Yesterday,  I was taking a yoga class specifically designed for people with bad backs.  I’ve suffered with back pain for years and yoga has been extremely helpful in eliminating my back aches.  I moved through the poses slowly and purposefully, yet, while moving from a lunge to a standing forward bend, my toe caught on the mat and I inadvertently put weight on my foot, spraining my big toe.  Ouch.  I felt the pain immediately.  By the time I got home, my toe was swollen and purple.  I can walk, but each time my toe tries to bend I feel pain.

Yoga has often been called a healing exercise.  Many physicians encourage their patients to practice yoga in order to stretch their muscles and stay flexible.  Yet, there are an increasing number of reports of people getting injuries in a yoga class.  While my injury was an accident, it’s easy to let your ego take over and to compare your pose with the person next to you, causing you to push yourself beyond your limit.  But as in any sport, you need to honor your body.  Stretch in a pose until you can feel a stretch, but not to the point of feeling pain.  Not everyone can bend forward and grab their toes, or move into the perfect shoulder stand.  Even when you are flexible and careful in your practice, injuries can still occur.  Some of the most common injuries in yoga occur in the lower back, neck, knee, and hamstring.

If you are interested in reading more about injuries in yoga, go to Yoga Journal and type: “yoga injuries” into their search box.

Posted: February 24th, 2008 under yoga.
Comments: 3

It never rains in Southern California, or at least that is what everyone is led to believe.  I woke up this morning to a heavy drizzle.  Okay, so a drizzle isn’t anything to write home about, but since my stained glass workshop is outside, it means I can’t work.  By comparison, this rain is nothing to the thunderstorms and tornadoes I lived through in the Midwest.  Besides, rain is good for San Diego, especially since we have such dry weather for most of the year.  Even though the rain was light, traffic snarls around the county were plentiful.  No big deal.

So in my small little world, I’m rushing around the house so I can get to my 8:00 a.m. meeting ten minutes away.  I left the house and stopped dead in my tracks.  A thirty-foot tree lay on the ground across my driveway.  When did that happen?  Taking a deep breath, I turned and headed back to the house.  My plans for the day were changed for the second time today.

At that point I had a choice in how to react to the situation.  I could have gotten all stressed out about missing my meeting, being stuck at home without the use of my car, and getting aggravated about not being able to work on my stained glass; or I could let go of the situation and make the best of it.  I chose to let it go.

How many times during our day do we face unexpected situations in our lives?  How many times do minor incidents escalate into full-blown anxiety attacks and needless stress?  What can we do to keep ourselves from painful, negative emotions?

In yoga, there’s a term “pratipaksha bhavana.”  The basic concept is that when you experience a negative thought or emotion, the thing to do is try to cultivate the opposite thought or emotion.  The key to cultivating the opposite emotion is to first be aware of what you are feeling at any particular moment.

As an example, when I saw the downed tree in my driveway, I could have stood in the rain, cursing the tree for causing me to miss my meeting.  I could have stormed back to the house and yelled at the management company of my condo association for not taking better care of the landscaping.  Instead, I called the management company to report the incident and made a conscious decision not to get upset about the change in plans.  Again, the key here is making a conscious decision.

One way that I found to be more aware of my thoughts and feelings is to take ten minutes out of my day to meditate.  There are many forms of meditation, but the simplest form is to just sit quietly by yourself, close your eyes, and breathe.  Concentrating on your breath is a simple practice that you can do anywhere, any time of the day.  Follow your breath in as you inhale and out as you exhale.  Stay focused on the breath for five to ten minutes.  By focusing inward, you will soon find that your emotions have calmed.

There are things in life that we can control and other things that we can’t.  To lead a peaceful life, I try to remember the serenity prayer: 

God, give me the courage to change the things I can, to let go of the things I can’t change, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Have a peaceful day.

