Mind Body Mandala Archives

Personal Yoga FAQ’s

Thinking about starting a Personal Yoga training program? I’d love to help you and would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Who are Personal Yoga sessions for?

All levels of practitioners can benefit from Personal Yoga. Whether you are brand new to Yoga, have some experience, or are a certified instructor, Personal Yoga sessions will help you take your practice to the next level.

How long is a session?

A session usually lasts one hour. If you would prefer a longer or shorter session I can adjust my rates accordingly.

When do sessions happen?

Mid-mornings, afternoons or early evenings. I’ll work with you to find a time that is a good fit for your schedule.

Where do sessions take place?

I can travel to your home or I can reserve a private studio space.

What happens in a session?

We’ll check in about your progress and discuss what we’ll be working on that day. We’ll start with a brief meditation and then go through your sequence for that day. Each session builds upon the previous one, so we might review some content before moving ahead. I’ll offer modifications and adjustments, and will answer any questions that you might have. We’ll conclude with the final resting pose and then chat for a bit afterwards.

What are some of the advantages of Personal Yoga sessions?

Personal Yoga sessions have far fewer variables than drop-in classes, where the teacher has no way of knowing who will be there. So classes are constructed with these variables in mind and you might receive a few adjustments and corrections. Personal Yoga sessions are planned with YOU in mind as well as your ability to practice each pose or technique accurately. You’ll be amazed at the progress you can make in this kind of focused learning environment! For more information visit: Personal Yoga Benefits

Is there anything I should know about training with you?

Consistency is key for your success, so I recommend taking one or two sessions a week for maximum benefit. I do require that students practice on their own between sessions (same as if you were learning a musical instrument). My advice to anyone who is considering my services is to decide if they are ready to make that level of commitment to themselves.

Do you offer Personal Yoga sessions for two or more people?

Yes, I also offer semi-private sessions for groups of 2, 3 or 4 people.

I’m an intermediate student and I’m interested in the Level Two training. Do I have to take the Foundations course?

I encourage everyone to start with the Foundations program. This is part of my commitment to your safety and wellbeing. With so many styles of yoga nowadays I want to make sure that we are on the same page. Depending on your ability level you might complete the program in less than ten sessions, or else you might benefit from additional sessions. We can discuss these options in your initial consultation so as to find the best course of action for you.

What should I do to prepare for a session?

Before your first session I’ll send you some information about how to prepare for yoga. I also encourage you to warm up on your own before each session.

How much should I practice between sessions?

As much as possible! Every day would be ideal – even just for 10 or 15 minutes. If you can’t practice every day then aim for every other day. The more you practice the more you will progress.

Something has come up and I need to reschedule our session – is that ok?

Certainly, and as much advanced notice as possible is always appreciated. Please note that I have a 24 hour cancellation policy.

What are your rates?

Please visit the Pricing page for more information.

Have more questions? Book a FREE no-obligation consultation today.

6 Immunity-Boosting Tips

Winter is just around the corner – are you ready? The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting “another teeth-chatteringly cold winter” that will bring an “arctic blast with above-normal snowfall throughout much of the nation.” Last winter was a real doozy so I’m in pre-season training mode (and I don’t mean ski-season).

Immunity boosting is the name of the game right now, so here are some tips on how to increase your body’s natural defenses. They might be review or else they might serve as a gentle reminder. In any case it’s always good to review the basics.

