Practicing Yoga with the Dog - Being Calm despite the furry Chaos - Exercising and Playing at Home

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Practicing Yoga with the Dog  

 

When I first got my dog, she was about 12 months old, still a puppy.  She would chase her tail around in circles, be so zippy at the thought of going outside and was a furry spitball of energy and enthusiasm.  When I first started doing yoga at home with some of my favorite yoga DVDs like Shiva Rea, Rodney Yee, Beth Shaw YogaFit or Desiree Rumbaugh she thought it was playtime and would be barking and yipping at me.  At first I locked her in the basement but that didn’t work so well since she kept screaming and  yelling.  (It’s not easy to be in shivasana when you hear BARK BARK WHINE WHINE BARK BARK WHINE WHINE WHINE .....

 

So then I let her be in the room with me again.  She loved to be on my mat while I was practicing on it.  Did you ever try to jump around a pile of breathing fur when you are doing sun salutations?  

 

After a few dozen times of attempting to be calm and yogic when dealing with her (being compassionate, patient, detached) one day I yelled at her at the top of my lungs “ GET THE F---K OUT you F---HEAD”!  Just so you know, most people that know me well would not say I have a temper, I’m fairly even keeled and not prone to angry outbursts.  After I yelled at her like that, the furry crackhead never tried to distract me when I was on my mat again.

 

I kind of missed the interaction in a way though so we negotiated a compromise.  She had to stay away from me when I was in the standing and seated postures.  When I am in shivasana or in a long restorative pose, she can lay on my lap.  It’s kind of soothing...she is almost like an extra yoga prop and helps me get more relaxed when I am ready to drop down into the final relaxation.

 

Granted it’s not much exercise for your fleabag.  A few goods way to let them get some exercise and is quite stimulating as well for dogs (that are hound breeds especially). Is to have the dog hide (put them in a closet or basement) Then take a small treat, hide it somewhere in the house and let the dog out and say “Go Get It!”  Your dog might not get it the first few times but they will get it by the 10th time if not sooner.  

 

You can also play hide and seek with your dog.  If you have small kids they will love to join in this too.

 

You could also just play some music and grab your dog front legs and just start to dance  with them.  My dog doesn’t love this but she does tolerate it.

 

What about you and your dog or cat?  Do you do yoga, execise or dance with them?  Post comments here or on our Facebook page.

 

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Jasmine Kaloudis, Yoga Teacher, Philadelphia.  Jasmines teaches beginner yoga Philadelphia and leads yoga retreats Philadelphia.

For free videos, images, articles about yoga, email  info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

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Yoga for Abs - My Review of a Yoga DVD for a sweaty, quickie workout

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Beth Shaw’s YogaAbs - A YogaFit Workout.

I went to the YogaFit Training a few years ago in New Jersey for the Restorative Yoga Teacher Training.  The crowd that was attracted to these trainings seemed to be working in a lot of gyms and were interested more in the physical and anotomical aspects of the practice.  I bought this dvd at the training and have done the workout a few times.  The length of the practice is awesome....25 minutes!  So you can squeeze it easily into your morning or evening workout.  I like the music beat in the background but this does go a bit fast if you are new to yoga.  This would be better suited for someone that had some yoga experience although if you had none you could probably catch on.  

One caveat which is both a big plus and big minus at the same time is that she has you use a special yoga ball that you keep between your legs which ensures the proper alignment and also helps to prevent injuries.  You don’t hve to order to the special YogaFit ball but you should buy one to do the practice.  I did the practice plenty of times just using a block or with nothing but there is a noticeable difference in your body when you don’t use the ball.  Some of the benefits promised according to the yogafit.com website are: 

- Improve body alignment   

- Create a stronger midsection

- Develop a solid yoga foundation

- Enhance self-esteem and confidence

- Reduce back pain and stabilize the spine

- Improve powers of concentration and focus

 

I don’t think this is a comprehensive enough DVD to offer a real yoga foundation since many of the traditional poses such as side angle and warrior are not included. If you want an athletic and quick yoga workout this is a worthwhile video.   It is an extra $5 for the YogaFit ball which is worth ordering if you don’t already have one.    I had a different ball but my dog ate it. (I never realized how much I would say that phrase until I got my first Puggle (Pug Beagle mix) two years ago.  I thought it was just a cliche excuse but this damm dog eats just about everything.... except her own boring dry dog food of course. )

What kinds of yoga DVDs have you worked out to?  Post comments here on our Facebook page.

