Why I chose to teach Corporate Yoga.

When people find out that I'm a yoga teacher their first question is usually, "Oh, where do you teach?" and they are often surprised to find out that I don't teach at any yoga studios.

When I first began my yoga career I was teaching at studios, like many other teachers, and really enjoyed myself.  It was great to be in union with other yoga lovers, a room full of headstands and deep yoga breaths, but I soon realized that the way I was best suited to uniquely share yoga with the world was to share it with those who might not otherwise be exposed to it, those who may have never considered going to a yoga practice before but probably really needed it, those who were stressed, who had sore backs and minds that just wouldn't quiet themselves...those in the corporate world!

Now I know, lots of people in Corporate America practice yoga and have seen first hand the many benefits of a regular practice, but many more have never practiced yoga for reasons ranging from being a little intimidated by their expectations, their lack of time outside of the office or the high price of yoga these days (let's face it, it's not cheap).

I used to be one of them; one of you!  I sat at a desk all day, typing away, talking on the phone (often hugging it to my ear using my shoulder, tsk, tsk, tsk), eating lunch at my desk and being so drained when the day was over that all I wanted to do was go home, plop on the couch and occupy the little time I had left with the mindless chatter of the television.   In reality, what I actually needed though was just the opposite  - I needed to exercise my body and quiet my mind and I found just what I needed with yoga.

It was out of this need and my own experience with the benefits of yoga that this Corporate Yogi was born - I left Corporate America and began my journey as a yoga teacher making it my mission to bring yoga to the corporate world to help both employees and employers experience the joy and benefits of yoga in, and out, of the workplace.

Yoga in the office can help employees:

• lower blood pressure
• reduce/manage stress
• increase confidence
• elevate the mood
• fight stress injuries from repetitive movements

Yoga in the office can help employers:

• lower health care costs
• reduce sick days
• boost office morale
• show employees they are appreciated/values

Why not give it a try yourself?  You've got nothing to lose!  

Living Balance Yoga will send a professionally trained yoga instructor to your office to guide your first yoga practice for only $25.00 (regularly $75-$90).  You only need to provide a space for the practice and encourage your employees to come with and an open mind. 

Give us a call at and we will take care of the rest - 657-464-7746.

A little Rumi for sweet dreams...

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meaness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whomever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Healthy Dessert (or anytime) Smoothie

I'm always looking for healthy treats that will also satisfy my sweet tooth and tonight I had a tasty one!

Here is what I did, in a blender add:

1 cup organic plain (not vanilla and/or sweetened) soymilk
Frozen Mango Chunks (I used about 10 chunks of the Trader Joe's brand)
6-8 frozen strawberries
1/2 banana
and blend it until it's smooth, simple.

This makes a smoothie that is about 1.5 cups, here is the nutrition info for it:

Calories: 230
Fat: 4.5g
Sat. Fat: .5 g
Fiber: 6.3 g
Sugar: 25g (but all natural, no refined sugar)
Protein: 8.7g
Plus it gives you about 1/3 of the daily recommended value of Vitamin A and Calcium plus 100% of Vitamin C.

That's quite a dessert, and much better than the alternative ice cream, cookies or cake!  Try it yourself and enjoy.

Health is about more than just weight.

I meet so many people who are concerned with their weight when what they should be concerned with is their health...while weight can be an indicator of your overall health, a "healthy" weight does not necessarily equal a healthy person!

There are many aspects to being a healthy person, I find that what keeps me healthy, and happy, is a combination of proper nutrition, an active lifestyle, nutruring relationships and spiritual awareness, to name a few...our psychological and emotional health is just as important as our physical health, we need to nuture our minds, spirits and bodies to be truly healthy.

Let's look a little deeper into each of these things:

Proper Nutrition - When considering what food to eat there are many things that are more important than just the calories or fat content in a food!  A food can be low in calories and low in fat but if it is also low in nutrition (vitamins and minerals) then it does us no good to eat it!  When eating, I look for foods that are low in saturated fat (unsaturated fat is OK and needs to be a part of our diet within limits), low in processed sugar (natural sugars are OK too), high in fiber and colorful (bright colorful foods tend to be high in vitamin and mineral content).

