What is right for YOU?

I am often asked both by my own students and by other folks who just want to know: do you know of any good yoga videos for beginners? What else do you do for fitness? etc, etc…

So, about a year ago or so, I made a handout for my students so that they could continue their practice away from class if they so choose, and recently I realized it might just be a good thing to post it here, as well! I am also editing some things that have changed since the last time I typed it up. Finally, I will be including the video suggestions I have for Seniors or those with limited mobility, and the scripture we used in class this week…

Beginner Video Rec’s

Being a complete yoga nerd myself, there are sooo many videos I could recommend for you to try, but I will limit myself! Should you not be able to find these or they are not satisfactory, let me know, and I can give you some other suggestions based on what may suit you better or just based on availability…

By the way, I suggest going to www.half.com first….I have gotten some videos from there that cost less than a dollar! With media mail shipping, that came out to $5 or less per video!

My next suggestion would be to check the “clearance” section of www.gaiam.com (and possibly yogajournal.com. Gaiam sometimes has good deals…most often Yoga Journal does not.)

Also, if you already have a list like I am giving, after www.half.com (and maybe before Gaiam), check http://www.amazon.com. They often have used videos at good prices, too, but I will say I have seen the best prices on half.com

(And with any sites in which you may be buying from a small entity rather than a large company, make sure to check out their ratings…I would hate for you to lose out on even 5 bucks because the seller was shady…)

There is also a website called www.yogaaccessories.com where I get my special props at good prices, and they may have videos.

Finally, if you prefer going to a store, Target does have a bunch of Gaiam products, but they are full price. I have seen some videos at Wal-mart previously, but I have not gone in quite some time.

So, yoga experts. You name them; I have probably heard of them…may or may not have done any of their videos. Here are a few (and not all, mind you, I know of/have more) that I would recommend to beginners:

Yoga for Christians with Susan Bordenkircher—this one comes with a book called Yoga for Christians. Very cool. My first experience before I found Yahweh yoga. Simple video, easy to follow.

Gentle Journey by Yahweh Yoga (where I trained). You may only be able to get this at their website, and full price, www.yahwehyoga.com…but it is a fun place to stop and visit anyway, and an AWESOME video. (There is also an advanced video available called “Faithful Flow”. …And a great book explaining Christian Yoga, gives pose pix, etc. I will be doing a separate book recommendation sometime.) ***Seriously, if you can spend a little more, this video is a must! I love it.

The Baron Baptiste Power Vinyasa yoga for beginners and all levels LIVE! Series…there are a few titles in this series, and I got each one for less than a buck. They are “Core Power” (mostly core workout- 30 minutes), “Unlocking Athletic Power” (all-over workout- 30 minutes), and “Soul of Strength (all-over workout- 60 minutes) Baron also has another 60 minute Power yoga video for beginners that I love—Journey into Power-Baptiste-Power Vinyasa Yoga Level 1 Beginners. These are secular videos, though he does give spiritual quotes from various faiths. Talks like Pauly Shore. Great instruction.

**Also, if you have Netflix, I know that they have his “long and lean yoga” in their streaming library…

LivingArts A.M. yoga for beginners and P.M. yoga for beginners with Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden…a 2 video set. Very simple and not very long, but a good start. (secular, not Christian…no actual faith promoted that I can remember) I will admit, I prefer the a.m. video with Rodney over the other, but that is just me.

Sara Ivanhoe’s Yoga Target Zone…a 2 disc set exclusive to Target (or so it says)…has 5, 20-minute yoga routines to be mixed and matched by you, according to what you are after that day—wanna do a little or a lot? Detox, weight loss? —and a bonus routine using a big exercise ball that is about an hour long. She is very personable and instructs well, kinda quirky and funny, too. I love this when I don’t have a lot of time but know I need to do SOMETHING. Also, secular, though she does give you some yogic hand gestures to use at the end, should you choose, but these are pretty much the physical part of yoga, less of the spiritual.

Just My Size: Yoga with Megan Garcia…This video was designed specifically with plus-size viewers in mind, but I found it to be a great instructional video that is not intimidating in the least. The actual “workout” portion did not seem to focus on anything particular to the video’s intended demographic, but there is a special feature with tips that might help. Truly, it is just a very basic pose “dip your toe in the water” kind of a thing, so for the absolutely new-to-yoga, not a bad idea to try…

Some of these videos will include at the end, the salutation, Namaste. Think of it as Shalom. It means the Divine with me acknowledges/is grateful to the Divine within you. (We call that the Holy Spirit, and hallelujah, Amen!)

Loving you all,

Robyn

Addendum to Video Rec’s

Addendum: Do you have Seniors or Friends w/limited mobility? I recommend these: “Yoga for the Rest of Us” by Peggy Cappy, and “Lillias! A.M. and P.M. Yoga”. Also, the Just My Size: Yoga with Megan Garcia might be a good fit, especially for the more mobile within this category, but not yet ready for a vigorous flow…

Addendum #2: I do not only do yoga as exercise. We all know by now that we will only do what we enjoy. For some of you, you may love getting out your aggressions in another form of exercise, and yoga complements it by bringing you flexibility, relaxation, and peace. For some of you, the rest of your life seems so aggressive that you are enjoying yoga so much as an antidote! Know that any exercise can complement or enhance your yoga, and yoga can enhance or complement your fave other exercise. (Also, some exercises do create imbalances in our bodies, but yoga is great to re-balance them! Ex: tense hips and tight hamstrings go hand-in-hand with walking and jogging; but don’t let that stop you…it is only temporary!) Personally, I prefer to walk outside and be grounded in nature, but sometimes I love jumping on a mini-trampoline, doing a tae-bo workout, or just dancing around my house to the radio…whatever! It is all JUST PRACTICE, just like yoga, so enjoy! Pick what your body is intuitively telling you that you need, and don’t just cow-tow to what the world says works…you have the mind of Christ. Trust it.

Other things I love to do: Budokon videos (with Cameron Shayne), rebounding videos (on my little trampoline…but also just listening to Praise music or sometimes watching tv), Bellydancing videos for Beginners (surprisingly fun! Like Dancing Yoga!), Zumba (live classes are more fun than videos, but in a pinch…), bicycle riding, walking or jogging (ESPECIALLY if it is Chi-walking, or Chi-Running, much nice for your joints. Google them; you may be glad you did!), regular “workout videos” such as P90x or Women’s Health: Train for your Body Type get rotated into my schedule, and of course, lots of Advanced Yoga videos! (That would be a whole other list!!!)

Just move….breathe…pray…focus…let it go and let it flow in Him!

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As always, God’s timing is perfect.  I knew that I would be blogging soon with the above recommendations, and I knew that I would be blogging this week’s scripture, but I did NOT realize until just now how complimentary they are!  How’s THAT for God wanting to get a message across!  You and I are each originals, with individual likes/dislikes, talents, weaknesses, passions, needs…so we choose according to His will and design for our own little selves…

Galatians 5:25-26 (The Message)

25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

Have a most blessed and highly favored week-end/week, daughter or son of the Most High God.  You are a work of art, an individual Vessel of Clay, crafted and molded by the Ultimate Potter, with GENTLENESS and LOVE.
Any thoughts?  Feel free to post!