Let's Squat

How often do you hear that? Many of my retreat students have expressed gratitude for awakening them to the benefits of a simple squat. It's not fancy. It's not even pretty. But its benefits go on and on. So, let's celebrate the squat. And I guess I should feel honored that a squat reminds my students of me.

Years ago at my yoga studio, I used to tell my beginners to do this pose while they watched tv, 5 minutes a day for a week straight. But you don't have to be a beginner to get results from this. The more you squat, the more you release tension in the low back and hips. Sitting in chairs makes this pose challenging, especially for those who do nothing besides sit with a little walking around in between. Think about it: most of the non-Western world hangs out in a squat. And I'm pretty sure they have less trouble with their backs and hips as a result. The squat is a great antidote to our sedentary society. Find ways you can incorporate a squat into your day. Trust me, the tv thing really works.

Stand with your feet wide apart, toes turned out slightly. Keeping your spine straight, lower your hips down as far as they will go. You may have to take your hands to the floor to help you balance, but take the weight towards the heels as much as possible.

Adjust your feet width and toe turnout as necessary, but don't allow either to turn out farther than 45 degrees. Your knees should line up over your toes. If your heels don't touch the ground, roll up a yoga mat, towel or blanket to put under them; release them completely so you aren't taking weight towards the balls of your feet. Make sure any heel support isn't too high, and work towards lowering it as your calf muscles open more.

With your hands at heart center, use your elbows to gently press your knees open. Lift your chest into your thumbs to lengthen your spine. Stay here and breathe. Work up to 3-5 minutes. Every day.

KiraGrace Goddess Love for Cowgirls vs. Cancer

I don't even know where to start, so much to share. Lack of recent blogging overwhelmeth. We ended retreat season with 4 weekends in a row, so now I will have time to spend on here reflecting on the many wonderful things that went down. I'm looking forward to shifting gears.

I'm thinking that the best place to start is with Cowgirls vs. Cancer. We've started taking nominations for our 2015 program during October, which is breast cancer awareness month. Next year will be our 6th year for Healing with Horses & Yoga, and the 4th time that we are able to dedicate an entire retreat to scholarship recipients. During October, breast cancer awareness month, we are accepting nominations for 2015 cancer kickin' cowgirls. If you or someone you know is a breast cancer survivor, share your story with us -We'll be taking nominations until November 15, 2014. And this year...we are partnering with Old Gringo to give a pair of cancer kickin' cowgirl boots to two women currently in treatment for breast cancer. We'll be taking nominations for that through December 31, 2014

Our own Lisa is a KiraGrace Warrior, so it's her we have to thank for this fun fundraising opportunity. She is wearing the Goddess top here (in coral - don't forget to think pink for October), at Cowgirl Yogatography, our last retreat of the 2014 season last weekend.

ReTreat Yourself

Shit just got real this week, right? Only 7 days till Christmas. Have you finished all your shopping yet? Have you even started it...? Or even more importantly (to the tune of Janet J. circa mid 80s), what have you done for yourself lately?
If you're considering joining us for a retreat, now's a great time to treat yourself. Or let Santa know that it's on your short list. Book any 2015 retreat in December, and we'll have a JADE Yoga mat waiting for you here in Montana.

Want some instant gratification? If you make a retreat deposit this month, we'll also send you a deluxe sample of my latest obsession, Chocolate Peppermint Patty tea from our new partner The Tea Spot. I took a poll on what yoga pose this tea might inspire one to do...but I myself decided on scorpion pose, vrschikasana. Because I feel like I have been working on it for years, and need a kick in the pants to keep doing so. (I was convinced my feet were closer to my head! Think I need more Chocolate Peppermint Patty tea...)

Do some shopping at The Tea Spot and get 20% off with the code BIGSKYYOGA. Be sure to get the new poetry tea traveler (pictured at left) to sip from...order one for yourself and another for a gift. I'm giving quite a few this year!
A yoga retreat to look forward to next year, a new yoga mat, and tea + poetry. How could you not be inspired to reTreat yourself?
Happy and healthy Holidays from Montana!

Good Yoga Read: Going OM

You might have noticed there are a lot of yoga books out there. Not just the tried and true sort, like Iyengar's Light on Yoga or Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi - a brand new genre has popped up in recent years. It seems everyone is trying their mudra-making hand at chronicling the human drama that unfolds within the yoga studio and yoga communities "off the mat". And I have to say, I've found the results less than impressive. We all love yoga, but that doesn't mean all of us should write about it.

