Yoga Hawaii Magazine

Your Brain on Meditation
Yoga Therapy
Choose Wisely–A Guide to Mat Selection
Om Golf: Pranayama and Asana for Better Golf
The Vagus Nerve: A Vital Key in Managing Stress
Tandem Surfing and Yoga — The Connection Between Us
Studio Profile: Samadhi Hawaii and Andrea Torres
Freedom Inside: the Hawaii Yoga Prison Project

Posted: 07 May 2020 07:08 PM PDT

What motivates you to get on your yoga mat each week? For me, there is a need for clarity, calming, and centering. Building a meditation practice over the past ten years has allowed me to create a deeper connection with myself that translates to those around me and the rest of the planet through a ripple effect. In a world full of greed and separation, this tool has the ability to create unity and peace.

Since the early 1970s, meditation has caught the attention of scientists wanting to investigate its miraculous claims made by ancient texts, yogis, monks, and serious meditators. What began with a few investigations in a clinical laboratory rapidly evolved into what is now known as "contemplative neuroscience."

Scientists are now validating the benefits of meditation, revealing that it can indeed increase mental health, resiliency, and connection and treat anxiety and stress. It is exciting to see science and spirituality agree. This congruence is now motivating the skeptics who, up until now, wouldn't have dreamed of starting a practice.

Contemplative Neuroscience and Neuroplasticity

Contemplative Neuroscience studies the question: What are the body and mind capable of with meditation training?

On the physiological level, some of the answers include slowed metabolism, decreased heart rate, relaxed breath, and a decrease in previously elevated blood pressure. These changes can contribute to a decreased risk of hypertension and stroke. (Benson; Wallace et al.1972)

On the neurological level, the answers are still being studied. What we do know is that meditation is a trigger for neuroplasticity that increases attention, compassion, empathy, and kindness. (Davidson et al. 2003; Lutz et al. 2004)

The sayings, "You are what you think" and "We become what we focus on," are examples of how neuroplasticity works. It is the brain's ability to form and reorganize synaptic connections so that, despite your age, your brain can continually change its structure and pathways over the course of your life.

Bruce McEwen, one of the world leaders in stress research, popularized the concepts of positive and negative neuroplasticity. Positive neuroplasticity creates brain networks that work for you and help you adapt to change. Negative neuroplasticity creates brain networks that work against you, impeding life and making you feel stuck. What you steadily bring your attention to creates these neural networks—good or bad.

How Meditation Changes Your Brain

By installing new habits like meditation, you can train the brain to generate productive thoughts while combating the harmful effects of stress.
In the book, "Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body," the authors Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson reveal the impact that meditation has on beginners (100-700 hours), long term meditators (1,000-10,000 hours) and yogis (12,000-62,000 hours). Specifically, for the beginner, benefits included less mind wandering, better focus, and increased memory.

In the Sara Lazar studies, conducted with Mass General and Harvard Medical Center, scientists found that people with no prior experience to meditation, who engaged in 27-minute daily mindfulness-based practices for eight weeks, experienced a thickening in several regions of the brain and shrinkage in the amygdala––the region of the brain that produces anxiety and stress. Subjects in the long-term meditator category (seven to nine years of practice) demonstrated an increase of grey matter in several areas of the brain including the auditory, sensory, and prefrontal cortex.

What startled scientists the most in their discovery was that 50-year-old meditators in the study had the same amount of grey matter as 25-year-old meditators. Up until then, they had observed cortexes shrinking with age. The question that's arising now is this: "Is it really possible to keep your brain young with meditation?"

Contemplative Neuroscience is just scratching the surface, and there is still so much more to understand and explore. What are the benefits of other varieties of meditation? The more methods we study, the more we can understand how mediation shapes the brain and mind.

An important thing to note is that the benefits of meditation are unlikely to persist without a sustained practice. Meditation should not be thought of like a fad diet, but as a lifestyle commitment.

Starting Your Own Practice

If you want to begin a meditation practice, but are wondering where to start, consider a practice that has historical roots. There are three meditation styles that have been extensively studied: Mindfulness, Compassion Training, and Transcendental Meditation (TM). Although these methods differ, they share the same principal––when your mind wanders, bring it back to the focal point. What is clear from studying these methods is that there are measurable benefits for everyone no matter how long you have been practicing.

It's important to find the best strategy for you. But, don't let that stall you when you are getting a meditation practice going. There is an encouraging story I like to remember about the great saint of India––Neem Karoli Baba. Baba was asked which meditation strategy he believed to be the best. "Subek!" he replied. "They are all one!"

Trust your instincts. Have faith. Jump in. The most authentic meditation practice is a self-validating one. You will know if it is working for you when you experience growing states of generosity, kindness, focus, and a less divided "us-versus-them" mentality.

As a yogi, you know how important it is to take care of your body and mind. Think of meditation like "mental fitness." By firing and re-firing neural networks and flexing the muscles of sustained attention, you will improve equanimity and compassion in your brain and, overtime, enhance the overall quality of your life.

Ultimately, you will understand that the actions you take to activate peace within yourself simultaneously activates peace in your community, the nation, and future generations. Global sustainable peace happens at the individual level. We need to be the change we wish to see.

Jennifer Reuter is an authorized teacher of Neelakantha Meditation, and iRest Yoga Nidra. She has been leading teacher trainings and advanced yogic studies since 2009.

Yoga Therapy

Posted: 07 May 2020 06:56 PM PDT

Made evident by the proliferation of yoga classes worldwide, this ancient tradition has innumerable benefits – physical, mental and spiritual. But not all practices are beneficial for every individual. For this reason, more and more people are turning to yoga therapy, an individualized practice that takes into consideration the totality of a person's disposition, physical health, emotional needs, mental stamina, and sense of spiritual connection.

