I’m so excited to see this movie. The Yoga Month event last year was amazing and, this year, the kick-off starts with a yoga documentary by Johannes Fisslinger. I’ll be there, will I see you there?
TITANS OF YOGA world movie premiere Sept. 1 in Los Angeles to kick-off National Yoga Month September
National Yoga Month September, a national observance and awareness campaign to educate about the health benefits of yoga and to inspire a healthy lifestyle, will kick-off with the TITANS OF YOGA world movie premiere September 1st in Santa Monica, California.
For the first time ever, TITANS OF YOGA brings together twenty-five of the most prominent figures in the worlds of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, from Dr. Dean Ornish, a physician consultant to President Clinton, to Lilias Folan, the “First Lady of Yoga.”
As they share their own life experiences from the tragic to the ecstatic, the Titans embark on a journey of self-discovery that touches and inspires. Their tales of addiction and depression, an HIV positive diagnosis and a penchant for sex, drugs and rock-and-roll will move you as they share how they overcame these challenges and transformed them into their greatest life victories.
TITANS OF YOGA – an empowering and inspirational movie – is the Official Yoga Month movie and available on DVD. Proceeds benefit Yoga-Recess in Schools which brings yoga-based health education into classrooms.
During National Yoga Month September hundreds of free classes will be available nationwide and new students can access ONE WEEK FREE YOGA at participating yoga studios.
For the movie trailer and free yoga classes people can visit www.titansofyoga.org.
Say what?! No, I’m not ditching Sanskrit for another language and it’s not a new yoga pose. It’s what’s kept me on the couch a better part of three weeks so far and away from my practice, riding, hiking, biking and pretty much anything active. Ugh. About 4 weeks ago I tore my Obturator Internus. I was out having a spectacular ride on my horse in Griffith Park when my saddle slipped. That’s when I had an equally spectacular fall. I came off and hit my right hip, pulled every muscle known to man and, while feeling the instant bruising, yelled every expletive known to man. Horse 1, Jess zero. Well, it wasn’t his fault but I’m sure he was chuckling under his hay laden breath.
I so sore the next day but after a few days was practically back to normal. Nope, can’t keep me down for long. Wrong. I decided I would resume seeing clients which, in retrospect, was a little too ambitious. After a few stops in the morning, I got in the truck and heard (and felt) a snap. Ouch. That’s when it happened. All of my pelvic and hip muscles were so compromised that getting in the truck was the last straw. I was down and for a while.
I’ll spare you the imagery of me trying to get to the hospital. The diagnosis: pulled groin. Specifically: Obterator Internus. Down time: 6-8 weeks. Needless to say, I may be blogging a bit more now.
After the first two pain-pilled ridden weeks, I was at least hobbling around on the crutches and starting some chair yoga (more on that later), intense pranayama, and concentrating on some much needed computer work for Equizen™ , my new organic, cruelty-free equine therapeutic product line (more on that too) AND my new healing balm line for humans. Yep, you guessed it, more on that later too.
In the meantime, I have a TON of work to do on the computer and now have a reason to sit for an extended period of time. I did ask the Universe for some time to work…I guess I should have been more specific.
What’s been keeping me away from the computer? Horse love! My horses finally arrived from Ohio on Feb 7th and I’ve been spending nearly every waking minute with them since they got here. After not seeing them for a year and a half, we’ve really needed the time together. I’ll post pics of them shortly but for now I’m off to the barn again!
The pic here is of Piper in her stall the day after arriving. A horse gets kind of pooped after a 5 day ride!
I’ve always had my “I found yoga when” story on my About page. This was fine but it made it hard to have a concise bio and still tell the story in it’s entirety. Here’s Part I:
Yoga found me in Clermont, FL in 2000. After studying botanicals for many years, I decided to open up an apothecary that quickly became a spiritual book store bursting with stones, incense, essentials oils, candles, jewelry, clothing, books and tons of herbs and teas. I fashioned all of the displays to roll out of the way to create space for classes. We held herb classes, readings and then eventually yoga. I had never tried yoga but I was intrigued when a local yoga teacher approached me about offering classes.
