Shanti Baby, Peace Through Yoga

Can Yoga Wreck Your Body?

2012-01-11T17:22:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, there was an article in the New York Times talking about a book that says it can and does. It comes equipped with a full color photo of three actors from the Broadway show Godspell in some very poorly executed yoga postures.

Since that article was published, there have been various rebuttals to it. Here's mine:

First, any form of exercise can cause injury. Many of us have overdone it in a gym class, running, biking or even walking. Heck, I've sprained my ankle twice just stepping "wrong" off a curb. The reality is, yes, you can get hurt in a yoga class or any other exercise class or practice. However, when guided by a responsible and trained teacher and listening to your own intuition, breath and body, it is easy to avoid injury in yoga class.

In the mentioned article, the author writes that he believes there are many people who should not be doing yoga at all. As a yoga teacher for many years who trained in various styles and specialties, I am a firm believer that anyone, any body can do yoga. A trained and observant teacher knows how to provide modifications for poses or, if a student communicates a prior injury or condition, to advise what poses to avoid. With the use of props, many poses become accessible to people with tight hamstrings, stiff hips, weak arms, etc. A properly trained and experience teacher can make yoga fun and safe for people of various ages, body types and body conditions.

That said, I have witnessed teachers push students into poses that made them cry. I have been the student in a class where I was pushed into a pose and threatened too deeply into a pose that my body was not ready to handle. Though the injuries were very short term and mild, it did help me realize my own limitations in class as a student and also helped me learn that, as a teacher, it is not my place to push a person into a posture. Yoga is your own journey and it is part of the yoga experience to explore and discover your own limitations and feel your body working in a pose.

In addition, as a student, either in a yoga class or at home with a DVD, it is the yogi's responsibility to check in with the breath--"Am I holding my breath? Can I breathe slow and deep, smoothly or is it choppy or shallow?" If anything is off in your breathing, it is often a sign you are overdoing it. Usually, it's a good idea to back off the depth or intensity of the pose you are in or take a break from the pose. As your body: "Are my legs or arms shaking? Does this hurt?" Again, if you can answer yes to these questions, it means you need to stop what you are doing immediately. There is no shame or embarrassment for doing so, no matter what your instructor might say. YOU are your body's keeper and your body is your temple. Respect and care for your temple always. You only get one body.

I have had many students over the years and there will always be one or two in class who take yoga to a competitive sport level. All my advisement and guidance is usually ignored. At times I have had to tap a student on the shoulder to come out of a pose, only to have them get back into it as soon as I turn my back. At those times, I remind myself that I can merely "lead a horse to water". How many times have you done something that resulting in harming yourself? I know I have been guilty of pushing myself when I am tired, depleted, run down and should really take a few hours or a day off to rest. Instead, I push through and end up getting so sick that I need to take two to three nights off to recover.

In the aforementioned article, the writer speaks of a person cracking ribs in a spinal twist and teachers having to teach yoga from a lying down position, because their bodies had been so abused by yoga. Injuries like this are rare and I am willing to bet that there are more factors involved and many more details to the story. I'm also curious to know what style of yoga they were taking when these injuries happened. Were they listening to their bodies and breath or where they pushing through?

I am even more puzzled by New York Times including photos of the cast of Godspell in poorly executed and misaligned yoga poses in this article hyping up this teacher and his new book. As a teacher, I would tell the cast of Godspell to get out of that pose immediately! Looking to the side in Shoulder Stand is a BIG NO-NO! Was it really necessary to take Broadway stars that need their bodies to be in prime health to continue their careers to take such risks with their bodies? I found this irresponsible and very un-yogi-like.Why did they need to use Godspell actors for this article at all?

I will agree with Glenn Black (the teacher/author interviewed) and William Broad (author of the NYT article) on one particular point in this article (there are other points I liked in the article too), and that is that in yoga, we are to let go of the ego, as a teacher and as a student. This will help prevent injury. In my class, I remind my students that yoga should not hurt. You want to be happy and steady in a pose. If you are in pain, that's not yoga. Many teachers, myself included, speak of feeling a heightened awareness both of breath and also body (feeling the muscles working, feeling the lungs expand, etc.) when you are feeling the good feelings of an energetic, invigorating workout. When your muscles and brain say, "This is hard, but I feel great!"

Yoga is not a panacea. Yoga is a wonderful way to get in shape, get healthy and perhaps even learn some things about yourself, including how to like the body you're in. Find a teacher who has training, who is knowledgeable and not pushy. Find a class in which you can be yourself and not feel like you're on display or in a competition. Be yourself. And most of all, be safe.

Resolve to Release Resolutions

2011-12-29T17:43:00.000-05:00

Every year we each struggle to pick a new thing we want to "give up" in the year to come. Resolutions are great if you pick something that you can easily achieve. Instead, we have all been guilty of picking something too big or something that takes many tasks and commitments to reach. This year, why not pick out something more tangible or easier to achieve.

For example, if you want to resolve to lose weight, instead resolve to make healthier choices in your life. You can do so by keeping a food journal or shopping for healthier snacks and leave the fatty foods at the store. Perhaps choose to take the dog for a longer walk every day or even twice a week. Small steps forward help us create habits that will stick and become routine. When we decide to give something up "cold turkey" or make a huge change quickly, it is hard to sustain that momentum.

In our family, at bedtime, we each share something we are thankful for and wish for. This can be frivilous or thoughtful and some change daily while others remain constant and often quite profound. If you can take such a practice into your New Year's Resolution and create a daily mantra or affirmation, it will also be easier to achieve. My children have wished for world peace, for our family to always be together, a horse, a dog, etc. Many of their wishes have come true through their own persistence and ability to see it as reality--with or without help.

My children are always a source of education for me. They are often my spiritual teachers, as they see the world with pure, innocent eyes. They are not yet jaded by the world or by mean-spirited people. They are gentle and peaceful and believe the rest of the world to be that as well. So in their eyes, world peace is tangible, perhaps even easy to achieve. So how can we get there too? Believe.

We have an abundance affirmation affixed in our bathroom next to the mirror. Every morning and every night, I glance at it and read off a bit of it and feel the glow of positivity. If we say it, we can believe it, and if we believe it, we can help make it so. The law of attraction has some validity. Over the years, I have created many goals for myself with a year, age or date in mind and I have achieved each within days, weeks or a few months of that goal. Teacher training was something that I set my mind to two years ago as a minimum of a year away, but I told all interested students that this was likely closer to two years away. In just under two years, I had Yoga Alliance approval as a school and dates planned.

This year, my goal is better health. This means I have to do more self-care. This sounds like it would be an easy task for a yogi and Reiki Master. I say, "HA!" As a yogi, I am quick to put others before me and find joy in seeing other people achieve their bliss, health and relaxation. I am one of many over-achieving, type-A yoga teachers (people) that push forward no matter what. Though I have the tools to pull back and breathe or meditate, I often resist when my body says it's tired and in need of more TLC. Each and every time I have done that this year, I have gotten sick. So this year, starting this week with a cold/sinus thing, I am already taking steps to be more nurturing to myself and forgiving to myself for taking the time to do so. Often, that is the factor that keeps us from our New Year's Resolutions: Guilt. When we falter, we equate that with failure and give up.

All new habits take time to take form. And as a wise yogi reminded me recently: In every balance pose, you must waver, as THAT is how you balance! How easy it was to forget this! I state in my classes, "It's okay to sway in tree pose, trees sway in the breeze." But I forgot that it is true that you will sway in ALL balancing poses and rock on the feet or foot or hands to maintain that centrifugal force and center of gravity. THAT is the balance and that balance is true in all aspects of life, especially in New Year's Resolutions. If you fall out of the pose, or you fall off the wagon of dieting, get back up again and take the pose again. Breathe, find your balance and keep your eye on the target. In asana, it's your focal point or drishti, in a Resolution, it's that goal that you want to reach.

This year, be thankful for the wonderful gifts you've received in 2011. Be forgiving and understanding with yourself as you choose your resolutions. Realize the little steps it takes to achieve your goal and take heart and compassion with yourself if you mess up along the way.

2012 looks like a year of new beginnings for all of us! Happy and Healthy New Year to All!

11-11-11

2011-11-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

Today is a very auspicious day. Not only is it Veteran's Day, a day to celebrate our military who have devoted their lives to protecting our country and fighting for freedom and democracy, but also it is a full moon and a perfect palindrome date on the calendar, which causes a big stir among many.

The "New Age" crowd believes that when we have such a special date as 11-11-11, it is a time for wonderful new beginnings to occur. 11-11 is a symbol of the "Spirit Guardians," a group of 1,111 celestial beings who watch over us and manifest themselves in mid-morning. It is believed, even in numerology, that such a date creates great spiritual energy in the universe, awakening human consciousness.

Others believe it could be a doomsday, as 100 years ago, it was recorded as very odd, extremely low or extremely high temperatures in various cities around the world.

Historically, it has also been known as Remembrance Day, when at 11am, people mark the signing of the World War I armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

Because of this special date, all over the world there are more weddings today than any other Friday in history.

In reality, our calendar is not the only calendar, so can this day really have any meaning whatsoever? It's really up to the individual to decide. I know that I will be bathing in the energy of remembrance, the honor of our veterans, the light of the full moon and the presence of my spirit guides while meditating on peace for all of us.

Join me, if you wish, for a minute of meditation at 11:11am and 11:11pm today.

Namaste

A Look Back on 9/11, 10 Years Later

2011-09-09T13:06:00.000-04:00

10 years ago, on a clear day much like today, I woke up wishing I could call into work and have the day to work on wedding plans for the upcoming weekend, my wedding. My husband and I both were moving slow that day and each left a little later than usual, him a short while after me. We walked to the train and passed a broken-necked pigeon that had flown into a building. We both noticed it.

I don't want to get into the frantic feelings and phone calls that followed after each of us got on the LIRR and eventually made it into Manhattan only to wonder if we would ever make it home, ever make it to our own wedding, ever live to see tomorrow. We did make it. We did get married--twice, since our reception had to be shelved due to no bridges, no flights and a lock-down on most of NYC.

We lived. We live. We moved to Brooklyn, ironically a few neighborhoods away from where we had our postponed reception in DUMBO in late October of 2011. We have two beautiful, healthy, smart, funny children. Some did not have the same fate.

Each person I dare to talk to about 9/11 has their own tale, their own pain, their own losses. Each year, I watch TV for hours, listening to the reading of the names and cry with the families. I hear the bells and I sob, remembering that day and the terror, heartbreak and pain we all felt. We made it. We made it and are here to talk about it 10 years later.

Now, we read stories and updates about the families left behind. Today, I listened to audio files from air traffic controllers to flight 11. Listening was no comfort to me. It gave me no answers. So why did I listen? I think I search for healing in these stories. That maybe just one story or soundbyte will somehow give me an "A-Ha" moment and make the pain of 9/11 go away.

Trauma causes many conditions and some of them are long term or can be stirred up by anniversaries or triggered by a sense memory. I have been doing yoga for many years and I meditate daily and I DO find peace in meditation and yoga. But I find it hard to maintain throughout the day and on anniversaries like these. I actually can't listen to Earth, Wind & Fire's September without getting choked up. It just makes me think of 9/11 when they sing "Never was a cloudy day." There was not one cloud in the sky that day. A fun, happy song can actually get me down, as some cloudless days like today.

Now, I am a mom and life has moved forward like a roller coaster of ups and downs in life and I recognize and accept that life goes on. We were left behind to carry on. We were spared our lives here to LIVE. We must find peace and courage to carry on our days. So now when there's not a cloud in the sky, like today, I can look up and shed a few tears if I need to, but I have to wipe them off quickly and get my kids to school or whatever is required of me on that day.

