Ruah Yoga

Yoga in Fashion! Vivienne Tam Launches

2011-09-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise that yoga is fashionable, but now it is literally "in fashion" as Vivienne Tam launches her yoga line this fall.

I had the pleasure of participating in the yoga approach to a runway show, a live sculpture garden of lovely yoginis practing yoga led by yoga superstar couple Rodney Yee & Colleen Saidman.

Yoga is certainly not about attachment to the material world , but as I mention in the NY Post video below, "for some yogis, they don't feel as comfortable with it, but the way I see it if it (yoga in fashion) spreads yoga to people who otherwise wouldn't do be practicing it, then, it's a good thing." When yogis feel good about themselves it can inspire them to continue to practice. In this case, it might be feeling good in glowing bright colors made from organic fabric!

NY POST coverage including sound bite and a few clips of me : )
http://www.nypost.com/video?vxSiteId=fe3e21a8-49f1-4cec-9ba5-cfe372fa6572&vxChannel=PostTopFilmStrip&vxClipId=1458_1304671&vxBitrate=300

Ruah Yoga for Lululemon in Bryant Park & Soho!

2011-09-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

FREE RUAH YOGA

Sponsored by Lululemon

Sun., Sept. 25th 9:30-10:30am: Lululemon Soho
Tues., Sept. 27th 10-11am: Bryant Park Yoga

Yoga Journal Magazine Cover!

2011-04-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Please check out my entry and vote for me (once a day until April 15th) to be considered for the cover of Yoga Journal magazine!

Here is the link:

http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/view/2243

"Yoga inspires me to find balance in my life, striving towards being the best part of myself in the present moment. It helps me to have faith that everything is a preparation for who I am to become. When I practice yoga, it helps me to let go of any attachment to concerns about the past or the future – appreciating exactly who I am and all of the blessings that I have.

I chose this photo of jumping back into chatturanga since it represents that space where I feel connected to a peaceful, strong and happy self. I remember when I first started working on the effortless “float back.” I would repeat the mantra “I am who I am” since it helped me to focus on the task at hand and smile with gratitude – regardless of what the pose looked like. It was a hard transition to learn at first, but once I found that place where I could just surrender, it became an effortless process.

The Bhagavad Gita reminds us to be mindful and present in our actions, without attachment to what happens next. “Self-possessed, resolute, act without any thought of results, open to success or failure. This equanimity is yoga.” As in “floating back” to chatturanga, the journey is the beauty of life, not only the results of what we do.

My life has taken so many winding paths of successes and failures, yet each stage of life has taught me something about the importance of who I want to be. I grew up in Manhattan, went to college in upstate rural NY and lived in countries like Senegal, Sri Lanka, India and France. As so many of us do, I spent much of my life searching for the right career, place to live and partner in life.

Throughout every exploration, my regular yoga and meditation practice have been the anchors that help me stay healthy both physically and mentally. I always feel at home with myself when I practice yoga and that I am heading in the right direction. Eventually, yoga helped me to trust my path of finding the true loves of my life – my husband, my son and my life as a yoga teacher!

I am so grateful to all that yoga has brought me. Yoga continues to inspire me to be a better person so that I can enjoy life and share love with others!"

Ruah Prenatal Yoga Flow Workshop 2.26.11 1-3pm

2011-02-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Ruah Prenatal Yoga Flow Workshop

Yogaworks West Side

Saturday, February 26th 1-3pm

Pre-reg: $35

Day of: $45

Prenatal Ruah Yoga Flow guides you through a sequence preparing you for a peaceful, happy, healthy pregnancy and birth. Enjoy a two hour personal retreat to encourage a healthy pregnancy for you and your baby. Learn useful guidelines and techniques to practice yoga safely throughout your entire pregnancy all of the way into delivery. The practice includes:

• Flowing movements to relieve tension, energize, strengthen and open the body;
• Mindful breathing techniques to improve the nervous system for you and your baby (pranayama) and help prepare you for later stages of pregnancy and labor;
• Relaxation/meditation methods to relieve your mind of any anxiety or distractions.

Ruah uses her experience of teaching yoga for over a decade, as well as her own experience of being pregnant and giving birth to guide you into to feeling deeply connected to the best part of yourself and to your baby. You will leave with a sense of being refreshed, invigorated and peaceful in your mind, body & spirit, ready to welcome your child into the world.

Ruah Yoga Returns!

2010-12-04T14:24:00.001-08:00

Atta yoga anunasanam! Now is the time for yoga! After enjoying being a mom and yoga teacher to my baby son Nadal, it's now time to follow the path back to teaching NYC yogis! Starting in January, I'll be back to teaching!

Nurturing another human being has certainly been teaching me many life lessons that are useful as a yoga teacher. Also, the balance that yoga, meditation and pranayama has brought to my life has been integral to getting through the challenges of being a new mom.

I'm so excited to start teaching yoga again (beyond my baby) and share the peace and bliss that yoga brings to all of our lives.

Looking forward to seeing you at Equinox & Yogaworks soon!

Namaste,

Ruah

Nadal Phoenix Bhay is Born!

2010-12-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Please join ,me in sharing positive thoughts and blessings for the new arrival of Nadal Phoenix Bhay, born on Tuesday, 10.12.10 at 1pm sharp.

Labor was a challenging and life-changing experience with 36 hours from when my water broke to Nadal coming into the world. With the help of my team of support from my amazing-beyond-words husband, wonderful doula, Gayle Lemke and phenomonal midwife, Sandy Woods, I was able to push him out after 12 hours of contractions and forty minutes of pushing (all without an epidural) and even catch him with my own two hands!

Nadal is Sanskrit for "fortuitous" and "blessed". Of course, Neil & I are also excited that he shares a name with a great U.S. Open winner! We chose Phoenix, the bird and spirit of fire, as it represents rebirth - just as we are experiencing a birth of a new phase of life!

I feel so very blessed and lucky to have him join our lives after patiently watching him grow into a unique and beautiful being in my belly! We are so thrilled to now share Nadal with the world. We hope to raise him as a thoughtful, caring, compassionate, intelligent and strong yogi boy to make a difference for the better in the world around him.

You can find out what Nadal is up to and see more photos on his Facebook Page under Nadal Bhay.

I will be sure to keep you updated with Ruah Yoga as it progresses - with a return to teaching classes and workshops in the new year. Finally, always be sure to find me on Facebook and my blog for other updates.

Facebook: Ruah Yoga - Minda, Body, Spirit
http://www.facebook.com/ruahyoga#!/pages/New-York-NY/Ruah-Yoga-Healthy-Mind-Body-Spirit/64080503705

Peace, Love & Light to all!

Ruah, Neil & Nadal

38.5 Weeks Pregnant

2010-10-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

Emotions and senses heightened beyond even my normal sensitive-self;

Blissful in my mind & body;

Grateful for last few days of this life inside me;

Amazed that there are more blessings beyond my imagination to this journey up ahead;

Moving slowly like through water;

Deeply in love with and grateful for Neil, family, friends & yoga;

Indebted to yoga for feeling strong and guiding me through daily headstands, shoulder stands and even arm balances...on the other hand...can barely roll over or get up in the morning;

Dreaming of how this beautiful boy will look and envisioning our first exchange of a heart-felt glance;

Motherhood and a real-life baby seem so far away even though they could arrive any moment;

Wondering what contractions will feel like and how I will (like every other woman before and after me) somehow figure it out when they come;

Looking forward to whatever birth is part of the life-path while visualizing and praying for a natural and blissful one.

Ruah Prenatal Yoga on Lake Winnisquam

2010-09-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Practicing yoga this far into the pregnancy at 35 weeks and beyond truly proves the miracle of what yoga can do for your body, mind and spirit!

Every day I thank G-d for bringing yoga into my life and helping me to feel better in my body and in my mind as this incredible transformation literally happens before my (and everyone else's) eyes.

Here are a few photos of my practice taken by my wonderful mom at the beautiful childhood home of my husband and where my amazing in-laws still live in New Hampshire.

Ruah in Resident.com July Edition

2010-08-03T03:01:00.000-07:00

Check out this article on private sessions with a notable mention of me. "Not Your Average Yoga Studio" is written by one of my lovely private students, Grace Lee. Grace also happens to be expecting and even has the same due date as me in October!

Article on P.27 & 29: http://view.vcab.com/?vcabid=cgaSncecScegjha

Magazine Website: www.resident.com

One of the most amazing joys of being a yoga teacher is witnessing the incredible progress of regular, committed students over time. This is especially so with all of my private students. When studying yoga privately, a student has the opportunity to fine-tune their practice and work on poses and meditations that are adapted to the how the student is feeling the day of the practice. Also, private sessions offer a space for students to deepen their relationship and understanding of themselves.

Group classes, of course, award wonderful benefits including absorbing the shared flow of energy and learning from others in the class. However, practicing with a private teacher can really deepen a sense of awareness, encouraging the practice self-study, svadyaya.

When a teacher guides a student through postures that are carefully aligned to the indivual body, the muscle memory returns to recreate the best variation of the posture everytime the student practices. As a student becomes increasingly mindful of their mind-body connection it becomes an effortless process to explore new postures, deepen variations of familiar postures and discover the peace of mind naturally present within all of us. This is how we advance in our practice.

Peace,

Ruah

Baby Bhay Yoga 22.5 Weeks and Growing!

2010-06-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

Ruah Yoga Prenatal Flow at Reebok June 26th 3:30-4:30pm

2010-05-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Reebok Sports Club, 160 Columbus Ave.

