Let your light shine! Kym Herjevec is an Aussie native turned professional dancer and three-time Dancing with the Stars champion who envisioned building a studio to bring dance fitness to the people. When Kym heard that motivational fitness legend Richard Simmons was closing the doors of his famous Beverly Hills studio Slimmons (after 40 years of sweating with just about everyone), she jumped at the opportunity to move into the space.

About The BOD by Kym Herjavec

Inspired by the millions of people who found fitness as a means to self-acceptance in the 1980s, Kym sought to reinvent the Slimmons space but keep the soul. After a few coats of white paint, the addition of modern gold accents, and floor-to-ceiling curtains, The BOD by Kym Herjavec opened its doors in May with a full schedule of classes. Her goal: for students and clients to feel happy in their own bodies and for fitness to be the result, but fun to be the means.

The BOD by Kym Herjavec offers dance fitness in many forms, with themed classes including Latin, Hip-Hop, and Broadway. Dance Fit BOD is the studio’s signature class; it combines cardio dance with barre and sculpting. A wide variety of other options are also available, such as ‘80s BOD, Latin BOD (learn the moves you see on Dancing with the Stars!), Diva BOD (unleash your inner pop star), Yoga BOD, Mindful BOD (meditation), and R&R BOD (a class devoted to myofascial release through foam rolling). Private lessons in a variety of methods are available. Check out the Bridal BOD Program to get partners ready for their wedding day. If you’re not near Beverly Hills, you can sign up for virtual memberships to The BOD by Kym Online.

The BOD offers an introductory $50 one week unlimited package, and a monthly unlimited summer sale at $199.

The BOD by Kym Herjavec
9306 Civic Center Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
424-355-0024

Kiara Kinghorn

Kiara Kinghorn is a cardio-dance enthusiast, writer and editor for LA Yoga Magazine, and manager at The BOD by Kym.

The post Open Doors: The BOD by Kym Herjavec appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

A small girl sits on the floor, swirling in circles while watching Wonder Woman. Not a child of yogis, her body intuitively loves to make shapes and move. Today she still teaches this circling movement, but she calls it “Lucky Lakshmi,” named for the archetypal goddess of abundance.

Foundations

Her childhood days were spent outside, climbing trees, building forts, swimming and canoeing. At eight years old, she discovered ballet and a new world of movement. For Kate, ballet was the perfect marriage between strict discipline and technique, coupled with passionate self-expression and artistry.

Nama’stay in My Leggings All Day Tank by K-Deer  k-deer.com Chaos Leggings featuring the Sthenos Green Lady by Sthenos Active Wear  sthenos.com

Kate’s love of dance continued throughout her childhood and young adult years, and led to a choreography major at Mills College in the Bay Area. She was just finishing when her mother was diagnosed with a rare and incurable brain tumor. Her mother had been having migraines and personality shifts for several years, but by the time they finally gave her the MRI she’d been requesting, it was too late to operate. She fought cancer with grace and dignity, the same way she did everything else in her life. Kate describes her mother as “strong but goofy, elegant but fierce.” Her mother tried both Eastern and Western approaches to treatment and when seizures prevented her from driving, she asked Kate for what she called “movement therapy.” So there they were, bending their arms and legs this way and that, rolling around on the floor, her mother now in on the yoga antics, “tripping out on the experience of being a living, breathing human being.” After a two year battle, Kate’s mother died in the arms of her daughter and her own mother, Kate’s nana.

Hippie Girl Bra by Brooke Taylors Yoga http://www.brooke-taylors-yoga.myshopify.com Hippie Girl Leggings by Brooke Taylors Yoga Practice with Love Jogger Sweater Charcoal Ratmat Pro by Yoga Rat yogarat.com

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Prior to her passing, her mom encouraged Kate to travel the world. Kate listened, heading to Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, and much of Europe, eventually landing in New York City. The loss of her mother left Kate in a dark and despairing place and Kate credits her yoga practice with being the gift that brought her back to center. Though she was a professional modern dancer at the time, she found herself spending more and more of her free time on her mat. Drawn to strong women, Kate was inspired by Dana Trixie Flynn and Jasmine Tarkeshi, two teachers who gifted her with a practice that would change her life. Their inspiration eventually led her into the Laughing Lotus Teacher Training. Lotus Flow, their signature vinyasa style, empowered Kate to dive into her instinctual creative process, supported by the teachings of yoga tradition.

In class, Katie’s laughter and enthusiasm are unbridled and contagious, and the joy in the room is palpable.

The more she practiced, the more Kate found herself passing through the entryway to the more subtle realms. She says, “My personal practice is medicine for me in so many ways, a ritual that grounds and connects me to the world we inhabit, to the rhythms of nature, and my own inner-workings. The creation of intricate and customized practices feels like both an outlet and dharmic duty.” The devotion in Lotus Flow resonated with Kate from the beginning; she loves the layering of dharma, mantra, mudra and mythology. She loves Lotus Flow’s straight talk about how this practice applies to our lives, the repetition and chanting of words that evoke the Divine within us and around us, symbolic hand gestures that affect our energy, and the rich history and storytelling that give the practice context. This love is reflected in her dynamic, passionate, and creative classes, where your mat becomes your personal platform to make malas or sacred shapes and flows with your own body, heart, and soul. Wherever she goes, Kate brings her unique expression of Lotus Flow, making it accessible to all by bridging the gap between fitness-focused classes and traditional asana practices.

Kate went on to teach at Laughing Lotus in New York and later moved to San Francisco to help the team open the Bay Area center. In 2009, Kate headed south for love, and the man she was engaged to marry, glassblower Joe Cariati. Joe and Kate share a love of tapas—the practice of building the fire. Yoga asks practitioners to negotiate the workings of the inner fire, and as Kate says, in glassblowing, the repeated use of fire purifies and allows the glass to be supple enough to be shaped into a particular form.

High performance heather top in Royal by Luna Jai  lunajai.com High performance heather top in Royal by Luna Jai Studio Leggings in Fire by Luna Jai  Yoga Sling Sandals 2 by Sanuk in White  sanuk.com

A New Journey

In 2011, Kate began the journey of motherhood with the birth of her son, Vincent. She says she wanted to become a mother in part to honor her own mom and to become a loving mother herself. One of Kate’s favorite definitions of a yogi is, “One who leaves the world a better place.” To Kate, the spirit of service this evokes is the practice of performing love through action. Motherhood involves thinking about the world we’re leaving our children, and part of the growth when we practice yoga is about taking action where and when we can.

