Allay Yoga Welcomes Modern Yogini Brittany Boden!

I am that.

SO HAM.  An ancient mantra meaning “I am that.”  

Inhale SO.

Exhale HAM.

Repeat.

Few more times.

Relax a little.

When SO HAM is connected with the breath it helps to remind us of ALL that we are connected to.  

SO HAM at your desk.

SO HAM in traffic.

SO HAM on the metro.

SO HAM at the DMV/MVA or DC version.

SO HAM anywhere and everywhere.

Because I am that and you are that.  We are all that.  And THAT is something that can ground us when the tornado comes and uplift when life is heavy.  

You are a special and unique snowflake.  Take time to connect with your breath.  Even if only a few breaths.  Everyday.

You deserve it.

SO HAM.


About Brittany:
Brittany began practicing yoga as a way to supplement her other exercise regimes as an athlete.  Over the years she fell in and out of practice but was deeply drawn back to yoga after a string of illnesses in 2009.  Realizing that stress was the heart of the issue she got her duppa back into the studio and started practicing restorative and vinyasa style classes.After witnessing profound changes in her own mind and body, Brittany became a teacher to deepen her understanding of the practice and thus share it with others.  Along with yoga, she is also very passionate about health and is in the process of becoming a Holistic Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.   Brittany recently began to blog as Modern Day Yogini – the tales of yoga teacher and health coach: a blend of yoga, health, practicality, sunshine and love.  Stop in for a class or visit her at Moderndayyogini.com.  Namaste!

Allay Yoga Welcomes Modern Yogini Brittany Boden!

It was a blustery and beautiful day in Annapolis, MD on Sunday.  Had the pleasure of sailing the great seas with my mumsy, her man and my man.

Of course yoga came up in conversation.  

The beauty of yoga is that it is a living tradition.  Like a coral reef – always growing, evolving, destructing and reincarnating.

On Sunday I discovered a new type of yoga:

YOGA FOR CRUISERS

Think yoga for full-time sea-living folk.

Kinda cool right??  Or at least something different.

Check them out:  www.yogaforcruisers.com

Expand your horizons.  And enjoy 

Mucho amor,

Modern Day Yogini


About Brittany:
Brittany began practicing yoga as a way to supplement her other exercise regimes as an athlete.  Over the years she fell in and out of practice but was deeply drawn back to yoga after a string of illnesses in 2009.  Realizing that stress was the heart of the issue she got her duppa back into the studio and started practicing restorative and vinyasa style classes.After witnessing profound changes in her own mind and body, Brittany became a teacher to deepen her understanding of the practice and thus share it with others.  Along with yoga, she is also very passionate about health and is in the process of becoming a Holistic Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.   Brittany recently began to blog as Modern Day Yogini – the tales of yoga teacher and health coach: a blend of yoga, health, practicality, sunshine and love.  Stop in for a class or visit her at Moderndayyogini.com.  Namaste!

The Hum Sah Chronicles With Heidi Sohng: The Balancing Act

The Balancing Act

I can be all over the place somedays. Especially as a mother, I am always losing, forgetting, or breaking things. Why is this? Because my attention is on so many things at once - my toddler daughter who is more all over the place than I am,  and whatever task I’m doing at the moment, while trying to plan my day. Yoga tells us that one can be balanced and focussed. But sometimes I wonder, is this possible as a mom?

Take for instance this morning. We were getting ready to go to our friend’s son’s birthday party. Pasha wanted to make Russian pancakes for breakfast. Great! What a yummy idea. But the pancakes turned out to be a big blob. Then Lucy had a blow out and had to have one of those diaper changes every parent dreads. And then I saw the time.  We were supposed to be out the door in ten minutes. Oh no. So we ended up leaving half an hour late. We even got a little lost in the car. But I did not lose it.  I was meditating on “hum sah” and visualizing myself gliding down the river of life,  letting go of anything that could ruffle my feathers. And the day turned out to be a great one. 

So what keeps me balanced? Practice and detachment.  In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says that “Identification with the fluctuations of the mind is stopped by practice and non-attachment.” Sometimes you can feel really imbalanced, like a tidal wave is going to wash over you, but if you can keep up your practice of yoga, breathing or meditation, and not be attached to any outcome, then whatever happens is going to be ok.  Maybe even better than ok.  

I’ve heard that motherhood is a juggling act, which sounds like a circus to me. I prefer to think of it as a balancing act, where I’m flying along with my pair of wings, practice and detachment.