Members: $25

Non-Members: $40

TO SECURE YOUR PLACE IN THE WORKSHOP PLEASE CONTACT Anne-Sophie Rodriguez at REEBOK:

ASRodriguez@reeboksportsclubny.com

Enjoy a two hour personal retreat to encourage a healthy pregnancy for you and your baby.
Learn useful guidelines and techniques to practice yoga safely throughout your entire pregnancy and delivery.
Prenatal Ruah Yoga Flow guides you through a sequence preparing you for a peaceful, happy, healthy pregnancy and birth:

Flowing movements to relieve tension, energize, strengthen and open the body;
Mindful breathing techniques to improve the nervous system for you and your baby (pranayama) and help prepare you for later stages of pregnancy and labor;
Relaxation/meditation methods to relieve your mind of any anxiety or distractions.

Ruah uses her experience of teaching yoga for nearly a decade as well as her own pregnancy (she's expecting a baby in October!) to guide you into to feeling deeply connected to the best part of yourself and to your baby. You will leave with a sense of being refreshed, invigorated and peaceful in your mind, body & spirit; ready to welcome your child into the world.

Ruah Detox Yoga Flow at Yogaworks May 16th

2010-05-14T10:44:00.001-07:00

Sunday, May 16th 1:30-4:30pm
Yogaworks East Side 1319 3rd Ave., 2nd Floor

Release stress and detox your entire mind & body through intense flowing movement, mindful breathing, guided relaxation. Detox Yoga Flow © maps out a simple union of three essential yoga practices:

• Asana: intense flowing yoga postures to strengthen and open up the body;
• Pranayama: mindful breathing to improve the nervous and digestive system;
• Dhyana: meditation techniques to effortlessly guide yourself into deep relaxation.

Detox Yoga Flow© enhances the hypometabolism (oxygen consumption), stimulates the hypothalamus (body's ability to react/fight or flight response) and improves the nervous system (breathing, digestion, cell rejuvenation).

This three hour personal mini-retreat will leave you feelingl balanced and healthy in your body, mind and spirit.

Detox Yoga Flow© All rights reserved Ruah Bhay 2009.

TO SECURE YOUR PLACE IN THE WORKSHOP PLEASE CONCTACT YOGAWORKS:

Email: hollyr@yogaworks.com

Ruah Reviewed in Beauty Logic!

2010-04-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

For the full article click:

http://www.beautylogicblog.com/2010/04/foxy-fit-mommy-prenatal-yoga-yoga-works.html

Foxy Fit Mommy Prenatal Yoga - Yoga Works

In the early nineties, when Mommy got sick with cancer, she started to turn to a healthier lifestyle, and began Yoga. Because I was always with my mommy at the time, at the age of twelve, I was practicing Yoga right alongside with her. As I grew older, and into my own life, I stopped doing yoga, but then when I hit my early twenties, I began again. The benefits of Yoga are amazing. Not only does it physically help you, but I feel such a sense of calm and wellness as I do it. Anyway, after finding out about Little Mr. DE, Yoga Works, blessed me with a free prenatal yoga session, and I must say that’s just what the doctor ordered. Many of my friends practice at Yoga Works and have given it rave reviews so I was really excited about going. The location I went to was in Soho although Yoga Works has a few other spots throughout the city. My instructor was Ruah Bhay. It’s so important to feel comfortable with your instructor, and I immediately loved her. Her voice, spirit and energy were all so comforting and warm. My session was an hour (although it was going so great that it went way too fast for me), and during the hour, Ruah taught me so many positions. Ones that I really liked were the Balsana Child pose which relieves tension in hips and back, soothes the mind and restores energy to the body. When you’re 7 months pregnant, back pain is a common problem, and this position really helped alleviate the stress on my back. We also did the Seated Cow, which helps create space in the spine and hips and stimulate the mammary glands to prepare for breast milk, (I plan to breast feed my little squirrel) and to improve the immune system. All in all, the poses I did helped me feel amazing. When I walked out of the place, I hadn’t felt that good, well since before my pregnancy. Ruah is a great instructor, and Yogaworks is a place that I will def be making another prenatal yoga appt for.

Balasana Child’s Pose (1 minute)
 Big toes to touch, knees as wide as your torso (or wider for tight hips), point your toes.
 Lower the forehead to the floor or onto a block.
 Extend your arms to straight reaching your hands as far forward as you can.
 Hands shoulder distance apart, fingers spread wide, palms flat and pressing down into the floor.
 Lift the arms up as you press the hands down.
 Inhale, find length in the spine
 Exhale, find depth in the pose.

Seated Cat/Cow. (1-5 minutes)
 Still seated on the blankets place the soles of the feet together about a foot from your pelvis, knees out to the side and hands onto your shins with straight arms.
 Inhale, open the chest and draw the shoulder blades down the back.
 Exhale, round the spine spreading the shoulders on the back and tucking the chin into the chest.
 Add one arm lifting up on the inhale and lowering on the exhale and then switching.
 Add both arms.

For more info on Yoga Works Log on to. www.yogaworks.com
For more info on Ruah log on to her page at http://ruahyoga.blogspot.com/ or follow her on twitter @ruahyoga

Spring Greetings!

2010-03-31T13:59:00.000-07:00

"As the sun shines upon my heart, may my heart shine upon the hearts of others!" - The Upanishads

Dear Friends,

I hope that this finds you happy, healthy and delighting in the beginning of spring!

What a miracle change is! Transformation happens so quickly this season as the warmer weather and moist air brings along all of nature's budding beauty. It is in the air, more change is certainly on the way!

This season of change in Ayurveda (the science of the body) is called kapha, a time when our bodies and minds tend to be slow and even sluggish in the process of awakening out of our hibernation from winter. Now is a time to get to bed early and arise at an early hour to avoid the feeling of heaviness that often comes with sleeping-in during this time. Drink hot liquids with spices like ginger and cinnamon and be sure to include daily exercise to cleanse the body and mind. Create a plan and pave a path for your body and mind to spring into a healthy and happy you! I hope that you will join me Sunday, May 16th for Detox Ruah Yoga Flow workshop at Yogaworks and also please read below for some very special news!

In gratitude, peace, joy, love and good health.

Namaste,

Ruah

Compassion, Love & Transformation

2010-03-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

This coming October, with the grace and miracle of the universe, I hope to experience the new joy and blessed occasion of sharing a new sense of compassion and love as a mother!

I have always known that I wanted to be a mother. I grew up loving kids spending my entire young adult life babysitting, playing with children and being a summer camp counselor. It always just felt natural and was what I loved. Now with the actual prospect of becoming a mother to my own little one, I am overwhelmed with excitement, anticipation, fear, and wonder! While I understand that we can never know what the universe holds up ahead, I do feel that this new experience is meant to be exactly as it is, to teach me so many things and hopefully be able to share this miraculous experience with others.

I once attended a wedding where the priest spoke of the Hebrew word for compassion, rechemet, which derives from rechem, which is Hebrew for womb. The miraculous existence of the womb is so clearly connected to how we as humans are able to share compassion with ourselves and with others. In order to be compassionate and to love others, we must first be compassionate to and be in love with ourselves.

As much as it is difficult to fathom, we all lived inside our biological mother's womb at the beginning of life. Our own form as we are now started out barely the size of a poppy seed, growing over time inside of her as we slowly transformed into the physical foundation of who we are today. During this special time inside of our mother's womb, we were equally dependent on our own health as we were on the health of our mother. Likewise, she was dependant on her health as well as ours in order to survive.

As tiny human beings growing at an amazing rate inside our mother's womb so many years ago, we were already in motion to developing into exactly who we are right now. Our mother also experienced the transformation of her body and life as she discovered this entirely new identity that she also learned to accept and love as her new self. This rhythm continued for 40 weeks as we both intimately integrated as one being and eventually gave us life on this earth - capable of passing on that love and compassion we experienced in the womb with others.

So as this new chapter of life develops, I am reminded of the priest's advice, love yourself first and the divine energy within you, then you will best be able to love another. As our bodies, minds and life continue to transform in ways beyond our imagination, it is important to do our best continue to love exactly who we are in each moment (even if your favorite yoga top & jeans don't fit and you can't jump back into chatturanga ; ), so we can focus on sharing the love that we cultivate within ourselves right into the heart of loved ones.

What Next?
In case you are curios, my plan is to teach! I expect to teach as far along through this as my body and this beautiful little one growing inside me will allow and return to teach a few months afterwards with hopefully plenty of new lessons learned. Fortunately for me and other mom-to-be yoga teachers, many inspirational yogini teacher moms have pioneered and paved the path to doing it all - Gurmukh Khal Khalsa, Shiva Rea, Rainbow Mars, Anita Goa and many more. I hope to follow in their footsteps and continue my path as a yoga teacher. We will see what the universe has in store and I will be sure to continue with more updates.

Breath Meditation for Wisdom, Happiness & Peace

2010-03-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

Sit comfortably with your eyes closed and spine erect and lower back supported if you have tension (if you become uncomfortable, feel free to adjust your body and find stillness again).

· Inhale for a count of 4-8 and Exhale for the same count.
· Notice the natural retention or pauses between the inhale and exhale.
· Continue to follow the breath up your spine as you inhale and down your spine as you exhale.
· If distracting thoughts come, acknowledge them and then use the breath to draw you back from any distracting thoughts.
· Allow the breath to become more and more effortless and shallow with each passing moment.
· Once you feel a sense of ease, draw your awareness back to the breath.
· As you inhale, visualize a sense of peace and happiness expanding from within you.
· As you exhale, visualize letting go of any physical tension or gripping.
· Allow yourself to care about absolutely nothing, letting go of last moment and freeing yourself from the next.
· Be fully present in your breath and sense of peace & happiness from within.