So I will admit that I was a bit wary of delving into one of the latest entries, Going OM: Real-Life Stories On and Off the Yoga Mat. It promised an anthology that "values the quality of writing over the authors' flexibility", with the authors being referred to as "literati". This promise of people who knew how to write was tantalizing enough to get me to start reading.

And I was hooked. The essays made me laugh, pulled at heartstrings, and invited reflection to ponder the message of a few writer's more esoteric expression. They concisely captured - without all the blah blah - the slightly messy yet deeply inspiring moments that time with the practice can offer anyone. That something we are always trying to describe to people who don't do yoga.

The star of the bunch is The, Um, Sexy Yoga Essay, by Claire Dederer (who wrote Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses). She wittily explores why yoga is, um, sexy. I read this part over and over, not just because it made me laugh, but also because it's so spot on:

When I talk about yoga being sexy, I mean that it looks sexy. But yoga, of course, is not about how stuff looks. It's about how stuff feels. That's what we keep returning to, over and over in our yoga practices: we try to get at how things feel. And I wonder if there's a kind of sexual feeling to yoga.

Here's why I wonder: because studios are filled with thirty- and forty-something women who seem to be, well, in love with yoga. Who treat it like their secret boyfriend or girlfriend. Who plot and scheme and hire help to get out of the house to get to yoga. When they talk about yoga, their eyes shine. They use words like delicious and addiction. They buy new outfits. They feel seen, as one does with a new love, even if the eyes seeing them are their own, in the studio mirror. Do these women have all these same feelings about their longtime husbands or partners? I will go out on a limb and say: they do not! These women are besotted, which is not exactly how marriage works. 

Flaubert famously said, 'Madame Bovary, c'est moi', and these yoga ladies, compulsively drawn to the sensations they discover and explore on the yoga mat, well, c'est moi. I am one of them. Have been one of them. Will be one of them. And there's something we're all finding in yoga class. It's not sex, exactly. But it might be sex's kissing cousin. 

C'est moi, aussi.
My other faves include:

Neal Pollack's My Dad, the Yogi, a super sweet reminder that yoga is for every body, and that this common experience connects us. After accompanying his dad to his regular gym yoga class, the author muses:

When the teacher said Namaste after a short savasana, most of the class applauded. I've taken yoga classes all over the world, from a great variety of master teachers. Rarely have I heard such enthusiasm. These people were never going to attend an Anusara Grand Gathering or Wanderlust, buy tickets to a 'trance dance', or download an MC Yogi song. They probably didn't know, and probably didn't care, about the difference between Ashtanga, Iyengar, or kundalini yoga. None of them would sign up as Lululemon ambassadors. But they'd arrived that day at the gym stiff, or feeling stressed out...and now they were a little better. Yoga serves no more important purpose. The rest of what we call 'yoga' in the West is often just sickly-sweet frosting atop a delicious cake that needs no extra flavor. 

And how savasana helps us remember the rules we want to live by in Katherine Riegel's Why: 

Because sometimes during savasana I begin to remember the rules I want to live by. For moments at a time I might remember and actually feel that I am living in the present and that worrying about invasive Cuban tree frogs or my upcoming dental appointment or when my car will break down is not, actually, required...During savasana I might feel, very briefly, that my life is worthwhile even when I'm not doing anything.

Enough quotes, go buy the book. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll marvel yet again at this thing called yoga.

Yoga + Tea Time

So remember a few months ago when I said I was going to convert from coffee to tea? How's that going, you ask? Well. I can't say that it's been a seamless transition, but then it occurred to me that it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. I was worried that being a tea or coffee person is sort of like being a dog or cat person - you're pretty much one or the other. Now I know that's not necessarily true. And while I do love my latte...I feel something that runs deeper in my new love affair with tea. It's been brewing all along (forgive the pun), but our new partner The Tea Spot has truly awakened it.

Naturally, I am intrigued by the connection between yoga and tea - both are mystical and medicinal. Both are special practices that take the yogi/tea drinker away from the daily grind (oh nooooooo...now a coffee pun) for a soothing break. Consider all the yoga studios that serve tea to help transition from yoga-land back into the cold, hard world off the mat. Lululemon made a "tea lounge" pant. I have them.

