Saturday, March 17, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Yoga and my Teenage Son
I'm not the average mom I work hard and I play hard I can juggle 100 tasks and get them done. I manage to cook clean work full time exercise, volunteer and Blog so I need my Yoga. I have a lot on my plate, and from time to time I hear my son Brandon whisper things like ADD Psycho or my mom is a freak. I have to count to 10 at least 20 times a week. (Breathe Lanita remember you were a teenager too be thankful he's not a girl)
Teenage Boys (and girls) go through many changes during their teenage years. While these changes are developmentally appropriate they also keep teenagers in a constant state of agitation, as intense emotions surface at the drop of a hat. For boys this often brings a lot of aggression to the fore and they may discharge this energy, which can seem intolerable. It is sometimes enough to make me just want to drive far away and never come home. The most important benefit of yoga for teenage boys is to regulate their affect, in other words to calm them down. When any of us are agitated, and particularly teenage boys who do not have much experience negotiating situations that are unfamiliar to them, good decisions are not likely to be made. Every morning my son is in a bad mood agitated for any little reason. I'm on the verge of a nervous break down with his anger and moodiness, every morning and after school. I am so glad I am not the only one that is experiencing this, other mothers are telling me there horror stories. I am glad other moms can relate to what I go through.
Yoga is not only beneficial for girls but also for boys. I became interested in yoga as a way of developing mental and physical fluidity many years ago. I've wanted my son to practice with me but he wasn't so easy to convince.
"Yoga is a waste of time Mom it's for girls"
How can a parent motivate their teen to try yoga?
This is what I did to get my teenage son and all his friends to do Yoga with me. I had read somewhere that Teenage boys might think and say that yoga is only for girls, but after they are given examples of sportsmen doing yoga exercises they became a bit more interested. Not my son he hates sports he is a musician and a computer nerd. It was a hard sell. Led Zepplin Pink Floyd Beatles Bob Marley. Ok son let's talk about Music and Yoga. "Brandon your an artist so am I and many artists like the Beatles practiced Yoga. So I'm having a little music theory one on one with my 17 year old son and we start discussing how Yoga inspired the Beatles one of his favorite groups. Yellow Submarine inspired my son to become a musician and at the age of 5 he sang Bulldog on stage at Newmans he got a standing ovation and everyone in the place asked me how he knew that song. My reply he loves the Beatles.
While the Beatles were filming HELP in the Bahamas they met founder of Sivandana Yoga, Swami Vishnu-Devananda, who was there at the same time. The yogi presented the members of the band with autographed copies of his book, George Harrison became very curious about yoga and Eastern religions. Harrison traveled to India in 1966. His wife, Patti Boyd, became acquainted with the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who founded Transcendental Meditation (TM), and she and Harrison purchased tickets for all of the Beatles to visit him in London. Some of the music on the Beatles' "White Album" had its inspiration in the yogi's teachings, as well. "Ok cool mom I get it but I don't care about Yoga and your still not cool or Indian " he tells me. But there's more Brandon all those cool songs from The Beatles were inspired by Hindu music. George Harrison went to India to take sitar lessons from Pandit Ravi Shankar, and that had a deep influence on albums including Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Sitar sounds later featured on The Rolling Stones hit Paint it Black and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours". Ravi Shankar also happens to be Grammy winner Nora Jones father.
Yoga and music are both artistic expressions of the heart Brandon. To be proficient in either, one must have intention, technical knowledge, and wisdom of experience. When the musician loses himself in playing beautiful music, it is a similar state of consciousness to the yogi losing himself in performing a beautiful asana. "Maybe mom maybe" After that Music theory lesson from Mom he became a little more interested, he shared my teachings with his friends.
I became inspired by another Yogi to try some Asanas to the tunes of Pink Floyd. "Wow Super Cool mom!" He Likes it He Likes it!! To combine Music like Pink Floyd Beatles Led Zepplin Lenny Kravitz with my little yoga community in my back yard along with a Vegetarian/Vegan Potluck is now a monthly practice and he wants more!!!! My son now has been introduced to a community of young adults passionately trying to live a mindful life — a life that is better for them, the people around them and the earth. We practice once a month but space is limited I would love to do this for a big group of teenagers.
