It’s Daylight Savings Time again! We may lose an hour this weekend, but the bright side is it means spring is nigh! While the impetus behind setting the clocks ahead was to save energy costs (more daylight hours+ideal universe=less use of electricity) the shift in time has more of an impact than we were aware of: increased heart attacks, suicides and traffic accidents?? That’s what research shows (LATimes blogs The onset of daylight saving time can be hazardous to your health). All because of ONE measly hour! Makes you wonder what shortening the day by 1.26 millionths of a second did for our daily routines when the Chile earthquake shifted Earth’s axis. We’re sensitive beings! That’s precious time we need for brushing teeth and practicing handstand.
Though stats show there’s more health problems and accidents we’re going to bet it’s because people forget the time change and freak out on Monday morning! So here’s your reminder: SET YOUR CLOCKS BEFORE BED ON SATURDAY NIGHT. The time changes 2am Sunday morning, March 14th. And may we kindly suggest spending a little extra time this weekend in restorative yoga poses and playing dead? You may also want try some meditation downloads over at MyYogaOnline.com, Elsie’s free Yoga Nidra Podcast Episode: 62 or a guided Yoga Nidra meditation from Dr. Madan Kataria, the laughter yoga guru, hilariously enough.
Here’s a helpful little prep video from the youtube…though we’re a little late for setting the alarm 10 minutes earlier each day for 6 days. woops.
ooh oooh! New sneak peek pics from ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ the movie! While perhaps not as squeal-inducing as the new ‘Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ trailer - eeeee! 1.33 mins of OMG! — new snapshots from the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love are still something to smile about, if perhaps you enjoy the handsome mugs of James Franco (’David’) and Javier Bardem (’Felipe’). ahem. And maybe you’ll be so tired of seeing vampires and werewolves for the nth time that you’ll even go see EPL when it comes out in theaters August 13th! (’Eclipse’ comes out June 30th, plenty of time you twilight nutters you. right?).
note: we believe that fourth shot is of ‘Richard’ played by Richard Jenkins.
So Deepak Chopra has an iPhone app. Oh wait, this just in… Deepak Chopra has TWO iPhone apps. The beloved teddy bear of alt-medicine’s first foray into the mobile world came last fall with ‘Stress Free’, an app basically reminding you to ‘chill the eff out fool!’ Now with with the help of model/yogi Tara Stiles, and a snazzily hip website (www.deepakchopramobile.com) we can all chill the eff out and yoga on-the-go to Chopra’s soothing voice and Ms. Stiles agile demos, all for just $2.99! It’s called “Authentic Yoga”… discuss amongst yourselves. ps. this is a not a review. try ann pizer (about.com) for a good pros and cons breakdown.
Via said snazzy site:
Practice wherever you are, with the most comprehensive practical and fun mobile yoga app, brought to you by Deepak and Tara Stiles, “the coolest yoga instructor ever.”
Like totally. If you’re familiar with Chopra’s over 45 books then you know he’s pretty big on manifesting success, love, happiness etc. by developing self-motivation/empowerment through mind/body/soul connection, and he’s sort of a case in point. So it’s no shocker his yoga practice has manifested itself onto a more tech-savvy platform after the tired old ink and paper routine has been translated into 35 languages and sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. (that’s a lot).
“Most people when they think of iPhones or BlackBerries or just everything that’s digital these days, they associate it with stress,” Chopra says. “So the thought came to me, why not use the very technology that is supposedly distracting you to bring you to the present, to help you focus on the moment, to help you get rid of stress. There is no stopping technology, and what we do with it depends on us.”
Wanna know what will make you even less stressed? Something free. Head on over to the NY Yoga Examiner where YD pal Jenn is giving away a *free* download of the new “Authentic Yoga” app, but you only have til Friday to enter.. ack! omg, hurry up…get on it stat!!
Here’s a video of the ChopStiles duo on ABC’s Good Morning America. Authentic enough for your tastes?
Will you pony up the $2.99 for “Authentic Yoga”?
