Yoga and the Stress Response

One of the main purposes of yoga is to retrain the stress response habit
so that your brain stops automatically invoking it every time you feel out of
control, experience time pressure, or are impatient. Some people might
think that the stress response is an innate reflex; and thus, can't be
changed. To clarify, the response is partly innate and partly learned in
early childhood. Yes, the stress response comes already downloaded and
installed on your early operating system. However, this tendency is
enhanced, by years of reinforcement. In particular, you absorb how those
around you, particularly your parents, react to stressful situations.
Their reactions get wired into your nervous system. However, just because a
habit is innate, and then reinforced, does not mean it is immune to
change. Almost any habit can be changed, or at least improved, through
repeated action of a new habit. For some people waking up at 5:30AM to go
to a yoga class would automatically trigger their stress response. The
good news is that you don't actually have to go to a class to practice
yoga. The poses most people associate with yoga are just a particular way
of practicing yoga called the asana practice ("asana" translates to
"posture"). The asana practice challenges you in a specific way, but life
itself offers plenty of challenges on its own. Under any stressful
circumstance you can attempt the same calming techniques: breathing deeply and
slowly, relaxing your facial muscles, clearing your head of anxious thoughts,
focusing on the present. In fact, applying these techniques to real life
is what yoga is all about. Yoga is simply the process of paying attention to the
present moment and calming the mind. Over time you will start to retrain
your automatic stress reaction, and replace it with one more conducive to
happiness and overall well-being.I eventually came to the realization that not
only can you practice yoga in real life, but, conversely, you could go to a yoga
class and not really be doing yoga. Some of those people in class might
just be placing their legs behind their heads, and still not be focusing on
keeping their breath calm and steady, or their minds clear. They might be
focused on something else entirely. Without the sustained intention of
focusing on the present, and calming the mind, going to a yoga class is
literally just going through the motions. Alex Korb, PhD.

Class Schedule for today through the end of February at Tranquility Yoga Studio

Thursday, February 16, 2012: Get Your Yoga Energy GoingThis morning at 5:30 a.m. we have our Weight Loss Yoga, this afternoon at 5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. a great 45 minute workout with Vinyasa Flow, and 6:40 p.m. - 7:40 p.m. is our Intro to Astanga Yoga class.

Three awesome opportunities for you to get fit, feel better, and experience the benefits of yoga. Please join us!

Friday, February 17, 2012: Three Classes to Choose from for Today!10:00 a.m. Vinyasa Flow: Bring a friend for FREE! 4:15 p.m. Pose Specific Yoga - It's An UpDog -- DownDog Kind of Day! 5:30 p.m. Power Up with Us! It's All About the Plank!

Saturday, February 18, 2012: Two Classes to Energize You! 7:00 a.m. Yoga for Athletes - Yoga is Better than Coffee (but you can stay and enjoy that, too!) 9:00 a.m. Beginner's Core Yoga - Strong Core; Strong Back

Sunday, February 19, 2012: Two Classes (One for practicing individual postures and one for combining the postures into a flowing movement) 2:30 p.m. Pose Specific Yoga - Inverting is easy! Remember this just means my head is below my heart - as simple as a forward fold. 4:00 p.m. Vinyasa Flow Yoga - Movement with Breath

Monday, February 20, 2012: Happy President's Day! Three Classes for Your Enjoyment and Exercise! 5:30 a.m. Sunrise/Energize - Sun Salute your way to a great week!10:00 a.m. Vinyasa Flow: Bring a friend for FREE! 5:30 p.m. Yoga for Strength and Conditioning - 45 minute class (short and sweet) This class will move to 4:15 p.m. in June for Teen Yoga

Tuesday, February 21, 2012: Two Classes for Terrific Tuesday! 4:15 p.m. Twist and Shout! Pose Specific Yoga 6:40 p.m. Vinyasa Flow for Hips, Thighs, and Knee Health

Wednesday, February 22, 2012: One Class for Beginners 5:30 p.m. Intro to Yoga for Astanga Practice

Thursday, February 23, 2012: Two Class Opportunities = Yoga Just for You! 5:30 a.m. Weight Loss Yoga - Even if you are at a perfect body size, this class is fun and energizing! 5:30 p.m. Vinyasa Flow Yoga for Shoulders, Arms, and Wrists - This class will move to 6:40 p.m.* the last Thursday in May. *If you want to keep it at 5:30 p.m, please let me know. Thanks!