Put Some Clothes On! Keep your WHOLE body well-insulated, especially your feet. An easy way to compromise your core temperature is to walk around the house (or studio) in bare feet. Remember Mr. Rogers? The first thing he did when he got home? He’d put on a sweater and some house shoes. Be like Mr. Rogers.
Hot Foods and Drinks. Salad season is over and for good reason. Eating cold, raw foods dampens your digestive fire. If you can handle spicy (rajasic) foods then crank it up! Now’s a good time to stock your kitchen with an arsenal of soup supplies (hot soup is the only smoothie I eat). And drink lots of room temperature or hot beverages [for more info read: The Dangers of Drinking Cold Water ].
Twist it Out. A regular practice of twists is a great addition to your home practice. Twists detoxify and refresh the organs by increasing blood circulation and promoting digestion. Constipation (less than two bowel movements a day) is a HUGE issue in our society but it can be improved by routinely wringing out the digestive tract. So get twisted!
Sunshine = Free Vitamin D. As the days get shorter you may find that you’re spending less time outside. I know you’re busy but it’s really important to get outside, not just for the fresh air but for the Vitamin D. In this article Dr. Joseph Mercola discusses the current pandemic of Vitamin D deficiency. Natural sunlight is the best way to optimize your Vitamin D levels. And it’s FREE!
Avoid the Crowds. It’s not always possible, but avoiding crowds is a good preventative measure. If you can schedule your outings during off-peak hours you’re increasing your likelihood of staying healthy. When you do go out be sure to wash your hands frequently – just be sure to avoid using toxic antibacterial soaps. I carry a travel size bottle of natural hand sanitizer everywhere I go.
Catch Some Z’s. Ample rest is essential for good health. One of the first things that clicked for me about yoga was the importance of downshifting at this time of year. It’s simple enough – just start winding down when it gets dark. Use candlelight instead of fluorescent bulbs or glowing screens. Sleep when you feel tired. Relax. Try not to watch The Walking Dead right before bed (note to self).

These are just a few ways to tip the scales in your favor this winter. Do you have any immune boosting tips to share? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

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Honoring Beginner’s Limbo

Get Your Evolution On

Gold Coin

Energizing Maca Truffles

It’s 5pm and you’ve just finished a long day of work. Your body is tense, your mind is spinning, and your adrenals are on a post-caffeine downswing. Exercise would help but you’re starting to get hungry. But if you eat dinner now then you’ll be toast for the rest of the night. A cup of coffee would perk you up but then you might not sleep very well.

So what do you do? Decision making can be difficult when you’re running on empty. Sometimes the easiest solution is to call it a day and spend the rest of the evening in recovery mode. But your body and mind will be out of sorts and you still might not sleep very well.

Another option is to give yourself a little pre-workout energy boost. Fruit or yogurt are always good options, but after the kind of day you’ve just had you might need something a little stronger.

Time to call in the superfood troops.

Maca Truffles are super easy to make. All you need is a food processor or high powered blender. Most health food stores carry raw cacao and maca powder (you can also order them online). This recipe is similar to my Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles with the addition of maca powder.

Maca comes from the Andean mountains of Bolivia and Peru. The ancient Incans revered this plant for its ability to nourish and energize the body. Maca is used for reducing stress, anxiety and depression, for supporting reproductive health, and for creating balanced energy. It’s also loaded with vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Traditionally maca is enjoyed by adults and children. Recently I went shopping at a Mexican grocery store and found a powdered drink called “Maca for Kids.”

Maca root is related to the radish and turnip, so it has a bit of an acquired taste. But the flavor blends well with nut butter and chocolate, which is why I think truffles are the ultimate maca delivery system.

Energizing Maca Truffles

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw maca powder
1 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup nut butter (almond, peanut, coconut, or a blend)
1/2 – 1 cup full fat coconut milk
1/3 cup liquid sweetener of your choice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt
Chopped nuts, shredded coconut, extra cacao powder for coating (optional)

1. Place powders, nut butter, 1/2 cup coconut milk, liquid sweetener, vanilla and salt into processor. Turn on high and run for one minute.

2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again for one minute. Add more coconut milk if mixture is too thick to process evenly.

3. Continue processing until mixture is very smooth and then transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

4. Set three small bowls on the counter. Place the chopped nuts into one bowl, the coconut shreds in the second bowl, and the extra cacao powder in the third bowl.

5. Take a teaspoonful of the truffle mixture and roll it in your hands, forming a ball the size of a large marble. Roll the truffle in one of the three coatings and place in a paper candy cup. Continue rolling truffles and alternate coatings as you go along.

6. Store in refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. For optimal results bring truffles to room temperature before consuming.

