UPCOMING EVENTS
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October 10-12
Beryl Bender Birch Retreat
November 8th
Workshop with Jeff Logan
December 6th
Workshop with Mokshapriya Shakti and
Holiday Luncheon
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Join Our List |
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2015 Membership Drive
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Why support LIYA?
LI Yoga Association is one the nation's oldest yoga associations. A dream that began in 1988 has seen many changes, but the one thing that keeps LIYA strong is you, our members. LIYA is always moving forward, providing renowned presenters, social media networking with email blasts and Facebook. Where else can you reap so many benefits with such a little cost? Our new website will be up and running shortly. Don't miss out on LIYA's next exciting chapter! New to LIYA? join now and your membership is good till December 2015. That's 15 months for the price of 12! Click here for membership
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Greetings yogis and yoginis,
With the fall season arriving, the cooler days, the leaves falling, and the trees becoming dormant, prepares nature to receive the winter months. Our attention turns inwards as well, supporting our community, enlightening and reconnecting not just with the self but also with each other. The upcoming retreat with Beryl Bender Birch is a great opportunity to come together, to pay attention and to fill our cup with inspiration, knowledge, light, love, mindfulness and gratitude. Beryl's new book will be available for sale at the retreat, for every book purchased; one will be donated to a veteran. The book will be for sale at $15.00 each (25% off retail price). If you are planning to attend the retreat, we ask that you leave all fragrances at home as so many of us suffer with allergies.
Our new website is almost completed thanks to the priceless help from one of our members, Susan O'Leanik, we couldn't have done without her, thank you Susan. We hope to facilitate a better access and ease of service with our new website. Thank you so very much for your patience during this transition.
Our Members' Events blast has grown in numbers and we are thrill to see the increase support as LIYA's first and foremost mission is to bring the yoga community together. If you have any suggestions for presenters, insight and/or you are not receiving our emails, please contact us by email at longislandyogaassociation@yahoo.com.
Our LIYA Facebook page has also been updated and it's being kept current by our board member Cathy Fizzinoglia.
The board is working very hard to continue to provide an array of different yoga workshops for our members.
The upcoming workshops are:
November 8 Jeff Logan
December 6 Mokshapriya and the Holiday Luncheon
January 10 Jennifer Brilliant
February 14 Kim Williams (Kishori Gopika d.d.)
March 14 Joan Arnold
April 11 Wellness Day
Hope you enjoy the amazing articles written especially for you by our own members.
With much love and gratitude,
Roxana C. Lucero
President
Long Island Yoga Association
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Iliotibial Band Syndrome By Janine Ambroze
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What is the iliotibial (IT) band and where can you find it?
The IT band is a tendon, which is composed of fibrous tissue. It attaches to a short muscle at the top of the pelvis called the tensor fasciae latae. The ITB runs down the side of the thigh and connects to the outside edge of the tibia, also known as the shin bone, just below the middle of the knee joint. The ITB crosses over the side of the knee joint givingadditionalstability during movement. The distal end of the band passes over the outer edge of the lateral femoral condyle, the lower part of the femur, when the knee bends and straightens. In between the lateral femoral condyle and ITB, there is a bursa, a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion to prevent friction when gliding back and forth. This constant friction can cause inflammation in the bursa, the ITB, and/or the bone. Such inflammation results in discomfort or pain in one or both knees (bursitis) or hips (trochanteric bursitis).
Who can be affected with ITB?
In ITB syndrome, the band may overdevelop, tighten, and rub across the hipbone and/or the outer part of the knee. This syndrome is often found in athletes such as runners or yogis who experience lateral knee pain. It is suggested that ITB syndrome happens when the knee bows outward. Individuals who have certain foot abnormalities such as foot pronation - flat arches, and/or knee abnormalities such as bow legged (genu varum) or knock-kneed (genu valgum-supination) legs are at increased risk for developing ITB syndrome. Some individuals may also experience snapping hip pain, which is a pain caused by the ITB snapping back and forth over the point of the hip in a region called the greater trochanter.
How can you treat ITB?
Most cases of ITB syndrome can be treated with simple measures. Heat, ice and rest are often used as well as including a program of stretching and strengthening. An assessment of any muscle imbalances, joint alignment of the hip and lower leg, pelvis knee and feet should also be conducted.
How does yoga help?
