Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

On May 7 of 2005,  Sattva opened its doors — offering Yoga & Pilates in Rocklin.  I look back and that seems like yesterday.  It also seems so long ago.

Sattva started as an idea.  The idea was to create a place where movement was more than a workout – it was a way to improve your quality of life on and off the mat.  I believed in it so much that I never had one doubt, one concern or one fear.  It was just something that had to be done!  And, thankfully, the universe supported that belief and sent YOU to Sattva.  Then, you also believed in it.

Sattva has grown into more than I could have imagined. And,that is because of all of you.

Today, after eight years, I can’t think of anything to say other than THANK YOU.

It’s because of you that we have such a fabulous community.  A place where people are supportive of one another, and everyone is welcome.  I’ve seen so many lives changed, for the better (including mine)!

It’s been a journey for me personally.  Sattva has been a place for me to share, and to grow.  A place to make tons of mistakes (luckily with supportive people surrounding me!).  A place to share lots of ideas. And a place to change lives.

Eight years of Sattva is just the beginning of the full blossoming of its potential.  Looking forward to many more years of Sattva!

Thank you all for showing up!

With Gratitude…

Namaste-
Jean

“Now [after doing Pilates], I have muscles of steel and could easily deal with giving birth.” – Hugh Grant

The Pilates Method was developed by Joseph Pilates as a method to bring balance to mind, body and spirit.  We believe that Pilates is a way for you to find your “power!” And, we are working to spread the message that everyone can benefit from pilates. Following are just a few ways pilates can help you find your power, whether or note you need it to give birth!

- Increased lung capacity and circulation through deep, healthy breathing is a primary focus.
- Increased strength and flexibility, with focus on the abdomen and back muscles
– Coordination – both muscular and mental, are key components in an effective Pilates program.
- Improved posture, balance, and core strength are all heartily increased.
- Bone density and joint health improve, and many experience positive body awareness for the first time.
- Pilates teaches balance and control of the body, and that capacity spills over into other areas of one’s life.

We know you can find your Pilates Power in any of our pilates classes, and we continue to offer you a comprehensive mat pilates program.  To maximize the Power of Pilates, we also offer private training sessions.   While we love the energy in a group class, we also love to work with our clients one-on-one because this is where we have the time to give you  exactly what you need. In this setting, it’s all about YOU.

Here are a few reasons to consider private training.

Private Training is Convenient: Sometimes the regular class schedule just doesn’t work for your schedule. Private training is done by appointment, so we make this available to you when it is convenient for your busy schedule.

Private Training is Efficient: When working with you one on one, we customize our program to meet your personal goals. Your time with us is spent focusing exclusively on YOU. So, you are going to meet your goals faster!

We focus on Your Needs & Goals: Our customized programs are not a one size fits all approach. Whether you are post-rehab, or are an athlete training for a specific event, we develop a program appropriate for you.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you should consider private sessions to help you find your Pilates Power!:

- My busy schedule conflicts with regularly scheduled class
– I’m recovering from an injury or illness and want to start moving again – safely!
– I want to make the most of my time, with something designed specifically for me.
– While I can’t make it to a class even though I really want to go, I always keep my appointments!
– I feel easily distracted or feel competitive in a group class.
– I’m at a plateau in my regular practice, and feel that I need personal attention to progress.
– I’m interested in developing a home practice to fit my personal needs.
– I’m new to pilates/yoga and need help to get started.
– I’m afraid to go into a group class setting.

If you want to lose weight, ditch your diet.  It won’t work.  In fact, studies have shown that weight lost via “dieting” doesn’t work 95% of the time.  Please don’t waste your energy dieting!  If you really want to lose weight, whether it’s to look better, feel better or otherwise, shift your attitude.  Instead of going on a “diet” to lose weight, put your focus on “getting healthy.”   Diets are temporary.  Health is a life long project.

Why weight loss diets don’t work …

Diets take joy out of eating.  Instead, joy is replaced with a sense of scarcity and deprivation (“I can’t have this, I can’t have that”), and a sense of guilt (“I ate chips with my lunch”), etc..  When we eat, we literally ingest the attitudes we have at the time we are eating.  Do you want to ingest guilt and deprivation, or abundance, joy — and satisfaction?  If you carry deprivation around with you, you’ll binge the first chance you get.  Then, you’ll feel guilty about it.  Its a vicious cycle.

Diets Drain Your Energy. Yes, literally they do drain your energy because you aren’t eating.  But more importantly they shift the focus of your energy to things like calorie counting, scale watching, and food obsessing.  This leads to low energy, depression, negative self talk, lowered metabolism, and a distraction from making the energy investment into healthy habits for a healthy you.   Should your day really be spent obsessing over what you ate, or ruined because the scale was a bit heavier than yesterday?

