My Review of SaveTheMarriage.com which gives you tool to stop divorce
When I was about to marry my hottie, hellenic hubby I told him, “Divorce is not an option, but murder is”. If one of us ever wanted out someone is going to have to push someone else off the Grand Canyon.
Did you go into your marriage thinking, “Well, if it doesn’t work out, we can just get a divorce.” Going in with this kind of watery commitment is not going to hold you two together when the seas get rough. Marriage is a deep psychological process that has shaken the foundation of my identity. I think I knew I was married when I started to use “We” instead of “I” and “our” instead of “mine”. Shifting from an individual to an entity was a huge shift in my perception and lifestyle.
Dr Baucom’s present a different paradigm of couples counseling that is a shift away from the meaningless “finding ways to communicate better”. His book presents key distinctions about the nature of relationship, power struggles that inevitably come up, issues of control, independence and feeling like your marriage is a ledger book filled with “I did this for you, so you owe me”. He also makes us question why your marriage is important to you and what is it actually providing for you “security, support, companionship, social status etc).
Here is one of his homework assignments that was valuable to me.
What are the top three ways your partner feels loved?
What are the top three ways you best feel loved?
In the next week, what are the 5 ways you will commit to showing love to your spouse?
This is not a quick read and not a manual to be read for education value and should not be read casually while in line for the grocery store, but neither is the decision to leave your marriage. This book is intended for those that feel like their marriage is quickly disintegrating and not sure how to salvage it, even if your partner is unwilling to put energy into reviving it such as going to couples therapy. Think of it as marriage boot-camp and be willing to things that you are not comfortable with and that are not convenient. Are you committed to your marriage or are you committed to your excuses?
At the start of this year, I figured I would revisit how to polish up various facets of my life. With the new year, all kinds of thoughts of rejuvenation and renewal and improvement come into our heads. I’ve been pretty frustrated with diet stuff. I feel like I have a fairly clean diet but I think one I can do is to cook with very high quality oils. I was under the disillusion that vegetable oil, soybean oil and some kinds of olive oil are the healthy fats. Most of these oils are highly refined so you are losing out any potential health benefits and you are better off using grass-fed organic butter than any of those oils. Organic coconut oil and cold-pressed Olive Oil will be my new cooking and salad dressing oil. This is a great tip I got from Mike Geary’s Health Newsletter
I started to look at Amazing Self’s ( excuse the cheesy name….. there are some worthwhile tips in there) about health, wellness, skin, personal finance, relationships and mind-set. It’s a long book, over 100 pages but the writing is a breezy read. I think there are almost too many great tips in here so you start to feel a bit overwhelmed. I wish it was broken out in 8 seperate books so that you can really take it all in and start to make some changes.
For the diet tips, they are pretty adamant about not having caffeine. I know there is a lot of controversy with caffeine and gaining weight. I think we can all agree that those froo froo drinks loaded with high fructose corn syrup and whipped cream will not be kind to your butt or your gutt. There is a big emphasis on eating unprocessed, non-farm raised, organic 1 ingredient food…. eating clean as I like to call it. They actually are pretty anti-vegan and very pro-meat so you won’t have to make any major lifestyle changes for all of us carnivores out there.
I think soda is one of the major downfalls of the American Diet. Cutting out all kinds of soda seems to be one of the first lessons for any wellness or gut-busting plan.
She is also a big proponent of eating fruit, which also has been a somewhat controversial food group in the health and wellness circle since there are sugars in fruit.
Tracy also talks about getting great skin… after all, what one thing makes you more attractive and youthful looking and she recommends to exfoliate like crazy but with only medical grade crystals. I went ahead onto EBay like she suggested and got 2 lb bag of this for $10 ( but the shipping was $12…. YIKES) …I wonder who long that will last me if I exfoliate every day. I love beauty experiments since I used to work in the medical aesthetics industry so this tip will be fun to explore.
Hot Yoga Benefits for Weight Loss
They are also big proponents of using heat when you exercise, meaning you exercise in a hot room or just hang out in a sauna. One of my 5 year goals is to have an infra-red sauna in my house and I know that nothing tones my body and gives me that cut look like a hot yoga class.