Sharing the Love

“More and more, my yoga practice is about sharing the love, the light, the energy, whatever you may have in abundance with those who have less. I happen to have a lot of enthusiasm and faith, and I think that might fill a need for people who may be lacking in that department.”

Through numerous 200 hour and advanced teachers trainings that she has taught and co-taught in New York and Los Angeles over the past five years, Kate has trained hundreds of yoga teachers in the Lotus Flow style. In recent years she has created a platform for giving back by hosting benefit classes at the end of her trainings. Graduates of the trainings co-teach these donation classes as part of their final. They have raised money for organizations including Yoga Gives Back and Green Tree Yoga (a donation-based studio in South LA). Inspired by an article she read in this very magazine, she began promoting and supporting Unlikely Heroes, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates child victims of sex trafficking. “There are so many dire disparities, suffering populations, and environmental catastrophes, it can be overwhelming and difficult to decide what to get behind. I think the best way to figure out how and where to help is to listen to what speaks to you the loudest, what pulls most powerfully at your heartstrings. Stand behind that. There are so many ways in which we can get involved and contribute in some way to positive change.” In the spirit of devotion, “The practice of Isvara Pranidhana means to offer up your thoughts and actions to the greater good and to the Divine. These actions are just the beginning of something bigger I hope to do.”

Artista Hoodie by Sthenos Activewear www.sthenos.com  Chaos Sports Bra by Sthenos Active Wear Chaos Leggings featuring the Sthenos Green Lady by Sthenos Active Wear

In class, Katie’s laughter and enthusiasm are unbridled and contagious, and the joy in the room is palpable. It’s not just in the yoga room, though. Kate is a force, and her energy and her heart are big; they permeate everything she does. Whether she’s teaching her son to make shapes with his own body, grabbing a tea with a friend between classes, or taking a class herself, you just can’t miss it. You can see and feel both the little kid making those circles with her body back in Portland, and the grown woman who’s leaving the world a better place one yogi at a time, wherever she goes.

Read Laurie Searle’s story on Light on Lotus Here. 

You can join her in person at her local classes or online at YogisAnonymous.com, and you’ll be able to find her at LA’s home of Lotus Flow, Light on Lotus (lightonlotus.com).  

Kate Website: kateduyncariati.com IG: @flowwithkate  FB: Kate Duyn Cariati Yoga

All photos taken at Joe Cariati Glass studio in El Segundo:joecariati.com

Featured image: Kate wears white peacock harem pants by Bohemian Island

Photos by David Young-Wolff: davidyoung-wolff.com

Hair and makeup by: Jeannie Jeffries using Chantecaille Cosmetics and Schwarzkopf Hair: jeanniejeffries.com 

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post Love in Action: Kate Duyn Cariati appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

At one point in Ben Allen’s career, he was a back up dancer for drag queens. Now, he is the founder of one of the hottest movements (or as he calls it, a GROOV3MENT) in the dance and fitness communities: GROOV3.

According to dancer and choreographer Allen, “GROOV3 is a one hour, high-energy, dance ’til you drop, cardio funk class with a mission to inspire change and build a global community through the power of dance. Simple combinations accommodate all fitness levels, and classes are set to the beat of a live DJ or feature the hottest mixes around.” While an infectious beat gets most of us moving, following a routine can sometimes be intimidating and can be a barrier to walking into a studio space. This is where GROOV3 comes in. Ben’s mission, “I want to create an environment outside of the gym where anyone is welcome, that has affordable class prices and accessible choreography.” GROOV3 grooves at the intersection between professional dance and the dance fitness industry.

Why dance? While dance is fun and fitness, there is something more found in GROOV3. Ben sees movement literally as a movement. He says, “We are in a crucial time in our history and if more people don’t open up their hearts to care about one another and our planet, we’re going to be in big trouble. I hope, with GROOV3, to build a global community of dancers that will also inspire more consciousness to change the world. Drop beats not bombs. If everybody danced together, maybe we would live in a more peaceful place.”

Where does this begin? Ben says, “Find what inspires and moves you and put that action back in your life. Lead with that.”

When it comes to leading with passion, Ben’s own steps to founding GROOV3 reflect following your own passion in life. Ben fell in love with dance in college, specifically influenced by an instructor at the Arizona State University Rec Center who started a coalition for anybody who wanted to dance, preaching that dance was for body, mind, and soul. The soulful connection is evident in any GROOV3 class or event and is an essential part of the movement.

After graduating from ASU with a business degree, Ben moved to LA. He came to dance—and dance he did. While teaching at Gold’s Gym, he had the opportunity to see firsthand how much people are looking for an opportunity to just dance, not for any purpose, not to be a pro, or even to lose weight. “They just wanted to come for the social component, the wellness component, and the mind-body connection.”

Finding a way to connect fueled the creation of the GROOV3 community. Where did the name come from? Ben says, “When thinking about the style of the movement, the best way we could describe the movement was groovy! A little bit of pop, little bit of funk, little bit of soul, but in general feel good movement that anyone could do.  We knew we couldn’t just call it groove, the word is too generic. Then as we were brainstorming more about the class, three words kept popping up.” These three magic words were dance, sweat, live. They became the motto for the movement, and the inspiration to flip the “E” in the word “groove” for GROOV3.

“With GROOV3, you are learning and building, the movement is fun, yet effective, and you can take it outside of the classroom.” The majority of people at GROOV3 classes or events used to dance or want to learn how to dance. Ben said, “We are reigniting a passion that, for most, was lost in high school or college, and now they are getting that chance to get back on the dance floor.” This is meaningful practice that impacts the rest of a person’s day. “I think connecting to a passion like dance and making time for it translates to everything else that you do.”

Ben exemplifies the passion for dance and movement. One of the people he models his career after is Richard Simmons, whose infectious enthusiasm for having fun while keeping fit changed the way we work out. “When I first started this, I said – and I still do – that I want to be the next Richard Simmons. He played such an important role in so many people’s lives. He was a motivational coach, and he spread so much joy and love in everything that he did and affected so many people. Translating that to this decade and doing something similar would be such an honor.”

He maintains a commitment to personal practice and continues to take classes that expand his repertoire and move him out of his comfort zone. Ben finds himself drawn to teachers who have an obvious enthusiasm and passion for what they do—who love the opportunity to inspire. I’ve often seen Ben in my classes at Hot 8 Yoga. In addition to yoga in a studio, Ben appreciates trying new modalities like aerial yoga and indoor sandbox fitness classes. He says, “I want to keep expanding my vocabulary as a movement artist and professional because it helps me stay creative when I choreograph.”

