Posts In: healing

Get to know Bri who teaches a Vinyasa Flow, Level 2 class on Wednesdays at 5:30pm. Bri is a phenomenal teacher and an incredible human being we’re happy to have on our team! 

Visit www.yogaonesandiego.com to register for classes.

Q: How does yoga show up in your life right now?

Yoga shows up in my life right now particularly through the Niyamas (self-observances). If you’re into astrology, you might be familiar with the term ‘Saturn Return.’ I’m about 2/3 through my first one and let me tell you – a LOT of personal change is happening! Remembering the Niyamas keeps me grounded. I love this new sense of awareness, even if the path there is bumpy.

Q: Where are you experiencing growth in your life?

I am growing emotionally and spiritually right now. Over the course of the last year I committed a lot of time to practices (i.e. therapy, meditation) that support my healing. Although no one is ever fully healed, I am so grateful to have cultivated a deeper sense of self-love, admiration, and compassion. I think it also increases my capacity to give as a teacher.

Q: What’s your favorite burrito?

A veggie burrito! Extra beans, two types of salsa, sour cream, and guac please!

from our Studio Manager, Missy DiDonato

I feel like I need to say this at the beginning: I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. I don’t think about resolutions for the New Year, and I definitely don’t write them down. With that said, here’s my take on resolutions…

My life does not radically change on January 1st and I’m pretty sure that’s true for most of you. But I like the idea of taking a moment to assess the trajectory of my life and deciding if that direction is compatible with my vision of who I want to become.

So here are some of my on-going resolutions: thought processes I’m working to build, relationships I’m actively deepening, and physical practices that root me in the here and now. Hope these resonate with you!

1. Forgive Myself More. I want to give myself more grace when I make mistakes. I want to be free of my own demanding expectations for my work load and mental bandwidth. I want to let go of that feeling that I need to be everything to everyone.
2. Laugh More. Little moments often mean the most. Sometimes a smile from a friend can lift your whole day. I want to be present for more of those moments of joy and laughter.
3. Walk More. There’s nothing like being outside in nature and feeling the rhythm of walking to bring my mind and body into focus. Like yoga, walking can be its own form of moving meditation. I say yes to more opportunities to walk! Want to walk the neighborhood with me?
4. Keep Learning. I always love taking yoga classes from different teachers. The poses might be the same, but each person has their own unique perspective. I learn something new from every teacher. I want to keep stretching outside my comfort zone.
5. Make More Art. I love to create – drawing, cutting, gluing, anything artsy-craftsy. It’s magic to take ordinary materials and make something beautiful. It fills my soul when something I’ve made brings a smile to the face of someone I love.

So those are my thoughts as we approach 2022. I have faith the new year won’t be as crazy as the past two years, but I’ve been surprised before! Spending time with the people you love is what truly matters. Wishing us all more of those moments. <3

This monthly workshop led by Missy DiDonato fills up fast! While you’re supported in restorative yoga poses, you’ll receive Reiki and a concert of vibrations from crystal bowls, Koshi chimes, rain sticks and more. This meditative experience will leave you feeling centered, balanced and focused.

Join us Monday, November 15th at 7pm

But don’t take our word for it, here’s what past participants have to say –

“The first Reiki & Sound session I went to was amazing. I left feeling rested, peaceful, and full of positive energy.” – Lydia B.

“As a busy mom of two young kids, Reiki & Sound has given me the time and space to truly relax, unwind, and take care of myself. I look forward to having the dedicated time to connect with myself.” – Dain M.

“A few weeks ago at Yoga One, I attended the Reiki & Sound Bath workshop. It was a completely new experience for me and I had no idea what to expect. After settling in and quieting my mind, I was able to completely relax. The sensations I felt during the session were both warm and calming. For me though, it wasn’t until I went to sleep that night and woke up the next morning that complete inner peace ran through me. It was magical.”- Dana H.

 “My Reiki & Sound Bath experience at Yoga One was both relaxing and transforming. My body released all tension as my heart/mind was transported by the cosmic sound vibrations! Awesome!” – Dawn F.

“Basking in the Reiki & Sound Bath is like absorbing the warmth of the sun in winter or the divine cool of the moon in summer. I leave serene, as if I’ve just had a beautiful massage!” – Chris F.

Do you remember your first yoga class ever? We’d love to hear about it!

“My first yoga class was in San Francisco, on the recommendation of an ex-boyfriend. In my mind, “yoga was for hippies” lol, but I went to a local YMCA and enrolled for a month. After my first class, I was in love.

“Before that, I had been working for my state’s Human Rights Commission. I was 21, fresh out of college, and I wasn’t ready to see the reality of my country, Mexico, first hand. I became extremely anxious, depressed and got into toxic behavior with myself. 

“But then a small miracle happened. As part of my job, I went to an orphanage where most of the kids had been taken away from their parents because of addiction or legal custody battles. I thought to myself, I can’t come in here looking like this. The kids need to see healthy people around them.

“I stopped drinking and smoking on the weekdays. It took me two or three months until I decided I needed to quit my job for the sake of my mental health. And I wanted to travel – which brought me to San Francisco. I went back to that YMCA for yoga every day for six months. Then everywhere I went, I enrolled in classes.

“I started to think seriously about taking a yoga teacher training. I realized I wasn’t interested anymore in trying to help the people around me with politics and social work. I wanted them to feel the way I did after every single class. So I looked for a good yoga teacher training in San Diego and the rest is history…

“It’s been almost seven years since I took my teacher training at Yoga One. Every day I go to work with so much happiness and fulfillment that I can’t put it into words. Thanks Yoga One!”

– Yoga One Teacher Training Graduate, Alejandra García Mac Naught

Take a few minutes out of your day to enjoy this healing sound bath offered by Yoga One teacher Amy Freeman and her son. They play chakra tuned crystal bowls, hand pan and tongue drums, and a rainstick in the beautiful San Diego, California sunshine. Please also enjoy the unscripted bird calls. 🙂

by Laura McCorry

AMNESIA

Once again
I’ve confused rigidity for strength,
domination for embodiment.

I’ve missed opportunities for appreciation
for acceptance
for love.

We know in our minds.
We feel in our hearts.

And yet we forget.
We get lost,
confused.
Amnesia of the spirit.

What if the only purpose of life
is to communicate love?
Through our breath
Through our body
Through our thoughts
Through our words
Through our actions
Through our relationships
Through our life
Through our being

Begin again.
Every day.
Every moment.
Every breath.
A chance to wake up.

*****

BELIEFS

How do they form?
How do they shape and filter
the way we view ourselves,
each other, the world?

We look to some beliefs
to help guide positive thought and action,
such as Ahimsa (non-violence),
or a vision of sameness,
to see ourselves in others,
or to (radically) love ourselves…

But perhaps any belief
comes with a small weight,
what we should be or do.

Maybe the next step
is to let go of the belief.

To realize that we already are the same.
We already are love.
We always have been.
We don’t have to think it,
or believe it,
we can just be it.
We
Are
It.

guest post by Stacey Ebert

Well over a decade ago, my friend Julie and I took a networking yoga class in NYC. We walked in, borrowed a mat, giggled at the ridiculous of it all, managed to stay for about 10 minutes, then ditched to get dinner.

It was a few years later until I took my second, ‘first’ yoga class on the beach in Long Beach, NY and whether I knew it then or not, I was hooked. Fast forward 8 years (after countless mat, hammock and wall classes around the globe) and here we are – I’ve officially survived the first week of yoga teacher training. If you asked me if I ever thought I’d be here – I’d definitely tell you you’re crazy.

Before I stepped through the door on Day 1 of Yoga One Teacher Training, I was petrified, nervous, excited, hesitant, and consumed with more emotions I can’t describe. Even though I had taught both high school and swimming for over two decades, even though Yoga One is my home studio and I adore the owners, Amy and Michael Caldwell – still, I felt that apprehension and angst. I came home from my first day sweaty, happy, exhausted, and not knowing if I could hack it.

