Magazine. Kristin Hansen

TRAVEL BLOG

BENEFITS OF YOGAWHAT TO EAT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR

PHOTOSHOOT OF ESTONIAN CELEBRITIES IN THEIR FAVOURITE YOGA POSE

8 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ACRO YOGA

a rkaadi aJUNE 20164.90 €

This magazine is given out used only

recycled paper.With every copy you will recieve a seed of a

tree to plant another tree!

From this months issue you may find lots of interest-ing things on our usual themes as Yoga, Photography, healthy lifestyle. There will be an article about acro yoga - new trend in the world. Also you may find pic-tures about Estonian celebrities and their favourite yoga poses with the explanation why yoga is good for our bodies. There will be a travel blog, which con-centrates on one girl´s experience after quiting her job and travelling the world. Like in every month is-sue there will be receips for healthy cooking from the best ajurveda chefs in the world. Also a person story of the world´s most known yogi, inspirational poetry and quotes and upcoming events in the yoga world.

Namaste!

Kristin Hansen

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IN THIS MONTH ISSUE

taBLe OF COntent

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OPINION

6. 8 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ACRO YOGA

BALANCE

10. YOGA IN THEIR LIVES

YOGA

16. THE BENEFITS OF YOGA

TRAVEL

18. TRAVEL BLOG

taBLe OF COntent

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HEALTH

23. WHAT TO EAT

COOKING

25. RECEIPE

PERSON

29. PERSON STORY

HAPPENING

33. YOGA EVENTS

35. CLOSING

EIGHT THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ACRO YOGA

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It’s very possible you’ve seen a few stu-dents playing around after class or watched a few videos online. Maybe you’ve seen some epic photos in a yoga magazine of two smiling yogis balancing effortlessly on each other’s feet and/or hands in some exotic location. Perhaps, upon seeing this, you’ve thought to your-self, “That’s impossible! I could never do that.”

Please allow me to let you in on a little secret: Yes, you can!

My name is Daniel Scott, and I teach the Yoga of Trust. For the past six years, I have been blessed to teach thousands of

people worldwide to literally turn their lives upside down while loving every sec-ond. As a certified AcroYoga instructor and movement therapist, my life is dedi-cated to helping others answer the ques-tion: Are you moving or being moved?

Like any physical practice, yoga or oth-erwise, AcroYoga is a dynamic offering that can seem both simple and complex. My journey didn’t begin with gymnastics or circus arts. Wandering aimlessly in the labyrinth of corporate life, I ran mara-thons and partied ruthlessly in my “free” time in hopes of an escape before finding yoga as a true way out. I didn’t do my first free handstand until I was 27, and even then, I was better at falling down then getting up.

Upon truly embracing the practice of AcroYoga, my understanding and appre-ciation of yoga—and through that, life—has deepened with immense passion and gratitude. Whether you’ve tried it or not, please enjoy these following tips as guides for the path towards building trust… within the body, the community, and the true blessing of divine partnership.

1. AcroYoga combines yoga, healing arts, and acrobatics.

It’s good to mix things up, even if it sounds like an odd recipe. All three styles truly balance each other out (pun intend-ed). Let’s drink straight from the source at

pHOtO: Kristin Hansen text: Daniel Scott

AcroYoga.org: “AcroYoga blends the wis-dom of yoga, the dynamic power of acro-batics, and the loving kindness of healing arts. These three lineages form the foun-dation of a practice that cultivates trust, playfulness, and community.” Who can say no to that?

2. You don’t need a partner to find partnership.

Flying solo? No worries—you’ll find someone to soar with once when you ar-rive! While you are welcome to train with a dedicated partner, there is much knowl-edge to be gained in mixing it up from time to time. This partner-based practice develops your skills to work with a wide variety of people… no matter the person-ality, shape, size, or skill.

3. AcroYoga is for Every Body.

You need not be a master gymnast, circus acrobat, or seasoned yogi to enjoy. Can’t do a handstand, or even touch your toes? No big deal. AcroYoga is a practice of sub-stance, not flash. You’ll learn necessary building blocks to literally take whatever physical skills you have to new heights.