Sitting with Ben at Earth Bar in West Hollywood, I see that he is on that path and can make it happen. Ben is a consummate dancer and business pro whose passion for dance and connecting people has led to collaborations with Robin Anton of the Pussycat Dolls, The Sweat Spot, Equinox, Weight Watchers, and Nike. GROOV3 collaborated with Yoga for Dancers and Yogazilla to host a rooftop dance party to celebrate Beyonce’s birthday at the Montalban Theater. Not only is he elevating the Los Angeles dance and fitness community to fit-excellence, but Ben has his sights on a worldwide movement of taking GROOV3 and this powerful, purposeful, fun, accessible, and inspiring GROOV3MENT to set the globe aflame.

Classes in Southern California with Benjamin Allen and other teachers are held at locations including Beat Box LA in Culver City, Your Neighborhood Studio in Culver City, Life Arts Los Angeles, Gateway to Health in Torrance, Blackbird Dance Company, Movement Lifestyle, Edge Performing Arts Center, Basement of Noho, Meraki Barre in Costa Mesa and other locations. Learn more at: GROOV3.com  

Marja Lankinen

Marja Lankinen is a poet, prospective scholar, and former professional dancer (Beyonce, Oprah, The Billboard Awards). Recently, she graduated from Harvard University with an ALM degree in the field of English and is currently an independent researcher and freelance writer. Marja has been a staff writer at LA YOGA Magazine since 2017.

www.yogafordancers.com

The post Teacher Profile: Benjamin Allen appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Listen to international music star and humanitarian activist Rocky Dawuni’s latest album, Branches of The Same Tree and you’ll be enveloped in an uplifting groove-mix of reggae, Afrobeat, and global pop. Dawuni’s infectious songs invite us to move, sing, and dance. In his sixth album (and first on the Cumbancha label), Dawuni has a special quality of inspiring unity and inclusivity without sounding preachy.  

Opening track “Shine A Light” is an uplifting anthem that introduces us to what appears to be his primary philosophy: “Every day in every way I’m going to let my whole life shine.” Immersed within the pulsating percussion, sing-along chorus, and electric guitar flourishes, his welcoming baritone inspires us to see our light.

“African Thriller,” with tight back-up singers, bouncy horn section, and reggae guitar beats, begs us to stand up and move. The thought-provoking messages in “Children of Abraham” examines present-day global issues as does “Nairobi” and “Black Star.” In “Island Girl,” he offers a sensitive peek into his heart, accompanied by lilting Caribbean beats, beautifully expressed through collaboration with Ben Harper and ukulele artist Tom Freund.

Listening to Branches, it’s easy to understand how Dawuni unifies his passions for music and social change. He’s a spokesperson for Product (RED), UNICEF, and the Carter Center, among other activities .

Branches of the Same Tree is a groovy album of our times with appealing messages sure to get you up on your feet. For more information, visit: rockydawuni.com.

BRANCHES OF THE SAME TREE

By Rocky Dawuni

Cumbancha Records

Reviewed by Jahna Perricone, CMF, artist, mindful meditation coach, and creator of M2: A Mindful Music Experience: jahnaperricone.com.

Jahna Perricone

The post Branches of The Same Tree appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Photos by David Young-Wolff 

Practicing Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® have decompressed my joints and given me a deep core connectivity, providing me with more range of motion and joint stability. These remarkable techniques make every other physical activity that I do easier, including my yoga practice.

As I child, I used to challenge myself on the trampoline for hours, repeating acrobatic moves like split jumps, and back and front flips, and even challenging myself (and succeeding!) to execute 500 flips in a row. Discovering the capabilities of my body has driven my joy for movement, performance, and now teaching.

My formal training began at age nine in Coral Springs, Florida, inspired by watching a classmate’s back handsprings across the school yard. I studied acrobatics, tap, jazz, and ballet, which I particularly fell in love with due to the amazing Cuban ballet instructor Alina Guerrero. This led to my ongoing study of ballet, including summer training at the prestigious School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center in NYC, the Boston Ballet, the Harid Conservatory, and the USC Summer Dance Conservatory.

I was introduced to Gyrokinesis® twelve years ago while attending the University of South Carolina, by my modern dance professor and Gyrotonic® master teacher trainer, Miriam Barbosa. She incorporated it into class warm-ups and my body felt more connected and aligned than I had ever experienced. My joints felt more stable, my extensions came with more ease (as a result of improvements in range of motion), and my balance was much better.

The more I practiced Gyrokinesis® the more my body transformed. My flexibility improved, my muscles lengthened, and I was able to keep my hips from clicking and popping for the first time due to the newfound stability that was forming around my joints. What more could a dancer ask for? I became certified to teach Gyrokinesis®, so that I could consistently cross-train my body using it.

Gyrokinesis® is a floor work conditioning method involving fluid spherical movements that are designed to simultaneously stretch and strengthen the body without using any outside weight resistance. A Gyrokinesis® class is taught to a group by a certified instructor; the equipment is a Gyrokinesis® stool and mat. Within each class the instructor faces the students and leads them to mirror his/her movements. Classes consist of the trainer giving the students verbal cues to guide them through movements and stretches.

 A few months after earning my certification in Gyrokinesis®, I experienced Gyrotonic®. Because Gyrokinesis® was the foundation for Gyrotonic® both of these systems of movement use much of the same vocabulary, and share a conceptual and philosophical framework.  Gyrotonic® is a system of movement that systematically stretches and strengthens the body using a specifically designed apparatus. A Gyrotonic® session is most often taught one-on-one but can also be offered in group classes. The instructor demonstrates the movements and breathing and then offers hands-on and verbal corrections. In both Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® (known as the Gyrotonic Expansion System®), students performs spine, hip, and shoulder mobilization exercises that balance strength and flexibility and restore the body to its ideal alignment.

The Gyrotonic Expansion System®

The Gyrotonic Expansion System® was conceptualized and put into practice by Juliu Horvath, a Hungarian who was born in Romania in 1942. Horvath pursued a career as a ballet dancer and performed with the Romanian State Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Ballet, and at Radio City Music Hall. While dancing with Houston Ballet in 1976, Horvath’s career came to a halt when he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Horvath applied his knowledge of Kundalini yoga and meditation practices along with other movement techniques to develop his own core-based movement system to heal and repair his body.