Friday, February 24, 2012: Two Classes and a Great Way to Get Your Weekend Started! 4:15 p.m. Pose Specific Yoga - It's All About the Knees 5:30 p.m. Power Up! This is Push-up Practice!

Saturday, February 25, 2012: Two Classes or Three? See me for more details. 7:00 a.m. Yoga for Athletes - Mix It Up! 9:00 a.m. Core Yoga for Beginners - Posture Perfect

Sunday, February 26, 2012: Two Classes for Sunday Afternoon Delight! 2:30 p.m. Pose Specific Yoga for Wrists and Forearms 4:00 p.m. Vinyasa Flow - Energy Up with Flow and Go!

Monday, February 27, 2012: Two Classes to Energize, Strengthen, and Warrior Up 5:30 a.m. Sunrise/Energize: Archer Series 5:30 p.m. Yoga for Toning and Conditioning - Jump Switch! (45 minute class)

Tuesday, February 28, 2012: Two Classes for Open Hips, Happy Hips 4:15 p.m. Pose Specific Yoga for Back Health and Hips 6:40 p.m. Vinyasa Flow Yoga for Moving What Ails You

Wednesday, February 29, 2012: Congratulations! You made it to the 90 Day Challenge Weigh-In. Let me know how you have made a difference in your life the last 90 days with eating, exercise, and health related ways. We started back on December 1st, and now we have made it through the holidays. 5:30 p.m. Intro to Yoga for Beginners with Astanga

Please note: On Saturday, March 3, 2012, I will be traveling to OKC for a conference; therefore, we will not be having class. We will have a make-up lesson on Sunday, March 4th, at 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. and then have our two regular classes that Sunday afternoon at 2:30 and 4:00 p.m. I hope that the last 90 days have been beneficial for you as you concentrated on taking care of the Goose. Remember without you, the Goose, we have no golden eggs! You are important!

Thank you for being an important part of our yoga community.

Namaste'

Jeanne Kay-- Jeanne K. DossTranquility Yoga Studio Owner and InstructorRegistered Yoga Teacher (300 hour level) - Graduate of YSA; member of Yoga AlliancePersonal Certified Trainer - Cooper InstituteCertified Pilates, Aerobics and Step Aerobics InstructorZumba Training Level 1 and Zumba GoldYoga Fit - Levels 1 and 2

"Be your own person and do not be ruled by the expectations of others. The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." Joseph Campbell