"Yoga therapy is not an intervention to achieve wellness from the outside, but to remember it within," said Richard Miller, co-founder of The International Association of Yoga Therapists at this year's Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research. A truly "inside out" approach, yoga therapy assumes that every individual is inherently whole, and with the right guidance has the capacity to achieve balance and wellbeing.

In contrast to yoga classes open to the public, yoga therapy is highly personal and tailored to the client. Like most holistic approaches, the therapist incorporates different treatment protocols for each individual, even if the presenting issue or symptom is the same. Its modalities of care include postures, breathing exercises, meditation, self-inquiry, and foundational lifestyle change.

Although some of the practices used by yoga therapists may look similar to those offered in physical therapy or psychotherapy, the professions differ in their underlying philosophies and intended outcomes. Yoga therapy is not diagnostic and its assessments emphasizewellness and overall health, based in yoga philosophy rather than in the psychological or physical sciences. By empowering the client with a variety of yogic tools, the client moves toward internal peace and healing.

Who can benefit from yoga therapy?

People choose yoga therapy for a variety of reasons; to rejuvenate the body, to feel less stress, to cultivate emotional balance, to calm the mind, and to become reacquainted with the inner self. The practice can provide comfort to people of all ages and physical abilities, and because programs are individually designed, no experience is necessary. After an initial intake session, the yoga therapist creates a unique plan, taking into consideration the client’s level of physical ability and lifestyle for the type and amount of practices recommended. These might include breathing exercises, movement, relaxation strategies, lifestyle recommendations or spiritual practices.

Practitioners who have been certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) have specific skills in client assessment and modification of poses and exercises. They are trained to apply a tailored yoga practice to people with physical limitations and other various conditions. Because of this, yoga therapy is appropriate for a full spectrum of individuals, from those who cannot move at all to those who are vibrantly active.

“Yoga therapy focuses on the path of yoga as a healing journey that brings balance to the body and mind through an experiential understanding of the primary intention of yoga: awakening of spirit, our essential nature,” writes Joseph LePage, founder of Integrative Yoga Therapy. Clients learn how to work with their body's natural abilities in order to optimize wellbeing, and can even be done by people who are confined to bed by injury, illness, or physical limitation. It addresses every aspect of life and the person, not just particular body parts or symptoms.

As a holistic form of alternative medicine, yoga therapy is being recognized for its effectiveness in helping people manage pain and insomnia, address neurological issues, improve balance, increase strength, ease the effects of aging, and decrease stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and grief by improving emotional resiliency and expanding spiritual awareness. It can also be supportive for those in good health who want to maintain optimal energy, clarity and awareness.

How does yoga therapy work?

Classical yoga has been practiced for millennia but is just beginning to be understood from the perspective of western science. More and more research is being done on its efficacy in alleviating chronic and debilitating conditions. It is being integrated into modern healthcare as evidence-based research shows yoga’s physical benefits for rehabilitating injury, moderating pain, and helping individuals regain functional energy.

A valuable complement to other forms of healthcare, yoga therapy recognizes the interrelationship between body and mind. It offers many methods for regulating the nervous system, thus positively affecting how the brain processes information, which in turn contributes to the resolution of emotional and mental dis-ease. Yoga therapy also addresses the spiritual component of our nature, acknowledging an inherent soul energy within. “I don’t call people ‘heart patients’ or ‘cancer patients,’ I say that they are divine beings whose body happens to have a certain imbalance,” says Nischala Joy Devi, author of The Healing Path of Yoga and developer of the yoga protocol for Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease in Yoga Therapy Today Magazine in 2013. By offering the methodology to gain true self-knowledge, regain balance, and become acquainted with the inner spirit, yoga therapy provides individuals an opportunity to transform at a profound level. Through personal learning, clients experience internal regulation and the ability to peacefully witness life experiences without becoming immersed in or identified with them.

How do I find a certified yoga therapist?
Just as yoga classes vary by style and teacher, so does yoga therapy. Every therapist will have a unique approach and specialty, so take the time to research their offerings and have a preliminary conversation about your needs. Expect the first session to include questions about your health, as well as developing goals for your work together. Follow-up sessions may include discussing your progress, personally chosen yoga poses, breath work, meditation and lifestyle guidance drawn from classical texts such as the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

Yoga therapists practice in hospitals, wellness clinics, and privately worldwide. The regulating body for yoga therapists is the IAYT, which upholds in-depth, competency-based educational standards and a rigorous accreditation and certification process. A complete listing of IAYT certified yoga therapists is available on their web site.

By making the choice to proactively support your health and longevity through yoga therapy, you will increase physical vitality, emotional freedom, and soul awareness, while gaining techniques to reach an optimal, sustainable — and lifelong — sense of wellbeing.

By Jennie Lee:

Jennie Lee is a Certified Yoga Therapist in practice for over 20 years. She is the author of two award winning books: TRUE YOGA and BREATHING LOVE. www.JennieLeeYogaTherapy.com

Choose Wisely–A Guide to Mat Selection

Posted: 07 May 2020 06:43 PM PDT

Up a mountain. On your living room carpet. In a sauna-like heat. In the cool breeze on the lanai. Regardless of where you take your practice, your mat comes along, too. That makes choosing the right mat integral to a Zen routine. So, what should you look for in the ideal accessory for your practice? Here are some mat-purchasing points to consider before your yoga flow is interrupted by a mat mishap.

1. The Overall Feel: Your mat should fulfill all the feels. Your perfect mat-match is light enough to carry, thick enough to cushion, and long enough to lay on.

Floor-Side Grip—Whether it's a hot yoga class or its just plain hot, a slippery mat can slip you up. To avoid embarrassing wipeouts, grip (on both sides of the mat) is key.
Most yoga studios have hard floors, so consider a mat with some grip on the floor-side. With a solid grounding, you can move around your mat confidently, knowing it won't move out from under you. A mat with some stick assures you that when launching into a headstand, your mat won't be the cause of an injury.

