In the sweetness of summer's long-lit days, it seems that we actually have more time. Perhaps this--in addition to the influence of warm, humid weather--is why we are more willing to allow ourselves permission to slow down and relax in summer. In this season I often feel nostalgic for my childhood, and as a child, summer feels endless. I am fortunate to have a job that allows my inner child to come out and play!  This summer, I've hung on jungle gyms, jumped through fountains, had ice cream at Lula's, and rolled in the grass in Central Park. I have a list of more leisurely activities I hope to allow time for before summer ends: 

-go to the beach at the Rockaways
-see the film "Boyhood"
-see the Edward Hopper exhibit at the Whitney

For now I'm savoring every last minute of slow, lazy August. Here is my favorite mini-playlist right now--for practicing yoga and evening strolls through the city. 

A Walk (Tycho)

Flux (Garth Stevenson)

10 Laws (East Forest)

Sleeping Children Are Still Flying (Blue Sky Black Death)

Where Is My Mind (Maxence Cyrin)

Melody Day (Caribou)

Be the Song (Foy Vance)

Shanti/Peace Out (MC Yogi)

How are you incorporating rest and relaxation into your life this summer? Do you have a Leisure List for August? Leave a comment below! 

Hollaback! is a non-profit organization and movement to end street harassment. It is run by local activists in 79 cities and 26 countries. I first learned about their work while going through training to volunteer at an assault care center in Iowa (ACCESS), and am a passionate believer in their mission. I attended the HOLLA: Revolution yesterday, which featured amazing speakers, artists (and dancers!) and information--you can watch the video here. If you experience street harassment or want to be part of the movement to end it (YOU DO), I highly recommend checking out the Hollaback! website and downloading the app, where you can map and share your personal stories of street harassment. The data gathered from the maps created is presented to city leaders to bring awareness to the issue, and make the streets safer for all of us. Connect with Hollaback! on Facebook and Twitter!

I am thrilled and honored to be a part of this year's Hollaback! Site Leader Retreat in New York, and will be presenting a workshop on Yoga as Self-Care. I'm co-opting my blog for the week to post the content that I'll be sharing with the site leaders at tomorrow's workshop, so that they have reference to it for later, and also because it's good stuff!

This is a short sequence created for the Hollaback site leaders visiting NYC this week from all over the world! I am so excited to be a part of this workshop for a cause that I am passionate about. I've adapted the practice as we will be in a space with hard floors, limited space and no mats or props--as shown in the photos, you could do it on a sidewalk!

obviously,

make the other side

feel just as good!

this stretches the intercostal muscles

between your ribs,

creating more space for BREATH!

Finish up with the self-massage for face and scalp and then rest in a seated meditation or savasana (lying down on back) for at least five minutes.

Trauma affects everybody at some point in their journey through life. Simply defined, trauma is "a difficult or disturbing experience that causes long-lasting mental, emotional--and I add--physical problems." More frequently, you may experience what is commonly known as "compassion fatigue," or secondary trauma--"the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person (www.secondarytrauma.org)." Sound familiar? Dr. Laurie Pearlman prefers the term "vicarious trauma," which she defines as the "cumulative transformative effect of working with survivors of traumatic life events."

I trained for and worked as a volunteer in an assault care shelter in Iowa and taught yoga to homeless youth in Chicago after attending a Street Yoga teacher training. The stories I heard and the pain and trauma I was exposed to during these projects had a deep impact on me, and my own sense of safety. Additionally, as part of the 40% of women who feel unsafe walking home in their own neighborhood (according to the Washington Post), I deal with my own sources of anxiety around personal safety and street harassment. I have lived in rural America, Midwestern college towns famous for partying, a bustling Asian metropolis, and two of the USA's largest cities (as well as having traveled, alone, internationally), and the feeling of always having to watch your back has followed me everywhere I've been. These personal experiences of vicarious trauma and the stress of continually facing potentially dangerous situations as a woman have informed my interest in the field of somatic therapies, to help myself and others.

As a dancer and yoga instructor, I am in the practice of observing how my day-to-day experiences and emotions affect my body. I can feel the "fight or flight" mechanism engage whenever I go somewhere alone. Being harassed on a daily basis makes me feel helpless and angry. Empathy for the endless stories of abuse and violence weigh heavy on my heart. All of these emotions present themselves in a more visceral than mental way. Stress can be healthy in small doses but we're not meant to exist in that alert, hyper-aware state all the time. It can interfere with well-being, digestion, sleep, and motivation, and cause fatigue, tension and pain in the body.

