Charlotte Family Yoga Center

The Road To Hell is Paved With Self Help Books

2012-03-01T08:44:00.001-08:00

Post Written by Shanna Small.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions many of which came from A New Earth, Abraham Hicks & the Yoga Sutras. They were laid down by well meaning people looking for spiritual & mental growth only to get side tracked by the hard knocks of life. When it was time to make the hard decisions from a new place of awareness, they faltered. They fell back on old egoic patterns but this time they covered them in flowery words. Bits and pieces of things they picked up on their spiritual journey. The parts that bring true change are buried deep. In order to make decisions from total open awareness, spiritual study & mental preparation has to be a daily practice
Without daily reinforcement, our old decision making patterns stay dominant. When situations arise that require action, we fall back on them. Fear also keeps us rooted in these old patterns. Many spiritual teachings are so prolific, that to live by them, would render our current lives unrecognizable. The person we spent 30, 40, 50 years building would no longer exist. That is scary. It can seem to be much easier to just dabble in the self help section & use the teachings sparingly, then to radically change who we are and how we think. This is an illusion because the unhappiness or need for change that prompted us to delve into the world of enlightenment in the first place, just comes back putting us on a roller coaster of unfortunate events & we wind up in hell...figuratively.
Svadyaya, self study, is one of the five Niyamas, observances, laid out in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. 100% of the crazy events that happen in the yoga world(any world for that matter) like lying, cheating, philandering, guru worship, mistreatment of teachers and staff, happen because there is no study of self. Decisions are made based on fear, attachment & instant gratification. It is not that these people don't know there is another way, they just take the easiest path which is usually the same one they came to yoga trying to get away from.
Anyone who is serious about change, has to engage in Svadyaya, self study, daily.

Daily Svadyaya, Study & Reminder Practices
The World Wide Spirituality Web -Subscribe to inspirational blogs ,You Tube channels Twitter streams etc. Every day, little reminders will be dropped into your e-mail , Google Reader, Facebook page & Twitter Feed that will help keep you on track.
Meditation-meditation helps us to make decisions from a clear place
End of The Day Review-Lay in bed and look at the decisions you made that day. Were they in line with your deepest desires and the person you really are deep inside?
When Making Decisions, Ask Yourself This Question-

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

The pure consciousness within you has no fear. The answer to this question is usually the real you talking. This is what you really would do if you lived outside of conditioning and self limitations. You also discover what it is that you are afraid of that is keeping you from making decisions out of awareness.
This does not mean that you should go full throttle with the answer. If you are not prepared for the result of your actions, you will have disaster. For instance, if you know that you really hate your job and want to leave it but you know that you would be terrified if you did, then you should sit tight because you are not in a place to accept the decision and more internal work is needed.
Daily Contemplation Practice-Pick a book that brings you inspiration, read a paragraph a two a day and contemplate the words
Surround Yourself With Like Minded People & Make a Pact With Them to Be Brutally Honest-Many times, it is my husband who lets me know when I have lost my mind. Sometimes when we are in the midst of the storm, it is hard to see events objectively. Like minded friends and family can keep us on track by pointing out our illogical emotional behaviors. I recommend designating a code word or phrase that keeps emotionality out of it. Eckhart Tolle uses "pain body". In my Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga training, we would say "past" to signify that we were making statements grounded in past events. Agree that when the code word or phrase is given by a friend, that you will immediately step back and reevaluate where your actions are coming from.
When Disturbing Thoughts Pop Up In Your Mind, Ask Yourself:

Do I really know this to be true?

A few days ago I was reading a Facebook notification that was a bit snarky & I swore it was about me. There were some key phrases in it that sounded like something I had said a few days previous that the person was privy too. Before my mind went crazy, I stopped and asked myself, Do I really know this to be true? My name wasn't on it. The person didn't inbox me, call me, e-mail me or stop me after class to say it was about it me. It was not a direct quote. The answer was no. I didn't know without a shadow of a doubt that it was about me so I took a few deep breaths & let it go.
You will find that 80% of the thoughts in your mind cannot be proven to be true. You should let those go.
Choose the Right Teacher/Pastor/Imam/Guru- I am not saying you need a teacher, but if you want one, pick one that brings your ugly bits to light and forces you to work with them. They are usually not the most convenient, fun, or exciting choice but they are the one that you need. I recently wrote a post on practicing with Rod Stryker & how he prepared my body for meditation. What I didn't write about was how difficult it was for me to get to that place. It is much easier, convenient, exciting and fun for me to go to a Power class & do a straight physical practice. I also believe in the value of Asana practice for spiritual development but that is another blog post. I would be a lier if I said that, if Rod Stryker would to move to Charlotte, I would only study with him. Lets face it, I love the feeling of just moving my body, loud music and intensity. However, Rod Stryker is what I needed. If he were closer, I would definitely consider possibly making him my "teacher".
In the west, we use the word teacher really loosely. Many times, they are just the instructor. They tell us how to do it and keep us safe but they don't really change or effect our daily lives. They are replaceable. A good teacher, often like a good parent, gives you what you need which is not necessarily what you want. They aid in self study by using teachings and practices to show you where you need work & what you could become if you applied yourself. They are such a strong part of our daily lives that they are not easily replaceable & their wisdom is invaluable.

For More, Visit Instructor Shanna Small's blog
Video of the Day: The Top Ten Most Mispronounced Sanskrit words

40 days ..Make An Intention Not A Resolution.

2012-02-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we carve out time to set an intention in the beginning of our yoga class.

It’s not like making a birthday wish before blowing your candles. An intention is not something you idly hope for but a value that you weaves into the fabric of your life: Your intention informs and inflects your every action and attitude.

An intention, or sankalpa, is different from a goal(resolution). We often set goals looking for some external reward.

An intention is oriented toward right action rather than the fruits of that action. Your intention looks inwards, toward the very heart of your true nature. As a result, your engagement with the world springs from a place of profound connection .

An intention isn’t something you change from day to day according to your whims but something with which you live and interact. .

To make a lasting change requires commitment, compassion and vigilant self-awareness.

40 days to personal revolution starts March 5th....Make an intention this year instead of resolution.

The Courage To Know Yourself

2012-02-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

“The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

This quote to me means the finding the courage to know yourself well and to live life being exactly who you are meant to be.

Have you ever considered how much time you spend looking inward at yourself versus looking outward at all the stuff around you? Think about it for a moment. We have TVs, movies, books, magazines, computers, smart phones, the internet. We have developed countless tools to improve our senses and further their reach. We have microscopes and telescopes to improve our vision so we can look deeper. We have devices that allow us to hear better and speakers of all sorts, including surround sound, to enhance sound and cocoon us in an ever-present hum of noise. We have computers to help us think and we are bombarded constantly by messages from the media, on the sides of vehicles, on billboards telling us what we should do and how we should think and how we should act.

But when was the last time you looked inward - not to criticize or judge yourself or engage in a self-deprecating review of your past, but to ask yourself : Who am I? What am I looking for? Why am I here?

Yoga ,meditation and chanting teaches us how to look deeply inward so that we can learn about ourselves. You may think you know yourself, but do you really? Have you looked deep inside to discover the You that is dependent on no one and nothing outside of you? Because if you do look deep within and begin to discover your true Self, suffering will disappear and you will experience a lasting bliss no matter what circumstance your faced with..

Sometimes looking deep within brings us many more questions and reveals many more curiosities before we reach some clarity. Often we have to penetrate many layers of thought patterns, habits, and beliefs and looking inward might feel more like trying to peel the layers of an onion.

Once those layers are peeled you will feel freedom and clarity.

Journey to the center of your being is the spirit in each of us it is an oppurtunity to get to know yourself..Take a Journey with me Diane On February 25th 2:30pm -5:30pm

Getting the Film Off Your Manduka Mat

2012-02-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

I bought my first Manduka mat approximately 8 years or so ago and I had no problem with slipping from day one. I loved the thickness and the durability as well. Once I starting teaching approximately 4 years ago, I recommended the mat to my students who, to my disappointment, told me that they were slipping all over the place. I also witnessed them slipping in class so I started adding a caveat to my recommendation. "This mat will last you forever but you have to break it in." My students started searching the internet for ways to get the coating off. They used vinegar, soaked it in the tub and just straight up used it. All of these helped but the mat was still annoyingly slippery for a long time before officially being "broken in". So I decided to send Manduka a tweet. Here is the conversation. I am "wellnessyogini".

okay @mandukayoga what is up w/ the slippery coating on the new mats?I got my first 1 about 8 years ago & no slip from day one....

20 minutes ago via TweetDeck

replies ↓

MandukaYoga Manduka

@wellnessyogini then it's your partner for life. Best way to break in is use, or try leaving your mat in the sun or a salt scrub.

12 minutes ago

MandukaYoga Manduka

@wellnessyogini that's the film leftover from the eco manufacturing process. Breaking in your new mat is all about wearing off that film.

So, to sum it up:

Leave it in the sun
Salt Scrub
Use it

You guys go ahead and do that and let me know what happens. Maybe they will see this and do something about the annoying coating. After paying that much money, you shouldn't have to "break it in". I have a better idea, why don't they "break it in" before they ship them. If they don't want to be bothered with getting the coating off, we don't either especially after the price increase. I am sure that they can find some type of process or environmentally friendly solution that will do it.
Don't get me wrong, I still love Manduka & it is the only mat I will buy....wait...maybe that is why they are unconcerned with the coating....they have cornered the market.....hmmmm
Video of the Day

For More From Shanna Small: Visit her blog

Weekly Inspiration

2012-02-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

Breathe Free& all is Coming-Pattabhi Jois

We never know what is coming. It can be pleasurable or uncomfortable butit is coming all the same. Yoga teaches us that we can face all the things,good or bad, that are coming into our lives. We should be present and gratefulfor the pleasure but not addicted to it because it is impermanent. When ourhappiness is attached to things that constantly change, it is inevitable that wewill feel suffering & pain when the things go away. We also have to be grateful for the “bad”stuff because it is impermanent and brings learning. Though it is easier to notbe attached to pain, admitting it’s impermanence helps to bring light to ourdark moments because this too shall pass.

No matter if it is a difficultyoga pose or a difficult situation if we breathe deep, stay present, face ithead on without fear and find the lesson to be learned, we will continue togrow and prosper.

For more from Shanna Small, Visit her blog here

How Are You Starting Your Mornings?

2012-01-31T16:40:00.000-08:00

Your mornings set the tone for the rest of the day

Taking the time for a yoga practice in the morning allows you to begin your day centered,calm and happy in the present moment.

Even on mornings when calm feels miles away a little yoga in the morning can help improve your outlook.

Another benefit of practicing yoga in the morning is you are certain to fit it into the day.

Often, when we have a vague intention of practicing, but no set time, responsibilities have a way of creeping in and sucking up the time.

There are so many benefits to practicing in the morning, so why don't we do it? To early..need the sleep.

The good news is that once you drag yourself out of bed and practice for a few mornings , it gets easier. The reason it gets easier is you will begin to feel better moving into and through your day.

This is all the incentive you'll need to stick with it.

Find a wonderful start to your day by practicing

Tuesday,Wednesday and Friday morning 6am Power Hour Class

January Pose Of The Month

2012-01-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

Reverse Namaste(Prayer)

It is common to associate abundance with having a robust bank account and unlimited fulfillment of desire in the material or worldly sense. However, realizing abundance as a state of mind can align you more deeply with the essence of who you are uniquely and help you make this true sense of self unmovable in an ever-changing and growing world.

Many of the world’s wisdom traditions claim that the key to realizing abundance begins in the simplest of ways: having an attitude of gratitude for what you have and where you are right now.

Gratitude inspires contentment, and even more, a connection to the cup that overflows. And when our individual cup is overflowing, we tend to see the world’s cup as more than full. Experiencing the boundless potential of infinite energy and a connection to all of Life and its beings is the practice of yoga.

January's pose offers a twist on a simple gesture of gratitude that may support you to realize abundance in your life ... prayer(namaste) pose. In cultures throughout the world, bringing the hands together at the heart symbolizes an offering, recognizing the Divine in oneself and others.

Reverse prayer turns our traditional prayer around and helps open the shoulders, chest and heart area, while improving flexibility in the arms and wrists. From here, there are endless possibilities for holding the quiet prayer of openness, graciousness and abundant fullness both on and off the mat.

Whatever your Intention

2012-01-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of lululemon athletica

As Charlotte Family Yoga Center's very first teacher trainees came through the doors last Friday evening, I felt as excited and nervous as they did. I still vividly remember the jittery feeling of committing to my first teacher training. I signed up though I wasn’t sure I was ready for it; the thought of standing up in front of a group of people to call out yoga poses terrified me. There were so many gaps between what I knew about yoga when I started and what I would need to learn in order to become a yoga teacher. I couldn’t even articulate what I didn’t know, and had no idea how to get from where I was to where I wanted to be.

I’ve experienced this same overwhelmed feeling at the start of many big projects I’ve undertaken – from opening the studio to changing long-held habits. I knew where I was when I began, but I didn’t know exactly where I would end up. So it was daunting to figure out what steps to take in order to get to the desired goal.

My method used to be procrastination; when a big deadline loomed, I would wait until the last minute and then just cram to get it over with. But through the process of becoming a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher, I’ve come to realize that the big 'a-ha!' moment I’m seeking in my work, relationships, and creative undertakings is just one of the many moments of effort I have put in over time. When we see our lives as a string of moments rather than a bunch of isolated high points, we realize that each small step is essential and meaningful, and there are no shortcuts when it comes to doing great work.

Our fabulous trainees have already started their work, they have already committed to consistent effort. They taught each other a few poses the first weekend of the teacher training program! I was so pleased with their courage, playfulness, and support of their fellow trainees. I remember how terrifying it was to teach for the first time in my own teacher training program. It’s scary to do something you don’t yet have experience in, but the only way to get the experience and confidence you need is by doing.

Whatever your intention is for 2012, however daunting the project, the path requires nothing more (or less) than consistent work, constant awareness, one moment at a time and just showing up.

Diane Cevallos
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Avoid Yoga Injuries

2012-01-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

A recent article in the New York Times has caused some concern about the rise of yoga injuries.

Students have such faith in yoga, sometimes forgetting that it is a form of physical exercise. One reason for the growing number of injuries is that an estimated 15 million Americans now practice yoga. It is turning from a trendy thing to do into a way to stay fit physically and mentally. Physicians are recommending yoga to patients more and more and new students are showing up with pre-existing ailments and low fitness levels. Despite the best intention, with any form of physical exercise injuries will happen.

