Madam Lichtenstein's Cosmic World

Yiddish Yoga

Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie's Adventures in Love, Loss, and the Lotus Position is a book with a new age message that's proabably relevant to everyone.

A poignant and funny tale written in the voice of Ruthie, a recently widowed New York City Jewish grandmother, who accepts her granddaughter's gift of a year's worth of yoga lessons with surprising results. Written in the first person, we hear what goes through Ruthie's mind as she slowly enters the world of yoga. While it helps to know some Yiddish, you don't have to be Jewish to understand what might go through a person's mind (all right a senior citizen's mind) when they enter new and new agey terrain.

100 Yoga Studios in 100 Days or 50 Yoga Studios in 50 Days?

Have you ever heard of a pub crawl? That is where you go from one pub to another like a race. Well, this is the first yoga studio crawls (or should we call it stretch?) ever. And there are a couple of them. Be sure to check out the blogs to hear how each studio fares.

The writers of YoYoYogis (a blog at yoyoyogi.com) are spending their summer exploring 100 different yoga studio in 100 days. They're visiting studios from all over the West Coast, but Seattle to San Diego and blogging about their experiences along the way.

Meanwhile, the folks at YogaMates are trying out 50 studios in 50 days and will be tracking their progress through video blogs.

Tree Yoga

I just stumbled across this interesting site on tree yoga. I could make a joke that it is the ultimate tree hugging experience but it also seems like a fresh way of stretching and exercising. Just be sure that you have very strong slinge ropes....

TreeYoga is a way to take your yoga practice into nature. Whether you are just beginning, or you’ve been doing it for years, TreeYoga invites you to re-connect with nature, and to open your body to new depths with the strongest, most beautiful stretching partner you can find. In almost any Tree, almost any park, this unique, wonderful addition to your fitness routine will take you back to your happiest moments from childhood, and forward into a longer, stronger, healthier future.

It should be even nicer to do in the autumn.....

Wanderlust - Combining Yoga with Indie Rock

I am not sure that I like to exercise while I attend a concert but evidently I am alone in that thought. According to an article in the New York Times there is a new festival that enables audiences to stretch while they listen.

The funk-soul band the Dap-Kings and other bands are providing the background music for powerhouse yoga sessions at a new festival called Wanderlust. Wanderlust blends indie rock and yoga. From Friday to Sunday, visitors could study self-massage and meditation early each morning and hear groups like Broken Social Scene, Girl Talk and Spoon at night.

The setting — the verdant hills of Squaw Valley, a ski resort, usually empty off-season — provided an almost surreally beautiful natural backdrop. All of the concerts and many of the yoga classes were held outdoors; the main stage for music was 8,200 feet up a mountain, reachable only by gondola. 

More than 4,000 people showed up, paying $25 to $165 for tickets to the music or the yoga. About 1,500 of those bought $170 passes that entitled them to experience both.

For those who don't have Wanderlust to travel, try this yoga DVD:

Yoga Day USA -- Jan 24, 2009

Mark your calendar now for Saturday, January 24, 2009 for the 10th annual Yoga Day USA. This is a nationwide celebration of yoga designed to increase awareness of the benefits of yoga and help make yoga more accessible to everyone including all fitness levels, ages, and ethnicities.

Here's a special day for everyone: a day of celebration for those who practice yoga regularly and a day of discovery for those who don't. There will be free and low-cost workshops around the country, so check the site and look for something of interest in your area. This special day is organized and created by Yoga Alliance, the leading non-profit organization for yoga teachers and schools. They are dedicated to upholding the diversity and integrity of yoga. To learn more, visit www.yogaalliance.org.

You should just take my word for it and give it a try, but if you need more convincing, check here for the Top Ten Reasons to Try Yoga
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Beginners can get started with The American Yoga Association Beginner's Manual Fully Revised and Updated.Transform your body and your life! Experience a complete yoga workout that you will always love to do! Here is the best of the ancient and new: Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free! - Ana Brett & Ravi Singh -- a new, just-released DVD.