My family is my inspiration and together with meditation, yoga and Reiki, I do find comfort. I wish for peace. My children pray for World Peace nightly and I hope that we do find that someday so that they never have to experience such trauma. I hope that we all find peace. I wish that all the finger-pointing, name calling, war and threats end in my lifetime.

If you need a little peace on 9/11 and you are in Brooklyn, feel free to join our free meditation this Sunday to find peace in our hearts and send it out into the universe. Wherever you are on 9/11, be proud to be Human. Give a smile or a hug to someone you love. Om shanti, shanti, shanti

Who We Choose

2011-07-05T13:02:00.000-04:00

The last blog I wrote about forgiveness really seemed to stir up some emotions and memories for many people. Those that commented online and in person, I thank you for your sharing and candor. Here I was writing a blog to help myself with my own forgiveness issues and it touched so many others... Let's just say that I felt such community with each of you for sharing. We all have pain in our lives and that pain helps up see the joy and beauty clearer.

Something that came up a few times over talking about forgiveness was how for many, a person that was difficult to forgive was a family member. And there was frustration at how we are each "stuck" with our family, which brought up the question of whether we would or wouldn't choose them as friends. Independence Day felt like the right time to write something about all of this.

In yoga studies and many Eastern religions, it is believed that we are born and born again and frequently choose to be born with the same souls repeatedly to work out karma from lives before and to help each other evolve spiritually. Before we are born, our souls choose our parents and some "kindred" others that we spend a lot of time with in this lifetime. It's a hard pill for some of us to swallow that have difficult families, but keep reading and keep and open mind.

If we've been traveling the universe with approximately the same souls over and over, we've each played the role of mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, friend, etc. We've each also, perhaps, played the role of benevolent person or crazy-maker so that our souls can learn what it's like to live that life. Think about the person you find most difficult to forgive. What have you learned from that person? Have they been important in your life and taught you many or any life lessons? Perhaps they have taught you acceptance. Maybe compassion has been the lesson.

Still difficult to wrap your head around? I'll give you a personal example. Some of you know that I have a strained relationship with my mother. I whole-heartedly believe that I chose her as my mother. I needed to learn all the lessons that she taught me directly AND indirectly just by being who she is. I learned to speak out for injustice, because she set that example for us when we were young. I also learned how to be independent, because I had to care for myself often. She taught me that every living creature deserves compassion, which led to my choice to be a vegetarian and practice ahimsa. Ironically, she was adamantly opposed to my vegetarian choice, but she had already taught me to fight for a cause and I won that battle with her and she followed my lead over time and became a pescatarian (mostly vegetarian, but eats fish).

Consider ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriends. Each of my ex's taught me about how I wanted to be treated and what I wanted in a husband. Though I am not with them now, I chose them, because I had some lesson to learn about relationships. For better or worse, each one was vital in the process and path that led me to my husband. But I don't need them in my life anymore. This is what happens sometimes. We have learned all of our lessons from that person and it is not vital or even necessary to have that person directly in our lives anymore. We can still love them and treasure them from a distance. They will always be part of our soul.

At the end of the day, my mother and I currently do not even speak to each other. So why would I choose that so long ago? Forgiveness is something I continue to work through amongst other feelings, but I have faith that this is all part of the plan I made before I was born. For better or for worse, she did the best that she was capable of doing in raising me and my sisters. Whatever level of balance, imbalance, success or failure I or my sisters are in, it was all preparing us for the next phase and phases of life. I'm an adult now and at this point in my life, I don't "need" parents. I can figure things out for myself and have my own family now. They both were the parents they were, because that is exactly what I needed and wanted back then to grow and be prepared for this lifetime and all that has happened and is yet to come. Most of us don't have the TV parents, because those parents wouldn't teach us a darned thing about life and reality.

Our evolving souls must continue moving forward, growing and evolving. According to yoga and Eastern religious scriptures, that is why we are here. We choose the souls that will teach us what we need and want to learn in this lifetime. Be open to the lessons in life and have compassion for those around you, but especially for yourself. You are living the life you chose. And if you're not, it's up to you to change your mind and make some changes.

In class, I always thank you all for coming to class and giving and being who you are. I truly believe that we are all in each other's lives for a reason and I am grateful for that presence. The purpose is not always clear, but I'm glad I chose each of you.

Forgiveness

2011-05-14T10:10:00.008-04:00

Forgiveness. When I see this word or even hear it, I twinge a little inside. In fact, it has taken me two weeks to complete this blog posting, because this is such a difficult yet important subject.

Being a yogi is a journey, like anything else. None of us are perfect, and therein lies the perfection of humanity. So why is it so hard to forgive some people in our lives? I'm not sure if I can answer that question in a blog, but for me, I sometimes feel that the parts of myself that I don't like or have trouble "forgiving" are the same parts of other people that I have trouble forgiving. Or maybe it's a fear of letting go of the anger or fear of forgetting the wrong that was done. I know in my life that fear is something I am finding easier to release these days, but I still struggle with forgiveness. I'm not even sure I understand what it means to forgive.

The definition of forgive is:

1. to pardon absolve.

2. to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.)

3. to grant pardon to (a person)

So is that the problem? Is it that the definition itself basically says that we absolve the person of responsibility or guilt? The whole thought of forgiveness and my unsettled feelings about it caused me to reflect deeper on it.

In yoga philosophy, we have Ahimsa - non-violence, non-injury, harmlessness. Ahimsa is not merely non-killing. In its truest form it is to abstain from even the slightest harm to any living creature, through deed, mentally, or verbally. This includes abstaining from harming of yourself. By injuring others you injure your own self and/or God's creation. In order to practice Ahimsa, one must have patience, forgiveness, and self-control. (There's that forgiveness again!) In practicing Ahimsa, ideally, one should be able to withstand insults, rebukes, and verbal assaults. One who practices Ahimsa abstains from retaliation, ill will or harm to anyone.

If we all practiced Ahimsa, it's as if any attacks on us or wrong-doings just roll off. Like forgiveness just repels the wrong and all is well with the universe. Can that be so? Can we, as humans, actually attain such a wonderful concept?

Growing up, I always heard that if you forgive someone, you are actually forgiving yourself. If you hold on to anger, you are harming yourself, so forgiveness helps you let go of the anger, the pain and the wrong itself. It sounds lovely, but I think some of us choose to hold it so we don't forget. Or maybe we use our non-forgiveness as a shield to protect ourselves from other similar or same wrongs. Or perhaps holding on to that anger or wrong is letting it fester inside and keeping that ugliness with us. If we let it go, we are free.

There is a meditation in Buddhism and also used in yoga called a metta meditation. This is a loving kindness meditation where we focus on love and share it with ourselves, our loved ones, neighbors and even enemies, as well as the entire universe. This is what forgiveness is all about! If we can send love and kindness to our enemies, we are free. When we can recognize the humanity, the perfection of our souls mirroring each other and connected to each other in this world, forgiveness can be as easy as saying "Bless you," when someone sneezes. It's not easy, even for a yogi or yogini. But when I open my eyes to the big picture that we are all walking this Earth together, on our own paths and journeys and bumping into each other or walking together for a while, it makes forgiveness much less scary.

Start small. Meditate on yourself and see what lies within your heart that you haven't forgiven about yourself. Whether it's those extra few pounds you've been carrying, or that cake you just ate, or the driver you just flipped the bird, forgive yourself for your actions and reactions. It is all part of the various sides and shades of you and at your deepest, purest self, you are not only okay, you are perfect.

Grace Under Pressure

2011-04-14T15:22:00.002-04:00

In yoga, we are often challenged by life's distractions. Whether it is in a balancing pose on the yoga mat or struggling to meditate in the quietest place you can find. It's hard to find your inner grace and poise in these moments. Frustration easily sets in and, almost immediately, negative energy courses throughout our bodies and suddenly, we are...well, less than yogic.

Recently, I noticed how, just when we need them, life throws little opportunities to find grace. And sometimes, we are faced with tremendous challenges where we have no choice but to find grace and faith to lead us back to balance. I made this discovery when I heard about parents in my neighborhood that have an 18-month old daughter and found out that they both have stage 3 and stage 4 cancer within 10 days of each other. This family can teach us all a lesson about grace.

The Bond Family not only has grace, but they also have more courage, tenacity, faith and love than I have possibly ever seen. To me, it's as if some karmic god gave them the name "Bond" because it would poetically be the medicine to get them through this difficult time. Their Bond of family and love, hope and courage, friendship--friends raising funds to help them cover all their expenses while they cannot work, friends cooking, baking and collecting donated dishes so they don't have to worry about cooking, friends watching their daughter, friends visiting--and community--an entire neighborhood volunteering, donating and scrambling to do whatever they can to help.

This family's story sounds like a Lifetime movie, but THIS IS REAL LIFE. I had a hard time wrapping my head around it at first and when I realized that I actually had crossed paths with the mother, I nearly fell on the floor. I thought, "How could this happen?" "What will they do?"

So what do you do in a situation like this? You keep living your life. You do everything you can to keep living your life, to grow old, take vacations, see your child go to preschool, graduate college, etc. You do! The Bonds do everything they can to rid their bodies of cancer, heal and live.

In the yoga scriptures, one of the yamas is fearlessness or abhaya. When someone has cancer, fear has to be released before the healing can begin. In the summer of 2005, on the same day we found out we were pregnant with our second child, we also found out that my husband, Greg, had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. My world came crashing down, as we had a 15 month old daughter and fear took over and I saw myself caring for two children without my husband. I did not even allow myself to celebrate that I was pregnant. All I could see was dread and wonder why.

My husband, on the other hand, as shocked as he was about the cancer diagnosis, was thrilled that I told him about the pregnancy test before the doctor called, because it gave him hope. As soon as he received the doctor's bad and poorly delivered news, Greg knew he had to stick around for his daughter and unborn child. Fear was not an option. Faith was the only choice and my husband focused on the healing.

2005 and early 2006 are a blur in many ways. I like to think that maybe I've deleted some of the memories from my "hard drive", but it's easy to pull up the archives and remember giving my husband shots in his belly so his body had a fighting chance against dying from a simple cold. The howls he would let out as the injection burned into his bones are there in the archives too. We took very few pregnancy photos for that pregnancy. No cute baby belly hugs: Greg had no hair, no eyebrows and looked gaunt. The worst were the times that my husband had a PET Scan and he couldn't hold my daughter, who adored and still adores her father.

It was a rough time, but once I released the fear and hopped on board with Greg, we believed in his healing and we took each day as a blessing and did what we had to do to make it through. The Universe, God, Walt Disney, whoever your higher power is--and even atheists would find some kind of higher power I would guess--you have to find that grace to carry on.

So when I'm struggling with the day's challenges or feeling angry or fearful, I turn to thoughts of Elisa and Nathan Bond and even back to the time when my own husband was going through cancer and realize that my struggles today are specks in comparison. I take my inspiration from all of them, brush off the fear and carry on with my day, thankful that I have it.

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You can find out more about the Bond Family at http://www.friendsofnathanandelisa.blogspot.com/ You can also donate to them on that site. I'm also taking donations for them so they can do online grocery shopping at FreshDirect. You can donate at http://shantibaby.com/reg.htm

Namaste

Baby Yoga

2011-03-14T14:23:00.004-04:00

I may be a little delayed in my response to the viral YouTube video of a Russian woman claiming to do "Baby Yoga" by swinging around a two-week old baby by its limbs. I was so appalled by the idea of it, that I couldn't even stomach watching it at first and cringed when I finally did see it.

