The new studio features a larger practice space with lots of natural light, high ceilings, brand new cork floors, and an open reception area. Local artists, designers and friends brought in familiar touches from the previous location as well as custom pieces for the new space.

An open house celebration will be held on Saturday, May 12th from 6:00-9:00pm. The event will feature live music, specials on class passes and other goodies.

Bernal Yoga will be expanding their yoga and wellness program with a variety of workshops and trainings as part of the committed focus of the studio to provide diverse, interesting and healthy offerings.

The studio opens at 7:00am tomorrow, May 10th with the regular class schedule.

These areas of the body (feet, sacroiliac area and neck especially) are “the three most richly supplied areas of the body with proprioceptors.” (Liebenson, p.515)” The theme of proprioception also explains why our practice included intervals of poses done with closed eyes and balancing on/off the mat and on/off of yoga blocks.

Given that proprioceptive training involves greater body awareness and movement efficiency, almost any yoga class has opportunities for increasing skills and understanding. In the Yoga for Athletes class, we purposefully worked on proprioception adaptation by including poses and activities that focused on balance, strength, coordination, and challenging the limits to a person’s perceived range of motion.

Teetering on a block while repeating some classic one footed balancing poses not only increased focus, reaction time, and spatial relations but also increased the intensity of the challenge and the novelty of the experience. “Proprioceptive rehabilitation focuses on training muscles to accelerate their ability to achieve maximum contraction. (Liebenson, p. 529)…By training on an unsteady surface, balance is constantly being challenged. The correct muscles must contract rapidly in order to counteract the forces that the disrupted balance is placing on the body. When muscles can respond quickly to perturbations, injury is less likely and performance is more likely to be enhanced.”

Another challenge to the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems included marking through repetitions
of standard sun salutations (along with variations) first with eyes open and then with them closed. To keep things more interesting and unexpected, the orientation on the mat was changed to “face” all four directions within a moving and linked “flow” sequence.

It was also insightful to see how on or off center students ended up when we used a benchmark of simply walking with closed eyes from the back of the mat to the front. There was surprise and inquiry in noticing how our internal compasses can have us veering strongly to the right or left even with a feeling moving straight ahead and on a center line.

The impetus for the theme on Monday evening, came from a series of conversations with a regular student about how he was focusing on using his little toes more and for that matter all 10 toes, the sole of the foot, the arches and ankles. The classic “yoga foot”.

“The ‘yoga foot’ helps to increase the sensory feedback to the Central Nervous System (CNS), therefore improving the stability of the body in the upright position. (Liebenson, p.518) Working with the yoga foot through poses will heighten the sensory feedback from the body, especially during balance poses during which the proprioceptive system is ultimately challenged. Via this challenge, great improvements to the system can be made.”

Those chats about the “yoga foot”, cross training, running form, and proprioceptive adaptationand along with this article about Yoga and Proprioception (written by Dr. Carla Cupido) served as the springboard for the class.

In the months to come, the Yoga for Athletes class will continue to explore themes suggested by students and/or common places or things of concern for both endurance athletes as well as weekend warriors. You do not need to consider yourself an “athlete” to come to the classes on Monday nights. There is a great mix of people, with a variety of interests, levels and abilities. All are welcome.

Suggestions for other class themes or targeted areas (such as “hamstrings”) and/or questions can be sent to savonn@sellwoodyoga.com

1. Find Your Seat: Get Centered
We focused on finding a comfortable cross legged sitting pose. In class, we used a rectangular bolster and/or blankets. At home you can use a cushion or folded blankets/towels.

We emphasized:
a) finding enough height under the seat so that the knees were lower than the top rim of the pelvis or level to it.
b) a slight tipping fwd. of the rim of the pelvis “imagining a steady yet small flow of water, that ran forward over the rim of bowl”
c) balancing the weight of the shoulders above the mid-back (thoracic region of the spine) and the weight of the head above the neck (cervical region of the spine).
d) keeping the shoulder carriage broad and relaxed, with the weight of the shoulder blades settling down and away from the ears.
e) relaxing along the jaw line, hinge of the jaw, between the eyebrows, under the chin and around the throat.

Please read this very thorough article, “For Beginners:Easy Pose”(Think like a kid and take a seat) written by Claudia Cummings.

