Good Things in Small Packages
Sometimes, when the world feels really large and you feel tiny, it can feel overwhelming to look at the bigger picture. This week, we’re looking at the world in micro—at the power of things that come in small or brief packages.
In East London, an artist who goes by the moniker “The Pothole Gardener”, brightens the world by turning motorists annoyances into delights, one at a time. Sick of seeing roadways in disrepair, this gentleman saw a creative opportunity. While his art isn’t necessarily permanent, and the props are removed after photo shoots, each mini garden’s beauty in an unexpected place brings smiles to the faces of people willing to notice them. Check out this great before and after:
http://thepotholegardener.com/2011/12/19/a-few-bricks-short-in-brick-lane/
As a closet Oprah fan, I loved this minimal-looking feature in the February issue. Deceptive in their simplicity, these mini-memoirs turn every person into a writer—the only rule is a strict word count of no more than six words. Some are funny, some poignant, and all pack a lot of emotion into six small words. What would yours be? Think about it and leave it in the comments!
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Six-Word-Memoirs-O-Magazine-Mini-Memoirs/2
Interval training is powerful stuff. Emotionally, we prepare ourselves for quick bursts of strenuous exercise, followed by rest periods, and aim to get heart rates up quickly. 
Since the hard part is short, we feel like it’s do-able. Best of all, intervals can be worked into existing workouts easily and yield results like increased endurance.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/how-1-minute-intervals-can-improve-our-health/
Sarah Louisignau’s Baked 3 Cheese Polenta
The Perfect Comfort Food Recipe 
- I skip a few steps and use the tube o polenta (organic of course
)
- Heat over to 350 degrees
- Brush a lg ovenproof dish with olive oil
- Place a layer of polenta slices on as a base
- Top with a layer of half of all the cheeses and butter
- Add another layer of polenta slices
- Top with remainder of cheese and butter, saving a smidge of Parmesan cheese
- Add final layer of polenta and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese
- Bake for 30 min or until crust is formed
Quirky Food
Gardeners are known for patience and hope, waiting for the snow to melt into blossoms and, finally, hoping for bounty. But what if gardeners eschewed patience, and instead, took up their spades in revolution towards rebel gardening plots? Some gardeners today are angry about urban deserts, unsustainable town planning and the food industry in general. This blog series promises to take us inside these movements and prove that botanicals can make a political statement.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2012/jan/20/radical-gardening?CMP=twt_gu
Have you ever been out to eat with a person who hates cilantro? How about IPA beers? It turns out that the taste, for some people, is strongly reminiscent of soap or lotion… probably not what they were hoping for with their chips and salsa! 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html
Speaking of IPAs, craft and premium beer brands are taking over the beer market—good news for our small local breweries like Short’s and North Peak—but very bad news for the huge breweries churning out 30 packs of light beer. The video embedded in this article provides a history of brewing and the rise of the little guy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/us-beer-sales_n_1276300.html?ref=food
Music, Art and Yoga
Adding music to yoga is a little like adding jelly to your peanut butter sandwich. It’s not strictly necessary but it can be wonderful to have, and can take your practice to new levels. Earlier this week, I was in a class and the instructor switched between “words” and “no words” music to fit our yoga flow. “Words” can make a big difference—it’s hard to concentrate on your extended side angle pose with a pop song in the background! Fortunately, this mellow playlist featuring songs by Cat Stevens, Snatam Kaur and Joshua Radin, is easy on the ears and focuses on creating a positive yoga experience.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3977/Music-Yoga-A-Perfect-Pairing.html
Art is more meaningful when the viewer has information about the artist’s message as well to accompany the visuals created. The artist behind these graceful doves has a powerful and important statement.
“Suspended Together” is an installation that gives the impression of movement and freedom. However, a closer look at the 200 doves allows the viewer to realize that the doves are actually frozen and suspended with no hope of flight. An even closer look shows that each dove carries on its body a permission document that allows a Saudi woman to travel. Notwithstanding their circumstances, all Saudi women are required to have this document, issued by their appointed male guardian…
In the artist’s words, “regardless of age and achievement, when it comes to travel, all these women are treated like a flock of suspended doves.”
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/02/suspended-together/
This amazing 20 year old violinist records and loops his music to create a huge sound, perfectly recreating One Republic’s “Secrets.” His obvious love for music and off-the-charts talent is inspiring.
-Compiled by Courtney Sorrell
Sara Jones’s Smoothie
Many people think making a smoothie is just too much of a mess to deal with. They don’t want to have to worry about cleaning the blender or figuring out how much of each ingredient to put in.
My mom purchased an individual serving size blender called the Magic Bullet for me and it has made a world of difference. It takes me two to three minutes to go from ingredients to smoothie, and, best of all, it makes me feel good!