In his book, "The Body of Life," body psychotherapist Thomas Hanna writes:

We cannot hate or be angry without an organism that hates and is angry. We cannot love and hope and expect without actively, movingly, physiologically loving and hoping and expecting. Hate, anger, love and hope are not “psychological states,” existing in some “mental” vacuum; they are somatic states that exist in the entirety of a living organism.

We want safe spaces and communities that are free from hate and anger.  As activists, caregivers, listeners, or those looking for a holistic approach to healing, we are all at risk of suffering the physiological effects of trauma--directly or indirectly. We must first understand how to discover and nurture safe space within our own bodies through practicing mindful movement (breathing practices, yoga, tai-chi, dance, hiking, etc), so that after trauma (whether secondary or primary) we can return to inner safety, peace, purpose and strength.  Like the often-used airplane oxygen mask analogy, one has to be connected to their life source in order to help others connect to theirs.

Yoga is a wonderful way to treat compassion fatigue. Not only does it lower blood pressure, it helps us return to natural biorhythms that can be disturbed during trauma through the disassociation of mind and body. Practicing yoga, moving rhythmically with your breath, helps you reconnect to yourself.

I have compiled a list of books and online readings and resources if you're interested in further study on trauma/secondary trauma and the body, and how movement practices assist in maintaining our energy and ability to help others.

Books (Available through Amazon)

Overcoming Trauma through Yoga
David Emerson and Elizabeth Hopper, PhD

Getting Our Bodies Back
Christine Caldwell

Waking The Tiger
Peter A. Levine

The Compassion Fatigue Workbook: Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Traumatization
Francois Matthieu

Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self while Caring for Others
Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk

The Body of Life: Creating New Pathways for Sensory Awareness and Fluid Movement
Thomas Hanna

Relax and Renew: Yoga for Stressful Times
Judith Hanson Lasater

Online

Overview of Secondary Trauma
http://secondarytrauma.org/secondarytrauma.htm

Green Tree Yoga: Yoga for Compassion Fatigue
http://greentreeyoga.org/programs/compassion-fatigue

The Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute
www.traumacenter.org
Research, trainings, publications, resources.
Trauma-sensitive Yoga DVD available:
http://www.traumacenter.org/products/yoga_DVD.php

Street Yoga: Changing Lives One Breath at a Time
www.streetyoga.org
Blog, resources, videos, trainings, research.

"Yoga Therapy in Practice: Healing Childhood Sexual Abuse with Yoga" by Mark Lilly and Jaime Hedlund, Street Yoga
http://streetyoga.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Yoga-Therapy-in-Practice.pdf

"A Yoga Intervention for Counselors with Compassion Fatigue: A Literature Review and Qualitative Case Study"
Janys M. Murphy
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/37794 (click view/open for PDF)

My recommendations for slower, more contemplative, gentle practices--for healing, soothing the mind and heart, easing stress, inducing rest and relaxation. 

Yoga Journal Online
http://www.yogajournal.com/video/
Also available as a podcast on iTunes in both audio and video: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yogajournal.com-yoga-practice/id272050214?mt=2
From the tab on the left, choose your experience level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and then the length of time you have for your practice. You can also select a focus for your practice (choose “restorative,” “seated,” or “hip openers” for a slower, more relaxing practice). Under “Wellness Types,” you can choose your reason for practicing. For self-care purposes, you might choose the categories “Depression,” “Sleep,” or “Stress.” I highly recommend Sean Johnson’s Contemplative Practice (http://www.yogajournal.com/video/346) after work or before bed. With soft guitar accompaniment, he leads the practitioner through some simple, sweet stretches for the back and legs, while delivering a guided meditation that encourages reconnecting to the self and finding groundedness in your journey. If you enjoy his practice, check out his longer practice, “An Hour to Unwind,” on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/an-hour-to-unwind/id277446565 or free through Spotify: http://www.last.fm/music/Sean+Johnson/_/An+Hour+to+Unwind.

Yoga Empowered for Chronic Conditions with Suzanne Stephens
http://www.yogaempowered.com/podcasts.php
Also available as a podcast on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-empowered-for-chronic/id443821932?mt=2
Suzanne offers a guided Body Scan, Breath Practice, meditations, and Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation practice that is very helpful for insomnia.

Mindful Flow and Therapeutic Yoga with Mary Partlow Lauttamus
http://mindfulflowyoga.com
Also available on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mindful-flow-therapeutic-yoga/id445877765?mt=2
Six practice podcasts to choose from on iTunes, including a breathing practice and a gentle flow.

Yoga Community Podcast with Morven Hamilton
http://yogacommunity.libsyn.com
Also available on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-community-podcast/id450919029?mt=2
A wide range of practices for your self-care routine--look for the yoga nidra practices, restorative, gentle hatha classes, and metta (lovingkindness) meditations.