Feet-Side Grip—Grip on the top of the mat is another consideration. Non-slip material prevents lurching, sliding, and inadvertent splits. But you don't want it so sticky that it adheres to your forehead in child's pose. This is hard to gauge when eyeing out a mat online. Look for a nonporous, semi-gloss top with a raw, rubbery floor-side.

Comfort & Carry—Ah, savasana. You've been looking forward to that mind-body relaxation. But an ultra-thin mat can disrupt the meditative moment. A lack of padding wreaks havoc on your joints during the course of your practice. The typical mat runs about 1/8 inch in thickness. A thicker mat (1⁄4 inch, at most) is heavier to lug around, but many consider the tradeoff worthwhile. So, if you bike to your practice, are a traveling yogi, or refuse to leave home mat-less, then take these habits into consideration. For yogis on the go, a packable mat is your best option. What you lose in cushion, you gain in freedom with 1/16-inch travel mats.

2. Technology: Improvements in mat functionality have positively impacted our practice. The hot yoga craze has led companies like Manduka to feature moisture-wicking mats. No more inadvertent sliding splits mid-class. Ouch! Big Island-based mat company CNTRD features a basic mat with a series of guiding dots and dashes. These serve as a map to your mat, helping to navigate more precise alignment. Though, ideally, we receive adjustments from a trained instructor, matrix mats offer basic guidance when practicing independently, optimizing the benefits of each session.

3. Sustainability: You don't have to be an environmentalist to commit to a mat that makes Mother Nature proud. Buying consciously is made easy with a variety of sustainably sourced materials:

SugaMat is an eco-friendly company that reincarnates wetsuits into yoga mats, upcycling 12,500 donated wetsuits and counting. By melting down the PVC-free neoprene, SugaMat diverts waste from the landfill, creating a product that eco-aware yogis dig, including Hawaii pro surfers Jamie Sterling and Rochelle Ballard. Yoloha Yoga (a fusion of yoga and aloha) is a company that combines sustainably sourced cork mixed with rubber. The result is a PVC-free cushy, yet grippy mat. The earthy tones are reminiscent of a bulletin board and serve as a visual reminder of your aloha for the aina.

Beyond the mat, other brands have found ways of contributing to sustainability. Jade Yoga mats, made in the US from natural rubber, boast firmness, grip, and durability. The company's roots are even more impressive: For each mat purchased, Jade Yoga plants a tree, and the company is nearing 2 million! Each color option has a corresponding cause so that your purchase supports reforesting the planet plus cancer research, domestic violence prevention, and other community concerns. Another known company is prAna, which allows you to shop online by sustainability factor, including recycled content in mats and, for yoga accessories, fair trade and ocean-mindedness. Mats are earth-friendly and non-toxic so you can breathe easy when nose-to-nose with your mat.

Here are other factors to think about when finding the perfect mat:

4. Length: A mat that's too long creates excess bulk when rolling up your mat. Too short leaves your feet dangling off the end. Before buying new yoga real estate, consider the size of your practice space and how tall you are. The average length of mats is 68 inches, but may be shorter or longer. Check the label before you buy.

5. Color: A distracting pattern or loud color can disrupt a meditative moment. You probably won't be buying a new one for a while, so make sure your mat is a style you're happy with in all moods and settings.

6. Price: Some name brands can leave you in serious sticker shock! But there areways to get your dream mat without breaking the bank. If you know exactly what you want, hop online. Many retailers like Yoloha, will offer discounts to yoga instructors. Others (Gaiam, prAna) offer a 10 to 15 percent discount to first time purchasers. Buying a mat second-hand is another great way to go green while saving some green. Amazon, eBay and used sporting goods stores offer near-new, wallet-friendly options. (Tip: Shop around in January/February when folks are offloading perfectly good mats because they were gifted a new one, or that New Year's resolution didn't stick around.)

Find your mat-match by trying out a few styles you're interested in. Take advantage of studio mat rentals to give an unfamiliar brand a go. Ask around—your instructors and friends can provide insightful feedback. They may even let you try their mat. Manduka has a "Find my Mat" feature on their website, helping buyers narrow down their options. Switch up the routine and visit a new studio with different gear.

Remember that yoga is not a sport requiring much gear, so use mindfulness when choosing a mat will result in a peaceful practice.

Ask The Experts
Yoga Hawaii Magazine asked two Hawaii-based yoga instructors for their thoughts when it comes to buying a mat: Kelsey Barden (Owner/Operator of YogaFloats Certified since 2012) and Kara Miller (Power Yoga Hawaii, Still and Moving Center, North Shore Yoga Co Op Certified since 2009). Here's what they said:

Q. What do you look for in a yoga mat?

Kelsey Barden: The main criteria I look for in a yoga mat is one with good grip. Many yoga classes I attend get pretty hot and sweaty, so I look for a mat that will stay grippy, even if my hands and feet are slippery. If you have a slower practice that doesn’t work up a sweat, you may wish to get a mat with a little more padding to help cushion the joints in longer holds.

Kara Miller: I look for a few factors when buying a yoga mat. I know I make a difference with my consumer choices. Thus, the first thing I look at are the materials it is made with. Sustainable or recycled materials is my preference. And then of course, how well it grips both the floor and my hands is my other main component.

Q. Do you have a go-to brand?

KB: My favorite brand of yoga mat is Manduka. It has excellent grip if my hands and feet are sweaty. It also stays put and doesn’t move under me as I move through the practice.
KM: Manduka

Q. Is a good mat worth a higher price? Why?

KB: Yes! I think once your yoga practice becomes a regular part of your routine, it's totally worth it to get a quality mat. I spent many years on a cheap mat, and once I made the switch, my yoga practice changed dramatically.
KM: Yes! Just like anything – is buying local food worth the higher price? It’s all about who and what you want to support with your dollar and why. Sometimes making a quality product with a sustainable. material that is good for the environment yields a more expensive yoga mat. But personally, especially in the context of practicing yoga, that is a tradeoff I’m very willing to make.

