Yoga Folks discussion
Hellos and Site Questions
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Newest round of welcomes
Hi all. I'm a mom of twin boys, the "other half" of a great relationship, a software developer, and recently began to focus on my study of yoga.I've been practicing yoga off and on for about 10 years as well. Although my practice has been more off than on and it is only now that I am really truly beginning to practice. Some day I'd love to do a teacher trainer program but need to wait until my children are older. Until then I am trying to read, study, learn, and practice on my own.
Here is a link to my blog. I'm not a writer and it is more of a journal but I figured I would post it. :)
Thank you for the invitation to join this group. I enjoy yoga very much and all that it stands for.
Mod
For those interested in reading Yoga Bitch with the group in October, watch for a new discussion thread on that soon. Should be a fun book; I've heard good things about it.
Meryl Davids Landau
Hello! I am interested in this group. I work in a HS library, teach yoga and have practiced for over 20 years. I also knit and love walking. I would love to read the book suggested as well.Renee' Trimble
Greetings & (sun) Salutations! My spiritual name is deZengo and I am so glad to see the group is picking up activity and members! My own love affair with Yoga, began just prior to my diagnosis of advanced stage III invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer) in 2005. During that time, my own heart was broke and truthfully - I had hit rock bottom emotionally, physically and spiritually. My marriage ended dramatically and without notice, I had two young children to raise as a single parent, was going to school full time to get my own degree / career, 3,ooo miles from anyone that cared - it was touch and go for if I would survive. In the end, I discovered I was so much stronger than I knew and that much sickness and illness was directly related to our own mental and spiritual well being. Yoga was a constant that I could return to in my moments of silence after chemotherapy, radiation, multiple additional surgeries etc... It was the place of OM where there was no judgment or pain. There was ONLY my physical form and the universe at large. My own experiences and battles without a doubt have shaped the direction my life has gone. At this point, I teach yoga & zumba for Humanity Healing's SACREDspace Studio - Health & Wellness Editor for OM Times Magazine and volunteer in the community on most things empowerment related. Yoga is possibly the handbook for life that was "left" out. I have my own speculations (as our sickness provides an entire industry with MONEY MONEY MONEY!) as to why it was left out - but now that the Western World has it - we will also embrace what makes sense and works for our local communities to teach personal responsibility to SELF! Our long term goals are to force the industries to move toward PREVENTION not Treatment! Thanks again for sharing your yoga adventures here / there / everywhere. Much Love, Light, Endless Joyful Adventures! deZengohttp://www.community.humanityhealing.net
http://www.OMTimes.com
Mod
Meryl Davids Landau
Thanks so much Meryl! No doubt yoga has played an incredible healing role in my life, as well as so many others. Now that we, in the Western world have seen and felt the rewards of taking care of SELF and incorporated some ancient bending / stretching / breathing techniques - I also believe we are seeing a change in the health & wellness industry. Thanks for sharing and keeping our lil ole group alive. Much Love & Light, deZengo
anyone have a nook color and want to add me as a friend let me know.Have a fun weekand
Hello. I joined this group as I wanted to learn more about yoga beyond stretching. I am humbled to be in the presence of long-time practitioners. I have read a few books about Yoga and follow a video blog by Tara Stiles. I am enjoying the journey but think I have only scratched the surface.
Namaste' & Welcome to the group Kris. ;-) There is one thing that yoga teaches that applies for the beginner and the lifetype / style yogi/ini - yoga does the body good. It can be as little or much as a person wants it to be. You can't just read about it in books to understand it, you actually have to practice. We all come to a quick realization of the importance of "breath" and that working with our breath provides numerous benefits. I have used it for some intense work outs and for meditation and healing. IN short, I don't care what flavor / style / practice a person has - as long as they are doing something that attends to the MIND : BODY : SPIRITI started out with Sean Corne, Rodney Yee, Shiva Rea, and then started to find my way around my own body and individual needs. I began to worry less about what they were saying and more about what my body was telling me. It's nice to have a place to discuss yoga with. I find that there are so many that don't want to collaborate - but this is how change occurs. In little chat rooms, little sparks can create huge changes!
OM Shanti OM
Hi, I joined this group recently. It's good to find a place to chat about Yoga. I started Yoga in 1993, with an Iyengar teacher. For many years I didn't go to a class and my practice was very on and off (using books, videos etc). I now go to an Ashtanga class and I'm enjoying being more committed to Yoga.