My first class was, um, interesting. It was hard, I didn’t understand the point and I felt like I was going to throw up. Yep, I didn’t breathe as instructed and, since my body had never known “detox” or even how to breath, all of the stagnant breath just got reabsorbed thereby making me ill. I don’t think I took a breath the entire class. By the time I got to Savasana, I thought “I’m never doing this again”.
The next day I felt great. Surprise! I felt better than I ever had. Sure, I wasn’t unhealthy but I’m not sure that I had been breathing more than just a shallow breath for my entire life. That day, I was breathing with full breaths and felt giddy. Well, ok, I was probably making myself light headed from the introduction of the foreign substance known as oxygen and the pure elation I felt thinking about my next class. I had no idea how yoga was going to change so much about my life.
Last week I posted about self-care and some great ways to calm your immune system while treating yourself. Massage is a great tool because it’s function is multi-layered. I’m not a massage therapist so I can’t speak to all of the details but I can say that the detox and relaxation that comes from massages make me a very happy girl! If you can afford to treat yourself to a massage by a qualified therapist, do it and do it as often as you can. I was taking to a friend the other day about New Year’s resolutions and how we often resolve to do something that ends up in failure and self-loathing. One of our friends resolved to treat herself to semi-monthly massages. Wow! Something that will make her feel good about herself AND increase her health. From that moment, I vowed to have a least one resolution that involves treating myself better.
The economic climate has really hit a lot of us very hard. So how can we afford to do these nice things for ourselves when we are in budget crunch? Try self-massage. In Ayurvedic medicine it’s called abyanga and is often done with herb-infused oils. I learned this technique last year from my teacher, Christy and, although I’ve not been as consistent as I’d like to be, I have seen some amazing benefits. In the morning, I apply an oil that’s matched with my dosha over my whole body in sweeping motions over the long bones and circular motions over my joints. I start from the outer-most extremities and work my way in toward the heart. After that, I sit for a few minutes to let it all soak in then take a shower. My skin feels fantastic and always feel very calm and “healed” after doing abyanga. It’s perfect for someone who is in budget crunch but even if you aren’t, it’s a great practice to get in the habit of doing even a few times a week.
Resources:
One of my favorite massage therapists: Carolyn Jaques at Cote d’ Azur spa in Pasadena. She has a deep knowledge of energy work and an amazing gift of healing.
My favorite carrier oils come from Moutain Rose Herbs. I use a blend of coconut, sunflower and a little bit of neem infused with herbs to reduce my pitta dosha but you can use whatever organic, unrefined, preferably cold-pressed oils you have on hand if you aren’t familiar with your dosha.
I get my essential oils from Young Living. I often add a few drops to the carrier oils to match my mood or specific holistic requirement at the time and always use essential oils during my yoga classes. You’ll have to sign up to buy them but it’s worth the effort (and I do get credit which goes to Seva). My favorites are Lavender, Deep Relief Roll-on and Peace & Calming.
When you are sick it’s very clear. Symptoms come in clusters and there is no mistaking the message. It’s starts with a tickle in the throat and then, bam, you’ve been invaded. There are millions of very happy bacteria (or a virus) having a party at your body’s expense. They come without warning and without invitation…or do they?
Being sick is your body’s way of communicating that you need to slow down, take a break and pay attention. We live in a fast-paced society, constantly being over-stimulated and over-taxed. We run around taking care of kids, family, bills, friends and other errands barely noticing that we are losing a bit (maybe more) of rejuvenating sleep. We cram our to-do’s into increasingly smaller windows of time hoping to still have much needed self-care time. By running at this pace, we are decreasing our immune systems and inviting the ickies in, whether we like to admit it or not. We need to slow down and pay more attention to ourselves. Sure, we may eat well and be active, but not taking the time to ground and regroup can really wreak havoc on our systems and in our lives. Getting sick it simply your body’s way of forcing you to do it when you’ve ignored all the signs.
I’ve experienced this more than I care to admit. I’m dealing with increased fatigue and the tell-tale tickle in the throat as I write this. I realized this morning that I was doing it again, neglecting myself for the sake of scratching off another insert-task/project-here from my to-do list. Adding self-care time goes a long way to reducing stress on the body and in the mind. Giving ourselves this time reduces the amount of stress on the adrenal glands, induces better sleep habits, calms the nervous system and gives us a lot more patience.
Here are some examples of what you can do without breaking the time bank:
-Get that much needed massage: Short on funds? I’ll cover that next week.