Thankfully, most links have been shut down by YouTube to take away from the attention this woman has been getting. I don't think, after seeing this video, that there is a fuzzy line of whether this is abuse or not. New mothers can't leave the hospital without receiving and reading a pamphlet about Shaken Baby Syndrome, so why would what this woman does be okay? And how in the world can she claim that this is any form of yoga?

Yoga comes from the word yoke meaning to unite. There are many ideas or concepts that come with a deeper practice or understanding of yoga and one of them is ahimsa or non-harming. Call me opinionated or just call me a mom, but I believe all babies should be nurtured, cuddled and held close. This is just part of what one of my Mama & Baby Yoga classes includes. We also incorporate stretches and poses that stimulate baby's brain and body development. There's also lots of singing and smiles. All of this seems to be absent from what this woman labels "Baby Yoga".

Nowhere in my training as a yoga teacher, experience as a mother or morality as a human being do I find the acts in the video to be any form of baby yoga, safe, stimulating or anything other than abuse.

When and if you are looking for a true baby yoga class, ask questions about the teacher, his/her training, style and the makeup of the class (ages of babies, ratio of moms and dads, etc.). Ask questions about how babies participate in class and the interactions. And, of course, what I tell all my mommies is to trust your instincts and if a class, pediatrician, babysitter or baby yoga teacher doesn't feel right for you, trust your maternal instincts. Your baby chose you as its protector and parent, so trust yourself as much as that baby trusts you. And I thank all the parents who have chosen me as their yoga teacher.

When it's Time to Relax

2009-09-21T16:15:00.004-04:00

In these times, we are all finding it more and more difficult to find or make time to relax. Many more of my students are coming to class requesting more shoulder stretches and stress relief poses. As this economy continues to challenge all of us and the many worries of life weigh on our shoulders, it's important to carve out time to relax. Yoga is one way.

The practice of Asanas (yoga poses) is actually a preparation of the body, mind and soul for meditation. Each teacher creates a series of poses in a particular order to ready the body to relax and open the door to meditation. In class or in home practice, we might notice ourselves "in the moment" in a pose, when we are just thinking about our breathing or where a knee is pointing, contracting the pelvic floor and relaxing the shoulders. All of this is meditative itself, because our minds and bodies are existing in that moment. We are living each experience of that pose and the time in that pose. We are taking time to not only do a pose and to breathe in the pose, but to breathe deeply into our bodies. Not an easy task in our fast-paced society.

Over the course of the day, when stress sets in, we tend to slow our breath and take shallow or staccato breaths. This may seem to be less strenuous on the body, but we are actually taking in less oxygen and releasing less toxins. In class, you may notice that sometimes I will mention the bottom of our lungs and taking the breath all the way down. How many times a day do you catch yourself actually using your whole lungs to breathe?

So how can we learn to relax? Taking a yoga class once or twice a week is a great start. Incorporating yoga into life at home is even more helpful. Using yoga breath during those moments when we catch ourselves holding our breath or shallow breathing is great too. Starting on the path to meditation is a wonderful way to alleviate stress and to relax. There are many different paths to meditate and each person has one or more different ones that get them there. In my class, you may have noticed I often use guided imagery for relaxation and meditation. It is possibly the path or least resistance to get one's mind to accept the peace and tranquility of meditation.

Guided imagery is when someone guides you through peaceful images to direct your mind so that all other thoughts will fall to the side and your body, mind and soul can relax. When the mind is focused on one thing, and the person being guided is listening carefully to follow the path or instructions, the mind becomes a follower rather than a leader. This usually results in relaxation and, with practice, meditation.

Other ways to relax are listening to music, exercise, reading a good piece of fiction or poetry or taking a nature walk. All of these are very "in the moment" activities and direct your mind on the task at hand rather than all your worries and to-do lists of the day or week. Find your moments or make them. It is recommended that we meditate (or relax) a minimum of 10 minutes a day to feel the benefits in our lives.

If you want to learn more about meditation or just want to relax, visit one of my classes any Thursday night at 7:45pm at 275 90th Street or specifically come to the Meditation/Healing Circle class on Monday 9/28 at 7:45pm at 275 90th Street.

Summertime Blues

2009-08-06T11:52:00.003-04:00

Who else out there has the summertime blues this summer? We've had strange weather patterns (all over the country) and just about everyone I know has had allergies or some kind of respiratory illness that won't go away. All this moisture in the air is causing mold in the environment and irritating lungs all over.

I think about the brides that have been planning their weddings for months and months to now have to bite those once perfect nails when their big day approaches. "Will it rain?" I have a wedding photographer friend who probably had a lot of challenges with photos during the very wet month of June.

But there are always things to be happy about. The beach. Smiling and laughing children. Dogs wagging tails. Yoga. A good night's sleep. These are things that make me smile and glow. It's important to find the silver lining or gleam of sun through the clouds each day. Just like I ask my students to thank themselves every day, I take a moment with my family every day to pick something I'm thankful for (we all do). It makes the day seem brighter, no matter how dark, dreary or depressing it was.

I was recently invited to a Facebook quiz that asked me if I would prefer a life of peace and quiet. It was a silly quiz in all other aspects, but I really took pause at this question and realized that peace and quiet was fine after I die--MAYBE--but here, I want to have challenge and excitement. As hard as it is, it's important for us to celebrate the darker shades we experience in life, if only to enjoy the bright moments that much more. If it were all peace and daisies, we'd be pretty bored. No struggle, no motivation. No motivation, no growth. No growth...what's the point? At least that's how I feel about it. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your life and all the people in it.

Please feel free to share your opinions and comments.

20 Years Ago Today (June 25th)...

2008-06-25T16:34:00.005-04:00

I have to start off on a tangent that I can't believe I haven't blogged since April. That is obscene. But it has been a busy spring and summer so far, so I apologize.

That said, today is a glorious day! Why? Well why not? It's sunny, dry and gorgeous outside. Both of my kids have said they love me and I've been showered with enough hugs, kisses and tickles to last a lifetime. Still, the really special thing about today is that 20 years ago today (well, 20 years and one month ago), I made the life-changing decision and commitment to become a vegetarian.

Over the years, many people have asked me why. Usually they ask me this over a meal when they are cutting into their steak (gasp) or (swoon) veal. I always respond with, "Do you really want to know?" Though there are many reasons I went veg, the main one was moral. I felt a hypocrite for saying I loved animals and considering myself a humane person. I was unable to go kill an animal for food, yet could eat one that was on my plate. That felt wrong in my soul.

In my teen years, this stirred things up in my home. I'm sure my parents thought it was just a phase and if they kept serving me meat, I would yield. I did not. They forgot that as a very young child I asked about meat and where it came from. I heard the word "vegetarian" on a TV sitcom [this is a story in itself] and asked what it meant. I wanted to be one too. At that age, I was told: "Eaty your meaty." So I would chew and chew and just couldn't swallow. It was a battle with my family; it was a battle with my soul. Whenever I thought about what I was doing, I couldn't bear to eat it.

So years later, when I was still inquisitive and a rather resourceful teenager (with no Internet mind you), I researched vegetarianism and learned about factory farming and made a final decision to stop eating meat immediately. I was doing my part to say no to the torture, say no to the hypocrisy that I felt and bring peace to my heart and soul. I was saying yes to life and yes to love.

Back to my family...They were less than supportive. I was served meat sauce and told to "eat around it." I started making my own healthy vegetarian dishes to avoid the conflict. The moment they finally took me seriously was Thanksgiving, when I refused to eat turkey or the stuffing that was cooked inside of it. I wanted no part. It was about that time that my younger sister began to follow suit.

Over the next few years, the changes in my life were quite amazing. I got healthier in body, mind and spirit. I started touching on inner peace and strength that I wasn't aware I had. Was this an affirmation or thank-you from God or all those animal spirits I spared? I don't know for sure, but I felt righteous since I knew my conscious was lighter from the choices I made.

By the time I left home, my mother had come to the vegetarian side too. I think she liked not having to cook dinner anymore, because I had taken over the kitchen a shift ahead of our traditional dinnertime. Now that I am a mother, I understand how nice it would be to have someone else take over making meals.

Both my sister and mother have since slid into eating fish, but I am still strictly: no faces, no pulse, no kidding. In fact, my mother recently offered fish from her plate for me to taste. I had to laugh inside, because even 20 years later, she still doesn't fully get it. Then again, does any one person "get" any other fully? Maybe that's what life is all about, exploring the nuances and facets of each other. We learn from each other and discover things about ourselves in the process. It's part of life's journey.

A few people have commented when I tell them how long I've been veg and say, "Oh, you were a vegetarian before it was 'in'." Yes I was and it wasn't easy, but I am thrilled that it is now in fashion, because it makes it much easier to eat out, be understood and save animals and the planet (yes, there are global benefits to going vegetarian). My older, carnivorous sister's boyfriend is going vegetarian and leading my die-hard beef-loving sister on the same path. She's juicing for crying out loud! This is a woman who could only eat broccoli if it was mushy not all that long ago. Times change...people change.

Without getting into faith or religion, I will say that vegetarianism has enhanced mine and vice versa. Who I was at 16: The girl who passed her driving test and drove to the library to take out books to debate her mother on vegetarianism is still alive. That girl evolved into who I am now. I have grown, matured, relaxed, had many life changing experiences and found inner peace--something I was desperate to find back then.

Is vegetarianism for everyone? Not necessarily. I think it was with me from birth. Being able to remember that sitcom and not being able to swallow, it was all part of my path, my journey. And as I continue on this journey, I make a smaller global footprint in the sand...

Earth Day 2008

2008-04-22T08:54:00.002-04:00

Today is Earth Day. I've been celebrating the earth for as long as I can remember. When Al Gore's movie came out, I waited until all the credits finished to find out how I could help and saw that I had already been doing everything for about two decades--well, except unplugging everything in my home.

I remember in the 80's and 90's when Earth Day was HUGE and there were big concerts in the Park. These days though there's a lot of talk about the environment and global warming, I don't hear that much about this day.

Since it falls the day before my birthday every year, it's kind of easy for me to remember. I've also been a tree-hugger and recycler since my teen years. My teenage rebellion was planting 10 trees from Arbor Day Foundation in my parents backyard and becoming a vegetarian (a plant-based diet leaves a much smaller environmental footprint). We cloth diapered my daughter when we lived in a building with a laundry room too. But I'm far from environmentally righteous.

I still drive a gas-guzzling SUV and my family probably watches too much TV, but I do my best. Every day, I look at my children and wonder what's going to be left for them or their children. It's a scary picture sometimes. This Earth Day, take your time and do your best to think about our future and the environment. And be sure to enjoy the beautiful day wherever you are.

Letting Go for New Beginnings

2008-03-13T10:12:00.002-04:00

Wow! That’s how I felt teaching the Live Drumming Yoga class in Park Slope earlier this week. It was a poetic ending to my four years with the gym and ironic that four years ago I took a live drumming class in Manhattan that unblocked my lower two Chakras after a painful and arduous c-section. Monday night's class was packed, as expected, and everyone was ready to work. I didn’t even notice if anyone was sweating, but I could tell that everyone was discovering something about himself or herself between the drum and my calling out poses and demanding breath and a warrior spirit to drive each person forward. One of my students described it as sublime and indeed it was. I truly left class walking on clouds and did not want to go to sleep, because I was so charged from the class. That is what yoga is all about.