Q. In what ways does a mat affect your practice and how have you seen it impact the practice of your students?

KB: A yoga mat can affect your practice by helping you to feel grounded. If your hands and feet are sliding, it is hard to maintain the integrity of the pose. Also, I have had mats that scrunch up throughout the practice, creating an uneven foundation beneath you which is distracting and will disrupt your practice.
KM: My mat doesn’t have a big impact on my practice – I’ve been practicing long enough that I can practice anywhere and on anything and feel content. However, with many of my students a quality mat makes a huge difference. I see many students who are newer to yoga struggling unnecessarily on poor quality mats (slipping on the mat, the mat slipping on the ground, too much padding making it hard to balance). In those cases, I always encourage them to rent one of our better mats, and their practice is noticeably more grounded and safe.

Q. Any other thoughts you'd like to share with Yoga Hawaii Magazine readers?

KB: You can get creative with what you practice yoga on—you don’t have to be restricted to a rectangular rubber mat! Sometimes practicing on sand or grass can feel amazing. I even use the deck of a standup paddleboard as my yoga mat! As long as you have a relatively flat surface where your hands and feet won’t slip, you can take your yoga practice pretty much anywhere!

Om Golf: Pranayama and Asana for Better Golf

Posted: 07 May 2020 06:30 PM PDT

A-U-M. Om. The power of this one syllable emphasizes that a singular sound manifested by breath and vibration can create enormous energy. For golfers, hitting that perfectly struck shot right in the sweet spot is a similar experience, but chanting mantra or practicing pranayama are largely unknown entities, maybe even dismissed as mysticism by golf's upper-class elite. Yet, it's widely known and accepted to stretch your body before you play and practice golf. Imagine the benefits of combining both breath to movement before, during, and after your next round of golf. This is the practice of GolfYoga.

Pranayama and Meditation.

My advice is to find a quiet spot by yourself for a few minutes when you first arrive at the golf course. Either stand or sit down comfortably. Even the front seat of your car in the parking lot will do. Close your eyes, and inhale through your nose. Expand your diaphragm, and then raise your breath up to the rib cage, chest, and finally collarbones. Hold. Then, exhale through the nose and back down from the collarbones, chest, ribs, and diaphragm. Repeat: Inhale 1-2-3-4. Exhale 4-3-2-1. Begin to create a sound with the breath – the sound of the ocean waves rising and falling. The louder that you make this sound, the more powerful the benefit will be. This is ujjayi pranayama, and its benefits include mental clarity, improved energy, and deep relaxation. When you really get down to it, playing golf well is just finding the perfect harmony of technique, energy, and relaxation.

After five rounds of breathing, try one more inhalation. Then while exhaling, create the loud, vibrational chant of Om. AAh-OO-Mmm. After I do this, I open my eyes and feel mentally ready, not worried or bothered by anything or anyone. I take this mindset and apply it on the course. At times, it's a challenge, which is part of the mystique of golf – the journey and the outcome is always unknown.

Asana/Physical Poses.

These standing stretches and poses can be done easily with a golf club in hand. No need to get on the ground before you play.

1. Pronation/Supination Stretch

Now it's time to wake up the body. Begin by warming up the wrists, hands, and forearms with some pronation and supination movements. While standing up straight, hold the center of the golf club vertically with the left hand (left thumb up, left elbow straight). Rotate the left forearm to the right so that the club turns horizontal. Then turn it back vertical, and rotate to the left until horizontal. Repeat three times before changing hands and repeat 3 times. Breathe.

2. Halfway Lift, Pike Stretch

Next, enjoy a gentle stretch for the back, shoulders, and hamstrings. With both hands on the butt end of the grip, fold forward half way to a pike position. Keep your gaze towards your hands, and slowly straighten your knees. Try to maintain a flat back as you practice your four-count inhalation and four-count exhalation.

3. Baby Backbend

To counter the forward pike, straighten up to vertical. Hold both ends of the club, and lift the club above your head. Press your hips forward as you gently bend back. Open your heart, keeping your ears between your biceps. Breathe.

4. Side Bends

To maintain a proper posture in the golf swing, side bends are vital. These bends help you maintain a consistent spine angle throughout your swing. Start again standing straight with the club above your head, then shift your hips left as you side bend to the right. Keep your arms straight and try to gently look up at the top hand for a little neck stretch as well. Breathe with your four count, and repeat on the other side.

5. Rotational Back Stretch

Maybe the most beneficial stretches you can do for your golf swing are twists. When hitting those long drives, your power largely comes from a complete body rotation. Start with the arms apart and club in front of your chest. Then, twist your entire body to the right, keeping the club and arms parallel to the ground. Turn your neck and head to face to space behind you. Repeat on the other side while breathing continuously.

6. One-Legged Balance Poses With a Twist

Begin standing with the club above your head. Lift your left knee up, and slowly begin to point and flex your left foot maintaining your hands above your head. To help maintain balance, stare at one unmoving point. Then, close your eyes for an added challenge. Breathe.

Return to center and repeat, lifting the right knee. Point and flex the foot. Then, back to center. Now lift your left knee again, and use the golf club resting on the earth for support with your left hand if needed. Reach across your left thigh with your right hand and twist. Look to the left towards your left hand. As before, continue to breathe steadily. Then, repeat with the right knee.

Now begin your golf practice. Before you tee off, spend 20 minutes of range hitting, 15 minutes of short game, and 10 minutes of putting. While standing on the first tee – or really at any moment during a round of golf – nervousness and even feelings of doubt and dread can easily enter the excited mind. While waiting for your turn to hit, try a round of closed-eyed ujjayi pranayama. Listen for the sound of the ocean. Find your center. Find Om. The clear path to the hole appears before you.

