5 TIPS TO CHOOSE PERFECT YOGA CLOTHING FOR YOU

From MedsAvailable

ORGANIC YOGA CLOTHING FROM YOGITOES

Yoga clothing is important for you since you need loose clothes, not your regular top, tight T-shirt or Jeans. In this article we are going to talk about what kind of yoga clothes you should look for - Here are some points.

1. Before you decide on the yoga clothing, you should figure out what is your clothing need for yoga.
2. Commonly you can wear tee shirts, sweaters, pants, tracksuit etc.
3. Go for the “must have yoga wears”

You should keep a few point in mind while deciding your yoga clothing

1. The dress should be comfortable
2. It should not be tight
3. Clothes should not be loose
4. It should not disturb you while practicing yoga

Fitting – The yoga clothing should have a perfect fit for you. Loose clothes will create problem for you. Again too tight clothes will again make your movement impossible. So, when you select the clothes for yoga exercise, you should select them carefully.

Comfort – The comfort of the yoga clothing is very important. You should wear those clothes which are really comfortable. See the weather. If the weather is hot you will something short and which does not cover your whole body. If the weather is cool, then you may need to cover your whole body with clothes.

Depending on the yoga you are practicing your yoga clothing may vary. When you practice Bikram Yoga, which is a “hot yoga”, then you should wear shorts so as to allow the air pass through.

The condition of the place should be kept in mind while selecting he yoga clothing. If you practice yoga under the sun, then you will need something that let the air pass. If you practice it in an air-conditioned room, then you will need full covering clothing.
Price- The price is another factor while selecting yoga clothing. Good quality stuff generally comes at a cost. But see what your requirement is. Buying a brand may not be always necessary. See your budget and then decide what you want.

Look- The look should be good, because it offers better outlook and confidence. Good looking clothes boost your confidence while you make different poses of yoga. It keeps your mind happy. It also helps you to feel better and important when you practice yoga. Especially good looking clothes during yoga will attract teenagers and youth.

Where to find Yoga Clothes

You will find them in various yoga stores. Yoga stores are available today in different places of different cities. They will carry all types of yoga wears and clothes. Choose from the collection available there in the store. The price will vary depending on the bran, cloth and he store. Honestly I can't recommend anything (I am not a great believer in buying online clothes) so you have to do a search on yourself. You can check our other article on Yoga Products and Yoga Mats to know more about them

http://efashionhouse.com/productlistefh.html/Yogitoes/1079

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Graduation is here! She wants a REAL Designer Handbag! Have fun shopping! Here's a series of Graduation Tid-Bits we found amusing and thought you might, too!

Bad Graduation Gift Ideas
by Andy

A Briefcase: Oh, thanks Uncle Frank. You getting me this briefcase ensures that I’m supposed to work the same 9-5 office job that you've worked for that last 25 years while complaining about it and cheating on my wife with my secretary. (Sorry Aunt Jane)

“Planet Earth” on DVD: Am I that hard to shop for? How long did it take you to pick this out at Wal-Mart? Do you think that all I do is get high and watch the Discovery Channel? Well guess what, I DO!

“Planet Earth” on VHS: What? There’s like 20 tapes. Get out of my sight Grandma.

Money: What am I supposed to do with this? It's only four dollars.

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All Sorts of Graduation Ideas
from My Expression

Graduation Party Ideas
The Traditions of Graduation Party -Traditions are the lifeblood of every college. Traditions connect the students to the past of the college while at the same time preparing them for the future. From the historic to the contemporary, traditions can express a spirit of unity and create a sense of community while providing for loads of fun.

Graduation Planning Checklist - Its Graduation time! You’re planning on hosting a graduation party and you want it to be unique and exciting. Planning any party can be overwhelming and many things can go wrong. So, to be on the safer side, you need to come up with a graduation planning checklist to keep things from bouncing out of control.

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Decorating your Graduation Party - So, its graduation day and you’re all set to host a special theme party. Yes, theme parties are fun and a whole lot easier to decorate! Half the fun of hosting a graduation party is decorating the party. You can decorate your room, your lawn, you table, and even your guests! You can turn graduation caps upside down and fill them with balloons or flowers ...

Graduation Speeches Etiquette - The graduation ceremony confirms each student’s quest for knowledge. Traditionally, the ceremony will include a graduation speech that seeks to put each and every students hard work (in some cases, not so hard work) into the perspective of their future. Yes, most of us have heard one or more graduation speeches either as spectators or as graduates ourselves ...

Graduation Gift Ideas - The date is fixed, and the invitations and announcements have already been given out. So, the day has finally come for you students to cry and to cheer and to leave your school or college halls forever. Yes, graduation day is indeed one of the biggest days in everyone’s life. After years and years of hard work, your efforts have finally paid off. You’re happy but ...

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Graduation Announcement Tips, Wording, and Special Poems
Graduation Announcement Wording Tips - Graduation is an important time in life, and should be announced properly. Stationary with crayons and graduation caps on it is an appropriate means of announcing a child graduating from kindergarten. A photo announcement is a nice keepsake for loved ones who are being invited to the graduation ...

Graduation Announcements Wording Ideas - So, you’re graduating from high school or college and you’re busier than ever! Your last year of college is filled with thousands of events and activities that you have never even tried to attempt during your college years. From sending out resumes and applications to asking for letter of recommendation, you have loads ...

Do it yourself Graduation Announcements - A great substitute to printed graduation announcements are announcements that you print by yourself on your personal computer. Not only are these ‘Do-it-yourself’ graduation announcements a lot more economical, but they can also be equally colorful and creative. Start of by using plain white card stock or even plain white paper ...