By Day 2, I was achy, still happy, and managed to say two words to the husband before passing out by six o’clock for the night. Day 4, I taught for twenty minutes and all participants (including myself) walked away alive and unbroken – I call that a win! By day 5, I began experiencing change and feeling like the universe was literally cracking me open from the inside and never wanting this to end and by Day 6, I found myself dreaming of how to sequence a yoga class – what on earth is happening?

It was almost four years ago that we moved to San Diego and over a year that I’ve called Yoga One, home. These fabulous humans were there for me when my Dad passed away in December, gave me hugs when I needed it (and when I didn’t know I did), supported me through moves, the husband’s broken leg and dried my tears in many a savasana. Teacher training, for me, has taken that all to the next level – something like yoga, unplugged.

For the past week, Amy, Michael, Missy and Nam have taken fourteen strangers and brought them into the Yoga One community. We’ve learned to listen consciously, share our experiences, learn purpose and priorities we didn’t before know, trust and support each other in asanas and adjustments, breathe and be guided through practice by a kind, curious, experienced teacher. Through the medium of the yoga practice, Amy has helped us believe in ourselves.

For over a year now, Amy and the other instructors at Yoga One have been working with my wonky lungs and back on alignment and modifications that work for me. They’ve answered questions, pointed me in directions, guided me through practice, given me knowledge and shared their favorite books with me. Phrases like neutral/anteverted pelvis, natural spinal curve, breathe into the left back body, anchor the ribs and energetically move the thighs to the back plane of the body have been bantered around, improved slightly, yet often seemed unattainable – until this week.

This week, there’s been change. This week I woke up without back pain, actually felt what it means to get my thighs on the floor in full supta tadasana (reclined mountain pose) and even managed a full (supported) backbend. There have been tears of joy shed and magic felt – I can’t explain it, but it’s happening and that’s what matters.

Sure, I’m still nervous to sequence a class, figure out those transitions from standing to sitting and remember to mirror those tricky left and right directions – but I’m here. Fourteen people keep showing up each day with their eco-friendly bottles of water, snacks, desire to learn, and interest in the practice. Led by a patient, knowledgeable leader, we’ve watched each other grow, learn, share, and do. We’ve learned the difference between Yamas and Niyamas, that rooting to rise is helpful to all beings, that being present matters, that we can all benefit from a balance between steadiness and ease, that the practice of yoga is an artful, meditative dance and that all are always welcome on the mat.

I’m not sure what’s coming next, but I know I want to be a part of it all. None of us truly knows where it will all lead, but there’s magic happening in this training and on the mat and I’m already looking forward to experiencing more of it.

Stacey Ebert
Guest Writer

Stacey Ebert is a freelance writer, educator, event planner, and volunteer coordinator who has traveled to over 50 of the world’s countries. Writing about adventure, journey and perspective changing life shifts, she encourages travelers to take the leap, use the world as their classroom and get outside their comfort zones. She has lived in Long Beach (New York), Melbourne (Australia) and is presently based in San Diego (California). Connect with her on her blog, The Gift of Travel, Facebook, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.

by Olivia Hughes

The Sun Does Shine

by Anthony Ray Hinton

Summary: This equally powerful and gut-wrenching true story is about Anthony Hinton who was falsely convicted (through mistaken identity) of a murder he did not commit. He lived on death row for almost 30 years before being released in 2015.

Hinton is an amazing storyteller and his book is hard to put down; it made me laugh and cry all at once. Similar to Nelson Mandela, Hinton even with his adverse circumstances found true peace and forgiveness. Hinton could have focused only on himself, but he was able to help 54 men find their own peace before being executed. Hinton’s inner transformation that then rippled through out the jail is an incredible testimony to the resiliency of the human spirit.

Hinton emerged from this experience more inspired and purposeful then ever. He now travels the United States promoting prison reform and visiting inmates to discuss the power of forgiveness.

Why I Love It: In addition to being emotionally impactful, The Sun Does Shine also exposes the failings of our justice system and advocates for prison reform –  something, as a society, I believe we should talk more and do more about. We need to be held accountable for how we treat one another. I’m inspired every time I hear a story where justice and truth prevail. Stories like Hinton’s, someone who had every reason to be bitter about life but chose the opposite, remind me how I want to live my own life.

The theme of forgiveness also struck a chord with me because practicing forgiveness, specifically self-forgiveness, has been the single greatest tool I have used in my personal healing and development. I now offer forgiveness workshops where we employ these powerful words, “I forgive myself for…” Try it! I hope it serves you.

Recommended For: Anyone who wants to be inspired to live fully right now, no matter their life circumstances. There is so much we can learn from those who have suffered yet still participate whole-heartedly in life. We are all one – and the more we can believe it, act like it, and share it, the better. In this book, the underdog rises to the top, love leads the way, and justice wins. This book will give you all the feels! It doesn’t get any better than that.

“An urgent, emotional memoir from one of the longest-serving condemned death row inmates to be found innocent in America… A heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story about truth, justice, and the need for criminal justice reform.” – Kirkus, starred review

Olivia Hughes
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

An Original Yoga One Yogi, Arati Lane has been teaching at Yoga One from day one. Yoga One began enhancing the well-being of San Diego residents and visitors in 2002 and Arati has been with us every step of the way. When she’s not teaching you can sometimes find her riding on her high horse. But her yoga keeps her humble. 🙂

Arati has been teaching Yoga since 1989, completing her first training with Sivananda. Arati currently teaches yoga classes and workshops for fertility, pre- and postnatal, infant massage, couples yoga, healthy backs, flow and hatha. She counsels in AYURVEDA and loves sharing these amazing life-enhancing methods to heal and maintain balanced health in all forms! She teaches at Yoga One Sundays at 10am. You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

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by Laura McCorry

Lately I’ve found myself more drawn to silence, more drawn to sitting still and taking in the world as it presents itself. Life asking to be noticed in a small, quiet voice. It hasn’t paraded into my consciousness with fanfare and demanded attention. (There’s enough of that already, and we all know the strategy works, at least immediately.)

As Franz Kafka wrote, “You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

These are some of the moments that stopped me in my tracks, when my only response has been to sit very still observing, listening:

• My daughter already in pajamas stacking blocks as high as she can into a tower just before her bedtime. 
• The sound of my friend’s voice who tells me that in the middle of the night, she will ask her husband who recently died to go comfort their baby. 
• The late afternoon sunlight illuminating a hand-brocaded Indian elephant on a square tapestry, how I see for the first time the sparkling gold threads.
• The stark black and white text from a friend asking for prayers while she sits beside her husband in the ICU. 

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by Olivia Cecchettini

Decoded

by Shawn Carter (Jay Z)

Summary: Decoded is an unconventional memoir. It’s part autobiography part interpretation of Jay Z’s most famous songs and lyrics broken down by the rapper himself. I couldn’t put this book down. His inspiring journey includes growing up in the Marcy Projects located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City and selling crack to being the first MC inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

When Jay Z first started writing, he wrote for himself, never knowing if anyone else would ever hear his work. Even when he was plagued by doubt, he never stopped writing and he never stopped dreaming. It takes courage to hold a mirror to your life and embark on the journey of self-discovery. Neither is it easy to expose your inner self to the world.

Yoga is another way to hold a mirror to your life, to reveal your personal thoughts, emotions, and actions. I strongly believe that we are all natural-born healers. Jay Z found healing through sacred storytelling. I came to healing first through yoga. It’s not about the method, it’s about the journey and whether you’re willing to take the first step.

Why I Love It: I love this book because it felt so relatable. No, I didn’t grow up in the projects or have the same kind of difficulties in life. (Although yes, I do like to rap old school 90’s hip hop but only for my fiancé.) I grew up in a divorced family, with very young parents. I remember struggling a lot, moving a lot, trying to depend on family and friends for stability. There are happy memories, too. But I was on a quest for independence and I started my own life at 18 in San Diego.

