India Trip 2011 Report

If you’ve been following the Real Yoga NYC blog, then you know that I just spent 2 weeks in Kerala, India. It was a dream come true yoga and ayurveda retreat that I organized for a small group of my friends and students. As all wonderful things the trip  had to come to an end and 5 days ago I came back to NYC. It feels good to be home with people I love and to be back to teaching my regular classes at Strala and Viva Vinyasa! Come visit me there!

Story about my dad

Yogacitynyc recently posted an article about the unsung heroes in our life – true teachers who teach by example not by preaching. They are the ones who inspire us, support us,  and make us smile when we need it the most. I was honored to share a story about my best teacher – my father. Here is a piece about him:

Yogi's Grace

Happy Thanksgiving guys!
It’s been 6th years since I was first introduced to Thanksgiving as a holiday and it became one of my favorite days to celebrate. Not just because of the turkey and sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie (even though, I do love them) but because it is an entire day devoted to acknowledging everyone and everything that makes our life so beautiful.
We live in a very abundant time by historical standards and it makes hard to appreciate little things. Barely 100 years ago very few people could afford a separate family house, 3 meals a day, or to stay warm during the winter. Our life would be considered luxurious by our ancestors’ standards. Now, we take it for granted. Our health, intelligence, family, an ability to breathe, see, and walk are rarely noted as well. We pay attention to it when it is lost not while it is present. This ignorance and lack of awareness might be a reason that the richest society on earth has the highest rate of depression. Things don’t make us happy, acknowledging the fact that you have something and being grateful for it does! Gratitude has the power to make us happy in a very deep and meaningful way. It feels amazing to wiggle toes and fingers after a deep relaxation being fully aware of how precious our ability to move is.

HOLIDAYASANA

Yogis Unite! Wondering how you’re going to stay sane and healthy amid the holiday
mayhem? Join us for HOLIDAYASANA, a one month healthy living challenge bringing together 14 of New York‘s top yoga studios. The challenge starts December 1st, but you can sign up now at socialworkout.com/holidayasana. The mission: Practice yoga 20 times; eat 25 very healthy meals; volunteer 60 minutes for someone in need; and avoid using ANY disposable plastic bags. That’s right: It’s about living healthy and green, and giving a little back. We’ll track our progress online, and hold each other accountable. Together we can bring a bit of good yoga love to the city! Join us!   www.socialworkout.com/holidayasana.