-Opt for the longer yoga class: If you already take a class and always chose the 1 hour yoga, go for the 90 minute class. You will thank yourself.
-Treat yourself to an uninterrupted cup of your favorite tea.
-Go for a hike: Spending time in natural is instant grounding. You can’t help but savor the fresh air.
-Take a bath instead of a quick shower: Light some candles, add some essential oils and bring your favorite magazine.
-Take a few minutes each day to reflect and focus on your breath: What do you want to thank yourself for?
Now, how do you do it? Schedule it! Really. Add it to your calendar. You are just as important as any other engagement, so give yourself the time.
Photo: Eaton Canyon Waterfall-one of my favorite hikes.
Service is the truest expression of everything that yoga has taught and continues to teach me. Setting an example as a leader in my community is the most authentic way I can pass along what I’ve learned.
Off the Mat, Into the World is an organization that challenges yogi/nis everywhere to take their yoga “off the mat” to really create positive, sustainable social change in the world. Founded in 2007 by Seane Corn, OTM has inspired individuals to find their purpose and truly become leaders in their communities.
I’ve joined the Off the Mat, Into the World, Global Seva 2010 South African Challenge to raise $20,000 or more to help fund and build health and education programs that will provide tools and resources for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. At the end of this journey, I hope to have not only helped in a big way financially, but to be chosen to be on the National Leadership Team for Off the Mat, Into the World.
I’d be honored if you’d help meet my donation goals. You can make an online donation by clicking here or the button below. Please be sure to select “South Africa” and then “Jess Peltier” in the drop-down menu so the proper credit is applied.
In gratitude and service,
Jess
Checks should be written out to ‘The Engage Network’ with “Jess Peltier” in the memo line and sent to: Off the Mat, Into the World
PO Box 748
Venice, CA 90294
Ever laugh so hard and for so long that you start to cough and realize there was congestion you didn’t even know existed? This past Saturday was full of laughter. We were with friends driving back from Ventura sharing stories when one of them sent us all into fits of laughter! Of course this was followed by crying, coughing and hacking (TMI) but it was worth it.
Laughing causes you to breathe from a deeper part of the lungs not often accessed (unless pranayama is practiced on a regular basis) causing old, ehem, phlem to be brought up. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to call on that natural “treatment” each time we need an expectorant? I know I can barely breathe let alone laugh hysterically when I’m sick and congested. Since laughter isn’t always accessible on demand (though some laughter yoga practitioners may disagree) I thought I’d share my favorite (appropriately named) tea for congestion.
Laughter Tea (Since herbs don’t often come in tiny quantities, I like to make a big batch of this to have on hand for the cold season)
Mix together and store in a well-sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place. To use: steep a few teaspoons in 8oz hot water for at least 10 minutes. To make a strong batch: Steep longer and, preferably, overnight in a well-sealed container. It’s better if you refrain from sweetening it but, if you must, use small amounts of honey or agave.
I’m happy to announce that my Wednesday evening class at Cote d’ Azur is back! Vinyasa Flow Level I will be held promptly at 7:30 pm every Wednesday starting January 27th, 2010.
Vinyasa Flow Level I is a moving meditation with emphasis placed on balance, breath control, and mental focus. While suitable for beginners, some knowledge [...]
This weekend I was creating a recipe for an herbal dental treatment for a friend. So many great herbs to choose from and virtually unlimited ways to integrate them with other natural treatments. While there are many herbs that can be used for dental issues, one in particular stood out. It’s not the most potent [...]
If you use herbs or alternative therapies, do so responsibly. Information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only. Consult your doctor about your health conditions and use of herbal and natural supplements. They may be harmful if taken for the wrong conditions, used in excessive amounts, combined with prescription drugs or alcohol, or used by persons who don't know what they are doing. Just because a remedy is natural, does not mean it is safe!
What is Holism?
Holism comes from the greek word meaning all, entire, total. It is the theory that living things or systems cannot be explained alone by isolating their parts. From a healing perspective, it means treating the whole person, not just their chief symptoms.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe" - John Muir
I’m so excited to see this movie. The Yoga Month event last year was amazing and, this year, the kick-off starts with a yoga documentary by Johannes Fisslinger. I’ll be there, will I see you there?
