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Peaceful, Present, and Prepared Birth

Fancy Pants

There are lots of great new clothing lines for Fall this year, but on my most coveted list are two pair of pants that I think are incredibly innovative.

I’m really impressed with Lululemon’s new Acro Crop. It’s such a great idea to put a little sticky silicon paint on the pant legs to give you some extra traction in arm balances and balance poses like Vrksasana (Tree Pose) that is, if you practice with the lifted foot below the knee, anyway! Admittedly, I haven’t seen these in person, but from what I can tell they’re pretty neat. That said… I have one major concern about these nifty pants: If you manage to get your leg behind your head while you’re wearing these, will you be more likely to get stuck?

I’m also really into the Knee Pad Yoga Capri by Fila. Sometimes my knees get sore from those Pigeon Pose variations and Camel Pose. My solution has always been to fold the edge of my mat over to give me some extra padding… I think it’s genius that someone decided to put discreet pads in yoga pants so the padding is built in! I haven’t seen these in person yet, either, so I can’t tell if they look totally dorky or not.. but the pictures look sleek.

Have any of you tried either of these pants? Did you love them? I’d love to hear your reviews!

Inspiration Station

In this somewhat fuzzy picture of my desk at work.. you will see several things that inspire me beyond belief and get me through my work day.

The highlights are:

– A woman with grey hair on a surfboard… because if I’m half that cool when my hair is all grey, I will consider this a life well lived.
–  A card that a coworker from a past job gave me that says “Tolerance”. I think she was trying to tell me something.
– Cute shoes. For without a regular paycheck I could not afford life’s simple luxuries.
– An illustration of Parvati, my favorite Indian goddess. She’s the epitome of girl power, but in a totally soft, approachable way.
– A picture of a mala to remind me of my meditation practice.
– A cute kitten. So. Freakin. FUZZY! I just want to squeeze it! Oh yeah. It also reminds me to be gentle and kind and stuff…. and that I like kitties.. and doggies!
– Om.

Do you have an inspiration board? What’s on yours?

So Hum: For Those Moments When Your Coworkers Are Jerks

Model: Abbie Dutterer;   Photography: Faern
“As I’ve become more devoted to my practice, I have tried to bring more of “my mat” into my workplace. I hope that what I am trying to cultivate in terms of calmness, curiosity, and peace in my life – both at work and at home – adds something to the people around me.” – Abbie
I SO relate to Abbie!
It’s easy to focus on the present moment when you’re in the middle of your asana practice, but what really matters is if you pay attention to your breath in a moment when you’re late for a deadline…. Or in the middle of an argument with a loved one … Or having one of those days when nothing seems to go the way you think it should.
I have a particularly difficult time remembering my yoga practice when I’m at the office. This is why I have to have reminders everywhere!
Surround yourself with inspiration. I have an inspiration board up on my cubicle wall with quotes, notes from friends, and pictures. When you’re surrounded by things that inspire you, it uplifts everything you do.

Find ways to incorporate yoga clothing into your work wardrobe. I wear a mala to work nearly every day. I also wear yoga tops in the place of camisoles. That way even though I am conforming to my office culture and look “professional” I have little reminders of my practice even when I’m in meetings away from my desk. (And it makes changing for yoga after work a breeze!)

Take stretch breaks often. There are lots of poses you can do right in your desk chair. My favorite desk stretches are seated twists (using the arm rests for extra traction), Cow Face Pose, and–when no one is looking–seated Cat-Cows and Tolasana from my desk chair!

Listen to kirtan. I love listening to music while I work, but songs with lyrics are distracting when you work with words. Kirtan is soothing and reminds me of my yoga practice, and the fact that I don’t understand the words is a bonus because I can just enjoy the vibrations.

Take a deep breath every time you get a phone call or email. This is my trick to manage stress and communicate mindfully.

Most of all … in those moments that you want to grab your boss by the neck and shake some sense into her, remember that yoga teaches us that we’re all one and she deserves to be treated with compassion and understanding as much as anyone else… especially when she’s a giant pain the ass. We’re all just doing the best we know how to do for ourselves, our families, and our careers.
Read the rest of Abbie’s interview here.
 
