Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter

Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter Message

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:36:00 GMT

<STYLE> .headerTop { background-color:#FFCC66; border-top:0px solid #000000; border-bottom:1px solid #FFFFFF; text-align:center; } .adminText { font-size:10px; color:#996600; line-height:200%; font-family:verdana; text-decoration:none; } .headerBar { background-color:#FFFFFF; border-top:0px solid #333333; border-bottom:10px solid #FFFFFF; } .title { font-size:20px; font-weight:bold; color:#CC6600; font-family:arial; line-height:110%; } .subTitle { font-size:11px; font-weight:normal; color:#666666; font-style:italic; font-family:arial; } .defaultText { font-size:12px; color:#000000; line-height:150%; font-family:trebuchet ms; } .footerRow { background-color:#FFFFCC; border-top:10px solid #FFFFFF; } .footerText { font-size:10px; color:#996600; line-height:100%; font-family:verdana; } a { color:#FF6600; color:#FF6600; color:#FF6600; } </STYLE> <table width="100%" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" class="backgroundTable" bgcolor='#99CC00' > <tr> <td align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#324175"><table width="550" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" style="font-size:12px;color:#000000;line-height:150%;font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter February 2010 In this third edition, we have the results of the PA Regional Yoga Championship, the First Friday Kirtan being hosted by our studio, and our "Posture of the Month" Part 2 of the Half-Moon Series.   PA Regional Yoga Championship PA Regional Yoga Championship Congratulations to the Pennsylvania Regional Yoga Asana Champions! Last month Pennsylvania held its Regional Yoga Asana Championships at the University of the Arts. Congratulations to all our competitors: Anna Carapellotti, Schuyler Ferguson, Chris Fluck, Jessica Gardner, Matt Haedo, George Heckert, Jill Holden, Kate Ingersoll, Allison Kinter, Kyra Kontoudis, James Pfeffer, Joanne Rimeris, Joel Schneier, Joanne Rimeris, Megan Van Riet Yes, I know it sounds like an oxymoron, yoga and competition; however when competition is appropriately conducted it can be a very positive motivating force that teaches us to explore our own abilities, as well as respect the abilities of others. Talk to any of the competitors and in the same breath they will tell you how excited they are for the first place competitors and how amazed they are at the improvement in their own practice in four short months of training. We hope that the hundred and fifty plus attendees were inspired to open themselves up to the myriad of physical, mental and emotional benefits of yoga practice, and perhaps inspired to compete or volunteer next year. If so please let us know you are interested by emailing PAyogachampionships@gmail.com. The 2010-2011 championships will be held in September 2010, it’s right around the corner! You can watch our 1st and 2nd place champions compete in the national championships live on Friday February 12, 2010 at 1pm on www.yogacup.com PA Yoga Asana Championship Results: Female Division 1st Place: Anna Carapellotti 2nd Place: Allison Kinter 3rd Place: Jessica Gardner Male Division: 1st Place: Schuyler Ferguson 2nd Place: James Pfeffer 3rd Place: George Heckert <img src="f646164612d4e6577736c65747465722f323031302d30322f524d@MIME-Lite-HTML-1.23" PHOTOG (289).jpg" alt="PAYoga" width="800" height="532">   First Friday Kirtan Hosted by Bikram Philadelphia Beginning in March, our studio will host First Friday Kirtans. Previously held at Govinda's on South Street, the Kirtans will begin around 7:00pm and be in the fourth floor studio. Because of the time overlap, we will be modifying our schedule on First Fridays to accomadate the Kirtan: 3:30pm, 5:30pm, and 7:30pm classes will be held in the third floor studio, while the 6:30pm class will be canceled. Remember, parking is difficult, especially on a Friday night, so if you can, walk or take public transportation; if you must drive, there are several parking garages nearby, or you can always park south of South St. and then walk about five or six blocks to the studio. Interview with Hari (owner of <a href="http://www.govindasvegetarian.com/" target="_blank">Govindas</a> - http://www.govindasvegetarian.com/) What's going on First Fridays? "A few local guys bring some instruments - harmonium, mrdanga (drums), kartals (Indian hand cymbals), maybe a flute - and there will be singing and chanting in call and response. Maybe a little dancing. Its a very sweet mood. After the kirtan, there will be some explanation, as well as a vegetarian dinner." Very simply, what is kirtan? "Very simply, yoga. The spiritual glorification of the Supreme through mantras and instruments, through call and response; communal chanting, singing, and dancing in