Many of my students have been asking why I’m leaving the gym and if this was something sudden or pre-planned. First, it is both planned and sudden. At the close of every year, I get pensive and reflective and almost put myself on an interview asking where I see myself in a year, five years, etc. This year I had two major New Year’s Resolutions and that was 1) to learn all of my students’ names and 2) to open my own yoga studio. The latter I kept a little more quiet, especially in the gym. It is a process and I have been working toward it since January and continue to build my own classes in Bay Ridge and check out spaces that might work for what I want to achieve.

At first, I said to myself and others that I would keep the gym as a safety net even after I open my studio. This made sense when I first said it, but sometimes the universe knows better. I have had some loud and clear messages from people and from my own inner voice over the past several months. I’ve reconnected with the creative writer in myself with the nudge of a passionate and vocal yoga student. I even went to my very first writer’s conference this year thanks to that nudge. At the same time, I have had many frustrations both personally and professionally. When these happen, I believe the universe is asking us to change. We cannot change others, though we’d like to and keep everything else the same. So I meditated and asked for guidance and peace. With the help of a very talented and intuitive Reiki healer, I finally let go of some major baggage and opened myself up to possibilities. This happened about a month ago.

Just about that time, the gym that I have been with for four beautiful and wonderful years, suddenly felt like it didn’t fit anymore. It was like the boyfriend that was a wonderful guy, but we had grown apart and were no longer a good match. The dirty socks on the floor, the feet on the table, everything about “him” was beginning to annoy me. Remember those relationships? It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just the universe asking you to change. You’ve grown. Grown apart and it’s time to move on so you can continue to grow (or stay and be miserable and stagnate). The few weeks after being cleared by Reiki, the messages from the universe were becoming clearer. And then after a weekend of strongly considering leaving my post as yoga teacher at the gym, my husband suggested I meditate on my decision. When I did meditate on it, the message was perfectly clear—like the drums from the Park Slope class—“It’s time to move on, Michelle.” I gave my notice moments after.

In order for me to allow this new venture to begin, I had to release the old. The hardest part of this decision was all of the beautiful and wonderful souls I have met and taught over the past four years. One student has been with me all four years. Some have overcome injuries. Others I have watched grow from beginner yogis into teachers. And many have fallen deeper into a yoga practice far beyond the physical. It has been a beautiful experience for me as a teacher. All of my students have taught me something about themselves, myself and yoga. Yet, I have to have faith that leaving doesn’t mean goodbye and certainly doesn’t mean forever. Whether students move on to find another teacher that can help them grow and learn or they decide to continue practicing with me isn’t as important to me as knowing I have given of myself, I have shared my knowledge and love of yoga and hopefully left yoga in a lot of hearts so that they will continue practicing yoga for life.

Since this was sooner than I had planned, I now have the task of coordinating a new schedule to appeal to the masses and continue to look for a bigger space in Bay Ridge (and maybe even something in Park Slope) that I can hang my own sign on and create a beautiful place to practice yoga. I am so looking forward to this new adventure and evolving as a teacher and yogi myself. I trust that the students that have touched me will remain in my life, terrestrial or spiritual. Thank you for four beautiful years. May this launch another four or more decades of Shanti Baby Yoga.

A Very Good Year

2008-02-06T22:50:00.001-05:00

2008 is already in full force as we are breezing through February.

Did it actually hit 68 degrees today?

I've already seen the first signs of spring: crocus leaves pushing through the ground. I instructed my four year old daughter to note this sign of spring as they are the first flowers to dare burst through the ground and tell us spring is upon us. It has been my sign for spring for many, many years and brings a sense of hope for all the newness, color and life that spring brings with it.

A new year can do the same thing. We are in February, but tomorrow is the Chinese New Year, bringing in the Rat again. I was born in the year of the rat. And though I never did the math when I told myself that my 36th year (yes, in April, it's true) would be a very good year, here it is the year of the rat again. Of course it's going to be a great year!

Call it superstition, astrology or what you want, but really, can't we see every year as a great year? When it starts, we are all hopeful, making resolutions and promises to ourselves and our families. Hopefully, we have picked positive things to focus on, like the one I've stated many times in class of learning all of my students' names.

At the end of last year, I was standing outside of a yoga class with one of my students talking about New Year's Resolutions. She liked that I had a positive one rather than promising to give something up. Of course sometimes there is a need to let things go and make changes, but it's important to notice what we say and how we feel about it. When someone says, "My new year's resolution is to not be such a fat cow," instead of "I'm making healthier food choices and taking more walks," it has an effect on the entire body, mind and soul. Suddenly, this person is not only putting their body on a diet, but their mind lets the body feel it's being denied and the soul is on a diet as well. The way we talk to ourselves or about ourselves to others can bemore harmful than helpful.

If you happened to be in one of my classes where I offered a New Year's meditation, having you focus on something positive that you wish for or want to achieve this year, hopefully you have experienced the liberation and joy in the power of positive thinking. Just like I believe with all of my heart and soul that this year is going to be important and wonderful in my life, I am creating that reality. We can all create that kind of happy buzz throughout the year.

Who said you can only make life resolutions in January? Though I'm keeping my two main resolutions or goals, I've added adendums here and there and completely new goals as well. Life keeps happening, so we have to adapt and make changes everyday. And sometimes, we have to let go of something to let another wonderful thing into our lives. Other times, the universe puts a present right in front of you and you can choose to open it or walk past it. But if you open it, there just might be something completely unexpected, but just right at the perfect time!

My babble has a purpose, I assure you. Though my family and yoga are my two main priorities in life right now, throughout my life I have been writing. I spent many years calling myself a writer and over the past few years let that title fall aside or become an almost secret identity.

Also over the past few years, I have written two children's books, inspired by my daughter. I have dabbled very half-heartedly at submitting them to be published and have let fear of the unknown rule this aspect of my self, my spirit for too long.

This new commitment to positive and being open to the signs and gifts of the universe has drawn me to a children's writers' conference this weekend. I don't know what it means, what I will learn or how it correlates with the rest of my life, but I couldn't ignore the fact that it came up when I was not looking for it at all, and I double-booked both this conference and a class I was supposed to teach (sorry, we'll make it up), yet it feels absolutely right.

Let this be your year too. Spend with me, your family, yourself a year of self discovery, a year of fun, a year of surprises, a year of daring yourself to try new things or reveal your true self to the world. Just like those crocuses, let yourself burst out and say, "Here comes spring! I'm alive! I'm excited to be here. I'm beautiful. And I'm important. Yes, you are.

Happy New Year, happy Chinese New Year, happy Super Tuesday, happy Fat Tuesday, happy Mardi Gras, happy Valentine's Day, happy President's Day... May ALL of your days this year be happy.

The Perfect Pose, the Perfect Yogi: What is Perfection?

2007-12-11T10:56:00.001-05:00

One of my students recently shared his frustration in his yoga practice and finding patience and peace even when he can't get the pose "right". In my classes, I might correct and mantra about where your foot should be, which direction to point your knee and how to place your hands, but yoga, like life, is like a journey. You might also hear me say that I don't mind if you have your own hand position for a pose, because I honor your individuality and love when you find your own power or inner strength in a pose. There are many steps in life and numerous steps in every yoga pose and we build each and every one. But can a pose be perfected?

When I found yoga, I felt like I was home. Home was the only word that came to mind. For years before, I had always said to others and to myself that I wished to find inner peace. This "home" was the path to get me there, I just knew it. A constant thinker, yoga force me to drop my mind clutter and concentrate on the pose, posture, positioning and breath to "get it right" and not fall over.

Sure, my teacher at the time was and still is as flexible as Gumby and could glide into any pose with ease and grace. I liked the challenge and was ready to rise to it and work my body so someday I could also attain that grace and beauty in a pose. As I continued to train, I learned that though my inspirational teacher was able to bend into any pose, she lacked strength and control in some poses and was actually not working all the muscles that she could have been to truly perfect the pose.

We learn about ourselves, our bodies, our minds, our emotions through yoga. In a single pose, you can know if you're having an off day, because you are physically off-balance. If you have a lot of worry on your mind or you're struggling with something from work or at home, it will creep into your yoga. That's just how it goes. We are spiritual beings living a physical experience and in yoga body, mind and spirit work together or against each other. When all three are in alignment, your yoga can be bliss. But at those times when all is chaotic and out of balance, those are the moments when you can discover things about yourself that you didn't know and find peace, forgiveness and even perfection.

"How is that possible?" you might ask. First, we have to define "perfection". The American Heritage Dictionary says it's "an instance of excellence." Even in those moments of shaky Plank Poses or falling Trees, you just might be having a moment of excellence. If you are working with your breath, letting go and being present with yourself, for better or for worse, that can be an enlightening experience. Have you ever been able to forgive yourself for a bad yoga pose? Allowing yourself to just be where you are is liberating.

Last night, I had a new student who had taken off from yoga for three years after an injury. Her physical healing had happened prior, but her emotional healing took longer. Her anger kept her from her yoga practice, something she loved. And now, she is ready and open to the benefits of yoga again. I watched her in class as she worked with her body and patiently rested when she needed to and adapted poses at my advice. It was beautiful to see her surrender and just be. She thanked me after class and I thank her for the gift she gave herself by coming and for choosing my class to come back. To me, that is perfection.

When I was pregnant the first time, I was so frustrated at how my body had less and less ability in yoga. I did not stop going to my traditional yoga classes, so I was "competing" with other teachers or actively practicing yogis. I was hurt when a teacher wouldn't point out my beautiful Fish Pose with Lotus (yes I could still do it pregnant), but would cheer on someone else nearby. I had to remind myself that yoga is not a competition, not even with oneself. Yoga is practice; it is your journey.

By the end of my first pregnancy, I could not even get through one set of Sun Salutations without being very dizzy. Standing poses were great for my pregnant body, but I couldn't hold them for as long anymore. Poses I would pride myself on with challenging variations were now impossible for me.

Teaching had its challenges as well. I could no longer show my students how to do many poses. I had to work with my new body and those obstacles and learn how to teach in a new way. This is the same for students who have had injuries, surgeries, family struggles or even just a bad day. We achieve our own perfection when we practice forgiveness, let go of the frustration and keep going.

Athletes and actors have to keep going no matter what happens. If they fumble, they can't stop and do it over. In yoga, part of the journey is learning to do the same. Millionaires and billionaires will tell you that their failures were the best lessons they had in their life and that there were many. In yoga, those times when you are challenged and struggling can be beautiful.

Pregnancy made me a better teacher, not only for my prenatal students, but for all of my students. I suddenly had to practice everything I had been preaching and teaching before. Breathe through it and stay in the moment. Be with yourself and be patient with yourself.

It is also a practice to take these treasures into day-to-day life. Of course, this is even more difficult and all part of the bigger journey of life. I'm still working on that practice myself. Am I living the "perfect" life? I have a lot to be thankful for and I've had my share of challenges that I can also be thankful for in the strength I have found within. When I step outside of myself and look in, I can see the beauty in the frustrating moments and my flaws. I do not speak in a soothing tone to everyone about everything. And even a non-violent vegetarian can get enraged.

We live in an imperfect world with many different personalities, people, struggles, obstacles and challenges. We have chosen our own paths and most of us are not living in a monastery. We are not gurus living on a hill, meditating all day and spewing words of wisdom when a person ventures up to see us. We are in the dirt, grit and grime of life and what a beautiful life it is, if you allow yourself to breathe, look out into the distance and see it for the wonder that it is.

In the chaos of the holiday season, practice your yoga, practice your breathing and practice patience. We all have challenging relatives to "deal" with. There are expectations and let-downs. Find your own peace. Experience your own "instance of excellence." Discover your bliss this holiday season and enjoy the journey.

