Finding Freedom

Written by Kim Fischer, below is a recent article taken from her blog, Lotus Life Yoga. Kim is a certified yoga instructor at our Syracuse CNY Healing Arts Center. Class schedule here.

There is an old Hindu saying, “As the mind, so the man. Bondage or liberation are in your own mind.” Meaning, nothing outside of the mind can create the feeling of bondage or liberation, only your reaction to it can do that. Within the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali goes on to explain this further with a few simple sentences, “If you feel bound, you are bound. if you feel liberated, you are liberated.” It’s as simple as that.

Being able to appreciate what is around you while holding feelings of contentment within the heart, is one goal of yoga. The flip side of this, is the hardest part of yoga practice, if you ask me. Which is, feeling content and appreciative when everything is going wrong, or we are in a “bad” situation. We too often, think the grass is greener somewhere else, we seek what we don’t have, desire what someone else does, and are left feeling miserable.

One thing that students tell me repeatedly is that their yoga practice has helped them to see the “light” within their lives. Ordinary situations seem special and new. Their relationships have that “spark” again and so on. It isn’t that those wonderful feelings ever left us, its more or less that we left them. Yoga is a path that leads us back to the realization that where we are, with whom we are, with what we are, is PERFECT. It also gives us the tools needed to feel liberated within life’s sticky and overwhelming situations. No longer do we let the situation determine how we feel, how we will react, and so forth. We are humbly in control now. Ahhhh, now that’s freedom!

Stop looking for that pot of gold elsewhere. You’ve had it all along!

Namaste,
Kim

Video: Herbal Formula for Morning Sickness

 

I’d like to talk to you a little bit about our Morning Sickness Formula.  This is a great formula.  It helps calm the fetus and calm the mother at the same time.  As we all know, morning sickness can pose some serious problems.  There’s a lot of stress on the mother and the baby, not to mention the weight loss; so this is a really, really good formula.  It helps to harmonize the stomach so there’s less nausea and vomiting, and it keeps the pressure off of the baby.  It’s very safe to take.  You can take it for long periods of time. 

Keeping that in mind, once you’re out of your first trimester, we stop you on this formula.  If things continue to be difficult, and evolve into Hyperemesis, what I’d recommend is acupuncture.  Acupuncture is very good at calming morning sickness.

Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

Video: Herb Formula for Fertility and Balancing

Our first formula that we’re going to talk about is a Fertile Tonic.  This formula helps maintain and balance out menstrual cycles.  Often times, throughout fertility cycle; whether it be IVF or a natural cycle, women often have a higher FSH cycle.  With this formula, it’s specifically formulated to help lower those hormone levels.  It’s a matter of balancing the hormone levels and lowering the FSH levels.  It’s a very safe formula, it’s is one of our most popular formulas.  It should be taken 1-3 months before your IVF or IUI cycle, or 1-3 months before conception.  Once you’ve maintained a positive pregnancy, then we will switch you to a new formula.

Our first formula that we’re going to talk about is a Fertile Tonic.  This formula helps maintain and balance out menstrual cycles.  Often times, throughout fertility cycle; whether it be IVF or a natural cycle, women often have a higher FSH cycle.  With this formula, it’s specifically formulated to help lower those hormone levels.  It’s a matter of balancing the hormone levels and lowering the FSH levels.  It’s a very safe formula, it’s is one of our most popular formulas.  It should be taken 1-3 months before your IVF or IUI cycle, or 1-3 months before conception.  Once you’ve maintained a positive pregnancy, then we will switch you to a new formula.

Donald Clarke, L.Ac.

CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse

315.671.5755     

dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

The Health Benefits of Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

There are generally three variations on Warrior Pose; this is the first. CNY Healing Arts encourages you to incorporate this dynamite asana into your daily yoga routine. Even better, check out our yoga class schedules by location (Syracuse, Rochester, Albany) to practice Virabhadrasana I with a licensed yoga practitioner. 

