Friday, May 20, 2011

Yoga for your Doshas




Tonight is my night with the Yoganjali Teacher Training program to teach the Yoga Instructors more about Ayurveda. We've already learned about the forces of the Elements (doshas) in the body & mind and the importance of digestive fire or Agni. We've touched the concepts of Ama (toxic ick) and Ojas (Spiritual nectar). We've laid the foundation for meditation, mindfulness and eating pure foods (Sattvic) to support our coverings made of food ...the body. Now we get to move to the meat and potatoes which is developing a yoga practice for your element (dosha).

To find out what body type you are, take the quiz.........
CLICK HERE (The quiz on my website is statistically weighted to push you more to your body's dosha than your mind. This is done with intent as I can get to your body more effectively with online education than to your mind).

Here is your practice and why: Overall, the point of practicing yoga is to balance the energies of the elements in your body, to improve the physical condition of your body, to facilitate ease, to increase Ojas (prana, vitality and lifeforce) in your body and mind and to create a mind that is calm, focused and clear.

Vata types resonate with the elements of Wind and Space
. They tend to be a little more brittle and dry. Muscles are not so pronounced. Just like the Wind, they do like to move quickly and they tend to be more flexible. As we all age...all the doshas...the force of Vata increases and that makes us dry out a little bit from the inside out. Especially for Vatas, this can mean that flexibility and agility diminish.
Of the 3 doshas, Vatas need yoga the most. They need a slow, gentle and grounding practice. If your Vata is blocked, you will experience pain in your body. If you have low Vata, you will experience lethargy, low body weight and be supersentistive to the 5 senses.

Body...Warm, Calm and Gentle B
Breathing....deep, calm and steady breath. The emphasis is on the inhale
Your Mind...focus inward...use mantra during your practice

Pitta types resonate with the elements of Fire and Water....just a wee bit of moisture. Pittas (Fires) tend to have a good muscular structure. The wee bit of moisture in their system gives them loose joints and so they are flexible. Fire types love their asana practice, but tend to keep it pretty "straight" up as the crazier poses are just not appropriate for their bone structure...bones are shorter. Fires need yoga for their mind more than anything else. They need to soothe that spark in their mind that can quickly turn to anger, tension, hostility and stress.

FIRE BODY AND MIND SHOULD NEVER EVER EVER DO HOT YOGA! WAY TO AGGRAVATING.

Body: Cool, gentle
Breathing: Cooling and relaxed. If you get too hot...exhale through the mouth
Your Mind: detach from your practice. be aware if you are critical to self, to others in the room or to the instructor.

Kapha types resonate with the elements of Earth and Water...a good dose of water. Kaphas (Earths) tend to put on weight easily and are always watching what they eat. (You should be a Vegan if you are Kapha). They tend to be the least flexible of the 3 body types, yet their endurance and steadiness far surpasses the other 2. Earths need to move. They need stimulation. They have endurance. Kaphas should challenge themselves with Vinyasa, Ashtangha and other powerful practices.

Body: Warm with effort and invigoration
Breathing: Very deep and rapid breathing to keep your Vata moving up...remember, you need uplifted and stimulated.
Your Mind: Open to the movement. Actively engage with stimulation in the process. Learn.

So let's take a pose.....

Warrior Pose II is good for all body types. The expression of it, however, varies:


The Wind...Hold it for a long time. Ujjayi breath. Still focus

The Fire...Short holds, long breaths, light mind

The Earth...Long holds with repetition, any breath, stay committed


Plank Pose is good for all body types:


The Wind...long holds, Ujjayi breathing

The Fire..Short holds, light breathing (Ujjayi okay, just light)

The Earth...Long Holds with repetition, normal breaths...Ujjayi good


You see there is a pattern. If you follow this pattern, you would expect that the Hatha Yoga and Slow Flow would be very good for The Wind and The Fire. The more powerful classes are reserved for the Kaphas.


