It would be an understatement to say that I’m no stranger to illness. Both myself and the rest of my family has struggled with serious illnesses that have impacted our lives in inexplicable ways. I’ll also admit to being someone who occasionally allows disease to drag me down, depress me and all around get the better of me. But those days are few compared to the days where I challenge anything that comes my way, determined to learn every possible lesson from each life experience.

After my summer diagnosis with Grave’s Disease, I sort of felt I had already conquered the necessary health hurdle for the year. However, right now, I’m waiting on some test results as my doctor fears I might also have diabetes. Hmm. Not the way I wanted to start out 2012. With potential for another life-altering disease, I’ve turned to my typical method of coping: I read. So when I was handed a book that helped explain my current health problems, I couldn’t wait to tell readers all of the Yoga Flavored Life readers all about it.

“When the Body Says No” is written by Dr. Gabor Maté and details the documented connection between disease and our emotions and stress. On more than one occasion, I’ve described myself as an extremely stressed out individual, which is why yoga is such a vital part of my life. It doesn’t help that I’ve had a considerable number of health challenges, which contribute to my stress levels, and according to Dr. Maté, only increases my risk for further disease. This book seems to discuss the proverbial “chicken or egg first” question. Does stress cause disease or is disease the stress-inducer?

Initially, I’ll admit to being full of skepticism about this book. I would say that when it comes to illnesses, I like to be informed, but I don’t wish to be hit over the head with all the things that I’m “doing wrong” or “eating wrong,” mostly because to an extent, I feel like is just too short to operate in constant fear. I also feel that many of these kinds of books manipulate statistics into getting across their message, even if the results of certain studies weren’t at all meant to be bent to suit. This isn’t to say, of course, that I think that a diet consisting solely of fast food and potato chips is at all healthy, but I don’t think that a bi-monthly serving of ice cream will be the death of me either. So faced with a book that pointed to my well-acquainted issue of stress, I was nervous to read it. I was nervous because I knew it would appropriately outline all the ways in which stress is negatively impacting my body.

One of the best things I can say about “When the Body Says No” is that it doesn’t preach and it doesn’t bend scientists’ words into something completely unintended. Instead, Dr. Maté points readers to facts, studies that he in particular has researched and studied, and fact-based conclusions on stress and the impact it has on our mental and physical health. He even goes into details about our childhood stress coping mechanisms can affect the way we manage stress in the future, lending to the nature vs. nurture concept in relation to disease. All this to say, I’m now even more sure that stress, and the ways in which I cope with stress, is negatively affecting my health.

So if you’ve been wondering how to keep major disease at bay, keep up your yoga practice. Breathe deeply, enjoy each day, meditate, speak to counselors or therapists about anxiety and stress, read books, and pursue your passions. And always look to family history, to find ways to prevent history from repeating itself.

Kelly

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Google the word “yoga” and a million different sites will pop up for your perusal. In fact, it quickly becomes difficult to discern the credible from the crazy, and you could easily waste hours of your time trying to to research one small detail of your practice. As a former military logistics officer, whose job it was to be the penultimate of organized, the mass of information overwhelms and exhausts me.

So you can imagine my excitement to come across websites like Yoga Vancouver and Yoga Toronto. Want to see what classes are running and at which studios? Want to connect with other yogis? Want to find a specific teacher or read about upcoming yoga-related events? These websites let you do all of these things and answer of all these questions with a quick click of your mouse button. In a matter of 15 seconds, I was able to wade through the slew of offered classes and instead, pare them down by a variety of different categories; which class was running next, which studio is closest to me, and what type of yoga was being taught. Brilliant. Organized. Right up my alley.

These sites have some really great features to them, all of which didn’t take me long to navigate. There is a classifieds sections where users can easily access anything from yoga items to massage practitioners to wellness books. There is a whole section dedicated to yoga instructors, with information on everything from insurance to finding studio space. But perhaps my favourite part of the site was the Social Yogis link, which instantly takes you to a site that allows you to connect with other yoga lovers, watch instructional videos and participate in forums. I felt I was being given intimate insight into the daily practices of the site members, giving me new ideas for expanding and developing my own routine. Websites like these, along with Yogaflavouredlife.com, make deepening your practice that much easier, because they allow easy access to information, by collecting sources from a variety of places and delivering it to you all in one nice and tidy package.