We believe that it is not what you do, but how you do it.

Tips to Stay Injury Free:

Let your instructors know if you are injured or have a medical condition so they can show you modifications to fit your physical needs.
Do not skip the warm up part of class. Students often come in late to a class skipping the warm up. Cold muscles, tendons and ligaments are vulnerable to injury.
Don't attempt to outperform other students, or yourself. With each practice you will get stronger and more flexible, more coordinated and agile, allowing things to slowly progress without building excess tension or stress in the body.
One of the beliefs of yoga is nonviolence and self-honesty. Practice with the idea that nonviolence to your body is part of the practice. Sometimes, we find ourselves being very competitive with fellow students, especially in physically based classes.Yoga is not a competition nor a means to an end.It is about being honest with yourself and practicing from a place of compassion and integrity.
If you are unsure of a pose or movement, ask questions.
Know your limits. Do not try positions beyond your experience or comfort level. Learn what type of yoga you are performing. There are hundreds of different forms of yoga, some more strenuous than others. It is important to learn which type of yoga will best suit your needs. This may change daily.
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially if participating in " hot " yoga.
Most of all: Listen to your body.

By Diane

Excellent Health Over 50

2012-01-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

One of the many things nobody ever tells you about middle age is that it's such a nice change from being young.”
— Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Excellent health over 50 can be yours if you know how to take good care of yourself. If you've recently passed your 50th birthday, then it's easy to think that your health will now take a downhill turn. However, there are some things that you can do to keep yourself feeling young and healthy.

Keep Yourself Active

Even though aging is accompanied by certain health conditions like joint pain, muscle aches and such, these symptoms can usually be relieved with the right amount of exercise. If you've never been physically active before, now is the time to get moving. To avoid overwhelming your body, start with moderate exercises. Yoga, walking, swimming and ballroom dancing are all ideal exercises

Keep Your Weight in Check

For instance, if you seem to be gaining weight even though you are eating a normal amount of food, then it's possible that you now require less food to function. Cut back on meal portions and see if it helps. Antioxidants help by battling free radicals which cause aging symptoms and diseases. Include an array of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet to ensure you're consuming an abundance of antioxidants.

Cherish Your Social Relationships

Friends listen to your problems and lend you support throughout the trying times in your life. This can greatly reduce your stress. As you probably know, stress is a common factor that contributes to many chronic illnesses.

By Sandy Warren
Sandy teaches Encore Yoga on Wednesdays at 3 P.M.

Yoga Practice is Like Life

2012-01-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

Yoga practice is like life.
Each circumstance in which we find ourselves is like a pose.
Some poses are hard to hold; others are pleasant.
It is how we hold the pose that determines whether or not we will suffer or grow.
And whether or not we will listen to the drama of the ego or the wisdom of the spirit.

~ Christine Baker

I came across this quote during my teacher training. Its meaning helps me realize that although we have very little control over what happens in everyday life situations, we do have control over how we react to them. We must let go of the ego and open up our hearts and minds to the challenges that life presents.

The same holds true for our yoga practice. Yoga is not merely a physical practice, but a mental and spiritual practice as well. Yoga is about getting in touch with the body -- instead of being concerned so much about how a pose looks or with its complexity, notice how it feels on the inside. If we approach life and yoga with an open heart and positive attitude, we can become wiser, stronger and more flexible.

By Leisa Sossamon.
Leisa teaches on Monday and Wednesday's sunrise practices, and Saturday mornings at 8:30 A.M.

Overcoming Fear in 2012

2012-01-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."

~ Elbert Hubbard

Leaving behind fear is as hard for me as quitting smoking . I’m the type of person who will always dip their toe in the pool instead of diving in. And I’ve been this way since the day I’ve been born. I’ve rationalized it as preparing myself for unexpected outcomes. But in the prior year, being scared has kept me from going places I’ve wanted to go, meeting people that I’d like, and trying things that would have been fun. And those are just the things that I know about.

But how do you get rid of fear, short of jumping out of airplanes or being naked in public. It is said that the opposite of fear is faith. Replace fear of failure with faith that the experience will make you a better person. Replace fear of rejection with faith that the right thing will happen.

In 2012, do the things that you are scared of. How are you going to defeat fear today?

Is Yoga a Religion?

2011-12-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

I ran into a student that I had not seen in awhile at Target the other day, she talked to me about her conflicts with practicing yoga and her spiritual beliefs.

Her concerns were about yoga being a religion....She was afraid that by continuing the practice of yoga, it might undermine her own religious faith.

Are her fears warranted? Is yoga a religion?

The answer to both questions is: instead of undermining personal faith, yoga can actually deepens it.

At the heart of all forms of yoga is the assumption that you have not yet tapped into your full potential as a human being.

In particular, yoga seeks to put you in touch with your spiritual core whatever that is – your innermost nature – who you truly are.

Rather than being expected to believe in any of the traditional explanations, you are free to allow your personal experience and realization to shape your understanding.

Yoga is first and foremost a practical spiritual discipline that emphasizes personal transformation.

For this reason, yoga can and in fact has been practiced by people with widely differing philosophies and beliefs. yoga itself is simply a tool for exploring the depth of our human nature, of plumbing the mysteries of the body and the mind.

Students often remark how much deeper they can experience their faith because of Yoga. I think it is all the opening that happens in Yoga. Not just the body opening, but many energy meridians, stubborn thoughts, and stuck emotions open up as well, making more space, in all the layers of who we are.

Yoga teaches us we are all truly one together on this planet.
Yoga is what we make it...It is a personal journey into you.

We all have different experiences incorporating, or separating yoga from religion, what is your view?

Tips for Not Getting “Blown Away” Over the Holidays

2011-12-19T06:21:00.000-08:00

Even baking cookies and holiday parties
can turn into stressful events.
Photo by Mike

Busy-ness of the holiday season can blow us away – by overwhelming our abilities to handle all the holiday bustle, the commitments, the emotional ups and downs, the temptations, and so on. It can be a period of emotional joy, upheaval, or sadness. It can be fun, boring, or painful. It all depends on your own personal perspective and experience.

When we are managing our health in the midst of all this bustle, we can easily forget our own needs – such as medications, exercise, stress management. We might take on too much in the excitement of the season – doing more baking or committing more time to activities that overwhelm us if we don’t take care to maintain a fine balance. Routines get blown away – and even our resolve can get blown away.

Here are a few tips for not getting “blown away” over the holidays:

Take a moment in the midst of a party or social function to sit and simply breathe and regain some energy.
Focus on your yogic breathing in order to refresh yourself and reduce fatigue levels. Do this for 5-10 breaths to refind your inner calm.
Remember your yoga practice
Don’t be afraid to put yourself first and say “no” when you feel the need.
Smile!

“Life is so great that we only get a tiny moment to enjoy everything we see. And that moment is right now.” -Neil Pasricha

Satya in Thought and Being

2011-12-13T17:58:00.000-08:00


Imagine what you can achieve when you tell yourself the truth. Photo courtesy of p.Gordon

We’ve been telling ourselves stories about who we are since we were children, and we’ve been telling them so long, that we have to come to believe them. Some stories we borrow from other people, some we make up by ourselves along the way. Some are good stories, some not so pleasant. Which stories do we tell, which stories do we believe? Are any of the stories true?

• I am successful in business.
• I am a failure.
• I am strong, I can handle anything.
• I am too busy to exercise.
• I have weird toes.
• I have a great smile.
• I have high blood pressure because my mother did; nothing I can do about it.
• I am late to class because traffic was bad.
• I don’t need anyone’s help.
• I am weak, I am overweight,I can’t do that.
• I have to be like this or they won’t like/love me.

The list could go on forever. These are stories we tell ourselves, and they are quite often fictional. Our unconscious fear is that without our stories we might be seen for who we really are.

Holding tightly to our stories means defending them. We do everything we can to prove to ourselves that this is who we are. Even when we clearly see that these old identities no longer serve us, we hang on to them.

The thing is, old identities just cause us to lie -- to ourselves, to each other. All of our actions proceed from something that is not true. Sure, at one time, this identity was useful and maybe even true, but is it true for me today?

The practice of satya is to recognize what is true now, in this moment. Not something that might be true tomorrow, or was true yesterday.

Bringing the practice of satya into our lives can help us to see ourselves in a more truthful light. Maybe we find a truth about ourselves that we don’t like. So what. That’s ok.

Satya is simply being truthful with what IS, being real in this moment. With Satya we can relax, set down the old identity, let go of the fear that we might be seen as __(fill in the blank).

In truth, we can just be ok with who we are, here, now. There is freedom in being real.

Some of the entry is from Chetana Panwar and Akhanda Yoga Blog

Where in Your Life Can You Seek Engagement?

2011-12-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

I often ask my students where they can find engagement in a pose. That may mean rolling your shoulders back to create length in your spine or deepening your breath in a twist to help flush toxins. Finding engagement in yoga helps up to deepen our practice and take it to the next level.

However, an equally important question would be: “Where are you finding engagement in your life?” Just as it is easy to “hang out” in a forward fold and not reallllly stretch, the same could be said for our lives. But we are constantly presented with opportunities to become more deeply engaged in our everyday lives.


Take the blinders off and seek engagement in your life Photo courtesy of stars alive

I have two young children and I often find myself getting annoyed when I need to send an important email and they are pulling at my skirt trying to get my attention. OK, let’s be real….I can honestly say this happens on a daily basis! Instead of shushing them and saying (well, loudly saying), JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!!, wouldn’t it make more sense for me to put the smartphone down, bend down to their eye level and softly ask, “What do you need, sweethearts?” As soon as I dealt with their needs, I would most likely have ample time to finish that email. BUT…what about that stellar idea I was trying to communicate before I was so “rudely” interrupted? Well, one of my teachers says if a thought is truly important, it will come back to you. It is TRUE! Try it!

So, where can you seek life engagement? Kids give us a plethora of growth opportunities, but others in our life do, too. Do you have a grudge you’ve been holding onto that has destroyed a relationship (and maybe you can’t even remember what happened between the two of you in the first place?). Offer forgiveness and experience freedom. Do you look the grocery store cashier in the eye as you are rushing to check out of the store? Make eye contact, say a gracious thank you and call them by their name. It takes TWO extra seconds and will brighten both of your days.

Look for opportunities to seek engagement in your everyday life. By making a conscious effort to do so, we are positively impacting others, as well as truly living in the present. As in yoga, seeking engagement in your life is a PRACTICE, not a perfect….so get engaged in your life starting RIGHT NOW!

Namaste,

Courtney

Join Courtney at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the lunchtime power hour.

I vow to let go of all worries and anxiety in order to be light and free.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

2011-12-09T07:37:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of sabianmaggy

I thought I had relinquished anxiety after a few years of yoga, mindfulness and meditation. Then I had children. It is incredibly easy for us mothers to slide into permanent guilt and anxiety.After a few minutes of watching my thoughts, I noticed they ran something like this:

"My baby is sleeping too much. Why is she acting like this..have I spoiled her her? Should I wake her? Oh no, she hasn’t slept enough and I woke her. I shouldn’t have woken her. How am I going to fix this? I can’t fix it. I have no idea. I’m a bad mother. She has no routine. I need to put her into a routine. But it’s too late! How will I do this? I should have done it earlier!"

And so on and so on. Endlessly. Hourly. Daily. It got to the point where I didn’t feel like a caring mother unless I was worrying about something. Then I realized that my anxiety was the only thing that would damage my daughters.

Children pick up on all of our emotions. That’s why having children is a great opportunity to grow as a people. We care so much about our children that we don’t want to encumber them with our old habits and negative emotions. We must move past our pointless worries, but how?

When I feel a tightening in my chest or hear my mind yelling about all the things I’m doing wrong, I try to notice my breath. Where I once took a deep breath when I was anxious, I now simply observe what the breath is doing. I do this numerous times during the day and it reminds me that peace is my natural way of being.

Many mothers agree that it’s easy to neglect yourself when constantly attending to the needs of children. I have found that when I eat well, practice yoga and meditate daily I am a better parent.

If I make it my clear intention, I can easily find the time to do all these things in a day as well as look after my children.

I find that when my basic needs are taken care of, the rest of the day falls into place and my anxiety decreases.

I want my child to have all the spiritual tools she needs to create a joyful, fulfilled life. To do this, I have to use them myself.

Tween Yoga

2011-12-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

I’ve been considering how my tweenaged life would have been different had I had yoga during those delicate years.

Maybe I would have learned how to avoid getting stressed out over homework and tests. Perhaps I would have used deep breathing and relaxation techniques after a fight with a friend rather than wallowing in hurt feelings or turning to junk food. I imagine my time on the mat would have helped me develop the self-confidence to stop worrying how I measured up to other girls. While I’m pretty sure yoga would have been no match for the powers of teen acne, pretty much every other aspect of my day-to-day existence would have been better with yoga.

I’m starting early with my own two kids. They’re many years away from tweendom but I regularly welcome Isabel to join me on the mat when I practice at home. Having a yoga teacher for a mom means that you learn down dog before you can even talk, but I take care not to force it on them. Instead, when I’m feeling stressed and just need some time to reconnect I tell them that I need to practice yoga because it helps me to feel better. When they get frustrated to the point of losing control, I hug them close and suggest they take a couple of deep breaths to calm down. I’m planting the seeds for them to come to the practice when they decide it will be helpful. If you love yoga, and you love a tween, I invite you to find the places where those two loves meet. Yoga + Tweens = Awesome.

Tween Yoga Every Tuesday Night 5:30pm-6:30pm with Stacy Winslow

Going To The Next Level In Your Yoga Practice

2011-11-27T17:50:00.000-08:00

The idea of “going to the next level” gets mentioned a lot in yoga. The inference is that if you study with this teacher or attend that workshop,do that arm balance you will amp up your asana practice to some mystical height. You will be given something you did not have before and very likely would not attain on your own.

This appeals to our tendency to want to accumulate things and to find the people who might get us what we want. It also appeals to our competitiveness .

I too spent years “accumulating” asana and wanting to “get the pose.” This was especially true when most of the other people I was studying with were already very accomplished asana practitioners, endowed with tremendous athletic gifts. They were the benchmark. I worked hard to step up to that mark. I worked hard to win my teacher’s approval and the recognition of my peers. I would go to workshops or retreats, absorb all I could then go home and practice everything .

