Hi Everyone!
Well, it's that time of year again...Youthful Yogis are dusting off their pencil cases, picking out new fall fashions and madly texting friends to see who is sitting where at lunchtime on the first day of school.

It's true, there's a lot going on and the last thing anybody needs in their head right now is....lingering questions about yoga! 

"I'd love to get organized for school but I still have a question about yoga!"

Please, Youthful Yogis, do not be late for the first day of school simply because you can't remember the name of that balancing pose you and your friend did on the lawn last week! Do not space out and leave your lunchbox on the kitchen table because you're busy figuring out if it's OK to teach grandpa how to do headstands after his chair yoga class (it's not)... give your brain a rest!

In fact, in order to keep our brains from overloading, I've decided to add a new section to the Youthful Yogis Blog: it's called "Youthful Yogis Q & A" and it's a way for you to ask lots of yoga-related questions so you can make space in your brain for other wonderful things...like figuring out how in the world X relates to Y, maybe?

Seriously, math is so much fun!

A "Q & A Session", as you probably know, is a chance for folks to ask questions about specific topics. Sometimes the person asking the question shares their name, sometimes they stay anonymous. Either way, it's good to remember that if one person is wondering about something, then usually other people are wondering about it as well.

"I just know I'm not the only one who wants to know the Sanskrit name for Downward Facing Dog!"

                  So here it is, our very first session of "Youthful Yogis Q & A"......!!

Question: "My problem is with my mom...she likes to spend "quality time" with me on the weekends, which is cool. But, honestly? by the time mom's done with her Saturday morning yoga class, my friends have usually made plans and I really want to hang out with them.  I don't want to hurt mom's feelings...any suggestions?"

Answer: I would first like to compliment you for remembering that moms have feelings too, way to go! Now, about that "quality time"...why not suggest that you and your mom do yoga together? If you can stop scrunching up your face and looking like you might fly through the roof, I'll explain....

Many yoga studios offer yoga classes for kids and yoga classes for adults. If you are lucky, you might find a studio that offers classes for kids and adults together! It's really a lot of fun, honest.

"Family yoga is a blast!"

I happen to teach Family Yoga on Saturdays at a wonderful studio called The Yoga Tree. If you're ever in Tucson, AZ you should come check it out! See a schedule and find out about other great classes at the Yoga Tree on their website: www.theyogatreeaz.com

Doing yoga with your mom, grandma, or other favorite grown-up-type person is a perfect way to experience yoga while enjoying the company of someone you love. I hope you'll give Family Yoga a try, and tell me what you think!

Um, I'm not sure the Simpsons are actually doing yoga here, but...whatever!

                                                           

That's all the time we have for now, Youthful Yogis. I hope you've enjoyed the very first "Youthful Yogis Q & A". You can re-visit this Q & A session and read more on the new page of this blog, just below the Youthful Yogis Listening Activities. Please feel free to submit questions for Q & A to: youthfulyogis@gmail.com ....I'll try to get your questions answered, as long as they don't have to do with X relating to Y and all of that!

(yikes!)

Take care and I'll see you again soon!

Namaste

Hi Youthful Yogis!
A lot of people ask me..."where is the best place to practice yoga?" My answer is: wherever you feel comfortable! Some folks like to do yoga in the privacy of their home, others love taking classes at a yoga studio. Many Youthful Yogis enjoy being out in nature, but grandpa's rec. room is also a popular choice: there may not be any windows there but the sound system is usually awesome!

"I'm gonna do yoga but first I have to finish listening to Stairway to Heaven"

Once, in New York City, a zillion yogis practiced poses together on the the street (well, OK, maybe not a zillion yogis, but definitely a whole bunch...) Here is a picture of that gathering, do you see anyone you know?!

It's true that you can do yoga almost anytime and anywhere. You'll remember that Chair Yoga allows you to do poses without even sitting down on the floor....so don't let being in an airport or hanging out in your mom's office stop you from striking a pose!

I'm not sure who this guy is...but he sure has the chair yoga thing figured out!