honor of the Supreme. It is one of the highest forms of yoga." What is the purpose of meaning of kirtan? "As one of the highest forms of yoga, the whole idea is to connect, to control energy, fix the mind - it is a simple and ancient process. Kirtan is actually one of nine processes to purify the self and connect with the Supreme. So you are connecting with the inner self and the Supreme through spiritual sound vibration, which is very purifying. Sound is a very basic, primordial form of energy, so connecting with the Supreme and the inner self through sound or vibration is very purifying and uplifting. Think of the saying "Oh, he's giving me bad vibes" - bad vibes like bad vibrations. The saying comes from the idea that sound or vibrations or energy can be good or bad. So kirtan is overflowing with positive vibrations. These positive vibrations are soothing to the mind and uplifting to the mood. The effect is people feel happy." Why are you bringing the First Friday Kirtans to Bikram Philadelphia? "Why not? Many yoga studios have kirtan workshops or events. It is a way to expose students of hatha yoga to other forms of yoga. One of the great things about Bikram Yoga is it attracts a very diverse group of people. So hopefully we give a spiritual but not necessarily religious experience. People today want to connect to the Supreme, but they are very wary of religion. This is a way to introduce a more well-rounded picture of what yoga is all about and how all the yogas are connected. The purpose is to give an understanding of kirtan, and uplift people, bring them happiness at the same time." Thank you. "Hare Krishna!" Half-Moon Series Part 2: Backbending and Hands-to-Feet Pose Posture of the Month This month, our featured posture is Part 2 of the Half-Moon Series, Ardha-Chandrasana with Pada-Hastasana - Half-Moon Pose with Hands-To-Feet Pose. For Part 2, we will be covering Backbending and Hands-to-Feet Pose. Thank you to Katelyn for writing this month's featured posture! <img src="4612d4e6577736c65747465722f323031302d30322f504f4d332e6a7067@MIME-Lite-HTML-1.23" alt="Backbending with Hands-to-Feet" width="199" height="119"> Don’t you just love that first backbend followed by that u-turn to a deep forward bend? If that doesn’t wake up the spine in the first 15 minutes of class, then you must not be participating. So here’s a few instructions, reminders, tips and benefits for practicing the beloved backbend and hands to feet postures. Backward bending: Directions: First of all, your back will hurt in the backbend. Get over that as you lift your torso up out of your hips. INHALE as you drop your head back all the way and look for the floor (even if you can’t see it!). Slowly bend the arms and the spine backwards. Make sure it is the lower, middle and the upper back that are bending backwards here. Keep pushing the upper body backwards until it feels like you are going to fall down. Now push the hips, stomach, legs forward towards the mirror. Keep looking back and pulling the arms back. Breathe 80-20 here and stay like a statue for a few counts. Come up slowly to center position and keep the arms up and fingers interlocked. Tips: Learn to RELAX and breathe 80 -20 here. 80-20 is a breathing technique in which you take a deep breath (100 percent), you hold most of the breath (80 percent) and you slowly, steadily breath little breaths (20 percent). Focus the attention on the base of the neck and let the head go in that spot. Relax and un-tense the surrounding muscles around the neck and shoulders. Relax and un-tense the surrounding muscles of the hips and lower back. Abdomen stays soft, not hard. While it is a backward bend, try to keep the mental image of stretching over bending. Hands to Feet Pose: Directions: Make sure your arms are still over the head and your fingers still interlocked so that your index fingers still are pointing upwards. Lift the torso up, and bend your knees and put the hands on the floor in front of you. Walk out the hips here a couple of times to relax the low back. Bend from the hip joints and grab the heels from behind. The grip should be five fingers together, step on the tips of your fingers, little fingers touch behind you, with your elbows on the calf muscles. Press the insides of your forearms completely against your calves. PULL on the heels with your tight grip and let the spine stretch down out of the hips towards the floor. Every vertibrae should be stretching downward. Your stomach, chest and face should all touch the legs here, bending your legs if necessary to keep the contact of upper body and legs. Keep pulling the heels, keep the body glued to the legs and try to straighten your legs as best as you can and lock your knees. Your goal is to touch the top of your head to the top of your feet. Hold the posture ten or so honest counts. Come up exactly as you went down, with your arms and head