I grew up tremendously fast those first few years on my own. It would be 12 years until I started teaching yoga. Sometimes people think yoga teachers have been practicing since birth, meditate every day, and never get sad – but the truth is that many people, including teachers, come to yoga for healing. In Decoded, Jay Z acknowledges that beneath his doubt was a greater fear of not fulfilling his potential – and this is part of my story as well.

Suggested For: Hip Hop lovers, especially the incredible music that came out of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. They just don’t make music like that anymore! I know that’s what every generation says, but it’s the truth.

Seriously though, this book shows what it means to honor the journey of life. As I edge closer to 40 than I am to 30, I see more clearly how all of life is a practice and a journey. It’s not about where we start out, or whether we end up rich and famous. It’s about the moment to moment living, the practice of self-love and acceptance. May we practice more kindness, practice compassion, listen to our intuition, remember the sacredness of storytelling, and honor those that have come before us.

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

by Olivia Cecchettini

Healing 

by David Elliott

“My primary work as a healer is to remind and reconnect people to the power of love.  Self-love is the starting point for anyone seeking healing in their life.” – David Elliott

Summary: Healing provides wonderful inspiration for empathic individuals to embrace and pursue whatever form of healing speaks to them. David Elliott’s matter-of-fact writing makes this book an easy read. Though the work he prescribes – through meditations, worksheets, and journaling – might not be as simple to master. The information Elliott provides about the healing process can help you dive deeper into yourself and better see your patterns and blocks.

This book spoke truth to my soul. When we seek out healing, we must first recognize the pain, addictions, and trauma that require healing. This process might not be for the faint of heart. I believe everything we experience in life can be turned into a tool for growth – but it is hard work to release pain and look for meaning. Elliott’s words felt familiar and safe while I worked my way through his book.

We need healers like Elliott who are ready and willing to ignite the path for others and that’s why I feel his book is so important to share. Healing gives you tools and exercises to dive deep within, to identify old wounds and to care for yourself.

Why I Love It: I believe healing comes in many forms and I’ve witnessed the power of David Elliott’s approach while reading Healing and through the personal testimony of my longtime friend Melodee Solomon. I have always known her as someone with a lot of passion and drive, but I knew there were fears and doubts holding her back from sharing her gifts with the world. As her friend, I knew she was a powerful healer, but she wasn’t yet in touch with this part of herself.

About three years ago, Melodee began taking breath work trainings with David Elliott to expand upon her yoga training. As she went deeper into her studies, I saw a shift occur. She was able to release doubt and see her worth in a way she hadn’t before. Today she offers weekly breath work classes along with monthly workshops all over the United States. I’m not saying one book, one workshop, or even one breath work training will heal you and change your life, but it may start you on the path.

Recommended For: People who wants to experience healing in their life starting right away. We are all born to be healers. Most people barely scratch the surface of their lives, but if you start digging you will uncover so many layers.

As a yoga teacher, one of the most important things I do is hold space for others to awaken in their bodies but also in their minds and spirits. The space where healing occurs can be a supportive group or it can be a book in your hand.

Every teacher needs a teacher; and as I’ve seen in my friend Melodee, David Elliott’s approach creates more leaders and more healers. This is what the world so desperately needs, more people tapping into their purpose and making the entire planet come alive. I invite you to begin today, with love and compassion. Namaste.

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

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How do yoga teachers feel about their practice? What inspires them to keep teaching and keep practicing yoga? Get to know your Yoga One teachers outside the studio and off the mat. This month’s interview is with Hannah Rae Block.

1. Why do you practice yoga?

I found the practice of yoga when I first moved to San Diego in 2012 and it became an integral part of my recovery from my eating disorder. For me, the practice cultivated balance and bridged the gap between my body, mind, and spirit. My intention when I practice and teach is to let it flow through me, I want to be carried by the wave, letting go of control and feeling every moment of it.

2. What was the most intimidating aspect of your teaching when you first started?

The most intimidating aspect of my teaching when I first started was standing in front of a community and offering a part of myself through my teaching.

3. What gives you the most joy as a yoga instructor?

I find the most joy as a yoga teacher in the moments of genuine connection and alignment. There is a synchronicity, a space of understanding, a progression, to be a part of that, to be a witness to it, fills me immensely.

4. If yoga were a food, car, smell, planet, song, artist, flavor, etc… it would be: I like yoga =)

5. What’s your yoga inspiration?

To pinpoint one inspiration is hard. I am inspired in so many ways. At the core, my inspiration comes from the desire to share the healing and transformation that I have experienced through yoga with others. The practice is so expansive, there is never an end point, I will never arrive. That is inspiring.

6. What classes do you teach at Yoga One?

I teach a Level 1 and 2 Gentle Flow on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm.

You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

an interview with Monique Minahan

Monique is a yoga teacher whose niche is teaching yoga tailored for grief. She’s the mama of a sweet and energetic toddler and last year compiled her many writings on grief and loss into a short book titled “The Unedited Heart.” This year she launched her more expansive project, The Grief Practice, with hopes of shifting the culture around grief globally.

Yoga One: When did you first start teaching yoga in a way that welcomed all the emotions of grief?

Monique: A year ago I approached a local hospice center with a desire to offer a weekly bereavement yoga class. I wanted to offer an approach that grief wasn’t something to fix, but as something to welcome. Grief is often held in the body and yoga guides us back into our physical form, where we can invite the grief to take up space. To surge. To recede. To flow. To be.

Editor’s Note: Go here if you are interested in taking a bereavement yoga class with Monique in Carlsbad, CA.

Yoga One: What does trauma-sensitive mean in your classes?

Monique: Trauma-sensitive means I teach the class in a trauma-informed way, taking into account how the body lodges traumatic experiences and how I, as a yoga teacher, can unknowingly trigger the body’s memory of traumatic experiences. For example, by the words I use or by initiating touch without permission. I teach the students anchoring techniques that they can “hold onto” when their emotions, feelings or memories become overwhelming.

I have tremendous respect for the power of grief whether it is of a traumatic nature or not. The first thing I say in every class is that it’s okay to cry. It’s amazing the relief people feel when they’re given permission to cry.

Yoga One: What are consent rocks and how do you use them in class?

Monique: They are simply rocks on which I’ve painted “yes” on one side and “no” on the other. I use the consent rocks to let the students tell me whether they want any physical adjustment or touch throughout the class. Touch can be intrusive or healing.  Touch can be unwelcome one day and welcome another.

Inviting the students to choose what parts of the practice support them on any given day is a really important part of this class. In final relaxation, for example, I give options to lie on their side or on their belly. Sometimes students who attend the class are only weeks out from tremendous loss and lying on their back feels too exposed.

Yoga One: Yoga means union. I imagine that union, or healing, after the initial separation and wound of grief is very powerful, especially to experience in community – what have you seen come out of these classes that surprised you?

Monique: I have witnessed some incredibly beautiful and unexpected moments in this class. One time, that I’ll never forget, happened in the first few months of teaching the class.

At the beginning of the class, after we’ve grounded and centered our bodies, I invite the students to bring their hands to their hearts and say the name or names of their loved ones, out loud, or to themselves. Often I see tears as they say the names, which one would expect. But one time there was a woman sitting in the front row. I saw her mouth the name and then she smiled the biggest, most beautiful smile. It broke my heart in a good way, seeing that face of grief that we don’t often see or show. That love that still lives on.

Yoga One: You’re working on a project called The Grief Practice, what is it? 

Monique: In its final form, The Grief Practice will be a large book that is part stories of loss and part mindfulness practices. There will be techniques offered that support the full experience of losing and learning to live with loss.

