handy inversion help

inversions are perhaps the most challenging part of my practice, but also an inspiration for me to one day be able to rock a handstand without any help from a wall or fellow yogi(ni)s.

handy helper #1: hand balancing workshop
join jordan mallah for an afternoon of inversion sequence & tools to strengthen your practice.

saturday, 12.06
2:00pm - 4:00pm
pure yoga: 203 east 86th st (nyc)
$50 (or $40 for pure yoga members)
to register, call 212.360.1888

handy helper #2: shoulder & core strengtheners
try incorporating some of these asanas in your practice for inversion prep:

• plank: try isolated plank pose, remaining in the pose for 30-60 seconds, really root through your hands & feet while hugging in through your core, bringing your tailbone towards your navel; 2-3 isolations/practice.
• core plank: start in downward dog, raise one leg, bend the knee & come forward to core plank, hugging your knee up to your chest trying to bring your forehead to the knee. include this through out your practice during your vinyasa flow.
  
• dolphin: start in downward dog with your forarms on the ground, move forward into plank; sets of 10-15; 3 sets/practice
• shakti kicks: begin in a down dog, walk your feet in a bit to create a shorter stance, bring your shoulders over your wrist, inhale & on a deep exhale, kick up to handstand prep with bent legs.

handy helper #3: props for hanging at home
practice your inversions on your own with a little help from a strap or swing

inversion sling start at $110 (about the price of a private session!)
yoga ropes start at $95

deal: although these props function on their own, if you splurge for both you get $15 off at www.yogaprops.com.

always moola bandha & now 15% off

i'll admit it, i've been pseudo-stalking this tank for about a year & am going to finally accept the gift of 15% off from everythingyoga.com & get one!

better than that cola drink infamous for its red can with white, script letters, this tank reminds you to always embrace your mula bandha, the root lock in your pelvic floor that can give your asana practice that extra lift. (ladies, engaging this will also help in other intimate activities.)

this holiday season everythingyoga.com is offering 15% off every product and if you you buy a yoga figurines, you'll also get a free mala bracelet! use coupon code MALAZP8 at checkout.

citywide universal yoga membership

for a mere $75 (that's like 4 drop-in classes in nyc) you can get a yoga passbook containing over 300 class passes to not only yoga studios but for pilates & dance, too!

the 2009 issue will be available december 15th, but you can start ordering now & if you'd like a 2008 passbook, you can get that for just $25, which is still much cheaper than a monthly pass to any studio i know!!! i was thrilled to see that american health & fitness alliance folks spread the love around... these passbooks are available for nyc, chicago, houston & la!!! for each city, choose your medicine: fitness, yoga or pilates. heck, for the small price tag of $225 you could get all 3 and call it a year! but wait, if you buy 3 you get 1 free - its like retail bliss for the yogi in me, i already feel the high coming on!

special deals:
buy any 2, get $10 off
buy 3, get 1 free - find your buddies and share in the savings!

check it out for yourself: www.health-fitness.org

om before you eat

thanksgiving is typically a glutinous day, when yoga pants definitely come in handy for expanding bellies full of food rather than the breath. but there is hope for you and your pants - keep your pants on for a thankful asana instead. start your day with 108 sun salutations - yes, 108, so you might be less inclined to overload your plate.

om factory in midtown is offering a 90-minute class dedicated to 108 sun salutations - a number connected to wholeness of the divinity, perfect totality - aka a yogi thanksgiving prayer.

and if 108 salutations don't make you thankful, the price sure will: just $13 for the class!

the deets:

om factory
265 west 37th st @ 8th ave
17th floor
nyc 10018
www.omfactorynyc.com

thursday (thanksgiving day!)
11.27.2008
8:00am - 9:30am
$13/class

dessert-like tea

for years i have loved this tea, and despite testing out other spiced options, i still really enjoy this oldie, but a goodie: celestial seasonings's bengal spice. its delicious, inexpensive and pretty accessible throughout the u.s., so even though i live in nyc, you can still find it near you!


some of the 'benes' include:
+caffeine free
+all-natural
+no preservatives
+sweet on its own
+zero calories alone
+makes a great soy latte!