Tips for Healthy Digestion

2010-03-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

DETOX RUAH YOGA FLOW ©

MAY 16th 1:30 - 2:30pm
YOGAWORKS EAST SIDE

Check out Yogaworks Website to Sign up:
http://www.yogaworks.com/our_programs/find_a_workshop.aspx

Spring into good health this season by releasing stress and cleansing your entire mind & body through intense flowing movement, mindful breathing, guided relaxation. As featured in Time Out New York, Detox Ruah Yoga Flow © maps out a simple union of three essential yoga practices: pranayama (mindful breathing), asana (physical postures); dhyana, meditation in order to create a well-balanced and healthy body while effortlessly guiding yourself into a peaceful mind. Detox Ruah Yoga Flow© enhances the hypometabolism (oxygen consumption), stimulates the hypothalamus (body's ability to react/fight or flight response) and improves the nervous system (breathing, digestion, cell rejuvenation). Discover how to guide your mind and body into a personal mini-retreat. All yoga levels are welcome. All rights reserved Ruah Bhay 2009.

Drink to your health!
First thing every morning, start with a full cup of water with fresh lemon to start cleansing the digestive system.

Spice up your Day!
Choose spices like cumin, fennel, pepper, turmeric when cooking. Clear toxins in your body by sipping hot water throughout the day. Try eating very lightly for a day - choosing soups, fruit (raw and stewed), juices, herbal teas.

Wake up to a Green Juice Smoothie!
Prior to having morning sickness (aka heightened food sensitivities and tastes), I absolutely lived by this amazing morning pick-me-up concoction! Many students have agreed to this special way of starting the morning with a yummy green juice in the blender! It is truly delicious and honestly, the green taste is very subtle, it's actually quite sweet with the fruit. So, I haven't completely given up my morning juice, but for now I'm just doing the fruit version since apparently my body isn't as thrilled with the green part. If you're like me right now and can't stomach green in the morning, you can follow the fruit version below.

Green Juice Smoothie:
(enter into blender in this order for best blending results)
1/2-1 cup of chopped melon (cantoloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon etc.)
1 sliced banana
1 avocado (optional)
½ cup of berries (optional)
1-2 handfuls of spinach/kale/swiss chard (just one or all three together)
1 tblsp organic oats

Fruit Juice Smoothie:
1/2-1 cup of chopped melon (cantoloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon etc.)
1 sliced banana
1 avocado (optional)
½ cup of berries (optional)
1-3 tblsp organic low-fat plain yogurt
1 tblsp organic oats

Use your breath!
Breathing in and out with your right nostril only will help stimulate your digestive system. Do this before and after every meal to improve your metabolism.

Pingala Pranayama (2-5 minutes)
Sit comfortably and close your eyes, taking your awareness inside.
Close off your left nostril with the ring finger of your right hand and breath in and out through your right nostril.

Nadi Shodona (3-11 minutes)
Follow along with me on Ruah Yoga YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ruahyoga?feature=mhw4#p/a/u/0/p-qbjk10tB4

Ruah's Detox Yoga Flow at Equinox March 4th

2010-02-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

You are invited as Ruah's personal guest to

A NIGHT OF YOGA at Equinox 74th Street

WHEN: THURSDAY, MARCH 4th 5:30-8:30pm
WHERE: EQUINOX 74th Street & 2nd Avenue

5:30-5:50: Yoga fashion show in the shop window with Phat Buddha
6:00-7:00: Ruah's Detox Flow Vinyasa Yoga
7:05-7:30: Health & wellness benefits of yoga /meditation with Ruah
7:30-8:00: Deepening your Private Yoga Practice demo with Ingrid
8:00-8:30: (Intro) Yoga for Dudes demo with Nathan Bennett

Please RSVP to dana.steer@equinox.com and include that you are my guest in order to reserve your complimentary entry for non-Equinox members.

KARMA YOGA: Make a Difference in Peoples' Lives & Your Own

2010-02-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

Karma Yoga is the “yoga of action” with the intention of liberation from the results of our actions through self-transcending service and dedication to something greater than ourselves.

Save ST. VINCENT’S HOSPITAL in Greenwich Village
This is the hospital that my mom WALKED to while in labor to give birth to me and wrapped up my fractured wrist at ten years old! St. Vincent’s has been and still is an essential part of the downtown community and can use our help. PLEASE visit the link below to find out how to spend a few moments of practicing Karma Yoga – giving back to the community.

http://savestvincents.com/

Support HAITI in its recovery and rebirth
I am honored to share the amazing story of a lovely and dedicated yoga student B.J. Adler’s son. Walter offered the gift of 12 days and endless energy in the immediate relief efforts in Haiti as an FDNY EMT. B.J. has been a yogi for decades and it shows on and off the mat, and now in supporting her son’s generous work in Haiti. Let Walter’s story touch and inspire you, reading it through B.J.’s voice.

http://naea.typepad.com/naea/

Haiti can still use our help, please consider continuing your support by making a donation here:

Partners In Health
http://www.standwithhaiti.org/

The Clinton Foundation
http://www.clintonfoundation.org/

Doctors Without Borders
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/

UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/

SUPPORT NYC NON-PROFIT GREENWICH HOUSE

Make a Donation: www.greenwichhouse.org

Mission The mission of Greenwich House is to help individuals and families lead more fulfilling lives by offering social and health services, cultural and educational programs, and opportunities for civic involvement to New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds.

Vision As was true with Greenwich House's founders in 1902, we, its board and staff, are dedicated to improving the quality of life of the individuals and families who make up the communities we serve and who need our services. We welcome New Yorkers from all segments of society, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and religion. We offer flexible and responsive services that address a wide variety of contemporary challenges-early childhood education, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health, health care and services for people living with HIV/AIDS, arts education and enrichment, and elder care. Our professionally trained staff is committed to maintaining excellence in our programs and the personal service we provide.

INSPIRATION FOR PATIENCE

2010-02-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

“Yoga is a gradual process of replacing our unconscious patterns of thought and behavior with new, more benign patterns that are expressive of the higher powers and virtues of enlightenment.

It takes time to accomplish this far-reaching work of self-transformation, and therefore practitioners of Yoga must first and foremost practice patience.

Enlightenment, or liberation, is not realized in a matter of days, weeks, or months. We must be willing to commit to an entire lifetime of yogic practice. There must be a basic impulse to grow, regardless of whether or not we will achieve liberation in this lifetime. It is one of Yoga’s fundamental tenets that no effort is ever wasted; even the slightest attempt at transforming ourselves makes a difference. It is our patient cumulative effort that flowers into enlightenment sooner or later.”

Georg Feuerstein, The Deeper Dimension of Yoga: Theory & Practice, p.24

TRY THIS: Take Life into Your Own Hands

Meditation for patience:
• Sit quietly in a comfortable seated position and draw your awareness to your breath.
• Now guide your attention through the entire body, deeply relaxing the feet, legs, hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms fingers, neck, throat, mouth, jaw, forehead and crown of your head.
• Once you are feeling a deeper presence in the moment, return your awareness to your breath.
• As you inhale, envision drawing in a glowing light of energy that fills you with peace and patience.
• As you exhale envision a release or cleansing of anything you are holding on to or any anxiety that may be lurking in your body.
• Start by practicing this for 3-5 minutes and gradually work your way up to 20 minutes.

Inspire Your Own Self-Transformation:
This is a wonderful exercise that I was first introduced to by one of my personal gurus, uncle Seth when I turned graduated from college and was about to move to West Africa as a teacher. There are many variations of this technique around, they are all meant to put life goals into perspective and feel within reach. Once we have an idea of what is ahead of us, we have a better sense of guiding ourselves in that direction at a steady pace, with patience.
• Create a list of your goals for the year, dividing the list for the next three months, one year, five years and lifetime.
• Read over your goals and grade them with A, B, C, D (A= Most important)
• Prioritize your As 1-10.
• Read over your list and let yourself visualize enjoying each of your goals. Hold onto the list for safe-keeping and return to it when you are in need of some guidance or inspiration.

Atta Yoga Anunasanam , NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOGA
• Create a calendar of when you are taking yoga classes and commit to sticking to it.
• Let your friends and family know your routine for moral support.

Winter 2010 Greetings & Ruah in Himalayan Yoga Olympics

2010-02-12T13:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I hope that this finds you well and experiencing a positive and peaceful beginning to the New Year!

This winter has already brought many new beginnings. As many of you know, I am in the midst of assisting my first Yoga Teacher Training, which has been an inspiring experience so far! What a joy to witness New Yorker Yogis deepening their love of Yoga.

It does not take a yoga teacher training to experience the gradual and yet profound transformation that yoga has to offer. Every step towards creating something positive and new for ourselves or others is the yoga.

May we all be inspired to incorporate positive change into our lives. As T.K.V. Desikachar says in his book, The Heart of Yoga, “something very personal and essential has to happen for us at the right time, and it has to touch us so deeply that we suddenly really want to pause, consider and change the course of our actions. After that happens we simply go forward step by step. The quality of our action begins to change.”

In gratitude, peace, joy, love and good health.

Namaste,

Ruah

RUAH IN HIMALAYAN YOGA OLYMPIAD VIDEO
I arrived in Bangalore, India early in the morning and travelled directly to my grandmother-in-law’s home. After two days of catching up with some immediate family, my mother-in-law accompanied me on the two hour drive from the modern surroundings of Bangalore to the simple grounds of Swami Vivekananda University (SVYASA). I was thrilled to be attending a conference on therapeutic yoga and expected to be immersed in a very peaceful and calming daily yoga and meditation practice with the university community and other conference visitors.

The first few days were quiet and consistent. I woke up at 4am to meditate in my room while I waited for the hot water to come on and fill up my bucket in time. Someone had given me the insider tip that the hot water comes on sometime between 4 & 4:15am, but if you try at 4:30am it disappeared again as everyone tries to fill their buckets in time to make it to the 5am group OM meditation. The day continued with yoga practice, yoga dance fusion, lectures on yoga and health, walks in the wilderness, kirtan (chanting) in the evening and delicious yogi meals.