Kevin Ralbovsky PGA, E-RYT 200hrs

KMR School of Golf

Koolau Golf Club

• Two-time PGA Aloha Section Teacher of the Year

• 2001 PGA Aloha Section Junior Golf Leader

• Four years voted Golf Digest Magazine top golf teacher in Hawaii

The Vagus Nerve: A Vital Key in Managing Stress

Posted: 07 May 2020 06:12 PM PDT

You've probably heard the cliché "follow your gut" when it comes to trusting our sense of judgement and intuition. But have you ever considered the science behind this wisdom?

Our mind, emotions, and physical body are intricately connected via our nervous system. Whenever we feel an emotion, we often feel a coinciding sensation within our physical body. Think about it—have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach when you're excited? Or a sense of heaviness in your abdomen when you experience disappointment? There's no coincidence to this; rather, we have a series of vital nerves that relay messages from our body to our brain and reciprocally from our brain down to our body. One of these key nerves is called the vagus nerve, and it plays a major role in the mind-body connection.

The word "vagus" is Latin and translates as "wandering." It's appropriately named because the vagus nerve is the largest cranial nerve in the body. It originates at both the brain stem (the part of our brain that governs our involuntary functions) and the cerebellum (the part of our brain that helps us feel emotions and regulate voluntary functions). From the brain stem, it splits into two branches that run down both sides of the neck and then forks out into different segments that connect to all of our major organs including the vocal cords, lungs, heart, liver, stomach, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, female reproductive organs, and small and large intestines. It also has branches that connect into the sinuses and facial muscles around the mouth.

Interestingly, 80 to 90 percent of the vagus nerve fibers relay to the brain how the abdominal organs are feeling. The other 10 to 20 percent of the nerve fibers relay messages from the brain down into the organs. In addition, the branches of the vagus nerve that connect to the muscles in our face can be affected positively simply by smiling and cultivating thoughts of loving kindness towards others due to the fact that they originate from the cerebellum. This means that whatever emotional state we are in can affect the state of our organs via the vagus nerve and the state of our organs can affect how we process emotions.

The vagus nerve is also a key component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of our nervous system that governs our ability to relax, digest, and rest. When the vagus nerve is functioning optimally, our relaxation response's function is improved, and we are able to experience heightened feelings of wellbeing and manage stress constructively. However, the vagus nerve can be weakened from chronic stress and stagnation in the organs that it innervates. This can hinder the relaxation response's ability to kick into gear, which can lead to a habitual fight-or-flight response and increase our tendency towards anxiety, irritability and burnout.

The good news is that we can help strengthen our vagus nerve and harmonize our mind-body connection by stimulating the structures that the vagus nerve flows into. Much like a muscle that can be toned with the right exercises, the vagus nerve can be toned through various yoga techniques.

So, by now you may be wondering, "What type of yoga helps tone the vagus nerve and bring on the bliss?" Here are some effective techniques to help you attain optimal Vagal tone.

Ujjayi Pranayama With a 4:8 Ratio (Victorious Breath)

The easiest way to tone and strengthen the vagus nerve is through slow deep breathing with an emphasis on long exhalations. By deliberately slowing down our exhalations, we stimulate the vagus nerve to activate our relaxation response. This type of breathing also harmonizes the heart rate by stretching the exhalation to be twice as long as the inhalation.

Start by engaging ujjayi breath. To find the ujjayi sound, first inhale through the nose; then exhale through the mouth as if you are fogging a mirror. Notice the feeling of constriction at the back of the throat. Keep the back of the throat constricted as you close the mouth to breathe in and out of the nose. The breath will take on a slight aspirated sound, similar to the sound of ocean waves.
Once you're comfortable with the basic ujjayi breath, inhale with the ujjayi sound for a slow count of four, pause briefly at the top of the breath, then exhale with ujjayi for a slow count of eight. Repeat for two to ten minutes.

Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath)

This works on the vagus nerve by stimulating the nerve branch that runs through the vocal cords.

Inhale slowly through the nose, pause at the top of the inhalation, and seal the earlobes shut with the index fingers.
Keeping your ear lobes sealed shut, exhale slowly and emit a high-pitched humming noise from the back of the throat for the entire exhalation. Work on stretching the exhalation out to the very bottom of the breath so that the humming noise intensifies and sounds like a bee. Repeat five times.

Backbending Postures

Backbends stimulate the abdominal organs by flooding them with oxygenated blood. In turn, this helps release stagnation in the organs, which can help tone the vagus nerve.

Yin Yoga Postures

Yin Yoga helps us relax deeply by putting the body into a variety of passive positions that allow us to decompress physically and mentally. Yin postures also stimulate various meridian lines that correspond to different organs. By stimulating the meridians, we increase the function of the organs they target to tone the vagus nerve.

Mantra Recitation

Chanting mantras stimulates the vocal cords and can also prolongs our exhalation. Both of these actions bring increased tonicity to the vagus nerve.

Chant "om" repetitively for several minutes. Between each "om," take a slow calm inhalation, and chant "om" on the slow exhale so that "om" is prolonged. Notice how relaxed you feel after you complete the chanting.

Tandem Surfing and Yoga — The Connection Between Us

Posted: 07 May 2020 05:29 PM PDT

We often think of surfing as an individualistic pursuit — and to a large extent, it is. Sure, surfers tend to congregate at the same breaks, enjoy paddling out with friends, and might even engage in the occasional "party wave," but when it comes down to it, the apex of the wave riding experience is typically experienced alone. In fact, participants in the other "extreme" sports often comment on how selfish and self-absorbed surfers and the act of surfing can become.

While rock climbers cheer perfect strangers on as they struggle up cracks and mountain bikers make a point of stopping and checking on riders who are experiencing mechanical issues, surfers tend to go into battle mode when they hit the water, aggressively jockeying in crowded lineups in order maximize their personal wave count. You'd think that immersing yourself in nature and interacting with moving waves of pure energy would be akin to a Zen experience, but sadly many surfers end up paddling in more frustrated than when they paddled out.

