#43 CDs are so passé

I'm not fortunate enough to be able to teach at locations where I can use an iPod to play yoga tunes*. I still have to use good 'ol CD's at times. Problem is most of my CD's look like they were walked on by my cat for the past decade. The result is a never ending war against the CD player. I sometimes spend more time between secretly hoping the lost sections of music will miraculously turn up or having to FFWD or skip over lost-cause tracks. So I've made a decision: I'm buying a portable iPod dock. I no longer want to put my yoga music into the hands of a dead technology.

Here's where you come in: I need testimonials from real users to decide on which dock to buy. Please remember that although I've found success as a yoga instructor, my salary is not comparative to a successful stock broker. Budget matters. The dock must also be portable, light, and be useful in an average-sized room.

*When I first started teaching, I didn't play music during my classes. I find music can be a distraction (see war comment above). I often still don't play music during my workshops or private sessions. Quiet is bliss sometimes.

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#42 People assume I have a studio

It's the question I'm asked the most by potential students.

The answer is: No, I don't have a studio.

...and I'm happier for it. Maybe one day, just not now. I'm an independent teacher free to travel and teach whomever, whenever.

So for the record: "Has mat, will travel."

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#41 I crack myself up

My yoga class isn't a success unless my students laugh. Truth be told, I don't consider my class a success unless I make myself laugh. It's not a difficult thing to do; give it long enough and I'm bound to do something ridiculous, worthy of self-amusement. I don't teach Laughter Yoga. I just live by the philosophy that life is too short not to have fun, in yoga class or otherwise.

I don't feel the need to take myself too seriously. It feels a heck of a lot better to laugh until I cry instead of holding back, staying in my head, and worrying about saying and doing the "right" things.

If you're not convinced, try it yourself. Smile right now, even if only on the inside. Feels good, no? When you smile, life becomes much easier. Ditto for yoga.

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#40 Sex breathing isn't just for the bedroom

If you've taken yoga classes long enough you've undoubtedly come across someone whom I like to call "The Sex Breather." Someone who sounds like their having a helluva lot more fun than the rest of us.

With every exertion, every vinyasa, every change in position, the person makes noises not unlike those you'd expect to hear in a soft-porn flick, or maybe in your beroom on a good night.

You'd assume The Sex Breather (TSB) has no idea they're even making those noises. They're useful for promoting yoga to class newcomers as any added benefit the practice can semingly bring is a good thing. Mostly, TSBs have the ability to make the rest of us feel slightly uncomfortable because we spend the class wondering "What am I missing out on?!"

Photo credit: Revlon

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#39 Being a teacher keeps me polite

One upside to being a yoga teacher is I get to meet a lot of people; one downside is I get to meet a lot of people.

Allow me to illustrate. As a teacher, I've lost the little annonimity I once had. If I do something less than stellar in public, there's always the chance that someone who is or may become my student will notice. Gone are the days when I could go about my life in complete obscurity and think what I do doesn't matter because I will never see potential witnesses for the rest of my life. I now think "What if that's one of my student's that I just [insert rude or inconsiderate action here] to?"

This only applies to when I'm out in public. During my own private time I allow myself some slack to (somestimes) act like a child, be a little too loud, and generally let loose. Excuse me for living a little..

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#38 Flexibility is not a pre-requisite.

Another item to add to my list of reasons people give for not trying yoga:

Reason no 4: I'm not flexible

The above statement is as insane as saying "I'm overweight so I can't exercise".

Why would you ever restrict yourself to only doing things you already knew how to do perfectly? If we all had this attitude, no one would ever learn anything or challenge themselves. The human race would still be swinging from trees.

Taking on a challenge is a must if we're going to live with passion and zeal. So go ahead, stretch your limits. You never know what might happen.

Cirque du Soleil contortionist from 'Varekai'.

Kristian Dowling / Getty Images

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#37 Think outside the box

I tell my students, "You need to figure it out for yourself. I'm the guide, you're your own best teacher."

(I don't say this too often because I don't want them to wonder why they pay me)

I think this is a good philosophy for your life on and off the mat. Learn what you can from others and then go off and find your own way. Practice and learn for yourself what works best for you.