Good morning! First, I would like to say that I just found this site (goodreads.com) last night! I had just finished Downward Dog, Upward Fog by Meryl, and was looking for a way to thank her for her wonderful book, and was directed to this site after a google search. So, thank you Meryl, for one of my favorite reads!!!I am 41 years old, divorced, no children. I work in the healthcare field and have always had an interest in yoga, but more of it's philosophy than actual asanas. I am fortunate to have a yoga ashram very close to my house which I try to visit on the occasional weekend for lectures. I currently do not have a daily yoga/meditation pracitce, but I want to change that.
My life has certainly had more "downs" than "ups" lately. A few years ago, I went through a divorce. Shortly after that, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Most recently, I had the biggest loss of my life. My mother, who was also my best friend, died 3 months ago after a couragous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 59 years old. Since her passing, I am doing a tremendous amount of reading to help me "stay afloat." Reading is the one thing that is a passion of mine.
I was looking for some yoga novels, and that is what brought me here.
I look forward to meeting each of you! Julie
Namaste to all of you! I'm Robin, and I just got my 250 hour certification a couple of years ago. When I was young and skinny lol I danced professionally (in a ballet company, not around a pole, just FYI), but that was before six children and a sedentary lifestyle. A few years back I tried yoga, FELL IN LOVE and wanted to share it with others. I have only a small business, but when it's right it'll grow. I have teens and a blind mom that eat up a bunch of time, too, so it's all right for now.Looking forward to getting to know everyone!
Mod
Since we all have such different yoga practices (in terms of styles, longevity and whatnot) I think we will learn a lot from one another!
Julie, sorry to hear of your loss of your mom. That has to be hard. Hopefully reading uplifting yoga books help elevate your spirit. And Robin, thanks for clarifying that you didn't dance around the pole; I laughed out loud when I read your post!
Namaste! (Which, for those new to yoga, means the divine in me salutes the divine in you.)
Meryl Davids Landau
Hello everyone, and thanks Meryl for reviving the group! My name is Clarissa and I have been practicing yoga for 4 years. I fall more in love with it everyday. I'm currently a college student and am hoping to find a good training program in the next year or so. I look forward to participating in the future discussions of this group!Namaste
Hi everyone! I'm Kim. I've been practicing Yoga regularly for about ten years. Before that I would say a dabbled in it and was drawn to more fitness type classes. Everything changed when my intentions changed and I've found more and more reasons to fall in love with it as I continued to practice.I became certified through YogaFit (which is a really nice way to do it in levels) and I now teach Yoga and fitness classes. Yoga changed my life! ;)
I'll have to request the book we're reading as a group and play catch-up.
I'm happy to be here, thanks for inviting me!
Thanks Julie!Welcome to you too.
I'm sorry for your loss.
I read about Yoga before starting a practice too. What have you been reading? Are you unsure about starting an asana practice?
Good morning, Kim! Thank you for your kind words. I do practice asanas, but just not on a daily basis. I seem to be a "weekend yoga warrior," lol! I practice on the weekends attending yoga classes, but once the week comes, I get lazy, ie. not enough time, etc.I need to become more disciplined, lol! As far as my yoga book readings, there are too many to list in this space. I believe I have them posted under one of these threads.
I look forward to getting to know you, Kim. Have a wonderful day! :)
Mod
Hello Everyone,I'm Eric. I've practicing a modified form of yoga, with a chair, for six months now. I really feeling the benefits of this. Now I looking to expand on my meditation practices in relationship with my yoga routine. Looking forward to any recommendations anyone has.
Mod
Not a meditation primer per se, but my classic favorite is Swami Satchidananda's To Know Your Self, about dealing with the mind.
I'm thinking next month for our book club we might read something a little more serious (and less female!). I hope you'll join us for that. I've got a book in mind, but need to check it out further. Stay tuned.
Meryl Davids Landau
Welcome, Eric! I see Meryl has recommended a great book to you. If you are looking for a meditation primer book, which looks at starting meditation from the beginning, I enjoyed Moving Inward: The Journey to Meditation.
Hi Eric!I loved the Swami's book. Thanks for the other suggestions Amy and Julie. I'm going to look into those as well.
Hi all! Glad to meet you.Though I have wanted to try yoga since high school, I didn't have much of an opportunity to get into a practice until just over a year ago when I discovered a local studio that offers a volunteer program to trade for yoga. Now the office manager for that same studio, I can't believe how positively yoga has impacted my life since I became a regular practitioner. I just recently began a 200-hour yoga teacher training program and I am very excited to deepen my practice and my journey into this amazing practice.
Again, lovely to meet you all! Namasté, friends!
Mod
How great that you're able to trade office management for yoga; a win-win for both of you! I took my own yoga teacher's training many years ago as a way of deepening my own practice, and it really did.
So glad you joined us. We look forward to hearing how your yoga training progresses.
