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Saturday, July 31, 2010
Yoga in the Office
As some of you may know, I have spent the last year re-entering the world where 99% of yogis, and non-yogis alike, live - life in an office. I have used this time to adapt what I learned as a yoga teacher to what most people do with their everyday lives. It is has been eye-opening and gratifying. For this reason, I wanted to share with you my top 5 tips for bringing yoga off the mat and onto your desk:
1. Bathroom Meditation: Especially when life is so busy, it is still really important to take a break. So, when I do, I try and make it quality. When I go to the bathroom, I force myself to stop my mind from running in a million directions. From the minute I step up from my desk, I try not to think of any work problems I am trying to solve or even for any plans after work. I force myself to quiet the mind. I can tell you that it works because, honestly, without fail, I always leave the restroom with a new, original idea. It is amazing and reminds me that when the mind rests, it allows us to come up with our best ideas.
2. Focus: I know from my performance reviews that my employer has hired me, and renews my contracts, particularly for my communication skills. So, when people ask how I do it, I just say "Focus". When I sit down to write an email, either to a VIP or a colleague with whom I need to work with, I ask myself these questions:
a. What do I really want to say here? Don't "waffle" as my British colleagues say, and get to the point. Don't include extra, unnecessary information, and especially if the reader has English as their second language. Keep the information as simple as possible.
b. How can I say it so that it is well received? Where is the reader coming from, what are their values, and how can I help serve their priorities?
c. Am I being kind? Don't come from a place where the ego lies, by taking any feelings of anger, disrespect, etc. out of the picture. This is a deal-breaker from the moment we click "To".
3. Make the Time for my Physical Practice: Life is busy, especially when you spend a majority of it at work, and behind a desk. There were times this year that I didn't make it to the yoga studio for some time, and not only did I feel my energy level dropping, but my outlook on life started to slip down a dirty, ugly path. It's not easy to sometimes make the time, but it is so important to keep up our physical activity. That amazing feeling after a good yoga class is something not even the large bank where I work can put a price tag on.
4. Namaste - May the Light in me, reflect the Light in You. Sometimes, we have differing opinions on how to approach a problem. When we have different values, I ask myself, can I see their side of things? Where is their light, and can I reflect it with mine? They must have a justifiable reason for their view, so what is it? Can we come up with a solution that works for both us, reflecting both our lights? Sometimes easier said than done, and sometimes means a break to the restroom, for an original idea.
5. Discipline: Sometime, I still have a hard time getting up in the morning to go to the gym, do my personal practice, or make it to the office early. Plus, I love the darn Swiss chocolate and Swiss cheese sometimes just too much. But, I do try and I am always mindful with each bite that I enjoy. I feel always grateful for having this goodness everywhere around me, almost always within arm's reach. This summer, I am determined to make it to the gym as well a few times a week. If you have any recommendations for this type of discipline, let me know!
I look forward to sharing more Lessons Learned, and bringing them to you on your mat/desk.
Posted by Ingrid on 07/31 at 04:18 AM
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Top Seven Yoga Tips for Air Travelers
This week I am traveling from LA to Croatia, via a few day layover in London. I am very excited to be helping out my good friend, Tom Morley, on his yoga retreat on Hvar Island in mid-July. As I spend a few days recovering from my jetlag, I am sending along my Top Seven Yoga Tips for Air Travelers:
1. Drink lots of water. Air travel is super dehydrating, and the tricky part is that your body doesn't feel thirsty if you are dehydrated. By that point, your body has shut down and is searching for anything to give it energy. It often comes up as a need for food and more often, you aren't hungry, you are just thirsty. Throw down as much water as you can the day before the flight, the day of, and the day after. I promise you won't drown and won't need a life jacket.
2. Stretch as much as you can. Make excuses to get up and walk around the airplane such as going to the bathroom. If you are drinking enough water, you actually won't need one. Although you may love the window, take an aisle seat to be able to get up and down easier by not having to disturb the person sitting next to you. It's important to keep the body moving, especially for older people or women on birth control. In both cases, air travel can cause blood clots. Not fun. Consider walking regularly.
3. Do lots of hip openers before and especially after. In yoga, these poses are called Pigeon, or Butterfly, or Frog, or even Deep Lunges. Our hips get really tight from sitting in a chair or at a desk for long periods of time. Tight hips make it awkward to walk, and we feel less limber overall. If you do these poses before and after a flight, you'll see a huge difference in the way you feel.
4. Do chest openers after the flight. One fellow yoga teacher taught this pose in class by saying, "It will change your life." She is right. If you take a towel or a blanket and roll it up into a hot dog, then as you lie down on the floor, place the hot dog in the upper portion of your back, just where the bra line hits for the ladies.
Then, roll your palms open to face the sky, bring your shoulder blades back and together, and let your feet flop open. As you settle into the pose, your chest and shoulders will open up in directions you could never have imagined. Sit back and enjoy your life changing before your closed eyes.
