Namaste Yoga with Dr Melissa West
By Dr. Melissa West
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Podcast Description
Melissa West is a yoga instructor who helps people to surrender to peace in their lives by connecting to the vital energy within their body through breath, cultivating optimal functional movement by harnessing the power of gravity and increase overall mobility by creating more suppleness in the spine.
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| 1 | VideoNamaste Yoga 129 Beginner’s Series Preparatory Poses with Dr Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Starting this week we are commencing a new series of classes for beginners. Over the next six weeks we will explore all the facets of a yoga class starting this week with preparatory poses. These are the poses that we use to prepare our bodies to get into the larger yoga postures such as standing postures, backbends, inversions, twists and forward folds. We even use these poses to open our bodies to breath and our bodies and minds to explore thoughts and emotions. Also during these classes we will return to some of the core philosophies of my teachings. Starting with our physical experience from my training at Esther Myers and their core teaching of breathing, grounding and spinal elongation and then expanding to our thoughts, emotions and spirit from my training with Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy and that infamous question, “What’s happening now?” The simplicity of these classes will bring us back to basics and give us the space to unravel tension from our bodies open up to hear the messages they are trying to speak to us. | 5/26/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 2 | VideoNamaste Yoga 128 Ganesh Teaches About Humility with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This final class in the series of classes on the mythology of Ganesh teaches us about humility. Each of these stories are archetypal and teaches us something about ourselves. In this story, Kubera, the God of wealth, invites Shiva, the God of destruction and his wife Parvarti to dinner in order to show of his riches. Shiva and Parvarti turn down Kuberas invitation and send Ganesh instead. Kubera is a bit wounded and insulted insisting that he could feed thousands of children like Ganesh. Ganesh goes to Kubera's palance and true to his form sits down and eats all the food placed in front of him. As was custom, more and more food is placed in front of Ganesh, as his appetite seems to be insatiable! Ganesh eats and eats until there was no more food to be found and Kubera is forced to send his troops to find food from surrounding villages. Ganesh was still very hungry and actually began to eat all the furniture. Kubera became very frightened! Ganesha told Kubera, "You promised my parents you would feed me! Now I have to eat you up as I am still very hungry!" Kubera ran away and pleaded with Shiva to save him from Ganesha. Shiva advised Kubera to give up his pride and serve Ganesha a simple handful of rice. Kubera went back to his palace. Ganesha's stomach had become very huge, but the child as still hungry. When Kuberay served a cup of rice, with humility, Ganesha's hunger was indeed satisfied. This story teaches us that a handful of rice given with love and eaten with love is more important and filling than all the wealth of Kuvera flaunted to impress the world and all the Gods. In today's class we will practice humility with half moon balancing pose and triangle pose. We will also practice turning inwards and listening to the messages of our own bodies and following our breath. This class offers and opportunity to open your hips, a "humble" yet extremely effective backbend called sphynx pose that should be a counter pose to life, as well as Kubera mudra. | 5/16/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 3 | VideoNamaste Yoga 127 Ganesh Honours his Parents with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Ganesha had a brother whose name was Kartikeya. Ganesha was very clever and sweet natured, where as Kartikeya was very short tempered. Both of them used to play on the mountains and sometimes they used to quarrel. One time they had a huge fight. During this quarrel both thought each other was guilty and to settle the matter they approached their parents. Shiva and Parvati heard both sides of their story. Suddenly Shiva had and idea, "Children," he said to them, "Let's settle this with a contest. Both of you will have a race around the world and the one who comes back first will be considered right. The one who comes back last will be considered wrong. Do you agree?" "Yes! Yes!," Ganesh and Kartikeya agreed! Kartikeya rode a peacock and was very fast, while Gaensh only used a little rat for riding. Kartikeya was confident we would win the race because his peacock was much faster than Ganesh's rat. Kartikeya immediately jumped on his peacock and rode very fast as he could. Ganesha first had a look at his big stomach and then at his little rat. He was sure that he can never win the race.Then Kartikeya was already away with his peacock. Ganesha sat down defeated and began to think. Suddenly, he had a good idea. Ganesh asked Shiva and Parvati to sit together and quickly walked around them three times. No sooner had Ganesh circled his parents than Kartikeya returned on his peacock after travelling around the world proudly boasting to his parents, "here I come! I've won!" "No," Ganesh said firmly, "our parents are the mother and father of the world, so going around them is just like going around the world! I have done it three times, but you have done it only once, so that make me the winner!" Ganesh looked to Shiva and Parvati asking, "Am I right, or am I wrong?" "Ganesha is right," said Parvati to Kartikeya," he has won the race !" This story teaches us about intelligence and honour. Ganesh takes the time to tune in to his inner knowing and seek higher knowledge before making rash decisions or having a temper tantrum or losing his cool like his brother. Through this story we learn to respond rather than react. In the story Ganesh honours his parents and in this honouring and intelligent response wins the contest over speed and physical skill. In our class today we will practice honouring ourselves and honouring the human spirit through the warrior poses. We will also work a bit with peacock preparatory poses in honour of Ganesh’s brother. We will work with patience with paschimottanasana and the mudra of inner self as well. | 5/11/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 4 | VideoNamaste Yoga 126: Ganesh and the Durva Grass | http://www.melissawest.com Continuing on with our series of Ganesh classes this class explores how our yoga practice brings us closer to our True Selves. The legend associated with Durva goes like this: Long, long ago, a ruthless demon named Anlasur was a really, really bad demon. He was so terrible that the earth would tremble by his voice and his eyes used to emit fired. He created havoc around the world, not even the Gods were spared. Indra tried to control Anlasure several times by engaging him in battle, but Anlasur was even beyond Indra's control. Panic ensued and all the Gods went to Lord Shankar for help. Lord Shankar told them only Ganesh could help them. Since Ganesh had a huge pot belly, he could actually swallow Anlasur because there was enough space in his belly to accommodate the demon. All the Gods prayed to Ganesh to rescue them from the terror of Analasura. Pleased by their prayers, Ganesh agreed to help them. Ganesh took the form of a small boy and started war with Analasura. Analasura's eyes oozed fireballs and destroyed Ganesha's surroundings. A tough battled ensued, but eventually Ganesh swallowed Analasura. Unfortunately the heat in his stomach began causing agony to Ganesh. He became so restless he could not even lie down. Indra tried to give Ganesh the moon to wear on his head to cool him off, but that did not help. Vishnu gave Ganesh his lotus, but that did not help. Shankara removed a cobra from his neck and tied it to Ganesha's hip, but even that didn't help. Varuna, the rain God showered Ganesh with plenty of water, but that didn't work. Ganesh continued to suffer from the heat. At that time 88. 000 sages came and each one performed archana over Ganesh with 21 Durva grass each and miraculously Ganesha was cured. The word Durva is derived from the words duhu and avam. "Duhuavam" means that which is far away and means that which brings closer. According to this meaning, Durva is that which brings the distant pure spiritual particles of Ganesh closer. In our own practice today we will focus on how our yoga practice brings us closer to our True Selves. We will practice a dramatic re-enactment of the story with hip opening postures and postures focuses on the watery second chakra. We will practice half moon balancing posture, crescent moon, full moon, dark moon, lotus, cobra, sitali breath (cooling breath), and walking meditation on the grass in our bare feet. | 5/3/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 5 | VideoNamaste Yoga 125 Ganesh Teaches About Discernment with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Sage Vyasa was meditating in the Himalayas. Lord Brahma appeared before him and asked him to write the Mahabharatham for the benefit of all. Sage Vyasa said that he could not compose the verse and write it down too and therefore asked for the help of someone wise, who would write down as he sang. Brahma asked sage Vyasa to pray to Lord Ganesha to help him. Ganesha told Vyasa that he had enormous work to do and hence he would write it down, only if Vyasa was quick in singing it. For his turn, Sage Vyasa requested that Ganesha should understand the meaning of the verse and only then put it down in writing. Vyasa started singing. Whenever he felt Ganesha was writing too fast for him, he would come up with a difficult verse, thus by the time Ganesha could decipher the meaning, he would have composed several more verses in his mind. Lord Ganesha wrote on Mount Meru using his tusk. Sage Vyasa is supposed to have sung 8,800 granthams, which were difficult for Ganesha to decipher. He has himself stated that Ganesha, Sage Vyasa himself and his Sugan are probably the only ones who know the meaning of those 8,800 granthams. Only the remaining one lakh granthams is assumed to be on the earth. The Mahabharatham is considered the fifth Veda. What should we take away from this story? Even the great and wise Ganesh showed incredible discernment. He didn’t trouble us with tones of esoteric knowledge and books and books of philosophy. He distilled the knowledge down into one book to be taken away. This is what the eagle does by soaring high in the sky, backs up to gain perspective. Today in class we will work with variations on eagle's pose. We can do this in