April 2010 Blog Posts (30)

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Weekly Yoga Letter , April 29, 2010

Happy weekend, Yoga Bears!



Hope you all had a peaceful week. Here is a quick recap of the this week in Yoga Bear world:



Sangha Yoga Shala is proud to launch Sunday Sessions for NYC yogis.

Your Test Came Back Positive – by Jean.



This week in the news:

Yoga for Better… Continue

Added by Moran Serr Hirsch on April 29, 2010 at 4:50pm — No Comments

Your Test Came Back Positive

Carol, the older sister of my bf from childhood, was diagnosed with breast cancer this Wednesday. I jotted the date in my journal, so I could send her a card next year when I plan to celebrate her first year A.D. ( after diagnosis). Having a positive attitude about prognosis is something I consciously decide. Of course I can't know the future, no one does, and hope is a choice and comes in many forms. There's also a good body of… Continue

Added by Jean Di Carlo-Wagner,MA,E-RYT500 on April 27, 2010 at 6:00am — No Comments

Attention NYC Yogis!

Sangha Yoga Shala is proud to launch Sunday Sessions, a new monthly

series geared towards integrating music, arts and wellness with yoga.

This event will feature a free Yoga class lead by one of our expert Yoga Bear advisors and Breast Cancer Survivor

Tari Prinster, live music presented by Rebel Spirit Music with Wes

Hutchinson, Alexa Wilkinson, Sangha Yoga Shala founder Alana Kessler and

special guests and a Q&A with… Continue

Added by Michelle on April 25, 2010 at 4:57pm — No Comments

Weekly Yoga Letter , Earth day, April 23, 2010

Happy Friday, Yoga Bears!



Our 12-days (at-home) Yoga Challenge just came to a conclusion. It was a wonderful challenge and Kate and Yoga Bear gave us something to look for every day. You can look at all the poses in our blog and here is day 12 Bridge Pose & Closing. We would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you Kate and Yoga… Continue

Added by Moran Serr Hirsch on April 23, 2010 at 8:54am — No Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 12: Bridge Pose & Closing

Do you know the term "my heart feels heavy."? It's a term we use when we feel sad. The language describes exactly what our physiological response if when we feel sad. It's not just a phrase - it's actually how our heart feels! Now try this imagery - "feed your heart the nourishment it needs". Use your breath to balloon into your heart lightness. Use your stretching to give your heart the space it needs to do its beating, its breathing, its dance of joy at being alive, today and in this moment.… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 23, 2010 at 6:08am — 20 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 11: Standing Poses & Triangle Pose

A cancer diagnosis, whether for yourself or a loved one, is a repudiation of feeling safe. The standing pose visual imagery of using our legs to root us into the ground, standing tall in the face of adversity and chaos, is such a simple and beautiful image. It makes the legs feel sturdier, the feet more alive and connected to the earth, and the top of the head reach for the sky. It's all with a few simple words that these feelings are activated, and… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 22, 2010 at 4:54am — 19 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 10: Boat Pose

Yogis, we're almost there. Twelve straight days of yoga! What a journey!



Today we're doing Boat Pose, a more challenging posture that creates a sense of vigor and warmth. You will quickly recognize that Boat Pose works your abdomen muscles and so much more. Katie describes this bold posture:



My mother experienced times of great stress when she was struggling to achieve more than her body or spirit could handle. Trying to…
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Added by Yoga Bear on April 21, 2010 at 4:00am — 22 Comments

Flying Dog Pose - Yoga Exercise for strengthening your arms and shoulds - preparing headstand

Develop strength in your arms and shoulders. Prepare yourself for headstand, handstand, scorpion, peacock and other Hatha Yoga Asanas. This is a variation of Shvanasana (Svanasana). It prepares for Vrikshasana, Shirshasana, Mayurasana and Kakasana. Also good for prevention of any shoulder problem. Discuss about this and other Yoga practices on…

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Added by Sukadev Bretz on April 21, 2010 at 1:35am — No Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 9: Sphinx and Low Cobra

Sphinx and Low Cobra are small backbends, but the back isn't the only place to benefit. We chose this pose because it not only releases tension in the lower back, but also stretches and lengthens the spine, opens the heart and chest, and pulls the shoulders down away from the ears. Really turning the elbows in helps to activate the chest muscles - as in prior poses, we want to really open and strengthen this chest area instead of hunching and hiding it. Relaxing back down onto the mat…
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Added by Yoga Bear on April 20, 2010 at 11:46am — 15 Comments

Yoga Movie

A small school, Yoga Wells, in San Diego played the movie "Yoga Unvieled" at their school this afternoon. Two of my mentors were there and a good friend. It's so wonderful to share yoga ! Let me warn you, it's a long movie! I stayed for the first disc, it was over two hours and the second disc is one hour long. If you've ever wondered about the… Continue

