Blog Posts - URBAN YOGA CHICAGO

"Shelter in place" update on our live, virtual yoga classes

3/21/2020

Since Governor Pritzker has ordered "shelter in place" beginning tonight, Saturday, March 21, 5:30 pm, our teachers are setting up to teach their live, virtual classes from their respective homes.

Some of us are ordering mics which won't arrive until the latter part of next week, and we are all figuring out how to deliver the best quality experience to you. It will be an ongoing process over the next couple of weeks.

For this reason, if or when it is necessary, you might see some moving around of teachers from their time slots.

We are doing our best to continue providing yoga and meditation to you with the least amount of interruption to you as well as to continue to support our teachers in their professional work in the best way that we can.

We ask for your patience as we do this as well as your feedback, so we know where we might need to direct our attention.
Thanks so much in advance.

It's been really great to see many of your faces online! The best part of this is to see those of you we don't often see because you live in other parts of the country. Thanks for tuning in. We acknowledge and appreciate the blessings of (a) being able to connect with our community like this, and (b) witnessing the flexibility and generosity of you, our community members, in taking care of each other. Sat Nam.
With love & gratitude,

Savitree, Jodh, SachKiret, Raj Devjoti, Kristen C, Seetal Tej, Dhyan Bhajan, Jot Saraswati, Kamal Prem, and Mehtab Kirtan

YouTube: Coronavirus explained & What you should do

3/20/2020

This 8-minute video by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell does a fantastic job explaining

what it is and how it spreads
where and how it affects the body & your immune system (1:05) (skip to 4:40 if you'd rather not hear this part)
how it compares to the flu (4:40)
Fast Pandemic (steep slope) vs Slow Pandemic (flattening the curve) and why Slow is better.
what we need to do (6:12)
how to wash your hands (an alternative to singing happy birthday twice), and why soap matters
why quarantining matters (7:19)

The Square Breath Meditation

3/20/2020

Breathe deeply, until sweet air extinguishes the burn of fear in your lungs and every breath is a beautiful refusal to become anything less than infinite.
– D. Antoinette Foy

Breathing through the nostrils…
Inhale for 3 counts as you visualize moving up the left side of a square.
Suspend the breath at the top of the inhale (w/o clenching your throat shut) for 3 counts as you visualize moving from the left to the right top of the square.
Exhale for 3 counts as you visualize moving down the right side of the square.
Suspend the breath at the bottom of the exhale for 3 counts as you visualize moving from the right to the left bottom of the square.
Repeat several times or longer. Enjoy!

When the breath is unsteady, all is unsteady; when the breath is still; all is still. Control the breath carefully. Inhalation gives strength and a controlled body; retention gives steadiness of mind and longevity; exhalation purifies body and spirit.
– Goraksasathakam

Ginger Tea Recipe

3/18/2020

Ingredients:
1 gallon water
24 slices of ginger

Instructions:

Add the ginger slices to water.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and partially cover.
Continue to boil for 60-90 minutes.
Strain and drink. Store remainder in fridge.

This gallon of ginger tea is an effective digestive and immune booster.

There are different ways to enjoy this batch:

add a squeeze of lemon juice to your tea
add 1-2 cups of ginger tea to your vegetable broth to make an immune boosting soup
add a few shots of ginger tea to your smoothie

If you just want to make one cup at a time, there are a couple of ways to make a quick cup of ginger tea:

To a cup or two of boiling water...

add sliced up ginger to the boiling water, boil for 10-15 minutes, then serve. About 4 inches of ginger root is a good start, but it also depends on the potency of that root-- some are spicier than others.

grate a 4-6 inch piece of ginger root and squeeze the juice from the grating with your hand into the cup(s) and add boiling water. This method will yield the strongest and spiciest cups of ginger tea. If you have a juicer, it's definitely easier than grating.

Yogi Tea Recipe

3/18/2020

Makes approximately 1 gallon

Ingredients:
1 Gallon Water
2 Tbsp cardamom pods
1 tsp peppercorns
1 scant tsp cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
24 slices of ginger
Pinch of black tea or 1 tea bag (optional, we do not use this in the UYC tea)

Instructions:

Combine water, spices & ginger and bring to a boil.
After a few minutes of boiling, add the black tea, if using.
Boil actively for 15 minutes, then reduce to a simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
Strain and store
Stir in milk (dairy or non-dairy) and sweetener of choice to taste to individual cups, or enjoy on its own.

Stores in fridge up to two weeks.

We know how much this is enjoyed after class. It's also has amazing benefits (see below).
Since alas we aren't able to meet in person, here is the recipe. As long as you are making it, might as well make it by the gallon. Store in a glass mason jar after it cools, and heat as you need.