I was the only American, although there was a group of aspiring yoga teachers from Singapore visiting with their guru, a PhD. from SVYASA and now yoga teacher trainer. I attended the lectures and classes and was happy to make friends with other yogis of all ages eager to make my acquaintance and find out my story.

A few days later, I suddenly noticed large school buses arriving with boys and girls then young men and women, all wearing jump suits with a big sign across the back, “Team Rajasthan,” “Team Karnataka” etc. After some inquiry, I found out that nearly every state of India was represented by teams of 10-20 people to participate in the 11th Annual Himalayan Yoga Olympiad! At our morning meeting that day, the director of the university explained with a glowing and contagious smile that while yoga is non-competitive, this event is a way to share the joys and benefits of yoga to young people with a team spirit! Everyone is honored for their participation and winners are only awarded as part of their teams, to promote community spirit.

Before I knew it, later that day one of my new friends entered me in the competition and I was now a participant along with an international group from Singapore. The video link below is of the asanas that I was tested on by an old man in saffron robes with a beard down to his belly. After the video I was tested on pranayama and mudra breathing and energy lock techniques, followed by a written philosophy exam!

In the end, I won a first place trophy (along with some other winners from the “International Group”) and was invited to give a speech about my experience in front of the other 300 participants! I managed to remember words from the Bhagavad Geeta,” when our actions are put forward with Bhakti, love/devotion, only positive results occur. It is my honor to have been a part of a community of over 300 yogis of all ages practicing in the spirit of Bhakti and hope that we continue to inspire each other.” Everyone was happy and stood up to applaud; I blushed and turned my eyes to the ground in gratitude of the experience. It really was a reward of a lifetime to be a part of such a positive yoga community and event – I was truly inspired to take with me what I had learned and continue to share what I love.

The morning after the award ceremony I went for an early morning hike at dawn with the Singapore yogi group and some other local yogis. We took in the final moments of appreciating beautiful surroundings of misty warm breezes from the peak of a distant tall green mountain that could have been in the heart of Ireland.

Later that day I felt like a young girl being picked-up from summer camp and was so grateful to see my mother-in-law when she came down the bumpy dirt road. We exchanged heart-felt hugs and I shared exciting stories of getting to know strangers over our common love of yoga.

www.youtube.com/ruahyoga

RUAH YOGA & MEDITATION RETREAT IN ST. BARTH'S

2010-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

PROGRAM:
• 7 days and 6 nights in luxury beach Hotel Guanahani & Spa www.leguanahani.com.
•Daily yoga at Coconut Grove or Clarins Spa.
• Daily meditation & detoxification guidance.
• Daily delicious healthy meals.
• Beach walks & core-strengthening exercises.
•Welcome fruit platter or cocktail upon arrival.
•Special Clarins gift bag with any spa treatment booked.
•R0und trip airport pick-up and drop-off.

PRICE:
Ocean View Room:
Triple: 1800 Euros per person
Double: 1900 Euros per person
Single: 2800 Euros
Ocean Suite:
Triple: 2200 Euros per person
Double: 2500 Euros per person
Single: 4000 Euros

*All rooms include full board, private bathrooms, ocean views, access to spa, tennis courts and other amenities.

REJUVENATE with celebrity yoga guru RUAH BHAY to St. Barth's in the French West Indies this March. Seven relaxing days and six peaceful nights in ocean front luxury Hotel Guanahani & Spa. Yoga by the crystal clear blue waters and white sandy beach, meditation, healthy meals, abdominal strengthening, walks on the beach and in the mountains. Cultivate strength, flexibility & a peace of mind alongside the beautiful beach front location just a plane ride away. Ideal for solo travelers, friends or couples. Limited rooms available & subject to sufficient sign-ups.

For more information contact: ruahyoga@gmail.com.

Copyright 2009 ©Ruah Yoga. All rights reserved.

Ruah's Yogaworks SLIM Class Review in MORE.COM

2010-02-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

http://www.more.com/2027/11204-yoga-for-weight-loss

Yoga that Slims You Down
Michele Bender

Can you torch major calories and get zen at the same time? I was eager to find out.

One of my pet peeves is when a super-slim celebrity swears that yoga is all she does to keep fit. Sure, yoga is a fabulous workout for the mind and body and I know it can help sculpt and stretch your muscles. But the women who say they owe their lean, mean, size-0 bodies solely to downward dogs and sun salutations can not be telling the truth. I went through a yoga-loving phase back in grad school and my body didn’t come close. (Though that was also my M & M loving phase.) Which brings me to why I rarely do yoga: though I love it, I only have a small window of time to exercise and when that time arrives I want to burn calories and really sweat.

However, a new class at the famed Yogaworks studios called Yogaworks SLIM says it will give you a zen-based cardio workout. “Yogaworks SLIM is based on high intensity interval training to help the body burn calories by increasing the heart rate with flowing movement and strengthen muscles while holding various postures,” says instructor Ruah Bhay. This sounded like the answers to my cardio or yoga conundrum. I could do both! Plus, the class description says its been proven to speed metabolism and aid in weight loss. Sign me up!

I was surprised when I walked into the studio and it looked just like a regular yoga class. There were rows of yoga mats spread across the room and my fellow students were sitting there cross-legged and barefoot. Traditional yoga props like blankets, blocks and stretching bands were also near-by. This must be a gimmick to lure all those people with New Years’ resolutions, I thought. Boy, was I wrong. Class started with us doing tough, tummy torturing ab moves that were anything but passive. Then we moved into some more familiar yoga moves like warrior I and II. Next, came one of the intervals – a fast-paced series of poses including chair pose, revolved chair pose to the right, chair pose, revolved chair pose to the left.

After doing this five times – yes, five! - I knew Ruah was right when she told us this sequence would burn excess fat and strengthen muscles. I could practically feel the calories melting away! Immediately after that heart-racing section, we held a chair pose for 10 very long deep breaths. In between the traditional vinyasa moves like plank, chatarunga, upward facing dog and downward dog, Ruah added push ups that had my arms trembling.

We did this too many times to count, but I was glad when she took a break from that and went onto a few slower poses like triangle. I could barely keep up (though neither could several others in the room) and all of us were sweating (in my book, the sign of an effective workout). Class ended with some amazing yoga stretches and my favorite, savasana, a.k.a. corpse pose. I left feeling calm and centered, but also like I’d gotten a good workout. Proof of that came the next day when my legs, arms and abs were really sore. I’d finally killed two workout birds with one stone! Maybe you can get slim from yoga alone.

Right now the class is offered only NY and is coming to LA studios soon. But thanks to the new Yogaworks Body Slim DVD (www.yogaworks.com), you can get a cardio-zen workout in the comfort of your own home!

DETOX RUAH YOGA FLOW

2009-12-31T22:59:00.000-08:00

CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW

Gratitude & Compassionate Generosity

2009-12-10T19:43:00.000-08:00

This time of year offers a special opportunity to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. When we take the time to be grateful for each aspect of our life, we naturally guide ourselves into feeling prosperous. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras* cultivating santosha, contentment, is an essential practice in order to attain true happiness and peace. Connecting to a sense of sincere gratitude and recognizing the lessons of both successes and difficulties of life creates space for growth to build upon what we already have and who we already are.

One of the best ways to deepen a practice of gratitude is to extend compassion and generosity to others. According to so many philosophies of life, all of our actions of what we put into the world we receive back with its reaction. If the intention of the action is from a place of bhakti, love/devotion, meant to bring harmony to all beings, only positive results become inevitable. When we genuinely share ourselves with others, we encourage an abundance of positive responses to be thankful for. The challenge for many of us is figuring out how and when the best way is to be generous with our time, energy, love and resources.

During the holiday season, we are asked or expected to be more generous by people in our lives as well as by strangers. There are days when we ride the subway or walk down the street and are approached by at least a dozen people asking for money to help them or one talented musician after the other with their music cases or hats outstretched hoping for support. Many of us also receive letters, emails and FB messages requesting support for many worthy causes.

Every time we see someone asking for help, we all have our usual reactions or a combination of the two. We may want to donate every time we are asked, hoping to help somehow in a small way. Perhaps we also experience skepticism, or the typical questions that any person caring for the well-being of the world faces when approached for help: Which cause do I support? Will my donation really make a difference? Do I want to encourage people to seek help on the street rather than non-governmental organizations or government organizations? Do NGOs and GOs actually help the problems people face. Isn’t there a better way to give my help? Will I end up depleting my own sustenance if this goes on forever?

No one answer addresses the dilemma of how and when to give. We all have so many accessible ways to give back to our communities in small and big ways, even if we are uncertain of the results. Regardless of how we decide to share a part of ourselves with others and what the actual influence of our actions are, it is important that we do our best to be mindful in making decisions on how to give and sharing ourselves from a place of compassion and generosity.

Taking care of our own body/mind/spirit through yoga and meditation brings us closer to a happier, healthier self. When we nurture and are generous to ourselves, we come to take joy in giving to others and that makes a difference in the lives of all of those around us.

INSPIRING QUOTE
In A Path with Heart, former Buddhist monk and inspiring teacher Jack Kornfield shares these words:

“Compassionate generosity is the foundation of true spiritual life because it is the practice of letting go. An act of generosity opens our body, heart, and spirit and brings us closer to freedom. Each act of generosity is a recognition of our interdependence, an expression of our Buddha nature. But for most of us, generosity is a quality that must be developed. We have to respect that it will grow gradually, otherwise our spirituality can become idealistic and imitative, acting out the image of generosity before it has become genuine. While it can be good to give beyond our means, if this is done unconsciously and repeatedly, it will become unhealthy. Whether it is generosity with our time, our possessions, our money or our love, the principles are the same. True generosity grows in us as our heart opens, grows along with the integrity and health of our inner life.”

