Simply Power Yoga

Yogier Than Thou....by Susanna Cruser

Mon, 27 May 2013 19:57:39 EST

I had a roommate in college that insisted that music really only sounded its best on vinyl. She frequented used record stores and sighed with pleasure when listening to songs that, to me, sounded distorted with the scratching of the stylus as it hit nicks or wobbled on a warped record. I think music sounds amazingly better (and truer to life) when listening to a good digital recording rather than a scratched up old 45. But my friend is a purist. In her case, she is a music purist, but I’ve met clothes purists (“I only wear natural fabrics, synthetics make my skin cry out in pain!”), movie purists (“Films have no substance anymore!”), and, inevitably, food purists (“I only eat in-season, organic, raw food grown in my backyard under the proper moon”). My father-in-law is an extreme submarine sandwich purist that has left the poor minimum wage workers at sandwich shops in tears when they dared to offer him mayonnaise on his sandwich (he’s from the east coast where this is sacrilege). Mayo on a sub?! How dare they!!

And, now, in my current role, I hear a lot from yoga purists. Yoga purists are outraged at the “westernization” or “Americanization” of yoga. Apparently it is not “real” yoga when you listen to music other than chanting or raindrops. It is not “real” yoga if you are chiefly motivated by fitness, not enlightenment. “Real” yoga is serious spiritual seeking, not sweating it out to the latest pop songs. However, I’m not here to get in a debate about what makes yoga. If I had a quarter for the number of different ways that I’ve heard the term “yoga” defined! And I’m not here to rage or rationalize the commercialization of yoga. Perhaps in another blog. For now, I just want to point out this my “kung fu is stronger than your kung fu” purist attitude that has penetrated every facet of life, even my precious yoga, is ridiculous. It’s not just reserved for more traditional hatha yoga practitioners scoffing at power yoga. I’ve heard yoga studio attendees belittling “gym” yoga, yoga with silks (a.k.a. circus yoga), or new acro yoga. There is, and always has been, a gentle warring among the various yoga schools, and yoga lineage (whom you can trace your teaching back through) is still a sort of pedigree to some people. But the view that yoga is being diluted or is less than pure seems a bit harsh to me. Not even harsh, really, just plain snobby.

It’s natural to get protective over something that you feel passionate about. But, how does it really harm you or your chosen version of yoga for someone else to do it differently? OMG, someone practices yoga in a <gasp> gym with fast music and no chanting??!!! So what!! Perhaps their version of asana practice will lead them to a deeper practice that involves both mind and body. Perhaps it won’t. But does that really affect you and your practice? I can’t possibly see how it can. So, purists, get off your pedestal and reserve the scoffing for something that really matters. Like whether they put mayo on your sub at Subway.

Wheee! By Susanna Cruser

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:48:39 EST

There was an old Dharma & Greg episode (I realize I may have lost some of you already, just stick with me here) where Dharma’s mother-in-law, Kitty, was starting menopause and, presumably due to hormonal fluctuations, was acting completely bonkers. Dharma, in trying to deal with the crazy mood swings, mentioned that she was on the Kitty roller coaster and would simply raise her hands and say “Whheeee!” whenever Kitty acted crazy. I have since borrowed this approach whenever I feel like my life is getting a little bit out of control.

It seems to be the natural response of many people (myself included) that when life starts to feel a little hard to control, or you’re feeling overwhelmed, to try to dig in deeper, reach out more and TAKE CONTROL. We fight so hard for control that sometimes we just slip into a reactionary mode where we are simply putting out fires or playing whack-a-mole as each problem pops up. This is not a healthy approach and in the long run we may just burn ourselves out. So, my suggestion? Life is a rollercoaster. Throw up your hands, say “Wheeee!” and just enjoy the ride.

I think allowing yourself to just face things as they come, without trying to control, to plan, to assess and analyze is probably one of the most freeing things you can do. And it’s really just a mental shift. It’s a release in your brain. You may even feel the physical release as the places where you hold tension (your jaw, your shoulders, or your neck) relax a little, as well.

Now, you may be thinking, that’s all well and good, but that “go with the flow” crap isn’t going to work in my life. I have important things to worry about, challenges and stresses every day and no amount of throwing up my hands is going to make it go away. And, you’re right. Your problems are not going to magically disappear, but your way of thinking about them will change. After all, does staying up all night analyzing and worrying about things make them disappear? No, but it gives you the illusion of control. And it makes you a sleep-deprived monster in the morning. So, take a tip from Scarlett O’Hara and say “tomorrow is another day” (I may have really lost you there!) Go to sleep. Ride the coaster again tomorrow.

