Klean Kanteens: Great for Yoga and All Your Outdoor Activities!
Available in 2 sizes 18 oz and 27 oz these environmentally friendly canteens are available in 3 colors: steel, blue and orange. They come with the sports caps or traditional loop cap for easy carry such as when you are biking or hiking. So let’s help clean up the environment and save space in the landfills with these great-looking, easy-to-use canteens.
Summer is almost here bringing with it summer vacations, busy outdoor schedules, longer days and more energy and excitement in general. I myself have been busy between days of rain tilling my garden and planting what I hope will become a bounty of potatoes, beans, strawberries, onions, corn and squash when late summer/early fall arrives. As I spend more days outside it has been harder for me to establish my routine indoors. So I have had to make a conscious effort to set aside some time to re-establish my own yoga practice. It would have been so easy to dash out of the studio on Wednesday and attend to the myriad of things vying for my attention; instead I stayed and took Nancy’s 11am hatha class. What a treat that was. Setting aside 90 minutes of me-time to energize my body and quiet my mind, letting go of all the demands of my busy life. What I am trying to say is what a great time summer is for your practice. Classes tend to be a little less crowded (than the winter), students seem more chatty and relaxed, and it’s such a nice compliment to all of our go-go activities of summer. So as I reset my own schedule to practice 2-3 times a week; I ask you to look at your own schedules and join me in this 2-3 times a week commitment. Also, summer is a great time to try some of our non-heated classes. Mix it up and develop a more rounded practice with hot yoga and hatha yoga. While our Hot Yoga will help you cleanse, build tone and really work the spine and lower body – ashtanga and yoga flow will help you develop upper body strength and open up tight hip and groin areas – what a great compliment to each other.
On a final note: I’m working to bring some fun 1-day workshops to the studio for the summer and early fall. As soon as I track down some folks who can bring these 1-day activities for parents and children to enjoy, I’ll let you know. With busy summer schedules I decided some 1-day activities work better than 2 and 3 day series. Also, I decided some fun things you could do with your kids would be nice as summer tends to be a little long sometimes for the kids. I’m thinking afternoon weekdays and Saturdays. Feel free to give me feedback or ask questions about this. I’m looking at a Laughter Yoga class, a Hula Hoop class and some kind of yoga/dance jams.
So let’s all enjoy the sunny summer days and remember to make yoga and yoga fix studio a part of your summer routine!
Save the Date! 3rd Annual Yoga in the Park at Mill Creek Park Saturday, August 22nd
I have booked Mill Creek Park for August 22nd – let’s hope this year we won’t have a cold wet snap come through for the event. After all, “hot yoga” is much more fun on a hot sunny morning under the trees. This year’s Yoga in the Park will once again benefit the Humane Society as well as Harvesters. While we think of the great need Harvesters fulfills during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, a time of giving; we often forget about the challenge of feeding struggling families and individuals during the summertime. So this year I will be asking for money and/or food donations for your participation. As details unfold, I will keep you posted. In the meantime, mark the date on your calendar as this is sure to be a fun morning for all!
Laughter Yoga with Becky Holsen Sunday June 14th 2pm – 3pm
Bring the kids to this one!
This is a fun activity for you and your kids. If you don’t have children bring your inner child. This is a chance to experience some wonderful full belly laughs for an hour of shared laughter and pure joy. And the more kids the better – they are so much better at laughter than we adults!
By laughing, we initiate powerful changes in the body and mind. In a laughter yoga session, you’ll laugh as an exercise, but real laughter quickly develops. Laughter Yoga is based on the scientific concept that shows it does not matter if laughter is spontaneous or induced because the body does not know the difference between the two and therefore; we produce the same chemistry. Laughter creates a "feel good" chemistry that acts as a natural painkiller, and it rejuvenates and accelerates healing processes in the body. Research also shows laughter improves oxygenation, produces endorphins, releases neurotransmitters which create new pathways in the brain, and balances the hormonal system, boosts the immune system and creates positive emotions or feeling of joy. And most of all it’s just fun!
