Meet Sydney Farley

Sydney Farley

Age: 20
Hometown: Portland, OR
School/Major: Musical theater at NYU

Welcome Sydney to the Stretch and Unstressed family! As a sophomore at NYU, Sydney turns to the practices of yoga as a way of balancing her life. We hope your last few weeks of classes went smoothly with yoga by your side!

"I've been obsessed with yoga since we started practicing it in studio classes. It really helps with my balance, flexibility, and stress of school, especially in these last few weeks of shows and performances"

For the full interview with Sydney, visit the clip below:

Follow, Follow, Follow!

Happy Holidays! Would you like more from Sacred Sounds? Come join the family here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/NYU-Sacred-Sounds/200765266715482?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYUSacredSounds
Instagram: http://instagram.com/nyuyoga/

Stay warm out there, and watch out for those Santas!

Move of the Day: Ashtavakrasana

Danielle Tafeen

Also known as the Eight-Angle Pose, the Ashtavakrasana is a challenging endeavor, but it works to strengthen your balance and concentration, giving you a feeling of powerful lightness.

Thanks to the YogaJournal once again, here is a step-by-step walkthrough of this pose:

1. Begin seated with both legs extended. Bend the left knee and lift the shin bone up externally rotating from the hip socket. From his position you're going to cradle your shin. Take the inner left elbow around the left knee and the inner right elbow to the sole of the left foot. Sit tall staying on the tripod of your tailbone and sitz bones. Gently pull the foot in closer towards the right shoulder, opening the hip further. You can also focus on trying to make the foot level with the knee to deepen the sensation, but remember, be patient. No pushing in hip openers. Go for sensation, not pain.

2. Take the left hand under the left calf and the right hand to the sole of the foot. Carefully push the knee out towards the left then give it a little boost up the arm. Continue this process until your inner left leg has journeyed closer to your left shoulder. When you cannot further the process anymore, hug the left inner thigh around the shoulder and place both hands down to either side of the hips. Activate the toes and keep the chest lifting. Hold here for 8 breaths and release.

3. Maintain the hug of the inner left thigh around the shoulder and bend both knees. Lightly cross the right ankle over the left.

4. Imagine that your left arm is a huge grapefruit and juice it! Hug both inner thighs around the left arm as the legs extend up and straight. Keep the heart lifting and the palms on the ground for balance.

5. Keep the enthusiasm in your legs and place the palms flat should-width apart slightly forward of the hips. Extend the heart forward as the elbows bend and continue to hug inward. Once the elbows are over the wrists, draw the lower belly up, squeeze the inner thighs and swing the hips up to the level of the shoulder. Be careful not to collapse in right shoulder - you want to maintain even shoulder to create a strong platform of balance. Keep the crossing of the ankles dainty and spread the toes. Take a few full breaths here and set the bottom back down to release. 

For more detailed and pictured information and instructions, visit YogaJournal's blog at: http://blogs.yogajournal.com/challengepose/2011/05/challenge-pose-ashtavakrasana.html

Do not be intimidated by the challenge, and breathe right on through it. Happy stretching!

Meet Mackenzie Cyr

Mackenzie Cyr

Age: 19
Hometown: Lexington, MA
School/Major: Media, Culture, & Communication at NYU

Welcome another NYU sophomore to Stretched  and Unstressed! Mackenzie is truly devoted to yoga, and believes in its ability to cure the stresses of everyday life. She constantly balances a part-time job at Palladium gym, a Public Relations internship, classes, and a vibrant social life, all the while finding the necessary time to incorporate yoga. Mackenzie is the perfect model of dedication, and we at Sacred Sounds cannot express our appreciation for your continued devotion!

"No matter how my schedule changes or how my week's been, I can count on the consistency that yoga provides. It's great for relaxation, and the quiet is much needed in my jam-packed schedule"

To see more from Mackenzie, watch the clip below:

Meet Andrew Guay

Age: 21
Hometown: Waterford, CT
School/Major: Acting at NYU Tisch

Welcome Andrew to Stretched & Unstressed! He is also a NYU student, and has been practicing yoga for two years now. Andrew was first introduced to yoga as a requirement at Tisch, but has been enjoying it as a relaxation and recreational outlet ever since. He has lost 30 pounds after starting yoga, and continues to rely on it to sustain and develop a healthy lifestyle. Not only has yoga changed Andrew's daily life, it has also served to relieve the stresses of being a commuter student within a busy New York City. Stay inspired Andrew!

