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May 12, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Mayor Gavin Newsom wants to occasionally close a 3 1/2-mile stretch of road in San Francisco for yoga, bicycling, jogging, and dancing. "Instead of bringing people to open space, we bring open space to people," Newsom told the San Francisco Chronicle. Newsom wants to roll out a pilot program from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on a couple of Sundays in August or September. Good idea or logistical nightmare?
May 09, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
One-of-a-kind yoga mat bags, decorated by more than 20 celebrities, are up for auction on eBay. All proceeds will benefit The Libby Ross Foundation, which aims to make a significant difference in the lives of women afflicted with breast cancer through support programs, research, and early detection. The auction ends on May 15th. Let us know if you make a bid!
May 07, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Nancy Portuga Jamello teaches yoga to teenage students at the California School for the Blind in Fremont.
Many of the students slouch because the constant fear of running into objects and losing their balance can produce an over-arching spine. Yoga gives them the chance to not only work on their posture and balance, but also to exercise without worrying about the space around them. "The students can't necessarily play a sport or go for a run in the park, but they can practice yoga on a towel in their rooms," Jamello told The Mercury News. "They can work up a sweat in one spot." Has yoga helped someone you know who is sight-impaired?
May 05, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Yogini Djoeke Van Der Werf led Beirut's first Iyengar Yoga workshop at Mont La Saade in Ain Saade on Saturday, reports The Daily Star. "For the yoga community of Lebanon this is a premier event," said Lina Shuman, the workshop's organizer. According to Shuman, Iyengar Yoga has not been formally taught in Lebanon before. The intent was to provide stress relief from local political and social tensions.
May 02, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Synergy Yoga Studio in Encinitas, California, is closing after 16 years of business amid allegations of abuse and brainwashing, reports 10news.com. Some students and employees claim the studio's founder, Peri Ness, is running a cult and considers herself a prophet. "People had to bow down to her. They were instructed to basically worship her. If she walked in a room, everyone needed to be silent. It was very bizarre behavior," says former student Terry Rondberg. Yoga teacher Outi Pulkkinen explains, "In martial arts, you honor your master. You honor the teacher who has trained the teachers below them, who then pass on their learning and it's unchanged. It would be ridiculous to call all martial arts studios in global earth cults." What do you think? Anyone have the inside scoop?
April 30, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
If you read my post on March 10, you know that Hindu leaders have asked to preview the Mike Myers comedy "The Love Guru" (opening on June 20). Now you can watch the movie's trailer on YouTube. And check out the movie's website, www.thegurupitka.com, complete with Mini Sutras, Words of the Week, and Yoga Poses. Funny or offensive? You be the judge.
April 28, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Indians have not embraced yoga, relying instead on medicine for various illnesses, B K S Iyengar told Press Trust of India (PTI). "In India, there are more people who are drug addicts, I mean those addicted to medicines. Everybody wants to take medicines for their ailments. This is not so when compared to those in Western countries where they have taken to yoga." Do you think this is true? Does it surprise you?
April 25, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will hold its first annual Yoga Week from May 19 to May 23 at its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. This five-day event is for NIH employees but also open to the public—and free! Participants will learn about the benefits of yoga and also have a chance to take classes. Teachers who will be at the event include Alan Finger, John Schumacher, and Judith Lyon. For more info, visit http://does.ors.od.nih.gov/fitness/yogaWeek.htm. Are you surprised to see the government embracing yoga?
April 23, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Kate Potter's popular show, "Namaste Yoga," can now be seen in seven countries. "In all my years of teaching yoga, I never dreamed I would be reaching out to the numbers of people who are writing to me these days," says Kate. "My show is now seen across Canada, the United States, Asia, and now even in parts of Europe and Central America. I answer mail every day to people who tell me this show has moved them, inspired them, and even healed them." In the U.S., FitTv broadcasts "Namaste Yoga." (Visit http://fittv.discovery.com/fansites/namaste/namaste.html for more info.) Have you seen it?
April 21, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Do you use yoga props at the studio or at home? In the past, yoga props usually meant a strap, a block, and a blanket. Now you can find all manner of back and toe stretchers, and more. At Gaiam.com, you can buy Yogacise Body Lift (for head stands), Back Wave (for back bends), or an Inversion Table. Yogaprops.net offers a Backbending Bench, a Shoulderstand Bench, and a Heart Block for chest-opening poses. Has a prop ever dramatically changed your practice?
April 18, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
A 17-year-old Lululemon customer found a hidden message after she washed a reusable bag from the yoga-wear retailer. The bag began to peel and underneath was a note on how regular aerobic exercise results in a similar high as drugs or sex, reports CTV in Canada. In an e-mailed response to CTV, the company said, "When we learned that a phrase printed on the side of our small shoppers was troublesome to some of our guests, we took the responsible step of stitching a covering over this language on the remaining bags, rather than destroying them. We subsequently heard that the language was still viewable to curious guests and last week we removed what few remaining bags we had in our stores."
This isn't the first time Lululemon has used a controversial marketing strategy: According to CTV, in 2002, to mark the opening of their second store in Vancouver, Lululemon offered a free outfit to anyone who would stand naked on the street for 30 seconds.
