Fettuccine al Pesto

½ cup pine nuts

1 garlic clove, minced

2oz fresh basil

2/3 cup grated Romano

juice of ½ lemon

½ cup olive oil

salt and pepper

1 pound fettuccine

½ cup grated Romano for garnish

Toast pine nuts (either in skillet or oven) until just golden- (they burn quickly, so be sure to watch them carefully). Triturate the pine nuts with mortar and pestle to a thick paste (couldn’t resist the pharmacy reference).

Add garlic and torn basil leaves to pine nut mixture and continue pounding until you have thick, green paste. Transfer to bowl and stir in Romano cheese and lemon juice. Add olive oil a little at a time, beating well between each addition.

(ok, you can use a food processor for this entire sequence, but it’s not as much fun)

Cook fettuccine al dente and drain well. Sprinkle with salt/pepper and toss with pesto. To serve, sprinkle lightly with additional Romano.

Pizza Margarita or Pizza Napolentana

Prepare your favorite pizza crust. Brush with olive oil and cover with freshly diced or sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt/pepper and add thinly sliced basil leaves. Arrange thin slices of fresh mozzarella on the pizza and sprinkle lightly with additional olive oil and grated Romano cheese. Bake in 425º oven until crust and cheese begins to brown to your liking. (Do not sub packaged mozzarella, you will be disappointed).

James Miller presents the IOWA CITY YOGA FESTIVAL http://iowacityygafestival.com/

Visit the website soon to take advantage of the early bird discounted prices. balance yoga lounge already has several students and instructors who will be attending. Contact us for more information on car pooling and sharing hotel expenses for those traveling from Central Iowa.

Whether you’ve always wanted to try yoga, or enjoy a well developed practice, you are invited to choose three yoga classes or workshops from our web calendar to give yoga, and our facility a trial run! Our entire class format operates on a drop in basis, so students can easily choose class times and days that fit their busy schedule from week to week.

Even if you think you are not flexible enough, you WILL receive the benefit of the practice! Remember, yoga helps you become flexible, it is not a requirement to be flexible to begin practicing. The combination of poses and breathing exercises are designed to stimulate different energy centers in the physical body. Some students are less flexible and will stimulate the energy centers with very little twisting, bending and breathing; for those who are naturally flexible, the basic asanas are not stimulating enough to activate the energy centers and they need advanced poses to receive benefits. All classes offer modifications and students are invited to choose an expression of each pose that reflects their body’s ability in the present moment. Increasing self awareness is an integral component of yoga!

The yoga lounge offers classes to accommodate all ages and levels of physical ability whether you are an aspiring yogi or yogini. Every Wednesday evening you can choose from workshops on various topics including: meditation, utilization of props, yin yoga, aromatherapy, partner yoga, detox yoga, study of the Yamas and Niymas, balancing the chakras, etc.  Yoga classes for expectant mothers are offered once weekly in six week sessions.

Warm weather in Iowa passes so quickly…don’t let the summer of 2010 end before you have a chance to discover balance yoga lounge!

Namaste, Sandy Eimers

  Jen leads the group through upward salute. 

    Patty demonstrates a chest opening asana.

Thanks to Lisa Fernandez of the Des Moines Register for these great photos.

See additional photos  http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=D2&Dato=20100626&Kategori=COMM&Lopenr=6260801&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr%3D1

We will be offering a special series of Wednesday night workshops to teach the Ashtanga series.  These workshops will be held the last Wednesday of the month in August, September and October.  Please read on to learn more about this invigorating style of yoga.

Ashtanga is a form of hatha yoga in the vinyasa style, meaning the postures flow one to another using vinyasas, or mini sun salutations, to connect them and you continue thorough without pausing in order to retain the heat.  It is also a prescribed sequence, so you perform the same postures in the same order each time, with specific cuing on breath and rhythm.  The pacing is considered an important part of the practice therefore you work through the series the best you can, sometimes attaining a posture, sometimes not, but always keeping on the with the breath and the sequence, striving to complete the Primary Series (first sequence) in 1.5 hours.   

There are four series and many people practice the Primary series for years before mastering it.  The discipline dictates you do not progress to the next series until the previous one is mastered and this is required to limit injuries, as each series gets progressively deeper and more difficult.  The series were defined by Pattabhi Jois, and now his grandson, Sarath, at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.  The Ashtanga practice is the basis for most of the “gym” and “power yoga” styles seen today.

Some people wonder what can be so interesting about a defined sequence.  Doesn’t it get boring to do the same postures, in the same way over, and over?  Since it is challenging, it is never boring, and the surprising fact is, it is never the same.  Sometimes you feel incredibly open and flexible and the vinyasas, backbends and balance postures come easily.  Sometimes you are very strong and easily power through the standing postures but then struggle with the surrender required for the deep stretches.  When all of the components come together:  strength, concentration, flexibility, balance, and lightness of being, your practice transcends anything you ever thought possible. 

Ashtanga is a study in body awareness like no other.  If the sequence is the same, what is changing in my body, my mind, my emotions and my environment to make things so different?  Ashtanga has taught me many lessons about what works best for me on and off the mat:  a calm mind, release of expectations, disinterest in the outcome, not trying too hard, patience and trust in the process.  Each time I practice, a gift is presented to me and I become more and more aware of all that I have.