Partner Yoga is a great way to learn surrender, build trust, and deepen intimacy. Partner Yoga can be practiced by anyone – no previous yoga experience is necessary. Some poses challenge your balance, strength and flexibility, others require your total trust and surrender. Each exercise and breathing technique uses the power of the partner dynamic to achieve more than one person could alone. From creative exercise to profound spiritual work, Partner Yoga delivers a diverse range of benefits to a wide array of people. This well rounded practice requires no special equipment and can be done in any open space (the living room, gym, or park) and there are lots of partner yoga for beginner classes and plenty of partner yoga DVDs and videos.
When you feel safe and supported you develop the courage to trust others and the strength to confront your fears and embrace your true self. No previous yoga experience is necessary. Beginners and the inflexible are especially welcome. Partner Yoga uses various movements and poses to focus the mind and increase strength, stamina and flexibility which are done in the spirit of nurturing and play. Since yoga is usually such an internally-focused practice, being focused on your significant other is a way to enrich not only your own spirit but your loved one’s as well.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie keep their relationship juicy by practicing couples yoga together, according to sources. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reportedly practice Partner Yoga.
Partner Yoga for Beginners, DVDs and Videos
After the recent reporting of David and Victoria Beckham, it seems that the latest uber high profile couple to be reported doing couples yoga is Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. A source explained: “They’ve been practicing his Siddha yoga and they start and end the day by chanting a sacred word he’s given them. It’s transformed their relationship – they’ve both cut back on drinking and no longer argue.” The Hollywood stars have been working with Indian spiritual teacher Guru Ram Lalji to bring harmony to their five-year union according to a source.
“They’ve been practicing his Siddha yoga and they start and end the day by chanting a sacred word he’s given them,” Contactmusic quoted a source as telling Now magazine. “Victoria and David do power yoga classes for couples for an hour about twice a week. It’s a very intimate experience. You have to learn to become one entity entirely,” said a source. “You stretch, breathe and move as one – it’s great for couples and probably better than talking in a way. They started taking the classes about a year ago and it’s astonishing how in tune with each other they are these days.”
The last few days, there have been reports from major media sources, including Glamour Magazine and several credible celebrity news sites about the famous humanitarian-minded duo hitting the matt together and chanting.
For David and Victoria Beckham, in addition to regular practice of yoga to keep their bodies lean and lovely, thanks to the classes, which include the ancient hands-on healing energy technique of reiki as well as meditation where the pair chant mantras to one another, Becks, 35, and Posh, 36, married 11 years, are able to better weather the persistent accusations of David’s infidelity that seem to plague them.
According to an insider, “It’s a very intimate experience. You have to learn to become one entity entirely. You stretch, breathe and move as one – it’s great for couples, and is probably better than talking in a way.” With the help of twice-a-week couple sessions at The Sports Club LA in Beverly Hills, not only are their bodies kept enviably beautiful but their relationship, too, is apparently made that much stronger.
Partner or couple’s yoga where two people work together in various yoga postures, is not a new concept, but it is a growing trend of the past few years. The majority of yoga students in the U.S. are women. Couple’s yoga is the perfect invitation for men to enjoy the transformative benefits of Hatha Yoga on the body as well as on the relationship. Men find that couple’s yoga gives them an opportunity to be sensitive without embarrassment. Men will also find that the combination of muscle-toning and stretching has a terrific effect on their sex life.
Couples Yoga Moves for Beginners or Seasoned Yogis
Couple Yoga DVDs and Book Reviews for Buoyant Bonding
Couples Yoga is a wholesome way to learn surrender, build trust, and deepen intimacy. If you have never done partner yoga before, it is both meaningful and playful, and students say that they feel more open-hearted. To find a class suitable for your fitness and body type, make sure to ask the teacher before-hand if previous yoga experience is required and if the poses are physically challenging and suitable if you are unathletic and out of shape.
Some poses challenge your balance and strength. Others require your total trust and surrender. Some exercises and breathing techniques uses the power of the partnership. Partners can often achieve more than if they were practicing alone. These creative and sensual practices will add both tenderness and power to your relationship. This yoga style requires no special equipment and can be done in any open space.
