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I normally only post things I have written. I did not write this. I don't have a citation for the specific words, because I have been chanting this for a very long time. It is, however, a very old practice, and there are variations of it that have been used for centuries. If you want a bit more info please read Jack Kornfield's excellent book: "A Beginner's Guide to Meditation"
This is also already posted on my FB yoga page, if you 'like' that you have probably already seen this.
I hope your day is joyful.
Before settling oneself down for a meditation practice it is really helpful to have a physical practice, even a short one. Kind of in the same way taking a shower or bath or cleaning the teeth make the outer body feel better, by washing away the dust of the day, exercise helps reset the nervous system. We reduce circulating stress hormones, stretch muscles and fascia, and prepare the body for rest so it isn't asking for so much attention while we are turning our attention elsewhere. I call it the puppy scratching at the door. Let it out before you lie down. This is why shavasana is at the end of a yoga practice. The practice makes us ready for it.
Please do not feel you have to do a full 60 or 90 minute practice. You can take a walk, or stretch the legs, spine, and neck and shoulders, or play with your own puppy for a bit.
Now bring yourself into a physically comfortable space. Partly this means the external place you intend to practice. Ideally it is quiet and free of distractions. If you are surrounded by sights and sounds and smells it is much harder to still the mind. As your practice deepens you will find it easier to find the still center even in the midst of the storm, but learning to deepen the practice works better where we can reduce the amount of external sensory stimulation.
I think sound is especially important. One can close one's eyes, but ear plugs are only marginally helpful as they substitute one sensation for another.
The other part of this is the inner comfort. As I say to my students, if your leg is kickin you in the side while you are sitting it will be a lot harder to relax. Shavasana is traditional in yoga, but you can sit with your back against a wall, or your seat on a cushion, or lie with your legs up a wall, or your knees or back supported by bolsters. Or you can sit in a chair. The important thing is to be comfortable.
Once you are comfortable become aware of your breath. Just the fact of the breath. Feel the rise of the chest and the spreading of the ribs on the inhale, and the release of the shoulders on the exhale. Notice the texture and temperature of the breath passing through the nose. If you find, as many of us do, your nose is a little stuffy you might want to reposition yourself with your head and shoulders a little higher. Start to notice in a position of rest how the muscles that are normally held tight to provide stability are able to let go, to rest. When you feel it happening exhale into that sensation allowing yourself to feel yourself dropping into a place of quiet.
At this point I want to offer a few choices. You can stay in this quiet place, focusing on the breath. You may notice that your mind moves to notice other things. Rather than trying to push it back to the breath forcefully, imagine that puppy on the leash. Allow it to notice the distraction, and gently turn it back to the breath. No judgement, no anger, just a.... yes, I see that …. I will come back to look at it more clearly later.... but right now it is just me riding the wave of the breath.
At the end of your practice you might choose to return to a physical place, or a thought, or memory, once you have created a place of focus, where you are undistracted by the cacophony of sensations and thouhts, and turn your notice to it. From the still place sometimes we can see more clearly. Like climbing to a hill and looking down we can see the relationships of the terrain without feeling like we are a part of it at the moment.
This is a choice, not a requirement, by the way. Shavasana can be a place of physical rest, balancing the physical work of a yoga practice. It is healing, comforting, and restful in a multiplicity of ways. That is its beauty.
Now, I am going to offer you a visualization I sometimes use to help me deepen my own practice of creating mental clarity. Visualization, like metaphor in poetry helps us find meaning and clarity that exists on many levels simultaniously. It is a powerful tool, but also a personal one. A couple of years ago I wrote a meditation for Thanksgiving. It is a sequence of images and ideas that work for me. What I am going to give you now is another sequence. I hope you find it helpful, but more than that I hope you can find a way to create your own practice poems. Like Carl Sagan's one voice in a cosmic fugue. We need each ot find our own voices as we sing our part in the song that is the cosmos.
Guided Meditation
Many years ago now I did teacher training at a place in the Santa Barbara hills called White Lotus. Most of us can imagine deplaning in a busy airport, surrounded by people rushing, carts of luggage, loud voices from the intercom, beeping trams, busy shops and food kiosks.... An airport is a good metaphor for our daily life. We are constantly processing input. The airport is an image of the external sensory input... sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and textures... all in a competing jumble. At the same time we have our inner senses providing continuing input... proprioception... pressure, position, balance, …. all sorts of inner information that helps us engage in the world. And there are other voices in this cacophony... our shifting cognitive and emotional responses, and floating bits of memory... all competing for our attention.
Stand there for a moment and breathe it in, then purposefully turn and walk out to your car and begin to drive up into the hills. Notice the sounds drop away, allow yourself to feel the quiet. Hear the sound of your own breath.
When you get to the ashram you would remove your shoes and enter, but I want to take you past the building, down a dusty road, feeling the sun warming your skin, and sinking into your bones. After a bit you find the path leads into trees, and notice both how lovely the sun was, and how lovely the shade is. Not one good and the other bad, but both balancing each other, and each enjoyed in their own time.
We come to a lake. There is a fork in the path. You can choose to walk up a rocky hill to stand on a cliff overhanging the lake. I do not remember exactly how high... 10, 15, 20 feet? But if feels very high. Or you can approach directly to the waters' edge. It is so quiet and still you can hear your own foot steps. The water is dappled with sunlight where the trees do not overhang.
Here is a choice we make with every yoga practice, with each day as we wake up... Is today a day to put in a toe and check the temperature, or is a day for a cannonball? Or something in between? It was common practice of the people at my training to go skinny dipping and jump from the high cliffs. (This was california. For me this was not what I was used to, but I did try it one time.... it is good to be open to new experiences). What matters isn't what you choose, but how and why you choose. This is about where are you here and now... what do you need? … what do you want? … what feels right in this moment in this place in your mind and body? Every day we make a choice as we enter our day. Are we going to choose based on what others expect, or based on our fears, or shrugging off the covering and breathing in the center of now and making our choice. And realizing whatever we choose we are always free to do something else tomorrow.
As you enter the water feel that it is warm, and how it melds to your body. Allow yourself to relax into it. There is a raft on the water, pull yourself onto it and rest, feeling the movement of the water under you and the openness of the sky above. We exist between the sky and the earth, between gravity and tensegrity.... between what is, what grounds us, what is solid beneath our feet, and what can be, what stretches out into possibility above us.
Now, we want to find our anchor. In balance work I talk about how the drishti, or gaze, is like a rope by which we drop an anchor into the world to tether us in place... but a better image is from the stories of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. When Percy descends into the river Styx to become invulnerable so he can fight for and save his friends he is told that to keep himself from burning away he must tether himself to the world. To do this he needed not just a physical part of his body, but a piece of his heart... something in the world that mattered most deeply to him.
I would ask you to bring your attention inward even further, to what is sometimes called the cave of the heart. This is the place within us that is most spiritually, emotionally central. I would ask you to imagine a person, or a place, or a memory, even a pet.... something that you love with all your heart, that burns most brightly. Find that and rest your attention there. Notice its light, as you breathe feel that light pulse outward, like a wave of water, filling your body, filling your raft, and spilling outward. Like a stone dropped into the water feel the waves of light move outward across the lake. Slowly the water becomes more and more still, until it is like glass, reflecting the sky. And you like soft and still at the center between what is and what can be, resting in the light of love.
At some point you will hear voices calling from the banks. Eventually all yoga and meditation practices must end. Recognize both the pull to remain, and the pull to return. Turn your attention once more to the shining anchor in the cave of the heart and remember that sensation. Remember that it isn't in a lake in Santa Barbara, it is in you. And once you find the road you will have the path back, when you need it.
As you physically prepare to end the practice take a few moments to reorient to the sensations of the room, and the proprioceptive signals of your body. Turn to your side, stretch your limbs as feels good, and when you sit up take a few moments seated before moving out into your day.
I wish you a joyous end of year and new beginnings in the next.
These are the classes I am currently teaching, with a brief description of each. (For those wondering what I am currently up to, or who are thinking of bringing someone and want to make sure to find the right class, or for those exploring class options for the new year.)
All Levels Yoga
Sometimes a teacher has trained exclusively, or primarily in a particular style, or if they are teaching a class meant to be in a single style. Usually though in general yoga classes, especially if a teacher has trained/certified in the last 15 years or so, the class will reflect their own perspective, experience, and style. Because I trained early on with an Iyengar trained teacher you will often find an interest in precision of alignment. Because I studied Exercise Science in graduate school for two years, and particularly enjoyed anatomy that focus on alignment has a blend of anatomy and traditional teachings. My long time habit has been to shift the pattern of my work based on the needs and desires of the students in class that day. This is something I have particularly tried to develop in the last few years by taking trainings with Gary Kraftsow. There is a fair bit of Viniyoga philosophy in my practice, even if the physical work is not entirely within that style. I also use breath work quite often. I do a fair bit of vinyasa as well, from having spent time at the White Lotus ashram in Santa Barbara and learning their style. And my 6 years of academic philosophy are often apparent, as I think if we wanted a toned muscular body we could go to the weight room, and if we wanted to meditate we could meditate.... My practice is as much about mind as it is about body, or more precisely it is about the unity of self that is thought, emotion, physicality, energy and breath.
Keep in mind this is a picture today. It is a moving target.
