Kale Chips Recipe

Kale is a powerhouse food packed with nutrients.  It can be enjoyed raw or cooked and in a variety of dishes: stir-fry, smoothies, salads or even as chips!

Weight loss and Digestive Health
The fiber (5 grams in one cup) and sulfur in kale aid with digestion and liver health. The fiber in kale also lowers cholesterol.  The Vitamin C it contains hydrates your body and increases your metabolism, leading to weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels. 

Improve your Immunity
Kale’s impressive concentration of nutrients strengthens the immune system and fights viruses and bacteria. Kale has more iron than beef, making it a great source of this valuable mineral for vegans and vegetarians. It helps more oxygen get to your blood and greatly helps those who are anemic. 

Healthier Hair, Skin & Nails
The healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids keep your body strong, healthy and beautiful from the inside out. Kale’s concentration of major nutrients gives your skin’s health and appearance a boost. 

See Clearly and Stand Strong
Kale’s Vitamin A content helps keep the eyes from optical disorders that come with age. It also helps store vitamins in the retina. The calcium and vitamin K and D keep your bones strong. 

Anti-inflammatory
The omega-3 fatty acids in kale help fight and alleviate arthritis, autoimmune disorders and asthma. The vitamin C content helps relieve stiff joints.

Thanks to VegKitchen for this great explanation of benefits. 

Looking for an easy way to make Kale fun for everyone.  Try Kale Chips!

1. Wash and DRY Kale thoroughly.  Baking wet kale will become smelly, soggy and hard to eat.  I run the Kale through the salad spinner, paper towel dry and let it air dry for a few minutes before baking.

2.  I find it bakes better in longer strips so avoid breaking down too small - once they are baked and crunchy you can tear down the pieces making it a fun treat!

3.  Drizzle some olive oil, garlic n herbs, sale and pepper - be generously as kale can absorb the flavor nicely.  The lady I ran into at the supermarket uses meat spice and Turmeric (she couldn't stop praising the benefits of turmeric!).

4.  Bake in over at 250 for 20 minutes and turn the leaves after 10 minutes for even baking.

Happy Healthy Eating!

Athletes and Yoga

Athletes and yoga is one of professional sports best collaborations!

Many professional athletes and teams look to yoga to strengthen muscles, focus, and protect from injury.  

Baron Baptiste, who spent five years on the coaching staff of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, sees one common theme in athletes' bodies: one-dimensionality.

"There is a lot of overdevelopment in certain areas, and in other areas there is underdevelopment," he says. He recommends that teachers help students adapt their practices to suit their individual needs.

Runners tend to have tight hamstrings; cyclists often have tight quadriceps. Those engaged in throwing sports or swimming may complain of tired or aching shoulders; golfers and tennis players may have more freedom of rotation in one direction than the other.

Victor Cruz, wide receiver for the New York Giants credits yoga for at least part of his success.  Positions like the hero pose with toes tucked help create flexible ankles and lessen foot pain, allowing Cruz to avoid injury and flourish into one of the game’s best wide receivers.

Did you know the following athletes practice yoga: 
   

•  Vernon Davis, tight end for the San Francisco 49ers
•  Kevin Love, forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves
•  LeBron James, forward for the Miami Heat
•  Mike Krzyzewski, men's basketball coach

Through a routine yoga practice, many athletes can increase flexibility, increase lung capacity and in turn see the improvement in their sport.

What is HOT YOGA?

Hot Yoga is a trend that has taken off in the last several years.  A phenomenon of its own, as 5000 years ago there was no hot yoga - just yoga.  So then the question is - what is Hot Yoga?

Original Hot Yoga - BIKRAM
The original Hot Yoga was created during the 1970s by Bikram Chaudhary, who organized yoga poses into a strict 26 pose sequence with 2 breathing exercises and called it Bikram Yoga.  In this class, poses are held for a deep stretch and repeated twice.  Every class is 90 minutes and repeats the same sequence every class. Therefore no matter where in the country you go Bikram Yoga will be exactly the same.

Bikram Yoga soon became popular with celebrities and notable people.  Its appeal was in the extreme heat 105 degree room with a 40% humidity level.  That is just the starting temperature of the room and then once you add students the temperature soars.  There is a whole world of teachers who compete for the hottest classes and raise the temperatures to 110 or 115.  But I digress.

Bikram's popularity increased and in an effort to protect his creation, franchised studios who wanted to bring Bikram Yoga to their neighborhood.  As a copyrighted sequence (recently that was re-evaluted in a case with Yoga to the People) and a franchise organization - Bikram has had no qualms going after small local studios who offered Bikram Yoga without franchise/royalty agreements.


 So then what is Hot Yoga?
The term HOT YOGA became popular by those devoted to the 26 pose sequence looking to offer the class without fear of litigation - and hence offered Bikram yoga under the alias Hot Yoga. 

This is where is becomes slightly confusing.

Hot Yoga ALSO has been used to include Vinyasa or Power Yoga styles. 

