The Haunting Melody: A Cello Playlist

About a year ago, I was introduced to the hauntingly beautiful cello music of local cellist, Gretchen Yanover. Every time I played her music in class, students always wanted to know who the artist was. To this day, her music brings similar responses in classes.

Recently, by way of a Radiolab podcoast, I found another cello player I absolutely adore, Zoe Keating. Her cello music is astoundingly different but with the same haunting beauty that caught be off guard when I first heard it. I have since introduced her music in classes as well and am enjoying sharing this new exploration with students. Below you will find my Cello x’s Deux playlist, perfect for everything from a gentle flow to a vinyasa class…not to mention an evening by the fire or in the company of a good book. Enjoy!

Cello x’s Deux Flow
Forest Zoe Keating
Greener Gretchen Yanover
Will Gretchen Yanover
Geometry Of Dreams Gretchen Yanover
Frozen Angels Zoe Keating
Don’t Worry Zoe Keating
Optimist Zoe Keating
Sun Will Set Zoe Keating
Cedar Gretchen Yanover
Sequoia Gretchen Yanover
Nocturne Gretchen Yanover

The Schumann Resonance

8 Limbs Yoga Studios owner, Anne Phyfe Palmer, recently turned me on to a great series of podcasts from Sounds True. These podcasts feature spiritual teachers and pioneers in new thought and have become a regular addition to my walks to and from work.

I talk a lot about sound, for those who know me or have studied with me, I often speak to the importance of sound in our lives. The importance of being in resonance with everything in around you. I love the idea of the fact we’re all working to find harmony with one another.  Recently I listened to an interesting Sounds True podcast featuring sound healer, Alex Theory. In his discussion, he spoke extesnively about something called the Schumann Resonance. In its simplest sense, the Schumann Resonance is the scientifically measurable electromagnetic frequency that naturally pervades and nourishes all life on earth. He uses the example of the rhythmic way in which lightening strikes the Earth, which worldwide, can actually be measure and recorded and found in tune with the Schumann Resonance. It is as if everything on Earth is following this same drum beat, this same vibration, and that we will feel much more harmony and ease in our lives if we can bring ourselves into alignment with this beat.   No matter where we go or what we do, we cannot escape this vibration. It is, in a way, the beat of creation and life on this planet.

Holding this idea in mind, I recently can across the term spanda, a key component of Kashmir Shaivism.   When we speak of spanda, we say that ultimate Reality itself “quivers,” that is, is inherently creative rather than static. To me, the  meeting of these two ideas was so beautiful and simple. It speaks to this beautiful dance we do as human beings, why for so many of us we can find release and expression in movement rather than in stillness. And for myself, even in stillness, I find movement, rhythm, vibration.

To find out more, click here for the full interview with Alex Theory.

Murmuration

Sometimes I feel that I am one singular starling, at other times the flock…and there are breathtaking days when I feel like I am conducting the wavelike movements of the murmuration of starlings.

Where are you finding movement and awe in your life today?

The Throat Chakra: Finding Your Voice

With all this talk of sound I felt it would be important to move into the throat, the 5th chakra, Vissuddha Chakra:

Color: Cobalt Blue
Seed Syllable: HAM
Element: Ether
Rules: Thyroid, jaw, neck, mouth, throat, tongue, larynx
Planet: Mercury

Because the 5th chakra is located in the throat and governs higher communication, speaking, hearing and listening, it helps us to understand our inner truth and convey it with our voice to the outside world. The sense for the 5th chakra is hearing. Chanting, singing, speaking, reading aloud are all good for the 5th chakra. The vibrations of all these things affect the body down to the cellular level.

The element for the 5th chakra is ether/space. It is connected to the cosmos, which consists of these elements. Deficient energy in the 5th chakra can cause neck and shoulder problems, jaw disorders, throat problems, an under active thyroid and a fear of speaking.

On the other hand, excessive energy in the 5th chakra can cause hearing problems, inability to listen, excessive talking and an overactive thyroid.