5. Get back into your practice as soon as you can. Traveling is unsettling and often makes us feel off balance. Your practice will help you center and tell you where your head is. You'll also be able to tell quickly what joints and muscles haven't been getting much use during your travels. Even if you go to your normal athletic class but don't feel so energetic, take it at your own pace. No one is watching, and only you can tell how your body feels today.
6. Listen to your body. Take a few moments to see what your body is telling you. Are you stiff in your hips? Are you thirsty? Is your head spinning from lack of sleep? Listen to what those possible aches and pains might be saying. Your body knows what it needs.
7. Pull your luggage from your core. I have so many clients that overextend their arms or their lower back from pulling heavy luggage. When you see your luggage come down the baggage slide, run to it with excitement, but be mindful of your body when you pull it off the line. Pull from your core and not from your shoulder or your tiny back muscles. Focus on engaging the abdominal muscles and feel the large strength in your stomach and chest. Your luggage and your on-lookers will be grateful. Your pull will end up being much more graceful, and your body will be thankful for it.
Posted by Ingrid on 07/07 at 03:33 PM
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Eating Clean
At the grocery store this morning, I passed by a magazine titled "Clean Eating", with a big picture of an ice cream sandwich on the cover. I immediately had to rush over to find out how cream and sugar add up to eating "clean". I wasn't quite sure what eating clean was at first, but knowing that I like a clean household, as well as ice cream, I was quickly grabbing the magazine off the shelf.
It sounds like I wasn't the only one looking for a clarification on what clean eating means, since in this month's issue, they put a list of guidelines on what it means to eat clean. Of the 13 tips, here are 5 that were my favorites:
1. Avoid Processed and Refined Foods such as white flour, sugar, bread and pasta. Enjoy complex carbs such as whole grains instead.
2. Slow Down and Savor. Never rush through a meal. Food tastes best when savored. Enjoy every bite.
3. Learn about portion sizes and work toward eating within them.
4. Drink at least two liters of water a day.
5. Eat five to six times a day - three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carb with each meal. This keeps your body energized and burning calories efficiently all day long
I know that when I eat without dust or dirt coating my arteries, a.k.a fried or sugary foods, I am able to think clearer and communicate better. This is also why I promote yoga as exercise because it allows us to center, take a moment of rest, allowing us to articulate and relate to others on a much deeper level.
When we are clear headed, the world is able to see our true colors clearer and can also help point us in the direction that is the best fit for our true selves. Aren't you more likely to help someone who knows who they are and articulates confidence in their skill set? Wouldn't you trust someone easier when it's clear they know who they are?
As I read farther, I also found out that ice cream sandwiches can be made with low-fat yogurt and whole grain oatmeal cookies. I saw that a natural sweetener that works better with the body's reaction to glucose, agave nectar, replaced the sugar. By knowing more about what goes into the items prepared, I can feel better about what I am feeding my temple. After all, my body is where I live and breath each day. Why make it messy?
Eating clean is similar to doing yoga, and I am thinking that especially if "ice cream" sandwiches are involved, not only will my taste buds love it but so will everyone that I encounter everyday. That is super cool and certainly worth the price of a magazine or a yoga class!
Posted by Ingrid on 06/24 at 04:52 PM
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
Amazing Grace
Meeting Grace
I recently met someone who radiates the personification of the literal term "Amazing Grace", in my opinion. This person is a yoga student of mine in my prenatal class at Yo Mama Yoga in Santa Monica. She came to my class for the first time just a few days after losing her baby in a miscarriage. As we went around the room, having each mom-to-be introduce herself by telling us her name, how far along she was in her pregnancy, where she was giving birth, and who was "catching" her baby, my special student in turn explained that she was there to absorb the good energy of the room filled with babies. She hoped that this peace would allow her to one day become pregnant again. Having just had a very good friend lose a baby, and having seen her go through the emotional trauma of an event like this, I was touched and honored to have this new student there.
What People Don't Know
As quoted from the Hope Exchange, a support and source of information for those dealing with pregnancy loss (http://www.hopexchange.com):
"Sadly, miscarriages are a very common occurrence. Sources vary, but many estimate that approximately one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage; and some estimates are as high as one in three."
What is even sadder is that our culture often doesn't like to speak about such delicate topics. At http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org, they say that:
"Miscarriage would be much easier if a weight of silence did not hang over the topic. The silence permeating the topic causes more psychological pain for the grieving mother since she is unable to mourn openly and properly. The grieving process provides much healing to the emotional and mental health of the woman and without it, she finds, she suffers alone."
Seeing Grace Again
A few months later, "Grace" walked into my yoga class again, and this time she proudly told the class that she was 18 weeks pregnant and was delivering at UCLA Medical Center.
I was so happy for her that I almost skipped home after class. Her strength and ability to "get back on that horse" created a feeling of not only admiration, but also inspiration to continue when we think the world has left us. She knew that the best thing her body needed in order to get pregnant again was mind-rest, and what better place to get that but in prenatal yoga.