Also keep in mind all levels makes room for modifications up or down. Yes,... a beginner can take this class. If you have something going on that makes certain postures contraindicated most likely you can do this class. (I am always guiding people though practice with all kinds of specific needs and interests. But it is REALLY IMPORTANT to talk to your medical provider first if you are a beginner and / or have specific medical conditions.)
Back Care
The Back care program is a practice combining 5 areas I think are important in reducing stiffness and inflexibility in the spine as we age. I have had back issues from time to time through my life, in different ares, at different times. In each case I would experiment with my practice to see what was helpful. I began thinking about this many decades ago when I had back pain due to cramping (as many women do). I also had episodes of spasming in my back during pregnancy (also common with the quick forward weight gain and joint laxity). And in recent years I found my neck and thoracic spine were often stiff, (and my sleep was suffering... arthritis?) I am happy to say that my low back is generally happy these days, and my neck is much happier and my sleep fine. So all of these
experiences percolated into the back program.
These are the 5 areas: 1. spinal flexibility, 2. alignment, 3. core strength, 4. shoulder, hip, and leg flexibility, and 5. down regulation of the nervous system (i.e. promoting parasympathetic tone, or relaxing the mind.
Core/Strength Yoga
I have taught variations of this style for years. At one point I was a certified personal trainer, and spent some time learning to power lift. I was very interested in yoga as a vehicle of building intrinsic strength and spent a lot of time thinking about the intersection of the principles used in the weight room, and those used in classical yoga practice. I still have a clipping from the Washington Post from the early 90s on a practice I was developing for a local club combining weights into a vinyasa practice. A lot of people do it now, but it was new enough then to be newsworthy I guess. I think yoga is particularly effective at building strength in the core, something many of us could use.
I am currently teaching 2 variations on this practice. One is a 'fusion' class that uses some core yoga and some more pilates based movement. The other is a strength/core practice that was specifically developed for regular Bikram students. It would be applicable to non Bikram students, it is just structured to be most helpful to that group.
Men's Yoga
The very first place I taught was a women's gym, back in the late 80s. I also taught a men's cardio class that was part of a therapeutic setting. I have also taught kids groups, teens, and seniors. These are going to be a minority of offerings. Generally we learn a great deal in a class that encompasses a wide variety of ages, abilities, experience and needs. However, I think it can also be great to do a class that can spend more time focusing on specific areas. A pregnant student can be fine in a general class, but will get a more targeted practice in a group specifically for pregnant students. And while I took my first class at 9 I find that younger students often have different levels of flexibility and different attention spans. I am not teaching a men's class because I think it matters more than other targeted group classes, but because I have done it before, and was asked if I would do it. It is actually a very fun class.
Coming Soon....
I do think I might be starting to teach some Yin in the spring or summer. If that interests you, please like the FB page and stay tuned.
In the fall I will be an empty nester.... I am still thinking about what trainings to do, and what classes to teach. One thing is certain.... I want to work as long as my mind and my hips hold out. Even after many decades of teaching my students continue to teach me, and my work never gets old.
Monday: 5 pm Core/Strength Yoga Rhode Island Hot Yoga Bristol
Tuesday: 7:15 pm Men's Yoga Cardio Glow Barrington
Wednesday: 9:30 am Yoga Healthtrax East Providence
Wednesday: 7:45 pm Yoga Bayside Y Barrinton
Thursday: 7:30 Back Care Cardio Glow Barrington
Saturday: 9 am Yoga
Saturday: 10 am Core/Fusion Healthtrax East Providence
Amazon Quest is a computer game my kids played when they were younger. It was a great game: interesting story line, interesting characters, and varied interactions and choices to figure out. I also realized that there were definite consequences to making choices and those consequences rested on a moral compass just as much as steering down the Amazon required a steady hand and good directional skills.
At the beginning of the game, before you take off on your trip you must choose a package of equipment and a guide. There was one particular guide I liked, and I realized as I thought about the game that I didn't just like that she was really good at fishing, but that I had an emotional reaction to a character that was basically nice. I also really disliked one of the other guides because he was a jerk. Even if I was likely to get more points I didn't care. I just didn't want to spend time with this (virtual) person.
The other day I was talking to some of my students about who we follow in our yoga practice, and I was thinking about Amazon Quest and how we make choices in our practices/quests/life.
I don't really mean that some people choose Bikram, or others Iyangar, and others Viniyoga... I mean who stands at our elbow and helps give us guidance.
A long time ago I was blogging about the role of the yoga teacher, and how I saw myself as the one who stands at the cross roads and points out the possibilities and risks of various roads. I do think yoga teachers are an example of one kind of guide. However, anyone familiar with the history of yoga is aware of the problem with choosing paths strictly through the eyes and choices of an external teacher. I don't know of any lineages or styles of yoga that haven't had issues where a 'guru' given too much authority looses themselves and crashes and burns with those who have chosen to follow them. It isn't helpful for either party. This general rule has been true of spiritual leaders, coaches, teachers, doctors, and other experts throughout history.
Does this mean we need to throw all leadership, all guides out and just follow our own way? Our paths are much more challenging with no one to help, lead, direct, challenge and support us. And humans are essentially creatures that thrive together, that emotionally atrophy without community. I have had to find my own way for large swaths of time over my long practice history and it has made me value and respect truly great teaching when I have been able to have it.
George Washington had his set of principles, Dante his muse, some have a sacred text, some a spiritual community, some a life coach, or a personal trainer. But like all of those guides standing in Belem offering their services we have to make a choice and once that choice is made decide whether we give them full power to direct us, or to turn around and look at our own personhood, understand what parts of ourselves we want to allow to choose and guide our path: Ego, fear, loneliness, adventure seeking, curiosity, kindness, duty?
I used to say: "don't follow ego," "follow sensation and intention," but lately I've been thinking there is even another layer of balance here. Ego unfettered can lead to the case I described as the guy who gets a new chainsaw and stands in front of his garage waiting for people to walk past so he can rev it up. In yoga this can lead to doing the hardest possible postures in class even when it is not what our body needs because we so desperately want to be admired. Clearly such narcissism makes it rather hard to interact with both ones self and other people in an honest way. But ego can also be a force that makes us want to shine, to see the value of the world and of ourselves as a part of it. Not seeing one's own value seems as much a misunderstanding as only seeing one's own value.
When I come to my yoga mat I follow the teacher, but I walk with my curiosity, who is guided and moderated by my fear/self preservation, who is nudged out from the shadows by my sociability…. And so on.
For all of us, it is helpful to understand what aspect of self we tend to allow to lead the pack. Risk taking is usually at the back of mine, so when I practice I try to practice awareness of when I am pulling back by habit, and when by reason, and if it is hard to stop my default, I can at least see it happening and invite myself to take other counsel.
And when it comes to the external teachers and guides I try to be guided by both heart and head. I want a leader who has the skills to teach me to fish, but also one who can teach me to be kind, and who I can trust to watch my back or to help me be brave when it is hard.
This post is a non-philosophical one. I have simply given you my take on how to do the six movements of the spine, with reminders on integrating the breath, internal and external focus, and ways to adapt it when you, or your student, might have an injury or condition that makes one of the styles of practice difficult or uncomfortable. Please feel free to share, quote, or get back to me with questions.
If you have time I do suggest following this with the leg series (if you google my name and the words 'blog' and 'leg series' you will find it) and/or Andrew Wyeth series (I will try to put that up for you, but it will involve drawing and scanning, so for now you will need to come to class and ask me to show you, as the drawing and scanning will take some time.
Have a beautiful day:
To Prepare for the Practice
Get comfortable on the mat or the chair. If you are seated cross legged and your back is uncomfortable you might want to roll the end of the mat and sit on the roll to lift your hips. If you are on your back and your back is uncomfortable you could try bending your knees or putting an extra rolled mat under them.
If it feels comfortable for you you might wish to close your eyes. The reason for this is to allow yourself to change the direction of your senses. The 5 senses you learned about in preschool allow you to notice the world around you: to taste a strawberry, to see the shiny blue of a new car, to hear laughter, not to walk into trees... But you also have sensors in your body: in your tendons, ligaments, skin, bones, and so on that give you information on the inner world: pressure, temperature, position, and so on. When you shut your eyes you turn off the strongest outward sensor and allow yourself to drive the direction of attention to the inner world.
Notice the part of your body touching the floor. Feel how gravity pulls you down to the earth. Where is the pressure? Is it even from right to left? Does your spine feel straight or slightly pulled to one direction? It is fine to explore making some small movements and noticing whether you feel straighter, more aligned.
Now notice your neck. Remember that there is no need to judge or be angry about yourself here. In yoga speak we are becoming the self that observes the self without judgement and with compassion. Are you holding tension between the shoulder blades? Is one side higher than the other? Does it feel like your head is even over your torso, or pushing forward? Feel free to move slightly into the direction of tension and notice if you feel more aligned.
Now bring your attention to the breath. The breath is the link between the mind and the body. The body will breath automatically even if your mind is busy on your to do list or your phone. But when you bring your attention to the breath you can shift the pattern of the breath to deepen your stretches, to help create mental focus, or even to affect the dimensions of mood and energy. As you inhale notice how the spine stretches. As you exhale notice how the shoulders relax. As we practice we will open and stretch into the inhale, and relax into the exhale.
You may open your eyes or keep them closed throughout the practice, as you want to focus on me demonstrating the pose, or something in the room, or focus on some sensation within your body or on the breath. Please come into the starting position for the six movements of the spine.