While I made quick progress in the asana practice, my understanding of myself at a deeper level was not keeping pace. I also got injured trying to push to get something I didn’t quite understand. This isn’t to say that I didn’t have a great time in the process. It’s fun to discover that you can do things with your body you never imagined you could. But at a certain point I began to ask myself what “the next level” really was: What did that mean to me? What I discovered is that you might be able to get your foot to your head or do 108 sun salutations – you could achieve all this and much more – and still have no idea how your behavior is causing havoc in your life. You may practice asana all day long yet continue to engage in habitual, unconscious behavior that causes both yourself and others pain. In Power yoga, with its apparent physical emphasis, it’s easy to get very wrapped up in the body. While this aspect of the practice is important and works at a certain layer, yoga recognizes various layers of human experience. Asana practice is just one of the layers

To reach the deeper layers of the mind and spirit, our practice needs to be less about physical at a certain point and more about self-observation, self-awareness and reflection. It takes courage to look at our habits, the quality of our thinking and perceptions and be clear and honest about what we see. To reach our deepest layers, it takes a desire to seek the sacred in all we do. This sort of work is not so much about rising up some scale of achievement as it is about going inside, toward ourselves.

From this perspective, “the next level” may be more about going in than up.

It may be more about waking up to how we perceive ourselves, what we perceive as our shortcomings and talents, our limitations and strengths, the roles we play and the stories and dramas we perpetuate. Being willing to let things fall away rather than attaching more to us.

Step Into Grace!

2011-11-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

The ability to receive is often as easy as we think. After being gifted with a complement, how often do we blush or say “oh, um…” and make some sort of excuse as to why we’re not as great as someone is telling us we are? We don’t feel worthy of such praise. Yet to deny what is good about ourselves is to deny the beautiful person Grace chose to create. Through our yoga we practice being open to the gifts the Universe has to offer. As we embrace the ultimate gift of embodiment we ground in our worthiness to receive.

But if life is such a gift why is it so messy sometimes? Why is there pain? Just as some presents may be wrapped in beautiful shiny paper with delicate silk ribbon, others may come in beat up boxes. Yet no matter what the wrapping, it’s still a gift. And sometimes the presents in the tired old boxes are more brilliant than the ones in shiny paper and ribbon. Even through the pain, and perhaps especially through the pain of being human, there is much to learn. In difficult times the Universe beckons us to go deeper, to step into the currents of Grace and find the kernel of wisdom and light that will help us grow into the sacred expression of Love that we were created to be.

This Holiday season let us reflect on the gifts we have been given, no matter what their wrapping. Let us rejoice in our ability to receive life and make our daily living an offering, a gift, back into the ocean of Grace from which we came.

A Time Of Gratitude!

2011-11-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

The week of Thanksgiving is a time of reflection; a turning inward. The days are shorter, the trees are becoming bare, and nature begins to hunker down and hibernate. While the weather gets colder we gather with family and friends to share good times, good meals, and the blessed bounties of autumn, and our kitchens get warmer!

Holidays have the potential to offer growth through challenge as well as the opportunity for enjoyment in all that surrounds us. We can use this time to further our understanding of balanced action on the level of the heart and spirit.

Giving Thanks opens our hearts to whatever is at hand, whether it is light or dark. Remembering all that we have—and more importantly, all that we have to offer—is the key to moving forward with our head up and heart open.

Reflection can be difficult, and it can be equally inspiring. In this Gift of Life we experience periods of health, happiness, security, and also must make our way through difficult times and emotional pain. Through our Practice we can always engage in the spirit of Gratitude.

Remember what you’re Thankful for.

How is your yoga working for you?

2011-11-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

As a Yoga teacher, one of my greatest hopes is that people begin to take their practice off their mat. My hope is that when you leave from a yoga practice, something sinks a little deeper so you can be kind and compassionate to everyone around you.

Maybe you can only be nice and happy up to a point. Maybe you notice yourself slipping down the slope of complaining too much . What can you do to redirect that frustration? How can you practice Yoga in those moments rather than taking it out on someone else when you don’t get your way or something isn’t going as planned? What self-checks do you have in place to be sure your feelings and expectations aren’t being projected on to someone else?

“How is your Yoga working for you?”

If you suffer from chronic complaining, negativity, getting upset if others don’t meet your expectation, think of someone who taught you to be kind. Imagine that person looking over your shoulder. What would they see? Imagine the person you were frustrated with was someone from your weekly yoga class asking you, “How is your Yoga working for you?”

As Patanjali wrote in The Yoga Sutras, the yogic path is essentially an inward one. It's about being kind to yourself when others in class are effortlessly in ...

Weekly Inspiration: It's Your Attitude

2011-11-11T05:28:00.000-08:00

Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way-Victor Frankl

Article Excerpt from: Have You Ever Had a Bad Attitude? By Bob Proctor

http://mysuccessfilledlife.com/2011/11/10/have-you-ever-had-a-bad-attitude-by-bob-proctor/

Attitude is a choice. Attitude and results are inseparable. They follow one another like night follows day. One is the cause, the other, the result. The Law of Cause and Effect states that if you think in negative terms, you will get negative results; if you think in positive terms you will achieve positive results. Ralph WaldoEmerson reiterated that same point when he said, “A person is what they think about all day long.” The results you achieve in life are nothing more than an expression for your thoughts, feelings and actions or Attitude.

For More Visit: www.wellnessfrominside.typepad.com

The Time Is Now

2011-11-07T17:09:00.000-08:00

Yoga helps us reach inside and find the NOW. We begin to realize that where we need to be is HERE, and that this breath, this moment is the one we need to experience.

One student shares her view of Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Taught At CFYC.

"I love this practice. I love the heat. I love the way it feels in that first forward fold when the sweat drips from the top of my head to my well-worn yogitoes. I love the way I feel rung out, rinsed and revitalized. Rinse, lather, repeat"

"I love the challenge of the practice, and the triumph I feel when I practice. I even love the occasional feeling of defeat– I love breaking down so that I can break through. I love feeling and hearing the breath moving through my body, and I love feeling my heart beating in my toes after igniting my body in a back-bending series. I love the seduction of the mat"

Allow yoga to enliven your life experiences. This practice of Baptiste Power Vinyasa is for everyone.

It can be modified for all ages, body types and fitness levels. Learn to breathe, to experience, and to feel. The time is now. Lay your expectations and inhibitions aside and resolve to be a yes. Welcome adventure, surprise, and yes, even change, because shift happens, whether you swim against the tide or flow gracefully with it. You can transform yourself and your life on the path to true happiness if you get out of the way. If not you, then who?? If not now, then when?? The answer to “How?” is “Yes!” Be a yes.Love~Diane

Guilt Game

2011-11-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

My daughter Isabel

Last week I had planned to take a yoga class.....Learning slowly after 4 years to take more time for myself.As I am leaving ,kissing my two daughters Isabel and Sofia on there cheeks,Isabel begins to cry.You know that cry that rips your heart out.As I reassure her that mommy will return shortly she cries even more holding out her arms to go with me.

I take a sigh,look at the clock and hand her off to my husband ....shut the door behind me and the game begins.......The guilt game.

Did you know that guilt is one of the most common forms of stress in our society.

Why do we feel guilty ?Because guilt has been associated with caring .Well if you don't feel guilty about leaving your crying child then you must not care.The truth is that guilt has nothing what so ever to do with caring.

Guilt is a learned behavior.Throughout our growing years we were conditioned to respond to good and bad...right and wrong.

Guilt was enforced through the reward and punishment system.That was the time we began to identify with our actions and we began to start pleasing others first so we would not feel guilty.

Are we teaching our children the guilt game?

A value judgment placed on them instead of there actions.

"You be a good girl for mommy"

"Thank you for being a good boy today"

"If you do this for mommy..then you will get this"What if they do not do it..does that mean they are bad,they do not get a reward.Do we punish them with our actions holding back love,being disappointed in who they are instead of there actions .How do we stop playing the guit game with our children?

I think it goes back to loving our children unconditionally no matter what they do, getting away from good or bad , reward and punishment and teaching them that it just is..no labels.Leading them down a path of unconditional love and total self acceptance.

Teaching them of course about the difference between right and wrong....not attaching anything else to it.

Om Shanti~Diane

Weekly Inspiration: Set Your Intention

2011-11-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

"Life is miserable," moaned Eeyore but Pooh just laughed. "Oh Eeyore! It's your mind that's miserable. Life is just life."

Everything that we see and experience is colored by our own thoughts and perceptions. Change always starts from inside. We draw experiences into our life based on our own actions and energy. Your life will not change unless you change. Set an intention for your practice and life and decide in what light you will view your world. Will your life be brightened with the light of gratitude, joy, and peace or will it be dimmed by frustration, anger, regret and fear. If things start to feel miserable, it is a sign that you have moved away from your intention and vision. Take a moment to reset yourself. Maybe you take Child’s Pose, a few deep breaths, watch your favorite TV show or spend time with family and friends. Reset your intention and start anew. You can always start over but you cannot go back. Live in the present. That is where true happiness resides.

For More From Shanna Small, visit her blog here

Why I practice Yoga?

2011-11-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Simply put, I like myself better when I practice yoga.
I came to yoga at war with my body. It always seemed to be too big and too clumsy. Too "wrong". Then one day out of the blue, as I stretched my arm out in front of me in Warrior 2, I thought, "That's a good-looking arm!" Over time, I started to let go of expectations for my body. I found myself getting into poses I couldn't get into at the beginning of my practice. My body was no longer wrong, it wasn't necessarily right either. I'd just stopped passing judgment on it.
As I became more committed to yoga as a lifestyle, I found myself laughing more -- laughing at the things I couldn't control. I laughed at my checkbook, I laughed at traffic, and I laughed at people trying to bend the universe into what they wanted it to be.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, I found a place where I could just be me. I moved to Charlotte trying to build a new life in a new city. Not only did yoga keep me sane, I had a chance to be part of a community. I'd walk into the yoga studio seeing familiar faces and always finding common interests with someone new.

The Charlotte Family Yoga Center is a place where I feel safe and comfortable. Even when my belly is hanging over my pants in downward facing dog.

Ericka Foster is a student at CFYC
Freelance Writer
www.erickafoster.com

One Year Anniversary...A Time To Reflect!

2011-10-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we celebrated our one year anniversary.

In any given year we can reflect back on a year and recapture our experience, both good and not so good.

Yoga, in its many forms, has helped me to gain a deeper understanding and more importantly, acceptance of life’s inevitable shifts.
No one is exempt from experiencing both the beauty and the challenges that life has to offer. The continuous movement of light to dark and back again. When we can truly see that nothing is wrong, but that both sadness and happiness are inherent in the cycle of life, the challenging times become richer in their lessons and the gifts more precious in their beauty. Knowing that our life is as magical as the changing of day to night, or as beautiful as the turn of the seasons, offers me a deep peace and the knowledge that I am part of something much bigger than my particular life situation.
We are both massive and very small. When we can find the wisdom to simply let it be, we can see the innate beauty in everything.
I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your incredible love and support this year. I know what this community has done and how it has served not only me but also many, many others.

CFYC continues to grow with many new and exciting ways to support our families and community to live a healthy,balanced lifestyle through yoga.

Weekly Inspiration

2011-10-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

"Body is not stiff, mind is" –Pattabhi Jois

People come to yoga with a lot of mind stuff or “chitta vrittis” as they are called in the Yoga Sutras, the foremost text on yoga. Each of us have written a story in our minds that we want our world to conform too. Many of us don’t feel safe unless our world fits our own personal rule book that we have drawn up. If there is someone around that can do what we have convinced ourselves is not possible, we label them as “special” or “exceptional". Certainly this person cannot be normal because we ourselves are normal and we can’t do that.

The reality is, that the only thing that sets us apart from those who do incredible things, are our stiff minds. Those who have moved mountains and defied gravity wrote a different story. Theirs was full of possibility and devoid of limitations. They approached life with unwavering faith and did not accept the stories that others had written for them either.

Yoga shows us that with consistent practice, dedication and self study, the body and the mind will change. The only limits we have are those that we set.

Shanna Small

For more: Visit Shanna's Blog

What Is Power Yoga?

2011-10-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Most students get intimidated by the word “power yoga.” They may think it’s reserved for advanced students. Now granted not all power yoga classes are equal and not all are made accessible to all levels. That’s the difference between the Baptiste Power Yoga(what we teach at CFYC) and any other power yoga class. It is accessible to all levels.No doubt it’s challenging and it will definitely strengthen you and make you more flexible.

The magic behind power yoga is how it sneakingly strengthens the aspects of your mind that makes you a better person.. often to yourself. The power behind power yoga is your ability to get present with your body and your way of being. There’s a reason why it’s so challenging. Anyone can be calm when the world around us is calm, but is that reality? No! A challenging class is an opportunity to practice real life calm in tough situations. If you never get to practice it, how can you strengthen it? If you never get a chance to practice compassion to your body, how can you be compassionate? If you never get a chance to challenge your presence when there’s distractions how can you be present in real life? Real life happens on the mat! Challenge yourself. ... Listen for the times when you should practice a bit of humility and take child’s pose.

Yoga poses help us practice and strengthen the qualities of ourselves that we really want to strengthen… compassion, presence, truth, acceptance, humility, non-attachment , non-judgement , etc. These are the qualities that make a power yoga class POWERFUL!

A Beautiful Celebration!!!

2011-10-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

This we have learned consistently this past year, resources manifest when we need them; obstacles are quickly overcome; and all in all things happen with remarkable ease when we do our best to consciously accept and embrace the moment.

I remember on the day of our grand opening Oct 16, 2010, when people piled in to our center , it occurred to me that the "life" that we were feeling in those early days and months, was actually the beam of each and every student and teacher already destined to walk through the CFYC doors.

Over the past 12 months, the pace of the momentum from that day has accelerated and it's been magnetic.

We are open 7 days a week and with this new schedule we offer around 53 classes a week. CFYC is a cozy intimate space, which means some classes now require making reservations in advance. (Not a bad problem to have in your first year!) We still delight in the excitement every time someone new arrives, especially when they say, "I am so grateful you are here."

Getting to know those who are now coming to practice on a regular basis is one of most satisfying aspects of running the studio. A beautiful community is forming at CFYC.

Our One Year Anniversary Celebration is this Saturday and I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the beautiful faces that choose CFYC as there yoga home.I often hear from our community that this place feels like home,a place where our students and staff feel safe and can allow themselves to let go,a place where everyone feels accepted and supported on there journey to transformation and healing.