Honoring Beginner’s Limbo

I just spent the past few hours trying to activate my first smartphone. I’ll admit that I am completely behind the times with phone technology and so far it’s been a tedious, difficult and unnerving process. I’m at the point of wondering if what I’m doing is actually working and there’s a string of questions running through my head:

“Why is the darn thing STILL charging? What if it’s broken? Will I have to send it back? What if I don’t have a phone?!?”

This train of thought turns into a rant about my dislike of cell phones and I start researching the effects of radiation…

By now I’ve forgotten the excitement of having a new phone. That feeling of newness has been replaced with the reality check of being out of my element. It’s like when you’re in the middle of moving or are starting a new job and your initial confidence has been replaced with the realization of oh man this is hard…

This is the moment when things are starting to get interesting. I can try to talk myself through it or find some kind of distraction that makes the experience more manageable. Maybe I’ll avoid the situation to see if someone else can do it for me. I mean really, why am I doing this to myself?

These kinds of experiences are rich with learning potential.

It’s hard work being a novice. It can be awkward and humbling, and it isn’t the kind of thing that we want to post selfies about. There’s nothing glamorous about admitting our shortcomings [Check me out – I have no idea what I’m doing, I’ve never done this before and I’m not sure how to move forward!]

In a culture that measures success according to how high we move up the business or academic ladder, we won’t get much recognition for being in beginner’s limbo. We’re taught to “fake it till you make it,” which works to some degree but it also contributes to the current epidemic of false mastery and showboating.

Empty the cup.

There’s a concept in Zen Buddhism called Shoshin, or ‘Beginner’s Mind.’ It’s when we practice emptying the cup of our minds in order to make room for new teachings. It’s an exercise of sincere humility whenever we’re learning something new and we can practice this even if we’re experienced in a particular subject.

Beginner’s mind teaches us about honoring each step of the learning process, which isn’t necessarily supported in our goal-oriented society. One step of the journey involves admitting that we don’t know what we’re doing. Doing so frees up our minds and clears pathways for taking in new information. It may not be the most pleasant experience but it is a vital step nonetheless…

If you’ve started branching out in some arena of your life and have gotten hung up along the way, just chalk it up to being in Beginner’s Limbo. This too will pass so hang in there. You’ll be amazed at what your inner teacher has to show you.

Get Your Evolution On

With the recent release of the new action film Lucy it seems fitting to discuss the controversial topic of superhumans. As a small disclaimer, this subject requires the willingness to go beyond what some might consider to be a “rational” thought process. By all means, I encourage you to exercise your discernment muscles. But I will say that it helps to approach yoga philosophy with an open mind…

There are many different kinds of superhumans which can essentially be divided into two categories-natural and artificial. According to Wikipedia, “A super race is a future race of improved humans that is proposed to be created from present-day human beings by deploying various means such as eugenics, genetic-engineering, yoga, nanotechnology, and/or brain-computer interfacing to accelerate the process of human evolution.”

The branch of superhuman development that involves yogic technologies is part of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga:

Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) developed a system of yoga called Integral yoga to transform selected humans into a new super race called the Supermen that would have a fully and permanently awakened kundalini and thus become siddhas with various siddhis (paranormal powers) such as the ability to observe chakras and auras with the third eye, to travel by astral travel at will, to be able to subsist adequately with full bodily functions on small amounts of vegetarian food, to go long periods without sleep, to communicate by telepathy and to levitate. The function of this new super race would not be to dominate others but to lead humanity toward world peace. – Wikipedia

Paranormal powers without the use of drugs, surgery or technology might sound more like fantasy than science fiction. Social conditioning based on the 300-year old system of Western science has made it difficult to comprehend such things. No matter what your belief system may be remember that there is no one-size-fits-all method to learning. I recommend that you use what works and leave the rest.

The science of yoga is designed to assist with paranormal evolution. The siddhis are part of the journey but they are not the end result. It takes a long time and a lot of hard work but ultimately the Slow Path is the best way. While the quick fix of hotwiring our brains and bodies into an artificial state of advanced evolution may seem tempting, it is unlikely that these future technologies will be available to anyone but the super-elite. And if by some slim chance they were available to the general public I wouldn’t trust them. The potentially damaging effects to the subtle body isn’t worth the risk.

