All posts by Yoga with Kyle

A Guide to Beginning Yoga

A reader who is new to yoga reached out to me and was very interested in how to begin practicing. I understand it is not necessarily an easy thing to dive into since it is still pretty foreign to us. However! This is what I really pride myself on, helping new people navigate and get the results they are looking for as soon as possible. This way they have not only a good practice but a profound one as well. Please note yoga is not a one time thing that fixes everything. It is a life long philosophy and discipline.

Here were his questions:

How often do I do it?

Often people say once a week, but if you want results it has to be twice a week.

My advice for beginners is take a private lesson. That way they have one on one time with a teacher who can fully explain to them and guide them through an individual practice. If you are serious and want life lasting results, one lesson is a great foundation! It beats years of going to class clueless (like I did!) Many teachers will come to your house- or call a local studio and ask if anyone gives private lessons there. I also recommend Hatha Yoga (which is a wide variety of poses and breathing techniques and a grounded practice that can take you into the higher realms of consciousness) it also really strengthens the mind body and will. It is what I teach and having tried other methods I still recommend this to beginners. So make sure when calling a local studio, that they offer Hatha Yoga. Here is what look for in a teacher:

A 500 hour Teacher Training Certification* This would be a great teacher to hire for a lesson because they have had extensive training

A 200 hour Teacher Training Certification is next best and probably offers a lower rate.

If there aren’t any local teachers to hire, begin to take once a week a public beginner yoga class, quickly bump it up to two as soon as possible to double the speed of your understanding/results. Remember yoga is not about the poses. It’s about finding who you truly are beyond who you think you are.

How long should the session be?

Private and public are usually an hour, I say start there. Don’t overwhelm yourself with longer practices. *I also wouldn’t recommend hot yoga to start. The heat can be distracting.

Some of my clients truly prefer a 45 minute session and I don’t push it. The philosophy of yoga is “meet yourself where you are.” Meaning accept that you may not be able to focus for a long period of time.

Can I do it in my house or do I have to go somewhere?

Private lessons in the house are nice because it is an environment you are comfortable in, public classes may seem a little distracting but that is because you are not use to shutting off your senses and really focusing inside yourself. That comes pretty quickly when you train yourself to “observe your thoughts” suddenly no one in the room exists. The sooner you get to group classes the less distracted you’ll become. They usually offer yoga in a park as well.

As far as doing it from the house check out the answer to the question below.

Are there DVDs I can buy and watch to follow along?

Here I will defer to the schooling that gave me my highest 500 hour teacher training certification: https://www.myyogaworks.com

They have online videos and tutorials and I have had many trainings with many of the teachers and they are very credible as well as incredible people. This also gives you a nice break down of yoga and in a private setting.

Even if you want to do online yoga, I still highly recommend a private lesson first (if available).

Are there books to read?

Almost endless. But to get you started here are a few I suggest:

The Little Book of Yoga– It’s practically pocket sized and the most SIMPLE break down of where yoga comes from, as well as breathing techniques and a majority of popular poses. I LOVE IT! I bring it with me to class and use it for a reference afterwards when I take notes.

Light on Yoga- I think nearly a million copies of this book have been sold. It is a much more in depth version of the book listed above. Written by B.K.S. Iyengar, for whom hundred of Iyengar insitutes all over the world are named. If this is too much too soon, then stick with the first book.

Autobiography of a Yogi– This is the story about a guy from India who came to the U.S. about 100 years ago. He is an integral part of the spiritual revolution in the West.

My advice: Create a little bookshelf/shrine of these books and perhaps place a candle or a buddha it is important to have a meditation station in your house. An area designated to your spiritual growth is a helpful reminder to do it daily.

Should I be making a yoga journal?

YES. I believe passionately in having a yoga journal. Although it may seem like a nuisance or additional work, the progress directly relates to the progress your making towards your inner self. It is really great to have a journal. This is serious work and watching your journey and the depth of the practice unfold over time is a beautiful thing to witness.

I use The Yoga journal.

The Yoga Journal is a dynamic 3-in-1 tool for yoga lovers of all skill levels and style preferences. Part tracker, part journal, and part reference guide, it offers everything today’s yogi needs to bring the benefits of yoga off the mat and into their daily lives.

I hope this outlines a successful strategy to beginning your yoga journey and puts everything within reach. Even if you choose to do just one of the things (take a lesson, read a book, watch online or go to class) you are doing yoga!

May this journey help you soar ever higher.

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Yoga and Prayer

July 28 Yoga with Kyle

Through yoga I realized prayer is an energy. If you kindle that energy and grow it within you and become very clear and self realized you can direct that energy of the prayer like a current of electricity. It is a way more effective way of sending your hopes into the universe. So instead of dialing up, I began to dial in. I would dedicate my practice to someone or something in the beginning and by the time I mediated at the end a very profound inner voice would always bestow up me the answer I was searching for. For example: I dedicated many practices to a family member who was unwell at the time and by the end a voice rang through me and said “You are all here suspended in time, float in your passion.”