Here are a few yoga poses that you might like to try.  I'll show pictures of the poses and then offer a "pop quiz" at the end so you can learn more about the benefits of each posture.  Please don't feel intimidated....everyone gets an A+ on  Youthful Yogis pop quizzes!

Warrior Two

Dancer Pose

                                                         Youthful Yogis "Pop" Quiz:

1) Warrior Two is:  A) a resting pose   B) a pose that strengthens the body and encourages mental clarity  C) something you do in the breakfast cereal aisle of the grocery store when you want to get your mom's attention away from Whole Wheat Flax Flakes and onto Sugar-Coated Chocolate Crispy Puffs

2) Cobra Pose is:  A) a back bend  B) a balancing pose C) something you probably do not want to do right after eating Chocolate Crispy Puffs  D) all of the above E) A and C only

3) Dancer Pose is: A) one of the funnest yoga poses ever  B) a balancing pose   C) a pose that stretches the chest, shoulders, tummy and arms  D) everything I just said

Answers:
1) B  Warrior Two strengthens the body while encouraging a quiet mind. You can do the pose at the grocery store if you really want to...I just can't guarantee it'll change your mom's mind about those Whole Wheat Flax Flakes!  


2) E Cobra Pose is a back bend: it opens the heart and lungs and strengthens the spine. It is important not to do this pose if you have any kind of back injury. Also, since the pose stimulates the internal organs, it feels pretty yucky if you try it on a full stomach....please eat breakfast after you practice cobra!

3) D Dancer Pose is a challenging pose that works our balance while stretching and toning many areas of the body. It's not everyone's funnest pose, but since another name for it is "Lord of  the Dance",  it's hard not to love it a lot. Dancer Pose is named after Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva whose cosmic dance performed in a circle of flames represents the eternal rhythms of the universe....pretty cool!

Nataraja: "Lord of  Dance"

How'd you do on the Pop Quiz, Youthful Yogis? I hope it inspires you to try out some new poses! As always, have fun, be safe, and don't forget to turn the lights out in grandpa's rec. room when you're done...!!!

                 
See you again soon,

Namaste

Hi Youthful Yogis,  

I went to a yoga class yesterday and, guess what? I got to sit in a chair! It was really a lot of fun and I want to thank my Youthful Yogis friend, Duncan, for taking me to the class. 

Youthful Yogis know that Chair Yoga is a super popular activity: you can do it almost anywhere, and you never even have to sit on the floor!

"I can't talk now...I'm practicing yoga!"

Let's take a look at some familiar yoga poses and then figure out how we can do them in a chair:


         Traditional Style:                                                                  Chair Yoga Style:

Forward Fold 

Forward Fold

Triangle Pose 

Triangle Pose

       

    

         

Seated Twist

Seated Twist

Side Stretch

Side Stretch

                         
         

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog

             


As you can see, the possibilities are endless. No wonder so many people love doing Chair Yoga!

"Chair Yoga rocks!!"

I hope you'll have fun trying some chair yoga poses on your own, Youthful Yogis. Remember you can do these poses in a lot of different places: at home, in an airport, on a park bench, or even sitting in the dentist's office waiting to see how those X-rays turned out.  Have fun, and think about sharing what you learn with friends and relatives. FYI...a lot of grandparents go nuts for Chair Yoga!!

"All I can think about is Chair Yoga!"

                             

That's all for now, Youthful Yogis. See you again soon!

Namaste

Hi Youthful Yogis!
I hope everyone's been having a great summer. Many of my Youthful Yogis friends have been wondering just what exactly I've been up to lately, since they haven't seen much of me in Yogis Blogland. Well, let's see...there are those frogs I told you about (I need to check on them everyday); the goats (they're getting big); the garden (it's out of control, how much zucchini can one Youthful Yogi eat, anyway?!); and then there is a little activity I call "where did I put that?"

"I know it's here somewhere!"

Here is what this activity sounds like: "I can't do headstands on the lawn right now because I've lost my iPod/cell phone/wristwatch/add your own important item here... and it's really driving me nuts!"

