Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.

Doctor: Then don't do that.



The old joke rings true all the time, though it's usually not very funny.



Recently, I had a student who came to me after class.



"I think I hurt my elbow in yoga last week," he said.



"I'm sorry to hear that," I said.



"Well," he said. "I'm not sure it was yoga. Actually, I don't know what I did to it. It might be carpal tunnel or something like that. But it hurts when I do Chaturanga."



"That's too bad," I empathized, remembering times when I've been off balance in my own practice. "Usually when we hurt ourselves in yoga, it's because we haven't been fully present in our practice," I continued. "If you're present and listening to your body, it's unlikely that you'll get hurt."



"So," he continued, nodding as though he understood me. "Do you think I should push through it?" he asked. "You know, keep practicing, keep doing Chaturanga?"



I paused and stared at him for a second.



He didn't know what happened to his elbow. It might have been a yoga injury or it might not have been. Maybe he slept on it weird. I don't know. I don't live in his body. I don't know what his elbow normally feels like. I was surprised he asked for advice but stayed present with him, because he seemed confused what to do.



Beyond giving advice (which, as someone who is NOT a medical professional, is something I do not do in a yoga class, anyway), I realized that this is a deeper pattern in so many people's lives ~ looking for answers outside of ourselves, rather than trusting the inherent wisdom and knowledge that we have within.



If your body hurts when you do something.... should you continue to do it?



This is where being present and conscious comes in, off the mat, in our daily lives. In all of our decision-making. In all of the words we choose to communicate with, and in all of the ways we choose to live in the world. We always have a choice in how we live in and respond to the world around us and the circumstances that make their way into our lives.



We can be still and present and maybe feel uncomfortable... or we can ignore the signs and signals that we may need a break and keep pushing, pushing, pushing, until something actually breaks, forcing us to slow down, maybe for good.



If I told this man to stop practicing, would he would take my word for it? If I told him to just skip Chaturanga, would he do it? If I gave him ANY answers that he did not come up with himself, would he actually learn anything from this situation? I have talked about ahimsa in class, about the need to be non-violent to ourselves. What are those words worth?



If he came to the decision himself, a shift might occur. Making decisions from within and not based on other people's words ~ that's where true learning happens.



This is a tough spot for yoga teachers sometimes. We'd like to tell the students, no, don't do that pose, no, you're going to hurt yourself, do it this way, do it that way, but ultimately, the student HAS to learn on his or her own.



I can teach you philosophy, I can talk to you about ahimsa, I can teach you how to do poses safely and in correct alignment, but if your mind is not ready, your body will follow... and you will probably get injured. If you are already injured and already hurt when you practice, is my telling you to back off going to make any difference?



(Important side note: this student already has a shoulder injury and cannot fully do Downward-Facing Dog or other poses, yet continues to try to push through for reasons I am beyond helping him with at this point.)



"I can't answer that for you," I finally said to him. "You need to listen to your body to find out what's right for you."



A woman nearby glared at me and said to him, "Yes, you should stop."



I wondered at her insistence. What makes her the authority? How does she know what's right for him? She doesn't live in his body. He may have lifetimes of lessons to learn from his body before he understands when and how to ease up. He may never ease up. He may have a breakthrough tomorrow. We can't presume to know anything about this man.



I shook my head and repeated myself.



"You need to listen to your own body to know what's right for you. However," I added, "you may want to ice your elbow."



The following week, he was in class again, stumbling through the poses, including Chaturanga. It made me sad, but ultimately, I am not responsible for his decisions.



What part of "listen to your body" is the hardest to understand?

Thank you all SO much for your patience while ShapeshifterYoga.com was under construction ~ for so many grueling why-is-that-page-still-missing months! I am thrilled to say the redesign is complete and I've got lots of new pages and awesome new information on the site for your browsing pleasure!

Including:

• Doula information
• Wellness coaching information
• A couple of *fun* new blogs :-)
• Updated resource list
• Updated fee and payment info (under Contact)

... and even more!

