Shira Turkl-Rubin

Click image to watch the video

Did you eat too much chips and dip at that Super Bowl party? I’ve got the perfect cleanse for you. It’s a yogic breathing technique that’s cleansing and gets the digestive fire moving. First thing in the morning, before you wake up – practice this exercise (watch the video above). It only takes 5 minutes to do and it’s totally worth your time. Then take a probiotic vitamin, drink warm water with lemon and start your day off right.

Cheers to your health!

With the super bowl only 6 days away I thought I’d share some awesome yoga tips for anyone looking to get a little stretch in while they watch. You already know that if you spend too much time sitting it’s not good for your entire body! So take a stretch break and try these sun salutations that I’ve video taped. Follow along and feel fantastic through out the entire super bowl. Who knew that the super bowl and yoga go together?! You can practice one sun salutation on every commercial break! Get the whole party involved and before you know it you’ll be a yoga-teaching master!

If you live in or around Rockland County, come take a yoga or meditation class with me. You’ll need a boost after watching hours of football on Sunday.

Cheers to the super bowl and yoga 2014!

Recently I’ve been teaching meditation to many students all around NYC, Rockland and Bergen Counties and I love it! As much as my students all enjoy coming to class, when it comes to practicing on their own I continue to hear the same thing over and over again: no time or, I continuously forget to practice.

Meditation only works if you actually practice it – not just in class but on your own too. Meditation isn’t just about sitting on a cushion and watching your breath. Meditation is about being mindful and aware of your body, your surroundings and allowing yourself to be fully present. You can do this while taking a shower, walking down the street, sitting at your desk, etc.! I’ve found meditation to be extremely helpful when dealing with colitis, crohns, ibs & any other belly issues.

Here are some helpful tips to get you going:

1)   As soon as you wake up do some light stretching in bed such as, gentle twists, forward folds and maybe even a childs pose. Once you’ve gently moved the body then prop yourself up on some pillows so that you can sit cross legged comfortably. Practice meditation for a minimum of 5 minutes. There’s no excuse not to practice this one since it’s in bed!

2)   When you’re on the go I suggest downloading some kirtan music to listen to. Kirtan is a form of bhakti yoga, which is the yoga of love, song and devotion. There are many soothing artists you can listen to that can help get you in a meditative zone. Here are a few that I love:

Snatam Kaur

Krishna Das

David Newman

Deva Premal

Jai Uttal

Donna De Lory

Girish

Karunesh

Ravi Shankar

3)   If you’re having a hard time scheduling meditation into your life then just like you would do with any other appointment – put it on your calendar.

4)   Set your alarm to wake up 10 minutes earlier so that you can have sufficient amount of time to breathe, meditate and move gently.I know that if you adapt at least one of these tips you will already be well on your way to cultivating a life long meditation practice. Meditation has the ability to change your life forever – so let’s go, get in on it. Everyone can do it, there’s no excuse.

Good luck & let me know how it goes.

With lots of love & support,

Shira

The start of the New Year brings lots of exciting classes and workshops for me and my yoga community. I want to share a few with you.

I am now teaching a new class in Sparkill, NY in Rockland County, which is very close to Piermont, Nyack, Northvale, Tappan & Orangeburg. The class is at Union Arts Center on Monday’s from 9am-10:15am. Open to all levels and is $15. I’d love to see you there!

I’m also holding 2 workshops at Union Arts Center in Sparkill:

Learn To Meditate with Shira Turkl-Rubin: February 3rd 7:30pm-9pm $15

Workshop write up:

You may have heard all types of buzz about meditation but you still don’t understand it. There are many misconceptions about what meditation actually is. In this class we will deconstruct meditation so that you can grasp exactly what it is and how to practice it on your own. Learn the essentials to help create a more peaceful and serene way of life. If practiced on a daily basis meditation can change your life. You’ll learn about mantra, mudra, japa, visualization, body scan and more!

I’ve taught many beginners how to cultivate their own home meditation practice. I’m passionate about allowing the body to naturally heal itself and have found meditation to be absolutely essential when working with my own health ailments. Join me for this 90-minute intro to meditation and leave feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and ready to take on your own practice!