**Oh, and in other good news for NYers, YogaLocal iPhone app is now FREE. hey hey.**
The very fashionable, pixie-esque Chloe Sevigny is looking for a mate! So she tells Elle UK in the upcoming April issue (on newsstands this Sat! etc etc). While she may be horny and manless, at 35 years old this “Big Love” star is looking quite svelte, and uh, leggy. Maybe it’s the yoga! She tells Elle UK, “I’ve just started doing yoga three times a week. I feel strong and limber, and my sex drive is through the roof!” Hot. The article snippits lead on about her love life and how she wants babies and why she can’t find a man, yadda yadda. We’re most excited about the yoga part and happened to do a little research about Ms. Sevigny’s history on the sticky mat.
As it happens, yoga isn’t just a means for staying fit in her 30’s, it helps her cope with scoliosis (!) Via NPR (Mar 2, 2010 interview):
They said, you know, that the curvature wasn’t strong enough to have to have the operation, which I know a few girls that have a metal rod in their back. But to me, now, it’s like - I still - every time I see myself on film, I see it. That’s all I see. And I - and even in photographs, I’m just - to me, it’s like - my ex-boyfriend used to say when I’d get really drunk, I’d come home and cry and be, like, I’m so crooked. It’s my one thing that, yeah, that I still have a hard time with.
But I’ve been doing a lot of yoga, which has been helping. It makes me feel like it’s straightened me out a little bit, but yeah, on “Big Love,” I see it all the time, especially with those outfits, because they’re so form-fitting. I see myself walking, and I’m like…(”eek”)
Who knew? Sexy gams are one thing, but helping realign a curvature in the spine? That’s a celebriyogi endorsement we can salute! You know, with the sun? ah, nevermind.
Touring the country to promote her Let’s Move campaign to fight childhood obesity, the First Lady of yoga*, Michelle Obama, was spotted at a DC soccer clinic last week looking buff in an all black yoga getup. Since every stitch of clothing this woman wears is noted and archived in the annals of presidential fashion, of course we are provided with a detailed breakdown of Mrs. O’s workout wear!
“…she wore workout clothes! They included black boot-cut yoga pants, a black, ruched, relaxed, long-sleeved tunic top, and either a black tank top or sports bra underneath.”
Wait, what? No label identity or designer spy teams to figure out who she’s wearing? Seriously! It’s as if the lulus haven’t yet achieved their goal of penetrating the White House. Frankly, lemons, we’re disappointed in you. As far as we can tell there are no visible logos. Maybe you yogadorks and yoga clotheshorses can help solve the puzzle!
She’s got the pants, but will yoga play a part in the campaign?
Aw bummer…on a bit of a somber note this Monday March 8th , we bring you the news that the original “Richard From Texas” of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love died suddenly in his sleep last Thursday.
“He had just returned from a trip to India and passed away in his sleep,” friend Kimberley Stroup said. He was 62. Stroup said Vogt had long-term heart problems.
Of course those who read the book remember Richard as the ex-addict wise-crackin’ “wise Bubba” who spit out quotable gems like, “You’re wishin’ too much baby. You gotta’ stop wearin’ your wishbone where your backbone oughta be!” Which got him a hot ticket interview with Oprah, twice. (turns out he was working on his own memoir as of ‘08, but no word if it was finished).
Richard, darlin’ you will be missed, but we can only hope you were almost as pleased with Richard Jenkins portraying you in the movie version as we’re sure Ms. Gilbert is about Julia Roberts.
Pepsi is generally known around these parts as the big megalomaniacal sugar-smacked corporate monster trying to rot our teeth and give us health problems, but every once in a while they do something to make us happy that even a portion of the gazillions of dollars of profit they make every year is put towards something worthwhile*. This time it’s a campaign called Refresh Everything, which in short is a grant program open to anyone and everyone who has an idea, which is then voted on by the public (you and me). Why do yogadorks care? Because amongst the thousand+ great causes (and if you look at the current leaders they’re all pretty great), we have some yoga fledglings trying to get a kickstart on their dreams! And the kick is pretty hefty: up for grabs is $1,300,000 - broken into 2 winners for $250k, then 10 each for $50k, $25k and $5k.
Like we said there are so many worthy causes, but here are the ones we found that are yoga-related, should you wish to cast your vote (do it before March 31st!)
For better or for worse Sadie Nardini remains true to herself. Here she speaks candidly with Nancy Alder about her signing on to the YAMA (Yoga Artist Management Agency), her rise to the national stage/yogi stardom, and why she thinks being “unyogic” is just plain ridiculous. Enormous thanks to Nancy for a great job well done. As always, yogadorks, you may have a few opinions after reading this, please share your thoughts in the comments!