Getting Into Warrior I Pose: 

Begin in High Lunge with your right leg forward. If you are in correct stance, your right knee should be directly over your right ankle. Your right toes should point straight ahead and your left toes should be pointed 45-60 degrees away from your body.

Make sure your right heel is in line with your left heel, then engage your legs by pressing through your feet. Bring your hands to your hips, squaring your hips and shoulders straight ahead. Then, relax your shoulders down your back and gently draw them together.

Inhale and lift your arms straight up over your head, palms facing each other. If possible, bring your palms together. Now, reach up strongly through your arms. Avoid puffing out your sides; rather lift through your sternum so you can feel a nice stretch in your entire torso and spine. Keep your shoulders relaxed and chest lifted.

To deepen the stretch, keep your palms together and gently arch your back, gazing up towards the ceiling. Remember, your body is a temple capable of miraculous things. Feel strength and stability in your stance. Breathe deep and steady for several breaths.

To release, come back into high lunge, straighten the right leg, pivot your body 90 degress to the left, and point your toes in the same direction. Extend your arms out to your sides and you will be in Utthita Hasta Padasana (Extended Hands and Feet Pose). Take a few breaths of relaxation and repeat the exercise with your left foot forward. 

Benefits of Warrior I Pose: 

• Strengthens your shoulders, arms, legs, ankles and back
• Opens yours hips, chest and lungs
• Improves focus, balance and stability
• Encourages good circulation and respiration
• Stretches your arms, legs, shoulders, neck, belly, groins and ankles
• Energizes the entire body

Massage: A Natural Boost for Your Body

            Many of us know how wonderful it feels to receive a massage from a licensed therapist, yet we often overlook the true, long-lasting benefits of a good rubdown. In 2010, studies done by researchers from Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, led by Dr. Mark Rapaport, showed that a single massage can produce significant changes in the health of the immune system and endocrine system.

            This, along with numerous other studies, indicates that there is more to massage therapy than just feeling good; it holds actual scientific and medical credibility, which stems from the body’s heightened immune response to massage treatment. Massage therapy can benefit you by: 

• Increasing your body’s “natural killer cells,” the immune system’s first line of defense against invading sickness
• Decreasing stiffness and discomfort, especially from injury
• Reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol
• Boosting feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine
• Controlling blood pressure
• Lessening the effects of stress, anxiety and depression
• Decreasing pain by blocking your nervous system’s pain receptors
• Easing symptoms of migraines, mood swings, labor pain, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), cancer, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis
• Encouraging better sleep by increasing the brain waves associated with deep sleep (delta waves)
• Boosting alertness and improving attention span
• Improving circulation of bodily fluids like blood and lymph
• Encouraging less aggressive behavior by reducing levels of the hormone arginine vasopressin

 

At CNY Healing Arts, we offer customized massage treatment, Maya Abdominal Massage, prenatal massage, raindrop therapy, Reiki treatment for reproductive health, and much more. To learn more about us, including our team of Licensed Massage Therapists (LMT), check out our staff by location: Syracuse, Rochester, or Albany.

The Health Benefits of Utthita Hasta Padasana (Extended Hands and Feet Pose)

Utthita Hasta Padasana can easily be overlooked as an intermediary pose. Truthfully, it is rarely practiced at yoga class by itself, yet still holds important benefits. This asana will help you measure the correct distance your feet should be spread apart when in standing postures.

When you complete that simultaneous step of hopping your feet apart and spreading your arms to their full extent, your ankles should be somewhat below your wrists. This is your ideal stance for standing poses.

If you are having trouble completing a standing pose, like the Warrior Poses, whatever is going wrong can often be traced back to an intermediary pose like this one. It is much easier to correct your initial stance here then in the full pose.

Getting Into Extended Hands and Feet Pose: 

Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Your weight should be balanced evenly throughout your thighs, calves, ankles and feet. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Simultaneously, lengthen your entire spine and firm your thighs as you turn them inward.

Make sure to straighten the spine through the neck, balancing your head evenly between your shoulders so your chin in parallel to the floor.  Gaze softly ahead of you, then, rest your shoulders down on your back.