The ancient roots of tea ceremonies all over the world lie in ritual. On our visits to Japan and Morocco, we were fascinated by the intricacies and history of their tea ceremonies. My daughter even learned to pour mint tea from up high, to properly aerate it (plus it looks cool), as they do in Morocco. The many practices of yoga - asana, pranayama, chanting - are also rituals with ancient roots. We are drawn to the comfort of our modern rituals - of laying out our yoga mat, lighting a candle, wearing our favorite yoga pants. Of carefully and thoughtfully preparing a cup of tea. Our rituals of yoga and tea shouldn't be rush jobs, because they slow us down in a good way. In a way we deeply crave, that returns to ancient roots.

There are tomes of information on the health benefits of tea. Knowledge of this dates back to the beginning of tea; we have simply updated it to accommodate modern medicine. In a nutshell, from The Tea Spot's website: Studies conducted around the world have shown that tea drinking might protect against such serious diseases as strokes, cancer, and heart disease, as well as boost memory, immunity, stress relief, skin health, and weight loss. Take some time exploring the many benefits by chemistry, function and organ, and tea type. The Tea Spot was founded in 2004 by Maria Uspenski, a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of tea during her recovery; 10% of their sales are donated in-kind to cancer wellness and community programs (Cowgirls vs. Cancer is one of the lucky recipients). A Japanese monk wrote in 1211: Tea is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health...Tea is the elixir that creates the mountain-dwelling immortal. Sign me up for that.

Then there is the connection between people. I've always felt that the word connection is infused with power - it sounds straightforward vs. esoteric or exotic, even slightly mathematical. I keep coming back to it again and again; if I had to use one word to describe the source of my own inspiration, it would be connection. Tea ceremonies have connected people for millennia. So has the practice of yoga. So it seems fairly obvious that yoga + tea = more than bliss (as The Tea Spot founder Maria previously stated in her interview with me)...it = connection too. The aptly named Meditative Mind became our retreat ritual this season; I watched people sipping it before yoga, after yoga, in between yoga. It connected the yoga. It connected the people sipping it.

Cowgirl Yogatography 2014 - two spots left

October is just around the corner and we are three short weeks from the second Yogatography Retreat at the amazing Double T River Ranch. I can't wait to see what magical moments will be had this year. Last year's retreat was one of the most creative and exciting times of my year! And, I fully intend this one to be no different in that regard…ONLY BETTER!

If you are contemplating leaping for one of the last two spots available, I want to encourage you - jump in, the water is fine! Don't be shy, you will be in great company. We will start with a healthy dose of camera 101 and quickly mix in some creative exercises, assignments and morning meditation that will free up your brain and spirit to inspire your photography, regardless of your skill level. I will be striving to keep up with the yoga classes, and... believe me, that will level the playing field. Baby yoga steps for me!
And if you need a little more inspiration, here are some images that I grabbed during last year's retreat. Please join us for the second annual Yogatography Retreat in Montana. These are images I captured in between the teaching and the yoga - the image at left was an assignment that the attendees conjured up for me.

Cowgirl Commentary on the Latest Yoga Drama

Here we go again! The latest yoga drama doesn't involve Lululemon, just so you know. The bastion of all-things-yoga before it was hip, Yoga Journal, has now been added to the mix. (Oh wait. That does mean Lululemon is involved...)

Everyone has their panties in a bunch over the latest issue, over three main things: 1. the new editor is the former editor of SELF. Which apparently is as controversial a publication as Cosmo, and seems to totally disqualify her from anything having to do with yoga; 2. Hilaria Baldwin on the cover; 3. body shaming in an article that provides tips on how to hide butt dimples, among other things.

In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights:
Why my butt dimples just unsubscribed from Yoga Journal
Really, Yoga Journal?
Yoga Journal has a Major Body Image Issue, and By Issue, I Mean Problem

I know nothing about the new editor's yoga qualifications or lack thereof. I would imagine that previous publishing experience was a must for the editor-in-chief position, and at least it wasn't at Cosmo. Comparing SELF to YJ is not the real issue here. And Hilaria, well, maybe she is a really great teacher, but let's be honest: she married into celebrity yogi status. Way to be on the right yoga mat at the right time, girl. Celebriyogis, as YogaDork calls them, do dancer pose in 5 inch heels. (Recall Tara Stiles practicing bridge pose in CFM heels for the W Hotel yoga whatever-that-was earlier this year.)