Of course, that’s not to say that a fly by the seat of your pants approach is always right. To carry this analogy just a little farther, you still have to fasten your safety belt before getting on the ride (and keep arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, but I’m not sure how to work that into my diatribe). So, plan accordingly, be prepared, but resist the urge to micromanage and overanalyze.

And when you don’t see how you can do things (I’ve felt that a lot recently – thanks teacher in training program!) just remember life really is just a ride, and you can try to hold on tight and get bumped around and slammed into things because you are so full of tension and stress, or you can throw up your hands, relax your body and enjoy the ride. Wheee!

Judgment Day or Confessions of a Not-so-Perfect Yoga Student by Susanna Cruser

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:07:43 EST

Susanna Cruser...well I am not sure how to describe the most authentic and real person I have met thus far in my life. Susanna completed SPY's 2013 Teacher Training Programing and had a huge impact on everyone she encountered, including myself. I will never forget her first essay about the size 2 marathon runner lululemon lover teacher....I think she was talking about me. I knew from that moment she was going to change the entire program. I looked forward to every paper she wrote because each paper had so much truth. Each paper was a reflection of her transformation which was occurring. Over the next few months, you will also get to know Susanna through her blog posts and teaching. Enjoy and absorb every word this incredible woman creates.

Judgment Day or Confessions of a Not-so-Perfect Yoga Student by Susanna Cruser

So, first hot yoga class, huh? Or maybe just the first one at the new yoga studio? Maybe the first time not in your living room? That’s okay, you’re up for this, you say to yourself. You are the queen of yoga in your living room. But then you walk in the door and it starts. The self-doubt. The fear of judgment. Everyone looks like they know what they’re doing. Hell, everyone looks at least 5’7” and less than 120 pounds. You are suddenly the palest, frumpiest, most pathetic looking person in the room. And all eyes have just turned to you. The comfy black yoga pants and oversized ‘I <3 NYC’ t-shirt no longer seem like proper yoga attire against the sea of brightly colored spandex specifically designed for hot yoga (and costing more than your last paycheck). Your cheap purple mat that came free with the dvd seems a little sorry compared with mats, towels that fit mats, extra hot yoga hand towels, and other assorted accessories. Everyone smiles and seems welcoming, but you can’t help wondering what they’re really thinking. Just fit in, you think to yourself. Hide in the back where no one will see you. When the instructor asks if anyone is new to yoga or to hot yoga, you try to clear your face of any sign of emotion and instead look around the room in a rather-too-obvious attempt at appearing to belong. Me? No, I’m not new. I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m sure that’s obvious to you because I’m craning my neck around looking for new people while huddling in the corner on my purple no-name yoga mat and I didn’t even think to bring a water bottle. When the teacher looks directly at you, you avoid eye contact. So, they start the class.

It’s tough, but you feel fantastic afterwards and no one seems too put off when you fall over, face the wrong way on twists or inadvertently groan during ab work. Even the person beside you doing flying chaturangas (a.k.a. that crazy feet flying up in the air, chin on the ground thing) during every vinyasa was rather entertaining in a circus acrobatic show sort of way and wasn’t really intimidating because it seemed so far beyond the realm of possibilities for you. However, on leaving the class, you’re called back into yourself as people congratulate each other on a job well done. Since you didn’t announce yourself as new, and instead avoided eye contact in the corner, the others generally leave you alone or just smile. You overhear talks of marathon training and watch as some people stay to practice handstands and arm balances. And you question whether you can ever really fit in here. But, before you return to living room yoga, remember that feeling at the end of the practice. You know, where you’re still dripping sweat and you all join together for the final ‘om’. It feels awesome. It feels like community. It feels like ‘look what we all did, aren’t we kick ass?’ And you’re a part of that. When you bowed and said ‘namaste’, you meant it as a thank you to the teacher that pushed you to try harder and try something new. Don’t let go of those feelings for the banality of worrying about whether your mat or your clothes are up to code.

This was my journey, and maybe it is yours, too. I almost let my worries about how I might be judged keep me out of one of the greatest communities I have met. And while I was worrying about people judging me, I learned that I was inadvertently judging everyone else, too. I was judging and assuming that they were as small-minded as their bodies were small-waisted. I took one look at a person, and instantly decided that they were “not like me” and therefore would not accept me. I was, of course, very wrong. And if I had put myself out there early, I may have figured it out earlier, too.

Is it Healthy...or Not? by Cherylanne Skolnicki

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:14:14 EST

I think the question I am asked most often is “Is this healthy or not?”

