Yoga Bits
Morsels of yogic wisdom and information

 Oct. 29 - Nov. 4, 2012  
LongTimeSun
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Why did you change the class schedule!?!
Nooooooo!
Don't sweat it, just
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Shhhhh!
Please do not wake the yogi     

 A couple of weeks ago, I caught that "thing" that's been going around the Los Angeles area. I don't know what it is but I've been conscious only rarely in the past few weeks, eating into the time I would have spent composing a newsletter (or doing anything else for that matter). That seemed like a perfect invitation to re-run the second Yoga Bits ever published from May 2011, which was all about the necessity and benefits of adequate rest. 

--  Mary

 

 

If you're reading this, you're probably sleep deprived. How do I know? Because according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, one in three Americans do not get enough sleep. But, really, you don't need a government study to tell you this, do you? You feel it every day -- in between jolts of caffeine, that is. How did we get here?

 

This is your brain...

(Okay, it's actually a mint plant)

Thriving Mint Plant  

 

This is your brain without rest...

(Same plant in need of watering)  

Wilted Mint Plant   

 

 

One problem is: our culture has a bit of a prejudice against rest. "Get up and go" is often mistaken as a virtue even though lack of sleep is linked to major health and wellness problems -- everything from premature aging to cardiac disease. The body performs vital functions during relaxation, most of which can only occur during sleep thanks to the intense pressures in our contemporary waking lives.  

 

What happens if, instead of making one more call or doing one more task, you just stopped? This concept is so foreign to many of us that it is almost inconceivable. Yet you would be wise to give the idea some consideration.

 

The yogis have known the necessity of proper rest for thousands of years and that explains why your yoga class ends with savasana. The relaxation in savasana serves numerous functions:

  • Rejuvenates the parasympathetic nervous system

  • Releases rigid patterns in the muscles and blood flow

  • Distributes prana stimulated by the exercises

  • Circulates glandular changes

  • Centers emotional energy

  • Allows the body to "memorize" the relaxation sensation 

  • Integrates a new pattern after an old one is broken

Now with all those fine, fine reasons to shut your eyes, go ahead. Count those sheep.
Sat Nam,
Mary
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Regular Kundalini, Hatha and Restorative classes at my home studio in North Hollywood are now $25 each and can be scheduled upon request. Private sessions are $75 and consist of a 30- to 60-minute consultation, a custom recipe for a personal practice based on your individual needs, and 30 minutes of follow-up instruction by phone or in person.


Why? WHY? WHY?????
Nooooooo!
Upset by the changes to the home schedule?
Don't worry! Just email me.


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The techniques and suggestions presented in Yoga Bits are not intended as medical claims or to substitute for proper medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. If you are elderly or have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician's advice before practicing.