F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 Wellness Wisdom BREATH BODY WORKS, 1625 HWY. 88, STE 101, MINDEN, NV, 775.782.6767 February Calendar January 6 - March 31 Be Positive 10-week Meditation Molly Dahl February 11 - March 18 Birth Circle Childbirth Education Ashley Kim February 14 Valentine s Day February 23 - April 12 Back Care Yoga 8-week class Marta Olson March 14, 21, 28 April 4 Yoga for the Complete Beginner Ed Kingham Year 2015 Special New Student Yoga $30 for 30 classes Find additional information about our therapists, teachers, classes and workshops at: BreathBodyWorks.net Happy Valentine s Day Embrace love this Valentine s Day. We did! Do some heart-opening yoga poses and exercises and be more forgiving of yourself. Let go of anger and jealousy and make room in your heart to grow and thrive. Thank you for taking the time to love. Your doing so affects those around you and so it goes INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 3 4 4 5 6 Open Your Heart, Cindy Webb discusses heart-opening yoga poses. Chest Fly Kundalini, Marta Olson, LMT, PAS2, RYT Birth Circle, Ashley Kim, MA, CD, CLEC, explains her 6-week workshop. Massage Therapy & The New Mom, Deb Nalder, LMT Mindful Meditation, Molly Dahl Essential Oils, Ed Kingham writes about aphrodisiacs.
BREATH BODY WORKS FEBRUARY 2015 Open Your Heart Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) Cindy Webb How to do it: Start this Valentine s Day by loving yourself. You will find your heart more open, be more forgiving of yourself and become more available to love others. 1. Lie face down with your feet together and your toes pointing behind you. 2. Place your hands flat on the floor close to your rib cage. Opening the heart is one of the most important goals of Hatha Yoga. When your heart opens, you recognize your connection to (the) source; you have a direct realization that life is good. In Sanskrit ha means sun and tha means, moon. Hatha Yoga tries to achieve balance between body and mind through physical poses. 3. As you inhale, gently push off your hands, lifting your head and chest off the ground and tilting your head back. The ancient yogis considered the heart to be an energy center that is the core of the Divine within you. On a physical level, opening the heart center counterbalances the hunched posture we are forced to maintain in our every day life such as driving or sitting for hours in front of a computer. Practicing heart-opening poses can lift your spirits and help combat depression because you will be giving your body, mind and heart some good loving. If you want to achieve these benefits, try incorporating heart-opening poses into your yoga practice. Poses range from beginner to advance level and may include Bow Pose, Bridge Pose, Bound Bridge Pose, Camel Pose, Cat Pose, Cobra Pose, Fish Pose, Half Frog Pose, Proud Pigeon Pose, Sphinx Pose, Upward Bow (Wheel) Pose, Upward Plank Pose. 4. Feel your chest moving forward as well as upward; this will help you keep from straining the lower back. Be sure to warm up first before inserting any of these poses into your practice. Hold each pose for five deep breaths. Focus on keeping the sides of your body long and hold the heads of your upper arm bones back. Keep the lower tips of your shoulder blades curling in toward your heart. If you are not familiar with these poses do not attempt them without instruction. And you are in luck, because Cindy will be incorporating heart-opening poses into her classes during the month of February in a salute to Valentine s Day. Warnings: Don t be surprised if you can t raise your chest very high. This pose usually involves a small, subtle motion at first. Listen to your body and do not push yourself beyond your limits. Cindy Webb teaches Gentle Yoga on Monday and Wednesday at Breath Body Works from 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM. 2
1 2 3 BREATH BODY WORKS FEBRUARY 2015 Chest Fly Kundalini Yoga Exercise Marta Olson, LMT, PAS2, RYT Kundalini yoga focuses on meditative and spiritual awareness. The Chest Fly Kundalini Yoga Exercise is great for opening the heart. It draws attention to your breath and the muscles of the upper body. It helps to activate and balance the Heart Chakra and improves lung capacity. How to do it: 1. To do this pose, sit up straight with your legs crossed. (You may want to keep a firm cushion or rolled up blanket under your buttocks so your hips are raised above your knees. This will help take the pressure off your low back, hips and knees.) 2. Raise your arms to your sides with your palms facing forward. Arms are parallel to the ground. 3. As you exhale, rotate your arms forward stopping before your palms meet. (Don t clap.) 4. Rotate your arms back as you inhale. 5. Start slowly at first allowing your shoulders to stretch and warm up. Then find a good rhythm and continue at a comfortable pace. 6. Repeat for one to five minutes. I once caught a fish, this big. Only kidding. Marta is demonstrating Chest Fly Kundalini Yoga Exercise. Breathing: Start by taking a deep breath and focus on breathing in love. As you exhale, to let go of anything that burdens your physical heart or heart center. This exercise will free you of anger and jealousy and make room in your heart to grow and thrive. Marta Olson is the owner of Breath Body Works, LLC. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist (NVMT #133), a Certified Egoscue Method Specialist and a Registered Yoga Therapist. She has 26 years of pain management experience. Got BACK PAIN? Join Marta Olson, LMT, PAS2, RYT for BACK CARE YOGA This 8-week class will focus on: Strengthening your body. Release tension/tightness in your low back. Release tension/tightness in your upper back. Ease the pain that may be limiting you. Develop awareness of why you suffer. Teach you to listen to your body. When: February 23 April 12, 2015 Time: Monday, 9:00 AM 10:30 AM 3