One last word.... each of us is who we are due to our unique genetics and unique life experiences... strengths, injuries, etc. It is really helpful to talk to a medical provider before doing any of these movements. There aren't many postures that I have not had one or another student need to modify over the years. If you have a sense of where you are right now it will help figure out how to walk forward. Just remember the advice I always give my students. It is better to say "It's hard" than "I can't", and then to figure out what is the best way to make it happen.
6 Movements of the Spine: Classical Position
Please come to hands and knees. Make sure your hand is directly under your shoulder, and your knee directly under your hip. Feel free to double the mat or place a folded towel under wrists or knees. Keep the back in a neutral position. This position is sometimes called table top. Some teachers will give you sanskrit names for postures, some english, (or whatever language they are teaching in). I will probably move back and forth, so feel free to ask if something I say is puzzling to you.
I would like you to visualize your spine as a string of beads. Or you can use an image I got from another teacher... a series of hockey pucks with jelly doughnuts between. You don't want to push so hard you get the jelly out (anyone ever had a ruptured disc? Not fun). But you also don't want to let a joint stay imoble (frozen shoulder anyone?) So as we stretch we move to a point of deep stretch slowly enough to stop before we enter pain which is the door to injury. This point is different for everyone, so measure in your own intensity, not in how many inches you go.
The first two movements are basically up and down. Focus on your navel. Begin to exhale and follow the exhale by pulling your navel in and arching the back upward. Slightly tuck your chin and feel the stretch move from the tail bone to the base of the skull. If you want to emphasize the stretch in the low back allow your seat to move back an inch or two as you keep the back tucked. This move is usually called 'cat stretch'
Now inhale and return to flat back/table top. Continue to breathe naturally and on the next inhale allow your low back to sag downward, at the same time lifting and opening through the chest. You can slightly lift the head, but avoid flinging the head back on the neck (remember the jelly doughnuts?) This posture is sometimes called 'Cow'
Exhale and return to flat back. The second pair of the 6 movements is a side to side movement. Imagine that bead necklace on a table and picture pusing the center right and then left. I sometimes call this the Cocoa Chanel posture... back to back Cs. Staying in flat back inhale and imagine pushing your tail bone to the back of the room and your head to the front. As you exhale push and open your rib cage to the right and your head and hips to the left. Imagine that you are trying to look at your hip.
Inhale and return. On your next inhale repeat in the opposite direction.
The last pair of movements uses rotation. Rotational movements help move fluid in the body... kind of like wringing a dish cloth. Moving parts move better when well oiled and not dry. Do be aware of any medical complications that limit such movement. Come back to flat back.
Inhale lifting the right arm up with straight elbow only as high as the shoulder. As you exhale bring the arm down onto the elbow under the body, palm up. The right hand will be close to the inside of the left hand. If your back and shoulder allows you may slide down to rest on your shoulder. Your left arm now acts as a lever. Bending the elbow will release the stretch, and straightening it will increase it. When you are ready to come out you will press down into that hand and pull the right arm out from under the body, returning to flat back.
Repeat on the other side. These are sometimes called 'Thread the needle"
Come off the hands and knees and come into resting position.
Once you are in a position you may hold it for one breath, or several. Please do not hold the breath while holding the posture. Every inhale lets you lengthen, every exhale lets you relax. You can even say those words to yourself in your mind as you breathe.
6 Movements of the Spine: Seated on the Mat
Please note that in seated mode we are taking a different order than the kneeling series. The 6 directions are still the same.
Come into a comfortable seated position. If your back is tight feel free to roll the back of your mat and sit up on the roll. The hands can rest comfortably on the thighs or on the floor.
Begin to notice the pattern of breath.
As you inhale press down into the hips feeling the connection of the hip to the floor, and lift the crown of the head toword the ceiling, as though you are being pulled up by a string. The hands may push down to the floor if you like.
As you exhale begin to turn to the right. The left hand reaches over toward the opposite thigh. The right hand may want to push down into the floor behind your body. Notice the stretch that runs from that hand up into the shoulder. Imagine each of the beads of the necklace taking a small movement.... spiraling up bead by bead.... not too much with any one bead pair... When you get to the top of the spine... where the spine meets the skull you may turn a little more (those vertebrae move a little differently than the others) and look over your shoulder.
Inhale and lengthen toward the ceiling and exhale and release to center.
Repeat on the other side.
Sitting in your comfortable position inhale and lengthen the spine again, pressing your right hand to the floor and lifting your left up to the ceiling (like making a snow angel), rotating your palm to face in toward the body. As you exhale lean left. Your right hip bone might feel like it wants to lift. Gently focusing on the floor and hip press downward. If it feels comfortable slightly rotate the armpit forward. Inhale to lengthen and as you exhale snow angel the arm back down.
Repeat on the other side.
If you are sitting cross legged you can stay or uncross them and bend the knees placing the feet on the floor in front of you, about 6 inches or so between the feet (as feels comfortable) and a comfortable distance from the body.
If you are cross legged you will reach to hold your shins. If you are in bent knee you will hold your thighs under the knees.
Inhailing stretch up again, lengthening the spine. As you exhale tuck the navel in, as though you are holding a quarter in it, drop the chin to the chest (don't push... just gently drop) and lean back with the mid back until you feel a deep stretch. On the inhale lengthen and return
Inhailing stretch up again and press your hands to the floor near your hips, pressing your breast bone forward and slightly up. Notice the shoulder blades in back rotating slightly downward. Please do not allow the head to drop all the way back. Keep the chin slightly tucked, but lengthen the neck. Exhale and return.
Come to resting position, preferably flat back, or child pose.
Once you are in a position you may hold it for one breath, or several. Please do not hold the breath while holding the posture. Every inhale lets you lengthen, every exhale lets you relax. You can even say those words to yourself in your mind as you breathe.
Six Movements of the Spine: Seated in a Chair (The chair should have no arms, no rollers)
Come into a comfortable seated position. Your back should be a few inches forward from the back, your feet on the floor. You can place a block (or a book if you don't have a block) under your feet if needed. Your hands can rest comfortably in your lap.
Placing your hands on the sides of the chair inhale and gently push down into your seat and your hands and press the crown of the head up toward the ceiling. Notice the spine lengthen and the chest open.
Exhale and tuck your navel in as though you are holding a quarter there, at the same time leaning your mid back back toward the back of the chair and gently dropping your head and rounding your shoulders forward. Continue to breathe and when you are ready to leave the posture inhale and straighten again.
On the next breath inhale and straighten again, then exhale and feel your shoulders relax, inhale and notice and press the breast bone and ribs and navel (in that order) forward and lift the chin slightly (do not let the head fall back. That will squish... technical yoga term... your cervical spine). On the exhale relax, on the inhale straighten up again and exhale to relax.
The second pair of movements is done seated sideways (with the back perpendicular to your right or left arm).
If your right arm is next to the back of the chair place the right hand on the seat next to the back. As you inhale lift the left arm over head, rotating the palm to face inward. At the same time press the left side of your seat into the seat of the chair (I refer that as rooting... you root down and lift up) and lean toward the right, noticing how the ribs slightly spread and the space between the hips and the bottom rib opens. Exhale and relax. Inhale and lengthen upward till the hand faces the ceiling and exhale and release the arm to the side, noticing the shoulder and neck relax.
Repeat in the other direction, by moving slowly and carefully to face in the other direction with the other shoulder and arm perpendicular to the back of the chair.
The last two movements are also done perpendicular (side saddle) to the back of the chair.
Sitting side saddle with the right arm next to the back of the chair inhale and lift the crown of the head to the ceiling. Feel the spine extend and the chest open. Root to the seat of the chair. As you exhale turn to the right placing the right and left hands on the back of the chair. When you are ready to come out inhale to lengthen, and exhale to return.
Repeat in the other direction, by moving slowly and carefully to face in the other direction with the other shoulder and arm perpendicular to the back of the chair.
Once you are in a position you may hold it for one breath, or several. Please do not hold the breath while holding the posture. Every inhale lets you lengthen, every exhale lets you relax. You can even say those words to yourself in your mind as you breathe.
The other day I was looking something up for a class, and happened to go through several of my old ACE manuals. For those who do not work in fitness, ACE is one of the largest certifying agencies for fitness professionals. I still have my first manual... published in 1987. I also later did a personal training certificaion, and then, after taking time off when my kids were little, did the group fitness one again. So I have a lot of manuals. One of the things that struck me is not just that a great deal of research has honed the understanding of the nature of fitness, but how much more space in the newer manuals is given to things like adherence and motivation, and communication skills rather than just to science and methodology.
This reminded me of a conversation a few years ago on a q and a site for fitness people where someone new to the field was asking how one can make people understand the benefits of fitness, because they felt that if one can only explain that, of course everyone would smack their heads and immediately go start and stay with a fitness routine. Which kind of misses the effects of all the other parts of why and how and when people choose to do what they do.
If you have ever gone to a yoga class you know that one of the things that gets said a lot is about setting an intention. I often tell my students that I want them to pay attention, so that they can set an intention for their practice (each one, and all of them) not based on habit but on their own needs and values. I don't think the role of the teacher is to tell the students what they should do, but to help people to clear their own mental clutter and look for paths, and consider consequences, good and bad, of those possible paths. This is never a simple process, either for teacher or for student. What matters is having a conversation where each actually listens to the other and frames a response based on what was said, rather than memorized phrases, or stories we tell ourselves. And to have that same honest conversation with ourselves.