About Heidi:

Heidi discovered yoga as a way to center and ground herself and connect with others when she began teaching young children in NYC in the late 90’s. Her practice started at Jivamukti where she trainined with Sharon Gannon and David Life, her first and most honored teachers, and expanded to include Alan Finger, Shiva Rea, and Molly Kenny. She completed her Jivamukti training in 2009. As a school teacher Heidi loved bringing yoga into her classroom. Now that she’s a mom, she finds herself inspired by her daughter to delve deeper into child development and teaching fun, creative yoga classes for families. She loves the balance of teaching little ones and adults.  Her motto is to find the middle path. Heidi credits yoga for keeping her balanced and sane, and loves the journey! Heidi lives in Silver Spring with her daughter Lucy and husband Pasha.

Heidi teaches Gentle Jivamukti Thursdays at 8:00 PM and Lil Omm Movers Tues at 10:30 AM

Allay Yoga Welcomes Modern Yogini Brittany Boden!

How do we take yoga off our mats AND practice a healthy life?

The practice of yoga has evolved to accommodate need, changing times, new influences and expansion.  The obsession with physical form and bodies in the West encouraged yoga to enter through the exercise and fitness realm versus the philosophical, meditative or transcendental worlds of yoga.  

Turns out we are infatuated with ourselves.  HA.  Who woulda thought?? ;)

Adding yoga into the daily grind inevitably contributes to overall health.  They are not mutually exclusive.

It isn’t rocket science but yogic, healthy, balanced living takes daily commitment. 

Mindfulness.

Breathing.

Listening.

Awareness.

Imagine if you listened to your body as you prepared meals, maintained awareness about cravings and needs, breathed as you ate and tuned in to the adequate amounts of carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals that supports YOUR body??

How could that change your life??

Then you start to FEEL better on a daily basis.

How could this affect your clarity, decision-making, reactivity, stress??

Because you FEEL better you start to treat yourself better.

And those around you.

This creates a ripple.

See where I’m going with this??

Yoga helps to create and maintain balance.  Balance helps to create and maintain health.  Yoga helps to create and maintain health and balance.  

Creating and maintaining balance in our minds helps us to nurture our bodies better.  

Make wiser food decisions.

LIFE decisions.

Cleaning is a part of yoga.

And so is lack of clutter.

Think about those too.

It doesn’t take a mat to work towards a happier, healthier, more purpose-driven life.

But.

A little stretching doesn’t hurt either ;)

Mucho amor,

Modern Day Yogini


About Brittany:
Brittany began practicing yoga as a way to supplement her other exercise regimes as an athlete.  Over the years she fell in and out of practice but was deeply drawn back to yoga after a string of illnesses in 2009.  Realizing that stress was the heart of the issue she got her duppa back into the studio and started practicing restorative and vinyasa style classes.After witnessing profound changes in her own mind and body, Brittany became a teacher to deepen her understanding of the practice and thus share it with others.  Along with yoga, she is also very passionate about health and is in the process of becoming a Holistic Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.   Brittany recently began to blog as Modern Day Yogini – the tales of yoga teacher and health coach: a blend of yoga, health, practicality, sunshine and love.  Stop in for a class or visit her at Moderndayyogini.com.  Namaste!

The Hum Sah Chronicles with Heidi Sohng: Life is Hard, Yoga is Easy

My daughter Lucy is going through a phase.  Which is teaching me a lot about life. Since she started walking, she has officially become a “toddler”. Yet at 11 months, I feel she is still a baby. Life for her is hard - falling again and again but always getting up,  learning about the world and how she fits in.  

A yoga teacher once said in class that  “life is hard and yoga is easy.” Sometimes I wonder if perhaps I heard it wrong and it’s supposed to be the other way around, that “life is easy and yoga is hard.”  In society, we get conflicting messages about living with ease yet working hard. Ever since I was a kid, I refused to believe my parents whenever they tried to tell me that life is hard.  Ignorance was bliss. Since I’ve gotten older and have to deal with boring things like laundry, traffic and bills on a daily basis, I’ve begun to think “Gee, my parents were right!”  And yet there’s so much to distract us away from these grim realities, like TV, movies, food, drugs, shopping....the list of addictions is endless.  Life can be made a lot easier if you want it to.


