A Yoga Demonstration

Pranayama Saves The Day

Last Friday, pranayama (controlled breathing) saved my day. 

I was invited to visit a movie set that afternoon to meet with the film’s producer, stars (including an Academy Award winner that I’m a huge fan of!) and makeup artists to discuss natural health and The Solution.  My excitement turned to stress as my plans appeared to disintegrate before my eyes.  An hour before the meeting I stepped out of my apartment to torrential rain.  It was the kind of rain that blows sideways (I’m sure you’ve had it happen to you), and my umbrella was painfully inadequate.  To make matters worse, I was dressed in a nice outfit, complete with high heels, and carrying a bag loaded with bottles of The Solution and informational materials.  Not good!

In case you have never tried to hail a New York City taxi in the rain, suffice to say it’s no easy task.  As I was about to find out, convincing a cabbie to take me to a movie set in Brooklyn wasn’t going to be much easier!

After some searching I was lucky enough to find an open cab.  I had only an address, not directions.  The driver pulled over, ‘tried to call his boss’ for directions, and ended up wasting 10 min. before telling me he couldn’t get there.  So, I headed back into the rain in search of a driver who could.  A cabbie with a grey beard down to his belt solemnly shook his head no.  A dude with a moustache laughed at me and rolled past, then another gave me a blank look.

It was now 1:00, I was supposed to already be at the set, I was soaking wet, and I had been in the rain for almost an hour.  Dammit!  My wavy hair was turning into a frizz-mess - not exactly the kind of ‘do you want to see on a person you are trusting for beauty advice.  I and my partner Adam even tried calling several car services, but none were available until 7:00. 

I could feel the panic rising inside me and my breath was getting faster- a sure sign that I was losing my equilibrium.  I started thinking irrationally- that I would not go to the meeting, but would just send bottles of The Solution to their hotels, that I would stay home and miss out.

I was still only a few blocks from my apartment so I walked home and sat down on a chair for a minute.  I took off my heels and my wet coat.  Then I closed my eyes, and did some of the simple pranayama exercises that I teach in my yoga classes- breathing for 4, holding for 4, and exhaling out for 4.  I let my breath slow down, then did the same exercises but exhaling out of my left nostril only (Yogi Purifier Pranayama), since negativity more easily flushes out your left side.

I changed my clothes, redid my makeup and fixed my hair. I went online, got directions to the set and wrote them down. As I left my apt. I was breathing much more calmly, and what do you know!  A cab pulled up to the corner with a smiling, happy driver from Morocco, where I’ve been. He gladly followed my directions, we had a smooth ride over, and I arrived composed and calm.

It turned out to be an amazing day!!  The actors, makeup artists and other people were fantastic and more receptive than I even imagined. Pranayama really saved the day!

Mario Lopez: Yogavangelist

I was honored to be the yoga consultant to Mario Lopez for his new fitness book, Mario Lopez Knockout Fitness  (Rodale). 

It’s great that Mario is open to using yoga in his workout program, which also includes boxing, weightlifting, and cardio routines.  Having a muscular, masculine man like Mario advocate yoga is wonderful, since he will undoubtedly bring it to a new and diverse audience. 

When I teach yoga, I notice that my students that engage in boxing and weightlifting tend to have extra tightness in their backs, shoulders, and legs.  If these parts of the body are not stretched out and the tension released, over time this constant cramping and constriction can lead to serious joint problems. 

As Mario himself points out, yoga helps you become more limber and more flexible.  A greater range of motion can translate to better performance in lots of different sports and physical activities.  That benefit should be attractive to men in particular.

My teacher, Dharma, teaches that any time your body is in an asana (yoga pose), it puts your mind into a specific state of consciousness. The corresponding mental state is different for every pose.  As practitioners become able to hold their poses longer, they can practice slowing their pranayama (conscious breath), causing stress levels to decrease.  This technique helps their minds stop darting one way or another (mind fluctuations= chittas), leading them to be more mindful, present and calm.  After practitioners leave the studio, this inspired calmness continues to level their reactions, helping them to not get angry or stressed quickly.

Drawing more people to practice yoga asanas will be hugely beneficial to them, especially if yoga is not something they would have previously considered. Even someone who comes to yoga for physical reasons alone will, consciously or unconsciously, receive mental and deeper benefits.  Who knows, they might just learn to really like yoga and be inspired to explore its philosophy and other branches more deeply. 

Om Shanti (peace) to Mario Lopez for helping to bring the benefits of yoga to a new audience!

Me and My Friend Agustin Doing Partner Yoga

Powers of Levitation: The Rising Cost of Yoga

As a longtime avid yoga practitioner and yoga instructor I know very well how huge and mainstream yoga has become, especially in New York City.  Besides LA, I’m not sure any city in America has quite so many yoga studios, especially Downtown, where I live.  There are over a dozen yoga studios around “Yoga Square”, i.e. Union Square, alone.

