8:15pm. You can find this class on FocusOm's website under Yoga For The True Beginner if you'd like to pre-register.

  • Beginning March 2nd, Curvy Yoga is changing to the format of a 6 week series. Here, we’ll meet you where you are on the mat and focus on helping you on your journey to happiness and well-being. Each week we will guide you through a practice with thoughtful instruction and support to help you reach your goals safely and most importantly; at your own pace. We’ll use physical movement along with guided meditation and some yoga philosophy to not only help you develop strength, balance and flexibility but also help reconnect the mind and body; all while within a fun, comfortable atmosphere. 

March's series will be surrounded by Mindfulness and will also be a part of my Mindful March event. (stay tuned for details on Mindful March)


Curvy Yoga will run from March 2nd to April 6th and will cost just $85. Register here!