Budget Yoga

SKIDLESS the first towel made for the top of your Yoga Mat!

From Ann Pizer,Your Guide to Yoga.
About.com

How to Do Yoga on the Cheap?

Taking yoga classes from an experienced instructor is the best way to begin and sustain a yoga practice. But at $15-$20 a pop, quality classes don't come cheap. If you have found that yoga classes put a strain on your wallet, here are some ideas for doing yoga on a budget.

1. Buy Classes in Bulk
By committing to a class card good for 10 or 20 yoga classes, you can save some real money. Most studios offer a substantial discount on class cards, which can bring the price of a class down to as low as $10. You will need to have the money up-front for the class card, and be a regular student to ensure that you attend all the classes you have paid for before your card expires.

2. Invest in Your Own Yoga Mat and Water Bottle
Two dollars for a mat and a dollar for bottled water may not seem like a lot, but it will quickly add up over time. With yoga mats available for purchase for a little as $20, it doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out how many rentals it takes to equal your very own mat (uh, 10?), which, by the way, will also be a lot cleaner than a communal studio mat. And carrying your own water from home not only saves money, but helps reduce waste too.

3. Do Karma Yoga
The truly broke, such as students and the unemployed, need yoga too! Those with flexible schedules (i.e., more time than money) can often trade work for classes at yoga studios, especially if they have been regulars in the past. This type of work, called karma yoga, may include simple cleaning, front desk work, carpentry, publicity, or graphic design, so you might even get something for your resume out of it. Don't be shy about asking your studio if they do karma yoga; many studios are more than happy to trade classes for services they value.

4. Seek Out Inexpensive Classes
Many yoga studios offer community classes at a discounted rate. These classes are often at off-peak hours, so you will need a flexible schedule for this one. Community centers, university extension programs, YMCAs and gyms are also places where yoga may be offered for less. The quality of the teaching will vary quite a bit, so it's best to go with a teacher you already know, or at least make sure the teacher is Yoga Alliance certified. In warm weather it gets easier to find free yoga classes in parks and other outdoor spaces.

5. Practice at Home
Doing yoga at home along with a video or audio download is definitely more cost-effective than attending classes, though the trade-offs are boredom and missing out on the advice of a teacher. You can even find free yoga videos and audio on the web (search free yoga). If you go this route, try to treat yourself to a class every few weeks to keep yourself inspired and on the right track.

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