✨ Meditation Topics for Couples at Retreats near NJ and PA

Meditation Topics for Couples at Retreats near NJ, PA, NY

Meditation Topics for Couples at Retreats near NJ, PA, NY

Venus Kriyas are meditation topics for couples and are excellent as a regular spiritual practice. There are several Venus Kriyas, but they are especially effective if couples choose one meditation to practice consistently for 40, 90 or 120 days to integrate a particular aspect of the relationship (40 days to change a habit, 90 days to confirm the habit and 120 days to make the new habit part of you. These couples’ meditations are an especially beautiful practice that can elevate your relationship to a higher level.

Ideally at a retreat where there are meditation topics for couples.  In the Northeast there are yoga retreats in NJ, PA, NY although most people usually want to go overseas for a yoga retreat.

Get closer to your significant other by taking time out of the day to bend and stretch together. Try these simple exercises.

When everyone is really busy and feeling stressed out, often the time with your partner is one of the first things to get bumped.  Stretching with your loved one turns the tables on the rat race, allowing you both to be in the moment and renewing your connection.

Try these following stretches to reconnect with your partner. Whether you’re waiting for the coffee to brew in the morning or you set up an after-work date of stretching before must-see TV, these simple poses will provide the ideal break for you and your loved one.

Yoga Retreat near NJ in PA

Yoga Retreat near NJ in PA

PARTNER YOGA MOVES

Happy hug

Stand facing each other with toes touching. Hug! Relax deeply into your partner’s embrace. Breathe five long, deep breaths in unison with your partner. Let stress and tension fall away. Take turns rubbing each other’s back between the shoulder blades and spine for 30 seconds.

Tree together

Stand side by side. Lift your outside leg up and place your foot on your inside leg’s upper thigh. If your foot slips, you can hold it up with your hand. Wrap your inside arm around your partner’s waist and hold tight for balance and support. Stand tall and raise your head. Breathe in unison and relax into the pose. Take five deep breaths. Switch sides with your partner and stretch the other leg.

Upside-down smile

Stand back to back, about two feet apart and separate your legs by about three feet. Drop your upper bodies down like rag dolls with both arms hanging. Look at your partner in between your legs and smile — or make funny faces at each other. If you can, grab onto your partner’s arms or legs and pull yourself deeper into the stretch.

Tantric twist

Sit back to back, with legs crossed. Keep your lower backs as close together as possible. Twist around to your left. Place your left hand on your partner’s right knee. Place your right hand on your own left knee. Look behind you and relax your neck, pulling firmly on your partner’s knee. Take five deep breaths together. Switch directions and repeat.

“Heeling” massage

This is a great way to give a back massage without lifting a finger. Have your partner sit up with his legs straight out in front. Sit about three feet behind him, facing his back. Then, lie down and rest your feet on your partner’s back. Walk your heels up and down, and rub the sore spots in between his spine and shoulder blades. Rest your heels on top of his or her shoulders and push down. For extra leverage, raise your pelvis off the ground.

Tight Shoulders and Neck Stiff? Self-Massage with Tennis Balls and a Sock

Sitting at a computer all day or driving in the car a lot can make for cranky and stiff shoulders and a stiff neck.  While I aspire to get a once a week massage at a luxurious spa, for now I’ve found a technique to get rid of this tightness without leaving the house.

  • This works best on a hard surface like a floor but not so well on a soft surface like a bed or a coach.
  • Budget the time to really be able to work your entire shoulder region since just giving yourself 8 minutes for this is not going to make a big difference.
  • Turn your cell phone off ( I promise you there is no where in your cell phone manual where you will find the directions that say your cell phone must remain on at all times.
  • Turn the lights on low or off or have a scented eye pillow nearby.
  • Have some plinky-plonky music.
  • Tell others in your household that you are not to be disturbed for the next (at least) 30 minutes.
  • You won’t feel like talking or even thinking once you surrender to the pose and you will feel yourself dropping to a deep place of stillness and relaxation.

 

 

 

Solid Benefits You Can Experience from Yoga

You hear so much about 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. For those looking for a gentle yoga practice in Philadelphia, there are many options.

There are many benefits you can expect from regularly attending Yoga classes, but the five of the most common benefits of Yoga are listed below.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Yoga has helped many to have a more objective point of view on situations and people.  Instead of judging people, you come to realize that most people are doing their best for their level of consciousness and you develop greater compassion for others.  Yoga has assisted in stemming the feelings of pain, fatigue, doubt, confusion, self-delusion and despair that we all feel. Yoga helps to make your mind steady and clear so decisions are made from a place of clarity and strength.

 

 

Top Fertility Poses in Yoga – Help Conceive and Find Peace

Treating Infertility With Yoga - Yoga to Help Conceive, yoga fertilityIt is possible to increase fertility with yoga poses: restorative fertility yoga postures encourage human body to be more open to conception. It is not about being more flexible and being able to curl your left leg over your right shoulder: this will not boost your fertility: yoga is about balancing body and mind and not only improving your physical conditional and body flexibility. There are additional external factors that contribute to the fact you might have problems trying to conceive, and these include caffeine, alcohol, smoking, stress, including communication between partners and financial worries etc.

