The Best Tool For Health?

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” 

~ Abraham Maslow

I believe that we often see solutions from the perspective of what we already know or possess. We are limited to this unless we are open to learning and experiencing new things.

Here are a few tools I’ve used in my own journey to wellness:

• When I needed help dealing with a very stressful time of my life, I worked with a mental health therapist.

• I wanted to learn more about how to eat properly, so I studied holistic nutrition, and then became a health coach.

• I discovered yoga as a way to feel better in my mind AND body, then studied to become a yoga teacher. The broader practice of yoga includes breathwork (Pranayama), which is extremely powerful.

• Most recently I learned about Foundation Training, which has specific exercises to help us correct imbalances from modern day life. I continue to study FT, and am now a certified trainer.

• Meditation and other stress-relieving techniques like EFT tapping and healing vibration music are also in my tool bag.

Fortunately, yoga as a whole does contain so much that is beyond the poses, so it still is my primary go-to as a life practice.

I believe that the more wellness tools I learn, the more it helps me, and I have more to share with my students for THEIR wellness.

If you want to practice mindful movement and learn wellness with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Steady Mind For Better Everything

Welcome to October!

This past week in classes I shared a practice called Sa Ta Na Ma. It comes from Kundalini yoga, and is often used as a chant and/or meditation. I’ve discovered that it is also used to help people suffering from PTSD, children with autism, and anyone with anxiety.

Repeating a mantra connected to tactile sensation can be a very effective way to steady and calm the mind. I find that with a steadier mind, I do better with balance, with decision-making, and even sleep better.

To practice, touch your thumb to one finger at a time (index finger 1st, or starting with the pinkie in) and say or think one syllable with each finger, then repeat for as long as you like.

You may simply enjoy the sound vibrations, but here’s one explanation of what the sounds represent:

Sa = Infinity

Ta = Birth

Na = Death

Ma = Rebirth

This mantra can also signify letting go of old patterns, and welcoming new ones that support you in becoming who you were meant to be. If you prefer, you can use an English Language phrase that is also 4 syllables, such as “I am peaceful,” or any phrase that has special meaning to you. Here’s an article that explains more.

If you find that your mind wanders a lot when you’re trying to rest, give Sa Ta Na Ma a try!

If you want to practice mindful movement and meditation with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Seasons Change

“How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.”

― John Burroughs

The beginning of fall does bring to mind changing of leaf colors, and cooler temperatures. Here in South Florida we don’t get much of those color changes, but there is already a slight cooling of temperatures that gives us a much-welcome relief from summer.

The poem reminds me that aging is not something to dread or disdain. I believe there is much to admire in growing wisdom, adapting to a changing body, and less regard for maintaining a certain image.

As I turned 60 last week I was reminded by many students, friends, and family members that the concept of age is really relative to each person’s unique experience. (Many thanks to all of you who said 60 was still young!)

Some People in their 30s suffer from chronic health issues and pain; others I know in their 80s are still very vital and mobile. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum, doing the best we can with what we have.

I celebrated that milestone, AND accomplished something I thought was pretty cool: I passed my test to become a Foundation Training Certified Level 1 instructor! Although many I trained with were fitness / medical professionals or athletes, I knew that I brought a unique perspective to the training because I understood how it would help those of us who are over 50 live better in our bodies.

If you want to practice mindful Yoga and Foundation Training with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

My Birthday Gift

I’m celebrating a “milestone” birthday very soon.

Instead of dreading it, I’ve been mentally preparing myself for a few months by observing and talking to wonderful people I know who are my age or older, listening to comments, complaints, and advice. I’ve also been taking “inventory” of what’s good in my life.

I know the years bring some challenges in my body and life, yet I recognize it’s also a privilege to grow older, because it’s something many don’t get to do.

My personal yoga practice, and teaching, has changed over the 20 or so years since I first discovered it. There are many poses I can’t (or choose not to) do anymore, but I have gained better awareness and respect for my body, as well as a deeper insight into what yoga is to me, besides the poses.

My birthday wish is to enjoy life with my family and friends, to stay healthy, and to be able to continue to share yoga and movement with you.

If you want to practice mindful yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

The Beauty of Stillness

Photo courtesy of Holistic Yoga School, from this article.

I’m one of those people who finds it difficult to be still. Can you relate to this? I always have something on my “to do” list waiting for me, and find myself squeezing last minute chores in between things on my schedule.