Sending Graduation Announcements - So, its graduation day and its time to let everyone know that you are a proud graduate. Now that all those seemingly endless years of toil and hard work have finally paid off, it’s finally time to celebrate. First things first, start by sending out graduation invitations and announcements to all your near and dear ones. Most colleges and high schools ...

Graduation Invitations in General and the Etiquette
Graduation Party Invitations - Planning the Party - Everyone who has played a role in the life of the graduate should be sent an invitation to the graduation party. It is understood by most that tickets to commencement are limited, however an open house allows for everyone to congratulate the graduate. - Invitations - You can choose informal themes, such as a backyard ...

Graduation Invitations Etiquette - There is a very good reason why people call graduation ceremonies ‘commencement ceremonies’. This is because graduation does not mark the end; it marks the beginning. Graduation is the achievement of all goals, and rewarding the graduate for his or her hard work is a must. Graduation time is the time to invite friends and family together for an exclusive ...

Choosing Graduation Invitations Theme - Whether for you or a friend, Graduation day is one of the most joyous and welcomed occasions in any student’s life. It marks the end of your educational journey that can sometimes seem to be an endless and intolerable journey. Graduation is a once in a lifetime event, so give this event the honor and prestige that it truly deserves. The very first ...

The Traditions of Graduation Cap & Black Color in Your Invitations - When it comes to graduation invitations or stationary there are some traditions that are still observed by most people. In the majority of samples that you look at while shopping you will find that there are graduation caps in the majority of them. This is simply an obvious choice of décor since it is an invitation for a graduation ...

Graduation Invitations Theme
Casual Graduation Party Ideas - If you want to throw a wonderful party for that special high school or college graduate in your life, don’t assume you have to spend a fortune and put together some very elegant get together. After all, your graduate has already worked very hard to achieve this accomplishment and now just needs some time to relax and unwind. That’s why sometimes a more casual ...

Throwing a Cocktail Theme Graduation Party - Graduating from college is a major accomplishment and is definitely one of the best reasons to have a celebration. However, too many graduation parties are all the same. If you want to throw an amazing party, then you’ll want to take a creative approach with your graduation celebration. One idea is to celebrate with a cocktail theme ...

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Ideas for a Formal Graduation Party - When we think of graduation parties, sometimes we have the impression that all of them are just full of young people drinking too much and playing loud music. And sure some graduation parties would fit that description pretty well, but that isn’t your only option if you’re planning a celebration for a special student in your life ...

Feng Shui Graduation Party Ideas - Celebrating a graduation is a big deal. The family wants to show their pride at how well their student has succeeded. The student wants to know that he or she has done a good job by achieving this important life goal. When you’re planning something this special, then it only makes sense that you should take into consideration every possible way of ...

Creating Tassel as Embellishments For Your Invitations - If you want to create a graduation invitation that is sure to get the attention of those you invite you can do a lot of it yourself. It can be fun to add your own personal touch to it, even if you order the actual stationary and then create a tassel as an embellishment. Everyone associates a tassel with graduation, so this can be a fun addition! If you ...

Clip-Arts for Graduation Invitations - Do you want to add some fun and uniqueness to your graduation invitation but you aren’t sure what may or may not be appropriate? If so, you aren’t alone. The fact of the matter is that there are a lot of fun or original things that you can do; you simply need to infuse your own style into it and get creative. Anything that you can imagine can generally be created ...

Personalize Your Graduation Invitations with Special Inspirations - A graduation invitation can be just a graduation invite, but there are some great things that you can do to add your personal touch and make it interesting and even inspirational to those that you send them to. There is nothing better than sending out invites that have been infused with your own personal style, whatever that may be ...

Differentiating Masculine & Feminine Invitations Theme - Because both men and women graduate from high school as well as college there needs to be a way to differentiate between invitations that are more appropriate for men and those that are more appropriate for women. This is not to say that there aren’t invitations that are appropriate for both genders, but if you want something that ...

Seasonal Graduation Invitations
Show Your Patriotism with Patriotic Graduation Invitations Theme - Over the last couple years the patriotism in our country seems to have been renewed and this includes the young, the old, and everyone in between. If you are graduating from high school or college why not share your patriotism with others with a patriotic invitation theme? Why go drab when you can serve to inspire those that ...

Graduation Photo Christmas Cards - Are you graduating early? Many students that graduate early, graduate in the winter months, which is a great opportunity to do something different with your graduation invitation. You can not only send an invite to all those that you would like to attend your graduation ceremonies; you can send a Christmas greeting at the same time by enclosing a Christmas card with a photo ...

After The Graduation
Sending Graduation Thank You Cards - So, your graduation day has come and gone, the ceremonies were amazing, the graduation party was brilliant, and above all, the graduation gifts were super cool! The graduate is happy, the graduate’s guests are happy, everyone is happy. But, after the ceremony, party and gifts comes the most daunting part – sending out ...

Graduation Photo and your Scrapbooking Project - Honoring the graduate is one of the most important parts of the graduation ceremony. If you’ve organized your photo albums over the years, then everything should be up to date. But, if you are like most of us, then you’re family photos are probably piled up in boxes in the attic. Since you are going to be graduating pretty soon, now ...

Career Guide After Graduation - Transitioning out of college can be both, an exciting as well as a scary experience. There are newer and tougher challenges to face, unwritten laws to be followed, unexplored opportunities for progress – and humiliation – in every nook and cranny. While recent graduates and most other college students are preparing themselves to become experts ...

