Don't know of any better birth preparation than yoga

The practice involves not just exercise but mindfulness as well, opening both your body and mind to what lies ahead. A study of 74 first-time mothers in Thailand found that those who did prenatal yoga experienced less pain and a shorter labour.

Whether you believed in his politics, or not...

Jack Layton was greatly loved by Canadians. RIP Jack Layton. 1950-2011

This past Saturday (less than 48 hours before he died), Jack Layton penned a very moving two page letter to Canadians. The letter can be found here.

Politics aside here are a just a couple of excerpts:

“Unfortunately, my treatment has not worked out as I hoped,” he wrote. “So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.”

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world." -August 20 2011-Jack Layton 1950-2011

“In meditation, effort must be applied in a direction opposite to what we are used to. Our ‘effort’ must be to relax ever more deeply. We must ultimately release the tension from both our muscles and our thoughts. When we relax so deeply that we are able to internalize the energy of the senses, the mind becomes focused and a tremendous flow of energy is awakened. Meditation is a continuous process, and can be said to have three stages: relaxation, interiorization, and expansion.” – John Novak, Lessons in Meditation.

Here is my fall schedule and the time to register is now :)

You don't need to bring a thing, just yourself! And registering not only ensures that a class will run, but saves you $3 per class. This is affordable yoga! (just as it should be)

The Roundhouse Community Center

located at the corner of Davie @ Pacific across from the "Roundhouse" Canada Line Skytrain

Prenatal Yoga

Tues and/or Thurs evening from 545pm-715pm

Sept 6-Oct 25/Nov 1-Dec 20

Sept 8-Oct 27/Nov 3-Dec 22

Baby and Me Yoga

Thurs afternoon from 1230pm-2pm

Sept 8-Oct 27/Nov 3-Dec 22

Mixed levels Hatha (always with a little yin and vinyasa thrown in)

Tues evening from 730pm-9pm

Sept 6-Oct 25/Nov 1-Dec 20

**NEW**

Yoga for Limited Mobility

Thurs evening from 730pm-830pm

Sept 8-Oct 20/Oct 27/Dec 8

To register for my Roundhouse classes call 604-713-1800 or click here

Mount Pleasant Community Centre

located at #1 Kingsway @ 7th (corner of Main St and 7th Ave at Kingsway)

Daytime Hatha

Mon and/or Wed afternoon from 1230pm-2pm

Sept 12-Oct 31 (no class oct 10) / Nov 7-Dec 19

Prenatal Yoga

Wed evening from 630pm-745pm

Sept 14-Oct 26/Nov 2-Dec 21

Baby and Me Yoga

Mon morning/afternoon from 1045am-1215pm

Sept 12-Oct 31 (no class oct 10) / Nov 7-Dec 19

To register for classes at Mount Pleasant call 604-257-3080 or click here

*All classes/costs are prorated as well and it is much cheaper to register than to drop in at both places.*

The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic system, which is often identified with the fight-or-flight response, and the parasympathetic, which is identified with what's been called the relaxation response. When you do yoga - the deep breathing, the stretching, the movements that release muscle tension, the relaxed focus on being present in your body - you initiate a process that turns the fight-or-flight system off and the relaxation response on. That has a dramatic effect on the body. The heartbeat slows, respiration decreases, blood pressure decreases. The body seizes this chance to turn on the healing mechanisms. ~Richard Faulds