Faern is an artist, yoga practitioner and photographer in San Francisco. Besides making as much time for tea as possible, you can find Faern in a yoga class, at her current art show or wandering the city via public transportation. You can visit her in various places online: FaernWorks website, Twitter, Facebook, Faern in the Works Blog.

Spoiled Yogi Interviews Kristin McGee


Tell us about your favorite yoga outfit. What do you love about it?

My all time favorite yoga outfit is the copper ring supplex cami tank and supplex straight leg capri  by FILA. The fabric is so comfortable; yet still supportive. The tanks always come out in beautiful colors (I have one in each!) and I love wearing them on air for when I work at HSN. They are feminine and classic and they still do the job when I’m exercising. The black capri pants make my legs look good and are the perfect length for me in my yoga and Pilates class. They are just the best staple pant to have.
You’re not just a yoga teacher–you’re also a Pilates and fitness instructor. How does Pilates fit in with your yoga practice? Does one inform the other?
I certified to teach Pilates after teaching yoga for a while at the gyms and health clubs–where they kept asking me to sub Pilates classes (not knowing the difference!). I started taking classes and fell in love with Pilates, it as a great compliment to my yoga practice. I really like teaching both disciplines. They are different in many ways so it is good cross training for my body and my students. I find concentrating on my core and powerhouse in Pilates reminds me to keep it strong when practicing yoga. Sometimes doing ab work in Pilates I forget to breath so using my yoga breath and flow when I’m teaching Pilates helps me not get too rigid. The flexibility and mind/body connection from both methods is really great. I am a gym girl and I love all forms of exercise I think it’s great to keep informing my yoga and Pilates with as much as I can.


What’s your secret to keeping calm amidst all the chaos of city living, busy schedules, and never-ending to-do lists?
I just really try and give myself a chill day. Before I got married to my awesome husband, Tim, I’d often work Monday-Sunday it seems there is always something to do and I could see clients or teach classes all week long. I could  also teach until 8 or 9pm then have a 6am the next day! Tim has really helped me slow down and take a day off on the weekends. We might go for a bike ride or to a museum or see a play or musical. Or we might take a hike or a day trips to the beach, botanical gardens, Central park, etc. I’ve also learned to be kinder to myself and not over do. I like waking up early and seeing my clients and doing my classes. But I realized that at night I’d rather be home with a good book or have a nice meal and glass of wine or see my friends and husband.
I am using the balance that we often refer to so much in yoga and incorporating it more in to my daily life. It is really important to find a nice rhythm between work and play, and yet it’s an ongoing journey. There are times when I just have to put in my dues and have many projects going on, and I work my butt off. Then, I go out to Idaho and force myself to take a week off ,and be in the outdoors with my amazing family. I’m so lucky I have that outlet!
What’s your favorite pose at the moment? What are you learning from it?
I think my favorite pose right now is Hanumanasana, splits. I’ve always loved headstand–I could do it right away and it feels awesome being upside down. I always hated the splits, I could never do them as a kid, I was super inflexible and it is one of those poses that I always felt so far from accomplishing. Yet, this summer while practicing Hanumanasana, I really decided to just relax and not worry about getting in to the full posture; and I’m actually finally able to feel really good on both sides. I’ve noticed the skill it takes to stay centered and not get too caught up in the front leg but to really sit back a little and open up the front of my back thigh. Now I’m able to melt down in to the floor and not freak out about shoving my front leg hamstring open and to the ground.
I’ve been practicing now for over 17 years, and my body is opening up now in places I thought I might never have the range of motion. It is a true testament to the practice to see that if you keep breathing and keep exploring the postures and your body and the alignment, you really can go further than you ever thought possible. Yoga isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Things change and move at glacier speed, not lightning speed. But that’s great! Anything worth doing takes time and doing splits right now has helped me realize that patience and perseverance really do pay off.
Tell us what inspires you so we can be inspired, too?
Children inspire me. Seeing the little girls I teach or watching my little nephews play and explore and giggle and have fun and be curious about life, that is  really touching. Old people inspire me as well, learning from their wisdom and experience of life. The mountains inspire me, I love being home in Idaho and skiing or hiking and just looking at the unbelievable expansive beauty of the mountain ranges. Rivers, oceans, lakes, streams, forests anything outdoors makes me happy and inspired.
My yoga and Pilates practice and really good yoga/Pilates classes and teachers inspire me. Great teachers of anything really inspire me–I love to learn. Music definitely, I can’t imagine my life with out songs or singing. When I hear an awesome lyricist like James Taylor sing or hear my dad play the piano, or go to an incredible musical in NYC and can’t stop tapping my feet–that is inspiring. Art, great novels, new inventions, traveling to new places, all inspirational.
The Big Apple–thus the reason I moved here, it’s one big playground of inspiration. I can’t walk down the street without being inspired every day. My students and clients inspire me and remind me to keep doing what I’m doing and to be the best teacher I can be and continue to come up with creative new ideas in my teaching and practice. I see them progress and stay consistent with their practice, and I feel so very grateful.  My husband and family make me want to be a better person every day I’m alive, and they support and inspire me in new ways every day.