The founder of Ashtanga, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, died several years ago and he is greatly missed by all of his students.  Although I was never able to meet him, I am grateful to him for his dedication to yoga, his passion for teaching, and especially his diligent efforts to bring the practice to the west.  His students now become the teachers and his legacy continues.   He was often quoted as saying, “Practicing and all is coming.” I agree.

written by Mary  Lasky

Please sign up for these workshops at the lounge (any or all): 

August 25, September 29 and October 27; all at 7-8:30pm

They are included in your unlimited pass or available for a drop in fee of $20. 

Posture awareness is key when it comes to addressing back pain. Stay aware of your posture when you are seated or standing. Pulling your abdominals inwards can keep assisting muscles strong and supportive. Draw your shoulders in line above your hips and relaxed away from your ears(down the back). Neck stretches forward and back, and side to side are good to release tension. Spinal lengthening and release as done in Cat and Cow Stretches can be practiced from seated, on all-fours, or standing. To perform this stretch on all-fours you line up the wrists under your shoulders, knees under your hips; inhale as you lift your gaze and your tailbone towards the sky (belly falls towards the floor, opening the ribs) and as you exhale drop your chin to your chest, tucking tailbone under; rounding your back towards the sky. Do this for several breaths and then rest a few moments in child’s pose (sitting back on your heels). Repeat.
Then move into Downward Facing Dog: curl your toes lift your hips into an inverted V posture – stretch fingertips forward and bicycle those heels up and down a few times. Hold Down dog for 3-5 breaths and then rest in child’s pose.
Roll over onto your back and hug one knee into your chest while extending the other leg along the floor – feeling the low back relax into the floor. Take a few breaths and then switch sides. Then hold both knees into your chest, rocking side to side on your back to massage out those muscles.
Lower your feet flat to the floor, knees bent (still lying on your back). And lift your hips up for bridge pose. Arms can rest on the floor, clasp underneath you, or support you behind the hips. Do what is most comfortable without forcing the posture. Breathe. Relax. Observe any sensations. Release and Rest after 3-5 breaths…………Repeat once more.
Draw both knees into your chest and then extend your feet to towards the ceiling, knees bent and by your armpits – happy baby pose. Tailbone stays down on the floor while you breathe deeply into the back of your body. Allowing the support of the floor to hold you and your soft, even breath; to soothe you. Let go, softening every muscle, every joint, …….Relax.
Release and lower your feet to the floor. Take a few moments to breathe quietly with your eyes closed or meditate if you so choose, clearing your mind and quieting the body. Follow your breath through your body and observe from inside. Release everything. Let it all drift away as your breath starts to slow down………

P.Van Meter

Don’t miss our Wednesday night workshop, April 14, 2010 YOGA AND BACK PAIN, 7-8:30pm. Use your lounge pass to attend, or $20 for walk ins.

Pre-registration is required and several sessions are available.  Please see the attached brochure and registration form for details.  These classes are facilitated by two regular balance instructors, Linette Mace and Mary Lasky, both familiar faces at the lounge and experienced teachers. Mary has taught children’s yoga at Sayre Montessori School for three years, and is the mother of two enthusiastic little yogis.  Linette is an Enrichment teacher for Ankeny schools with a wealth of experience with the pre-teens. 

Camps are open to all (whether mom or dad practices yoga or not!). Feel free to forward this information and direct inquiries to Sandy at 515.210.8138 or sandy@balanceyogalounge.com. 

download camp brochure and registration form Register now! Space is limited.

Sitting comfortably, you may want to sit on a pillow to raise the hips (or sitting nice and tall in a chair), starting to draw your focus inward with the breath. Clear and quiet your mind, become aware of your posture: sitz bones firmly grounding down to the earth and crown of your head rising towards heaven, creating outward balance and a good foundation for your exercise.

Lengthen your breath feeling the body grow taller with each inhalation and softening every muscle as you exhale. Imagine the breath moving in and out of your body as a wave on the beach. Feel the energy, welcome it deep into your body. Notice the subtle pauses at the top and bottom of your breath and naturally release the warmed breath … slow… and….relaxed. Feel your in breath expand and flow in through your nasal passages, sinus cavities, into your throat, chest and abdominal cavities. Notice if there are blockages or a smooth pathway.
Become aware of the mind quieting down and the body stilling. Tune your focus deeper as your surroundings drift further away into the back edges of your awareness. Relax

Repeat the following phrase several times, out loud or quietly to yourself:
I am Inhaling positive energy
I am Exhaling negative energy ……..

Slowly let the words drift away, watching them as they go; the breath slow and soft, soothing your body and soul. Take a few moments to observe the sensations that rise and fall. Let it all go…

As you feel ready, start to become aware of your posture again and any sounds surrounding you in your space. Take a moment to reflect on how you feel.

Cross your arms across your chest, hugging tightly, smiling inward in thanks. Hold for a few moments.

Release your arms when you are ready noticing the quiet calm within you. Vow to carry this with sensation in your heart as long as you can.

As you take your next breath in, raise your arms overhead gently pressing your palms together and exhale as you lower the palms into your heart center.

Namaste
Written by Patty Van Meter, RYT Iowa Yoga Therapy (Feb 2010)

Essential yoga class, Feb 8, 7-8pm is cancelled due to snowfall, cold temps, and slippery roads. Stay safe and warm at home and we hope to see you in class later in the week!

Don’t forget the arm balances and inversions workshop this Wednesday evening at 7pm.