In other words, a student will do well if they can articulate to themselves and to a potential teacher what they need and want. A teacher or studio will do well if they listen to the student rather than trying to sell everyone what they have on the shelf. (Remember the old movie 'Miracle on 34th Street, when Santa is irritated at being expected to get the kids to ask for toys that the store had in overstock?) And if a studio or teacher is asked for something that runs counter to what they see as their mandate they need to be honest, but not judging.
In my experience there are a few broad categories of reasons people come to yoga class (or fitness), though there are so many differences of temprament, of experience, of interest, that there is never one answer or one path that fits everyone. However, this is a pretty good place to begin your practice, and a pretty good thing for a studio to consider.... are we purposely serving some of these categories, and do we refer out those looking for something else, or do we aim to work with all of them and define our program perameters accordingly?
For some their needs/desires are Preventative. They want to strengthen the core to avoid back pain, or to keep their bodies limber, or work on balance to avoid falls. For some it is Therapeutic. They have had an injury or illness and they are working their way back. For some it is Developmental. They want to support their running, or their golf, for example. For some it is Transformative. They want to engage in a journey of self understanding. And of course you do get some whose orientation to practice is purely Curiosity.
But if we take this conversation a step deeper we can ask, are there basic things that most humans want, beyond these different orientations? I think there are, and I do not think the answer is fitness, or health, or a beautiful body. I think the two things almost all of us want are Meaning and Connection.
The best places in which I have worked and worked out over the decades, have all been places that have fostered a real, deep, and inclusive sense of connection. Some of the worst have been those that have put up a facade of connection on a foundation of desire for profit, or connection of exclusion.
So connection is not the same for everyone. For some people connection is to a group, for others to one or two people. I know not a few people whose strongest connections are to animals, rather than people. I also know people who are most strongly connected to a place that holds meaning. But generally, except for the true narcissist, people seek human connection. Is there someone who has your back? Someone who would bring you soup when you are ill, someone who will listen when you need to speak? Someone who looks at you for who you are, having dropped the masks and the roles we create for ourselves, and accepts you in the nakedness of your soul?
Again, I would say there are different types of connection. There is the fake connection: like the telesalesperson who addresses you by your fist name to build a false sense of intimacy to facilitate their sale. There is the real connection that is based on exclusion... not what or with whom you share, but who is not invited to the party, so to speak. Some businesses do a brisk business with this, but a friend who comes to visit when there is somehting in it for them is a poor and empty substitute for true connection. Like the yoga studio that says … 'I teach REAL yoga' or "I will let you drink coffee here, those other guys are not as up to date'. Then there is connection that is real, but selfish. This is particularly disappointing in a yoga studio, but truly, even the best fitness studios I have worked with transcend this. It is what I call 'spa yoga'. 'We will have a 'juicy' practice and feel GREAT.' Nothing wrong with this.... we all need a 'spa night', or a comfort meal of mac and cheese from time to time. I just think by itself it is limiting our ability to explore ourselves and foster connection. The truest and best connection... the thing that draws me to a place... and keeps me there.... and makes me invite friends to share in the bounty... is belonging that is based on an open heart, concern for health, and well being, and compassion that is expressed to the self and to the world. As Bill advised in 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure'; "Be excellent to eachother."
There is a studio in DC where I taught for some time that had this. They had social events for the members... helping them to connect to each other. They paid and treated the employees well and with respect. (And one of the best indicators of a good studio is how the staff is treated). They raised money for important causes. They took care to offer not just the latest flashiest programs, but programs that were not going to injure their members, as well as being fun. They capped the membership to ensure there was only reasonable waiting time for equipment. If you are in DC you can still go to City Fitness. I haven't been there for almost 15 years, but I have fond memories of it.
Meaning is a more esoteric concept, and one that does not often come to mind when thinking about one's gym membership. It is, however, there... in the zumbathon I did last weekend to raise money for Autism awareness. It is in the class that the Bikram studio where I teach will be offering to raise money for animal welfare ('Bending for Beagles'). It is in the chair yoga class where lI met an elderly lady who had lost her husband and was alone, but found rest, and social support.
Meaning is steeped within highest rung of the connection ladder. Not that people always seek it there. Sometimes we look for meaning by making sure our name is remembered, or by making our mark on the world without thinking about how we will be remembered and what sort of mark we make. That is why I say meaning and connection are intertwined at their deepest place. The deepest work of yoga is not to open just our hamstrings or make us physically strong, but to make our hearts open and strong. As someone who has within their meandering life experienced times where I lacked both, I believe fully in the beauty of a life that is connected and meaningful, and understand how hard people seek for it, and how hard it can be to keep going without it. If there is one thing all of us want at the end of our days it is to have a sense that our lives mattered, and to have and to have had someone to hold our hand and hold us in their heart.
One day when my youngest brother was about 12 or 13 (and I was about 15) he decided he wanted some cake. Not having money or transportation, or a store anyplace near us he decided to bake one. Actually he decided to bake an angel food cake. My mother had always done a lot of baking, but had gone back to work full time the year before and we were all learning to figure out how to use her heretofore closely guarded kitchen. When I got in from wherever I was he told me about it, and showed me what he had baked. He said it was pretty tasty, but he was surprised how it had turned out: dense and about an inch high. I asked him about the recipe, and he said; 'Well, the recipe did call for cream of tarter, but we didn't have any cream, so I used milk." It was actually a smart idea, but based on a lack of information about the basic tools of cooking.
Most people do not begin cooking in an organized fashion. If you are lucky, at some point you go to a school with home ec classes, or have a parent who cooks who can teach you the basics, or watch cooking shows, or take some classes. This is true of a lot of basic things we learn in life: interpersonal skills, reading, self care.... It is also the way most of us get introduced to yoga. Today it is so ubiquitous in our culture most people have heard of it, and have some basic knowledge. Like my brother who knew how to turn on the stove, and read a recipe, but didn't have a comprehensive understanding of leavenings and how they work.
While it is possible to draw a definite distinction between someone who has never done yoga, or cooked, or whatever, I think it is harder to draw a definite distinction between a novice and an intermediate, and a master of the discipline. There are just too many possible paths to that mastery. And it is easier to become adept at mastering advanced postures than it is to become an advanced yoga practitioner. That they are different things is one of the hardest things to explain to a beginner yogi, and one of the most important things you can understand to unlock the deeper principles and practices available in the tradition.
Mastering the postural work is actually a really good beginning. If someone hands you a knife you slice a bunch of things with it, try different grips, figure out how to clean it, and so on. A good cook learns each of his or her tools as well as possible. The postures are some of the most basic tools of yoga. It would be difficult to move forward in the practice without working in a focused manner on the postures. My suggestion for the beginner would be not to get too worried about highly complex postures until you are comfortable in the more basic ones. One of the problems with 'instagram yoga' is that it makes us focus on really complex poses, rather than to see the beauty and worth in the simpler foundations on which those poses rest. Of course this isn't new. Even back at the turn of the 20th century teachers would have the students demonstrate complex postures. It is motivating and captivating. There is a beautiful poster of Angela Farmer in Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana I had hanging in my studio. But think of poses like down dog and standing forward bend and boat as your plate of good bread and olives and fresh fruit, and the complex arm balances as tiramisu and gnocci with vodka sauce. The foundation of good practice, and good health is with the simple, fresh, and well prepared meal, with richer, more complex dishes as complements and treats.
For my students who are reading this and are wondering how to more from beginner posture work to advanced posture work I recommend that you start by developing a regular practice. If you cannot get to regular group practice practice on your own. Just remember that there is a huge benefit with working with a teacher if you can. There is also a benefit to working with different teachers in different styles of practice. You will learn more. Then once you feel comfortable with a basic posture, begin exploring variations. For example boat can be done with different arm positions. As you feel comfortable with some variations you can begin to work on variations that are not just opening the body differently, but require more strength, more flexibility, more balance, or more focus. I prefer to think.... where can I move from this place where I am now, rather than, I want to master this hard posture, what are the basic postures I need to do to get there. But you can do it either way. I just prefer the primacy to be on the practice, and the needs of the practitioner, rather than the postures.
A more advanced asana practitioner is one who understands the principles of sequencing. At the same time as you are learning to do the postures, you are learning why and how you want to string them together. Our cook needs to learn that the final product might be different if the ingredients are added in a different order. This isn't just about having a goal of getting to those harder postures, but of how the practice as a whole affects you.
I have, thus far, talked more about how to get better at asanas, but to be advanced in your yoga means to get to know the other tools in the box, aside from the asanas.
I don't think an advanced yogi needs to master all of the tools of yoga, but should at least be aware of them, and have tried enough to see what works for them. There are many tools in addition to asanas: breath work (pranayama), mental focus, kriyas, mudras, chanting, personal ritual, meditation, chakra work... these are most of the primary areas of focus.
The use of breath is sometimes taught concomitantly with the postures. Deeper breath work, though, is usually taught after one has some experience with asana. I do think an advanced yoga practitioner ought to have spent some time exploring pranayama. I am not sure I would say someone who is a master of kapalbhati is more of a higher level yogi, than someone who isn't, or that being able to do a really impressive ujayii is the most important thing. Understanding, exploring with an open mind, and finding what works for you seems to me to matter more. In other words... to be an advanced yogi is less about simply doing abstruse postures and breaths and kriyas, or having a smattering of sanskrit, or wearing a mala, and taking a beautiful photos of yourself in full split with your thumb and fingers in agni mudra than it is about how and why and when we do those things. It is about having taken an inner, as well as an outer journey.