As we age many of us forget the joy of deep full laughter we have become so serious and “adult”. Here’s an hour for you to leave your responsibilities at home and be a kid again. This workshop is part of a series of 1-day workshops that I’m bringing to the studio for the summer; designed for you and your kids. This was such a wonderful experience last time Becky led us through a laughter workshop. People went in looking a little nervous about what to expect, but the more minutes ticked by the louder the laughter became and it was infectious. Sitting outside at the front desk doing some work I began to smile and then chuckle myself – I wasn’t even in the room. By the time all emerged from the room people were smiling and talking, shoulders were more relaxed, people looked younger. And the one thing I thought as I heard this session unfold was how wonderful it would have been had I encouraged more children to attend because above all the adult chuckles and chortles the laugh that rang out and caused the most giggles to my own lips was the laughter of this young girl who was laughing with such abandon and genuine feeling that it made me wish I laughed more often that deeply; that freely.
Anyone can attend; if you’re a parent, a grandparent, a child, a single person – all are welcome and encouraged to attend. Wear comfortable clothing and be ready to have fun.
Cost: $10 for Adults and $8.00 for children. You can pay at the door. Reservations are welcome, walk-ins are fine.
Can’t make this date? Join us on July 26th. If you can – join us for both! This will be time well spent.
While I was cruising around online I found the information below and thought it would be helpful to share. Before doing that however I want to clear up a concept of compression and extension. I think some people when they hear the words compression and extension automatically think about the spine and either closing space between the vertebra or extending space between the vertebra. What is actually meant by these two terms in relationship to a yoga practice or hot yoga practice in compression of the blood flow and extension which allows a freshly oxygenated blood flow going to previously “compressed” areas of the body. We never want to “compress” or put pressure on the spine. We always want to think of creating space and alignment within the spinal column expanding the space between the vertebra. With that in mind I thought it would be interesting for you to read about the movement of the spine.
Movements of the human spine:
Flexion - the most natural kind of movement is the curling forward of our spine. In everyday life, people flex their spines to tie their shoes or lean over to pick something up. This movement is mimicked in poses such as rabbit, separate leg stretching forehead to knee and balancing postures or stretches when we bring our forehead to knee with a rounded spine.
Extension - Upward stretching, making the spine long such as reaching high above your head. Yogis exaggerate the movement of extension to do back-bends such as cobra and camel; and other forward stretching poses such as balancing stick and half tortoise. That’s why it is important before going into back bends to reach up high lengthening the spine before beginning to go back and creating an arch in the spine. Lengthening first keeps from putting pressure on the lower vertebra of the spine which can eventually lead to back aches.
Axial Rotation - When you turn around in the car seat to reach for something behind you, your spine is doing an axial rotation. In yoga this is called "twisting" like we do in the final spinal or spinal twist at the end of the class to massage our internal organs and twist the spine.
Lateral Flexion - This is a side-to-side bending. Half Moon series uses this movement when we lift up lengthening the spine and then bend to the left or right.
The spine is described as a self-supporting system that is independent of muscular effort. In the book Human Kinetics “Yoga Anatomy” Leslie Kaminoff describes this concept by saying, “If you were to remove all the muscles that attach to the spine, it still would not collapse. … Intrinsic equilibrium is the concept that explains not only why the spine is a self-supporting structure, but also why any spinal movement produces potential energy that returns the spine to neutral.”
Next time you do your practice think about this concept: The spine creates a deep level of built-in support for the body that does not depend on muscular effort. Meaning the spinal alignment and relaxation that comes from a regular yoga practice makes students feel more energetic and alive because students are releasing unnecessary muscular control over the spine. So next time you are exerting effort in Half Moon as you “strain” yourself to the right or left trying to go deeper – remember breath, focus on the alignment and then breath again into the tight areas and merely ask the body (the muscles) to relax and allow yourself to sink deeper on each exhale. For the health of the body we are trying to bring ourselves into alignment which creates balance and then builds strength.