Right now, I’m collecting stories to include in the book. Not everyone tells their story through writing. Some people tell a story through drawing or photography. I want to share various approaches to story-telling to honor the authenticity of each person’s experience.

The thing about grief is that it’s not linear. That means our stories don’t always have a happy ending or proceed in a linear way. I hope this book will give the world a new perspective on grief, support, and our fellow humans who are grieving. I hope this helps encourage us all to step into this uncomfortable conversation with grief armed with courage and love.

To submit your story to The Grief Practice, go here. 

by Monique Minahan

I place my left hand on my heart and on top of that layer my right.

I don’t move until I feel that familiar thump-thump beating under my hands, as subtle or as strong as it may be. I don’t move until I connect with the aliveness within me.

Anahata, the heart chakra, reminds me of my need for love and my true capacity to love. It asks me to stretch my heart open not just for my friends or family but for every human being on this planet – a major paradigm shift from the more prominent fear-thy-neighbor mentality that threatens to tear our world apart.

This is why I must connect with myself first. I cannot find compassion for anyone else until I find compassion for myself. I cannot welcome another’s pain until I have welcomed my own.

Onto the physical connection of hands to heart, I layer sound. A soft reverberation of anahata’s seed sound yam starts at the middle point of my sternum, this chakra’s kshetram, or front-body location. It travels through my body, piercing the spine, emerging on my back at the actual chakra point, a deep blue flowering like a tattoo over my upper back.

I repeat that cycle until it feels complete, letting the sound shape-shift, becoming a groan or a song or a wail until it naturally tapers into the quietest, softest syllable, matching the beat of my heart.

Alone with my heart I ask her what she has to say. Then I step back to allow her to answer:

Love bigger, she says. You know you can.

She is right but I stay silent. I listen as she questions why I don’t. I give her all my reasons and tell her that the world makes it hard to love sometimes. She reminds me that when I block love from exiting, I also block love from entering. Like breathing out and breathing in.

I begin bhramari pranayama, the humming bee breath. The gentle buzzing sound allows me to listen to my heart without my head thinking of a reply, a response, a defense.

This practice draws me out into the deep waters of vulnerability, the only state of being where I can receive and offer love fully.

As my humming drifts into silence I become aware of akasha, the heart space, and how it shrinks and expands proportionate to my level of fear or love.

I choose love. Not the small love I only offer to those who love me back. The Big Love that does not require reciprocity. The love that is enlarged by our differences instead of threatened by them. The love which the world needs so desperately.

Part 5 of a 7 part series. You can find part 4 here: Manipura, The Navel.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. Contact: moniqueminahan.com

by Olivia Cecchettini

“Yoga & Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-Realization” 

by David Frawley

Summary: Yoga & Ayurveda is an excellent primer for those new to either topic. Known as the “sister sciences,” Yoga and Ayurveda have been practiced together for centuries to bring the whole person into a state of health and wellbeing. This book summarizes the most important tenets of each practice and gives intelligent ways to implement its teachings into your everyday life. It also contains enough pictures of yoga poses to support a beginning home practice.

Why I Love It: With the rising popularity of Yoga in the western world, I believe it’s important to show how Ayurveda is a necessary and hugely beneficial complementary practice. From the seasoned practitioner to the brand new beginner, both disciplines are relevant to contemporary spiritual practice and healthy living.

I especially enjoyed the chapter on chanting – finding my voice as a teacher has been a journey of constantly going deeper and accessing that true connection within. Using the techniques from Yoga & Ayurveda, I’ve learned so much more about my unique constitution and how I can best support this body from my diet to my skin care routine.

As they say, knowledge is power. Empower yourself to heal yourself.

Recommended For: Anyone wanting to know more about the harmonious interplay between Yoga and Ayurveda and their healing magic for the human body and experience. Even though the two practices are different and unique, it is their combination that will catapult growth and change into your life.

These practices may come and go or may become part of your routine – either way, this book is a good reminder to keep coming back to self-love and self-care. This “coming home” into our own hearts ripples out through our environment and the practice of healing oneself becomes the practice of healing the world. 

 

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

There are so many messages that our society sends women about their bodies and how they should look and perhaps one of the most vulnerable times to hear these messages is when you’ve just had a baby. Case in point, just recently a reviewer on Yoga One’s yelp page wrote about leaving class because the teacher was out of shape and therefore couldn’t be an experienced teacher. The reviewer had never been to the studio before. That teacher happens to have over a decade of experience and a beautiful six month old.

Help us share real stories like this one and support all individuals in their journey to lead happier and healthier lives. We want to hear your experiences with body image and/or postpartum recovery in the comments or by email (info@yogaonesandiego.com). If you’ve taken class at Yoga One, please consider posting your feedback online, Facebook, Yelp, Google, etc., we’d love to hear your thoughts! 

Part three in a series of reflections on pregnancy, childbirth and yoga from Missy DiDonato. Be sure to read her prenatal article and a just-after postpartum article.

guest post by Missy DiDonato

One year later (damn, already?!) I can say this about postpartum recovery and overall wellness – it’s not for sissies! 

Before giving birth, I had expected that my body would go back to what I still considered “normal.” I wouldn’t have the aches and pains I’d experienced during pregnancy and I assumed that with some time and effort, I would eventually be the same size and weight as before. But I was naïve to how long it would actually take and I had to adjust my expectations.

I had a cesarean and they cut my stomach muscles to deliver my baby. Abrupt, I know, but I needed to say those words to myself in order to process the experience. The initial weeks of recovery and healing from the c-section were easier than I anticipated and I was able to get back on my mat practicing yoga after just six weeks. I took it slow and thought that by allowing myself enough time to heal, my body would go back to the way it was pre-baby. But a year later, I’m still struggling with both the expectation and physical experience of “getting my body back.”

My biggest setback physically is the ongoing work of mending and strengthening my abdominal muscles. Their lack of stability often causes acute low back pain. I’m constantly reminding myself to get up after sitting for too long (an epidemic really, among anyone who sits too long at their desk or in a car.) I’ve had a couple of debilitating moments where I had to seek medical treatment with acupuncture and massage. This, coupled with proper yoga asanas to strengthen my ab muscles and stretch my hips and hamstrings, has kept the pain at bay. But sometimes I feel as though this pain will be a consistent reminder of what my body miraculously performed.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t feel bad about my body. It’s given me a healthy baby girl and for that, I am forever grateful. I do get bummed when I realize my belly is no longer the adorable object of affection.

Just as my body had to make space for the experience of carrying a life, my postprtum body needed time to adjust to a new version of life with different activities, patterns and eating habits. It’s been a challenge to fit healthy eating into a much busier day to day life. Making time for workouts and time for me often falls by the wayside simply because I miss her. So we take more walks and do yoga in the park. 

My priority is Olive and I remind myself that I have to be physically and spiritually strong to care for her like she deserves. My physical appearance is no longer my top concern, but the health of my body matters.

If I could say one thing to new moms, it’s that adjusting to your new schedule will be difficult, but remember that you gave birth, and that’s not for sissies! You got this!

 

Missy DiDonato
Guest Writer

Missy began practicing yoga at home when she was fourteen, following along to a DVD in her living room. She has since completed two separate 200 hour Yoga Teacher Trainings with UCSD and Yoga One. Missy loves helping others find their own yogic path and students of all levels appreciate her warm and friendly teaching style.

by Olivia Cecchettini

“Yoga for Life: A Journey to Inner Peace and Freedom” 

by Colleen Saidman Yee

Summary: Yoga for Life is an amazing memoir written with such searing honesty, it touched me deep within my soul. Colleen Saidman Yee shares both her shadows and her light with vulnerability as she chronicles both her life and her yoga journey. Saidman Yee emphasizes the message “you are enough” and while reading, I felt as though she was writing as my friend, mother, sister, teacher, woman, light worker, but most of all, a real person. She knows the practice and the body inside and out. It’s a book about her life and she shares her story out of a calling to support healing and community.

