Home Practice

What you will need...

Starting a home practice can be very rewarding. Remember to allow yourself enough time and space to be comfortable. Consider things like the time of day and the tempreture in the area you will be practicing in. Also think about the light you will have aroud you. For example, if you like practicing in front of a sunny window, you may want to have a towel nearby to cover your eyes during svanasana. Next, clear the floor and give yourself enough wall space to practice with if you will be using the wall as a prop. Turn off your cell phone; play music if you like. Your home practice will change daily, but it will also make you grow in a very profound way. It's different then going to a class for asana instruction. Below I have mapped out four different sequences by the length of time. These classes for suited for a level 2 Asana practioner.

MAT (towel) The mat is often called a sticky mat because the stick helps keep your hands and feet in position. Please note, that when the mat is brand new there may be a slippery oil, and after much practice it will naturally wear off. There has been a growing trend to "go green" with practice mats today. Choose what is best for you.

BLOCK (sturdy book) Fome blocks are lighter and easier to transport;

the wood blocks offer more stability.

STRAP (Long canvas belt) Good for lengething the arms in forward folds. If you have a rounded back in Dandasana (staff pose) then you will deffinetly want a strap. Also , if you have longer legs, consider getting two.

WALL SPACE (no substitutions) The wall gives feedback. I don't reccomend buying a portable wall.

BLANKETS (beach towels) Have at least two. You will use them in most forward folds, and they are extremly heplful when performing an inversion like shoulder stand. They can be rolled up to produce a bolster, and they can be stacked to help with tight hips. They can even be placed over the belly in svansana to give you a feeling of being grounded. Blankets are one of my favorite props!

Meditation

Medtation is a simple yet profound method to improve the quality of our lives and develop inner peace. Through following very simple, practical instructions we can learn to let go of the causes of our pain and dissatisfaction and to gain the inner peace and clarity we seek. Meditation classes are very easy to understand and apply to our daily lives.

I suggest attending the Chakrasambara Bugghist center to establish a basic practice that is guided by qualified Western teachers. The classes are suitable for both beginners and more advanced meditation practitioners, and emphasize how to meditate and practice in our NY urban environment.

Chakrasambara Buddhist Center
322 Eighth Ave, Suite 502, New York, NY 10001
(Entrance on 26th Street, between 8th and 7th Ave.)

For more info: visit: Meditation in New York

To prop or not to prop?

Getting started means being prepared

If your finger tips don't reach the ground in a low lunge, use blocks under your shoulders to help bring the floor closer to you. Why?

In yoga we use the root to rebound principle. In order for the torso to stay elongated the shoulders must be organised on the back in such a way that they allow the shoulder blades to move in toward the chest. This action is easier to feel when the palms or fingertips make contact with the ground. By rooting down into the block the rebounding action will help give you feed back as to how much spaciousness you have in the shoulder girdle. The blocks align the front of the armpits to move away form eachother as you draw the shoulders together on your back. Without this root /rebound feedback you run the risk of hanging in your joints, which over time can cause an injury.