together and your fingers still pointing up toward the ceiling, then gently lower the arms to your sides. Tips: Lift the hips rather than trying to jam the knees back to straighten the legs, this will help you relax the muscles in the hips allowing for a deeper stretch. Exhale as you lift up your hips and straighten your knees. Although it sounds ridiculous, keep a happy smiling face, it will help you deal with the pain of the stretch on the backs of the legs. Benefits: Gives you quick energy and vitality. Increases the flexibility and strength of the spine and sciatic nerves. Increases the flexibility of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the legs and hips. Strengthens the muscles of the legs, the trapezius, latisimus dorsi, and deltoids. Trims waistline, abdomen, buttocks and the thighs. Improves blood circulation to the legs and brain. Backbends stimulate the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and thymus glands which promote a plethora of internal benefits such as increasing white blood cell production, raising blood calcium levels, increasing cell metabolism, and improving overall organ function.  </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFFFCC;border-top:10px solid #FFFFFF;" valign="top">Join the monthly Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter for special announcements, information about interesting programs at our studio and around Philadelphia, and all about Bikram Yoga. <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2010-02/*%7CFORWARD%7C*">Forward</a> this email to a friend Our mailing address is: 1520 Sansom Street, 3rd Floor / Philadelphia, PA 19102 Our telephone: 215 977 9642 Copyright (C) 2009 *Center Siddhi Yoga* All rights reserved. <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2010-02/*%7CUNSUB%7C*">Unsubscribe</a> from this list.</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>

Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter Message

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:35:00 GMT

<STYLE> .headerTop { background-color:#FFCC66; border-top:0px solid #000000; border-bottom:1px solid #FFFFFF; text-align:center; } .adminText { font-size:10px; color:#996600; line-height:200%; font-family:verdana; text-decoration:none; } .headerBar { background-color:#FFFFFF; border-top:0px solid #333333; border-bottom:10px solid #FFFFFF; } .title { font-size:20px; font-weight:bold; color:#CC6600; font-family:arial; line-height:110%; } .subTitle { font-size:11px; font-weight:normal; color:#666666; font-style:italic; font-family:arial; } .defaultText { font-size:12px; color:#000000; line-height:150%; font-family:trebuchet ms; } .footerRow { background-color:#FFFFCC; border-top:10px solid #FFFFFF; } .footerText { font-size:10px; color:#996600; line-height:100%; font-family:verdana; } a { color:#FF6600; color:#FF6600; color:#FF6600; } </STYLE> <table width="100%" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" class="backgroundTable" bgcolor='#99CC00' > <tr> <td align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#324175"> <table width="550" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr bgcolor="#E7EEF0"> <td align="center" style="background-color:#FFCC66;border-top:0px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #FFFFFF;text-align:center;">Email not displaying correctly? <a href="http://www.bikramphilly.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-10%20October/*%7CARCHIVE%7C*" style="font-size:10px;color:#996600;line-height:200%;font-family:verdana;text-decoration:none;">View it in your browser.</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFFFFF;border-top:0px solid #333333;border-bottom:10px solid #FFFFFF;"><center><a href=""><img src="http://www.bikramphilly.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-10%20October/Header_Newsletter_Bikram" Philadelphia.gif" alt="Your Company" name="editableImg1" width="549" height="133" BORDER="0" align="center" id=editableImg1 title="Your Company"></a> </center></td> </tr> </table> <table width="550" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" style="font-size:12px;color:#000000;line-height:150%;font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter October 2009 In this second edition, we have information about our 30-Day Challenge, possible babysitting during Bikram class, and the PA regional yoga competition, as well as our "Posture of the Month", Part 1 of the Half-Moon Series.   30-Day Challenge Bikram's 30-Day Challenge is off to a great start! Last month we challenged our students and teachers to do a class a day for 30 days. To our pleasant surprise, our expectations were blown away! We've had almost 30 participants! Congratulations to the participants who have completed their challenges! Ready to jump into your own 30-Day Challenge? Just let us know at the desk so we can get you signed up today! Students must declare participation on the first day of their challenge in order for us to recognize this accomplishment with a special commemorative stainless steel bottle. Not quite ready?... Get inspired by following and encouraging your fellow yogis on the challenge board (located on the wall opposite the women's changing room on the 3rd floor).   