For the past two weeks, I've been thrown out of my normal routine of work, yoga and blogging. For the past week, I took a vacation with my wife going to Canada and visiting my old home town in Niagara Falls, New York. In Ontario, we were staying at a resort that was 90 minutes north of Toronto, in the north woods, so there were no studios nearby. We had only limited access to Internet, just enough to check the e-mail and our bank balance. There was a fitness center, swimming pools, jacuzzi and sauna so we did take advantage of the facilities. Even though it was supposed to be the peak season for the foliage, the extended dry summer weather meant that few trees had changed colors. That was a disappointment. While we were there, the weather broke a record for warmest day by over 10 degrees. We made a quick, two-day excursion to Quebec, which required too much time behind the wheel driving, but allowed us to see the picturesque wonders of Ville de Quebec and Montreal. If I were to recommend one place to see in Canada, it would be Quebec. Canada has become a lot more expensive than it used to be because of the falling value of the US dollar.
I had not been back to Niagara Falls in 43 years so practically no one that I knew from those days is still around. I wouldn't even know how to contact them. The city has fallen onto hard times, with its old industrial base (chemicals) gone obsolete, the Air Force base closed and nothing has moved in to provide a solid economic foundation for the area. There's a lot of urban rot in the city, despite the need to keep the area neat and clean to attract tourists. I visited my old home and was struck by how small it all seemed. I remember my yard being huge; in my childhood, I organized infantry charges across its expanse. My elementary school had been demolished so that piece of my memory is gone. My junior high (Gaskill) is now a private prep school; it still looks the same. The church where my dad pastored is now home to another denomination. I was expecting to have a bout of nostalgia, but it all seems so remote because I left the town when I was 14 years old.
Teresa and I spent a full day taking in the sights on the American side of the Falls. We went on the Maid of the Mist boat outing below the falls where you really feel the force of nature all around you. We visited the museums and historical displays because I wanted Teresa to understand the cultural context in which I grew up; I loved to study the history of the region. Even though it was a weekend, we did not have to fight crowds. I know that I never spent that much time sightseeing when I lived there in the 1950s and 60s. We hit the Canadian side of the falls, which has a much better view of the Falls than the American side, when we came back from Ontario on the following Saturday.
The week before, I had a flare-up of my sinus infection that left me voiceless and groggy. It felt as if needles and pins were piercing my throat any time I tried to swallow. I got to see my doctor quickly and was prescribed another two-week round of antibiotics. Within three days, I was feeling a lot better, but by then I was packing bags for Canada. I have a sneaking suspicion that the repeat was due to my sinus not being completely cleared up the first time, that having my sinus infected so long made it especially hard to clean out all the infection.
David Stringer will be performing at Willow Street Yoga (8561 Fenton St., Silver Spring MD 20912) Friday, October 26, at 8:00 pm. He has a new album coming out soon, Divas &: Devas. Along with Krishna Das, Girish, and Donna de Lory, Stringer has popularized the kirtan musical style, blending it with Western rock, gospel and blues. I suspect you need to buy your tickets soon. You can sample his stuff on his website.
What am I reading now? Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain
This whole groundswell of enthusiasm for Buddhism, mindfulness and meditation is sweeping into the business of tending to the mind. If Freud once laid down the law for understanding the contradictions of the human mind, now it's a spiritual practice without a supreme being. I've mentioned before that I like the idea that Buddha developed a sophisticated set of psychological protocols for relieving with human suffering.
What got me started into the book is that the transformation of human spirit can be manifested by remolding mental habits, but also actually alterations of physical manifestations, like spawning neurons and a thriving hippocampus. As someone who has felt the undertow of depression and literally sensed the physical change that it brought on me, the idea that I can take action to heal myself is an uplifting lesson at this stage of my life.
The BrainReady blog gives a rave review of the book.
Labels: life style, philosophy, reading
New York Times Yoga Is More Than Just Showing Up, but That Does Help. This article is about the approach of some yoga studios having challenges for their clients, like 21 or 30 consecutive days of classes. It's not clear whether the author's concern is the business practice (can the studio pick up new students or make a profit with this marketing technique?) or yoga practice (does a daily practice increase the benefits?). The reporter seems to be dumping multiple issues into a single article. Remember this article came in the Fashion & Style section of the Times.
As a way of creating loyal regulars out of monthly drop-ins, studio owners recently have pushed the self-serving idea that yoga is not to be done lightly, casually or sporadically. They have stopped short of telling erratic classgoers to give it up, but their message is loud and clear: committing to a regular practice is the only way to progress in life and on the mat.
At Thrive Yoga, another 40 Days to a Personal Revolution in the style of the Baron Baptiste school of power vinyasa yoga will be offered starting this month (September 24–November 2). This is a six week program in which you have three class sessions at the studio and the other three can be at home, plus daily meditation (two sessions each), journaling, nutrition and some group talk. This is the second time it's being offered in Rockville. For me, it just comes at the wrong time, since I will be out of town twice during the period.
Flow Yoga frequently has 30-days challenges. Both of these studios do not pitch these packages to newcomers. They are meant for studio regulars who want to push their practice up a level or two.
For the sake of a personal practice, it's far more important to have a home practice because it requires far more discipline and dedication. Of course, taking in a class or two a week is better than nothing, but it's going to be hard to make progress. There is also the issue whether just yoga is enough to keep you physically fit (cardio and strength).
I've been rewarded for working on my balancing poses in the evenings by getting into a pose that has eluded me from the beginning: Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Head-To-Big-Toe Pose). On Wednesday evening at Thrive Yoga, Lisa Johnson led the class into the pose and I set up without giving it a second thought and lifted my left leg into the simplest variation, with the leg extended straight out in front. I was able to repeat the pose standing on my left leg (my less secure side for balancing). Of course, when I started thinking about it too much, I began to wobble.
For the past month, I've incorporated at least three balancing poses into my evening routine, holding them for long 20 counts, with repeats if I can fit them in: Vrksasana (Tree Pose), Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Head-To-Big-Toe Pose) in its easiest form, no hold on the toe, and Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose) but moving into the pose repeated so that my muscles get used to the movement in my hips.
Why did I start emphasizing balances? Because I knew it was a part of my practice that is lagging behind the rest and it's been that way from day one. I've also read that developing balance stimulates the cerebellum, a region in the brain that links to cognition, mood, physical sensitivities and coordination. Oh yeah, and balance is one of the faculties that deteriorates in old-age.