What do you think about super-humanism? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

100 Days of Meditation

When Life Gets Busy Your Practice is the First Thing to go

Gold Coin

Superhuman Healthcare – Viral Infection

The roulette wheel of life delivers the occasional hard knock to us all, and as luck would have it I got hit with a serious viral infection. We’re talking about the kind of sickness that will put most people in the hospital where they’ll possibly undergo surgery. It was REALLY bad. I’m not quite sure how it happened, except that I might have picked it up on one of my five hour commutes through New York City.

At first I thought it was food poisoning but then I developed a severe radiating pain in the right side of my jaw. I could barely chew my food – eating was painful and exhausting. The icing on the cake was I had just started a ten day housesitting job in Connecticut and had no way to access medical attention.

That was one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done.

As soon as it was over I went to see Dr. Avi Ginsberg. He’s an Oriental medical provider and has been my primary care physician for over ten years. He diagnosed my condition as being an extreme case of “toxic heat” in the stomach channel. Dr. Avi proceeded to bombard the virus with remedies for clearing heat and building immunity. The arsenal of therapies that he used to treat me included:

Acupuncture
Chinese herbs (antibiotics)
Cupping therapy
Magnets
Qi Gong
Mung bean pudding
Watermelon
Daikon radish
Peppermint tea
Tamarind juice
Colloidal silver
Vitamin C powder
Mouthwashes (salt water, baking soda, peroxide, vinegar, vodka)
Raw garlic
Alum powder
Watermelon frost
A mysterious black powder he got in Chinatown
Red flower oil
Far Infrared heat therapy
Moxibustion

The beauty of these ancient remedies, folk medicines, and alternative therapies is that they do not deplete the body.

After a week I was 80% better, and after a month I’d healed completely. By allowing my body to heal through what I call “superhuman healthcare” I am healthier and stronger than I was before I got sick.

I’m sharing this with you because I want to help people understand how powerful and empowering alternative medicine is. It IS possible to heal from extreme viral attacks without toxic pharmaceuticals, surgery, or obscenely expensive medical bills.

Needless to say, I am very, very grateful to Dr. Avi for his help and I highly recommend his expertise to all of my friends. He provides Traditional Oriental Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, Dietary and Herbal Therapy, and Exercise Therapy in Parker, Colorado. For more information please visit Hatch Chiropractic and Wellness.

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A Taste of Divinity – Raw Cacao

The Skinny on Skin Care

The warm weather is here! And with that comes the gradual shedding of layers, swapping flip flops for shoes, and increasing our Vitamin D intake. As with any seasonal transition it’s a good idea to give ourselves time to adjust our lifestyle patterns accordingly.

Body care is one of the many aspects of a balanced home practice regimen. Just like you might want to give your car a routine waxing it’s a good idea to give your body “vehicle” a good skin care treatment. Especially if you’re anticipating spending more time in the great outdoors.

While there are some purists who won’t practice yoga in the sunshine, I absolutely LOVE practicing outside. But there’s just nothing fun about sunburns. I’ve gotten my share of “tomato-face” syndrome from practicing during peak hours (10am – 4pm) so my advice is avoid sun exposure during that time.

Twilight is my favorite time to practice outside – the sun isn’t too intense so you don’t really need to use sunblock. But if you’re a die-hard sunblock user I recommend reading What You Need to Know Before You Ever Buy Sunscreen Again.

If you like to play with making your own body care items, I recommend reading Adventures in DIY Products. It was written by my friend Mandy who makes her own sunscreen using aloe and coconut oil. I absolutely love using coconut oil on my skin. Whenever I’m cooking with coconut oil I’ll take a little and rub it into my arms, elbows and hands. Here’s a quick overview of the many benefits of coconut oil:

Hydrates and conditions the skin
Clears away dirt, grime, and flaking skin cells
Has antibacterial properties
Soothes bug bites
Helps with rashes
Softens and shrinks wrinkles
Protects against skin damage
Prolongs tans
Prevents cellular aging
Can be used to remove make-up easily
Is a great massage oil

In addition to protecting our skin externally we can also nourish our skin by eating certain foods. Dark chocolate contains a high level of antioxidants which protects the skin from sunburn and cancer. The carotenes in apricots, papaya, mango, carrots, sweet potatoes and beets all help to reduce the negative effects of UVB radiation.