Horvath began teaching his method in New York in Central Park and later to dancers at Steps on Broadway, a renowned New York dance studio. Once he established a following, he opened White Cloud Studio in New York City in 1984. According to his assistant Gina Muenstenkotter, at this time, Horvath began developing his first apparatus in a dressing room in the White Cloud Studio. Since the 1980s, it has been utilized by athletes, pre-professional and professional dancers, and others who wish to improve their health and/or rehabilitate from injuries.

Because Horvath had a background in gymnastics, swimming, ballet, Tai Chi, Pilates, and yoga, the Gyrotonic Expansion System® reflects many of the movements used in those disciplines. Gyrotonic® trains the body in fluid, expansive movements and connects and coordinates everything with an internal abdominal lift. The combination of this lift with contrasting movement encourages decompression of the joints and spine; this can provide pain relief in the joints and improve agility. The continuous spiraling and twisting movements massage the muscles surrounding the joints and give the limbs more breath and space to move freely. 

The Spinal Motions of Gyrotonic®  and Gyrokinesis®

The basic spinal motions of Gyrotonic®  and Gyrokinesis® can be done anywhere. They are the foundation of everything movement-based (arch and curl, twisting, side arching, and wave). When working with the equipment, I feel as though I am moving through water while the resistance from the pulley tower allows me to feel weightless. The traction provided by the system of pulleys contrasted with an internal lift of the core musculature, (particularly of the bandhas, or internal locks) gives the limbs a sense of weightlessness.

If I don’t have access to the equipment or if I am warming up without it, I practice a Gyrokinesis® sequence to harness my body’s internal connectivity. I create the push-and-pull contrast that the equipment trains me for by using the friction of my hands and feet against surfaces (such as the floor, a mat, the wall, or a stool), to facilitate traction in my joints. I frequently give these sequences and instructions to my clients as homework. 

Neutral Stasis and Perfect Alignment

In order to experience what is known as neutral stasis—the position where your joints are in the perfect alignment for your unique structure, moving the entire body is necessary. The Gyrotonic Expansion System® does this by exercising the front, back, inner, and outer sides of the body in a balanced way so your spine and joints can freely move with both optimal range of motion and joint stabilization. Every day, the body’s alignment shifts and the changes may be subtle so a watchful eye is helpful to shape the body into its ideal alignment and access the greatest strength and flexibility. I love being that watchful eye. Recently, my husband started teaching Gyrotonic, and it has been fun to teach alongside my best friend.

I have used this system to help a child with cerebral palsy decompress her spine, open her shoulders and hips and improve once-weak joints to give her much needed relief. I have seen the reduction of chronic pain in numerous people, and have observed young movement prodigies become strong and stable acrobats. Diligent practice can restore youth and vigor and provide a sense of ease in the body. After a Gyrotonic® class, people feel taller, more supported in their joints, and as though they’ve experienced both a massage and a workout in one hour. A regular practice provides mind-body connectivity, breath-movement coordination, decompressed joints, excellent posture, lengthened musculature, and improved agility.

The Gyrotonic Expansion System®  is unparalleled for helping people with injuries and chronic pain and serves as best cross-training for those who want to take their athleticism to new heights. A regular practice of Gyrotonic® can take an ordinary dancer or athlete and help them become extraordinary. 

Rosemary Jeanne Carnes Meslter

Rosemary (Rosey) Mestler earned a BA in dance from USC and an MFA from the University of California, Irvine. Her thesis research examined how Gyrotonic® affects the mobility and stability of the hip joint of advanced ballet students. Rosey performed as soloist with the SC Contemporary Dance Company under the directorship of Miriam Barbosa. She became the South Carolina USA Yoga Asana Champion and competed at the USA Yoga Asana National Championship. Rosey is a certified Gyrotonic® Pre-Trainer and Gyrokinesis® instructor and has been instructing since 2003. She co-owned Gyrotonic® Columbia with Miriam Barbosa and currently owns Gyrotonic® Marina del Rey. Rosey is passionate about movement and teaching and thrives on helping clients feel great. GyrotonicMarinaDelRey.com 310-910-7515

The post Cross Training with Pulleys and Purpose with Gyrotonic appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Created by professional ballet dancer and Pilates instructor Jennifer Williams and her brand-developer husband Deric, Pop Physique is a modernized version of the Lotte Berk Method—a mélange of strength training, dance, barre, and Hatha yoga founded in the 1950s. The 60-minute choreographed class tones and sculpts with a warm-up of planks and push-ups, which then progress into exercises focused on the core, upper, and lower bodies. By using props including light weights, Pilates balls, ballet barre, and straps, you can expect to improve posture and thigh muscle shake (a good thing) in just one class.

The founders’ strong sense of design and a playful wink to retro-chic are evident in everything from advertising to interior design to the color of the hand weights. The Tetris-like configuration of the Larchmont studio speaks to its former function as a house. The lobby pops with black-and-white pattern floor tiles and blush-colored reception desk, a MOCA-worthy neon sign “J’Adore Barre” hanging in the chill-out area, and the mirrored L-shaped studio comfortably fits up to 20 students. Around the corner, the changing area features a wall where you can “pop your selfie.”

If you’re a fan of Pop Physique, it’s wonderful to experience this newly outfitted setting. Still a Pop virgin? Taking a class in this shiny new studio is a perfect introduction.

POP PHYSIQUE, Larchmont

527 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90004

323-665-7777

popphysique.com

Marina Chetner is an Australian freelance writer based in Los Angeles.

Marina Chetner

Marina Chetner is a Los Angeles-based Australian freelance writer.

The post POP PHYSIQUE Larchmont appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

“For the Kabalah, the Jewish mystics, dance is the deepest expression of joy. Where silence and music meet is in the field of the body.”

These thoughts are shared by Rabbi David Ingber, founder of the Jewish community Romemu (whose mission is to integrate body, mind, and soul in Jewish practice) in the documentary feature film Dance of Liberation. Rabbi Ingber spoke about shamanic practitioner, mystic, teacher, dancer, yogini and subject of the film Parashakti Sigalit Bat-Haim. Parashakti Sigalit lives dance as her deepest expression of joy. Dance is her spiritual practice. Teaching dance is her calling, particularly the ritual Dance of Liberation she has developed from decades of immersion into traditions from around the world.