Many people are diagnosed with unexplained infertility, treating infertility with yoga can change that diagnoses. Usually a contributing factor for infertility is stress and stress related issues. Yoga not only tones your body but it is an excellent stress reliever. It also targets specific areas of the body including organs, glandular and circulatory systems. If you start using a yoga practice for fertility your chances of overcoming infertility are three times greater than not using yoga at all. A practice specific for fertility will focus on stress relief, strengthening and toning muscles, and balancing the reproductive organs and hormones. Stress, however, has been shown to reduce the probability of conception.

Alice Domar, who has a Ph.D. in health psychology and is the director of mind-body services at the Harvard-affiliated center Boston IVF, said of yoga: “It’s a very effective relaxation technique, and a great way to get women in the door to get support. It’s a way to get them to like their bodies again.” In 2000, she, published the results of a study in Fertility and Sterility (Vol. 73, No. 4) that showed women who participated in her program, which included relaxation and yoga, were almost three times more likely to get pregnant than women who didn’t. A Gentler Form of Exercise Dr. Domar has an interesting theory about one of the ways that some women seem to benefit from yoga. “I believe that vigorous exercise may reduce fertility in some women,” she says. “We can’t predict whose fertility is exercise sensitive.

Yoga is something they can do that will reduce stress without impacting their fertility. For really chronic exercisers, my clinical impression is that at least half that stop get pregnant. Yoga is the best tool I have for these women.” According to Rahul Sachdev, M.D., a specialist in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey, incorporating the health-enhancing benefits of yoga with traditional and innovative medical intervention can relieve the stress associated with infertility, thus vastly increasing the chances for conception. Treating infertility with yoga is a natural and cost effective way to conceive. Did you know that the treatment for infertility business is $2 billion dollar business. Many couples spend thousands of dollars for various treatments that can cause painful side effects, financial strain, and additional stress. Many of these treatments are not successful and the couple continues trying different treatments becoming more frustrated and financially troubled.

The Mayo Clinic recently acknowledged that chronic stress can lead to a variety of health and emotional problems. Yoga is an effective method to reduce stress and anxiety. But in addition, yoga for fertility can help to detoxify the body while relaxing tight muscles and connective tissue. The specific areas in Yoga for fertility of the low back (sacral plexus) hips, groins and pelvis begin to improve in blood flow and circulation-which can aid in healthier gynecological function. As the body relaxes, the mind calms and the nervous system is aided by the breath to help lower stress hormones like cortisol, which can impede reproductive hormone function. This can potentially be beneficial for fertility. Learning to listen to the body’s natural rhythms through yoga and breathing can bring a deep sense of peace and connection to our own innate healing capacity, helping women and couples feel more empowered on their journey.

To treat infertility with yoga there a some basic steps you can take to get you started. This first thing is to make a commitment to start lifestyle practices that will reduce your stress level. Stress can cause your hormones and organs to become off balance. When you are not in balance your body is not working to it’s full potential. Yoga breathing will help calm the body and mind replacing the negative thoughts with positive. There are specific poses in yoga that focus on your reproductive organs and pelvic area to increase blood flow and stimulate energy. There are also poses that soften the abdominal area clearing tension from the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes which will increase their productivity.

Yoga will bring balance to your body, mind, and soul specifically your hormone levels. These poses will improve your glandular function which will stabilize hormones. In order for the reproductive process to occur your hormones must be in balance. Yoga is a natural way to treat your infertility by decreasing the stress from month after month of trying to conceive. When your body is stressed and tense so are your organs causing them not to work properly. Yoga will calm and release the tension specifically in the pelvic region which brings increased blood flow to your reproductive organs and allows the energy to flow freely opening and softening the pelvic organs.

See part 2 and 3 for Top Fertility Poses in Yoga.

 

Five Solid Benefits You Can Experience from Yoga

Five Solid Benefits You Can Experience from Yoga

Five Solid Benefits You Can Experience from Yoga

You hear so much about the benefits of 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.

Benefits of Yoga.  Rock a Pose – Change Your Life

There are many benefits of yoga you can expect from regularly attending  classes, but the five of the most common benefits of Yoga are listed below. Choose a Yoga teacher who fits your needs and do not be pressured into taking a Yoga class that does not suit your lifestyle.  Many  vigorous, power, hot yoga classes can be very physically challenging so be prepared to work hard in your first class.

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.  One of my first yoga classes was at a hot yoga studio and then teacher was yelling at me the whole time not to lock my knees…… bad memory.

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 has helped many to have a more objective point of view on situations and people.  Instead of judging people, you come to realize that most people are doing their best for their level of consciousness and you develop greater compassion for others.  Yoga has assisted in stemming the feelings of pain, fatigue, doubt, confusion, self-delusion and despair that we all feel. Yoga helps to make your mind steady and clear so decisions are made from a place of clarity and strength.