An Active Lifestyle - This one is simple, keep moving!  This does not necessarily mean the gym (but it can be if you like the gym) just move your body; we were not built to be sedentary.  Go for a walk, do some yoga, play with your dog, play with your kids, go swimming, go hiking, work in the garden, clean the house, ski, surf, skateboard...you get the idea, anything to get you off your bum.

Nurturing Relationships - No man, or woman, is an island, we need the support and guidance that we get, and give, from relationships in our lives.  We learn through other people and we teach other people - imagine what your life would be like if you lived it alone...so laugh with your friends, learn from your elders (and the youngsters in your life for they have a universal knowledge that so many of us lose as we age), love your family, participate in your community.  Enjoy the feeling that comes from giving and receiving.

Spiritual Awareness - While this can be God, it does not have to be.  For me, spirituality is the sense that we are all connected, that there is something in this world that is greater than myself.  For me, it means that everything in this world is connected and so I should care for this world, and everything in it, as I would care for myself.  One love :)

Keep learning, don't lose your sense of wonder and love and care for your friends, family and yourself! 

A little sunshine never hurts either!

An exercise for Love.

This comes courtesy of Positive Psychologist, Dr. Larkin, give it a try and see how it makes you, and those around you feel.  I encourage you to practice it and share it with those around you.

"Isn’t it amazing that we have so much familiarity with negative emotions and that it has not occurred to us that positive emotions are things we can grow and cultivate by using them? Here is an exercise I(Dr. Larkin) teach groups all over the world. In any language and in any culture, you can find the word for “love,” and once discovered, you can find the feeling of love. Without waiting for something to happen “to us,” we just find the feeling of love, if it’s only just a tiny bit of it, however much of a struggle it may seem for many of us. Find a tiny bit of the feeling of love and like the tiniest seed, if you nurture it, it will grow. If you can feel “love,” then “think” love, it will “become” love after a while. Trust me.

Now just pulse that feeling of love to someone you know and care about, make them a kind of target, aiming your love at them, over and over and over again. Send them your love. love, love, love, love, love, love—keep it going to a hundred times of sending a little bit of love. Then send yourself that same love, send it inside of you, send it all over you and do it all day long. Send this love to yourself every time you have a spare minute. No conditions, no thoughts, no judgments about yourself… just send the love, love, love, love.

Every time you engage in negative self-talk, every time you think about the oil spill (maybe now the earthquake in Japan), every time you’re afraid and fear that the world is not a safe place, send yourself love, love, love, love, love. Now try doing this every day for 7 days and tell me what happens to you. "

What have you got to lose?  It's easier thank you think to love yourself, give it a try!

If this topic peaks your interest, check out my wellness group, Your Healthiest Life!, we will be reading Dr. Larkin's book, Growing the Positive Mind, maybe you should join us?!

yoga, vinyasa yoga, stress, corporate america, office, office yoga, corporate yoga, personal training, private yoga, orange county, long beach, huntington beach, newport beach, seal beach, lose weight, feel good

Raw Food Recipes

Here are a few of the recipes from the raw food potluck we had tonight:

Avocado Lemon Pudding

1 ½ cups smashed avocados (about 4 avocados)

½ cup raw honey

2 teaspoons lemon zest (divided into teaspoons)

Juice of 2-4 lemons (to taste depending on how tart the lemons are)

Pinch of Stevia (or a few drops if you have liquid)

Place the avocado, honey, 1tsp of lemon zest, lemon juice and stevia in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy!  Pour into a serving bowl and top with blueberries, sliced strawberries and remaining lemon zest.

This can last 2-3 days in the fridge but is best eaten within 24 hours!