So if, like me, you enjoy a little organization with your warrior pose, these websites are for you. With oodles of information at your fingertips, at the very least, these sites are worth checking out.

Kelly

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photo credit: luckylynda74

Okay, so between yoga classes, I’ll admit to a serious obsession with the TV show Dexter, in which Michael C. Hall plays a serial killer with a quasi-conscience, who aims his aggression at other serial killers. The reason I find this intriguing is that his affectionate term for his need to kill is his “dark passenger,” a part of himself that he has to learn to deal with and manage in everyday life.

Now, before anyone takes this post the wrong way, this title isn’t asking anyone if they have homicidal tendencies. But what I find interesting about the TV show is the juxtaposition of the brighter side of one’s personality and the darker side; the part of us that we as a society often tend to either ignore or just flat out pretend doesn’t exist. The reality is, we all have a somewhat darker side to ourselves and sure, if we were to sit and dwell on those parts, life would become pretty grim rather quickly. But I can’t help but feel like Dexter makes a good point…we have to accept all the parts that make up our whole selves. Otherwise, life will be an endless feat of acting. A fake. Exhausting.

Undoubtedly, we all have characteristics and traits that aren’t always favourable. I can be judgmental and hot-tempered and have the lowest capacity for patience known to mankind. All this, and I also hold a mean grudge, even when it comes to things that seem irrelevant to others. But I am also loving, hardworking, a great friend, and a creative soul, and all of these qualities are what spur me onwards in my family and work life. Some of these behaviours are learned, others are inherited and some are just part of my DNA. However, I am fully cognizant that without the bad parts of me, the good parts aren’t quite as special. It is the sum of myself that makes me ME!

The great thing about yoga and meditation practice is the focus on attuning into oneself, acknowledging that no one is perfect and that we could all use to better ourselves. But there is also acceptance for who we are, as a whole, and and ability to make peace with the fact that improving ourselves is a lifelong practice. It is only once we embrace our own “dark passengers” that we can ever get on the path to self-discovery.

So tell me readers! What is the part of you that could be improved upon? Better yet…what is the best part of you??!

Kelly

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Tonight is my last night home in Ontario, after almost a month here with my family, before heading back to British Columbia. And for some reason, right before leaving home, I always get a little wistful and emotional, as I am very close with my family and hate having to leave them behind. And quickly, I end up feeling like I’ll never see them again and I end up forcing myself into doing things I don’t really want to do, but I do it anyways because, “What if it’s the last time???” Quickly, these thoughts consume me to the point that I exhaust myself trying to please everyone but myself.

For example, last night was my last opportunity to go to the Yoga Warrior class with my Dad, which I really treasured as a bonding moment between the two of us. There is a connection between my Dad and I that goes beyond that of just father and daughter, it’s soldier to soldier. We have something special. So when I could blend my love for my Dad with my love for yoga, I was excited to have the opportunity. This is a photo of the two of us about to hope on the motorcycle, my Dad’s favourite relaxation tool.

But after a day of running errands and the hour for Yoga Warriors was drawing near, my heart just wasn’t in it. I had no drive to don my Sorels and step into the wet cold for the name of yoga and I could see the disappointment on my father’s face when I told him I didn’t plan on going. He is new to yoga and so for him, I think my presence in the studio served as a comfort. But even though I turned down the offer to go to class, my Dad surprised me by grabbing his yoga mat and heading out the door to class.

Instead of class, I went downstairs, took a few cleansing breaths and spent some time alone, getting in touch with myself, which I would have done in class anyways. By the time I came upstairs, my Dad was coming back in, a smile of relaxation on his face. For someone as skeptical as him, I was surprised to find that he had really enjoyed himself.

So yesterday, my heart wasn’t in it, and I didn’t push myself to do something that both my mind and my body weren’t ready for. Instead, I recruited a new yogi in my Dad. I think that’s enough work for today!

