Home Practice for Connecting to your Core

This core strengthening practice will help provide a sense of strength and self-confidence.
Begin by putting on some uplifting and energetic music.

1. Begin in Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) with Feet close together. Incorporating Ujjayi Breath (ocean sound in back of throat). Hold for 10 breaths.
2. Inhale as you shift yourself forward into plank. Hold for 20 breaths.
3. Press back to Downward Dog, then flow forward to Plank. Repeat 10 times
4. Hop to the front of your mat, fold forward into Standing Forward Bend. Hold for 5 breaths, then reverse swan dive up to Tadasana (mountain pose)
5. Move into Eagle Pose by wrapping your right thigh over your left and hook the toes around your lower leg. Place the left arm over the right and touch plams together (eagle arms). Stay upright and bend the supporting knee, lift elbows up and move hands away from the face. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
6. Squat down, sit on your mat, moving into Boat Pose with knees bent or straight and hold for 5 breaths. Bend one knee in towards the body, extending the opposite knee. Switch to the opposite site. Repeat 10 times total working the core. Then lie on your back.
7. Come into Revolved Abdomen Pose by walking the feet in with knees bent and pointing towards the ceiling. Spread the arms wide in a T turning the palms facing down. Drop the knees to the right side, and turn the head to the left taking care to keep the shoulders locked to the floor. Hold for 20 breaths, repeat on the other side.
8. Now interlace the fingers behind the head and bend both knees bringing the feet off the floor. Exhale as you extend the right leg out (not touching floor) draw the left knee in and touch it with the right elbow. Inhale, release and change sides. Do this 8 times on each side. Then pull both knees into the chest and take a few breaths.
9. Bridge Pose - bend knees and press hips upwards into bridge. Exhale and roll down one vertebra at a time. Repeat 10 times.
10. Move into reclining pigeon pose on the right side by placing both feet on the floor, knees bent. Place the right ankle on the left knee and draw the right thigh towards you. Hold for 10 breaths and change sides.
11. Stretch the legs out. Inhale and press forearms and elbows down, lifting the chest into Fish Pose. Resting on the crown of the head, hold for 10 breaths.
12. Pull the knees into the chest moving into Happy Baby for 10 breaths.
13. Extend arms and legs for 3 deep breaths, relaxing into Savasana for 5-10 minutes.

Salt Water Flush as Start to Master Cleanse

Many of you may have heard that you should drink a mixture of 1 QT of warm water with 2 tsp of Organic Sea Salt as a way to start a cleanse. This is supposed to cleanse the colon and induce a series of bowel movements in the next 1-2 hours. Sounds little hokey, so of course I decided to give it a try.

I went into the kitchen a mixed up a quart of water with 2 tsp of sea salt as is recommended. I mixed it up and placed it into the biggest drinking glass I could find in the houses. It was one of those collector Coke glasses. I took the first big gulp, and it tasted completely discusting. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get it down. Then I took another, still pretty terrible.

Fortunately, I was standing next to the kitchen sink because I took one more big gulp and swalled and immediately vomited right into the sink. So much for cleaning my colon!

I'm not sure if this is common or not, but I have found several blog posts describing similar results. My body did NOT want that much salt in it, so I'm not planning to attempt this again anytime soon.

So much for the Salt Water Flush - next time I'll stick with a fruit and veggie cleanse.

Sizzling Summer Membership Deals

We've just added a few new membership options for students and summer residents.

Get UNLIMITED yoga classes for the months or June, July & August for a huge discount.

Students with a valid student ID only pay $150, everyone else pays $225. You can come to class every day over the summer and not have to worry about having cash, or brining a check or credit card with you. This is a great deal and your best value if you've got lots of extra time in the summer.

If you're a beach bum, we've got classes at 6:15 am on Monday, Wednesday & Friday which will leave you plenty of time to head to the beach or launch the boat. If you like to sleep in, we've got classes every evening except Saturday! There are also plenty of classes later in the morning during the week.

Don't miss out on this great deal. Click the link below to purchase online.

http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=5868&stype=41&sLoc=0

Yogathon Fundraiser

Please join us for a Yogathon Fundraiser to support Off the Mat, Into the World’s Global Seva Challenge - South Africa 2010!

Off the Mat, Into the World® (OTM), a program of the nonprofit, The Engage Network, is dedicated to bridging yoga and activism. Founded in 2007, OTM’s mission is to use the power of yoga to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and ignite grassroots social change.

Each year, Off the Mat, Into the World sponsors an international service project called the Global Seva Challenge. The Global Seva Challenge is a transformational journey that builds community, provokes critical consciousness about global issues of social justice and equity, and raises significant funds to support communities in crisis.

In 2010 Off the Mat, Into the World’s Seva Challenge will be focused on supporting humanitarian efforts in South Africa. Over 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS today with 67% living in sub-Saharan Africa. By contributing to this fundraising effort your donation will help fund and build health and education programs that will provide tools and resources for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. See our partners below.