This is not correct, however, because there is one more layer to consider and that is the 'quality' of the person coming to yoga. Most of us are living in the real world. That means that we are constantly on the go and making not the best nutritional choices. For this reason, we have a lot of dullness build up in our system, or what is called "Tamas". So, first we need to get the dullness moving and then we need to get the heat settled, "Rajas". After that, we can create the still quality of what we call "Sattva".


A great practice for our Western life:

Hatha Yoga

  • Begin with relaxation to let go of your crazy day.
  • Warm up inflexible joints and muscles.
  • Move through Sun Salutations to move the dullness and create heat
  • Cool down with Sun Salutations and start to cultivate peace in your body and mind
  • Move deeply into seated postures
  • Meditate
  • Relax

While you are doing this, focus your breath and mind according to your Dosha.

In a mixed dosha yoga room, empower yourself to move faster or slower than other's (even than the instructor) to get the most out of your practice.

The next time you come to EOM, do notice that we always end class with a 10 minute covered Shavasana! Consider it honey for your pure mind.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Double Rainbow



Last night I was sitting in week 4 of the Elemental Cleanse with my Monday group. Week 4 is always a bit sad for me as I get attached to my participants. I'm the lucky one who gets to sit at the front of the group and watch them change and grow. It's hard to let them go. I know that a few will become lifetimers at EOM, but many I will not see again. Some travel far to participate in the Cleanse and it is simply inconvenient to drive so far for yoga. Many, however, I simply lose back to the chaos of life.


Sometimes I will run into a former participant and they do tend to always keep a few things in their life that they have learned. This makes me happy, but what I really desire is that they stay on their path of self-purification. I know its hard. I live in this real world too.

This is what I know about this journey of the Soul.


The call of Spirit is indescribable
Once you've had a taste of it, nothing will ever again satisfy you. Your life will become quite dull without that daily touch. Meditate.


You are seeking what you already possess

We set Spiritual goals for ourselves. This is a foolish process. You will unfold like the flowers in your yard are doing right now...spontaneously and in your own time. Enjoy the process of unfolding and don't be sidetracked by "progress markers". There is no time-line. There is no specific path. Your Spiritual path is your own and it is as unique as you are. Be patient with yourself.


This is not about self-improvement

This is about self-acceptance. This is truly about loving the person that we are. Never forget that your Soul profile included the good stuff and the not so good stuff too. Your stuff makes you interesting. Your stuff is beautiful. We never stop looking inward and pulling outward the sattvic or "pure" qualities of our Soul. Study yourself daily. Asking yourself why. Help. Serve.


There will be no intervention

You will probably not have an Angel of the Lord appear to you in the middle of the night with a message of how unique and wonderful you are. Miracles happen every single day. Most of them are very small. Most of them get missed. The miracle that shifts you will be so small and subtle that when you finally figure out what it was, you will laugh at the simplicity.


You need to surround yourself with good company
You cannot do this alone. I know you've heard it said, "the soul's journey is a singular journey". It's simply not true. You must seek out like-minded people to support and encourage you along your way. Let others help, guide and love you. It makes the journey a whole lot more fun. Find a community to draw inspiration from. Find your Guru. (just ask and they will come at just the right time)

You will have many setbacks and want to quit
Don't. Don't quit. Embrace all the crud that comes up and keeps coming up. It never ends, but it does get easier and easier and easier. At some point, you will see that the events in your life are lessons and you will begin to move through the quickly and with grace.

There is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.
There is only a rainbow.
(a double rainbow). You will receive rewards and riches far better than gold. For me it was as simple as waking up one morning to my mess of a house and the chaos of my life and sitting very very happily in it.

I'm here for you. You are always in my prayers. Shanti, Pamela

Monday, May 16, 2011

The Divinity of a Yoga Teacher


There's something different about yoga teachers. There's a longing there...a desire...that can never be fulfilled. We reach out to others to help and serve trying to heal ourselves.

I wrote the above quote in response to one of my teacher's requests to teach a private for donation because she just felt she needed to do something giving for someone to help her shift through her own grief. She'd moved through anger over her loss and really just needed to reach out and support others to shift her back to her sattvic (pure) state.