Meryl Davids Landau
Hi everyone,My name is Kathryn and I'm a Children and Teen Librarian and avid yogini. I was diagnosed with severe psoriatic arthritis (think rheumatoid arthritis but with psoriasis) when I was 22. Unfortunately, my ability to do certain forms of yoga was negatively impacted by that diagnosis. I have extensive physical limitations which halted any vigorous practices like vinyasa. Currently, I practice yin and iyengar and some classical hatha.
Yoga has been a blessing for me. Since my diagnosis, my yoga has become less physically based and more spiritually focused. I've started meditating (which is a much more arduous process than I expected) and I've been studying the "Bhagavad Gita" and yoga sutras.
I'm excited to join this group and get to know all of you!
Mod
Welcome to the group! What a shame about your physical limitations but, as you note, the silver lining is that it forced you to focus more on the spiritual aspects of yoga, which is where the real joy is. I agree that meditation can be a challenge for all of us; you might enjoy my recent Huffington Post blog, 6 Tips for When Meditation Gets Rocky, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meryl-d...
I'm sure you know we'll be reading Living Your Yoga in November; please join us if you have time.
Meryl Davids Landau
Welcome, Jessica and Kathryn! We have a wonderful group with a great moderator. Looking forward to interacting with you!Julie :)
Hi all--I realized I never introduced myself. My name is Ilene, and I am a Children's librarian and run the Children's Room in a small village library in Westchester County N.Y. I also have recently finished my 200 hr. certification, and am bringing the yoga to the kids in the library, combining it with story and music. I wanted to deepen my own practice, as well as bring yoga to the kids--but in the process found that I love teaching adults as well. Since my certification, I'm on the mat almost every day--even if for only a short time some days. Meryl--I see you are reading The Lightning Thief--it was so popular in my library, and bought the kids in for books on Greek Mythology as well!
Mod
My daughter's been after me to read Lightning Thief for a while; I resisted, but so far I'm enjoying it a lot.
Welcome to the group!
I never introduced myself either, apologies!
I'm a manager at a software company, where my group focuses on providing people with good interfaces / user experiences. I'm married for a little over a year (with a new house). I've been experimenting with yoga and meditation for about 12 years, but have more recently gotten into a much deeper (I.e. not just physical) and regular practice. I've also been more interested in Aruyveda and nutrition lately. A type A my whole life, I'm exhausted with the fast paced nature of my life (especially my job, which is generally crazy busy, stressful, and unsatisfying). So I'm trying to simplify in all ways I can to create more space for reflection and being (vs doing). I'm also considering what I really want to be when I grow up, since my career wasn't really chosen by me. I'm writing a book in my "spare" time, and considering yoga teacher training. But overall I'm feeling pretty directionless and trying to accept that an answer will make itself known in time!
I'm a manager at a software company, where my group focuses on providing people with good interfaces / user experiences. I'm married for a little over a year (with a new house). I've been experimenting with yoga and meditation for about 12 years, but have more recently gotten into a much deeper (I.e. not just physical) and regular practice. I've also been more interested in Aruyveda and nutrition lately. A type A my whole life, I'm exhausted with the fast paced nature of my life (especially my job, which is generally crazy busy, stressful, and unsatisfying). So I'm trying to simplify in all ways I can to create more space for reflection and being (vs doing). I'm also considering what I really want to be when I grow up, since my career wasn't really chosen by me. I'm writing a book in my "spare" time, and considering yoga teacher training. But overall I'm feeling pretty directionless and trying to accept that an answer will make itself known in time!
Mod
I love that you're into Aruyveda and nutrition, and into slowing down at this stage of your life. I think there's a time for everything, and being faced-pace can be thrilling and fun for a time. But being slow and thoughtful has its own joys, too. I do think "directionless" is a place everyone wanders into periodically in their lives. That's the place we use to jump off into the next exciting phase. (Have you considered a two-month yoga teacher training in Bali? :)
Do enjoy the process of writing a book; there's nothing like the thrill of completing such a major undertaking (ok, maybe having a child, or finding a great mate, but it's up there with those things!).
Namaste!
Meryl Davids Landau
Hello to all yogis!My name is Maria. I've just started my yoga journey but I have been practicing meditation for a good year now. I love the feeling of conecting with ones inter-self. I look forward to learning about yoga. I'm very interested in integral yoga.