Dance of Liberation

During a Dance of Liberation session, people tie on blindfolds (all the better with which to see the inner world) and then dance accompanied by music with trained facilitators holding the space and making sure everyone is safe. The dance is not about outer performance but expression of the inner heart. When it comes to musical accompaniment, Parashakti favors world music with trance-inducing beats and without English lyrics that initiate a story in our thinking brains. Even better: live drums to connect bodies to earth-based medicine.

Dance of Liberation is far more than a blindfolded rave. There is a deep reverence to it. And the practice spills over into life beyond the blindfolded movement. Parashakti identifies what she calls the Seven Foundations of the Dance of Liberation. They are the following. Sacred Space/Discovering Your Ground. The Power of Intention. Embodied Breath. The Blindfold/Inner Vision. Therapeutic Rhythm—Music/Sound Healing. Dance. And the seventh foundation which includes Returning Home/Retrieving Your Soul/ and Service. Anchored in these, Parashakti has trained teachers around the world.

Movement in a Shamanic Journey

Dance of Liberation is the movement-based manifestation of the cross-cultural shamanic journey that is her life. She is an embodied example of the student as teacher, a guide who shares, with great joy, the feeling of liberation through dance. Teacher, workshop leader, shamanic practitioner and lifelong student, on screen in Dance of Liberation, in person in a class or workshop, or one-on-one in a healing session, Parashakti is a bright light transmitting wisdom.  And transmitting encouragement for the dancer to find their own wisdom within. It is a quality obvious to me when I first met her. I noted the deep ease, grace, and vibrancy with which Parashakti inhabits her body. She lives up to all of her names, both Sanskrit and Hebrew, respectively: Parashakti (goddess of life), Sigalit (a bright violet flower), and Bat-Haim (daughter of life).

An Immersion into Dance

Parashakti’s immersion into dance began during her childhood in Jerusalem. Dance became both refuge and a means of interacting with the world. She used dance to negotiate the challenges of learning disabilities and feeling lost in a classroom as well as a strained relationship with a father who divorced her mother to pursue a spiritual immersion in Jewish Orthodoxy and start a new family. From the age of four, Parashakti dance was her vehicle for learning and for communicating with spirit. Her time in the Israeli military was even spent in the entertainment corps, serving through dance.

After completing military service, Parashakti pursued dance at Santa Monica College with a goal of becoming a dance therapist. In her life, the medicine was also poison; a serious and seemingly career-ending injury left Parashakti thinking she might never dance again. It was a heartbreaking crisis of identity. A dark night of the soul.

The Invitation to Yoga

Then she was invited to yoga. There she found other ways to express her beloved physicality and unite body, mind, spirit, and health and well-being.

Yoga practice led to a two-year stay in an ashram and the completion of yoga teacher training in Integral Yoga founded by Swami Satchidananda. She was given the Sanskrit name Parashakti. Next she was led to more teachers, one of whom, trance dance facilitator Wilbert Alix, introduced her to dancing blindfolded. Wilbert was not the only teacher to tie a blindfold on. Native American teachers shared this technique.

During more more than a decade of study with elders, Parashakti continued a powerful inner journey. She was able to enter what she identified as different states of consciousness through yoga, meditation, dance, spirit guides, and medicine helpers. One of her teachers, Wakia Un Manee, speaks of this dance in the doc Dance of Liberation. He says the blindfold “allows a person to see back at themselves.” He says, “This is a strong Native American teaching, to see beyond seeing, to see with not just the physical eyes, but to look with the heart and see what is inside.”

Seeing what is inside and expressing it through movement allows Parashakti to find the medicine within the movement. In addition to facilitating experience groups at festivals, retreats, and in workshops, she has worked as the spiritual director at Breathe Life Healing Center, a treatment center for addictions. Her work includes guiding people to listen to the voice of the inner heart, one that may be all-to-quiet, one that we may not know how to hear. She also offers spiritual counseling and facilitated holistic experiences for individuals and groups. An adapted version of Dance of Liberation for people in recovery is in the planning stages.

The Art of Personal Practice

For Parashakti, personal practice is paramount. On the mat (she cites Kundalini classes with Tej as a part of her routine), the meditation cushion, and especially, on the dance floor on a regular basis. She says that one of the benefits of LA is that there are ecstatic dance experiences available daily. When she doesn’t venture out, she dances alone. Dance, and her prayers, have also been invaluable for her ability to reconnect with her Orthodox father, to find the common ground of spirit, prayer, love, and family. It’s a touching story told in the film. And is a story that illustrates how Parashakti connects to her identity, hard-won, as an embodied universal being who continues to find her own way to pray. And to teach.

For more information on Dance of Liberation, visit: parashakti.org.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Teacher Profile: Parashakti Sigalit Bat-Haim appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

One Down Dog, Eagle Rock, owner Jessica Rosen’s first yoga studio, One Down Dog-Silverlake, opened a year ago. Although she wasn’t actively looking to open another studio, she knew immediately when the space was made available she had to take it.

Rosen came up with the name One Down Dog as a reminder to take life one day—or one downward dog—at a time. Dogs are more than simply poses at One Down Dog; the muse for the logo is four-legged Patrick, a studio regular who happens to be Jessica and husband Daniel’s dog. Patrick often has company as students are welcome to bring their pets to class.

Rosen’s objective was to “create a yoga studio with a sense of community where people felt at home.” To encourage this atmosphere, the teachers teach at both studios and are also students in the One Down Dog community.

The graffiti-painted walls at both the Eagle Rock and Silver Lake studios have an urban feel; Rosen prefers a soundtrack of hip hop and electronica and allows other teachers to share their own sonic vibe. Some of the popular classes include Sweat, a high energy combination of yoga, cardio, and dance; and Chill, with a focus on relaxation. The seven daily classes also include an option for kids.

One Down Dog-Eagle Rock

2150 Colorado Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90041

onedowndog.com

323-344-DOWN (3696)

By Briana Armour, a yoga student and writer.

Briana Armour

The post One Down Dog Yoga Studio Opening appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Compiled by Tiffany Palazzini

Joshua Tree Music Festival, May 14-17, 2015

JOSHUA TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL

JOSHUA TREE. MAY 14-17

JOSHUATREEMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

Music is the soul of life and at the Joshua Tree Music Festival artists from around the world will grace the stages for four days including: The Polish Ambassador from Nevada City, The Last Internationale from New York, Blue King Brown from Australia, Driscoll & Kouyate from UK/West Africa, Airtist from Vienna/Budapest and DJPT from Joshua Tree. The festival also features surprise talented artists, vendors, painters, sculptors, and recycled installations. This global music experience is family-friendly; take the kids to Kidsville for yoga, face painting, creation station and more.