Yoga International
http://yogainternational.com/topic/classes
Streaming videos of a teacher and a student moving through a variety of yoga practices--search by level, duration, instructor, or focus.

Practice self-care by massaging your face and head on a regular basis. For the first few times, it might be helpful to have a friend read this script to you so that you can keep your eyes closed as you massage, but over time, you will remember the steps and be able to perform this self-massage any time. It’s helpful during travel, before bed, and for relieving stress and tension headaches. You might also enjoy using coconut oil or lotion for the massage, too. Add a few drops of essential oils if desired:
    Juniper: Astringent qualities, helps to tone/firm skin, heal infection.
    Rosemary: Alleviates dry skin, improves circulation and has antiseptic properties.
    Frankincense: Tones and firms skin, has antiseptic properties.
After your massage, rest with a cool compress over the eyes. You can use a chilled, damp washcloth folded into thirds, or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel.


Sit in a quiet place. Adjust yourself so you are sitting comfortably in your chair or on the floor. Relax your breathing and find a slow rhythm of even inhales and exhales, through the nose.

Rub palms together quickly until they feel warm.

Apply both hands to cheeks and take three deep breaths.

Rub cheeks up and down until warm.

Close your eyes, cover them with your palms, then hold this position (the heels of the hands will rest on the cheekbones). This will energize the area around your eyes and relieve stress and tension there.

Keeping your eyes closed,  use your index, middle and ring finger to press firmly on the bony ridge of the upper eye socket. Move from the inside of the ridge to the outside, away from your nose and toward your hairline. Then press the bones underneath your eyes, as though you are wiping away tears. Repeat a few times.

(If you wear contact lenses, skip this step or remove your contacts before the massage) Eyes are still closed. Use fingertips and gently press the front of the eyeballs and quickly pull fingers off. Repeat ten times. This releases tension from the eyes.

Using thumb and index finger, pinch the bridge of the nose, between your eyebrows. Press deeply for ten seconds. Then, release quickly by pulling your fingers away from your face, three to five times. Relieves strain and fatigue in the eyes.

Rub the sides of your nose up and down until they’re warm, making your breathing smooth and steady.

Massage the thin area between nose and mouth, with all four fingers of both hands, using a circular motion, moving from the center and working toward your cheeks. Repeat seven to ten times.

Place your thumbs under your cheekbones about a finger’s width away from the sides of your nose. Rub in a circular motion for a moment. This will relieve tension in your face that may be caused by sinus congestion.

Press deeply under the lower jawbone with the thumbs as if making deep indentations from underneath the ears to below the chin. Repeat three to five times. This tones the skin and muscles of the jaw.

Use your index, middle and ring fingers to press around your ears several times, increasing circulation in the ears and improving your sense of balance.

Using the thumbs and index fingers, hold the tops of your ears, pulling upward. Then pull from the sides of your ears outward, and from the lobes downward. Repeat twice in each direction. Stimulates flow of energy and assists in the elimination of toxins.

Place your hands, palms facing forward, behind the ears. Briskly strike the ears back and forth ten-twenty times to increase circulation in ears.

Knead your ears to fully awaken them, beginning at the earlobes, moving around the edge to the top of the ears, and then to the inner ears.

Cover your left ear with your right hand, so the palm is flat over the opening of the ear, like a lid. With the first three fingers of your left hand, tap briskly on the back of your right hand, creating the sensation of sharp vibrations toward the inner ear. Tap in pairs and repeat ten pairs of taps on each ear. This helps stimulate the eardrum.

Using the index finger and middle finger, massage the temples for two minutes. This will release tension and stagnated mental energy.

Use all ten fingertips to massage the scalp, stimulating circulation and relieving fatigue.

the amazing weather and sunshine today + this playlist inspired a fun, playful hour of yoga and dance. (i think it would be equally fun for washing dishes and other stuff but you'll probably end up dancing no matter what) watch the videos for #3 and #4 if you haven't already, and chill out to #5happy spring! xx

I adore watching animals move, especially cats. George Balanchine, the choreographer and founder of the New York City Ballet, instructed his dancers to keep cats in their apartments to watch and learn from their grace (his cat, Mourka, had its own "autobiography!") Anyone with pets knows that animals are in tune with, and listen to, their physical intelligence. Cats and dogs languidly stretch their spines almost every time they get up. They know that rest and play are essential. Their sensations guide them to roll, reach, curl, scratch, shake,

I believe that humans have that same innate knowledge about our own bodies, but as we age, we are all but trained to ignore those messages. As babies and toddlers, we are encouraged to roll, crawl, stand, and walk--and then just a few short years later, instructed to sit still. Even as children, our natural desire to move is stifled as we face a lifetime of sitting in chairs, sitting in cars, sitting on couches, sitting in desks. Rather than facing life  with proud, pulled-back shoulders, confidently open collarbones and chests, and a playful skip in our steps--eagerly engaged in the present moment with every sense available to us, we hunch our shoulders forward, closing off the space around our lungs and heart, jut our heads forward, and our sphere of awareness is shrinking to the size of a three-inch smartphone screen.

