Dhara Yoga San Diego Gentle Yoga

Daily Practice, Local Sages

May 2012

Daily Practice

Finding a regular time every day for your yoga practice at home can extend the benefits you are experiencing in class. You can make it as simple as doing Shavasana/Relaxation Pose or one of the Daily Four. Spending regular time with one asana, you may find a natural inclination to grow your practice.

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Facebook

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Local Sages

We have a variety of wild sages growing locally, and they are all in resplendent fresh leaf and flower right now. Most people are familiar with White Sage/Salvia apiana as it is often used for incense, but there are others that are just as lovely for that purpose as well as other uses. A little bit of black sage is a delicious addition to casseroles and stuffings. A couple other plants are like the salvias/sages, but they really aren’t, Basin/Big Sage/Artemisia tridentata and Coastal Sage/Artemisia californica. Coastal Sage is an effective female hormonal balancer for all ages. Not only as incense, sages are effective detoxifiers internally. Be sure to use them in very small doses because they are very powerful and have a drying effect.

We have a plant zone called Coastal Sage Scrub that is at risk, nearly endangered, because so much has been removed by land developments. Particular developments that are a great sorrow are the new freeways that take out large corridors of Coastal Sage Scrub and wildlife and then are replanted with non-natives.

These plants are available from Coastal Sage Gardening.

Wild Sages appear in my salves, oils, lip balm, essences, and spray. Please see the store page.

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Special Additional Dhara Yoga Classes for June

These classes are free and additional to our regularly scheduled classes. Please join us! Please see the April Living Yoga newsletter for the special free May classes.

Pt. Loma United Methodist Church
1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.

Please call or email to register
619-788-4838   info@dharayoga.com

Intro to Chair Yoga
Wednesday June 6
12:00-12:45  Free
Experience how Chair Yoga can offer you flexibility and inner harmony for your special condition.

Yoga for Your Back
Wednesday June  20
12:00-12:45   Free
Yoga can  help heal back pain and facilitate post-injury and post-surgery recovery.

Discount Yoga Therapy Day
Friday June 22
$15 for 30 minute session
By Appointment
Meditative hands-on Yoga Therapy for your special condition.
Call or email to make an appointment.

On-Going Dhara Yoga Services

Please see the Classes and Therapy page

Gentle Yoga
Chair Yoga
Yoga Therapy
Healthy Food Consultation
Herbal Consultation

Copyright © 2012 by Julia Doughty

Pause, Elder Flowers, Yucca Flowers

April 2012

Pause

In class, some of the pauses you do are:
–When you roll to your side
–In between one asana and another
–Within an asana

You can continue this practice throughout your day, taking a few moments to breathe and just notice what’s going on with your whole being.

This helps you to be focused and aware, and it is a way to release deeply held tensions.

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Elder Flowers

Elder trees are blooming now. Our native Elder is Sambuca Mexicana. The flowers are helpful for colds, flu, fevers, viruses, respiratory infections, and for general strengthening of immunity.

Add some flowers to pennyroyal herb for a tea.

Or, put some in hot water and place a towel over your head for a toning facial steam. Also, a bath with the flowers will help pull out toxins.

Later in the year, we’ll talk about Elder berries.

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Yucca Flowers

The beautiful Yucca is also in bloom. Gather fresh, young flowers from Our Lord’s Candle/Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei) or Mojave Yucca/Spanish Bayonet (Yucca schidigera).

Remove the bitter center of the flower. Cook the petals in boiling water until soft. Add them to a stir-fry.

Coastal Sage Gardening has these plants.

You can get dried pennyroyal and elder flowers from In Harmony Herbs and Spices.

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Special Free Dhara Yoga Classes for May

These classes are free and additional to our regularly scheduled classes. Please join us! Please see the March Living Yoga newsletter for the special free April classes.

Pt. Loma United Methodist Church
1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.
Call or email to register
619-788-4838   info@dharayoga.com

Yoga for Autoimmune Conditions
Tuesday May 8
12:30-1:30   Free
Yoga can help the physical, emotional, and lifestyle issues that go along with having an autoimmune condition. You can do yoga even if you are not flexible or are unable to be on the floor. We will also talk about the benefits of Yoga Therapy. No previous experience is necessary.
Please call or email to register.

Meditation for Stress, Illness, and Pain
Wednesday May 23
12:00-12:45   Free
Find your natural ability to relax and breathe easily. And with that discover your vast inner resources for being flexible and generous with life’s challenging circumstances. We will explore calming practices that you can do sitting, standing, or in any situation.

On-going Dhara Yoga Classes and Services
Please see the Classes and Therapy page

Gentle Yoga
Chair Yoga
Yoga Therapy
Healthy Food Consultation
Herbal Consultation

Copyright © 2012 by Julia Doughty

3-Part Yoga Breath, Miner’s Lettuce and Dudleya

March 2012

3-Part Yoga Breath

We’ve been doing 3-Part Full Yoga Breath, Ujjayi Pranayama, at the beginning of class. Some of the benefits of this breath are:
Improves circulation and heart
Strengthens immunity
Increases stamina and lung capacity
Purifies your system
Helps soothe respiratory problems

This breath can be done throughout your day, and it is ok to do it while standing or sitting.

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Miner’s Lettuce and Ladyfinger Dudleya

Miner’s Lettuce is both easy to grow and to harvest in the wild. It will be a delicious addition to your spring salads.

Also, Ladyfinger Dudleya is looking beautifully plump from our recent rains and is sending up new flower stalks. It can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. You can grow it in a container or in a dry shady or semi-shady area.

Both of these are available from Coastal Sage Gardening. (And they are offering free packets of seeds throughout the month of March.)

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Special Classes for April

These classes are free and additional to our regularly scheduled classes. Please join us! (Please see the February Living Yoga newsletter for the free special March classes.)
Call or email to register: info@dharayoga.com or (619) 788-4838
Pt. Loma United Methodist Church
1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.

Gluten-Free and Whole Grains
Wednesday April 11
12:00-12:45   Free
Find out how to easily prepare and replace the gluten in your diet with scrumptious whole grains that provide a wealth of nutrients and fiber.

Intro to Chair Yoga
Monday April 16
11:15-12:15   Free
Experience how Chair Yoga can offer you flexibility and inner harmony for your special condition.

Intro to Gentle Yoga
Thursday April 19
12:30-1:30   Free
Join us for this introduction to Gentle Yoga that anyone can do regardless of their level of physical ability, including seniors and those with special conditions.

Yoga for Depression, Anxiety, and Grief
Wednesday April 25
12:00-12:45   Free
Yoga can soothe your depression, anxiety, and grief. You can do yoga even if you are not flexible or are unable to be on the floor. We will also talk about the benefits of Yoga Therapy. No previous experience is necessary.

On-Going Dhara Yoga Services
Please see the Classes and Therapy page

Gentle Yoga
Chair Yoga
Yoga Relaxation/Shavasana Clinic
Yoga Therapy
Healthy Food Consultation
Herbal Consultation

Copyright © 2012 by Julia Doughty