And then there’s yoga. If one can be addicted to anything, yoga would be a good choice. Yes, one needs to be disciplined to practice yoga to get its full effects.  Whatever form your practice takes, do it as often as you can, whether it’s meditating, going to yoga class or practicing breathing. Practicing with your highest aim in mind and with a devoted heart will keep you going, just like a toddler learning to walk, run and jump on two feet, navigating the world.  Never lose your enthusiasm. My teacher Sharon Gannon says that a yogi’s progress is measured by how happy they feel. And that spiritual people are always connected to the source.

Lucy is going through a phase, but once the turmoil has settled, I tell myself she is going to come out of it empowered and secure, believing in herself and that the world is a good place. Isn’t that what we all want? Isn’t that what yoga brings us?

“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.” -Aldous Huxley


About Heidi:

Heidi discovered yoga as a way to center and ground herself and connect with others when she began teaching young children in NYC in the late 90’s. Her practice started at Jivamukti where she trainined with Sharon Gannon and David Life, her first and most honored teachers, and expanded to include Alan Finger, Shiva Rea, and Molly Kenny. She completed her Jivamukti training in 2009. As a school teacher Heidi loved bringing yoga into her classroom. Now that she’s a mom, she finds herself inspired by her daughter to delve deeper into child development and teaching fun, creative yoga classes for families. She loves the balance of teaching little ones and adults.  Her motto is to find the middle path. Heidi credits yoga for keeping her balanced and sane, and loves the journey! Heidi lives in Silver Spring with her daughter Lucy and husband Pasha.

Heidi teaches Gentle Jivamukti Thursdays at 8:00 PM and Lil Omm Movers Tues at 10:30 AM

Allay Yoga Welcomes Modern Day Yogini Brittany Boden

And Here We Go...

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.” ~Denis Waitley

Little bit about me.  Well it’s going to be a decent bit so bare with me.  It will circle back around.  I promise.

As my first official blog post, beyond my intentions, I feel that I have to explain how I got to where I am.  Why I’m writing to you.  My story.  It helps to explain my intentions, purpose, dharma.

Although I am young in trips around the sun I have been told many times that I’m wise beyond my years.  Deep trips around the sun.  But all relevant and important because it helped to shape who I am at this very moment and where I might be headed.

The decisions we make at a young age often have deep consequences due to the number of years ahead they impact.  We are faced with small decisions every moment of our lives.  As our perspective changes we begin to see and make the small decisions differently.  Hopefully always leaning towards the positive evolution.

At the age of 3, I made a decision.  To become a doctor.  I don’t remember making the decision but my parents told me I did.  Be the first in my family to go to medical school.  Save the world.  Cure cancer.

I spent the next 18 years of my life thinking, dreaming, working towards, believing that I was going to become a physician.  And then something happened.

I backpacked through Europe the summer before my senior year of college and I changed.

A summer of freedom and mischief sent me back to the university with a changed sense of purpose.  So in typical Brittany fashion I went full force into becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy.  I graduated from college and then wanted to become a Nurse.  Elementary School Teacher.  Chiropractor.  Back to Nursing.  Then Masters of Public Health, Health Administration.  Back to Physician.  Back around.

Welp.  Those didn’t work.  But I kept looking.  And working.  And looking.

And then something happened.

I got sick.  Really really sick.  It had been a stressful year.  Life was POURING on this baby girl.  I hadn’t been taking care of myself.  Poor diet, little movement, Christmas cookies, too much partying and booze, not enough sleep, stress.  It was just too much.

Heard of MRSA?  Yea.  Not fun.

But I skirted out.  Relatively unscathed.  Except for a nasty scare of the front of my deltoid.  When I catch people staring I tell them I got shot.  Wink.

Healing made me re-evaluate.  Everything.  As it should have.

So I started doing yoga again.  And my life began to change.

Thing is, not much was REALLY changing but my perspective was shifting, falling apart and rebuilding into something more inline with ME.

So I became a yoga teacher.  And made a yoga “baby.”  A 9-month plan to transition out of my 9-5 and teach yoga – live my dream.  It’s due October 1^st, 2011.

During the second trimester, the idea of Modern Day Yogini came to be.

Yoga is my thing.  And so is health.  I am trying to live it.  And teach other people to live it.

I get weird illness, have strange injuries, and oddly enough I love to soak up medical information.  Unusual yes but it has proven useful for myself, friends and family.

So I thought – What better way to broadcast this information than through the ether??

And why not combine the two??