In actuality, hot yoga is any yoga style variation done in a heated room. Some classes refer to 80 degrees as Hot Yoga and some refer to 95 degrees as Hot Yoga.  Typically, the room is 90-100 degrees F.  Notable names of heated vinyasa styles are: Baptiste Power Yoga, Bryan Kest Power Yoga, Jimmy Barkan - Barkan Method of Hot Yoga.

Therefore, reading the description of a class called HOT YOGA is important to understand if it is following the 26 poses or a more Vinyasa (flow) style.


Notable Differences
Vinyasa/Power Yoga classes are continuous movements where each pose is linked together by breath and the continuous movement begins to generate heat from within.  Vinyasa Yoga & Power Yoga lends itself to more creative interpretation as it is not always bound by a set sequence.  Some teachers may choose to follow a classic Baptiste, Barkan Method class or simply have their class be inspired by their style leaving it to the teacher to uniquely sequence.  Whereas every Bikram class in the country will be the same - it is not guaranteed that any 2 Vinyasa classes will be the same.

1. A broader array of arm balances, inversions, breathing techniques and meditation can be explored in Vinyasa versus in a classic Bikram class.
2. Vinyasa/Power Yoga styles emphasizes internal heat to purge toxins and stretch whereas Bikram emphasizes combating a sweltering room to detox and stretch.
3. Bikram Yoga is a repetitious practice and therefore does not lend itself to variation in Vinyasa.

Take Aways
There is no right or wrong to Hot Yoga - understanding and experiencing various classes helps to better choose the class/studio that best fits your preferences for heat, styles (static vs. flow) and exploration of yoga poses/philosophy.

All Bikram Yoga is Hot Yoga BUT not all Hot Yoga is Bikram!

Holding onto the Zen

Cali Coast taken by Anuj Malhotra

With a view like this it is easy to find zen and remain peaceful.  You almost feel silly not being mindful, aware and present.

Sadly, the second you are back in line at the airport - the shoulders start tensing, the breathing shallows and well serenity has checked-out.

So how do you remain zen as a modern day yogi?

1. Find time - the day is long and even longer when we are stressed.  We may not always have 60-90minutes for a yoga class - but we do have 5 minutes to enjoy a cup of tea in silence or 3 minutes in the car for Kapal Baati breathing.  Traffic jams or commuting time can sometimes provide the best times for breathing and simple stretches.
2. Journal - we hear it often but journaling has a great way to bring back presence to what is really important and ways to clear the clutter.  Reinforce positive affirmations each entry.  We often get stuck in labels - being someone's spouse, friend, employee.  Go back to basics - what makes you at your core unique, beautiful and worthy.
3. Diet - you are what you eat, right?  Swap the coffee for a simple green juice or the chocolate for some fruit.  Make one conscious change to empower your health.
4. Laugh - life does not have to be so serious - and nor do the lessons of life be a somber task.  Often our best lessons are our "mistakes" and our ability to laugh at ourselves.

As modern-day yogis, we balance many stresses in one day.  Recognize that finding serenity is not a one off occurrence  just on a vacation or a retreat but that each day many opportunities for tranquility arise.  Begin to avail the resources and opportunities for happiness around you and begin to shift the vision of your day.

Namaste

Namaste is a greeting used in many yoga classes and studios.  Sometimes we know what it means and sometimes afraid to ask?

Well here goes - insight and and etiquette around Namaste!

Namaste is a customary salutation to greet one another upon meeting or leaving.  It is a greeting used in every day life amongst those of Indian descent.  You will often find while saying "Namaste" the hands are brought to the heart center in prayer with a slight bow.  This is also known as Anjali Mudra.

There is no religious affiliation with the greeting.  Rather, the hands at prayer are a gesture of of love and respect - also highlighting the common bond connecting each of us.

Literally namaste is translated to mean, "the light or soul in me honors the light or soul in you".

Phonetically, it is pronounced "nuh-mus-tay."
nuh - rhymes with 'duh'
mus - rhymes with 'bus'
tay - rhymes with 'bay'

In yoga class, it is a way for a teacher to show respect and gratitude towards his/her students and in turn students towards their teacher.

We end class with the greeting Namaste at heart center.  The gesture is does not honor any one or anything.  Rather it is a meditation technique to honor one's-self. 

The hands at heart center bring awareness to your breath and heartbeat.  In that moment, each one of us honors our body, mind and spirit for committing to the practice.  In that moment, we surrender honor the soul within and thus strengthening the opening of the heart chakra.

There should be no pressure or obligation to say namaste.  More important is the intention to honor within and each other on and off the mat.

With heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and presence at Soul Power Yoga
- Namaste - 

Kids: My Most Meaningful Teachers

I started yoga because of my sister, Cristal. Being ill had taken so much out of her and going to yoga everyday helped her feel strong when her body was weak.  So I thought "OK let's try."