Why I Love It: Colleen shares her personal journey from rebellious teen with a heroin habit to a supermodel traveling the world to now being called “The First Lady of Yoga” by the New York Times. She’s lived such an interesting life! Most importantly to me, she didn’t hold back from sharing the unedited, un-airbrushed side of her life. We all have sides of ourselves of which we’re not proud, but the path to both Inner Peace and Freedom means bringing those experiences into the light of acceptance.

B.K.S. Iyengar said, “If you don’t want your life to change, don’t get on your yoga mat.” Every time I step on my mat, I come into greater acceptance of myself. Over time, I breathed into the hard, tight places I had stuffed away deep down in my muscles and they began to open up. My chaturangas got stronger and my confidence grew. I took time in savasana to be still and connect to my heart. These simple (though not easy) rituals changed they way I saw things, and the things I saw began to change.

It’s a beautiful, unique process how yoga touches each individual person but it always comes back to the heart. I truly believe that compassion, kindness and love can heal the world and Yee’s book is a reminder of this truth.

Recommend For: Anyone who enjoys yoga and inspirational life stories. Especially in this digital age, it’s easy to compare your day-to-day life with everyone else’s highlight reel. We compare ourselves and feel less-than and unworthy. That’s why the mantra “you are enough” is so powerful because it’s true! We need to be reminded of this over and over again. Without changing one single thing, I believe you are enough, exactly the way you are. Not in a year, not after you get married, and definitely not after you have lost ten pounds. Right this second, you are whole and you are enough.

Sharon Gannon of Jivamukti Yoga sums up Saidman Yee well, stating –

“Like Gandhi, Colleen is stayagraha—meaning possessed by the truth. She tells her story honestly, without pretense, no makeup—totally fearless while at the same time gracefully imbuing every word with infectious joy, gratitude and compassion. You will find no blaming or complaining in this memoir for this is the story of a remarkable woman who approaches life as an adventure, armed with a bewitching ability to transform obstacles into opportunities and the ordinary into something magical. She is living proof that yoga is for life.”

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

by Monique Minahan

Early on in my yoga practice I would often experience an emotional reaction during corpse pose (savasana). Lying still, I would get a lump in my throat and suddenly find tears quietly rolling down my cheeks. I didn’t know it at the time, but my yoga practice was releasing long-held grief from my body.

When grief and recovery from trauma have been processed by the mind, life may begin to seem approachable again and many people feel they can move forward; but the same processes of recovery and healing are essential to the body as well.

Feeling a strong emotional release in a yoga pose or during final relaxation is far from uncommon. One of yoga’s most powerful side effects is its ability to release and heal the BodyMind. Not just the body. Not just the mind. The combined, interconnected, undivided BodyMind.

BodyMind is a term coined by Dr. Candace Pert, a neuropharmacologist who pioneered scientific research into the field of Mind-Body Medicine, advancing our understanding of what are called neuropeptides, or messenger molecules that carry information from the mind to the body and back again through body fluids. These neuropeptides are found throughout our bodies in the heart, sexual organs, and the limbic system, to name a few.

Dr. Pert breaks this concept down with an example of the gut. The entire lining of our intestines is lined with these particular transmitters. She posits, “It seems entirely possible to me that the richness of the receptors may be why a lot of people feel their emotions in their gut – why they have a ‘gut feeling.’”

She further comments: “I think unexpressed emotions are literally lodged in the body. The real true emotions that need to be expressed are in the body, trying to move up and be expressed and thereby integrated, made whole, and healed.”

When we move our bodies through yoga, our BodyMind is allowed expression. It can begin to release emotion and tension that’s been stuck in our bodies for a long period of time, perhaps even years after we think we’ve mentally processed the event.

Exploring these heavy emotions in our yoga practice, whether intentionally or accidentally, might feel intimidating. Resourcing is a technique that helps us stay present during uncomfortable or overwhelming sensations by finding and connecting to a resource, such as the breath or one of the five senses. This connection works like an anchor for a boat and we can begin to observe sensations safely, without fear of getting lost in the sea of our experience.

Join me this Mother’s Day at Yoga One for a special commemorative practice where we will explore three ways to use resourcing with yoga, as well as learn how to identify where emotions reside in our individual bodies. We will focus specifically on how to apply these tools when dealing with loss and grief.

This practice is for anyone interested in learning how to use yoga as a supportive healing modality, but especially for anyone who has lost their mother and would welcome a supportive, safe, non-judgemental environment to honor their mother on Mother’s Day.

Loss is something we will all experience in our lifetime. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Our yoga practice will not show us a way out of grief, but it can show us a way through and support us through every stage of healing.

Note: If this is something you’re interested in, but find the cost prohibitive or cannot attend for some other reason, please contact Yoga One to arrange a way for you to receive the information: 619-294-7461 or email info@yogaonesandiego.com

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

by Olivia Cecchettini

“The Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing”

by Carolyn Myss

Summary: Caroline Myss is an acclaimed medical intuitive and motivational speaker. In this book she presents her findings on fifteen years of research into energy medicine as a pathway to spontaneous physical, emotional and spiritual healing. In her discussion of the relation of spirituality to energy medicine, she states: “As spiritual adults we accept responsibility for co-creating our lives and our health.”

Anatomy of the Spirit offers a unique model in which she combines the ancient wisdom of three spiritual traditions – the Hindu Chakras, the Christian sacraments, and the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, to demonstrate the seven stages of development towards higher consciousness and spiritual maturity. With this model, Dr. Myss shows how you can develop and deepen your intuition, as well as cultivate your own personal power and spiritual growth.

Why I Love It: I love this book because it taught me so much. I strongly believe in the mind, body, spirit connection. In my eyes, we are made up of energy and are all sensitive to it. Our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health is all inter-connected. To stay in harmony and balance we need to look at all four aspects of health equally. This means seeking connection through self-inquiry, which is the goal of Yoga – union, harmony, balance.

Keep an open mind and an open heart when reading this book. It’s filled with interesting facts and information that may be unfamiliar to you, see what you connect with the most and leave the rest behind. Personally, this book taught me how to slow down to connect to myself, others, and all the energy that is abundantly surrounding me all the time. Take your time reading and let it digest.

Recommended For:  I recommend this book for anyone wanting to discover or go deeper into learning about their own energy. Caroline states that everything pulsates with energy and this energy contains information. If you have been feeling more sensitive to energy lately or maybe just curious about energy work in general, this book may be just the thing. It will let you know you’re not alone, expand your knowledge and also give you tools to grow and protect yourself. I hope you enjoy it!

“This book is both an important revelation and a major call to awakening.” – Christiane Northrup

Lots of love this holiday season!
Ciao, Olivia

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia is a yoga teacher based out of San Diego. With a love for people, life, spirituality, reading, and, of course, yoga she spends her days connecting with students and nature. Getting outside whenever she can to enjoy all the beauty this life has to offer.

by Olivia Cecchettini

Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga

by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison

Summary: The 365 meditations in this book integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into our everyday lives. Each day the meditation begins with a quote from a wide range of beautiful souls that will touch your heart followed by more wise words from the authors to inspire self inquiry, self love, and service. Read it daily or a few entries at a time, whatever feels right in the moment, but take time to digest and let the words settle in deep.

Why I love it: I love this book for many reasons. First, I love quotes! The meaning of profound words changes daily based on my perspective, how I’m feeling and what I relate to in that moment. I love this because you can re-read the same quote everyday for a week and it will continuously have many layers to uncover and take in. Secondly, having something tangible like a book to connect me to body, mind and soul while I meditate is a powerful tool that keeps me feeling balanced and happy.

Recommended for: Anyone who wants to bring more meditation into their lives. Whether it is two deep breaths with your eyes closed or 20 minutes in a seated position, you have to start where you are without judgment. Meditation is a place to stop, breathe and reconnect inward. As we begin to live our lives from the inside out, we create space for peace and healing to come forward creating more compassion and joy within.