When this tendency starts to affect my mood, mental clarity, or ability to relax or sleep well, I know that what I need most is stillness. When I can just SIT, BREATH, and BE, without doing, I can reconnect to my body, my breath, and my life.

I also use this technique when I have a big decision to make, but feel paralyzed by all of the options. I often find that important choices are being influenced by: ego, what I think I “should do,” what others think, and just pure desire. After taking some time to meditate, the best choice usually becomes clear, and I feel right with the decision (even if it’s to do nothing).

FYI, I wrote everything above myself, but here’s something I got from ChatGPT, when I was trying to decide what to write. It’s artificial intelligence (AI), but I think it’s spot-on and worth sharing:

“Stillness is not a luxury; it's a necessity for our well-being. In the quietude of stillness, we find clarity, creativity, emotional balance, and a deep connection to the present moment. It is a refuge from the noise of modern life and a gateway to a more fulfilling, mindful existence. So, amidst the chaos of life, take a moment to embrace the profound beauty of stillness.”

If you want to practice mindful yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Yoga Rules

I found this graphic at Macorner.com, where you can personalize a poster or canvas like this with your name. In a sense, items listed on the graphic relate to yoga and life principles, or guidelines, more than actual rules.

If you’ve been to any of my classes, you may have heard my main “rules” - they are simple and easy to remember:

1. Honor your body. This is an overarching principle of yoga, which requires that you learn to turn inwards and listen to your body’s signals and instincts vs. your ego. These signals can help you determine whether you go to class at all, take it easy when needed, or skip poses that aren’t for you in that moment. They can also motivate you to put just a little more effort into a pose, or take another sun salutation, if you have lots of energy.

2. Pay attention to your breath. Of course we breathe, or we wouldn’t be here. However, connecting to our breath pattern, and practicing different breathing techniques is so important to our well-being.

In addition to these, there are some basic rules of etiquette that may apply in any group setting, but also some specific to yoga classes, in order for everyone to get the best experience possible.

1. Be courteous and mindful of others, in spacing, in limiting distractions, and avoiding heavy perfumes, for example.

2. Turn off your cell phone ringer. This includes smart watch notifications, too.

3. Stay through the end of class, if possible. If you must leave early, do so before final relaxation (Savasana) to avoid disturbing others during this peaceful time.

If you want to practice mindful yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Is It September Yet?

I remember someone telling me “don’t wish time away” when I was younger, and it stuck with me. It was probably in response to something I said, along the lines of “I can’t wait until. . . . happens / is over!” I understand the advice more now than then, because time passes too quickly.

August has actually been a great month for me in many ways. Despite the extreme heat (or maybe because of it), most of my classes are still going strong. I’m also getting many requests for new classes, which is a good problem to have, but requires much thought and planning, because there’s only one of me!

I know that in South Florida it really doesn’t cool down much in September, but just this past week we had slightly cooler temperatures early morning / late evening, giving us glimmers of autumn ahead.

If you want to practice mindful yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Variety Is Good

“Variety is the very spice of life,

That gives it all its flavor.”

From William Cowper's poem, “The Task” (1785)

When is the last time you tried something new? Such as: eating a different food, visiting an unfamiliar city, or taking a class with a different teacher?

We all have our favorites, and it can be uncomfortable venturing out into the unknown. However, when we open ourselves to trying new things, we may discover things we couldn’t have anticipated. Or we may just learn what we DON’T like, which is also valuable.

Embracing diversity can be:

Good for the brain

Good for the body

Good for personal growth

An adventure

In yoga, for example, each teacher brings their own personal style, background, and energy to teaching. One may resonate with you better than another, but you can learn from each one. I know I have, and I’ve tried many different classes over the years.

In that vein I want to introduce my friend Deeann Kelly to you. I met Deeann when I lived in the DFW, Texas area over 7 years ago, and we’ve stayed in touch (mostly through Facebook). Recently I discovered that she was offering chair yoga on Zoom, to a very nice and dedicated group that followed her since the pandemic. I took one of her classes and loved her style. She is very calm, welcoming, casual, and knowledgeable. I had the opportunity to substitute teach for her while she took vacation, and will again in the future.

If you’re interested in virtual live classes that you can attend from home, Deeann offers chair yoga on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 12 pm PST / 3 pm EST, all by donation.