Reunion Graduate Party Planning - Once you graduate, you only get to see you friends every ten years at each reunion! So you want to have a fun reunion party this time and not a boring formal one? Planning for your reunion would mean coming up with a special plan or an idea for the party. From the decorations to the food and particularly the entertainment, your graduate reunion party ...

New Moon in Taurus

from Yogitoes

This Taurus new moon is the first of 5 SUPERMOONS this year... (which means it's in Perigee or closest proximity to the Earth.) SuperMoons intensify gravitational pull on land and water, generating more extreme tides and tectonic activity.

Our bodies and psyches are more strongly affected as well, undergoing wider swings of emotions and more profound realizations. In addition, this new moon ties into a very powerful EARTH grand trine. Trines represent easy flow of energy, where the wind is at our back, and a little bit of effort goes a long way.... and earth signs are all about grounding and manifestation!

So, we will be receiving extra cosmic support for concretizing our new moon visions and prayers and transforming what is no longer viable. Over the next 2 weeks the GROUND is especially fertile for planting new seeds, laying down new roots, and nurturing financial, creative, and romantic GROWTH!

Our selected yoga pose and color this month will support you in staying practical, grounded, and abundantly blessed!

OM Shanti, Peace

YOGA ASANA: Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
COLOR: SKIDLESS in LOAM (bija- seed, infinite growth)

COLOR INTENTION - LOAM: LOAM is the earth. Literally, it is soil composed of sand, silt and clay used for gardening and agriculture. LOAM represents FERTILITY and GROWTH. BIJA, which in sanskrit means SEED is used as a metaphor for the origin or cause of all things. The color LOAM or brown, is the combination of several colors, mostly dark yellow, orange and red, which are representative of the lowest three chakras (solar plexus, sacral, and root chakras) further reflecting the overall sense of GROUNDING and ROOTING exuded by LOAM. Our intention in using the color LOAM during this Taurus new moon is to identify our connection with MOTHER EARTH. By "digging deep" inside yourself and surrendering to the POWER of the planet, you will find what you need to flourish and grow like the BIJA, deep within the fertile ground.

Salamba Sarvangasana
(sah-LOM-bah sar-van-GAHS-anna)
salamba = with support
sarva= all
anga=limb
AKA Supported Shoulder Stand
Begin by folding 1-3 blankets into a rectangular shape. It is important to be diligent with the folds.. think Princess and the Pea... smooth out any bumps or creases and line up the folded edges evenly.

STEP 1.
Position yourself near a wall and lie down so that your shoulders are about 6 inches away from the folded edge of the blanket. Place your feet flat on the wall hips distance, making sure your shoulders are parallel with the edge of the blanket, and you are maintaining the natural curve in your neck. Take a few breaths here...

STEP 2.
On an exhale press your arms into the ground and your feet into the wall, lifting your hips into the air. Grab your ySTRAP and loop around the wrists. Wiggle your shoulders underneath you, bringing the shoulder blades towards each other. Be careful not to roll your shoulders down away from the ears, but instead move them directly in. As you press your feet into the wall, think of releasing the sacrum towards the heels and dropping the inner thighs downward, letting the lift come from the outer hips.

STEP 3
Start wiggling the strap up the arms until it is just above the elbows, pulling the elbow towards each other and preventing splaying outward. With the backs of your upper arms flat on the ground, spin your hands so the fingers point up and the palms are flat, as high up the back as possible.

STEP 4
Begin to shift the hips over the shoulders, pushing off the wall and extending the legs straight up to the ceiling. Again feel the inner thighs rolling back and extend through the balls of the feet. Press the backs of your arms and the shoulder blades in to the mat to create a root and rebound feeling, lifting as much of your upper back away from the floor as possible. Make sure your forehead is parallel with the floor. Now, relax your tongue, your cheeks, and softly gaze toward the sternum. Be careful not to turn your head while inverted.You only want to stay in the pose as long as is comfortable for you, but generally 3-5 minutes is the correct amount of time to fully receive the benefit of the pose. To come down... on an exhale, bend your knees, dropping the thighs down to your chest and roll your back slowly to the floor, keeping the back of your head and neck down. As you roll down, imagine a strand of pearls lowering on to a glass top table, one vertebrae at a time, until your feet land on the ground.

MODIFICATIONS WITH YOGITOES PROPS...
Before you begin, measure the ySTRAP from sternum to shoulder-head and adjust accordingly. (This is your shoulder distance.) When setting up your props to begin, keep your ySTRAP handy. Once you grab the ySTRAP, you will not need to adjust the size. Work the ySTRAP up your arms and it will provide comfortable resistance while allowing you to engage in the pose.

INTENTION:
Our intention in choosing Salamba Sarvangasana as the Taurus NEW MOON ASANA is to help further your connection to the planet, as the root your shoulders, keeping your heart grounded and lifting your feet to the sky. Perhaps take a moment to honor your feet for walking you through life and being the origin of growth as we stand on the earth. Also take some time to focus on centering and calming your mind and psyche, as this powerful new moon may produce wider emotional swings that could throw you off balance.

BENEFITS:
Salamba Sarvangasana is known as the "Queen" of yoga poses, for its calming effect on the brain and mind. As with all inversion, Shoulder Stand reverses the blood flow, stimulating glands and organs, such as the thyroid, improves circulation and digestion, and calms the brain, relieving stress, tension, frustration, and depression. This pose has also been found to help with insomnia, asthma, symptoms of menopause, and infertility. It also tones the legs, back and buttocks and stretches the neck, spine and shoulders.