Both are ESSENTIAL for happiness, quality of life, balance.

So here we are.

To sum this up – deciding at the age of 3 to become a doctor led me to blogging about yoga, health, practicality, sunshine and love??  Right??  Well I had a few curves along the way but that seemingly unrelated decision set me up to dig deep and far into the health field.  Figure out what it’s about.  And then try to impact it.  I’ve always been a free spirit.  So this is my way.

Through yoga teaching.  Health coaching.  Practicality making.  Information nugget sharing.  Via the Google.  I hope to help you to live a happier, healthier, more balanced and purpose-driven life.

So much love,

Modern Day Yogini aka Brittany

About Brittany:

Brittany began practicing yoga as a way to supplement her other exercise regimes as an athlete.  Over the years she fell in and out of practice but was deeply drawn back to yoga after a string of illnesses in 2009.  Realizing that stress was the heart of the issue she got her duppa back into the studio and started practicing restorative and vinyasa style classes.

After witnessing profound changes in her own mind and body, Brittany became a teacher to deepen her understanding of the practice and thus share it with others.  Along with yoga, she is also very passionate about health and is in the process of becoming a Holistic Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.   Brittany recently began to blog as Modern Day Yogini – the tales of yoga teacher and health coach: a blend of yoga, health, practicality, sunshine and love.  Stop in for a class or visit her at Moderndayyogini.com.  Namaste!

The Hum Sah Chronicles with Heidi Sohng: The "Don't Do" List

The Hum Sah Chronicles
The “Don’t Do” List

September is here and autumn with its hectic busy-ness is just around the corner. Autumn is the season of Vata, characterized by a dry, cold feeling of restlessness. And with school starting, families and students find themselves on a roller coaster that they can’t get off. Buzzing with activity, we find ourselves running around frantically, trying to get everything done on our ever-expanding “to-do” lists.  That’s why I decided to come up with a “don’t-do” list. For everything I shouldn’t be doing, like  “don’t freak out in the morning when your husband makes you oatmeal without the raisins, cinnamon and ginger you asked for”.  

Having a “to-do” list feels like having a deadline looming over my head for the day. Which is not a nice feeling. And I usually end up putting things on this list that aren’t very important, like “get rubber-soled socks for Lucy”.  (You see, she’s running all over the place and the floor is getting cold now, but I don’t want her to slip.)  Having this on paper has an unusual effect, so that “getting rubber-soled socks for Lucy” becomes more urgent and pressing than “being” with my daughter Lucy. Who really needs me to just “be” there for her, rather than worrying about when I’m going to “get those rubber-soled socks” for her.  

So I tried an experiment and put these things off. Don’t do this, and don’t do that. Letting the day just flow along, and meeting each moment for what it is. And guess what? I found myself relieved to be able to trust my feelings a bit more. Once I heard a wise meditation teacher say, that when making a decision about something you’re feeling unsure of, or apprehensive about, to put it off until the last minute. That way, you don’t give your anal retentive logical brain a chance to worry to death over things which you have no control. Being grounded in your yoga and meditation practice helps a lot, too.

Even when it comes to planning “big” things, like Lucy’s first birthday party.  I’m actually not going to make a list. I’ve decided my intuitive, creative brain is going to take over and do the delegating. The logical, organized brain is going to be doing something else, which my creative brain hasn’t thought of quite yet. Maybe deciding what kind of sandwiches and side dishes to get for my family? Who knows.  But am I worried? Nope. For in the words of John Lennon, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”  What’s on your “don’t do” list?

About Heidi:

Heidi discovered yoga as a way to center and ground herself and connect with others when she began teaching young children in NYC in the late 90’s. Her practice started at Jivamukti where she trainined with Sharon Gannon and David Life, her first and most honored teachers, and expanded to include Alan Finger, Shiva Rea, and Molly Kenny. She completed her Jivamukti training in 2009. As a school teacher Heidi loved bringing yoga into her classroom. Now that she’s a mom, she finds herself inspired by her daughter to delve deeper into child development and teaching fun, creative yoga classes for families. She loves the balance of teaching little ones and adults.  Her motto is to find the middle path. Heidi credits yoga for keeping her balanced and sane, and loves the journey! Heidi lives in Silver Spring with her daughter Lucy and husband Pasha.

Heidi teaches Gentle Jivamukti Thursdays at 8:00 PM and Lil Omm Movers Tues at 10:30 AM