Happy Yoga Halloween

A great set of yoga skeletons from the Heavy Metal Yogi blog

Yoga Mat Aggression

Let the Mat Wars (and jokes) begin. With six inches wider than a normal mat, I wonder how many people are going to be unyogic (pissed off) as their precious space between yoga mats is being gobbled up by the John Friend Phat Mat. In some studios in the Federal City, there are taped spaces where you are suppose to put your mat so they can cram, ahumm, I mean maximize the available space for as many students as possible. I don’t see this as an issue in your own space or sparsely populated studios but I can already see the stink eyes starting as a someone rolls this out. So why stop at 30 inches?



Some great comments are already rolling in (come on, some of this shit is pretty funny):

"...are you going to be the one who shows up for a packed class with a gigantic mat, bigger than everyone else's? Who wants that reputation?"

"I'm going to take all 5 of my Manduaka Mats and roll them over your mats. And I'm going to swipe your water bottle."

"Size matters!"

But heck with that mat, I'm bringing one of these babies with me to my next class...



360° Round Yoga Mat
1/4 inch thick for that extra cushion
6 feet diameter

Better yet, look for the YogaDawg Double-Wide Yoga Mat tm (at twice the size of the normal mat) ...

Be Here NOW

Tara Brach Tells a Joke

I used to go to Tara Brach's lectures since she lives in the area. She liked to tell jokes at her sittings...here is one of them.

Not only is she a hippie, but she also does yoga

The Real Cost of Taking Up Yoga

This can almost be a satirical piece in itself. Granted you can do yoga for free but how much have you spent in a year on yoga??

via Bloomburg with links galore for those yogis that need to spend some money...ahum, I mean, support the economy....


Strike a Pose

$90: Learn the fundamentals for Yoga postures. Five-class introductory series at Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York. (A four-class introductory series at Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco costs $50.)

$1,150: Group classes at a yoga studio to release neck pain from computer usage and neutralize stress. One-year price is for unlimited classes at Yogaworks. (Monthly rate: $115/month for unlimited classes)

$1,800: To enhance poses learned in group classes, take private lessons, which average $150 per class in pricey New York

Running tally: $3,040

Yoga Clothes
A t-shirt and shorts work well, but specialized gear is available.

$216: Women's pants, 2 pairs, groove pant -- brushed

$156: Three Dash Tank II women's tank tops designed to fit over support bra

$40: No-slip yoga socks with individual toe covering, two pairs

$68: Women's Cabin Long Sleeve Tee II T shirt, a breathable, long-sleeve T-shirt

$126: Three sports bras, Flow Y Bra IV for yoga, $42 each

$70: YogaToes and YogaHands with gel support relieve stress and tension, soothe sore muscles, increase circulation and relieve pain

Running tally: $3,716

Yoga Basics
To practice postures, you can buy the basics with a little pizazz added.

$89: YogaMatic custom-designed paisley yoga mat

$23: Eco-friendly Hemp Yoga Mat Bag, an extra-large bag to hold mats, towel, block and water bottle

$40: Lululemon's Manduka Equa absorbent yoga towel

$10: The bobble, an 18.5 oz. eco-friendly water bottle, has a built-in carbon filter that's good for 300 refills

Running tally: $3,878

Meditation
Practicing meditation helps to achieve inner peace.

$86: Zafu-zabuton Meditation Cushion set -- a round meditation cushion stuffed with buckwheat hulls or natural kapok, so it remains firm during sittings

$66: Meditation course to nurture the mind and spirit -- three weekly sessions at Integral Yoga Institute

Running tally: $4,030

Props for Poses
$19: Two D Buckle 8-foot straps for extra support and proper alignment

$50: Yoga bolster to support the neck, knees or other areas during some poses and to put under the knees during savasana (final relaxation)

$40: Two bamboo yoga blocks -- eco-friendly and lightweight ($20 each)

$25: Mexican-style yoga blankets for comfort, warmth and support for knees and joints during poses

Running tally: $4,164

Yoga Workshops (4 per year)
Once you've learned the basics, fine-tune your skills -- prices at Integral Yoga.