I had this book for three years before I finished reading it all the way through, so take your time! Meditations From the Mat can be a great addition to your everyday ritual but it’s okay if that doesn’t happen. The book will always be waiting for you whenever you’re ready, and so will your cushion. Practice and all is coming. Light and love.

“In this free-spirited journey to the heart of yoga, Rolf guides us, through daily meditations,to finding the appropriate balance between standing firm and surrendering to flow—the key to peace of mind.”

– Beryl Bender Birch

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia is a yoga teacher based out of San Diego. With a love for people, life, spirituality, reading, and, of course, yoga she spends her days connecting with students and nature. Getting outside whenever she can to enjoy all the beauty this life has to offer.

by Olivia Cecchittini

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

by Don Miguel Ruiz

Summary: Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, “The Four Agreements” is a book that connects the reader to simple yet powerful tools that can transform their consciousness. Using everyday life concepts combined with a compassionate heart, Ruiz connects the reader to their own inner light. Each agreement moves out of the mind and into the heart space, taking readers from needless suffering to creating more joy, inner peace and freedom within their own lives. Here are the Four Agreements: 1. Be impeccable with your word 2. Don’t take anything personally. 3. Don’t make assumptions. 4. Always do your best. They are simple but if practiced with intention they can truly transform your life.

Why I love it:  I love this book because it is easy to read and simple to process but the affects of Don Miguel Ruiz’s words run deep. They continuously stay with me and bring me back into alignment time and time again even years later.

Recommended For: Anyone and everyone! We are all connected – as we deepen our understanding of ourselves, we create space for others to do the same. Our relationship with others is an outer reflection of our relationship with ourselves. As we surrender to the lifelong lesson of  healing, learning, and growing these simple agreements create mindfulness to live with integrity and joy.

Don Miguel Ruiz’s book is a roadmap to enlightenment and freedom.” — Deepak Chopra, Author, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia is a yoga teacher based out of San Diego. With a love for people, life, spirituality, reading, and, of course, yoga she spends her days connecting with students and nature. Getting outside whenever she can to enjoy all the beauty this life has to offer.

I can’t imagine what my life would be like without yoga.

Yoga has become such an integral part of my day to day life, I sometimes feel like I eat, sleep and dream yoga (if that is even possible). Imagining my life without yoga would be like living without sunlight. How would you survive?

But I didn’t always feel that way. In 2008, I was living in the East Bay of San Francisco. My new husband, Joe, and I thought it would be good to try new things together. Considering we had dated for less than four months before getting married, this goal was easy to accomplish. Joe picked a Yoga class to improve his flexibility and I chose a Latin Dance class because I love to move!

Joe wasn’t crazy about Latin Dance but we never had a problem practicing yoga together. At night our 500 square foot cottage became a makeshift studio, both of us trying to recall the flow from last week’s class. At the end of the semester, it was clear we would never be the couple that owned the dance floor but we were more flexible, better connected to our bodies and our relationship had blossomed to a deeper love and respect.

Then we moved to Germany for three years. I found myself wishing I could go to a yoga class but couldn’t find one. I settled for countless miles on the treadmill, shooting hoops and the occasional Zumba class.

Like any married couple, our relationship had its highs and lows in the those three years. We traveled. We laughed. We fought. We made up. We lived. We loved.

Joe got out of the military in 2011 and we entered a whole new stage of our lives. I would go to work 40 hours a week to pay the bills and Joe would go to school full time to earn his degree.

I tried to balance work and play. I wanted to make enough time for family and our many friends now that we were back in my hometown, San Diego. But I never seemed to have any time for me. I felt like I was letting people down if I chose to go to the gym instead of spending time with them.

Joe and I struggled with our new roles, both of us a little lost and unhappy. Our relationship began to suffer. The love, respect and connection we once had got lost somewhere along the way. We had fooled our friends and family into thinking the pictures we posted on Facebook were real, all smiles and good times.

I felt miserable, unhappy, empty and certain that my marriage was destined to end.

Joe went to yoga. I went to therapy. Joe asked me to go a yoga class. I declined and went to Zumba instead. Joe asked me to go to yoga class again. I was too tired. Joe asked me a third time to go to Yoga class, so I humored him and went.

I walked into a 24 Hour Fitness on Feb 18, 2013 not knowing what to expect. Some of the poses looked and felt familiar, but I struggled to maintain any sort of controlled breath. I remember waking up the next day and everything hurt! I later learned that I had taken a Power Flow class and boy, what a way to get reacquainted with yoga!

The next time there was a class, I opted to go with Joe. The second time I didn’t feel nearly as awkward, but I was still sore the next day for sure.

What kept me going back to my mat that first month was observing Joe. He was so content after going to yoga, even when our relationship was on the verge of crumbling. I wanted to feel that contentment, even if it was short-lived. I wanted to feel anything, if it meant continuing to practice yoga, so be it.

Yoga became part of my weekly routine, once during the week and once on the weekend. I felt myself become stronger. I felt myself becoming more flexible.

Finally it happened, one evening in just as I was coming out of Savasana. As I lay in fetal position, my palm touching the earth, the teacher’s words seemed to resonate deep inside of me:

“Lay here with gratitude in your heart. Gratitude for the earth underneath you as it supports you, feel connected to it.” I felt the topsy-turvy feeling of butterflies in my stomach.

“Gratitude towards yourself, you have made the choice to honor yourself and your practice.” I felt my throat constrict  and it felt hard to breath.

“Remember that you are perfect as you are now, at this very moment.”

I felt a rush run through me, as warm, salty tears slid down my cheeks. I was silently weeping. These were not tears of frustration or tears of sadness. They were tears of gratitude and joy and love.

My relationship with Joe started to transform, we went to classes and workshops together. We planned our weekly schedules, meals and outings around our yoga classes. In June, I told Joe I wanted to take a Yoga Teacher Training. He was very supportive and told me to do what made me happy.

Working downtown, I had seen the Yoga One sign when I went to lunch or a coffee run for the office but I had never been to class. On July 25th, I went to Angela’s Thursday 6pm Vinyasa Flow and it was one of the most challenging classes I had experienced outside a workshop, everything was so alignment-based. I went home physically exhausted but filled with so much energy and love I couldn’t wait to share it all with Joe.

Yoga One’s monthly newsletter included information about their upcoming Yoga Teacher Training starting in January 2014 and the next day I signed up. Looking back now, it might seem crazy that I was ready to commit after just one class – but Yoga One immediately felt like home to me.

I am very grateful for how supportive Joe was during the eight weeks of teacher training. We hardly saw each other yet it felt like we were closer. We learned how to communicate effectively, to be considerate of each other’s feelings and how to truly love. Joe was not just my partner to practice teaching, he became my best friend and the partner I needed in our marriage. I truly believe yoga healed my heart.

Yoga will continue to be an intricate part of our lives as individuals and a married couple. Whether we attend classes together or practice separately, we are yogis and damn proud of it! I am thankful for every experience I’ve had so far and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me.

 

Lorena’s desire for movement and deeper connection to her body has kept the flames of a fiery passion for yoga alive. Lorena hopes to blend her love for teaching yoga with the creativity of her freelance make up artistry. Lorena’s greatest joy is to be a witness for the ah-ha moment to those who allow her to enhance their lives.

 

 

Book a private session or come to our Community Acupuncture sessions on Wednesday afternoons from 3-5pm. (Last appointment available is 4:30pm, treatments last 30-45 minutes, cost: $20.) Check out our Acupuncture FAQ for more information on this incredible healing modality.

1. Why did you decide to become an acupuncturist?

My undergraduate major was Athletic Training, which dealt with injuries and their related examination, assessment, and physical interventions – basically, injury rehabilitation. After I graduated, I worked as a personal trainer for three years while I was figuring out what my next step was and that’s when acupuncture found me, in a way.