But what if it were possible to make surfing a communal activity? What if wave riders could take what is often considered a solitary pursuit, and turn it into something that is shared? For a small group of athletes striving to preserve surfing's rich history, that is exactly what has happened.

Tandem surfing has likely been around for as long as people have been sliding on waves. The pre-contact Hawaiians rode together on boards long before Western missionaries arrived and outlawed the practice of wave riding. And when surfing reemerged in the early 1900s thanks to the influence of the sport's greatest ambassador, Duke Kahanamoku, sharing waves quickly became popular again. Back then, most of the waves that were being ridden were gentle, rolling "straighthanders," so there was typically room on the face for more than one board. And, because the boards were so big, there was usually room on each for more than one person.

The Waikiki beach boys were instrumental in bringing tandem surfing to the masses. As the popularity of surfing grew, taking a surf lesson became a requisite part of a visit to Hawaii. While the beach boys have pushed millions of people into waves over the past century, they figured out pretty quickly that it was much more efficient and enjoyable to ride waves together with their students — particularly if those students happened to be petite, attractive coeds. From the 1920s through the 1940s, images of couples riding waves together at Waikiki became an iconic (if not downright ubiquitous) symbol of the Hawaiian lifestyle.

As surfing spread throughout the world, tandem riding popped up nearly everywhere with surf culture. At some point, competitions in California began to include tandem surfing, and that's when the activity became more than just a way to share a ride, and evolved into an actual sport. In order to win "king of the contest" honors, surfers had to place well in all divisions, so in addition to practicing "hotdogging" and paddling, many of the top surfers found small, lightweight partners they could lift and twirl above their heads while riding waves, rapidly driving the progress of tandem surfing.

By the 1950s, it was practically unheard of for a contest at Makaha, Waikiki, or San Onofre (in California) to not include a tandem division. But then the shortboard revolution of the 1960s hit, and suddenly everything changed, practically overnight. While hotdogging once meant fancy footwork and noserides on 10-foot longboards, the new standard of excellence included barrel rides and aggressive turns on 7’6″ miniguns and 5’3″ fish boards without the necessary volume to support two riders.

As longboards quickly became a thing of the past, tandem surfing all but disappeared. It was only around the turn of the century, when surfing experienced an open-minded renaissance and "retro" boards became commonplace in lineups, that tandem surfing made its comeback. And interestingly, its comeback was aided by another physical practice that had recently become popular in the West — asana.

When Lauren Oiye moved to Hawaii from the Mainland, she knew she needed to find a new outlet for movement and artistry. As a gymnast and former competitive synchronized swimmer with the Olympic training squad, acro lifts and water time were an integral part of her life, and something that she quickly came to miss. It was only natural that she would gravitate toward the ocean, and she quickly immersed herself in a beach lifestyle and the various types of surfing. Then one day after paddling in from a surf session, she ran into a group of people doing acrobatics on the beach, and decided to introduce herself. She told them her sports background, and before she knew what was happening found herself being lifted and thrown around in all sorts of acro poses.

This quickly progressed into lifts on tandem surfboards, and Oiye eventually teamed up with tandem partner Chuck Inman. The team would go on to win the 2012 tandem world championships and dominate tandem surfing for a number of years. Combining Inman's strength and balance on the board with Oiye's flexibility, core strength, and natural grace, they were able to do things on waves that most would consider impossible.

Today, Oiye still regularly tandem surfs at her favorite surf spot, Queens Beach in Waikiki, where another tandem surfer named Tiffany Chen regularly practices with her partner, Sean Apis. The two women have a lot in common, beyond the fact that they love the ocean and being lifted into awkward, overhead poses while riding on waves. One of those similarities is a passion for yoga. In fact, both women suggest that asana is integral to being able to tandem surf at an elite level.

For anyone with an active yoga practice, the overlap between asana, gymnastics, and even tandem surfing should be pretty apparent. There is a lot of similarity between the poses and body positioning of all three disciplines, particularly when you take into account acro yoga — a practice that both Oiye and Chen actively pursue. Asana in general develops core strength and flexibility, both of which are essential to holding tandem surfing poses (especially while moving over an ever-changing, unstable surface). And acro yoga in particular regularly mimics many of the poses that tandem surfers use when riding waves.

But perhaps more so than the physicality of tandem surfing, it is the communal aspect of what is typically a "solitary" pursuit that reflects the yogi's experience. When on the mat, it is easy to think of our practice as an individual thing. After all, the more deeply we focus on our own breathing and movement, the more deeply we can sink into poses and retreat into the mind, quieting the noise and distraction of modern life. In this way, yoga can often feel like a private practice—and as with all personal pursuits, there is the risk of becoming so focused on ourselves that we lose sight of the reason we discovered it in the first place.

But ultimately, yoga is about far more than what we accomplish while sitting and standing and balancing on our mats. It is about becoming a healthier, happier person —and when we do that, we naturally open ourselves to the world, casting aside our self-focus to become better, more empathetic humans. Just as surfing will always be more enjoyable when we can let go of our selfishness and share it with others, life is better when we are able to let go of our self-focus and remember that we are one with the rest of humanity. While the foundation of yoga might be an individual practice, the end result is a deeper capacity for connection — whether you are being lifted into the air by your tandem partner, or simply riding the wave of life.

Studio Profile: Samadhi Hawaii and Andrea Torres

Posted: 07 May 2020 05:16 PM PDT

If yoga is a quest to cultivate a sense of "grounding," how can you feel rooted when mid-air? Imagine floating 15 feet above the earth, supported by nothing more than some straps of fabric. Weightless, liberating, and thrilling come to mind—far from grounded.

If you ask Andrea Torres, master aerialist and owner of Samadhi Hawaii, it quickly becomes clear that a rooted practice such as yoga is, by nature, more internal and intuitive and that the "self" is the ultimate source of grounding.