We look forward to many years serving each of you...Please come out and enjoy free yoga all day this Saturday!!

What Is Baptiste Power Yoga?

2011-10-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

Baptiste power yoga gets its name from Baron Baptiste who developed the style, which is also referred to as power Vinyasa yoga.
It is taught in a heated yoga room with the temperature hovering in the 90s, meaning that practitioners will work up a considerable amount of sweat during what is a very physical yoga workout.
The style of yoga developed by Baptiste is based on adaptation – finding what works for anyone and discarding those elements that do not. It is about yogis of varying ability, modifying each posture and creating their own individual experience.

What are the benefits of Baptiste Power Yoga?
Baptiste power yoga is a muscle-shaping, mind-sculpting workout that brings many benefits physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually . The great thing is that it is accessible to all ,regardless of size,shape,age or experience – students simply work at their own level of ability and fitness.

Baptiste Power Yoga demonstrates the value of exercise and attitude, and harnesses the power of discipline and inner balance.

Our Flow classes at Charlotte Family Yoga Center are taught Baptiste Style.

Prenatal Yoga Deep Belly Breathing

2011-10-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

I am going to go out on a limb and say: "I strongly believe the best breathing for labor is Yoga deep-belly breathing!" There, I said it.

The reason I like deep-belly breathing is because it helps move the body into the action by slowing the heart rate,decreasing tension and blood pressure, while increasing the release of endorphins.

Prenatal yoga students already have a relationship to deep breathing. One reason prenatal vinyasa yoga is so conducive to teaching expectant moms how to connect to the breath is because it encourages them to link breath and movement. This helps to create a mindful connection to the breath; even if they are in a stationary position, they will have a memory of their own relationship to their breath. When the mother is dealing with the growing pain of a contraction, she has the imprinted memory of connecting to her breath and trying to relax her mind and body.

There may be times during labor - the transition period, resisting the urge to push, the pushing stage, or as the baby's head is crowning - when deep breathing is challenging. The breath may end up short and shallow, blown out, or what is called "defused breath." However, if the intention is still to try and take a deep breath, even though it may not come to fruition, the mother gains the benefits of it, as opposed to consciously taking shallow breaths that may not be as helpful, and may cause additional tension.

Remember Your Deep Inhales And Long Exhales.....Love,Diane

Just Show Up

2011-10-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today my new partner and I were talking about community ,being inclusive and what makes CFYC so different.

I thought about the sea of practitioners who had been in the studio.

A beautiful flood of faces and ages both male and female, all of different heights, weights and yoga experience levels made me beam with the feeling that YOGA really LOVES ALL.

As i share my passion for yoga ...I often hear “I can’t do yoga. I can’t even touch my toes. I am so not flexible"

Of course, I always respond by saying “That’s exactly why you should try it.” The truth is everyone can do yoga and those that say “I can’t” are probably the ones who need it the most. Little do they know, the negative mindset is what they need to tackle more than the stretch to reach the toes. Reaching the toes is just a small prize one receives after they discover the shift of living from “I can’t” to “I can do it” or even “I can try”.

I realized how inclusive and supportive yoga is for everyone.

Showing up is the first step, and everyone can show up unless they’re paralyzed with the “I can’t” syndrome. Yoga is practice. It isn’t about touching your toes or wrapping your foot behind your head. The trick really is that you just show up as you are and work from there. Through practice you slowly learn patience and respect for yourself. You start to reveal all that you CAN DO and not what you think you can’t do. And the more often you hit the mat, the phrase “I can’t” is slowly eliminated from your vocabulary in all areas of your life. You begin to love yourself for exactly who you are. You start to move and act gracefully in all situations you encounter. Best of all, you start to see anything is possible if you embrace it and give it a try.

Love~Diane

The Ups and Downs of a Typical Yoga Practice

2011-10-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

As creatures existing on Mother Earth, our lives are governed by natures laws. There is a time and season for everything. The planet cycles through night, day, Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter. The same is true for the rhythms of our bodies and yoga practice.
In order to get the most out of yoga and to truly transform the mind and body, daily practice is recommended. Practicing yoga doesn't just mean doing poses, it can also be meditation, spiritual study, chanting, service to others, or just living according to the 8 limbs as laid out in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
The number one impediment to a daily practice is the refusal to be okay with life's daily ebbs and flows.
It is the idea that in order to practice yoga, a perfect storm of events has to occur.
You have to:

Feel like practicing
Have at least 1 hour
Have no injuries
Be in a hot room
Not be in a hot room
Be in a yoga studio
Not be tired
Do the whole series
Not Be sick
Have a teacher
Have a particular teacher present
Be in a particular class
Have Music Playing
Have No Music Playing
Have complete silence
Etc

However, just like nature, everything changes and moves. If you plan your yoga practice around things that are not constant, then it will never be consistent and your results will be shaky. Just like taking a shower and brushing your teeth, it has to be a ritual that you do regardless.
When you embark on cultivating a daily practice, you will notice that every day is different. Poses that come easy one day, are difficult the next. Some days you can meditate, study and live with fierce focus and other days you are totally distracted. Ashtanga Yoga teacher David Swenson often talks about Yoga Fairies. One day the yoga fairy will tap you on the head and you can put your feet behind your head and the next day they will tap you and you can't.
This happens because we are holistic beings. Everything in our life and our environment effects us. Their are no singular events. Even though we have daily rituals, no one's life is the same every day. Even concepts that exist in our subconscious mind, effect us. These little daily shifts also ripple into our practice.
As long as we except this, we do not suffer. Yoga teaches us to be in the present moment and not let our happiness or focus be swayed by what we see outside of ourselves. Work towards your goals but see everyday with new eyes. Practice Ahimsa, or non-violence, by not forcing your body or mind. Know that as everything ebbs and flows, your focus and poses will return to you. With steady practice and faith, everything will be revealed and achieved. Accept the ups and downs and do your practice anyway.
Video Of The Day: How Can I End My Suffering?

When Success Is Slow, What Can You Do?

2011-10-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

BIG Success is a series of SMALL steps taken daily-Shanna J

The article below is excerpts From John Canfield on success. See Original here.

Can Success be sped up? Is there an antidote to slow outcomes despite arduous planning and actions taken? What ‘s the secret for seeing huge results right now?!

Let’s get one thing straight….

When we admire someone’s success, or even our own, we often focus on the end results and not so much on the effort(and time) that it took to get there. This can cultivate unrealistic expectations, especially the idea that overnight success can happen through careful strategy and an execution of sound advice.

The truth be told, success typically follows a series of little events and achievements that can seem to take an eternity, that include a few disappointments along the way, and that challenge everything about you to the core-your stamina, courage, integrity, and even your willingness to keep going.

On the road to success, you may even have negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” “It will never work,” or “Something must be wrong with me.”

What this mentally does is engender more of these counter-productive feelings. You attract what you are feeling so negative experiences, people, and results will beget more negative experience, people and results.

The key, is to focus on what IS Working.

Start each day with reflections on what you are grateful for and end each day going over what went right. Spend time each day in quiet contemplation, prayer or meditation. Meditation is a powerful tool that shifts your attitude so you can attract success. Meditation shuts down the outer layers of your judgmental, highly critical brain and allows your unconscious mind to take over. You enter a deeper state of inner peace and joy, tapping into a higher level of creativity that will help usher in the results you want.

Remember patience is a virtue, be grateful, reflect on what IS working and continue to take ACTION!!

Was Steve Jobs a Yogi?

2011-10-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

Written By Shanna Small

I don't see Steve's death or anyone else's as a bad thing. It is the melding of our souls back with pure awareness. If you are a Christian, it is your ultimate reunion back with God. Sadness happens because we will miss that persons presence in our life. The person who is dead is fine and doesn't need our tears. He lived a great life and it should be celebrated. I don't know if Steve Jobs was a yogi but these words below definitely came from a place of pure awareness.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."
– Stanford commencement speech 2005

"That's been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains."
– Business Week 1998

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful … that's what matters to me."
– Wall Street Journal 1993

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."
– Stanford commencement speech 2005

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."
– Stanford commencement speech 2005

Video of the Day

For More From Shanna Small, Visit www.wellnessfrominside.typepad.com

The Benefits Of A Frequent Yoga Practice!

2011-10-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

Just like with any discipline, sport or activity, the more you perform it, the better and more agile you become at it. The same is true with yoga. But since yoga has so many benefits that range from the physical to the mental, the steadier your practice, the steady and more dependable all of these benefits become.

Similar to a muscle that gets strengthened and then has time to recover to rebuild new muscle fibers, maintaining a steady yoga practice develops all of the faculties that are called into action each time you roll out your mat. So from building powerful triceps to learning how to ride out the challenge of a holding Warrior I pose for ten breaths, the effects become more prominent and stronger as you keep a steady and frequent yoga practice. You might not only find that your arms and abs look amazing , but you may too notice that when your toddler throws a temper tantrum in the cereal aisle of the grocery store, you remain calmer and reach out with a compassionate hug, rather than a sharp tone.

What frequent means to one person may be different than what it means to another. What is a frequent yoga practice ?Once a week, six times a week - there is no set rule for what a frequent yoga practice is. The important thing is to maintain a consistent yoga practice that suits your lifestyle. At first, begin by practicing yoga once a week. Then add a few more sessions gradually.

To be a yoga student is taking charge of your own practice,your own growth and your own life in ways you have never done before.

The benefits of yoga will begin to reveal themselves as you develop and stick to a consistent yoga practice.

It Takes Strength And Courage

2011-10-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

It takes strength to be firm – it takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to conquer – it takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain – it takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in – it takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend’s pain – it takes courage to feel your own.

It takes strength to endure abuse – it takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone – it takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love – it takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive – it takes courage to live.

~Praveen Mahto

Surrender

2011-09-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Everything happens for a reason, what’s supposed to happen will happen… if things don’t go our way, it can be stressful, painful, and hard, but we don’t always have to be in control.

It is easy to allow our emotions to cloud our vision,sometimes we lose sight of the bigger picture.We may not understand why things are happening the way they are, but soon enough we will know.

It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. We tend to focus on the present, and feel the enormity of the problem at hand, feeling like you’ve got the biggest problem in the world, and sometimes feel alone and don’t know what to do. Most often than not, we may feel the tendency to take matters into our own hands. To do things to control the situation.We often don’t realize, that no matter how we try to control things to make the outcome our way, if it’s not meant to be, it’s not going to happen. If you refuse to accept it and force it, you’re only prolonging the inevitable.

Problems will always be a part of life, and at times when you’re down, when you’re at your lowest point,find faith in the unknown. Calm your fears, and heal your heart. It’s not going to provide you an instant solution to your problem, as long as just trust and believe, the sooner you’ll get to that place where you’ll see everything clearly, and you’ll finally begin to understand the meaning of surrender.

Everything happens for a reason. You may not understand the reason now, but you will when the time is right.

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

Joseph Campbell

Courage

2011-09-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

The practice of yoga is not about arranging our life so that it is perfect and easy and non-challenging. Rather it is about using the discipline we find in our practice to be able to remain easy in the midst of difficulty."

Judith Lasater says Courage is the second most important quality to cultivate in life. (Right after love). To experience the highest quality of life we must have the courage to face whatever is present in our human experience: our pain, our desires, our grief, our loss, our secret hopes, our love, everything that moves us deeply. If you get honest with yourself you will see that each of us has something from which we have been running away from (our loneliness, our self-doubt, our boredom, our shame, our unfulfilled dreams.) All of these fears are the shadow side of courage. Fear contracts us, courage opens us up.

"Yoga is the practice of creating the conditions for opening to occur. We learn to relax and open up to more feelings and sensations than just those that are comfortable or familiar with so we are able to face them and let go.

This kind of opening allows us to create space so we are able to focus and create the life we want

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think."
Christopher Robin

Universal Peace

2011-09-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Aum refers to the universal sound, the sound that encompasses and reflects everything.

That is an amazing thing, by encompassing everything, it unifies everything, it allows everything to connect, if even for just a breath.

With all these extraordinary things happening in the world these days, and the ripple effect they have, the more and more we begin to realize how connected we truly are.

Aum like sun salutes seem independent of each other but in reality are all connected.

Aum and Sun salutes can be a reminder that we are about to do something, engage in a practice that isn’t independent but is part of a greater whole.

We practice yoga to feel good, but we also practice so we can be better humans in the world.

This Friday we come together as a yoga community to practice for peace.

The purpose of the Yoga for Peace Project is to unite the yoga community.

Studios around the world will participate in this night to promote peace.

Time:

7:00pm-8:30pm..Free

I hope you join us as we move through the sacred cycle of 108 Sun Salutations to promote peace within ourselves ,the world and our communities.

The Spirit Of The Warrior

2011-09-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

The Spirit of the Warrior

Although we have been made to believe that if we let go we will end up with nothing, life itself reveals again and again the opposite: that letting go is the path to real freedom.

Just as when the waves lash at the shore, the rocks suffer no damage but are sculpted and eroded into beautiful shapes, so our character can be molded and our rough edges worn smooth by changes.

Through weathering changes we can learn how to develop a gentle but unshakable composure. Our confidence in ourselves grows, and becomes so much greater that goodness and compassion begin naturally to radiate out from us and bring joy to others.

That goodness is what survives death, a fundamental goodness that is in every one of us. The whole of our life is a teaching of how to uncover that strong goodness, and a training towards realizing it.

- Excerpt from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying By Sogyal Rinpoche

This Weekend - Body Centric Workshop

2011-09-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday September 24th at Charlotte Family Yoga Center

What is a Body Centric Workshop?

A single day Yoga class focusing on restorative poses. Students learn best practice use of props to aid in relaxation and promote healing.
The class is a great introduction to the healing aspects of yoga. No prior yoga experience is necessary.

An introduction to the concept of YIN yoga; gentle poses held for 1 to 3 minutes.

Opportunity to record messages in the form streaming consciousness after each pose. This is a guided lesson in hearing the messages the body carries, that are so often missed. This is a private tool that, with practice, can be used as a life tool.

Access to both a Yogi, to instruct in the positions and an energy healer to encourage connection to the body through touch (optional), as well as to answer questions from a Body Centric Life Coach perspective.

A healing meditation during the last 10 to 15 minutes, enabling everyone to walk away refreshed and renewed.