TRY THIS
• Practice five slow and steady sun salutations to warm up the body and begin to create the sense of being spacious in the body and mind.
• Sit down in a comfortable seat and follow the breath, counting from 10-1, then 1-10. If you lose count, begin again.
• Once you feel completely relaxed, let go of counting and be mindful of the breath flowing up and down from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head.
• Breathe in healing breath, drawing in anything that you feel grateful for and helps you to feel peaceful, healthy and strong.
• Exhale compassionate and loving breath to someone in your life that can use your positive energy the most.
• With each new inhale, consider something new that you are grateful for.
• With each new exhale, extend your compassion towards someone new, or to an area of the world that can use your generosity of positive vibration.
• At the end of your meditation, take time to research and donate to a charity that has special meaning to you.

FALL SEASON DIET: BALANCE VATA DOSHA

2009-11-13T16:36:00.001-08:00

When we practice mindfulness in what we absorb through all of our senses, including foods we eat, it becomes effortless and natural to stay healthy in the body and mind and respond to life's challenges using our inner strength and wisdom.

General Advice during Vata season:
Eat warm cooked foods.
Include small amounts of olive oil or ghee (clarified butter) when possible.
Drink warm drinks, hot almond milk or spiced tea.

General diet to avoid during vata season:
Avoid cold foods, sour foods, cold beverages and too much caffeine. Always be sure to avoid refined sugar and bleached flour and especially any processed foods.

Try this:
Start your day with warm cream of wheat or oatmeal with stewed apple to help stimulate the digestive system and nourish your body with energy. Eat sautéed or steamed vegetables with sweet potato, carrots or asparagus for lunch. Snack on dates, fresh fruit, warmed almond milk. For dinner, enjoy a hearty soup with whole grain bread and butter. For dessert warm up almond milk with a dash of ginger and agave, maple syrup or honey with cut-up dates.

For more information about the Doshas:

AyurBalance: http://www.ayurbalance.com/explore_articlethreedoshas.htm

Yoga & Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self Realization by David Frawley

Fall Message

2009-11-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings Friends,

I hope that this finds you happy, healthy, peaceful and enjoying the fall season while preparing for the transition into the holidays.

As many of you know, I'm leaving for a three week trip to India this December to attend a yoga conference and then travel around the region. I will be back the first week of January and promise to share as much as I can from all that I learn and absorb from the experience! I will also be offering a post-holiday Detox Ruah Yoga Flow workshop when I return at Reebok Sports Club on January 9th (see details below) - I hope that you will join me there!
So many of you have shared with me that yoga has changed your life for the better! It always brings me such joy to hear those words – as all yogis can relate to that experience. Whatever anyone’s reason is for trying yoga, people often walk away with a sense of positive change. Part of yoga’s purpose is to help us be our best selves in times of change by opening up and strengthening the muscles and joints of the body while simultaneously creating peace and equanimity in our minds.

This season is a busy time for many of us, especially as the fall weather brings with it winds of change in the world around us and our bodies begin to make changes within us. According to ayurveda, the science of the body, the time from October until February is the season of the vatha dosha (the constitution or tendency of our body and mind). When Vatha, the air element that makes up our body, is out of balance we experience excess of being dry, cool, stiff, exhausted, distracted, anxious and restless. As the fall weather continues to change the environment around us with cold air and shorter days, our bodies and minds can become vulnerable to toxic germs and negative thoughts.

One of the best ways to build up your immune system and resist illness in our bodies and minds is to create positive energy from within. When we face a block in our motivation or have the sense of losing our routine, sit down and create a schedule that you can stick to in your daily life. Here are a few reminders that are important to stay healthy this season:

• Schedule in your calendar yoga or exercise either daily or several times a week and commit to those times as a priority for your well-being.
• Wake up every morning 10-20 minutes early and sit up in your bed to meditate or sit quietly listening to the sound of your breath.
• Before you go to bed at night or when you arrive home, sit for 10-20 minutes to meditate or sit quietly and listen to the sound of your breath.
• Do your best to create a schedule for 8-10 hours of sleep a night.
• Eat colorful, in season warm foods and fluids with lots of fruits and veggies.
• Try to have your last meal before 7pm in order to have enough time for digestion during the hours when your metabolism is the strongest.
• Conserve and use your energy wisely - treat yourself to entire days or evenings of rest.

The Bhagavad Gita (the last chapter of the Mahabarata, the ancient Indian epic story) says that yoga is the disassociation of all pain and suffering. Through a regular daily yoga practice, staying healthy and strong becomes an effortless process. It is equally important to practice the physical postures of yoga and to be mindful and deliberate in all of our actions in order to find balance and happiness in our lives and unite with our true self.

May you be blessed with good health, love and happiness this season and each day throughout your life!

Namaste,

Ruah

JOIN ME AT KRISHNA DAS KIRTAN!

2009-11-04T13:21:00.001-08:00

Greetings!

What a wonderful way to transition into the holiday season from positive vibrations from call and response chanting (kirtan) with Krishna Das? Please join me and like-minded amazing yogis from all of my Yogaworks & Equinox classes - plus NYC andvisiting yogis to sing along with Krishna Das.

If you have never tried Kirtan, now is the time to begin your journey into creating your own bliss!

What: Kirtan with Krishna Das
Where: 86th Street & West End Avenue
When: Thursday November 19th
*Event starts at 6:30pm
*Join me to get good seats in the front and hang out at 5:30pm

Event Details & Purchase Tickets: http://www.krishnadas.com/tour_schedule.cfm

Peace, love, happiness and good health,

Ruah

DETOX YOGA FLOW (c) WITH RUAH BHAY WORKSHOP @ REEBOK SPORTS CLUB

2009-10-25T20:21:00.001-07:00

Start the year by releasing stress and detoxing your entire mind & body through intense flowing movement, mindful breathing, guided relaxation. As featured in Time Out New York, Detox Ruah Yoga Flow © maps out a simple union of three essential yoga practices: pranayama (mindful breathing), asana (physical postures); dhyana, meditation in order to create a well-balanced and healthy body while effortlessly guiding yourself into a peaceful mind. Detox Ruah Yoga Flow© enhances the hypometabolism (oxygen consumption), stimulates the hypothalamus (body’s ability to react/fight or flight response) and improves the nervous system (breathing, digestion, cell rejuvenation). Discover how to guide your mind and body into a personal mini-retreat. All yoga levels are welcome. All rights reserved Ruah Bhay 2009.

What: Detox Yoga Flow with Ruah Bhay

Where: Reebok Sports Club on Columbus Avenue & 67th Street.

When: Saturday January 9th

Members: $20

Non-Members: $35

Please contact Anne-Sophie Rodriguez, Group Exercise Coordinator

srodriguez@reeboksportsclubny.com or 212-501-1419

Ruah Yoga at Teen Vogue Event

2009-10-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

I'll be teaching at a Teen Vogue event coming up this weekend - more details to follow!

Time Out NY Features Ruah Yoga's Detox Yoga Flow

2009-09-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Exciting news! What a wonderful wayto start the fall season with positive feedback from Time Out NY on one of my new signature class Detox Yoga Flow! I have pasted the link and the review for you to follow.

Wishing you peace, happiness and good health!

Shanti,

Ruah

http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/spas-sport/79121/50-fitness-classes-reviewed/7.html

Detox Yoga Flow Body & Mind Builders (78 Reade St between Broadway and Church St; 212-587-1099, bodyandmindbuilders.com). $18 per class, monthly unlimited pass $165, new-member two-week unlimited pass $30. Length: 90 minutesType of activity: Yoga and meditation.

What to expect: Eighty minutes of challenging yoga, with a focus on poses that promote cleansing of the circulatory, lymphatic and digestive systems. The class begins with a light warm-up and includes about ten minutes of meditation at the end. How in shape you need to be: Gym regular; yoga experience is helpful but not necessary.The verdict: The class regards pain as a necessary evil to achieve the resulting detox. The workout is hard—challenging enough to leave your muscles sore the day after, but paced just right so you aren’t struggling to keep up. Each movement comes with a specific breathing instruction, which helps you stay focused and relaxed even as the contortions get more involved. The instructor, Ruah Bhay (who teaches this signature class at various studios; see ruahyoga.blogspot.com), provides several options in each pose, so that yogis of all levels can find their way through the practice.Plan to take a hot bath after this one.—Noelle Stout

DETOX YOGA FLOW (c) with Ruah Bhay

2009-09-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Release stress and detox your entire mind & body through intense flowing movement, mindful breathing, guided relaxation. Detox Yoga Flow maps out a simple union of three essential yoga practices (pranayama mindful breathing, asana yoga poses and dhyana meditation) in order to create equanimity in your body and have a peace of mind. Detox Yoga Flow enhances the hypometabolism (oxygen consumption), stimulates the hypothalamus (body’s ability to react/fight or flight response) and improves the nervous system (breathing, digestion, cell rejuvenation). Discover how to guide your mind and body into a personal hour-long retreat. Detox Yoga Flow facilitates you to overcome physical and mental challenges of stress, encourage a healthy body and mental balance. For times, see above schedule.

