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The Inner Voice
A weekly newsletter from Debbie Jensen-Grubb, RYT500
August 27, 2012- Issue 4
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New Item! Free!!
The Daily Yoga Poses Poster |  FREE!!! For all who receive this newsletter my first ever poster to download and print out! Thank you for joining The Inner Voice newsletter! (You need to open it in another window and print it from there.) |
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This weeks reading can be seen here at The Daily OM:
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| Greetings! |  As we can feel our summer of 2012 drawing to a close we begin to relish these last days of warmth, long days, gentle evenings, and relaxing vacations. Our minds begin to turn to schools starting, schedules, and getting back into our regular routines. Allow yourself to linger at this bend of the year just before we fall into winter to look at the small wonders all around you. Allow your senses to delight in the waning days of summer. Breathe deeply, connect with that calm within, and carry it with you as you flow into your day.
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| Bridge Pose - Setu Bhanda Sarvangasana |
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This week we will work on Bridge Pose (Setu Bhanda Sarvangasana). This soothing beginner's backbend works the spine which houses your nervous system. When done mindfully and slowly it begins to loosen the muscles along the spine, opens the lungs and chest, and strengthens the legs and hips. One focus for this pose is the vertebrae of the spine: think of them as pearls on a string, each with it's own articulation. Slowly lift one vertebrae at a time off of the floor and lower them back down in the same way. Do this 3 - 5 times before getting into the full pose. The second focus is the legs: don't let them splay out. Keep the four points of the feet firmly planted on the ground with the knees hip-width apart. You can place a block between the knees to accomplish this. Remember to keep the spine fluid and spacious. Let's work on this pose together by clicking on the image above. You'll find that it will bridge the gap bringing to you both energy and tranquility to continue your day.
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| Mantra | |
A mantra is a sound or phrase that aids in the concentration of meditation. It is a Sanskrit term and literally means 'instrument of thought'. Here you will find a suggested mantra to use during the week. Just repeat it whenever you need a lift.
I live in the now. Each moment is new. I breathe new life into this day.
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Rib Tickler of the Week - hee hee
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I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long someone stands there picking the locks they are always locking three! ~ Elayne Boosier
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Nutrition Prescription - Cinnamon
|  Cinnamon is a spice that everyone loves! The original spice came from Ceylon as was one of the first spices to be traded between Near East and Europe. The Ceylon cinnamon is rarely found in your neighborhood market though, rather another version called cassia cinnamon is what most people use. The Ceylon cinnamon is made in Ceylon, Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean, whereas the cassia cinnamon is made in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known. It was mentioned in the Bible and in ancient Egypt it was used as a medicine as well as an embalming agent! It was considered more precious than gold in trading!
One of the most important benefits of cinnamon is the fact that it is an antimicrobial. One study proved that cinnamon worked to kill the growth of yeast when the drug fluconazole did not. So it can be used to aid in healing Candida and fungal infections.
Another one is that it aids in balancing our blood sugar, which is good for those with type 2 diabetes, by improving their ability to respond to insulin.
It even boosts brain power! When participants in a study were given cinnamon gum or just smelled cinnamon their cognitive powers, visual motor speed, and working memory improved while working at a computer.
There is much to benefit from adding cinnamon to your diet. I sprinkle a little on my espresso every morning. The aroma just gives me that lift I need in the morning!
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| Ponderings - Simple Pleasures |  I happened to walk into the office after class one day and overhear a student talking to her yoga teacher, telling her of the tribulations she was facing in her life. She also was reiterating how much better she felt after her yoga class. With tears in her eyes she was relaying not only the things she was dealing with in her life, she was also grateful for the recess the class and teacher gave her from them.
This is what each yoga teacher wishes to achieve for their students. It is not about getting into the perfect pose, though the poses have much to do with releasing stress. It is not about doing calisthenics, or competing, or comparing yourself with others ~ more stress to put on yourself.
Yoga is so much more than that. When you come to a yoga class and sit on your mat it is as if all your troubles fall away for awhile. For just an hour and a half you are living in the moment. For that all-too-short interval of your day or week you become present...to your breath, to your body...to yourself. All your cares and concerns are left out by the front door and this time - it's just for you.
As you begin to release the tensions of the day from your body, mind, and heart you begin to awaken to the wonders of you. The miracles of the breath, of how the body supports you throughout your life, and you begin to see the small wonders that are all around you as well. You begin to realize the marvel of life itself and this fantastical world we live in. As you leave the class you carry a peacefulness with you that you perhaps didn't have when you first entered. It's as though you got a break, a mini vacation, and can now deal with life again. With new awareness you see the wonders of this beautiful world that surround you. Perhaps you notice the sky now. Perhaps you feel more grounded. Perhaps you have more patience with people, strangers and those that share your life. Perhaps you begin to see how we are all connected. And just perhaps you are inspired to do what you can to make this world a better place.
Yoga is a rescuer of sorts, imparting feelings of hope, peace, and love. Yoga allows one to discover the safe place within their own hearts where they can recognize the beauty that weaves through all of us and our world. Yoga wakes us up to life. It is a balm to calm our frazzled nerves. It revitalizes and wakes us up to the splendor of each passing day.
Whether you practice yoga once a week or everyday, yoga touches you and changes you and invites you to savor every moment. It brings you back into the heart of life to enjoy all of it's simple pleasures, one moment at a time.
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A note to all of my students~I will be out of town next week from September 1st - 8th. The experienced teachers that will be subbing will bring a new energy, wisdom, and view to your yoga. Julia will sub the afternoon classes, Rimmi the morning classes, and Trisha the Yoga with Weights class. There will be no newsletter for that week as well.
See you in class!
Namaste,
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The next workshop is:
Yoga Nidra
Sunday, September 16th from 1:00 - 2:30
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