So embrace the days when you just don’t have it in you but also, take a few moments to reflect on whether or not a yoga class might help you find what you’re looking for. Sometimes, relaxation can be found on the mat, in class or in the living room. It’s all about finding peace within yourself…the location in which you do it is irrelevant.

Kelly

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This week, I had the infinite pleasure of meeting Nicole Taylor, who is trained as a Yoga Warrior instructor, a yoga practice that is designed specifically to assist soldiers in coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as the daily and specific stresses that military members are exposed to. The classes are also open to those who are first responders, such as paramedics and firefighters, who also witness emotionally difficult experiences. Each class is designed to relieve many of the common symptoms of PTSD, including jumpiness, feelings of agitation and anxiety. The concept of Yoga Warriors is especially close to my heart since I was a forth-generation soldier, having served almost a decade after my dad served for thirty-five years before me. This is a photo of me, just a year ago, proudly donning my air force uniform.

Nicole Taylor is the only Canadian to be a trained Yoga Warrior instructor, as Yoga Warriors started in the United States. If you would like to read more about Nicole, please click here, to read a local news article from the Barrie Examiner Newspaper. If I could paint a picture for readers as to the perfect person to lead this kind of practice, Nicole would be the model upon which I would base my drawing. When I walked into the studio (located in Barrie, ON, at Ann Green Bliss Yoga Studio), she was warm and inviting, non-judgemental and informative, kind and compassionate. She was quick to answer all of my questions and was more than willing to share about this innovative method, even when answering the questions from my dad, the ultimate skeptic. As a yoga virgin, he was a little more than nervous to be “getting all touchy-feely,” which is how he (and many other soldiers) describes anything that relates to any sort of emotional experience. But donned in our yoga gear and entering the studio with open minds, we settled into our mats and prepared ourselves for the Yoga Warrior experience.

The class was very much a Hatha style, with great meditation both before and after the session with a small group of just six people. There was specific focus on mindfulness, allowing ourselves to remain in the present and be aware of our surroundings. The largest difference between other Hatha classes I’ve taken was in the approach and words that were used. It has been my experience that sometimes, the terminology used in classes can be off-putting to those trained to be “tough” and business-minded. To say the very least, we aren’t really a crowd accustomed to “getting in touch with ourselves” or picturing grassy meadows and saying words like Namaste. Nicole used words that were accessible and realistic, which is key to reaching those who aren’t familiar with this type of practice.

Working a yoga class around groups of soldiers can be no easy task. Serving in the Forces is a job that demands a certain kind of detachment from oneself, when working conditions and traumatic experiences get the better of us. Especially for those soldiers who have deployed and been put in harms way, the response, upon returning home, can often be to detach from both yourself and the people who love you as a means of coping. We soldiers are trained to respond logically and use our training in each and every situation we encounter, which usually doesn’t leave much room for emotional response. We are taught to “soldier on,” which means we are to continue on no matter the pain, be it physical or mental. Sometimes, this mentality is necessary to survive and sometimes, it only teaches us to retreat into ourselves, never to come out again. This is where Yoga Warriors comes in, and in my opinion, this innovative practice is about the spread like wildfire across Canada and hopefully, across the world. Nicole also teaches classes on several military bases, with many commanders getting on board, acknowledging that their troops need methods to cope with the stress of their work and experiences.

My dad still isn’t sure how he feels about yoga, but we’re headed back to Yoga Warriors this coming Wednesday. For the lovely Nicole Taylor, full of positivity and energy and dedication to her work with our soldiers and veterans, I am in awe of the work you do and the passion you bring to the studio. Thank you for sharing your gift and expanding the minds of our soldiers and their leaders.

In the meantime, you’ve created a new Yoga Warrior who both salutes and stretches, all in one day.

Kelly

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A belated Merry Christmas to all the yogis out there!

I’ve come home to Ontario for the holidays and although I always enjoy time with my family, yoga is crucial to my relaxation. And as it turned out, Santa remembered me in his list of nice girls this year, and I got a new yoga block and two new DVDs, Rodney Yee’s Ultimate Power Yoga and Seane Corn’s Vinyasa Flow Yoga, both by Gaiam. I’m already a huge fan of their products as they have tons of variety, plenty of different variations for those who need a lower or higher level of intensity, and usually some great added bonuses to each disc.