$24: The yoga of breath, Pranayama for beginners -- fundamentals of yogic breathing techniques

$34: Mudras for a healthy heart -- hand gestures to strengthen the heart

$30: Toning and strengthening digestion

$30: Shoulders, arms, wrists and hands -- yoga for upper extremities

Running tally: $4,282

Yoga Enrichment
Refine your asanas (your poses) with DVDs, apps, magazines and books.

$14: Yoga Journal magazine, one-year subscription

$17: The Golden Present: Daily Inspirational Readings by Sri Swami Satchidananda

$16: Yoga: Mastering the Basics by Rolf Slovik and Sandra Anderson

$14: Meditation for the Love of It, Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience by Sally Kempton

$25: Beginner's DVD: Complete Beginner's Guide by Jason Crandell

$4: Pocket Yoga HD for iPad App from Rainfrog LLC

Running tally: $4,372

Soothing Mind and Body
After yoga, promote relaxation with eye pillows and tea.

$152: Adagio Organic Teas in four 16-oz. packages

$34: Glass teapot with infuser for the richest flavor

$7: Lavender scented cotton or silk eye pillow filled with natural flaxseed

Running tally: $4,565

Conferences and Luxury Escapes
Extend the peace, serenity and well-being you feel after attending yoga class.

$860: Yoga Journal New York Conference, five days, Hilton Hotel, April 12-16

$1,795: Bali Holistic Yoga Retreats provide classes, nutrition options and cultural experiences -- five star accommodations (six-night, seven-day package)

$1,792: Airfare, New York-Bali, via Cathay Pacific

Running tally: $9,012

Yoga Music and Concerts
Songs of celebration may help you find your inner path.

$100: Kirtans, four per year from Integral Yoga -- an evening of chanting in a concert hall setting. Suggested donations on day of concert, $25

$30: Krishna Das Concert: Upcoming performance on Nov. 19 in New York and Jan. 13, 2012 in San Francisco among others.

$36: Two CDs of Krishna Das music -- Heart Full of Soul and Heart as Wide as the World

Running tally: $9,178

Beyond Yoga
Apart from the many poses of yoga, there are treatments that incorporate its principles.

$392: Thai Massage incorporates yoga-like stretches, four sessions

$1,200: Acupuncture to support muscle health and energy flow, one-hour monthly sessions for a year

$9: Arnica Cream made from Arnica montana, a mountain plant, 2.5 oz.

Running tally: $10,779

Also check out the post by Lucy Edge, Yoga School Dropout, for her breakdown of what yoga cost her.

And here is Claudia weighing in on her breakdown

And the The Reluctant Ashtangi

And Serene Flavorful

I myself spent about $4,000 the first year of yoga (classes, workshops, books, dvds, a yoga mat and some shorts from Target...I'm down to less than a $1,000 for classes a year (and well worth it for my sanity and sense of humor :)

Research center says pre-sleep activities influenced 'E.T.'-like encounters

I don't know what would flip me out more, real aliens or finding aliens walking around in my house during lucid dreaming.

"One participant, identified as Alexander N., recalled making a successful attempt to separate from his body: "I [then] tried to find aliens. Three of them materialized right before my eyes. They seemed more like creatures from the movie 'The Thing' than tadpoles with eyes like Princess Jasmine. They wanted to scare me, not to 'make contact.' As a result, I was extremely frightened and regained awareness in my own body."

Full article Alien abductions may be vivid dreams



Of course there is always the Extraterrestrials That Do Yoga

Don't Diss The Drum Circles

I was joking around how the drum circles are going to kill Occupy Wall Street because they are so annoying, as least to me. Lo and behold, I appear not to be the only one...



