The Jimmy Kimmel-LuLu Lemon Yoga Pants Crisis Video

Recently on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Jimmy Kimmel announced how LuLu Lemon, the widely embraced apparel for many yogis, especially white upper middle class white ladies (as he said), recalled their yoga pants, which resulted in a dip in their stocks.  He maintained that this was a crisis.  The pants were apparently transparent and therefore had to be recalled.  Jimmy Kimmel made a super funny comedy sketch/public service announcement and told audiences that this is a crisis we should take seriously. 

While some may argue that $120 is far too much to spend on yoga pants and monopolizes yoga in a way that this far opposite from the non-attachment mindset that yoga aims to provide, many people embrace the pants as the standard uniform for their practice.  Cardboard, Bubble Wrap and Yogurt are not the best alternatives for yoga pants.

The video concludes with

"With your donation of just $120, you can put one woman in one pair of yoga pants"

YOGA's Yama and Niyama top 10 Tips in Kerala

While many people travel to India (including myself) to study Yoga, to teach Yoga, and to experience the purity of the birth place of yoga, sometimes the ashram is not the only place for enlightenment.  That being said, India the ultimate place for purification, and in my case the birthplace for my parents.  It is my favorite place to teach Yoga, practice yoga, and study.  You have the magical landscapes, and the traditional teaching of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha Yoga, and many other incredible Guru's, Babas, and Ayurveda Teachers.

Prior to booking this trip, I had spent 5 months caring for my beloved Aunty who passed in January.  Many Yogis would consider this an act of Seva (selfless service), for me it was an honor and my duty.  I cancelled some amazing teaching opportunities in Malta, Switzerland and India to stay bedside with her.  Though every morning I maintained my morning yoga (while she would sleep), I quickly learned what the nurses were warning me about....the burnout.

She passed away in January, and I decided to accompany my dad on an emergency trip to India.  We were visiting my Uncle who was also in poor health condition, but I knew it was also necessary for me to get away.

While I was invited to teach yoga in 2 places in Kerala, I chose to truly take time for me and heal my mind-body-spirit.  In the West, yogis get caught up in routines and almost attached to them.  I wanted the most minimalist detox experience possible.

We left Toronto Airport after a beautiful snow storm, only to arrive in Kerala where the weather was comparable to most Bikram studios and was perfect for my morning & afternoon Yoga practice.

The top 10 Yama & Niyama, Minimalist guide to Yoga in India:

1. AHIMSA - Non Harming to all living things - Visiting a beautiful Elephant Sanctuary where these brilliant animals are trained with kindness & compassion and eventually go on to be working animals in the local Temples.
2. SATYA - Truthfulness - Being True to myself.  It would have been easy for me to teach yoga, or post daily updates online of my experience, but instead I chose to enjoy time with family and heal any grief or residual stress that may have unconsciously found its way into my being.
3. ASTEYA - Non Stealing - Often I tell my Yoga Teacher Trainees that as teachers we must respect people's time, privacy, and never misuse the precious classroom moments for our own glory etc.  On this trip I practiced Asteya by realizing I was there on a family trip, so instead of visiting an ashram, I consciously chose to practice every morning at 4 am in solitude so that I can have the remaining time to spend with my loved ones.
4.  BRAMACHARYA - preserving our sexual energy and redirecting it into our spiritual path - Most girls who take a vacation with their dad are guaranteed to be free from any opportunities or thoughts of romance.
5.  APARIGRAHA - Non Hoarding - I went to India with a suitcase full of chocolate to give to my relatives and friends, so I did not bother to pack too many personal items.  While there are so many amazing shops, malls and bazaars to buy things in Kerala, including the grand opening of the largest mall in all of India (LULU MALL) right in Kerala - I chose to keep purchases to necessities only.        
6. SAUCHA - Purity & Cleanliness - After my morning meditation, yoga, I would follow with lime/lemon water (picked straight from the tree) to alkalize my body.  I maintained my regular vegetarian diet, and kept my body clean.
7.  SANTOSHA - Contentment - While I faced many challenges during the time I cared for my aunty, I focused on contentment.  I reflected on blessings, and gave thanks for the challenges, challenging people, and lessons as they made me a stronger person. This contentment led me to the deeper awareness that all experiences are from ourselves and primarily our reaction.  Soon I was so overwhelmed with the contentment in the beauty of Kerala's tropical landscape, sounds of birds, and the lively orchestra of beeping horns, saree clad pedestrians, and all other things that were a celebration of LIVING IN THE MOMENT, Being right here, right NOW.
8. TAPAS - Disciplined use of energy - Tapas is bringing heat to the body to burn through all urges and purify.  With daily morning yoga without any fan or air conditioner, in the extreme heat of Kerala I was feeling purified.
9. SVADHYAYA - Self Study - Daily journaling, drawing, reading, meditating, chanting, singing, and walks all led to a self realization experience.  I made a conscious choice to stay off Facebook, my blog, twitter, and even refrained from email.  While I use Facebook to share/read inspirational quotes, stories of other fellow yogis, or share aspects of my self-discovery, but I chose to be as pure as possible and unplugged from the system. 
10. ISVARAPRANIDHANA - Celebration of the spiritual - Laying all your actions at the feet of divine.  With daily yoga, daily prayer, and time with loved ones we all can learn to celebrate the Divine.