Posted: February 22nd, 2008 under present moment, yoga.
Comments: none

Yesterday, I said good-bye to my stained glass Sri Yantra. For those unfamiliar with this yogic symbol, the Chakra (or circle) represents a source of energy. The intersecting triangles refer to the cosmic creative force. The Sri Yantra, as a whole, symbolizes the integration of the mind, body and spirit.I spent several months of my spare time working on this piece. Drawing the intricate design with it’s accurate dimensions, choosing the colors and textures of the glass, and meditating on the symbolism gave me great joy.Creating a stained glass window is a lesson in patience. Once a design is created, the artist cuts the glass, grinds the edges to accurate dimensions so that each piece fits snuggly into a narrow channel of lead. The window is put together like a jigsaw puzzle, adding a piece of lead, fitting a piece of glass, hammering the glass in place, then moving on to the next piece. Making a stained glass window is a labor of love, and for me, it’s also a source of meditation and mantra (or affirmation). The greater number of glass pieces, the more labor intensive the project. This Sri Yantra had 99 pieces. Once all the pieces are hammered in place, each joint is soldered on both sides of the window, then cement is added along each section of lead to secure the glass into the lead cam. When the cement dries, the window is cleaned and polished and ready for hanging.Yesterday, my labor of love, crashed to the floor. Its frame twisted no longer flat, several pieces of glass cracked. In other words, the window, as a work of art, was no more.There’s a term in yoga Asteya which literally means non-stealing, but is interpreted to also mean free from greed or to be content with what we have. It’s the ability to find joy and peace with what you have, right here, right now. If we follow Asteya in our life, the world can fall apart around us, but we will remain happy. If we live in the present moment, we do not worry about a past loss or are not concerned about our future. We are happy, right here, right now.When I learned the news of my broken window, I found that I was not upset. I accepted what had happened and noticed that my emotions were steady. I remained peaceful. My heart was peaceful knowing that I had the skill, the creativity, and the time to make this beautiful Sri Yantra and could make another one if I choose. I was content knowing I had the time to contemplate and meditate on the design. I was happy, because I know as I let this Sri Yantra go, I have gained something more important than the money I would have received from selling the piece. I have gained courage, peace, joy and love.

Posted: February 4th, 2008 under Stained Glass, present moment, yoga.
Comments: none

A Peaceful Heart is a symbol of transformation, a transformation from a life filled with stress, anger, anxiety or depression to one of love, courage, and forgiveness.In these stressful times, we can easily get caught unawares. External forces press upon us, telling us we should do things a certain way, or be a person others want us to be. These external forces cause us to get out of balance. When this happens, we must learn to draw inward to bring ourselves back to a place of peace.The easiest way to come into balance is to live in the present moment, to experience each second of every day without thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Make a habit of focusing on your breath, feeling the cool sensation as air draws upward into your nostrils then warms as your exhale. Slow your breath and your tensions and negative emotions will lessen. When you focus on the now, your mind releases your worries.As you master your breath, add an affirmation. A positive action statement in the present tense. “I forgive myself and others.” “I have the courage to move forward with my life.” “I love myself.” Stay away from any negative self-talk. “I don’t want to be angry anymore.” Only use positive statements.When you begin to live in the present moment, do not be discouraged if you find yourself falling back into your stressful, angry, anxiety provoking thoughts. That is normal. Simply bring yourself back to focusing on your breath and repeating your affirmation. Say your affirmation as many times a day as you need to until you believe the statement deep within your heart. That is when you will discover a Peaceful Heart.

Posted: January 31st, 2008 under Stained Glass, present moment, yoga.
Comments: 1

There’s a winter storm approaching and the sky is a dull gray. I woke up with a sore throat, feeling blah. If you’re a little down because of the weather or circumstances beyond your control, here’s a yoga pose you can do to perk yourself up.Lay on the floor and prop your legs straight up against the wall. You can also prop your legs up on a chair with your knees bent. Then close your eyes and think of sunny skies and warmer weather, or something you enjoy. This yoga pose can be done by anyone with high blood pressure since your heart is on the same level as your head. If you are uncomfortable laying on the floor, then try laying in bed with your legs up against your headboard. Either way, it’s a great way to relax for five minutes. It gets the blood circulating and you feel refreshed in no time at all. For an extra boost, put on some soft soothing music.Now, if the storm would only pass as quickly. Have a great day.

