Yoga for Seniors -- again

Downward Facing Dog Pose with Chair Support

I was recently asked if I could write a guest post for the blog Life After 60 - Living Life With Joy, by Joan Adams.   She is another writer on Squidoo and Wizzley, where I've also written some articles (some on yoga -- see the sidebar to the right).

Joan had seen my article Yoga for Seniors - Aging Well With Yoga, and thought her readers would be interested in reading more about how the practice of yoga can help us stay healthier as we age.

Of course I was happy to oblige! If you know me, you know I love "talking yoga". 

The post is Yoga for Seniors - Keeping Our Bodies Healthier in Our 60s and Beyond.  

Sign Up for the Midwest Regional Iyengar Yoga Conference - September 15 - 18

Yoga From the Heartland Sept. 15 - 18, 2011

Most of you who attend classes at Harmony Yoga of Ann Arbor have heard me talk about the upcoming Regional Iyengar Yoga Conference, Yoga From the Heartland, to be held in downtown Chicago, September 15 - 18.

If you're still undecided about going, read this excerpt of an email I received from IYNAUS (Iyengar Yoga  National Association of the U.S.) relating the experience of someone who attended the Regional Conference in Providence, RI  October 2009:

Sophia Anastos, a yoga student from Chicago writes:
"My husband and I went to the conference in Providence with modest expectations. We hoped to learn things that we could bring to our practice while enjoying a new setting and making friends in the Iyengar Yoga community. Our experience far exceeded our expectations. We had a blast, and we learned so much from a diverse group of accomplished instructors. It was amazing to witness such rich and varied perspectives, temperaments, and sensibilities give voice to the rigor and objective orientation of Iyengar Yoga. Teachers were spontaneous, direct, authentic, and funny. We experienced quite personally the results of years of disciplined and loving practice. It was an unforgettable weekend, and we are grateful for all that was so freely and joyfully shared."  

The email continues:
IYAMW's "Yoga From the Heartland" regional conference will continue to extend that warm embrace, and we invite all students from all paths of yoga to attend. The weekend will offer opportunities for having fun and networking with acquaintances old and new. Festivities will include a keynote speech held at the Chicago Cultural Center. Screenings of films about Iyengar Yoga, chanting the Sutras, dinner circles offering excursions around the city, and "Union", an art exhibit featuring Midwest artists, will also be a part of the event. the conference location is within walking distance of world-class museums, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, our gorgeous outdoor town square, Millennium Park, and countless theater and music venues. We look forward to seeing you in Chicago as we explore, both on and off the mat, the wealth of Iyengar Yoga.

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

A few weeks ago, some of you had the opportunity to try the standing pose Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana. I mentioned that I had come across a photo that showed a woman in high heels doing the same pose. Here it is!

She's doing the full pose, with an arm reaching around her back to hold on to her lifted foot. We did the pose with both hands on the floor (or a chair or blocks).

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana -
   "Ardha" = "half" (here, one leg is in a padmasana position, thus the "half")
   "Baddha" = "bound"
   "Padma" = "lotus"
   "Uttanasana" ="intense stretch" (here as in a standing forward bend)

The seated version is Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
"Paschima" = "west" (refers to the back of the body)

Both poses are useful for preparing the legs and hips for Padmasana, or lotus pose.

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
Allposters.com

If you come across other interesting yoga photos, I'd love to see them!