Teacher Appreciation Day & Teaching the Teacher

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day.  I offer much gratitude to all of our wonderful Mat Works teachers.

Today is also my last workday of this week.  Tomorrow is the first day of my advanced yoga studies teacher training at the Asheville Yoga Center.  I will have three days of instruction to further my knowledge base in yoga.

Being a teacher is very rewarding.  Knowing that I can apply my knowledge to help others is satisfying and healing.  As teachers, we can tire and we can become stale.  Taking time away from the work and continuing our education keeps us balanced and up-to-date, so that we have more to share with students--with all of the Mat Works Yoga community.

I've been waiting a long time to study with Gary Kraftsow, founder and director of the American Viniyoga Institute.  My class is "Therapeutics and Viniyoga".  We will study how to offer yoga therapy for the lower back, sacrum and hips; as well as the upper back, neck and shoulders.  These new skills wills allow me to assist many of our Mat Works students like Despina Yeargin, who needs daily therapy for neck and shoulder tightness and pain.

I look forward to continuing our yoga practice together.  This is a wonderful and healing community of dedicated teachers and students.  We are all blessed.

Namaste,
Debbie

Super Healthy Super Chicken Recipe for the Superbowl

We all love celebrations. It's a great time to share in common joy.

One of the most treasured celebrations in the majority of American homes is the once-a-year Superbowl party! Mat Works Yoga friend, Despina Panagakos Yeargin, has posted a healthy, simple and quick recipe that you may wish to try at your next celebration, possibly a Superbowl party. It's called SUPERchicken, a chicken recipe with the veggies in the chicken.

You can find Despina's recipe at http://www.alphagoodcookcooking.blogspot.com/

Don't let the hurried pace of the holidays get you down. You can continue to be good to your body by doing a few simple things:

• Take a breathing break. Stop your work for ONE minute, sit comfortably in your chair, rest you head and neck comfortably, put your hands to your sides or rest them on your lap, close your eyes and B-R-E-A-T-H-E. A deep breath in through the nose and a long one out through the nose. Tongue resting against the roof of the mouth, continue your breathing, gradually lengthening the 'out' breath. Surprise, surprise--you feel better, there is more oxygen in your body and you have reduced your stress.


• Grow or buy organic sprouts. Add them to your salad at lunch or dinner. Consider them a concentrated form of nutrition--good medicine for your hurry up pace of life right now. Is that easy or what?


• Turn the T.V. off and hold the hand of a loved one. We ALL know how good that feels!


• Have a hot cup of green tea. The steam from the hot liquid will add good moisture to your face and to your sinuses and the tea will help your body to detox. A good thing, right?


• If you have time, come to one of our holiday schedule yoga classes. The best medicine for your body and soul during these busy times

Namaste