Why should I meditate?  What’s in it for me?

So so so so much.  Just for fellow yogis to understand one of the original reasons Old Wise ones developed the practice of asanas (yoga poses) was to open our bodies and release its tension in order to sit still and be comfortable with prolonged periods of mediation.  Yes that last wonderful 5-8 minutes of class that we call Shavasana is what it is all about.

We sweat, we stretch, we open and limber ourselves to detoxify our muscles and minds, using breath and movement in order to lay on a hardwood floor with a little yoga mat and let it all go!!!! One Client of mine used to call this the Ice Cream on the Cake!  I agree!

So why do we meditate? What does it do for us on a physical and spiritual level? Well I am glad you asked. The benefits are vast and the results are real. Many studies have been conducted on how meditation helps us in everyday life. Here are just a few reasons to get you motivated. 

Reduce Stress- Meditation has proven to help stress suffers by recognizing the unhelpful patterns of thought that lead to stressful situations. Stress is all around us and it will always be but if we look to these situations with more compassion, patience and positive energy they will bother us less and less! We learn to control our thoughts and not let our compulsive ways be in charge. We can open new doors of perception and being the present moment is key!

Health Benefits- Meditation lowers oxygen consumption, Decreases respiratory rate, increases blood flow and slows the heart rate, increases exercise tolerance in heart patients, leads to a deeper level of relaxation, reduces high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate, decreases muscle tension and headaches, increases serotonin production which influences mood and behavior, helps chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis and more and so much more!! Bottom line. Stress wreaks havoc on our bodies, if we can release the stress level and balance our systems, we can keep ourselves healthy and youthful so much longer! I say Why NOT! It is our job to help maintain ourselves the best we can and if meditation can help we owe that to ourselves and all the loved ones around us!

The best part of mediation is that it is free! It can be practiced at any point in time and anywhere and completely on your terms. My favorite is sitting on the beach, closing my eyes and breathing. Sure it took a while to not care about the people around me, but when I open my eyes and see the beauty of the beach through a clear head it is just so much more breathtaking than ever before! There is no time limit for mediation 5 Minutes, 20 minutes, 40 minutes it is all up to you. Guided meditations are also great check out the internet, YouTube and ITunes for some quick freebies to get you started on your journey into stillness, happiness and peace of mind.

 If you have any questions please feel free to email Stephanie@USMMA.org to help!

TRY THIS MEDITATION:

Close your eyes. Relax. Breathe. Concentrate. Imagine or visualize yourself wrapped in a beautiful spiritual light, absorbing this light and also radiating it out to your loved ones. Feel the tension and heaviness leaving your body, as though a great weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Focus your mind on the light. You are ready to begin the journey within. A magnificent universe awaits.

- BRIAN L. WEISS, M.D.

Freedom to Fly
-By Jessie Dwiggins

It’s exciting when your yoga practice evolves to include arm balances and inversions! However, it’s normal to feel anxious about taking flight. First, we’re not accustomed to using our hands to balance on, and second, there is a chance that we might fall on our face. Entering these poses with hesitancy and fear creates contraction and inflexibility, making the poses more difficult.

Arm balances and inversions do require a certain about of effort and force, but they also require an understanding of the pose mechanics and a willingness to play. The secret is to move from a space of ease and awareness. Experiencing these more challenging poses for the first time can be exciting, empowering, and liberating and they can teach us a lot about how we approach other challenges.

Consider the following as you explore the possibility of defying gravity:

· Are you aware of how your thoughts and beliefs influence your practice?

·  Do you savor the process of learning challenging poses or rush and push though to “stick” the pose?

·  Can you disconnect from the ego and struggle in your practice and be willing to enjoy the creation of a new pose?

· Do you allow your breath to support you in poses and help you to maintain presence and clarity?

· Can you feel the sensations in your body while in the poses, tuning in to what you’re experiencing moment to moment?

· Are you willing to feel any emotion that might arise during your practice?

As you learn more about yourself in relationship to challenging yoga poses, think about how you might apply what you learn to your life. Yoga practice is more than just a series of exercises designed to reduce stress and create physical fitness. Each lesson we learn on the mat can be applied to our life off the mat.

Approaching life’s challenges in the same way you that you approach a challenging yoga pose creates freedom from suffering. When faced with a stressful moment, can you pause and respond in a way that nurtures you rather than just reacting? Can you relate to the world around you with clarity and understanding? Can you allow yourself and others to be just as they are without judgment? Can you let go of your agenda and attachments?

Embrace the excitement of incorporating arm balances and inversions in your practice and how you might include their lessons into your life. The process is insightful, thrilling, rejuvenating, and above all, fun!