Ruah Teaches Yogaworks Slim at Soho Location

2009-09-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

One of my latest projects is working with Yogaworks to promote their new series, Yogaworks Slim! The Marie Claire video interview of me coming out soon is focused on this new class and you can read a review in Uptown Magazine here:

http://blogs.uptownlife.net/dianedacosta/?p=2380

Yogaworks Soho
Sunday September 13 * 2:30-3:30pm
Tuesday, September 22 * 12:00 - 1:00pm

Yogaworks Eastside
October 11 * 1:30-2:30pm

Ruah in September Marie Claire Podcast

2009-08-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

This week I was fortunate to be interviewed and have my class filmed for the September Marie Claire on-line issue to promote yoga and Yogaworks. Be on the look-out for me in Marie Claire's September on-line issue and podcast: http://www.marieclaire.com/. More details and link to the podcast to come soon!

Ruah Yoga in TIMES SQUARE

2009-08-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

Today I had the amazing experience of teaching the first ever bi-coastal yoga class in Times Square in NYC and Union Square of San Francisco! Our theme for the class was YOGA - connecting a union of opposites.

Lots of oppositions were in the works for today's class! Times Square is one of the busiest parts of the city and we created our own little oasis of peace and calm. Yoga helps us bring together the self that we perceive with our true selves that dwells at the center of the heart. Yoga is also about finding strength (stirum) and ease (sukham) in every posture. While moving through a yoga practice we increase strength in the body, yet effortlessly find a peace of mind helping ourselves to nurture and happy and healthy body, mind and spirit.

To take the class yourself visit: www.radioshack.com/theshack Click "video" and "Yoga - Ruah Bhay."

Ruah Yoga in Central Park for ARK (ADVANCEMENT OF RURAL KIDS)

2009-08-01T09:08:00.001-07:00

TUESDAY AUG. 11th 6:30 - 7:30 PM.

Join me in Central Park to salute the sun in support of ARKwww.ruralkids.org, a non-profit organization that focuses on improving primary education and health of school-age children living in impoverished rural communities in developing countries.

Minimum Donation: $20

TO SIGN-UP: Email ruahyoga@gmail.com

DONATE HERE: http://www.ruralkids.org/Donations.html

REJUVINATE: Ruah Yoga Beach Retreat to Montauk, NY

2009-07-19T07:59:00.001-07:00

REJUVINATE with RUAH BHAY this fall to the Atlantic Ocean from September 25th-27th. Two luxurious nights in an ocean front house. Yoga, core strengthening, meditation, walks on the beach, healthy eating, relaxation & rejuvenation. Cultivate strength, flexibility & a peace of mind alongside the beautiful beach front location just a train ride away from NYC. Ideal for solo travelers, friends or couples. Limited rooms available & subject to sufficient sign-ups.

PROGRAM:
• 3 days and 2 nights in beautiful beach front retreat center www.gurneysinn.com.
• Vinyasa yoga with NYC’s Ruah Bhay.
• Meditations & detoxification guidance.
• Delicious healthy vegetarian meals.
• Beach walks & core-strengthening exercises.
• R&R + fun in the sun with NYC yogis.

PRICE :
Per Occupancy:
Quad - $530
Triple - $590
Double - $760
Single - $1,060

*Includes COMPLIMENTARY NIGHT at Gurney's Inn either for Sunday Sept. 27th or later fall date (to be approved by resort).
*All rooms include private bathrooms, access to ocean & spa.
*Includes pick-up from LIRR.
*Subject to sufficient sign-up.

DEADLINE:
*Please respond as soon as you are interested for details.
*Deposits due by August 25th.
*Full Payment due September 14th.

Central Park Yoga Photos

2009-07-17T08:09:00.001-07:00

Photos by Jungah Lee

Ruah Bhay & Russell Simmons for RUSH

2009-07-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that I will be collaborating with Russell Simmons in support of RUSH, a non-profit founded by the Simmons brothers that is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant arts exposure, access and education as well as providing exhibition opportunities to early and mid-career artists and artists of color.

https://auction01.charitybuzz.com/secure/viewItemDetail.do?auction_item_id=93621&source=email_afl

Ruah's Summer Greeting

2009-07-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Greetings Friends,

I hope that this finds you happy, healthy and enjoying the summer! Summer is personally my favorite season of the year.

I’ve always felt that summer is a time when people can really just be themselves. Shedding layers of clothing feels like letting go of protective layers of whom we think we need to be and previous experiences of whom we thought were.

Yoga offers a unique guidance to explore the mind-body connection and discover the depths of whom we truly are. Through the physical postures, asana and guided breathing, pranayama and effortless concentration/meditation, dhyana, we are able to release ourselves from any fears, anxieties and expectations that may be holding us back. Dedicating ourselves to a yoga, pranayama and dhayana practice enables us to absorb the energy of life that happens around us and use it in the best possible way helping us to live up to our greatest potential.

So many students and friends always share with me how practicing yoga has made them a better person. It is so much easier to live life, be happy and healthy with the help of yoga. I feel so very grateful and blessed to have found yoga in my own life and I am especially in gratitude of the opportunity to share my love of yoga with you.

I hope to see you this summer – either in Central Park on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6:30pm, on my www.Youtube.com channel, in class at Yogaworks and Equinox or at my new location in Tribeca, Mind & Body Builders.

May you have peace, happiness and good health for the summer and each day in your life!

Namaste,

Ruah

Lessons from the Bhagavad Geeta: Guide your mind to good health, peace and happines

2009-07-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

While a physical yoga practice, or hatha yoga, leads to an overall healthy, strong and beautiful body, the real purpose of practicing yoga is to cultivate a healthy and peaceful mind, discovering the true self.

One of Yoga’s great sources of what it has become today is the Bhagavad Geeta. The Geeta is the last chapter of the ancient Indian epic poetic story the, Mahabarata. The story is said to represent man’s inner struggle to connect to the true self, the purusha or atman. The Geeta reminds us that though we often seek satisfaction in life in the world around us, happiness is already naturally inside of us.

In the 17th Chapter, the Geeta discusses the Five Noble Values of life in order to attain peace and happiness.

The Five Noble Values of Life:
1) Serenity of mind manaprasada – Connect to your breath. As the breath so is the mind and vice versa. Let negative thoughts float away like clouds, allowing your mind to rest peacefully refreshing itself for what is to come.

2) Kindness/Affection (Karuna/soumyatyam) – Cultivate this through affection for all living beings without discrimination.

3) Silence (Mauna) – Silence of speech originates from the relative silence of the mind. Detach yourself from distractions of desires and create inner noiseless calm.

4) Self-control (atma vinigrahah) – Positive elements of life are possible to maintain when we deliberately control our inner nature through yoga, meditation & pranayama (mindful breathing). The mind is like wild horses unable to tame unless we are vigilant – otherwise our desires can upset our inner balance and equanimity.

5) Honesty of Motive – self control is only possible when our motives are pure and harmonious for all. Once we have self control and an honest motive, it becomes natural to stick on constantly to the grand road to success is to assure to ourselves a happy journey to peace & happiness.

By doing the best that we can to follow these values, we come closer to our true self the atman or purusha, which is often in a haze of the business of our lives. When we arrive closer to our true self then it is easier to identify what we really want in life and pursue the path to achieve success, happiness and peace.

Ruah at Body and Mind Builders in Tribeca!

2009-07-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

I’m happy to announce that I will be teaching at a new eco & family-friendly studio called Body and Mind Builders on Reade Street in Tribeca. The studio offers both yoga & pilates classes along with tutoring and classes for children and teens. B&MB plans to open by August 3rd, for more detais about the studio, visit the website here: www.bodyandmindbuilders.com.

Salute the Sun: Ruah Yoga in Central Park!

2009-05-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Email Ruah if you plan on attending and be in touch if you have any questions: ruahyoga@gmail.com. Bring your mat, strap and towel.

I hope to see you in class or in the park soon!

Ruah

DIRECTIONS:

Here are directions from 72nd and 5th avenue
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Terrace+Dr&daddr=East+Dr&hl=en&geocode=FWwjbgIdQFqX-w%3BFQQnbgIdelKX-w&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=40.773506,-73.969059&sspn=0.004087,0.010536&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=19

Here are walking directions from 72nd and Central Park West:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Central+Park+West&daddr=East+Dr&geocode=FTAybgIdaDeX-w%3BFQQnbgIdelKX-w&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=40.777225,-73.972675&sspn=0.016346,0.042143&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17

SCHEDULE:

Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm*

July Dates: 7, 9, 16, 21, 28
August Dates: 4, 6, 11, 14
*Subject to good weather & interest.

SIGN-UP:

Please pre-register for each class by sending me a simple email up until 5pm of the same day.
Email: ruahyoga@gmail.com.
Subject: Central Park Yoga (or CPY) + Date you plan to attend

PRICE:
Same day sign-up: $20
Pre-register on-line: $18

Ruah Yoga Lesson: Arm Balances Crow to Tripod Headstand (Bhakasana to Sirsasana II)

2009-05-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loXP8cGXFs4

Escape with Ruay Yoga this Fall!

2009-05-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

In response to many requests, an early Fall retreat in the Tri-state area is in the works. Please email me if you are interested in learning more about it and if you have specific dates that you would prefer or if you have recommendations for locations.

EMAIL: ruahyoga@gmail.com

Spring Greetings

2009-05-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying spring! I am happy to share with you some exciting news.

The Brazil Yoga retreat was a great success - the NYC group returned feeling fully rejuvenated and with plenty of fun stories and pictures.

Now that I am fully accustomed to practicing yoga outdoors on the beautiful beaches of Buzios, it is only natural that we transition in beautiful weather salutig the sun together in Central Park starting this June (see schedule below)!

Also, this spring marked Sri Dharma Mittra's 70th Birthday. As many of you know, I am greatly indebted to Dharma's teachings and practice with him regularly. I had the honor of celebrating with him, the amazing singer Krishna Das (you've all heard him in my class playlists) singing Kirtan (call & response chanting) along with 500 yogis from around the globe.