Sarah's Super Sweet Summer Salad with a Strawberry Squeeze

A few apples
Some dried cranberries
Same amout of raisans as cranberries
A good amount of walnuts
A little bit of olive oil
A fresh lemon squeeze...or five
A pinch or two of cinnamon
Some fresh mint, chopped

Pureed straberries for the dressing...a lot

Optional: servie over a bed of fresh Spinach

Avocado Carrot Soup

1 avocado
1 medium carrot
1/4 cup Almond or Sesame Milk
1 tablespoon Ginger (finely chopped)
1/2 lemon
2-4 drops Stevia or 1 tablespoon Agave Syru
ppinch of cayenne pepper
Pure Water (until you get desired consistency)

Put all ingredients in a high speed blender and mix well.

Walnut Miso Dressing

Lemon Juice
Walnuts (soaked in water at least 3 hours)
raw miso
flax oil
water

Blend all ingredients and serve over salad.

Raw Food - Are you curious?

Chocolate chip cookies, pudding, soup, apple pie, salad, pizza pate, zucchini fettucine, gazpacho, smoothies, what do all these things have in common?...they are all options on a raw food diet! Are you curious and want to know more about eating raw?  Well then, check this out, starting tonight, March 4th, and continuing on the 1st Friday of each month, WE Move (2020 E 4th Street, Long Beach) will hold a free community event to meet our neighbors and build a community. We are kicking off this series with a raw food potluck and recipe and exchange. We all know we need to eat our fruits and veggies and they are great in their raw form, full of vitamins and enzymes and I figured if we all learned more creative ways to prepare our raw foods that we might ea...t them more often, so... I'll be hosting this event and preparing a raw food treat to share and invite you to attend as well. You don't have to bring a dish to attend but I encourage you to try something new and see what you can come up with (or go ahead and google raw food and choose from one of the many delicious recipes that comes up). If you do bring a dish (or drink) be sure to also bring copies of the recipe so that we can all share in the goodness. We will also have some drums, xylophones and singing bowls around for you to play with (feel free to bring your own instrument if you have one) so come out to enjoy some good food, good company and a little creativity and playfullness. No need to RSVP - just show up with your raw food dish and the recipe to share.  Not sure what to bring, just google raw food recipes and you'll have plenty of options to choose from. I hope to see you there!

The best beauty treatment...

In today's world people are consumed with "beauty" - we spend hundreds, even thousands, on miracles creams, cosmetic surgery, fad diets, etc. with the hopes that they will make us more attractive, skinnier, healthier...happier.

We think often on what we are putting in and on our bodies but there is something else we need to also consider.

What are we feeding our minds?  What our we using to nurture our spirits?  What are we doing to allow ourselves to be radiant?  To be content?  To be filled with joy?

There is no beauty that can compare to the beauty that comes from happiness, the randiance a person exudes when they are filled with joy and confidence, the kind that is infectious!

This is my challenge to you, and to myself, because we can all use a little more joy in our lives:

1.  Take time, at least once per week, to do something you enjoy! 

• We are often overscheduled  and overwhelmed with the things we HAVE to do (work, school, chores, taking care of the kids, etc., etc.,), when was the last time you did something because you wanted to, simply for the enjoyment of doing it?  Take a hike, volunteer your time for a cause you support, enjoy nature, read a book, get a massage, take a yoga class, revive your long lost hobby, cook a gourmet meal, tinker around in your garage...you get the point, do something for you, something that brings you joy, YOU DESERVE IT!

2.  Handle that unfinished business.

• We've all got it, that thing we need to handle that we've been procrastinating about. Maybe it's smoothing over a disagreement with a friend, calling grandma to say hi, cleaning out the garage or closet, finally selling/donating that junk that's been lying around, answering that email you've been avoiding...whatever it is, just do it!  Get it off your mind because chances are you think about it a lot and then it becomes a source of stress, just another thing for you to worry about.  "Handling our business" is a great way to help clear the mind and make room for happiness!

3.  Exercise.

• Get moving! Get your blood pumping, draw in fresh air and feed your cells!  Exercise can come in any form, I recommend yoga, of course because of it's many physicial and emotional benefits :) but do what you enjoy, run around outside with the kids, go skiing, go hiking, go kayaking, take a walk, go for a bike ride, dance, play with the dog, work in the garden - it doesn't only have to be counting the minutes on the treadmill.  Exercising releases endorphins, making you happy and beautiful from the inside out!