What I want to focus on here is the body shaming. But, I read the article "Love Your Curves" a few times, and I'm going to go out on a limb here: I really don't think it's that bad. It's not really this article that has pissed everyone off. It's bigger than butt dimples.

YJ tries - the first line in the article is "Yoga isn't about achieving the perfect body - it's for every body". OK yes they bring up what they call "common body confidence sappers", such as "butt dimples" and "thicker thighs"...but I will admit that one of the "YJ reader's style questions" (NOTE: these questions are said to come from the READERS themselves!) applies to me. The fact that I don't want to show too much cleavage doesn't mean I don't love my breasts; it means I don't want them all over the place during my yoga practice.

Over the last few years I have felt a nagging dissatisfaction every time I read YJ. I felt kind of empty afterwards, like I didn't learn anything new, or that every page was pretty much the same. Which has been one of the ongoing complaints that has just kept gaining momentum - all the models are skinny white chicks or skinny white guys in shorty shorts. The opening act when you first turn the cover is always one of those double page Hard Tail ads, aka yoga soft porn. Where's the diversity? Where are the bodies of all shapes and sizes, ages and backgrounds?

The true appeal of yoga is that everyone can do it, for pretty much their entire lives. That is the message I want to teach. This is the message YJ should run with. Of course the practice will change and evolve - we won't all be doing scorpion pose in our 60s (or, ever. which is fine too), or adding in a handstand with every vinyasa. The more teachers subscribe to the small subset of acrobatic yoga as being the only one worth practicing, the more people that will get discouraged and even worse, hurt. My hardcore, party-trick Ashtanga days ended when I became pregnant. Some would argue I was never hardcore. Who the hell cares? I practice what feels good and works for my body, what makes my body healthier. And that has been a moving target over the years, as is to be expected. Yoga is for everyone, damn it; that is why so many of us have dedicated big parts of our lives to practicing and sharing it. Not for the fleeting yoga selfie moment of the peak pose of our lifetime, but for the lifetime of opportunity to be healthier and happier.

Because strong, healthy bodies are sexy, no matter what shape - that's what I want to teach my daughter, and the wide range of women that attend my retreats. A few years ago, I had someone on retreat who if judged only by appearances would have been labeled overweight. Let me tell you, her practice kicked asana. She was incredibly strong and beautiful. Yoga gives every body the gift of strength and beauty that is appropriate for their age, body type, etc. YJ does not need to conform to other women's magazines' message of unattainable, airbrushed appearances; after all, its main topic is not fashion and beauty. It needs to celebrate that strength and beauty come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and that yoga is a wonderful way to showcase that.

I think that these are the messages YJ needs to convey in the entire magazine, not just in one good-intentioned article. YJ has lost sight of this by falling victim to publishing pressures, and the yoga community is objecting. What I don't want to see is an ongoing visual representation of people who do yoga as being only thin, young white women whose practice qualifies them to be Cirque du Soleil performers. There are curvy pears with butt dimples "rockin' [their] classic body type" that should be all over the pages of YJ. I want to see a cover model that represents dedication to the teachings of yoga, vs. someone who landed there because she married a movie star.

It's an easy fix, really - YJ just needs to keep it real.

Hiking recovery - Feel the OO

My feet have been on my mind a lot lately, after all this hiking. I have a bit of an obsession with footwear, which is ironic since I spend a lot of time in bare feet on my yoga mat. Off the mat, I prefer cowgirl boots, anything with good arch support, and I must - I repeat, must - wear slippers around the house. As someone who appreciates fancy footwear, I also own a lot of flip flops for this purpose.

A few months ago, I tried a pair of OOFOS slip ons. I pretty much haven't stopped wearing them since. With their cushioning and arch support, it feels like a foot massage every time I come home and take off my shoes. After hiking, the relief they have provided my feet has actually made me say "OO"...the OOFOS motto "Feel the OO" might seem a bit silly, but they aren't kidding. I'm thinking about adding them to our Yoga & Hiking retreat goodie bags.

6 Different Types of Yoga

Are you thinking about giving yoga a try, but you just aren’t sure which type is best for your personality and ability? For some people, yoga is the best part of the day. It gives you a chance to focus on yourself, get in some good stretches, a little exercise and even simply take some time to breathe.