Yoga practice sequenced to the mind-melting music of the legendary Pink Floyd. This 1-1/2 hour long class will be specifically sequenced to the music of Pink Floyd. Just like the cutting edge music of Pink Floyd, this is a new concept in Yoga. I am a long-time fan of Pink Floyd's music.This was a way to get my teenage son involved in Yoga. He Loved it and so did all his friends. I am a Pilates Instructor and Yoga Enthusiast with over 25 years of experience in Fitness and Nutrition. I combine the best of Kundalini Yoga, Ashtanga. Hatha, Pilates and Meditation. That is how I got my little Rock Star to do Yoga with me and I have seen the change in his behavior.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Peace on Earth
Zumba Master Class to Benefit the Mcallen Rainbow Room
Master Class in Mcallen for a fun filled hour & half Saturday January 14, 2012.
Tickets $15
All Proceeds to benefit the Mcallen Rainbow Room
The Rainbow Room is an emergency resource center available to Child Protective Services caseworkers. Stocked with all new items, Rainbow Rooms provide clothing, shoes, underwear, baby formula, school supplies and hygiene items to children entering foster or relative care and children in their own homes who live below the poverty line.
Time for the Valley to get Fooducated
We have a serious Health Crisis in the Valley and all over our nation.
1 of 3 kids now considered overweight or obese in the U.S.
1 of 4 adults are considered overweight or obese in the U.S.
1 of 2 are now estimated to get cancer in their life time.
1 of 3 U.S. adults is estimated to have diabetes by 2050.
1 of 12 kids may have food allergies.
And the list continues to grow and seems to be getting worse!
It's time we take about what we can do about it as a community. It's time we talk about the Food we eat. It's time we talk about all aspects of Food...everything from where and how it is grown or produced, how is it being prepared, to what is being served to our children in schools and if we have enough fresh wholesome food for everybody. Most importantly, it's time we talk about how Food affects our health and our world. It's time we learn what we each can do! It's time we all get involved! It's time to take action! It's time we make a difference!
OUR MISSION:
To “Fooducate™" our community so they can make informed food choices that will affect their lives & health. We believe using the entertainment of films to educate others will help communicate the food issues that Americans are facing right now that have so many people losing their lives to Diabetes, Cancer, Heart Attacks etc... We believe great things will come from this!
Come watch various Movies about Food and learn how food affects our health & our world.
Films will be shown EVERY 2nd Sat. of the Month beginning in Jan. 2012 @ 1PM - Arrive Early...Limited Seating!
$5 Donation
Be sure to shop The Market before the movie at Alhambra on 17th as part of The Texas Food Revolution! You will get a Free or Discount Movie Pass (while supplies last) for supporting our local farmers. We encourage you to Eat Fresh Local Produce!
Group discounts for 25 people or more! Call 278-0626 to pre-pay due to limited seating.
GetFooducated.org is a grassroots movement that utilizes the entertainment of film to bring people together to learn & discuss about food, the food industry, sustainability & green living
This event is also a fundraiser for The Historic Cine El Rey Theatre Foundation & The Artist Academy as well as to establish Gluten Free Valley.org
1/2 Price Discount Coupons will be available at sponsor locations each month while supplies last. (Locations listed below)
$3 Discount at the door if you bring a non perishable food item to help the Food Bank of the RGV.
$3 Discount at the door if you bring a NEW children's clothing item to help The Rainbow Room of McAllen i.e. sock, shoes, underwear, t-shirts, jeans, dresses.
FREE Entrance if you bring BOTH a non perishable food item AND a children's clothing item!
If you would like to volunteer or Sponsor to become a Fooducation™ Advocate please contact Event Coordinator, Health Advocate & Fooducation™ Founder Lebby Salinas on FB or call 956-278-0626
We want to thank all our Local Fooducator™ Sponsors for helping make this event possible.