Babysitting during class? Contact varuni@bikramphiladelphia.com There are a few parents who would like to arrange for babysitting so they can take Bikram class. Please contact <a href="http://www.bikramphilly.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-10%20October/varuni@bikramphiladelphia.com">Varuni</a> to express interest and discuss further.   PA Regional Yoga Championship Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup Although yoga asana championships did not begin in the west until recently, they are an old tradition in India. In fact, Bikram himself at the age of thirteen (in 1959) won the National India Yoga Championship - he was undefeated for the following three years and retired as the undisputed All-India National Yoga Champion. Rajashree, his wife, won the All-India Championship five times! In 2003, Bikram revived this tradition from India, establishing the Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup, an internation yoga championship, in honor of his guru. In this event, each participant has 3 minutes to demonstrate 7 yoga asanas before a panel of judges. There are 5 compulsory asanas (Standing Head-To-Knee, Standing Bow Pulling, Floor Bow, Rabbit, and Stretching); the remaining 2 asanas of the participant's choosing. Participants are judged on their poise, flexibility, strength, execution of the stated asanas, and overall presentation. While we still do not have an exact date for the PA Regional Yoga Championship (it will be in December or January), it is time to start thinking about participating. You don't have to be the most flexible, rocking yogi around to participate - especially for the regional yoga championships, all that is required is a good attitude, a willingness to work hard and improve, and good sense of fun! The first and second place winners of each division (Women's, Men's, and Youth) are eligible to advance to the U.S. Regional Championship held in Los Angeles, CA February 2010. To read more about the Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup, please visit <a href="http://yogacup.com/" target="_blank">International Yoga Asana Championship</a>. If you are interested in participating, ask any of the teachers for more information. We are also looking for volunteers and sponsors - please see Martina or Katelyn. Half-Moon Series Part 1: Half-Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) Posture of the Month This month, our featured posture is Part 1 of the Half-Moon Series, Ardha-Chandrasana with Pada-Hastasana - Half-Moon Pose with Hands-To-Feet Pose. For Part 1, we will limit our discussion to the side-bending parts of the Half-Moon pose. <img src="http://www.bikramphilly.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-10%20October/Half-Moon" Series.gif" alt="Pranayama" width="230" height="247"> Directions: - Set-up: Stand feet together. Raise your arms over your head sideways, and interlace your fingers, palms together, index fingers up, thumbs crossed. Stretch up, making sure you have a tight grip and your arms are strong - elbows locked, arms straight, touching with your ears. Chin off the chest, arms back more with your ears. Legs and hips strong, body weight in the heels, push your hips a little bit forward. Upperbody leaning back a little bit, bring your chin up more and your arms back more. Take a deep breath, stretch up one more time.... - Right Side: In one straight line, push your hips to the left and stretch to the right. You are trying to create a tremendous stretching feeling all over the left side of your body, so push your hips to the left beyond their flexibility and reach out to the right as much as you can. Make sure to keep everything from the setup - legs/hips strong, body weight in the heels, hips forward, upper body back, chin up, arms back, grip tight, arms strong. Keep your hips and shoulders square to the mirror, so if the body twists, push your right (bottom) shoulder forward more and push your left (outer) hip forward more. - Left Side: In one straight line, push your hips to the right and stretch to the left. You are trying to create a tremendous stretching feeling all over the right side of your body, so push your hips to the right beyond their flexibility and reach out to the left as much as you can. Again, make sure to keep everything from the setup - legs/hips strong, body weight in the heels, hips forward, upper body back, chin up, arms back, grip tight, arms strong. Keep your hips and shoulders square to the mirror, so if the body twists, push your left (bottom) shoulder