You might have mastered all the knives in your kitchen, and be a whiz at chopping lemons, but if you are not able to pay attention, to focus, you are likely to chop off a finger. Mastery of the field of attention is the first step in mastering the postures, and it is a consequence of working on mastering the postures. It is also then the first tool you need to begin working on meditation in yoga. Meditation in yoga is more than simply being able to focus. You might be able to focus on doing a perfect chaturanga dandasana but have you explored the consequences of doing that posture, have you considered its effects on your body, have you looked honestly at why you spend so much time on that posture? Most of know it is possible to spend a lot of effort propping up a pretty facade, rather than letting it fall, and facing the hurt and disfunctions, and loss, and lacks within. The capacity of honest, deep, compassionate self study and of adapting one's practice to that study.... the capacity to use the mental, and emotional resources of the self as well as the physical... all of this is more a hallmark of an advanced yogi... more than the perfect side crow.
Artisan and Ersatz
Most people know that the Shakers were a religious group, mostly died out now, who were famous for making furniture. The history of the Shakers is actually really interesting, but what I have been thinking about lately is how their furniture became so valuable and sought after. Their core religious/philosophical/ethical principles were honesty and simplicity. Thus decorated inlay, and even metal drawer pulls were not used, and the furniture stressed sturdy quality over decoration.
This is a duality that exists in all sorts of craft work and manufacture. With furniture, it used to be that people went to a cabinet maker and ordered pieces made as they wanted. It took longer, and cost more, and people without the money for a cabinet maker generally made their own. However, you can look at furniture in museums from the 1700s, that endured generations of use, and still are in good shape, and see the value of such work. In the mid 1800s mass produced furniture became a thing.... good because more people could go and buy things ready made, but at the cost of often shoddy workmanship. You might point out that it is good that more people can have things that help them to live comfortably. I would say we are back to Aristotle.... starvation is bad, gluttony is bad, but there is a lot of room for good between the two. It is possible for people to get mass produced wares that may not be museum quality, but may also not be made to fall apart within a month so the person has to go and buy more stuff from the seller.
We still all stand between these choices today (and not just regarding shelves and tables). My mother had a seasoned cast iron pot that had lasted through 3 generations. Think about how many pots you have bought. And tossed out. There are a bunch of issues here It is true that a 10$ blouse is easier to justify than an 100$ blouse.... and if you are on a budget it might seem cheaper. But if it tears, or stains easily after 2 washings you have to add up how many of those blouses you buy in a year, and it seems that if we could save up and buy quality we might end up spending less in the long run. It is also true that all that stuff that gets thrown out has to go someplace. People do recycle... but how many benches of recycled PVC do we need? And fabric that is really cheaply made isn't always going to be easy to use even for rags.
What we don't talk about as much is the choices the creator of the object makes. A cabinetmaker would start as a youth apprentice, and spend a lifetime learning their trade. When they made an item it was real, and solid, and honest, and it represented a lifetime of knowledge. When each of us looks at what we make, or do, or teach, would we not want to feel it is not quick and shoddy, but real, and honest.... to strive for excellence rather than speed.
This duality is not just about stuff, but about us. It is about how we approach our work, and our lives. Do we seek excellence, or quick cheap results? Well: faster weight loss is less likely to be maintained. Cheaply made stuff wears out and must be replaced. A poorly trained physician is more likely to provide poor treatment.
Back to Yoga and Exercise
Krishnamacharya was one of the greatest yoga teachers of the 20th century. He taught or influenced most of the teachers who founded the major lineages that are still being taught today, and you can see his influence even in their offshoots. I have read different accounts of the time line of his education, but it seems clear he began to study Sanskrit and Vedic philosophy, and yoga as a child, first with his father, and later at his great grandfather's school. These studies continued until 1916 when he was able to go to Tibet and study with a very famous yoga teacher. He stayed there 7 and a half years, before returning. I have also heard that he studied ayurveda after his time in Tibet. All of this was before becoming a teacher himself.
There is a reason why he was one of the most respected and influential teachers of the last hundred and fifty years. Part of it is his clear gift for the practice. Part of it is that he spent a lifetime honing his skills, and learning his craft.
Today in yoga most yoga training programs, certainly in the USA, bear the label of '200' or '500' hours from the Yoga Alliance. And most people who teach yoga go through such a program. If you are considering becoming a teacher, or looking for a teacher I would like to suggest that such a program is neither necessary nor sufficient. That doesn't mean I object to them.... such a program is a really good jumping off point, or learning experience. I just mean these type of programs are relatively new. They reflect standards set in the last 20 years or so by the Yoga Alliance. There are many good ways to learn to teach yoga that do not involve such a program. Moreover, they are really only a start. Once you have the stamp of approval it is not possible to stop reading, studying, and training, if you want to be a really good teacher. So, yes, do training if it is at all possible for you. For one thing, in this highly competitive environment it is much less likely you will be employed without it. But let it be a jumping off point, rather than a finish line.
Just as in fashion there is always a push to cheaper and cheaper as more and more manufacturers enter the market, there is also a push for cheaper and quicker trainings. There are actually 'yoga like' classes that you could go and get 'certified' in in a weekend. There are 'certifications' in yoga, and in other modalities, like Pilates, that you can get online, by doing an unproctered online exam.
Compare that to 7 years in Tibet.
My biggest problem with the Alliance is not the 200 and 500 hour standards. I actually think they have produced a state where the average teacher has a reasonable understanding. I actually know very few bad yoga teachers, and the couple I have met that I do not like were not because they were deficient in some way, but because I didn't personally like their teaching style, or I found them grating personally. But I do think the system does not reward excellence, as much as it rewards being good with self promotion.
I also did not at all agree with them setting the standard for someone offering teacher training as having the 500 hour training. I think teaching the teachers should require passing a higher bar... a certain number of hours of teaching, running your own program, advanced study in either auryeda, or anatomy, or meditation, or yoga philosophy.
So if you are considering teaching yoga please take a breath. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you want to do it because you teach group exercise, for instance, and want to make more money (and I am a certified group ex teacher, so I read the same industry things that talk about how yoga can make you more money, or be a good thing to teach), or if this is your calling... something so close to your bones that it is not what you do, but who you are.
It is certainly fine to do a teacher training even if it is not about calling. There are lots of classes out there, and if you can master the postures and do the 200 hours you might find that it is a good use of resources.
But for me, I might not ever get to the level of a hand turned inlaid chest, but I have made it my life's work not to be the kit from Walmart where the bottom is plywood, and the sides do not dovetail, and the veneer is thinner than paper, and the wood possibly full of arsenic.
Do yoga. Read yoga texts old and modern. Meditate. Attend workshops if you can. Be ready so that when you get to your training it isn't new material, but a new understanding of how to put it all together. Buy an anatomy textbook and learn your body from the inside out. I did 2 years of graduate work in exercise science and that has been enormously helpful in my teaching.
Be excellent. The good news is that with yoga excellence is not in the perfectly executed headstand, but in the daily study and practice. If you turn your eyes to excellence you will be there already. Because the practice is what matters more than the endpoint.
" Do your practice and all is coming" Sri K Pattabhi Jois
In 1980 there was an article published in Yoga Journal by Joel Kramer. He talked about the balance between control and surrender and about how in yoga you have pushers and surrenders and that the pushers need to learn to surrender and this surrenderers need to learn to push. This idea became a central idea in my yoga teaching. It is an example of how the practice of yoga is about creating balance, often between oppositional forces: right and left, distal and proximal, inhale and exhale, backbends and forward bends, strength and flexibility, work and release, for example. There is an anatomical aspect to this. For example, if one muscle group or muscle is over tight, or over stretched we can rebalance the body by working not just on the muscle, but by its opposing antagonists and/or its synergists. But this goes beyond Anatomy (just as yoga is about more than muscles and tendons). We all have a tendency to move and explore those aspects of ourselves, and those disciplines that are most interesting to ourselves, and that we do best.
However, when we move out of our comfort zone we learn something about ourselves . I also think that we can deepen one sort of practice by moving in an opposite direction and coming back to it. And perhaps even more importantly, when we explore a different area we don't just learn new skills and improve our old skills, but we can discover commonalities that we wouldn't expect. In a larger sense it allows us to find the deeper connections that bind us. For example I've blogged before about my experience as a yoga teacher taking spin. http://blog.ideafit.com/blogs/ariadne-greenberg/a-yogini-s-thoughts-on-taking-a-spin-class
There are many different kinds of yoga practice. If you wanted to list and sort them, you could see they exist on a number of a continuums: from more structured to less structured, from more anatomically scentered to more physiologically centered, from more restorative to more physically challenging. (There are also what might be considered to be specialized types or niche markets of yoga. Some of these are for specialized populations, chair or pregnancy yoga for example, and some really push the boundries of the core definition of yoga, but, well, a little pepper and paprika can take the taste buds in interesting places.)
In any case there are a great many sorts of practice. On the gentler end you have Yoga Nidra probably aon the far end, with yin and restorative on that side. On the other side you have practices like the classic Ashtanga vinyasa of Pattabhi jois and Bikram. Bikram sits at the end of intensity in terms of heat, although in terms of strength and complexity of postures I think there are harder practices.