Grace is defined as "the exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another". My student has done this for herself and for her baby. It is for this that I am amazed.
Posted by Ingrid on 05/24 at 03:30 PM
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Monday, May 04, 2009
Turning The Corner
Yesterday, I signed a deal with the largest independent DVD distributor in the world. My marketing and distribution chores of the past year were lifted off my shoulders with one quick John Hancock. It was something that I had been dreaming about, yet waiting to do, since I started Yoga to Have Fun.
Why I Waited?
I knew that I wanted my DVDs to reach a large audience. My goal has always been to bring yoga to families across the world and into their homes, allowing for increasing communication and support among family members.
Getting the DVDs into large retail stores is certainly one of the best ways to do it.
To sell international rights, I relied on my training in international business, my passion for working with people of various backgrounds, and my working with one of the best film sales agents in LA from whom I got the contacts, learned which trade shows were important to my business, and how to best market the DVDs.
It has been a fun ride. A year ago, I approached Bayview Entertainment to speak about their terms, but it seemed the timing just wasn’t right for them. Then, last week I got a call from them, saying they were looking for products targeting an older generation and I knew this was the right time.
What This Means?
With this signature, my DVDs will now be sold in large retail stores and on websites nationally and internationally. Bayview Entertainment distributes their products at Wal-Mart, Tesco, Kmart and other large retail stores. Under the contract I keep the rights to DVDs sold on my website, but will enjoy the expanded sales distribution to reach homes everywhere.
Where Are We Going?
The contract frees up my time to focus on other parts of my life and business. I can now consider a TV format for either an on-line or standard television channel. Or, there are partnerships to be made with other wonderful leaders in the world of health and wellness for children.
When I ask myself, where are we headed this spring? I'm reassured by one of my favorite bloggers, Aimee Shea, who says, “we need only to go within, support ourselves and continue to work on creating nurturing environments that support us, so that when the change does come that we have been waiting for, we will be grounded, settled and ready for whatever that change looks like (as it always is different from what we expect!)”
I look forward to hearing what awaits you too this spring.
Namaste,
Ingrid
Posted by Ingrid on 05/04 at 03:53 AM
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Sunday, April 26, 2009
Where Do We Set Our Intentions?
Sometimes we just need to say it out loud what we would really like to see happen in our lives and justifying it to someone can create all the energy we need to get something moving. As Wayne Dyer says it, "Our intention creates our reality."
After many years of denying myself the luxury, I finally decided to try out a Feng Shui consultant for my home in LA. Ariel came as a referral from a local yoga studio, was affordable, and amazingly was very down to earth in this sometimes-mystical field.
He laid out my apartment according to basic Feng Shui principles, where each section of my house was diagramed in a circle, like a clock, when you entered the front door. At 6 o'clock, sat my career corner, at 2 o'clock was my relationship corner, and at 9 o'clock was my friendship corner, etc. From this, together we decided how to highlight each piece of my life in that area if it wasn't succeeding as I would have liked already.
First, I noticed it was super interesting to hear myself tell a stranger about where my life is at the moment, what I think needs help, and what I am completely content with presently. I took a moment to be super grateful for my friends, which I thought was doing really well, for example.
He looked at my bedroom, my relationship corner, and frowned. He said I need more pinks and reds, and twos of everything - pictures, lights, candles, etc. I had told him that I was actually perfectly content with my non-existent dating life at the time, focusing more on my business, and didn't want to be distracted with anything else. I knew how time consuming dating could be. He told me I could really have it all, and that one didn't have to distract from the other. I told him if I could find someone who complemented my business, then I would be open to that. With that, pink pictures got put up instead of green ones, and candles were symmetrical placed on the nightstands. Okay, fine.
We then moved to my workstation, and he told me to sit with my back against the wall, which symbolizes a place of power. Was 'The Godfather' into Feng Shiu as well? I was welcoming any help to grow 'Yoga To Have Fun', so I moved my desk so that I could now more easily sit between the desk and the wall. Cool and easy.
Through all this moving and adjusting in my apartment, I realized that with the placement of each rock, or hanging of each pink picture, I was setting an intention. I was consciously saying to myself, that I wanted my life to move in a certain direction. If someone special walked into my life who was in "the biz", that would be okay, but most importantly I wanted a more fluid income stream.
Soon after, I got invited to a few film festivals with some powerful players, making my influence with Yoga for Families jump up the ranks. Nice change of seating arrangements. I also got a check in the mail the very next day that I had been waiting for - nice!
What I learned the most from my time with Feng Shui, and then moving some things around, is that sometimes we need to say out loud what it is that we want with our lives. We can tell ourselves the story, but having to justify it to someone makes a big difference. This helps us set the intention, and with that, things may fall into place. The exercise alone was worth the fee, being able to prioritize my current wants and needs. Doing this as a family could also prove very useful to articulate what everyone wants at the moment, and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
As I write this, my Mom is calling to check in how it's going with Mr. Producer. We've been dating a few months, and funnily enough, he works in film.