Weeks later he was much better and asked to do a yoga beach themed photo shoot (he being a talented passionate photographer and I a passionate yogi) The photos are what I use for my yoga blog and the magic of the shoot was a result of our divine passion.

I never intended to collaborate with him I just wanted him to feel better, but by directing all those vibes his way he ended up returning it back to me ten fold.

In yoga philosophy they believe humans are the conduit between heaven and earth. I have to say in yoga class I have had many divine experiences and felt so connected to myself and universe.

At the end of the day yoga means to link. So therefore you can use your practice as a way to connect you to your faith. Yoga helps you connect to the divinity already within you, once that is established one can feel a stronger connection to the divinity around us.

Yoga practice stabilizes mental fluctuations and daily stress as well as opening up body and strengthening it from the inside out. It is a scientific way of becoming more spiritual and perhaps the best energy enhancer as well as channeler. I now have the self knowledge to direct my energy to those I love and need it most. My advice: Try dedicating your practice to someone before it begins, watch the magic unfold as time goes by.

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Tips from the Top: Chandresh Bhardwaj

July 27 Yoga with Kyle

Continuing the series of Tips from the Top (top tips from instructors) I would like to introduce Chandresh Bhardwaj. He hails all the way from India and has a spiritual center on Long Island and a huge following all over the world. Chandresh is often busy traveling so I was happy and honored we had the chance to catch up. Unlike some of the other yoga teachers I’ve interviewed, his class is a meditation class and bases a lot of his teaching on Tantra. Meaning one can just go and sit or lay down and connect to the divine. He comes from a long lineage of Spiritual teachers and one gets the sense this was quite literally something he was born to do.

I asked him the same question: could you lend me a quote or advice you give to help beginner students understand yoga?

Hi Kyle,

Here’s my advice

“Do not fight your anger, ego, greed, and desires. The more you fight with them, the more they will come after you. These elements are part of you. You cannot experience your higher self if you keep running away from these elements. Once you start to meditate, these emotions channel into higher consciousness. And your real self starts to bloom. Meditate and continue to discover this world with a childlike curiosity!”

– Chandresh Bhardwaj, spiritual advisor and founder of Break the Norms Movement (www.iamChandresh.com)

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Too Legit To Quit

July 23 Yoga with Kyle

If you have tried yoga and didn’t like it, you are the norm and that also means you probably ended up quitting. Trust me I feel you. For a good year, possibly two, I hated yoga. I didn’t do it a lot and when I did, so much anger and frustration and lack of understanding came out. But… there was one thing in it I enjoyed, I loved laying down at the end! Not many work outs offer that golden ritual. After I came out of meditation I was noticeably calmer happier and more creative. I took notice of that and wanted to know more about the science of it.

(Also people seemed to like me more after I practiced. That took me by surprise…I guess I am not always a delight!)

Here is why you probably hated it: It brought up everything you’re not good at.

1. You didn’t deem it as a work out {yet oddly everything was physically challenging}

2. You couldn’t focus your mind – it was chaotic with thoughts {yoga makes you face that, as a result you may have then felt angry that you couldn’t or didn’t have the tools to be present}

3. You aren’t flexible {HELLOOOO That’s not getting any better as you age, matter of fact you’re only going to get more rigid}

4. The instructor seemed a bit out of touch with reality, saying foreign words like namaste and likening everything to a lotus flower or tree and talked about the infinite { When you allow yourself to visualize it, peace and serenity will enter you and you will begin to connect to not only nature but your inner nature as well}

5. Everyone in the room was looking at you! And you we’re embarrassed. {They weren’t. Once you focus on your breath, realize no one is looking at you at all. Sorry just another lovely trick of the ego.}

These are the top excuses I had when doing yoga as well as common excuses I hear daily.

Change your attitude and get into it. Perhaps your resistance is the exact reason you should go fearlessly towards it. Yoga is an ocean of yourself and you are diving into you, it’s exciting. Learn how you think, how your body works. Get to know true self. What comes easy and what doesn’t. You’ll be surprised and you will become more patient with yourself. The more you understand the deeper meaning of your limitations you can began to turn them into endless possibilities.

I know I said 5, but there is one more I would like to add and that is

Time. Most people make the excuse that they don’t have time to do yoga. I will be releasing a blog soon about how to fit it any time anywhere! Have no fear.

If you experienced these reasons to quit, here is my advice: Don’t!