So how did I end up teaching restorative at a Bikram studio?
Like a lot of teachers I occasionally will look through postings by people in the yoga world and in my local community. I am dealing with my own dichotomy: a desire to teach more, practice more, train more, and go to lots of studios, and a life that makes all these things challenging. But I am always open to possibility. In any case one day I happened to see a notice from an owner of a Bikram Studio who is looking for a Yin teacher for her studio and it caught my eye because it's the sort of thing I admire a lot that somebody who is on one end of the spectrum is interested in the other, that a teacher who specializes in something is interested in learning other paths, and that a studio owner wanted to offer her students and clients the chance to explore these inherent dualities. I have done Yin, but made a decision a while ago that it wasn't something I wanted to teach. However I do sometimes teach restorative so I went to talk to her. And immediately loved her as a person, and admired the way she ran her studio. And then from there became the restorative future at the Bikram Studio.
My way of approaching this was not to give a cookie-cutter restorative class but to try to give the students each day that which they needed. In other words to provide the restorative balance from which people who typically take Bikram might benefit, to adapt restorative principles to the needs of the Bikram students. To do that well, I have had to try Bikram myself.
Up to this point I had not done this style of practice. In part it is because I had had students tell me things that were not appealing to me. For example, that they were ordered not to drink water unless the teacher gave them permission. What I discovered is that, just as with restorative, or with vinyasa, Bikram classes can vary. The teachers I have had and the experiences I have had thus far have been good and welcoming and interesting. And I can leave out bits that don't work for me, or get a drink between postures if I need.
Bikram is a highly structured practice. The movements are done in a defined series, and for defined amounts of time in a very hot room. The primary principle, as I see it, is self discipline and self control. So in restorative we turn the heat to just pretty warm, and we choose movements based on what we are feeling at the moment, and work on figuring out what that is. We also work on how to release the breath and the mind along with the muscles. We use external supports (not used in Bikram) as a way to practice yielding control. We also practice inward focus, with an emphasis on pratyhara. Which brings me to the mirrors.
The hardest thing for me in Bikram is the continued insistence on looking in the mirror. As far as I can make out (and clearly I need to do some reading on the theoretical underpinnings of the Bikram path) the idea is that we use our outwardly directed visual sense to see and thus correct our own alignment. And here is one of those commonalities buried in a huge difference. When I begin class I often ask students to shut their eyes for a few moments. The goal is to use proprioception to feel alignment, as well as energy level, and mood, and so on, but to do it by moving inward. But what I realized is they were going through rather than under. By looking at the form you are just taking a different path to the same place. The danger in looking at yourself in a mirror is that you can get trapped in ego, or self judgement, OR you learn to look at your form with honesty burning away the ego in the heat. As opposed to in my practice in which I attempt to embrace and flow and allow the ego simply to be washed away. You will notice, if you look at the blog on the cycle class, that idea of the choice of fire or water comes up as well.
There are a few ways in which I will likely always bend to my primary way of being.... to adapt from an inner understanding of my being. My neck does not enjoy the deep backword bend of the first breathing exercise, although I love the breathing itself. There is also at least one posture my knee resists. With an old hip injury I need to move carefully there. But I am open to the possibility I will find those paths open to me. I suspect the self discipline is good for me, as it is not my natural strength. And I really love the students. They have been open, and curious, and welcoming. But then there are few students with whom I have been privlidged to work that I have not enjoyed and from whom I have not learned.
I would like to share (with her permission) a recipe for a protein smoothie that I got from a local nutritionist. She has counselled family and friends and gets high praise. I like this recipe because it works for the child (or adult) who is fruit averse, or generally averse to anything unusual, but who would benefit from having a protein rich breakfast or snack to replace a sugary carb load. It is quick to make and can be consumed in the car running late to work or school.
I am going to give you her original recipe, and then my adaptations. I prefer sardines or nuts or eggs, and fresh fruit for breakfast myself, but not everyone in my household is on board with that.
Meghan Martorana's Chocolate Smoothie
½ - 1 cup chocolate milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
1 scoop protein powder
I mix the milk
( Note I am not a nutritionist myself, but I choose 2% organic chocolate milk.... My reasons are that there seems to be a lot of questions about the advisability of non fat dairy. I do buy and use skim milk as well, but also use higher fat dairy at times. I like organic as I am anti hormones in animals... and thus in the milk, and in my or my family's bodies. Also I like to avoid pesticide residue and contribute to keeping our planet less polluted. And of course I try for local where I can see how the animals are treated as much as I can. I imagine one could use a vegan alternative, though I think you would want one with a less strong flavor. I personally avoid almond milk due to the very high water costs of that product. Please also note, I am giving the reasons for my choices. I make no judgement on anyone making different choices. I think what matters is taking the time to think out your ethical underpinnigs and how your choices relate to those ethics.)
with the peanut butter
(I like the Teddy's smooth. It is less grainy than the fresh ground whole foods stuff, and I think does better in a drink. I imagine you could use soy butter, or some other nut butter. Do read the labels as a number of companies add hydrogenated fat to their peanut butter to make it smoother. )
and the protein powder
(I love Tara's Whey organic chocolate. It is not grainy. )
and I blend this into a thick drink.
Here is where I make a little change. Instead of the cocoa powder I melt 2 squares of dark chocolate. Then I add ice and the melted chocolate on top of the ice and mix it together. The melted chocolate forms little flecks and the whole thing makes a kind of icy slushy.
Perfect for a sleepy teen who would otherwise go without breakfast or grab something from the snack cupboard.


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TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP), the world's largest travel website, today reveals The Toren was chosen as a winner in the Category Top 25 hotels in The Netherlands by TripAdvisor in its 2012 Travellers' Choice® awards.
Now in its tenth year, the annual TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards honour the world's best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travellers. Unlike any other hotel honours, TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travellers around the world.
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For reviews on the The Toren, please click here.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Amazon.com Widgets
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Breathing is something we all do in order to live.
But how many times have you been told in your lifetime when things get stressful to just 'breathe?'
It is always funny to hear someone tell you to breathe.
After all, don't you do that anyway?
But this 'breath' is really more of a life pause:
*It is a pause for reflection.
*It is a time to stop in your tracks and take note of what really matters.
* The breath is meant to remind you to feel where you are at, not simply react, freak out, be stressed or take things out of context.
* It is for taking a moment that is yours and only yours for yourself to regain your position of balance and being, counting to ten.
Breathing sometimes helps us to examine where our priorities are, evaluate what energy is in our lives and what is working and not working for us.
It gives us a chance to appreciate the things we normally ignore, because we breeze through life.
Breathing helps us see where we are and helps us to get where we are going, while clearing a space we can reserve for positive insight.
Whenever we have a chance to step aside and not taking everything so seriously, we soon discover just how much energy we waste on a daily basis on things that simply don't matter when we look at life's larger picture.
Have you ever gone on a jog or run and suddenly needed to stop to catch your breath?
When we stop ourselves mid-stride, sometimes we are given an opportunity to gather scattered dispersed energies in order to regain new energy. Taking time to take a breath also shifts how our bodies physically react to any given situation.
Breathing in also gives us a chance to reconnect with nostalgic memories.
Whether you are smelling Grandma's special recipe for a hearty beef stew or perhaps the aroma of a roaring fire reminds you of campfire chats when you were a child, we can trigger many memories from our past by breathing in scents to help us recall certain times in our life.
The smell of an old book, a holiday candle, popcorn or cotton candy can take us back to times we cherish.
With that said, when considering your next conscious 'breath' – remember that it is important to also exhale all that ails you…
stress, tension, pent up emotion, frustration and things that are not within your own control in order to give you the release you need.
Mental, emotional and physical well-being is reliant on the ultimate cleansing breath.
Take care of your health.
Stay well and flu free.
Keeping your sinuses healthy and clear because you took the time to be conscious of your breathing when stressful situations compromise your immunity is important.
As we enter the holiday season, a time when most get overwhelmed with life, errands, daily tasks and the calendar – remember to breathe and don't forget to stop and smell the flowers along the way.
~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS
Written at 2:28 PM by WeSolvedIt.
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Sunday, December 29, 2013
: the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc.: the act of resolving something.
New Year's is a time when people make resolutions.
But what is a resolution, really?
It's about RESOLVING what you consider to be a problem in the first place.
This has brought up something interesting – HOW DO WE DEFINE PROBLEMS?
For each person, a problem is different just like solutions and resolutions to those very problems are different.
When is a problem, really a problem?
If you solve the problem, does the problem go away to the point your solution becomes the 'solve all' to this particular problem in the future?
Ask yourself this question.
Then take a look at your New Year's Resolutions.
Let's say your New Year's Resolution is to stop __________(fill in the blank) or start ___________(fill in the blank).
Why do almost all New Year's Resolutions FAIL?
It is because most resolutions are not actually resolving anything or solving the actual problem.
And this is because it is identified as an isolated thing.
Most things we must stop doing or start doing is based on BEHAVIOR – and so if we're not resolving the root of the behavior, most often it translates to the same behavior in another form.
Have you ever heard of people who want to stop smoking say they don't want to because they think if they do, they will gain weight?
Why do you think that is?
It is because the food replaces the cigarette. The behavior switches gears to something else because it really is about anxiety, discomfort, nerves, which is usually the base behavior for why people smoke in the first place. Sometimes it is a generational learned behavior. But it is not the cigarette, it is the behavior.