Finally, while I have weddings to attend for the next two weekends and will be out of town until Wednesday, I look forward to seeing you in class, out and about in the city and, of course, in Central Park for lots of yoga through this beautiful spring and transition into summer!

May peace & love be with all of you for this beautiful day and each day into your lives. Om

Shanti,

Ruah

Escape to Yourself: Experience Your Own Personal Retreat

2009-05-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Waking up every morning to the sound of ocean waves and blue skies ready to practice only steps away from an emerald green lawn overlooking the turquoise blue crashing waves. For eight days, life was paradise on the Ruah & Joana Yoga Retreat.

We practiced yoga & meditation two times a day; went running; practiced my guaranteed 6-pack abs routine 4x a day, ate healthy vegetarian meals, swam in the soothing ocean waves; relaxed lazily in lounge chairs watching the horizon, discovered beaches & went snorkeling on a boat ride and explored the adorable town of Buzios.

On our last day I lead the class through 108 Sun Salutations to meditate on our transition into the end of the retreat. 108 sun salutations represents the number of beads in a mala or prayer garland/necklace, the 108 pithas or holy sites of India, the 108 Upanishads (sacred scriptures, the 108 marma points or sacred places of the body and the times around the circumference of the sun & moon to equal the average distance to the earth.

The beginning of the Sun Salutations flowed easily, I flew into chatturanga effortlessly although I found my mind also flying around. Each time my mind wandered, I did my best to reconnect to my breath and focus on my third eye, the ajna chakra. Wherever my thoughts were, I felt amazing – breathing in the fresh salty air, the morning sun on my shoulders and the blue sky radiating all around.

Around Sun Salutation number 60 or so, it dawned on me, “how will I maintain this bliss when I return to NYC?” I recalled my past experiences on retreats and how writing in a journal often helped – making it possible to read my own words expressing happiness in that moment. Yet words on paper would clearly only be a small part of reconnecting. I knew in my heart exactly what would recreate this sensation – exactly what I was doing already – yoga, meditation and pranayama (mindful breathing) guide the way and offer the best sensations in any environment.

Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras II.7 & II.8* remind us that while we attach ourselves to all that makes us seemingly happy sukhanusayi raga, and we create aversions to all that makes us seemingly unhappy (dukhanusayi dvesha) true happiness and peace has nothing to do with anything external, but rather comes from deep within ourselves.

Happiness is like a door that already exists within us, yet with the distractions of daily life it is always challenging to figure out how to open the door. With the keys of yoga, meditation & pranayama (mindful breathing), it helps us to easily unlock the door and sense an abundance of positive vibrations that come from deep within.

Once we take the time to clear away the clouds of vritti (busy thoughts) of the citta (mind), through connecting our mind body and breath, we naturally begin to sense santosha (happiness) in the center of our hearts. Yoga offers those incredible feelings – yet when we are in between practices, sometimes it is challenging to remember. That is why when practicing yoga, meditation & pranayama it’s a wonderful idea to remember exactly how you feel in that moment to inspire you to continue.

Committing to a yoga practice is like signing up for an endless personal retreat that helps connect to our inner santosha at any time within any environment – whether sitting at your desk at work or enjoying the warm breezes of summer! When santosha permeates in the body & mind, it becomes natural to reflect those feelings onto others in our lives and in turn share our bliss with the world around us.

BUZIOS, BRAZIL 2009: Ruah & Joana Yoga Retreat

2009-05-13T11:03:00.001-07:00

http://www.ruahyoga.net/buzios.jpg

BECOME A RUAH YOGA FACEBOOK FAN

2009-03-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Become a Ruah Yoga - Healthy Mind, Body & Spirit Facebook fan to learn more about yoga, receive newsletters and updates on my schedule and special events.

Ruah Yoga on PIX AM NEWS & NY1!

2009-02-28T11:39:00.001-08:00

This past month, I had the lovely opportunity bring yoga to the news twice – NY1 News & PIX AM News Show. I was representing a new yoga class I have been teaching, PowerNAP. Both experiences were a lot of fun and quite a learning experience as lots of information was squeezed into just a few minutes. Plus, I got to meet one of the co-stars from the Hannah Montana show while at the PIX studio! I considered offering the 17 year old star a yoga class, although figured that right before a 7 am TV promo was not the best of timing. Perhaps next time!

Breath + Yoga + Equinimity in our Senses = Fulfilled & Happy Life

2009-02-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

Act without any thought of results,
Open to success or failure.
This equanimity is yoga…

Bhagavad Gita (2.48)

One of life’s greatest challenges is to respond to unpredictable events in our lives with a steady mind. Whether we experience times of difficulty, smooth sailing or moments of excitement and happiness – the tool of a physical yoga practice, mindful breathing (pranayama) and meditation helps to maintain equanimity and feel detached from any results.

Stepping away from specific incidents and reflecting on the larger picture is always difficult when swept up in the emotion of the moment. However, looking at life from a larger perspective with a calm mind enables us to learn from our experiences - whether seemingly positive or negative - and use that to continue pursuing our long term goals.

We all make mistakes, experience disappointment, feel anxiety and get excited about something. We automatically try to detach ourselves from what we dislike and grip onto moments of happiness. Yet, these windows of time never last forever – whether we wish them to or not. In these varying moments of life, it is helpful to turn our attention from the external to the internal, withdrawing our senses and responding with mindfulness.

Slowing down in our busy lives is a challenge in itself. This is why we use the tools of the physical and mental yoga practice along with pranayama (mindful breathing) and meditation. Over time, these practices increase our ability to remain still in the mind, replenishing our entire nervous system.

One way to approach life with equanimity is through committing to a yoga and meditation practice, although if you do not have time for a yoga class or are not familiar with meditation, simply taking time to breathe mindfully is a wonderful way to bring your attention inside the body and mind.

When our breath is fragmented, so is our mind. Focusing on the breath allows us to go through life with purpose by responding equally to life’s unexpected twists and turns. Taking the time to breathe creates space in our lives without residue of emotions to cloud our perception of external experiences – paving the path for a life of happiness and fulfillment.

TAKE A BREATH: Try sitting up tall in your chair or lying down on an angle with pillows supporting your entire back and head and let the eyes gently close. Find length through your entire spine and take your hands onto your ribs alongside your upper abdomen. Notice your ribs expanding and the belly filling up as you inhale and the ribs drawing in and the belly naturally deflating as you exhale. Continue this for several breaths, doing your best to have each inhalation equal to each exhalation.

Next, release your hands from your body. If you are sitting in a chair fold your hands on top of one another with the palms facing up and thumbs to touch. If you are lying down, let your arms release a few inches away from your body with the palms facing up.

On each exhalation, begin to count your breath from 10 to 1, then from 1 to 10 and repeat. If your mind wanders and you lose count, acknowledge your thoughts and let them float away as you return your attention to the breath, starting from 10 again. The purpose of this pranayama exercise is to calm the breath, so let go of any expectation of counting – rather, surrender yourself to the process of calming the breath and the mind.

Once you have completed 3-20 minutes of breathing, begin to deepen the breath and slowly come back into the present moment. Remaining still, give thanks for allowing time in your day to heal yourself by connecting to the breath. Slowly open your eyes, feeling refreshed and calm – ready for life’s adventures with a steady mind and open heart.

BUZIOS, BRAZIL YOGA RETREAT INFORMATION

2009-02-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

April 30th – May 7th 2009
***Deposits due March 15th***

PROGRAM:
• 7 nights in beautiful beach front hotel.
• Vinyasa yoga 2x/day with NYC’s Ruah & Rio’s Joana.
• Meditations & detoxification guidance.
• Delicious healthy meals 3x/day.
• Day trip cruise to explore Buzios beaches.
• Samba or Capoeira lesson.
• Round trip transport to/from Rio airport.
• R&R + fun in the sun with NYC & Rio yogis.

PRICE:
Suite* - US$1599
Suite Shared - US$1199
Deluxe Suite* - US$1699
Deluxe Suite Shared - US$1299

*All rooms include private veranda AC & standard amenities & 3 meals.
*Deluxe Suite includes ocean front access.

DETAILS:
Accommodations: We will be staying at a cluster of small beautiful villas located directly on the ocean called Pousada Praia Rasa. Rasa beach is one of 25 beaches of Buzios and is nearly 2 miles long.

Deposit: The $300 non-refundable deposit will be due by March 15th with the trip paid-in-full by April 1st.

Cancelation policy: Full refund, less deposit, will be given with at least 28 days notice. Within 14 days of the retreat: 50% of the total amount (less deposit) will be refunded. Within 7 days of the retreat: no refunds given without exceptions.

RUAH & JOANA = YOGA:
R&J unite their friendship and energetic forces for 7 days of a blissful yoga retreat on the beach. The R&J yoga retreat will help you deepen your practice, rejuvenate your health and vitality. R&J trained together years ago at Yogawork, NYC. They have been dear friends ever since and look forward to sharing their love of yoga, beautiful beaches and warm weather with their NYC & Rio De Janeiro students & friends.

Join the “Ruah Yoga” Facebook Group and find an Event posting for the retreat.

Give the Gift of Peace on Earth

2008-12-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

"Not only does charity begin at home. Everything begins at home, including spirituality."
-Swami Satchidananda

Consider making a donation in someone's name to a non-profit of your choice or one of my favorites:

Save Darfur https://donate.savedarfur.org/08/g_darfur
Save the Children https://secure.ga4.org/01/help_children?source=sq_v001_nat&WT.mc_id=1208_sq_v001_nat
Oxfam International http://www.oxfam.org/en/getinvolved/donate
Americares http://www.americares.org/howtohelp/individuals/

Give the Gift of Health, Well-Being, Fitness & Peace of Mind

2008-12-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

Ruah Yoga Private Yoga Sessions Gift Card:

Share the gift of a Ruah Yoga holiday gift card of private yoga sessions!