Quick Tip: Naturally Simple! Exfoliating body and facial scrub. Take a plate of sugar and a lemon wedge into the shower then dip and scrub away.

By Courtney Dutch

Unfortunately not all skin care products are as safe and natural as the above scrub. Here is a list of potentially hazardous ingredients that are currently used in skin care products.

Are these in the products you currently use? It’s time to check. 

Ingredient Use Dangers 

Parabens: Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used …in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products. Studies implicate their connection with cancer because their hormone-disrupting qualities mimic estrogen and could disrupt your body’s endocrine system. 

Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum: These petroleum products coat the skin like plastic – clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They can slow cellular development, creating earlier signs of aging. They’re implicated as a suspected cause of cancer. Plus, they can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you’d want to put that kind of stuff on your skin… 

Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS):also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin’s moisture barrier, potentially leading to dry skin with premature aging. And because they easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access. SLS combined with other chemicals may become a “nitrosamine” – a potent carcinogen. 

Acrylamide: Found in many facial creams. Linked to mammary tumors.

Propylene glycol: Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils. May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. Linked to kidney and liver problems. 

Phenol carbolic acid: Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and even death from respiratory failure. 

Dioxane: Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products. These chemicals are often contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane that’s easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965, and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages are considered extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use these things on your face. 

Toluene: May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar… found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage…May affect a developing fetus.

Raw & Dairy Free Yogurt- By Emily Leahy

Do you stay away from dairy, but miss your yogurt? I eat this raw and dairy free yogurt almost everyday! Try this recipe and start noticing a difference in your digestion!

What You Will need

Cleaver
Blender
Strainer
Spatula

Ingredients:

4 Young Thai Coconuts
1 cup coconut water
3 capsules of probiotics 

Each coconut is unique in the amount of white coconut meat and water. 4-6 coconuts will get you about 4 cups of meat. If you cut it open and see purple flesh, the coconut is rotten. 

1. Cut the Young Thai Coconut on its side with a cleaver. Hold firmly and be careful of your fingers. Rotating the coconut, cut away from you, about once on each side. Carefully remove the top and strain out the water into a jar or glass. 

2. With a spoon remove the white flesh rinsing off any hard pieces of coconut, If you choose you can pick and remove all dark pieces of coconut attached, but it is  not necessary

3. Put meat in blender. Slowly add water as you go. Blend until smooth      

4. place coconut mixture in bowl after blending

5. Open up the probiotic capsules and stir in

 6. Place a cover on top and put mixture in closet for 24 hours

 7. Remove from closet and put in fridge to eat cold

 8. Add toppings and sweetener or eat as is! Enjoy!   

It will store in the refrigerator for at least 10 days. The yogurt shouldbe white, if it turns pink or purple discard it. 

Ideas for topping:  berries, bananas, raw honey or coconut secrets nectar, Go Raw granola

Top 10 reasons why you should get acupuncture!!! 
By Casey Beksha 

1)  It is great for digestive issues.  If you or someone you know has been suffering with an irritable bowel, gas, bloating, constipation, loose stool, Celiac, Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease, I can help.

2)  Allergies are awful and can lead to upper respiratory infections or bronchitis.  You do not have to live with this irritation.  Acupuncture can strengthen your lungs and immune system and open up your nasal passages.

3)  Body pains are very limiting and the medications that are used for the pain are harmful to your health.  Acupuncture can work to alleviate the pains in your body, anywhere from your neck, elbow, back, knees to ankles.

4)  Headaches and Migraines are very common.  Why not get to the root of the problem with acupuncture and bring some relief to your head.

5)  Do you have difficult periods or any uncomfortable gynecological issues? Acupuncture is a very active participant in changing you menstrual cycle for the better.  It can even help with infertility.

6)  Are you struggling with weight loss?  Why not have some help with acupuncture.

7)  Insomnia, trouble staying asleep or waking not feeling rested can all be helped with acupuncture.  

8) Stress, anxiety, irritability and depression are prevalent in society these days and seem to be only helped with medication.  Acupuncture can help you and work with your medication as you slowly lower your dose and maybe even become medication free.

9)  Fatigue feels like a plague that fogs our minds.  Acupuncture works to build the energy and clear the foggy headedness.

10) You are in luck because all USMMA students can receive Acupuncture for only $40.00 for the Initial visit for the month of May.  I am located on the USMMA campus in the front building and my cards are at USMMA.  I look forward to helping you find complete health.

YOGA STUDENT OF THE MONTH - MAY 2012

ULTIMATE KIDS/TEENS STUDENT OF THE MONTH - MAY 2012