Here’s more about Deeann, in her words:

After decades of living the stressful lifestyle within an army family, raising three girls and moving every two years, the effects of the stress started to manifest  in my body to where my doctor suggested I try yoga! (Thankfully, because I love the holistic approach whenever possible). Ever since that first class, I've been hooked on yoga. I was drawn to help others achieve the same relief that I found through yoga, I initially studied adaptive yoga for people with all sorts of limitations.

I've always been fascinated by the body's healing abilities from being a medic in the army to getting a degree in Health Education, then furthering my yoga studies beyond the 200hr training in a 300 hour yoga therapist Level I program, along with several other trainings like the Science of Happiness, Mindful Meditation, Silver Sneakers, Yoga for Parkinsons, better balance, hip limitations and Connected Warriors for trauma conscious yoga...combine that with my love of Iyengar and Viniyoga styles and you have a blend in the yoga classes that I offer.

Worth mentioning, although it's not yoga, are my trainings as a Parkinson's fitness coach with Rock Steady Boxing and Parkinson's Wellness Recovery that help to build my repertoire of activities that help with balance, coordination, neuromuscular improvement and fun.

If you want to practice with Deeann, please reach out to her via email at healingyoga101@gmail.com, phone # (817)367-8411. Her website is:

http://deeannkellygentleyoga.weebly.com/classes-offered.html

If you want to practice mindful yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Safe Backbends

The expression to “bend over backwards” implies doing something that is very strenuous or difficult. When I stated that we were doing backbends in classes last week, many students envisioned something like this picture.  

For many bodies this acrobatic yoga pose - called Wheel - is not attainable, and can be painful or even dangerous.  If the spine isn’t flexible enough, then attempting this creates more pressure on the low back, shoulders, or both. I have to say that it’s been many, many years since I was able to do Wheel pose (or even tried it).

However, there’s a more accessible “backbend,” which is a lengthening and gentle arching of the spine backwards, called Spinal Extension. We do this in the “Cow” portion of Cat/Cow, or when we stretch our arms out and back while lifting our chest and gaze.. A healthy spine can and should move through all of the different ways it is intended to.

This spinal extension is a counterpose to the slouching we do, when our shoulders are rounded forward and chest caved in. It broadens the chest, builds strength in the back muscles, and helps with breathing. Energetically, we may feel more confident, and open to the outside world. There’s more info in this article.

If you want to practice mindful yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Yoga Responsibly?

After weeks of work to help get my left shoulder and wrist out of pain and working properly, my chiropractor recently told me that I could test yoga poses that had been previously been off-limits. His actual words: “do yoga responsibly.”

What does that mean? I believe it means to practice physical yoga, or do any physical activity, with an awareness of your abilities, needs, and limitations. Not to be afraid, but to explore mindfully, without ego or competitiveness.

In this sense YOU are the teacher, and your body will let you know what it needs, if you listen. Use your interoception (sense of understanding and feeling what’s going on inside your body) and intuition to guide you. By the way, when I injured my shoulder 3 years ago, it was because I was NOT listening to my body and, out of ego, did some repetitive yoga poses I knew were a struggle for me.

I am simply the educator and guide to the shapes, transitions, breathing techniques, etc. I am not downplaying my role in any way, but ultimately only you know how these work for you.

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Keep Your Cool

Courtesy of NPR Life Kit

How to Stay Cool

Step 1: find air conditioning

Step 2: stay in air conditioning

Obviously this is joking; I do understand that there are many people and areas that don’t have access to air conditioning.  When I was growing up in Texas, we only had the “swamp cooler” on for a few hours a day, and only in the hottest part of summer.

However, when our AC went down 2 weeks ago - about 18 hours - I was nearly panicked. Fortunately, we got a service person out quickly, and it was only a 20 minute repair.  We also had my mom nearby to leave Lulu, and spend time to cool off.

South Florida is known for its heat and humidity, but now so much of the world is going through it too.  I’ve noticed often that when heat increases, people are often more irritable, and tempers can flare.  Here’s an NPR Article with 12 minute audio with tips on managing in summer.  

As August begins, I am re-committing to teaching my summer classes with a slower pace, giving regular water breaks, and allowing more time for relaxation and stillness in Savasana.

We may also practice a cooling breath, called Sitali Pranayama (video here).  Give it a try!  If you find that curling your tongue doesn’t work for you, simply purse your lips as if you were drinking air through a straw.  Sip in air through your lips, pause to feel the coolness, then close the lips and exhale through the nose.