Shakti Fest, May 15-17, 2015

SHAKTI FEST

JOSHUA TREE. MAY 15-17

BHAKTIFEST.COM

The open skies and peaceful desert of Joshua Tree Retreat Center host the heart-opening experience of Shakti Fest. With deep roots in yoga, kirtan and meditation, the sister festival to Bhakti Fest embraces ancient and modern sacred wisdom and spiritual practices. Attend an extensive variety of yoga classes throughout the day lead by world-class teachers such as Shiva Rea, Sara Ivanhoe, Kia Miller, Yogi Cameron, Bizzie Gold, and Mark Whitwell. Experience inspiring workshops with teachers including Dr. Lorin Roche and Dr. Siva Mohan. Sing and dance to the sacred music of kirtan played by artists like Donna De Lory, Jai Uttal, Girish, Krishna’s Kirtan, Larisa Stow, and late night beats by DJ Drez and Marti Nikko. Drink chef Tom’s hand-crafted chai to support charities.

Lightning in a Bottle, May 21-25, 2015

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

BRADLEY. MAY 21-25

LIGHTNINGINABOTTLE.ORG

The Do Lab brings together artists and visual art installations, environmental workshop leaders, dance, yoga, movement, consciousness, and more for this weekend festival event. Camp out under the stars with visionaries, master teachers, healers, and musicians. Dance to performers Flume, Sbtrkt, Odesza, The Lucent Dossier Experience, Thomas Jack and Tycho. The Lucent Temple of Consciousness covers topics such as yogic practice, permaculture, sustainability and transformation; The Learning Kitchen offers workshops to feed and nourish your body with hands-on nutrition classes. Don’t miss the blacklight odyssey of Gloga Yoga and indulge at the Healing Sanctuary’s bodywork. Reflect and reconnect at The Meditation Nest.

ILLUMINATE FILM FEST

SEDONA. MAY 27-31

ILLUMINATEFILMFESTIVAL.COM

Get ready for a “mind-body-spirit cinema” experience. Illuminate Film Festival is the world’s premiere festival for conscious cinema that will uplift, inspire and transform your thoughts and way of life. This exciting social event includes healing workshops and talented musicians. Feel your world change as you are enlightened by four days of 22 inspirational, thought-provoking films. The weekend opens with SOLD, produced by Emma Thompson, then followed by a benefit concert to support Integrative Restoration Institute’s (IRI) Human Trafficking Relief Program. Film highlights include: The Prophet, Landfill Harmonic, Dying to Know, iGod, Plant Pure Nation, and Forks Over Knives. Don’t miss the closing night film, The Pilgrim: Paulo Coehlo’s Best Story, about one of the world’s most prolific and best-selling authors.

Tiffany Palazzini

Tiffany Palazzini is on the Surfrider Executive Committee team as an earth lover & tree hugger recycling one butt at a time.

The post May 2015 Festivals appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Offering a diverse and cultural mix of award winning screenings, arts inspired discussions, and performances, the DCW will be held at a few different sites including The Music Center, Getty Museum, LACMA and the Annenberg Beach House.

A non-profit organization committed to fostering and promoting the vibrant art of dance media from around the world, Dance Camera West will host a panel discussion titled “Artists and Water Activism” around the relevant topics of water conservation. DCW is one of only a handful of organizations in the world that present the thought-provoking adventure of dance media and aspires to awaken and infuse the public mainstream with critical creative programming.

Executive Director Tonia Barber notes, “This water inspired festival is sure to inform and energize audiences about dance, film and the conservation of water.” The festival will kick off in the heart of the downtown art scene at The Music Center on Thursday May 2, 2013. The festival will continue at LACMA on Friday May 3, 2013 and will include a screening of three documentaries including The Man Behind the Throne a compelling behind the scenes look at the life of director/choreographer Vincent Paterson who created dances for Michael Jackson, Madonna and Cirque de Soleil. All films to be screened at the festival are LA premieres and will be followed by Q&A’s with the
filmmakers and talent. Saturday, May 4 at the majestic J. Paul Getty Museum fountains, will perform dances inspired by water, followed by “Site and Architecture” a series of architectural dance shorts to complement the Getty Museum Pacific Standard Time exhibit focusing on architecture. The festival concludes on May 5 featuring a panel discussion “Choreography and the Environment.” Local choreographers, dance film directors, and environmental experts discuss art and resource conservation, and how the art of dance can bring about awareness of environmental issues.

Highlighting the evening’s environmental theme, the final film will be Trashdance by filmmaker Andrew Garrison. A closing night party and awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica will cap this festive evening. The four-day festival offers events within a variety of price ranges. All of the site-specific “Get Wet” dances and the Getty Museum and Annenberg Beach House screenings are free and open to the public. An all-inclusive festival pass is available for $60.00.

For more information and updates on venues and events please visit Dance Camera West.

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post Dance Camera West Presents the 12th Annual DCW Media Festival appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

I’ve heard many stories of how people find yoga, and my story seems predictably similar.  I was a new mom.  My need for ways to de-stress, decompress, find happiness, and discover myself brought me to the mat.  Like many others, it took several years of “doing Yoga” before I found that one teacher who really made a difference, the one teacher who changed my “practice.”  But as my Yoga life evolved, so did my desire to grow. Friends encouraged me to try classes in different arts.  I took classes in Hoop Dance, Aerial Silks, Aerial Hoop, Flying Trapeze, Aerial Yoga, and AcroYoga.

For several years, I had been performing and teaching aerial pole (an acrobatic practice where the practitioner executes moves off the ground using strength and flexibility) and began to notice that the more advanced my pole practice became, the more necessary it was for me to return to Yoga to find access to muscles and the space that I didn’t already have. My physical practice led to a new community of flow artists and aerial artists, and I felt myself playfully challenged and inspired. I admired their grace and strength, but never thought it was something I could ever aspire to become.

I dove in headfirst, feeling full of life, full of adventure, and full of peace.  My life as a suburban mom was far beneath my feet, which often were a frightening number of feet above the ground.  My mind was calm, serene, and electric all at once.  I had felt a similar bliss while in savasana, after a focused and challenging sequence in yoga class.  I realized that this source of my vitality, my passion, my bliss, was also my Yoga.