Since it is not always easy to find a couples yoga class or maybe you or your partner is embarrassed to practice in front of strangers, you can also explore doing these couples yoga dvds and books.
Make sure to set the scene before. Send the kids to grandma and grandpa’s for the night. Turn off your cell phones. Set up soothing music, frangrant candles or incense etc. Avoid eating a heavy meal before… no lasagne or cheesecake for dinner. Opt for something light and easy to digest like a grilled chicken salad.
Together–The Art of Partnered Yoga
This couples yoga DVD is not suitable for yoga beginners as some of the poses are more advanced and there is not much for explanation for the poses. They do the poses quite quickly without much explanation. I do like how there are two options to do the practice – with their explanations and one without, so you can just follow along without hearing their voice. Ideal for a seasoned yoga practitioner but not for yoga newbies. However this is a beautiful workout and very much worth it especially for those who are in a relationship and already practicing traditional yoga together on a regular basis.
Sexy Yoga: 40 Poses for Mindblowing Sex and Greater Intimacy
First revealed over 2,000 years ago in the Kama Sutra, the link between yoga and sex has been generally recognized but widely ignored – until now. In Sexy Yoga, Ellen Barrett, popular author and instructor for New York’s Crunch studios, offers the modern yoga student a specific program designed to transform and heighten sexual pleasure and lovemaking.
Barrett’s program includes a series of asanas (postures) that use yoga’s combination of movement, breathing, and focus to release sexual power. Sensual, erotic, and guaranteed to improve sexual performance, the poses are also designed to improve one’s ability to navigate both the physical and emotional demands of intimacy. Rooted in the rich tradition of yoga but far from an esoteric Indian practice, the program in this book is suitable for everyone from new students to experienced yoga practitioners. Not for prudes though.
Yoga Two-gether
This wasn’t filmed in a big fancy Hollywood set but don’t let the production diminish how much joy you will get from this yoga for couples DVD. Sometimes it is hard to hear the teacher with the background noise. Not for beginners because he does not describe in enough detail for the newbie. It is probably great for experienced yogis though. The asanas create a bond between partners that facilitates strength, flexibility, intimacy, and trust. Two people flow together from one yoga pose to another, in a sequence of more than 60 poses. The teacher incorporates a full range of postures, including forward folds, back bends, twists, side bends, standing poses, sitting poses, and even inversions ( going upside down).
Partner Yoga – Making Contact for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Growth
With their 30 years of combined experience in yoga, medicine, fitness, dance, the martial arts, and music, Cain Carroll and Lori Kimata, N.D., have developed a practice that blends mutually beneficial postures, conscious breathing, trust, communication and playfulness.
The 60 dynamic postures and 3 yoga flows introduced in this book offer a threshold into a provocative and exciting yoga experience. Developed with reverence for the ancient tradition of yoga, these beautiful postures are designed to help improve balance, strength, and flexibility as well as increase the level of trust and communication between you and your partner.
Tantric Yoga for Lovers by Steve & Lokita Carter
This titilating DVD offers easy-to-learn yoga routines for lovers to increase the flow of sexual energy, develop a regular practice for toning your bodies, and balance body mind and spirit – in and out of the bedroom. Sensually filmed, they are fully clothes but this is also not for prudes. The music is quite erotically charged with pulsing drum beats.
The DVD contains three segments:
What is the Breath of Tantric Love?
Demonstration and explanation
Intimacy Spa – Sensual Yoga for Couples
The video is good, but not until the end do you actually get to the practicing. If you have done a lot of yoga already, only the last part of this video will be good for you. Though, the beginning was a good review for the avid Yoga enthusiast. This is a worthwhile program for sharing yoga with a loved one whether you are a novice or a long-time devotee. Some of the scenes are with them doing no clothing so this tape is not for prudes. Beautifully shot, especially the postures filmed on a gorgeous stretch of waterfront. Several of the chapters give you the option of learning or practicing positions with either verbal instructions over video or written instructions over still photos… a great touch and nice tool for going at your own pace.