In my own practice, I always work to think outside the yoga box. It's easy to repeat and do what others people say; to find out for myself is the real fun.

Lesson learned: Don't be (too much) of a copy-cat. Think outside the yoga box in your practice. You'll be surprised what you find.

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#36 There's politics in yoga (Part 1)

You can't get away from it. Politics follow wherever people go even when those people are yogis.

Signs of the existence of politics include a hierarchy, the necessity to buy into a particular brand of yoga, sticking to the "rules"of said brand, competition for rank between it's members, and the belief one brand is better than another. You're even looked down upon if you stray away to another style even it it's only for a teensy-weensy little workshop. And don't you dare try to teach things above your yoga rank unless you want to go it alone.

The one way that yoga politics work is to protect against teachers blending teaching styles. I can agree here. Tradition is important. Don't bastardize a good thing, I say.

If we could just take the ego out of it we'd be much better off. Yoga politics would cease to exist. If yogis can't figure out a way, no one can.

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#35 Yoga can help drop the pounds (Part 2)

*Read part 1 here.

Prepare for anatomy nerd-dom:

Yoga is a form of resistance training. In a hatha or Iyengar-style class most of the muscle work in the asanas or postures is in the form of isometric contraction with some concentric and eccentric contractions added in for good measure.

Holding poses longer is a form of isometric contraction that will activate your long twitch muscle fibers to help burn calories similar to long distance running, walking, swimming.

To be fair, activating these long twitch fibers doesn't burn as many calories as short twitch muscles fibers in explosive movements such as in hockey, sprinting, etc.

The lesson: If you move and work your muscles in yoga or otherwise, you'll feel stronger, lighter, and healthier. If you do nothing, you won't loose a pound.

Not that we care about a dress size or an exact weight. A healthy weight should matter most as it equals better overall health.

End of nerd-dom.

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#34 Yoga can help drop the pounds (Part 1)

Many of us want a quick fix. One yoga class hasn't tipped the scale in your favour? Stick with it. To a degree yoga can be as an effective calorie burner as weight training.

To add to my list of reasons people give for not trying yoga:

Reason no 3: I can't loose weight with yoga so why bother?

Weight loss involves a simple mathematical equation:

If calories consumed are less than calories burned = weight loss

Weight resistance training is one of the best methods for calorie burning. Your muscles are like calorie-eating machines. Use them, they burn up calories.

Not only that, but your body continues to burn calories for up to an hour and a half after a weight training workout to repair your muscles. And if that wasn't good enough, with consistant weight training your body will begin to burn more calories even at rest because it takes more energy to maintain that muscle. Burn fat while you watch TV!

Where does yoga come in? Stay tuned..

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#33 You're not your waist size

So continues my list of reasons people give for not trying yoga (see my previous post for reason no. 1)

Reason no.2: I'm overweight

In the words of Baz Lurhmann from Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen):

"Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the the greatest instrument you’ll ever own."

If you don't feel comfortable attending a class because it looks more like an exhibitionist convention than a yoga class, try another. I can say from experience the more you practice yoga, the more you come to appreciate what your body can do for you. There are days when my practice makes me feel more comfortable in my skin. Even when I can't get my body to do what I want it to, I still appreciate the effort.

Plus, the mind-body connection is a powerful thing. Feeling bad about yourself? S tressed out? A few yoga moves and you'll feel as cool as a cat. What's the alternative? Sitting on the couch brooding by yourself?

Lesson Learned: Your body is your temple. Shying away from using it never did anyone any good.

Added June 15h, 2010: Think you can't "do" yoga if you're not a size 4? Here is a photo of my teacher, Geeta Iyengar. She is THE teacher now that her father, Sri B.K.S. Iyengar has retired.

Photo credit:

Yoga: A Gem for Women, Geeta S. Iyengar (Timeless Books; Revised edition (March 1, 2002), ISBN-10: 0931454980)

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#32 Being a guy isn't an excuse

So begins a mini-chapter in this blog. I've entitled it "People's favorite excuses for not trying yoga."

Reason no.1: I'm a dude.

Even if you're The Dude, there's no reason you can't try yoga. If you stop thinking about it as a spandex-filled, estrogen-driven, incense-burning, chanting-the-time-way activity and starting thinking about yoga as it really is, it wouldn't seem so bad.