The Dharma Connection in Sandwich, MA
Friday, June 11, 2010 starting at 5:30pm until…9ish
with Lynn Gifford, Donna Larson and Elizabeth Whirlabout
Suggested donation of $25

Take your yoga Off the Mat, Into the World!

Chakra Energy - what is it?

Chakra is the Sanskrit word for circle or wheel. Ancient theories proposed by Hindu mystics are based on seven chakras that link the body and the mind into one unit - the mind/body connection. It was through the practice of yoga in India many centuries ago that chakras became identified with centers of energy at major points throughout the body. Beginning at the base of the spine and moving up to the skull, there are seven chakras, each associated with a corresponding color. The opening of each of these energy centers plays an important role in our ability to achieve our fullest potential.

1.) Root (Red)
2.) Sacral (Orange)
3.) Solar Plexus (Yellow)
4.) Heart (Green)
5.) Throat (Blue)
6.) Brow (Purple)
7.) Crown (White)

The Chakras also serve as metaphors for various levels of human development and religious sacraments, with each one having its own goals for development.

· Root Chakra – gives one the ability to feel safe, stable, courageous and secure
· Sacral Chakra – emotional and sexual development
· Solar Plexus – Socialization, social interaction, and self confidence
· Heart Chakra – compassion, love and forgiveness
· Throat Chakra – provides the ability to communicate and interact based on higher vision
· Brow (3rd Eye) Charkra – spiritual vision, intuition, understanding and wisdom
· Crown Chakra – clear understanding of the world around us and beyond

Illnesses in the physical body can be associated with blockages in the Chakra energy systems. By practicing yoga, we can help to clear any blockages in the energy system, helping to keep to body healthy and to aid in healing. By opening an energy system we allow the healing energy of prana to flow into it. As our energy systems become clearer, prana is able to flow more freely throughout the body, creating balance in all of the bodily systems.

For the next seven weeks I will post detailed information on each Chakra, and suggest specific yoga postures, breathing techniques and mantras that will help clear the energy system associated with the specific Chakra. We will begin next week with the Root Charkra.

Namaste

The First Noble Truth

The First Noble Truth - provides a full understanding of Suffering

The Cause of Suffering--samudaya

The principle cause of suffering is the attachment to "desire" or "craving", tanha. Both desire to have (wanting) and desire not to have (aversion).

• Desire for sense-pleasures--kama-tanha, which manifests itself as wanting to have pleasant experiences; the taste of good food, sexual experiences, good music, getting high or drunk, etc.
• Desire to become--bhava-tanha, is the ambition that comes with wanting attainments or recognition or fame. It is the craving to “be somebody” at to get attention.
• Desire to get rid of--vibhava-tanha, is our desire to eliminate unpleasant experiences in life: unpleasant sensations, anger, fear, jealousy.
  The clinging to desire comes from our experience that short-term satisfaction comes from following desire. We ignore the fact that satisfying our desires doesn't bring an end to them.

Everyone is aware of suffering and knows when they have unpleasant sensations such as hunger, cold, or sickness and recognize these as things that one doesn't like. But the first noble truth includes awareness of all the ramifications of suffering because it encompasses the very nature and essence of suffering. This includes knowledge of the subtle and the obvious aspects of suffering. The obvious aspect of suffering is immediate pain or difficulty in the moment. Subtle suffering is more difficult to understand because it begins with happiness. But by its very nature, this happiness must change because it cannot go on forever. Because it must change into suffering, then subtle suffering is the non-permanence of pleasure.

Collective Flow w/Coral Brown

Presented by the Dharma Connection:


We will flow in a creative, dynamic method based upon vinyasa drama (stages of evolution). Therefore, this practice is open to yogis of all levels. Within this class, multi-dimensional sequencing will allow us to integrate standing poses, backbends, forward bends, twists and hip openers. Using the four movements of Prana to provide the experience of energetic alignment within the flow will lead to the cultivation of the fluid body.

When: Saturday, October 17th 2-4:30 pm
Where: The Dharma Connection
6 Merchants Road, Unit #8
Sandwich, MA 02563

REGISTER ONLINE

email: info @dharmaconnection.com
phone: (508) 296-3619

Pre-registration is required as space is limited

Cost: $35

Coral Brown, MA has been teaching yoga for 9 years. As a 500 eRYT certified senior teacher trainer for Shiva Rea, she travels the world teaching Prana Flow (an energetic, creative, full-spectrum approach to embodying the flow of yoga cultivated by Shiva Rea). Coral is known for fusing her experience as a Holistic Counselor into her teachings. Her body, mind, spirit approach to psychology invites students to BE in their bodies so that they may consciously release physical and emotional tension. Coral’s infectious spirit enables students to find their balance through the joy of practicing Prana Flow yoga. Coral received her Masters of Arts from Salve Regina University’s Holistic Counseling program.