Yoga at Your Wall available at Barnes and Noble!

Amidst the family hardships of late (mom is still in the hospital), a good thing happened today: My newest book, Yoga at Your Wall, by Stephanie Pappas (Codependent Yogi) is in stock and available at Barnes and Noble in Bridgewater, NJ at the Somerville circle! Support your local struggling yogini and pick up a copy! 🙂 Barnes and Noble Somerset Shopping Center 319 Route 202/206 Bridgewater, NJ 08807 908-526-7425
If you are not in NJ or near this store you can request a copy through your own local Barnes and Noble store.
With Gratitude and Love,
Stephanie

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Candid Replies to Yoga Questions You Were Afraid to Ask: Feeling Angry in Class?

Once in a while I feel angry with the teacher for making us do certain things in class. Why?

There are different reasons why you may feel angry: the teacher may be over-zealous or lack empathy, you may be pushing yourself too hard, you may be physically over-heated, you may be angry at something else, or you may be picking up on someone else’s anger.

In the first case, the teacher may be pushing you too hard in class, or not instructing to your level of ability. Once a student told me that they felt angry because a teacher asked the class to perform headstands, but did not offer any instruction for how to build into a headstand for the students who were unfamiliar with the techniques. If this is the case, I would suggest speaking to the teacher after class and offer your feedback.

You may feel angry because you are not honoring your body and resting when you need to if the class is getting too challenging. Listen to your own needs and body signals.

Love, Stephanie Pappas

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Safety Tips for Practicing Yoga at a Wall

Squat Pose with Low Back to the Wall

By their nature, walls are hard surfaces. If you are used to practicing yoga without a wall, you may have a tendency at first to collide inadvertently with the wall when you are not expecting it. In addition to the speci􀃫c details given for each posture about how to set up at the wall, here are some other general safety measures to keep in mind:

• Move all furniture, pictures, lamps, hanging  fixtures, and objects away from the sides, back and front of you. A safe distance from objects is at least your own height with your arms   extended overhead.
• Pick a smooth, even wall surface.
• Ensure there are no nails in the wall.
• Have your yoga props nearby so you don’t have to reach for them while you are in a pose. Yoga props such as yoga blocks, a strap, a pillow, and a throw blanket, will add to your experience of the practice.
• Use caution when pressing your foot against the wall. In postures like warrior 3 and half moon 2 you do not look at the wall when positioning your foot, so if you are too close to the wall, you could bang your foot during the set up.
• Practice with a yoga sticky mat adjacent to the wall to prevent slipping and create a strong foundation in the base of the pose.
• When practicing arm balances like the handstand pose, make sure the ceiling is at least as high as your height on tippy toes with your arms extended. This is especially important if you will be practicing in your basement, or in a room with low ceilings.
• Practice with a window open so that you can breathe fresh air while you practice.

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Yoga at Your Wall

Yoga leads us to the realization that Life is not coming AT us, it is coming FROM us.

* Yoga allows you to unlock and unblock nuggets of truth from deep inside yourself.

* Yoga practices cultivate self-care, self-awareness, and self-responsibility.

* Yoga offers you a deeper appreciation of your body – which is your temple this time around.

* Yoga helps you age gracefully and with dignity.

* Yoga offers us the awareness of who we are, and who we are NOT.

* Practice makes your heart grow fonder.

* Yoga is a process of learning, and unlearning.

* Yoga leads to knowledge of the Self and the dawning of the truth that

* Yoga offers us a means to be kinder and more compassionate with ourselves.

* Yoga is more than just touching your toes.

* Yoga is more than fitness. It includes something for all levels of our being: lungs, organs, glands, emotions, mind, spirit, muscles.

* Yoga has the power to bring you into the present moment and accept yourself as you are.

* Yoga is a great way to feel connected in your community.

* Yoga classes are a way of encountering like-minded individuals.

* The breath is more important than the postures.

* Yoga is a friend for life.

* Yoga is the best preventative medicine and it costs nothing!

* Yoga is like a self-therapy and self-massage.

* Yoga is a gift passed on through the ages and never gets old.

* Every time you do a pose or take a breath you do it in a fresh new moment.

* Practicing with friends or loved ones increases understanding, intimacy, and “belongingness.”

* You can practice yoga on your own by listening to your own innate intelligence –

that same intelligence that is there to heal your cuts and wounds.

* Yoga transcends race, culture, religion, class, and age.

* You can practice yoga when you are feeling well, or not so well.

 

 

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