our lives too, we can back away from a situation to gain perspective. We can also turn inwards in meditation into ourselves to find our own internal answers, blocking out all the noise of the world for perspective. Sometimes we need to zoom out, sometimes we need to zoom in and we can see the entire universe is waiting inside of us. We will practice working with this perspective in our class today. This class is dedicated to the very Happy 40th Birthday of Elisa Richmond!!! | 4/26/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 6 | VideoNamaste Yoga 124 Ganesh Remover of Obstacles with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In episode 124 of Namaste Yoga we will return to another Ganesh story. In this story Ganesh removes the reckless abandon of the destruction being caused by a son completely distraught over the loss of his Father. In these stories, the Hindu deities represent aspects of ourselves and their behaviour represent how we can sometimes be reckless with ourselves internally at the times when we need to be the most gentle. This story teaches us to be gentle and compassionate with ourselves in our own healing. In the story, Ganesh removes all negativity. In our own lives we can use our own resources including yoga to move emotions through our body. In this class we will use yoga postures such as apanasana, lion's breath and mudras to help move toxins, challenging emotions, waste and anything we need to let go of, through our bodies. Yoga postures such as dancer, Goddess, and tiger will offer a fun dramatic re-enactment of the humorous parts of the story and allow us to laugh even in the most difficult times of our lives. This class is dedicated to the loving memory of Namaste Yogi Valerie's brother Benjamin Thomas Hein. Poem: "I went to the top of the world today, to see what I could find, and all I saw for miles and miles, were things you left behind. Your spirit was high up in the clouds, moving carefree through the sky. Your voice whispered through the leaves, saying 'sister, don't you cry.' The river contained your courage, never knowing when to cease. Even your laughter echoed through a soaring flock of geese. Your strength was in the trees, growing taller every day Your smile was in the sun, beaming down from far away. In the sparrows you left curiosity, always seeming to ask us why. And the hills held your ambition, reaching upwards towards the sky. So even though you are now gone, your soul will never be, for I take it everywhere I go, it is wild and it is free." Written by Valerie Hein, on November 1, 2011. In memory of Benjamin Thomas Hein and Scott Thomas Peterson. Peace and love, Valerie | 4/20/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 7 | VideoNamaste Yoga 123: Ganesh's Cat and the Teachings of Interconnection | http://www.melissawest.com One day, as a child, Ganesh amused himself by tormenting his pet cat, pulling on her tail, rolling her up and down. After a few minutes of amusing himself, he left the cat and went away. He didn't give too much thought to what he had done to the cat and went to meet his mother, Parvarti. Ganesh was surprised to find to find Parvarti suffering badly in the dust with many wounds. When he asked his mother what had happened, Parvarti responded that Ganesh was responsible for her bruises and scrapes. You see, all is one and Parvarti is indeed the cat that was tormented by Ganesh. The story teaches us of the interconnection of all living beings. If we injure any living being we injure every living being. In this class we will focus on the one of the primary teachings of yoga, the interconnection between all things, or in other words, the philosophy that all is one. Starting in our own bodies we will experience the connection between the layers of our koshas from physical, breath, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. The chakras also point to the connections between our physical bodies and our day to day interactions and existence. Physically we will of course explore cat pose in its many manifestations in this class. This video will focus on spinal flexibility through flexion, extension, lateral flexion and extension and rotation. We will also experiment with moving our spine in cat like motions in postures such as nataranjasana/dancer and 1/2 bow/dhanarasana. | 4/12/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 8 | VideoNamaste Yoga 122: How Ganesh Got His Head with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this episode of Namaste Yoga we will explore how the Hindu Deity Ganesh got his elephant head. This class is about letting go - of our egos, past hurts, wounds, anger, tension - and instead turning to the sweetness of our True Nature. Through yoga we will release tension in our bodies with twists and hip openers and by extension be able to release in other ares of our lives. Ganesh will help us remove the obstacles to letting go into a smoother and happier life. | 3/22/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 9 | VideoNamaste Yoga 121: Get Out of Your Head! | http://www.melissawest.com This yoga class is not only designed to help the over 303 million people worldwide who suffer from a genetic neurological disease called migraine disease but also a much wider spread epidemic called "way to much time in your head!!!" This yoga class is designed to bring you out of your head and connect you to the still, nurturing, life-giving, supportive energies of your root charka and Mother Earth. In this yoga class we will focus on opening up the channels of energy in your feet and legs through meditation, visualization and yoga postures. | 3/16/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 10 | VideoNamaste Yoga 120 Breathe, Love and Let Go with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This class grew out of my own personal experience of learning to live with a genetic neurological disease of multiple daily migraine attacks over the last eight weeks. Out of this experience I have learned that all that matters is to breathe, love and let go. During this time, my breath has become my life line. In this class we will check in and ask ourselves, Am I breathing? Where do I feel breath in my body? The first yama of yoga practice is ahimsa and this will come front and center in this practice as we will ask ourselves, How can I be more loving towards myself in this pose? Finally we will explore the concept of letting go both through our breath but also letting go of unnecessary thoughts and tension in our bodies. Join us for a deeply profound class that you will no doubt return to again and again. | 3/9/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 11 | VideoNamaste Yoga 119: Lining Up Hips, Knees, Ankles and Feet | http://www.melissawest.com This yoga class is all about lining up your hip, knees and ankle joints. This class is excellent for anybody suffering with knee issues or arthritis in their hips or knees. In this class imagine your hip, knee and ankle joints as three dots that create a straight line. This simple movements will traction the joints to create lubrication and safe movement in your joints. We will combine these movement with breath and mantra. Drawing on Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful manta's "In, Out. Calm, Smile. Present Moment, Beautiful Moment." these beautiful mantras will combine with movement to create a simple yet meaningful yoga class. Enjoy. | 2/27/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 12 | VideoOpening Organically to Breath a Beginners Class with Dr. Melissa West - Episode 118 | http://www.melissawest.com Dr Melissa West, leads this class is about opening gently to the organic flow of breath in your body without forcing or grasping. We will begin by bringing awareness to breath in three parts of your torso: your belly, your rib cage and your chest. This class focuses on opening up your side body like a fish opening up its gills. This allows your breath to quietly and softly move through your body with ease and serenity. This is a beautiful class that will be appreciated by beginners and more experienced and nuanced practitioners alike. | 2/10/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 13 | VideoYoga for Beginners - Episode 117 with Dr Melissa West | http://www.MelissaWest.com This gentle yoga class is designed with the beginner in mind but will be appreciated by practitioners of all levels. The class begins with breath and body awareness mindfulness meditation. Simple stretches open up the muscles at the fronts of the legs. Gentle backbends open up the chest. This is a great class to counter the endless hours we spend sitting in chairs. Yoga poses gently open up the fronts of your hips and strengthen up your upper back so you can come out of that rounded posture and sit up taller. Enjoy! | 2/2/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 14 | VideoNamaste Yoga 116 Ayurveda Elements and Doshas Earth with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this new series on Namaste Yoga we will return to the previously wildly popular subject of Ayurveda (episodes 45-48) with a look at how the doshas relate to the elements. For this series I will be drawing from Dr. David Frawley's books: Ayurveda Nature's Medicine and Yoga for Your Type. This is a vigorous yoga practice designed to bring balance to the solid, dense earth energy of the kapha constitution. This active practice will help to build movement and heat creating harmony for those with strong kapha constitutions. Check out Dr. Deepak Chopra's dosha quiz online if you're not sure of your dosha. (http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/) Members receive bonus material for this episode. You can sign up for a monthly or yearly membership at http://www.melissawest.com/membership-sign-up/. Join our growing and engaged community on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/yournamasteyoga | 1/12/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 15 | VideoNamaste Yoga 115 Vishnu Series Lakshmi with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com During the last class in a series on Vishnu, we will focus on Lakshmi, the Goddess of Abundance. The concept for this class came from Danny Arguetty's book, Nourishing the Teacher: Inquiries, Contemplations and Insights on the Path of Yoga. Instead of focusing on lack in our yoga postures, we will focus on what is going well in our practice. This class encourages you to find your own personal abundance in each pose. This way you can acknowledge and appreciate the gifts already in your possession whether they are physical, spiritual, material, emotional or mental. During this class I happily share the beauty of Balsam's music (which she gifted to us for the show). Her CD is called Feel the Love, Get the Respect. She kindly adapted this album of guided meditations to just music for our