BREATH BODY WORKS FEBRUARY 2015 The Birth Circle Ashley Kim, MA, CD, CLEC How do I know if I'm really in labor? Will I pass out from the pain? What if I poop while pushing? You ve figured out how to make a baby, but beyond that you feel like you don t know much. Massage Therapy & The New Mom Deb Nalder, LMT Ashley Kim s childbirth preparation class sparked an interest in viewing massage therapy through the perspective of the new mom. A childbirth preparation class can change that. It can help you hash out the questions above as well as gain insight into the process of labor, your options during it, and what to expect after your baby is born. The right class will leave you feeling well informed and confident in your ability to give birth, or to support your partner during birth. The Birth Circle: Education and Community for Childbirth is a six-week learning opportunity in which we ll: Explore the stages of labor Review suggestions for your support person at each stage Identify your pain management preferences Consider non-pharmaceutical comfort measures Practice positions for labor and birth Determine your birth preferences and how to communicate them Make sense of interventions and variations in labor Examine newborn procedures Discuss informed consent and the decision-making process Learn what to expect during the postpartum period Delve into infant sleep, crying, and breastfeeding Tackle how to adjust to life as a new parent You ve probably noticed there are a variety of childbirth classes out there, from those at hospitals to those with familiar names to small, independent classes like this one. With so many options intended to teach you about having a baby, you might be wondering what makes this one different. First, it focuses on birth as a life-altering event in which knowing your options and assembling a supportive team offer much control over your experience. Second, it is comprised of dynamic, thought-provoking lessons led by an instructor with 13 years experience in education. Third, it aims to create a sense of community among participants that can carry over into life as new parents. Finally, it offers a sliding fee scale designed to fit every budget. If you wish to better understand labor, birth, and the postpartum period, are willing to challenge your current beliefs, want to be the expert on your baby, desire dedicated support from someone who's been there (professionally and personally), and wish to establish strong connections with other new parents, then you ve found the right class. Ashley Kim is a Certified Doula and Lactation Educator Counselor. You can learn more about this class at breathbodyworks.net/spevent.childbirth.htm. Hormones Levels There is no scientific evidence that massage therapy improves fertility. But during high levels of stress, the brain may not send out the reproductive hormones necessary to tell the ovaries when to release an egg, thus delaying ovulation. Massage therapy reduces stress and will help regulate your hormones. Is massage therapy beneficial during pregnancy? Yes! Massage addresses the different needs of your changing body. Its benefits may include: Improved lymphatic and blood circulation Reduced discomfort from skeletal and circulatory changes Reduced swelling caused by pressure from the heavy uterus Reduced sciatic nerve pain Will postpartum massage help you recover? Yes! Besides stress reduction and pain relief, postpartum benefits include hormone regulation, reduced swelling, better sleep and improved breastfeeding. It is very important that you make time to love and take care yourself during this transition into motherhood. Your wellbeing directly impacts your baby. Deb Nalder (NVMT#077) has been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 1986. 4
BREATH BODY WORKS FEBRUARY 2015 Mindfulness Meditation, Part 1 Molly Dahl Every soul is, and becomes, that which she contemplates. Plotinus Meditation means to contemplate, to reflect on, or to consider. In the case of mindfulness meditation, it describes a state of mind resting in calm tranquility. What does that mean for us? It means that we can be quiet on the inside. Our mind is always running, creating stories, making sense of the world. One of my teachers calls this mind the obsessive, compulsive, delusional narrator. Sometimes it s like that. We just can t let it go, or we have to run all possible scenarios in our head. At times, this can be useful, to consider the possibilities. At other times, we just need to be quiet, mentally. Sometimes, analysis leads to paralysis. Meditation is focus and intention. It s being in the present moment of now, with out trying to control what this moment is. It s keeping the mind intentionally focused on a single object. The attention will wander, and we bring it back to the object of our meditation. Most meditation practices use the breath as the object. The breath is the link between body and mind. As our breath becomes still and quiet, so does our mind. Remember when you re mom used to tell you to take a deep breath? It s like that. Deep breathing triggers a sense of calm and safety. Which in turn signals the mind that it can rest, that it can be quiet in this present moment of now. Key to finding meditation helpful to yourself is that you cannot do it wrong. Useful to remember, almost key to finding meditation helpful to yourself is that you cannot do it wrong. There are no good or bad meditations. Mindfulness meditation is without judgment and critique. We simply let go of the thoughts and return to the breath. Some days, your meditation practice will feel more