CONTRAINDICATIONS/CAUTIONS:
Salamba Sarvangasana is considered an intermediate pose, so be cautious when practicing. Always listen to your body and stop if you ever feel any pain or discomfort. Use special caution if you have neck or back injuries, high blood pressure, headache or diarrhea. Mensturating women are advised not to practice inversions while on their cycle. Pregnant woman can practice shoulder stand throughout their pregnancy, provided they have a shoulder stand practice prior to becoming pregnant.

with BIG LOVE, OM LAUGHTER, AND DEEP GRATITUDE...

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Yoga for Stress Management and Relaxation

Yogitoes Founder Susan Nichols

from About.com

Yoga has long been known to be a great antidote to stress. Yoga combines many popular stress-reducing techniques, including exercise and learning to control the breath, clear the mind, and relax the body. As Yoga becomes increasingly popular, more and more people are discovering the benefits this ancient practice brings to their stressful lives.

Exercise
Hatha Yoga is the physical practice of Yoga postures. There are many different types of hatha yoga: some are slow and more focused on stretching, others are fast and more of a workout. If you are looking to relieve stress, no one yoga style is superior, so pick one that meets your level of physical fitness and personality.

Any exercise will help relieve stress by keeping the body healthy and releasing endorphins, natural hormones that make you feel better. Yoga also relieves stress through stretching. When you are stressed, tension is stored in the body making you feel tight and often causing pain. The intense stretching of yoga releases tension from problem areas, including the hips and shoulders.

Breath Control
Pranayama, or breath work, is an important part of any yoga practice and one that translates well to life off the mat. At the very least, yoga increases your awareness of the breath as a tool for relaxing the body. Although breathing is an involuntary act (you have to keep doing it to stay alive), you can choose to regulate the breath. Just learning to take deep breaths and realizing that this can be a quick way to combat stressful situations is amazingly effective.

Clearing the Mind
Our minds are constantly active, racing from one thought to another, spinning possible scenarios for the future, dwelling on incidents from the past. All this mind work is tiring and stressful. Yoga offers several techniques for taming the monkey mind. One is breath work, as outlined above. Each breath is tied inextricably to the present moment; you are not breathing in the past or the future, but only right now. Focusing on each inhale and exhale to the exclusion of other thoughts is one way to clear the mind, It is also a basic meditation technique. In addition, the performance of yoga poses, or asanas, also acts as a form of meditation. The poses are so physical, and have to be done with such concentration, that all other thoughts and worries are put to the side, giving your brain a much-needed break.

Relaxation
Each Yoga sessions ends with five to ten minutes spent relaxing in corpse pose - savasana. While this enforced relaxation can be difficult at first, eventually it serves the purpose of a total release for both body and mind. Savasana transitions you back into the world feeling refreshed and equipped with the tools to combat stress in your daily life.

Source:
Smith C, Hancock H, Blake-Mortimer J, Eckert K. "A randomised comparative trial of yoga and relaxation to reduce stress and anxiety." Complement Ther Med. 2007 Jun;15(2):77-83. Epub 2006 Jun 21.

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eFashionHouse.com introduces Yogitoes earth friendly apparel at unbeatable prices. High quality fabrication, style and multi function purpose clothing for yoga practice, gym, play, school, lounge, spa and more! Each item available from Susan Nichols' Yogitoes Apparel Collection are shown below. For more details of each item shown, click on the photos.

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NEW MOON IN ARIES

from Yogitoes

This ARIES new moon, April 5, at 8:56 P.M. PDT, encourages us to take a leap of faith, reminding us that the more we hold on to the past, the harder it is to grasp what lies
in front of us.

In Ancient times, much ado was made about THIS new moon as it truly represents the first new moon of the astrological New Year (that being the Spring Equinox) and of Spring.....which absolutely is NEW BEGINNINGS!

The energy of an Aries New Moon is that of the sacred masculine, inviting courage, passion, boldness, and action!

NOW is the time to do your spring cleaning, get rid of that which is blocking your energy.....and truly take the time to plant seeds of your hearts desire...
What changes must be made?
What is calling you forward?
What seems a little scary...but you just can't get it out of your mind?

Be BOLD...
Be WITH your fear and take action anyway!
You will be rewarded for your acts of courage!

What is called for now is innovation rather that coercion, strategic action as opposed to impulsiveness, and stewardship instead of destruction!

Remember...."the test of courage comes when we are in the minority" (Raulph W. Sackman)

By practicing the following yoga pose this month, it will assist you in building courage, strength and clarity!

YOGA ASANA: Pincha Mayurasna (Peacock Feather Pose / Forearm Balance)
COLOR: SKIDLESS in RED (root chakra for grounding and abundance)

COLOR INTENTION - RED:
RED is the element of FIRE, which is important for all things living.

Without heat or fire, the world would have no motion or activity and be paralyzed with cold, not to mention dark, as there would be no sun.

The color RED stimulates the nerves, blood, and senses.

It activates circulation, exciting cerebro-spinal fluid and sympathetic nervous systems.

RED rays produce "AGNI" or "TAPAS" inside the body which vitalize and energize us, clearing congestion and mucus.

RED is a color that insinuates POWER, and yet is the color of the root chakra, which represents grounding and abundance.

Our intention in using the color RED can be to ignite the fire within, drawing the ego back into the self, and finding a place of grounded calmness within the blazing fire.