Wow. Read that again.

Elemental OM is blessed to have some of the most amazing Yoga teachers in all of Cincinnati. Everyday I learn something from them. Taking their classes, hearing their words and most importantly watching the way that they live teaches me so much. Each and every one is a divine example of how I wish to live my life. Each brings her own unique skills and talents. Each brings her own style and enthusiasm. Each brings their own brand of healing that flows from their own personal life experiences.

If you'd like to learn more about Elemental Om's instructors and what they love to do, CLICK HERE. We'd love to know how they have affected your life....

Thursday, May 12, 2011

What is your Soul's Responsibility?


I'm a Pisces. In your mind's eye picture a total bohemian chick running around in sparkly gems and feathers surrounded by stray dogs and hurting people trying to save each and every one of them. Picture too a person that is 20% here and 80% gone pretty much 100% of the time. Highly intuitive, totally empathic and so deeply connected to the world of Spirit that this earthly realm seems quite like a job that has to be done until that fantastic and total release comes either in the form of Samadhi or the ultimate Samadhi...death.

Sounds bleak, huh?


That's how I live. Serve, serve and more serve. Do your work and at the end of all of this you will be returned to your lover's arms. A painful pull pounding in your heart. Joyful moments dulled by the feeling that even the little moments of joy in this earthly realm are trivial in comparison. The longing to return....it aches. It's the constant ache of those first few weeks of Love when your Love has gone away from you, but this particular ache never ever diminishes even as the relationship deepens. Ever. You never get used to the separation.


Lordy...forget that!

To be honest, my mind is a little annoyed with my Soul. We (my bodymindsoul) had a long talk about this and it struck me that I have never ever in all my years of learning and teaching had the thought that my Soul has some responsibility in this game of life. I think I've been viewing the Soul just like I teach about it as this "ever present, non-changing, totally supportive" entity that needs my mind to make good choices so the Soul can have some experience that it craves. It's the thing sitting in the back seat of the Chariot...the observer. The Witnessing Awareness as all our "Spiritual Masters of this Century" call it.


Yesterday, I figured it out. It's total BS. Your Soul is not a "witness". Your Soul has a personality. It has Karma. It has desires. It's desire created your body and mind. Your mind is the engine. Your body the vehicle. Other Souls have colluded to program this engine with preferences, prejudices and social norms to facilitate this experience. Your body has been designed to look, feel and struggle in some way.
Your Soul is a choicemaker. It's not neutral. It's closer to the ocean than the wave, but it's still waving. It chose you (bodymind). It is you.

I know...I don't even know what I'm saying either. It's a FEELING I can't convey through writing. (that's a very Pisces thing too). It's a very powerful feeling when you are just on the brink of totally getting something and it slips away and then you can't even remember what you were thinking about to begin with. It's amnesia. It's knowing you've met someone somewhere and can't for the life of you remember where.


it's total insanity.


oh my..

This is what I know. My mind is frickin' powerful. So powerful in fact that it can actually tell my Soul what to do. Yesterday, for the first time ever it had the thought to tell my Soul to make a choice. Merge or go snivel in a corner. This constant yearning for some esoteric touch of Spirit is not facilitating the experience that this choicemaking Soul craves. Step up to the plate and completely into this body. This mind is not in your way.


Some Kiss We Want

There is some kiss we want with
our whole lives, the touch of

spirit on the body. Seawater
begs the pearl to break its shell.

And the lily, how passionately
it needs some wild darling! At

night, I open the window and ask
the moon to come and press its

face against mine. Breathe into
me. Close the language- door and

open the love window. The moon
won't use the door, only the window. ~ Rumi

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Anything is Possible


Today begins our study of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success in the Montgomery Studio from 4 - 5:30. Each Thursday, we will focus on a law incorporating it into a meditation, yoga and an "off the mat" practice.



Today we will focus on the first law, The Law of Pure Potentiality". This law simply states that anything is possible because at your inner core lives cosmic consciousness which is the divine thread of all creation. It's responsible for manifesting the unmanifest.



