· · · ·

There is a light that never goes out.

evolutionyou.net | yoga

“Imagine there is a fire beneath your heels, so lift them high and use your knees to pull your triceps in towards your chest. Now the flames are rising towards your butt, so lift that, too. Keep looking forward until your toes have no choice, nowhere to go, but up. Stack hips over shoulders, find balance, and soar. Crow.” —Susan, owner & teacher at Power Yoga Buffalo

Fans of The Smiths know that there is a light that never goes out. The Gaslight Anthem injects a different meaning to an old image when they say, There was a fire that wouldn’t go out, until it consumed the walls and roof of this house. Recently I have challenged myself to consider the fire of either creation or destruction that is within me.

On November 1, 2010, I attended my first yoga class at Power Yoga Buffalo (PYB). It was love at first downward facing dog. Since then, I have attended faithfully and manage to practice nearly every day. I was hooked by the perfect blend of ass kicking, top-notch instruction, sweet encouragement, laughter, hands-on assisting, poetry, modern music, and some chants, too. Truth be told, I am not sure which has been more profound—the psychological or the physical benefits of this practice. Either way, I know that I have enjoyed improvements in managing my internal monologue and thus my time, behavior, and self-doubt.

Thanks to my personality and professional training, you could say that I am compulsed to incorporate all new information into my current body of evidence. This is tempered with romantic, whimsical tendencies. Yoga has helped re-kindle my creative spirit and not need a reason for everything. It probably seems silly that I needed to pay someone to tell me to breathe, drink water, and give myself permission to do something purely because I want to. Newsflash: I needed it.

At the beginning of each class, I dedicate my practice to a very specific purpose. Likewise, my intention for this post is deliberate—to share the words of wisdom of my three principle yoga instructors. I have managed to enact these simple principles, thus empowering myself to fully wake up and enjoy right now. I prefer this to my previous preoccupation with either the past or the future. I am grateful to have discovered a light within me that has been cultivated to a roaring flame with the help of Susan, Jamie, and Megan. If this was easy, everyone would be doing it…but if it was impossible, no one would.

(Previously unnerving) things I have done for the first time since November 2010:

  • Practiced yoga
  • Trained for and finished the Buffalo half-marathon
  • Enjoyed season passes to Shea’s theater
  • Had faith that my relationship with my mother would get better (and it did!)
  • Enrolled in a scuba certification class
  • Chose the clinical research track for school; wrote and defended my project protocol to experts and colleagues
  • Became certified to immunize
  • Attempted NaNoWriMo for the first time.
  • Accepted the fact that while my boyfriend is not the best housekeeper, the squalor that we lived in is partly my fault
  • Held (and am holding) myself accountable for both good and bad qualities
  • Accepted that my list of friends has thinned out over the years, and that is perfectly okay
  • Injured my iliotibial band in August; dedicated my attention to gentle rehabilitation

—————————–

evolutionyou.net | yoga

“Remember: you can choose to suffer, or to simply be. Everything in this life is temporary. Realize that and ask yourself, why shouldn’t I be fully present for the best and worst times?” —Jamie, owner & teacher at PYB

The way I see it, there are four ways to approach nearly any obstacle in life, (1) Choose to suffer and make it through, (2) Choose not to suffer and make it through, (3) Quit because it’s uncomfortable and forfeit getting stronger today, (4) Quit because you’re going to get hurt if you don’t. Different circumstances may warrant a single individual to pick any of these paths at a given point in time. But, short of saving oneself from injury, why not make it through? Better yet, why not bring joy to everything we do, to accept the discomfort of a given situation in order to reach the light at the end of the tunnel?