Staying hydrated is key. Drinking plenty of room temperature water creates a natural moisture factor which protects the skin. After spending time outside it’s always a good idea to drink plenty of fluids so as to prevent dehydration.

How do you care for your skin during the warmer months? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below:

Home Rituals – Tortilla Soup

There’s been a lot of sickness floating around lately – some nasty chest and head colds (I got hit with both). For the most part I let them run their course, knowing that my immune system would be stronger once it was all over. I upped the anti on my vitamin C intake, drank LOTS of hot tea and tried to rest as much as possible.

The double whammy slowed me down quite a bit so I adjusted my practice accordingly (downward dog is just not an option when your head is full of snot). At times like these it’s good to remember that it really doesn’t matter what you do in your home practice just as long as you do SOMETHING for at least an hour a day.

One of the best things I did for myself was cook with warming foods (garlic, onion, cayenne pepper). I added this powerhouse trio to soups, curries, and pasta dishes, and with each bite my head would clear up a bit more. One of the recipes that I made was Chicken Tortilla Soup. Every ingredient is highly medicinal and when put together they pack a powerful punch. Best of all it’s really easy to make.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves 2-3 people.

1/2 white onion, diced
1 medium-sized carrot, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Anaheim pepper, diced (or 1/2 of a green pepper)

Heat a medium-sized sauté pan on a low setting (**see note about cookware**) Add 1 tablespoon butter. Add the carrots, onions and peppers and increase the heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt (Kosher or sea) and sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring to keep the veggies from browning. Garlic can burn very easily, so you want to keep a close eye (and nose) on your pan at this point. As soon as you smell the garlic add the tomatoes. This helps to keep the veggies from sticking to the bottom of the pan and will prevent any burning.

Cook the veggies for another couple of minutes. At this point the onion should start to look translucent. Add a quart of chicken bone broth (I used this recipe: Home Rituals Bone Broth)

Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. The bubbles should break continuously on the surface (between a rolling boil and a slow simmer).

Drain and rinse half a can (8oz) of organic black beans. Add to the soup, along with a 1/2 cup of cooked, diced chicken and cook for another few minutes. I used dark meat because it doesn’t dry out like white meat. If you wanted to use white meat you could – I would just recommend waiting until the very last minute to add it. Season the soup with:

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
Salt to taste

In the last minute of cooking, add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro and the juice of half a lime.

To serve, place a half of a cup of cooked rice in the bottom of a wide bowl. Ladle the soup over the rice. Garnish with a small handful of crushed organic, non-GMO corn tortilla chips, a few sprigs of fresh cilantro and a wedge of lime. Voila!

** Just a quick side note about cookware – avoid aluminum at all costs as it’s one of the causes of Alzheimer’s. I used stainless steel because that’s what was available at the time, and it’s pretty good for cooking. Teflon is okay as long as you don’t use metal cooking utensils which can scratch and release poisonous Teflon particulate into your food. The best option for cookware is a good-quality ceramic or ceramic-coated pan. And you don’t want to use any metal utensils with ceramic cookware. Wooden or high temperature plastic utensils are fine. **

What’s your go-to recipe when you’re feeding a cold? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

The Spectator Epidemic

Mindless garbage spectator epidemic — Found on the Pinterest

Have you been to your local Walmart lately? Depending on where you live it can be a DISTURBING experience. I’m not saying this to be mean, I’m saying it because it’s true. There’s a cross section of middle America which borders on a zombie apocalypse. And it’s a real problem…

How did this happen? Diet is a big part, as well as the toxic cocktail of chemicals added to our food, water, air and medications. But it’s also related to social conditioning. Take a drive through your neighborhood one night and chances are you’ll see the flickering blue light of televisions emanating from people’s homes. Or maybe you’ll see groups of people at sporting events or playgrounds, where the adults are watching their kids exercise. Maybe you’ll see people at the gym. Maybe.