Yoga is a practice to improve your physical and mental health. Think of it like a combination between physiotherapy, weight resistance, meditation, sleep therapy, and a beach vacation. You can rehabilitate, strenghthen, clear your head, and rest all in the same class, sometimes at the same time.

Besides, all of the big name senior teachers who brought yoga to the West were men. Think B.K.S. Iyengar and Sri. Pattabhi Jois. Many high profile teachers are.

So men, what are you waiting for? Who knows, your mat might be the one that really ties the room together.

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#31 Perfection is a myth

I have never forgotten what I overheard my teacher say to another student years ago. It was in response to a question about, don't quote me here, achieving perfection in a yoga pose. My teacher said, "There is no perfection in asana. Every time you hit the mat the body, mind, and environment will be different".

Brilliant. Right then I got it. There is no such thing as perfection in yoga because how you practice and how you feel while practicing will always be changing and evolving. One day you could be sick, the next dealing with an injury, and the next an emotional wreck because you've run out of nail polish halfway through your at-home manicure.

Why would I want it to be perfect? If I "got" the pose, achieved the perfect alignment, and become flawless in meditation, why would I continue to practice? I love yoga because there is always another challenge and something new to learn on and off the mat.

From one perfectionist to another, my advice is get over it because perfection doesn't exist.

Plus, remember to keep an extra bottle of polish on hand for emergencies.

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#30 If you're going to rear-end someone, make sure you do it after their yoga class

One evening after class I had made it only a few blocks from the studio when it happened: I was rear-ended. My first time. No warning. My poor little Mini's back end mangled like a tin can.

I went through the motions: checked over my car, exchanged information with the other driver, and went on my way. Maybe it was the residual zen-like feeling I had from class but I didn't bat an eyelash the entire time. I even forgot to write down the other driver's license number.

Moral of the story: If you're going to rear-end someone, aim for then ones just out of yoga class. They're less likely to get upset and club you.

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#29 Headbands are a cure-all

I was living the good life a few years back. I was wearing the perfect bob. Perfect because my stylist is incredibly talented. Perfect for me because of my personality and lifestyle: low maintenance yoga instructor. Even when I was having a bad hair day I was doing well.

Then as we human creatures tend to do, I got bored. I wanted a change. I also knew I was going to be in the bridal party of a friend's wedding. I used that as an excuse and took the plunge. I decided to go for long hair again.

Most people would think this was a good choice. More options for styles, variations, and hair excessories. Not where I'm concerned. I'm still far from a pro when it comes to styling my hair at least in a time crunch. Give me a half hour, I can work magic. Give me 5 mins, it's not pretty.

Enter the headband. My new best friend. There's nothing better when teaching or taking a yoga class. Keeps the hair out of the face and makes me look (somewhat) put together. Except when I'm in an inversion, or some backbends, or in Savasana. Nevermind.

Maybe I'm just kidding myself. I swear there are days when even I can mess up a headband "look". Where do all those fly-aways come from anyways?!

Tell me - What's your hair salvation?

*Headband by Anthropology

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#28 Happiness is a choice

You can choose to be happy.* Think of the positive and you'll feel better; focus on the negative and your attitude will stay in the pooper. I swear. Try it my way:

First, I think of something that makes me happy. It isn't something earth shattering or grandiose like world peace. I think of something real that can make me happy now. For instance, I have a pair of cat socks (picture to follow). I love them. Putting them on makes me smile. When I think of those socks I actually start to feel happier.

Then I switch gears and think of something that makes me unhappy. For me it's when I've realized I've run out of milk for my morning cereal. For you it could be your ex (you know who you are). Whatever it is, I think about it and practically feel my cortisone levels rise.

Test it out yourself. When you get better at this little exercise, take it up a notch. Grow your happiness quotient. Before you know it, you'll feel happier, you'll start to appreciate the little things more, and you'll get into the habit of thinking on the positive side.

Listen to my girl, Cara Poppitt, owner of Soul Connexion Dance and Yoga Studio talk about her philosophy on why it's important to think positively.

So, what makes you happy? I'd love to hear about it. Post under comments below.

* I know there are greater challenges to this simple statement, like depression.