Not the earth, not your mat, but YOU.

"I'm so focused that I’m grounded," says the Brazilian native, who began ballet at age 10, and was introduced to Ashtanga and Jivamukti Yoga while in her twenties. During the rise of Cirque de Soleil, the professional dancer was hired for a budding aerial show in Hawaii ('Ulalena went on to run for almost 20 years, one of the longest-running performances in Maui), and was sent to Montreal to train as an aerialist. "You have to be so present in the moment, and put yourself in that perfect state of single-pointed focus, meditation, contemplation. That's the grounding for me." That right there, is samadhi, which is Sanskrit for the highest sense of mental concentration and absorption.

In that moment, Torres identifies where yoga intersects aerial arts, which I thought was more acrobatics à la Cirque (or pop artist Pink at the Grammys) than restorative yoga practiced in a sling. Both aerial acrobatics and aerial yoga require a command of the physical body, a willingness to play with gravity, and a sustained body-breath connection.

Here lies a distinction between aerial arts and aerial yoga: Where aerial yoga is typically a therapeutic practice of traditional yoga poses and weightless inversions practiced in low-hanging hammocks, combined with elements of flow and Pilates, aerial arts is performed in an apparatus suspended much higher in the air to showcase acrobatic techniques and choreography. Both aerial forms are challenging at first. Learning to position your body in a sling, silk knot, or hammock requires some physical finesse. In aerial yoga, one or both feet may stay on the ground during certain poses, with occasional weightless postures such as inversions and backbends. In aerial arts, prepare to climb, spin, swing, and spiral with the silk, all the while making captivating (and seemingly effortless) shapes with your body.

Once you tap into the physical and mental strength required of this weightless experience, you're on the Samadhi path. "You learn your points of contact (to the apparatus), how many places of your body are connected to the silk, and that's completeness."

Without a high level of concentration and the sense of being one with the apparatus, it's very possible to fall, or get stuck at a height where you'd rather not stay for too long. Sound intimidating? Don't be, assures Torres. It may take a year or two of diligent practice to gracefully fly, spin, or spiral down a length of silk, but at Samadhi, you are being taught by the best in the industry.

Samadhi offers introductory classes for almost every aspect of aerial arts, whether it be for the most ubiquitous silks, hammock, hoop, or trapeze. For example, beginners in an aerial silks class first learn to climb the apparatus and hold basic poses. As they build strength, they advance to more challenging holds and performance-style techniques.

Torres prides her teaching style as hands-on, with small class sizes (about six per group) led by herself or her staff of 12 instructors. Entry-level classes are designed to build on strength and comfort level. The apparatus is kept low to the ground, and students learn about correct body positioning when working with gravity and distributing weight across the apparatus.

Whether you're interested in heights or not, a great option for all levels is the conditioning class offered twice weekly by Nicole Young. The 75-minute class targets core strength with Pilates-style warmups, and builds on engaging the appropriate muscles in preparation for climbing the actual silks. "It's not just about your core or upper-body," says Young, one of Samadhi's long-time instructors, "You learn how to use your body (parts) in unison with each other."

Torres finds that the typical adult beginner at Samadhi is someone with an athletic background seeking ways to challenge their fitness—think runners, triathletes, gymnasts, and yogis. But even the stealthiest bodies won't always be able to muscle their way up a silk or strike a single pose. "Some people look super strong, and yet once you put them in their apparatus, they're not in touch with their core," she says. "It's very humbling."

Guaranteed effects of classes include an adrenaline rush and being thrown out of your comfort zone. Torres reminds students, especially adults, to revel in the child-like mindset of learning something new. "It's definitely a test in patience," she says, referring to the techniques required to make movement look effortless.

Some students get hooked on the razzle-dazzle aspect of "ballet in the air" and take the aerialist-performer route. They can join the dance company branch of the school to partake in shows and competitions at home and abroad—Samadhi has traveled to Japan, Europe, the South Pacific, and the U.S. mainland.

As a pioneer in Hawaii's aerial arts, Torres takes her stewardship seriously, especially as the genre of performing arts and yoga grows to include more elements in her field of work. "We love creating the next generation, but we don't want to let it water down." One way she avoids a saturated market—both at home and on the mainland—is to keep Samadhi edgy enough for Hawaii audiences, yet mellow, beautiful, and uniquely "Hawaii" in taste when performing or competing off island. Samadhi definitely leaves an impression when competing; for example, performers have won awards at the annual Viva Fest in Las Vegas.

Samadhi has become an incubator for young talent over the past 20 years. Classes vary by age (six and up) and skill and emphasize developing strong fundamentals for the growing, athletic frames of teens and pre-teens. Foundational classes focus on building strength and enjoying the community. On any given day, the high-ceiling of the 2,000-square foot studio bustles with action both on and off the ground—vibrant music, instruction, and lively conversation. During open gym time, you can find a young girl 20 feet in the air practicing spins on jewel-toned silks, while master handstand teacher Angelica Cardone is below supporting a student in the perfect inversion. Torres says (with a smile) that her biggest class consists of ladies around her own age: "the 40-plus crowd." It's clearly a sign that this slim and graceful 48-year-old mom inspires other women not only to stay fit, but also to enjoy Samadhi's creative and wholesome community. "Triggering the best in you… that place of finding the best version of yourself," she muses, is one of the main reasons she keeps the Samadhi community alive.

Samadhi Hawaii is located in the Kaka'ako neighborhood of Honolulu, located above Boca Hawaii. Classes, workshops, and performance schedule can be found on www.samahihawaii.com.