Jasmine Kaloudis, Yoga Teacher Philadelphia and also leads Romantic Retreats PA and Couples Retreats PA

For free videos, images, articles about yoga, email  info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

Twitter – synergyjasmine
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Published for http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/
For articles, tips and suggestions about yoga; http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/yoga-blog 

 

 

When you want sweetness, are too lazy and it's too hot to turn the oven. Grilled peaches.

When you want sweetness, are too lazy and it's too hot to turn the oven on inside the house.

Grilled peaches: A lazy coook's dream

The sugar-plus-heat combination makes for a seductive caramelizing effect.  Peaches are a natural for the grill, where quick cooking brings out juiciness and intensifies sweetness.

1. Start with peaches that are firm with just a little give when you give them a gentle squeeze with your whole hand.
2. Cut the peaches in half and pit them. You can grill entire peach halves or cut them into wedges. 
3. Cook peaches over a medium fire on both sides until grill marks show and peaches are tender but not falling apart.

Serve grilled peaches plain or in salads. You can also try pairing grilled peaches with cool soy yogurt or with scoops of soy or rice-milk ice cream.

 

 

Jasmine Kaloudis, Yoga Teacher, Philadelphia

 

For free videos, images, articles about yoga, email  info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

Twitter – synergyjasmine
Facebook – www.facebook.com/couplesyoga
You Tube – http://www.youtube.com/user/SynergybyJasmine

Published for http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/
For articles, tips and suggestions about yoga; http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/yoga-blog[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

 

When you want sweetness, are too lazy and it's too hot to turn the oven. Grilled peaches.

When you want sweetness, are too lazy and it's too hot to turn the oven on inside the house.

Grilled peaches: A lazy coook's dream

The sugar-plus-heat combination makes for a seductive caramelizing effect.  Peaches are a natural for the grill, where quick cooking brings out juiciness and intensifies sweetness.

1. Start with peaches that are firm with just a little give when you give them a gentle squeeze with your whole hand.
2. Cut the peaches in half and pit them. You can grill entire peach halves or cut them into wedges.
3. Brush cut side(s) of the peaches with a neutral-tasting oil, like grapeseed or canola.
4. Cook peaches over a medium fire on both sides until grill marks show and peaches are tender but not falling apart.

Serve grilled peaches plain or in salads. You can also try pairing grilled peaches with cool soy yogurt or with scoops of soy or rice-milk ice cream.

 

Jasmine Kaloudis, Yoga Teacher, Philadelphia

For free videos, images, articles about yoga, email  info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

Twitter – synergyjasmine
Facebook – www.facebook.com/couplesyoga
You Tube – http://www.youtube.com/user/SynergybyJasmine

Published for http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/
For articles, tips and suggestions about yoga; http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/yoga-blog

Yoga Positions for Daily Use – The Cat Position and Cow Pose

Guest Blog By Michael Westbrook

Cat position and Cow pose, often referred to together as ‘Cat-Cow,’ are 2 of the most basic – yet beneficial – yoga positions that virtually anybody can perform. As always, if you are under the care of a physician or do not lead an active lifestyle, check with your doctor before performing any new exercise – including Yoga.

As you can imagine by their names, these poses mimic the actions of a cat and a cow. Interestingly enough, by performing these exercises in animal-like motions, we are able to reap a wealth of benefits from clearing our mind and comforting our body in preparation for meditation to working out tension in our back. Cat-Cow is not only a highly effective Yoga position, it’s an exercise that can be performed daily for winding down!

 

Cat-Cow For Back Pain Relief

Many hard working men and women and those with disabilities suffer tremendously from back pain of all sorts. From upper back and shoulders capturing and holding in tension to the lower back feeling twisted with a source of pain that’s so severe yet somehow unidentifiable, cat-cow pose can help you begin to relieve some of that pain any time during the day!