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#27 Most clothes can only be worn one way.

I once rushed out the door so quickly to get to a teacher training session I forgot to remove the clothing tag from the new shirt I was wearing. It didn't go unnoticed.

I'm also sorry to admit I've noticed on several occasions during a class that my pants were inside out. They were not the reversible kind.

Lesson learned: Inspect your clothes after you've put them on before you leave the house.

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#26 It's better to be on time

I used to get stressed out about being late for class; I don't anymore. I'd rather arrive late and in one piece than raise my blood pressure so high I have an aneurysm. There are days when no matter how well I plan to be on time the world doesn't cooperate. For example there could be an unforeseen traffic jam caused by a moose on the run in downtown.* You can never tell what may happen to slow you down. When unexpected things come up that are out of your control, no use getting stressed out about them.

I tell my student's I'd rather they arrive late than not at all. It seems completely backwards to me to get stressed out over attending a yoga class!

Having said that, I'd recommend being on time. I'm not saying I'm the poster child for punctuality but the benefits are too good to ignore, especially where attending a yoga class is concerned. You get your pick of the best parking spots, you can grab your favorite spot in the studio, you have extra time for some R&R before class (I once fell asleep while "resting" before a class), you never miss the Invocation, and you avoid the dozens of eyes focused on you as you sheepishly set up your mat.

My Daily Tip: I always say if you can't be on time, it's better to arrive out of breath. That way if people are upset you're late, they may at least sympathize if you look like you've made an effort.

* I can't make this stuff up. Read about the moose on the loose in Calgary who recently stopped traffic.

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#25 "There are people worse off than you"

This line from one of my teachers has stuck with me. She was referring to people's tendency to whine or give up during yoga poses. Admit it, we've all done it. Whether it's doing yoga or during a challenging run, we can give up on ourselves too quickly.

The point of practicing yoga poses beyond what most assume to be body toning and flexibility is mental quiet. As I like to call it, the brain mute button. A way to teach us to shut off the mental noise and those little voices inside our heads. When we can learn to do this, we're able to put things into perspective. The result is knowing all is good, we're not actually dying in Virabhadrasana (Warrier) III, and life will go on. Next thing you know, you'll be better able to handle tough situations off the mat too.

Your homework: Next time you're in a challenging pose, keep my teacher's words in mind. You'll see things really aren't as bad as they seem because there are people much worse off than you. Think of the people of Haiti and Louisiana to name a few.

*On a lighter note, while looking for inspiring photos I came across The Mute Chair by Council Design. It's said to help achieve calm and tranquility. Whatever works I guess.

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#24 I love to teach

I met with a student the other day who said I inspired her because of my passion for yoga. Humbled, I thanked her and had to agree she's right, I do love the yoga. I enjoy it so much it's surprising those close to me haven't told me to shut about it yet. Or maybe they have and I just didn't listen.

From Oprah to Deepak Chopra to Yoda we are told live our best life, do what we love to do, and everything else will fall into place. I believe that so much I have breakdowns and bouts of insomnia when I'm not doing what I love. So why don't more of us listen to those live-your-best-life gurus? I sum it up to this: gutts. Fear controls us more than we realize.

My question to you is: what do you love to do and why aren't you doing it? Consider this my kick in the butt to you to get started.

Lesson learned: I love everything yoga, especially teaching. If only I had learned this lesson earlier.

I also need more gutts.

*When searching for a depiction of "love", I came across this nifty photo from NASA of the Heart Nebula. My bro would be proud I'd posted it. Incredible, isn't it?

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#23 Meditation is a 4-letter word

Meditation is something I started to do later in life and by later I mean yesterday. I've dabbled in it before but it was never part of my routine. I would meditate when it was convenient or if I had the perfect opportunity, like at the dentist or when riding painfully slow public transit. Now I have a consistent practice because honestly I need it.

I've experienced and preached the benefits of meditation. I've taught meditation in my classes. So why did it take me so long to commit? No time, no desire, no proper meditation space (see a previous post on this doozy of an excuse), etc. , etc. Mainly though it's because meditation is HARD. We all know how easy it is to steer away from a challenge. I used to but not anymore.

Forget handstands and backbends. I'm hitting up the meditation....hard!