The overall experience can range from an intense experience that is new to the individual to opening doors of awareness, or simply two hours of deep relaxation. People will find what they need, as everyone is encouraged to practice at their personal comfort level.

Testimonials:

I was at a fork in the road, and this workshop helped me take the next step with more confidence and less fear. Most of what I remember was strengthening my awareness in where I was holding stress in my body. Most specifically my belly and lack of breathing. For something that is supposed to be automatic I sure do feel the need to remind myself often

I was really hoping that I could bring it down a few notches to at least be present during class. Little did I know how quickly I was going to be able to fully embrace the experience. Sandy opened class with her usual charm but also challenged us to document our journey as our bodies were asked to do certain poses and our minds were asked to become childlike. During class, to my amazement, I was able to put into words some of the feelings that I had not be able to previously label. I found myself connecting some dots that were previously floating around as individual feelings/emotions/experiences. Most importantly, I was able to gain an understanding of a few of the "why's" in my life.

Through Sandy's Body Centric Workshop and continual practice I have found that the experience:
Increases my focus on deep breathing and relaxation
Relieves my various pains and increases flexibility
Allows me to be more present and at peace
Reduces my emotional reactivity in stressful situations
Elevates my body awareness, posture and energy

Improves my physical and emotional balance and strength
Integrates my body, mind, emotions, and spirit

Sandy Warren is a Yoga Fit Certified instructor, who's dedication to fitness through yoga emphasizes healing and relaxation. For more information see her biography at www.CharlotteFamilyYogaCenter.com

YOGA to respect where YOU are and where YOU want to go!

Magical Carpet Ride

2011-09-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine

On a cloud of sound I drift in the night

Any place it goes is right

Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here

Well, you don't know what we can find

Why don't you come with me

On a magic carpet ride

You don't know what we can see

Why don't you tell your dreams to me

Fantasy will set you free

Close your eyes

Look inside

Let the sound take you away.

Well, you don't know what we can find

Why don't you come with me

On a magic carpet ride

Well, you don't know what we can see

Why don't you tell your dreams to me

Reading a story to my daughter Isabel about Alladin and the magic carpet, I started thinking about our yoga mats, when we go to a yoga class and roll out our mats it can become like a magic carpet that takes you to new places within your body and mind...the journey of yoga!

A journey that helps you to bring your awareness inwards so you can start to focus on yourself and let go of distractions.

The sound of your breath..the sound that takes you away.The graceful movement between each posture like floating on a cloud.

Towards the end of your journey on your magic carpet, you close your eyes and do a final relaxation . This is the time to observe the difference within and without from when you started the practice to how it is coming to an end. How is your energy, your thoughts and have you let go? Has the union of body and mind and breath bought you to a place of peace and harmony...? I hope so!

As you open your eyes at the end of your practice, really open your eyes to how marvellous you are, yoga and your yoga mat !

You arrive in this new ,beautiful open space...

Enjoy the ride my friends~Love,Diane

Take A Moment!

2011-09-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

"Each today, well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life." -- Sanskrit poem

Take a moment to think about how you are operating in your life.
How often are you engaged in one task while focusing on another that needs to get done?

-When you are at home after work making dinner, being with the kids or doing the dishes, how often are you simultaneously thinking about the number of emails that need a reply?

-How often are you replying to emails, while feeling distracted about something else you need to do?

What about right now? How are you operating in this very moment?

All too often the tension of doing one thing while focusing on another can leave us feeling exhausted and irritable as we rush through the moments of our lives.
Imagine if you treated everything you did as important, and took great pleasure in it... in the moment.
The irony is that when you engage in the practice of being present for your life, you might find that you take more pleasure in the tasks at hand, become more productive, and feel more energized.

Feel yourself slowing down, feeling more joy, and breathing more deeply in life, just as you do on your mat.
Observe where your mind is when you are doing something.
"Whatever you are doing be fully engaged , it deserves your full attention and appreciation."

Use This Affirmation To Help You Reach Your Goals

2011-09-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

My Tomorrow is a reflection of what I do today.

This affirmation is a reminder that we create our future based on today’s actions. Every move we make should start with the question, “Is this taking me towards or away from my goals?” If you desire health, love, well being, riches, fame or to move through your yoga poses with grace and ease, every action you take should move you closer to that goal.

Written by Shanna Small. For more: visit her blog at Wellness From Inside.

How to Breath Like A Seasoned Yogi Darth Vader Style by Shanna Small

2011-09-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

Even though breathing is natural, for many yoga students, breathing deeply is not easy. Breathing deeply during yoga:

keeps the mind calm
increases metabolism
energizes the body
brings nutrients to the cells
lets you know when you are over exerting, nervous or not being mindful. When the fluidity and ease of the breath becomes jagged, it is a sign that something is not right
helps you get in and out of poses with ease

Ways To Cultivate a Deep Ocean Like Sound and Fluidity to Your Breath aka Breathe Like Darth Vader aka Breathe Like an Ashtangi

Practice without music-The difference between the breathing of my students who practice with and without music is like night and day. The music drowns out the breath. The students who practice with music think they are breathing fully, but when the music drops, you can hear a pin drop. The students who practice without music develop deep full breathing quickly and are more aware of their breath.

Practice Breathing Without Asana(yoga poses)-Sit in a quiet place and just breath

Inhale Fully/Exhale Fully-when you inhale, sip in as much air as you can. Feel the pressure of the air against the diaphragm and don't stop inhaling until you can't sip in any more. Then exhale out all the air fully. Feel your longs emptying out

Move Slower-Moving slower makes you more mindful of your breath. When you move fast your breath speeds up as well and eventually your breath gets labored and you feel like you are hyperventilating. Also when people move fast, they sometimes forget about their breath all together. I constantly see students holding their breath during sun salutes which are often the fastest portion of the yoga practice. This is when your body needs to be supported by breath the most. Breathe slow, move slow.

Stop Moving-If your breathing gets scattered and staccato, sit down and take a few focused breaths and start your practice again.

Move with the Breath-Every pose in yoga begins with a breath. Discipline yourself to not move until a breath is completed.

Practice Elongating the Breath- Sit down and count the beats of each inhale and exhale. Seeking to make them longer and longer.

Practice Ashtanga-Whether you practice Mysore style or Led, all the breaths in Ashtanga are meticulously counted by yourself or the teacher. This creates a hyper awareness of the breath that gets translated into other practices.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Video of the Day

For More From Shanna Small, Click Here

Presenting: The Charlotte Family Yoga Center video!

2011-08-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Our labor of love is complete!

At Charlotte Family Yoga Center we commit to to creating a
welcoming space where everyone belongs.

The teachers and staff all share a passion - a dedication - for
bringing yoga to the entire family.

Our mission is to empower each other in mind, body, and spirit.

We hope to support and uplift the heart and spirit of every student

that walks through our door.

With Love,
Your Charlotte Family Yoga Center Family
www.charlottefamilyyogacenter.com

August News

2011-08-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

With intention and dedication to our yoga practice we naturally develop a healthy balance between being and doing.

In life sometimes goals, ambition and persistence drive our achievements, but the physical action is only a small part.
There is a part of our nature that simply is.
It is this being part of our nature that imparts creativity, wisdom and peace. In our culture this inner side of us is typically ignored or denied.
Your yoga practice is an invitation to plug in and connect to your inner self, the being part. One of the most precious gifts of a regular practice is the opportunity to just be.
Yoga encourages us to celebrate the connection between body, mind and spirit and be intimate with ourselves. It is when we tap into this wisdom within, we manifest a greater understanding for the day to day stuff in our lives.
We navigate through life not on automatic pilot by doing, rather than being totally present with each and every moment.
Rather than checking out, we check in so that we are truly available for the demands of life.

Love,
Diane Cevallos
Founder Of Charlotte Family Yoga Center

New pricing, additional classes and free child care, all to support your commitment to your yoga practice.

It is a part of our mission to create an exceptional experience for you.

New Classes!
Click here to view Charlotte Family Yoga Center's August class schedule including:

A new 6 am Friday Flow
A new 11:30 am Saturday Deep Stretch
Postnatal Mom And Me
Saturday Toddler Yoga
New Kids Yoga Class Monday Nights at 5:30 pm
New Relax and Renew the third Sunday of the month..Only $5.00.

New Pricing!
Click here to view Charlotte Family Yoga Center's new pricing.

Childcare will be free beginning in August!

Your child's safety and happiness is our priority, there will be no more than eight children allowed - no exceptions. Childcare is a first come basis (no pre registration necessary). Click here to view when childcare is offered.

Kids August Summer Camp Begins Monday August 1st!

Mondays 9:30am -10:30am
August 1st -August 29th
Ages 4-8
includes:
One hour of yoga for your kids
One hour of heaven for you

Kid’s Yoga will be offered as mini-camps, one hour each Monday for 4 weeks.
Activities will include yoga, crafts, imaginative play, stories and games.

The Best Part is...Enjoy a bit of heaven at the same time!
During the 1 hour kid’s yoga workshop, we will also be offering a yoga class for you as well.

Cost: $55.00

Drop in Available

Please contact Charlotte Family Yoga Center for details!

200 Hr Vinyasa Teacher Training January 2012
Join this inspiring certified Yoga Alliance program and become a contributing member of our yoga community where you can empower people to be strong and balanced in their bodies, minds and spirits.

Charlotte Family Yoga Center's Yoga Exchange Program

Do you love yoga, but find it hard to fit into your budget?

Have you always thought working at a yoga studio would be great?

CFYC has a great yoga exchange program!!!!

If you are interested please e mail diane@charlottefamilyyogacenter.com

"You know who you are, but know not who you could be" ~Shakespeare

Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Like us on Facebook

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But above all, visit us in the Studio!

Yoga: where will it go from here? (trend vs. fad)

2011-07-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Fad: a movement, considered to be novel that is followed or picked up by a large group. Once the ‘novelty’ wares off, it generally disappears.

Trend: the general direction a change or development moves over a long period of time.

Running was a fad that continuously adapted to meet the ever-changing desires of the people, eventually evolving into a trend that changed the American lifestyle. Today running is fully immersed into the lives of many and fully supported by all health oriented movements.

Setting the trend, runners are responsible for moving the concept of exercise outside - beyond the walls of the gym. This bold move, and the support it gained in the community, is the trend that has become community fun runs, competitive distance runs and combination events such as tri and bi-athalons. A plethora of running gear has become a billion dollar industry. There are social groups, competitive teams, personal trainers, athletic coaches, video sequences and many other ways of encouraging community involvement in the sport.

As I look back on the history and the ridicule that many dished out when running was considered just another fad, I can’t help but wonder what Yoga will evolve into and who will evolve it? Will people who are passionate about Yoga hold themselves back by trying to keep it in the studios? There are now Yoga studios on just about every corner and the competition is becoming fierce, despite the general concept of peace and healthy, mindful responses to life.

Although yoga has a long-standing and rich traditional history in its Indian origin, in western society it is a fairly new trend. Yoga has definitely established some roots here in our culture, and it is clear that it is due to adaptations by those who introduced us to the movement, that it has become a healthy trend rather than a fad. Were it not for these adaptations, many of us would not have tried yoga, because we simply don’t have the religious ties and discipline around the religion that the Indian culture holds.

The question now is what and who will evolve yoga to those who are not yet taking advantage of its benefits? While many people are involved already, many more are not- either due to a feeling of insecurity, lack of funds, fear of crowds or any combination of factors that may be holding them back.

Charlotte Family Yoga Center has found a niche in focusing on affordable yoga for anyone in the community who wants to be involved. We call everyone family, whether you are parents with children, children of parents, separated from your parents, or just enjoying being your own parent. Here at Charlotte Family Yoga Center we are dedicated to you - a part of our family. We are interested in what will help you to most easily take advantage of the health benefits of yoga and we strive to evolve with the trend to meet the needs of the community. Perhaps this will eventually evolve into some outdoor yoga sessions, more fun community events - like the community fundraising event that we all just shared in to keep yoga affordable - or community outreach events, online access to our instructors and teaching techniques, or any number of yet to be discovered ways of connecting others to yoga. As more of our society moves toward a deeper passion for yoga, the evolution will undoubtedly loop back toward the traditions that require more discipline as well.

The point is that yoga is not a fad, it is a trend that is here to stay, for the benefit of all and we are intent on finding ways to reach all ages, all interest groups, all health levels and all skill levels, at an affordable rate – so that no one is left out. We are also here to reach out to those who don’t think they are interested in yoga, or don’t feel confident enough to come join us yet, because like running, the health benefits to our sedentary, yet frenzied and highly competitive lifestyle are incalculable. For anyone who is dedicated to a regular practice, both yoga and running serve as a form of meditation. Although unlike running, yoga is much gentler on the joints and the physical body in general.

We hope that you are finding deep peace, fulfillment and abundant health in your yoga practice. If you are not please come and talk with us about what we can do to help you evolve your practice. No matter how deep you’re your yoga roots are there is room to spread them further.

Namaste’
Julie Merchant
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Meditation...

2011-06-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of talk these days around meditation. For most of us that is where it begins and ends. We read about the benefits, we hear it, we might even believe it, but do we set aside time to DO IT. Many of us think we cannot, or meditation must be for others, not us busy people. It most certainly fits into the thought process of “one more thing to do”.

“Did you know that people who meditate are much happier and healthier than everyone else? It‘s true. And they have greatly extended life spans, too. As a matter of fact, there have been numerous studies showing that meditation dramatically reduces, and even reverses disease of all types” EOC Institute

You can Google "Free Meditation Downloads" and see which site appeals to you.

Having said all of the above, perhaps you can find ways to begin with small steps, and see if you want more. Could you consider incorporating some deep rhythmic breathing into your morning routine of walking the dog, and sensing nature all around you? I realize kids often have their own agenda, but I will tell you I have practiced with my Granddaughter 2 1/2, she has learned to take naps to Ohm Santé Santé, sung off key, she has practiced her deep breathing with me as we drove home after pre-school. They are little mimics, so mimic and watch with amazement, and yes, her down dog is better than mine. Is it possible to turn off the radio, the talk shows and cell phone, just take a “quiet” break as you drive from point A to B. How about those MP3 players, do you know you can download a FREE meditation and just listen after lunch break for 10 minutes!! YES all this is a form of meditation. You can build a private meditation place in your home, you can sit for an hour by the outside fountain, burning incense and chanting is always on option, but none of these things are necessary as first steps. I will tell you though I like the fountain, watching the birds and hiding among the tress, so much easier to find the stillness without the buzz of people and electronics…call me silly!