*Discount Coupon available while supplies last at:
*Major Health Food - 1001 S. 10th McAllen
*Anytime Fitness - 1800 S. Main Suite 1010 McAllen
www.anytimefitness.com
*Alhambra - 519 S. 17th McAllen
www.alhambraon17th.com
*Cadence Real Estate - Liza Guerra & Perla Martinez 956-638-4454
*Namaste Valley - www.namaste-valley.com
*Texas Food Revolution - www.texasfoodrevolution.co
*South Texas Pediatric Clinic - 3001 N 23rd Street Suite#4 McAllen www.mayzamuco.com
*M&M Body Wonders - 610 E. Bell Ave Pharr
https://
*Love Thy Neighbor Service Organization
https://www.facebook.com/
RGV-Metro Guide - http://
*Rio Bravo Wildlife Institute - http://www.rbwi.org/
*Lebby Media - www.lebbymedia.com
*Patient Advocate, Health Advocate, Health Coach & Fooducator™ Lebby Salinas
Special thanks to our Global Fooducator™ Sponsors who support our movement:
Dr. Steven Hotze - Hotze Health & Wellness Center www.hotzehwc.com
Dr. Charles Parker - www.corepsychblog.com
Dr. Dan Smith - www.genesaliving.com & www.genesalivingfoundation
Monday, January 2, 2012
My son as a little boy would say "Mama no don't get a tummy tuck I love your stomach. As a teenager he say's Mom don't be crazy what if you die like Kanye Wests mom" I saw a picture of me in his facebook albums and the comment said "I have the most beautiful mom in the world and she's skinny" :) That makes my heart smile ♥ A mark for every breath you took, every blink, every sleepy yawn. One for every time you sucked your thumb, waved hello, closed your eyes and slept in the most perfect darkness. One for every dream you dreamed within me. It isn't very pretty anymore. Some may even think it's ugly. That's ok. It was your home. It held you until my arms could and for that I will always find something beautiful in it....
Confessions of a Feisty Yoga Girl January 2012
Many of you Yogis and Yoginis know that in India it’s traditional to receive yoga training exclusively from a particular Guru. But bona fide Gurus are very rare in the United States So the vast majority of us receive training from non-gurus schooled in the technical aspects of teaching yoga.
Seven years ago on my journey to find the right yoga instructor I visited a few studios and met with several different practicioners. I was a little dissapointed with one imparticular. For as many years as she has been practicing I felt an energy from her that was hostile towards other instructors or types of yoga. She simply didn’t want to share her students with anyone else or encourage them to learn more than what she believed. I had a problem with that teacher’s advice on a practical level. That’s because I honestly believe that it’s good for you to “play the field” as a yogi. And, of course, once you know what’s out there you can settle in with your favorites.
You can call me a Yoga whore or maybe I'm just ADD feisty Yoga girl. There is no “one-stop-shop” in yoga. No one has it all. If they think they have it all, they have it all wrong. Ego runs rampant in yoga. The BEST teachers are humble. This note is about my own challenges and misunderstandings about the teachings of yoga, and is not meant at all to be a commentary on a certain instuctor or practice.
As a student or instructor I did have a lot of potential. I was one of those girls who could do backbends so deep it looked (and felt) like a rainbow was going to explode out of my chest. The Bridge is my favorite pose, I was gung-ho, and loved the blissful energy that I tapped into through YOGA. I especially loved the attention that came through the demonstrations we’d do at workshops. “Going deeper” to me meant finally grabbing my foot in Natarajasana, taking Vishvamitrasana to its full extension, and flying higher on the fumes of Grace generated by intense practice and the guidance of one of yoga’s most charismatic and powerful teachers.
But Grace had other plans for me. A moment of revelation came to me when in my search for answers, I discovered like many, people I know, that make a crucial error in the understanding of what yoga is. Yoga is not meant to be a competitive sport, or an artistic form like ballet where the body is mortified to create an image of beauty. I was so used to competition in the gym and coming from a dance and gymnastic background I was already conditioned and flexible and ready to show eveyone how much I could stretch bend and flex. One cannot “win” in yoga, nor does “going deeper” in a pose necessarily mean stretching it further or holding it longer. Yoga is a powerful form of subtle body and spiritual practice. As such, it will tend to bring us face-to-face with our own egoism, with our own contraction amid the larger flow of life. Yoga can also bring about profound and rapid healing. It did for me.
I don't plan to ever teach Yoga or Pilates again only Blog or write about it on my website and online magazine Namaste Valley. I will continue to practice Yoga on and off the mat, and host Karma yoga in the Park on the roof top at Alhambra or my back yard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMC1_RH_b3k
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