Check it all out here: shapeshifteryoga.com

As a freelance proofreader, I am appalled to think I may have typos on my own website, but it happens. If you see any ~ or if there are other issues, like pages not loading or missing info ~ PLEASE let me know!

THANKS again and have a fabulous day!

Love,

~Andrea

Over the last couple of years, I've had many students ask about my playlists. I usually update this main blog when there's a new mix posted. But now, there's an even easier way to get updated when there's a new iMix: the Shapeshifter Yoga Music blog!

Any time there's a new yoga iMix, I'll post it to the blog ~ as with the mixes posted here, clicking on the playlists will launch iTunes. That way, you can pick and choose the songs you like, or simply purchase the whole mix!

And in case you're wondering, I don't make any money off of these ~ it's all just for pure joy of music and yoga. Please feel free to subscribe, bookmark, or just check back often!

Thanks for all of your great feedback and I hope you enjoy this new addition to the Shapeshifter Yoga family.

Your mind knows only some things. Your inner voice, your instinct, knows everything. If you listen to what you know instinctively, it will always lead you down the right path.

~ Henry Winkler



Hello! I realize it's been way too long since I updated anyone on the status of the book and I apologize for the lack of communication. That's because there hasn't been much to communicate ~ it's been a whole lot of waiting around over the past several months, which put the creative end on pause for a bit.



I've been getting so many questions about the book recently that I figured best to answer them all in one fell swoop. Some of you may have gotten my email about this. Some of you may have been tagged in my Facebook note about this. There are a million ways to communicate these days! This post is for all the rest of y'all.



So, here we go.



How's the book going?

It's not currently "going" anywhere in particular. It's more just noodling around in circles.



Why not? What's up?

Well, when it comes to getting a hardcover, glossy-photo, coffee-table book published, it turns out you have to deal with the publishing industry. And the publishing industry is, unfortunately, suffering drastically. We all know that. Books are a dying art form, according to some, and attempting to sell a coffee table book to publishers has been an almost laughable endeavor. But nobody in publishing laughs. It's a terribly negative environment. I'm not kidding.



But don't you have an agent? Won't that help get you a publisher?

My agent has done what he can do, and I'm grateful for that. But if the publishers say "no," you can't force them at gunpoint to accept your book, unfortunately.



For those of you who don't remember or know, my agent submitted the proposal on my behalf to several publishers way back in January. It's now almost November, and we have finally heard back from all but two publishers, with the feedback, "Wow, cool idea! Sorry we can't publish it." The remaining two have yet to even RESPOND ONCE to my agent's follow-ups!



If that's what passes for professionalism in the publishing world, I'm pretty sure it's not a business I want to be a part of.



What are your other options?

I can still try to semi-self-publish through a small book company that I know ~ the pros include using their distributor to get the book into stores and Amazon. The cons are equally strong: doing so would cost a tremendous amount of my own money (10k+ at least), not including legal fees, photographer fees, and, y'know, actually designing, writing, and editing the book myself.



OR I still have the option to create the book entirely and offer it for print-on-demand through a company such as Blurb.com. Right now, this is the most viable option. If anyone has had any experience with print-on-demand or Blurb in particular, please let me know how it worked out for you!



Are you giving up on the book?

The book is still a dream of mine, so we shall see what happens in the next few months or year or so. I am not wasting time waiting to hear back from the last two publishers, but I am looking into photographer and model release forms and all of the legal particulars that a publishing house would typically take care of, if I decide to do the print-on-demand thing. The book is NOT dead! It just has a compromised immune system and I'm working to nurture it back to a state of wholeness.



So, what else has been going on?

On the positive end, things have been going fantastically with my yoga teaching and in other areas of my life, and I've been receiving some amazing opportunities that never would have come up had I been buried in publishing particulars over the last couple of months.



So.



That's where we're at.



Lemme know if you have any other questions, 'k? For now, Happy Halloweiner!