While, at first glance, aerial arts are not what people would describe as relaxing, restorative, or calm-inducing, these are actually several benefits of this practice.  Christopher Harrison, Creator of AntiGravity® Yoga shares, ”The most obvious benefit of AGY is the ability to easily do zero-compression inversions. Rather than reversing the compression of the spine, in AntiGravity® Yoga we hang upside down from the base of the spine and hips.”  I can wholeheartedly attest to feeling both relaxation and peace in several of these poses.

While taking an AntiGravity® class at CoolHotYoga in Calabasas, I observed a few students who would not have been able to invert fully on the ground.  In the safety of a hammock and with the guidance of the teacher, they were able to receive the benefit of this inversion.  I personally felt the difference between practicing a shoulderstand that was rooted into the ground, and one floating in the air.  The joy of weightlessness and release is liberating, and something that can only be experienced to be understood.

According to AntiGravity® Instructor Salina Andrews, the mission of this practice is to “elongate and strengthen the spine, while getting more synovial fluids to the joints, all while students bodies release happy hormones to the brain.”  With the help of this apparatus, even those who are fearful of inversions can choose to live in the space of freedom.

Jehan Izhar, Director of Education and Training for FlyGym Aerial Fitness, has a similar philosophy, “This element of suspension and full or partial inversion helps you to achieve deeper, more relaxing stretches (without strain on the joints), improves circulation, and is a wonderful method for spinal decompression.”

The FlyGym is similar to an aerial hammock, but also includes six other slings that allow the user to incorporate athletic movements like conditioning, yoga, and Pilates.  It’s portable so you can set it up in any room in your home or take it with you.  It begs to be played with as it hangs in the branches of a strong oak tree, or on play equipment at the park.  Jehan shares, “The biggest benefit of the FlyGym ‘workout’ is that it doesn’t feel like a workout at all; instead it’s like having a day at the playground! The opportunity to suspend your body (or just parts of your body) allows you to explore deeper range of motion in poses and to achieve body positions you never thought were possible.”

As a fitness instructor teaching aerial pole, I find that many of my students are disabled more by fear than by ability.  When I help them into a position they don’t think they can achieve on their own, there is a moment of magic.  Their bodies feel the pose, so they can learn to recreate it.  They are empowered through physical support to do things outside of their comfort zone.  As they learn to lift their bodies up into the air, they are no longer confined by gravity.  I found that by using the FlyGym in my pole studio, students become more aware of where they are, making inverted moves more accessible.”  Jehan agrees, “Not only is this great for your self-confidence but it is a wonderful tool for learning balance, body awareness, and core control.”

In both the FlyGym and AntiGravity® systems, stretching and decompression are delicious benefits of the practice.  For many, cultivating a flexibility practice can be difficult.  The use of an aerial apparatus cradles users so they expand and breathe into areas where they may normally hold tension.  Unique stretches that lift a limb or torso create new stretches to open up the body.  The sling or hammock takes the pressure out of the wrists during back bends, takes the weight out of the legs during upright poses.  The practitioner can hold poses longer, without discomfort, while still receiving the benefits.

Aerial Yoga can be a tough workout, but it can also restore and heal the body.  OmGym Founder, Sarah Kellett, discovered the dynamic art of suspension and realized it to be crucial in her own path of recovery.  She had previously spent years exploring rehabilitation methods after a car accident left her with painful compression injuries and spinal misalignment.  Building on the old age practice of inversions, and B.K.S. Iyengar’s use of ropes and slings for supported poses, she combined traditional ideas and relied on them exclusively to catalyze her own rehabilitation program. Her rapid healing soon gave way to an even more amazing development: greater strength and flexibility than she’d ever had.

Miguel Latronica, creator of the Mighty Body Band (MBB) and the Latronica Method, spent many years in engineering and had a history of chronic back pain.  He began his yoga practice at the age of 26, and it changed his life so much that he left his career and devoted his work to helping others find the same healing.  As a yoga teacher and sculptor, it was a natural choice for him to create supportive products for his students who had pain or limiting conditions.  After designing several different products, he created the Mighty Body Band, which combined all of his products into one system.  He found that through dynamically stretching in bungee straps, users could actually retrain their nervous systems, finding more flexibility, mobility, and finding release from pain that they had previously suffered.

This is related to the aerial arts with the use of bungee, straps, and traction—yet can be used in both the studio and at home. He shares, “The MBB enables the body to safely compress and decompress many of the body’s organs. People suffering from conditions such as sciatica, compressed spinal discs, or piriformis syndrome will feel immediate results. ” Miguel receives frequent testimonials from users, who are surprised and ecstatic about their pain relief and new ability.  “It affects the way we feel, the way we move our body.  You can go deeper and further in your practice because you don’t have to worry about safety or falling out of poses.”

It’s easy to see where aerial arts, balance, and flexibility go together.  In the physical practice of yoga, we work to settle the chatter of the mind.  So where up in the air do you meditate?  My head has never been clearer than it was during an Aerial Fitness class at Cirque School LA.  While participating in wire walking practice, I used the drishti (a focused gaze) technique to walk from one end of the line to the other.  Keeping my gaze far ahead of where I was actually placing my feet helped me to find and maintain balance.  At first, I sat on a trapeze bar in a state of denial as the teacher asked us to let go of the ropes and find a balanced seated position.  I thought I would never be able to balance on such a small bar without holding on with my hands.  That’s when my mantra came in handy, “Don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall.”  I tentatively released my grip on the ropes and was surprised to find myself perfectly perched on the trapeze bar!

During the handstand class, I had the same epiphany. As I focused on a spot on the plywood board beneath me, I experienced a free handstand for the first time in my life.  Years of yoga practice and the precise and encouraging instruction of my teacher brought me to a place I had not yet attained.  I was balanced, calm, and alive. Fully aware of my physical body, active and engaged, and yet completely peaceful, centered, and enlightened… it was a moment of samadhi—of single-pointed focus.

When speaking with Aloysia Gavre, founder of Cirque School LA and former Cirque du Soleil performer, I discovered that my experience wasn’t unusual. “There’s no time to think when you’re wire walking.   You’ve just got to put one foot in front of the other.  Balance is fragile.  A slight movement can put you off balance.  Like in life, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae.  Through extreme focus or meditation, you allow the body to be present, you find where your body is in space.”

Aloysia’s circus life began when she was only eight years old.  For her, even though moving through space and finding balance was just a normal day, she doesn’t take it for granted.  She sees the difference aerial arts inspires in everyday people and strives to share it with them.  Her passion for her art is obvious as she teaches students to move in ways they never thought possible.