Posted by Ingrid on 04/26 at 06:26 AM
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Friday, April 17, 2009
Where Is That Girl With Braces and Big Smile?
Have you ever received old photos via Facebook that a childhood friends have scanned and posted after visiting their parents over the holidays? With the growing popularity of social networking sites (and the fact that I am hooked on them), I now have visual reminders of what I was like as a child. I look at those pictures, and wonder if that little girl with a long braid down her back still exists, before all those to-do lists, pending decisions, and "shoulds" in my life. Does she still live somewhere, smiling, content, joyful, and creative?
Okay, while people may still see me as that person today, I sometimes wonder where she is when my mind is filled with doubt, worry, and concern for my 401K. At those times I need to remind myself that people love me most when I am truly myself. I recall that I received awards in the past when I was my true self, and that I failed when I was trying to be someone else. Some examples come to mind.
In college, I won an award for 'Enthusiasm and Leadership in Student Activities.' I loved leading groups for a beneficial purpose, such as Habitat for Humanity. And, when Villanova University bestowed the title of Homecoming Queen, I was delighted because it recognized my participation in activities that I loved to do.
Simultaneously when I missed getting offers for jobs where I'd spend hours on data analysis and creating Excel spreadsheets, I learned that providence was making explicitly clear, this was not my sweet spot.
As I walk around today, I look at my options and try to match them up with things that would bring out the best from that little girl with the long braid. After all, we share the same breath, and the core of each of us is still the same.
As some of you know, I am exploring the prospect of promote my yoga career in London in the film and television industry. I will be finishing the edits to the DVDs for a fitness channel in the UK and moving toward creating a children's yoga television series.
I'm staying true to the essence of that girl with the long braid in the picture taken over 20 years ago. London beckons to the person who finds reward when she is truly herself. I look forward to seeing what the universe offers on that side of the pond and I'll be sure to keep you updated via Facebook ☺.
Posted by Ingrid on 04/17 at 10:41 AM
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Thursday, April 09, 2009
Got Something Stuck in Your Molar?
People use yoga for many different reasons-time to stretch, time to sweat, time to prepare the mind to quiet down, just to name a few, and for each person it is unique.
One of the reasons that I like and promote yoga is because it gives us time entirely for ourselves. Typically, the room is quiet, and we are encouraged to stop both the internal and external chatter. We don't usually have conversations throughout our practice with our neighbor, and we are encouraged to forget about what type of yoga clothing she or he is sporting that day. I love that part. It's time to focus purely on me, and what I feel I need today. Yahoo! How often does that happen?
Over the last few yoga classes, I have had this imagery come into my mind of a dentist picking at something between two of my molars. As I focused on myself, trying to forget about everyday items like to-do lists, decisions to be made, things that I 'should' do, I imagined the dentist picking away at each part of my physical life. With each click of that sharp tool, he gets out the "stuff" that distracts me from my true self. With each breath, and with each exhalation, I am becoming calmer and more confident about who I truly am.
Some picks with the sharp tool are easy - like the fact that I am maybe getting a little bit hungry, distracted by what I want to eat after class. Put that away for the time being. But, the dentist is still working on getting some particles out. The biggest one is that Ego. Phew! That "stuff" can often go very deep.
As Eddie Ellner, the owner and founder of YogaSoup in Santa Barbara, CA, put it recently:
"When the 'I' disappears, when who you believe yourself to be vanishes, then all the dramas that support and bodyguard that identity also disappear. What remains is the simple and obvious joy of who you are. You are not anything that can be described. You just are."
It is with these thoughts that I breathe deep, and encourage that dentist to pick at each of the items that I have chewed along the way- multiple stories that we tell ourselves, and dramas that we adopt as our own.
Eddie describes the Ego thus:
"...harsh judgments... ego's attempts to remain in charge, to keep out the recognition of this light. But why? Why would you want to keep something this wonderful at bay? Good question.
Because with the light, with the truth, comes the end of the story the ego loves to tell about itself, its plight, its life.
I recognized at once all the mean and petty ways that Ego tries to remain separate by judging, diminishing, elevating, resisting, accusing, needing, fearing ... all the ways ego attempts to stay in control, to not lose face ... never realizing the face it has to lose isn't real to begin with.
Absurd, right? Don't blame ego, that's just the way it's built."
That is why we need regular dental check-ups, also known as yoga, and some time for ourselves on the mat. In yoga, we are able to get rid of some of the noise of the outside world, and focus on that wonderful, true self. It is with these thoughts that I look forward to my next time on the mat, and having a chance to chip away some more of that "stuff" stuck in my molars.
Posted by Ingrid on 04/09 at 01:25 PM
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Sunday, April 05, 2009
Family Yoga Off The Mat
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I based the idea for ‘Yoga for Families’ on the concept of encouraging family members to increase communication, which then allows them to strengthen relationships. The purpose being that we are then better able to support each other in our true passions, which then encourages each individual to reach their fullest potential.