Lift your elbows to shoulder-height and brings your fingertips together in front of your chest, palms facing down. Lift and open your chest – avoid puffing your sides forward, but lift through the sternum.

Inhale and hop (or lightly step) your feet about 4-5 feet wide, extending your arms out straight at the same time. Your feet should be parallel to each other. Actively stretch from your shoulders to the tips of your fingers and from your hips to your heels. Hold posture for several long, deep breaths. 

Benefits of Extended Hands and Feet Pose: 

• Opens your chest
• Strengthens your legs
• Helps you develop good stance for standing poses

Restorative Yoga: Offered Regularly at CNY Healing Arts Centers

Video: Fertility Herbs offered at CNY Healing Arts

Hello, my name is Donald Clarke and I’m an acupuncturist here at CNY Healing Arts.  I want to take this time to give you a little introduction about the herbs that we offer.  Our herbs vary from fertility formulas to non-fertility formulas.  Today, we’re going to talk about some of the fertility formulas—some of the most popular ones.  We’re going to go over why you’d want to take them, when you would take them, and how you would take them.  If at any time after this, if you want to contact me or any of the acupuncturists here, please you can email us or just call us directly. 

Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

Video: Herbal Formula for Endometriosis: Chong Ren Care

 


I’d like to talk to you a little bit about our next formula which is called Chong Ren Care.  It’s a formula that we use to treat endometriosis with.  It’s a great formula in that it helps provide lots of blood flow to the uterine wall, and lowers the chance of any kind of endometrial tissue from migrating away from the uterus.  It’s a great formula; it’s a very safe formula, a very mild formula.  Some of the side effects of endometriosis are painful intercourse.  This is a great formula to help lessen the pain and lessen the side effects.  Sometimes you’ll see severe fatigue with endometriosis.  It’s another great formula to lessen those symptoms of pain, fatigue.  It’s a great formula and I highly recommend it.

Donald Clarke, L.Ac.
CNY Healing Arts – Syracuse
315.671.5755
dclarke@cnyhealingarts.com

The Health Benefits of High Lunge

            Although this pose is quite popular in most yoga classes, the high lunge does not have an official Sanskrit name. Some refer to it as Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana, while others leave out the word “utthita,” which means raised in English. By itself, “ashwa sanchalanasana” can be translated to mean equestrian pose or riding posture.

            Just as it has several Sanskrit names, high lunge also has many variations. To practice this pose with a licensed yoga teacher, check out our yoga class schedules by location. If you have any sort of knee injury, we especially recommend that you consult a practitioner before performing high lunge.

Getting Into High Lunge:

            Begin in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog). Inhale and step your right foot forward between your hands, or use your hand to inch it up. Keep your left foot toward the back edge of your mat, with the ball of the foot on the floor.

Take a stance so your right knee can form a right angle: knee over ankle, shin perpendicular to the floor. Try to keep your right thigh parallel to the floor, but, if your right groin is too stiff, you can allow your thigh to sink toward the floor. Keep your hips squared. Anchor the left (back) heel to the floor by lifting the inner left groin deep into the pelvis.

            Now, exhale and lay the right side of your torso on your right thigh (or bring it as close as you can get it). Lengthen your torso forward, stretching the spine. Make sure you are distributing your weight evenly on your right foot, not too much on the heel or toes. You should be able to feel the hamstring engage as well as the quad.

            Press your fingertips or palms into the floor (shoulder-width apart). Breathe deeply and hold for as long as is comfortable. Look forward as you hold, or down at the floor if you have neck problems. When you are ready to release, exhale and step your right foot back beside the left, coming into Downward Dog once again. Repeat with your left foot forward.

Benefits of High Lunge:

• Opens your groins and hips
• Stretches and tones your legs, especially thighs
• Strengthens your knees, ankles and waist
• Stimulates abdominals organs
• Increases stamina and lung capacity
• Lengthens the spine, thereby stretching the chest
• Therapeutic for indigestion, constipation, sciatica