No kidding, losing things can drive you nutty!

Youthful Yogis know that memory is an important function of the brain. Memory allows us to keep track of prized possessions like iPods, cell phones, and watches; it's what helps us to remember our friends' names and it's why teachers expect assignments to be turned in on time...

"Problems 2-100 are due tomorrow...please do not forget!"

"I think I just forgot..."

Let's get serious, Youthful Yogis...there are a lot of things you can do to keep your brain in good shape: eat healthy food, get lots of rest, and exercise everyday. A healthy brain supports good memory, which means you'll be able to finish those 89 math problems on time...or was it 99?!

Youthful Yogis know that yoga poses, or asanas, are also great for the noggin. Here are a few you might like to try:

Head to Knee Pose

Forward Fold

Downward Facing Dog

Last, but not least, I'd like to share some mudras with you that are great for memory.  Mudras, as you may remember, are positions or gestures that we make with our hands. They are said to help direct the flow of energy, or prana, within the body. Mudras can activate particular areas of the brain; they also feel good and they're really fun to do.

Here are two mudras that I love a lot:              

Gyan Mudra

Hakini Mudra

Gyan mudra quiets the mind; it's good for concentration and can help us to maintain a positive outlook on life. Youthful Yogis often enjoy practicing Gyan mudra while sitting quietly in meditation.

Hakini mudra is said to be good for memory as well as for finding things that are lost...no kidding! As I'm sure you can imagine,  I've been practicing Hakini mudra a lot this summer. The good news is that I found my iPod and my wristwatch. As it turns out, my cellphone was never really lost: it was right where I left it in the bottom of my purse, but it's good to have it back in any case!

I hope you'll have fun trying yoga poses and mudras for the brain, Youthful Yogis. There are a lot of good books you can look at to learn more, and also some information online.

Stay healthy, enjoy life, and I'll see you again soon!

Namaste

Hi there Youthful Yogis,
I was crossing over a babbling brook today and you'll never guess what happened... I almost fell in! Luckily, I caught my balance and didn't end up going for a very chilly swim, but it did get me to thinking...

Life is full of tippy situations: like jumping from stone to stone across a raging river (well, OK, a babbling brook),  carrying ten pounds of swim gear from the car to the house while trying to unlock the front door with one hand, or standing on tippy toes to reach that baseball cap that we just know is on the top shelf of the closet, unless mom gave it away with all that other stuff that she calls "clutter."

"If this isn't clutter, I don't know what is!"

It's true...we perform balancing acts everyday and we often don't even realize we're doing them! But here's the good news: balance is something Youthful Yogis know a lot about. They practice yoga poses like Eagle, Tree Pose, Warrior Three and Dancer to improve their balance, and they look to find steadiness off of their yoga mats as well.

"I am so balanced!"

Let's take a look at these yoga poses that challenge our balance. They involve standing on one leg, so here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) Stand near a wall or a chair if you feel tippy.

2) Relax your face, it's really easy to tighten around the mouth and the eyes when something is challenging!

3) Try not to hold your breath...keep breathing!

4) Have fun!

"Are we having fun yet?!"

                                                   Youthful Yogis Balancing Poses:

Dancer Pose

                                                                         

Tree Pose

Warrior Three Pose

                                                                                     


                           

Look-at-me-I'm-a-pretzel-pose

I hope you'll have fun trying out these poses, Youthful Yogis. They can be really challenging at first, but once you do them for a while you'll be amazed at how fun they feel! Make sure you notice what's going on with your body off of your yoga mat too. I bet after practicing Eagle and Warrior Three you'll be able to cross babbling brooks with ease. And you may even get higher up on your tippy toes to find that old baseball cap in the closet.

That is, unless your mom did ....YOU KNOW WHAT!

"Mommmmm!"

On that note, I need to say goodbye for now, Youthful Yogis. Remember to take time to appreciate having two feet on the earth, but have fun standing on just one foot sometimes, too.

Have a great day, see you again soon!

Namaste