Diets Alter Your Bodies Equilibrium: When in balance, your body will burn fuel (food) efficiently. It will take the nutrients it needs, and eliminate toxins.  When you diet, you are messing with what we call “Agni” (or digestive fire) in Ayurveda.  The consequence?  You don’t take in the nutrients you need, and instead you build up toxins.  Obviously, when you are overweight you are not in balance.  But a restrictive diet won’t do you any favors – and will likely confuse your body more.

Diets Leave You Hanging: First, they don’t get to the root cause of why you need a diet.  IE:  Are you overweight because of bad habits?  Uncontrolled emotional eating?  Lack of exercise?  A medical condition (physical or psychological) that requires professional help? You won’t lose weight for good unless you address the underlying cause of “why” you are overweight to begin with.  This is why most people, 95%, will return to their pre-diet weight as they continue doing what they were doing before the diet.

Why getting healthy does work ….

When you focus on getting healthy, you are focused on the positive aspects of living.  Your commitment to health is a gift to yourself.  It’s that simple.  You’ve replaced self loathing with self love.  So start right now, and get rid of the scale, and please please please stop counting calories.  It will only drive you (and those around you) crazy.  Here are a few ways to get started ….

1. Make eating a satisfying ritual.  Put the joy back into eating!  Is joy what you feel as you go through the McDonalds Drive thru?  Probably not.  Do you feel joy when you’ve put energy into preparing what it is your are going to eat, with people you love to share it with?   Probably!  And, yes, this can be done with simple foods and convenient cooking.  
2. Adopt healthy habits, start with food.  Rather than focusing on what you need to get rid of, focus on healthy habits you can adopt. IE:  Chewing your food, sitting down while eating, eating real food (this is food that doesn’t come in a box, can, bag or freezer – including restaurants which usually serve food that is in wrapping.  Healthy habits make you healthy. Unhealthy habits leave you unhealthy.  Which do you prefer?
3. Exercise.  You won’t get healthy unless you exercise.  Bottom line.  Your body was designed to move, so move it!  Use it, or lose it.  It’s true.  We know exercise not only helps with weight loss, but makes it easier to keep it off.  It helps with depression, reduces heart disease, and on and on…. The best part, is that you will feel and look amazing because you will be happier.
   
4. Get professional help if needed.  Some people do require medical supervision or psychiatric help to lose weight.  If you need help, ask.  Those who love you will appreciate your choice.
   

While the list of things you can do to “get healthy” is long, these core basics will improve your quality of life and hopefully leave you feeling better, looking better and living happier.

As we enter the New Year, filled with a fresh attitude and sense of optimism, 50 percent of us will vow to engage in drastic self-improvement by making a “New Year’s Resolution.”

And most of us will likely not meet our self-imposed raised expectations, failing to improve our quality of life for yet one more year. With an 80 percent failure rate, I am left questioning this ancient tradition.

Beginning 4,000 years ago in Ancient Babylonia, New Year’s Resolutions were made with the belief that a change made at the beginning of the year would be mirrored throughout the year. If you lived during this time, your resolution was something simple, most likely to return something borrowed from a friend … usually some type of farm equipment.

Times have changed. Instead of successfully letting go of borrowed farm equipment once a year, we make soon to be broken vows to let go of bad habits that have often taken years to develop. While this tradition might have once served the Ancient Babylonians, it is not serving us and we are left with a feeling of defeat after breaking that important promise to ourselves that we will make a positive change.

I want to offer you a revised approach to New Year’s Resolutions that will increase your odds of becoming successful, and a provide guidance so you can make whatever change you want to make on your path towards better health.
Replace your “New Years Resolution” with a “Daily Resolution”

Real change takes time. It took awhile to get where you are today, so it is going to take time to change habits. One reason New Year’s Resolutions fail is often the goal is so overwhelming it seems impossible.

Looking at each new day as an opportunity to change for the better gives you a clear path as you journey toward better health one step at a time. Accept you will have good days, and days that don’t go as planned. But that is just part of the process.
Set an intention, and believe in your decision

“Resolution” is defined as “a firm decision to do something.” For change to occur, big or small, you must truly believe in what you are trying to accomplish.

Many times resolutions focus on something that we wish we could do, but deep down we don’t really believe it is possible.

For example, “I resolve to lose 50 pounds this year.” You may know this would be good for you. You may want to do this.

But with a goal this far away it may not seem possible. If you don’t believe your goal to be possible, then you have not really made the decision to make change. This sets you up for failure.

Instead, create an intention to plan healthy meals for the week ahead, and take it one day at a time. Or, set an intention to take three deep breaths before beginning each meal. Make the decision, and then do it. These are both steps towards losing 50 pounds … smaller victories of success as you move closer to your long-term objective.
Replace obstacles with opportunity

When you begin to make change, there will be obstacles … you don’t like exercise … your schedule is too hectic … you don’t know how to cook … your family requires too much time.