Peace, Love, Happiness & Yoga from Within

2008-12-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

Of course, we all wish for peace in our own lives and for the entire world around us. In yoga, it is said that we cannot control the world around us, but rather we CAN control how we absorb what happens through our senses - through prati (food/thoughts) ahara (control/stop). Peace, love and happiness does not does not come from the outward stimulation - it comes from how we process and perceive things through our senses. The sutras also tell as that where our mind goes, so does our breath and vice versa. When you control and calm the breath through yoga, the mind will follow. When your mind is calm and steady, then you are better able to absorb appreciate and respond to what the world has to offer.

Swami Satchidananda tells the story of the the prisoner and the prison guard - both are in the same place, yet the prison guard feels free while the prisoner feels imprisoned - yet it is all in their minds! Through yoga and meditation anyone can achieve the feeling of peace and liberation. Perhaps if more people in the world practiced some form of yoga, they would feel peace on the inside and in turn become kinder and more patient with others. The world would certainly be a better place!

One of the most powerful and alluring elements of yoga is that it works on bringing the perceived self into unity and harmony with the true self that lies deep within all of us. While the main theme of yoga is to awaken the true self through connecting the mind, the body & the breath, yoga also offers direct and tangible benefits to everyone regardless of who you are and where you come from. Yoga presents not only the chance to connect to your true self, but a means of maintaining overall health, fitness and well-being in your body and your mind!

So, treat yourself in the New Year to a healthy body and peace of mind through the yoga experience! I hope to see you in class soon!

Little by Little...

2008-11-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

...the lion catches the monkey in the jungle. (Senegalese proverb)
...grow the bananas. -(Congolese proverb)
...one goes far. (Spanish proverb)
...the bird builds its nest. (French proverb)
...a little becomes a lot. (Tanzanian proverb)
...the camel goes into the couscous. (Moroccan proverb)
...one can make it happen. (Sinhalese proverb)

While living in Senegal and then Sri Lanka, I often heard the phrase by friends and colleagues, little by little… ndank ndank mooy japp golo ci naay or tikak tikin oya karanawa. These small phrases can mean so much!

When we are faced with overwhelming experiences in life, connecting to the present moment and progressing through life little by little enables us to get through any challenging times in our lives.

Every day, news of the economy continues to take the world on a roller coaster with little bits of information lifting us towards hope only to be followed by one more piece of bad news with the stomach turning promise of more to come.

In our own personal lives, we may experience something similar – feeling uplifted with a sense of accomplishment with one experience, and then suddenly feeling overwhelmed with an unexpected change in life.

It is similar to reaching the peak of a mountain to only find out you must descend the other face of the mountain before climbing to yet another peak on the horizon (btw, this actually happened to me years ago in the White Mountains of New Hampshire!).

Perhaps looking forward to the future ahead is something we don't wish to do, fearful of what lies beyond our vision. Yet, moving forward is the only way since the horizon holds our dreams to realize, or even our fears to overcome.

Yoga teaches us to trust that all elements of life have their purpose and will help you discover your life path one step at a time. The Bhagavad Gita reminds us that when we act with good intentions in our hearts, only positive outcomes will follow – of course, there may be a bumpy road along the way!

Life offers us the gift of time that passes with each moment of our breath. One minute passes into the next turning into hours. Days morph into weeks then months. Suddenly before we know it years have past in our life.

Time seems to define us, yet if we can take a moment to be present in our breath, in our minds in our bodies then we may realize that time is ours to define.

Life's Inevitable Change & Processing with Meditation

2008-07-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the chance to walk around my home neighborhood - Greenwich Village. As I strolled down the cobblestone streets contemplation passed through my mind of what all of these newly opened shops that keep appearing so quickly represent in life. There is Coach, where an antique store was; Magnolia, where the charming bird store used to be; Le Pain Quotidian, where my favorite Hunan Spring used to be. So much has changed from the days of the quaint, personal and familiar stores lined the neighborhood streets to the times of luxury chain stores able to afford the rent occupying the precious tree-lined streets Sometimes change feels right, or good, other times, it is daunting and confusing as to how it is beneficial to us or society. Most impressionable is when we leave behind something, yet cling to the memory of what the objects and activities represented in life. When we finally return to that person, place or thing, it is occasionally shocking to witness how different things are.

Facebook is a classic example these days! How many old friends have you found (or found you) in utter surprise of how they look today or what they are doing with their lives now? Sometimes it is predictable, other times it is beyond our greatest imagination. So, what do we do when we face overwhelming change or nostalgia - whether it is the season, the buildings on your street, your haircut, your friends the fashion of the moment, your job, your relationship or your body? Yoga reminds us that although everything can and WILL fluctuate around us, it is what we hold inside of us, that connects the universe is constant. We have peace within ourselves.

Have you ever seen the Sex & the City (yes, I watch it) where Charlotte's acupuncturist reminds her that the city will never calm down enough for her to find peace in his office, so she will just have to find peace within herself? Finding peace within is not easy, especially for us NYers who, as my Sri Lankan friend reminds me, RUN not walk quickly around the city and in life. There is hope! We can find peace from within. Especially when we nurture the love for ourselves, love for others, or love for the greater existence that connects us all together. When we let go of any attachment or expectations of an outcome of where/what the change leads to, then we find improved fulfillment in whatever the present state is and recognize the constant strength and familiarity that we have within ourselves.

Along my walk in the Village, before I knew it, I found myself standing at the open garden gates to my very own grade school on Hudson Street. I spent ten wonderful years at St. Luke's in the Fields, another place that I know has also changed a lot. Yet, walking into the garden, I immediately felt familiarity amd comfort in the fragrance of flowers drifting through a warm summer breeze. I was reminded that memories and happiness as a child and throughout life will always be there whether the school or any place is there or not. Just as my experiences and feelings today do not depend on anything happening externally, but rather are influenced by how everything is understood from within the self.

The author and poet Kalidasa once wrote: "...for yesterday is but a dream;and tomorrow is only a vision; but today, well lived, makes every yesterdaya dream of happiness,and every tomorrow a vision of hope.Look well, therefore, to this day!" Kalidasa is on to something! Regardless of the change around us, it is how we absorb the past, the present and the future that matters.

PROCESSING CHANGE WITH MEDITATION:Meditation is a wonderful way to allow processing of any subconscious anxieties, fears, shock, excitement etc. associated with uncomfortable change. Through yoga and meditation, these thoughts and fears rise to your consciousness in a safe way and float away creating space for more meaningful thoughts and understanding. We often avoid things that we do not know or are afraid of. Through sitting down quietly and focusing on the breath or the sound OM, our super consciousness is allowed space to expand into our minds and bodies, relaxing our metabolic system by 15% within the first 3 minutes (as opposed to 5-8% within 5 hours of sleep) and in turn facilitating a peace of mind in our awake state.

Connect to the True Self

2008-06-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

We have now entered my favorite transition - spring to summer! This season is the time to cherish being surrounded by warmth, sunshine green trees, flowers (thank goodness for NYC Parks!), outdoor cafes and rooftops! I am sure that everyone also appreciates the extra time getting ready in the morning now that we no longer have to spend extra time getting sweaters, coats, hats and scarves on। However, now that we are able to shed our protective layers of clothing, we also may become increasingly aware of and even self-conscious of our bare bodies.

I often have the conversation with friends that when we are physically active and eating healthy, nourishing foods our self-conscious feelings apparently don't mind going on vacation। However, self-criticism loves to go to work in our minds when we have busy and stressful days/nights that absorb our time and energy so much that we are forced to sit idle – staggering our breath, creating discomfort in our bodies and letting our minds fill with vrittis (busy meaningless thoughts). Fortunately for us, there are remedies right at our fingertips! The answer can be as simple as going for a walk, reading something inspirational, sitting quietly to focus on the breath or watching the sunset. Mr. BKS Iyengar even recommends resting the top of the head or forehead on a surface to help settle your mind, improving your connection to the true self through the mind, breath and body.

Pressure to the top of the head also helps your metabolism through stimulating the hypothalamus, pineal gland and the pituitary gland that assists the endocrine system। Healthy functioning of these glands encourages vitality and chemical balance of our bodies। With our bodies and minds in balance, the motivation to make the time to run, workout, dance or do yoga comes more easily।

Internationally known teacher of Vedic texts, Shubhraji (http://www.namahom.org/), reminds us the Bhagavad Gita's important lesson that tells us the secret to a fulfilling life when she spells out the Sanskrit word for teacher, "GURU"– "GEE, YOU ARE YOU!" We are all in fact already what we seek to be in life! Yet, to discover what it is that we seek, and whom we are, we must let go of the only thing in life that we truly own – our egos! This is not such an easy task! However, through the expression of love for ourselves and for others, inner peace deepens, our mind quiets down and we experience the great clarity in our lives.

Express love for yourself and others and take care of your body today - get to a yoga class, go to the gym, go for a walk, sit down and be still or just simply step away from your work and enjoy the beautiful weather outside and just being you for a few moments. The greatest teacher is the one within ourselves. When we nurture ourselves with love we are better able to find our true selves, improve our own lives and be there for others.

The New Path Begins

2008-06-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I am pleased to announce the Ruah Yoga blog! As my beloved family and friends know, I love sharing my experiences and ideas as they happen. Ruah Yoga, the blog, is a perfect way to express new philosophies on life, inspiring stories, interesting observations and, of course, cool things that I learn through yoga and living in our

"Where in the city/world is Ruah?" will let you know my latest teaching schedule and any special events going on.

I look forward to getting this blog started and maybe even starting a dialogue in regards to yoga, life and whatever else may come up!

Namaste,

Ruah