Good Energy Movement and Wellness / Good Energy Yoga / Melissa “Mati” Elstein

I hope you are enjoying this little bit of Spring weather we are having in the middle of our Winter.  I am headed to Florida mid-February for my annual vacation satisfying my need for warmth and sun usually right about now.  But, at this rate, I can probably just camp out in Central Park!  I have noted my vacation days below.  Also, many of us have been discussing the NY Times Magazine article published the beginning of January in print and online.  As promised, here is my rebuttal to that article (the following is an excerpt; if you would like to read my full rebuttal, let me know and I will email it to you).

“In Defense of Yoga – A Gentle Yoga Teacher’s Rebuttal to the NY Times Magazine Article” ©

Recently, the New York Times magazine section published a lengthy article entitled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by William J. Broad.  It garnered much publicity and controversy in the yoga world, amongst teachers as well as students who were incensed by the title, tone and content of the article.  There were so many responses sent to the Times that they had to cap the rebuttals after 12,000 were submitted, and there was much dialoguing on Facebook and other internet social media groups.  If the author wanted publicity for his book being published by Simon & Schuster next month, he indeed received it.

I do not think it random that from his book entitled “The Science of Yoga:  The Risks and Rewards”, he chose a chapter on the risks and not the rewards.  After all, fear sells and creates controversy – a great marketing ploy.  But even though we can understand the author’s or publisher’s intent to drum up a yoga controversy for book sales, it is unfortunate that the topic of safety in yoga classes was broached in this inflammatory manner.   The issue is a real one,  and it deserves to be discussed in a scientifically and rationally, not in a fear-mongering way based on anecdotes and random cases.

It is obvious that there are always going to be risks of injuries in any activity that utilizes the body.  People even get injured sitting at their desks at work — carpal tunnel syndrome and blackberry thumb are some common examples.  Most people take for granted that when they “work out” or participate in any activity whether it be dance, weight lifting, kettle ball classes, skiing, running, boot camp classes, tennis, golf, etc., that there are risks, and they assume those risks.  Yet, the NY Times article did not place yoga in context with any other common activity, and given its’ tone, it would lead one to believe that yoga was more dangerous than most other physical activities.

Another problem with the article is that “yoga” was used synonymously and exclusively with only one aspect of yoga – the asana practice or hatha yoga.  Yet, “yoga” is much more than that.  Western yoga practitioners are usually surprised when they learn that the yoga poses (asanas) are only one part of an “eight-limbed” path delineated in the revered and ancient yogic text, the Yoga Sutras, as the path to yoga or stilling the mind.   The other limbs of yoga are:  moral and ethical restraints and observances (yamas); inner practices and qualities (niyamas); breath control (pranayama); withdrawal from the desire of our senses (pratyahara); concentration techniques (dharana); meditation (dhyana); and the bliss or superconscious state (Samadhi).  Sutra II-29.

Yoga is the continual practice of all these eight limbs. Indeed, asana, or yoga poses, are only mentioned three times in the entire Yoga Sutras.  So the NY Times article conflates asana with yoga, and ignores the fact that asana poses are just one part of yoga.  If practiced without attention to the other limbs this physical aspect of yoga is actually not yoga.   As yogi Nischala Devi explains: ” Yoga is very popular, what is popular is not yoga.”

As mentioned in the article, I too have observed “many schools of yoga [that] are just about pushing people.”  I have seen classes in which many students were straining in poses, out of alignment, holding their breath, and not strong enough to be doing many of the poses given without the option of modifications.  The yama and niyamas, mentioned above, tell us to practice “ahimsa”, or non-harming, and “samtosa”, or contentment, while we do our yoga.  This means that we must accept how our bodies are feeling in each class, and recognize and respect our unique qualities without pushing beyond any individual limitations.  Without this “svadhyaya” or self-observation, we may be stretching, but we are not practicing yoga.  If we are practicing yoga with attention to these important principles, it is unlikely we would “wreck” our bodies.