Added by Jean Di Carlo-Wagner,MA,E-RYT500 on April 20, 2010 at 5:30am — No Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 8: Lunges

Lunges feel like the pose you have to really sink in to, but it doesn't happen on the first try. It takes time, breath, and intention. Lunges are a surrender - a willingness to accept that your legs and torso will work together to keep you upright. A sinking, or surrendering deeper into the pelvis, letting those muscles relax and expand and release the tension, but in releasing the tension showing their true strength, strength without tightness, strength in relaxation, strength in knowing that… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 19, 2010 at 4:43am — 23 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 7: Chest Opener on the Wall

Chest opener on the wall opens so much more. It opens space for breath. It opens the heart for love. It opens the mind's eye as your capacity to push and feel in these areas that we close off and protect come out into the open. It opens the neck as we pull our shoulders down away from our ears. It opens our rib cage and expands our insides so our organs have room and space to do their work.



Close your eyes in this pose, and envision your entire body opening like the lotus opens,… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 18, 2010 at 5:36am — 16 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 6: Dolphin

Yogis, we're half way there! Kudos to all of you for logging on each day and finding time to treat yourself to a bit of yoga. Katie from Thriving Yoga is generously rewarding all of you who have commented each day so far by sending you a free copy of her DVD. Send an email to info@yogaforcancer.com with your name, mailing address, and link to your… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 17, 2010 at 6:30am — 22 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 5: Abs With Roll

The low belly is a powerful area, both physically and psychologically. Energetically, power and commitment reside in this area. Physically, the muscles in this area keep the digestive area humming along, and the low back strong and relaxed. Tune into the swirling feeling of energy that is stirred up by the end of this pose - feel that delicious movement and excitement the body feels when everything is active and engaged and ready to take on the world. As… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 16, 2010 at 4:35am — 29 Comments

Weekly Yoga Letter , April 16, 2010



Happy weekend, Yoga Bears!



We just had the forth day out of our 12-days (at-home) Yoga Challenge! Every day, we post a short yoga video with a pose and description. You can still join and participate to do one pose each day with us. Leave your reflections in the comments to win fun prizes and a free DVD!

You can find the last 4 day’s videos in our… Continue

Added by Moran Serr Hirsch on April 16, 2010 at 12:35am — No Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 4: Seated Archer

Here is a chest opener that helps to combat rounding of the shoulders for a sunken posture. Archer brings the chest up and out and makes space in between our shoulder blades, removing tension from the shoulders and back of the body.



Archer reminds us that yoga is different from almost anything else we do in life. Yoga isn't about achieving ("Look, I clasped my hands!") or failing ("I can barely bring my arms around to my back."). Yoga is about… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 15, 2010 at 4:11am — 29 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 3: Seated Spinal Twist

The visualization used in this pose is incredibly powerful - imagine wringing out the organs and releasing pockets of stagnant energy. Your insides are like a washcloth, as you wring out toxins and waste, and make room for fresh, light-filled energy and oxygen. Once this pose is complete, you will feel a bit taller, a bit fresher, and a bit more flexible.



Variations of this can be done throughout the day, sitting on a chair or in the car, a gentle twist coupled with deep breathing is… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 14, 2010 at 4:00am — 29 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 2: Seated Side Bend

My mother has lived with metastatic breast cancer for 22 years. Over the years, as I have tuned into the ebb and flow of her life and moods, the pattern of relapse always came immediately on the heels of a time of great stress or trauma. Yoga can help us to learn to ride the waves of life with balance and equanimity, using our practice to support ourselves in times of stress, and to celebrate ourselves and our connection… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 13, 2010 at 4:32am — 29 Comments

Fulfilling Dreams

When first diagnosed with cancer, our lives change and we wonder about our futures. We consider our mortality, our priorities and decide what we want to accomplish: what we dare to dream. Having just returned from the Liver Cancer Symposium in Dallas, I met survivors that are doing all of these things! Some were told they had no hope for survival, and we at the conference to find… Continue

Added by Jean Di Carlo-Wagner,MA,E-RYT500 on April 13, 2010 at 3:30am — 3 Comments

Yoga Challenge Day 1: Ujjayi Breath

Even just five minutes of Ujjayi Breath a day can be tremendously beneficial as we breath pure and energizing oxygen into our bodies, spreading the air deep into our lungs and selves. Practicing this at any time, in any place, is incredibly easy. Focusing on the quality of your breath brings you into the moment - there is nothing but the in and out of your lungs, breathing in all that is good and healing.



Breathing out and releasing any harmful… Continue

Added by Yoga Bear on April 12, 2010 at 4:03am — 39 Comments

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