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Tips from the Top: Jeanne Heileman

July 20 Yoga with Kyle

So many of my friends and family do not do yoga. This is why I felt compelled to start my blog- to familiarize them with what it is truly about, in hopes that when and if they try it is not a frustrating experience. I want people to see that yoga is for every body.

With this mission, I decided to ask the top teachers from LA to India to please lend me a quote that I could give me readers, a quote for beginner students to help them find their zen sooner without years of practice. I asked them all the same question:

What is a quote or piece advice to help beginner students understand yoga?

Their responses were incredibly insightful!

Starting with my Tips from the Top series (I will release an article daily or weekly) I would like to introduce to you my mentor Jeanne Heileman. Jeanne is a teacher at Yogaworks and leads workshops all over the world to help students become more knowledge in the practice of yoga. No one I’ve met has demonstrated more mastery over the description of the poses and how to guide you through them.

Hi Kyle,

Oh, this is so great and so vast! To me, the most important thing new students need to realize is that yoga is not about the poses. Most new students are unfamiliar with moving their body in this way, and many don’t know how to be IN their body. The body is a tool to get to their breath. The breath is the tool, which when extended and slowed down, will calm the mind. The calm mind is the key to gaining access to our inner wisdom, beauty and place of pure love. We all have that place, we all have a body, a breath and a mind. So we all can be doing yoga. The selfies don’t mean that someone is doing yoga. Being still and accepting is doing yoga. And, I recommend that each new student practices at least once a week for six months, consistently. No questions about getting it right or is it working. Just show up at least once a week for six months. Then the inner wisdom will start to awaken and can do the rest.

http://www.jeanneheileman.com

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Yoga and True Happiness

July 6 Yoga with Kyle

More and more I’ve become so happy. I can’t remember the last time I was so happy. I am my happiest self.

Yoga lead me to my happiness because it showed me how to become more mindful. When I explored my mind so deeply I connected to my true self, I grew more aware of how things made me feel. Being constantly aware of what makes me feel good is what has lead me to divine happiness. ” Does this make me feel happy?” Is a question I ask myself all day long about everything I touch, taste, see, hear and feel.

There were things about my life that shattered my happiness. A messy home was at the core of it (I have a very scattered mind) Had it not been for yoga I would never had enough self awareness to really get to the core of my constant distress. I read a great book called

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

I decided to implement her strategy straight away. (As well as recruit a super organized buddy for additional guidance)

As soon as my closet was deeply cleaned (6 bags of garbage released) and my floors vacuumed, the rest tidied, such a sense of calm and serenity over took me. The irony of it all is that I hate a messy home yet I am quite unorganized. Now however as soon as things begin to pile up I quickly tidy it. Doing this great big clean out really effected my outside life as well. Inside my life was harmonious and peaceful. Carrying this feeling into my outward life I felt jubilant happy and over joyed with life’s possibilities.

Do yoga! What is the root of your unhappiness? Maybe you are unaware…As soon as you connect to it, you can fix it and true happiness (which is a level above) awaits!

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Return to the Infinite

July 1 Yoga with Kyle

We hold on to so much. To our thoughts, to our life. Today my teacher said during the final meditation “return to the infinite” and in that moment, I completely let go and I felt so much peace. I thought, this really must be what it feels like the moment before death, completely peaceful! Surrendering the fight to survive. Returning back to some infinite source. No longer having to hold on to anything. I realized I need to carry that moment through out my day. Incorporate that “letting go” sensation into my life. When I relinquish control and completely surrender the most beautiful things can just, be.

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Yoga Bride Guide

June 15 Yoga with Kyle

We all know that our wedding day quite possibly is one of the biggest events in our life. We also know the pressure that faces us that day. How well do you cope with stress? Here is a guide to help you feel relaxed and enjoy the day. I am here to help you invoke and maintain that feeling!

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On top of that maintaining a gorgeous figure (let’s be honest, bridal shape is a level up from bikini shape) add this to your daily regimen from the day you read this to the morning of your wedding! Every day! I promise not only will you look and feel beautiful relaxed and glowing you also will embody the body of the ultimate fit bride.

Let’s begin with our breathing- tough day ahead at the office/work? Traffic? Emails? After you come home you need to cook dinner? Who needs to plan a wedding on top of our daily stresses!

BREATHE- Sit down, or lay down. Place one hand on your lower belly and one hand over your heart. Send the breath down to the navel and feel it swell like a balloon. PAUSE (long). Inhale again, this time filling the upper chest. PAUSE (long). Begin to sip in a little more air gliding past the throat. HOLD just 2 beats and EXHAAAAAALEE it all out. DO THIS AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE.