Interview with Sadie Nardini by Nancy Alder
I walked into Fresh Yoga (www.freshyoga.com) in New Haven, CT expecting to do some yoga but never actually talk to Sadie. This notion could not have been farther from the truth! Sadie Nardini instantly sat down with us and introduced herself, chatted with the yogis in the room as if she had known us for years. She was warm, honest, funny and open. She taught a vigorous class making verbal and physical assists to the students she had just met by using their names (yes she remembered all of ours!) herself without the aid of any assistants. She also colored her instruction with an extensive knowledge of anatomy and yogic philosophy. We learned about utilizing our deep core to transform our practices and that she was able to belt out some pretty fantastic Bon Jovi riffs.
As a hopefully soon-to-be yoga teacher, what I most loved about Sadie was the way she taught with her own unique voice. She combined old and new, rocking and calm in an elegant tapestry of language and asana that really worked. I was reminded that it’s terrific to bring your own self to the mat as a teacher, and really being true to who you are is the best message to share. Before I left I asked Sadie if she’d do an interview for YogaDork. She instantly said yes! Her responses are honest, no holds barred and well, appropriately and perfectly in her own voice.
Nancy: You recently became one of the “celebrity yogis” to join the YAMA talent agency. There has been some discussion on YD about the new agency and much of the response has been negative. Can you tell us why you decided this was a good move for you?
Sadie: My yoga teaching has become more in-demand on a level that requires more negotiation than I’m skilled at, and more organization than one person can handle, especially if that one person is me. Yoga is my talent, not invoicing yoga studios or dealing with financial terms or making sure I’ve thought of every last detail when it comes to getting from here to Vancouver for three types of trainings, and then back home again.
YAMA came into existence at a time when I was getting professionally and therefore, personally overwhelmed, and I was ecstatic to give a percentage of what I make to them, in exchange for them doing what they do best, so that I’m more free to do what I do best: teach and plan trainings and write about yoga and communicate with my students. [click to continue…]
We’ve been freaked out before by cemetery yoga…yes yoga in a graveyard! But never had our little horrified imaginations ever wandered to the thought of…funeral home yoga? But wait, it’s for death meditation, part of the Tibetan Buddhist culture, so of course confronting and meditating on death adjacent to an embalming room all makes sense! *shutter*
Brooklyn’s Ava Gerber had the nerve (of steel?) to snap up a vacant funeral home down the road from her local haunt Lucky Lotus Yoga, for the dead on locale:
“You couldn’t really do effective death meditation unless you were in a funeral home,” said Gerber, who has owned Lucky Lotus Yoga since 2005 and relocated from a location a few blocks away early this year. “Who would come to a death meditation in a regular studio?”
We certainly enjoy ourselves a relaxing savasana (corpse pose) but we’re mayybe not quite ready to chant amongst the dead! (note: there aren’t actually any physical dead people there anymore, as far as we know).
Here’s Dakota Fanning emerging from yoga class February 17th in LA, just a few days before her 16th birthday! Nope, she’s no little pipsqueak anymore (are we getting old er what?). Although we tend to squirm at the stress and unfair focus mass media/paparazzi put on young girls to find “perfection” in self-image (”working hard to keep in shape” is how teendaily.com describes Ms. Fanning’s routine), we’re feeling confident this young lady will continue her portrayal as a positive role model for teens. *crossing fingers*
Young Hollywood starlet doing Yoga? good. Drinking…water? great! Heaven knows we could use a good yoga teen ambassador!
It’s Daylight Savings Time again! We may lose an hour this weekend, but the bright side is it means spring is nigh! While the impetus behind setting the clocks ahead was to save energy costs (more daylight hours+ideal universe=less use of electricity) the shift in time has more of an impact than we were aware of: increased heart attacks, suicides and traffic accidents?? That’s what research shows (LATimes blogs The onset of daylight saving time can be hazardous to your health). All because of ONE measly hour! Makes you wonder what shortening the day by 1.26 millionths of a second did for our daily routines when the Chile earthquake shifted Earth’s axis. We’re sensitive beings! That’s precious time we need for brushing teeth and practicing handstand.