Ashtanga This class is suited for anyone who has been practicing for a while and has high levels of endurance. It typically includes a sequence of poses repeated over and over again.
Hatha This is ideal for beginners. It incorporates poses and breathing techniques and helps to improve flexibility.
Iyengar This type of yoga focuses on the body’s alignment and is great if you have problems with your back or neck. The poses are intended to strengthen the muscles that support joints.
Vinyassa This is a great style of yoga if you are interested in losing some weight. It’s a fast-paced class and at some studios it’s referred to as Power Yoga.
Kundalini This is the perfect class if you’re seeking a more spiritual and calming experience. Instructors typically include chanting and breathing to focus on calming the mind.
Bikram Excellent choice if you want to become extremely flexible. Bikram is typically held in a heated room with high levels of humidity. You may have heard this referred to as Hot Yoga.

Cowgirl Commentary on Yoga Sensationalism

In the latest yoga news, yoga something-or-the-other (celeb? model? Or as she calls herself, “rebel”?) Tara Stiles is promoting her new program for W hotels by cruising around NYC in a glass box on wheels, all the better for people to gawk at her doing yoga.

Geez. I could say something a lot stronger, but this was the first thing that came out. As a former member of the beauty and fashion brigade, I must say that I am glad I got out of NYC. When things like this happen, I often recall hours on end in L’Oreal meeting rooms taking makeup very seriously. I can just imagine the marketing hipsters clustered around the W Hotels conference room table, coming up with this edgy new idea – “Hey! Let’s put Tara Stiles in a glass box and drive her around while she does yoga for all to see!” Geez, geez, geez.

Yoga Dork also employs “geez” in reaction to the latest Tara Stiles yoga news, in the ever-witty and spot on blog post Tara Stiles Does Yoga in a Glass Box on Wheels to Promote New ‘Glamorous,’ ‘Nontraditional’ Yoga Program. That headline is more than enough to make you shift expressions from geez to, WTF??

This begs the question: what exactly is this promoting? ”Nontraditional”, “Glamorous” yoga…? (Cue my visual of W Marketing group brainstorming new yoga frontiers, where no yogi has gone before.) It’s their new “FIT with Tara Stiles” program, defined as: In partnership with the industry’s yoga rebel, FIT with Tara Stiles flips the traditional idea of fitness on its head with a non-traditional approach to working out while on the road. Comprised of a curated in-room workout video designed for the needs of the W traveler, in-room tip cards with quick fixes to get camera-ready in a flash, and an exclusive series of intimate FIT with Tara Stiles packages available at some of the most glamorous W Retreats around the world, the program allows guests to polish their body and mindset in a uniquely W way.

“Camera-ready in a flash”? You mean, for said W guest’s next yoga selfie? Says W Global Brand Leader: The W guest has a true ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality and wants to look fabulous yet have fun while getting fit. Barf. That sentence brings to mind 80’s aerobics, not yoga.

I may be accused (been there, done that) of yoga sensationalism – I mean, yoga + horses?? “Cowgirl Yoga”? Geez/WTF! There have been and will continue to be many purists who scoff at what I do. And no, I don’t do yoga in cowgirl boots, but it sure made for a fun picture.

Innovation and creativity are part of the process of keeping a business alive and well. And fun, I might add. And of course yoga itself should be fun. In a certain sense of the word. But not sure it’s the kind of fun pictured in the W Hotel’s recent Instagram post, accompanied by the caption: “Morning yoga” Morning yoga with high heels and Veuve Clicquot?? I guess you could call that non-traditional, fer sure. Does a “yoga rebel” drink champagne while doing bridge pose in high heels on a hotel couch…?

Let’s be honest: this is a fairly lame attempt to glamorize an in-room yoga offering at a hotel. Which, even at the W, isn’t very glamorous, IMHO.

A Side of Yoga

You forward bend, you backbend, but what about going sideways on your mat? Some sideways yoga is a great way to freshen up your practice this spring. We don’t often think about being tense in our sides, but like every other nook and cranny of our body, they accumulate tension and stress. The good news is the side body responds quickly to lengthening and opening up those spaces, and doing so improves how you carry yourself and how you breathe.

Side bends can be surprisingly intense, so take your time taking your body from right to left. Learn my favorite sideways yoga - including Vishnu's Couch (bottom pic), which I adore for more than its name - in my latest tutorial on the Athleta Chi, A Side of Yoga. Happy spring!