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers... Live the questions. ~Rainer Maria Rilke



The publishing world can be a slow, slow one (much slower than, say, the online media world of blogging, Tweeting, and YouTube) and waiting to hear back from publishers requires a tremendous amount of patience. I am remembering to breathe, and taking it slowly, keeping in mind the old axiom that rejections come quickly but acceptances and actual book deals take significantly longer. It's been 5 months since the initial blast was sent out. In the pub biz, that's a blink of an eye. Please, if you have a moment, send some patience magic this way and I'll be sure to reimburse you in the future.

If you're feeling like your life or some aspect of your existence has stagnated, stopped, or is simply unclear ~ there are easy ways to work small shifts into your day.



As these small shifts add up, quantum leaps may occur!



It's a simple matter of not doing things the way you've "always" done them.



Some ideas:

• Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand.
• Practice your yoga in the evening instead of the morning.
• Read fiction instead of non-fiction.
• Meet friends for ice cream instead of for cocktails.
• Go dancing instead of watching TV.
• Take the scenic route instead of the fastest way.
• Bathe instead of shower.
• Take the kids to the woods instead of to the beach.
• Kiss your partner when you wake up instead of as you're leaving for work.
• Shake your hips instead of standing still!

May your day be filled with joy and new learning!

You probably know how well baking soda soaks up odors in your fridge or helps to perfect your baked cookies.



But it also makes a wonderful mask for those "puffy" mornings!



Baking soda is a natural anti-inflammatory agent and exfoliant.



Simply mix a small amount with water until you have a thin paste. Smooth it over your clean skin and leave on for ten minutes.



Avoid scrubbing the baking soda into your skin; simply rinse of with gentle splashes of warm water.



May your day be calm and soothing.

This cold soup is a summertime classic!



Hit up your local farmer's market for the freshest organic ingredients.



Tip: freezes great! Double or triple the recipe and freeze several batches to eat throughout the summer.



You'll need:

• 4 cups tomato juice
• 1 pint fresh mild salsa
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded, chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1 cup onion-and garlic-seasoned croutons
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

To make the soup:

1. Working in batches, blend all ingredients except hot sauce in processor to coarse puree.
2. Transfer gazpacho to large bowl.
   
   
3. Season to taste with hot sauce, salt and pepper.
   
   
4. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Ladle into bowls and serve. Best if eaten outdoors with friends and loved ones.

With the increased warmth of summertime, your skin may be producing excess oil, causing your lovely locks to be a bit limp.



Reducing the amount of fat in your diet will help to decrease oil production.



Here are a few other natural remedies to restore some body zing to your hair:

• Apply a strip of gauze or a sheet of 1-ply bathroom tissue to the base of your hairbrush, working it between the bristles, to absorb excess oil from the brush.
• Whisk an egg in a bowl and apply to your dry hair and scalp before shampooing. Allow the egg to dry before rinsing.
• Dissolve 1 Tbsp. of sea salt in a cup of milk and apply to your scalp. Leave on for up to 30 minutes, then shampoo out.
• After shampooing, rinse 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar through your hair. This will also increase the shine!
• After shampooing but before styling, apply witch hazel to your hairline with a cotton swab.
  
  

Yoga Sutra 2:46 ~ Sthira Sukham Asanam: There is steadiness and comfort in asana.



When you're practicing yoga, know that your poses - your asanas - need both stability and flexibility. The Sanskrit word "sukham" translates not only to comfort, but to happiness and ease. Relax into the pose and be still ~ that is sacred practice.



Yoga Sutra 2:46 is a deep yet practical metaphor for life. If you're totally rigid, that is not asana. If you're totally flexible, that is not asana. For the balance and benefits of yoga in our lives, we need comfort, flexibility, happiness, AND stability, steadiness, firmness.



Start with the foundation and work your way up. If you can remain rooted you will find the ability to be flexible ~ and if you can remain flexible, you will find the strength to remain still.