Like always seeing my family in India is always a beautiful experience.  I am happy to be back.  For those who are interested to study Yoga, Ayurveda or Reiki with me there will be some workshops coming up in Ontario, New York, and a 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training I will offer this July in Ireland, and one in November in India.  Thank you to all those who emailed me after noticing my disappearance on social media.  We all face challenges perhaps in job, family, health, and for those who have the tendency to be care-givers, it is important to take care of our self as well.

Stay Blessed ~ Om Shanti

Warning - Yogi Bibi Takes over Super Bowl XLVII

Yogi Bibi McGill and Beyonce at Super Bowl XLVII

Many people spent Sunday night watching Super Bowl XLVII, some refer to it as the Beyonce Concert, and others enjoyed the host of commercials.  The game was packed with action, and I am happy to say I won a friendly wager with my brother, as I was rooting for the Baltimore Ravens.  As Ray Lewis had Psalm 91 (my favorite psalm) written on his undershirt, and proudly stood with his victory Lombardi trophy, knowing this would have been his last season at the game, everyone was pleased to have watched a thrilling game.  Even the power-out had fans on the edge of their seat after half-time, as players stretched out in janu-sirsasana.

Alicia Keys who performed the soulful rendition of the American national anthem shared with her twitter fans ''Jus finished a beautiful, calming yoga session. My intention is 2 enjoy every piece of this special day! What's urs? (sic)'' prior to her performance.  The halftime show, Beyonce concert, or Destiny's child reunion (whatever you chose to call it) was also a highlight for many fans.  The incredible and electrifying guitar solo by Yogi Bibi McGill was another reminder of how many ways Yogis are sharing their light and vibration.  Music has a powerful way to heal, inspire, resonate with people, and unify....congratulations Yogi Bibi for taking over the amazing half time show with your killer guitar riffs! 

The Zen of Naked Yoga

For those of you who have followed my blog you know I love to challenge myself and be open to new experiences with my yoga practice, and I twice ventured into the world of Naked Yoga, and found it to be one of the most pure and positive experiences ever.  It was a chance for me to truly surrender to my breath, be vulnerable, embrace Aparigraha (non-hoarding/possesiveness), and fall in love with all the curves and splendor that is my body during asana.  The class I took was at the Pheonix Temple with Isis in NYC, it was co-ed, and she invited me back to play live music for the second class.  While the second class I allowed me to hide my vulnerability behind my guitar, many insecurities were shed from both experiences.  The biggest realization is the concept of beauty or flaw is an illusion, and the thought "OMG I am naked" becomes a natural reminder of how we all came to this journey.

