“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.”  Throughout the day, we breathe predominantly through one nostril or the other. This is a natural operation called the “nasal cycle,” wherein our nostrils alternate being more congested. For example, when the left nostril is more congested, we breathe more through the right nostril, i.e., the right nostril is “dominant” during that period.
Scientists have discovered that when your right nostril is dominant, the EEG (recording of brain activity) is greater in the left cerebral hemisphere [each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body], and when the nostril dominance switches, so does the activity of the brain hemisphere. The cooperation between the right and left brain is essential for us to learn better, function more intelligently, and become proficient in anything. Whatever it is you are engaged in—reading, writing, music, art, yoga—each hemisphere has something important to contribute for you to have access to both technique and inspiration. We balance breathing in yoga and find stability through our pranayama (control of the breath). Therefore moving the body & controlling the breath will facilitate brain integration. So check in with yourself during our practice and either slow down or check in whether the pranayama is working with the asana to create a higher level of operation. In order to live a balanced, creative, integrated life, filled with connected relationships, it’s crucial that our two hemispheres of our brain work together. And facilitating that in yoga can lead to greater level of functioning throughout the day. YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South & Central Park, NYC) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 8/1/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™
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"You can't remember your Yamas or Niyamas? It's simple... don't be an asshole!"  It's been a tough last couple of weeks, along with the oppressive heat waves, the turbulence that is life personally and the passing of my teacher Gopal Chandra.
Last week, he took his last breath and moved out his ravaged body. He was 40. Incredibly young, and even though I was older than he was, from the day I met him and throughout our relationship eventually growing into a student/guru bond, he always made me feel like he was the big brother I never had. During our last night of a teacher training he led that I was in, the entire group sat in an intimate circle and on that Sunday evening, I told him how I felt and he shared as well about our tight bond. We looked at each other... cried a lot and we said "I love you," to each other. That wasn't the first time we said those words. Years before, when I wasn't thinking about becoming a yoga teacher and while sitting patiently for a vinyasa class to start - in a room that only had a sprinkling of students - as the session was about to begin, Marko bursted in late and graciously pardoned himself for arriving tardy. With loads of space in the entire room, he made a path to me, placed his mat inches away from mine and said with a smirk, "I'm going to out-chaturanga the shit out of you." I was already mortified that a teacher I admired and enjoyed being around decided to share his space... and invade mine. HAHA. We practiced together. It was fun. Yeah... a lil' ego got into me and it may have become a performance. But at the end, when in legs up the wall pose and about to enter savasana Marko glanced at me and said, "I love you, dude." I reached out to one of Marko's teachers - Raghunath (Ray) Cappo - and let him know about the stories he shared with me about their time, and how our teacher training crew was always schooled on how Marko was always excited to be around "Raghu" as he would call him. In a message after his passing, Raghu said to me, "it was all auspicious when he left this world [it] was in great consciousness." Raghu spent days with Gopal Chandra prior to his departure from his physical form. Marko's classes were always fun. His storytelling was enchanting. The countless hours we spent singing, chanting, meditating and laughing together made me the teacher I am today. His style of teaching, his cadence, how he cued and how navigated all his students was a direct influence on me and many others. He described his class as, "a dynamic blend between a fierce, physical practice and a reverence for spirit, [with the space] infused with energy." Spot on. I honor his teachings by delivering his influence on me with my experiences to all of you. I love you all. Here are a few quotables from Gopal Chandra: > "Consistent practice over a very long period of time will eventually permit the body to bend and fold in all sorts of miraculous ways. If it’s worth it, it’s worth the work. And it won’t come easy. The Gods had to churn the ocean with a mountain to gain immortality! The only thing required of us is commitment to the process. The Nectar lies in the process not the pose. Yoga won’t make us immortal, but the physical and mental benefits of it are undeniable." > "Get on the mat. > Practice every day. > Transform the body, mind, consciousness. > Repeat." > "The most joyful things are so simple, so uncomplicated, so unconditional!" Here's the 'Wisdom of the Sages' podcast where Raghunath (Ray) Cappo interviews Gopal Chandra on June 9th - the topic: "Gopal Chandra discusses being diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the importance of forgiveness, compassion and love as he faces death" : CLICK HERE (YouTube) YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South & Central Park, NYC) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/25/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “What we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore—plays in defining the quality of our life.” – Cal Newport  A lot of our unhappiness is not solely from the occurrences of our life, but from the story the mind tells you about those circumstances.
