Celebrate Summer

Summer officially begins this week, yay! and at The Green Yogi we’re celebrating with live DJ’s and Power Yoga on Thursday June 20th during Linda’s 6pm class and Jamie’s 7:30pm class, regular class pricing, double yay!

Here in Manhattan Beach we live in a perpetual summer state with warm weather all year round, but the summer months are truly special because of all the extra hours of sunlight we get. Traditionally the summer solstice was a time to celebrate the earth’s fertility and the sun’s blessing of warmth and light, in Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras 3.26 it’s translated, “One learns from the perfect discipline of the sun and solar system.”

From beach volleyball and surfing to walks on the beach and bike rides on the strand, we can find countless outdoor activities to fill our time in the late afternoons and early evenings of summer. And to experience the best of both worlds is to take advantage of the extra sunlight and still get your yoga in too. The word solstice comes from the Latin word solstitium and translates sol (sun) and  stitium (to stop). So as you use your extra hours of daylight for happy hours to practice yoga this summer, acknowledge how far you’ve already come then set intentions to inspire the life you most want. Use the upcoming solstice as an incentive to purposefully design your summer and, bigger picture, life. Set your intentions NOW and see what has manifested by the winter solstice. Why not?

Tips for a great Summer

Ask yourself some questions 

• what are you doing in your life right now that’s really important to you?
• what are you cultivating in your life that matters?
• how do you stay creative?
• when do you feel your best?
• what are you most excited about?
• who fills your cup most?
• how do you define success in life?

Make some plans

• try a new activity this summer, may I suggest yoga if you’ve stumbled upon this blog? I really want to try hang gliding. Every time I ride my bike past the lessons in MB I feel a twinge that I’ve always ignored… not this summer!
• go somewhere you’ve never been before, I’d LOVE to go to Portugal but would be happy just to try Fishing With Dynamite!
• have coffee/lunch with someone you haven’t before, see where this new relationship takes you.

Practice Sun Salutations

108 are a lot of salutations, if you can do it, kudos! If not maybe just 8? The Surya Namaskaras (sun salutations) are devotional movements to the sun and all it inspires. By using them as a moving meditation you are offering your salutation to something bigger than yourself, which supports you throughout your journey. Plus you get a great sweat.

Be Inspired,

Kelly

Take Your Dad to Yoga

I started taking yoga for two reasons.

#1 I was a dancer and thought yoga would be a way to increase strength while maintaining or even enhancing my flexibility.

#2 My dad taught me visualization techniques growing up and I was curious to delve deeper into the meditative qualities of yoga.  (He actually now teaches meditation at the Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center in Westlake Village!)

So in honor of my dad (hi dad!) here’s 5 reasons why you should take your dad to The Green Yogi or your local yoga studio this Father’s Day and beyond.

1. Stretch.  Men in general, but especially older generations, primarily focused on building muscle and secondarily focused on flexibility. This imbalance has probably already caused some body aches but it’s never too late to get bendy.

2. Zen.  Quieting the mind is important for everyone no matter your age. Your dad might be resistant at first but remind him how you always tried everything he asked you to try growing up, right? and turned look how fantastic you turned out. Being present is a gift that keeps on giving.

3. Muscle.  Yoga is great at increasing length of muscles as well as strength.  Weight bearing exercise, like yoga, is really important for people that are starting to loose bone density. Yoga, along with the right nutritional intake, can keep your dad’s bones thick and strong for the long haul!

4. Love. Share what you love with your dad. By experiencing yoga together you will be bonding while sharing a special part of your life.  Better than any material gift.

5. Inspire. You might think you’re providing inspiration for you dad and initially you may be right. But you’ll probably be even more inspired by him. Unfortunately many men never experience the benefits of yoga because in the west the majority of practitioners are female. But many of yoga’s asanas (poses) were created by men for men. Take your dad to class and witness his ability to listen to his body, increase flexibility, build strength and bliss out!

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads out there!

father and son watching the waves

Be Inspired,

Kelly

LIVE Drumming at The Green Yogi

“Rhythm is the soul of life.
The whole universe revolves in rhythm.
Everything and every human action
revolves in rhythm.” - Babatunde Olatunji

image via bahiayoga

If you haven’t taken a yoga class with a drum accompaniment you NEED to! Tonight at 6pm at The Green Yogi, Julie Rader will be teaching an energizing practice paired with the rhythms of a live drummer.  The class is still 75 minutes of power vinyasa flow suitable for all yogis to build strength, flexibility, and balance the body and mind, but with the added benefit of drum beats and vibrations. Yes please.