Now in India many of the Naga Baba's (most revered Sadhu's who are nude and renounced the things of this world) have emerged from their deep meditation in the mountains to partake in Kumbh Mela. In India, many of the most revered Sadhu's practice naked as a way to release all attachments, while in the West we are flooded with over-priced yoga apparel, and air-brushed images that often times create a negative sense of self worth and unrealistic goal focused purely on the physical.  With yoga being a practice of unity of mind-body-spirit and self-realization, it would be natural for yogis to embrace detachment, but sometimes we lose sight of this quest in our fashion infused asana classes.  Because of my personal experience, I always recommend my yoga students and teacher trainees to embark on a naked yoga class, or even practice on their own.  We forget how much emphasis we place on things of this world (shirt riding up, pants slipping down, matching clothes etc.), and many of these things can potentially be distraction from the oneness of the practice. 

One of my beloved students, Joseph, did just that, experienced the purity of the practice when done nude, and will be teaching a naked yoga workshop at LeMale Yoga in NYC (Feb 20, 27th, and March 6th 7:45pm -8:55pm).  While this studio provides an amazing playground of exploration inspired workshops, Joseph is guaranteed to have people feel comfortable in their own skin while maintaining a challenging, safe, and powerful vinyasa class with attention to alignment. 

Another paradox of the world of Yoga is, in India yoga was predominantly a practice for men/warriors, and today in other parts of the world we often see classes predominantly with women.  I have heard many of my male students admit that this can be intimidating at times.  The 3 week workshop that Joseph is teaching at LeMale Yoga is for men only (sorry ladies), but promises to be a powerful experience.

For more information on this amazing workshop visit:
http://www.lemaleyoga.com/workshops.html

To read about my experience with naked Yoga please visit:
http://zogayoga.blogspot.ca/2009/03/room-is-like-any-yoga-studio-in-nyc.html
http://zogayoga.blogspot.ca/2009/06/naked-yoga-reprise.html

Kumbh Mela 2013

Kumbh Mela 2013 is one of the biggest Hindu Pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism from January 14 - February 3rd.  Pilgrims gather at the sacred river to bathe and purify their souls, and cleanse from sins.  It happens every 12 years.  The last Festival had an estimated 70 million participants and this current one is expected to have over 100 million participants.  People come from all over the world, to bathe in the sacred rivers, to witness the Sadhus (dressed in orange), naga baba's (naked as symbol complete aparigrapha), yogis,  and other devotees immerse themselves in this sacred ritual to cleanse their souls and purify from any negative energy.

The river Ganga-Yamuna and mythical Saraswati are said to hold the necatar from the Kumbh (pitcher) of the Gods after the seas were churned.  Aside from witnessing the mass baptismal like purification of Hindu devotees, people who participate enjoy spiritual discourses, devotional kirtan, and feeding of many people (holy people and poor).

I Heart Chia Seeds

For many people who were around in the 80's the popular commercial on Television was for Chia Pets.  The concept of spreading wet seeds on the pottery animal figure only to watch it grow was a novelty gift.  Today the same Chia Seeds also called Salvia Hispanica L are being embraced as the best super food around.  For those of us who are determined to embrace a healthier lifestyle this new year, we need options with optimal benefits.  There are many people who question how to ensure protein or calcium levels when eating a plant based diet, and need options.  This article is about one of my favorite options which is loaded with health benefits and has a recommended daily intake of only 1 TBS a day.  Be sure to drink plenty of water as they are high in fibre.

I Love Chia Seeds and here is my TOP 10 reasons why you should too!

1. It is 20% protein and a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids.
2. It is super high in fibre which aids in digestion
3. It has 20% Omega ALA great for brain and heart health (8 times more than Salmon)
4. It is loaded with antioxidants (4 times more than blueberries)
5. It is high in Iron (3 times more than in spinach)
6. It balances blood glucose levels (therefore great for diabetics)
7. It is Gluten Free (for those conscious about the GMO Wheat or those with wheat intolerance)
8. It is high in potassium (2 times more than in a banana) 
9. It is high in Calcium and Magnesium (5 times the amount found in milk along with boron for absorption)
10. It is high in vitamin C (7 times more than found in oranges)

