Author: Laura

Exercises in willpower & futility

Laura with hands in prayer poseWhile doing the first 40-Day Meditation Challenge of 2012 at Bound Lotus Meditation & Yoga Centre, I’ve also committed to 40 days without alcohol. I’ve temporarily given up liquor not so much to cleanse, but as an exercise in willpower and to allow the meditation to have as much impact as possible.

It’s a good thing I’m not hoping to detox my liver for the rest of the year by taking 40 days off from alcohol as British Liver Trust and other health professionals state that “detoxing for just a month in January is medically futile.” The Globe & Mail’s article on The right way to detox your liver recommends staying away from alcohol for two or three days straight every week to allow your liver to recover.

So after the 40-Day Meditation Challenge is done on February 11, my more important challenge will be exercising my willpower and taking a couple of days in a row off from my nightly glass of wine…

And maybe committing to the next 40-Day Meditation Challenge when it starts on February 20!

“The whole point of yoga is to get rid of ego”

Laura wobbling on one leg in treeThis article on How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body from the New York Times is making the rounds and certainly serves as a reminder to listen to your body and keep your ego off the mat.

Asana is not a panacea or a cure-all. In fact, if you do it with ego or obsession, you’ll end up causing problems.

– Yoga teacher Glenn Black

I’ve certainly pushed myself too hard doing asanas (yoga postures) and suffered the consequences for days after. Thankfully I haven’t had any catastrophic injuries like those described in the article, but it’s easy to see how they could happen.

Every time I practice I remind myself to stay in the moment, listen to my body, and accept that whatever it’s capable of doing that day.  If some part of my body hurts, I need to respect that and move out of the pose or find another approach. Sometimes that means using lots of props, other times it’s just backing off a bit or being okay wobbling on one leg. Often I need to remind myself that yoga is not a competition (not even with myself!) and surrendering my ego is part of the practice. That last part generally means laughing at myself 🙂

If you’re looking for a really laid-back, no ego involved practice this weekend, I’ll be subbing Randi’s Restorative Yoga class on Saturday afternoon (3:15-4:30pm on January 7 at Bound Lotus). Randi’s Restorative classes are always fabulous and I hope to live up to her excellent example. In addition to being an incredible teacher, Randi also founded Samana Wellness to help people find balance and nourishment through yoga and nutrition.

Randi will be teaching Restorative Yoga again on Sunday (6-7:15pm on January 8 at Bound Lotus) and I’ll be there… striving to get my ego off the mat!

Yin on Fridays & new mellow music

Wrap up your work week (or kick-off your weekend!) with yin yoga. Join me at Bound Lotus (161 East 1st St., North Vancouver) on Fridays, starting January 6, for a yummy yin yoga class from 6:30-7:35pm.

Yin yoga is a great way to de-stress and refuel. It lets you settle into postures, relax your muscles, and target often neglected connective tissue. Yin brings to life the yogic idea of a quiet body leading to a quiet mind.

And all my yin classes end with a guided rest in savasana – the ultimate in delicious relaxation!

Speaking of relaxation, I’ve updated the Listen page with a few new tracks. A couple are winter-themed, including my new favourite holiday song: Winter Song by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson. I’ve been loving waking up to Winter Song and having it in my head through the morning… hopefully it keeps me going through what looks like it will be a rainy January in Vancouver!

Laura & Sofie in dolphin pose

Laura’s certifications & training

Updated April 2012
View resume

Certifications & training

Additional education

Presentations

  • Facilitation skills for info pros, January 2011
    Continuing Education, BC Libraries Association; Vancouver, BC
  • Creating Order Out of Chaos: Writing and Maintaining Web Design Standards, October 2009
    Netspeed Conference, The Alberta Library; Calgary, AB

View resume

Yin class Jan. 2 & Meditation Challenge

Twisting at Bound LotusI’ll be teaching a yin yoga class at Bound Lotus (161 East 1st Street in North Van) on Monday, January 2 from 1:00pm to 2:15pm.

Come join me for a relaxing an invigorating class to start-off 2012! Yin yoga is a wonderful way to centre your mind and access the connective tissue in your body for a really deep stretch.

I’m also starting a 40-Day Meditation Challenge at Bound Lotus on Tuesday, January 3 – that’s 40 straight days of doing the same 11 minute meditation. Meditating in a group is a powerful experience and Bound Lotus makes it easy by offering three times a day on weekdays (7:30am, 8:00am, and 5:30pm) and two sessions a day on weekends (8:00am on Saturdays, 9:00am on Sundays, and 5:00pm both days) to come together to meditate.

Learn more about the 40-Day Meditation Challenge on the Bound Lotus website.

Winter songs

Music that captures the seasonal spirit and works as a soundtrack to a yoga practice. Take a look at the Listen page for a full list of songs that are great for a yoga practice and at the Meditate page for meditation music I recommend. Click on the iTunes button to purchase a specific song.

  • In the Morning by Jack Johnson In the Morning - In the Morning - Single
  • Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song) by Meiko Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song) - Winter Songs
  • Misteltoe by Colbie Callait Mistletoe - Winter Songs
  • River by Joni Mitchell River - Blue
  • Song for a Winter’s Night by Sarah McLachlan Song for a Winter's Night - Wintersong
  • Winter Song by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson Winter Song - Winter Songs