Practicing yoga while listening to drumming can awaken dormant emotions and feelings of excitement, peace, and bliss. Drumming has also been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, stress, and can boost immune system functioning physical health. Side effects we all seek!

The first sound any of us ever heard was the beating of our mother’s heart and rhythm of her breath. There are few experiences we all share but this is true for every single human, therefore we all have rhythm. Rhythm is our natural inheritance existing in both our physical bodies and breath, just like yoga.

Be Inspired,

Kelly

 

Vote for The Green Yogi

We are SO honored to be a finalist in Southbay Magazine’s Locals’ Choice Best Yoga Studio this year! YOU, Green Yogis and Yoginis of the Southbay have made this  nomination possible and we are incredibly grateful for your presence and practice at our studio. It is because of you we are able to do what we love, we’d be honored if you could take a moment to vote and show your love for us.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE GREEN YOGI! 

The Details. You can vote daily now through June 28th, we’re in the Services Category, there are 6 categories within Services to choose from (we’re in category 5), click the box next to The Green Yogi and hit cast your ballot, then spread the word via your facebook and twitter pages and forward this post to all your besties asking them to help your favorite yoga studio out!

Be Inspired,

Kelly

Yogi Of The Month: Ella Newman

Ella is the one upside down!

Meet Ella, our Yogi of the Month for June. She is a fixture at The Green Yogi and we are always so happy to see her smiling face! Ella has taken over 60 classes in the past 4 months, not to mention her commitment to her recent teacher training program through the Mukti School at the studio. We are grateful for her presence and so excited to honor her with our Yogi of the Month sponsor, manduka! Be Inspired, Kelly

OCCUPATION: Yoga Instructor / Entertainment Coordinator

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU: I was a gallery speaker at the Louvre.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR AND WHY?  I’m in love with Wendy. She reminds me that life is a journey and to breathe into every moment with compassion, gratitude, and joy.

WHAT IS YOUR INTENTION FOR YOUR YOGA PRACTICE?  To be completely present. And have fun.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE YOGA POSE?  Raja Kapotasana. I feel so strong – every muscle in my body is activated and in perfect alignment.

WHEN YOU AREN’T ON THE MAT, WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU?  At the movies, my other temple.

WHAT SONG SHOULD BE ON EVERY YOGA PLAYLIST?  Future Starts Slow by the Kills to heat me up, Amazing Eyes by Good Old War to bring me down.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?  My friends who are following their true passion. It is also incredibly sexy.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PRACTICING AND HOW HAS YOGA IMPROVED YOUR LIFE?  Over 10 years. Yoga has been the only constant in my life. I find great peace knowing that my practice will continue to evolve wherever I go in this world.

Why Yoga?

Because yoga works.  Our physical health and performance is not the result of just the strength of our muscles but the combination of our physical strength, endurance, balance, flexibility as well as our mental resiliency and focus.  Which pretty much sums up the results you see when practicing yoga regularly, you’ll also have a perma-grin as a bonus.

The Green Yogi‘s Julie Rader learned this lesson at an early age from her mother who overcame breast cancer by incorporating visualization techniques in her treatment and while competing as a diver and soccer player.  Her experiences and passions led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Union College, a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Northern Arizona University, and her yoga certification which she’s been using every day for the past 15 years.

Recently Julie explained why yoga and sports go hand in hand for Breaking Muscle, an online forum about fitness, nutrition, and health.  She emphasizes in this day and age a great athlete can no longer get away with just a physical practice but must apply their whole being to their craft to truly excel and dominate their competition.  Click here to read the complete article.

Breaking Muscle is team of experienced professionals dedicated to providing comprehensive strength and conditioning, and mind/body wellness programs. They draw from their education, experience, and empirical research within their community to provide full scale services to athletes, coaches and consumers. Breaking Muscle specializes in Olympic lifting, powerlifting, functional fitness, yoga, and mind/body modalities. Breaking Muscle utilizes the latest research, products, and equipment to provide services to advance human health and performance.

Be Inspired,

Kelly

 

Easy Chicken

With summer unofficially under way I thought I’d share my super simple chicken recipe that is delicious right out of the oven but very useful throughout the week as a lean protein cut up or shredded in summer salads and sandwiches.  I use this recipe as a spring board but add Herbs de Provence instead of just thyme, substituted olive oil for butter, and doubled the number of carrots.  Here’s what it looks like right out of the oven.

roasted chicken

I’m going to be using my left over chicken this week in this Fresh Corn Summer Salad.  It has ripe sweet corn, with fragrant basil, a zip of jalapeno, plus diced cucumbers, onions, and peppers to create a medley of juices that’s a dressing on its own. YUM.

Be Inspired,

Kelly