yummy ingredients:
cinnamon, roasted chicory, roasted carob, natural spice & vanilla flavors with other natural flavors, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cloves & nutmeg.

merry mats and more!

what's better than free delivery of greasy diner food? well a lot of things, but today lotuspad is offering free shipping for all orders that are $20 or more! the offer is valid through 11.24.2008.
(for more deets on lotuspad, read my previous post)




i've always enjoyed convertible clothing, i attribute it to the more bang for your buck theory which was instilled in me as a child... regardless of where my appreciation for this came from, girlskirtmission is having a sale, although the convertible harem pant is not part of it($68/$78), they are still bargain worthy since you can rock them as a pant, skirt or onesie (translation 3 outfits or as low as $23/oufit)!

invest in portable real estate

with the markets tanking, why not invest in something that will be around a lot longer? - your yoga practice. set your intention and create your own eco-friendly mat to remind you every time you practice. or if you're looking for inspiration, you can also choose from a variety of mat designs to help keep your focus, like sadie nardini's core strength mat.

(congrats sadie on being the featured instructor!)

our friends over at yogamatic.com know that everyone loves a good investment, but also loves some savings; as a yogadeals reader you get an extra 10% off at checkout simply by entering 836737.

better than homemade & customized

the return of the love note. instead of handwriting i have opted to type 100 personal minicards for my honey using moo.com for $19.99.

moo.com is a quaint little brit site that lets you create bcards, gift cards and mini cards. why i'm obsessed with everything mini, not sure, but i am and this definitely satiated my urge for stationery and miniatures. i am also working on a few other projects or rather creating the need to use moo again, especially the moo frames where you can create mosaics with interchangeable pieces.
in addition to the minicards, they have mini card holders - what's not to love? merry little xmas early.

ps: place your first ever order at moo.com & get 20% off 1 pack of minicards! just enter code YRY7H6 at checkout - moohoo!!!
pps: spend $100 or more and get free standard shipping, just gorgeous dahlin'

shake your asana

sure chants and nature sounds can be calming to the mind, but sometimes more fiery sounds can add the heat to your practice that you are looking for. enter derek beres. founder of earthrise yoga, derek creates a new playlist each week that pulls from a variety of global music to complement his asana sequences. yoga to a new beat weekly, although the music isn't free, the recommendations are priceless.

visit derekberes.com

get styled off the mat with each daily dose

it's one thing to find cute outfits for your yoga practice on the mat, it's quite another to be adept in styling yourself once you step off it. let stylepill be your 'in' to fashion without breaking the piggybank (because we know that the monetarily rich yogi is kind of an oxymoron). make today's intention affordable style, and make stylepill your insight for fashionable duds without the scary price tag.

download your down dog

taking a page from radiohead's most current chapter, yogichocolate.com offers yogis everywhere the option of downloading mp3s of yoga and meditation classes, using a donation based system in which you pay what you can. and we all know in our downward spiraling economy, getting into downward dog can get pricey when paying per class at a yoga studio. these classes are great for the traveling yogi who doesn't leave home without their ipod or laptop - a new calorie-free menu item for room service that i warmly welcome!

meaningful mandalas

mandala, meaning 'circle' in sanskrit, is a circular design, often very intricate and ornate; each inspired by different components of the living and nonliving world. mandalas can act as great meditation tools and maintain your intention through the day. for more about mandalas and how they impact many cultures throughout the world, visit: www.mandalaproject.org

i was happy to stumble upon these mandalas, which i think look lovely on the keepsake box. whether you are inspired to use your own art or wish to shop cafepress.com for items others have created, the site brings new life to ordinary objects, at reasonable prices.