Workshop #2 –

Valentines Day Partner Workshop/Wine & Chocolate Tasting

February 14^th 7pm-9pm $25 at Union Arts Center in Sparkill, NY

Workshop write up:

This Valentines Day stretch your body, mind and soul in this partner yoga class. Bring your spouse, friend or partner to learn the ins and outs of practicing together. We’ll stretch, massage, meditate, breathe, drink, eat and be merry. Even if you’ve never stepped foot on a yoga mat before, now’s your chance to lose the intimidation and practice with your honey, friend or partner of choice. This class will be FUN. Get ready to play, laugh and most importantly have a great time. Join us afterwards for some wine and chocolates to start your evening off the right way.

I hope to see you on the mat in one of my classes or workshops! Please contact me to sign up.

Ready to roll!

Yesterday was my colonoscopy test that I typically get every 2-3 years. No, I’m not a 50 year old – however I do have ulcerative colitis and in that case I have to get checked out more often then the typical 28 year old.

How did it go? Well…. It was pretty shitty… KIDDING! It was actually fine. I mean it’s pretty uncomfortable and not fun at all BUT the results were that nothing has changed, gotten worse or better – which in my eyes is great news. I always hope that it’s gotten smaller and that one-day it will completely vanish, but not this year. Maybe in the next 3 years I’ll have accomplished that – I’m focusing on the glass half full here. I’m healthy, I feel good and that’s what matters.

Having the test done gives me some serious peace of mind. Instead of stressing about whether it’s gotten worse or if I have something more serious etc… it feels great to know that all is still good down there and I can continue down my path to health. I suggest knowing opposed to not knowing. Get your tests done, go to the Doctor and find out what’s going on. After you know what’s happening, then you can work on alternative ways to help yourself heal. When we release the anxiety about what’s going on in our bodies it’s pretty magical – a weight lifts, you feel free. Take it from me!

Flowers over fear.

This quote keeps popping into my head out of nowhere…

My vision board. Notice the words, colors and photos. This = ME!

The power of words… it’s almost indescribable. I was at a workshop this past week for people who want to start a yoga studio. This is what I thought my path was at this moment in time. After sitting with myself and listening to the very inspirational words of wisdom and advice from Joan Dwyer and Janis Bowersox I’ve changed my current path. We spoke about strengths, vision boards, mission statements, visions, numbers (oh the numbers…!!) and much, much more. I’ve realized that since moving to Rockland county, I need to work on cultivating and creating my yoga community here. I need to dive into giving incredible workshops, teaching more and spreading my healing love to Rockland County and beyond. Then maybe, once I’ve done all of that, which may take me quite some time, I might possibly be ready to open a yoga studio. I realize that for me – baby steps, community and feeling ready is really important. I do commend all of you who dive into things head first, but for me I think the process of cultivating myself and branding myself as a yoga teacher is a really important step that I can’t skip over.

With that being said: in the near future you’ll be hearing about fun workshops that I’ll be teaching, retreats that I’ll be holding and new classes on my schedule. If you’re ready to find your true self, let go of disease, live healthfully, naturally and with peace – then look for my posts! I want you to be there! I can’t create community on my own – and I’m really looking forward to meeting all of the incredible yogis and yogis to be in Rockland County, Bergen County and maybe even Westchester County. Stay tuned for awesomeness coming your way.

By the way, I just created a Pinterest and it’s SO MUCH FUN! It’s like digital collaging. Find me, follow me and I’ll follow you back!

Find out more about Joan Dwyer HERE

Find out more about Janis Bowersox HERE

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on thyroid health and I’ve come across some eye opening information that I have to share.

Let me back up a bit – I started getting a really bad neck ache about a month and a half ago and thought it was muscular. After meeting with a medical intuitive she informed me that my thyroid was swollen, something I had never considered. She asked me if I had been feeling sluggish, she asked about the quality of my sleep, my motivation and my mood. Well, turns out that once I started looking at all these signs I realized that indeed something is going on with my thyroid. Yes I am getting a blood test next week, however I’m not one to wait for the blood test to confirm anything, I like to dive right in and start making immediate changes. So I started juicing and eating as healthy as I know possible and still, my neck ache persists.