2. 1/2 Moon Pose and Knee Down Variation
After a variety of prep work, we explored using the wall to increase stability, elongation and confidence in a knee down variation of 1/2 Moon and 1/2 Moon itself.

a) The Knee Down Variation started on hands/knees, a legs length away from a wall.
1) First the right leg was lifted and extended so that the flexed foot, sole of the foot flat, firmly met the wall, and the toes pointed straight down. The leg was long and straight, without locking out at the knee and with the leg going no higher than the hip/buttock.
2) The left leg stayed bent on the mat (with a blanket under the knee for comfort, or the mat doubled over for support). The left knee was a pivot point from which the lower leg swung slightly to the left. The toes on the left foot remained tucked under (pads of the toes) firm to the mat.
3) As the left lower leg swung to the side the right leg and foot on the wall rotated. The foot rotating 90 degrees so that the inner edge of the foot (big toe side) was parallel to the floor.
4) The left arm moved in a few inches towards the right to create a column of support. The left upper arm and bicep rotating externally to further set the left shoulder blade (scapula) into the upper back.
5) As confidence in the pose increased, the right arm lifted into the air and the right shoulder was stacked above the left.
6) The gaze remained off to the side to keep the neck in line with the rest of the spine and not rotating to look up at the ceiling.
7) Some finishing details included radiating out through the extended leg, opening up across the upper chest and back and lengthening along the spine all the way to the tailbone.
We switched sides and followed the same recipe. Then we repeated the sequence on both sides with the option to stay with the foot on the wall or to move away from the wall.

*Another variation to the above steps, is often used as an alternative to Side Plank. The Side Plank alternative involves keeping one knee on the ground, and extending the other leg (without lifting the leg to hip height).

b) 1/2 Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
In class, we went to the wall with a block and practiced 1/2 Moon Pose. Please read this article by Maria Apt., especially the section, “Against the Wall”

Remember to work on keeping the weight distributed evenly through the foot that is on the ground. I mentioned a nagging habit of mine, that of the turning in my standing/balancing foot. We saw it in each others poses and we talked about minimizing the rotation so that the toes on the standing foot pointed straight and the ankle stayed even, balanced and strong. We talked about how too much rotation (both inwards and for some people outwards) could cause strain to the knee.

3) Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
After all the concentrated and focused effort held through a basic yet challenging class, Legs Up the Wall was a welcomed rest and period of integration. We practiced the pose for 10 minutes. For those who felt uncomfortable holding the pose that long, the alternative to simply rest in a reclined position was offered. The benefits and practice points of Viparita Karani are outlined in this wikihealth article.

From: Real Happiness by Sharong Salzberg

10 Ways to Deepen Your Practice
1. Think of kindness as a strength, not a weakness.
2. Look for the good in yourself.
3. Remember that everyone wants to be happy.
4. Recollect those who have helped or inspired you.
5. Practice at least one act of generosity a day.
6. Do lovingkindness meditation.
7. Listen.
8. Include those who seem left out.
9. Refrain from speaking ill of others.
10. “Walk a mile in another person’s shoes before you pass judgement.”

From The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace by Jack Kornfield

With gratitude I remember the care and labor of a thousand generations of elders and ancestors who came before me.
I offer my gratitude for the safety and well being I have been given.
I offer my gratitude for the blessings of this earth I have been given.
I offer my gratitude for the measure of health I have been given.
I offer my gratitude for the family and friends I have been given.
I offer my gratitude for the community I have been given.
I offer my gratitude for the teachings and lessons I have been given.
I offer my gratitude for the life I have been given.

And finally, excerpts from the following were shared a few Wednesdays ago:

The Awakening
By Sonny Carroll

“There comes a time in your life when you finally get it …
When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out “ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.” And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective.
This is your awakening.

You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

So you begin making your way through the “reality of today” rather than holding out for the “promise of tomorrow.” You realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime.

And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:- how you should look and how much you should weigh,
- what you should wear and where you should shop,
- where you should live or what type of car your should drive,
- who you should sleep with and how you should behave,
- who you should marry and why you should stay,
- the importance of bearing children or what you owe your family,

Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin re-assessing and re-defining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.

You accept the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are… and that’s OK… they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a “perfect 10″…. Or a perfect human being for that matter… and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And, you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others.
Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.

And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that “it is truly in giving that we receive [1] and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of “creating” & “contributing” rather than “obtaining” & “accumulating.”

And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about – a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, the freedom of choice and the opportunity to pursue your own dreams.

