Practice Notes: July 15, 2021
If you’ve been in the Shala lately for Mysore with Michael, you’ve probably heard me say something about riding the intensity a little lower.
It’s summer! For most of us, that means we don’t have to push as hard to get as warm. We get to heat up, quick. This is super! For those that have a predilection for running hot, this might be a season to focus on staying cool and restorative in your approach. For those who need a little extra push during the cold months, this might be a time to lean in to more vigor.
- In order to avoid overheating and aggravating Pitta, Ayurvedic wisdom advises all physical exercise during summer to be light—not vigorous.
- It is advised that summertime asana be done at a moderate pace.
- Restorative Yoga is recommended to balance the active nature of Summer.
- Forward Bends support the intention to balance the season’s expansive energy by bringing some energy back into the body.
- “Spinal twists help release excess fire and toxins.” (Ayurveda Alchemy)
- Melina Meza recommends “noncompetitive, cooling, nurturing, expansive, relaxing and playful” asana as well as more “free-form, intuitive movement” and practicing with closed eyes. (Art of Sequencing – Volume Two Seasonal Vinyasa)
Practice Notes:
I listened to a great podcast this week all about how the breath is used to create positive physiological changes in the body. Andrew Huberman talks to Tim Ferriss [Apple + Spotify] about not just the breath, but the eyes, and how literally dilating our pupils helps us to soften our focus and lower our anxiety.
Stick around for a little bit about how to beat jet lag, do a little bit of self hypnoses, and why Yoga Nidra kicks so much ass.
Andrew Huberman, PhD (@hubermanlab), is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. He has made numerous important contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function, and neural plasticity. Andrew is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation fellow and recipient of the 2017 Cogan Award for his discoveries in the study of vision. Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford Medicine has been consistently published in top journals including Nature, Science, and Cell.
Drishti:
Concentrates Mind & Draw Energy Inward
Through drishti you can cultivate a deeper level of concentration, improve your alignment, and tune into the inner sensations of the body in every pose, so that you’re practicing the way the ancient sages intended—with full awareness. As yoga expert David Frawley writes in Inner Tantric Yoga, “Fixing the gaze…not only concentrates the mind but draws our energy inward along with it, extending the action of pratyahara, or the yogic internalization of the prana and the senses. – Jennifer Allen Logosso
Perspectives on Work and Money
This week Yoga Club Member Dani has been on a Ram Dass kick.
Ram Dass was an American spiritual teacher, psychologist, and author. His widely known book, Be Here Now, has been described as “seminal”, and helped popularize Eastern spirituality and yoga with the baby boomer generation in the West
She recommends this recording from 1989, where Ram Dass talks about looking through the veil of role and personality in the business world, and offers his unique perspectives on work and money.
Music + Ram Dass= East Forest