Posted: January 4th, 2008 under yoga.
Comments: 2

Most Americans these days are familiar with the term “yoga.” They see yoga studios sprouting up in their neighborhoods, see yoga classes taught at fitness centers, YMCAs, senior centers and the like. They go to these classes thinking it’s a mild form of exercise – easy stretches for the hamstrings, triceps and back. Yet if you look deeper, exercise is only a tiny aspect of yoga.Did you ever wonder why yoga is taught in some heart rehab facilities and holistic centers? It’s because yoga not only deals with aspects of the body but also aspects of the mind and the spirit.How many times have you heard doctors say “You’re stressed. You need to relax. I don’t see any physical evidence of why you are experiencing this pain.” If the pain isn’t due to some physical problem, then where is the pain coming from? In many cases, it comes from your mind. Your thinking can make you sick. If you stop to think about the concept, it does make a lot of sense. Your leg bone is connected to your thigh bone; your thigh bone is connect to you hip bone. All your bones are connected, your muscles are connected, your vascular and nervous systems are connected. Your heart and brain are connected as well. So it’s easy to come to the conclusion that if one part of your body is sick, other parts of your body are affected.So, what does all this have to do with yoga? The essence of yoga is based on controlling your thoughts to achieve a better sense of wellbeing. If you are sick, you can go do the doctor and get a pill or have an operation, but the healing doesn’t take place in the doctor’s office or operating room, it takes place at home. Healing the body takes time, and your attitude about your illness plays an important part in how quickly you will heal. If you believe you will recover from your surgery and visualize yourself getting back to your normal routine, the chances are in your favor that you will. If you are constantly afraid that you’ll never be able to get out of bed or think you will have a relapse if you so much as try to do something you used to, there’s a good chance your fears will stop you from getting better.So, we need to find a way to control our thoughts. For me, and millions of others, practicing yoga going beyond a forward bend, downward dog, or spinal twist is one way to do that. So, as the new year begins, I leave you with good thoughts. Control your thoughts and you can be a healthier and happier person.

Posted: January 2nd, 2008 under present moment, yoga.
Comments: none

Success is doing what you love and loving what you do. That’s the saying on one of my coffee, (now turned into my tea) mug. During the past year I’ve looked for ways to be successful after discovering I had heart disease. I’ve blogged my worries away, chanted OM in my yoga practice, become a spokeswoman for WomenHeart, and rediscovered my love for creating stained glass.As the New Year begins, I continue along my new stress-free path. This year I’ve decided to write down my goals. My plan is to exercise daily. Begin writing a new novel. Continue to practice and teach yoga. Give back to the community, setting up speaking engagements around San Diego to talk to other woman about heart disease. And, sell my stained glass over the web.The trick is to go through this next year, doing what I love without that nagging voice telling me what I should and shouldn’t be doing. Forget about the guilt and the stress that goes along with those two S words. So how do we go through life without the shoulds and shouldn’ts? We do what we can do, don’t worry about what doesn’t get done, and forgive ourselves and others. After all, we are only human.So it’s time for me to pick up my Success mug and head into 2008, curled up on my sofa with a cup of herbal tea and a good book.Cheers to 2008!

Posted: January 1st, 2008 under present moment, yoga.
Comments: none

I am a reformed Type-A personality, or at least that’s how I like to think of myself. I decided my Type-Aness needed an overhaul when I discovered I had heart disease (HD). I started with cardiac rehab, changing my lifestyle one tiny step at a time. Once I got the basics down - exercise, stress management, and healthy eating, I began asking myself, “Okay, now what?”Prior to HD, I was a retired academic. I was also writing a romantic suspense novel, the fourth novel actually, but who’s counting. After HD, my life consisted of walking, walking, walking; yoga, yoga, yoga, and cooking heart healthy meals. Then, I thought, it was time to get back into the real world. But what did that mean? Was I suppose to dust off that last revision, polish it some more and send it out to yet another editor and agent? Did I want to face the stress that went along with all the rejection letters I got in return? The answer seemed clear at first, yet as my health returned and I watched and listened to all my Type-A friends go about their daily lives, I felt there was still more I needed to do.So, I started rebuilding my life from scratch. In addition to exercise, yoga, and healthy eating, I took up an old hobby – creating stained glass windows. That was a wonderful addition to my life. I could stand at my table for hours, designing a window, cutting glass, framing it in lead, then cementing the window into a beautiful work of art. But as I continued, something nagged at me that there was still more I needed to do.So, I started blogging. Those who write a blog know that it can be a very time-consuming prospect. I’ve enjoyed writing about how I transformed my life and hearing others respond. Yet, something continued to nag at me. Is this what I’m suppose to be doing now?I enjoyed yoga so much, I became a yoga teacher. Working with others who are interested in finding peace with themselves through yoga is very rewarding. I’m now looking forward to expanding my teaching at different locations in the new year. But the question still lurked in the back of my mind. Is this what I’m suppose to be doing with my life?In addition to teaching yoga, I’ve become a spokesperson for WomenHeart and go around to different organizations and talk to women about heart disease. This too is very rewarding.Now, I look back at all the things going on in my life and I begin to wonder if I’m too scattered. Am I still that Type-A personality trying to do too many things?For the past week, I’ve pondered that question, and a few days ago I met with some friends. They, too, have had to rebuild their lives after heart disease. They, too, dabble in a variety of activities. So we’ve decided to call ourselves the dabblers. I’ve come to the conclusion that dabbling is a good thing. It gives me the opportunity to live a happy, balanced life instead of concentrating all my energy in one area and in many cases stressing out when everything didn’t go exactly as planned. So, yes, I am a reformed Type-A personality. I do the things I enjoy every day. I smile more than I have in years. I give to others, and it comes back to me ten-fold.Here’s to all the dabblers in this world.

