Christy Turlington, Russell Simmons, Sting and Donna Karan are participating in the Global Mala Project, an international effort that uses yogic events to raise awareness and funds for global causes on the United Nations' International Day of Peace (Sept. 21), by going vegan for the day. According to the United Nations, the waste emissions from animals raised for food contributes more to global warming than all the car and truck emissions in the world. How many of you are vegan or vegetarian? Why did you decide to eliminate animal products from your diet?
It may seem like a no-brainer to most yogis, but now the medical community agrees: yoga reduces hypertension. A study at Yale followed participants who used yoga, meditation, and guided imagery. All three practices favorable affected systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but yoga had the best results, with mean systolic reductions of 19.07 mm Hg and diastolic by 13.13 mm Hg. Has anyone reduced their blood pressure using yoga?
OK, maybe not naked AND eating chocolate. But a recent article in Newsweek reports on weekly nude yoga classes at One Taste Urban Retreat Center in San Francisco and a Venice, Calif. instructor who uses chocolate to "make participants more aware of their senses." Can anyone attest to the benefits of yoga in the buff or chocoyoga?
Hui-Zong Chen has created a prototype for a yoga mat that can play music from memory cards or an MP3 player. The mat also has an electronic paper screen that allows you to take a yoga class without leaving your home or turning on your DVD player. Is this too much technology for the average yogi? Will we even blink an eye at this 20 years from now?
Seattle yogi Matt Meko and photographer Hawk Jones have created a 2008 calendar of buff men practicing yoga. Meko says the calendar isn't just about beefcakes: called the "Guru Calendar," he hopes it will encourage men to embrace yoga. Ten percent of the sales will go to The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. "We should all feel comfortable in our own skin," Meko says. For more information, visit www.mekosun.com/section_store/calendar08_info.htm. What do you think: is this just another way of using sex appeal to sell or a celebration of the male form?
Acro Yoga, created by Jason Nemer and Carolyn Cohen, was demonstrated at last week's Yoga Evolution Conference in New York. The moves combine yoga with acrobatics, and poses are done in the air and in the hands of a partner. "Anyone who is into working out and in pretty good shape would enjoy this type of yoga,""says Adam Rinder, an Acro Yoga instructor at OmFactory in New York (www.omfactorynyc.com). Is this something you would like to try? Is the combining of yoga with other practices, such as spinning and now acrobatics, something that appeals or appalls?
Here's something almost all of us could use: a day reminding us to reduce stress. No Stress Day, on September 29, was created to encourage people to participate in relaxing activities . . . or even better, do nothing at all! If you want to go beyond vegging out, you can help spread the relaxing vibes: yoga teachers, massage therapists, or anyone who provides life balancing services can offer a one day special No Stress Day discount in return for a listing. For more information, visit www.nostressday.com.
The virtual yoga studio Yogadownload.com, offers troops and peace workers unlimited free access to classes, meditations, and music. The program, called "Yoga for Peace," is meant to help relieve some of the stress on the military and Peace Corps in Iraq and other war torn areas. Yoga has been known to help those with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that affects those who live through intense combat. Anyone have any experience with PTSD?
Buddhist temples across Thailand are churning out thousands of blessed pendants, called Jatukams, that promise to make the people who buy and wear them rich. The pendants, stamped with sayings like "Super Rich" and images of Buddha or Hindu deities, cost as much as 10,000 baht, a month's wages for many Thais. Many monks are dismayed that some temples are selling these good luck charms despite the religion's shunning of earthly possessions and materialism. Do you think it's OK for Buddhist temples to make money in this fashion?
The Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival in Idaho will be held September 14-16 at The Sun Valley Opera House and the Liberty Theatre. Festival passes are available for $108. Films up for awards include "Buddha's Lost Children," "Heart of a Soul Surfer," and "Yoga Noga Reyoga." For more information, visit www.svspiritualfilmfestival.org.
On August 7, the book Yoga as Medicine will be available from Bantam Books. Written by Timothy McCall, medical editor of Yoga Journal, the book covers a wide range of therapeutic approaches to yoga for the prevention and healing of illnesses. An excerpt will be available on www.yogajournal.com on August 10. Let us know what you think.
Beth Shaw of YogaFit in Los Angeles is spearheading a grassroots protest against Nike's decision to continue its relationship with NFL player Michael Vick, who pleaded not guilty last week to federal dog-fighting charges.
On Monday, Shaw said she would send an e-mail to 60,000 teachers and students urging them to boycott Nike and mail their Nike wear to the company's Beaverton, Oregon headquarters. She has also forbidden her master teachers to wear Nike products in class. What do you think? Should Nike terminate the contract before Vick's trial?
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