Yet another problem with the Times article, is that it generally assumes that everyone is teaching and practicing rigorous, athletic forms of yoga, in which headstands, shoulder stands and extreme twists are routinely taught.  Yet, to lump all asana practice into a one-size fits all category is not truth-full, and is misleading.  It does a disservice to all the teachers who teach Gentle Yoga and Meditative Yoga, and who have safely worked with students comprising many different populations.   I, and many others, teach gentle or chair yoga to seniors, to the blind or visually impaired, to cancer patients and survivors, as well as to the general public.  Although (or because) we are not practicing the yoga discussed in the article, our students find themselves more at peace, more energized yet calm, stronger and with more mobility of body – and not suffering the types of injuries discussed in the Times article.

I hope that I can help to allay students’ and teachers’ fears about yoga, given the scary title of the Times article, and serve to show how true yoga is more inclusive and comprehensive than what was described in the Times.  Asana practice without the underlying principles of the Sutras is not yoga, and not all forms of asana practice are like the type described in the Times.  Yoga is much, much more than what the Times would lead us to believe, and it can be a wonderful healing practice in which we may find peace, breath awareness, stress-reduction, increased mobility and strength, ethics, and spirituality.

Excerpted from a lengthier article:  “In Defense of Yoga – A Gentle Yoga Teacher’s Rebuttal to the NY Times Magazine Article” © by Melissa “Mati” Elstein, RYT 

For the full article, please send requests to melissaelstein@nyc.rr.com

Hi everyone,

I would like to wish all of you a very happy and healthy New Year!  Here’s to a peaceful and harmonious 2012 for the planet.

One very important issue to me is protecting our natural environment and curtailing climate change.  In one of the oldest yoga texts (the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali), “ahimsa” or “non-violence” is a main ethical principle underlying all the practices of yoga, as well as how we lead our lives as members of society.  I like to think of the environmental movement as “ahimsa for the Earth”.  I believe this is just as much a part of the practice of yoga, as are the other more typical yogic practices such as asana (yoga poses), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation.    As such, I would like to share information (although many of you may already know about it) regarding a most important environmental issue facing NY today, and what we can do about it, both as NY residents and as yoga and/or spiritual practitioners.

NY is State is considering allowing the controversial and dangerous form of gas drilling, called fracking, here in the Marcellus Shale just a couple hours upstate of NYC.  (NY’s DEC has approved fracking for NY, and the public was given a short window in which to comment on its’ draft regulations approving the drilling). This form of horizontal drilling involves sending sand, water and explosives into the shale rock along with hundreds of dangerous chemicals – many are known carcinogens, such as benzene.  These chemicals used by the oil and gas companies were not even publically disclosed until recently due to Congressional and public pressure (the “Cheney” or “Halliburton” loophole exempting the fracking materials from federal oversight was added to the federal clean air and water laws when Bush was President).  This form of drilling has contaminated well water and drinking water throughout the country.  See EPA’s findings of water chemically contaminated in Wyoming by gas drilling – something the industry has consistently denied: http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/09/news/economy/epa_fracking_wyoming/index.htm and Pennsylvania experiences:  http://www.environmentnewyork.org/marcellus-shale-videos

In addition, the explosions are now linked to having caused earthquakes in Ohio and England.  See  http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/01/us/ohio-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t3  and

http://www.readersupportednews.org/news-section2/312-16/8945-fracking-suspected-in-rash-of-earthquakes-in-unlikely-places?tmpl=component&print=1&page=

Every environmental organization is opposed to fracking, all my elected officials testified against it, and it is being currently banned by many localities and other countries who have observed the carnage (dead livestock and pets, sick landowners, polluted air from the methane emissions and diesel truck traffic, increased asthma rates, loss of forests and farms to roads and gas drilling pads, and toxic waste water sites).  Now, NY’s reservoirs, rivers, organic farmlands, forests are at risk if Gov. Cuomo allows this practice in NY.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-gallay/fracking-environment_b_1186998.html?ref=green&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008 and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/mario-batali-bill-telepan_n_1186743.html

Please, please, if you care about keeping NY’s water and air clean and safe from harmful chemicals, click on these links below and send e-letters to Gov. Cuomo and the DEC to prevent fracking gas drilling in NY:

http://catskillcitizens.org/dsgeis.cfm   or at  http://www.amillionfrackingletters.com/  It only takes seconds to do the letter via this methods.