Have you ever heard of people who say their New Year's Resolution is to be more productive, but by mid-year, nothing gets done because they've been too busy to take on the resolution?
This is because the problem isn't really productivity, it is time management, being disorganized. This is a behavior.
Have you ever heard of people say that for the New Year they want to lose weight?
But then just
a couple months later, they have not lost it?
This is because the problem with weight has absolutely nothing to do with food or even exercise – it has to do with psychological behavior (i.e. habits, willpower, mind-over-body, not stuffing emotional issues, etc.)
This explains why even if you run five miles and eat healthy, you can still have weight.
You have to let go of the issues in order to help yourself get rid of the pounds.
It's all behavior based and that is the root.
So as we look at 'resolutions' we must ask ourselves what is it we're really resolving.
Are we resolving – procrastination, obsession, defeat, control, anxiety, anger?
YES – THIS IS THE REAL NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION… these are root resolutions.
And root resolutions solve more than one problem.
Root resolutions are acquired or learned behaviors that trigger a whole set of behaviors, actions and reactions as well as responses.
It is these root problems which cause a myriad of problems.
We tend to 'categorize' problems as one thing without realizing there is a string of other issues affiliated with a behavior which transfers across the board.
Problems multiply.
Take the common flu for example.
The problem is you have the flu.
And when you see multi-symptom relief over the counter – notice that this medication can solve coughing, itchy eyes, sneezing, fevers, sore throats, sinus congestion and a long list of problems.
We have all accepted that the flu has ALL these symptoms – so the flu is not just one problem.
For many it is several problems going on at once, right?
If we take the approach of our resolutions being like multi-symptom relief, we ultimately won't really have to make New Year's Resolutions anymore.
Changing one behavior (which is the common denominator of many of our problems) can eliminate a problem by being the ultimate solution.
So as you make your New Year's Resolutions this year – RETHINK what it is that you are resolving. If you RESOLVE, you ideally DISSOLVE a behavior and then you will be SOLVE the problem.
Join us in our Solution Revolution and resolve to dissolve and you too can say "WE SOLVED IT!"
~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS
Written at 5:05 PM by WeSolvedIt.
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Friday, December 20, 2013
How many times have you heard the phrase, "Silence is golden?"
Do you know what it means?
It means that sometimes saying nothing is preferable to speaking.
With the upcoming holidays, we felt this was an appropriate blog to post.
The holidays are a time when people lose their cool, their patience and out of stress and frustration from traffic, crowded stores and malls, parking issues and of course not getting enough sleep from trying to do too much, words fly that shouldn't.
Is it really a store clerk's fault that the last iPhone has been sold?
Is it really the waitress or waiter's fault that you had to wait 2 hours to get a table for dinner when you didn't make a reservation and all the shoppers like you don't want to go home and cook dinner and are also eating out, too?
Is it really the parking attendant's fault that you failed to read the 15 minute only parking sign?
The point is we should all take a moment to pause and much of the time, keep our mouths shut so we don't take out our frustrations on innocent people.
The holidays come every year, the same time of year.
This is not a secret.
It's not like anyone did not tell you when they were.
You knew, you did not plan ahead.
Whose fault is that?
It is also good to remember the silence is golden rule at holiday gatherings and parties and watch your alcohol intake.
Nothing could be worse than getting sauced and blurting out that your co-worker Jenny is job hunting and the company boss is just an earshot away.
Stop the office gossiping, backstabbing and sabotage and keep your mouth closed.
Silence is also golden around children.
Don't ruin the holidays for them.
Let them believe in their family traditions and the magic it holds even if you don't.
It is not their fault you lost the magic and are bah-humbug about the season.
Let them enjoy their holiday break from school and take in what the season has to offer without your tainting it because you see the world differently.
Family gatherings are also a good time to remember the silence is golden rule.
If you know Uncle Edgar gets upset when the family talks about his toupee, Aunt Ida is sensitive about her weight gain and your cousin Monica isn't pregnant yet but has been trying and trying – keep quiet, remove the pressure, negativity, and unproductive discussion that only causes hard feelings, awkwardness and heated family arguments.
This is also NOT the time to break confidences, have open discussions that were private between other family members, or sharing your opinions that can cause discord, uneasiness and make loved ones feel uncomfortable.
Silence can also be golden if you are too joyous.
The holidays are not always jolly for everyone.
Sometimes they are difficult and painful – particularly for people who have lost loved ones and have this time of year representative of personal tragedies; those who are dealing with illness and disease; divorce; a miscarriage; the season marks the anniversary of a natural disaster or horrific loss/devastation from Mother Nature or they have a family member overseas in the war zone fighting for our country.
While it's great you may be cheery and festive, sometimes your cheeriness and festive mood is not particularly welcomed if someone else is struggling emotionally, financially, physically or mentally.
Some people are just waiting to get through the season and want the holiday music to be over so they are not reminded of the unhappy memory or the fact they do not have the means to participate in the way your jolly nature expects.
Be generous, offer support and love, but keep your mouth shut from words that may be more painful to hear at this time of year.
Above all – be conscious and think before you speak if you choose to speak. If unsure – keep quiet. Your mouth sometimes can cause a lot of problems – pushing people's buttons, being selfish with your thoughts and actions, saying things that rub people the wrong way and not putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
And remember that silence is golden – not just around the holidays but it can be helpful in many social or household situations all year long.
Be kind. Be thoughtful and courteous. Remember your manners.
It's the season of holiday goodies and eating.
Enjoy them – and since it is rude to talk with your mouth full, best to just savor the tasty treats and keep the peace.
~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS
Written at 9:24 PM by WeSolvedIt.
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Saturday, December 14, 2013
Safety is something we think about year-round.
But with the holidays, lots of people get caught up in the moment and forget some simple key ways to be safe around the season.
If you read our blog regularly, you'll know we just posted a blog on TIME FOR FIRE SAFETY REMINDERS
You will find many of these fire safety reminders to be related to safety for kids and pets.
Some of the most obvious safety reminders may appear to be obvious, but it is easy to 'forget' the dangers affiliated with holiday activities.
Here are a few tips we'd like to post.
We hope that even if this is just a refresher for you that if our tips can help save one child or one pet it's worth being repetitive.
*Fire wood is wonderful if you are lucky enough to have a wood burning fire place. And while you may already practice fire safety tips mentioned in our previous blog – chances are you have firewood placed on your hearth at one point or another inside of your home at a level that small children and pets can reach.
Do not forget that black widow spiders like to nest in piles of wood.
One bite from this spider can be a lethal one.
Be sure to inspect all of your fire wood thoroughly before you bring it inside.
Keep watch for splintery bits that often fall off when bringing the wood inside.
Stocking feet of kids and adults as well as the padded paws of four-legged family members will appreciate not getting toe splinters if you take this extra precaution.
*Holiday plants look lovely – but they can kill your cat or dog.
Caladium, Christmas Berries, Christmas Rose, Jerusalem Cherry, Holly, Mistletoe, Pointsettia, Star of Bethlehem, Elderberry and even common house plants like English Ivy or Philodendron which often accompany red and green floral arrangements can be deadly to your pets.
Even if you are extra careful with these holiday arrangements… even simple floral arrangements for your mantle, dinner table can be deadly. Keep them out of reach and out of places where they can be knocked over by curious climbers – both the two and four-legged ones.
*Hooks and pins are great for your holiday wreath or tree to hang lots of baubles and help hanging lights both inside and out, but should one fall off onto the floor, carpet or even just outside your home it can easily be swallowed slitting the throat of your toddler or pet!
Even if you do not have children or pets – a metal hook in your foot or in your car tire, really isn't fun.
Watch out as you decorate in all your merriment – and be extra careful.
* Ornaments and lights are beautiful for decorating, but they can be dangerous, too.
While glass bulbs are probably on your radar - Ornaments adorn everything these days from holiday garland, wreaths and trees to table coffee table centerpieces with candles.
Most of you may be aware that glass ornaments are dangerous and many can fall onto hard surfaces like a hearth, entryway or floor and shatter – you may not be aware that some plastic ornaments are not as durable as you think.
Small shards of plastic can be dangerous, too – as most ornaments are hollow and have seams which split easily.
Even if the ornament is in tact, look for these plastic fragments to break away from corners.
Many of these ornaments may not be up to temperature/heat (those that sit directly next to holiday lights
or feel the heat of the fireplace it sits next to) – breaking down the material, making it more vulnerable to small cracks and breakage.
*Wires/electrical cords are a necessity when 'plugging in' your festive lights inside your home.
Curious children and pets around a LIVE Christmas tree that is watered regularly to keep from drying out with dangling cords for lights nearby is deadly.
If you have pets that drink from your toilet – what is to stop them from drinking water from the base of your holiday tree?
Stay aware of this danger and be cautious of cords and wires that get pulled out and plugged in with the curiosity that comes from snooping around surrounding presents around the tree's baseline (kids and pets), as well as the water that some pets may be drinking and playing around.
*Holiday treats are in abundance during this time – candy, cakes, fudge, pies … it's sometimes a bit overwhelming when you have friendly co-workers, neighbors, friends and relatives who drop by with plates full of goodies.
While most parents are careful with children and their nut allergies and dogs around chocolate – we would like to take this time to remind everyone that these treats in the wrong hands or paws, can make a very UNMERRY holiday season.