I have learned to approach the hands-on portion of my education (six 6-week rotations) with enthusiasm, regardless of practice site. (Note: Kristin is a pharmacy student.) On the first day, I present to the site with an open mind and no expectations, allowing me to pursue all endeavors with equal fervor. So far, I have received positive feedback from colleagues and patients, which leads me to believe that I have been present and enthusiastic, regardless of preconceived notions or preferences.

yoga | evolutionyou.net
“If you don’t like the way that you treat yourself when you’re on the mat, then change it. You are the only one with the power to do that.” —Megan, owner & teacher at Power Yoga Buffalo

Yoga has provided a lot of insight about how I treat myself. For example, when I find my “edge” in terms of flexibility or strength, I breathe deeper into the pose until I fall. This is a vast improvement from my first month or so of practicing when I would look at my neighbor and feel inadequate. Being aware that I compare myself to others has changed the way that I handle classically stressful situations like school, board exams, or social disturbances.

My mat has forced me to realize and confront how I act when I am challenged or at peace—do I let myself experience each moment fully, or do I tell myself I can’t do it? The key here is realizing that right now cannot be extrapolated to any other moment in time. What I mean is, if I can’t fully achieve a pose (or manage my time or control my portion size) today, doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t try, nor does it mean that I couldn’t do it yesterday or won’t be able to do it tomorrow. Practicing yoga has helped me to be more appreciate of what I can do, which in turn, means that I treat myself with a kindness and reverence that I have lacked at previous points in my life.

yoga | evolutionyou.net

“You always tell yourself a story. You’re not strong enough or thin enough or any number of other insufficiences. What happened to wanting to be an astronaut or a doctor and actually believing you could do it?” —Susan

In the past, I did not see myself as attractive or particularly skilled at anything. I would say that I liked the following: running for non-runners, writing for non-writers, painting for non-painters. What does that even mean? There was no good reason for me to feel shame or humility for things I like to do. The solution was simple: stop. I still don’t call myself a runner or a writer or an artist. Instead I say things that are true and precise, such as “I like to run with my dog Casey” or “When I have free time, I like to paint.”

On a similar vein, yoga has not made me lose weight. It has, however, changed the way that I look at and respect my body. I still see my little muffin tops. Now, I pinch them with a baker’s gentler hand instead of self-loathing. I’m not afraid to wear tank tops anymore, even though I have previously labeled these as “skinny people clothes.” The magic comes in me saying, “Enough of self-deprecating thoughts, JUST BE.” These attitude shifts have given me the courage and confidence to leave my house wearing a tank top without the added protection of a hooded sweatshirt.

yoga | evolutionyou.net

“My job as a yoga teacher isn’t to save you from discomfort, it’s to be here in whatever capacity that you need me. There is no rush to advanced poses. You think something life-altering is going to happen, but all you find are stinky feet, what your butt looks like from underneath, and the intricate pattern etched in your slippery mat.” —Susan

I have overcome a great deal of fear, insecurity, and self-hatred in the past several years. I didn’t feel attractive for the first two decades of my life because I was constantly comparing myself to other people or basing my self-image on my perceived attractiveness. On questions of intellect, I felt self-conscious because a number of people who read my blog are English majors, some are even MFA candidates. Others are Ph.D. students whose rhetoric can run laps around mine. Really, though, who cares? I have two choices: remain silent because I believe that my words aren’t fit to read, or make myself vulnerable to criticism that could improve my language skills. The choice is obvious….dear world, feel free to point out my poor diction or my dangling modifiers.

—————————–

If you have taken the time to read all of this, I challenge you to realize your power and influence over your surroundings. Perhaps more importantly, focus on knowing when to be the candle and when to be the fire. Regardless of circumstance, the most important part is that you show up and are present. Focus on right now. Use the light within you to bring warmth, purpose, and intention to everything you do. If there is no purpose, only suffering, then evaluate your current endeavor and motivation thereof. There are two choices at that point: change your attitude or change what you are doing, but if you do neither, then you might be squandering your light.

Yoga is not simply and purely defined by what happens when I am on my mat. It’s about the candles, lanterns, and torches that I light when I’m not in class. Ninety minutes of dedicated yoga practice, however, does provide time for me to be quiet and focus on myself as though through a microscope. This has been an active learning process that has fueled positive change and the conclusion that one candle loses nothing by lighting another, and there is a fire within me that I will nurture so that it doesn’t go out.