4.  Laugh.

• This one is simple but important - do something that makes you laugh because it's also good for your health!  Just act silly, watch a funny movie, go see a comedian, play with your child or pets (these are always good sources for fun and laughter).  The best beauty accessory a person can wear is a smile!

Nurturing yourself from the inside out is the best beauty treatment you can give yourself and it's good for your health - trust me you are worth it!

Living Balance Yoga - Corporate Yoga, Office Yoga, Private Training Yoga, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange County, sierra woodling

More than just asanas.

When we hear "yoga" most people think of the asana practice, the physical practice of yoga postures, but to limit yoga to only the asanas is to miss out on the wisdom and happiness yoga provides us.

Pantajali, often seen as "The Father of Yoga", laid out The Eight Limbs of Yoga in his sutras - these are guidelines to unify us with ourselves, with each other, with creation as a whole and ultimately with the divinity that resides in each of us.  To practice yoga is to quiet our restless minds, remove our egos and open ourselves to the divinity that surrounds us allowing ourselves to travel down the path to happiness, peace and contentment. 

Yoga is something that we practice on and off the mat.  Many, including myself, begin their yoga journey with asana practice and find themselves wanting to learn more once they see the change the asanas bring to their lives.  Asana is a great place to begin your yoga journey because it helps to cultivate awareness within the other 7 limbs of yoga even though we may be be conscious of it.

My blogs in the following weeks will dive a little deeper into the 8 limbs of yoga, but following is a brief description of each:

1.  Yamas - these guide us in our interactions with the world around us, they teach us that we are compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful by our very natures:

• Ahimsa (nonviolence)
• Satya (truth and honesty)
• Asteya (non-stealing)
• Brahmacharya (sense control)
• Aparigraha (nongrasping/nonposessiveness)

2.  Niyamas - these are guidelines in our actions toward ourselves, our personal disciplines, and include:

• Sauca (purity)
• Santosha (contentment)
• Tapas (right effort/austerity)
• Svadhyaya (self study)
• Ishvara-Pranidhana (dedication to the divine) 

3.  Asanas - physical postures
4.  Pranayama - breath control
5.  Pratyahara - withdraw from the senses
6.  Dharana - concentration
7.  Dhyana - meditation
8.  Samadhi - enlightenment

We are all born with a bright shining light inside of us, an innocence and magnificent wonder about the world that fosters love for ourselves and each other, that bonds us to each other, the universe and the divinity present in all of it; as we grow older this light can grow dim, getting covered with figurative dirt and debris left behind by our experiences - yoga can help us clear all of that away so that our light again shines brightly.

Simple pleasures.

After a busy day of leading yoga practices yesterday I found myself a bit tired today; I wanted to take it "easy".  The weather is beautiful in SoCal (in the low 70s and nothing but sunshine) so I decided to take a walk.  I've lived in SoCal for 16 years and before today had never visited my local wetlands...I thought to myself minutes after beginning my walk, "I can't believe this is in my backyard and I've never taken the time to appreciate it before!"  There were so many birds, ducks, sandpipers, swallows, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, White Faced Iibis' (these are fairly uncommon to see, so I was lucky today), American Coots, killdeer and many more that I'm not sure of  what they were. 

The highlight of my birdwatching today though was being fortunate enough to watch what I believe was a Peregrine Falcon* hunting and have it fly by, so close that I was able to look into it's eyes!  What an amazing creature, circling above, diving down to the water and gliding right above the wetlands with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop - it was truly amazing to see. 

Such simple things: a walk in my backyard, birdwatching, enjoying the sunshine, watching a bird of prey do what it does naturally, hunt - so simple, so beautiful and so amazing.  A flock of seagulls is often seen as a burden, they are scavengers, pests to be shewed away, yet today I watched them circle, hovering on the wind in a large flock, acting almost as one large bird, all together, moving in unison; it was magnificent.

How fortunate I am to have experienced this today; the simple pleasure of watching birds fly, feeling the sun on my face and the wind in my hair, it left me smiling, filled with joy and truly grateful to be alive.

