Tag: Yoga

Day 4 of 5 day Warrior

Published on by Cindy Georgakas3 Comments

Day 4 of The 5 Day Warrior

· May 9-16 · 7-day spirited yoga retreat hosted by Erica Jago and Mari Sierra At the exclusive eco-resort, Haramara, Sayulita, Mexico
· May 9-16 ·
7-day spirited yoga retreat hosted by Erica Jago and Mari Sierra
At the exclusive eco-resort, Haramara, Sayulita, Mexico

Erica Jago is a skilled beautiful Yogini, Graphic Designer, and author who teaches and leads workshops in finding your voice and calling.

The workshop I took from her was called The Creative Pause which focused on finding your inner writer.

Erica has a soft grounded presence which is both ethereal and magical.

She is strikingly beautiful and soft-spoken.  At first you might think that she might blow away when you see her but she connects so deeply to Mother Earth, she is solid as a rock and very insightful.

Her story is compelling and reminds us all to trust our path and journey always listening to our internal messages.

She is also an engineer and was working in the field a few years ago.  She suffered from an eating disorder for 18 years and as a way of finding refuge she started taking yoga classes.  She was invited to take the teacher training program, probably because in looking at her she has the body and grace of a ballerina.  As she began putting sequences together she started drawing stick figures to remember what she would teach in classes.  While doing so she had a vision that this would be useful to other practicing students and teachers and the idea of a book was born.  When she got laid off she delved in head first and Co Authored the book “The Art of Attention: Book One and Healing Cards”, and started teaching and leading workshops full-time.  Her book and yoga became her teacher for internal healing from her eating disorder and she is so grateful and blessed to be walking this path of freedom and eager to share her gifts.

Barbara Gong Master Cole, hit the gongs in the background as we did Kapalabhati breathing (also known as Shinning Skull or Fierce Breathing ) for over 7 minutes.  I expected movement, but we sat in meditation and did breath work for the entire class.

Between the meditation, breathing, and gongs, my entire body vibrated; creating bliss, clarity, and calmness, opening my senses and chakras. There were no words; but quiet and peace, as I connected to my Sahasrara crown chakra opening to the heavens towards the white light.

OM, OM, OM

When the class was over there was a feeling of transformation that echoed in the tent with the smell of the ocean breeze.

We were then instructed to let our inner writer out.

Here is my unedited version that spoke to me.

WISDOM FROM THE EARTH

A blade of grass touching my toes like a tree rooted in the ground reaching to find light.

Fragile with jagged edges yet strong making its way to be known.  It will be cut and go back to the Earth from which it came, but its seeds will fly creating, more grasses to sprout and bloom just like our ancestors that came before us.  No longer do we need to know who they are or their genetic code, because they live in us and we in them.

We are the carriers of this message of truth.

Fear not:  We carry the torch and light the path and when our job is done we will join that blade of grass without hesitation, concern or worry; but rather happy and fulfilled blessed by the perfection of this miraculous design.

Smiles,
Cindy

The Day 4 of the 5 Day Warrior

Published on by Cindy GeorgakasLeave a comment

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Day 4 of The 5 Day Warrior

Erica Jago is a skilled beautiful Yogini, Graphic Designer, and author who teaches and leads workshops in finding your voice and calling.

The workshop I took from her was called The Creative Pause which focused on finding your inner writer.

Erica has a soft grounded presence which is both ethereal and magical.

She is strikingly beautiful and soft spoken and at first you might think that she might blow away when you see her but she connects so deeply to Mother Earth she is solid as a rock and very insightful.

Her story is compelling and reminds us all to trust our path and journey always listening to our internal messages.

She is also an engineer and was working in the field a few years ago.  She suffered from an eating disorder for 18 years and as a way of finding refuge she started taking yoga classes.  She was invited to take the teacher training program probably because in looking at her she has the body and grace of a ballerina.  As she began putting sequences together she started drawing stick figures to remember what she would teach in classes.  While doing so she had a vision that this would be useful to other practicing students and teachers and the idea of a book was born.  When she got laid off she delved in head first and Co Authored the book “The Art of Attention: Book One and Healing Cards”, and started teaching and leading workshops full time.  Her book and yoga became her teacher for internal healing from her eating disorder and she is so grateful and blessed to be walking this path of freedom and eager to share her gifts.

Barbara Gong Master Cole, hit the gongs in the background as we did Kapalabhati breathing (also known as Shinning Skull or Fierce Breathing ) for over 7 minutes.  I expected movement, but we sat in meditation and did breath work for the entire class.

Between the meditation, breathing, and gongs, my entire body vibrated; creating bliss, clarity, and calmness, openness of my senses and chakras. There were no words; but quiet and peace, as I connected to my Sahasrara crown chakra opening to the heavens towards the white light.