Then, I came across some research online referring to raw cruciferous vegetables and their negative effect on people with thyroid conditions. Apparently when eaten raw they contain chemicals that block the production of thyroid hormone in the body. All this time I thought I was doing something great for my body and boy was I wrong! It just goes to show you that even when you think you are eating all the right things, one bit of research can change everything. That’s why I believe it’s so important to educate yourself about whatever condition you have.

Cruciferous vegetables: Arugla, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, turnip, collard greens, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, radish, rutabaga, watercress.

This doesn’t mean that I won’t continue my juicing habit – it just means I’m planning to leave out the kale and spinach (spinach isn’t cruciferous but it also negatively effects the thyroid when eaten raw – see the note below about oxalic acid.)

Here’s a delicious juice that I made this morning:

1 organic beet

4 organic celery stalks

1 organic apple

½ organic cucumber

½ organic lemon

½ inch fresh organic ginger

This amount of juice made enough for both Chad and I to enjoy.

Some greens contain a chemical called oxalic acid – it’s irritating to the mouth and intestinal tract as well as blocks calcium and iron absorption. It may also contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Greens with this chemical are listed below. For those who have a thyroid condition please make sure to lightly steam or cook these foods to minimize the oxalic acid.

Spinach, chard, parsley, chives, purslane and beet greens.

There are other foods to avoid when dealing with a thyroid condition. All it takes is a Google search. Educate yourself and you will ultimately help yourself heal.

Please pass along this very valuable information. Many people suffer from thyroid conditions but don’t know about the benefits of changing specific foods in their diet.

Please help spread the word so that more people can become aware of the very specific ways to heal. Healing also takes place when stress is reduced and a spiritual practice is added.

Stay healthy,

Shira

As promised, here’s the recipe for the grain free banana walnut muffins! Enjoy it – they are delicious!

Banana Walnut muffins adapted from Elana’s Pantry (www.elanaspantry.com)

2 cups almond flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup pitted dates

3 ripe bananas

3 eggs

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

½ cup raw walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon

In a food processor, combine dates, bananas, eggs, vinegar and oil

Transfer mixture to a large bowl

Blend dry mixture into wet until thoroughly combined

Fold in walnuts

Spoon mixture into paper lined 12 cup muffin pan

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes

There are two types of people in this world: leaders and followers.  Please don’t be judgmental and try to figure out which one is better then the other.  They are equal, it’s just about what your true nature is.  Instead of judging, I’d rather you close your eyes and really think/feel what your true nature is: leader or follower? You already know which one you are, now go ahead and own it.

When I went to Guatemala a couple of years ago, I met with a Mayan shaman. He told me that one of my Mayan signs is the stick, which symbolizes leadership.

Ever since that moment, even though I think I’ve always known deep down what my true being is, my eyes have been opened. It took an outside force to really get through to me. It’s official, I’ve been put on this earth as a leader and if I don’t push through and lead the way in whatever it is I want to lead in, then I will be fighting up against my true nature and in turn will most likely be depressed and miserable.

I’ve been working on my career now for a while – fine tuning it and honing in on my particular skills. Up until now I’ve been dabbling in my leadership role but not taking it on full force. In the recent past I’ve struggled with bouts of very low energy, some depression and lack of motivation. You can see that because I haven’t committed full force to being the leader that I am that there are consequences. I have to ask myself this question: what’s better, finding my true nature and being happy? Or being a half leader and miserable?  Sometimes it really does take that outer voice of someone you don’t know at all, to help remind you of who you are and what you’re meant to do. Listen to your inner voice and be proud of who you are. You were put on this earth for a reason, now get out there and thrive!

Believe me, I’m taking my own advice now! It’s time to take things to the next level and make things happen. For those of you who prefer to follow as opposed to lead – mazel tov for standing up to it. Don’t fight up against it – let it be – you will soon realize that deep down there is a bit of leader inside you too.

Life’s too short to sit back and let it pass right by you. Grab it by the horns and roll!

Cheers to making things happen in a big, big way! Stay tuned.