Yoga DVDs have come a long way since the early days, when my first yoga DVD consisted of Ali MacGraw leading the whole thing. Seriously. Ali MacGraw. That disc had one 45 minute long session that I did so often, I still can complete the entire session from memory over ten years later. To say the very least, in the beginnings of my practice, the word “variety” had no place.

But now, DVDs have come so far, with several different sessions on each disc as well as great bonus features such as guided meditation and breathing classes, all designed to enhance your practice and deepen your connection with yourself.

So after a few iterations of each DVD, I’ve become partial to the Corn flow, but I think that’s only because I prefer flow vice power yoga, since I feel it gives me a great workout but also captures what yoga is all about, which is relaxation. I love the breathing session on the Corn DVD and found it to be a great addition, easily completed flow either before or after my yoga session. I did some further reading on Ms. Corn and it seems she is very well educated and practiced, and she leads a great class. Excellent DVD for any flow lover, or even flow newcomer.

This isn’t to say that the Yee DVD isn’t also an excellent choice, however, it very much is power yoga and an intense experience. I was more than a little sweaty by the end but it was extremely well-taught and a really great workout. Yee has many DVDs out at really great prices, not all of them power yoga, so I recommend taking a peek at the Gaiam website, or grabbing one from Amazon.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and found the time to return to themselves and remember their yoga practices, even if that means just popping a disc into the DVD player.

Kelly

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photo credit: Risager

Like most people around the holiday season, I’ve been finding myself a little more than stressed out. On Sunday, I’m headed home to Ontario to spend almost a month at home, and although I’m excited and have a wonderful family, there’s nothing quite like the family dynamic to enhance those stressful feelings! On top of it all, my battle with my Grave’s disease continues, and I’ve officially gone hypothyroid vice hyperthyroid, which means I’m now increasingly gaining weight no matter how healthy my food and portion sizes or how furtive my attempts at exercise. I felt like all this stress could easily be reduced with a great yoga class, and since I feel I need to up the proverbial ante in the exercise department, I thought it best if I took a power flow class vice my usual Hatha class. Oh, how wrong I was.

I went to the class in a bit of a sour mood (considering all my clothing is now too tight and I was feeling rather sausage-esque) but regardless, I went to my mat, sat cross-legged, closed my eyes and tried to get into the frame of mind for a great class. But it quickly became apparent that there was no way to soothe my frazzled nerves, as I was rapidly annoyed with everything, and everyone, in the room. Why were there so many people there? Why hadn’t that guy worn deodorant? Why did that one girl feel the need to take up enough space for herself and five other people? Why, why, why? It was impossible for me to remain in the present. I was not off to a good start.

When the class finally started in child’s pose, I could hardly catch my breath, each intake becoming more and more painful until my lungs felt about to burst. When we stretched into cobra, my favourite pose (it’s when I feel my most powerful), I was gasping for air and wiping sweat from my brow. Obviously, this was not the day for me to be in a class, surrounded by people, struggling to breathe. My solution? I walked out. I left my mat, my water bottle and my towel on the floor, tiptoed out, and sat in the lobby drinking some healing tea.

When the class was over and I gathered up my things and walked home, then snuggled into bed with a cup of hot tea. I took a few deep cleansing breaths and then pulled out my journal and wrote about what an awful experience it had been. Why hadn’t I been able to perform well? Why had breathing been so hard? Why, on this night, had I hated my favourite yoga studio? And what it all came down to was my motivation. I had thought I needed to go simply because I was putting on a few pounds, and although we all have different motivation for our yoga practice, weight cannot always be the only motivation. Yoga isn’t just a matter of going for a run or taking an aerobics class; it is a full mind, body and spirit sort of exercise that simply can’t be done well if your mind is not in the right place or if it simply isn’t in tune with the rest of your body. I went into that class feeling poorly about myself, and then allowed that class to make me feel even worse.

So, to all readers out there, I hope this serves as a cautionary tale to you all. If a class isn’t working, leave. It is your right to pack up and move on out, and not every class will be one that works for you. But also, go into each class with the proper motivation of great health. And if all else fails, cuddle up in bed with a good book and a cuppa tea; somehow, this also serves to heal a multitude of wounds.

