Cooling your body in 1 easy step.

This summer has been HOT! 

It is great if you enjoy the heat and love to sweat but if you feel grumpy, exhausted and over heated, I have an easy tip that will cool you off instantly!

Have you ever tried to cool off using your breath?

Pranayama is one of the 8 limbs of yoga. It's a practice that is accessible to most, if not all of us. Prana is our life force, loosely translated as the breath. Pranayama is the study and the practice of the extension of our life force. In other word, extend your breath and you will extend your life.

Sitali breath is a breath practiced to cool off our body and mind. It is often referred to as the "cooling breath". it can help our mind by bringing more focus, reduce feelings of anger or agitation and lessen anxious feelings. It also physically brings a cooling sensation to the body.

Practicing this cooling breath is VERY easy! Here is a short video with super simple instructions:
SItali Breath Video.  

Enjoy! and Stay COOL this summer!!
Namaste

Refresh Yourself!

My favorite part of Summer as a kid was our family vacation at the beach. 
I remember the hot sun on my skin and loved jumping and playing in the ocean to cool off.
I also remember my mom bringing with her an Evian spray brumisateur along with towels, snacks and sandwiches, books, crossword puzzles, bandaids, sunscreen lotion... you get the picture. 
She was definitely prepared for anything. 
Of everything in her bag I really loved the Evian spray water. I felt so refreshing and cooling, I loved it on my face and arms, it was like entering a soft cooling cloud.

I am no longer a kid but I still like the sensation of a refreshing spray of water during hot summer days and while the Evian "brumisateur" is great, I also love making my own.
It is so easy to do and I add a few drops of essential oils to make it even more refreshing!

The 1st thing you need is a spray bottle. 
I would recommend using either a glass bottle (amber or blue) or a plastic container, specifically PET, that is known to store oil products without a problem.
You will also need distilled water and essential oils of your choice.

Here are 3 of my favorite cooling recipes that will make you smell like Summer:

Refreshing Cooling Body Spray:

• 5 drops Lavender essential oil
• 1 drop Peppermint essential oil
• 1 cup distilled water.

Shake well and spray freely on body, arms and legs for a nice cooling effect. Due to the Peppermint do not spray on face.

Cooling Spray for Body and Face:

• 1 drop Rose essential oil
• 3 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil
• 5 drops Lavender essential oil
• 2 ounces distilled water

Shake well, spray as desired.

Lavender Rose Facial Spritz:

• ¼ Cup Rosewater
• 5 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Mix and SPRAY with a smile on your face!

Use all spritzers within a month!! ENJOY!!

Wishing you a refreshing Summer!!

Have a favorite spritzer/body spray recipe? Share it with us!!

What's your Flavor?

Drink your water! I can hear that little voice in my head nagging at me as I run around the city from one class to the next.

Summer is here and it is important to stay hydrated especially if you are more active during the summer months. I love going on long walks, hiking, swimming and playing with Shanti outside. Now that the weather is warmer, it is the perfect time for outdoor activity.

It is commonly recommended to drink about 2 liters, or half a gallon of water daily but the amount of water we should drink also depends on our weight and activity level. During the Summer months, it is easier to get dehydrated so we may need to increase our daily water intake.

I love water but plain water is a little boring to me so I add cut up fruit and herbs that make my mouth water for more (pun intended).
 

Here are a few of my favorite recipes, super easy to make:

SIMPLE LEMON & LIME WATER

Citrus fruit have a very cooling effect on the body and are filled with Vitamin C.

INGREDIENTS

1 Lemon washed and sliced
1 Lime washed and sliced
Filtered water

CUCUMBER-MINT WATER

INGREDIENTS

1⁄3 cup fresh mint leaves
1⁄2  cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1⁄2 quart cold water

LIME AND BASIL WATER

INGREDIENTS

2 sliced Limes
1⁄2 cup of Basil
1 1⁄2 quart cold water

WATERMELON AND MINT WATER

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup cubed watermelon
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 1⁄2 quart cold water

INSTRUCTIONS

Choose which recipe you're making and gather all of the ingredients.
Place fruit, herbs at the bottom of a pitcher and muddle with a wooden spoon. (That basically means mash up fruit to release some of the flavor-filled juices.)
Fill pitcher with water and give it a taste.
Enjoy as-is or refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor.

For an easy to go option, reduce the ingredients and mix in a mason jar!

Let me know what you think....and share your favorite recipe!!

Yoga Nidra BLISS

In the word of Richard Miller, (clinical psychologist, author, researcher and yogic scholar) "Yoga Nidra will lead you to experience profound relaxation, the release of chronic stress, restful sleep, resolutions to many of  your life conundrums, and a greater sense of harmony in your daily life and relationships."
 

During the practice of Yoga Nidra (translated as "Yogic Sleep") you nourish your TRUE self, stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system which helps you release tensions in your body and mind and find equanimity.

I discovered Yoga Nidra many years ago as I was diving deeper into the world of Yoga. As I am usually a "doer", the idea of a motionless practice has always brought me a little discomfort. Sitting there (or in this case laying) with myself, trying to shush away my thoughts usually made them get louder, so I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to listen to a guided meditation where my thoughts, while still being present, seemed further into the distance. I didn't feel them affecting me as much anymore. I was able to find peace within me and release my worries, anxious thoughts and tensions from the first time I practiced Yoga Nidra. I felt so much lighter, the world around me seemed more vibrant, lights brighter, everything was sharper, BUT what I noticed the most was that I was at peace...What a feeling!

It took me a few more years after becoming a teacher to realize that I could share this practice with all of you. I made me feel so good inside that I couldn't just keep it to myself, I had to share.

If you want to experience the practice of Yoga Nidra with me, I am offering workshops year long.
Check out my calendar and sign up for the Karmic e-news to stay up to date!

Come relax with me and let me give you the gift of Yoga Nidra that was offered to me many years ago!!
 

Namaste

NYSC Greenpoint This is not Goodbye...

Dear Wednesday night Yogis from NYSC Greenpoint, I am no longer teaching the 830p class.
I will miss you!
I am still teaching the Tuesday morning class at 930a...so come see me then!!

I have enjoyed sharing yoga with each and everyone of you...

Sending you Love and Light!
Stay in touch!!