classes. You can get her CD at www.loveandrespect.info | 1/5/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 16 | VideoNamaste Yoga 114 Vishnu Series Buddha with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com We continue our series of classes on Vishnu's avatars with his ninth incarnation as Buddha. In this incarnation Vishnu came to remove suffering from the world. In this practice we will focus on the shared Buddhist and yogic concepts of mindfulness, letting go of effort, being open to present moment experience and focusing on being rather than doing. | 12/29/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 17 | VideoNamaste Yoga 113 Vishnu Series Krishna/Gopala with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Vishnu's eighth incarnation was as Kirshna, the friend and teacher who delivers the Bhagavadgita to Arjuna. Krishna is a symbol of devotion, love, and pure joy. Through the Bhagavadgita Krishna shows the way of karma yoga and bhakti yoga. In this class we will focus on Krishna's young days as a cow herder with cow's face pose and poses that mimic the young cow herder with his flute in the fields. The class offers a combination of hip and shoulder openers along with balancing poses. | 12/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 18 | VideoNamaste Yoga 112 Vishnu Series Ram with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In honor of Vishnu's incarnation as Ram we will be practicing gentleness, affections, friendliness and tenderness. Together with his wife Sita, Ram was known as an example of faithfulness, steadfastness, incorruptibility and honesty. In honor of Ram we will practice bow pose and in honor of Sita we will practice lotus pose. This class combines hip openers with gentle, tender attention to practice. | 12/15/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 19 | VideoNamaste Yoga 111 Vishnu Series Lion with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In episode 111 of Namaste Yoga we explore Vishnu's incarnation as part lion part man. Through the practice of lion's pose or simhasana you will explore your fierceness, bravery, and independence. Neck releases clear your throat passage so you won't be afraid to "roar" if you feel threatened or intruded upon. Lion's have huge paws that gracefully and fully connect to the ground. The practice features some yoga for your hands and feet to allow your "lion's paws" to fully connect with the earth. In lion's pose your eyes turn up to your third eye so there is also some eye yoga to strengthen your eyes. Be sure to join us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/yournamasteyoga and check out our brand new membership site designed to support a community of yogis in deepening their practice at http://www.melissawest.com/ | 12/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 20 | VideoNamaste Yoga 110 Vishnu Series Tortoise with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this episode of Namaste Yoga we will focus on kurmasana, tortoise pose, which represents the second incarnation of Vishnu. We will explore the tortoise as a symbol of perseverance with a discerning mind. When has perseverance served me in my life? When I have persevered to my own detriment. This class features postures that open up your hips and groin and creates space at the back of your pelvis around your sacrum. You will need a bolster and blocks for this practice or four pillows would do the trick. Be sure to join us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/yournamasteyoga and check out our brand new membership site designed to support a community of yogis in deepening their practice at http://www.melissawest.com/ | 12/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 21 | VideoNamaste Yoga 109 Vishnu Series Matsya/Fish Pose with Dr. Melissa West | Vishnu's first avatar was as a fish to guide Manu's arc (with two of every creature) to safety after a great flood. Vishnu is the God of preservation and takes on various avatars to protect the universe as needed. This episode of Namaste Yoga focuses on fish pose (matsya) with lots of twists and side bends to prepare our spines for the backbend. This class will open your chest, release tension from your neck and bring balance through the vishnu mudra and alternate nostril breathing to end the class. | 11/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 22 | VideoLiving Your Yoga 3 Soul to Soul Parenting with Dr. Melissa West & Annie Burnside | Parents yearning for ways to inspire deeper meaning in their family’s busy lives will find a wealth of insight and user-friendly suggestions in this interview with Annie Burnside. Annie Burnside, M.Ed.—teacher, wife, mother of three, and professional soul nurturer—is a modern mom who utilizes everyday life experiences including mealtimes, books, movies, art, friendships, time in the car, and family outings to open perspectives and nourish souls, infusing a heightened spiritual awareness into their lives. Join us for this fabulous discussion about soul to soul parenting. | 11/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 23 | VideoNamaste Yoga 108 Vishnu Series Garudasana/Eagle with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Over the next eight weeks we will embark on a special series of classes related to Vishnu, the Hindu God of Preservation. The Hindu God's give us an opportunity to reflect on their qualities, trials and tribulations within our own personal experiences in this case preservation and sustenance. Vishnu was appointed by the God of creation, Brahma, to regulate the consequences of good and evil in the world. Vishnu came into the world in many incarnations whenever calamity occurred. In this first class in a series we explore eagle's pose in honor of Garuda, the demi-God who carries Vishnu. | 11/15/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 24 | VideoNamaste Yoga 107 Yoga for Beginners Two with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com When asked what the biggest challenge they faced in their lives, Namaste Yogi's responded, time management, lack of time, not enough time, difficulty finding time to do yoga, and being present when they do actually find time to do yoga instead of feeling rushed or pressured to do something else. In this second yoga for beginner's class we will explore a shift in mindset that we can bring to yoga to give us a sense of spaciousness in time to practice yoga. Drawing on the pace of nature as our inspiration we will practice being beginners to slowing down and having the patience to receive the unfolding of our yoga practice. The intention of this practice is to rest into an expanded sense of time and connecting with the slower rhythm of nature. | 11/10/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 25 | VideoNamaste Yoga 106 Yoga of Emotions Love with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this last of a series of classes on emotions we will focus on love. This is a beautiful practice of heart openers in which we appreciate the beauty and grace of unfolding our bodies. Through yoga asana we recognize that beauty is everywhere and always there to be loved. To practice love is to observe the love and beauty in all things. By seeing the beauty and love in all things we are able to see the Divine nature of all things. This class focuses on beautiful backbends and heart openers. | 11/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 26 | VideoLiving Your Yoga Balsam Feel the Love, Get the Respect | In this interview Balsam will speak about offering in word/image/music/sound inviting you into the world in which you are profoundly loved and respected. We discuss our intimate connection with nature and what it means to live your yoga. Balsam and I talk about various spiritual traditions and opening up to the awesome intelligence available through nature. Balsam’s music will be featured in Namaste Yoga - our free weekly yoga video podcast. Be sure to join our Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/livingyouryoga Hello and Welcome to Living Your Yoga. I’m your host Dr. Melissa West Yoga Educator, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, Thai Massage Therapist and host of the free weekly yoga video podcast Namaste Yoga. I’m so happy you could join us today. Today I will be interviewing Balsam about working in partnership with nature. BIO Balsam (Sibylle Preuschat) has immersed herself in many studies, including Tantric and Daoist meditation, holistic wellness, the use of flower essences and essential oils, and improvisational movement. Her debut CD, recorded with percussionist Alfredo Villela, is called Feel the Love, Get the Respect: From Nature, For You, With Music. This CD joins together Balsam's two greatest passions: singing and sharing strategies for collaborative, conscious, mutually beneficial partnership between humans and natural/physical/biological intelligence. Balsam is an experienced workshop facilitator, teacher, and consultant who has witnessed again and again with her clients that when human souls learn how to consciously seek out and receive the support and wisdom inherent in natural/physical/bodily intelligence, their creativity and power on the Earth plane flourishes. The Feel the Love, Get the Respect CD gives every interested listener an opportunity to directly connect with the support, love, and respect held in their personal body intelligence and physical reality in general, while supported by music composed especially to enhance this connection process. CONTACT INFO FOR LISTENERS www.praisebe.info (my blog, where I write on an ongoing basis about collaboration with natural/physical/biological intelligence) www.loveandrespect.info (my CD sales page) Name of CD Feel the Love, Get the Respect: From Nature, For You, With Music, by Balsam, with Alfredo Villela. Thank you for joining us Balsam. Tell us a bit about yourself, your background, spiritual practice, teachers and influences. What is nature’s love? What does it mean to receive nature’s respect? Can you share the prayer in your liner notes as a way of opening and centering for this interview? (Earth, in love, in respect, I allow you to hold me (us) in powerful containment, and to nourish me, so that I can move into delight) What does it mean to you to live your yoga? What are the benefits of coming into magical co-operation with nature? How do we tap into that unending supply? You speak about the metaphor of humanity with wings of masculine and feminine and that balance or rather imbalance. Tell us more about that. How can nature help us to heal, tap into our highest potential and creativity? In the liner notes of the CD you say, “Nature/physicality is the iridescent clothing of Soul. It shifts and changes to reflect Soul’s intentions. AS the Soul pays attention to the changing colors, it can learn from them how to create greater and