And you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors, including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.

Then you learn about love and relationships – how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally, and that not everyone will always come through and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you. And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.

You learn how to say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to Say NO. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet “your” standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that “alone” does not mean “lonely” and you begin to discover the joy of spending time “with yourself” and “on yourself.” Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self Love. And so it comes to pass that, through understanding, your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.

Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead, you set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.

You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God… but merely a random act of fate.
And you stop looking for guarantees, because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time – FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears, because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.

Then, YOU LEARN ABOUT MONEY… the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. And a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you FAKE a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.”
Copyright © 2001 Sonny Carroll. All Rights Reserved

“The pauses in our life make our experience full, and meaningful. The well known pianist Arthur Rubenstein was once asked – how do you handle the notes as well as you do? His response was immediate and passionate:
‘I handle the notes no better than many others – but the pauses – ah! That is where the art resides.’

Like a rest note in a musical score, the pure stillness of a pause forms the background that lets the foreground take shape with clarity and freshness. The moment that arises out of the pause, can, like the well sounded note reflect the genuineness, the wholeness, and the truth of who we are. In the midst of a pause, we are giving room and attention to the life that is constantly streaming through us. A life often habitually overlooked.” ~ from the book “Radical Acceptance” by Tara Brach

Mindful
by Mary Oliver

Every day
I see or hear
something
that more or less

kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle

in the haystack
of light.
It was what I was born for -
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world -
to instruct myself
over and over

in joy,
and acclamation.
Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant –
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help

but grow wise
with such teachings
as these -
the untrimmable light

of the world,
the ocean’s shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?

And from Noah Levine’s book, “Against the Stream”:

Loving Kindness Meditation~
“May I be happy.”
“May I be at peace.”
“May I be free from suffering.”

Appreciative Joy Meditation~
“May I learn to appreciate the happiness and joy I experience.”
“May the joy I experience continue and grow.”
“May I be filled with gratitude.”

Equanimity Meditation
“All beings are responsible for their own actions.”
“Suffering or happiness is created through one’s relationship to experience, not by experience itself.”
“The freedom or happiness of others is dependent on their actions, not on my wishes for them.”

From Laurel Alyn-Forest:

Yoga was my mom’s thing. I would see her practicing at home and hear about classes she’d attended, but I was a bit hesitant to come along with her to a class. I have always been pretty athletic but flexibility was never my strong suit. I would joke around with my younger ballet-dancing sister, pretending to touch my toes or straighten my legs in the air. I knew I wanted to improve.

Since graduating from college a year ago, my life has changed in many ways. After spending a summer in a national park and a few months travelling, I was back at home searching for a job. I had expressed a greater interest in giving yoga a try now that I was out of school but had limited funds being an unemployed recent graduate back from travelling. Being the insightful and thoughtful person my mom is, she got me a yoga top along with a starter pass and 10-class pass at Sellwood Yoga for Christmas! I was very excited to begin my practice and also a bit nervous about being new at something I knew would present challenges along the way.

After completing my starter pass I picked a couple classes I felt were best for me and began going a couple days a week. One of these classes was the Monday night Yoga for Athletes which I attended with my mom. Despite living together, our schedules were often so different we hardly got any time to catch up or hang out! Our Monday night yoga was something to look forward to: a time we could connect on the short walk to and from the studio and enjoy together. My mom has been a confidence booster for me by noticing my improvements and has encouraged me and laughed with me in difficulties.

I began to LOVE the way I felt both physically and emotionally from yoga. Now that I have a job and will be moving out soon, I don’t doubt that I will continue to honor our Monday night yoga tradition. My mom and I have always been very close but transitioning from being a dependent to being more independent is a big change for both of us. I feel lucky that yoga continues to bring us together and is something special we will continue to share.

From Kathy Wolff:

Last May my daughter, Laurel, graduated from college. The month preceding had been a whirlwind of weekend trips up to Tacoma: senior vocal recital, final concert, and graduation weekend. Within days of her move back home she left to work at Glacier National Park for the summer. In September she returned home for a week with just enough time to repack her bags before leaving for travel in Europe. Every adventure of hers has two meanings for me; deep appreciation and gratitude for all her life is offering along with a wistfulness (and, truth be told, some trepidation) at watching her go! My yoga practice has been a steadying force in my life through the comings and goings and as this role of parenting transforms with a child reaching adulthood.