Lovers’ Yoga: Soothing Stretches for Two
Darrin Zeer knows it takes two to tango and two to yoga. His latest book, Lovers’ Yoga, shows how easy it is for couples to indulge in nurturing, soothing partner exercises to relax, rejuvenate, and create deep, lasting bonds. Delightfully illustrated, this little handbook outlines 60 surprisingly simple stretches organized into five chapters Playful, Powerful, Peaceful, Patient, and Passionate. The exercises build on one another, so couples can indulge in one stretch, a chapter sequence, or the entire book from beginning to end. Whether time allows for a few minutes or a few hours, Previous yoga experience is helpful but not required to do this poses.
Intimate Yoga for Couples
Learn about the benefits of deep breathing and explore the chakras, solo positions and romantic partner positions with this couples yoga DVD. Over 270 color photographs, artful sequencing and easy to follow instructions will appeal to both novice and seasoned practitioner. With 20 years of experience as a yoga instructor and massage therapist, author Mishabae believes that if you take the practices in this book off the mat and into your lovemaking, the experience of great sex can be yours to share, nurture and expand upon. There are plenty of tantra yoga pics with naked people which makes this look like a kama sutra kind of book. Not for prudes.
Yoga for Partners: Over 75 Postures to Do Together
Yoga for Partners features dozens of inspiring photos of the paired asanas. It teaches each partner how to synchronize their movements and breathing, bringing new lightness and enjoyment to any yoga practice. Following a brief introduction, 75 two-page spreads offer a full-page photo accompanied by positioning tips, a short commentary on the benefits of the posture, and advice on breathing techniques and proper focus. Sensually photographed, many of the poses are not ideal for beginners but recommended for seasoned yoga practitioners of if you are athletic.
The Pleasures and Principles of Partner Yoga
Presents simple to advanced partner and group practices that are ideal for those with or without prior yoga experience. Over three hundred beautiful, unique photographs and illustrations demonstrating over sixty practices. Elysabeth Williamson has studied and practiced Yoga for more than thirty years. She has taught a unique synthesis of various traditions of Yoga for eighteen years. She frequently does workshops at places like Kripalu and had quite a few youtube videos on how to do many of the sequences. Suitable for friends as well as couples.
Dana Rae Pare’s Partner Yoga
Dana Rae Paré’s soothing voice guides you through a series of yoga poses and innovative stretches for you and your partner. With Partner Yoga you’ll receive all the physical benefits of yoga (increased strength, stamina & flexibility) as well as learning how to give, receive, trust and support your partner. What happens on the yoga mat can transcend into your personal life bringing vitality, joy and peace.
You hear so much about interactive meditation and Yoga these days, and there are so many Yoga styles to choose from, that it is advisable to research a particular Yoga style which suits your needs. Some Yoga classes are gentle, restorative, athletic, cerebral, spiritual, meditative, or hot. Therefore, research the style of Yoga which attracts you most. Then visit a local Yoga studio, or wellness center, for further information. If you have any concerns, you could set up an appointment with a Yoga teacher, and share your thoughts about your specific needs. Do research online to see what kinds of reviews the studio and teachers have received. Some people think of yoga as a moving or interactive meditation.
BENEFITS OF PRENATAL YOGA AND PREGNANCY YOGA
A prenatal and postnatal yoga practice can help you
Connect you with other parents who are at all stages of pregnancy
Improve your postpartum recovery
Helps to strengthen the body for child bearing and aids in relieving common discomforts
Alleviate many of the discomforts of pregnancy such as nausea, constipation, varicose veins, swelling, back pain and sciatica.
How does yoga transform you physically, mentally and spiritually?
Release chronic pain, tightness and that frozen feeling in your body through juicy stretching and deep breathing.
Each breath, coupled with movement and intention allows you to create the space for change.
Gain clarity to detach from outcomes during your day so that decisions and obstacles become less stressful, which keeps you off the emotional roller coaster for good.
An uplifting & restful class that will leave you buzzing with vitality & connect you to a deep sense of inner wisdom so you can focus on what you want to manifest in your life
For free articles about yoga mailed once a month, email info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.