greater beauty. Life is a sacred agreement between Nature and Soul. Tap into that agreement and we flourish.” Tell us more about Soul and its agreement with Nature. Let’s talk about the tracks of the CD Breathing Thinking Eating Movement Seeing Sexual Dreaming How did you choose these aspects of living, tell us a bit about each one and its relationship to nature. How do you envision this CD being used by its listeners? What do you hope it will bring into their lives? What challenges or obstacles can people expect when working with Feel the Love, Get the Respect? You told me prior to the interview tha | 10/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 27 | VideoNamaste Yoga 105 Yoga of Emotions Wonder with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This episode shows an exciting gateway into dropping the over-rationalizing egoic mind, suspending "reason" and entering into wonder. In this episode we will open up to the wonder and miracle of life. We begin by bringing awareness to our breath, the very thing which brings us life without even consciously being aware of it. Not only that, but your breath spreads prana (life-force energy) through all the 72, 000 nadis of your body. That awareness alone can drop you into the emotion of wonder. Tuning into the miracles of life such as the birth of a baby and creation itself we will explore some of the various depictions of Brahma (the God of creation) through fish and tortoise poses. Wonder is rajasic and heats our internal fire so we will also explore postures and breath practices to stoke our internal fire. Thank you for your kind donations at www.melissawest.com and while you're there sign up to receive a free morning and evening yoga practice. Remember to like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/yournamasteyoga | 10/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 28 | VideoNamaste Yoga Yoga for Emotions Courage with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this episode of Namaste Yoga we tap into our inner strength and discover our courage through yoga. We begin by becoming aware of the physical strength of our bodies. The practice reflects on the courage of hanuman through hanumasana and the great warrior Arjuna through the warrior poses. We also explore a Ganesh mudra to draw on the intellect required for courage. Complementary episodes to this episode are Episode 78 on Karma, Episode 79 on Dharma, Episode 77 on Samskaras, Episodes 12 & 87 on Warrior Pose, Episode 81 on Hanumasana, Episode 76 on True Self/Atman and Episode 18 on Facing our Fears. Remember to like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/yournamasteyoga and go to www.melissawest.com to receive your free morning and evening yoga videos not available anywhere else on the web. | 10/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 29 | VideoNamaste Yoga 103 Yoga of Emotions Calmness with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com We continue our series of classes on yoga of emotions based on Peter Marchand's book, The Yoga of the Nine Emotions, with the emotion of calmness. We begin the class with a Tich Nhat Hanh mantra and then move into a series of mini yoga vinyasas inspired by Mark Whitwell, Ron Stapleton and Michael Stone. Calmness is a sattvic emotion and thus promotes harmony, peace, and stillness in our minds, bodies, emotions and spirits. Melissa explores how the rasa shanta (calmness) relates to the vata ayurvedic dosha and following your dharma. | 10/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 30 | VideoAyurveda with Jackie Van Acker from at the core yoga and ayurveda | http://www.livingyouryoga.ca Living Your Yoga is a series of video interviews with some of the most important teachers in the yoga community today. Living Your Yoga takes yoga off your mat and into your life exploring the wider context of what it means to live your yoga. In this first Living Your Yoga, Dr. Melissa West interviews her friend and colleague, Jackie Van Acker from at the core yoga and ayurveda. Jackie and Melissa discuss ayurvedic medicine and what it means to live your yoga from an ayurvedic perspective. Jackie introduces and clarifies the tri-dosha model of vata, pitta and kapha. Jackie gives you some simple ayurvedic tips to integrate into your day and the seasons. Join our community of yogis taking yoga off the mat and into their lives at http://www.facebook.com/livingyouryoga. To receive a free morning and evening yoga practice register at www.melissawest.com | 10/11/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 31 | VideoNamaste Yoga 102 Yoga of Emotions Anger with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Continuing our series based on Peter Marchand's The Yoga of Nine Emotions we will navigate the emotion of anger. In the yoga community there may be this misconception that it is all rainbows, unicorns and butterflies - but let's get real, we're real people, living in the real world, and anger is a real emotion that we will encounter in our day to day lives. It is incredibly important that anger is expressed in a non-violent and honest way. Once anger has found its release valve then we can work on countering the fire of anger with the calming, cooling energy of the moon. In this episode we will focus on the cooling qualities of the moon with moon salutation and various calming and cooling breaths. We will also explore techniques for releasing anger. Make sure to join our community of real people doing real yoga on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 | 10/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 32 | VideoNamaste Yoga 101 Yoga 101 Yoga for Beginners - How to do Yoga | http://www.melissawest.com You asked for it, and you got it! A yoga class for beginners. This class is a great place to begin if you are just starting Namaste Yoga or to send your friends who are interested in trying yoga but have never done a class before. This class is an introduction to beginner yoga postures. In this episode Melissa answers the question, what is yoga, goes over the structure of her classes and takes a beginner through step by step covering not only the how, but also the why. | 10/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 33 | VideoNamaste Yoga 100 Celebrating 100 Episodes with Joy and Gratitude Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com It is with joy and gratitude we present to you the 100th episode of Namaste Yoga. Today's theme (thanks to Namaste Yoga viewer Elissa Richmond) is all about joy and gratitude. Melissa begins this episode with tears of joy and gratitude for the past 100 episodes and all the viewers who have shared them with her - but stick with it because she does pull it together and share a joyful class. This class is made up of Namaste Yoga viewers requested postures so thank you to: Florianna Raudino for pran mudra and spinal energy series, Kelly Howard for Wild Thing Pose, Ivy Tulin for pigeon, our Italian viewers - Floriana Raudino, Linda Scardina & Viola Vazio for tree pose, Rondell Parker for breath of joy and lion's breath, Roxane Lesa for Dancer, Elisa Richmond for legs up the wall and Karen Holden for alternate nostril breathing. Thank you to each and every one of you who have shared the last 100 episodes with us. We are eternally grateful to share this beautiful practice of yoga with you. Life is kind and in that we find joy. Remember to like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 and join our engaged community. | 9/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 34 | VideoNamaste Yoga 99 Yoga of Emotions Compassion with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com The second in our series of classes on emotions focuses on karuna - compassion. "True compassion is a communication of truth in loving kindness." Peter Marchand, The Yoga of Nine Emotions. In this episode we will navigate the emotion of sadness to find the true compassion that recognizes that the suffering of others is also our own. We will begin our practice with Loving Kindness Meditation and a mudra to open our hearts. Those with the kapha dosha ayurvedic constitution are more prone to sadness and thus we will engage in a practice to bring fire and lightness to the heavy watery and earthy quality of kapha. Remember to friend us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 | 9/13/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 35 | VideoNamaste Yoga 98 Yoga of Emotions Fear with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com We begin this new series of yoga classes on the emotions by exploring and navigating the emotion of fear. Those with a vata dosha are more prone to fear, worry and anxiety so asana practice is designed to improve apana vayu, the downward flow of energy to ground and calm agitation. This series is inspired by Peter Marchand's book The Yoga of the Nine Emotions: The Tantric Practice of Rasa Sadhana. Please read the introduction to this series here: http://www.melissawest.com/blog/2011/9/6/the-yoga-of-emotions.html and friend us on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 | 9/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 36 | VideoNamaste Yoga 97 The Five Vayus Vyana Vayu with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com We finished our series of classes on the five vayus with episode 97, vyana vayu. This is the expansive aspect of life force energy. Once we cultivate energy internally through udana vayu, we can then begin to disperse it outwards like spokes on a wheel through vyana vayu. It is through vyana vayu that all things circulate through your mind and body. Vyana vayu is the network of 72, 000 energy lines or nadis throughout your body. It connects the functions of your nerves, veins, muscles, joints and circulate nutrients and energy .Vyana vayu moves from the center to the periphery. Hatha yoga and its endless yoga postures are fabulous for enhancing the flow of prana through vyana vayu and ultimately your circulatory system, lymph system, and nervous system. Through practicing hatha yoga we are able to remove the obstacles to the circulation of energy, and information through your mind and body. | 9/5/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 37 | VideoNamaste Yoga 96 Udana Vayu with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This week we continue our series on the five vayus with udana vayu. This is a more subtle prana of upward moving energy to express your truth, expand your awareness and raise your consciousness. This vayu is active primarily region between your heart and your heat drawing prana to your energy centers deep within your brian. When we cultivate this energy we create a blissful consciousness of enlightenment by moving udana vayu up through the sushumna nadi. Remember to join in the conversation on Facebook - ask questions and add your comments. Like