This week I write about doing some yoga with my own family, and since we are 3000 miles apart, we are practicing yoga off the mat.
Last year, when I decided that a blog/newsletter was the best way to communicate my ideas about ‘Yoga for Families’, my fingers started to shake each time I came close to my keyboard to write. After excelling in math and physics in high school, but struggling to write purposeful and effective essays in English class, I knew I was going to need some help. I wanted to be able to communicate a message with clarity and accuracy so that the message was always best interpreted.
As I looked around, I remembered that my uncle had spent his career as a high school English teacher, and was always walking around with a pen and note card in his shirt pocket to jot down the latest idea for his next book. Uncle Fred (same last name) has been retired for many years, now spending his time writing novels and keeping in touch with the family via email.
I asked Uncle Fred if he would be willing to review my blogs before they went out each week and correct them for both grammar as well as story fluidity. This was great since it is often hard to correct one’s own work, and simply having another set of eyes on the work would prove to be invaluable.
What I have found over the past few months is that by having a project that we can work on together, we have increased our regular communication, strengthened our relationship, and supported each other in our true passions. With the encouragement of my uncle, I feel that I can reach the 1500+ people on my mailing list with efficacy and strength. I feel confident to help change their yoga practice, and through that, hopefully change their lives.
In addition, what I have also realized during our working together, is that the 3000 miles that keeps us apart between New York and Los Angeles, have no way affected our ability to practice yoga together. Yoga means union, and I have at no other time in my life felt closer and more connected to my uncle who is 41 years my elder.
At the same time, I have learned more about my uncle’s passion for writing, and have recently read the two books that he had published many years ago. It is with great pride that I endorse his publications in my newsletter this month.
It is with this good experience that I encourage you to look for projects that you can work on with your family members. Is there a weakness in your repertoire that can be filled in by someone else’s strong suit? By working together, two heads most often are greater than one, and by working together, we begin to build synergies between us.
See if one of these projects can also incorporate one of your or his/her passions, since you never know where this project can end up, and how it can help the both of you. By working with my uncle, he has not only helped me, but by reading his books, I learned more about his writing and interpretation of our life’s events. In the process, I have also learned a lot about myself and our family history.
If deeper family connection and support wasn’t valuable enough, we also can be aware that in hard economic times, we may be reluctant to pay for a service. If we take the time to look around, that skill may be sitting right under our nose, or on another branch of the family tree.
Love and peace,
Ingrid
Posted by Ingrid on 04/05 at 12:54 PM
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
Ode To Working Moms
I have been reluctant in the past to write about one of my biggest role models and favorite celebrities. The fact is that I see her a few times a week at our local Starbucks (the one that we share since we live in the same neighborhood), but to write about her felt a bit like being part of the paparazzi. I like to respect her privacy, and although I try and collect every piece of information I can about her with each passing glance, I don't like to broadcast her morning ritual like a cheap magazine.
But, today Maria Shriver was sitting next to me, and I can't help but shout from the top of the green umbrella how impressed I was with her real-life demeanor.
Maria represents the yoga within by always being totally focused on whom she is speaking with. In each discussion, she looks people in the eye, listens to all that they have to say, and even laughs at their jokes, if called for.
It's not as if she hasn't had many chapters in her 54 years, allowing for the opportunity of endless mind chatter. After being born into the Kennedy family, as the niece of JFK, she soon became a journalist after finishing her degree in American Studies at Georgetown University. She has had durable jobs as a reporter or co-anchor on CBS Morning News, Sunday Today, NBC Nightly News, and Dateline NBC. Soon after she started her national broadcasting career, she married The Governator, and despite their opposing political views, they have had a long-standing marriage of 23 years.
Since then, they have had four kids, 2 boys and 2 girls, who now range in age from 11 to 19. She leads an Annual "Womens' Conference" that brings together leading women from all walks of life, as pictured here. Furthermore, she has published 6 amazing and very readable books about life circumstances, including Alzheimer's disease and coming of age:
* Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out Into The Real World
* What's Wrong With Timmy?.
* What's Happening to Grandpa?
* And One More Thing Before You Go....
* What's Heaven?
* Just Who Will You Be?
In real-life, Maria is consistently well composed every time I see her. I observe her with different crowds - most often with her husband, but sometimes the kids join them, and today she had a meeting with two business professionals. Whomever she is with, she holds herself together like a true representation of American royalty-straight-backed, feminine, and always respectable.
Another yogic characteristic that I admire in Maria is her ability to be "low-maintenance", or living her material life simply. She comes to these meetings in her sneakers and workout gear, but still looking well put together and composed. Her grey cotton sweatshirt matches her flattering black leggings, and that is all she really needs. She doesn't wear an ounce of make-up, and her hair is casually tossed neatly on top of her head. She doesn't leave her gorgeous engagement and wedding band behind either. Her marriage is also something that I put on my list of admirable traits, including the way she connects and communicates with Arnold. Despite all the highs and lows of life, and the political differences between them, they still always are in good spirits around each other.