 

Cat-Cow For Meditation Preparation

Meditating effectively involves clearing your mind of all obstructions so that you are able to focus on one thing in the moment. A general target – especially for beginners – is the breath. There are other variations of mediation including images, specific conflicts, and other topics of contemplation which are all difficult to achieve without the mind, body, and spirit feeling in synch with each other.

How to Do Cat-Cow

For Cat-Cow pose start off on the floor on all fours. Make sure your arms are strait down from your shoulders, your palms are facing forward and your midsection and knees are at a 90 degree angle with your feet pointing out behind you.

 

Cat Pose

Inhale deeply as you raise the center of your spine and drop the top of your head towards the floor. You are imitating a cat stretching, so you will arch your back as high as you can while rounding your shoulders and your buttock.

Move into this position slowly, and count how many seconds your deep breath takes you to inhale. Once your lungs are full, hold for an equal amount of time, then exhale slowly – again counting to the same number. An ideal count should be anywhere between 6 and 10.

On your next inhale, transition to Cow pose.

 

Cow Pose

For cow pose, you will be mimicking a cow as you see them standing in a field. While taking in your deep breath, bring your back down as if you are now trying to reach the floor with your belly. Raise your head high and look strait ahead while raising your rear.

Repeat the same sequence of breaths as you did in cat position and transition between these poses at least 4 more times. Repeat at least 10 times focusing extra attention on deep breathing if you are preparing for meditation. If you are conducting cat-cow to relief pain, repeat the sequence slowly until your tension is gone.

 

Bio:

Yoga and meditation are key factors in my personal recovery from nicotine addiction. For more free information on yoga positions including the cat position and cow pose, make sure to visit http://stop-smoking-now-for-life.com/yoga-poses-beginning-yoga-positions.php

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For free videos, images, articles about yoga, email  info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

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Yoga For Back Pain. Steps to take to improve your back

Yoga For Back Pain.

Steps to take to improve your back

Guest Blog by Dr Kevin Finnan

Back pain is a common problem especially in for those that work in an office. There are many techniques to help minimizing it, and one of the most well-known is to do yoga. But you should always consult your doctor before going to a  yoga class, as your doctor might ask you to avoid some of the poses.  They will also advise you about the level of challenge, or what safety precautions you should take as well as if it would be right to exercise and take medication at the same time.
If your doctor allows you to do yoga, then you should look for a well-trained yoga teacher, who will let you know about the limitations of your yoga practice.  They will let you know to which level you can stretch, and what steps you should take to improve the strength of your back.

Similarly, you should make sure that you stay balanced while doing yoga. As it is basically the balance between flexibility and strength of your back. As yoga releases tension, so it also improves the muscles, and therefore, makes your back strong.
For people who have back pain it is recommended to practice hatha yoga.  Hatha yoga emphasizes rest and restoration, so it helps in making your back more strong. It is not recommended to follow styles like Kundalini, Ashtanga, and Bikram.
Yoga helps in developing body awareness and has more impact on alignment. Body awareness and alignment show that feet, knees, hips, spine, shoulder and head are all affecting each other, and therefore this type of yoga can help in making your body strong. While doing yoga, you should make sure that you are relaxed, and breathe deeply. There are many different breathing techniques which need to be followed, as yoga is about spiritual thinking as well. This helps in relieving your pain on a deeper level.

You should interview your yoga teacher for more help and guidance. There are many yoga classes, so look for those which are specifically designed for back patients. Yoga can help those who have back problems because of bad posture, or those with low back pain.  Conditions which can be cured through yoga include kyphosis, scoliosis, and lordosis. Other problems like stenosis, nerve root problems and intervertable disks as well can be relieved through yoga.

Although yoga really helps in releasing back pain , but one needs to be mindful of their limitations as advised by their doctors and yoga teacher, to avoid injuring themselves .

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About Author
Dr Kevin Finnan is an Osteopath in Sydney in Australia, who specializes in the non-surgical treatment of chronic neck, back and joint pain. Kevin’s gentle but effective hands-on approach has helped hundreds of chronic pain suffers free themselves from pain.

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For free videos, images, articles about yoga, email  info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

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For articles, tips and suggestions about yoga; http://www.synergybyjasmine.com/yoga-blog