Posted: November 30th, 2007 under Stained Glass, exercise, healthy eating, heart disease, present moment, yoga.
Comments: 1

If you are like millions of people, there are times when life just feels overwhelming. It’s times like this that some people look to an outside source like alcohol or drugs to help them forget about their pain and suffering. Others try to focus inward and get in touch with their spirituality to help pull them through the bumps in the road.I subscribe to Yoga Journal Online. They have lots of helpful articles for keeping balance in your life. They have recently added an article on breathing lessons (Pranayama) and a section on Meditations that I found especially helpful during these very hectic days of my family reunion.Slowing your breath, and breathing deeply from your abdomen helps to calm the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Meditation can help still the mind and bring you into the present moment.If you are interested in finding ways to calm your breath, take a look atBreathing LessonsIf you are looking for a way to calm your mind, check outMeditations

Posted: August 12th, 2007 under yoga.
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If you look back on your life, you will soon come to realize that you are not alone in this world. Teachers, in one form or another, are there to guide you. When you were first born, your parents were your teachers. As you reached the age of five, you were sent to school and were assigned teachers who taught you how to read, write, add, subtract, multiply, and divide. You learned geography, history, and art. Most of you managed to graduate from high school. Some have gone off to college and graduate school and expanded your education in other subjects.But education isn’t always formal schooling. Throughout our lives, no matter what our age, we continue to learn to live in this world and we continue to meet teachers along the way. This is especially true when we’ve faced heart disease or some other major illness. In order to survive, we must learn new skills, eliminate bad habits, and move forward. Sometimes our teachers are not even aware that they are teaching us new skills.Yesterday was my the year anniversary of my heart attack. This wasn’t a special day of celebration for me. It was filled with lots of daily routine stuff. I practiced yoga, took my mother’s cat to the vet, picked up cat supplies from the store, removed nail polish from my mother’s fingernails, delivered medications to the nurse, visited with a friend, and attended a pot luck dinner. But with each of these activities, I learned something along the way.Before my yoga practice, I was reminded about how easily I could fall back into a stressful lifestyle simply by thinking about something. The topic of my thoughts ran along the lines of: How would I be able to tell my mother she couldn’t keep her cat anymore.Over the past several months, I’ve learned that she was feeding her cat chocolate chip cookies. That may sound harmless, but she was making the cat sick. The cat has an allergic reaction to cookies and breaks out in sores all around his face. Since my mother has Alzheimer’s she either denies or can’t remember ever feeding the cat cookies. I know she loves her cat and it would be traumatic for her to give up the cat, so I started worrying about “What if” before I even met with the vet to discuss the situation.My husband reminded me to do my yoga practice. During my practice, I reminded myself that stress doesn’t need to be a major player in my life. I can control it by breathing slowly and evenly, and focusing on the present moment instead of worrying about what might happen in the future.At the vet, I learned that the allergic reaction might be caused from something else in the cat’s environment. The cat was given a shot and medication. The vet, a dear friend of mine, said that if or when the time came for my mother to give up her cat, he would help me find a good home for her beloved pet, but he didn’t think we needed to remove the cat at this time. Ahh.Visiting my mother, I learned patience. Explaining the health issues of her cat was a delicate balance between laying out the facts, reminding her not to feed the cat human food of any kind, and keeping my tone of voice kind and caring so as not to agitate her.My dear friend taught me the importance of taking time to share your life with others. Taking time to relax, put your feet up, drink a cup of tea, and smile.My Scripps friends at the pot luck dinner were teachers, too. We share a special bond. These are the men and women who attended the lifestyle change program with me. We’ve become very close, sharing our most heart wrenching secrets through group support during the program and now keeping one another informed about or lives during our monthly pot lucks. They helped me celebrate my one year anniversary and reminded me of the courage and determination it takes to pull yourself out of the depths of despair and to learn to be healthy, happy and peaceful.With heartfelt gratitude to all my teachers, family and friends. Thank you.

Posted: July 18th, 2007 under heart disease, present moment, yoga.
Comments: none