us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 | 8/27/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 38 | VideoNamaste Yoga 95: Samana Vayu with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This week we will investigate samana vayu - the great equalizer. The key location of this vayu is at the navel center (think third chakra). Samana vayu is responsible to assimilation of all kinds: food (nourishment - or lack thereof), thought patterns, emotions, sensory perception, and breath. When this vayu is strong you will experience strong digestion, vitality and balance. The asana practice in this episode will focus on twists and abdominal toners. Remember to join our community on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397, ask questions and join in the conversation. | 8/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 39 | VideoNamaste Yoga 94 The 5 Vayus: Apanvayu with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This week we will be working with becoming aware of and enhancing the downward flow of energy in our bodies. Apanvayu is located at the anus, but also runs along the base of the neck, down the spine, whole back and down through the heels. Apanvayu is responsible for elimination of all kinds from your body from exhalation to bowel movements, urination to childbirth. During this practice we will practice letting go through breath and body of thoughts, emotions, physical tension and anything that no longer serves us in our lives. | 8/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 40 | VideoNamaste Yoga 93 The Five Vayus Prana Vayu with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This week we begin a new 5 part series to focus on the management of prana - vital life force energy that animates all levels of our being. Through these classes we will become more attentive towards the energy flowing through our bodies and learn how to enhance and direct their flow. We will begin with prana vayu which has to do with the inward and upward movement of energy from our heart center up into our chest, neck and head. Prana vayu has to do with the reception of all things from food, breath, thoughts to our senses; anything coming into our body. Join us as we follow energetic flow inwards and upwards for an INSPIRING practice. | 8/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 41 | VideoNamaste Yoga 92 Yoga Stories Vrksasana Tree with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This is the final class in the yoga story series. To finish off our series with will work with tree pose which is said to be symbolic of birth and death. The seasonal nature of trees promises both death and rebirth. In this class we will transform our bodies into trees with our feet and legs being the roots, our torsos being the trunk and our hearts, arms, hands and fingertips will become the branches. This class promises to help you root down into the earth for nourishment, connect to the strength, stability, and power of your "trunk" and reach into the light, i.e. spirit, with your branches. We will finish the series with a powerful tree meditation. Thank you for all your positive feedback on this series, I love to hear how much you are all enjoying Namaste Yoga and how it is impacting you in your life. Best way to leave your comments is to like us on Facebook and write on the Namaste Yoga wall: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 | 7/27/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 42 | VideoNamaste Yoga 91 Yoga Story Bhujangasana Cobra with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com Another story of rebirth and regeneration! (Has this been a theme in the yoga stories series?) The cobra is said to be a symbol of relinquishing our fears as we progress on the spiritual path. Shiva wears a cobra around his neck symbolizing his deep familiarity with the fear of death (he is the God of destruction after all). His son, Ganesh, wears a snake around his belly, not only to cinch in his waist (because he eats too many sweets) but also to pay respect to his father and dedication to overcoming his fears. This episode is designed to free up your spine so you can lift and open your heart in your most beautiful cobra. This episode is dedicated to one of our sweetest, generous hearted viewers, Rondell Parker - thank you for all your support in its many forms. Like us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 | 7/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 43 | VideoNamaste Yoga 90 Yoga Stories Chandrasana with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this episode of Namaste Yoga, real yoga for real people, we will practice all the various forms of chandrasana: lunge, cresecent moon, and balancing moon. This pose comes with the most delightful and hilarious story about our beloved Ganesh. This episode will open your hips, lengthen your spine and help you work with balance. Be sure to like us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397?ref=ts | 7/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 44 | VideoNamaste Yoga 89 Yoga Stories Gomukasana | http://www.melissawest.com This week's episode of Namaste Yoga reflects on Vishnu's eighth incarnation as Krishna and his life as a young cow-herder. In those days Krishna was known as Govinda or Gopala. This class will release your ankles, hips, shoulders and chests to prepare you for cow's face pose. Cows are known for their gentle and peaceful nature and we will try to embody these qualities as we move into gomukasana. Krishna's days as Govinda or Gopala are symbolic of protecting the divine feminine represented by the cows. | 7/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 45 | VideoNamaste Yoga 88 Yoga Stories Kurmasana with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com This week's episode of Namaste Yoga is Kurmasana, tortoise pose. Kurmasana was Vishnu's second incarnation. He took the avatar of a tortoise to offer his back for the churning of the ocean to bring out the nectar of immortality. Tortoise pose reminds us of the value of withdrawing our senses from the world to find peace within. This pose is a beautiful class of hip openers. It will leave you with a wonderful broad feeling across the back of your pelvis and sacrum. | 7/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 46 | VideoNamaste Yoga 87 Yoga Stories Virabhadrasana with Dr. Melissa West | http://www.melissawest.com In this episode of Namaste Yoga we will connect with our inner warriors who bravely battle with the universal energy of self-ignorance, the ultimate source of our suffering. Drawing from the story of Virabhadra who rises up out of one of Shiva's hairs thrown to the ground in a fit of anger, we will be practicing warrior I, II & III. Also thrown into the mix is "dying warrior" for good practice in letting go. By practicing the warrior poses we can learn to cultivate intelligent action over reaction. The true fight of the warrior is against our reactive minds. | 6/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 47 | VideoNamaste Yoga 86 Yoga Stories Eagle Pose with Nienke from Yogabliss.me | http://www.melissawest.com In todays class we explore the eagle pose, Gaurudasana: Mythical King of the Birds. The eagle pose mainly focuses on the shoulders and hips but also improves flexibility in all the major joints in the body: ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists. Please be mindful of any shoulder or knee issues/injuries. The eagle invites us to connect with wisdom, clarity, freedom, strength, courage and illumination. | 6/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 48 | VideoNamaste Yoga 85 Yoga Stories Nataranjasana with Dr. Melissa West | In this episode of Namaste Yoga, real yoga for real people, we explore the king dancer pose. In this pose Shiva expresses himself as the cosmic dancer to release our souls from the snares of illusion. Throughout this class we will explore the cycles of death, birth and rebirth as a dance of bliss for our own welfare. If our soul goes through a cycle of births and rebirths as part of being human we can use the inspiration of Shiva to joyfully dance the dance of destruction to rebirth something even better. ; | 6/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 49 | VideoNamaste Yoga 84 Yoga Stories Trikonasana/Triangle with Dr. Melissa West | This week's yoga story focuses on trikonasana or triangle pose. This explores the "trinity" behind trikonasana. The trimurti of Gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Siva the destroyer are mirrored by the trinity of Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali. The three gunas will be explored rajas, sattva and tamas. The class features three different breath practices to reflect the three gunas. We'll have some fun with tiger pose and of course, trikonasana will take front and center stage. ; | 6/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 50 | VideoNamaste Yoga 83 Yoga Stories Lord of the Fish with Dr. Melissa West | This week's yoga story has to do with fish pose in yoga. There are two versions of fish pose: matsyana, which is the back bending fish, and matsyendrasana, the seated twist. Matsya was the first avatar of Vishnu who saved the great sages, birds, animals and plants from a flood that destroyed the world. Matsyandrasana was the first yoga teacher, a fish who Siva unknowingly imparted all the teachings of yoga one day while sitting by the water's edge. Matsyendrasana went on to teach others and the classic text Hatha Yoga Pradipika was the result. This class will free up your thoracic spine for fish pose and then work with twisting which is fabulous for your internal organs and releasing tension. | 5/25/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 51 | VideoNamaste Yoga The Goddess Within with Dr. Melissa West | This episode of Namaste Yoga explores the yoga pose Utkata Konasana, Goddess Victory squat. By discovering the stories of Hindu Goddesses Lakshmi, Parvati, Annapurna, Saraswati, Kali and Durga we discover the personal, archetypal qualities of the Goddess that exist within all of us. This class is not only for women. Hatha yoga translates as ha = sun, tha = moon. Sun is the masculine, moon is the feminine. We practice yoga to balance our masculine and feminine sides in union. Practicing Goddess pose opens us up to our inner power. Connecting with our inner Goddess is one of the most beloved aspects of my personal practice, I hope you enjoy it too. ; | 5/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 52 | VideoNamaste Yoga 81 Yoga Stories Hanumasana with Dr. Melissa West | The second in the series of yoga stories features the yoga pose hanumasana. The pose is named after the Hindu Deity Hanuman. Hanuman is a symbol of strength, courage, perseverance and devotion. Just like Hanuman we often forget our faith, our divinity, and