Inspiration

2007-11-13T13:11:00.000-05:00

In life and in my classes, I am frequently inspired. Being a mom, I am inspired by my children daily. As a yoga teacher, I am inspired by students who push themselves to break a sweat or delve deeper into their yoga practice outside of class.

The New York City Marathon was November 4th and a new mom won. Only nine months postpartum, this woman trained through her pregnancy and got back in soon after giving birth. Running is her passion and her profession, so this is her number one priority. Even her strongest competition had to nod to the winner by coming back so soon after birth and winning the race.

Right after she won, she ran over to her daughter and husband and kissed them both. This whole family was and is in it together. Full support is a big part of what helped her succeed.

All the news about her mostly talks about her training and her injuries and if it was wise to train through pregnancy as she did and do the marathon so soon after having a baby. Whatever her reasons and choices, she won in so many ways. She proved to herself and the world that it can be done.

Maybe I don't agree with all her choices, myself, but I have to give her credit for such an achievement. She believed in the possibility, visualized the win and created the reality. The power of the mind and willpower is a wonderful thing.

A little closer to home, one of my prenatal yoga students who was carrying twin girls recently gave birth. Her last trimester was a stressful one, as it started with both girls in breech position. She was nervous and worried and wanted to avoid a C-section more than anything else in the world.

I gave her some poses and suggestions to help coax the girls into birthing position and slowly but surely, baby "A" moved head down. Then baby "B" moved transverse (sideways) with her head angled down. About a week before their due date, baby "B" moved head down and the girls were head to head. This was happy news, but there was still a chance that induction or a C-section could be the outcome.

Again, I came back with visualizations, affirmations and lots of encouragement for my student, because I truly believed that she could have the birth she wanted. She already has a two year old delivered vaginally, the path had already been paved for her baby sisters.

On her last doctor's visit before her scheduled induction, she was told that she would not have to be induced after all, because she was already 3cms dilated, contracting and in labor. The next day, she went to the hospital and delivered both girls within three hours.

She thanks yoga for helping her achieve her dream delivery and I second that, because with yoga, she discovered and rely on her inner strength that was already there, she was able to let herself relax, tune into her own body and her girls and create this beautiful birthing experience.

I cheer for both of these women. These women inspire me. For me, they are inspired to achieve their dreams, whatever they might be. What inspires you? How do you inspire others?

As we near Thanksgiving, I am thankful that people like this exist in life and theirs have crossed with my path in life as well. Stepping into the holiday season of potential stress, emotional overlaod and chaos, think of these women who were both able to push all that aside and focus on their goals, their dreams. Follow their lead to inspire and be inspired!

Shanti Mamas: Breastfeeding Part 3: Nursing in Public

2007-09-22T10:12:00.000-04:00

Recently, a woman was shamed into leaving Applebee's restaurant for nursing her baby at her table. Before that, a mother was escorted out of Toys R Us and, somewhere in between, a mother was asked to leave an airplane. I just saw a clip from Bill Maher's show where he says that women nurse in public to get attention and they should plan ahead. I cannot believe this comment by what seems to be an educated person. He says that nursing is an intimate act (suggesting sexuality) and he doesn't want to see that while he's eating. He says that masturbation is intimate and natural, but he doesn't do that in Applebee's either.

Maher's comments are exactly why there has to be a law to allow women to breastfeed wherever they are. There is no planning ahead for a baby who needs to nurse. Just as an adult might spend an entire day away from home and needs to stop for a bite to eat, so does a baby and more often. I have a nursing toddler and I'm thrilled that I have the option of giving him milk if we aren't near somewhere to get him a healthy snack. Breast milk sure beats French fries any day!

But this is the attitude that women in the country have to deal with. Maher actually mentions that it's narcissism in this country that has created this law to allow women to breastfeed wherever so they can say, "Look I made a baby" implying that in other countries women aren't like this. I think Bill hasn't travelled much, because in most other countries, women breastfeed anywhere they want and it's not a big deal. In Europe, women breastfeed longer as well. They don't have an uptight society telling them that they should wean because it's making others uncomfortable.

I grew up in the '80's when Stripes, Bachelor Party, and Porky's 1, 2 and 3 were the big movies. Breasts have been sexualized for as far back as I can remember. I applaud HBO for showing full frontal male nudity, because at least women aren't the only ones anymore. But I have to dispel this myth that breastfeeding is some kind of sexual act that should be done in private. Is it intimate? It is extremely wonderful and can be very intimate for a mother to know she is nourishing her baby. When a mother is feeding her baby the perfect, most nutritious and digestible food for her baby, sharing antibodies, building her immunity, helping him become a strong, healthy human being, she can feel an enormous swell of love. Intimate--yes, but not in a sexual way.

For me, nursing my baby is just something I do. My son is nearly 18 months and I am happy to give him the strong nutritional foundation his little body needs. Does it make me uncomfortable to nurse him in public? Well only when misguided, opinionated onlookers make it something it's not.

Once I started nursing my children, my breasts had no sexual value to me whatsoever and that goes for most women. Suddenly, a light goes off in your head and it's like, "Oh, this is what they're for!" In the same breath, I do not want my nipple to pop out in public while I'm breastfeeding, but on a very rare occasion, only if an onlooker is watching very carefully and close by, there might be a glimpse. In 99% of occasions, more breast can be seen on Jennifer Tilly on Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Cover up with Applebee's "privacy blankets"? Well most babies don't want to be covered up while they eat. Would you? I tried this with both my babies and neither accepted this. It's hot and dark under a blanket. They are people and want to engage with other people. At the very least, they want to see mom while nursing. Babies communicate mostly on a body level as infants and if they can't see you and you can't see them, they cannot let you know if they are okay or need something.

There are numerous cover-ups on the market for nursing babies, some I actually think are great. For the most part, they aren't necessary unless a mom is very body conscious herself, not too confident that she can be discreet or just doesn't want to deal with society. Why should moms be embarrassed or shamed to do what the American Medical Association, World Health Organization and the American Pediatric Association say all women should do for at least the first year of a baby's life? Sorry, society, if that makes you uncomfortable, but I love my kids and with both, I committed to nursing both a minimum of a year and assessed it every few months after that to see if it still made sense for us to continue.

I will admit that before I had my own children, the idea of nursing older toddlers made me a little uncomfortable. I knew people who had preschoolers and were still nursing. I wondered why they didn't pump instead. Well now I know the truth about pumping and how unresponsive the human body is to produce milk for a machine. (Hey cows, now I know why factory farmers are pumping you full of hormones.) I also didn't know that nursing a child over age two is something that happens here and there, maybe just at night or nap time. No big deal and it's not hurting anyone.

In my Mama & Shanti Baby Yoga class, it can sometimes seem like a nurse-in. I didn't realize the safe haven I was giving to my students until one said that she loved coming because she had a place where she felt comfortable nursing her son. In my class, we celebrate the bond between mother and baby. We smile at nursing babies and laugh at how they all want to join in once the smell of mother's milk hits the air. Bill Maher, breastfeeding is a beautiful, natural thing to do. And if you believe every animal/living creature has a right to humane treatment and compassion, back off the babies and pick on someone your own size.

Yoga in the News

2007-09-19T09:56:00.000-04:00

This week alone, I have had people sending me links and copies of articles they've read about yoga. Yoga has gained popularity over the years and, like chiropractic care, has become less feared and more accepted as mainstream for health and fitness.

On a recent episode of Oprah, Dr. Mehmet Oz gave his "90-Day Life Longer, Feel Younger Plan" and yoga was right on top of the list. Dr Oz says that yoga is important for flexibility, strength and breathing, and in the long run, longevity. Combined with a healthy diet, daily walks and weight training, we can all live healthier, longer lives. (http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/youdocs/youdocs_90plan.jhtml)

A Newsweek article (August 20/27th, 2007 issue) sheds some light on some yoga fusion classes, like Acrobatic Yoga and yoga with your dog. Though some fusion classes may seem like they have diverged a little too far from the heart of yoga, there is a class and style for everyone. And I share Dr. Oz's opinion that yoga is good for everyone. No matter what age or ability, there is a class out there for you.

For example, even my Mama and Shanti Baby Yoga class might seem outrageous to some purists, because we sing silly songs and laugh and play in class. However, at the core of the class, it's all yoga, because the moms are tuning into their own bodies as well as connecting to their babies. It's actually a great base for meditation and attaining peace. Of course there are some moms who might not agree, but this is not the class for them. Just as a nude yoga (yes, nude yoga does actually exist) wouldn't feel right for me.

With more celebrities and sports stars doing yoga, we will continue to see yoga in the media. I'm happy with the trend and the attention yoga is getting. In my eyes, it can only bring more yoga to more people and that is an opportunity to bring peace and enlightenment to everyone. Though some classes might seem extreme or "unpure" rest assured that we will all be able to find the yoga that best suits each inner yogi.

So if you're intrigued to try a fusion yoga class, want to ask me about one or want me to teach one, let me know. Share your comments or email me.

Have a happy and peaceful day!

Harvard Study: Babies in Bed and Crying It Out

2007-09-02T22:10:00.000-04:00

I recently red an article posted on one of the parenting message boards I subscribe to. (http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/04.09/ChildrenNeedTou.html) The study was conducted by two Harvard Medical School researchers studying the effects of letting infants cry, specifically crying themselves to sleep or otherwise known as CIO or crying-it-out. It also studies the benefits of co-sleeping (babies sleeping in bed with their parents).

The researchers say that children need touch and attention and that parents not responding to cries can lead to post-traumatic stress and panic disorders in adulthood. The study shows that responding to cries and co-sleeping does not create dependence issues, but the reassurance they feel from such response and touch createds a more secure and confident person with the ability to form healthy relationships as adults.

They took a unique approach and took into account cultural differences as well. In other countries and cultures, mothers, and sometimes both parents, sleep with their babies and toddlers.

Teaching Mommy & Baby Yoga, I know a lot of moms and many of them whisper that they are co-sleeping. One of my students admitted to me that she was relieved when I asked her directly if she co-slept and she didn't feel like it was so wrong if there was a name for it and I was asking so casually as if there was nothing wrong with it.

I admit that before I became a parent and heard my sister was doing it, I was put off. But once I had my own child and she would cry EVERY SINGLE TIME I put her down anywhere but our bed, I discovered why this was the right thing to do. She had lived nine months inside of me, with me at EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. Why wouldn't she want to continue to be close, warm and SAFE? I immediately called my sister to apologize for the error in my judgement years earlier.

The truth is, there isn't anything wrong with it. Other countries and cultures have been doing it for centuries. And that's what this study is saying. I LOVE that we moms can finally take co-sleeping out of the "shame closet" and be proud! With both of my kids, I have co-slept at least part time, but my own mother has always been against it. So I would edit my conversations with her and leave details out so I didn't have to deal with the judgement.

Sadly, our society is very big on convenience and distance and I had bought into it..at least partially. Many of us do have a fear of intimacy. We pride ourselves on our independence and strength. This doesn't mean that we can't let our pink underbelly, our softer side show. If we each felt loved, completely loved and safe, we could love ourselves and each other. We would feel and show compassion for each other and create such a different society. No war, no need for arms, no more global warming.

I myself was raised without a lot of physical affection and contact. I used to go through life doing my best to be independent and invisible. Many life experiences, the hard ones, as well as very important people in my life, yoga, marriage and parenthood helped me get over my own ego and let the world in.

