Archives: rockland county

Hiking in the red rocks in Nevada!

Hiking in the red rocks in Nevada!

I’m inspired to write and I’m also a little embarrassed that my last post was nearly 2 years ago. I can’t believe that much time has passed… SO much has happened and Soul Flyte has really taken off. Last time I wrote about Soul Flyte it was only our 4th week in business… Now we’ve been in business for 3.5 years! WOW! I guess I was a little wrapped up and left this blog for a while. I’m happy to say that I’m inspired again and would love to bring it back. I hope it will last! I can’t predict that I will write every week or every month, but I’m ok with writing from time to time, it’s important for me to express myself in that way.

In any case – I’ve watched Soul Flyte in Nyack flourish, bringing community together with all of our events, amazing instructors and fabulous students. What I didn’t realize is how much I’ve focused on getting it up and running that I haven’t really focused much on myself. Yes, I’m still a health nut, going to my acupuncture and chiropractor sessions every month and taking my supplements daily – I still take care of myself but I haven’t talked much about it. I still see clients to help heal their bellies but I haven’t filled you in or shared my experiences. I apologize about that.  I think I was just so overwhelmed by everything going on in my life that my personal stuff just sort of fell to the wayside.

I just enrolled in Mama Gena’s Mastery program for Womanly Arts. Reading her book called Pussy has made me realize that I’ve totally fallen into the same rut as so many other women – we put others first before ourselves. Time and time again. Well I’m here to let you know that I’m stopping that. I will put myself first, making sure I’m doing what’s right for my truth and my body. I love to write! Why did I ever stop?!

This feels like a whole new journey that I’m about to embark on. The program actually starts in March, but I’ve already started reading her book to give me a jump start. I can’t wait to see what the next few months will bring.  Stay tuned!

Rainy Day Beauty

Rainy Day Beauty

Let’s talk about Fear. I’ve come to realize that this thing we call fear might possibly be ingrained into our cells. No matter what we do to overcome it, it will always be lurking in the background. This is something I’ve been working on for a while now. What I’ve realized is that – because my grandparents were in the holocaust – there was serious fear Read more »

 

Private Studio With Hammocks!

Private Studio With Hammocks!

Top 5 reasons I love teaching and practicing aerial yoga:

1) It’s something new and different

2) My body feels incredible afterwards Read more »

Chia Pudding

Chia Pudding

We’ve finally figured out a healthy, easy, homemade and delicious snack – chia pudding. Have you tried it? It’s SO easy. You can add any topping of your choice. Here are some of my favorites: Read more »

Watch this video on super bowl Sunday for an awesome stretch sessinon

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!

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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

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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 14th 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.

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.

Restorative Yoga

I am using my couch pillow underneath my knees, pillows under my hands and a blanket to cover me. Set a timer and relax for 20 minutes!

Currently we’re on the 11th day of the 21-day restorative yoga challenge. It’s a challenge for you – and only you. Can you practice 1 restorative yoga pose for 20 minutes every day for 21 days? On the Facebook page, which you can get here, I will show you which pose to do each day. Join us.

Why do I love restorative yoga so much? Maybe you’re wondering what restorative yoga is? In this current world that we live in we are constantly bombarded with emails, questions, business, family, pets, life… When do you get a chance to actually do nothing? When you go on vacation once or twice a year? Restorative yoga helps you take a 20-minute vacation in your own home. Shut down the screens, turn off the noise, find solace in your sacred space called your home. Silence your phone, unplug and unwind for 20 minutes a day. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t sound so long, but when you actually lie down and set yourself up to rest the thoughts bombard your mind and you might get restless – this is all part of the challenge. Stay with it. Don’t let your thoughts get the best of you – show them who the boss is. You have control of your thoughts. I repeat: you have control of your thoughts. Turn them off and restore. You’ll be so well rested that you won’t even know what hit you!

Now you can see why I love restorative yoga and want to share it with the world!  Practice with me even if you’re not in Rockland County or NYC, you can be anywhere in the world! Here’s the Facebook page for you to see which pose to do each day. Join us.

I’ve been dealing with ulcerative colitis since I was 12 years old and I’ve got some great tips to share with you. The tips below come from my book called The Fix Your Belly Blues Program. It’s a 21-day program created to help you find the right diet that works for you, learn how to cleanse properly and connect the mind/body. Here are my top 10 tips to get you moving and motivated to kick your health into shape. Remember, you are in control of your health – let your body do the healing.

1)     Find practitioners who you feel a connection with – whether it’s acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic, kinesiology, massage etc. It’s so important to be able to talk with them, vent, and relax all at the same time – what an incredible release that is.

2)     Find a wonderful, supportive therapist

3)     Take probiotics everyday (especially while traveling). Megafoods is a great brand – although pricey, it’s the best.

4)     Eat fermented foods ie: raw sauerkraut, (the brand Real Pickles sauerkraut is delicious). Lactose free yogurt by the brand Green Valley Organics is awesome. It’s yogurt w/ probiotics, organic and lactose free!! Amazing! The same brand also makes kefir, which is also a fermented product that I recommend. Raw kombucha is GREAT for us IBDers – It’s a probiotic drink. I like GT’s brand original flavor since it’s low in sugar.

5)     Stay away from white sugar, brown sugar, any sugar substitutes (equal, splenda etc.) instead use honey, agave, maple syrup. Watch your sugar intake in general, it causes inflammation

6)      Steer clear of caffeine – it also causes inflammation

7)     Eat as many whole foods as you can. Soup with tons of soft veggies, well-blended smoothies, fresh green juices, etc.

8)     Create a meditation practice and maintain a regular workout at the gym.

9)     Take a good brand of cod liver oil. I like Green Pastures Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil. Since it’s fermented, it’s easier to digest and doesn’t come up on me throughout the day.

10)   I recommend a gluten free diet. Be careful with soy sauce and salad dressing as they contain gluten and you may not have realized that. Stay away from too much soy – it’s in everything. Eat clean, nutrient packed foods and you’re half way there – then add in the mind/body aspect and you’re on your way!

Bonus tip: Educate yourself. I’d say that’s the most important tip I can give you. Read, surf the web, talk to people who have the same disease and ask tons of questions.

Even though doctors are very smart, they do not know everything. I hate to say this but most GI doctors know the bare minimum about diet. In fact they will tell you to eat whatever you want with IBD and that diet has nothing to do with it. I don’t believe that for one second because food is half the battle.

There will be times when you’ll be completely stumped about what to eat because everything you put into your mouth makes you feel terrible. Well, it’s time to take action. Start with soft cooked root veggies and work your way up from there. Don’t forget about the yoga/meditation aspect of the work. It’s not a one size fits all type of thing here – you have to find what foods work for you. What yoga poses feel good for you, which meditation practices work for you. You get the idea? I can’t do the work for you but I can explain what needs to be done to get you on the right track. Ultimately your in control. Stand in your confident shoes and get moving. Don’t feel helpless, you are what you eat. Start taking responsibility for your actions. This is your life, so start living it.

Check out my book where you can find more step-by- step instructions to guide you along your path to health. I will show you a yoga and meditation practice that I feel works well for IBDers. Ultimately you decide which poses to keep and which to take out. The Fix Your Belly Blues Program is now available!

Cheers to you and this lifetime of health and happiness.