BONUS BENEFITS

1. Vegans can use as an egg replaces by adding water (Ratio is 3 Tbs Water, 1 Tbs Chia Seeds = 1 Egg)
2. Tapioca Fans can use it for that Tapioca Pudding Treat Fix they crave (1/4 cup Chia Seeds, 1 cup almond/coconut milk add your cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, 4 dates for sweetness, blend together, let sit for 90 minutes in the fridge and VOILA!!!)
3. You can add to your daily smoothie for added sweetness
4. You can sprinkle onto your cereal or oatmeal
5. You can sprinkle onto your yogurt for a nice crunch

You can sprinkle Chia Seeds onto most of your foods for the healthy benefits, and texture.  Also it is great to note that Chia seeds are excellent for healthy hair, skin and nails.  Cha Cha Cha Chia!!!

Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year, welcoming the year of the snake, 2013, the age of aquarius.  I cannot enter this new year without gratitude for 2012.  The previous year brought me so many adventures all over India, Canada, USA (LA, NYC) to share Yoga Teacher Training as a guest teacher or a host, to inspire & be inspired.  I have so much gratitude to the students, and co-teachers who shared in these amazing experiences.  The previous year also brought me challenges for which I am grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn.

We made it passed the Maayan Apocolypse and have entered a new chapter.  While most gyms and yoga studios are busy promoting packages for a healthy start to the new year, individuals are setting goals to trim the waistline, and people all over and hopeful for a better year, commitment to the plan is key.  Whether your goal is better health, better relationships, better job, better travel, better spiritual evolution, all goals require a purpose, a plan, and a positive outlook.  While I would recommend daily asana, pranayama, and a healthy diet which includes more vegetables & fruits and less sugar and processed or GMO products, no adjustments should ever be approached with the mental process of deprivation, but instead JOY.  In fact we should enjoy the process and focus on the benefits.  Regardless of your resolution this new year, enjoy the process and have an attitude of gratitude.

TOP 10 Ways to Begin an AMAZING 2013:

1. With a heart of Gratitude: Be thankful as often as possible, to people, to your faith, to your blessings and lessons/challenges.
2. With a Dream Board: Creating a Picture Board with dreams and aspirations to help motivate you to maintain focus on making dreams come true.
3. Clean your space: Make your space sacred and recognize the direct impact our surroundings have on our mental and emotional body, so get rid of the clutter.
4. Clean your Heart: Sometimes you cannot get rid of the clutter of people that surround you, but you can adjust the amount of attention you give to negative people/situations, focus on the roses in your life rather than thorns.  Ignore the haters and wish them well.
5. With Healthy Dietary Intake: While some may view dieting as a means of deprivation, instead commit to increasing water intake to maintain hydration, and increasing healthy items at meal times.  Eventually the glowing skin, healthy energy and weight loss will inspire a lifestyle change that is commited to healthy dietary habits.
6. With a Quiet Mind: Quiet the Noise, commit to at least 10 minutes a day away from noise, either in prayer or meditation.  No gadgets, no requirements, except stillness and deep breaths.
7. With Affirmation: Our word/mantra have a direct effect on our lives, so consciously choose your words.
8. Give: Spend some time in Karma Yoga, or Volunteering.  Give back to the community, to an individual, donate clothes, donate time.....give and only then does the Universe give back.
9. With movement:  While stillness is wonderful, our body is meant to move.  Choose to walk, ride a bike, dance, run, or challenge yourself in your asana practice, take a group fitness class, pole dance class, zumba class....whatever inspires you to move and get your heart rate up.  Also move your mind by enjoying music, reading, and taking courses/classes like Yoga Teacher Training, Reiki, Meditation etc., to evolve your being.
10. LOVE: Love yourself, celebrate yourself, and Love the world around you.  The grumpy people might be annoyed by your zest for life, but soon enough your LOVE may soften their heart.

Wishing everyone an amazing 2013 with love, peace, joy, adventure, prosperity, health, and many opportunities to give thanks.  Thank you all for sharing in the journey. Namaste