A note from Dena. This is a guest post from my dear friend, Kristin Kielar. Kristin is a pharmacy student who lives by the mantra, “don’t stop moving, don’t stop learning.” She resides in upstate New York where her free time is filled with outdoor adventures, caring for three dogs, resisting the urge to get more tattoos, and preparing colorful meals. Kristin’s long term goals involve moving to the American southwest and having a small, sustainable farm where no homeless dog will be turned away. You can read more about Kristin’s adventures at her journal, bite sized yet fierce.

you may also like

  • · ·

    3 Simple Changes That Will Save Your Life

    This post could save your life. These 3 simple lifestyle changes saved mine. Today I am going to simply share facts with you. These facts (if you let them) will dramatically improve your quality of life. Making these changes can even increase your life span.

    1. Stop Smoking

    FACTS: According to the American Heart Association, cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States, accounting for 440,000 of the more than 2.4 million annual deaths.

    Cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco is the major risk factor for lung cancer. In the United States, about 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking. People who smoke are 10 to 20 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. The longer a person smokes and the more cigarettes smoked each day, the more risk goes up.

    Smoking also causes cancer of the voice box (larynx), mouth and throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach, and causes acute myeloid leukemia. Source.

    FACTS: One year after passing smoking bans, communities in North America and Europe had 17 percent fewer heart attacks compared to communities without smoking restrictions, and the number of heart attacks kept decreasing with time, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Source.

    FACTS: If you quit smoking, you will:

    1. Prolong your life. According to the American Heart Association, smokers who quit between ages 35-39 add an average of 6-9 years to their lives. Smokers who quit between ages 65-69 increase their life expectancy by 1 – 4 years.

    2. Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of repeat heart attacks and death from heart disease by 50 percent or more. Quitting smoking also reduces your risk of high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease and stroke.

    3. Reduce your risk of developing a variety of other conditions including diabetes, lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, ulcers, gum disease and many other conditions.

    4. Feel healthier. After quitting, you won’t cough as much, have as many sore throats and you will increase your energy.

    5. Look and feel better. Quitting can help you prevent face wrinkles, get rid of stained teeth, improve your skin and even get rid of the stale smell in your clothes and hair.

    6. Improve your sense of taste and smell.

    7. Save money. Source.

    FACTS: What Happens When You Quit:

    After 20 minutes
    o You stop polluting the air
    o Your blood pressure and pulse decrease
    o The temperature of your hands and feet increases

    After 8 hours
    o The carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal
    o Oxygen levels in your blood increase

    After 24 hours
    o Your risk of heart attack decreases

    After 48 hours
    o Nerve endings adjust to the absence of nicotine
    o Your ability to taste and smell begin to return

    After 2 weeks to 3 months
    o Your circulation improves
    o Your exercise tolerance improves

    After 1 – 9 months
    o Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease
    o Your overall energy level increases

    After 1 year
    o Your risk of heart disease decreases to half that of a current smoker

    After 5 – 15 years
    o Your risk of stroke is reduced to that of people who have never smoked

    After 10 years
    o Your risk of dying from lung cancer drops to almost the same rate as a lifelong non- smoker
    o You decrease the incidence of other cancers — of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas

    After 15 years
    o Your risk of heart disease is reduced to that of people who have never smoked

    If you smoke again (called a relapse) do not lose hope. Seventy-five percent of those who quit relapse. Most smokers quit three times before they are successful. If you relapse, don’t give up! Review the reasons why you wanted to become a nonsmoker. Plan ahead and think about what you will do next time you get the urge to smoke. Source.

    2. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

    QUESTION: How many people get cancer by being overweight or obese? How many die?

    FACTS: In 2002, about 41,000 new cases of cancer in the United States were estimated to be due to obesity. This means that about 3.2 percent of all new cancers are linked to obesity.

    A recent report estimated that, in the United States, 14 percent of deaths from cancer in men and 20 percent of deaths in women were due to overweight and obesity.

    Colon cancer occurs more frequently in people who are obese than in those of a healthy weight. An increased risk of colon cancer has been consistently reported for men with high BMIs.
    Source.