Now, I am a proud parent, a yoga teacher--both very public and both very intimate and exposed. I put my heart and soul into everything I do as an adult. And it's not because I got that much needed touch as an infant, but because I had to overcome that and struggle through life and discover that little girl and love her myself in order to become this Michelle.

I've made a lot of people uncomfortable with the more touchy-feely, open Michelle, (mostly family) but I've also found many more like-minded, spirited people, my husband and children included. My children, my daughter--the first, so she paved the way--demanded to be raised a certain way and led me to become a more prominent mom and person in the community. With a super outgoing personality, she helped me "get over myself" and the distance I was putting between myself and others.

We can learn so much from our children. My children taught me exactly how they wanted to be raised--with love, affection, ahimsa, honesty and integrity, sprinkled with boundaries and discipline. I scoop my kids up and hug them when they are crying. They sleep in bed with us when they want or need to. And anyone who meets our children tells us what good, nice, caring, beautiful and wonderful people they are. I celebrate life through their eyes--everything is great, everyone is nice, people are good and kind and I'm so happy to be here right now.

Summer Storms

2007-08-11T08:05:00.000-04:00

Recently, a student commented on a love for thunderstorms. We've had some really great ones around here lately (one was accompanied by a tornado here in Bay Ridge!). The comment made me start thinking and brought me back to childhood. Then thunderstorms were more scary, with my sister who was terrified of the dark, clinging to a flashlight in preparation for a power outage.

In my teens, I don't know that I cared much about thunderstorms at all. Maybe they were comforting when I was brooding and helped mirror my moods, perhaps inspiring some prose or poetry.

By college, thunderstorms were completely exciting and romantic! Always a fan of nature, the sounds and sight of a thunderstorm definitely inspired creativity: thunder like a symphony, lightning like a Pink Floyd laser light show at the planetarium. (Is that to Long Island of a statement?) At that time, rain was even fun to walk in. The whole scene just reeked of a romantic comedy.

Around that time I was introduced to yoga and meditation and the sound of thunderstorms were very soothing to me. I still have a thundering rainstorm CD from that time and it has often helped me tune in or tune out and relax. The sound of rain on a rooftop is very mantra-like. It's so easy to focus on the "tap-tap" sound and let go of everything else.

These days there's a little bit of all my past feelings that come up for a thunderstorm. Late at night when the thunder is booming and wakes both me and my toddler up, I worry about what these mega storms mean in terms of global warming. I find myself counting from the sound of thunder to the sight of lightning to see how close by it is. Will there be damage? After all, it has set off at least one car alarm.

The rain makes me sad when I think that my kids are going to be indoors that day and we'll all be a little frustrated. But the romance of the storm still gets to me! Getting up in the middle of the night to watch the lightning in the quiet of my apartment, smiling out my window at Mother Nature seems almost like a scene from Moonstruck. I feel the vastness of the universe and have perspective of how small yet significant my presence is here.

OMazing!

2007-07-13T20:21:00.000-04:00

I had a great week with my classes. It was a busy week with subbing and taking a class of one of my students who just earned her certification and taught her first adult class. It was great to see a student come full circle and become the teacher. Though I always say that my students give me and teach me as much as I share with them, this is a first. I am so happy for her and excited about her new path.

On Wednesday's prenatal class, we had a great dialogue about how to pick a hospital over a birthing center and how to manage pain without an epidural. It was a great class and we have some newcomers that jumped right in too.

In Mama and Baby Yoga this week, the babies were completely happy and in sync and one of my moms was able to relax so much in relaxation that I'm pretty sure she left her body for a bit. Not an easy task for anyone, let alone a mom. I was pleased that whatever imagery I shared helped her get there. It's a nice place to go to when you can make a visit!

The most exciting class this week was in Park Slope on Monday night. It was a full class and just about every spot on the floor was full. There were quite a few new faces as well as regulars. The energy in the room felt different right away and once we started with the Oms, I was practically levitating off the floor!

Everyone was completely in tune and the whole room was vibrating. That dictacted the class and the energy continued to flow in a very exciting way, people really tuning into their own body and breath. Noisy, deep breathing throughout the room and complete focus! I swear you could see the energy in the room.

By relaxation time, everyone seemed to be going even further inward and the final Oms of the class were like a rainbow inside my head and heart. If you take my class, traditionally, your eyes should be closed when you chant "Om" so that you are focusing inward. I keep my eyes closed through most of relaxation and the Oms, except to check the clock, to give my students privacy and honor their space. With my eyes closed and Oming with the class, I had swirls of colors and my entire body was vibrating with energy. It was beautiful and an Om-azing experience!

If you missed Monday's class, sorry you missed it. I hope it wasn't an isolated incident, though it's not something that can be recreated by one person. I'm glad the new students were able to be part of it, sharing and receiving.

Thank you and Namaste,
Michelle

Shanti Mama and Breastfeeding Part 2: How Long is Too Long?

2007-04-26T23:07:00.000-04:00

I was planning on making the the Part 3 of this breastfeeding series of blogs, but recent events have pushed it ahead of nursing in public. Misinformation is a pet peeve of mine and there seems to be a lot of it out there, so here's some info that you might not know. If I'm giving opinion, I'll let you know...

During the first year of life, babies thrive on breast milk and the American Medical Association (AMA) promotes that (even if your pediatrician might tempt you to wean earlier). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends two years. Another fact is that the companies that make formula actually state on their labels that breast milk is best, even though they might lure breastfeeding mothers with free samples, bags, coupons and other marketing tactics.

As a yoga teacher of moms, expectant moms and as a mom myself, I know lots of other moms, some breastfeed some don't. I support a woman's decision to do what's best for her family and that includes baby, herself and husband. It's hard to breastfeed when you don't have the support of your extended family, but even harder when you don't have the support of your husband.

For those who have started or intend to breastfeed, know that our society is very uncomfortable with breastfeeding. Though it is the most natural, beautiful thing in the universe, feeding and nurturing your baby, many people are embarrassed by breasts. Maybe if we showed less female nudity in movies, breasts wouldn't be so sexualized, but nursing is not sexual! (More about this next blog...) Even many pediatricians are uncomfortable with breastfeeding.

I have had friends, students and neighbors tell me of their pediatricians encouraging them to wean early, painfully and for, in my humble opinion, the wrong reasons. The AMA recommends infants are breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life. That means no solids or supplements introduced for optimum health. This does not mean that at six months everyone should wean their babies, though I have heard of many pediatricians encouraging just that. Others who have braved the "wrath" of their pediatricians have been told that at a year, breast milk "thins out" and is not as nutritious as cow's milk. Ridiculous, untrue and no factual evidence exists whatsoever to support this statement. HUMAN MILK is PERFECT for HUMANS to drink; Cow's milk is perfect for COWS!

The fact is that breast milk changes with the needs of your child. So as your child grows, your supply changes to meet her needs. A mother's body produces antibodies to disease and illness that she and her breastfeeding child are exposed to. By a baby putting mouth to breast, the machine that is the human body processes--through baby's saliva--any exposure to germs and mom's body starts working to fight off the bad guys. Coincidentally, mom is healthier too, because she's fighting off illnesses that she is exposed to as well as baby! During growth spurts and teething, breast milk acts as an extra defense to a weakened immune system. It also, apparently, changes with baby as they go through developmental changes (nervous system, musculoskeletal, etc.). There is nothing in existence that is more nutritious for any age baby than his own mother's milk.

Breast milk has been linked to reduced ear infections, asthma, need for antibiotics and many other childhood concerns. In addition, breast milk has even been linked to curing cancer! This was a study by a graduate student preparing for a NIH grant who found that cancer cells were exploding when they were exposed to human breast milk.

So we all understand the health benefits, but the psychological benefits are astronomical too. The bonding emotionally with mom is wonderful for your baby. It is a special time that is like no other. For those 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes that you might spend nursing your baby, you and your baby are completely tuned in to each other. This is very yogic, because you are both committing to being in the present moment--a wonderful, meditative experience. Your blood pressure decreases, you breathe more deeply, you both relax. Ever notice how sleepy you both get while nursing? It's great for your body, mind and spirit. Babies that are breastfed have the tendency to be better adjusted, happier, healthier, even smarter in later years. Many studies have been done, I'm just making a statement that exists out there.

Now I don't want to start an uproar, because I have known formula fed babies who are quite smart too, but I have noticed personally that breastfed babies are often meeting their developmental milestones earlier. That's not scientific, just a personal observation in a small, small area of my personal life.

As for when to wean, it's a personal choice and for me it was led by my daughter the first time. I had committed to breastfeeding for her first year while I was pregnant and figured I'd go by her lead if she wanted to stop before or after. At a year, it was clear she wasn't ready and I was completely fine with continuing. At around 15/16 months, I was getting to the point of wanting to stop. It turns out that I was pregnant and so breastfeeding had become uncomfortable for me and difficult for her, because my supply took a big dip. We continued through to 19 1/2 months with her slowly weaning herself, likely out of disappointment with the little reward for a lot of effort. For my son, I knew it would be as long or longer and he's 15 months and going strong. For him, my intention is 18 months for sure and we'll see what he decides after that.

They all do eventually wean. Though there are some strange comedy bits on You Tube about adults breastfeeding, children stop when they are ready. Maybe I was a thumb-sucker because I was weaned too early. Who knows. Again, it's all about what's right for you and your baby.

The American Pediatric Association says the first year and as long as is reasonable for baby and mother after that. In some countries women are given a full year of maternity leave because it is expected that they will nurse their child for at least that long. The World Health Organization says age two is the magic number, but there are studies and info out there that says it is fine if not good for toddlers and preschoolers to continue. Of course there are stigmas attached to it, but even if a mother pumped milk for her 3, 4 or 5 year old, who would know? Heck, a woman saved her daughters' lives by nursing them both for nine days while she was trapped in a blizzard in a car! Her daughters were seven months and four years old. Her husband died trying to go for help. If it weren't for the perfect nutrients in mother's milk, her daughters would not have survived that long or at all.

I'm happy when I hear my students, friends and neighbors have breastfed even for a little while. It truly is best for all babies. And I admire and bow in reverence to those moms who couldn't/can't breastfeed, yet choose to exclusively pump for the welfare of their babies. Pumping is a very difficult task! (Again, another topic.) And to those moms who can induce lactation for adopted babies, well you deserve your own holiday in my eyes. That is commitment of an angelic kind.

This blog is intended with love and to share my own experiences and the knowledge I've acquired over the years that I've been a mother. I was misinformed at one time too and judged many a mother, including my sister, for her parenting choices. I was so wrong about some (cosleeping, which is yet another topic!) that I called her and apologized for silently judging her about how she was raising my niece. I celebrate that I can do this wonderful thing for my children. (I know it doesn't work out for everyone.) I'm proud of my body's ability to nourish me and my son now and my daughter when she was a baby. I love the closeness I have with both of my kids and that the universe or God has given me this gift.

Nursing is not always easy, but it is the PERFECT food for newborns and babies of all ages. Again, human milk is made for humans to consume. Formula is a man-made substitute for women who can't or choose not to breastfeed. Think of artificial sweeteners or other substitute foods. Are they as good as the original? I encourage all moms to take a look that the label on the formula cans and bottles before you choose to use formula over breast milk for your baby.

We're all different and our situations and families differ in so many ways. There is no right or wrong way to raise a child. I tell my students and I believe this with all my heart, "You are the perfect parent for your child and your child is the perfect one for you." Your spirits connected together in this lifetime for a reason. Just be the best parent you can be.