Laurel returned from her travels just before the winter holidays with responsibilities looming and in a moment of parental insight, I bought a Sellwood Yoga class card for her Christmas gift. I wanted to offer her the same steadying internal connection that I’d found through my yoga practice. Laurel is an avid volleyball player, was part of a ultimate Frisbee team in college, and is an outdoor enthusiast. She’s strong, and quick, and loves action. So, yoga was going to be different. Still, she seemed genuinely excited about her gift.

It meant so much to me to see the wonderful way Laurel was greeted when she first arrived at the studio and how she has been supported in finding her own way at Sellwood Yoga. Now, we attend Savonn’s Monday night class together each week. Sharing yoga with my adult daughter has provided me with a path to more graceful parenting at this stage in our relationship. There are so many lessons and metaphors for life we can explore from our practices on the mat: breathe, be flexible, find balance, build your strength, don’t compare yourself to others, nurture yourself, find quiet, listen carefully, and, practice compassion. These the exact messages I want to reinforce for my children. Giving my daughter the gift of yoga has been a gift to me too!

“The root of the word courage is cor—the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage literally had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant -To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.-”-Brene Brown

The foundation of yesterday’s “Strong Vinyasa” class came from Brene Brown’s TED talk on vulnerability. Lots of gratitude to the amazing women who came to practice. Here’s the video, I was talking about:

I call on the women and men of my mother line.
I call on the women and men of my father line.
I call on the lineages of those who have supported my journey in this life.
I call on the spirits of this land.
Bring your strength, your beauty, your dreams, your joy to me-the one who now carries on the work of our lineage.
Bring energy and light to my life so that I may do this work of transforming wounds, nurturing hope, celebrating joy and sharing love:
I am building the structures and sowing the seeds of a bountiful life for myself and for all who will come after me.
Know that you life and energy, all of your steps, were a blessing.
May you rest in peace, held by spirti.
The light that you carried lives on.
I honor you, ancestors.
I give thanks for you.
I ask for your blessing, your energy, to flow-
like a sacred river-=through my body and life.

Traditionalists never play any music in class. They are also most likely the ones to yell at you in class while wearing short, tight, black trunks. In the middle you have the people who play music but it’s mostly instrumental or music you’ve likely never heard of or know how to pronounce. And then you have a free for all with teachers who play whatever they like or want. Seemingly every popular or quirky song finding its way onto a yoga playlist for people thinking to themselves “this would be a great song for triangle pose.”

I fall pretty much square in middle with every class now and again in silence. Although I have played music I wouldn’t normally play and have created special playlists to mark occasions in class too so I’m not saying I’ve never done it or looking down my nose at it, but there is a greater byproduct of concern for the future.

In the SF Bay Area—a place I lived for many years- 90% of the residents are DJ’s. They have weekly gigs at off times at local clubs or at their own dinner parties so you get a lot of creative mixes blending different sounds and styles. When they apply this craft to the art of yoga you get the following posts. “Oh yeah, Bananarama, Kool and the Gang Thievery Corp., Lady Gaga, Beyonce and The Cure on tap for tonight’s class. Gonna be epic, see you there.”

While I like many of those bands and enjoy their music, do I really want to hear them in class? No. There are lots of pop, rap and rock artists that I really like and love to listen to, but not in a yoga class. It’s a time and place issue.

For teachers, there’s also the scenario that the stereo doesn’t work, the power goes out, your iPod’s not charged and you can’t play music in class. Now what? Suddenly you have to teach and not rely on the music to create an ambiance for a pose or sequence. If you’re not used to it or in many cases, never done it since a teacher training program, you’re suddenly in unfamiliar territory. It’s so quiet in here, what’s going on. The class seems “off” for everyone when it should feel natural.

Sequencing music for yoga that is neither new age nor pop music is very hard. There are many songs that are appropriate for class for two thirds of the way through only to shift dramatically to screeching guitars and drums of war near the end. You can spend hours and not get anywhere. I get bored with the music I play sometimes too. If you aren’t careful you create a spa like trance for the class that makes people just want to roll around on their mats or sleep.*

When I moved to Portland I went ahead and “gave myself permission” as we say in yoga to make a playlist of music that I liked or thought was significant and a meaningful way to end an important chapter of my life.