Lose your mind...

One of my yoga teachers recently said something in a practice that sticks with me.  She said, "Lose your mind and come to your senses!"  It's such a simple statement with a simple message that's not so simple to put into practice.

We are constantly bombarded with mental stimuli; we are constantly asked, by others and ourselves, to make judgements and solve problems, the wheels of our minds are always turning, sometimes with so much force that they are all we notice; we get caught up in our world of logic, and though it's useful, it sometimes needs to be put on the back burner so we can get back in touch with our senses, our wonderful senses.

When was the last time you stopped to appreciate the pure joy of sunshine on your face, the warmth it provides, the happiness it bestows, the life that it gives us?

When was the last time you actually did stop and smell the roses, or the sea air, or that wonderful earthy smell in the forest after it rains?

When was the last time you took a bite a food and noticed the wonderful layers of the flavor instead of just "scarfing it down" while you watched the news or hurried on your way to some other appointment?

When was the last time you appreciated something, anything, simply for it's beauty and not for what it was useful for?

When was the last time you stopped to enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing, or the birds chirping, or your favorite song, or maybe even the silence?

Many of us don't take the time to appreciate all the joys that our senses can bring us on a daily basis; we miss out because we are stuck in our minds.

I encourage you to take the time to notice the small things around you, all of the things that your senses can take in, let them guide you for a day.  Enjoy your friends' laughter, the taste of the wine on your tongue, the breeze on your face, the beautiful building your drive by on your way to work or the wonderful aroma coming out of your neighbor's (or maybe even your) kitchen.  Let these little things bring you joy; give thanks for the wonderful body you inhabit and the beautiful world we live in that lets you notice all of these things.

There is a time for thinking and a time for simply being - allow yourself the freedom to do both.

Setting the mood...

I like to use aromatherapy, lighting and sound to help set the mood, espeically during more meditative practices, to assist students in letting go of their outerworlds and turning that attention inside - allowing them to get the most out of each practice.

Tonight I used a patchouli and lavendar oil blend for inhalation during our centering practice; essential oils and jojoba oil blended together and simply rubbed on my hands, placed a few inches in front of each students nose during pranayama (breathing exercises) - this is to help calm and ground us, to prepare for the moving meditation that follows (I like a peppermint and sweet orange blend for a more invigorating, often morning, practice - those scents go great with Sun Salutations.)  I burned a little sandalwood incense just before, and during savasana, to really calm and center the mind.

Full lighting at the beginning of the practice so we are awake, aware and engaged; dimming as the class draws near end, helping to turn the awareness more fully inward.

Smooth, rhythmic, simple music to assist in inducing a relaxed state, to keep you purely in the moment with your body while allowing your mind/spirit to soar, culminating with singing bowls during savasana.

All of these things subtle; to aid you in tuning in.  You are, afterall, the focus of your yoga practice.

Take a deep breath, and exhale...

_______________________________________________

A great place to "tune in' is a donation yoga class.  There is a great donation yoga community in Long Beach and I'm happy to be a small part of it - I lead a donation practice each Monday at 7:15PM at WE Move - come by and introduce yourself if that suits your schedule.

Stress and Corporate America

Let's face it, working in the corporate world can be stressful. There are not many opportunities during the workday to release that stress which means it builds up, and by the end of the day and/or the end of the week it can leave you feeling a bit "burned out".

Here is what I suggest for all you corporate warriors out there; take a few minutes out of your workday to stretch your body and focus on your breath, and then thank yourself for doing it.  I suggest the following simple stretches that should only take about 5 minutes, but feel free to strectch however it feels good to you, your body knows what it needs, listen to it.