Obstacles are just part of life, and you have the choice to let them stand in the way of your progress or to serve as opportunities for growth.

Stay Positive

Most resolutions focus on what we consider to be a negative element of ourselves. For example, many will resolve to “lose weight this year,” or to “get into better shape.”

Our focus is inherently rooted in self-loathing that has brought us into our current state. Instead, create a positive intention that allows for letting go of previous habits, and cultivate a space that can be filled with healthier living.

For example, replace, “Today I will exercise so I can lose weight” with, “Today, I look forward to stilling my mind while taking a walk with friends.”

Replace, “I will eliminate fast food from my diet” with, “I will learn how to cook healthy, simple meals.” A change in attitude about your health is truly the key to staying the course of change.

If you slip back, forgive yourself. Pick yourself up, and take another step forward. For many, change moves two steps forward, one step back. You aren’t alone!

You have everything within you to reach your potential in creating a more balanced, healthier, fuller life. You are entirely capable of losing weight, eating a healthier diet, reducing our stress, getting into better shape and transforming yourself by creating the life that you want.

As Published in the Placer Herald, 2006, Jean Munoz

Should bad habits be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should bad habits be forgot,
And forever left behind!

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

And surely you’ll start your yoga!
and surely I’ll start mine !
We’ll take our class of pilates yet,
With coffee left behind.

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

We two have sat on the couch,
and consumed our food and wine;
We’ve now resolved to let bad habits go
And forever left behind

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

We’ve resolved to let go of last year,
To ring in new habits, so fine;
Let go of what’s not serving you
And forever left behind

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

And there’s your old trusty mat
And give to me o’ mine!
This year we’ll take the healthy path
Bad habits left behind.

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

Happy Holidays To All, And To All Namaste!

‘Twas a moment in Savasana, when all through the studio, not a yogi was stirring – each trying to let go.

The Yoga mats were lined up in even rows with care, in hopes that inner peace, soon would be there.

The yogis were nestled, snug on their mat beds, while visions of inner peace danced in their heads.

Celebrate!  Christmas, Kwanza, Hannukkah.  Hard to settle our brains for a long peaceful Savasana.

For out on the town there had been such a clatter.  All distracted with shopping, no notice anything was the matter.

Time to quiet the mind, it moves like a flash. Stop thinking of ways to turn over our cash!

The lights have been dimmed, as we seek our inner glow.  I wiggle my fingers.  Can’t relax.  I wiggle my toe.

When what to my wondering self should appear.  But a vision of peace, with a message that makes it all clear.

With a little inspiration, an exhale … I release.  I knew in this moment it must be inner peace!

More rapid than eagles, the realization, it came.  My mind calmed, it relaxed as it called them by name:

Now ‘Inhale’, Now ‘Exhale’, Now time to ‘just be.’ Oh ‘relax,’ Oh ‘Let Go’ of what stands in front of “me.”

To the top of my mind, had I broken down the wall?  In this moment, inner peace.  Please be there for all.

The wild hurricane flies, and settles as dry leaves.  When the obstacle of the mind lets go, I can believe.

I’d found it, its real, and then, oh I knew.  In this moment, my path was clear … with inner peace too!

And then, in a twinkling, I heard another thought.  A dancing and glorious but simple little thought.

I drew into myself, and focused on what I’d found.  Twas in savasana, where my inner peace can abound.

A yogi, in stretchy clothes from my head to my food.  My energy beginning to clear, right down to my root.

A bundle of potential, I had within me.  Just me, little me, could be extraordinary.

My eyes – now they twinkled.  My thoughts, how merry.  My attitude – like roses.  My heart – sweet like a cherry!

My mout was now drawn up like a bow.  And, my intentions within were as pure as the snow.

The stump in my thoughts, I’d held tight in myself.  Had just been released, I’ve now found a new wealth.

My face, it now glowed.  I’m strong to my core.  I shook, and I laughed  Yoga!  I seek more!

On the mat – and off- yoga is good for my health!  And I laugh, I laugh out loud, in spite of myself.

Another fleeting thought goes through my mead.  And I realize that I have nothing to dread!

I spoke not a word, I know I’ve done the hard work.  I filled myself up, now I can share all the perks.

Still laying on my mat, inhaling through my nose.  I rolled to one side, and then slowly rose.

I sat on my mat, to myself I exhale.  As away all stress flew, inner peace would prevail.

My final thought, as I moved from where I lay -

“Happy Holidays To All, And To All Namaste”

Everyone! ….Okay I mean almost everyone. Very old people, severely sick people and children are exempt. But everyone else is in.