My first class was a Bikram class. Bikram Yoga is the original Hot Yoga - an intense 90 minute class in extreme heat temperatures.  I couldn't breathe within the first few seconds of stepping into the room as the air was so thick.  I was nervous, here I was trying something new and what if I wasn't good? I'm not the "athletic" type. I think I made it through the first class and then was on the floor about 30% of my second class.  But I kept going. First just to prove I could do it and then something happened - I started liking it! Feeling my body change, become stronger in both mind and spirit as well. Then I started branching out to try different classes and types of yoga - Iyengar, Ashtanga, Hatha, Power, Vinyasa. 
  

I was still hungry to learn more and decided to embark on my own teacher training, as Cristal returned from hers so invigorated and enlivened.  This time I was following in Cristal's footsteps :)

I trained with Seane Corne and Baron Baptiste. I have always enjoyed working with children.  As I found yoga so empowering for accepting and celebrating myself - I thought it would be a great medium to empower and celebrate children. 

I signed up for Radiant Child Yoga Program Levels 1 and 2, a nationally recognized children's training program that lasted 18 months.  I wanted to ensure I received the most in-depth training.  I did an intensive on teacher training with Shakta Kaur Khalsa to also become a facilitator for training adults to teach children.

After learning from these remarkable and experienced instructors, I had no idea I was about to meet my most humbling teachers.

The kids amaze me and energize me after a long work week.  They try all of the poses, make up all sorts of new poses, and help each other. They are open to trying anything and everything.

The beauty about kids is their innocence, their fearlessness, their innate sense of joy.  Hearing a 6 year old say " you know I have too many activities and I have to tell mommy that I must have 3 days of doing nothing during the week; I have to make time for me."

For me a critical part about teaching their class is making sure each one leaves feeling good about themselves - body, mind and soul. I listen to them, each one of them, tell me what happened during school that week and laugh with them as we move through class. The "trick" to a great yoga class with kids - have 100 poses in mind and "go with the flow" - the kids flourish in a space where their creativity and authenticity is spotlighted.
Each class, whether it is one with a 10 week old baby, to a child with ADD, a children's birthday party or a child with special needs reinforces the basics of yoga to me.  Acceptance, peacefulness, and just being themselves without filter or fear.  They love being unique and celebrating each others' uniqueness. 

Now I am in my 8th year of teaching children yoga and with each class I have gratitude for having the opportunity to help kids see the best in themselves and in turn the best in me. I am blessed and continue to learn from them.

Namaste
Pooja

Take Flight with Arm Balances!

Here is usually what happens.  You are grooving in your flow and finding a great harmony of body and breath.  Feeling good in your body, mind is clear and starting to feel like you can flow in class without being a breath behind or unsure of the poses and their names. 

Then it happens - class goes into an arm balance!  You stop cold - no longer feeling strong your body, mind is racing - starting to even go negative and your strong ujjayi breathing quickly becomes fight or flight!

What is it about arm balances that can totally change the nature of class?  I remember I went to a crowded NYC class and happened to be in the middle of the room.  Class had just started maybe about 2 minutes in we go into crow and then from there headstand.  I freeze and want to move to the wall.  How can you when you are jammed mat to mat!  I look up from my mat and everyone - I mean every single person is looking at me upside down from their headstands.  The instructor, Dharma Mittra, himself, comes over to me.  How could he not - I was the only person in the room not inverted.  He so lovingly was like "just put your head down and go".  He even tried to set me up so I could take flight but I couldn't do it.  He so fluidly gave the cues and it was as if my body was in quicksand.  We moved on in class but my entire practice I never got that euphoric feeling of "I feel good" as I could not even do the opening sequence.  It created this feeling of not being good enough and a doubt of what was I doing in this class.

It helped me start looking at the roadblocks I had in place for arm balances.  I had thought it was only those with toned arms and a strong third chakra that could invert or lift themselves. 

Actually though, arm balances, provide a place of adventure.  Arm balances are NOT announcement to the world of how much physical strength you have or even worse, do not have.  They are not an announcement of who is the most advanced in class and who are the newer students.  Instead, they are a time in practice when we break from the free flowing to explore the possibility of our bodies and minds.  We explore strength, humor, possibility, concentration and surrender.  

What defines our practice is not just our physical capacity but the intention with which we carry out each breath.  Jumping up into a forearm balance with hunched shoulders, collapsed spinal alignment and shallow breathing is not a demonstration of experience.  Experience is in concentrated lifts with awareness of breath, presence of alignment and determination to try.  It is not about holding the handstand, forearm balance or crow but rather giving yourself a chance to see your potential.

When we shift our vision on arm balances, we see that they really do provide an opportunity on our mat to stop avoiding obstacles and challenges.  Off of our mat, we may easily just walk away from difficult moments or tasks.  What arm balances provide is space to actually step up and breath by breath breakaway the roadblock of our own growth.  

The next time in class you have a choice between an arm balance and another pose pause and really identify why it is you are not trying.  If it a voice of doubt, fear or negative thought - exhale it out - and see what happens when you try.  Laugh if you fall, smile when you stumble and celebrate when a toe leaves the floor.  Enjoy the road of adventure bumps and all!

--

Namaste
Cristal

Please keep in mind, alignment and form is highly critical for any arm balance.  Take your time to setup and exit an arm balance.  If you are ever unsure don't hesitate to ask.