Kelly

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photo credit: orchidgalore

We are all students in life, aren’t we? Be it our yoga practices, meditation, academics or just every day living, we continue to learn as life goes on. Alas, it is impossible to talk about learning without talking about teachers, and what it is that makes them great, as teachers in life take many forms.

My favourite teacher of all time was Mrs. Walsh. Oddly, I had her as a mentor for four years in a row, from grades 4-7. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I was a painfully quiet and lonely child, often more stressed than smiling. She recognized that in me and took the time to develop my social abilities, always teaching with a sense of humour, an extraordinarily compassionate spirit and a kind heart. Essentially, she changed my life. So these are the qualities that I look for in all the teachers who help me on the path of learning.

I look for the same characteristics today, in my yoga teachers. Because of my injury, I need a teacher who does not judge me for my lack of ability, and instead, praises the things I can do, despite my disability. I need a teacher who is compassionate of all of the people in the room, because everyone else and their needs are equally as important. I also need a yoga teacher who is patient. During a very intense power yoga class, in which we were all bent into the fiftieth iteration of downward dog, the teacher came up to me (no doubt frustrated for the tenth time of having to tell me to point my fingers forward) and violently twisted my hands into the appropriate direction. Hmm. Not helpful at all. To show for this, my fingers bruised up so badly afterwards that I literally couldn’t wear gloves for a month. And for those of you from the southern Ontario area, you know how vital gloves are in the winter months.

Yes, I need a yoga teacher who is all those things. And perhaps those criteria extend beyond just that of my yoga teacher, but all of the teachers in my life.

So I put this question out to you, the readers; What makes a great teacher? When you think back on your life, to all the people who have touched it, what characteristics did those people possess that made you want to learn from them? How did they contribute to who you are today?

Whatever those criteria may be, never stop learning. Embrace that no matter how much we think we know, we always have more to learn. Even the most learned of yogis will tell you that no yoga practice is the example of perfection. All we can do is find our own way.

Kelly

Related posts:

1. Teacher of Yoga
2. The good, the bad, and the Bikram
3. Why Pigeon Pose Makes Me Smile

photo credit: Vasenka

Recently, as I was headed out the door for a yoga class, I realized that I had never invited my good friend out to a class with me. I thought she would like just to get out of the house, especially considering the fact that she is very active in the running community. But when I got her on the phone, she almost couldn’t say no fast enough because she felt that yoga delved too deeply into religion, and since she is a staunch Jehovah’s Witness, she felt it went against her belief system to go to a class.

This got me to thinking; is yoga a religion? Is it seen as such? Hmm…investigation is required.

Now, I’m someone who truly feels that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, as long as they aren’t forced upon anyone else. I believe in God, but that is my own personal choice, and I don’t choose to worship in a public church venue and I don’t feel that my belief in God affects my yoga practice. And I also believe that we have so much to learn from one another and other religions, so much so that to me, every day is a new and important experience on the path to my own spirituality.

Once the idea came to my head, I felt a real need to research the idea of yoga as a potential religion. A really great article can be found here: simply click on the “Is Yoga a Religion” link. I’ve read countless articles on the topic, several books on Hinduism and Buddhism, and several forums. The debate obviously still exists.

As most of my readings deduced, there is no denying that yoga practices are rooted in eastern traditions, however, that is simply because that is where yoga originated. And although these concepts often still remain in yoga itself, it doesn’t have to be a part of your practice.

I use an analogy based on Canada as a whole. Canada is a country where a majority of the original immigrants were of a Christian faith. However, Christianity certainly isn’t a necessary criteria that regulates one’s ability to become Canadian. In fact, what makes Canada so amazing is the mix of ethnicity and faiths that comprise our amazing country, and the right to retain your beliefs no matter where you are. I see yoga as being similar to Canada. You can stroll into any yoga studio and believe in any deity, God, or higher power, and still retain that faith, all through the class, all while stretched into warrior pose.