Many of us accept this existence, despite having "joy guides" (animals and children) in our lives to remind us of what we are missing when we don't give ourselves permission to act upon those spontaneous urges to move and stretch. We smile at a dog riding in a car with his head out the window, mouth open to taste the air. A cat sleeping belly-up in the sun makes us wish that we too, could slow down for a minute. Children in a park moving effortlessly from walking to skipping to hopping to rolling make our own legs tingle, and we lament not having the energy that we used to possess. But why stop at wistful observation?

Who are the "joy guides" in your life? Pets? Dogs being walked in your neighborhood? A cat in someone else's window? Children? Identify these beings with gratitude, and honor them and yourself by watching and imitating their actions. Begin by simply noticing them feel good in their bodies. Give words to their movements (stretching, scratching, shaking, rolling, wiggling, flexing) and then translate those actions into your own body. Here are some examples:

Lay on the floor and roll to one side. Using your abdominal muscles, curl yourself into a ball, elbows touch knees, head tucked between upper arms. Then extend all your limbs back out, still on your side, with an arched back. Point your toes and reach your fingers long. From above, you'll look  curved, like a banana. Repeat several times, curling in to yourself and extending out, and then roll to the opposite side

In Downward Dog pose, instead of being rigid and still, bring easy movements into the pose, to warm the body and lubricate the joints. Start by slowly shaking and rolling your head. Sway between Downward Dog and Upward Dog. In Downward Dog, twist your hips from side to side.

Lie comfortably stretched out. Focus on your fingers and toes. On an exhale, ball your hands into tight fists and squeeze your toes toward the soles of your feet. Inhale, release and extend fingers and toes, finding as much space between each of them as possible. Exhale, squeeze, inhale, stretch.

Laying on your back, arms along sides and palms pressed down for support, extend your legs upward to the ceiling. For at least a minute, shake your legs vigorously. Keep legs perpendicular to the floor, but hold no tension in any of the joints, and allow the feet to flop. This is an excellent way to loosen the muscles and revive tired legs.

On hands and knees, arch your spine like a cat does after standing up from a nap. Dip one shoulder toward the floor and then the other. Shift your weight forward on to the hands, as legs stretch out behind you, toes pointed along floor. Then push back, hips onto heels, in child's pose.

If you live near a playground, hang from the monkey bars, either with your hands, or with knees bent and legs hooked over the bar (I'd recommend having an adult friend spot you if you try the upside-down version). This releases compression from between the vertebrae and feels even better if you sway a little.


In your life, how has your natural ability to move been imposed upon?

Who are the "joy guides" in your life?

How do they move?

How can you imitate them in your own body?

Give yourself permission and freedom to come back into your own animal intelligence, to add play and rest to your daily rhythm, and take as many stretch breaks as your cat or dog. I promise, your pets won't judge you if you try to copy them!

I want to see your joy guides, too! Send me a photo or two of one of your joy guides in action (or in rest), and a brief sentence about how they inspire you to move. Email them to: yogaforlittlefriends@gmail.com with the subject line "joy" and with your permission, I will put it into a followup post celebrating the beings that inspire us to remain aware, active, present, and joyful.

I woke up with a funky wrist this morning. I suspect holding plank pose for sixteen breaths and flipping into wheel pose from "rock star" several times in class last night. It's a common complaint in yoga: overuse, incorrect alignment and weak muscles can all contribute to wrist pain. I created this hands-off sequence earlier this summer for those with wrist or hand injuries, or for frequent yoga practitioners who want to give their hands and wrists a break but still enjoy a strong practice.