Namaste
Maria :)
Thanks Meryl. I definitely do already feel very welcome! And I would love to go to Bali! Who's coming with me?? I was considering doing the teacher training at Kripalu, but Bali might be more interesting. :-)
Jen wrote: "Thanks Meryl. I definitely do already feel very welcome! And I would love to go to Bali! Who's coming with me?? I was considering doing the teacher training at Kripalu, but Bali might be more inter..."Jen---I just finished my 200 hour at Kripalu in June and it was amazing....I felt so blessed to be able to do it there; if you can't get to Bali :-), Kripalu is a great second choice!!!
Welcome Danielle! Thanks for mentioning the books you like... I'll have to check those out. I just recently joined this group and jumped in late with October's read. Enjoyed it!I've read the book for November already but it would be worth re-reading if I can get my hands on a copy. I hope you like it.
Mod
My name is Danielle, and I'm a Legal Aid attorney living in beautiful Bend, Oregon. I had taken a few yoga classes..."
Welcome, Danielle! I love that your surgeon suggested yoga! When I started writing about yoga for magazines more than 20 years ago, doctors thought it was the most ridiculous thing.
I look forward to chatting with you about our next book. I'll post questions to start the discussion this weekend.
Meryl Davids Landau
A warm welcome to Maria and Danielle! We have a wonderful group of people on Yoga folks. Enjoy! :)
My name is Marianna. I'm a stay at home mom living in Texas. I'm looking forward to the upcoming book discussion.
I am currently a paralegal searching for a new employer since my current one is going out of business shortly...We just purchased an old convent and spent the summer turning it into our home. I am turning 37 in a couple short weeks, I'm on my second marriage & we have a 20 yr old and a 14 yr old (one each from our first marriages). I am delighted to say that this time around I know that I have finally found the piece of me that had been wandering around lost....I found yoga through a very twisted path of eating disorders, exercise obsession, abusive (1st) marriage, and a whole lotta baggage. But, yoga was my "aha moment" that has been my grounding through a world of healing myself a little at a time. I have been able to reacquaint myself with the me that was constantly hidden by all of this stuff, and I believe that as I get a little older I'm able to hold onto my practice and let go a little at a time of the ego, the part that piles all that stuff over the me that is in there. If that makes any sense....
Glad to be among such a diverse and welcoming crowd of yogis!
Julie, I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother. My mother and I are the best of friends and we sort of grew up together, speaking a minimum of once a day every single day for my whole life. So, when I read your introduction, I cried knowing that it has to be such a tremendous sorrow to fight through. Stay strong, allow yourself to grieve and know that you were very lucky to have a friend in your mother. :)
Thanks for sharing your story Jamie and welcome.I'm so grateful for Yoga and how it helps to bring balance to our lives.
Thanks Kimz! The balance is what brought me to my teacher certification and now my 3 yoga programs that I teach. :) I love to see the way that yoga affects my students' lives. And how my children's class shapes their beautiful little minds. Such joy!
Mod
Jamie, how great that yoga has brought you to such a wonderful place in your life. I love the notion of many spiritual teachers of blessing all the crazy things in our past, because without them we might not be in the fabulous place we are in now.
I look forward to getting to know both of you (and everyone in the group) more as we read Living Your Yoga this month. Please join in if you can.
Meryl Davids Landau
Jamie, a warm welcome to Yoga Folks! Thank you for your kind words regarding my mom. Like you, my mom and I were extremely close. We lived 10 minutes away from each other, did everything together, and spoke at least morning and evening. The void is very painful. However, I am trying to keep as busy as possible. Reading has been a very powerful coping mechanism for me, as well as yoga, meditation, and watercoloring.Okay, enough of that. I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer," lol!
A warm welcome to anyone else that I may not have addressed!
Namaste,
Julie
Hello,Thank you for the invite to this group. I practice yoga sporadically and am trying to make the time to be more dedicated. Hopefully reading more about yoga will get me to do more yoga!
Mod
We have people at all stages of their yoga (both hatha and "living their yoga"). Please do jump into all our conversations!
Meryl Davids Landau
Yoga Folks
Books mentioned in this topic
Yoga Ph.D.: Integrating the Life of the Mind and the Wisdom of the Body (other topics)21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics, and Practice (other topics)
Downward Dog, Upward Fog (other topics)
Downward Dog, Upward Fog (other topics)
Yoga Bitch: One Woman's Quest to Conquer Skepticism, Cynicism, and Cigarettes on the Path to Enlightenment (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Meryl Davids Landau (other topics)Suzanne Morrison (other topics)
Please take a moment and introduce yourself, even if you did so before. This group hasn't been active in a few years, so it's good to see where everyone is at this point.
I've been doing yoga for 25 years, on and off. I prefer gentle, Sivananda-style yoga, and was trained as a teacher by the Integral Yoga Institute of New York (although I don't currently teach).
Love & light-
Meryl Davids Landau