What do you think? Does the marketing of a product influence whether your purchase it?
April 16, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
As Earth Day approaches (April 22), I encourage you to check out the Green Yoga Association (www.greenyoga.org). Its goal is "to build community among those of us who are passionate about Yoga and caring for the Earth. We believe that the Yoga community has great potential to create positive change." Their Earth Day retreat begins at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, continues for 15 miles on the Bay Trail, and will "honor the earth in the true Yoga tradition - through meditation, education, reflection and community." What are your Earth Day plans?
April 14, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
An innovative yoga studio in Greenwich, CT, has started an online food co-op. Customers shop for local organic foods online then pick up their groceries at Greenwich Yoga once a week. "It was just another aspect of how we could get that community aspect going here," Gina Norman, co-owner of the studio, told the Greenwich Time. You can visit the co-op at http://coop.greenwichyoga.com.
April 11, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
The family of an Indian baby born with two faces has refused special medical treatment for the infant, saying she is the incarnation of Shakti, the Hindu goddess of power, reports Reuters. "The month-old girl suffers from what appears to be craniofacial duplication, an extremely rare congenital disorder in which part of the face is duplicated on the head." The baby has four eyes, two noses and pairs of lips.
April 09, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Have you heard of slackline yoga? Created by Jason Magness with climbing partner Sam Salwei, it involves holding yoga poses while balancing on a rope. "Magness had tried to walk on the slackline, a hobby of his climbing peers. He had the balance and strength, but not the patience. As a yogi, he tried again. Over time, he learned to stand still until the line stopped vibrating. He started using it as a meditation tool. When he was distracted, the line shook. When he focused, it was still.," reports the Wall Street Journal. Critics say it turns yoga into a circus act, rather than a spiritual pursuit. What do you think?
April 07, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
The bad news: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for people aged 65 and older.
The good news: Iyengar Yoga may help improve stability and balance in women over age 65, possibly helping them to avoid falls, The Washington Post reports. "After nine weeks of participating in an Iyengar Yoga program designed for senior citizens, 24 elderly females had a faster stride, an increased flexibility in the lower extremities, an improved single-leg stance and increased confidence in walking and balance, according to the findings of researchers at Temple University's Gait Study Center." Maybe this will encourage mom and grandma to head to the yoga studio!
April 04, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
This new Mac ad shows how PCs can frustrate even the most centered yoga instructor. Tell me what you think. Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko3kg7FpKa0.
April 02, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
If you are like a lot of yogis, you probably head to your local food coop or Whole Foods to buy beauty and cleaning products that seem safer for you and the environment than the ones sold at the supermarket. You may be surprised to learn that new tests of 100 natural and organic soaps, shampoos and cleansers showed that 47 had detectable levels of 1,4-dioxane, a cancer-causing chemical that is a byproduct of petrochemicals used in manufacturing, reports the Los Angeles Times. "Most traditional soaps and shampoos contain 1,4-dioxane. But the discovery that the chemical is present in many .... that are advertised as being natural, organic or 'green' comes as somewhat of a surprise.... The compound is not intentionally added to products; it is a byproduct of a process used to soften harsh detergents. It is formed when foaming agents, or surfactants, are processed with ethylene oxide or similar petrochemicals... The chemical is not listed on ingredient labels. Products most likely to contain the compound usually list polyethylene glycol or compounds with the syllables PEG, short for polyethylene glycol, -eth or -oxynol-,according to the FDA."
It seems looking for USDA-certified organic brands is a safe bet: those that were tested in the study were free of 1,4-dioxane including, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps 18-in-1 Hemp Almond Pure Castile Soap, Sensibility Soaps (Nourish brand), and TerrEssential Organic Baby Wash.
For the full list of 100 products tested, visit www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneAlert080314.pdf.
Let me know if your favorite product contains 1,4-dioxane and if you plan to continue using it. You should know that the the FDA says the current levels of 1,4-dioxane "do not present a hazard to consumers."
March 31, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
Experienced yoga teachers needed for the V-Day event at the Superdome in New Orleans, April 11 and 12. See my post on March 26 for event details.
Urban Zen Foundation has been asked to participate by creating the Wellbeing Lounge which will treat up to 10,000-20,000 women who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. Urban Zen is looking for
experienced yoga teachers (i.e., at least 10 years of teaching and/or RYT 500 hours) who can assist in the Wellbeing Lounge by providing 15-minute one-on-one yoga sessions focusing on restorative yoga, meditation, and breath awareness.
Please e-mail Lisa Stewart (lisas@yeeyoga.com) if you are interested in participating. Provide a brief overview of your yoga training, who you studied with, and your experience in teaching yoga and working with students one-on-one.
March 28, 2008 by Jeanne Ricci
The third annual DC Yoga Week will take place April 12 - 18. Participating studios will offer at least one free class and daily $5 classes, along with discounts on additional classes, class packages, and yoga merchandise. In addition, Yoga on the Mall will take place on April 13 at the North East quadrant of the Washington Monument grounds between 1 and 4 p.m. There will be two free classes, from 1-2 p.m. and 2-3:30 p.m. For more info, visit www.dcyogaweek.com.
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