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Small Moments To Celebrate

I really enjoyed this graphic message, reminding us to celebrate life’s small moments daily.

(If you want more inspiration like this, please support artist Mary Davis by following her on social media, or going to her website to order her books:) https://www.everydayspirit.net/

The “small moments” I often celebrate each day are in simply connecting: to nature, to family / friends, and to my yoga students. Little things like noticing a breeze, a cute bird, or Lulu doing something silly, bring me a peaceful happiness .

Sometimes I get to chat with yoga students before or after class, or I receive an email/text commenting on something from these newsletters. I enjoy these interactions, so don’t hesitate to reach out, even if it’s not yoga-related.

We never know what each day will bring, so let’s take the opportunity to enjoy those little moments whenever we can.

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Getting What You Need

I was talking to my new chiropractor early last week about discomfort (and sometimes real pain) when it’s necessary. He’s been working on me with my ongoing left wrist and shoulder condition, and sometimes I’m sore for days after. It is definitely helping, though, and I now am getting a glimpse of what it will be like to have my regular use back.

It made me think of this song by The Rolling Stones: You Can’t Always Get What You Want. I don’t really understand what the whole song is about, but I like the end of the chorus:

“But if you try sometime,

You just might find. . .

You get what you need”

When I practice and teach yoga, I’m often drawn just to the relaxing stretches and poses. It’s perfect for calming down and releasing tension. I also know that I need to do some less-relaxing work to keep my body structurally sound and functional. It isn’t always fun, but it keeps me out of pain.

This is why I will continue to integrate Foundation Training and other strong yoga work in my classes, along with the “feel-good” stuff. Hopefully it’s a good balance, and just what you need!

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Reboot Yourself

Courtesy of Paulina Vargas - RedBubble site

My dad (who’s a self-proclaimed computer nerd) commented recently on Facebook about how years ago you sometimes solved computer problems by using Control Alt Delete, but that with current Windows applications you now have to actually turn off the computer for a “hard” reboot.

What about people? How do we “reboot” ourselves when we’re feeling glitchy? I’m sure you have your favorite methods, and you can guess I’m going to suggest mindful breathing and yoga.

These days we have so much information available at our fingertips, and we can find ourselves compelled to watch or scroll for hours. One thing I do periodically is to turn off all media: TV, cell phone, computer, kindle, etc. Then I find something that’s more grounding, such as actually stepping onto the grass, or getting on my yoga mat for gentle stretches.

Here’s a great article on a study which found that limiting social media for just 30 minutes produced higher levels of positive emotions. What’s your go-to when you need a reboot?

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Body, Mind, Heart

The picture I’ve included is from a close family member, done digitally on a coloring application (think childhood coloring book, on a computer). I found it very calming and uplifting, so I wanted to share it (with her permission, although she didn’t want credit)..

Sometimes I become really focused on giving you technical / educational information. Then I remember that it’s also important to address mental and emotional aspects of life. True holistic health requires a balance of it all.

I’ve been sharing information from Foundation Training lately, because it’s something I’ve been studying and practicing to help me with chronic body issues. I’ve also been incorporating some of the work into my yoga classes. I’m receiving good reactions so far, and am open to all constructive feedback.

In the process of working on our bodies, let’s not forget the things that bring us joy, for a calm mind and happy heart.

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Happy 4th of July weekend,

Eva

Does Posture Matter?

Courtesy of Lifestyle Medical Center

Do you notice the difference between the seated postures in the picture above (from Lifestyle Medical Center, in this article: How Proper Posture Can Improve Your Health, Career, and Social Life)? To be honest, I’ve been the one on the left (or worse) for much of my life. I see pictures of me playing piano when I was about 13, and I cringe.

Why care about posture? I have personally experienced that proper posture reduces or eliminates pain, which is a biggie. Improved breathing and body function follows. It can also improve your confidence as you move through the world.

Practicing yoga poses has helped me identify where my alignment is off, and how it affects my body. It also helps release the tension and pain caused by those slouching habits.

It’s one thing to practice good alignment in Mountain, Downward Dog, and other poses for the length of a yoga class; it’s quite another to bring that into the remaining hours of the day once you leave class.

Real change happens when you take what you learn off the mat (or chair) and into real life. Change can be hard, especially when you’re dealing with a deacdes-long habit!