Spices and their benefits:
Black pepper: blood purifier
Cardamom pods: digestive aid
Cloves: beneficial to the nervous system
Cinnamon: strengthens the bones
Ginger root: healing for colds and flu, increases energy, also a digestive aid

Ginger Orange Juice

3/17/2020

Simple juicing recipe, makes 1 large, or 2 small, servings:

2 large organic navel oranges
ginger (try 2 inches of ginger root and add or subtract to your taste)

Juice and enjoy right away.

This is an excellent immune booster filled with Vitamins C, B and A, calcium, potassium, anti-oxidants, and are good for skin and heart health. This drink also has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-microbial benefits. Ginger strengthens the digestive system, which is the foundation for good health and strong immunity.
The best part is, this is incredibly quick, simple, and delicious.

What you can do

3/17/2020

Suddenly, we find ourselves in un-chartered territory.

We have heard from you - we know you are feeling stressed, worried, uncertain and afraid. Schedules have shifted, life is different. You are doing your best to keep up with it all.

For some, navigating and managing constant change feels easy, perhaps exciting. For others, not having that routine and predictability is down right terrifying and anxiety provoking. You may be finding that you have more time on your hands than you know what to do with or perhaps you are working non-stop and are busier than ever before...

Please know we hear you and we are here for you.

When you are feeling stressed or perhaps even bored try on one of these suggestions:

Put your phone down, turn off your notifications, turn off the news and stop with the social media scrolling. If you feel the need to check news/social media, set a timer for 15 minutes and limit yourself to that time frame once or twice each day. You can get all of your updates during that time. Trust us, if there is something you need to know - you will find out!
Blast your favorite dance music and dance wildly! Mood dancing, baby! Let yourself go for 5-10 minutes. Moving your body in this way helps you release stress and tension in your muscles, it gets your heart rate up and the endorphins flowing. Invite whoever is home with you to join in.
Pull out a board game and play with your family. In our house, there is nothing like a friendly game of Scrabble. Playing will keep your mind focused, its fun and who doesn't want to debate if YOWZA is an acceptable Scrabble word? (It is according to the Scrabble Dictionary.)
Fold your laundry. Seriously, it can be quite meditative and relaxing and a basket of laundry doesn't take long to fold. Take your time to fold each article of clothing mindfully. Breathe deeply. Feel gratitude for it. Show it care and put it away neatly. You will feel calmer and have a sense of accomplishment once it's done.
Finally, stay hydrated (its a great time to resume your hot water sips), rest, move your body, get fresh air, breathe deeply, meditate and practice yoga, take a class with us (they are all virtual right now), be around people you love, check in with your friends and family. And find something to be grateful for each and every day.

Take care and be well.

With all my love, grace & gratitude,
Jodh Kaur

In the coming days, we will be sharing recipes & tips to strengthen and maintain healthy immune and nervous systems on our UYC blog, Facebook and Instagram. Please check in there for ways to keep yourself healthy and uplifted.

Virtual Classes Update for the week of March 16

3/15/2020

Dear UYC Community,

We know there are a number of stressors that are impacting you right now and we want you to know: your health and well-being matters and we are here for you.

Over the coming days and weeks we will be sharing a variety of ways that you can keep your immune and nervous systems strong and your mind calm and relaxed using a variety of lifestyle tools including mindfulness, meditation, yoga, food and Ayurvedic practices.

In addition, we received positive feedback from our community members who attended virtual classes on Friday and Saturday and we are pleased to share that all of our adult classes for the next 2 weeks will be 100% virtual.

We have created a special webpage with information on how to access the classes, tips on making the most of virtual classes, our tune in mantras and commonly used terms. Please click here for that webpage. We encourage you to bookmark it for easy reference.

As we move forward, we are open to feedback about your virtual classroom experience, so please email us to share what is working well and any challenges you are experiencing.

We look forward to seeing you in classes on Zoom.

With love & gratitude,
Savitree, Jodh & Team UYC

Staying healthy - UYC response to flu and coronavirus

3/9/2020

Dear UYC Community,
We are writing today to address the growing concerns about the flu and coronavirus, and how we can work together to keep them at bay.