Duration: Continue this wave breathing technique 3-5 times. 1/3 air to the belly 1/3 air to the upper lungs and 1/3 of the air to the back of the throat. As you hold at the top of the inhale mostly likely you will feel your heart beat and pulse, maybe in your wrists, or temples and in your chest, mentally slowwww it down, as you exhale out. Immediatley, you will feel CALM! RENEWED! PEACEFUL! Now you are ready to yoga!

Begin

Cat/Cow – Benefits: Helps continue mindful breathing while waking up the back and preparing us for Down dog. Duration: Continue for 3-4 rounds

Down dog- Benefits: Changes our perspective, increases blood flow to the brain, strengthens and lengthens! Duration: For 3 long inhales and Exhales

Tadasana- Benefits: Moves your mind into mental stillness, Duration 3 long breathes until the mind is quieted. Note: eyes can be closed.

Vinyasa: Benefits: Starts to increase heat in the body and energy flow. Duration: 1 or 2 rounds, steadily increasing closer to the wedding day.

Upward Dog: Benefits: This will open up blocked/surpressed emotions in your heart, this is something that can over time be blocked off due to planning and stress, adding up dog pose will help you on a daily bases open your heart to the world and to your significant other and prepare you for a lifetime of love and happiness ahead. YAY TRUE LOVE!

Warrior II: Benefits: This pose will help build strength focus and confidence, anything your wedding day throws at you, you will be able to handle! Ready Steady and poised you are! Duration 2 long breaths on each leg.

Tree Pose: Benefits: Balance! Your life may feel out of balance as you lead up to the big day (given all that you have to do and plan for) Duration: 3 long breathes on each leg.

Tree pose will keep you rooted into the earth as you reach up towards the sun, adding a balancing pose helps bring balance into the body and harmony into the mind, it is great to bring into your daily practice as the benefits are very helpful in the final meditation.

Temple pose: Benefits: Hip opener, releases anger, tension and memories

Invoke the inner goddess in you! Nobody wants a wedding night with stiff hips. NOBODY!

Cool down:

Forward fold: Benefits: Cooling and elongating the back of the legs and spine, this can be done sitting down as well. Duration: 1 minute

Sometimes this can appear very confrontational as it may not be that easy to do or feel that nice, however this in itself is a good lesson for you to face that confrontation and practice surrender. As you breathe into the forward fold with each exhale try to relax a little deeper and surrender a little more. Ultimately we learn in life there is hardly anything we can control except how we react to things.

Savasana- final meditation

Lay back on to the ground in corpse pose. Here you are supported by the gravity of the earth. Again letting go of the days worry, future anxieties and past depressions. Imagine your concsciounesss is like a rock floating down the clear waters of your mind, sinking into the darker depths. Observe your thoughts as they pass you by. Lay there for as long or as little as you like. Asking the universe to present all knowing truths and answers to anything you may inquire.

Continue this yoga routine as a part of your daily wake up, or mid day, or evening discipline to help you achieve a blissful mind set and a beautiful toned body. Best of luck on your wedding day brides!

Namaste!

Spiritual It Girl

Kyle Elizabeth Lardner

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Easy Breezy Beautiful

May 5 Yoga with Kyle

Freedom and weightlessness. That it was you are trying to find in the pose. The heavier and more resistant you feel means the deeper you must go into this understanding. Lightness.

I don’t know if I have ever truly achieved any remarkable pose in yoga. However, I have achieved what it is to feel remarkable. Open, unlimited, expansive and positive. Allowing energy channels to flow unblocked like an open highway towards my goals.

The lines from tension and worry on my face have disappeared and have been replaced with glowing radiance. I return to a state of relaxed ease, like a gentle breeze swiftly rolling over calming seas.

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High Spirits

March 12 Yoga with Kyle

Hi Spirits! I know it has been awhile since I have written a blog. It has been such an incredible, fast paced exciting month with big advances (small steps really) for my music and yoga career!
I released a new music video Carry On and I was asked by my yoga client to his film premiere (which was fantastic) Please go see Danny Collins!

I also got a call back for the 3rd audition my commercial agent sent me out on. I felt like this month the universe just finally opened up. Or maybe I did? With the help of Todd Savvas (a spiritual teacher and sage who has his own one of a kind guidance cards). He gave me a very in depth reading and then some reiki and helped me to re open my heart. I felt the effects immediately (even a little popping sensation) and the next day I began to feel deep profound love again. It inspired me to demo new music. Which is what I spent yesterday doing.

Yoga clients come and go, but that is always the exciting part! Music always dominates when yoga is more passive and then when more clients come to me the music is pushed to the side. But now I find they are both demanding quite a lot of energy from me and it leaves me absolutely exhausted in the middle of the day. After all I am a night owl and yoga requires me to be an early bird! Oh did I mention I am releasing my next album “IT GIRL” April 22nd? Stay tuned!

Namaste Spirits,

Kai

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