Shanti Mamas, Breastfeeding Part 1: In the Beginning

2007-04-06T22:22:00.000-04:00

Though I teach all kinds of classes, I specialize in Prenatal and Mommy & Baby. I love all my students and each class inspires me in a different way. But the past few classes in both Mommy & Baby as well as Prenatal, issues have come up about breastfeeding. Everyone has different feelings on the subject itself, then throw public breastfeeding, "extended" breastfeeding or any other specific into the mix and you can have an entire debate.

Many of the mamas in my Mommy & Baby yoga classes breastfeed and the topic comes up on a regular basis. So it inspired me to talk a little bit about breastfeeding and some of the major issues that are linked to it. Since there are many, this will be Part One of a series of blog entries on the subject of breastfeeding. This one will focus on the obstacles of learning, yes learning, how to breastfeed and get through the learning curve period with baby.

First, as wonderful as it is for babies , it isn't easy for moms to breastfeed. Yes, it is one of the most natural things in the world and our bodies were created to do it, but it's not foolproof.

The initial contact between mom and baby is beautiful and the love a mother feels when her baby opens its mouth to nurse for the first time, and maybe even every time after, is immeasureable. Then comes that twinging, stinging feeling, because--natural or not--our bodies are not used to someone using our breasts for nourishment. It's just not what we expect, even if we've know others that breastfeed or breastfed. That's because that "painful" period doesn't last long and it gets easier and more natural with time.

Everyone's learning curve, for both baby and mom, is different. For me and my daughter, the initial learning curve was short, but the mistakes that I made or we made in the first couple of weeks left me sore, cut up and bruised. It took two months for my breasts to fully heal and to really feel like we were in the groove. Even through the pain, I knew this was right for us. I don't judge anyone who has given up, I just never considered it an option for our daughter and now my son.

The nursing experience, whether you're in the groove or not, can really be a beautiful experience. Even when it hurt and I was bleeding, I had never experienced such closeness to another human being, not even my husband. We were sharing something special and both hormones and emotions were swelling in a positive way every time my daughter or my son nursed.

With my son, the learning curve was much shorter, but surprisingly, I still had initial soreness. I also had to become this Lactavist, because the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was not accepting breastfeeding with open arms when it came to my jaundiced baby. But this is a long story for yet another blog. But it does raise a wonderful point and epiphany that I had in the hospital with him.

See, breast milk is the perfect food for a baby, because the mother's body creates exactly what her baby needs. This isn't just a generalization. I mean specifically what your baby needs. So for my jaundiced baby, when my milk came in, it was very yellow in color. The reason for that is because his little body was fighting so hard that he needed more colostrum (highly nutrient stuff that created antibodies in the newborn's body). So when mom and baby connect through breastfeeding, once that baby puts lips around, it's like plugging in your camera to your computer and uploading. Then the mommy computer gets to work and creates whatever the baby needs back. It is truly the perfect food and that's why even the formula companies say that breast milk is best on their labels. They just can't compete.

Still, it's hard in the beginning and I've known enough moms that had to give it up for the sake of their sanity. They missed that bonding, sure, but it is a tough job. So to increase the chances of success, it's vital to be confident in yourself and know you can do this. Breastfeeding is SO like yoga--you are completely in the moment when you are doing it. And if you're struggling, just breathe through it and find your center.

Just like yoga, having a good teacher is vital. Find a lactation consultant, friends, family members who have been through it and can offer you advice, support and even hands-on help. I had a colleague offer 24-hour support to me and lots of advice. I also called up my local La Leche League leader and got a plethora of ideas, latching positions and help. And if you don't know what La Leche League is, visit www.llli.org and find your local chapter. The site itself has tons of information to help you in those early stages and having a local person and support group of other moms going through the same thing is comforting when you feel like the only person in the world who is having trouble with something that's supposed to be so natural. There are also online groups and message boards that are helpful with experienced and novice moms sharing knowledge and support.

Things that might surprise you or your doctor might not tell you about breastfeeding:

1. Your milk usually doesn't come in for a few days after the baby is born. You will be producing colostrum (vital nutrients for baby), but don't worry, your baby will not starve, so don't let any nurses in the hospital bully or guilt you into thinking you need to give your baby formula. The best and fastest way to get your milk to come in is to nurse your baby often. That "plugging in" I mentioned before lets your body know that it needs to start producing the milk and it will in abundance! But supplementing with formula will only delay it and mess with your supply. Now, to be fair, when my son was in the NICU with jaundice, I allowed some formula, because fluids are necessary to rid the body of the bilirubin, but I was nursing him as often as I could get in there. And once my milk came in, I was pumping for him and fought them so he would only get breast milk.

2. Once your milk comes in, you'll know because you will be leaking or pouring milk all over the place. And if your baby cries or is ready to nurse, you will "let down" and the flow will start. This leaking usually lasts the first three to five months postpartum in your nursing relationship. At that point, your body's hormones start to level off and the body starts working on a supply and demand basis for milk production. Which leads me to...

3. Once your hormones level off and you stop producing excessive amounts of milk, filling up with milk to the point of rock hard breasts and leaking at the first sound of a cry, your breasts will start to return to a more normal size and not inflate so much when they fill with milk. They will not be overfull and awkward to deal with. Know that you are still producing exactly what your child needs and enough milk to fulfill your child's demands and needs. It just might not feel like it, because you can't feel the fullness anymore.

4. Of course, there's always the chance that you can't or don't produce enough milk for your child and there are things you can do to help that. Supplementing with formula is always an option and many people choose this route. If you want to breastfeed exclusively, this can further deplete your supply, so it would be better for you to nurse more often--even at an empty breast--to build the supply. (By the way, the breast never fully empties. The body is always producing more milk, so there's really always one more drop for them to drink.) Pumping helps increase supply and there are many herbal supplements that work wonders. Even special tea can help. But your worst enemy of supply is stress! If you stress about your supply, you can actually deplete your supply. Rest, relax and your supply will replenish. Also, keep your fluid intake up. Caffeine has been known to deplete supply as well, so watch your intake of coffee, tea and soda.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Your doctor, neighbor, friend, sister, etc. may all have lots of experiences to share with you. And don't be afraid to ignore bad advice too. People have lots of opinions and unsolicited advice about raising your child that you wouldn't listen to, so don't let their negative words about breastfeeding rattle you either! Make the decision to breastfeed or not, how much, how long and whatever else goes with it or comes up for yourself and for your baby. That nursing relationship is between mother and baby and no one else can share that or know it like you and your baby. No matter what you hear, it's a beautiful and wonderful thing--a gift that women have to share with their babies, a miracle that is almost as miraculous as a baby itself.

Namaste

Finding Your Balance in Tragedy

2007-03-01T11:06:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday started out great! I had a great mommy & baby class and there we had a visiting Columbia Journalism student observing for a piece she's writing about mommy & baby yoga with a possible Bay Ridge slant. After the class, I sat with Lisa at the Little Cupcake Bakery for over an hour talking about yoga, why I love teaching and what's so great about working with moms and their babies. It was wonderful and self-affirming, because I was able to hear myself describe my love of yoga, my students and the sharing that occurs in all my classes. I was excited all day about the prospect of a story written about yoga, particularly mommy & baby yoga, because it is so unique and so few people teach it that it doesn't get much attention.

That evening, my kids started showing symptoms of getting sick and were particularly difficult to get to sleep. I heard the phone ring while I was getting them settled, but ignored it as I do when it is bedtime for the kids. My husband came in and said that it was my dad who said, "Call when you get this message." It didn't sound good, so I asked him to take over bedtime while I called my dad.

As I dialed the phone, I was trying to prepare myself for sick grandparents or something of the sort. Instead, he told me that the police had just left my aunt's house and that my cousin Jill was died in a car accident. To my own surprise, the words that came out of my mouth were, "You're lying, right?" But he wasn't. My cousin was 24 years old and the only child of my aunt.

I cried so hard that my daughter heard me from her room and asked her daddy why mommy was laughing. The kids came into the living room and we all held each other and then my daughter and I prayed for Jill to be greeted by our beloved, deceased cat, Shane so that they could take care of each other and be friends in heaven.

None of us slept well that night. The kids were up coughing and crying and as sad as I was about my cousin, my life as mother took precedent. Fevers spiked and mucous flowed. By the morning, I knew in my heart that I could not travel to Florida with my sick children, no matter how much I wanted to be with my extended family.

By the next day, I heard more of the story and how my cousin was expelled from the car and died instantly. She was not wearing a seatbelt. The what-ifs were flying amongst family members, but I cannot find comfort in "what-if." But how does a yogi find peace in such a tragic loss?

Well, this particular cousin had died once before. When she was only five or six years old, she had an accident in a hot tub and drowned. She was rescesitated, but she was dead for a few minutes. My yogi training and spiritual beliefs tell me that she was not done on earth that time and was sent back or chose to come back. She never talked about that incident, and it is my guess that as such a young child, a visit to heaven wasn't that big a deal since they have only been on this earth in body for such a short time anyway. However, she chose to live her life to the fullest. She experienced love, college, friendship, independence, peace, justice and compassion.

I did not know her well as an adult. In fact, the last heart-to-heart I had with her was when she was 14 and she was already wise beyond her years. The way I find comfort in death, especially unexplained, "preventable," tragic death is that everyone has a particular journey filled with goals in life and once that journey is complete, no matter how young or old, it is our time to return to heaven. As painful as it is for those of us left behind, I have to believe that she is free from pain and full of love and peace--as she aparently always was--in spirit now. When we meditate, we can sometimes catch a glimse of that peace and freedom from the pains of life and body. I believe that Jill is blissful beyond our imagination now. For her family and many friends left behind, it is not happy and will take much time to heal.

Jill's inner and outer beauty will be remembered by all who knew her. If you had seen her, you would have wondered where her wings were, because she looked like an angel on earth. I wish her love and continue to pray and meditate on her peaceful arrival in heaven. If the excitement and joy I was riding on Sunday after my interview, my wedding day or the birth of my children is anything like the bliss one can feel out of the body and in spirit in heaven, I can smile, through my tears, up to the sky for Jill.

Favorite Valentine's Day Memories...

2007-02-14T17:54:00.000-05:00

I love that my dad always brought little Valentines home with him when me and my sisters were kids. I always knew that it was a very special day. And the one time he came home empty handed, I let him know my dissappointment (kids don't filter their feelings) and he went right back out and came home with the best "Guilt Gifts" we'd ever received!

What's your favorite Valentine's Day memory? Do you have one? Maybe today you can start.

Feel free to share your favs on the blog.

Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T17:18:00.000-05:00

Happy heart day to you all. Valentine's Day brings back mostly fond memories from childhood when my dad always got home late, because he was getting little gifts for me, my sisters and my mom. Unknowingly, it set a precedent for me and the day. In teen and college years, with or without a boyfriend, I would always begin the day in the greatest optimism and sometimes end it in complete dissappointment!

When I was in college and looking for love in all the wrong places, I wrote a list of qualities I was looking for in a mate. I folded this paper up and tucked it away somewhere, finding it every so often and moving on. After I was with my husband for quite some time, I discovered it again and laughed at how he matched the list exactly. And then I laughed harder, because I had forgotten to include "vegetarian" on the list! Something else I noticed about that list is that many of the qualities I was searching for were actually ones I already possessed. Knowing who we are, really, helps attract others like us to us.

On New Year's Day, I saw "The Secret" which is now a big buzz, because of Oprah. If you haven't heard of it or seen it yet, it's worth looking into. The messages and content includes many things we've all heard before, but it's put together in a way that will hit you and maybe get you to make some changes in your life. Like the list I made in college and how I describe college, "What you put into it is what you get out of it." My kids put all of their hearts into everything they do. There's something to really committing to life and love. They have become my little teachers in life and in yoga every day.

