Yoga For Dudes

Last Sunday at Bamboomoves we had our first Yoga For Dudes (Gentlemen, Guys, Bros etc). An all mens yoga experience, aimed at introducing the practice to new guys, and deepening the yoga practice for existing members. The reason why I wanted to have a yoga workshop for men, was to dispell the myth that yoga is for chicks, and to create a comfortable environment for men to grunt, groan and Om in peace. People forget that yoga was originally intended for men only, it was for the elite men in the upper class of India. The practice trains men to have Warrior Strength and flexibility of mind, body and spirit. Originally, I wanted a man to co-teach the experience, just to create a balance in energy in the room, but all my man yogi friends were obligated to other classes or on the West Coast. So with the encouragement of the guys who take my classes regularly, I taught on my own. We had a wonderful turn out. The vibration of the Om alone was magnificent. I had the men sweating, chutturungaing, and various other poses to improve balance and arm strength. The amazing thing was, every challenging aspect of class was recieved with an "I can do that" testosterone filled reaction, while when I teach ladies, it is very common for ladies to say, "Well I just don't do that pose". As an instructor, this experience taught me compassion, because I noticed how delicate the male ego can be even in an all male yoga class, I cannot imagine the mental challenge for men when they take a co-ed yoga class, especially for men who have never done yoga before. It was so awesome to be part of this workshop.

Thank you to all the brave guys who participated, and the brilliant guys who participated in the Yoga for Dudes Commercial, shot by Owner/fellow Yogi Michael Baez. We hope to make this workshop an ongoing class. While yoga benefits all people, of all ages, men espeically gain strength, peace of mind, balance, flexibility, restoration from injuries, and much more! Many famous men have adopted the yoga practice into their regular routine including LeBron James, Evander Holyfield, Russell Simmons, The entire Lakers Team, Sting, and many more! Please encourage the men in your life to be more concious of their health and wellness. If you haven't seen the hillarious Yoga for Dudes commercial, please check it out!

We took a great group video after class, but no still snap....so pictured is Michael Baez, with new Yogi behind during the Bamboomoves Teacher Training.

Water

"There is enough water for human need, but not enough for human greed" ~ Gandhi

Water is essential to human existence. Our bodies are primarily made up of water, close to 70-75%. The need to replenish the body with this vital fluid is an obvious requirement. It helps to maintain body temperature, metabolize fats, lubricate and cushion joints and organs, flush out toxins and transfer nutrients. Some experts recommend drinking up to 64 oz of water a day, and if you exercise or are overweight even more. Water makes up 90% of our blood, so we need to replenish. It also is key for the function of our liver and kidneys, so when we are dehydrated, we are actually overworking our liver and kidneys, and impeding the toxin flush process. So when water is important to our body, does that mean we should drink bottled water?

Our world has a surface area of bout 75% water, but only 1% is drinkable. I recently watched a brilliant film "Tapped" which exposes the giant bottle water industry. The monopolization of our bottle water industry by Nestle. Basically, the regulation for the water bottle industry has no requirements, and the FDA is ok with this. Poland Springs will drill water in local areas, and bottle it. This water has no required standard, and worst of all it is kept in bottles that leach BPA (a cancer causing toxic chemical). BPA alters our hormones, increasing estrogen, and thereby contributing to the mutation of cells. The amount of toxic chemicals found in the water itself was beyond belief. Have we ever asked if there are any benefits to drinking bottled water? Now, we even have celebrities endorsing bottled water. Beyond the damage the unregulated bottled water, and the BPA bottles do to our bodies, the industry does not put in recycling agendas. Many states do not enforce recycling of water bottles, so these bottles wind up polluting our lakes, rivers, and oceans. Tiny particles of plastic can be found in beaches where we once had sand, and sadly the particles are being injested by the marine life, and they are reeping the rewards of our greed. When the bottled water industry was under investigation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the leading brands had over 38 hazardous chemicals in them, that affect our liver, kidneys, nervous system, and increase the risk of cancer. Are we really spending money on bottled water that is basically the same as the water from our taps?

So what are some other alternatives? Some people carry the stainless steel water bottles. I know my dad likes to boil the water. Some people purchase home filters or purifiers. And Some may say tap water, but then there is the question of flouride in the water. Flouride is a real issue in our tap water. So maybe investing in a good water filter? Berkey is a water filtration company that I have come across and even used. It makes filters in stainless steel containers (therefore no BPA), and it gets out many toxins. This company makes filters for the shower head as well. There may be other water filters that work wonders as well, so if you know of any, please feel free to comment and share the knowledge. Whatever you decide, get informed, and make the best decision for your body. Sometimes we blindly follow what is popular, convienient, heavily marketed and celebrity endorsed. We need to think, what is the benefit for my body, my finances (long and short term) and my global environment.

Shoulder Stand

Shoulder stand also called Saravangasana is known as the "queen" of the yoga poses. This pose requires you squeeze the shoulder blades together, invert the legs up the the sky, gaze to the toes, and balance on the shoulders while protecting the cervical spine. This is a lovely inversion pose to do with benefits that include healing the thyroid, letting blood flow to the brain, relieving constipation, and strengthening the muscles in the neck and shoulders. It is said to have anti-aging benefits. For instructors, a wonderful way to adjust someone deeper into the pose, includes squeezing their elbows closer with your own feet, and a gentle lift of the legs to get the yoga student higher in the pose.