• Calming Breath
• Sit or stand tall, and relax your shoulders down away from your ears.
• Take deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth, allowing yourself to "sigh" as you exhale. 
• As you inhale, use your diaphragm, start the breath in the belly, move it up into your ribcage, creating space between each one of your ribs and finally up into your chest. 
• Exhale completely
• Complete 4 more rounds of breath this way.
• Neck Rolls
• Drop your right ear to your right shoulder - relax your left shoulder away from your head.
• Trace your collarbone with your chin as you move your head to the left, relax and lower your right shoulder away from your head. 
• Repeat this movement from left to right now and complete 4 more rounds.
• Shoulder / Chest Stretch
• Clasp your hands behind your back and interlace your fingers
• Iinhale, expand your chest and draw your shoulderblades and the palms of your hands together.
• Exhale, relase the tension in your shoulders and chest, allow it to escape your body with your breath and draw your hands down over your tailbone / butt.
•  Repeat 4 more times.
• Leg and Back Stretch (from sitting or standing)
• Inhale, reach your arms up over your head
• Exhale, fold forward, reaching forward through your heart as you lay your chest down on your thighs
• Standing Note: if your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees a bit as you fold forward
• Sitting Note: try stretching your legs out straight in front as you fold forward to get a deeper stretch in the legs
• Repeat 4 more times
• Wrist Stretch
• Make circles with your hands, move them both clockwise and counterclockwise for about 30 seconds
• Total Body Stretch / Gentle Back bend
• Stand if you are not already
• Root your feet firmly in the ground and stand tall and proud, arms at your sides
• Inhale, reach your arms overhead, reach through your fingertips and the crown of your head
• lift your waist up off of your hips and your ribcage up off of your waist, relax your shoulders
• GENTLY push your hips forward to give yourself a gentle bend in your back
• Exhale, fold forward
• allow your arms and head to hang freely when you fold forward
• gently shake your head yes and no to release tension in the neck

Try to do this at least once per day, 2-3 times if you can and after you've done it a few times and have it down try closing your eyes. 

Some other things that will help keep you feeling good throughout the day are to:

• Give your eyes a break from your computer screen every 20-30 minutes, just take half a minute or so and look away from the screen, focus on something in the distance, look left , right and up and down with your eyes.
• Get up and walk for 30 seconds, it's not a long time but it helps
• TAKE A LUNCH BREACK AWAY FROM YOUR DESK! 

Now, pat yourself on the back, say thank you and GET BACK TO WORK :)

For in office yoga break instruction or regular corporate yoga programs give us a call, we CAN help you manage stress levels and health in your office!  We have one time demonstration workshops as well as regular yoga practices, built around your schedule and needs, that can be added to your corporate heath and wellness programs.

Please contact Sierra at 657-464-7746 or sierra@livingbalanceyoga.com for more information.

A Balancing Breath.

Pranayama, or breath control used to harness our prana (energy), is equally as important in a yoga practice as the asanas (the yoga postures we are all so familiar with), but pranayama can be a beneficial tool even when used on its own.

One form or pranayama is alternate nostril breathing, where we breathe in through one nostril and exhale through the other (brief instruction follows at the end of this post).  Alternate nostril breathing will help to balance our breathing between both nostrils, thereby balancing our energy; it will help you to feel centered.

To practice alternate nostril breathing either stand comfortably upright or sit in a comfortable cross legged position; before you begin take a moment to notice your current breath, maybe even place your hand underneath your nose so you can feel which nostril your exhale comes out of.

If at anytime during this breathing exercise you feel short of breath, stop, take a few normal deep breaths and then begin where you left off.

Let's begin...

You will want use your right hand, keep your ring, pinky finger and thumb extended and curl your middle and pointer finger into your palm.

• Close your right nostril using your thumb and inhale slowly and deeply through your left nostril.
• Release your right nostril and close your left nostril with your ring and pinky finger, exhale through your right nostril.
• Keeping your left nostril closed, inhale slowly and deeply through your right nostril.
• Release your left nostril, close your right nostril with your thumb and exhale through your left nostril.
• Keeping your right nostril closed, inhale slowly and deeply through your left nostril.
• Release your right nostril, close your left nostril with your ring and pinky fingers and exhale through your right nostrol.
• Repeat 5-10 times on each side

Notice how you feel after this exercise.  You can complete this breathing exercise whenever you need to calm and center yourself (i.e. maybe you are nervous, lethargic, irritated, etc.).

This breathing technique can also be used as a preparation for meditation.