To keep a healthy IT band, you must begin with proper biomechanics and posture. Consider the following:
TADASANA, TADASANA, TADASANA
Foot strengthening for excessively flat feet or high arches (over pronation in feet and limited ROM of ankle)
Leg length inequality
Weakness in hip abductors-excessive internal rotation of the knee
Weakness or poor control of knee muscles-especially the quadriceps
Dominance of anterior hip muscles (TFL) over posterior hip muscles (gluteals)
Myofascial restrictions in the hip and thigh, increasing tension on the band
Some suggested asanas to address the above:
Tadasana (Mountain), Viabhadrasana I &II (Warriors I &II), Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge), Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero), Eka Pada Raj Kapotasana (Pigeon), Garudasana (Eagle) Gomukhasana (Cow Face), Upavista Konasana (Wide-Angle Forward Fold), Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Big Toe Pose) , Adho Mukkha Savanasana (Downward Dog), Dandasana(Staff), Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch), Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Extended Side Angle) Supta Parivartanasana (Reclined twist), Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Twist), Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall)
**It is recommended to consult with a registered yoga teacher. If any pain persist seek medical assistance. Namaste.
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Rikki's Corner - Healthy Recipes
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Quinoa grown in my garden.
Summer is drawing to a close. While we may bemoan, once again, that it went by so quickly, our bodies are already anticipating the eventual winter, with its slow coldness and isolation. For those of us living in the north, it is time to let go of our desire for the loose flowing tomatoes and fruits that fill our summer gardens, and instead begin to seek out the heartiness of warming foods, like soups and stews.
Fall farm stands help to get us in the mood with their bounty of pumpkins, squash, and other dense vegetables. But there is a plant that we can grow and reap right from our own backyard that is equally warming and nutritious, though most of us will harvest it from our local health foods grain bins. Break out the quinoa!
Quinoa is actually a seed which is why it is so dense with protein. There is a life form stored within waiting to grow. Just like an egg, seeds contain high levels of protein. Quinoa, like sesame and flaxseeds, also contains heart healthy lignans and high levels of magnesium that help protect us from type 2 diabetes. Like many seeds, quinoa is coated with a bitter enzyme inhibitor called saponin that must be rinsed off before eating. That is why soaking and sprouting is recommended for all your seeds. After rinsing the quinoa, you're ready to cook it.
My advice is: throw out the measuring cups. Simply place your rinsed quinoa in a pot and add water to cover one inch above the grain. You can add other grains, and I like to cook basmati rice and quinoa together. Put on a low flame, let simmer, and then cover til tender. Add more water if needed. If there is too much water take off the lid and let the excess moisture steam off. You will get a feel for it after a while.
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Asana Column by Jeff Logan
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FINDING GOD IN TRIANGLE POSEPrashant Iyengar (BKS's son) once said that the misconception of Yoga is spreading faster then Yoga itself. This is especially true in the area of asana. We tend to either perform yogasanas as acrobatics demonstrations or as physical exercises.
Careful reading of the Shiva Samhita, Patanjali's Sutras and other ancient Yoga texts will reveal that the practice of asana is an integral part of Yoga and as such, should serve to unite us with God (Isvara -pranidhana).
Patanjali tells us to practice with "satkara" or reverence and defines perfection in asana as "Ananta samapatti" or absorption into the "Infinite One". He further defines Svadhyaya, one of the niyamas, as study of the scriptures so one can be in contact with his /her desired deity.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna informs Arjunathat if one sits with and erect steady posture with the mind fixed on Him (Krishna) the yogi 's needs will be provided and he shall be protected forever.
Our work in asana therefore should be performed as an act of worship, as an oblation or offering without ego attachment to the results.
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Garden Memories by Susan Percoco
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As a young child I can remember my father planting a vegetable garden. Watching him sow the soil and then in a carefully laid out plan, place each plant side by side planing the taller ones in the back row, as they will soon need a trellis to support their vines and heavy bounty.
The planting season began in late spring and with the arrival of summer, Mother Nature delivered to us a vast variety of vegetables and herbs. The colors were captivating, as were the aromatic smells.
My mother would pick from the garden what would soon be the main ingredients to our delicious dinner that night. I was fascinated that from a tiny seedling came food so hearty and delicious and it was right from our own back yard!
When I was on my own, I began growing my own garden. At first, it was a small patch in the back of my apartment. Tomatoes and peppers along with basil and oregano were my staple ingredients to many of my earlier cooking adventures.
As I moved into my first house and the property was much larger, the garden grew in size and variety. My recipes were growing as well!
Today, along with my husband, we tend to our garden with the same love as my father did tending to his own. I plan my dinner just as my mother did. As I pick each vegetable off its vine, I thank Mother Nature for this glorious nourishment.
"To eat what you have grown, is to experience a relationship with Mother Earth"
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