Today, on this very grey, blustery winter day, we were dressed in red and pink, writing cards and admiring roses from Daddy. My daughter asked, "What's Valentine's Day?" And I told her,
"It's a very special day when we celebrate love and tell everyone we care about how much we love them."

Be sure to stop, look in the mirror and give yourself a hug too. You're all the qualities you want in a mate and more.

Happy Valentine's Day

New Year, New Attitude

2007-01-13T11:12:00.000-05:00

Many of us have resolutions every year, lose weight, quit smoking, spend more time with the family, etc. This year my resolutions were revealed to me without any effort or thought on my part. One of my students gave me a beautiful journal, giving me the inspiration to start journaling again in 2007. The other resolution revelation--to live in the present and positive--was made on New Year's Day, when I went with my husband back to Yogashakti Yoga Center in Queens where we trained as teachers. We participated in an hour-long meditation and a viewing of "The Secret."

"The Secret" is a film that completely inspired me and my husband. Many authors, professionals and great minds of all time come together in this film to talk about the "secret" of the universe and the law of attraction--attracting what you want in life through your thoughts and intentions. Now I've heard and read about affirmations and positive thinking before, but for some reason, the way this film is laid out and seeing it on New Year's Day, it really hit me. I suddenly feel like I have complete control over my life and can have anything I want if I believe.

It reminds me of a simpler time in life when Santa Claus got you exactly what you wanted if you believed and were good. And isn't it funny that this year Santa came alive again when my daughter only wished for pink shoes and Santa brought them to her. The spirit of Santa, the light within us all is alive and connected to the universe. All we have to do is believe that and we have the power to make things happen.

In my classes over the past two weeks, I have led my students through a special New Year's meditation inspired by "The Secret." I've encouraged them to focus on one wish or resolution, something positive and to see it happening. We all deserve for our wishes to come true, not only during the holidays, but throughout the year.

I wish you a very happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful 2007. May all of your New Year's dreams come true.

Namaste

Giving Thanks

2006-11-22T00:54:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is this week and there are so many things to be thankful for. I am thankful for my family, our health and happiness, and I am thankful for yoga. I have a new student in one of my classes and she reminds me of me when I first committed to yoga.

She and I spoke about it for a while after class and how when you find the right teacher, everything "clicks" and suddenly doors start opening for you, both internally and externally. When I took my first class with Raj, it was harder than anything I had every physically done. What was supposed to be a "gentle" yoga class, I later learned, was an intermediate class. The way I felt in class and right after, I knew I was home.

A few years later, Raj encouraged me to become a teacher. With a further push from my husband, I committed even more to yoga. Around the same time, I got an Om tattoo to show the world my commitment to yoga.

I am truly honored to share yoga with my students and I am thankful for each of them. I am thankful for the connection we make. I am always a little sad when a student's time with me ends, for example, this past week two more of my prenatal students have "graduated" to go give birth to their babies. I am so happy for them and their new journey, but will miss their presence in our cozy little group.

Thanks to all of my students for including me in your journey through yoga.

Namaste & Happy Thanksgiving,

Michelle

2006-09-12T11:49:00.000-04:00

9/11, Five Years Later and how much has changed. We still feel a sadness in our hearts and souls over that Tuesday not so long ago. It has changed the way we live our lives. It has changed our sense of humor. It has changed relationships and our appreciation for our loved ones.

I personally look back on that day and week with a whirlwind of emotions. My husband and I got married on 9/15/2001. Who knew that a year and a half earlier when we picked that date that our entire world would be turned on its side. Perhaps the terrorists knew, but they didn't tell us. Every bride should fully enjoy her wedding day and honeymoon with only happiness and joy. I consider myself lucky to have experienced every emotion that day, that week, that year, because I appreciate my husband and my family now so much more.

On 9/11, I knew that more than anything, I wanted to be with my husband to be--even if that meant us meeting our end in New York City. We were in Midtown that day, but close enough to experience the terror, the horror and see things that before then had only seen in movies.

Now, a mom of two beautiful children, I am grateful that we are alive and I enjoy motherhood. Being a parent makes you appreciate life even more. Being a yoga teacher has been another special gift of mine-post 9/11. I am honored to share yoga with my students and perhaps bring a little peace to the world on a very small scale.

Last night, I taught my Park Slope class and I noticed how many Tree Poses, that are normally quite balanced, were a little wobbly. When we are out of balance--body, mind and soul--our balancing poses will let us know. Being a New Yorker yesterday would be enough to throw anyone's balance off. By the time we got to Savasana and relaxation, I guided the class through a loving kindness meditation to help feel love as an individual and share it with others as well. We ended the class with an "Om Shanti" chant and a reminder to light a candle for 9/11.

Yesterday was a very emotional day for most of us if not all of us. If you're still feeling a bit raw, exposed or vulnerable, a quick yoga routine or meditation might help. A great chant to re-center yourself is "Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om." Om is the sound/vibration that started the universe. It is believed to be the beginning and end of all things. Shanti means peace. Together, they are a great way to start or end a day. Enjoy yours!

2006-07-30T17:48:00.000-04:00

Breate Through the Pose...

Today, I was teaching a mommy & baby yoga class for moms and their newborns. In every class, I try to emphasize how important breath and posture is in yoga and in life. Many moms in my class have to stop in mid-pose and nurse, feed or soothe their babies. During this time, I usually remind them to sit up straight and tall and breathe deep. One mom, only her second class with me, was doing just that before I even said something and she looked beautiful, comfortable and calm.
In any yoga class, if you can't do a pose for whatever reason, keeping attuned to your breath and posture, you are doing yoga. So when your neighbor on the mat next to you in a yoga class is doing a perfect Chakrasana (wheel pose)...just breathe.

2006-04-15T18:48:00.000-04:00

Newest Shanti Baby...
Sorry I haven't posted a blog in a while. I gave birth to our very own Shanti Baby on March 31st and we've been busy, busy, busy. Of course, yoga is on a back burner right now until I've healed from childbirth. But we are still chanting as a family, doing pranayama and very limited and modified yoga poses at home.

As with my first pregnancy, labor and delivery, yoga was a huge crutch and helped me through all of the pain, time and incredible work of the situation. All the nurses that came to check on me and even my Obstetrician were impressed with my coping skills with the intense contractions I was enduring without the help of drugs. Two nurses had me sit up, because they couldn't believe that I didn't have an epidural line in place. That made me laugh and made me proud of what yoga can help any of us accomplish. Breathing, meditation and concentration were all part of the labor. I was able to stay in the moment throughout most of it and make lucid decisions as necessary without attachments. I am humbly proud of what I was able to accomplish with both the labor and delivery and how far I have come as a yogi.

As yogis, we all continue to grow as much as we allow ourselves to. My training and my husband's yogic support helped me with the birth of my daughter a little over two years ago. This time, with my son, I felt even more centered and yogic myself. There was a definite inner peace and calm that helped me through. I cannot wait to bring back that energy to my classes.

I miss my students, but I know I will be back to all of you in no time at all. In fact, I am already setting up new classes--a semi-private group class in Bay Ridge, another Prenatal class and a new Mommy & Baby Yoga class as well. If anyone is interested in joining any of the new classes or start your own private sessions, email me at om@shantibaby.com. My next doctor's appointment is next week and I'm hoping that I will be back in the yoga groove by mid-May.

Until then, om shanti to you all.

2006-03-19T22:22:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday!

Our first baby was born from our graduating Sunday Prenatal Yoga class. Congratulations to the new, first-time mommy and daddy.

2006-03-19T22:22:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday!

Our first baby was born from our graduating Sunday Prenatal Yoga class. Congratulations to the new, first-time mommy and daddy.

2006-03-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

Graduating Prenatal Sundays

The prenatal Sunday class has finished its second series and will be on break for a while due to my own maternity leave. It has been a great 12 weeks or so and I have enjoyed sharing with such a wonderful group of pregnant goddesses! They all surprised me with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers--my favorite--and I nearly cried at the end of class, because it truly has been a sharing experience.

Though most of the students in this class will have already delivered by the time I'm ready to start up a new class, I'm sure there will be a new prenatal class starting up by summer. If you're in the Bay Ridge area and interested, don't be shy! om@shantibaby.com

Namaste to all of my students. You are beautiful women and it was all my pleasure to be able to share prenatal yoga with you.

2006-03-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

Harbor Mondays

This past Monday was really a great class. It was nice to see some faces that I hadn't seen in a while as well as some new ones that really enjoyed the class. One student said it was just what she needed! Glad to help.

2006-02-20T00:52:00.000-05:00

Prenatal Yoga Sundays

Today was a typical third trimester day for many of us. Physical limitations are starting, emotions and hormones are rising and falling and it seems that yoga helped us all get centered, feel nurtured and celebrate pregnancy once again.

After class topics included Board Book Reviews of Goodnight, Gorilla, Hug, Pajama Time and Goodnight Moon. Most of the moms in the group already have toddlers at home and we've all spent around two years reading these stories to our kids. The above titles are ones that we haven't grown tired of and had cute stories and discoveries to share with each other.

2006-02-20T00:15:00.000-05:00

Prenatal Teacher Training Workshop

Yesterday, I taught a Prenatal Teacher Training Course at YTTI (a Yoga Alliance Registered School) to about 24 teachers. The workshop went very well, including my presentation of a mock pregnant belly of about 15 lbs. for each of them to wear to get a feel for what a pregnant woman feels like carrying that extra weight. Of course I told them that the average weight gain during a pregnancy is 35-45 lbs, so they definitely appreciated the example.

Many of the students came up to me personally at the end to tell me what they got out of the course and how they really connected with the material because of the way I presented it. I was proud to have shared and give these teachers the tools they need to teach pregnant women. One student asked if I felt she could go start teaching a prenatal yoga class with this course. There's a lot of information out there and many schools of thought. However, I have exposed myself to many trainings, research, readings and OBs to confidently tell her, "I have given you all the tools you need to safely teach yoga to prenatal students."

The school was so impressed with the workshop that they have invited me back to teach a follow-up course on postnatal/mommy & baby yoga in the fall.

Week of 2/5/06

2006-02-08T17:28:00.000-05:00

A new five-week session of Prenatal Yoga has started for Sundays. This week we focused attention on our breath (some of us are starting to feel that shortness of breath that comes in the third trimester or pregnancy), awareness and release of tension, and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles.

The meditation for class was one that helped mommies connect with the baby growing inside of them. This is something some moms find very hard to do, especially with another child at home demanding attention. Yoga class is a great time and space for expectant moms to tune into their own bodies, emotions and thoughts as well as the energy and physical experience of the pregnancy and new baby.

After class, over tea and bagels, the conversation turned to gripes about how maternity pants fall down no matter what once the belly gets to be a certain size and roundness. Why is it that pregnant women are deprived of their grace and dignity, having to pull up their pants every 15 minutes?

We also talked about sibling issues and toddler anxiety about having a new baby come into the home. One suggestion that was brought up is for parents having opposite sex this time around to tell the older sibling that they will always be the baby girl/boy.

And no matter what the due date, the name game is always both challenging and fun. There are many websites out there with baby names. Www.babynames.com is a great site with a good variety of cultural names and origins as well as rankings of name popularity. But someone mentioned how having a book in her hand helped her see and "feel" the name better than on the computer. The library is a good place to start, since name books aren't often reused once the baby is born.

As usual, the entire session, class and the social time, ended with a sigh as the pampering came to a close...until next week.