Even the 10 minutes at the end of Harmony Yoga class is meditation come try it.

Sandy Warren
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Yoga and Sport Training...

2011-06-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Consider Yoga as part of your “sport training” Men……yes Yoga is exercise, runners you will be amazed, type “A” personality, oh yes you can power it up, or slow it down….Good for your mind and body!

Here are a few quotes from a variety of athletes, this might help encourage YOU to the mat.

Runner: Maxine Bahns got hooked on the exhilaration of athletic competition in 2000. She now varies her practice according to her mood and training schedule—power flows when prepping for a race and restoratives after the fact.

Tennis: Shoulder strength, good flexibility, and proper alignment are also must-haves for a powerful forehand. When the shoulder and upper back are too weak or tight to swing the racket against the impact of an oncoming ball, stress can reverberate down the arm and land in the elbow, tennis elbow often results.

Cycling: The constant motion creates tension in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and hips, what can you do to relieve the tension. When you adopt a proper cycling technique, the spine should stay in its natural curves. But many cyclists end up hunching their back, placing too much weight in their arms or on the seat, which can strain the back and shoulders. "On a long ride a cyclist's back can be in flexion for hours at a time, so it's important to restore the spine's natural curves, Experts recommend, (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose) lengthens the hamstrings and opens the lower back and hips. And, last but not least (Intense Side Stretch) targets the hamstrings and the gluts, which can get tight from sitting on a postage stamp of a saddle.

GOLF: The most common complaint? Lower-back pain. That's because swinging a golf club requires the spine to move in three planes at once: side to side, front to back, and rotating from the centerline. Roberts's favorite poses for golfers are twists and back-body strengtheners. (Revolved Side Angle Pose) and a supine twisting variation of (Eagle Pose) improve what golfers call the X-factor (the rotation of a golfer's hips in relation to the rotation of their shoulders).

So what is your reason for not trying Yoga, don’t want to improve your golf score, don’t want to be known on the court as the “person” with a killer overhead smash or maybe you love that cycle saddle and no relief is necessary. WHY not ask for a private session and see what an hour can do for your “game”, or just join us on the mat and see what all the YOGA talk is all about.

Sandy Warren
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Secret hip openers...

2011-06-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

For massive flexibility gains, particularly for tight hips, there are a couple
standing postures that work wonders.

Photo: Charlotte Family Yoga

SECRET HIP OPENER #1:
Warrior I Posture
This pose is taught in almost every yoga class, but usually you just cruise through it. I like to use a clock and hold it steady for 3-5 minutes per side (Iyengar flashbacks, anyone?). Try it and your hips will get incredibly soft and limber. YES, you may well have to build up to that time.

SECRET HIP OPENER #2:
Crescent Lunge

Standard Crescent lung, but take your back heal off the ground, then stretch it down again and repeat. Then go back into static holds alternating between Warrior I and Crescent Lunge until my hips are REALLY loose, and then consider classic hip openers, like a butterfly or pigeon.

Your hips are massive joints (I mean that in the nicest possible way) they have lots of connective tissue that needs training , to stretch, and release. So be patient!

~Sandy
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Props Continued...

2011-06-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

Photo: iyogalife.com

Props allow you to hold poses longer, so you can experience their healing effects. By supporting the body in the yoga posture, muscles can lengthen in a passive, non-strenuous way. By opening the body, the use of props also helps to improve blood circulation and breathing capacity.

Props help all practitioners—including both the most advanced students and those of advanced years—to receive the deep benefits of postures held for sustained periods of time. Most exercise shortens the muscles, walking, running, biking, tennis, golf, it goes on and on. Restorative Yoga helps give you length and flex.

One of the greatest benefits of yoga can be that it offers exercise without exhaustion. Yoga replenishes our precious energy reserves. Supporting the body with props opens the door to what is known as “Restorative Yoga”, which not only allows you to exercise without exerting a great deal of effort but simultaneously relaxes and reenergizes you. This is critical during times when we find ourselves feeling too tired to exercise and then feeling even more tired because we are not exercising. Props also allow us to heal after surgery, recover after childbirth, and NOT that I know anything about it... it supports us as we age and need a “Little help from our friends”.

So come be my friend and join me on the mat. I will be the one sitting on a bolster, with one leg supported by a strap, and my ankles sitting on a soft pillow, about the blocks... well you will just have to come and see!

Sandy Warren
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Love is my religion...

2011-06-13T04:14:00.000-07:00

Life is not easy; there is so much suffering in this world. We try to do our best with what we have, play the best game with the cards we were dealt. So, why judge someone just because they choose a different path? What happened to love, tolerance and respect for all beings on this Earth? Isn’t being a good, kind, helpful and compassionate human being what is really important?

I think that is what all the religions are trying to teach. "Spiritual" teachers who speak of anything other than LOVE are either completely missing the point and should go back to reading the sacred books and scriptures, or they are preaching for their own personal gain. Any practice that makes a person a healthier, happier human being and causes no harm to others should be embraced.

Nature is ultimately love, the absence of which causes disease to both the physical body and mind.

How then can we harness the forces of love to nurture our lives no matter what our beliefs?

Here is a great love story:
There is a tribe in east Africa in which the art of true intimacy is fostered even before birth. In this tribe, the birth date of a child is not counted from the day of its physical birth or even from the day of conception as in other village cultures. For this tribe the birth date is set as the date that the first thought of the unborn child enters its mother’s mind. Aware of her intention to conceive a child, with a particular father, the mother then goes off to sit alone under a tree. She sits and listens until she can hear the song of the child that she hopes to conceive. Once it comes to her, she returns to her village and teaches the song to the father and together they can sing it as they make love, inviting the child to join them.

The mother sings this song to her unborn child, throughout their pregnancy. She teaches it to the old women and midwives of the village, so that throughout the labor and at the miraculous moment of birth itself, the child is greeted with its song. Upon the arrival of the child, all the villagers learn the song of their new member and sing it to the child whenever fear or pain necessitates comforting. It is sung at times of triumph, as well as during rituals and initiations. The song becomes a part of the marriage ceremony when the child has grown, and at the end of life, his or her loved ones will gather around the deathbed and sing the song one last time.

To be so consciously received as in the tale above, to be acknowledged through such unique traditions are truly a gift of love as rare as they are precious. Few of us can boast of such manifestations and yet, the stories of all our lives are ultimately and always will be love. For again - it is love that creates us, love that sustains us and, finally, love that sets us free.

~Diane
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

What It Means to “Let Go”

2011-06-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Source: blankettruth

To “let go” does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can’t do it for someone else.
To “let go” is not to cut myself off,
it’s the realization I can’t control another.
To “let go” is not to enable,
but to allow learning from natural consequences.
To “let go” is to admit powerlessness,
which means the outcome is not in my hands.
To “let go” is not to try to change or blame another,
it’s to make the most of myself.
To “let go” is not to care for,
but to care about.
To “let go” is not to fix,
but to be supportive.
To “let go” is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.
To “let go” is not to be in the middle arranging the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their own destinies.
To “let go” is not to be protective,
it’s to permit another to face reality.
To “let go” is not to deny,
but to accept.
To “let go” it not to nag, scold or argue,
but instead to search out my own shortcomings, and correct them.
To “let go” is not to adjust everything to my desires
but to take each day as it comes,
and cherish myself in it.
To “let go” is not to criticize and regulate anybody
but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To “let go” is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the future.
To “let go” is to fear less,
and love more.

(Unknown Author)

To PROP or not to PROP?

2011-06-08T03:53:00.000-07:00

Props help us conserve and replenish energy.

Props make difficult poses more accessible and safe.

Props help prevent injuries and help old injuries to heal.

People tend to stretch from their more flexible areas and rely on their better-developed muscles for strength. Props encourage weak parts to strengthen and stiff areas to stretch, thus balancing and realigning the whole body.

Props allow us to stay in poses long enough to release tension and experience deeper levels of relaxation.

Props help create space in the spine and the joints.

Props allow us to practice inverted poses safely.

Photo: sonshineyogaandwellness

Not sure how to use props…come to Harmony class…we use them ALL!!

Sandy Warren
Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Live a Success-Filled Life...

2011-06-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Photo: unknown

Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. -R. Collier

The media loves to tell stories of overnight success. “Average Joe becomes Millionaire Overnight.” “ Jane Loses 50 Pounds in 2 Weeks”. Rarely do they show all the small steps and failures that individuals experience on their way to greatness. Expose's of people who worked 25 years at becoming a millionaire or 2 years to lose 50 pounds aren’t as exciting but, they are much closer to reality. Achieving success is a process of trials and errors that is well worth it in the end, because these are the achievements that usually last.

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” -Charles R. Swindoll

Just like Yoga, success requires practice. We have to get up every day with a vision of greatness and take small steps to achieve it. We have to be steadfast because life will present us with many situations that will cloud our future. Most importantly, we must be consistent.

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. -- Colin Powell

Everyone and everything around you is your teacher...

2011-06-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Photo: Charlotte Family Yoga Center

"Everyone and everything around you is your teacher." Ken Keyes Jr.

Our interactions with the people we meet reflect our ability to remain open and learn from each new experience. This can be said for our experiences on the mat as well; through intentional practice the combination of poses and heat created can bring many emotions to the surface. The comfort of our mat is a safe place to work through our emotions, allowing us to remain open to the experience and add flavor to our practice. Eventually our mat and Yoga community reflect our peace and strength, thus giving us the confidence to let our new skills spill over into our life off the mat.

By viewing the events in our life and the acquaintances we meet as opportunities for learning, we can create a positive lesson from every experience. A person who brings us pain teaches compassion. An injury teaches us to slow down and a missed appointment teaches the importance of planning ahead.

Next time you practice, ask yourself what can I learn from the emotions and sensations I am experiencing that can go beyond the mat?

~Shanna

Meet June's Instructor of the Month, Sandy Warren!

2011-06-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

Photo: Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Life’s journey has given me skills, empathy and wisdom, which I share through coaching and through Yoga, often two different routes seeking the same results.

I love to engage the mind, keep the body strong and nurture the spirit. I began my interaction with Yoga when I was in my medical training days. Long days and nights, I needed a place to de-stress. One session of Kirpala Yoga and I was hooked. I returned to Yoga when I was a young mom, again finding stress reduction but it also helped my find my figure, Hatha Yoga was the choice at that time. Sadly I spent a number of years away from Yoga, being trapped in the NO time for me syndrome. Reemerging I took assorted classes and found that as long as I was on the mat, I didn’t care what they called it. My last reentry into Yoga came at a pre-menopausal juncture and I was not inclined toward drugs. Relief came gradually as my practice increased.

This was the final tap on the shoulder I needed. I saw clearly that I needed to become a Yoga Instructor, two main reasons stood out to me. I needed it for my mind, body and spirit, and I have always loved to train, and share.

Sandy is certified through Yoga Fit for basic Yoga, Prenatal Yoga and has taken courses for Senior Yoga. Using these teaching skills to improved the interplay between mind, body and energy healing. Training & working with different energy healing modalities since the late 90’s Sandy became certified through Quantum Touch energy work in an effort to share techniques for self wellness without drugs.
Sandy Has A Great Passion to help others find answers through Yoga, meditation and visualization, determining that their minds and attitudes play a significant role in their wellness.

Check out Sandy's Personal Website: www.WellnesswithAttitude.com

And you can see when she teaches classes at Charlotte Family Yoga Center here!

SEVA: The act of Selfless Service

2011-05-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Special Guest post by Charlotte Family Yoga Center's own Marybreath

What is SEVA? The word SEVA comes from Sanskrit and means selfless service. SEVA is doing good work, it is helping others without attachment and without any desire for personal gain. When one performs SEVA on a regular basis the individual may become more aware of their connection with the divine. All it takes is one small act of SEVA per day for the individual to bring about a tremendous amount of spiritual growth. Where can one bring the practice of SEVA into their life? There are many ways that an individual can practice SEVA. (thank you Sundari for inspiring me to tell my story!)

Before I go on to explain how to do so, please allow me to tell you about the incredible experiences that I have had with the powerful act of SEVA. For me, it all started about 11years ago when I went to the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in the Catskills of New York. I attended “Yoga Camp” for one week, which involved meditation, devotional singing, hatha yoga and lastly karma yoga. I had been practicing yoga at the time for about 3yrs. A few months prior to my adventure to “Yoga Camp,” I had participated in a yoga teacher certification, which involved reading books and learning about the yogic philosophy. I came across the word SEVA during that time and felt drawn to serving others. It wasn’t until my experience at Sivananda that I was able to put this service into action. Now mind you, I have been a very charitable person my whole life. I was raised in a well off family who gave every Christmas to families less privileged. Charity is in my blood. However, there was something deep about this experience and I believe it was because I performed SEVA on a daily basis.

Every day while attending “Yoga Camp,” I was required to sign up for a karma yoga activity. My choices ranged from cleaning bathrooms, attending to kitchen duties, working in the garden, feeding animals to preparing the evening fire ceremony. Everyday I would choose one of these activities and play my part in the act of selfless service. I remember helping prepare the fire ceremony one evening. I helped prepare the fire by gathering wood, igniting the fire and making sure the fire pit was safe for the community. I enjoyed this service because I was helping the community out by tending to something that is of an earth element. I felt connected to the community as well as the divine. Nature is divine and fire is part of that divinity. This week long experience changed my perspective on what it means to serve. It allowed me to feel the sensation of being alive and being part of a greater purpose that is connected to service.

A few years later, I felt empty. I was living in the mainstream world and working a job that felt meaningless. My spirit was drained from feeling a lack of purpose. I had been living in Boulder, CO for 3yrs and felt that although I was in a spiritual community of new age seekers, I knew I wanted to be back in a place similar to Sivananda Yoga Ranch. I felt that it was my calling to go out and find a place where I could be of service, but still be surrounded by a spiritual community. Since I felt lost, I knew I wanted to go somewhere where I could connect with others. I gathered my resources and researched places where I could volunteer my time and service. This was when I discovered Kripalu Yoga Center in Lenox, MA.

I sold my superficial possessions, packed the meaningful ones and moved back to the east coast. As my goods sat in storage for 3weeks, I went and practiced SEVA at Kripalu. The sense of service and connection that I longed for was all under one roof in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains. I spent 3 weeks volunteering in the household department where I scrubbed toilets, saunas and bathroom sinks. I washed windows and vacuumed the building. It was amazing! I went to sleep every night with a feeling of peace and service to the community that I was involved in. I connected with a community of yogi’s and rediscovered what made me feel lit up. I thought I could then take the experiences out into the world and live in mainstream society.