It is with these thoughts that I hope my letter of praise makes it one day to her desk, since I would like her to know that the person who walks by her everyday making shy glances in their direction, really would like to say "Namaste - may the light in me, reflect the light in you".
Posted by Ingrid on 03/26 at 11:31 AM
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Creating Your Inner Circle
Have you ever noticed that we often become our surroundings and start to base our life decisions on the decisions made by others whom we encounter every day? I notice this the most when I travel and visit friends who are walking down a different path. When I return to New York to visit my Wall Street friends, I remember what it was like to be climbing the corporate ladder and searching for the next promotion. That was a great chapter in my life and I enjoyed it greatly at the time. But now, things have changed, and as CEO of my own company, it is only I who stands on that ladder. I can swing, I can jump, and I can certainly tumble.
Realizing more now that most life decisions are completely my own, and also realizing that I still am affected by those I keep in my company, I ask myself, who do I want to keep as "colleagues" to influence and affect my life decisions?
As I do this, I think of people that I admire and inspire me. I think of ones that are living their lives in a positive, fulfilling, and confident way. Obviously I toss out any friends involved in drugs or other bad habits, but I also toss out ones who gossip, tell lies, or speak about others behind their back. Do I want that negativity in my life if I get to choose?
One of the people I choose to keep is Tom Morley, now a friend, but he has always been one of my favorite yoga teachers. I chose Tom to play the part of the Dad in Yoga for Families, having chosen him for his natural good looks and attractive personality (Studies show good-looking people are more likely to grab and keep our attention, per the September 2007 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology).
I barely knew him at the time we took off for a week of filming in Cancun, Mexico, but after a few days, I realized that Tom is more than just a handsome face. Tom is compassionate, focused, honest, and all around agreeable.
As evidence, this week, I not only made a short film on Tom to highlight his good work during the shoot, but he told us a story after yoga that illustrates his great contribution to our lives. It goes something like this:
“There is not much that differentiates us from the bums that walk around on the street talking to themselves. We too constantly talk to ourselves, but the difference is that we just do it silently. We continue to tell ourselves stories - that we're too fat, don't make enough money, should be getting married, raising children differently, etc. We often tell ourselves these stories really loud, like those people screaming on the streets, so that it completely takes over our thoughts and we can think of nothing else. In addition, we repeat the same stories over and over again, like Joe on the corner.
If we continue to let our minds run in a million directions all the time, with all this conversation, we can certainly drive ourselves crazy. Actually, the irony is that these thoughts are keeping our full potential in prison, keeping us locked up in our mind.
The trick is to stop the mind from repeating these stories. It is the only way we are to become sane. Take time to still the mind. Take time to focus on the present moment."
I believe the reason Tom was such a blessing and a pleasure during our 5 a.m. casting calls and long week of shooting, was due to his dedicated meditation time. He religiously took time to calm the mind, and empty it of any stories or thoughts that may creep in during the day.
When he was present on the set, he was truly 100% present. He was focused, energetic, and loving. I truly couldn't have done the shoot without him and his good energy. It is for this reason that I created a movie that pays tribute to Tom, showing some of the on-camera as well as a few behind-the-scenes shots. As you will see, he is a blessing, I am proud to have him and keep him in my inner circle.
Feel free to check out my tribute to him, including some "behind the scenes" shots from Mexico: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9-UvrEPBXA
Namaste,
Ingrid
Posted by Ingrid on 03/19 at 06:30 PM
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Friday, March 13, 2009
Are You Communicating With Your Companion?
My company, Yoga To Have Fun, is all about using yoga exercises to open up communication and strengthen relationships within the family. I started this company based on the principle that after yoga, people are more centered and focused, allowing them to better communicate, listen, and support each other.
Most often when we say family, it implies children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and cousins. But, let's not forget about a big part of the family - the husband and wife. Hello?! Without them, none of us would be here!
In his book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert Putnam found that married partners engaged in an average of less than an hour a week of conversation. Now, who really needs the yoga more - The child who has trouble focusing or the silent adults? Obviously, it's a stiff competition, and they both do!
At the same time, one of the top theories that I learned at business school was that the strategy and tone of any organization starts at the top. The CEO sets the attitude and approach towards business for their employees and each of the products. We see this at Southwest Airlines, where Herb Kelleher was continually leading casual business meetings and cracking jokes. Thus, we have Southwest flight attendants wearing khakis, teasing each other over the intercom, and the clients having a fun, while valuable experience.
So, if we have couples who don't talk to each other, and don't pay attention to each other, what are the children to think, and more importantly, what is the state of our future?
The answer? Yoga! As Beth Lapides put it recently in her article in the March issue of LAYoga, "the couple that bends together, mends together". Why not? If we dedicate time to center ourselves, and then share that focus and attention with our partner for life, who knows amazing stuff can come out of that?