"Progressives and mainstream Democratic pundits disagree with each other about many issues at the heart of the Occupy Wall Street protests, but with few exceptions they are joined in their contempt for drum circles, free hugs, and other behavior in Zuccotti Park that smacks of hippie culture."

"In a post for the Daily Beast Michelle Goldberg lamented, “Drum circles and clusters of earnest incense-burning meditators ensure that stereotypes about the hippie left remain alive.” AtEsquire, Charles Pierce worried that few could “see past all the dreadlocks and hear…over the drum circles.” Michael Smerconish asked on the MSNBC show Hardball if middle Americans “in their Barcalounger” could relate to drum circles. The New Republic’s Alex Klein chimed in, “In the course of my Friday afternoon occupation, I saw two drum circles, four dogs, two saxophones, three babies....Wall Street survived.” And the host of MSNBC’s Up, Chris Hayes (editor at large of the Nation), recently reassured his guests Naomi Klein and Van Jones that although he supported the political agenda of the protest he wasn’t going to “beat the drum” or “give you a free hug,” to knowing laughter."

Full article at AlterNet

Putting the Garden to Bed

Boo hoo hoo, the end of the tomatoes for the year...


Nighty night garden...


The last tomatoes...


I never know what to do with green tomatoes (please, no fried green tomatoes) so I thought I would try to pickle them...


A huge marigold that I saved and replanted...


The other side of the garden with the peppers stay...


...they are still thick with peppers!

Yoga: A Spiritually Transmitted Disease

So You Think You Can Meditate

Meditation in a Pill

Soon available for YogaDawg Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. - Kundalini in a Pill





via Toni Bologna

Robert Charles Sturman - Yoga Photographer

Some fun yoga images. The photographer also has a Van Gogh thing going on...check out all his work at his site.





Here's a fun video of the making of some yoga photos.

Find the Yogis

This is pretty cool; A 360 degree view of the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zuccotti Park. I was surprised to see a couple of yogis in the crowd...scroll around to find the yogis...#OCCUPYYOGA...Right OM!!

Click here to Find the Yogis

The Greatest Video That Was Ever Produced In the History Of Civilization

P.S. That's my daughter twirling the hat in the beginning...

Tree Pittsburgh is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the City's vitality by restoring and protecting City trees.

The Yogic Evolution of a Yogini - From The YogaDawg Archives

The original trip down the yoga rabbit hole....

Subject before taking up the practice of yoga



Life is good, but boring.

Discovers yoga on a Saturday morning yoga TV show on cable.

Thinks this is worth looking into further.

Buys a yoga DVD by a hot new yoga star.

Takes a yoga class at a local yoga studio.

Buys a pair of yoga pants from Target.

Attends a yoga workshop by a hot new yoga star at a local yoga studio.

Discovers yoga blogs and begin to leaves comments on them.

Discovers goji berries.

Attends a yoga conference in another city that hosts workshops by several hot new yoga stars.

Buys a pair of $100 Lululemons yoga pants (and several tops).

Attends a yoga festival in another city that hosts workshops by several hot new yoga stars and entertainment by hot new kirtan bands.

Discovers kombucha.

Buys a Black Manduka.

Start own yoga blog named, The Self-Centered Yogini.

Begins a yoga teacher training course in a trendy new yoga studio across town.

Goes vegan.

Completes yoga teacher training course.

Buys a harmonium.

After spending $9,000 on yoga teacher training, looks for a yoga job, but can only find non-paying teaching gigs, euphemistically called community classes, in third tier yoga studios.

Gets first yoga tattoo; an OM symbol.

Continues to teach non-paying teaching gigs in third tier yoga studios and sometimes in the local park.

Gets first Buddhist tattoo; a wheel of dharma.

Continues to teach non-paying teaching gigs in third tier yoga studios, in the local park and local community senior citizen centers.

Gets first Taoist tattoo; a Yin Yang symbol

Fuck it… gets full body spiritual tattoo that depicts the complete Bhagavad Gita.