4. Size matters not.

You may think big people do the lifting, and tiny people do the flying. This is not the case. AcroYoga doesn’t defy gravity, it honors it. Technique is more important

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IN ORDER TO KNOW ONE, YOU MUST TRULY EXPERIENCE THE OTHER!

than strength. You’ll quickly learn that muscles tire while bones don’t—whether lifting someone above your head, pouring weight through hands for a healing touch, or counterbalancing someone twice your size.

5. One must give to receive… and vice versa.

When was the last time you let some-one else physically move you? A good AcroYoga class creates a safe container in which participants learn the art of allow-ing movement. Depending on the materi-al taught, this could mean total engage-ment, utter release, or some degree of both. Everyone in class goes through the same experience. As you learn to support others, you end up allowing yourself to be supported. This is a fundamental of trust: take control by letting go.

6. Get what you need by asking for what you want.

Unlike practicing alone, where we spend a lot of time in our head, partner work is deeply rooted the shared experience. In addition to honing the skill of sharing a physical practice, AcroYoga helps to de-velop open, direct, and compassionate verbal communication with whomever we’re paired with. Try giving someone di-rections while in handstand. Up becomes down. Left becomes right. Things can get mixed up when life gets flipped asa-na over tea kettle. Work together or fall apart. You decide.

7. In order to know one, you must truly experience the other.

The practice of AcroYoga is split into two parts, Acrobatic (Solar) and Therapeutic


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IN ORDER TO KNOW ONE, YOU MUST TRULY EXPERIENCE THE OTHER!

“ACRO YOGA COMBINES YOGA, HEALTH AND HEALING ARTS”

(Lunar). Each side explores the relation-ship between the mover and those being moved. In the dynamic Solar practice, participants learn three different roles: Base (mover), Flyer (being moved), and Spotter (knowledge of both). Lunar ther-aputics embraces the deeply healing con-nection. To metta—loving kindness. Here, the Giver is the mover, and the Receiver is the one being moved. Balance is the mid-point between extremes, so it’s best to ex-plore this practice from all sides to know where your grounded passion truly lies.

8. Trust Communication = Community.

Amazing things happen when one steps outside the box, and there is no coin-cidence that a yoga mat is rectangular.

Don’t confine yourself to the soft routine of this non-slip comfort zone. AcroYoga creates a tangible sense of tribe and cel-ebration which is hard to find anywhere else. Remember, it is entirely up to you how high you want to soar or how slow you want to enjoy the process of getting there.

May these tips help further your existing practice or inspire you to give it at try… with love, light, and flight.

BaLanCe

text/pHOtOs: Kristin Hansen .

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YOGA IN THEIR LIVES

Famous Estonian celebrities who do yoga every day courage people to do the same. “Yoga has the potential to increase fat loss, develop muscle tone, and build flexibility, leading to a more lean-looking physique,” they say.

Here you may find pictures of their favourite yoga poses!

Robert Annus (actor)Sukhdev Kaur (yoga teacher)Virge Naeris (decathlete)Hanna-Liina Võsa (musician)Kleer Maibaum (actress)


text/pHOtOs: Kristin Hansen .

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YOGa

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THE BENEFITS OF YOGA

The benefits of yoga provide both instant gratification and lasting transformation. In the fitness world, both are extremely important. Too much time with too few results can be incredibly discouraging, and monotonous routines week after week can lead to stagnation. Yoga can change your physical and mental capac-ity quickly, while preparing the mind and body for long-term health.

Yoga is for everyone

Most yoga studios and local gyms offer yoga classes that are open to all gener-ations and fitness levels. It’s exciting to enter a room full of young teens, athletes, middle-aged moms, older gentlemen and even fitness buffs and body build-ers. Everyone can feel accepted and in-cluded and, unlike other sports or classes

that focus on niche clients, yoga tends to have open arms. Whether you like to say “Om” or you can’t stand the word “yogi;” whether you are 92, 53, or even 12, yoga can help you.

Yoga encourages overall health and wellness

Yoga is not just about working out, it’s about a healthy lifestyle. The practice of yoga allows students to be still in a world consumed with chaos. Peace and tran-quility achieved through focused training appeals to everyone.

Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation practices help foster an inner shift from to-do lists, kids and spouse’s needs, fi-nancial concerns and relational struggles to something a little bit bigger than the issues you face. Yoga helps relieve stress and unclutter the mind, and helps you get more focused.

Yoga has many faces

One of the benefis of yoga is that you can choose a yoga style that is tailored to your lifestyle, such as hot yoga, pow-er yoga, relaxation yoga, prenatal yoga, etc. Whether you prefer you’re at home, in a private session, watching a DVD or at a studio or gym, there are a huge variety of options available to suit your goals and needs.

If you are a yoga beginner, Hatha yoga, which focuses on basic postures at a

pHOtO: Kristin Hansen text: Ashley Dodson

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comfortable pace, would be great for you. If you want to increase strength through using more of your own body’s resistance, power yoga may be right for you. There is a great online yoga program at Gaiam Yoga Studio that focuses on Hatha yoga.

If you are ready for a deeper practice, Advanced Yoga, or Bikram, also called “hot yoga,” may be just what you are looking for. In Bikram yoga, the room temperature is set to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in greater elimination of toxins from the body through the increased production of sweat. No matter your fit-ness level, fat percentage, or health history, yoga has a place for you.

Strength training and flexibility

Yoga’s focus on strength training and flexibility is an incredible benefit to your body. The postures are meant to strengthen your body from the inside-out, so you don’t just look good, you feel good too. Each of the yoga poses is built to reinforce the muscles around the spine, the very center of your body, which is the core from which everything else operates. When the core is working properly, posture is improved, thus alleviating back, shoulder and neck pain.

The digestive system gets back on track when the stretching in yoga is coupled with a healthy, organ-ic diet, which can relieve constipation, irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and acid reflux. Another one of the benefits of yoga is that stretching and holding of pos-tures also causes muscles to lengthen, which gives the body a longer, leaner look.

YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE!

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TRAVEL BLOG

I left my career in corporate finance back in 2011 without a plan, thinking I’d find some answers once I hopped on a plane.

After five years of exploring the world and sharing my experiences along the way, I barely recognize the person I was before my journey began. The number of life lessons I have learned around this crazy, beautiful planet makes my head spin.

Here are a few of the most important things I’ve picked up along the way:

1. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive.

You CAN afford to travel, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Some of my most amazing vacations have cost less than $20 a day. Most people can find adventure by carefully budgeting, even if it’s just a “staycation” spent exploring your own backyard.

2. Travel credit cards are amazing.

Worried about the cost of flights? The air-line miles from your everyday spending can add up to free travel, so find a card that gives you bonus miles and other travel perks.

pHOtO: Kristin Hansen text: Kiersten Rich

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3. Sample the local food.

Food plays a central role in culture, and you’ll find people bonding around a din-ner table everywhere you go. Getting to know the local grub is the easiest way to meet locals and absorb their culture.

4. Save so you can splurge.

Splurge on the things you want the most. For me, that’s food! I’ll happily take a bus over a taxi to free up extra cash I can use to indulge in amazing local cuisine. Buy what you love. Save on what you can live without.

5. Don’t be afraid to practice a new language.

Traveling is a fantastic opportunity to learn, so don’t be afraid to speak the lan-guage of the locals. Even if you learn only a few key phrases or a simple “hello” and “thank you,” people will always appreci-ate the effort you’ve made to speak their native tongue.

6. Travel will teach you patience, compassion, and understanding.

There are things going on in this world that I had never thought possible. Seeing how other people struggle and find joy will open your eyes and help you connect with the world around you.

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7. You’re never alone.

Travelers and locals alike will usually help you out if you are in a bind. While it’s important to avoid being too naïve, it’s equally important to have an open heart and mind.

8. ATMs can save you a lot of money.

Don’t throw away your cash at a currency exchange. You will always get the best ex-change rate from a local ATM. Leave your money at home and withdraw when you arrive.

9. Solo trips are life-changing.

Traveling alone is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself—it’s the ultimate free-dom. We don’t often get long periods of time completely alone with ourselves and our thoughts. A solo trip can give you a new sense of independence and show you just how capable you really are.