forward more and push your right (outer) hip forward more. - Come up, and stop in the middle. Keep stretching your arms up, and get ready for the backbend (Part 2)! Tips: - Keep your breathing normal. - Keep the legs and hips strong, body weight in the heels (no crunched toes!). - Keep the grip tight, all the way up to the wrists, arms straight (elbows locked), and arms back. - At the same time as keeping the arms back, you have to learn to keep your chin away from the chest. Arms back and chin up will help to open up the middle and upper spine as well as the shoulders, areas which can be difficult to get into, so you really have to try! - Stomach in and upper body lifted - lengthen through the spine. - One of the most common mistakes is to rely on the natural backward-bending flexibility of the lower spine to make a posture look deep. A student will push their hips very far forward and sway their upper body way far back, really twisting their body - when this happens the outer hip is twisted back a lot. Come back to the base - body weight in the heels, legs and hips strong, hips a little forward, and lengthen up thru the spine. Remember, you want to come down to the side "in one straight line" as if you were pressed between two panes of glass. - Another common mistake is to collapse forward, bending the elbows, tucking the chin, and bending the knees a little bit. Again, just come back to the base - body weight in the heels, legs and hips strong, hips a little forward, lengthen thru the spine, chin up, and stretch up with the arms. - Remember, it is better to keep a strong foundation with good alignment and extension and only go over a little bit than to get sloppy and go over a lot. Its not how much you do, or how far you go - remember, just by doing 1% of the posture, 100% correct with 100% effort, you will still get all of the benefit - then you come back tomorrow, and do a little more. In other words, try the right way, and little by little, day by day, you'll do better and better! More importantly, you'll feel better and better! Benefits: - Gives you quick energy and vitality, and heats up the body - Improves and lengthens spine, corrects bad posture - Works into the whole skeletal and circulatory systems - Opens shoulder joints. Good for frozen shoulder. - Helps tennis elbow - Helps liver, spleen, and kidneys. Helps cure dyspepsia (indigestion), constipation, and bronchio distress. - Reduces or eliminates pain in the lower back - Good for abdominal obesity - Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body - Increases flexibility of the spine - Tones the spinal nerves and abdominal organs, improving the working of the bowels -Increases flexibility and strength of rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid, and trapezius muscles - Helps with sciatic problems - Alleviates anxiety and reduces mental stress - Stimulates the pituitary gland - Exercises colon, pancreas, kidneys, muscular, skeletal, respiratory, and glandular systems - Firms and trims waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs  </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFFFCC;border-top:10px solid #FFFFFF;" valign="top">Join the monthly Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter for special announcements, information about interesting programs at our studio and around Philadelphia, and all about Bikram Yoga. <a href="http://www.bikramphilly.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-10%20October/*%7CFORWARD%7C*">Forward</a> this email to a friend Our mailing address is: 1520 Sansom Street, 3rd Floor / Philadelphia, PA 19102 Our telephone: 215 977 9642 Copyright (C) 2009 *Center Siddhi Yoga* All rights reserved. <a href="http://www.bikramphilly.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-10%20October/*%7CUNSUB%7C*">Unsubscribe</a> from this list.</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>

Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter August 2009

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:29:00 GMT

<STYLE> .headerTop { background-color:#FFCC66; border-top:0px solid #000000; border-bottom:1px solid #FFFFFF; text-align:center; } .adminText { font-size:10px; color:#996600; line-height:200%; font-family:verdana; text-decoration:none; } .headerBar { background-color:#FFFFFF; border-top:0px solid #333333; border-bottom:10px solid #FFFFFF; } .title { font-size:20px; font-weight:bold; color:#CC6600; font-family:arial; line-height:110%; } .subTitle { font-size:11px; font-weight:normal; color:#666666; font-style:italic; font-family:arial; } .defaultText { font-size:12px; color:#000000; line-height:150%; font-family:trebuchet ms; } .footerRow { background-color:#FFFFCC; border-top:10px solid #FFFFFF; } .footerText { font-size:10px; color:#996600; line-height:100%; font-family:verdana; } a { color:#FF6600; color:#FF6600; color:#FF6600; } </STYLE> <table width="100%" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" class="backgroundTable" bgcolor='#99CC00' > <tr> <td align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#324175"> <table width="550" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr bgcolor="#E7EEF0"> <td align="center" style="background-color:#FFCC66;border-top:0px solid #000000;border-bottom:1px solid #FFFFFF;text-align:center;">Email not displaying correctly? <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-08_August/*%7CARCHIVE%7C*" style="font-size:10px;color:#996600;line-height:200%;font-family:verdana;text-decoration:none;">View it in your browser.