Pincha Mayurasana
(pin-cha my-your-AHS-anna)
pincha = feather
mayura = peacock
AKA Forearm Balance

Susan Nichols, Yogitoes Founder

STEP 1. DOLPHIN POSE

Start at the wall in Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Your fingertips should be touching the wall. Drop down onto your FOREARMS, so they are parallel to each other and shoulder width apart. (If you have a hard time keeping your elbows in, you can use a yogitoes ySTRAP... see below for info.) This may be enough for you. It if is, stay here and work Dolphin Pose, pressing the thoracic spine in, preparing for balance.


STEP 2. FOREARM BALANCE AT THE WALL

With your gaze between your hands, bend one leg and try kicking up, using the wall to balance. When you feel comfortable try kicking both legs up, pushing through the heels to straighten. Lift through your core and draw your shoulder blades toward one another, as you press downwards through your palms and forearms evenly. Focus on drawing your front ribs towards the hip points, reaching your tailbone toward your heels, and moving the navel to the spine.


STEP 3 PINCHA MAYURASANA

Pull one foot away from the wall at a time for full Pincha Mayurasana. Your head should be off of the floor; hang it from a spot between your shoulder blades and gaze ahead at a drishti point. (the yogitoes dot on your SKIDLESS can serve as your drishti here). Stay in the pose for 10 to 15 seconds. Gradually work your way up to 1 minute.

STEP 4 REST in child's pose for at least a minute. Always rest completely at the end of an active inversion practice, as you may become lightheaded.


MODIFICATIONS WITH YOGITOES PROPS...

to use the ySTRAP: measure from shoulder-head to sternum. Adjust accordingly, as this is your "shoulder width". Slip the strap over both arms so it is just above the elbows. Using the ySTRAP around your arms will prevent splaying of the elbows - allowing you to engage in your shoulder girdle more and helps provide a stable foundation for balancing.

INTENTION: Pincha Mayurasana, like the peacock is beautiful and fierce... As with many inversions, Pincha Mayurasana helps us to face our fears and regulate the mind. At the top of peacock feathers are what look like open eyes, reminding us to look within to find the strength and calmness necessary for this pose.

BENEFITS: This heat-building pose strengthens shoulders, back and upper arms, as well as reverses the blood flow to rejuvenate and cleanse the body. It may also reduce tension in the neck and shoulders, open the chest and work the abdominals.

CONTRAINDICATIONS/CAUTIONS: Be cautious with any neck, back, or shoulder injuries, or if you have high blood pressure or headaches. Always listen to your body, as it knows you best!

a butterfly story: One day, a caterpillar got very hungry. He ate and he ate and he ate and he couldn't understand why, but went right on ahead eating. Once he was nice and fat he began to spin a kind of shell around his body but still, he didn't know why. He was inside this strange, dark place for a very long time feeling confused and scared. Until, all at once he realized that there was no point in worrying. He should find patience and calmness as he sat there. Well, as soon as he stopped thinking, the cocoon began to split open and the light poured in and he saw that he had become a beautiful purple winged butterfly!


a flamingo story: A long time ago, flamingos stood on both legs and were very hungry all the time! The clever fish would see the shadow of two long skinny legs in the water and quickly swim away before the flamingo had time to catch them for dinner. One day a very smart flamingo saw a shadow of a tree and thought to himself, 'Well since shadows don't show color, maybe if I try standing on one leg, the fish won't see the bright pink and think that I am a tree. Then they won't swim away and i can have a nice big lunch!" Well, you can probably guess how right that smart bird was, since today flamingos have big bellies full of fish and always stand on one leg like trees.

a frog story: Once upon a time, a frog was hopping along when he fell into a pail of milk. The sides of the pail were too high and much too slippery for him to climb out. Frightened for his life he kicked and paddled for hours. Even when he was so tired he thought he would faint, he kept going. All of a sudden, he felt something harden under his feet. He had paddled so hard, he had turned the milk in to butter. Proud of himself for not giving up, he happily jumped out, washed the white butter off his little green body and continued on his way.


with BIG LOVE, OM LAUGHTER, AND DEEP GRATITUDE... Yogitoes

The Story of Yoga

Picture courtesy of TheSecretsofYoga.com

from Care1.com
Adapted from The Yoga Year, by Celia Toler

Between the 7th and 5th centuries B.C.E., the early texts of the Upanishads were composed. They are the last texts of the Vedas and are known as the Vedanta or Conclusion of the Vedas. The tone of these treatises and poems is philosophical and mystical, and there is no longer an interest in ritual sacrifice.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: While the Vedas were hymns to the outer world of creation, to nature and its forces, the Upanishads provide a transformation of thought, in which the Divine or transcending principle is searched for from within. The self-training for this is yoga.

The Upanishads, like the Vedas, were not written down to begin with, but memorized and handed down from teacher to pupil. The Sanskrit term Upanishad refers to sitting for instruction at the feet of a master, and the Sanskrit word guru means a spiritual teacher. This method of transferring knowledge by teaching yoga on a one-to-one basis has been employed up to the present day. However, increased communication and translation of the texts are no changing this approach.

The teaching of the Upanishads was concerned with the desire for release (moksha) from the round of births and deaths through reincarnation that had been accepted as a concept by the time of the Upanishads' conception. This release, the writings taught, was to be gained through meditation, yoga, and asceticism, which would unite the soul (atman) within with the absolute spirit (brahman) without.