10. It is OK if you aren’t “good” at traveling.

There is no right or wrong way to travel; everyone is different. Be yourself and do what you love, whether you go for three days or three months, staying in a tent or a five-star hotel. Do you!

11. Travel can be simple.

You don’t have to plan crazy adventures or sign up for every tour possible. In fact, you don’t have to do anything at all! Lounge on the beach with a good book. Spend the whole afternoon at a sidewalk café. Sometimes these moments are the ones that allow us to truly appreciate where we are.

SLOW TRAVEL IS AN

UNDERAPRECIATED ART!

pHOtO: Kristin Hansen text: Kiersten Rich

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12. Slow travel is an underappreciated art.

Sure, hitting 10 countries in five days is cool, but how much are you really able to soak in? Take time to absorb all the

experiences and explore the nooks and crannies of a distant land.

13. Volunteering is always a good idea.

Tons of organizations around the world will give you free room and board in ex-change for a helping hand. I worked on a water-quality project in Honduras, spent a month helping a literacy program in Bolivia, and even volunteered for the Paralympic Games in London. Each trip was entirely unique and touched my heart

in ways that no other travel experience ever could have.14. You’ll never learn to pack perfectly.All of those organizers, vacu-um bags, and bundling tech-niques are great, but you’ll pretty much always wind up with a messy, jam-packed bag. Breathe and accept.

15. You’ll always forget something (and that’s OK!).

You can always buy some-thing (except maybe your wal-let or passport) at your des-tination—often for cheaper! Double check the basics, but don’t fuss over the small stuff.

16. You should invest in a camera that you love.

If you only bring your pass-port and one other thing, let it be a camera. Find one that you love, and learn how to use it. Remember: Owning a pro-fessional camera doesn’t turn you into a professional pho-tographer, so master a few key techniques to capture photos you can cherish for a lifetime.

17. Jet lag is real.

Sadly, you’re going to get jet

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lag no matter how much you travel. Drink water, eat well, and do your best to get some rest.

18. Let your passport be-come your most valuable possession.

Why throw away money on things that you won’t care about next year? Traveling gives you experiences that you will cherish for the rest of your life. The more you travel, the more you will want to live simply.

19. Things will go wrong.

Some of my best travel memo-ries come from days when ev-erything felt impossible. You will make mis-takes, and sometimes it will seem like everything is work-ing against you, but just take a deep breath and keep moving forward.

20. Every relationship is valuable.

All of the people I’ve sat next to on planes, met at bars, and stumbled across along the way have added more to my life than I could have possibly imagined.

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nOVetrY

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We Have Come to Be Danced Jewel Mathieson

“We have come to be dancednot the pretty dance

not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dancebut the claw our way back into the belly

of the sacred, sensual animal dancethe unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance

the holding the precious moment in the palms of our hands and feet dance”

Paradox Jeff Dickson

“These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small

character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken

homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that

do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.”

In Blackwater WoodsMary Oliver

To live in this worldyou must be able

to do three things:

to love what is mortal;to hold it

against your bones knowingyour own life depends on it;

and where the time comes to let it go,to let it go.

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Advice from a Tree ~~ anon

Stand tall and proudremember your rootsdrink plenty of waterbe content with your natural beautyenjoy the viewbask in the sundon’t mind the cloudsprovide shelter for birds, squirrels, and other creaturesgo with the winds that are blowing through your lifeclimb a tree once in a while

Gentle me, Holy OneTed Loder

Gentle me, Holy One, into an unclenched moment, a deep breath,

a letting go of heavy experienc-es, of shriveling anxieties, of dead

uncertainties.

That softened by the silence, surrounded by the light, and open to the mystery,

I may be found by wholeness, upheld by the unfathomable, entranced by the sim-

ple, and filled with the joy that is You.

BirdsJ. Garrett Garrison & S. Sheperd

I love to watch how birdsSoar on the wind.

There appears to be suchLittle effort, yet such joy.

I want to become like a birdand let my spirit soar

On the winds that are blowingThrough my life.

I will not be crushed against the rocks!I will sense the rhythm,

The flow, and react accordingly.I will trust my inner guide.

Documents

Magazine. Kristin Hansen