I relate to AntiGravity® founder Christopher’s philosophy, “In life we constantly play within the fields of gravity and antigravity; it is the practice of living.  Therefore, it should be the same with your yoga practice.”  Whether you find your bliss on a mat, on a Slackline, on the feet of your AcroYoga partner, or on an aerial apparatus, we are all seeing our true selves and sharing it with others.

My yoga life is a journey that sometimes takes me high above the ground, and sometimes keeps me rooted to the earth.  But wherever I find my center, my yoga has no limits.

Photos by David Young-Wolff, who is a storyteller with a camera, capturing and revealing the magic, essence, and beauty that exists within his subjects. At photo shoots, he can often be found working and collaborating with his wife, Pam Young-Wolf; Davidyoung-wolff.com

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post Aerial Yoga: Take Your Practice to New Heights appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

It was a moment borne of dreams when Carrie Janell Hamner was hired at the age of 21 to be one of the Rockettes who make their home in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. The precision dance group is an American entertainment institution. Carrie was hired on the spot (a rarity in show business) to join the group and she performed as one of the high-kicking dancers there for seven years.

Before she danced beneath Broadways lights, the San Antonio, Texas, native attended Oklahoma City University for two years, and then became a cruise ship entertainer, a common step for professional dancers beginning their career. One of Hamner’s fellow dancers on the ship introduced her to Yoga, which she remembers as being difficult; especially when holding downward-facing dog pose, which required the upper body strength she did not possess as a dancer.

When Hamner sustained a minor back injury during an aerial performance on the ship, she visited to the doctor and was shocked to learn that she had polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic degenerative disease.

“I was accidentally diagnosed,” says Hamner. “It was a huge awakening to feel unstoppable at 21 and then be told that you have a disease for which there is no treatment and no cure.”

It was a turning point for Hamner, who became more conscious of her body’s health and balance. She began integrating Ayurveda into her Yoga practice in 2007 after being certified as a Yoga teacher at Sonic Yoga in New York City and in 2010 she completed an advanced Yoga and Ayurveda course with Mas Vidal at Dancing Shiva near The Grove in Los Angeles.

How has your dancing background influenced your yoga practice?

I started teaching dance when I was 13, so I’ve been teaching for a long time. Performing gave me the confidence it takes to teach yoga. Professional dance was so much about precision and discipline, especially being one of the Rockettes, one of 36 women who needed to conform and collaborate for uniform movement. Yoga is more creative. Being on stage, you can only see the people in the front row but with yoga I get to directly interact and give someone a hands-on experience for an hour and a half. It is the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

What makes Ayurvedic Yoga different?

All these lines are starting to blur for me between Yoga and Ayurveda and it is hard to pinpoint a style in my classes. You could call it a blend of Vinyasa flow and Hatha Yoga from an Ayurvedic perspective, which really just means we do a lot of breath work. I teach about the benefits of certain postures and go into tangents about the thyroid gland or the nervous system. I like to throw out a lot of information during classes. Ayurveda is an iceberg. Just the tip is going to bring you so much fulfillment; but the deeper you go the more you will get out of it.

What keeps you inspired?

My students. It’s all about them. They are the ones doing the work. When I am going through a hard time, I make the decision to just bring it to the practice and be open and vulnerable. It takes my teaching to another level. It is more honest and I am able to go a bit deeper.

What is the most healing asana for you?

Plow position. Halasana. Most days it is not comfortable for me but the intention of the practice is to learn from what is difficult. I will practice plow for five to ten minutes, not even going into a shoulder stand. There are so many benefits to it being a slight inversion and a forward fold at the same time.

What is in your playlist?

Krishna Das is always one of my favorites and I listen to KCRW and the independent artists they support. I like older artists like Otis Redding and adore Tony Khalife, a kirtan artist from Ojai who has so much truth in his music. Music is a must-have for me during my classes. I love music just as much as I love Yoga and create playlists based on the intention of the practice or the season.

What do you cook at home?

When I stopped eating meat it was a big learning experience. Considering I am from south Texas, my cooking had to transform a lot. At least one day a week I eat kitchari, an Ayurvedic detox food, and drink hot tea as the perfect balancing cleanse. I make the kitchari in a rice cooker, which is not traditional, and combine basmati rice with turmeric, an important herb in Ayurveda, cumin, coriander, Himalayan rock salt and ginger. You can add vegetables too. It is delicious and so good for you. People are always surprised that it is so tasty.

How are you dealing with PKD?

I felt so helpless at first but I have realized that being diagnosed with PKD is the best thing to happen to me. What I needed was to slow down and to listen to my body. It forced me to pay attention. I had doctors telling me there was nothing I could do, that I might eventually go through kidney failure, dialysis, maybe get an organ transplant; that I might not have children and all of that was not OK with me. I needed to feel empowered with my own health because I felt I had so much to do in this life. It is a common disease but there just isn’t awareness about it. That is why I talk about it openly.

Is dosha about diet or something more?

The first question an Aryuvedic practitioner asks during a consultation is, “What do you spend the majority of your time doing in your daily life?” Usually that is a person’s job. So the next question is, “How much do you love that job?” The thing that you spend the majority of your time doing is going to greatly dictate your overall health and wellbeing. There are tools in Aryuveda and Yoga to improve your lifestyle and health, but unless you change the thing that is not making you happy, Ayurveda is only going to take you so far.

On being a Pitta dosha:

I am learning to have compassion and love for myself. Being primarily a Pitta dosha constitution, I am fiery and can push myself to where I overdo it. I can get obsessive about things. I once asked my nutritionist friend, “I drink coffee. Is that bad? What should I do? Should I stop?” My friend smiled and told me, “Carrie, everything in moderation. Including moderation.” That is my favorite saying now and I use it all the time. I think that should be the Pitta motto. My biggest growing experience is learning how to soften, to take a step back, draw a deep breath and just be.

*****

Hamner loves being a Yoga teacher and cannot see herself doing anything else, although she admits that it is a challenging career choice. “It is just as competitive to be a Yoga teacher as it is to be an actor and a dancer,” says Hamner. She has presented four-hour Ayurveda workshops around the country and is planning more workshops in the coming year. Hamner currently teaches a Level 1 class at Liberation Yoga in Hollywood on Mondays at 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 P.M. and Thursday evenings at 6:00 P.M.  She is also frequently found teaching around her Silverlake home. More information can be found at LiberationYoga.com and CarrieJanell.com.

Jessica Thomas

The post Dancing through the practice with Carrie Janell Hamner appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.