our greatness. Through the story of Hanuman we will remember that there is a part of us that is divine and able to accomplish the impossible. | 5/11/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 53 | VideoNamaste Yoga 80 Yoga Stories Lotus with Dr. Melissa West | This class is the first in a series of yoga stories classes. In this class we will work towards the lotus pose by opening your hips. The lotus is a flower that has its roots in the muddy waters and is used as a symbol for the opening flower of spiritual growth - which can grow from the muck of even the worst karma. The unfolding petals of the lotus flower symbolize the expansion of our souls. | 5/5/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 54 | VideoNamaste Yoga 79 Dharma with Dr. Melissa West | This week's class is about dharma: right action and living your truth. Dharma often gets translated as life purpose but I think in our culture that gets read rather narrow mindedly as "career." Dharma is about the fullest expression of our being, about living the fullness of your uniqueness and passions. What's more we have multiple dharmas at multiple times during our lives. In this class we will practice yoga asana as a way to be more fully you in each posture. We will draw on the story of the Bhagavad Gita and Arjuna's quest to live his truth as our inspiration. ; | 4/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 55 | VideoNamaste Yoga 78 Karma with Dr. Melissa West | This is the much requested and long awaited class on karma. Although karma is popularly understood as punishment for our sins or rewards for our good deeds, in truth it is much more complex than that. Michael Stone describes karma as a relationship between our actions and psychological conditioning. He adds that when we act we act within a web of relationships and thus karma is a complex and multidimensional thing. This class is really a part 2 to the class on samskaras (episode 77). Karma can relate to the actions of our bodies, minds and speech. In this class we focus on the habitual holding patterns of our bodies and plant the seeds for a new more flexible, strong, and balanced way of being in the world. ; | 4/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 56 | VideoNamaste Yoga 77 Samskaras with Dr. Melissa West | This week's episode of Namaste Yoga is dedicated to samskaras; the subliminal impressions formed by our thoughts, feelings and actions. According to Nischala Joy Devi, when a thought, feeling or situation arises it will naturally flow into the groove that presents the path of least resistance. Through this week's practice we will become aware of unconscious and habitual samskaras and look at the ways that sankalpa, awareness, asana, mudras and pranayama can create new, more positive impressions. | 4/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 57 | VideoNamaste Yoga 76 True Self with Dr. Melissa West | This week's class will focus on coming into direct and immediate experience of our divine nature, our true essence. Drawing from the teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras we will use yoga to free us from the drama, the tragedy and the saga created by our minds and experience our true self. When we practice yoga we are able to remember our True Self and contemplate our oneness with all of creation. The vinyasas from this class are taken from or inspired by Mark Whitwell's "Yoga of Heart." ; | 4/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 58 | VideoNamaste Yoga 75: Klesas | This episode of Namaste Yoga is dedicated to what Patanjali refers to as the 5 causes of suffering, the klesas. According to the Yoga Sutras the mental/emotional causes of suffering are unawareness, egotism, clinging to past pleasure, aversion to past pain and the fear of death. We will explore the concept of kelsas within the context of this class. ; | 3/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 59 | VideoNamaste Yoga 74 Drishti with Dr. Melissa West | This week's class focuses on the yoga concept, "drishti." Drishti means point of focus. It is a gentle gaze outwards that brings awareness inwards. In sanskrit drishti translates as vision, point of view, intelligence and wisdom. The root of the word, "dhr" means to hold, support and keep our mind collected. How perfect is that for our yoga practice? Drishti can be on a candle flame, a chakra, a mantra, breath, bodily sensation, thoughts, emotions, or spirit. In fact in Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion the drishti or point of focus allows us to see past our outer differences to our inner essence or truth. In this episode we will choose different points of focus for our drishti. ; | 3/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 60 | VideoNamaste Yoga 73: Bandhas | This episode of Namaste Yoga will focus on teaching the bandhas. We will be working with mula (or moola) bandha, uddiyana bandha and jalandara bandha. These translate as root lock, navel lock and chin lock. The bandhas are muscular contractions that help to focus the mind, channel energy through the body in specific ways and balance the nervous system. Please note contraindications to the udiyana bandha are: colitis, stomach or intestinal ulcers, diaphragmatic hernias, high blood pressure, and pregnancy. Contraindications to the jalandara bandha are: cervical spondylosis, high intracranial pressure, vertigo, high blood pressure or heart disease. ; | 3/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 61 | VideoNamaste Yoga 72 Sankalpa with Dr. Melissa West | Join me for what I believe is the most important class I've taught to date. In this yoga class I will be teaching on "sankalpa" which means a good intention or resolve that resonates within your core and aligns with your essence. At the crux of living our yoga is living from a place of intention. A good intention will bring you in alignment with the greatest good of your highest self and allow you to live in reverence and sincerity with all living beings. In this class I will help you open to your innermost intention and focus on how to bring it to life. ; | 3/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 62 | VideoNamaste Yoga 71 - Restorative Yoga | This was a special request from one of our viewers to do a restorative class. Of course all props go to Judith Hanson Lasater and her book Relax and Renew. In this class we focus on restorative poses to release and let go of muscular and mental stress. If you have a bolster, yoga blocks, blankets, and a yoga strap, bring them to this class! If not, don't stress out, we've worked out some options. Remember to "like" us on Facebook: ;http://www.facebook.com/pages/Namaste-Yoga/125188310845397 . Thanks for all your stories about how Namaste Yoga is affecting you in your life. We're sharing one at the beginning of each episode now! | 3/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 63 | VideoNamaste Yoga 70: Special Series on Chakras and their Archetyps, Crown Chakra and your Higher Self | In this final class in the series on the chakras and their archetypes we arrive at the crown chakra and the archetype of your higher self. This chakra has to do with beauty, spirituality, and your connection with the Divine Source. This class will focus on connecting to your Higher Self through yoga asana. Although the majority of books on chakras and yoga say that there are no postures for the crown chakra, I disagree. The bhagavadgita encourages us to make all our actions in service to the Divine. In this special yoga class, ;Melissa | 2/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 64 | VideoNamaste Yoga 69: Special Series on Chakras & their Archetypes, Third Eye Chakra and the Intuitive | As we work our way up the chakras we arrive at the sixth chakra, located between the two real eyes, slightly above them, in the center of your forehead. This energy center has to do with wisdom, knowledge, intuition, discernment and imagination. It is here that we develop our psychic and artistic gifts. For this chakra to be balanced we need a healthy blend of your left analytical brain and your right intuitive and artistic brain. The bridge between the two is discernment. In this yoga class we will practice eagles pose to develop our vision as well as a number of eye yoga exercises. *If possible it is important to do the eye yoga exercises without glasses or contact lenses. ; | 2/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 65 | VideoNamaste Yoga 68: Special Series Chakras and Their Archetypes: Throat Chakra and the Great Communicator/Orator | In the fifth of a series of class on the chakras and their archetypes we focus on the throat chakra and connecting with our capacity to communicate. The throat chakra is all about self-expression, creativity, speaking your truth, communication, integrity, and creative expression. Some examples of great communicator archetypes include Maritn Luther King, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Mother Theresa and Lucy from the Peanuts! In this practice we will focus on postures to open the throat chakra, especially shoulder stand and fish. ; | 2/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 66 | VideoNamaste Yoga 67: Special Series on Chakras and Their Archetypes: Heart Chakra and Kuan Yin | In this special series of Namaste Yoga we will connect with the Archetype Kuan Yin, The Chinese Buddhist Bodhisattva who is the Goddess of mercy and compassion. Kuan Yin is said to hear the weeping of the world. Kuan Yin teaches us to open our hearts and nurture compassion for ourselves, our loved ones and others. This class will focus on metta mediation and heart opening poses. ; | 1/31/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 67 | VideoNamaste Yoga 66: Special Series: Chakras and their Archetypes: Third Chakra and the Warrior Archetype | Namaste Yoga ;66: Special Series: Chakras and their Archetypes: Third Chakra and the Warrior ArchetypeIn the | 1/25/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 68 | VideoNamaste Yoga 65: Special Series: Chakras and Their Archetypes: Second Chakra and the Goddess Archetype | In episode 65 of Namaste Yoga we continue our series of classes on the chakras and their archetypes. The second chakra is related to the Goddess archetype. By connecting with our second chakra and our Goddess archetype we delight in abundance and thoroughly enjoy life. Being deeply connected to the Source within you gives you the space to be in the world and enjoy its pleasures without overly identifying with them. ; | 1/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 69 | VideoNamaste Yoga 64: Special Series: Chakras & Their Archetypes: Root Chakra and Mother Eearth | This is the first of a series of classes on chakras and their archetypes. If you would like to know more about chakras I highly recommend Anodea Judith. For this series