Super Bowl 2012 Weekend

Dear Friends,
Happy Super Bowl weekend! Isn't it amazing how this has become a holiday in February? So, the answer is YES, we are having class tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 p.m. I hope you will consider joining us as we unwind tension with the focus on neck and shoulders.
Just a reminder that we have today and tomorrow for our final two days of "Bring a friend for free week at Tranquility Yoga in Owasso!" If your friend then purchases a punch card, you will receive a FREE week for yourself in February. Congratulations to Maggie, Larry, and Brenda who have received a free week in February!
Read on at the end of the newsletter for how the NY Giants prepare for the big game...
*****Schedule for this week at Tranquility Yoga, February 4 - 11 is as follows: (Please note the difference this week only on Tuesday afternoon and night classes)
Today, Saturday, at 7:00 a.m. Yoga for Athletes
Today, Saturday, at 9:00 a.m. Beginner's Yoga for Core Strength
Sunday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. Pose Specific Yoga
Monday, February 6, at 5:30 a.m. Sunrise/Energize Yoga
Monday, February 6, at 5:30 p.m. Toning and Conditioning Yoga
Tuesday, February 7, at 7:15 - 8:15 p.m. Yin Yoga (only class that day)
Wednesday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m. Beginner's Intro to Astanga Yoga
Thursday, February 9, at 5:30 a.m. Weight Loss Yoga
*Thursday, February 9, at 5:30 p.m. Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Friday, February 10, at 4:15 p.m. Power Up Yoga
Saturday, February 11, at 7:00 a.m. Yoga for Athletes
Saturday, February 11, at 9:00 a.m. Beginner's Yoga for Core Strength
* The Thursday evening class will move back to 6:40 p.m. in June.
Upcoming events include another Yin Yoga class on Monday, February 13th at 7:15 p.m. and Partner Yoga practice on February 14th at 6:40 p.m.
*****
How does a professional football team prepare for the Super Bowl? Aside from typical running, throwing and strength training drills, the championship-bound New York Giants also reap the athletic benefits of season-long yoga sessions. Gwen Lawrence, celebrity yoga coach and spokesperson for Gaiam TV, has been teaching yoga for 22 years and working with the New York Giants for 11 years.“The Giants were my first professional team,” Lawrence said, who specializes in different forms of yoga, including Iyengar, Hatha, and Ashtanga Vinyasa, to engage the entire body and mind.Lawrence, who also works with the New York Knicks, Rangers and members of the Yankees, said she works with the Giants twice a week during pre-season to get the players in shape and prepare their bodies for the upcoming year.“These are pretty active, high intensity classes,” Lawrence said. “We do a lot of long, deep holds, some vinyasa.”Vinyasa yoga, or “power yoga,” focuses on the alignment of movement and breath. Each of the yoga poses are connected in flowing movements from one to the next. During the season, however, Lawrence said, her approach with the team changes. “In-season, I come in on Mondays and do post-game restorative work with the players,” she said. “I can’t just go in there and kick their butts and expect full-body participation.”The routine can change week-to-week, according to Lawrence, depending on how the players are feeling and which areas – such as their legs or their backs – are giving them problems.“You also have to take into account the different positions,” Lawrence said. “An offensive lineman is obviously different than a receiver – the demands on their bodies are different – but there are basic moves that benefit any position.”Among these moves, Lawrence’s post-game favorites include pigeon poses, frog poses and hero poses.The pigeon pose is a hip stretch that is done by bringing one knee forward and bending the leg in front of the body on the floor, while stretching the other leg out behind you. Your arms can be placed on the ground beside your or held above your head.“It’s a really deep hip opener that keeps your hips open and flexible,” Lawrence said. “It also reduces strain and stress on vulnerable knees.The frog pose, meanwhile, is done by lying face down, spreading your knees out on both sides and balancing on your heels, like a frog. Extend your arms, one at a time, out on the floor in front of you. The position opens the groin area and provides a slight back bend.Finally, the hero pose is done by kneeling on the floor, with your thighs touching, perpendicular to the floor. Set your feet apart slightly wider than your hips, with the tops of the feet flat on the floor and your big toes angled slightly inward. “It’s kneeling, keeping the quads open, and the ankles flexible and strong,” Lawrence said. All three of the moves, she said, are meant to improve flexibility, strength and prevent injuries. “My philosophy is, strength plus flexibility equals power on the field. Doing these moves not only keeps players less injury prone – because a tight, rigid body is more likely to crack and break – but they also translate into power.“Think of it this way,” Lawrence explained. “You have a bow and arrow, and the bow string is strong and unbreakable, but if it’s too tight, you can only pull it back an inch and the arrow flops down on the ground. But when the string is flexible, you can pull it far back, and the arrow has more power.”"When joints are open, strong and flexible like this, they can create more power with less effort on the field. That way, they can stay on the field longer and win the game in the end.”But physical toughness isn’t the only important benefit the players derive from yoga training, according to Lawrence. “We’re working on mental toughness, too,” she said. “Sometimes you have players with pre-game anxiety, and the breathing techniques they learn in yoga can help them cope.”Lawrence described how she helped a former Super Bowl champ deal with a medical condition while playing the game.“One of the players I worked with – Amani Toomer [who played for the New York Giants the last time they won the Super Bowl in 2008] – he had asthma, and I taught him specific breathing techniques to help with that.”The best aspect of practicing yoga with the players, Lawrence said, is that the moves aren’t solely meant for Super Bowl contenders. “I work with regular people and hear their problems; and I’ve worked with athletes for so long, I understand theirs as well – and honestly, it’s very similar,” Lawrence said. “I have my athletes, but I also have my soccer moms and other people, and they love it. It works well into their lives – and this goes across the board. It’s not just an athlete thing.”Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/02/03/yoga-how-new-york-giants-prepare-for-super-bowl/#ixzz1lP0rvi00
Hope to see you soon in practice!
Namaste'Jeanne Kay
P.S. Our receptionist watches the Super Bowl just to see the commercials! I just work on trying to stay awake!

-- Jeanne K. DossTranquility Yoga Studio Owner and InstructorRegistered Yoga Teacher - Yoga Alliance
Personal Certified Trainer - Cooper Institute
Certified Pilates, Aerobics Instructor
Zumba Training, Zumba I and Zumba Gold

“Yoga is really trying to liberate us from … shame about our bodies. To love your body is a very important thing — I think the health of your mind depends on your being able to love your body.”–Rodney YeeFor more information, please call 918-371-3841 or text me at 918-855-6459.

You can also "like" our Facebook page in order to receive updates on class themes and changes by going to Tranquility Yoga in Owasso. Once we make 150 friends, we will draw from that list for a free punch card of 8 classes ($45.00 value).