For those of you who worry that yoga will encroach upon your own personal religious beliefs, I encourage you to go to a class and shop around for a studio that makes you feel comfortable. If the teacher is spouting off with a bunch of Buddhist ideology that makes you uncomfortable, then feel free to walk out of the room and into another studio that is more in line with your beliefs. Yoga is more accessible today than it ever has been before. One no longer needs to go to a retreat in India to learn the path to a deeper practice. There are books, DVD, classes, whatever! The belief system that exists in yoga is not married to any religion. This is what makes it so beneficial to people across the world.

So from what I’ve learned, the answer to my original question is no, yoga is not a religion. It is simply a tool to deeper understanding of yourself, and in fact, can often deepen your relationship with whatever God you believe in, or don’t believe in. Yoga can give any number of things to yourself and to your body, if only you let it.

Kelly

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My sister and I before a very tasty turkey dinner last year

Like most Canadian’s, I’ve returned to last week and I am having a hard time coming back from my turkey-induced coma, thanks to a glorious Thanksgiving dinner, combined with several tasty leftover sandwiches over the week. Alas, I have more than Tryptophan to thank for my inability to function; the previous Monday, I had my thyroid radiated with radioactive iodine in an attempt to waylay my intense Grave’s Disease symptoms. I’m now left feeling lethargic, incredibly sore, and comically swollen.

So when I nearly fell asleep at my computer this morning, I realized that I needed to find a way to bring back some vim into my life! But, considering my knee injury and my Grave’s disease, I’m not really in the best condition for doing much of anything. But it got me to thinking that when it comes to illnesses and injuries, it seems I’ve spent my entire yoga practice coming back from one or the other. And so, even though I may not be one to give advice, I’m going to give it anyways. After all, this is the voice of experience talking here. When it comes to illness and injury, there are a few steps necessary to take control of your own healing and to deepen your yoga practice:

1. Give Yourself Time. You have to give yourself permission to heal and give yourself the time that you need without punishing yourself. My friend Brian just survived a quintuple bypass, and actually, saying he survived is a bit of a misnomer, because in fact, he died for more than a minute before being revived by his wife. I digress. We were talking the other day about how difficult it is to be trapped in a body that refuses to cooperate, even though mentally, you desperately want to move on and get on with the process of getting well! How many of us have said something along the lines of, “I missed a practice today! I’ll have to do two tomorrow!” And then we feel we’ve missed the mark on the way to our spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. It’s a slippery slope to walk my friends, and if there is a most vital piece of advice I can give, this is it: Just give yourself time. The rest will come.

2. Know Your Limits. There are certain stretches that push us to the ultimate that we think we are capable. In some cases, you may have gotten yourself into a pose, but it feels impossible to hold. The thing about a yoga practice is that it is important to push yourself, or you never know what you’re capable of. However, there are times when your body is resisting because it can go no further, and you need to embrace that. Accept the limits that your body is setting and then perhaps tomorrow, you will be able to settle into a pose a little bit deeper or you will reach a profound moment in your meditation practice. Knowing your limits will keep you from getting frustrated and then allowing mental blocks to get in your way as much as the physical ones.

3. Try and Try Again. Lotus pose is my Mount Kilimanjaro and always remains a bit out of reach for me. My knee injury just doesn’t lend to the flexibility required to get into this seemingly easy pose. What’s more is that I used to be quite good at it, able to bend my legs into any complicated twist but since I broke my knee seven years ago, this pose is my nemesis. The thing is, I never stop trying to get there. I don’t ever say that I “can’t” quite make it. Today, I got halfway there. Tomorrow, I just might make it all the way. Keep on trying, folks.

So today, I needed some activity. I pulled out my yoga mat, sat cross-legged and took a few deep breaths before I began. But when I went to stretch into Cobra, the pull on my sore neck was so extremely painful that I literally cried out loud. Once I (somehow) managed to recover, I came back into my seated position and returned to my breathing. So today was not the day for getting back into the swing of things. But that’s okay. Another day, it will come. Until then, I just keep on breathing and being patient. If I give enough to my body, eventually, a day will come where it will give back to me.

Kelly

Related posts:

1. Yoga for a Healthy Back
2. Getting back into the flow…literally