The public comment period ends on Jan. 11 – this week!  Please send your comments tomorrow  – this Monday — to insure they arrive on time!  After you send your comments to the DEC, you can also call Gov. Cuomo’s office and leave a message.  I have done this, and have actually gotten through to a person on the other line:  (518) 474-8390.

Thank you for listening.  If you need any more sources, please let me know.

I would like to wish all of you a very happy and healthy holiday season!  During this busy and festive time of the year, many of us can find ourselves (ironically) getting stressed and overwhelmed with all the holiday activities and demands – let alone, family triggers.  Sometimes it does seem challenging to find the holiday spirit.  Crowds and traffic in NYC are at all-time high, and that can wear thin as well.

So this is the perfect opportunity (whether it is a full class or only 15 or 30 minutes at home), to find some quiet time for reflection and contemplation, gentle yoga and breathwork, qigong, meditation, or guided relaxation.  By continuing with our healing practices during busy times, we can counter any negative effects of mental stress.  Not to mention, our bodies will feel more balanced – even if we are partaking in the egg nog or, my personal favorite, Swedish glogg!

So with that in mind, let us all enjoy the festivities, and maintain our balance and equanimity too!

Hi everyone,

I have just added a new weekly class to my teaching schedule – Gentle Yoga on Mondays at 3:15 pm at Integral Yoga downtown.  See below for details.  I hope you can join us at this lovely and serene yoga center in the heart of Greenwich Village – it is a beautiful and peaceful place, and they have a wonderful health food store, juice bar and apothecary on 13^th street as well!

Also, I will be teaching Tai Chi Easy™ and Qigong this Monday for Seniors at 11 am at Dorot and at 6:15 pm for women at the Elizabeth Seton Women’s Center – hope to see you there if that works better for your schedule.   Tai Chi and Qigong are wonderful complements to one’s yoga practice or an alternative practice for increasing flexibility, balance and coordination, reducing stress, and finding tranquility of mind.

I would like to wish you a fun Fall season, and if you celebrate the Jewish holidays, a happy, healthy and harmonious New Year!

At the end of October, I will be attending shaman and psychologist Sandra Ingerman’s training in Santa Fe on how to heal both environmental and personal toxins.  It sounds fascinating, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you!

By the way, recently many of you have asked about how to alleviate muscle soreness.  In addition to regular massages, I highly recommend the MELT Method.  MELT is a revolutionary self-treatment that uses natural rubber foam rollers and small balls to return your connective tissue and your nervous system to optimal functioning.  I rely on the MELT massage balls for keeping my feet and hands pain-free.  The foam rollers are great for the legs, back and neck.  My friend and fellow yogini, Edya Kalev, teaches MELT throughout NYC, including at The Breathing Project, JCC, and The Open Center.  Please email her at edyayoga@aol.com for her schedule.

I hope you are enjoying the end of August, and weren’t negatively affected by Hurricane Irene.

Some of my cousins in Westchester are still without power; let’s hope all the areas affected by the storm can recover quickly and send them healing thoughts and wishes.

I will be back in town next week, and there are some changes to my schedule I wanted to point out:  the Wednesday lunchtime yoga “Ageless on the Mat – Yoga for Midlife and More…” will now be held at the beautiful Moving Body Resources in Chelsea/ Flatiron starting this Wednesday, Sept. 7.  This is a permanent relocation from the Breathing Project, where I still hope to offer workshops rather than the weekly class.

I have also added Tai Chi Easy™ for Seniors at the Dorot Center on the Upper Westside.    In addition, I have added a new Gentle Yoga class Tuesday evenings at The Open Center which can be taken as a series or by drop-in.