The “this” can be anything that is making the person doing the asking doubt herself. Pasta? Protein bars? Crystal Light? Baked potato chips? Baked potatoes? Special K? Egg yolks? Pineapple? Ketchup?

We’ve become so confused about what is healthy and what isn’t that we’re throwing up our hands in collective despair and ordering a pizza instead.

To help clear the clutter, here’s what I think.

1 – There’s no one definition of healthy. What works for you may not work for me and vice versa. Determining what is healthy for you is a matter of trying things and paying attention to what makes you feel satisfied and vibrant…and then doing more of that! (If you don’t believe me, consider the impact of food allergies. My ideal food could literally kill someone else. There is no universal answer here.)

2 – Having a starting point is helpful. As a starting point, what works for me and for many of my clients is clean (minimally processed) food with a balance of vegetables and fruits, high fiber carbohydrates, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats. And some chocolate for good measure. :0) Most of us don’t eat enough plants and the single biggest thing we can do to improve our health is to eat more of them. Start there. (I am willing to bet you are getting enough protein despite what the media would have you believe!)

3 – Math is overrated (in this case). If we let healthy eating degenerate into some sort of warped counting game of fat grams and carbs and net carbs and calories and sugar and protein…we put the emphasis in exactly the wrong place. We need to eat with our bodies, not our brains. And then we need to PAY ATTENTION to how our bodies respond to the food we choose. Good outcomes = do more of that. Bad outcomes = do less of that. If you’re not getting the outcomes you want, change the inputs until you do.

4 – You don’t have to be perfect to be healthy. Sometimes I think we get caught in a game of trying to find the perfect meal, the perfect cereal, the perfect snack. But there is no perfect answer. There are thousands of really good answers. I advocate eating many things in moderation and nothing to excess.

5- Eating is a pleasure. Let’s keep it that way! If you suck all the pleasure out of the experience, it can’t possibly be healthy in the long term. Eat things you love that love you back. The rest will fall into place.

Simply Power Yoga Anderson....Meet Gina Fennell

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:08:50 EST

Over the years I have known some amazing runners, tri-athletes and extreme athletes alike. Whenever they've asked me "Do you run, or workout?" I always responded the same way, "No, that's not me, I'm not a runner, I do yoga." The truth of the matter is I never knew for sure that I wasn't a runner, I just assumed that I couldn't do it because it was difficult and it took a lot of dedication. At the age of 36 I decided for a New Year's resolution I was going to step out of my comfort zone and try something I always thought I couldn't do. So I signed up for the 2011 Flying Pig Half Marathon and started training! (yeah, I know if you are going to do it you might as well just go for it right?!)

I knew from that first run through Mt. Washington/ Anderson Township on New Years morning I was in for a crazy ride. The course I chose was a good 6 miles long and I didn't even really have any running shoes, but I was determined to make it home even when some random guy started yelling from his pick up truck "At least you could fake it lady!" I did make it home, survived and devised a more reasonable training plan.

As a meditator I've been observing my samskaras (habits and impressions) for years, I thought I had pretty well scooped through the preverbal bowl of cherries that is life. Running gave me insights into stories I buried so deep I didn't recognize them as stories any more, they were ingrained beliefs about who I am. Self doubt and judgments flavored with "who do you think you are? you can't do that, you're not good enough or strong enough." Yet one mile, one long run at a time I started to see clearly that those stories weren't true....damnit I was gonna do it! Not only did I complete the half marathon in under two hours but I learned more about myself through the training process than I thought was left to find.

After having completed three additional half marathons and the full Flying Pig 26.2 this past May, Heidi was approached by a student to consider opening another Simply Power Yoga in Anderson Township. I knew that I had to be the one to do it. I have lived in the Anderson / Mt. Washington area most of my life, my husband and I are raising our family there and if anyone was going to represent SPY in my neighborhood with Heidi it was going to be with me.

Just as I've always answered the "Are you a runner?" question with "No that's not for me." I've answered the "Do you ever think you will own your own yoga studio?" question with "No way!" The truth of the matter is that many of the same fears and doubts infiltrated that answer too Through the process of self discovery with all of the miles under my feet, years on the meditation cushion and time in service of others in the yoga room, I know in my heart that whatever I've got to give this studio is enough. With Heidi as my co-pilot and the support of all of our students, friends and family, I trust that Simply Power Yoga 2 will be its own special and transformative place. Sure, that whispering fear of failure may still show itself from time to time, but having the opportunity to serve my immediate community in this way out weighs all the fears. I am honored to share our practice with anyone who comes through the door.

Namaste,

Gina