SIGNING IN TO CLASS: For the time being, instead of asking you to sign yourself in to class, we will sign you in to reduce the amount of hands touching the sign-in screen. If you arrive late, however, you will need to sign yourself in at the front desk as you have been.
TOWELS & HAND WASHING: We will add disposable paper towels in the bathroom as an option to dry your hands, replacing cloth towels for the time being. Please do your part and take a good 20 to 30 seconds to wash your hands with soap and warm water. This is said to be the best prevention method for killing germs. Infuse your hand washing with mantra. Reciting Mul Mantra twice takes 20 to 30 seconds.
YOGA MATS: Spray bottles for yoga mats will be available for you to spray down your mat after usage. If you are spraying down a studio mat, please hang them over the banister to dry, or leave on the floor if there isn't room on the banister. Important note to consider: the yoga mats that we provide are technically there for those that are new to yoga and haven't yet invested in a mat, and also as a courtesy to clients who have forgotten to bring their own mats. As a regular yoga student, it is ideal to have your own mat to practice on for reasons including practicing on a mat that is infused with only your own personal energy as well as for good hygiene practices. While we won't stop you from continuing to use studio mats as a regular attendee, we want to take this opportunity to strongly encourage you to invest in one for yourself, or bring a long towel to lay over a studio mat.
TISSUES & EYE PILLOWS: As you know, we have tissue boxes all over the studio space; if you are using a studio eye pillow, it is imperative now to place a tissue between your eyes and the pillow. Also, please remember to throw used tissue into the garbage.
CLEANING CUPS & MUGS AFTER YOGI TEA: For the time being, please leave your cups and mugs in the sink when you are finished with them. Teachers will be washing them thoroughly with hot soapy water after class.
KEEPING A STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM: The very best way to stay healthy is to keep your immune system strong and spirits high. Being in community, moving the body, and staying hydrated are ways we can naturally do that. That said, if you are not feeling well, please stay home and rest. If your child is in the Sacred Playground program as is not well, please keep your child home. If you feel like you want to practice, we highly encourage you to check out our Urban Practice page for yoga and meditation videos.

Let's take care of ourselves and each other.

With love & gratitude,
Savitree, Jodh & Team UYC

Difficult news regarding allegations against Yogi Bhajan

3/9/2020

First sent out via email on Friday, March 6.

Dear UYC Community,

There was a book that was published by a former assistant to Yogi Bhajan that alleges abuse of power, including sexual abuse. Since then, other women have come out.

Needless to say, there have been a range of responses and reactions to these allegations from book burning to heart-break and investigation on different levels to denial; this is extremely triggering to some and completely irrelevant to others. Questions are coming up, and those that have known about this for several weeks now have gone through their own processing evolution.

Rather than having you guess or make assumptions about this, we are writing to let you know that:

we know about these allegations, though we don't have details and are just now reading the book ourselves,
we are in close contact with our lead teacher trainer who travels and trains globally and has a unique global pulse on this,
we are paying attention to what is going on at the institutional levels and tuning into the thoughts of other teachers in this global community via direct correspondence as well as social media,

and most importantly, we are paying attention to our own community to make sure that you are all okay.
This is disappointing and heartbreaking, and we share in this pain.

We want you to know that our doors are open.

One of the questions we hold as our litmus test to how our decisions are serving you is to ask ourselves, are we creating a safe space to voice, to be authentic, and to heal? To this end, we have been coming in at the end of classes this week to share this difficult news with you, and to make sure that you know we have your concerns in mind first and foremost.

If you have any questions, please know that we are here to listen and discuss.

As it relates to the White Tantric Yoga all-day meditation event coming to Chicago at the end of April, it has been our tradition to go to the event together as a group followed by going out for a vegan dinner. This year, we, the co-founders of UYC, have decided not to attend. This is not so much a statement against YB or its establishment as it is a decision to extend support to those who are needing or preferring a safer, more neutral space - considering the circumstances - to do the clearing and healing work without the presence of YB in video. In lieu of going to the event, we will be opening up the studio that day to do healing practice together followed by a vegan dinner out.

If you have interest in attending WTY, it is indeed a powerful course, and we are not discouraging you from going by any means. We are just letting you know our intentions in case this factors into your plan. If you are considering going and would like to talk with one of us about the experience, please reach out. If you have already registered and have since decided you prefer not to go, please let us know. Please note that this is not necessarily a forever statement. We will be reviewing our decision to attend in the subsequent years as more unfolds.

This is not easy news to share, but we feel it is important that we share this with you to create transparency, encourage open dialogue, and offer proper support to our community in a moment in time where we need to make sure women are heard, taken seriously, and supported.

With immense love and gratitude,

Savitree & Jodh,
Co-Founders of UYC
with the UYC Team

p.s.: many of you have emailed us your thoughts and responses to this, and we are deeply inspired and encouraged by the strength, love and courage that is clearly present in our community. Please keep your thoughts flowing- either here (under comments) or via email - it is so much healthier to share and communicate than it is to have anything like this swirling around in one's own head.

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Kundalini Yoga Quotes:

“I’d never felt anything like it; it was just an opening of energy and a feeling of such liberation.” -Marika Bethel, owner, Glowing House

“Within the first ten minutes, I thought, ‘[kundalini yoga] is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,’” -Gabrielle Bernstein

"Kundalini Yoga is the crack cocaine of yoga; if Hatha is a mild weed high, Iyengar is a deep hash glow and Ashtanga is amphetamine, Kundalini Yoga blows the F*@&ing doors off." -Russell Brand