Visit Kristin’s website www.kristinmcgee.com.

Steal From Your Teacher (And Other Good Advice That Sounds Bad)

Steal from your teacher. No, I’m not talking about her credit card or that shiny new yoga mat… When I’m in a difficult situation–whether it’s at work or in my daily job, I think about how my mentors would respond. I imagine what her words would be, her body language, I see her composed and cool … My yoga teachers don’t get flustered when they make a misspeak in front of a class. They laugh it off gracefully and move on. I want to be like that in my interactions with people. So I steal their persona for a bit (I can’t call it borrowing because I can’t give it back!). I say what I think they would say. I might even talk the way they would talk. I make it my own. It helps me through it, and don’t think they’d mind.

Do the bare minimum. In our culture, we’re taught to give 110% to everything we do. We work as hard as we possibly can. We always strive to do more. When we take this approach in yoga, we end up injured. When we take this approach in life, we end up burnt out, exhausted, and uninspired. I’ve noticed that working smart (not hard) is the way to get the most accomplished over a long period of time. And by saving energy, I’m able to accomplish more over the long run, be more creative, and am much happier as a whole.

Be selfish. I know.. the word selfish sounds so bad! We have the perception that when we take things for ourselves, it comes at the expense of someone else, but this isn’t always true. If we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we take care of anyone (or anything) else!? Take time for yourself. Do your daily yoga practice. Meditate. Eat foods that make you feel alive! Then, shine your light on the people around you.

How Fashion Changed My Life (Or at Least My Mornings)

My love for fashion helped me develop a regular meditation practice. Yes, I said fashion!

I’ve taken amazing classes–and lots of them. I’ve studied with some of the best yoga and meditation teachers in the world. I’ve read countless books. I’ve blogged in an attempt to hold myself accountable. I think I ever made a chart at one point. Did any of this help me to develop a consistent and regular yoga practice? Nope! It would work for about a week.. then.. Poof! Something happened (I have no idea what) and I just couldn’t do it anymore. It was my fashion obsession that changed everything for me.

I was in the habit of standing in my closet every morning for a good 10 minutes scratching my head. I have SO many choices, and yet, I would think to myself, “I have NOTHING to wear.. I hate ALL of my clothes.” Often, I’d put one one outfit… decide it’s not the right one and change several times before I actually made it out the door. All of this takes a ridiculous amount of time.

Ironically, even though I spent so much time getting ready in the mornings, I realized I still wear the same outfits over and over again. This is unacceptable for someone who loves clothes as much as I do. Determined to make better use my closet and dresser (both ridiculously full), one Sunday afternoon I decided to find five creative new outfits for the week. I tried everything on. I laid out every outfit–even the jewelry.

The following week, I was astonished by how much time this saved me in the morning. I felt fabulous in my newly-constructed wardrobe and ready for work with 15 minutes to spare.. So I thought, what the heck? I sat down to meditate. That was almost three months ago, and I haven’t missed a day since.