Sukhasana (Easy Pose, sitting on mat with legs crossed)
Settle into your deep, even breath.
Lower right ear toward right shoulder (lateral flexion), relax shoulders and weight of head for five breaths.
Repeat with left ear to left shoulder.
Side-Opener
With right hand on left knee, reach up and over with left arm, lean to right. Repeat other side.
Seated Cat/Cow (spinal flexion/extension)
With hands on knees, inhale and roll forward over sitting bones, lengthening from tailbone to crown of head and                     extending collarbones and sternum forward. Exhale and press navel back, rounding spine to spread shoulder blades             apart, tuck chin to chest. Repeat several times with breath.
Rolling Like a Ball
Hands behind thighs, tuck chin toward chest to protect neck, roll back and forward several times for spinal massage/core activation. Land balanced on sitting bones in boat pose.
Navasana (Boat Pose)
Hold 5-10 breaths. Repeat Rolling like a Ball and land forward onto feet with knees bent:
Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
Hold 5-10 breaths.
Rag Doll
Knees soft, fold forward over legs and let arms and head hang.
Half Sun Salutations
Inhale arms up, exhale forward fold, inhale lift spine halfway up with a flat back and straight legs, exhale forward fold. Inhale come to standing, exhale hands to sides. Repeat 3-5 more times.

Standing Sequence (Do all five poses on the right leg, and then repeat to left)

High Lunge
Step left leg to back of mat, heel lifted and front knee over front ankle. Reach arms up, palms facing each other. Moving with your breath, inhale and straighten your front leg, exhale bend knee, five times.
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2)
Pivot left heel to mat and turn torso left, arms extended. 5 breaths.
Side Angle/Peaceful Warrior Flow
Inhale as you reach back into Peaceful (Reverse) Warrior, exhale right forearm to thigh in a variation of Side Angle. Repeat several times, landing in Side Angle, then release back kneecap to the floor and lower forearms to the floor on the inside of the right leg for into Lizard.
Lizard
Spend 10 breaths here, opening right hip. Press down into forearms and slide right leg back to meet left leg in dolphin plank.
Dolphin Plank
Hold 5 breaths, walk feet forward lifting hips, come into Dolphin Pose for five more breaths. Lower knees to floor, come up to kneeling and then stand up.

Repeat the Standing Sequence on the second side, starting by stepping right leg back into High Lunge.
*When repeating Dolphin Plank Pose for the second time, roll over onto right forearm and the outer edge of right foot, stacking left foot over right for Dolphin Side Plank. Hold for five breaths and repeat on left side. Return to Dolphin Plank and walk feet forward for Dolphin Pose. Lift and lower right leg five times, then left leg five times.

Sphinx
Lay on belly, supported by parallel forearms, shoulders over elbows, fingers spread with palms down. Engage abdominals to lift low ribs and belly away from the floor while extending tailbone toward heels, thighs contracted slightly to lift and protect kneecaps.
Salabasana (Locust) Variations:
1: “Cactus” arms lift chest off mat with upper spinal muscles, toenails pressed to mat, five breaths and then rest.
2. Folded arms across back, reaching for opposite elbows, lift chest and legs with the inner edges of the feet seamed                     together, five breaths and rest.
3. Arms outstretched along floor with thumbs facing up (palms face each other), lift opposite arm + leg, alternating--                     “swimming” and rest.
Eka Bhuja Swastikasana 1 (Shoulder and chest opener--Avoid if you have shoulder injuries).
Lying prone (on stomach) slide right arm out on floor, wrist level with shoulder and palm facing down. Use left hand to push yourself over onto your right side. Stack legs or allow left (top) leg to drop onto floor behind you with your knee bent. Stay at least ten breaths, roll to stomach and repeat on second side.
Child’s Pose
Take a few breaths and roll up to a seat, drop hips to one side and bring legs forward.
Tarasana
Sitting with legs in front of you, soles of the feet together and knees bent. To get the correct distance, extend arms                     forward at shoulder height--where your fingertips reach to is where the tips of the toes will land. Round your spine                 forward, resting your arms on your shins. Relax forehead on feet, or on a block. Close eyes. Take 10-20 breaths. This is a gentle hip opener/low back stretch.
For an additional hip opener, do pigeon pose on each side (without downward dog in between)

Supine (Lie on back)

Bridge Pose Breathing
On an inhale, curl spine up off floor, from tailbone to upper ribs--resting weight on the backs of the shoulders and the back of the head. At the same time, reach arms straight up toward ceiling and then above head so the arms rest on the floor. Exhale and roll spine down, one vertebra at a time, reversing motion of the arms to rest on floor. Repeat 5-10 times.
Supine Twist
Lift legs off floor, shins parallel to mat. Slowly lower knees to the right, all the way to the floor. Stretch arms wide in a “T” and turn head toward left hand. Take several breaths and repeat with legs to the left, gaze to the right.

Savasana

Give your wrists a few days off from weight-bearing--you'll need them for stirring, slicing, and carving your holiday feast! Happy Thanksgiving!