focused than others. Some days, it will be nearly impossible to hush the thoughts and stories. Some days, you ll only have time for a quick red light meditation session. (When you re super busy and don t have time to sit for a few moments, take advantage of the red lights when you re in the car. It s not like you can go anywhere!) You can use this time to your benefit by lightly closing your eyes, feeling your sits bones in the seat, and finding your breath. Relax into the breath. Be here now. Breathe. You ll be amazed at how much you come to love the red lights! Whenever you can, simply return the focus of your mind to the breath for a few moments. You ll feel calmer and more alert as a result. Benefits of meditation: Increases levels of resilience and wellbeing (mental, emotional, and physical) Decreases levels of stress and anxiety Increases sense of calm and balance Increases awareness of the mind/body connection Connects us to our feelings Expands our sense of self, beyond fear and selfjudgment Increases levels of genuine happiness Increases happiness in relationships, deeper connection to others Discovers inner resources that can change our every day lives Increases mental clarity and focus, makes us smarter Broadens our perspective Deepens our courage Transforms our worldview from one of isolation and confusion to one of connection, clarity, and compassion Our mind abhors a vacuum In next month s e-dition of Wellness Wisdom, Molly will provide guided steps on how to meditate. Her technique does not involve long periods of time to achieve benefits or the need to make your mind totally silent. Molly Dahl has been teaching the principles of spiritual living for the past 28 years and holds a Master s Degree in Educational Leadership. She is teaching Meditation Be Positive at Breath Body Works from January 6 to March 31 from 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM. 5
BREATH BODY WORKS FEBRUARY 2015 Essential Oils Ed Kingham Give your partner's senses the gift of pleasure and euphoria. February is an optimistic month. The first signs that winter might be losing its strength become apparent in Northern Nevada. We also tend to make special efforts to express our feelings to those closest to us. We usually make these efforts through what ancient eastern traditions called the three doors of expression: Our speech (words) Our mind (thoughts) Our body (actions) WORDS The words you choose are not as important as the frequency. I d like to recommend that this year, you make an effort to tell your family and loved ones that you love them throughout the year, not just around Valentine s Day. Now, let me suggest some thoughts and actions that might contribute to your expression of feelings toward your loved one(s). THOUGHTS Spend the month of February only thinking thoughts about how wonderful and amazing your loved ones are. They aren't perfect, none of us are. But why not choose to see only the beautiful, amazing things about your partner, children, parents, etc. for one month? See what happens when you do. Consider what is important when you, a friend or family member is facing death. Isn t the love that they brought into your life more important than the little things they did that bugged you? What you think is entirely up to you, so why not make it as pleasant as possible? ACTIONS We usually try to do something a little out of the ordinary for the ones we love in February. One possibility you might consider this year is a gift of an exotic essential oil. There are many floral oils that have some therapeutic uses such as lavender, chamomile and helichrysum. But another group of oils produced from flowers, exist purely to induce human pleasure and enjoyment. They entice the olfactory senses, enhance our mood and some induce a sense of euphoria or intoxication. Some of these oils are said to be aphrodisiacs. They have been the foundation of perfumes for thousands of years. But there is only one way to learn what affect they have on you and your partner experiment with them. Some of the essential oils in this exotic category would be Rose, the Jasmines (Night Blooming and Dawn Blooming,) Ylang Ylang, Champa, the Lotuses, Neroli and White Ginger Lilly. They are a little more expensive than the more common, run of the mill oils that are much easier to produce and thus are more readily available, but Valentine's Day only comes once a year and the efforts we make this month are supposed to be special. Most perfumes today rarely contain essential oils. Instead, they use chemical concoctions that they claim smell just like essential oil, but we all know that artificial flavors and smells are not the same as the real thing. The artificial chemicals won't induce the psychological effects like the pure essential oil. Consider giving your loved one a bottle of the oil as a gift this Valentine s Day. Or wear the oil as a perfume/scent to give your partner's senses the gift of pleasure and euphoria. These oils can also be diffused in the air of your home or bedroom using a vaporizing diffuser. You can purchase some of the essential oils mentioned and a diffuser at Breath Body Works. I don't think you'll be disappointed with these actions if you choose to use them to express your feelings. Are you ready to know which essential oil is most prominently mentioned as an aphrodisiac? It is Night Blooming Jasmine. The flowers are picked at night, which creates the most potent oils. Ed Kingham is a retired college mathematics professor and student of health and nutrition and a regular contributor to Wellness Wisdom. He will be teaching Yoga for Complete Beginners Saturdays, March 14 to April 4, 2015. You can find additional information at: breathbodyworks.net/spevent.yoga.com pbegin.htm