OM, OM, OM

When the class was over there was a feeling of transformation that echoed in tent with the smell of the ocean breeze.

We were then instructed to let our inner writer out.

Here is my unedited version that spoke to me.

A blade of grass touching my toes like a tree rooted in the ground reaching to find light.

Fragile with jagged edges yet strong making it’s way to be known.  It will be cut and go back to the Earth from which it came, but its seeds will fly creating, more grasses to sprout and bloom just like our ancestors that came before us.  No longer do we need to know who they are or their genetic code, because they live in us and we in them.

We are the carriers of this message of truth.

Fear not:  We carry the torch and light the path and when our job is done we will join that blade of grass without hesitation, concern or worry; but rather happy and fulfilled blessed by the perfection of this miraculous design.

The 5 Day Warrior

Published on by Cindy Georgakas4 Comments
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Day 1
Aloha,
Hiking Diamond head in Honolulu this morning, I was reminded how our business name Uniquely fit was born.  There were all sizes, shapes and colors hiking the hill.  Some strolled, some could barely walk, others sprinted up and still others stopped and took pictures at every junction.  You could hardly call it exercise but at least they were out enjoying the day moving to the best of their ability in many cases, communing with nature.
Every once in a while, I would notice someone walking in a Mary Jane’s of such with slick bottoms, barely able to move, worried about slipping and falling as they well should be.  What in heavens name were they thinking? They obviously weren’t.  Promise me that when you hike, you will wear the proper shoes with good stability and traction.   They were doomed from the get go and I’m not sure how they would ever want to go out again.  I know I wouldn’t.
We left early enough to beat the heat and masses but it was still pretty crowded so we passed people we shared the hill with whenever we could to keep our hike to a respectable pace and get a workout in.  When we reached steps we took them briskly breaking a near run taking one step at a time trying to beat our last years time.
Heart pounding, sweat dripping, legs burning, one thought “you can do this” was in my mind.  Stay focused on the step in front of you, don’t look too far ahead,  and breathe. In the next moment there were no thoughts just sheer exhaustion and determination.  I remembered  that was exactly why I work out:  To bring me to the present moment.  Of course I workout for my heart and health both mentally and physically but that is just the icing on the cake and the side effect of movement.
Early in the hike I thought to myself I could stop doing this at any given moment and if I was guaranteed I would never have to worry about burning calories, fitting into my jeans, dropping dead from a heart attach, walking my talk  etc. I would throw in the towel. However,  now it’s a habit imprinted in my brain and body and a natural remedy for all that ales me. It is no longer a question of if I will work out but what time in the day I will go.
Running down the hill toward the beach exhilarated with a runners high, we are done in record time. We strip off our clothes to our bathing suits and jump in the ocean water for renewal of our tired muscles.  The salt water brings buoyancy and lightness, cooling us off rejuvenating our bodies and spirit, ready for the next activity.
Happy Friday!
Hang Loose,
Cindy

Yoga Live: San Francisco This weekend

Published on by Cindy GeorgakasLeave a comment

Take classes with some of the best teachers in the industry or just go and sample new healthy products and shop for the latest gear in yoga.

48 + Teachers sharing a wealth of information for students and teachers.

Here are a few of the top:

-Sean Corne
-Dharma Mittra: 1rst time I did a
Headstand was in
His class.
Never aspired to
This EVER.  Read more below.

-Shiva Rea
-Rodney Yee & Colleen Saidman Yee

HEADSTAND READY OR NOT:

Last year I took Dharma Mittra’s class with 100 other people.  I thought the class would be easy and relaxing since he looked anywhere between 80-100.

When he demonstrated an effortless headstand I was in awe.  I have never aspired to stand on my head for the benefit of blood rushing to my head and creating new neuropathways. It could easily be had by lying off the edge of my bed which had no appeal either.

I was in the second row which made it harder to fake the asanas (yoga postures) but I modified where I could.

I heard him say “look at me”.  I looked up and he had singled me out, his eyes piercing mine and he said “up”.  I have no idea to this day how  this happened but my legs shot up above me and I was in a headstand.  I was stunned and elated all at once.  I suppose this is how someone pushes a car off a loved one when it is not humanly impossible.  That’s how it felt to me anyway.  I’m still not sure where this came from.  Was I afraid of the consequences if I didn’t go up?  Did I get the affirmation from a well schooled teacher that saw something in me and I didn’t want to disappoint him?  Did the power in his words speak to a place inside where I wanted to do this but had given up on the idea because it was pointless or I was too old?  Was it because if this old man could do it, so could I? I felt like a little kid again and wanted to run to mommy shouting “look at me”.  I was amazed and proud even though this felt somewhere out of any control I humanly had.  To this day I do headstand most everyday because I can.  It reminds me that there are so many things in my life waiting  to emerge if I just stay open and listen to my intuition.