I personally have used yoga as my relationship "band-aid" many times. When I see a disagreement or issue arising with a partner, I often say "let's go to yoga first before we discuss this". It's like fairy dust for potential arguments. The discussion always goes a lot smoother than it would have if we had started with the history of our day and demands still right in front of us.
In addition, I also often get teased for having first dates in the yoga studio. Of course I would! If I want to get to know someone, I want to get to know the true him. This has a much better chance of coming out after an hour of centering and self-awareness. Catching someone after sitting in traffic or running from the office is rarely going to bring out the best (a.k.a. your true self) in anyone.
As you walk away today from your computer, Blackberry, or iPhone, see if there is an opportunity to put my theory to the test. Set up a time to take a yoga class with your true companion and see if the communication, and thus, the relationship, is different before and after class. Look at what types of conversations come up during that post-yoga bliss. If you find something, then let me know. As I mentioned, with yoga, we can change our futures. It is just a matter of finding an hour.
Posted by Ingrid on 03/13 at 12:23 PM
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Friday, March 06, 2009
The Power of Film
Have you ever ran into a television or film persona in real life and before realizing that you have seen them only on screen, wondered where you have met them before? We often confuse tv or film personas with people we meet in real life, and we often feel very connected to them although we have never met them.
Over my short career on video, I have already had this happen to me, where people come up to me, recognizing me, and feeling like they know me, although we have never met before. Because Yoga To Have Fun videos are a very accurate representative of who I am and what I believe in, I am happy to have them get to know me via film. A video is worth more than a thousand words!
Then, last week when I included a request for video testimonials in my blog from viewers of the Yoga To Have Fun titles, I was most excited to see some of the people who had done my video in real life. Chances were either that I hadn't seen them in a long time, or perhaps never knew them before. I couldn't wait to use the technology of video to connect with some of my viewers in the reverse direction. I opened up my inbox each morning with anticipation of seeing a video link with some amazing yoga demonstrations.
Since I was requesting it from my audience, I thought I might as well give a homemade video a try myself. I had someone hold the camera while I was in Rotterdam recently at a film festival, and performed a handstand against a Dutch windmill. It was so much fun! I loved documenting myself performing a favorite pose in a fun destination. With some simple video tools, I quickly put the clip to music, and within 10 mins, my file was uploaded and available on YouTube. Amazing! Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEXE6lYWous
The power of film is absolutely fantastic, and since we have the technology at our finger tips, why not use it to share ourselves with the world? I want to see you on film, and then when we meet in real life, I want to feel like I know you. Send me your video clips today!
Om Shanti and Break a leg,
Ingrid
Posted by Ingrid on 03/06 at 12:57 PM
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Friday, February 27, 2009
Y - You! O - OMG! G - Go For It! A - Ahhhhh!
As many of you know, I teach a lot of pre-natal yoga at a studio in Santa Monica called Yo Mama Yoga. Here is an article filled with tidbits that I recently wrote for a yoga magazine:
Yoga, when used in pre and post natal, can become an acronym that stands for:
Y - You!
O - OMG!
G - Go For It!
A - Ahhhhh!
You! - Take time to tune into your breath and your body. With the world spinning between your everyday life, your husband, your job, and the opinions of everyone and their mother, (not to mention his mother) take time to tune into your body, your intuition, and your true self. The little space that sits behind your heart will tell you exactly what you need to do and where you need to go. It'll help guide you to decide which baby carriage to buy and what name to choose. Those are important decisions, so take time to tune into this intuition. Yoga allows that time to focus completely on you. At Yo Mama Yoga, we do this by tuning into your breath, your body, your baby, and how you feel today.
OMG (Oh, my gosh)! - This is what so many new moms say when they hear the experiences of other moms during the introduction part of yoga class. Prenatal yoga is just as much about the community as it is about the stretching and tuning in. Where else do you run into other people who are going through exactly what you are going through? These ladies can truly empathize with your nausea, your lack of bladder control when you sneeze, or that funny waddle you seem to have adopted making you feel like Donald Duck everywhere you go. The stories you hear in prenatal yoga will make you not only say "OMG", but will make you giggle, make you grateful, and most importantly, feel not so alone.
Go For It! - Instead of complaining about the aches and pains, take the time to embrace every moment and piece of your pregnancy. Although the nausea and waddling isn't too much fun, the exercises of yoga will help you get through it. The flow of each pose will get your circulation going, allowing your body to rebalance, and make you feel better overall. In addition, classes at Yo Mama Yoga focus on strengthening certain muscles like the Kagels and the upper thighs that we often don't pay attention to, but can come in very handy during and after the birthing process. (Kagels are the tiny muscles we use to control the flow of urination). When we become aware of these muscles, and strengthen them, we can use them to either contract the birthing canal, or completely relax the canal to open it up. In addition, we strengthen the upper thighs which help to support those loose hips in the last stages of pregnancy, when the hormones create more fluid between the hip joints, causing that awkward waddle. Also, if faced with hours and hours of our legs in those stirrups (yuck!), strong upper thigh muscles can really come in handy. And who doesn't want strong leg muscles in any chapter of their lives? So, embrace your pregnancy, strengthen muscles you never knew you had, and completely go for each and every piece of this adventure.
