Downward facing dog pose is a unique pose and one that is the cornerstone of asanas. It is a fabulous pose because it engages your hamstrings, develops strength in your back and opens your shoulders. Yoga gurus patterned this pose from our animal friends!

Chris Crews demonstrates the basics of Downward Facing Dog pose for you here! Enjoy..sending you many blessings this holiday weekend!

Chris’ Downward Facing Dog Pose Video

Chris and Stacey

Seane poses the question, “What does yoga mean to you?” It has taken many years to answer this question for me, and I am sure for Chris, too. Believe it or not, it is not one static answer but rather an evolving answer the more I learn about myself, my spirituality, and this world.

Seane Corn’s What Yoga Means to Me

I would love to hear your comments on what yoga means to YOU! Please comment.

I have been working on updating my website, maintaining a business, supporting a household, family and husband. Where is there room to breathe? People say that I am so “busy”. Life is busy!

How do we find the time to enjoy life during all this busy-ness? Well, I always come back to gratitude. I start my mornings with quiet time to reflect, read, and plan. I also reflect on the joys and blessings I have in my own life. I feel so lucky!

I teach yoga 6-8 times per week and planning those classes can be time consuming because I like to offer the class new vinyasa flow postures so they can have their own yoga practice each time. I am maintaining a health & wellness business talking to people, planning and preparing each week, yet I feel so lucky that this business has brought so many incredible people into my life. I am raising funds for the families in Uganda which does feel like a full time job. I know deep in my heart that they will feel the ripple effects from around the world for our efforts here in hopes to meet some of them face to face in February. I feel so lucky to be a part of an incredible team of people here cheering me on, offering me support and guidance to get this job done. Finally, I feel the hustle and bustle of everyday living, hauling two boys around to their soccer practices/games, planning our meals weekly, homework, social calendar, and attempting to stay in touch with my husband. Yet, I do feel a greater sense of gratituderecognizing I have so many of blessings. One day, I will miss this “busy-ness”.

Family….we just had my husband’s girls over last night with their spouses and our newest grandchild. She is gorgeous! It was a gentle reminder that things can go by unattended in our lives. If we take the time to notice the beautiful blessings, like a small child, the gratitude for each toe and finger, for her tiny eyelashes and sweet smile when she looks at you is definitely present. Now this joy is what I am talking about!

My intention is to respect the life we have today, yet take the time to thank God for our many blessings we have. The tiny things in each of our lives that go unnoticed at times. Even though we may not pay attention to the small things, they are still there offering us the opportunity for joy at any moment.
This sounds cliche, “take time to smell the roses” in your own life. Like the water that runs over the rocks in New Harmony, Indiana (as shown), beauty is still there even though the constant movement of water can create chaos.

As a yoga teacher in the midwest, I have occasionally come across people who think that yoga is some evil “devil” practice that would entice them to go towards the “dark side”, or better yet, a cult. Certain religions have no understanding of yoga and feel that this practice could only open dangerous doors.

I have been practicing yoga for over 8 years. It has brought so much joy and peace within my life and the lives of the people I know that regularly practice. Granted, there are so many practices like physical exercise, weight loss, and other life changing events that can impact your life for the better, yoga has done that for me.

Recently, a media company, I have been working with for about a year, asked not to continue our working relationship due to the fact that “yoga” did not follow their faith even though this company never attended one of my classes, asked me to explain my yoga practice, or asked me about my personal faith. Of course, this was not necessary on my part for a working relationship.

I was initially shocked because I have not felt this kind of response on this level in my life. A wave of emotions ran across my body, anger about this e-mail I received, worry that I had done something wrong, feelings of self worth arose, wonder about my faith and what I believe in, questions about this type of prejudice….it was an opportunity to examine my beliefs closer.

This was a great teaching moment to my own children as we were able to discuss this at great length over dinner. My oldest son said, “This doesn’t make sense. Even though their faith says to be open to all religions, they are not open to ours?” I said, “That is correct!” I made it clear by being a person of faith doesn’t mean that you lose your rational thinking process. You have to feel spirituality in your heart and soul! You pray to God in a way that feels appropriate to you. For me, yoga, at times, can be a spiritual practice.

After I sorted through my own emotions, I felt some kind of respect for this firm at the courage it took to write an e-mail to me like this, and to dismiss my business based on faith. Yet, I realized the ignorance of them understanding the essence of yoga. I allowed myself to feel emotions of life feeling unfair, or reflecting on people in years passed that have felt these same emotions on a bigger scale like an entire race for hundreds of years. Needless to say, it felt “yucky”! It reminded me of this song,Free Your Mind. We must all FREE OUR MINDS of prejudices. WE may not even realize we hold them, yet once examined closer, they are there. Do you consider one group of people as always being “wealthy”? responsible for crime? Find yourself sitting in a different location in a movie because of certain people sitting in seats you would like? Consider your own religious beliefs. Are you open to all religions, yet your actions show different? Really examine religious beliefs, personal beliefs, as well as, the “non-negotiables” in your own life.

Personally, I am a Christian woman of faith that is a practicing yogi. I am a mom, wife and daughter. I believe and respect other people of faith regardless of their formalized religions without judgement. For all the yogis out there, where does yoga fit into your spirituality? Does it? Does your religious beliefs conflict with your spiritual beliefs?

oooo, hot topics, the comments should be good for this one. Thanks and many blessings to you all!

If a down economy has gotten in the way of your ability to afford yoga classes, fear not! The new wave at studios is called “Recession Yoga,” classes offered for free or on a donation basis. Our very own Evansville Yoga Center has a weekly donation class and a monthly free class. Check out their website for more details.

If you are not in the Evansville area, contact your local yoga studio to see if they offer any such classes. Chances are, they will!

And as always, practice and enjoy!

I hope this week finds my readers well! Below is a helpful video tutorial that I hope will add some spice to your yoga practice… Love & Blessings.

The Bandhas
with Yoga Today's Sarah Kline

Sarah Kline's Bandha Tutorial

Practice and enjoy!

It was a blast! That evening, I couldn’t believe how my brain was on fire. Creative ideas kept popping into my head the entire evening. I let go of everything and let my eyes just look. I have a ton of these great photos that were quite inspiring! The next morning I had to write down my ideas onto a board. Here is what I saw:

According to the experts, it was my own mind map! Our minds do not work in outline format, but rather as a map. Brian Johnson, Philosopher’s Notes, explains it on his You Tube Video. Enjoy and make your own mind map today!

Let your mind wander with ideas, dreams and goals. I had a similar experience making a vision board. My mind map now hangs in my bedroom with the goals and dreams for my website! love & blessings….

SEVA Challenge Overview from Stacey Shanks on Vimeo.

How can you become involved?
Watch this short 1 min video about what I am doing. You can donate
items for our GROOGS garage sale, art pieces for our 2 art auctions,
money, or time. Join forces for this great cause! Love you all! Make a
difference today…