In the span of three months, I met over a dozen people who were graduates or current students at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. One was the mother of a close friend; a girl from a weekend workshop; three students in a Mandarin class I was taking at a Buddhist temple (because “why not?”) and several other friends of friends.

As soon as I enrolled in the 11 semester master’s program, I knew that I was in the right place. Through my education and beginning my practice, I have been able to see the beautiful and profound way that acupuncture can change lives. I get to help people, day in and day out, and that’s why I became an acupuncturist.

2. What benefits have you or your clients received from regular acupuncture treatments?

Every patient has a different treatment plan and set of goals, but there are several things that most patients will experience with regular acupuncture treatments. There is an overall sense of calm, relaxation, and de-stress that comes from acupuncture – it is felt during and after a session, and can carry on into the rest of the week.

Whether it is headaches, back pain, muscle soreness, or menstrual cramps, most patients notice an alleviation of pain in their body. Acupuncture can improve digestion and establish greater regularity of bowel movements, especially the morning after a treatment.

Many patients experience improved sleep patterns: falling asleep easier, staying asleep longer, and waking feeling more refreshed. Better sleep often leads to more energy and a greater ability to “get everything accomplished” on a day-to-day basis. There is often a more clear sense of mental clarity and ability to focus at work and at home.

Overall, every patient gets up off the table and walks out, “feeling really, really good right now.”

3. Describe what acupuncture means in your life using just 6 words: My purpose in helping other people.

4. Something interesting your clients might not know about you is:

I have been an athlete all my life, through several sports and many different acute and chronic injuries. I’m grateful to combine my personal experience with an acupuncturist’s extensive, detailed knowledge of the body in order to better treat patients experiencing pain, injuries or other physical ailments.

5. What would you say to encourage someone who has never tried acupuncture?

For starters, acupuncture is safe. The FDA approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996, and requires that sterile, single-use needles be used only by qualified practitioners. To become an acupuncturist, one must attend an accredited Acupuncture college (3000-4000 hours of study – approximately 4 years, full time study) and pass a licensing exam which includes standards of hygiene, clean needle technique, and anatomical knowledge.

Acupuncture doesn’t hurt. Receiving an acupuncture treatment is nothing like getting a shot or having blood taken. An acupuncture needle varies in diameter from 0.16 mm to 0.46 mm, which is just a fraction of the thickness of a typical hypodermic needle. You may feel a slight prick as the needle enters the skin, but there shouldn’t be an residual discomfort.

You can be a skeptic! In fact, I more than welcome hearing your questions and doubts – acupuncture doesn’t require belief for efficacy. The modern study and practice of acupuncture combines thousands of years of empirical knowledge about how to treat the body with western medicine’s current understanding of how the body works and functions. And acupuncture does work!

by Monique Minahan

The initial weeks and months postpartum are a unique time in a woman’s life. Although new moms often feel a lot of pressure to “get their body back,” the reality is that having a baby changes your body radically from the inside out and there’s no need to push yourself. Even with a healthy pregnancy and delivery, the impact of childbirth and the physical demands of taking care of a newborn can be surprising to new mothers.

My yoga practice has changed dramatically since having my baby. With no extra energy and little free time I’m learning to make my yoga count. Gone are the days of 5-minute warm-ups and 10-minute savasanas. I’m happy to get in a 15-minute practice on any given day and am learning that life after baby requires a different kind of flexibility, strength, and patience than the kind I practice on my mat.

Here are 5 poses I’ve found healing, energizing, and supportive on my postpartum path. In all poses bring awareness to your breath and the back side of the body, two areas that tend to get neglected in new moms. Step into your new body slowly and with awareness, letting it open up when ready and heal at its own pace.

1. Cat/Cow: This was the first pose I did after having baby and it never felt so good. It’s a wonderful way to gently begin to reconnect to your new body and massage your spine at the beginning or end of your day.

Find how to do cat/cow here.

2. Supported Twist: Back pain is a common complaint among new moms. Twists are rejuvenating for the spine and can provide a much-needed release to the back after a day of carrying baby. This restorative version is gentle enough for your recovering body and the support allows you to deeply relax.

Use blankets or a pillow wrapped in a towel. Line up your hip with the middle of your prop. Twist to face the prop and lengthen your torso as you place yourself on it. Rest on each side 5 to 15 minutes.

3. Back Bend Over a Bolster: The hunched shoulders that come from carrying and picking up baby all day compromise our posture and can leave us feeling exhausted energetically as well as physically. This gentle heart-opener expands your lungs and frees up your breath.

Roll up a blanket and place your upper back over it until it rests under your nipple line. For extra support use a blanket under the knees and neck. Rest here 5 to 15 minutes.

4. Shoulder Clock: Carrying and rocking baby contracts the biceps as well as the forearm muscles, creating tension in the upper chest and neck over time. Gently opening the shoulders when possible helps to relieve tightness in the arms.

Find how to do shoulder clock here.

5. Constructive Rest Pose: Hours spent sitting while nursing, rocking, and playing with baby fatigue the psoas, a core muscle connected to our central nervous system and a major player in keeping the hips happy and balanced. The psoas connects the spine to the leg, and this pose helped me learn to relax it without pushing my body into deeper poses too early.

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor in line with your hips. Rest the knees against each other. Keep your spine in its natural position with a curve under the low back and neck. Rest here for 10 to 15 minutes and let gravity do the work.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

Yoga One offers acupuncture! Award-winning Yoga One has been honored to enhance the well-being of individuals since 2002. Our goal is to help as many people as possible live happier and healthier lives. To this end, Yoga One provides traditional group yoga classes, semi-private yoga experiences, corporate yoga classes, private instruction, meditation, massage therapy and acupuncture all in a positive, non-competitive environment. Click here to schedule an appointment.

Acupuncture: Frequently Asked Questions, will be answered by expert acupuncturist Jacintha “Jaz” Roemer. Check back next week for part 2 of this 4 part series.

Q: How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture is a holistic form of medicine that began about 3,500 years ago in China. Acupuncture as it is taught today is a conglomeration of knowledge from ancient texts to modern techniques. This is known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Treatments include techniques such as gua sha, cupping and moxibustion and Chinese herbal prescription.

Acupuncture itself is the insertion of very fine needles into the body at specific points. Qi (roughly translated as ‘energy’) circulates through channels and meridians within the body. If there is an imbalance of Yin and/or Yang by a pathogen, trauma, or injury, it will disrupt this circulation. There are approximately 360 acupuncture points located along these meridians; these points are where Qi rises to the surface and can be accessed for the purpose of healing.

The insertion and manipulation of the needle restores the flow of Qi in the body. Physical relief from acupuncture treatment is thought to be due to the body’s histamine reaction (an immune response) around the area of insertion, which diffuses accumulations in the tissue that cause stiffness and stagnation of blood flow.

Q: Is acupuncture safe?

Generally, acupuncture treatments are safe if a licensed and well-trained practitioner performs them. Unlike conventional drug therapies, it is relatively non-toxic with minimal side effects. Laws require that the needles used for acupuncture be sterile, disposable and used only once.

The acupuncture needles do penetrate the skin and therefore it is an invasive procedure. The risk of injury to vital nerves and structures are RARE among patients treated by trained practitioners. There may be nausea, paresthesia or altered sensation over the site of application, or increased pain. Other risks include minor adverse events including bleeding, bruising, dizziness, and fainting.

Q: How should I prepare for an acupuncture treatment?

Please eat within a few hours of your appointment. If possible, wear loose, comfortable clothing and avoid wearing heavy scents. For your first visit please allow 20 minutes ahead of your scheduled appointment to fill out the medical history paperwork OR request the forms to fill out in advance.