Here are some yogic suggestions to work with the throat chakra:

Asana
- Matsyasana (fish pose)
- Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
- Setu Bhanda Sarvangasana (bridge pose)
- Neck Stretches

Pranayama
- Ujjayi (conqueror breath)

Bhandas
- Jalandhara Bhanda

Mantra
All kinds of mantra and chanting are excellent for releasing the throat chakra.

The Body & Sound: Stress and the Impact of Sound

When I embarked on my Yoga Teacher Training in 2008 I went to Sedona, Arizona to complete my training. When I wasn’t in class I had the opportunity to explore the beauty of the desert surrounding Sedona. When I would get out on hikes, I was always moved by the deep and profound stillness I could find in many of these places. It was such a stark difference from the noise and the bustle of the Bay Area from where I had come. In these modern times, we constantly find ourselves surrounded by noise: traffic, airplanes, the hum of electronics and the beep of machines. In an urban environment, it is rare to find these pockets of complete silence. While it can be easy to “tune it out” after a while, one wonders what the long term impact of all of this sound might be.

As someone who has worked with soundhealing for many years, I have seen the profound impacts of sound on the body. Just as negative sounds and noise can impact the body other sounds can help to bring us back into harmony. The body is made up of roughly 70% water, an excellent conduit for vibration and sound. The question then becomes, “what sounds do we want to be a conduit for?”

In a study conducted at Cornell University, Gary Evans an international expert on environmental stress, such as noise, crowding, and air pollution found: “…that even low-level noise can be a stressor. It elevates psychophysiological factors and triggers more symptoms of anxiety and nervousness.” His study makes an excellent case for the importance of finding an escape from these environmental stressors and also speaks to the importance of “re-tuning” the body through chanting, soft music and sound healing.

The Importance of Sound

In a 2010 interview with CNN, Chairman of the Sound Agency, Julian Treasure, spoke about the benefits of sound for healing the body. He likened the body to a chord and to illness as something that vibrates out of harmony with the sound of the body.

Acutonics, involves the use of tuning forks placed on the body, on acupuncture points and places of tension and pain. The sound and the vibration of the tuning forks help to bring the “chord” of the body back into vibration with its natural resonance. Not only does the vibration help to release tension and bring the systems into harmony, but the sound of the forks also helps to relax the body and calm the nervous system.

If you are interested in finding out more about Acutonics visit my website.

To hear some sample sounds of the forks click here.

To read more of Julian Treasure’s interviews click the links below:

Read his interview:

10 Things You Don’t Know About Sound

Julian elaborates on this interview in his blog article below:

Science or Pseudoscience? Sound, Music and Health

Fire in the Belly: The 3rd Chakra

“Fire is the spark of life that ignites will to action. Fire is the spark between Shiva and Shakti…” Anodea Judith, Wheels of Life.

Color: Golden Yellow

Seed Syllable: RAM

Element: Fire

Rules: Digestive System, Agni (digestive fire)

Planet: Sun

The 3rd chakra is the space from which we make manifest the watery dreams of the 2nd chakra. Students who will benefit from work with this chakra are those who have difficult making decisions and taking action. Physically, students who are prone to digestion issues and coldness will also find 3rd chakra focus of great benefit.

Here are some yogic suggestions to embrace the 3rd charka and your inner fire:

Asana

- Surya Namaskar (sun salutations)

- Virabhandrasana I, II & III (warrior poses)

- Trikonasana (triangle)

- Dhanurasana (bow)

Pranayama

- Bhastrikia

- Breath of Fire (Kapalabhati)

Bhandas

- Uddiyana Bhanda

Unlocking the Heart: The Fourth Chakra

” Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” – Zora Neale Hurston

Unlocking the heart chakra can be very powerful work to explore in your asana practice. As a bodyworker, I often find that this is a place that people physically manifest energetic holding and body armoring. Tight shoulders, neck and chest can be signs of a heart chakra in need of some work. For many, getting into chest openers will unlock old wounds and heartache that have been buried in the muscles and so I invite students to work as deeply as they feel comfortable.