The world is toxic in so many ways these days – car fumes, pesticides, herbicides, denatured food, negativity in the news….toxins for body, mind and spirit. Now more than ever we must maximise our bodies capacity to cleanse itself if we don’t want to contract disease, go totally mental or feel disconnected.

If you experience any of the following it is time to lighten up: extra pounds, bad breath, skin irritations, allergies, constipation, low energy, swelling, copious mucous, Mucous in your poop, smelly sweat, clouded mind, nervosity, anxiety, anger, lethargy or simply having too little energy for the day.

A group Detox is starting up March 23.

See you there!

At a high level, most of us know our physical bodies are pretty complex. When we are young, most of us don’t even give our body a second thought. We run, we jump, wrestle, hop and it somehow all works for us. As we begin to get older or sustain injuries, we might seem to notice that movement isn’t as free as it used to be. We start to ‘look under the hood’ a bit to figure out where the trouble is and find there are all sorts of super complex systems and parts. The systems and parts sometimes poorly adapt if we don’t put focus and effort in directing the level of physical wellness we’d like to enjoy. We might even find ourselves measuring our wellness in terms of “not being sick” or even “not hurting” vs. being full of health!

Yoga and Massage are a great combination when you’ve decided its time to focus on physical (as well mental and emotional) health. When we utilize and challenge our bodies (all of those internal systems, muscles, joints, etc), we also need to rest them so they can recover and rejuvenate. Yoga and Pilates focuses on precise muscle movements to strengthen you from the inside out. Integrative Massage also focuses on precise musculature, rejuvenation and actually helps out ALL of your systems and parts!

Other than the obvious, nervous system relaxation and stress reduction, benefits of massage therapy include:
Increased circulation (blood, oxygen, lymph, energy, nerve)
Increased recovery time from illness and injury
Improved muscle tone
Removal of metabolic waste and toxins
Improved posture and range of motion
Improved sleep patterns
Reduced pain and tension
And for those of us who don’t have many opportunities for human touch, the nurturing touch of a massage therapist can bestow that wonderful feeling of being cared for…

So, don’t consider massage as a fluffy luxury or pampering yourself, consider it a part of your overall wellness routine.

Much Peace and Wellness,
Sylvia Harrell

For more information about Sylvia’s background and training, visit www.MindBodyBalance.name <http://www.MindBodyBalance.name>

Spring is the time to lighten up your diet. It is the time to shed those extra pounds, fat and with it the toxins accumulated during the winter. Greens with their bitter quality provide a detoxifying and alkalizing effect to the system. And they are SOOO delicious!

Favorite Dark Leafy Greens
Serves 2-4
V= PK↓

1 big onion
1 bunch greens (whatever is in season: kale, swiss chard, bok choy, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens or a mix of them)
some water
1 Tbsp ghee
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
Salt or Braggs to taste

Cut onion into medium big halfmoons
Cut tough stems off the greens if any, and cut greens into ½ inch big sizes
Warm ghee in a medium big saucepan. Add onions and sautee until golden brown.
Add sunflower seeds and brown them a bit. Add spices(including salt if you choose to use it instead of Braggs); stir briefly.
Add greens and water. Do not stir. Turn heat down to medium low, cover saucepan and let greens steam. This preserves vitamins and minerals and lets the greens soften.
When greens are done, mix everything and add braggs to taste. (omit Braggs if you used salt)

Yummy. ENJOY!

Nooo? Well, nor did I until I found out what Ojas was.

The term Ojas comes from Sanskrit (that’s a language) and it refers to our immunity, vitality, vigor and strength. On the physical level it refers to our immune system. But that’s not all. It also refers to our mental stability and spiritual strength.

You know why having good Ojas is so great? Because it prevents us from getting diseases (you know colds, allergies, flues or nastier things like cancer). It also keeps our mind from going insane (isn’t that great). AND it provides us with enormous spiritual strength. Now that’s a good one.

I bet you wanna know how you can keep your Ojas strong, right? Okay, I’ll give you a few Ayurvedic tips to chew on. It’ll blow your mind away how brilliantly easy logical they are.
For the body, eat foods that are natural, wholesome and harmonious to your constitution. When you do, your body will have a much easier time digesting and can take all the extra energy to cleanse your organs and function properly.
For the mind, go to bed at a reasonable time. No sorry, I am not talking about 1 am. More thinking along the lines of 10 – 11 pm. That allows the mind enough time to digest all the impressions we fed it throughout the day. That way it can be ready and clear the next morning.
For the spirit, spend time with loved ones daily. Rejuvenate your being by being in community with people that are meaningful to you and feed your soul.

That’s a great start to build up your Ojas and live a vital, happy life. Isn’t that what we are all striving for? So why aren’t we doing things that make us feel that way? It’s so easy, right!