Summer Reads

Yoga, an ancient but perfect science, deals with the evolution of humanity.  This evolution includes all aspects of one's being, from bodily health to self-realization.  Yoga means union - the union of body with consciousness and consciousness with the soul.  Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one's actions

B.K.S Iyengar

We are already half way through the summer and if you have not yet had a chance to read a good book then I would definately suggest “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and David Relin. It is one of those books that leaves you feeling inspired and will more than likely bring a tear (or two ) to your eye, so be prepared. To summarise, the story centres on Greg Mortenson, who started out on a mission to climb one of the world’s largest mountains, “K2” , in order to honour the memory of his younger sister.

When Mortenson got lost in the remote mountain areas surrounding “K2”, he ended up in a village called Korphe , where he made a promise to the children and the village elders of Korphe that he would one day return and build them a school. He was by no means wealthy, but when he returned to his home in the United States he remained committed to his promise. He sold his belongings and mailed out letters to people he thought might be important, in an effort to raise money. The obstacles he faced were endless, the situations he found himself in were gruelling, but his determination to build a school resulted in the establishment of the Central Asia Institute which is now responsible for funding schools in that region and educating women. A promise to build one school in 1992 has resulted in the creation of over 100 schools  throughout the surrounding regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as the education of over 68 000 children.

Not all of us can be like Mother Theresa, Greg Mortenson or the Dalai Lama, but the point is that we can all learn something from these amazing people. Recently, there has been a controversy over the publication of the book whereby critics have stated that Mortenson’s story is not entirely true and that many of the schools are not functioning as they should be. Even if Greg Mortenson educated one child, or built one school, he still made a difference and these are the positive things that we should focus on. To me this is a story of endurance. If you can remain committed to something despite the obstacles you face, the results will be like nothing you have ever imagined, both on the mat and off the mat.

Thanks to Jim and Darlene Nicholson for lending this book to me!

Namaste

Mindful about Mats

I have been using the same bright purple mat that I got at Winners since I started practicing yoga some years ago and I have become quite attached to it despite its worn in smell and loss of colour.

 I definately needed a new mat but the idea of breaking it in was not appealing to me as I envisioned myself slipping and sliding around in my own puddles of sweat during a hot yoga class .

 When I came to realise that the mat I had been using was sending bad toxins into the environment this gave me the push I needed to get a new one. What most of us don’t realise is that many mats are made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which unfortunately is as bad as it sounds and has negative effects on both the body and the environment. In particular, the nasty toxins it releases effect the endocrine system. One of the reasons that many of the mats we see today are made from PVC is for the stickiness that this material provides.


 Naturally, we like to feel secure from slipping on our mats and PVC provides this security for a reasonable price. However, the long term effects of PVC will undoubtedly make most of us think twice about what type of mat we are practicing on.

This information influenced my decision to purchase a Jade Yoga Mat, made completely from natural rubber and containing absolutely no PVC. I am now sporting a pretty sleek black harmony professional mat from the Jade range and I couldn’t be happier, its non-slip, light weight and I don’t even need to use it with a non slip towel. using it for the first time required no breaking in and there was no slipping and sliding taking place.


As yogis and yoginis we must remember our relationship to living things around us and respect the earth. The last thing we want is to hurt the environment and ourselves through the practice of yoga.While there are other eco friendly mats available the deciding factor for me was that Jade will plant a tree for every mat purchased, I love this idea almost as much as I love TOMS shoes who will give a child in need a pair of shoes for every pair purchased. You absolutely have to love companies with type of philosophy. Jade mats can be purchased at numerous studios around the GTA or ordered online. Happy Thursday and Namaste !!!!!


http://www.jadeyoga.com/