Hoping you are finding ways to stay cool in this NYC heat and humidity wave!  Restorative and gentle yoga practices can help.  Adjusting one’s practice in response to the environment is a smart and natural way of finding one’s inner balance.  This allows us to be flexible not only in body, but also in our application of our yoga practices!  Adaptability is the key to survival and our contentment!

The first week of August, I will be at Omega studying meditation with Sylvia Boorstein and yoga with two Kripalu yoga teachers.  I hope to be inspired for my personal practice, and to bring back some interesting information and techniques for you as well!

Please join me at my new seminar “Finding Serenity” at the Elizabeth Seton’s Women Center this Tuesday evening.  Well-received when I have taught this seminar at various corporations and law firms, I am happy to now share these tips and tools with you at this Upper Westside healing oasis.   We will have time to practice the techniques listed below, as well as time for discussion, so bring your questions!  This will be a fun and interactive workshop!

FINDING SERENITY … ANY TIME, ANY PLACE:    A WOMEN’S STRESS REDUCTION AND WELLNESS SEMINAR

This is a workshop for the modern New York woman that will teach you techniques that bring calm into any situation, no matter how stressful.   Most of us in NYC are living under enormous stress; our fast-paced environment, city noise, crowds, work demands, the high costs of living – well, those are just some of the common stressors we all face on a daily basis.  Combine that with family demands and perhaps health issues, and it is no wonder that many of us find it challenging to keep focused and calm throughout the day.  At night, many of us may have troubling sleeping as anxious thoughts swirl incessantly in our minds.

But there are simple and practical tools that can help you to slow and calm down, and provide relief from anxiety and stress.  We will learn techniques that can be done at your office or home – techniques that provide true benefits and healing in just minutes.  These techniques, such as  chair yoga; seated tai chi easy and qigong; use of essential oils; guided meditations; and guided visualizations, have helped me in my own life enormously and that is why I want to share them with you as well.  As someone who is Type A and prone to anxiety, I can attest that these techniques will help you to focus and calm your mind, relax your body, and bring peace to your spirit.

So I invite you to join me in this experiential wellness workshop and find your path to serenity!

I will be teaching a new weekly open Hatha yoga class at Uptown Integral Yoga, which shares its’ lovely space with Namaste Yoga Center.

This Intermediate level yoga class consists of gentle warm-ups, sun salutations (with modifications and variations), standing, supine, and seated asanas, eye movements, yoga nidra (deep relaxation and savasana), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation.  We open and close the class with the traditional Integral Yoga peace chants.  The focus in the class is on proper alignment, as well as flowing through the movements with ease.  Connecting movement with breath awareness and flow creates a moving meditation.  Principles from the Yoga Sutras and other yoga philosophy texts are articulated in the class periodically, and always underlie the class foundation.

I am happy to return to the Breathing Project this Wednesday with my new and improved yoga class:  “Ageless on the Mat – Yoga For Midlife and More . . . “.  Thank you all for your name suggestions.  Your creativity clearly inspired me!  I hope to see you this week, and looking forward to reconnecting and catching up!

This lunchtime yoga class is geared towards those of us forty and over seeking a yoga class that is fun, relaxing and non-competitive while at the same time balancing stretching with strengthening yoga poses.  Connecting yoga postures and movements with mindful breath awareness, allows you to flow at your own pace, so that asanas can be held without any tension.  Core strengthening abdominal exercises – often ignored in yoga classes – are conducted with a mini-stabilization ball to prevent any neck or upper back tension.  Back strengthening poses – also important for those of us in our “wisdom years” – are balanced with gentle spinal twists. We conclude class with a short meditation and extended savasana (relaxation pose), enhanced with organic essential oils to create deep states of relaxation and peacefulness.

If you’ve been looking for a yoga class to experience the physical and mental benefits of yoga, without having to contort your body into a pretzel, then please come and join us.