After making that decision to go back to mainstream society, I moved in with my grandma in OH and got a full-time job in retail sales. Although it wasn’t what I desired, I knew it would give me the flexibility to teach yoga as well as teach swim lessons to young children. I knew I could fulfill my sense of service out in a community where I grew up.

One year later, I found myself once again longing to go home to Kripalu and be of service in a yogic community. I found myself longing to be there longer than 3 weeks and felt a huge calling to go there for 3 months! That’s when I put the little amount of possessions I had back into storage and moved back to Kripalu. I like to think of it as going back home. I spent 3 whole months volunteering and engaging in a spiritual community of amazing people from all over the world! My experience this time around was so much bigger than Sivananda and the 3 weeks that I had spent at Kripalu the year before. This felt deeper because not only was it a daily practice of selfless service, but it was more transformational. I felt as though I had come closer to my truth by committing to this practice for 3 months.

Once again, I was working in the household department scrubbing tiles, saunas, vacuuming and keeping the building clean. Metaphorically, I felt as though I was cleaning my soul by reconnecting with the divine. I reconnected with the divine by being of service and allowing deep transformations to take place. There were moments during this experience where I would be cleaning a mirror and I would pause. I would pause because the mirror would reflect something deep and spiritual that was happening within my soul. The mirror would reflect back to me what I was thinking or feeling. The mirror would show me my truth.

Selfless service doesn’t have to come in the form of attending a yoga camp or living in a yoga community for several weeks or months. Selfless Service can come through helping others in need. An individual can do a number of things to perform an act of SEVA. Here are some examples of participating in an act of selfless service:

• Donating money, goods or food to local charities

• Picking up litter on the side of the road while on a leisure walk

• Volunteering for hospitals, care centers or other organizations in the community

It has been 6years since I spent 3 months at Kripalu doing SEVA. I have managed to live in the mainstream world and feel more connected to serving others than I did 7 or even 8 years ago. However, lately, I have been feeling a deep calling to travel far to be of service. I have felt a deep need to move or travel to another country and practice SEVA with underprivileged children. I have also felt a deep calling to stay within a civilized community and serve the elderly and/or sick children. Whatever I am supposed to do, it will reveal itself in the proper time. I will be ready and open whenever it is meant to happen. In the meantime, I practice selfless service on my own by donating goods, food, money when I can as well as cleaning up litter while on a leisure walk.

How do you plan to be of service to the world today?

"Favorite Things" from CFYC instructor of the month, Chante Walter

2011-05-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

Photo: Charlotte Family Yoga

Favorite yoga book
Journey Into Power, by Baron Baptiste

Favorite yoga posture
Arda Chandrasana or Half Moon. I love scanning my body in this posture and how some days I have it and some days I don't!

Favorite non-yoga book
Oh, so many! I just finished The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. Really enjoyed Even Silence Has An End, by Ingrid Betancourt. Also, for small, daily pieces I love Present Perfect, by Gregory Boyd.

Favorite food
I grew up in California, so I would have to say Mexican. My mother's side of the family is Italian so I also grew up with great Italian dishes. Love smoothies and anything chocolate!

Favorite TV show
For a good laugh, The Office.

Favorite pastime
First and foremost, I love quality time with my husband and our two boys. In the spring and summer, we enjoy kayaking together. Of course yoga! I love my church, cooking, good books and movies. Always up for a girl's night!

Favorite vacation
A year and a half ago we went to Disney World in December. We went before the rush and took my mom with us. I can't say it was relaxing, but it was magical!

Favorite yoga studio
Charlotte Family Yoga Center! No seriously, for one there is no other studio I know of with childcare, it is 5 minutes from my house, has caring, quality instructors, and truly embraces the community. I could go on and on.

~ Chante

Feeding the wolf...

2011-05-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

There is a Cherokee legend that goes something like this:

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The wolf we feed is the one that grows. It’s simple. It makes sense. But I would also add that the wolf we feed also draws the rest of the pack; what we choose to place our attention on attracts more of the same.

Shanna led us through a wonderful exercise about intention and manifestation at the 40 days celebration that inspired me to go home and find the notebook that I had been journaling in as I created Charlotte Family Yoga Center. I found this On Day one - the creation of CFYC: "That which you give attention to, you attract into your life." It’s really quite powerful.

Our thoughts are like magnets; what we think about or even worry/stress about is attracted to and brought into our experience. We truly create our own experience in this life, and it starts with our thoughts, or the wolf we choose to feed.

Now, it’s not like every fleeting thought becomes reality or that everything we think about immediately becomes part of our experience. The more we dwell on something the stronger the attraction for such a thing becomes. Sometimes we don’t realize that we are feeding the evil wolf however, because as we focus on our good intentions, it is the negative self talk and self doubt in the subconscious that is busy feeding the bad wolf.

Photo: uimages.org

Here is to positive thinking, faith and knowing that everything we want is possible if we feed the right wolf...

~Diane

The Desiderata

2011-05-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

The Desiderata is one of my favorite poems. It holds so much wisdom and truth that it speaks to me in a different way each time I read it. I love the stanza that speaks of comparing ourselves to others - someone will always have more and someone will always have less. Many people work tirelessly to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ which, according to Ehrmann, either manifests as vanity or bitterness. This is a good reminder for our lives as well as our yoga practice.

The Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Be gentle with yourself
~Chante

Image: www.seethegood.net

It's all in the breath...

2011-05-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

“When breath departs, so too does life. Therefore, regulate the breath.”-Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Photo: Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Many children today struggle with anxiety, they struggle to focus and suffer with overwhelming levels of stress. With limited experience and maturity, their reaction can either be an instinctive outburst or repression, both of which manifest in negative consequences. What are often perceived as uncontrollable urges or compulsive behaviors can be controlled or eliminated through breathing technique. The toxic symptoms of repression can be eased the same way.

Learning to breathe deeply releases stress, through conscious controlled inhalation and exhalation. This is one of the tremendous advantages of Yoga for children. For young Yogi’s the practice of breathing dispels anxiety and teaches children that they can control their reactions to their environment.

Did you know that Charlotte Family Yoga Center offers classes for young Yogi’s of all ages? Beginning in the prenatal stage, babies benefit from the relaxing breath, healthy blood flow and rhythm in utero. Children can also participate in parent child classes, Yoga for kids ages 4-7, Tween Yoga and summer camp, as well. All of these can be found on the web site under about our classes.

The opportunities to learn the basic fundamentals of yoga at a young age provide many benefits that may last a lifetime. One of the most important benefits is the discipline of the practice. Like any other event in life the concept of practice makes perfect is also true of Yoga. However, what is not included is the competition that can become so divisive. Kids who learn and practice Yoga learn that what they are doing is for them; not about beating someone else. The practice that they engage in enhances their ability to tune in to their own body, increase their awareness of the mind body connection, which results in a heightened level of self confidence and self esteem. Other benefits include social awareness, creative movement and imaginative play as they are coaxed to create and try out postures that emulate nature. The connection and constant attention to breath at all times is what enhances discipline, concentration, relaxation and confidence in children. I have even heard that children who participate in yoga are highly successful as young adults, but I would be happy with a well balanced child who can move gracefully through the tumultuous years of adolescence!

Sign me up!

Teach and Be Taught

2011-05-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

Image: Charlotte Family Yoga Center

I am grateful to have been influenced by many great yoga teachers. They may not all have recognizable names, but what they have shared with me has been invaluable and now I get the honor of sharing that with others.

In particular, I was blessed to have had a quality teacher training, although I don't think I understood that at the time. She gave so much of herself to make sure we were taught well. I may not have agreed with every single thing she said, but she made every effort to equip us with what we needed to guide others through their practice. There was so much information given to me, and I'm finding that much of it is still taking root. Just like a child that learns from their parents, but sometimes has to find their own way. Or, maybe I just needed time to process what I was given and then apply it.

It's like that in our own yoga practice. Many of us hear the same words over and over again, but it takes years before we can apply it. We get those occasional "ah-ha" moments and a connection is made; we grow. We learn to listen to our own body. We take the cues being given to us, but at the same time listen to our inner voice.

Most of us teachers just want to share what we have learned over time. So much of it came from someone else and they didn't discover it either. We share out of a loving place in our heart. We share from mistakes we have made, and keep making. We share what we have learned from the stillness.

The wisdom of my yoga teacher and many other teachers has stayed with me. Their words echo throughout each yoga class. It is a beautiful thing when they take root and continue on.

Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Chante

May's Instructor of the Month, Chante Walter!

2011-05-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Image: Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Lately I have thought a lot about how yoga has helped me uncover my true self. I think about all the changes that I have made since I began a consistent yoga practice. I realize now more than ever that yoga didn't change me, but rather it helped me be true to myself.

Here is a glimpse of my before and after...

Seven years ago:

I really want to get back in shape, but where do I begin? I hate cardio machines, not really coordinated enough for aerobics, just don't have the patience for running (or endurance). I've always been drawn to yoga - let's give it a try.

As I take my first studio class, I feel very awkward and out of place. In my first forward fold, my t-shirt is falling in my face and my hands are very far from touching the mat. My instructor kindly comes over and places a block, long ways under my hands. I don't look like the other yogi's. I don't have much strength or flexibility. I refuse to put my knees down or take rest because no one else is. My wrists are sore and I keep slipping all over the mat. I am pleased to discover I have good balance. I can't say that I know very much about my body. After class I am starving, and Wendy's will do just fine!

Fast forward to today:

I still don't care for cardio or machines, but I LOVE YOGA! After many yoga wardrobe malfunctions, I have figured out what to wear to class. It took a few months, but those muscles in my wrists got stronger and now they don't hurt at all. I don't slip all over the mat anymore - Yogi Toe's are a great invention, but also my hands just don't sweat like they used to. My strength and flexibility have increased dramatically. Balance postures are still my favorite, because we usually like what we are good at. My hips are still not very flexible compared to most, but that is an ego thing that I need to let go of. I am much more aware of how food makes me feel, and that has taught me to make healthier choices. The breath has been a big thing for me and has helped me in many ways on and off the mat.

I am starting to understand that my yoga practice is a journey and there is no arriving. I don't need to strive for perfection or look like anyone else. What a joy it is to be able to share yoga and guide others through their practice.

~Chante

Class - Deep Stretch

2011-04-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Take a peek into a Deep Stretch Yoga Class

5 Wellness Tips For Living In Balance!

2011-04-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

Image: Charlotte Family Yoga Center

Today I was at my weekly chiropractor/ acupuncture appointment and I had a quick conversation with him about staying well and balanced. I am definitely one to continuously focus on wellness and health, but I still have a lot to learn. In fact, I just recently discovered that I don’t eat enough of the right green veggies and have been really focused this month on juicing (will save that topic for another post, so check back!) Anyway, my chiropractor/
acupuncturist has seriously hooked me up in the past 6 months by helping me regain the strength in my lower back that is believed to have manifested from trauma. Every week I feel like I leave his office with a greater understanding of wellness. Today was one of those days that he shared a new insight with me. After leaving, I knew that the 5 tips he gave me were fairly obvious to how I live my life, but it was good to hear it from a professional standpoint, which I could then share it with my friends and family.

5 Wellness Tips For Living In Balance

If one of these things is missing in your life, then chances are you are a bit crooked somewhere.

1. Balance your chi. Ways to do this can either be through yoga, tai chi or other eastern based exercises.

2. Eat Well. Remember! You’re what you eat. How you feel is determined by what you put into what my new favorite author Kris Carr calls your ‘GOD POD!’ If you eat crap, then chances are you feel like crap. Hydration fits in here too. Water is important! 8 glasses a day is the ideal!

3. Maintenance through massage, acupuncture, chiropractor, reflexology etc…This is important to me because it helps me remain balanced in my structure so that I can be stronger in my yoga and other fitness outlets. It helps keep the ’GOD POD’ in the right gear and can help heal or prevent any tension one might be holding. Basically, it’s just a good solid way to release!

4. Exercise. Yes, this is the same as yoga, but other forms of exercise such as walking, jumping, hiking etc.. help to keep your bones strong as well as free your mind up from any junkie thoughts that you may be holding or carrying around. Dr Oz says that 20 minutes of walking per day is the best thing you can do for your body. If you don’t have 20 minutes to do this then there is a serious problem! (you can stop stalking on facebook for that amount of time, he he!)

5. Rest. Sleep and meditation both fit into this category. Both of these are important for obvious reasons. 8 hrs of sleep per night is seriously the minimum that I can take. If I have less, well then I begin to feel a bit off kilter and can’t hold it together the way that I could if I had more. Meditation is important because it releases the junk that is stored in your mind. Here is my opinion “Meditation is like taking out the trash. You’ve got to get rid of the garbage or your space starts to stink!” All it takes is 5 min. Ideally, you want to sit on a cushion, but it you need to do it other ways it’s all good because no matter what the universe will still have your back!

I hope you will contemplate the benefits of the 5 important wellness tips that I just gave you on how to live a balanced life!

Big thanks to to my amazing chiropractor/acupuncturist Dr Doyle!

~Marybreath

The Ocean Refuses No River

2011-04-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Consider the truth that nature makes way for all things. The water carves a path through the hardest of rock. The frozen ground yields to the smallest sprout. The sun shines through the darkest night to bring forth a new day. As it is in the natural world, so it is with us. May you choose to thaw the walls of your heart and reach out in Love. May you refuse to live without Hope. May you rise up out of the ashes of whatever has been destroyed and Build something new. Dream new dreams. Make new paths through the hard places on your journey. Life waits for no one and every stream finds the ocean.

Om Shanti Om
~G

Image: Piyaphon

Breath of Joy

2011-04-18T11:43:00.001-07:00

Smile, breathe and go slowly. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

The change of the season brings a welcome change in the rhythm of our lives. We start to lighten up our wardrobe and put away the heavy coats. We open the windows and allow the fresh breeze to blow through our homes.
Try this breath practice (pranayama) and feel the heaviness of the season, of your day, of your thoughts, begin to lighten.
Breath of Joy: Stand with your feet wide and your arms lifted (think star formation), draw the breath in through the nose from the base of your spine (mula bandha) to the top of your head (crown chakra). Now soften your face, bend your knees and forcefully exhale through the mouth as you swing the torso and arms forward and between your legs. Just let the arms swing freely. Using momentum swing back up to standing, inhale and swing into this wide legged, bent knee forward fold again. Continue for 10 rounds. Stopping if you get light headed or dizzy. On the last round, simply hang in the fold and let your breath return to normal, then head-toe your feet back together and roll the spine up to standing. Ahhhhhh lighten up!