The same should be said for hot cocoa, hot cider, coffee and tea – spilling of hot beverages within reach of kids or pets can burn your loved ones.
And while alcohol goes without saying – everyone knows not to serve it to little ones and pets, you also need to take precautionary measures.
When Grandpa Al or Aunt Joanne happen to 'forget' they've left their hot toddy on a low-level coffee or end table in the living room during their visit – this can present some dangerous circumstances.
While the holidays are supposed to be fun and we're not trying to put a damper on your spirit, we DO want to ensure happy, safe, peaceful, healthy holidays for all.
With so much going on between the shopping, wrapping, cooking and travel planning – we don't want you to get so distracted you forget that your children and pets also look to you to protect their health and safety.
By taking extra care this holiday season you can ensure your family will have happy holidays.
~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS
Written at 3:38 PM by WeSolvedIt.
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This is a guest post by Bianca of Latino Sexuality and of The LatiNegr@s Project. I'll be cross-posting and blogging for the month of March! Read a bit more about me when we introduced The LatiNegr@s Project team.
Cross posted from my Media Justice column
The National Women and Girls HIV AIDS Awareness Day is March 10th. I've written a lot about HIV for this column, however I have yet to really write anything specific for this coming day and with a focus on gender. I'd like to highlight some of the forms of media available that discusses and represents people who identify as women and how HIV and AIDS impacts our lives. Below are two main forms of media: Public Service Announcements that range from 45 seconds to 5 minutes long and music videos.
The PSAs may be useful to begin a conversation about HIV and AIDS education and prevention. They may also be encouraging to folks who decide to become media makers and create their own PSAs. The music videos fall into a few categories: quality videos and music and not so quality videos and music. The quality pieces focus primarily on HIV versus only having HIV as part of a larger storyline in the song. Some of the songs also blame the women in the songs for becoming infected with HIV versus individual responsibility.
Public Service Announcements
The Black Girl Project director and filmmaker Aiesha Turman created an HIV and AIDS PSA a few years ago. Her PSA "Prevent, Don't Manage HIV" can be seen below.
Rosa's Story from the Ventura AIDS Partnership http://www.vcaidspartnership.org discusses a Latina's story of HIV infection and how it impacted her family.
Helena Bushong is a 60 year old transgender Black woman living positive and shares her story in the video "Against All Odds: Transgender, African, and HIV Positive" by Josh Lederman. See the video below:
Merle "Conscious" Soden is living positive and identifies as a Black lesbian woman. She has created a one-woman performance of her life story called "I Got Unstuck" and you may see videos of her story here.
Music Videos
Unfortunately, there are not too many songs that focus exclusively on HIV without there being some kind of problem with the media. For example, TLC "Waterfalls" discusses various challenges and HIV is one of them. Here's the video and below that are the lyrics connected to one segment on HIV.
Little precious has a natural obsession
For temptation but he just can't see
She gives him loving that his body can't handle
But all he can say is baby it's good to me
One day he goes and takes a glimpse
In the mirror
But he doesn't recognize his own face
His health is fading and he doesn't know why
3 letters took him to his final resting place
Now, I like this song for this message. However, it does focus on a heterosexual relationship and it is the woman who encourages her partner not to use a condom when he is prepared to use one. It places blame on the woman as the person who infected him. This may be true in some cases, and the reality remains that for many people whose sex assigned at birth was female their bodies are constructed with more mucus membranes which can tear than those on the bodies of people whose sex assigned at birth was male. This narrative in certain genres is not new.
For example, MC Lyte's "Lola From The Copa" focuses on a young woman who she calls a "freak" for having multiple partners and not thinking before drinking and sleeping with her partners. The song ends with Lola being dead. Also, rapper Lil B released a song "I Got AIDS" last year to much critique.
Here he discusses the multiple women partners he was with and how "she gave me AIDS." Again, we do not hear the perspective of the woman who is living positive. Listen to the song below and this song has profanity so it may not be safe to listen to in certain spaces.
However, not all genres have the same message. I've shared some songs that I really enjoy for using in discussions on HIV and other STIs. For example, The Conscious Daughters, a hip-hop duo from California created "All Caught Up" which discusses HIV and AIDS prevention and education. The song in a user made video is below. The song does have some profanity so it may not be safe to listen to in some places. Thanks to my homeboy Jerome for reminding me of this song.
Choice, another woman rapper, also had a song called "HIV Positive" which was more of a prevention message than a judgement or third person storytelling. Her song can be heard below:
Wu-Tang Clan's song "AIDS" on the "America is Slowly Dying" album hook is "AIDS kills word up, America is dying slowly." Although not specific to women or young women, this video of them performing the song live is an important piece of media. I have yet to really see a concert where the songs are all about HIV and the crowd is dancing, feeling the song, paying attention, and getting informed at the same time! Check out the video below:
Reba Mcentire's: "She Thinks His Name Was John" is a country song that tells the story of a woman who is living positive. The story is that the woman met a man at a party, drank too much, and went home with him and she can't remember much about him except that he was the person that transmitted HIV to her.
A few of the articles that I've written which may be of interest and use in preparing for March 10th include:
Media Maker's Salon interview with Miss Kings County 2011 Carmen B. Mendoza.
Here I interview Carmen in her role as Miss Kings County (in Brooklyn, NY) and her platform is focused on eliminating the stigma associated with HIV testing. Carmen discusses her choice in choosing this platform issue, challenges and successes with this topic as part of her work in pageantry, and challenging stereotypes about women, pageantry, HIV, and Latinidad.
Myths and Messages about HIV
I wrote last year and discusses the myths and questions I'm often asked when doing HIV and AIDS education and prevention work. I share how some of these questions are connected to myths about HIV and our bodies and how I respond to them.
Conspiracy Theories and HIV
I focus on what I say and how I discuss HIV when folks present question and believe that HIV is part of a larger conspiracy to get rid of people of Color, queer people, and immigrants.
What are some of the forms of media that you would like to use for National Women and Girls HIV AIDS Awareness Day?


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I have a handful of rows that exist in my MySQL master but not in my slave.
Replication is running ok and these rows are unlikely to ever be referenced as it is a store-and-forget type of table. However, I want to delete these orphaned rows in order to have everything in sync and prevent any future problems.
If I issue a
DELETE statement on the master to remove the offending rows, the slave obviously won't be able to replicate it as those rows don't exist at the slave.
What are the implications of doing this?
- Will this break replication or will the slave simply ignore the problem and carry on?
- What is the recommended way to resolve this?
DELETE statement was interrupted on the master. Replication stopped as a result. I believe the same
DELETE statement was then executed on the slave before restarting replication. However, it ran to completion on the slave, resulting in more rows being deleted there.


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Noticias comerciales
Guildford, UK, 9 May 2013 – BOC today announced it has signed a long-term agreement to supply industrial gases to one of the biggest steelmakers in the UK, SSI Steel UK.
The 15-year agreement is one of the largest gases contracts ever awarded in the UK and follows SSI's purchase of the Teesside steelworks from Tata Steel in 2010.
BOC, a member of The Linde Group, is the biggest industrial gases company in the UK. The project, which will involve an investment of £25 million at BOC's site on Teesside, will be executed by the regional operations team and will draw upon the expertise of colleagues in Linde Engineering for specialist engineering.
Works, scheduled to take two years, will include the upgrading and expansion of three existing ASUs (Air Separation Units) which supply oxygen, nitrogen and argon, re-engineering of the existing pipeline systems to SSI UK's site and the design and build of specialist control equipment for SSI UK's blast furnace.
The new contract means SSI UK will be able to increase its overall steel output as part of expansion plans to supply steel slab to its parent company in Thailand.
Phil Dryden, CEO of SSI Steel UK said: "I am very pleased that we have reached agreement with BOC on this contract. BOC is a strategic partner and having worked with them since we announced our plans we are delighted that this investment has been agreed. It will help us take SSI UK forward and meet our strategic plans for the future."
Mike Huggon, Managing Director BOC added: "BOC has been established in Teesside for many years and is committed to supporting the area's vital industrial base. This news is important not only for jobs and prosperity in Teesside but also for the UK's wider industrial sector. I am delighted SSI UK have chosen BOC as their supplier and am confident that the investment we are making will bring long-term benefits to both companies."
BOC is a member of The Linde Group. An industrial, medical and special gases provider, the company supplies compressed and bulk gases, chemicals and equipment and is pioneering clean energy technologies including carbon capture and storage. For more than a century the company's gases and expertise have contributed to advances in many areas of everyday life, and industries including steelmaking, refining, chemical processing, environmental protection, wastewater treatment, welding and cutting, food processing and distribution, glass production, electronics and health care.
For more information visit www.BOConline.co.uk
About The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 62,000 employees in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2012 financial year, Linde generated revenue of EUR 15.280 bn. The strategy of the Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information, see The Linde Group online at www.linde.com
Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK
Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK Ltd (SSI UK), located at Redcar in the North East England is a 100% owned UK based subsidiary of Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Company Limited (SSI). SSI UK comprises iron and steelmaking facilities with a capacity of 3.6million tonnes of slab production per annum. SSI is the largest steel sheet producer in South East Asia with an annual hot rolling capacity of 4 million tonnes, and is publicly owned and listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
For more information please contact John Baker, PR & Media Director SSI UK, on +44.1642.408275
Further information:
Susan Tyzack
BOC Communications and External Affairs Manager
Phone +44.1483.597857
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com