The Spectator Epidemic

Most likely you’ll find adults sitting at home watching television. It’s such an engrained part of our culture that no one really thinks anything of it. Television provides fuel for conversations – at work, the bar, and the dinner table. For many people television fulfills certain needs that are not being met in our modern day standard of living.

Part of this has to do with people being such visual creatures. When we watch dancers, martial artists or athletes, we experience something called the kinesthetic response. It’s a spontaneous reaction to a motion or stimulus that occurs outside of ourselves. The muscles contract and release in conjunction with the visual stimulation. So afterwards there’s a feeling of being energized or pleasantly fatigued.

Without actually having to do anything.

By and large, it’s much easier to be a spectator. Exercise can be challenging especially when the body is out of shape. Sitting around and talking about someone else exercising (did you see last night’s game?) is a piece of cake compared to actually doing it.

I’m not saying that you should never be a spectator. A good martial arts movie can be incredibly inspiring and hopefully you’ll do some kind of training afterwards. Playing video games or going to a sports event can also be great incentives – maybe you’ll feel really jacked afterwards. But if you don’t put that energy into your own life then what is the point?

Television addiction is an “undo-it-yourself” project that takes a little courage. Television breeds passivity so it takes time to shift gears. If you’re ready to become more of an active participant in your life a personal yoga practice can help.

Ready to take the next step? Book a FREE no-obligation consultation today.

A Taste of Divinity – Raw Cacao

For just a moment ask yourself the following questions:

What is the BEST that you’ve ever felt?
Where were you at the time?
How old were you?
What were you doing?
Were you alone or with someone?
Did this happen more than once?

Just sit with these questions for a minute and see what comes up. Now ask yourself:

Could you create this state again?
What would it take to replicate it?
What (if anything) is keeping you from feeling this way now?
How might you take this experience to the next level?

I’m asking these questions because they relate to my mission as a yoga teacher. For the past thirteen years I’ve been focusing on my personal evolution. My body is the healthiest it’s ever been. I’m committed to eating the most beautiful food, moving in ways that I enjoy and living a low-stress lifestyle. I am free from scoliosis-related back pain. My mind is calmer, clearer and more creative than ever before. I am learning so much and I am more in love every day.

My goal is to help people learn how to do this for themselves.

Life is not easy. We face countless challenges and seemingly endless distractions. Thankfully there are some simple ways to create heightened experiences on a regular basis. One way to do this is by cultivating a personal practice. In my humble opinion this is the BEST thing that we can do for ourselves. A personal practice is an amazing tool that helps us connect with our highest Selves – our creativity, divinity, sovereignty – call it what you will.

When you treat your body like the temple that it is you elevate your life.

If a daily yoga practice seems overwhelming to you, not to worry. There are plenty of ways to administer self-care. I suggest that you start small by picking ONE healthy habit that you can do on a daily basis, such as drinking lemon water or eating one superfood every day. A superfood is a food that is extraordinarily good for your health.

One of my favorite superfoods is raw cacao. The botanical name Theobroma cacao means “Food of the Gods.” Raw cacao is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet. It contains three natural mood enhancers which make you feel like you’re in love. The health benefits of raw cacao are far more powerful than conventional chocolate.

Raw Cacao:

Aids in weight loss
Promotes healthy skin
Is high in antioxidants
Enhances mood
Contains essential minerals and vitamins
Improves brain function
Promotes heart health
Is an aphrodisiac

I have a little side project called Amaroons. I make handcrafted macaroons with raw cacao powder, coconut, almonds, maple syrup, vanilla and Himalayan sea salt.

Amaroons make a wonderful gift!

I’m happy to announce that my Etsy shop is open for the holidays.

Your purchase supports my independent small-business and will help to expand my operation. Thank you for your support.

Amaroons Raw Cacao Superfood Macaroons — Amaroons – Raw Chocolate Macaroons