I don’t think it’s possible to go wrong when choosing ingredients to make a smoothie. I can honestly say I have never had a smoothie I didn’t like. However, I do feel that the body craves the nutrients that it needs, so mine are generally consistent most days. Frozen fruit is great because it is the next best thing to fresh, but much more practical for every day usage.
Ingredient ideas:
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Strawberry
- 1/4 Banana
- Blueberry Kefir (optional)
- Apple Juice
- Cranberry/ Blueberry Juice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Matcha (Magic Ingredient)
- Raspberry Emergen-c
Enjoy!
Melting Boundaries
For many, yoga is about breaking down physical and mental walls. It rarely happens all at once; we hone our practices and eventually notice that our postures are improving, our hearts expanding and our minds opening. We start to notice wonderful side effects like more mindful eating and a greater sense of gratitude that permeates so many aspects of our lives. It’s this melting effect that keeps us thirsting for more.
Downward dog is a staple of many yoga practices. Teachers and advanced practictioners make it look beautiful, easy, and effortless but it takes mindful repetition and time to fully develop. In this article from Yoga Journal’s Jason Crandell, downward dog is taught with variations to work up to the full expression of the pose by focusing on different sensations.
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/1978
J.C. Peters—yogi, poet and spiritual romantic—has a knack for words that soothe the soul. In this blog post on SpiritualityHealth.com, she argues that self-expression is a reward we should all be thankful for. She encourages us to take a step back, ensure the message aligns with our core values and share away. When we question our expression due to controversy or negative pushback, we can find solace in the simple knowledge that we’ve been heard.
http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/blog/how-to-tone-a-flabby-heart/
Raw, vegan lifestyles are gaining popularity for their focus on whole ingredients and mindful preparation. Eschewing eggs, butter and added sugar can be daunting for home cooks, but dessert is a great place to start. This simple, healthy brownie recipe “cooks” in about a quarter of the time as traditional brownies.
http://www.acouplecooks.com/2011/09/raw-brownies/
What You Need
1 cup walnuts (unsalted)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
1 1/4 cups Medjool dates (about 12)
1/4 cup almonds (unsalted)
Cinnamon
1 Remove the pits from the dates. If the 1/4 cup almonds are not already chopped, place them in a bag
and hit them with the back of a spoon to break them into pieces (we’ve found this is easier than chopping).
2 In the bowl of a food processor, place 1 cup walnuts. Process on high until the nuts are finely ground.
3 Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt. Pulse to combine.
4 Turn on the food processor. As the processor is running, add the dates one at a time. Once all the dates
have been added, the mixture should be crumbly but easily formable (it may form into a ball depending on how
long you process it). Throw in the almonds and pulse a couple times to combine (if a ball has formed, you can
also mix in the almonds in a bowl).
5 Form the brownies: Line a small square dish with wax paper and press into the desired thickness (don’t worry
if it does not fill the entire pan; the brownies are easy to shape). Alternatively, press the brownies into a
mini-muffin tin or other mold. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up; they can
easily be cut when cold.
To serve, dust with cinnamon. (You also could add a bit of cinnamon to the brownie dough if desired.)
Compiled by Courtney Sorrell
Food as Medicine?
Most people believe that we are what we eat, since that’s true on the most basic, physical level. Our cells repair themselves, renew and regenerate based upon what we’ve given them. On a deeper level, we know that eating leafy greens and colorful fruits help our bodies and make us feel better.
We now know that whole, pure foods help the body fight infection and inflammation as well as promoting clear minds and overall well-being.Plus, a healthy lunch just feels better, and comes without the guilt that follows, say, a big, greasy burger.
Celebrity chef Paula Deen has been all over the news lately because of her recent announcement that she has Type 2 diabetes. Somewhat unsurprisingly, she has been reticent to admit that her lifestyle choices and career of bacon n’ butter recipes could have played a part, instead blaming her genes.
In this article, Dr. Mark Hyman challenges Deen to see food as medicine and to hit the rewind button on her celebration of excess. If Paula can reverse her diabetes with healthier lifestyle choices, she might inspire millions to do the same. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/paula-deen-diabetes_b_1223838.html?ref=healthy-living
Kris Carr—author, cancer survivor, and founder of the blog, Crazy Sexy Life, completely believes in food’s restorative powers.
Carr has kicked cancer’s butt and attributes her health to green juice, eliminating refined sugars and reducing animal products in her diet. Check out her diet manifesto as well as this guest post about the ethics of veganism here: http://crazysexylife.com/2012/eat-like-you-give-a-damn/
Smoothies and juices are a great way to start your day, especially if you choose one that will fill you up while also delivering great nutrients. This easy smoothie recipe from The Juicing Bible by Pat Crocker uses tofu, citrus and berries in the “Spa Special”:
¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
¼ cup soft tofu
¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
3 hulled strawberries, fresh or frozenUsing a blender, process all ingredients until smooth. Pour and enjoy!
-Compiled by Courtney Sorrell
A new controversy: what really can “wreck” your body?