The concept of karma, by which every action, good or bad, has a cause and therefore a reaction that is impossible to escape, was also accepted. Because of their reincarnation, it is believed, actions in our present lives determine our fate in lives that follow through the karmic memory in our higher consciousness. Desire is the cause of karma and, because of the desire to live in the ordinary world, the cycle of samsara, the endless chain of rebirth, cannot be escaped. Actions without desires for reward or attainment free the soul from the effects of karma.

The thoughts contained in the Upanishads, counteracting the ritualism of the Vedas, were enormously influential. By 500 B.C.E., religion and society were changing. Cities had begun to grown again, and a strong merchant class was upsetting the old orders of priest, warrior, trader, and serf. The Vedic-Aryans had taken over northern India, and the center of their culture was in the north-eastern delta of the Ganges.

An aggressive empire of the Maghada dynasty led a number of disaffected groups to follow their own paths of beliefs away from the increasingly rigid interpretation of the Brahmin priests. Breakaway sects of ascentics, mystics, and renuciants began to follow new teachers, such as Siddartha Gautoma (c.563 - 483 B.C.E.), the Buddha, and Vardhamana (c. 599-527 B.C.E.), who became the Mahavira and founded Jainism.

Yogitoes Founder - Susan Nichols

Susan Nichols, a former artistic director in the toy industry turned to the ancient practice for rehabilitation after a debilitating back injury led to surgery in 1994; she found it so rewarding that she became a yoga instructor. Then she slipped.

'I was practicing yoga and I slipped on my "sticky" mat - the irony is, they become slippery when wet,' Nichols says. 'It was one of those "divine" moments. I thought, why doesn't someone design a towel that you could put over your mat to absorb moisture and keep you from slipping?'

Nichols envisioned a full-size towel that would not only absorb moisture, protect against slipping and extend the longevity of a yoga mat, but would also allow travelers to practice on a hotel room carpet, as well as protect yogis from the bacteria that collect on your yoga mat. A smaller towel, Nichols thought, would be ideal for Pilates, Spinning, weight-lifting and sculpting.

She went on an international search for the perfect fabric from which to create the towel. In Korea, she found microfiber, an extremely absorbent fabric that is soft, lightweight, machine washable and dryer safe. Nichols then combined the non toxic nubs patenting, SKIDLESS® under the brand in 2003.

"It's not a towel, it's not a mat, it's a SKIDLESS®," Nichols explains. "It's a brand, like Kleenex or Levis, that defines itself by its name and the distinctive dot that serves as the logo."

In January 2005, launched the SHIVA prop pillow. The first prop pillow designed to give you extra support during restorative poses, the Shiva prop pillow has a uniquely narrow, sloped shape that supports the head to keep yogis awake while practicing savasana (the "corpse pose" that concludes each yoga class). Created from memory foam and covered in SKIDLESS® fabric, the SHIVA prop pillow again filled a void in the yoga world.

In October 2005, Nichols introduced SKIDLESS® BIG, designed for tall yogis-especially men-who use an extra-long mat. BIG is available only in the indigo color which, like all colors, has an association with a specific chakra; indigo pertains to the third-eye chakra and psychic perception.

Other products are available in these seven chakra colors:

• red (root chakra for grounding and abundance)
• orange (sacral chakra for sexuality and creativity)
• yellow (solar plexus chakra for power)
• green (heart chakra for love and compassion)
• blue (throat chakra for communication and self-expression)
• purple (third eye chakra for psychic perception)
• white (crown chakra for spirit and higher consciousness)

continues to expand, with several products set to launch in 2006, including yoga totes, a blanket, prop pillow, strap, bolster, meditation pillow, yoga mat, and a collection of yoga accessories for children.

Acting on her "divine" inspiration, Nichols didn't intend to revolutionize the yoga market - she was simply designing for her own need.

YOGITOES SHIVA PROP yoga shiva prop yogitoes savasana support prop

YOGITOES SHIVA PROP yoga shiva prop yogitoes savasana support prop RED. Yogitoes SHIVA is the first prop designed to give extra support during restorative poses or when practicing savasana. Use YOGITOES SHIVA under you ankle hip knee sacrum or wherever you need extra cushion. Use under your head or neck when practicing savasana. Perfect compact size for travel. Endless ways to use SHIVA. SHIVA Prop size is about 4 x 8 inches. The pillow style cushion is covered in a soft wicking fabric and feels comfortable next to the skin. The fabric absorbs moisture and dries quickly. Available in many colors. Each color sold separately. Great gift idea and stocking stuffer. Use with Yoga or any mat exercise or stretching routine whenever a little more support is needed. Matching Yogitoes towels available. Gift sets also available at a discount price.

Click here for the best prices online for Yogitoes Products.
We will meet or beat anyone's online price.

For Beginners: Anjali Mudra

By Shiva Rea

Anjali means "offering," and in India this mudra is often accompanied by the word "namaste."

If you have attended even one yoga class, it is a familiar gesture: the drawing together of one's palms at the heart. Your teacher may bring his or her hands together while saying "Namaste" at the beginning or end of a class. You may find his gesture within certain asanas—in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), before you begin Sun Salutations, or in balance poses such as Vrksasana (Tree Pose).

This sacred hand position, called anjali mudra (AHN-jah-lee MOO-dra), is found throughout Asia and has become synonymous with our images of the East, from the smiling face of the Dalai Lama peering over his fingertips to images of devotees before a Hindu or Buddhist altar.

In the West, we translate this gesture as a posture of prayer. Because we have grown up with this gesture as part of our culture, each of us probably has our own personal connection to this mudra—positive or negative. Some of us may find a subconscious resistance to bringing our hands together as if it were a sign of submission. However, the beauty of this gesture, which positions us right at the core of our being, is timeless and universal.