Since I just happened into my meditation practice this time, I had no expectations and no worries. It wasn’t forced–just a happy accident. This means I’ve been able to watch it all unfold organically, without judgment. I really am noticing a difference. I’m calmer, more connected, and yes, better dressed!

So Hum: Expressions of Unity

Models: Jeremy Simon and Seren Rubens;  Photography: Faern

“Yoga has taught me how to live in harmony with myself and those around me. Practicing challenging poses, especially in partnership, has helped me to find the path of resistance.”

– Jeremy Simon
It’s impossible for to look at this photo of AcroYogis Jeremy Simon and Seren Rubens without thinking about trust, partnership, and unity. It takes some real trust to let someone hold you upside down like that with your head that close near the pavement. One slip and… well, it would not be pretty.
This same sense of partnership and unity is one of the things I love most about being a part of the yoga community. It takes the effort of all involved to make the beautiful shapes we see Acro Yogis practice. If any one person doesn’t fully commit, the whole could come crashing down like a delicate house of cards.
We support each other—literally and figuratively. Yoga philosophy teaches us to see the world in a holistic light. When you help a neighbor, you help yourself and the whole world as a result! We lean on each other when we need help with a pose, but we also lean on each other when we need advice or just a laugh. Each little action impacts the world in a positive or negative way. It’s really beautiful if you think about it.
Does this mean that we never let someone down or get really REALLY annoyed by the person who Oms too loudly or makes every discussion about herself? Of course not. But just as no one gets Scorpion Pose on the first try, it takes years and years of practice to master the art of true community. I am the first to admit that I have a long, LONG way to go … but I’m learning about myself and the world along the way, breathing into the struggles, and enjoying it as much as I can as I go.
What do you love about yoga community? What do you struggle with? How has yoga changed the way you relate to people?

Read Jeremy’s complete interview here and Seren’s here!


Faern is an artist, yoga practitioner and photographer in San Francisco. Besides making as much time for tea as possible, you can find Faern in a yoga class, at her current art show or wandering the city via public transportation. You can visit her in various places online: FaernWorks website, Twitter, Facebook, Faern in the Works Blog.

Why Go to Yoga Class?

A few months ago, I went to a weekend workshop led by Jason Crandell, one of my long-time teachers. I had been feeling pretty bad about my yoga practice because (as I’m sure I’ve mentioned on this blog) I work nearly every minute of every day and I don’t make it to yoga studios nearly as often as I’d like. In the workshop, Jason talked a lot about developing a personal practice and he mentioned that right now it just doesn’t work for him to go to a yoga studio. He gets more out of practicing at home because it gives him the freedom to take his time and experiment with the things that he finds interesting and helpful, and he goes to a teacher a few times a year when he feels he needs to. It makes perfect sense.

Of course, it made me feel better about my practice to know that one of the yoga teachers I respect most in the world doesn’t attend regular yoga classes. My home practice, no matter how irregular, at least gives me the opportunity to go inward, which is what the practice is all about. It’s liberating to feel like when I go long stretches without setting foot in a studio, I don’t have to feel guilty or disappointment with myself! This is what I love about yoga. It’s good stuff.

But I will always love a good yoga class. I want to go to class when I can … not because I need to or because I can’t get what I need out of a home practice, but because it just feel right to me.

Here are 10 reasons I make every effort to go to yoga classes whenever I can …

1. I like it.
2. I still have a TON to learn.
3. It inspires me–gets my creative juices flowing.
4. It’s fun to meet new people, especially other yoga students!
5. I benefit from the positive energy of the collective group.
6. It makes me practice poses I know I’d never work on on my own.
7. Classes challenge me to hold poses longer, work a little harder, and push my limits. It’s in classes that I’m capable of more than I ever thought possible.
8. A different perspective gives me new things to work on later.
9. Two words: Yoga Buzz.
10. Sometimes it’s nice to let someone else guide you through the practice so you have to think less and really feel the present moment.

Why do you go to yoga classes?

About Spoiled Yogi

Erica Rodefer Winters is a yoga teacher who loves helping pregnant and new moms find more balance in life through yoga, meditation, self-care, and humor.

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