The heart chakra is ruled by the air element and so exploring different types of pranayama are also excellent gateways to the 4th chakra. Furthermore, as the ribs, sternum and chest start to expand with heart chakra focused work, the deeper the breath will become and the more effective the pranayama.

Color: Emerald Green

Seed Syllable: YAM

Element: Air

Rules: Heart, Hands

Planet: Venus

Here are some yogic suggestions to embrace the heart chakra:

Asana

- Matsyasana (fish pose)

- Uttana Shishosana (happy puppy pose)

- Setu Bhanda Sarvangasana (bridge pose)

- Sphinx Pose

Pranayama

- Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing)

Bhandas

- Mula Bhanda

- Jalandhara Bhanda

Ayurvedic Tips for Fall

With its shift from the heat of summer to cooler weather, the fall can often through us out of balance from an Ayurvedic perspective. We continue with the high energy of summer when we should transition into the slower pace of fall.

Vata increases the air in the body and when it becomes out of balance can be ungrounding. Here are some tips for the fall and for keeping vata in balance.

- Neti-pot: using a neti-pot on a daily basis will help fight fall colds by insuring the sinus and nasal passages are clear of pathogens.

- Diet: transition to more warming, slightly heavier foods. Great fall food options are: soups, winter squashes, root vegetables and brown rice.

- Water: drink plenty of water. Stay hydrated, as aggravated vata will dry the body out. Warm teas are the ideal source of hydration to simultaneously warm and hydrate.

- Yoga: asana can be a great way to support the body through the fall season. To warm the body, explore backbends and arm balances. The fall is also a great time to cleanse, twists can be an excellent way to release toxin form the internal organs.

- Rest: fall also affords us an excellent opportunity to slow down. Find more time for rest and support the body through more restorative poses and savasana.

- Herbs: certain herbs can help to warm the body, consider adding these herbs to teas or foods: ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne.

Nourish and warm the body and calm the vata with a new favorite soup recipe from Sunset Magazine: Pumpkin Soup with Pumpkin-Seed Mint Pesto. The fresh garlic in the pesto is the perfect antidote for the beginnings of a cold.

Meditation: Letting Go of Perfection

My exploration of meditation started at a very early age. As a small child of 5 or 6, I remember my parents taking me to their TM (transcendental meditation) teacher, and with offerings in hand I received my mantra.  At that time, meditation was not something I chose to actively pursue, but I feel as though it laid the groundwork for my own personal exploration of the benefits of meditation as I grew into adulthood.

A recovering perfectionist I often struggled with sitting properly, sitting long enough, clearing my mind enough, breathing, and meditating…what exactly was I supposed to be doing anyway? In the past few years I have loosened the reigns on my meditation practice in that I’ve given up seeking perfection (and you can guess that as a recovering perfectionist this came to be a very hard lesson). It was only when I relaxed into the experience that I was really able to delve beyond the superficial layers of my practice. I found that I would follow my meditation folly–somedays I would listen to recorded meditations, others I would focus on the breath and still others I would work with visualizing my energy body. I often took my meditations outside and sat with the trees and the air and let the experince of being present in nature take me where I needed to go. With all this freedom and exploration, I found that I truly began to love my practice instead of dread it, but at the back of my mind was always wondering “am I doing this right?”.

Recently I was listening to a talk with Sally Kempton, author of Meditation for the Love of it. In her talk she stressed the importance of finding a practice that worked for each practitioner and the importance of finding a practice you could fall in love with. She said that meditation should never be a chore and that we certainly shouldn’t sit down to meditate dreading the coming experience. Her simple, yet profound guidance helped me to find a place of acceptance within my own “rogue meditation” style. She also helped me to feel that while I might not be doing what everyone else was doing, if I followed my intuition most often it would land me in the right meditative place.

To listen to this two part talk, please click here.
To find out more about Sally Kempton please click here.