I know a 3-year-old who is delighted to greet people this way and an actor who prepares himself with this gesture before entering the stage. As we explore the significance and potential of this mudra, be open to your own experience and ways that this simple yet powerful hand position can be a practical tool in your practice and daily life. In Sanskrit, mudra means "seal" or "sign" and refers not only to sacred hand gestures but also whole body positions that elicit a certain inner state or symbolize a particular meaning.

Anjali mudra is but one of thousands of types of mudras that are used in Hindu rituals, classical dance, and yoga. Anjali itself means "offering," and in India this mudra is often accompanied by the word "namaste" (or "namaskar," depending on one's dialect). As the consummate Indian greeting, like a sacred hello, namaste is often translated as "I bow to the divinity within you from the divinity within me." This salutation is at the essence of the yogic practice of seeing the Divine within all of creation. Hence, this gesture is offered equally to temple deities, teachers, family, friends, strangers, and before sacred rivers and trees. Anjali mudra is used as a posture of composure, of returning to one's heart, whether you are greeting someone or saying goodbye, initiating or completing an action.

As you bring your hands together at your center, you are literally connecting the right and left hemispheres of your brain. This is the yogic process of unification, the yoking of our active and receptive natures. In the yogic view of the body, the energetic or spiritual heart is visualized as a lotus at the center of the chest. Anjali mudra nourishes this lotus heart with awareness, gently encouraging it to open as water and light do a flower.

Begin by coming into a comfortable sitting position like Sukhasana (Easy Pose). Lengthen your spine out of your pelvis and extend the back of your neck by dropping your chin slightly in. Now, with open palms, slowly draw your hands together at the center of your chest as if to gather all of your resources into your heart. Repeat that movement several times, contemplating your own metaphors for bringing the right and left side of yourself—masculine and feminine, logic and intuition, strength and tenderness—into wholeness.

Now, to reveal how potent the placement of your hands at your heart can be, try shifting your hands to one side or the other of your midline and pause there for a moment. Don't you feel slightly off kilter? Now shift back to center and notice how satisfying the center line is, like a magnet pulling you into your core. Gently touch your thumbs into your sternum (the bony plate at the center of the rib cage) as if you were ringing the bell to open the door to your heart. Broaden your shoulder blades to spread your chest open from the inside. Feel space under your armpits as you bring your elbows into alignment with your wrists. Stay here for some time and take in your experience. What initial shifts of consciousness do you experience? Is there a change in your mood?

Now imagine that you are beginning your yoga practice—or any activity in which you want to be centered and conscious of how your inner state will affect the outcome of your experience. Take anjali mudra again, but this time slightly part your palms as if to make a cup, so that your hands resemble the bud of a lotus flower. Depending on your spiritual orientation, you can metaphorically plant a seed prayer, affirmation, or quality such as "peace," "clarity," or "vitality" within your anjali mudra. Drop your chin towards your chest and awaken a sense of humility and awe with which to begin your practice, as if waiting to receive a blessing of good things to come. It is important that this anjali or offering be true to your Self as that will be the most effective and uplifting for you. Traditionally, yogis might visualize their ishta devata or personal connection to God within the shrine of their hands. For some people this may be a sacred mountain, for others, Jesus, Krishna, or the Mother Goddess. Align your mind (awareness), feeling (heart), and actions (body) within this gesture. When you feel your invocation is complete, draw your fingertips to the center of your forehead, ajna chakra, and pause there feeling the calming effect of your touch. Bring your hands back to your center to ground your intention within your heart.

From here you can begin your yoga asanas, meditation, or any activity from a place of connectedness. Notice how much easier it is to be present and joyous with whatever you are doing. Look for other times to integrate anjali mudra into your practice and life. Besides the beginning and end of your yoga sessions, anjali mudra can be used within the Sun Salutations and many other asanas as a way to come back to and maintain your center. When your hands come together overhead in Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) or in Tree Pose, this is still anjali mudra. Consciously connecting this upward movement of your hands through an invisible line of energy to your heart will help your posture and your inner attitude.

In daily life, this prayerful gesture can be used as a way of bridging inner and outer experience, when saying grace before meals, communicating our truth within a relationship, or as a means of cooling the fires of stress when feeling rushed or reactionary. Anjali mudra is an age-old means of helping human beings to remember the gift of life and to use it wisely.

Shiva Rea teaches flow (vinyasa) based yoga integrating alignment and intuition, strength and fluidity, meditation and wisdom in action at Sacred Movement in Santa Monica, California, and UCLA's World Arts and Cultures Program. She is the author of the home practice CD, Yoga Sanctuary (Sounds True), and leads workshops and adventure retreats worldwide. Visit Shiva at shivarea.com.

SUSAN NICHOLS PREVIEW - CEO & Founder of Yogitoes

SUSAN NICHOLS PREVIEW - CEO & Founder of Yogitoes

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Description: Susan Nichols, a former toy maker, invented the Skidless Mat after slipping on her regular mat while practicing yoga. As founder and CEO of Yogi Toes, Susan Nichols has ensured that her company is environmentally conscious, using only recycled and sustainable materials and minimal packaging.

New Moon in Pisces

from Yogitoes

Friday, March 7, 2008
9:14am PST
17º 31'

New moons act like laser beams:
The alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth generates a highly concentrated beam of light, and light encodes information. Every new moon offers opportunities for new insights and directions, but this one promises a special download and access to expanded states of consciousness.