Yoga is a tool which allows us to experience our selves more fully and more richly.  We are at a critical juncture in the evolution of our minds.  The earth-wide environmental movement and internet are examples of the world coming together to form a global community. 
Lastly, have fun trying different yoga classes, until you find the right one for you, and never force yourself into a Yoga posture. Your best Yoga teachers are your body and mind. Listen to them, avoid pain, be safe, and you will be enjoying the benefits of yoga for years to come.

 

Healing your Mind and Body Through Thoughts

Illness in any form is nothing more than our negative energies choking off so much of our Life-flow that cellular damage results.   The body is not separate from the universe, so when we think a thought, the vibrations run through the body as well as everywhere else.  If those vibrations are in harmony with our body’s intrinsic programming for well-being and vitality, the the cells thrive. But if it’s negative energy we are projecting, the cells can’t remain strong enough and don’t perform as well.

Without the high frequency energy of life force necessary for them to survive they eventually weaken and die before their time, no longer able to replicate normally. Illness exists in a state of dis-ease.  Someone has flowed more negative energy than high frequency energy.  If you find a generally happy person, you usually find a very healthy person.    People who are sick have shut themselves off in some degree from their own life Life-force energy by letting negative thoughts from fear, guilt, blame, hate, worry (and the energetic resonance of those thoughts).

Anytime we think of anything, we’re flowing out some kind of positive or negative energy (feeling) Whatever we’re feeling, we’re attracting, on an energetic level.  Then we live with the results. The vibration (or emotional resonance) that comes from our thoughts have the power to magnetize vitality or disease. The more thoughts we send out, the more powerful these vibrational clumps become and they start to draw into their whirling centers anything and everything of a similar vibration  Like attracts like, whether it is something you desire, or something you don’t want.

When I lay my body down in bed each night I choose a few words and just repeat them in my head…. Peace…. Abundance…. Ease… sometimes I say them as an affirmation… I am Peace….. I am Abundance….  I feel Ease.

How to Heal your Body with the Law of Attraction

To turn illness around, you must start to use trickery with mind into creating higher vibrations (that come from focusing on feelings of gratitude, love, appreciation) to begin their process of regeneration.  This is not a cure-all.  It is simply a beginning.  The key to reversing anything within the body is to get your focus of what you don’t like or want and get into the the “feeling place”, words a la positive affirmations and visualization will help but learning to shift your own energy is also paramount.

The trickery is much like writing a new script. You have to learn to consciously change the kind of energy or vibrations you are emanating since most social-conscious thinking (and feeling) is based on fear and lack. You can call this Flip-Switching your energy (vibrations).  So here are two basic ways to flip-switch.  You can do these at your desk (while facing a computer screen) or in the car, lying in bed or really anyplace…..so no excuses for not having a place or time to practice.  (Are you committed to your excuse or are you committed to feeling better?)

Healing your Mind and Body Through Thoughts

1.  Flow Appreciation–  Focus on a part of your body that you are not happy with.  If you have a bad back, then start to FLOOD your back with appreciation.  Make yourself feel the frequency change in your body.  Feel adoration, respect, gratitude and love pour and emanate out from you until you feel a buzz throughout your body.

2.  Inner Smile Jump-Start. (Best to do this in private)  Put a meaningful smile on your face, the kind of smile you’d have at seeing a newborn baby or watching puppies tumble and play.  Feel it grow warmly inside of you until you’re encased in the glow of a gentle  inner smile.  While encased in this state, flow gratitude and love towards the part of your body that needs healing.

Just using these techniques once will not be a miracle-cure.   It took a lifetime to get the thought and fear-based emotional habits and patterns you have and it will take discipline, commitment, faith and practice to heal as well.  It helps to have a supportive buddy that you are practicing these with so you can check in with each other on your progress and keep each other inspired and accountable.

Farting in yoga class? What to do when this happens and how to prevent It.

When I am just a student in the class and someone accidentally lets a noisy one out I giggle and laugh and look in the direction of the lethal missile.  Now that I do a lot of teaching and am not the student that often, when someone in my class accidentally lets one out, then I have to swallow my laughter and giggle and not even look in the direction of the explosion.  I remember one time, that this guy kept cutting his chakra cheese fairly audibly and we couldn’t all ignore it if we tried and he had to say “ Sorry, Excuse me”  a few times. farting in yoga class

In order to prevent this (nothing horrifies students more when this happens….particularly when the studio is really quiet)  I have the music at a fairly audible decibel.  If you are hard of hearing then you might have some trouble hearing me though.  Also, when I can I urge students to avoid a heavy meal like lasagna with cheesecake immediately before class I do so.  I think it’s the most embarrassing when it is a guy doing this in a roomful of attractive young women.  Maybe this is why guys don’t come to yoga as often.

Also, there are certain poses that will make this happen more often than not.  Boat pose is particularly lethal so I make sure the music is pretty loud in this pose.  I think boat pose, particularly when it is a partner pose, is usually the evil culprit.  Also, appropriately titled, “Wind – Relieving Pose” sometimes makes this happen.  I guess you are pressing on the descending colon in this pose

As a teacher or student, what are your experiences of observing this in a class?  How did you react?