Loses job because the boss thinks all those tats are too freakish for customers.

Continues to teach non-paying teaching gigs in third tier yoga studios, the local park, community senior citizens center, and the local prison.

Learns about a hot new yoga guru living in an ashram in India who teaches the One True Yoga.

Sells all possessions to travel to India to study with the hot new yoga guru.

Discovers that the hot new yoga Guru, who goes by the name Vivakanandashidisivamuktiparama-ji, is really a person named Barry from Boulder.

Begins having sex with Guru Barry and becomes his main, ahum…, disciple.

Is given the name Mamakanandatripleshivashakti-ji by Guru Barry but goes by the name of Jenni-ji because no one can pronounce that name anyway.

Gets first red forehead dot.

Gets nose rings.

Gets so many bangles that makes a holy sound in the key of Om that everyone in the ashram calls her, “The One Women American Kirtan Band”.

Wears saris and get henna tats on face and any remaining un-tattooed area of body.

Scores ganja from the local sadhus.

Grows hair into dreadlocks.

No longer wears clothes but smears body with cow dung and the ashes of the dead.

Guru Barry chooses a hot new yogini that just arrived in ashram to be his new main disciple.

Guru Barry sends Jenni-ji to LA to start a store-front branch of the One True Yoga.

Works for free teaching the One True Yoga, passing out leaflets on the street and cleaning the toilet.

Develops full-blown yogachosis and yogarexia.

Reduced to living in a back of the store-front of the One True Yoga under a cardboard squat when found by parents.

Locked in a room by them to get deprogrammed while having tattoos surgically removed.

Begins to use birth name, Betty Sue.

Renames blog, The Self-Deluded Yogini, and attempt to write satirical exposes of the yoga scene but only ends up sounding bitter, cynical and sarcastic.

Finally free of yoga forever after months of deprogramming, shuts down blog, gives away the Lulus, Black Manduka and devotes new found time learning ping pong.

Gets a job in a hot new ad agency.

Makes lots of money.

Become bored.

One Saturday, discovers Pilates on a TV show on cable.

Thinks this is worth looking into further.

Buys a Pilates DVD by a hot new Pilates star………

Subject after taking up the practice of yoga

From Hipster to Hippie - An Infographic

Click on graphic for details

Stress Less - An Infographic

See the entry for yoga...

Click here for detail (blogger is worthless with showing large detailed graphics)

The Ass Family

Yep, know them...;)



Source unknown

What Enlightenment Looks Like

Bend That Back

Just a collection of back bends....

Evolution of a Coffee Addict - An Infographic

click on graphic for detail



via Loldwell

The Sunday Yoga Funnies - YogaBoy by Chris Panico

The latest Chris Panico toon

Click on toon for detail

YogaDawg's Yoga Week in Review

Yoga with Animals - And no dawgs....

Yoga with Balls - A great name for a yoga studio

Herbie Hancock - Buddhist Jazz Musician

Are you experienced? - In support of Occupy Wall Street

Are You Happy? - From the YogaDawg archives

A yoga inspired music video - So crazy

Remember, cows not only love yoga but cows also love Dixieland.... - Moooooooooooooooooooooooo.....

The Sunday Yoga Funnies - YogaBoy by Chris Panico - A relevant cartoon for today's economic limited

#OCCUPYDC - Ralph Nader shows up and gives a stirring speech

Other stuff whirling around the yoga interscene


‘Enlightened’: Portrait of a crazy lady - A depiction of a woman far past the edge of a nervous breakdown. It also sublimely lampoons office life, Los Angeles and the touchy-feely panacea of 21st-century yoga culture.


Seane Corn Joins Russell Simmons, Protesters To Bring Yoga To Occupy Wall Street - With some photos

How Garbo Learned to Stand on Her Head - Read the comments for some good laughs.

Yoga image of the week

Yoga with Animals

Yoga with Balls