I’m currently studying Foundation Training, which is a system of specialized breathing, anchoring, and corrective body-weight exercises designed to correct imbalances that come from our daily habits. I’ll be incorporating some of this work into my yoga classes, with the intention of giving you some tools to make those lasting changes with me. You’ll hear me use the cue “Chest Up, Chin Back” often!

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Building Confidence

Courtesy of Harvard Medical School

Last week I wrote about a Harvard study which reported that “people who practiced yoga improved two markers of frailty — walking speed and the ability to get up from a chair — compared with people who didn't practice yoga.”

Frailty was defined as “a loss of function, strength, stamina, and overall health and fitness that increases the risk of falls, hospitalizations, and early death.”

Now that my brain is starting to recover from COVID fog, I’ve been able to organize my thoughts a bit better. Here is why I believe that yoga, in particular, helps us build and maintain confidence in our body, even as we age, or recover from illness and injury:

1. Use it or lose it- you know the saying. If you stop doing a certain activity or movement, your ability and confidence to do it declines. Getting up from a chair (or the ground) easily, is a good example. Carrying heavy grocery bags is another.

2. Mind-body awareness. Yoga is especially good at getting us to bring our awareness to what we feel, mentally and physically. From that awareness we can then choose what we need most in that moment.

3. Whole body movement. I work to ensure we use as many of the joints, muscles, and connective tissue as possible in each class, which I believe keeps us mobile.

4. Breath work. Mindful breathing supports our structure, stamina, and mental health.

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Recovery Time

Photo courtesy of Harvard Health Publishing

I got hit hard last week, right at the end of my staycation. I thought it was flu, but it turns out that my husband and I both got COVID. Luis was down for maybe 3 days total, then was back to work (from home).

I didn’t do much of anything for nearly a week as I moved through all of symptoms and began to feel better. I still feel a little low-energy and have some brain fog (plus I can’t smell or taste much), but I’m ready to get back to life!

Speaking of weakness, this article discusses a Harvard study that determined that “yoga may offer some protection against frailty.” According to the article, frailty is “a loss of function, strength, stamina, and overall health and fitness that increases the risk of falls, hospitalizations, and early death.”

“Research teams from Harvard and elsewhere found that people who practiced yoga improved two markers of frailty — walking speed and the ability to get up from a chair — compared with people who didn't practice yoga.  Many of the studies focused on the benefits of chair-based yoga.”

I have some theories about why this is, but I’ll have to share them another time when I can organize my thoughts better! I look forward to getting back to classes this week.

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Welcoming June

My staycation last week was very nice, in case you’re wondering. With heat, humidity, and rain, it’s feeling like like summer here in South Florida, so we chose to do mostly indoor activities. Mostly it was nice to sleep in a little, lounge around, and just relax most days.

We did manage to get to an outdoors craft festival one morning with my mom, while it was still cool-ish. It was fun to take a trip to a Miami museum followed by lunch. What wasn’t as “fun,” but still satistying, was spending part of 2 days painting the office / guest room / virtual yoga studio.

Although I took a week off, I’m still studying Foundation Training coursework online for 6 weeks, then attending the in-person portion in Tampa later in the month. I think this is going to be life-changing stuff, so I’ll be sprinkling in a bit of what I learn in classes, and explaining the purpose.

I look forward to getting back to classes this week!

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva

Time Off

As I’m writing this my mind is already moving into vacation mode, as I’m taking a week off from teaching.

My husband and I initially planned another camping trip with our little teardrop trailer this holiday weekend, but decided that it’s just getting too hot to be outdoors much here in south Florida! So, until we can travel further north, we’re putting camping plans on hold for the summer.

At first I was resistant and irritated about canceling plans, frantically searching for other travel alternatives. As we chatted we arrived at another idea: stay home and visit local sights, maybe 1 house project. As soon as that happened, guess what? I relaxed - that felt right to me. (Hence the Staycation pic above I borrowed from this article)

It feels much better to go “with the flow” instead of trying to force things. We’ll get to be in our very nice bed at home, sleep in a little, lounge around with our dog Lulu, and let the day take us where it may. I’ve received some great day trip recommendations from many of my friends and students that we may explore.

On this Memorial Day weekend may we honor those who have sacrificed for us.

I’ll be back in 1 week, hopefully refreshed and ready to get back to classes!

If you want to practice yoga with me, I provide many options, including group classes or 1-on-1 sessions via Zoom or in-person, and video recordings.

Be Well,

Eva