Yoga Fix began 10 years ago as an exclusively Hot-Style Yoga studio, one of the first yoga studios here in Kansas City. Over the years, students have been quite loyal and by that I mean rather “addicted to” the hot-style yoga – craving the heat of the room and that 90-minute deep tissue workout. When I bought the studio in March of 2008, I had been a long-time student of Hot Yoga myself. I also realized there are some other very good forms of yoga that would be a very fine compliment to the Hot Yoga practice. So, I began to search for some classes that were challenging; worked different muscle groups, and had differing but complimentary philosophies to the Hot Yoga. Hot Yoga is such a wonderful all-around workout that any level of student can enjoy and grow doing. It focuses on flexibility, flushing toxins and lower body and spinal strength. What I realized is that while it tones the arms, it does not build strength, nor was enough of a hip and groin opener. I was lucky to have found Mandy Ratliff and have her join our studio. Mandy brings the practice of Ashtanga and Vinyasa to our studio. The following is her description of the benefits and why she loves this practice. I share this with you to encourage you to try this fabulous practice. While not all of you can make the 11am Tuesday and Thursday time slot; I’m guessing many of you could try the Friday 4:30pm Vinyasa. You’ll be amazed how combining these practices with you Hot Yoga will deepen your practice and strengthen you mentally and physically.
Mandy’s Words:
“ For me Ashtanga is an all-inclusive package. When I want to be challenged by intense physical movement, Ashtanga taps into that core strength. When I need to be humbled mentally, there's always a pose that encourages me go deeper into my own being. When the body needs to be cleansed and internally toned, this ancient science flushes out toxins and congestion. When I need meditation and focus in my life, Ashtanga grounds and creates an internal awareness.
After a hard day when I need to find balance and put things into perspective, Ashtanga does that by opening my heart and finding my center. When I'm challenged to stay in the present moment, it helps me learn patience and perseverance. When I need to break out of self-defeating habits and attitudes, Ashtanga makes me confront my weak areas, face my fears and let them go.
Five thousand years ago a man named Patanjali wrote the foundation for a holistic approach to health and whole-body wellness. Patanjali was a scientist, doctor, philosopher, grammarian and a yogi. And he wrote the Yoga Sutras that outline the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga.
The Ashtanga sequences connects each postures with the breath. While breath is important in all forms of yoga, no other form of yoga uses the breath more audibly and consistently. The breath carries prana (life energy) and when supported with the bhandas (energy locks), the breath create a heating affect in the body. This internal heat tones, detoxifies and opens blockages that release stagnant energy.
The breath helps to focus and add a meditative effect to the practice. As you flow from one pose to the other, it is easy to become absorbed and forget your day. As the breath becomes deeper and smoother, mental resistance and bodily tension melt away and your movements become more powerful and graceful. The variety of postures builds strength and flexibility; balances upper and lower body strength; and develops forward and back bending.
You may discover it helps you in a distinctive way, but each person who practices Ashtanga yoga will benefit. Everyone receives support on their journey to learn about themselves. And the benefits are felt immediately.”
You can try Ashtanga for yourself on Tuesday and Thursday 11am – 12:30 am or Vinyasa on Friday from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm. I really encourage you to explore these practices. Remember back to when you were a new student to Hot Yoga and it seemed a little daunting or intimidating to try something so new and different, well this is no different except that I think you’ll be amazed at how much easier it will feel to do this class with hot yoga under your belt. There will be poses that you will not be good at in the beginning but in time you will master these just as you did the hot yoga. And finally there are many studies that show learning new things creates new pathways in the brain and helps to exercise the brain which needs to be exercised just like any other muscle – so think of this as a body and brain workout as you form new pathways and experience a whole new energy rush.
The benefits of this posture are many including: strengthening and stretching the calves; stretches the thighs, hips, shoulders and upper back; improves concentration and balance. If you have knee problems this posture may difficult as it can put stress on the knees. Beginning students often find the balance in this pose very unstable. As with all standing balancing poses, you can use a wall to brace and support your back torso while you’re learning to balance. Many beginners also have trouble wrapping the legs in which case to begin you may find yourself just crossing the legs and doing the best you can to curl the foot or wrap the foot around the lower calf or ankle – that’s ok, we all have to start somewhere. Most people should be able to wrap the arms whether they can get the palms together or not. Remember our postures are always an evolving practice deepening and learning.
Step by Step Instructions:
Stand in . Bend your knees slightly, lift your left foot up and, balancing on your right foot, cross your left thigh over the right. Point your left toes toward the floor, press the foot back, and then hook the top of the foot behind the lower right calf. Balance on the right foot.
