Each one of us has something unique and beautiful to share with the world. Too often, we are afraid to really dig down deep and speak our truth. Through the practice of yoga, we can learn to let go of things that block us from finding our authentic inner voice. Expressing ourselves relates to the fifth chakra, the throat chakra. When our energy is out of balance in this chakra, we can experience neck stiffness, shoulder tension, throat ailments, thyroid disorders as well as an inability to express ourselves. Postures like fish pose, bridge, hero pose and shoulderstand can all help to open and balance this chakra. Sound can also help us release blockages in this chakra. Think of how free and happy you feel singing along to your favorite song. It doesn’t matter how off key or silly it sounds, music has the power to open us up to who we really are. (more…)
Poetry comes in many forms. There is the poetry of our body when we practice yoga and the poetry that comes from real human experience. Hip Hop is that modern poetry. An iconic image in the history of yoga is the lotus blossoming from the mud. In the same way, Hip Hop originally blossomed from real, raw, urban experiences to become the ‘rose that grew from the concrete’. Sometimes the lyrics are witty and outrageous. Sometimes sad and soulful. It’s great music to listen to with your windows rolled down and the volume up. I hope you enjoy some of my all time favorites, like the old school track, “Around the Way Girl” and Tupac’s “Keep Ya Head Up”, as well as some of my new favorites, like the positive ‘conscious hip hop’ of the Roots and Common. When you really tune in and listen to the poetry of Hip Hop, you start to realize that just like real human experiences, it can be fun, serious, soulful, controversial, beautiful and so much more.
Check out the playlist: Yoga & Music Flow- Hip Hop Poets & the Yogi
I have been loving greek yogurt this summer. It is a quick easy snack, drizzled with honey, pre or post yoga. It even makes a great substitute for mayo in dishes like tuna salad. It lightens the recipe and adds a tangy element that is really great. Here is one of my favorite, extremely easy ways to enjoy it in the summer for breakfast. It has probiotics from the yogurt, omega 3s and fiber from the flax seed and vitamins from the peaches.
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Everything evolves. The soulful blues of Muddy Water on “You Need Love” evolved into Led Zeppelin’s classic “Whole Lotta Love”. The Rolling Stones took their name from a Muddy Waters song. Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton paid tribute to the blues on numerous recordings. Listen to the lyrics of the sometimes outrageous, sometimes cocky blues singers from the 1920s, like Lonnie Johnson, and you can see where Mick Jagger or Jimi Hendrix got their attitude. When we start to look, we see that evolution is all around us. Sometimes it’s in music and sometimes it’s alot more personal. When we take the time to listen to music that reaches down deep, we start to evolve into the soulful person we were meant to be. When we tap into our own souls and ‘live the life we love’ we have the ability to jumpstart our own personal evolution.
Check out the Playlist: Yoga & Music Flow-Evolution of the Blues & Rock
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A quick note to say thank you to everyone who joined me for the first in my series of special Yoga & Music Flow classes this June. I can’t think of anything better than a room full of yogis flowing to great reggae music! The playlist is a collection of my all time favorite Reggae songs. You can see that it is pretty Bob Marley heavy because I am a huge fan. There are also some great songs by Madison’s own Natty Nation from a live concert from the late 90s that bring me back to summer nights dancing with my friends at the Terrace. Roll out your mat and play this music for your next home practice or grab a Red Stripe and listen with friends! (more…)