Reduce Stress through the practice of Yoga. This is a universal benefit of all styles of Yoga. If you have stress, when you walk into a Yoga class, you will have much less when you leave. You might feel sore or invigorated after your first class.Some Yoga schools use a variety of methods to purge stress from the body, but the most common are Pranayama (breath techniques), Asana (posture), Mantra (sound), Meditation, and Relaxation Techniques. After a few classes, you will know what works and what does not.
Positive Thinking is a by product of most yoga classes, with the rare exception of a dogmatic Yoga teacher. If you discover you are in the midst of a “drill sergeant,” disguised as a Yoga teacher, you have to make a decision based on your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Do you want to be challenged or do you want to feel supported during your class? Consider this: If you feel negative after listening to your Yoga teacher, you should not return to that class. You may find another Yoga teacher in the same facility or at another Yoga center.
Sleeping Better is a result of the first two, above-mentioned, Yoga benefits. For the most part, the physical styles of Yoga release muscle tension through Asana (movement) and Pranayama (controlled breath work). The less physical styles may focus on Mantra, Meditation, and Relaxation Techniques and often delve more into yogic philosophy.
Relief from Back Pain is a by product of the physical styles, but choose carefully. The more gentle Hatha Yoga sub-styles such as Restorative, Gentle, and Therapeutic Yoga, cater to students with a variety of ailments, including back pain. Styles such as Ashtanga are usually not a great choice for a yoga newbie since the adjustments can be quite aggressive.
Increased Muscle Tone is also a result of the physical styles of Yoga. If you are searching for a Hatha Yoga teacher, studio, or style, choose one that caters to your physical condition. Do not jump into a physically vigorous Yoga class, unless you are physically active. Most injuries, in the physical forms of Yoga occur, when students push themselves too far or the teacher does an inappropriate aggressive adjustment.
Yoga, Spas, Romantic Ideas from Philadelphia and Retreats
We hope you had an enjoyable, and fun Holiday (Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza) connecting with family & friends along with an exciting start to the New Year of 2012.
We finished the last two weeks of 2011 visiting family and friends in Southern California and four days in Las Vegas just the two of us. Vegas. . . a great date night ideas (weekend), and we found a room at The Rio for only $40!
We explored the sights, sounds and smells of Sin City from the gluttonous Rio Buffet, uber romantic Venetian Grand Canal, the luxurious Qua Spa at Cesar’s (the best and most underrated spa in the country…. did you know I used to work at Spafinder.com for 3 years?) and the dreamy Bellagio Watershow from 51 stories above in the Eiffel Tower at the Paris (check out our video).
We also explored some of the not so visited areas of Vegas like the Atomic Testing Museum which chronicled the nearly 1,000 nuclear detonations in the Nevada desert. Quite a contrast to the entertainment on the Strip with the fiery tribal volcano show at The Mirage, and haunting Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.
We started 2012 attending a series of performances and a spiritual kirtan (concerts and chanting) at the World Beat Center in San Diego.
We thoroughly enjoyed the music, food and vibe all for a the recession special price of $27.50. I usually hate New Year’s Eve with all the crowded drunken revelry but this celebration was joyous and soulful.
Yep, you don’t have to spend a small fortune to entertain yourself and your significant other at some of those pricey events that are so heavily promoted.
Wondering what you can do for your next date night as we start 2012?
We will soon have a section on our website sharing pictures and video of creative and fun date night ideas you can use to spice up your love life from the zany and esoteric to exceptional value that your wallet will smile about.
We recently started sharing romance and yoga lifestyle related ideas on our website under Stuff I Like and Product Reviews.
Want to share creative date night ideas, we’d love to hear your ideas.
Yoga, Spas, Romantic Ideas from Philadelphia and Romantic Retreats
Guys, its good to start thinking about this stuff from now, especially with Valentines’s Day about a month away.
We thoroughly enjoyed the music, food and vibe all for a the recession special price of $27.50. I usually hate New Year’s Eve with all the crowded drunken revelry but this celebration was joyous and soulful.