I will be drawing heavily from the work of Ambika Wauters and her book Chakras and their Archetypes. The first chakra has to do with our foundation and our connection to the earth. In this class we will explore our relationship to Mother Earth as one who provides for all our basic needs. We will look at healing this relationship which has historically been one of excess, hoarding and greed and is reflected in the current cultural epidemic of obesity. As Anodea Judith says, "To heal our relationship to our bodies is to heal our relationship with the earth." | 1/10/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 70 | VideoNamaste Yoga 63: Special Series: Kriya Yoga Part 3 with Paul Gangadeen | Namaste Yoga welcomes back Paul Gangadeen for the third part of the kirya yoga series. | 1/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 71 | VideoNamaste Yoga 62: Special Series on the Organ Body: Liver and Gallbladder | In Episode 62 of Namaste Yoga we continue the special series on the organ body. This class works with the liver and the gallbladder. The liver and gallbladder when out of balance in remind us that we are taking on too much. Anything in excess, especially anything toxic in excess can make you feel depleted and lacking purpose | 12/30/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 72 | VideoNamaste Yoga 61: Special Series on the Organ Body: Spleen and Stomach | In Episode 61 of Namaste Yoga, the free yoga video podcast with real people doing real yoga, we work with your stomach and your spleen. The spleen removes waste from your blood and infuses your blood with new immune cells. Through your spleen your body is freed of negative influences inviting in clarity and compassion. Your stomach absorbs what you need and eliminates what you do not. Through your stomach you can learn to receive nourishment and allow yourself to be nurtured. | 12/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 73 | VideoNamaste Yoga 60: Special Series on the Organ Body: Heart and Lungs | In episode 60 of namaste yoga we will work with the energy of giving and receiving by connecting with our heart and lungs. The heart is like a revolving door as it opens both in and out to give and receive love and compassion. Our blood flows continually and has its own rhythm which gives us a way to connect with our own natural rhythm of life that moves within us. Throughout the class we will work with this metaphor of the revolving door of the heart. We will finish by making a connection between our head and our hearts through postures that open the neck and chest. | 12/10/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 74 | VideoNamaste Yoga 59: Introduction to a Special Series on the Organ Body | In this first of an eight class series on the organ body we introduce the organs we will be working with. The heart and lungs are representative of the precious balance between giving and receiving. The lungs in particular are the mediators between our inside and outside world and thus are symbolic of the yogic philosophy of interdependence. We will also work with the liver and gallbladder, kidneys and bladder, spleen and stomach, and finally the small and large intestines. We will review the function of each organ and how it relates to our day to day experience as well as thoughts and emotions. | 11/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 75 | VideoNamate Yoga 58: Special Series on Listening with our Whole Body with Dr. Melissa West | Episode 58 of Namate Yoga with Dr. Melissa West marks the end of our series on listening with our whole body. We take a review journey back through edge, our breath, our body, our thoughts, our emotions, our spirit, and our life connections. We practiced relating to our body from the inside out. Rather than worrying about what our bodies look like to the world, we listened to what our bodies are trying to tell us. We focused on the quote from the Bhagavhadgita, "See now... in this My Body, the whole universe centered in One..." | 11/8/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 76 | VideoNamaste Yoga 57: Special Series Listening with your Whole Body: Life Connection | In this episode of Namaste Yoga we explore the theory that how we do our life is how we do our yoga. There is a connection between the way we act in our yoga class and the way we act in our lives. How does what happens in yoga class relate to the rest of your life? Yoga is a process that is more about than what happens on your mat. How does your yoga continue after you leave your class/practice? | 10/27/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 77 | VideoNamaste Yoga 56: Special Series on Listening with Your Whole Body: Listening to Your Spirit Body with Dr. Melissa West | In the sixth class of an eight class series on listening with your whole body we focus on spirit and inner wisdom. Yoga is about union and to practice yoga is to yoke the connection between your mind/body/emotions and spirit. Spirit is not something I can define for you, it is something you have to define for yourself. I can tell you that your spirit is not that part of you that is a human doing, that part of you that defines itself by what you do, rather it is that part of you that is a human being. Your spirit experiences the fullness of each moment and the joy of being alive. It is that part of you that is already whole with nothing lacking, the deepest truth which rests silently in your heart. What inspires you, nourishes you, sustains you? By asking those questions you are tuning into your spirit – listen to what it has to say. | 10/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 78 | VideoNamaste Yoga 55: Listening with Your Whole Body, Emotions with Dr Melissa West | Episode 55 of Namaste Yoga is about listening to your emotions, how you feel. Emotions are fluid deepening awarenesses and part of listening with your whole body is about attuning yourself to your continuous flow of emotions – anger, apathy, boredom, guilt, shame, hatred, fear, confusion, jealousy, envy, panic, sadness, grief, depression, happiness, contentment and joy to name a few. | 10/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 79 | VideoNamaste Yoga 54: Special Series: Listening with your Whole Body, Listening with your mind with Dr. Melissa West | In this episode of Namaste Yoga we will continue our series on listening with our whole bodies, to listen with our minds. In this class we will access our insight mind. This does not mean listening with our mind that likes to think things over and over. It means tuning into our mind in a way that isn't grasping at things to be anything but the way they are. In this class we will practice present moment awareness with special yoga asanas to stimulate and calm the mind. | 10/4/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 80 | VideoNamaste Yoga 53: Part II of Kriya Yoga with Paul Gangadeen and Dr. Melissa West | In the 53rd episode of Namaste Yoga we invite Paul Gangadeen back to lead us in the second of a 3 part introduction to kriya yoga. | 9/28/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 81 | VideoNamaste Yoga 52: Special Series on Listening with our Whole Bodies with Dr. Melissa West | Happy First Birthday Namaste Yoga! This week marks our 52nd episode and our one year anniversary. In honor of a year of free weekly yoga video podcasts we engage in a practice that helps us to listen with our bodies. We tune into the messages that our body gives us each and every day from pain, stiffness, hunger, fatigue, self-understanding and affirmation. This practice endorses our body as a reliable sources of wisdom | 9/22/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 82 | VideoNamaste Yoga 51: Listening with your Breath with Dr. Melissa West | This is the second in an eight-part series entitled, Listening with Your Whole Body. In this class we will listen with our breath to learn what our breaths can tell us about ourselves and our present moment experience. By listening to our breath we can tune into our mind, emotions, spirit and life circumstances. This class is designed to uncover and reawaken to our breath and the information it imparts. | 9/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 83 | VideoNamaste Yoga 50: Edge with Dr. Melissa West | Episode 50 of Namaste Yoga is all about edge. We will spend the whole class finding that ever changing place that is not too much, not too little, but just right. We will explore how edge can inform you and what self knowledge you can receive from your edge. Edge can be described as the place where you receive the most reliable information about yourself. It is a place where you can hear your truth and actually listen. Edge is not necessarily a comfortable experience, but it is not unbearably uncomfortable either. It is an experience where you can tap into your potential strength without pushing your body to extremes. In this class we will explore how to adjust your postures to that just right place where you can receive fuller awareness. | 9/7/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 84 | VideoNamaste Yoga 49 Introduction to Kriya Yoga with Paul Gangadeen and Dr. Melissa West | This special episode of Namaste Yoga is taught by guest instructor Paul Gangadeen from Pure Life Ayu Yoga http://www.playuyoga.com The class introduce us to the first 6 of 18 postures in the series as presented by kriya yoga. Paul will join us later for two more classes to round out this practice. Kriya Hatha Yoga includes "asanas," physical postures of relaxation, "bandahs," muscular locks, and "mudras," gestures, all of which bring about greater health, peace and the awakening of the principal energy centers, the "chakras". Babaji has selected a particularly effective series of 18 postures, which are taught in stages and in pairs. One cares for the physical body not for its own sake but as a vehicle or temple of the Divine. Kriya Yoga is “Action with Awareness.” It is a means of self-knowledge, of knowing the truth of our being. The first objective of Kriya Hatha Yoga is deep physical and mental relaxation. Asana deals directly with the material part of the physical totality. The body can become purified of many disorders and irregularities by asana. The variety of asana grants flexibility and a sense of lightness and buoyancy in the body, so that gravity has less an effect on it. Ultimately the 18 asana series will awaken the energy centers along the spine and stimulate the uncurling of kundalini, our potential power and consciousness. | 8/30/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 85 | VideoNamaste Yoga 48 Special Series on the Ayurvedic Doshas: Kapha with Dr Melissa West | This is the final class in this series of classes on the Ayurvedic Doshas. Join us for a yoga class designed specifically to balance the kapha dosha. This practice is