If your practitioner feels it is necessary to have access to a clothed area, you will either wear a paper gown, like at a Doctor’s office or a towel will be provided to keep you draped and appropriately covered so you feel comfortable and safe.

Q: How long does each session last?

Your first session is usually an hour and a half. This is to allow time for the practitioner to review your health history and ask follow-up questions that will allow them to provide the best treatment specifically for you.

Follow up treatments are typically one hour long. At this point, the practitioner is familiar with your health concerns and is able to spend more time treating you on the table.

 

Have a question about acupuncture, massage or bodywork you want answered by an expert? Submit it to info@yogaonesandiego.com with “Blog Question” in the subject line.

Jacintha ‘Jaz’ Roemer L.Ac. is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Licensed Massage Therapist. She is a graduate of the Master of Science and Oriental Medicine (MSTOM) program from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. Jaz is the Head Coordinator for the Yoga One Wellness Center. She has been a bodyworker since 2005 and has traveled to both Thailand and China to further her studies in Asian medicine.

by Laura McCorry

When injuries occur in yoga, there’s often a reluctance to admit them and perhaps even a sense of shame. So many people come to yoga after injury and so many doctors recommend yoga* as a gentle exercise that anyone can do, that it makes sense: yoga is supposed to cure you, not cause pain.

But the truth is that yoga is a physical practice. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves. Many teachers tell you to honor your body at the start of class and then ask that you push your “edge” when the going gets tough.

Students and yoga teachers will likely find themselves with an injury at some point in their practice. In my own practice, injury, pain and soreness have all been powerful, if unwelcome, teachers.

Consider Why an Injury Occurred

I went to a class once with a very short warm-up sequence. I remember feeling rushed but wanting to “go with the flow.” Within the first two minutes, the teacher had the class in upward facing dog and almost immediately, I felt something shift in my low back and sharp pain followed.

For many people, upward facing dog is safe and even enjoyable when performed with correct alignment. For me, I need to warm up into backbends slowly. Looking back, I could have spent more time opening my body in cobra (a smaller backbend), I should have engaged my core to prevent sagging in the lower back once in upward facing dog, and I should have trusted the signals my body was sending.

Even if you want to kick yourself for all the reasons leading up to an injury, figuring out why you got hurt is an important step towards injury prevention in the future.

Modify Your Practice as Needed

Sometimes it’s impossible to know how you got hurt and whether yoga is the culprit. My feet are a chronic weakness for me and about a year ago I experienced foot pain for about four months straight. Any pose that put weight directly on the ball of the foot was incredibly painful, so in order to give myself time to heal, they all got tossed out: no more crescent lunge, no chair with lifted heels and definitely no toe stand.

With those modifications in place, I was still able to practice yoga and keep my feet comfortably grounded. I bought better, more supportive shoes. And one day, without being aware of exactly when, I realized that it had been a week or longer since I had experienced any pain.

Always tell your teacher about any injury or chronic pain you may be experiencing. They can suggest modifications to keep you safe and help you get the most out of your practice.

After Healing, Determine If You Still Need the Modification

This is the most difficult step because the instinct to protect yourself from future harm is so strong!

I avoided upward facing dog for a solid year and only recently have I started to re-introduce it to my practice. I didn’t need that long to heal physically, but emotionally I had built up a lot of fear surrounding that pose. Sometimes I try crescent pose with the back heel lifted and it feels okay, other days it feels like too much stress on my foot so I modify to warrior I with the heel down.

Once you know that your body is physically ready, give yourself time to emotionally confront any barriers between you and the poses you’ve avoided. Don’t compare now to what you were able to do before the injury – you could repeat the same mistake! Instead, move mindfully and ask yourself at each step how you feel.

May you all practice yoga in a safe and mindful environment and stay free from injury! And if you do experience pain from yoga or from another area of your life, I hope these tips keep you connected to your practice and help you heal.

 

*Please remember to seek medical attention when necessary and follow your doctor’s advice. This article is not meant to advise for or against medical treatment, nor to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

Yoga One offers a variety of massage modalities to meet your individual needs – as if you needed more incentive to relinquish tension and increase vitality! Let the magic hands (and elbows) of professional massage therapist Fawn Rangel get you back to your best self. But keep an eye on your shoes!

 

1. Why did you decide to become a massage therapist?

I became a massage therapist because I like to see transformation. People often come in to their session burdened with stress and muscular pain. After the massage, their stress has unraveled, their muscles have unfurled and they have rosy cheeks with a bit of a glow about them. The client leaves feeling better, less weighed down by daily stress and more in tune with his or her true self. I love being a part of that process! I also like that the transformation is simple; it doesn’t require special equipment or fancy gadgets, just my hands, an elbow here or there, and a little nurturing attention

2. What benefits have you or your clients received from regular massage therapy?

The benefits of massage are vast. Most clients report a significant reduction of stress and pain, increased energy, improved range of motion (especially in the neck and hips), and improved quality of sleep. Some clients say they leave a session feeling taller and more structurally aligned. Others have experienced less sinus congestion and fewer headaches.

3. Do you have a favorite type of massage? 

Personally, I really like to receive Thai Massage. It’s very grounding because you’re on a mat so you’re closer to the earth. It implements a soothing rocking sensation and gently stretches the body. When I give massage, I like to mix modalities. I primarily use circulatory massage with a little acupressure, deep tissue, TuiNa (Chinese medical massage), and table stretching.

4. Something interesting your clients might not know about you is:

I went to acupuncture school and am in the process of getting licensed. I also am crafty and like to make jewelry and paint on shoes.

5. What’s the best advice you give for how to really enjoy a massage?

I think it’s important to allow yourself a little down time after a massage. Some rush right back to work or even workout after a session, and that can really halt the benefits of massage.

Communication with your therapist is also vital. Don’t be shy! Feel free to tell your therapist the areas of your body you want them to focus on before the session starts. Let your therapist know when you want him/her to apply more or less pressure.

Not so long ago, I was a half marathon runner, big wave surfer and mountain hiker. At my day job, I supervised large, one-of-a-kind home construction projects. My work placed extraordinary physical demands on my body. But everything changed the day I fell off the second story roof of a construction site.

When I hit the ground, my T-10 vertebrae exploded and my spinal cord got pinched. I was paralyzed and told by some doctors that I would never walk again. The body that was capable of walking and standing all day, lifting heavy materials and going on long runs was gone. But then one day I was able to move one of my toes and I started an eight-month physical therapy program. I had to re-learn how to walk. After 15 months of struggle, I was able to walk using a cane.

Eventually, I was able to go back to work as a construction supervisor. Even though all I could do was walk around the job site, I was happy with my progress. After two years, the doctors told me that I had reached a recovery plateau. I felt as though I could keep improving and that feeling led me to yoga. Four years after my injury, I started to take yoga classes. With enthusiasm I tried the Iyengar, Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa styles of yoga at a studio in Bird Rock. When the studio closed, I continued a home practice for three years, certain that yoga was the key to my continued good health.

In 2009, I heard about Yoga One. By then I was a full time student at City College and their location on 7^th Avenue was perfect. I was impressed by Michael and Amy Caldwell’s knowledge of yoga, teaching style and friendliness. For a year, I attended their classes as well as the Saturday morning Hatha class every week. Eventually, I tried other instructors and took on more classes per week.

I still have nerves that haven’t regenerated. In some poses my body can only go so deep; it might improve, it might not. Either way, I have fun and give it my best effort. I’m still in pain (I call it sensation) of one sort or another every day, but I would rather have the sensation of a long challenging yoga session than the sensation I experience after sitting at a desk or lying around all day. Mindfulness meditation has helped me locate where each sensation comes from, with equanimity I accept them and therefore life is a pleasure not a pain. Gratitude, yoga, mantra, meditation – that’s the morning practice I do before anything else. It’s the way I put my Self first and honor the commitment I’ve made to my health and well being.