</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="157" style="background-color:#FFFFFF;border-top:0px solid #333333;border-bottom:10px solid #FFFFFF;"><center> <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-08_August/gif/Header_Newsletter_BikramPhiladelphia.gif" alt="Bikram Yoga of Philadelphia" name="editableImg1" width="549" height="148" BORDER="0" align="center" id=editableImg1 title="Bikram Yoga of Philadelphia"></a> </center></td> </tr> </table> <table width="550" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" style="font-size:12px;color:#000000;line-height:150%;font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter August 2009 Welcome to the first Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter! In this first edition, we have information about our upcoming <a href="#Ayurveda">Ayurveda Seminar</a>, our new <a href="#Challenge">30-Day Challenge</a>, as well as our <a href="#Pranayama">"Posture of the Month" Pranayama (Standing Deep Breathing)</a>. Stick with us - over time we will make this Newsletter better and better!   Fundamentals of Ayurveda<a name="Ayurveda"></a> Special Class - Sunday, 30th August 2009 You’re invited to attend an introductory class on the Fundamentals of Ayurveda. The class will be held at the Bikram Yoga Studio in Philadelphia on Sunday, August 30th from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon. <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-08_August/Ayurveda%20flyer%20final%20lr.pdf">See the flyer here. </a> Ayurveda is a 5000 year old medical science and sister science to the practice of yoga.  Recognizing that not all body types are the same, Ayurveda thus analyzes individuals to give personalized dietary and lifestyle advice to keep your specific needs in balance. The class will be taught by Dr. Shekhara Annambhotla, BAMS., Ayurveda MD, R.Y.T., C.M.T. Dr. Shekhara, an Ayurvedic Specialist, consultant and educator since 1988, first began his eight-year course of study in Ayurvedic medicine at the age of 17, and earned his Doctor of Medicine in Ayurveda at the Gujarat Ayurveda University in India. He travels extensively throughout Europe, the West Indies and North America, practicing and teaching Ayurveda and is also a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Following the class, Dr. Shekhara is offering personal consultations (not included in ticket price). Limited quantity. Call or email for more information and to reserve your appointment. Advance tickets are $45 and tickets at the door will be $55. Free parking at the garage across the street from us, valid only with paid ticket. For tickets, personal consultations or for more info, email <a href="mailto:bikramphiladelphia@gmail.com">bikramphiladelphia@gmail.com</a>.   30 Day Challenge<a name="Challenge"></a> Help us kick-off Bikram Philadelphia's 30-Day Challenge with a BANG! Bikram says that if you do 30 days of yoga in a row, your life will never be the same; we decided to put this into action at Center Siddhi Yoga. We're challenging our students and teachers to do a class a day for 30 days. During your challenge month you will experience amazing and unexpected things and feel absolutely amazing when you finish. To begin this life-altering experience, just let us know at the desk so we can tell you the rules and get you signed up today! Students must declare participation on the first day of their challenge in order for us to recognize this accomplishment with a special commemorative stainless steel water bottle. Not quite ready to jump into it? ...Get inspired by following and encouraging your fellow yogis on the challenge board (located on the wall opposite the 3rd floor women's changing room, left of the window).   Pranayama - Standing Deep Breathing<a name="Pranayama"></a> Posture of the Month This month, our featured posture is Pranayama - Standing Deep Breating. What is Pranayama? Pranayama is the careful regulation (yama) or expansion (ayama) of the breath, or the life force sustaining the body (prana). <img src="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-08_August/gif/Pranayama.gif" alt="Pranayama" width="336" height="174"> Directions: <ul> <li>Stand feet together, legs and hips strong, body weight in the heels, toes relaxed. Interlace your fingers under the chin and keep your elbows together. Keep this knuckle-to-chin contact the whole time.