Last week, the New York Times ran a piece titled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”. The article was adapted from the author’s forthcoming book and raising a firestorm of criticism from across the yoga world. Arguing that the modern American incarnation of yoga is dangerous and harmful, the article relied heavily on the testimony of one yoga instructor. The article received more than 700 comments on nytimes.com. You can read the full article here.
Responses to the article follow:
How Ego Can Wreck Your Yoga
Whether caught virtually with no underwear on in the exposing New York Times Magazine article, “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” or given grief for only wearing underwear with Equinox Fitness’ provocative viral yoga video, “The Contortionist,” people are talking about yoga.[Read More}
NY Times: 'How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body' | A Yogi's Response
The accompanying article deserves it though, as do the photos of non-yogis performing asanas comically poorly. The whole package smacks of sensationalism: disappointing in such a well-respected news source, to say the least. [Read More]
Is Yoga Unsafe?
We often hear about the many health benefits to be gained from a regular yoga practice. But while there is much potential for healing, there is less-widely reported potential to harm—that is when we push our bodies so far we end up injured. “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” published yesterday in the New York Times Magazine, states that “a growing body of medical evidence supports [the] contention that, for many people, a number of commonly taught yoga poses are inherently risky.” The piece was excerpted from the forthcoming book, The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards, written by a Times senior writer and longtime yoga practitioner William Broad.[Read More]
How Can Yoga Wreck Your Body? A Response.
If you are paying attention in the yoga world you have probably come across the recent article from The New York Times, How Yoga Can Wreak Your Body.This article outlines the dangers of the practice of asana as it has evolved in the West. Yoga in our culture has become much about the postures, rushing quickly or straining from pose to pose in what could better be described as calisthenics, bearing only a minor relation to the true roots of the practice and virtually ignoring the integrity of the postures. While the occasional class in this manner shouldn’t cause many problems, a repetitive practice like this will slowly reveal underlying physical weakness and cause problems later down the road.[Read More]
For the New Year: Yoga as Sabbath
“At some point, we all look for a sabbath.” — Judith Shulevitz, The Sabbath World
“In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between work and rest.” Wayne Muller, Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives
New year’s resolutions typically focus on DOING on something of value: more exercise, losing weight, get a better education, clean a cluttered space, and so on.
This year in addition to adding more doing, why not also consider non-doing as a resolution? The idea of sabbath, at its core, is time set aside to nurture being, to attend to the whole self. The great theologian Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel teaches that for six days we work hard to conquer the world of space (getting and spending, as Wordsworth says); the idea of Sabbath is to build a palace in time, says Heschel.
In other words, so much of our energy is devoted to building, growing and doing. Why not also resolve to devote time to creating a palace in time?
Yoga is a perfect vehicle through which we can focus on sabbath time. No phones, texts or email reach us on the mat, so some parameters of stepping out of the every day are already in place. All that is required is the commitment, the intention to devote our yoga time not to achievement but simply to being present. One of my teachers calls this effortless effort. We do what we do on the mat but it is not with a goal-driven consciousness. Instead yoga is a refuge, each class a mini-sabbath.
In Judaism we mark the beginning and end of the Sabbath with candles; the sacred action demarcates the time as set aside from the profane. In yoga we might do this by setting an intention in the quiet of the room before the class begins, and we might end the class with a short meditation of gratitude for time beyond the reach of business and busyness.
Gandhi said, “There is more to life than merely increasing its speed.” May this new year of practice bring deeper insight into the “why” of our yoga time, and may your time on the mat be devoted, deeply and truly, as a time of sabbath from the mundane.
Who owns yoga?: a reader response
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As a long-time student of yoga, I find this Bikram “battle” a little unsettling. Yes, I do understand that yoga has become a big business in this country. Studios have to lease and maintain space, pay their teachers, and turn a profit — that’s the business side of it. However, at its core, yoga is about peaceful connection, honor, integrity, and compassion. It seems to me that Bikram’s philosophy on his style of yoga and his method of teaching is something quite different. He is selling a product, a name, a system.
Fine, let him copyright his exact method, let him “own” the specifications of how classes are run in certified Bikram studios. But to demand that the teachers who take his training relinquish their professional freedom and control, even when teaching in another studio, seems to undermine the connection, honor, integrity and compassion that drives the spirit of yoga. If his teachers wish to teach in a non-Bikram yoga studio, they should be able to do so, without the threat of legal action (especially when those teachers are not even following the Bikram rules). The hot yoga at Yen is not Bikram’s Bikram yoga. There are too many differences. Therefore, he cannot stake his claim of “ownership” of the classes or the teachers.
I do hope that Paul Sutherland continues to fight for the freedom of his teachers and his studio. I am
saddened that useful resources will be spent on such a task, but if the act of fighting the lawsuit further promotes the “peaceful” spirit of yoga, then it must be done.
-L. Vanderzee
This letter also appears in the January/February issue of Spirituality & Health magazine.