Freedom Inside: the Hawaii Yoga Prison Project

Posted: 07 May 2020 05:07 PM PDT

Since 1992, Louisa "Lu" DiGrazia has been teaching yoga — both asana and philosophy, namely the eightfold path of yoga from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras — to Hawaii's incarcerated men, women, and youth. Each week, she gives her students a different essay she's written on one of the eight limbs of yoga, so that they can discuss and gain deeper understanding on the topic the following week. While her teachings sprouted from humble beginnings, Lu and her husband, Tom Digrazia, along with their board, formed the Hawaii Yoga Prison Project in 2002 as a means to expand their outreach to prisoners. A sign of success, HYPP recently received a grant which has allowed them to employ three new instructors. Lu and her team now teach in three different facilities here on Oahu.

Q: Why is prison yoga so important?

Lu: For one, I find that when people have been arrested, they may have the tendency to round forward — pulled forward in the heart because they’re protecting — because their arms are taken out of their control. When you teach a person asana, you tell them to open their chest, "you're not being arrested." And they laugh, I know they understand. They’re opening and lifting their hearts. (Lu demonstrates with shoulders rolled back and arms out and bent up into a "W" to the sides.) With that one posture you can change a person’s internal energy field, making sure that the heart doesn’t close, because when they go back to their living space they might need to be in that self-defense position for protection.

Q: What are the benefits of prison yoga?

Lu: One of the biggest things I noticed in the women's facility, was that the more mature women wanted to help if there were conflict in their groups. They had a maternal, nurturing instinct to help. Yoga helped them realize they didn't have to get involved in the drama, and that changed them.

I've seen people who were overweight lose a lot of weight. I've had guys ask me, "What can I do?" (to lose weight) and I would tell them — in addition to yoga — to cut out the wheat and white rice, and they'd come back two months later having lost 25 pounds.

One man came to me, the week after his first yoga class, and said he was confronted by someone. Instead of popping (punching) him, he took a deep breath and he thought better of it! After one class!

They learn to meditate. In the true way of simply stilling the mind, they learn to understand who they are. You can see it in them; I had a guy relate to me, "I learned to know myself." They develop an awareness of the spinning mind. I had another student ask, "So we're examining the programming or conditioning of the mind; how we can wrap our whole consciousness around that, who we are, based on what we've been told?" His father had always called him a "criminal," and, through yoga, he realized that his father had been wrong.

We can help them there. We can help them cope with the walls and find peace within. Of course there are the common benefits such as decreased pain, increased suppleness, flexibility, recovery, and emotional and physical healing. One student of mine was scheduled to have back surgery for his chronic pain. After three months of yoga and asana practice, he decided he didn't want to have it, as his pain had dissipated.

Q: How and when did you find Yoga and your personal practice?

Lu: I was 23, searching for the meaning of love. I had had boyfriends I truly loved with all my heart. Then something would happen, it wouldn't work out, and suddenly there was no love anymore, so the whole notion of love was confusing for me. Around the same time, a friend of mine who lived next door had the book "Yoga for Americans" by Indra Devi. That book was the beginning of my yoga practice, my asana (postures/physical) practice. I did asana for an hour every day. I had always been athletic, but even in my early twenties, I had already begun to have low back pain and other physical issues. I realized I needed to give my body 60 minutes (of yoga) a day.

I was working with the elderly for OAS (Old Age Security) then. I had about 200 people on my caseload that I saw everyday, in homes or nursing homes. I saw what happens to the human body, mind, soul, and heart from the age of 60 and above. I realized I needed to take care of myself if I was going to be (the age I am now) and remain healthy, vital, and youthful. In those days people didn’t exercise; there was no yoga. I realized then, early on, that I needed to take care of myself — no one else was going to do that for me.

I soaked up (the knowledge of) teachers wherever I could, because there weren't very many teachers at that time (in the early '70s). That's also when I discovered J. Krishnamurti and began to explore the meaning of love and consciousness. Krishnamurti was my Raja Yoga teacher. Physical postures were easy for me; easy to practice and easy to teach. It was the yoga philosophy that was very challenging, and that's what my students tell me too. Thank goodness it's there (the philosophy), because yoga is not only asana. We often hear asana used synonymously with yoga; we use the word "yoga," when we really mean asana.

Yoga has been my profession, my life, and my heart since then.

Q: When did you start teaching "inside" (the prisons)?

Lu: I started this work while immersed in Peace Studies at the University of Hawaii, for a class project, in 1992. I went in for a study and wrote a report. I was working with a social worker there. He was really wonderful; he attended my classes with me in the beginning. I started teaching in the "High" (special holding) area. Once I finished with the class, I was so passionate about the work, I just figured out a way to hang out. In 1998, I received a stipend to teach with the Department of Public Safety, and that lasted until 2008. I then taught for six years or so, as a volunteer, before I finally asked for pay. Last year we received a legislative grant, which allowed me to hire three more teachers and start more classes. Unfortunately, we did not get the second grant, so it's been challenging. That's why it's important to get the word out — especially to yogis — that we need help; in this case, funds to keep the program running.

Q: What was your motivation to teach inside?

Lu: I lived in Alaska for three-and-a-half years, and, for the first time in my life, I understood what "cabin fever" was. The practice of yoga and asana really saved my life there. I had been thinking for a long time how wonderful asana practice could be for people who were incarcerated, because they're so isolated. That was my motivation. I wanted to do it so bad, I was really fired up for it, and I found that I couldn't just knock on the door (at the prison) and say "can I come in?" At the time, nobody knew what yoga was, so I had trouble getting students, so we called it "stress management." I always had a full class. People don't realize that yoga was rare then; it is ubiquitous now.

Q: How has teaching inside affected or changed you?

Lu: I think you go in there with empathy and compassion. If you didn't have those things you wouldn't be interested in doing it. In my career, I've taught all kinds of people, and this seems to be the most needed. You gotta get these guys to find the kindness within themselves and the compassion and forgiveness within themselves, because we have a real problem on this planet, we have a "male crisis of consciousness." Being able to work with them and understand their humanity, I've learned more about myself; that kind of depth of understanding is unique. The practice of yoga has always been about service to me.