stimulating, moving, warming, lightening, energizing and releasing. We practice sun salutations and other heating and moving poses to get kapha balanced. Backbends and heart openers helpt to release built up mucous from the respiratory system. Twists encourage good digestion. | 8/23/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 86 | VideoNamaste Yoga 47: Special Series on the Ayurvedic Dosha: Pitta Dosha with Dr Melissa West | Join us for the third in a series of yoga classes on the Ayurvedic Doshas. This class is cooling, relaxing, surrendering, forgiving, and gentle for the firey pitta dosha. See Dr. David Frawley's book Yoga and Ayurveda for much more information on yoga and the ayurvedic doshas. | 8/19/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 87 | VideoNamaste Yoga 46: Special Series on the Ayurvedic Doshas: Vata Dosha with Dr. Melissa West | Episode 46 with Dr. Melissa West from melissawest.com and Jenn Hall from Body Balanced Wellness www.yourbodybalanced.ca. This episode is the second in a series of classes on the ayurvedic doshas and is specifically designed for the vata dosha. The class is calm, slow, steady, grounding and strengthening to help vata imbalanaces of nervousness as well is digestive disorders. Postures are grounding to balance vatas association with the air element, they encourage elimination by stimulating the large intestine, gentle backbends are used to strengthen the upper back and prevent kyphosis and finally a long savasana is given to calm. | 8/9/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 88 | VideoNamaste Yoga 45: Special 4-Part Series: Introduction to the Ayurvedic Doshas with Dr Melissa West at the Lake | This is the first in a four part series designed to balance your ayurvedic dosha with yoga. The first class introduces the three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha with postures dedicated to each dosha. There are grounding postures for vata, heating postures for kapha and cooling postures for pitta. Enjoy! | 8/2/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 89 | VideoNamaste Yoga 44: with Dr Melissa West & Nienke | This week's show has guest instructor Nienke of Yoga Bliss.me leading Melissa through some Yoga postures. | 7/26/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 90 | VideoNamaste Yoga 43: Special Series Review of the Yamas and the Niyamas with Dr Melissa West | This is the final in a series of classes on the yamas and the niyamas. In this class we will review each of the yamas and the niyamas with corresponding breath practices, asanas, kiryas and mantras. | 7/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 91 | VideoNamaste Yoga 42: Special Series: Yamas and Niyamas: Isvara Pranidhana | This class features the final of the niyamas (personal practices) as outlined by Patanjali in his compilation of the yoga sutras. Isvara Pranidhana means surrender to the divine. To cultivate Isvara Pranidhana we will practice bhakti yoga, the yoga of love and devotion. To that end we will be chanting the Gayatri Mantra. Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha Tat savitur varenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi Dhiyo yonah prachodayat (Embracing Earth, Heavean, and Beyond The sacred source is revealed Evoking the resplendent flame The all-pervading light venerates us all) I have chosen to follow the version that I learned from "Spring" on the album Gratitude. You can download it on i-tunes just like I did. This practice also includes a cleansing meditation for the chakras, a meditation on the inner self and a meditation on the lotus flower. The class finishes with metta meditation to cultivate loving kindness and compassion for the Divine in ourselves and all living beings. | 7/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 92 | VideoNamaste Yoga 41: Special Series on the Yamas and Niyamas: Svadhyaya | This is the second last class in the series of classes on the yamas and niyamas. This class will focus on svadhyaya (study by and of oneself). Nischala Joy Devi suggests that we can come to know our Divine Self through spiritual texts, nature and introspection. This class focuses on our connection to nature through the earth salutation, sun salutation, and moon salutation. The class finishes with a kundalini kirya to know the essence of self. | 7/5/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 93 | VideoNamaste Yoga 40: Special Series Yamas and Niyamas: Tapas with Dr. Melissa West | During episode 40 of namaste yoga we continue our series on the yamas and niyamas with the third niyama or personal practice, tapas. The root of tapas, tap means to heat and so this asana practice is about creating heat to cause positive change. This is a vigorous class that involves both kundalini and hatha yoga. Kundalini kriyas are used to give us the power to maintain a course of action and the ability to break habits and create new ones. This class requires austerity and zealous commitment to staying with a challenging and sometimes uncomfortable practice while always honouring the well-being of our bodies. | 6/29/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 94 | VideoNamaste Yoga 39: Special Series on Yamas and Niyamas: Santosa, Contentment | In episode 39 of Namaste Yoga Dr. Melissa West continues her series on the yamas and niyamas to take a look at the personal practice of contentment. This class combines asana and pranayama to cultivate gratitude for our gifts and the gifts in our life. Melissa flies solo for this show outside of the guest appearances from the beautiful birds in her backyard, specifically the sparrows, mourning doves, and blue jays. | 6/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 95 | VideoNamaste Yoga 38: Special Series on the Yamas and Niyamas: Sauca with Dr. Melissa West | This week marks the first week we enter into the niyamas which are in a sense, the internal yamas. The whereas the yamas are about our relationship to the the world, niyamas outline a way of taking care of ourselves on a personal level. The niyamas begin with sauca, pronounced sh-ouch-a, and means cleanliness. In this episode of namaste yoga we will focus on cleaning the internal body with asana. We will use pranayama including extended exhalation and kapalabhati breath to cleanse the body. We will also focus on clearing our emotions and thoughts in order to be able to observe the pure light of our spirit. | 6/14/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 96 | VideoNamaste Yoga 37: Special Series on Yamas & Niyamas: Aparigraha with Dr. Melissa West | This week in Namaste Yoga we explore the last of the yamas or ethical principles as outlined by Patanjali in the yoga sutras. Aparigraha means non-hoarding or non possessiveness. It is said that when we practice aparigraha we discover why we were born. The idea behind this is that our possessions should not own us. In other words, the more we accumulate things the more time we spend maintaining them. This is difficult in our consumer culture. It is important to practice aparigraha as consumers and only purchase what we need and will use, if we are not using something, it is time to pass it on. This asana practice will focus on the digestive system and elimination. As we let go with the body we will be able to let go on other levels as well from material objects, our thoughts, our emotions, our beliefs, and the way we relate to others. | 6/8/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 97 | VideoNamaste Yoga 36:Special Series on Yamas and Niyamas: Brahmacarya | In the thirty-sixth episode of Namaste Yoga we continue our special series on the yamas and the niyamas with the yama Brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means conservation of vital energy and in this episode we work with cultivating, manipulating and balancing and moving our vital energy through our bodies. | 6/2/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 98 | VideoNamate Yoga 35: Asteya: 3rd of 10 Episodes on the Yamas and Niyamas with Dr. Melissa West | DescriptionIn episode 35 of Namaste Yoga we cultivate asteya by practicing generosity. By bringing awareness to the generous, life affirming nature of our breath and the natural generosity of our heart center we are able to open to asteya. This class allows you to open to the part of your body that feels open and generous through gradual sequencing spinal expansion, heart openers and reflecting on the generosity of nature with tree and mountain pose. | 5/27/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 99 | VideoNamaste Yoga 34: Special Series on Yamas & Niyamas: Satya, Truthfulness with Dr Melissa West | In the second of a series of classes on the yamas and niyamas Melissa explores what it means to cultivate satya, or truthfulness in yoga asana and in the larger context of your life. Satya occurs when our thoughts words and actions are consistent with one another. By tuning into the truth of our bodies, minds, emotions, breath and spirit we are able to cultivate an honest and sincere practice. | 5/18/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 100 | VideoNamaste Yoga 33: Special Series on the Yamas and Niyamas: Ahimsa with Dr Melissa West | This is the first in a series of ten classes on the yamas and niyamas as outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. The yoga sutra is one of the most well-known spiritual texts of yoga. The yamas and niyamas are the ethical practices and social observances by which we can choose to live our lives. Ahimsa is the first and most important of all the yamas. Ahimsa means nonviolence, or compassion and kindness. In the thirty-third episode of Namaste Yoga we will explore the yama ahimsa as it pertains to our thoughts words and actions. We will also cultivate non-violence through our thoughts and bodies as we practice yoga asana. | 5/11/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 100 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
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Thank-you Melissa for continuing to give us further insight into the practice of Yoga. You have always been an inspiration to me and I continue to look forward to these episodes and the information on your website. God bless and Namaste, Cary :)
I LOVE this podcast!
Melissa is amazing! She is a great teacher-she makes her classes fun and relaxing. She teaches real yoga for real people so if you have always wanted to try yoga but was intimidated by the teachers or the poses-give this podcast a try!
My favourite Yoga class
This Yoga class is for everyone. Melissa explains the poses very well and teaches you about self awareness and acceptance. She is so upbeat and pleasant and a joy to watch. I love all the stretching and calmness in these classes. It is true nourishment for the body and soul. Thank you Melissa!
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