P.S. Another goal of mine is to set up a little meditation-inspired area in my garden. I've been inspired by some of the East-meets-West gardens I've seen on my travels including this one at the exquisite Ayrlington Hotel in Bath, England. I highly recommend you visit, if only to stroll in the garden.

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#22 I need to take my own advice

The joke around my house is "If your yoga students could see you now.."

I don't want to give the impression I have it all together. My ego still pokes it's head in once in awhile. I still get angry, worry, judge, eat chocolate to make myself feel better, and need a kick in the butt some days to stop feeling sorry for myself.

What I do think I have going for me is a better awareness. I notice when I am being judgemental and wanting to kill the person in front for cutting me off in traffic. I see when I'm wasting time and energy worrying about hypothetical situations. I know that desire to eat chocolate is often a warning light about something that isn't jiving in my life (but I eat it anyways because hey, its chocolate). I can tell when I'm not living in the moment because I bring up past stuff.

Like Jim Carrey mentioned in the video a few posts back, I know how things should be and I know what freedom feels like but there are days when I need to work harder to get back there. Where's there? Here. Now. Not there or then or when.

I always say a good teacher knows they are actually the student. Maybe the reason I write these posts is as a reminder to myself, for the days when I need to re-learn and heed my own advice.

Now, time to eat some chocolate..

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#21 You can practice yoga ANYWHERE

I'll admit it. I used to make a lot of ridiculous excuses for why I couldn't practice yoga. If it wasn't in a nice studio, it just wouldn't do. Some of the beauts include:

1. The lighting in the room was too bright,
2. The lighting was too dark,
3. The temperature was too cold,
4. I didn't have enough wall space,
5. I didn't have enough floor space,
6. I hadn't vacuumed (see an early post discussing my ongoing predicament),
7. I was too tired, or energetic, or hungry, or had just eaten, or had eaten the wrong thing,
8. I had had a hectic day and wasn't in the right 'mind space'
9. I was upset,
10. I had plans,
11. I had to do the gardening I had put off for weeks,
12. The sky was the wrong shade of blue,
13. ....

You get the picture.

(I've saved you a space: inset your own reason in the comment section below)

Like most things in life there is no better time than the present. Excuses only help you put off what you really should be doing. In my case, I finally put on a sweater, laid in the bright sun, on the dusty floor, moved some furniture out of the way, and started practicing. The results? I'll let you know. I'm still discovering.

*I recent article in the NY Times illustrated this well: Yoga at the airport. Check out one of my past posts where I give a sequence to practice while you're on the plane.

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#20 Personal space is a privilege

It happened to me in class the other day. My personal space was invaded from all sides. Picture this: a 350 sq ft studio, mats lines up end-to-end with 22 people plus instructor shoved in like sardines. Add in the on-the-floor, leaning-to-one-side hip opener and you have a recipe for disaster.

There we were, crotch to crotch. I had to be creative when leaning over my neighbour's mat not to get too friendly. I found myself looking up a lot for some reason...

I didn't let it get me down though. If I had, it would have been a waste of QYT: quality yoga time. Instead I went with it and found whatever awkwardness there was didn't last.

Lesson learned: Personal space is a privilege not a right. If you go with the flow and let go of your need for more space, your enjoyment of class with increase 10-fold.

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#19 Cleanliness is next to godliness

Sweating is a good thing, especially when it's sported by a guy with nice delts...

The recent craze of hot yoga has made it acceptable to cram yourself into a hot, steamy, dimmly lit room with dozens of people you don't know to sweat it out together. Sounds more like a swingers club. The fact is it feels great and leaves your skin feeling oh-so-soft. Plus, you don't have to feel awkward afterwards when you see your fellow classmates in public.

I'll ask one thing of my fellow yogis though: please bring a towel and use it. It's not alright to sweat all over someone else's mat. I'm not immune to sweating anymore than the next person. In fact, there are days when if I don't sweat, I know I didn't push myself past my comfort zone. I keep a towel onhand because even though I may think I look sexy all dewey and glisteninig with sweat, the reality is others probably don't agree.

Recall the one Niyama dealing with this very topic: saucha or cleanliness. Do as the Romans did and keep yourself and your environment clean. This includes keeping a tight rap on your sweat and cleaning down borrowed mats.