"I got obsessed with yoga. It inspired me to create a lifestyle that not only benefitted my body, but my mental state as well"

For the full interview with Andrew, check out the clip below:

Move of the Day: Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana

Danielle Tafeen of Sacred Sounds

Also known as the Compass pose, the Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana gives a great stretch to the hamstring and shoulder regions, and helps mobilize the hip area.

This is a challenging pose, but your journey to mastering it will help you gain balance physically and mentally.

Thanks to YogaJournal, here is a step by step walkthrough of the Compass Pose:

1. Begin with your legs straight in front of you. Bend your left knee and place the sole of your left foot on your right inner thigh. 

2. Grab your right foot with both hands, bend your right knee, and move it as far toward the back wall as you can. With your left hand, reach behind your head and grab your outer right foot.

3. Thread your right hand under your right knee, placing it firmly on the floor. Extend your spine and lean back as you straighten your right leg. 

4. Bring the weight into your right hand and your right sitting bone. You need a lot of length in your hamstrings, and along the left side of your body, so only go as far as you can.

5. If you feel more like a faulty compass moving in the wrong direction, remember to laugh.

For more tips and variations on this pose, visit YogaJournal at: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1996

Remember to find your balance and happy stretching!

Meet Anuja Joshi

Anuja Joshi

Age: 19
Hometown: Potomac, MD
School/Major: Journalism & Politics at NYU

Welcome Anuja to Stretched and Unstressed! She is a fellow NYU student, and has devoted 5 years of her life now to the different practices of yoga, namely vinyasa flow and pranayam [breathing & meditation]. Inspired by her Indian culture, Anuja was first introduced to yoga by her grandparents, and it has become an essential outlet for finding a state of peace and calm ever since. Having to cope with the hassles of being a New York City student, Anuja has relied on yoga to keep her patient, subsequently helping her lead a happier and healthier life. We could not be happier for you Anuja!

"Usually I'm stressed about my work, my heath, my future, and yoga stops all that for a few moments and forces me to calm down"

Watch the full interview below:

Family

Email us at yttp.nyu@gmail.com

Here at Sacred Sounds NYU, we are all about community. We'll be launching a mini interview series with our fellow Yogis very shortly, but we also want to hear from you! So send us your experiences, stories, pictures, or anything else you would like to show us about yoga in your life, and come join the family.

Move of the Day: Hanumanasana

Demonstrated by wonderful Sacred Sounds instructor Danielle Tafeen

Also known as the split pose or the monkey pose, the hanumanasana provides a great stretch to the thighs, hamstring, and groin, and it also works to stimulate the abdominal regions.

Origins: This pose mimics the great leap by the monkey-resembling Hanuman, a Hindu divine entity, from mainland India to the Lankan Islands.

Thanks to YogaJournal, here is a step by step walkthrough of Hanumanasana:

1. Kneel on the floor. Step your right foot forward about a foot in front of your left knee, and rotate your right thigh outwardly. Do this by lifting the inner sole away from the floor and resting the foot on the outer heel.

2. Exhale and lean your torso forward, pressing your fingertips to the floor. Slowly slide your left knee back, straightening the knee and at the same time descending the right thigh toward the floor. Stop straightening the back knee just before you reach the limit of your stretch.

3. Now begin to push the right heel away from your torso. Because we started with a strong external rotation of the front leg, gradually turn the leg inward as it straightens to bring the kneecap toward the ceiling. As the front leg straightens, resume pressing the left knee back, and carefully descend the front of the left thigh and the back of the right leg [and the base of the pelvis] to the floor. Make sure the center of the right knee points directly up toward the ceiling.

4. Also check to see that the back leg extends straight out of the hip [and isn't angled out to the side], and that the center of the back kneecap is pressing directly on the floor. Keep the front leg active by extending through the heel and lifting the ball of the foot toward the ceiling. Bring the hands into Anjali Mudra [http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/484] or stretch the arms toward the ceiling.

5. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out, press your hands to the floor, turn the front leg out slightly, and slowly return the front heel and the back knee to their starting positions. Then reverse the legs and repeat for the same length of the time.

For more tips, benefits, variations, or information on this pose, visit YogaJournal at: http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/874

Stay warm & happy stretching!

A Space for Yoga

Welcome! Here at Stretched and Unstressed, yoga is life, and we want to help you make it an essential part of your lifestyle. So, bring your mats and enter a spiritual realm of calm and peace. This space is just for you, yoga, and happiness.