Pisces is the last sign in the zodiac, ruler of spirituality, imagination, trust, and mystic awareness, representing the goal of the spiritual journey.....reunion with the Source. Under the influences of this dreamy water sign we discover that

"imagination is more important than knowledge" (spoken by a true Piscean genius Albert Einstein)
and that there are many realities beyond the physical.

What if "life is but a dream?"
What if, during the day we are really in a dream, and in sleep we enter a far greater reality?

For a least one day this month, preferably Friday night, we ask you to consider an exercise that is part of an ancient Tibetan Dream Yoga practice....and a fast way to experience a major shift in consciousness! Imagine that everything you are experiencing is a part of a dream, and consider that whatever you dream while asleep is "real" and see what opens up for you?

Take a little extra time on this new moon to feed your soul. Take a long walk in nature, listen to inspiring music, dance, create art, read poetry, and allow yourself to drift, dream and surrender to the Great Mystery of Life! As you practice this month's asana, child's pose, stimulating the third eye with the color purple, please be open to receiving powerful insights, divine direction, creative inspiration, and mystic awareness!

OM Shanti, Peace

YOGA ASANA:
BALASANA-CHILD'S POSE (bah-LAHS-anna) bala=child, a resting pose.

COLORS:
SKIDLESS in LAVENDER (for RAPE awareness) & SHIVA in PURPLE (6th CHAKRA-the third eye) - for psychic and perception. Purple stimulates: the spleen, a motor nerve/lymphatic and cardiac depressor, nourishes and purifies the blood.

Violet/Purple psychological effects: calming or overcoming the excesses of violent insanity; it is an inspiring and spiritual color. Leonardo da Vinci said" the power of meditation can be ten times greater under violet light falling through the stained glass window of a quiet church." Health issues treated with the color Violet/Purple: Bladder trouble, Bone growth, Cerebro spinal meningitis, Concussion, cramps, Epilepsy, Kidneys, Leucoderma, Mental Disorders, Neuralgia, Nervous disorders, Rheumatism, Sciatica, Scalp diseases, skin, tumors. In Eastern philosophy, violet/purple is the ruler of the center of the head, and this is called the Thousand Petaled Lotus.

HOW TO:
1. Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees hip with apart.

2. on an exhale lay your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your sacrum across the back of your pelvis and draw your hip points toward the navel, allowing your belly, inner thighs to melt toward the ground. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while the base of your skull gently lengthens away from the back of your neck.

3. Lay your hands on the floor alongside of your torso, palms up, releasing the fronts of your shoulders, allowing the weight to widen your shoulder blades across your back.

Length of time:
You can hold BALASANA for any length of time. 3 to 10 minutes is recommended.

Modifications with yogitoes props:
If you have any difficulty bringing your head to the floor, then bring the floor to you by using the ECODOT and/or SHIVA pillow (see photos above). Any concerns of sitting on your heels, then place an ECODOT or a thickly folded blanket between your back thighs and calves.

Intention: Balasana provides the opportunity to consciously breathe fully into the back of the torso. Imagine that each inhalation is expanding and lengthening the spine. With each exhalation release the torso a little more deeply into the fold.

Benefits: Gently stretched the hips, thighs, and ankles. Clams the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue. Relieves back and neck pain when done with head and torso supported.

Contraindications and Cautions: Diarrhea, Pregnancy

Knee injuries: Avoid Balasana unless you have experienced supervision.

Yogitoes®

from Yogitoes

I was practicing yoga and slipped on a sticky mat, the irony is, they become slippery when wet, Nichols says. It was one of those divine moments. I thought, why doesn't someone design a towel that could fit on your mat- to complete the mat. When I first launched yogitoes® I had two intentions, one that yogitoes supports ALL styles of yoga, and two, was applying the philosophy of community for marketing. yogitoes has grown organically from day one by word-of-mouth only. Bringing the community together-globally.

It's not a towel, it's not a mat, it's a SKIDLESS®, Nichols explains. Like Kleenex or Levis, SKIDLESS® is a brand that defines itself by its name. The distinctive orange dot serves as the yogitoes® logo.

"Originally I created the dot as my drishti for practice. Then someone said, COOL logo, and I thought- OK, it will be our logo."

"yogitoes® is an orange company, Nichols explains, Another shade of green. We practice consciousness and altruism in our daily thoughts, actions and company decisions. The world is in a powerful position, it's time to shift into a new paradigm of being, if we want to continue experiencing mother earth and the sacredness of humanity."

Whenever possible, orange practices include selling all products without packaging to minimize waste and utilizing recycled and/or sustainable materials such as soy or vegatable ink and organic dyes. Rather than mass printing hangtags and users guides, recycled tear-outs attached to the products direct the customer to yogitoes.com to view USERS GUIDE. One less catalogue or hang tag means one more tree and one more clean breath, Nichols says.

In addition, a portion of yogitoes® proceeds goes to the yogitoes® fund, which contributes to programs such as the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, A Place Called Home, and the Ravi Shankar Foundation: which bring love and awareness to children around the world. yogitoes® also supports the Dr. Susan Love Foundation with a limited-edition PINK SKIDLESS; the company raised $15,000 for breast cancer research in 2005 and plans to eclipse that figure in 2006.

yogitoes® continues to expand, with new products, including their patent-pending ECODOT, ySTRAP, mSEAT, along with environmentally-friendly blankets, bolsters, yoga mats and accessories, as well as a children's line.

"By standing in our light, speaking from our love, moving with our grace, together, we can shift the world to a peaceful sacred place.


humanity can bear no less"... yogitoes

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