</li> <li>(1st Inhale) Keep your mouth closed, inhaling deeply by way of the nose, but actually breathing through the throat. Simultaneously, as you inhale to the count of six, slowly raise your elbows to the ceiling. Hold it at the top.</li> <li>(Exhale) In a fluid movement, at the top of the inhale, open the mouth, and slowly exhale, again by way of the throat. Simultaneously, as you exhale to the count of six, slowly drop your head backward, keeping the knuckles with the chin, bringing your palms, wrists, forearms, and elbows forward and together. Hold it at the bottom.</li> <li>(All other Inhales) In a fluid movement, at the bottom of the exhale, close the mouth and slowly inhale, through the nose by way of the throat. As you inhale, slowly bring your head down to look forward as you open and raise your elbows towards the ceiling. Hold it at the top.</li> <li>In total, do ten cycles of the inhales and exhales. </li> </ul> Tips: <ul> <li>Except for the first breath, where you start with your elbows together and down, your elbows should stay raised off your chest, opening and closing pretty much on the same horizontal line depending on your shoulder flexibility.</li> <li>Keep your body weight in the heels, legs and hips strong, stomach in, and upper body lifted, especially for the exhales, where the tendency is to collapse and/or backward bend. For the exhales, think "chest up, heart up, elbows stretching forward and up" and that will help counteract the tendency to collapse backwards.</li> <li>Try to synchronize the movements of the head and arms with the breath so that everything starts and stops at the same time - the idea is for this breathing rhythm to be soothing and relaxing.</li> <li>You are inhaling through the nose, exhaling by the mouth, but always by way of the throat. In other words, the nose and mouth are just passageways for the breath - really the breath rides on the back of the throat the whole time so that when inhaling there is a sweet "hum" sound, and when exhaling there is a light but full "haaa" sound. The movements for Pranayama are soothing, and so is the sound.</li> <li>Relax your shoulders. I know its hard, but try. Do your best to keep your shoulders down and relaxed instead of bunched up around your ears - for the inhale and the exhale. This will really help the shoulders open up more and more.</li> <li>Look back even more than you think you can on the exhales - with your eyes, not your spine (noat a backbend)! It's amazing how stretching your eyes back just a little bit more can open up your cervical vertebrae just a little bit more.... </li> </ul> Benefits: <ul> <li> Essentially wakes up the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems.</li> <li>Creates heat in the body.</li> <li>Normally, throughout the day, we take shallow breaths, so Pranayama forces you to use the 90% of your lungs you don't normally use. It increases the lung capacity to four times that of an average person, in turn giving you more energy and power. Also, it increases the elasticity of the lungs.</li> <li>Moves oxygen into the blood stream and increases circulation to the body, basically waking the body up for class.</li> <li>Right away, you are engaging through the legs and hips while stretching your spine upwards, in preparation for the Half-Moon Series. Remember, Bikram Yoga isn't just 26 postures, it's a sequence of postures, and every posture builds upon the previous. Pranayama doesn't just set you up for the Half-Moon Series, it sets you up for your entire practice!</li> <li>Helps to release tension in the cervical vertebrae and shoulders.</li> <li>According to Bikram, good for circulatory/blood problems including high blood pressure and anemia, and repiratory problems, including emphysema, asthma, and shortness of breath. Also good for problems in the nervous system, including insomnia, nervousness, and irritability.</li> <li>Any time, any place you are tired and need energy, do this breathing exercise and your vitality will come back!</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFFFCC;border-top:10px solid #FFFFFF;" valign="top">Join the monthly Bikram Philadelphia Newsletter for special announcements, information about interesting programs at our studio and around Philadelphia, and all about Bikram Yoga. <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-08_August/*%7CFORWARD%7C*">Forward</a> this email to a friend Our mailing address is: 1520 Sansom Street, 3rd Floor / Philadelphia, PA 19102 Our telephone: 215 977 9642 Copyright (C) 2009 *Center Siddhi Yoga* All rights reserved. <a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/dada-Newsletter/2009-08_August/*%7CUNSUB%7C*">Unsubscribe</a> from this list.</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>