$3 yogi stocking stuffer - yoga dvd

yogajournal is offering a 20 minute sampler of one of their dvds, so all you pay is the s&h: http://www.yogajournal.com/dvdsampler i ordered one for my mama (not 1 per customer limit)
the site said 12-14 days to ship, so plan ahead, no one likes an empty stocking.

poll of the month: tatted up yogis

lavender eye pillows

nothing is more calming than an eye pillow during savasana (corpse/final relaxation pose) it blocks out light, adds weight to your eyelids so they don't have to do the work, especially if you are feeling restless (for all you peekers) and the ones with lavender add some much-welcomed aromatherapy, helping you to surrender into the ground and let your body absorb all that it has just done in your asana practice while lying motionless.

i was prompted to invest in my own eye pillows for my students when i taught a 7th grade class through the bent on learning program. we were in the school auditorium with bright stage lights overhead. my 7th graders who were new to yoga (as well as having not fully formed their frontal lobes) easily became very interested in poking and tickling each other during savasana while others would comment that the lights were too bright; my conclusion: get eye pillows asap.

i came across some great eyepillows unexpectedly on amerimark.com for $5.99 each! unfortunately, i just checked the site and they no longer carry them, however if you are feeling crafty you can make your own eye pillow.

gifting yoga for a healthier kiddie christmas

i'll admit it - it is still super early for me to be christmas shopping. as a procrastinator, i usually wait til, oh about december 20th before i realize i have to get some prezzies for under the tree. i have found that my procrastination is often due to my lack of inspiration for gifts. you can only give your mom so many sweaters, and how many toys does each kid really need... but when the epiphanies come to me, i know the perfect gift flashes in my mind. it's like a light goes on and all of a sudden i know exactly what to get and then i start googling until i find something that will fill my requirements (and tend to go overboard from there). and so, that is exactly what happened after my nephews and i had an impromptu yoga session in my grandparents living room. after determining that headstand was something my oldest nephew (4 y.o.) really enjoyed, i thought about sending them a little yoga this christmas.

immediately when i got home, i ordered 3 children yoga mats (i have 2 nephews, 1 niece - so 2 blue, 1 pink) and 3 yoga dvds and with google checkout (dangerous sometimes) it was a few clicks and two days later they got them! lotuspad was even courteous enough to email me to see if i wanted a note to be included! i happily took them up on their offer! now all the little ones have started a daily yoga routine, if i knew that was all it took, i would have done this 3 years ago :)

lotuspad is great!
children's mats range from $20 - 28
children's yoga dvds $15 each
free shipping on orders over $75!

www.lotuspadyogamats.com

no little tykes on your list? give the gift of yoga to inner city public school students in nyc, check out bentonlearning.org - a non profit organization near and dear to my heart!

core strength vinyasa yoga

the torrential down pours felt like the beginning of a very lethargic day, until i remembered my newest yoga dvd from on of my favorite teachers, sadie nardini!

the 60-minute, power hour i just rocked in my living room has inspired me to kick start my day. sadie's dvd is a real calorie-killer, all the while merging simplicity with challege to find your yogic center. who would have thought that high lunge would have me break a sweat in my pjs (ok, so i wasn't that energetic to change in yoga attire when i press play).

find out more about this great yogi: sadienardini.com
buy: core strength vinyasa power hour

budget friendly private & group lessions in nyc

with the hardships of the economy and general anxious energy that is surrounding us, i am offering a yoga sessions that are wallet friendly!

iI am an insured and registered yoga teacher (ryt 200) in core strength vinyasa yoga. I have experience teaching adults, as well as elementary school and middle school students.

you provide the space, I provide the yoga!

standard rates
(negotiable for multiple classes and special cases):

• children (ages 4-16) $15/45 minute session ($5 for each additional child)
• teens/college students (ages 16-22) $25/60 minute session ($5 for each additional student)
• adults (age 23+) $30/60 minute session ($5 for each additional student)

please contact me if you are interested! bendy.yogi@gmail.com

levitate without bringing lightness to your wallet

for less than a gym membership, levitate yoga still offers their amazing $98 monthly membership!





the fine print:

• you get unlimited yoga classes the program is auto-renew, meaning they'll charge your card every month
• you get fast and easy check-in with a key tag, discounts on mat flats, massages, workshops and retail
• you must commit to a 6-month membership to reap the benes

about the classes
from beginners to advanced yogis, each can find their spot in the cozy classrooms with a wide spectrum of yoga teachers who each bring their own special something to class.

personal faves
classes with paul & shri

other deets

• $1 rentals - mats and towels - each washed between uses to avoid spreading yoga mat funk from one yogi to the next
• great little boutique - find the essentials and some other pampering items
• changing area equipped with freshening items to keep you on the move, ideal for the non-shower after class sprucing up (levitate has no showers)