Now I'll be honest, this law on an intellectual basis has always seemed like a bunch of crud. Are you kidding me? Anything is possible? It doesn't seem true. I'm certainly not able to time-travel, turn rock into gold or transform into wonder woman. So what does this mean?



What it means is that inside of you is a very special guide. If you get still enough and quiet enough, you will meet this guide. This guide has a plan for you and it includes everything that your heart desires. This guide actually knows what your heart desires which may not include time-travel, making gold or being a super hero. Or, it may. The point is to get super quiet on this day and go within. Connect to that stillness and start to understand what you are doing here. Know that you are here to experience creation and joy. Know that all of the layers of suffering are to be peeled away so that this quiet stillness can shine through.




Mantra in Sanskrit
Om Bhavam Namah
Mantra in English
I am absolute existence


The Law of Pure Potentiality states that at the core of your being, you are pure awareness. To cultivate awareness do the following on and off your mat:


Be Silent

Set aside 10 minutes each day to be silent. Turn off the phone, radio and TV and exist in silence.






Be Still

Practice Savasana for 10 minutes each day. Savasana is the relaxed pose. Lie on your back with legs straight or knees bent, arms gently to the sides, palms up. Take a few deep belly breaths and then let it go. Just be.






Practice nonjudgement
Do not judge your beautiful self or those around you.

"OM" work


Give yourself a sesame seed oil massage every day. It will nourish your skin and keep it firm and youthful. Rubbing your skin releases toxins and enhances happiness.




Go outside this evening and notice the stars. Contemplate your existence.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Today is Monday....give and receive

Class begins this Thursday in Montgomery....4 - 5:30 pm

Are you a people pleaser? Are you the person in the family who is schlepping kids, running errands and going to the grocery? Are you the person who works all day and comes home and keeps it going until you crash into your bed? Chances are, you are driving your energy body into an early grave. That's because you are giving, giving, giving and not receiving. It's bound to make you feel angry, irritable and resentful. It doesn't feel fair because quite frankly, it isn't.

There must be energetic balance between you, your job, your relationships and the world. That means that you must receive. Monday's law honors the harmony between giving and receiving. During yoga we honor that each breath in is a gift and each breath out is a gift. It's true. What if you are not born with only so many years, but with only so many breaths. Each breath becomes precious.


Honoring your breath is easy. That's simple focus. Not so easy is the balance of work, love and life. Take an inventory of your time. Are you spending too much time at work? If you are and you love it, great! If you are feeling taken advantage of, its time to put the breaks on. What about love? Oddly, you have to give more of what you want to get. If you want hugs, give hugs. If you want kisses, give kisses. If you want to talk more, listen. It's a one way practice for just a little while and then the other person catches on. Is life getting to you? Take an inventory of the chaos in your life and simplify. Give some stuff away. Declutter. Say no with loving kindness.


Below is the practice for today. Use your mantra throughout the day to replace your thoughts.


Mantra in Sanskrit
Om Vardhanam Namah
Mantra in English
I am the nourisher of the universe and the universe nourishes me

This law resonates with your Heart Chakra. Today's color is green.

The Law of Giving and Receiving states that the universe operates through dynamic exchange. You are constantly giving and receiving. Every breath in is a gift from the universe and every breath out is a gift to the universe. Incorporate this law off your mat daily:


Maintain breathing awareness
If you feel resistance during the day, go back to your breath until you calm yourself.






Practice Gratitude
Wake up each morning and give thanks for the beautiful life you have as well as for your beautiful body. Nourish your body this week with good food and lots of rest.






Give a gift to everyone you meet
... a hug, eye contact, a smile. Cook a nice meal for a loved one. Accept the gifts given to you by others.

"OM" work


Consider a meditation practice or simply sit in silence for 10 minutes each day. Just close your eyes and smile.




Make a list of all the things in your life that you are grateful for.




Practice 2 rounds of sun salutations each day.