Ahhhhh! - At the end of yoga, we take plenty of time to calm down our bodies, letting everything re-align, and making time to completely relax. When you are relaxed, the baby is relaxed. Take time to calm down your nervous system. At Yo Mama, we do a three part breathing exercise that does this and forces us to take deep breaths. We inhale in thirds, where the first third comes in through our tummy, the second third expands our ribcage, and the last third opens up our heart. Then we completely let it all go, exhale, and relax. We draw attention to these three parts by placing our right hand over our tummy (Hello, Baby!), and our left hand on our heart (Hello, Mom!). We can do this either in a seated position, or tilted down on our backs. If you are lying down, use pillows, bolsters, or blocks to keep your back at a steep angle, since pregnant moms never want to be completely on their back. We can also keep our legs in Butterfly Pose, with the soles of our feet together, allowing for a deep hip opener and inner thigh stretch at the same time. The only thing to remember is not to hold the breath at any point, since holding our breath also isn't recommended during pregnancy.
Taking time to focus on breathing deep is great for every part of you. During pregnancy, "every part of you" now includes somebody else. Traditionally, yoga is not an acronym as referenced above, but is actually an ancient word from India, meaning "union". Prenatal illustrates no better interpretation of yoga with the strong union growing everyday between mommy and baby. Take time to focus on these important people and this important union. Your baby will thank you. Maybe one of his first words will even be "yoga" and who can complain about that!
Posted by Ingrid on 02/27 at 04:17 PM
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Thursday, February 19, 2009
“Breathing” with Julia Ormond, Bill Maher, and Mr. Drummond
First, I had Julia Ormond as a student in my yoga class. I was more than honored to rub her feet with lotion during the final resting pose. She was continually grateful for the tips I gave and adjustments I made to her practice. Not only do I love her at the box office, but I almost started a fan club right there on her mat.
During the same class, I also had Bill Maher attend with a friend of his. I was a little disappointed not to have the corners of his mouth turn even slightly upward during his practice when I cracked a few jokes while teaching. When I tried, "It's not so much fun to be a yoga instructor sometimes when you have a room full of people grimacing at you", Bill continued to grimace. Well, maybe he was just focused on his breathing.
This last November, I was blessed to have Thanksgiving Day drinks with Mr. Drummond of the American sitcom, "Different Strokes". Now he is hilarious. He entertained us all with a story of getting caught on line at Costco without an accepted credit card on him, and from out of the blue, the person behind him in line offered to put his two carts full of items on her tab. She finished by saying "There is nothing I wouldn't do for Mr. Drummond". He responded by bringing a check to her the next day with a bouquet of flowers. He is truly a gem.
It is with all this celebrity interaction around me that I remember it's our heart that leads our path and our life. Being famous is just another material trait that can often come and go. Sometimes we're being overrun with popularity, and sometimes we can't find anyone to pick up the phone when we call. Sometimes we're rich and thin, and sometimes we have more weight on us and less cash in the bank. Also, some days are a holiday, others are the usual routine.
What remains the same throughout all these ups and downs is that little bit of air we take in, and breathe out, every few seconds. What our breath does, is remind us that our true selves live deep inside our chest, in that space that we feel open up when we take an inhale. It's there, inside our heart, that we find our true intentions. It is this true self that makes us know where to take our lives and in what direction we truly need to be going. Especially when we are faced with feelings of confusion, it is important to tune in to this breath and this true self, to find out what that intuition is trying to tell us. That intuition will never go away. Feel secure that your true self will always be there whenever you go looking.
I know there will be stages in life where I may put on a few extra pounds, find less cash in the bank, or be totally bored with my old routine. It's times like that when I can tune in to that true self, and know that my breath will get me through any type of challenge. That breath will tell me exactly what I need to do, where to go, and how to move forward in a positive direction. I also know that providence doesn't give us anything we can't handle and I have faith that it's all going to be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end. It is with these thoughts that I take deep breaths and look for the answer within.
During this season of change all around, I feel so very grateful for everything - my life, my family, meeting my new famous buddies, and most importantly, for my breath. Meeting these people made me realize that these famous people also have their own breath, just like mine, but it's their own breath, with their own path. What I do with mine is exactly and totally up to me. So far, my intuition has given me an amazing and fantastic ride of life. Every minute has been perfect and exactly the way it is supposed to be, even if I can't see it at the moment. I cannot wait to see what else my breath and my true self has in store for me.. In 2009, I look forward to taking time to tune into this true self, since I know it's going to be great no matter what ups and downs life may bring. Hello Breath...Bring it on!
Much love and happiness,
Ingrid
Posted by Ingrid on 02/19 at 07:14 AM
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