Love ~ G

WHAT IS STRESS REALLY?

2011-04-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

Stress happens when one of 3 things occur:

1. what we wish would be and what actually is, seem to differ

2. The Universe is shifting and your physiology is trying to catch up

3. Unexpected events happen, including what we perceive is change, and we are trying to stay in control.

Your body will tell you if you are doing well in flowing with these shifts and changes, and if you are challenged. Here are some of the symptoms (gifts of awareness really) that tell you that your spirit and body are looking for some new tools:

*tingles in your hands or feet occasionally, tense shoulder muscles, cravings for carbs, chocolate or coffee, reactivity to loved ones, strong drive followed by fatigue,

Possible Solutions:

Stay hydrated—Breathe Deeply—Listen to soothing music—Don’t listen to the news—take a walk—do some forward folds, or lie with you feet up the wall. Above all take some QUIET time, just for you 5 to 10 minutes makes a world of difference. Practice thoughts of abundance.

Do as the angels do….Take yourself lightly, that’s how they fly!!

Sandy Warren

Wellness With Attitude

www.WellnesswithAttitude.com

Sandy@sandrapwarren.com

Q & A with Gisela Crider, ERYT April Instructor of the Month

2011-04-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

When did you start practicing and what made you decide to teach?

I began in 2007. My dear friend invited me to come practice with her and boy was I surprised… it was so different. I kept going because I soon discovered that under the physical workout was this layer of space within my mind and realization within my spirit. It was transforming in a life changing way. I was used to organized sport and this practice of going inside and connecting with myself on that level was very new to me, but it was pretty clear early on that I wanted to share this discovery, this gift of yoga with others.

Along your yoga journey, who has inspired you?

My teacher, Dolly Stavros. She inspired me for the moment we met and challenged me in a very real way to rediscover myself and to stop hiding. We all have so much to give, but sometimes we forget that, we forget all that we are and can be and on the way to becoming we can sometimes get stuck… she got me unstuck and I am forever grateful. I have also learned many beautiful ways of practice from Shala Worsley, Stephanie Keech, Paulie Zink, and Christine Navarro.

What is your favorite pose and why?

That’s a tough one… so many amazing poses! Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel) for those days when the energy is low and I just need to press my heart to the sky for inspiration… Malasana (deep squat) for those days my head is in the clouds and I need to get grounded and back to my inner voice… Tadasana (Mountain) for the times I am in need of courage and hope – I stand with my heart open and my feet grounded and bravely facing whatever comes… so I guess I can’t decide on just one!

Tell us a little about what to expect from your upcoming workshop and what is Elevation?

Elevation is a yoga fitness company my husband and I started in 2009. We wanted to inspire others to live their best lives, to elevate their level of health and wellness through yoga and fitness, we are adding massage therapy this summer when I finish up massage school. My workshop this weekend is all about shedding the old and putting on the new… the change of the season from winter to spring is a beautiful time of renewal. Mother nature takes the lead and shows us how to forge ahead, though the way might be rough, she still puts on her best and brightest and shines. We can follow her example and show up, burn brightly and transform into what is new, letting go of what has past. We will dance (oh, yes we will!), we will sing (free that voice), we will move through strong and transforming asana, we will put on the breath like a freight train and we will step into the new season of spring as well as the new season of our lives! Live your BEST life.

Gisela Crider, April Instructor Of The Month!

2011-04-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Yoga is a practice, breath is a practice, meditation is a practice, love is a practice, kindness is a practice, peace is a practice... Life is a practice. Practice often.

My yoga practice is practice for the rest of my life. Everything that happens on my mat is a mini version of what happens off my mat. A difficult pose in my practice can be like a difficult relationship in my life. How do I react? Can I soften my edges and be okay with what is?
Can I choose love even when choosing fear seems so right? What about falling out of a pose? Falling out of Vrksasana (tree) can be like failing that test or being turned down for that job.
Can I choose to fall with grace and ease? Can I remember that failing is simply practice for winning? And isn’t it all practice? It is not the arrival but the journey that shapes the character of the traveler. We are all travelers, just passing through. Learning from each other and growing in grace.

When we think of life as practice we become aware of everything. We wake up to the breath, to connection, to the beauty of creation, to the love in our lives, to the gratitude that we are invited to share, to the art of being. Peace… be still… all is practice.
Love, love, love ~ G

Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life

2011-03-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

We live in a world of contrast. Morning to Night. Summer to Winter. Young to Old. Good to Bad. By observing nature, the wise man discovers that everything is impermanent. To attach happiness to any state or object that can never stay constant is an exercise in futility. True happiness starts with our attitude. We must learn to be happy regardless of any circumstance. Happiness must be chosen.

How To Turn Anything Bad Into Good

Learn From It- Look at the situation and see if there was anything that could have been done differently
Grow From It-Internalize the lesson and apply it to your life
See the Flip Side-Find the positives to the situation. There is always one.
It Could Be Worse-Start listing ways that the situation could have been worse. You will feel a little bit better about your own circumstances.
Acceptance -Make peace with the situation. Change what you can and just deal with the rest
Surrender-Nothing lasts forever. If you surrender, it will soon be over and your energy would not have been wasted in fighting
See the Opportunity-See it as a catalyst for change in your life. A call to action.

~Shanna Small RYT

www.wellnessfrominside.typepad.com

Thoughts from Sandy Warren...

2011-03-22T19:48:00.001-07:00

“We tell ourselves so many lies and half-truths ... We listen and are duly impressed by these inner voices that turn into unseen judges that nag at us. We give each of these judges a seat of honor in our minds; all the while hating their guts and their never-ending supply of judgments ... We give the judge’s permission to accompany us on each journey of life, never daring to realize that we can park them, at least momentarily.”

-- Eloise Ristad

Reading this quotation gave me pause: this is a large reason I love teaching Harmony Yoga. I find it fits my path as Yoga instructor and Body Centric Life Coach. My mission is to invite more and more people to the mat, not just to breathe, not just to move, but to find the quiet place of loving acceptance. I often invite you to set an intention to celebrate one quality you posses, to celebrate it, visualize it, and give a color and fragrance. Being with yourself for an hour can have moments of surrender, and moments of beauty. Give yourself the gift of quiet self love, fill you vessel and celebrate YOU!!

Sandy Warren

Wellness With Attitude

www.WellnesswithAttitude.com

Sandy@sandrapwarren.com

Was Einstein a Yogi? ~Rebecca Powell

2011-03-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

“One of the comforts of science's vision is an understanding that the world has its own path. The cosmos and the planet have their own movements whose focus does not rest with us.”

–Adam Frank, NPR science blogger

My day job is in a lab. I conduct research on autoimmune disorders from things like lupus, which are well known, to Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome, which even I had never heard of before I began my current position. Day in and day out, I peer at proteins and DNA, trying to make sense of what I see, trying to find an explanation for these diseases and, if I’m lucky, a therapy or cure. Science hasn’t failed me yet. Every question I’ve ever asked has found an answer somewhere in the chaos that is my lab bench. There is organization in the systems I study and, for me, there is enlightenment.

So, how does a rigid, detail-oriented scientist apply her trade to yoga?

Well, the quote from NPR’s Adam Frank says it best. When tragedy and uncertainty strike, everyone has something (or some One) to which they turn. Usually, whether the situation is personal, like the loss of a friend or parent, or global, like the utter destruction that occurred in Japan, we tend to wonder or ask why? How did this happen and why did it happen to me? For me, I take comfort in the understanding that the cosmos are not out to get me. There isn’t, in my personal world view, a force that has set its sights on me, with the intent to destroy. No, rather the cosmos is simply doing what it does. It’s following the laws of physics that have been in motion for billions of years, and reassuringly, it isn’t going to change just for me. For some people, that idea may be startling and disconcerting. For me, as someone who takes comfort in consistency and detail, the idea that things and life go on is immensely beautiful and my source of strength.

~Rebecca Powell, PhD

Rebecca Powell, March Instructor of the Month!

2011-03-06T08:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered why you practice yoga? What brings you to your mat day in and day out instead of, say, pounding some pavement for a few miles or hitting the elliptical at the gym? Perhaps you still do those things, but some days yoga wins. Why?

A lot of you would say the spiritual and mental benefits of yoga are hard to come by in other types of workouts or exercise regimens. Some of you, like myself, will say you do yoga because its hard. You get all those wonderful mental benefits of the practice as a beautiful bonus, but you come back time and time again to meet your mat head on and, if we’re being honest, to beat it.

It may be sacrilegious (in some circles) to think this way about yogis, but in my mind, that kind of mentality is one of an athlete, a competitor, a lover of sport. We come to our mats because we want a challenge; we want to work hard; we want to earn that savasana! The reason we approach our yoga like a sport is because it is a sport!

It’s not a team sport, like baseball or soccer. It’s not a competitive individual sport, like running or gymnastics. It’s a sport because our competition is our own practice from the day before, the week before, that one time in that workshop when we rocked it. In yoga, we often refer to this competition as the ego, but for now I’m sticking with ‘the will to win’.

This urge we have to better ourselves, often at any cost, results in amazing breakthroughs, profound epiphanies and really horrible injuries. As with any exercise, we often plow ahead, forgetting alignment and foundational skills that keep us safe and make us successful. We manipulate naturally flexible parts of our bodies, pushing deeper into postures than we might have the strength to sustain, causing compression over time and doing harm in our quest for well-being. How can this be avoided?

It starts by making a commitment to focusing on alignment and breath in our practice. Only move as fast as you can breath, using the whole of the inhale or exhale to transition from one pose to another. Yes, it will slow you down, but (just like lifting weights) the slower you go, the harder you must work and the more benefit you receive. Then, because the slower pace allows the time to focus on alignment and placement, we pay attention to the details. We unclench the toes; our knees draw open to protect our joints; tailbones drop down and lower abdominals engage to support the low back. Maybe, horror of horrors, we don’t go as deep as we usually do. While it may be excruciatingly difficult to surrender in that way, it is far better to ease into a posture organically than to fling oneself headlong into the abyss of “undetermined recovery time”.

So, while moving and grooving through your practice is wonderful and trying new things will open the mind and free the body, it is imperative to pay attention to alignment, to focus on your fundamentals (just like paying basketball) and work with the body you have. Each of us is profoundly unique, at a genetic and anatomical level. Bones are not created equally. Sometimes they open us up, and sometimes (quite literally) they shut us down. Years of yoga practice won’t change that, but over time, we learn to work with it through alignment and placing stability over flexibility. If we practice in this way, we move deeper into the postures safely, effectively and without obstacle.

~Rebecca

Yoga As a Preventative & Cure for Age Related Aches and Pains

2011-02-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

Many of the aches and pains we experience as we age are a result of limited use or overuse of muscles during our youth. Repetitive actions like the way we sit in our favorite chair, how we grip the steering wheel or the way we stand with more weight on our left leg causes tightness that manifests as aches and pains later in life. Limited use from sedentary lifestyles results in weakness in key muscles that support the body. As we move through daily life putting more and more strain on already compromised areas, the body eventually breaks down resulting in pain.

Though we cannot stop aging, a balanced yoga practice moves the body through a full range of motion lubricating the joints, stretching out tight spaces and strengthening weak areas. Areas that are overused should be stretched to remove tightness and the muscles around them strengthened to support the overworked areas. Weak areas should be slowly strengthened through weight bearing postures and repetitive motion.

As a preventive, yoga enables you to live a full active life in the twilight years by allowing you to maintain a good range of motion and strength thereby staving off many age related muscle pains. As a cure after age related pains have set in, a steady yoga practice will help to regain lost range of motion and strength which results in less pain, more independence and a better quality of life.

~Shanna Small RYT

www.wellnessfrominside.typepad.com

The Nuances of Dilation....(By Meliea Holbrook, Birth Doula)

2011-02-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

On my local mommy message board, there is much talk about dilation and effacement. Around here, doctors start checking you at 36 weeks. Why? Who knows. The information is not beneficial to anyone from what I can see. It seems to only serve to make the mom anxious.

There are women who actually believe that they have "undilated"....meaning they were told they were a certain number of cm's, and then at the next visit told they were less. So just for my own peace of mind, I explain the art of checking dilation from my perspective.

When I first began checking dilation, one of my mentor midwives showed me how to get a good feel for the cervix, then withdraw your fingers and actually check on a tape measure to see how many centimeters it was. Now this is still tricky as you must visualize in your head how far apart your fingers are since you can't see them. And you can't withdraw your two fingers and keep them apart as that would be uncomfortable for the mother. So you can get my drift here that this is NOT an exact science.

Now, when a cervix is almost closed, or one fingertip....that is usually 1cm. But as you get into 2-7cm....it is very tricky. And everyone is a little different. Sometimes a practitioner will stretch the cervix a bit and be generous with their cm's, whereas my midwife wants to know the dilation without any stretching. So if you are checked by two people, one who interprets with a stretch and one who doesn't, you may get two very different results. Also, since perception plays such a big role, this can cause discrepancy between two different cervical exams. My vision in my head of how far apart my fingers are may be innacurate by a cm or so. This is why I always call a cervix about 1cm less that what I think it really is. I would rather underestimat than over...then have a devastated mom if someone else checks and she has appeared to "go backwards."

There is usually no question at 8, 9, and 10cm as these are not hard to assess. But no one ever thinks to ask their nurse how long they have been checking cervixes. You may have the newest nurse on the L&D floor and she may not have really gotten adept at cervical checks yet. She has to feel as insecure as I did those first few times. And out of those first few times, I was off a bit according to my midwife.

It is an art....not a science. And just when I think I have mastered it after a year of working in the birth biz, I will check a cervix that makes me go, "huh?" becuase it is so puzzling.

So the fact is, if your doctor or nurse says you're 8, 9 or 10cm..do the happy dance and get ready to push out a baby. If its somewhere between 2 and 7...take it with a grain of salt, keep breathing and know that the baby will come. And those routine checks at the dr's office.....a simple no thank you will keep you from letting those numbers transform in your brain to crazy thoughts such as, "This baby is never going to come!" or "I'm 3cm, I will go into labor tonight!" only to go another week.