Lesson learned: Sweating is good but only in the right places (e.g. delts).

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#18 Mainstream yoga classes are like zoos

They aren't perfect but without them, most people wouldn't know anything about their subjects.

Life would be better if all wildlife were actually wild instead of captive. Yoga would be better if it weren't perverted by various types of yoga knockoffs. Discuss.

I agree to some extent. But lets face it: just as zoos do great work to educate the public about wildlife, so to do the various yoga spin-off classes in bringing yoga to the masses. In this context, neither can be called bad. If zoos can teach us to care about the well-being of our wildlife, yoga teach us to care about our own well-being.

The real problem as I see it: when what is being taught is wrong.

Now, can you guess the guy on the right? Let's play 'Name The Ungulate' (hint).

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#17 You're not your thoughts

The Real Jim Carrey from EckhartTolle TV on Vimeo.

This video was sent to me by a friend who knew I'd appreciate both the subject and the lesson. Watch Jim Carrey as he discusses the search for his life's purpose, his desire to stop his mom's suffering caused by various autoimmune diseases, and the realization he's more than just his thoughts. Brilliant.

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#16 You can't control the weather.

How you react to the weather is a barometer for how you react to everything else you can't control. Worrying or getting upset over something you can't do anything about is as crazy as trying to share a sundae: Seems like the right thing to do but never ends up doing you any good.

So, buy your own sundae, prererably one with chocolate sauce and sprinkles, and stop worrying about the weather. There's something liberating about not using energy to complain about things that don't matter. Plus, you'll need that extra energy to work off the sundae..

P.S. I live in Calgary, AB and have had LOTS of experience with weather changes. I once went to a yoga class in spring weather wearing sandals and t-shirt and left during a blizzard. Nothing I could do about it than enjoy the (bloody cold) snow between my toes.

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#15 Don't be a tight-ass.

Backbends are my nemesis.

Due to years of competitive swimming, a lower back injury, and a general lack of any genetic predisposition for spinal extension, backbends have always been a challenge for me. I'm not making excuses. I'm simply stating the obvious:

Me + backbends = suck.

You know what I mean. We all have a group of poses that kitt us in the butt the most. But the beauty of practicing yoga is that we can work in all poses well if we learn how to adjust them for our bodies.

Here's my advice to you about backbends based on persnal experience: Don't be a tight-ass.

Clenching and squeezing the butt cheeks together only externally rotates your legs, compresses the SI joint,s and causes lower back pain.

So release the cheeks and feel the freedom in your backbends. Your lower back will thank you.

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#14 One size does NOT fit all

There are more types of yoga than ice cream flavours. Frankly, I don't even know them all. What I do know is that not every type of yoga is right for everyone.

Here are some general rules to follow:

1. Hate heat and sweat? Stay away from Hot Yoga.
2. Rather sit on the couch than participate in aerobic activity? Power Yoga is out.
3. Love spandex? You're in luck because any class will probably do (refer to my previous post 'Fashion Matters' on yoga attire before letting go on this one).
4. Don't like to laugh? I'd say this is a problem. Maybe you're in need of some Laughter Yoga. You'll probably also want to stay away from my class as laughing at the expense of the teacher is a common thing

I'm not saying each person can be shoved into a yoga 'box' but depending on one's personality, health, and clothing preferences, there are absolutely classes better suited to each of us. The "one size fits all" idea definitely doesn't work where student's health concerns are concerned, for e.g., bulging disk, arthritis, pregnancy, etc..

Lesson learned: Take the time to find the perfect fit.

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#13 We can't find our hamstrings

Some people who attend my classes haven't a clue where any of their muscles are located. Some students don't seem to even know their hands from their feet! Of course, it probably doesn't help the situation when I inadvertently call my elbow my knee but I digress..

The point is learn your anatomy, people! I pledge to do my part to help you along if you need it. The rest is up to you. You live in your body every day. That's reason enough to learn all about it!

* If you live in Calgary, you have the great opportunity to attend Body Worlds & The Brain at The Telus World of Science which opens April 30th, 2010. Consider it the human anatomy lesson you never had and GO!

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