The explosion of yoga is a great thing!  The more that yoga gets into the consciousness of the world and its cities, the better.  Yoga teaches us to be more mindful, present, and aware- no matter how spiritually-focused or physically-focused the class may be.  And there is something for everyone- Bhikram, Vinyasa, Hatha, Anusara and more.  My teacher Dharma Mittra instructs us “Don’t criticize any kind of yoga.”   All yoga is good.

With yoga’s popularity has come a noticeable rise in the price of practicing.  This is a tricky subject.  On the one hand, I want the studios to thrive and provide great teachers the means to live and teach group yoga classes. (Private yoga sessions, at over $100/hour, are definitely only reserved for the well-to-do).  On the other hand, cost is a barrier to the spread of yoga’s teachings throughout the world; the essential teachings of yoga counsel that it benefits everyone and those who have access to yoga should share it.

When I was studying yoga across India, in Dharmsala, Rishikesh, Varanasi, and other places, yoga ashrams were run like this:  if I agreed to stay at the yoga ashram for at least 15 days, I would be provided meals, yoga classes, and lodging for as little as $2/day.  The true teachers I studied under see their purpose as making yoga as accessible to everyone, and therefore affordable. 

These days yoga studios in New York City may be priced at $25 (gasp!) per single class, and upwards of $250/month.   The class might be taught by a great teacher — a master — but does exceptional instruction justify charging so much for yoga that a great number of people cannot afford to join?  Doesn’t that somehow contradict the idea that yoga, at its heart, is meant to spread love and positive vibrations throughout the world, to as many as possible?  One could, of course, argue that master teachers should make money, and do very well because they have worked so hard and deserve it.  But where is the line between charging a premium but fair price and charging an outrageous price?

Thankfully, many gyms offer yoga classes and if you search a little bit you can find some great teachers.  I teach in several gyms around New York and my students often express that they want to progress further and take more classes.  When I recommend yoga studios, the answer time and time again is that they can’t afford it.

It sort of reminds me of the high rising price of education.  I went to a private university myself, Georgetown University.  My poor family saved and worked extremely hard to cover the costs, which at the time were around $30,000 per year.  I think now the price is over $40K!  Should an excellent, private education be reserved for the upper class?  Soon, is yoga going to be accessible to only the upper class? 

As a yoga instructor I do see both sides, But I can’t help but wonder why there isn’t more middle ground: charge a bit less per class and studios will get more students.  By training more yogis, the studios as a group will be even more successful and, yes, make more money.

The 5-Minute Yoga Facial

There are times when I’ve barely slept or been traveling and, when I glance in the mirror I think  I need to brighten up my face ASAP. As the founder of a skincare company, my skin is under extra scrutiny!

When I am getting ready to head out to dinner with friends, to an afternoon party or to an important business meeting, I often use some of the secrets I learned in China and India as a pick-me-up facial that is guaranteed to give my skin a kick and instant glow.

The Wrinkle-Reducing Breath
If you are holding tension, it will tighten your facial muscles and make your lines and wrinkles more pronounced. This exercise will let all that rigidity go.

Sit quietly with your spine straight and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for 4 seconds, tensing all the muscles of your face and body as hard as you can. Then exhale out through your mouth strongly, opening your mouth as wide as it will go. As you exhale, imagine you are expelling all the tension out of your body, especially your face. Repeat 3 times.

The Line Smoothing Facial Massage
Even though you’ve already breathed out a lot of tension, sometimes there are ‘stuck areas’ of energy in our face. If you practice yoga, think of this as similar to the trapped bodily energy released by practicing asanas.

Start by using your thumbs to firmly press the inner edge of your eyebrows, right on the edge of the brow bone. Hold for a count of 3-5 seconds. When you pull your hands away, you should feel a relaxing sensation. This helps to reduce the tension-induced lines between your eyebrows.

Next, use the heels of your hand or your fingers to massage all around your cheeks and jaw. Cover the whole area to hit Chinese Acupressure points, which prompt the energy to move, which is what we want. Stuck energy can lead to lines and wrinkles!

The Glow-Getting Ear Massage
There are numerous acupressure points throughout our ears. A gorgeously complexioned acupuncturist in Jinhong, China explained to me that in the complex mapping of meridians in the body, ear massage links to your face, and helps make your face look glowing. So give the entire lobe areas of both ears a healthy rub- working from top to bottom.

Invert for Extra Oomph
In India, I learned that flipping yourself upside down flushes your face with fresh blood and oxygen, reviving your complexion in ways that makeup could never do.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to know how to do a full Headstand or even a shoulder stand. Try this easy method: Kneel with your rear end on your heels, then gently bring the top of your head to the floor. For support, you can keep your hands on either side of your head, or reach back and hold your calves. If this is still too much for you, then just sit in a chair and let your head fall between your legs. Try to stay in your inversion for at least 10 seconds. Better yet, do two.
Congratulations, you’ve gone from Fatigued to Fabulous in 5 minutes!