It was the Tuesday night class so Tuesday’s Gone by Lynard Skynard was on there. Loretta Lynne’s famous Portland, Oregon made the cut as well for obvious reasons. As soon as Skynard’s “Train roll on….” came on, I immediately booked myself a 1st class cabin on a long trip down memory lane. “This is a great song,,,wish I got to see them live. Would be a lot like the Allman Bros I bet. Best Allman Bros concert ever was at Redrock 91’, 92’ or 93’ I can’t remember. Oh yeah, right there’s a class going on here. 2nd side.

By the time “well Portland Oregon and Slow Gin Fizz, if that aint’ love than tell me what is Uh Huh!,” came on, everyone laughed, but not in a good way. Slow Gin Fizz, who would drink those, what’s in it? Its red? Never had to make them when I bartended and so on.

Pop music with lyrics and any music that is easily identifiable with most of the people in the class is distracting. Its either good (Spring Break song!) bad (Ugh. Madonna again) melancholy (Sarah Smith broke up with me to this song) or loud (I can’t hear) for teachers and students. In a discipline whose main doctrines are presence and focus, music ultimately can serve as the common class distraction.

Let us remember music is a wonderful accompaniment to yoga but be careful what you play or you’ll have students in class humming along to the Velvet Underground’s What goes on in your mind, I think that I am falling down all around you.

*Fortunately today, I have a nice student who has a real ear for new music for yoga and he drops off cd’s every now and then. Thanks Morgan if you read this.

Launched quite peacefully through its own website and various scholarly publications, the campaign ignited some controversy and reaction from Deepak Chopra and others who took issue with the campaign’s interpretation of the history of yoga–namely when yoga actually began. (Most people, including myself were taught that the creation of yoga began in the Vedic age, long before the start of Hinduism.) How do you take back yoga when you didn’t create it? they asked and then largely dismissed the campaign as a case of misguided Hindu nationalism.

“In a way,” said Dr. Aseem Shukla, the Hindu American Foundation’s co-founder, “our issue is that yoga has thrived, but Hinduism has lost control of the brand.”

Yoga is real, powerful, and mysterious. I can say with the utmost respect that yoga has been a real blessing in my life for many different reasons at different times. I have been fortunate to meet many really wonderful people in ways I never would have without practicing yoga—in its many forms of study, teaching and personal practice.

Yoga has also positively influenced the overall health, minds and bodies of millions of others. At the same time yoga has grown so fast without boundaries that it’s hard to get a handle on what is happening these days.

Someone was bound to say something.

Crazy, Sexy Skinny Bitch Yoga, Golden Buns Yoga Booty, Kick Your Asana, Giggle Yoga, Not Yoga Yoga, Sculptasana, Yoga & Whistling, Hoga, Toga Yoga. I wouldn’t be surprised to be invited to a yoga and Hippity Hop class on Facebook soon.

Yoga has thrived, but yoga has lost control of the brand.

It’s for people who wouldn’t normally try yoga because they aren’t into traditional formalities like Sanskrit language, chanting or rules, People say. Nobody owns yoga so it’s not breaking any law.

True, the great thing about yoga is that anyone can do it and that there are enough caring teachers and places out there offering yoga. There’s nothing wrong with specialty classes, being lighthearted and having fun. But it gets to the point where you start combining any activity with yoga and place it before or after the name yoga and suddenly it’s a new kind of yoga? Or does it start watering down a product so much that it starts to change it into something else entirely?
I want yoga to continue to grow and make an authentic, positive impact on even more people. Twenty years from now, I want to see yoga integrated into health care treatments to help cancer patients not be remembered the same way when you say the words step aerobics today.

I’m glad the Hindu American Foundation said something even though it’s not the way everyone sees it. I’d rather us pay homage to our roots and think a little bit more instead of trying to creatively market yoga into every imaginable activity out there this year.

If we don’t, we may be headed to a place we don’t want to go. In fact, we’re already there.

There is a new Chase Bank commercial of a woman doing standing bow pose, She’s very focused and in great alignment when suddenly, something breaks her attention at the top of her mat. It’s her cell phone of course letting her know her account balance is low. Not to worry, in one graceful move she bends down and transfers money from her phone into her account “keeping her life in balance” as the narrator says and she calmly exits the pose.

B’onlineyoga. Balance your Bills while Balancing your life. Save time. Take time…for yourself.  Bring your own iPhone, iPad or Blackberry.

Think maybe the Hindu American Foundation has a few valid points?