Pictured: Shoulder stand pose & Instructor adjustment (photo taken by Jody Concepcion)

Asparagus cure for Cancer

So as my girls and I at Bamboomoves embark on the 21 days to wellness, my brother recently sends me an email about how Asparagus is a cure for cancer. My brother is in no way a vegetarian, but since we lost our mother to Cancer we are both interested in the natural cures out there, so I was really happy when he shared this with me. I LOVE ASPARAGUS! It is loaded with vitamins and minerals including Folic Acid, B Vitamins, and Glutathione (which is an antioxidant and anticarcinogenic phytochemical). Glutathione helps in detoxification by binding fat soluble toxins (metals, solvents, pesticides) and converts them into a water-soluble form that can be excreted in Urine. Asparagus has a good supply of a protein called "histones", which are believed to be an active part in controlling cell growth. The Glutathione content in Asparagus is good for anti-aging as well. Our natural foods are so full of nutrients, so before you reach for the package of food with an Ingredient list full of chemicals you don't recognize, eat some asparagus, eat an apple, eat some green beans, eat some melons, eat some spinach, kale, collard greens, avocados, walnuts...the healthy choices out there are endless. While many believe that it is expensive to eat healthy, find a bodega, or by your fruits and veggies at a local farmers market, because the cost of your health is and should always be greater. Think long term. I was telling my lovely yoga students, they spend millions of dollars marketing "Coke", "McDonalds" "Milk" and various other foods loaded with sugar, sodium, hormones, various cancer causing chemicals and most importantly...no nutrients, but you rarely see a commercial for Kale. All these companies have serious stock in Pharmaceuticals, so lets claim our wealth back, by taking over our health. EAT HEALTHY FOLKS!

This is just one case from the article my brother sent me:

Case No. 3, a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971, he was put on the operating table where they found lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable. The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the asparagus therapy and immediately started taking it. By August, x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had disappeared. He is back at his regular business routine.

21 Days to Health & Wellness Challenge

21 Days to Health and Wellness Challenge starts today at Bamboomoves, BX. Participants are guided on healthier eating options, cleansing options, guest lectures, field trips to healthy markets and restaurants, FREE Vegan friendly literature and books, and MUCH MORE! People who have done this program in the past have lost from 17 to 70 pounds either during the 21 days or after keeping the commitments from what they learned. People feel healthier, learn better options, lower cholestorol & BP, and LOOK GREAT!!! While this is with the guidance of the Yoga Principal of Ahimsa, it is not mandatory to be Vegan, but it is encouraged. While I have been one of the guest lecturers in the past, introducing people to the world of Ayurveda and Dosha types, this time around, I will be leading the journey! So very excited! As being a Vegan is pretty much the norm for me, I am considering a fast. This is an amazing chance for people to learn, grow, detoxify and get healthy!

Yoga With Elmo!

Years back when I worked at Def Jam, I used to have to walk somewhere through Times Square area. It is actually beautiful to witness the lavishly lit buildings, the billboards, and the energy of Times Square. While it was once part of my daily commute, I am happy to say I have enjoyed the detoxification from the experience. Since I prefer walking through streets without dodging other pedestrians, I tend to avoid that area of Manhattan. Until recently. In efforts to maintain my status of Worlds Coolest Aunty, I decided to meet Elmo and maybe do some Yoga. While on my commute from one Yoga Session to the next, I ventured through Times Square, and there he was, ELMO. He gave me a Big Hug, so big that I was almost lost in a sea of red fur, which is when I decided maybe now we should do some Yoga! I attempted to teach him Tree Pose, but he decided to just have his hands in Anjali Mudra (saying Namaste)....and wouldn't you know, there was Cookie Monster, peaking behind us, putting his hands in Namaste too! Like for most folks, yoga is something everyone loves! Even Elmo and Cookie Monster!! Namaste Sesame Street!

Third Eye Chakra Workshop

Saturday we had our monthly chakra workshop at Bamboomoves in Pellham Bay. BX. Shakti was in full effect! We explored the Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) at Bamboomoves. While this chakra is meant to enlighten, deepen meditation, increase intuition, increase psychic abilities, we spent most of the workshop exploring various meditation techniques. Since I recently injured my right Achilles tendon, I was happy to conduct a primarily meditative workshop. With the brilliant Sitar playing of Giann, we sat in our circle and began to do a journey through all the chakras. Students eventually focused on the third eye. We progressed into tratak (also known as candle gazing), and a beautiful candle lit savasana. Like with every workshop, it was very powerful. Many students shared their experiences. Some felt warmth on the third eye, vibration on the forehead, saw vibration in their candles that corresponded with the Live Sitar music (love it!), felt vibration in the body, saw visions, saw various chakra colors which related to personal situations, felt the presence of love, and much more!!! One student even began to feel the kundalini rising. I had experienced that after doing the 1000 bows with the Yoga Teacher Trainees and it was amazing, so I thought it was so profound, that one participant experienced that in this 90min workshop!!! WOW!!! Once you are open to your third eye, it is important to be wise with our use of this gift. We all have this ability, this connection, but only some can tap into it. Another thing to be mindful of, people who do not have a yoga/meditation practice, and very minimal intuition can try to create doubt in your experience, just ignore, and detach from the negativity by wishing them well in your heart, and continuing your own meditation practice. We meditate to become one with God, and when we are, there is no need for the ego to get in the way, meaning, there is no need to feel compelled to defend our experience, we must just be our experience. Thank you all for participating and making this event so amazing! Like with every workshop, we concluded with delicious Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake! Special Thanks to Giann for wonderful Sitar playing (His CD is available at Bamboomoves for purchase!) and special thanks to our very own, Jody Concepcion for taking such amazing photographs! See you all at the next workshop!