There are two parts to this cycle where negative thoughts can hinder us. The first is the actual event or happening; pain we experience here is due to external situations that we are unable to control [or avoid]. Getting sick, loss of loved ones, getting into conflicts, losing our job, experiencing grief etc. The second has to do with our reaction to the event; our thoughts. When we react negatively, blaming, shaming, aversion, getting angry and upset, we set off the suffering of the second part. It is our thoughts that make us re-live (and keep reliving) an experience that only ever happened once. Reduction of suffering (emotional and physical) and the increase in vitality and full life potential is inherent in the yoga philosophy. A yoga routine that incorporates meditation works on increasing one’s awareness of the present as opposed to resisting or attempting to avoid uncomfortable and negative thoughts. So even though we can’t control the circumstances, we can control how we respond to them. We can choose not to get stuck in a frenzy of unnecessary negative thoughts that have a detrimental effect on our mental and physical health, and direct that energy instead into growing our awareness. When we grow the power of awareness within ourselves, the mind begins to lose its ability to make us unhappy. Realize that certain thoughts are bad for you. Become still and start observing your thoughts. Direct your attention elsewhere. Withdraw consciousness away from worry and unnecessary mindsets. Thoughts cannot survive if you take attention and consciousness (their life stream) away from them. Create space for you to breathe and feel your aliveness. Remember that you are not the narrative of your mind. You are consciousness itself, the intelligence that pervades your body and holds it together. YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South & Central Park, NYC) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/18/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a transformation.” ― J. Krishnamurti  We often bring injuries with us onto our yoga mat – both from pushing ourselves too hard in yoga and from overworking our bodies in other exercises or daily activities. Yoga is a therapeutic tool for healing and recovery, but it can also be an impediment to healing or even worsen the injury if not aware of how to move with injuries.
By adhering to some simple guidelines we can safely practice yoga with an impairment and utilize yoga to support the healing process by activating the body’s lymphatic system and by improving local circulation. Acute Phase of injury: rest the injured area for 4-6 days. Do not perform any movements that require strength, aggravate the injury, or produce any pain. Inflammation/swelling may be present, and elevating the affected area will help to control any swelling to help reduce any throbbing or discomfort. Inversion poses will be very helpful to reduce inflammation by activating the lymphatic system, and will also provide elevation if the injury is located in the lower body. Using ice and compression (wrapping with an ace bandage) on the injured area during the first 2-3 days after the injury is also recommended to help relieve inflammation and pain, and to expedite the recovery process. Subacute phase: During this time, injured tissue is very fragile and susceptible to re-injury. Very gentle stretching is the first step of rehabilitation. Stay focused on the breath and the sensations of the stretch, but do not stretch to the point of pain. Proceed with slow, gentle non-weight bearing movements and gradually increase the amount of motion and number of repetitions. As symptoms resolve, gradually resume using weight-bearing movements. An adequate warm-up before and correct alignment during yoga is essential in this healing stage. Transitioning into poses slowly and gently; use long hold times and practice slow deep breathing in the poses. Any movements that increase your symptoms should be avoided. If a yoga pose causes any pain, tingling, or numbness, stop immediately. Chronic phase: During this time the injured site may feel healed but it is still susceptible to a re-injury and/or chronic inflammation if excessive force is used on the area. It is important to know that care must be taken during this stage and that the injury will not be 100% healed until after this stage has passed. YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/11/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ |
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