    FACTS: Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as “overweight” and “obesity,” the risks for the following conditions also increases:

    * Coronary heart disease
    * Type 2 diabetes
    * Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
    * Hypertension (high blood pressure)
    * Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
    * Stroke
    * Liver and Gallbladder disease
    * Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
    * Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
    * Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility) Source.

    3. Eat Whole Foods, Not Processed

    FACTS: The statistics are alarming:

    – One in three people will get cancer at some time in their life

    – Heart disease is the leading cause of death

    – Poor nutrition and physical inactivity together are the second
    actual cause of preventable death in the United States

    On the other hand new evidence shows that:

    – Eating five or more fruits and vegetables per day cuts cancer
    risk in half

    – People who eat more fruits and vegetables have a 30% lower risk
    of premature heart attack than people who eat a few

    – About 25% fewer strokes are projected for adults who eat 8 or
    more servings of fruits and vegetables per day

    – Fruits and vegetables may help keep blood sugar down and control diabetes.” Source.

    FACTS: Processed meat consumption results in 67% increase in pancreatic cancer risk.
    Source.

    FACTS: Inorganic phosphates are found in a variety of processed foods, including meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery products. They are added to increase water retention and improve food texture. Studies suggests a diet high in inorganic phosphates could speed growth of cancerous tumors and contribute to the development of tumors in those predisposed to the disease. Source.

    FACTS: Carcinogens in foods that may be naturally-occurring, caused by preparing or cooking certain foods, or added to it, include safrole, estragole and benzene. Processed foods such as sausages, bacon and canned meats contain high amounts of the preservative nitrite, another known carcinogen. Other carcinogens to look for in food products include:

    * acetaldehyde
    * acetamide
    * azo color and compounds
    * benzidine
    * bis (2-Chloromethyl) ether
    * cadmium
    * chlorinated parraffin waxes
    * 3,3-dichlorobenzidine
    * dichloromethane
    * hexachlorobenzene
    * polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
    * polychlorinated dibenzodioxins
    * polychlorinated dibenzofurans
    * sillica
    * trichloroethylene

    Though it is impossible to avoid every known carcinogen, to decrease risk of cancers and other illnesses, a balanced diet with more unprocessed, whole foods can decrease risk of some cancers and other diseases such as type two diabetes and heart disease. Source.

    FACTS: Nutrients in Whole Foods that Protect Against Cancer:

    1. Vitamin A: Strengthens the immune system. Essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function. Helps detoxify. True vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil; fish and shellfish; and liver, butter and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.

    2. Vitamin C: An important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. Found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.

    3. Vitamin B6: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes. Most available from animal foods.

    4. Vitamin B12: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods.

    5. Vitamin B17: Protects against cancer. Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts and berries.

    6. Vitamin D: Required for mineral absorption. Strongly protective against breast and colon cancer. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin D than the typical modern American diet.

    7. Vitamin E: Works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.

    8. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.

    9. Cholesterol: A potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.

    10. Minerals: The body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.

    11. Lactic Acid and Friendly Bacteria: Contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old fashioned lacto-fermented foods.

    12. Saturated Fats: Strengthen the immune system. Needed for proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs cannot function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.

    13. Long-Chain Fatty Acids: Arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil and seafood.

    14. Co-enzyme Q10: Highly protective against cancer. Found only in animal foods. Source.

    In closing: I truly hope that you will begin living these simple lifestyle changes. If you are non-smoker, not obese, and already eating whole foods, then I challenge you to help to spread this message to as many people as you can. All of the suffering and the disease mentioned above is not necessary. It can be prevented.

4 Comments

  1. Loved this. I started doing yoga to help calm my inner negativity. I’m beginning with ten minutes in the morning to set the tone for the rest of my day. I’m also taking a class, and our instructor Vivien gives us affirmations to tell ourselves like, “I love myself” and “I am worthy of love.” And we spend the last five minutes meditating. I finish feeling so proud that my body is strong enough to accomplish an hour of yoga (everything but crow, ha!).

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Manuel Loigeret Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *