So, has yoga become challenging and not in a good way? You might want to follow these fine tips to ensure that you’ll be totally justified in just staying home and selling your mat on eBay.

1. You Ditch it for the Gym

Decide you can get the same or better exercise at your local gym. Disregard the fact that yoga does involve weight lifting, your own body weight. But you want to get toned all over? Darn, it’s a pity that yoga will do that, working both small and large muscle groups – in a balanced way.

2. You Feel conflicted about Yoga and Religion.

Ask yourself, “If I perform a Sun Salutation does that mean I’m worshiping the sun and isn’t that leaning towards Paganism?” Forget that major religions teach respect not only for the Creator, but for what has been created. And what about learning those scary foreign words in Sanskrit or Hindi? Be warned, don’t say Jai Bhagwan, Namaste, or assume the Virabhadrasana pose or else, “Instant Karma’s gonna get you/gonna knock you right on the head.”* Don’t forget to ignore the fact that your instructor actively practices her Christian faith.

3.  You Believe You Have To Sweat, Dehydrate and Pass Out

Confuse Bikram yoga with other kinds of yoga and make the following assumption, “if I wanted to work out in a sweatbox, I’d go to my gym.” Bikram yoga is the hot stuff, done for 90 minutes, 26 poses, at 105°F. Most other yoga practices are done at normal room temperatures. Be assured that neither kind is good for you, especially if you sweat, even just a little.

4.  You Prefer Painkillers and Booze to Ease Your Pain

Be sure to keep your breathing meek and quiet. All that loud inhaling and exhaling is bound exchange germs. Your immune system must be strong enough without yoga, right? Oh, and if something hurts or a muscle feels too tight, breath rapidly, or better yet, hold your breath entirely. Your muscles will expand somehow. Get home and knock back some pain meds. Follow with copious amounts of alcohol.

5. You have the False Perception: “I am Not Worthy!”

Are you feeling intimidated by your teacher or other students? Good! Yoga is a mystical holy practice and you’re probably not really worthy. Please don’t ask questions, just struggle though. And above all else, don’t do any outside research. You’re just not worthy.

6. You’re Too Busy Planning Being Busy

Use the time during Savasana to mentally prepare your daily to-do list. That’s fine, clarity of mind and relaxation are overrated. You don’t need to set any intentions except for wishing the class was over already.

*Lyrics by John Lennon

Yogasync Me!  We suggest that if you are feeling ‘over it’ with Yoga, that you give meditation a chance, or mix things up with a few new postures, or even read a few more articles instead of practice.  And ask yourself….”Have I ever regretted yoga?”

Experiment: Can Yogasync Make Me Feel Better in 20 Minutes?

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“Why so serious?” 

line from movie character The Joker in The Dark Knight

Hasyaya Yoga: The Art of Laughing

In the 1990s, Indian Physician Madan Kataria’s practice of health through laughter was the beginning of a unique and modern twist on yoga. Remember that while most of us think of yoga in the vein of asanas and breathing techniques followed by still meditation, the original definition of yoga is that it is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline that transforms the body and mind.

The idea behind Hasyaya Yoga in line with this principle is that laughter is easily stimulated in a group when combined with eye contact, “childlike playfulness” and exercises, which can very quickly turn forced giggles into genuine hee-haws and chuckles—and for those who are familiar with Pranayama breath practices, a good guffaw results in deep breathing that causes the diaphragm to expand.

Better breathing and a happy, positive environment with the support of a group of people helps take your mind off the all-too serious hustle and bustle of life we are accustomed to, as well as returning us to the pure, beginner’s mind without judgment just like a child has. Students of laughing yoga use breathing exercises, acting and visualizing, and through a shared experience of playfulness and laughter, improve your social skills through bonding with others in an inherently and unashamedly silly practice.

The Story of Rule Number Six: A Reminder for Us All

Two ministers were deep in discussion before a woman came into the room to speak to the first minister. She was furious and demanded the first minister drop everything he was doing to give her the time she felt entitled to with him.

The first minister simply paused briefly and told her, “Kindly remember Rule Number Six, please.”

The woman suddenly became calm and tranquil, apologized for her outburst, thanked him for the reminder, and left. Soon enough, another man came through the door and again, full of sound and fury, threw a fit and demanded a moment of time from the first minister’s busy schedule.

Again, the minister, unmoved, calmly stated, “Kindly remember Rule Number Six, please.”

The man was also instantly placated, bowed, apologized, and left with a Zen-like peace; the storm cloud that hung over his head when he first came in was now like a bright rainbow beaming from his eyes.

The second minister then asked, “Hey, that’s really good stuff! What’s this ‘Rule Number Six’?”

The first minister replied, “Oh, it’s simple really. It just says, ‘Don’t take yourself so goddam seriously.’”

The second minister then asked, “What are the other rules?”

“There are no other rules”, the first minister replied.

LOL: Living Out Love

The mark of a mature person is someone who can not only take a joke, but also be able to laugh at himself or herself and the absurdity that is inherent in the human condition. As the above story illustrates, all too often we are consumed by our self-importance and entitlement, and thus we forget both our place as mere mortals in the universe and our ability to relate to others as fellow human beings who share the same frustration sitting in traffic and dealing with stress.

By undergoing a session of laughing yoga with friends or strangers, you’ll soon find that not only are you remembering to literally take a breath and take yourself a little less seriously, but that if we all are suffering together, we can also laugh together and relate positively so that we can not only be reminded that we are all human, but allow ourselves to love one another and ourselves.

A few beginning exercises can be found here at the American School of Laughter Yoga. Try them out and see what you might do with a few laughs in daily life and in yoga.

 Yogasync Me!  Want more laughter? Check out this article with funny clips to make your roar!

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What to wear to my classes is quite a hard chore,
Get ideas from the yogis who walk through the door.
Do I want comfort or style??…I just want to look hot,
Show some curves, hide some bulges?? Let’s see what I’ve got.
I look in my closet…pull out something that flows,
Not too long or too short…it’s above knees and toes.

I head over to class, feeling good about me,
Dressed in my roomy blouse, to move easily.
We start in child’s pose…I like this one a lot,
Then move into down dog…this pose I forgot!
“Look at your hands”, the teacher just said…
But I can’t see my fingers…my shirt’s over my head!

Does anyone see me? Would they know my face?
Should I stay hidden or run out of this place?
Maybe others are having the same problem as me…
I decide to be quiet and hope no one will see!

But the pose that soon follows, we rise up to stand,
Now my “face mask” has fallen downward to land.
I can’t look embarrassed…just stare straight ahead,
It’s good the room’s dark…think my face is bright red!

We then set an intention, a focus that’s best,
Mine is quite simple…just to cover my chest!!

Basic Yoga Wear Guide

Yogasync Me!  Experiment at Home with these version of Down Dog – becasue a down dog at anytime of day is sure to soothe the mind, align the body and refresh vitality:

Show Me Down Dog Variety

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Would someone please put the ‘light’ back into enlightenment? The road to tranquillity has become a very serious business indeed! We have to follow the 7 steps to abundance, the 12 and a half steps to making a slice of toast that looks like Jesus and the 23 steps to turning your dog into an angel-unicorn. All this advice can make us feel laden-down and busy. The more rules and instructions there are guiding us to the big prize, the more we can fail, the more wrongs we feel we are doing instead of rights, the more sticks to beat ourselves over the head. Is not the road to enlightenment supposed to be simple and fun?

What if Buddha said ‘Fart’

Last night my husband, who was born enlightened while I have to read a zillion books to achieve a morsel of peace, made a very profound statement in response to my meandering hokey-pokey, ‘universe-speak’. He let me proceed with my “the universe this and the universe that”, faking interest and nodding in concurrence. When I finished he stated, “Buddha said that if you fart too much you’ll turn into a fart.”
I laughed heartily, “No, he didn’t!”
To which he responded, half-seriously, “How do you know?”
So it got me to thinking – he is right. The Dalai Lama, during a recent interview, joked about farting on an airplane trip. He demonstrated how he looks around carefully and, when the coast seems clear, he casually leans to one side and let’s one rip. Buddha may have, among millions of other things, made a statement about farting. In fact, I am pretty sure that Buddha, Jesus and all the other messiahs and prophets could, with a captivated audience, crack a pretty decent ‘knock-knock’ joke.

Let Laughter take Centre-Stage

Humor appears to be one of the indicators that you have ‘got it’- that deep-peace is within grasp. You no longer get bogged down by life. You look at the positive, light-hearted side of most situations. This does not mean you have eradicated pain from your life. It implies, perhaps, that you can sit with it, witness it and not run for the hills. As Charlie Chaplin said, “To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it.” Laughter may not be the dominant instrument in your orchestra but you can play it centre-stage every now and again. And if you ever fall on your rear-end and laugh, be assured that the state of Nirvana is very close indeed.

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You whip out the mat, and tie back your hair
Unless you are bald or a great grizzly bear.
You burn incense and dong a bell
You take a deep breath and approve of the smell.

You listen carefully, until you can hear
A great big nothing, the coast must be clear.
There’s nothing to do and no place to be
But to nourish this soul, this wonderful ‘me’.

There are arms and legs all over the place.
Your gait is stately, you wear a calm face.
You’re ready to start, you’re all warmed up,
“Ah, my herbal tea! I might take a sip.”

You’re definitely ready, to begin at last.
You’re ready to forget, the future and past.
Here and now – in this sacred space
Your practice starts, at an enlightened snail’s pace.

Three-part-breaths and reverse warrior pose.
During downward dog, your bum it doth rose.
Five pointed star and a bit of half moon
A graceful goddess, oh! It’s over too soon.

Life has slowed down, you could stay here all day
But you’re due back at work, for the bills you must pay.
A short meditation before you must go
Loving-kindness to all, from your heart it does flow.

Life recommences – but not as before
For you have spent an age, with yourself on the floor.
You notice the beauty in the run of the mill
For you’re a glorious yogi, all present and still.

Yogasync me! Does this poem make you smile? Keep your good mood going with this deep guided meditation:

Meditation For Happiness

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Yoga class functions as a sanctuary, a time to gather with others in order to gain deeper insight and motivation through practicing as a group. The beauty lies somewhere between quieting the mind to outside distractions and opening your practice to the energy of those around you. This can be enriching and humbling as well as unbelievably nerve-wracking. While everyone else seems to be sharing of one breath and one beating heart, the particularly apprehensive among us will be frantically pacing their Om’s so as to not come in noticeably off-key. For many, the challenges of yoga begin the moment they step into a studio, suddenly self-conscious of how the unrolling of their mat makes an ugly slapping sound when it hits the floor.

Or how they inexplicably chose an awkward spot in the far left corner and now everyone will have to step over them to reach the prop closet. How they are the only man, or the oldest, or clearly in the worst shape, and shouldn’t be here at all. Yoga class provides ample opportunity for comparisons and self-doubt, especially for a practitioner already prone to anxiety. And yet the teacher still insists we all meet and do this together, over and over again, what is wrong with her?

Expose the Fears as the Needless Limitations That They Are

It seems that any time we are asked to act in ways that render us vulnerable, a group setting only intensifies the pressure of performance and judgment. However yoga gives us the opportunity to confront many of our deep-seated fears by encouraging us to connect to the self. Yoga returns us to our heart center where peace resides. Through the very practice of its difficulties, yoga gives us tools to battle anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and fear, both on and off the mat. The act of even showing up to class is brave. Chances are you will twist the wrong way, shake, sweat, pant like a dog and even fall down in front of strangers, and still you’re here.

In fact everyone is here facing their own unique doubts about themselves, and there is strength to be gained from showing up together, for each other. During one of the more memorable classes of my life, our teacher turned on music, dimmed the lights and asked us to close our eyes; she then instructed us to dance. No one is watching, she promised, my eyes are closed too. I listened to the sounds of those around me, tentative at first but with increasing confidence, beginning to move. And for a few minutes I found myself simply dancing in the dark, no doubt very badly, but with a sense of freedom that I had never experienced before. It was liberating.

Yogasync Me!   Build your confidence at home with friends, family and yoga buddies using this hour long Yogasync especially for confidence

I Want Confidence

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Welcome to your fabulous Celebrity Yoga series.  Besides yoga movies, actors, musicians, and professional athletes, we will look at politicians and world leaders (HINT: A famous baddie in history was intrigued with yoga) and Yoga Celebrities – well known Yogis and Yoginis who have taught valuable lessons that have enhanced not only our physical health, but our spiritual well-being. Although the art of Yoga has been around for centuries, and has gained significant recognition and acceptance in many Western settings, the practice is still misunderstood and misrepresented at times. Is Yoga ever accurately portrayed on the big screen? On the small screen for that matter? Of course at Yogasync.tv it is! But what about Hollywood’s take on Yoga? This post offers several moments from both film and television that feature Yoga.

Here Comes The Boom

Nico, played by Bas Rutten, is some kind of all-purpose wellness guru. Rutten is a real life retired UCC and MMA fighter who, as Nico, now moves with a kind of endearing fluidity between one gym activity to another. First he’s working with Scott Voss (Kevin James) using jabs, feints, and a heavy bag. Then quick-as-you-please he morphs into a spinning master “OK ladies, let’s warm up those legs!” But in the clip here, he is shown as a Yoga instructor. At first, everything seems as it should. Nico is helping the class relax, “Om, Om,” he chants. But shortly he sees his pal Scott through the glass, and as he makes his way out of the room, he engages in some behavior that is not very Yogi-like. The clip is not in English, but the meaning is clear and funny.

Couples Retreat

The silliness continues in the next example from Couple’s Retreat. Several couples played by Vince Vaughn, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, Malin Akerman and more vacation together at a lush island retreat. They decide to take a “Couples Yoga” class, led by an insanely inappropriate instructor (Carlos Ponce). While everyone seems to be taking things seriously, it’s Salvadore the Yogi that demonstrates poses in unexpected ways.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Another comedic scene (that may have been cut from the original) offers Kristen Wiig in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. As “Prana”, she’s a Yogini who is a smug, condescending suck-up. And she’s also hysterical – working with Jason Segel, Russell Brand, and Kristen Bell.

Yoga is used for humor on the smaller screen as well. Here’s a look at some TV shows that incorporated a few asanas for a laugh:

The Big Bang Theory

If you have ever watched The Big Bang Theory, you can’t imagine the words “Sheldon Cooper” and “yoga” together in the same sentence. Yet here, Sheldon is working through some moves with neighbor Penny, adding his usual hilarious commentary.

Hardly Working

Yoga also surfaces on Web TV as well. In the web series Hardly Working, produced by College Humor, a group of employees take advantage of a noon-time Yoga class. What the instructors do and say makes no sense, but the results are pretty damn funny.

While it is disconcerting when something we love is not always depicted quite truthfully, these examples allow us to laugh at ourselves and not take our practice too seriously – at least not all the time.

 Yogasync Me!  Feel good after a laugh?  You’ll feel just as much delight after you try this well loved, yet seldom practiced yoga movement: 

Everybody Loves Shoulder Openers

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