The Glen Ivy Monthly Challenge is celebrating National Yoga Month in September. Check back every Tuesday & Thursday for a new Yoga Pose.

Lying Spine Twist

Lying Spine Twist will gently stretch the muscles of your lower back after a long day on your feet.

• Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Bring your knees and ankles together so that they are touching.
• Extend your arms out at shoulder height, palms facing up.
• On an exhalation, lower your knees to the left. Keep your right shoulder down on the floor as you twist.
• Gently turn your head and look over the right shoulder.
• Remain in the pose for 30 seconds to a minute and then repeat on the other side.

Meg Root Glen Ivy Fitness Expert says…

DID YOU KNOW? Over the last year we have added Weekend Retreats to the Guest Program offerings at Glen Ivy Hot Springs. These 3-day health and wellness workshops are hosted in partnership with the neighboring Glen Ivy Retreat Center. A typical retreat schedule includes seminar time with guest presenter, spa time, fitness and meditation classes, meals, and accommodations. To learn more visit glenivy.com/retreats.

The Glen Ivy Monthly Challenge is celebrating National Yoga Month in September. Check back every Tuesday & Thursday for a new Yoga Pose.

Tree Pose

Tree Pose is a standing pose that challenges you to balance on one foot. Late in the afternoon, it can bring renewed calm and focus to the rest of your day. Use your chair to help you balance if needed.

• Stand with your feet together.
• Shift your weight to your left leg and bring the sole of your right foot to the inside of the left leg. Position your foot on the lower leg if you are a beginner.
• Avoid placing the foot directly against the knee.
• Stay in the pose for 20-30 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.

Download this Yoga Pose and tips as a printable PDF.

Meg Root Glen Ivy Fitness Expert says…

DID YOU KNOW? Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who suffer from back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car. That can cause tightness and spinal compression, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, both in and out of class, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Thank You for Making Glen Ivy Your Favorite Spa!

Glen Ivy has been named #1 Readers’ Choice in The Los Angeles Times, The Orange County Register, and The Santa Clarita Signal! We are so honored and are offering an exclusive gift card sale online-only to our email subscribers as our way to say Thank You!

This online-only sale features $100 Gift Cards for only $85 each, with free shipping. As an added bonus, you will receive a FREE Grotto body moisturizing treatment when you buy 3! Sale is only accessible by clicking the link in the personal email invitation sent to all Glen Ivy email subscribers. To take advantage of this great deal, subscribe now to Glen Ivy email newsletters today, and your invitation will be sent to you shortly following. Already a subscriber? Check your inbox on Monday, September 26.

HURRY! Sale ends Friday, September 30.

The Glen Ivy Monthly Challenge is celebrating National Yoga Month in September. Check back every Tuesday & Thursday for a new Yoga Pose.

Warrior 1 Pose

This yoga posture strengthens the legs but also stretches the hip flexor muscle, which becomes tight after sitting in a chair for a long period of time. It also encourages a sense of strength and focus, something that can come in handy late in the afternoon.

• Stand behind your chair, holding onto the back.
• Step your left foot back and turn it out slightly.
• Make sure your heel is touching the floor.
• Bend your right knee until it is directly over your ankle. Keep your hip bones facing directly forward and continue to keep the back heel reaching back toward the floor.
• You may also extend your arms up over your head, releasing your shoulder blades down your back.
• Stay in the pose for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Download this Yoga Pose and tips as a printable PDF.

Meg Root Glen Ivy Fitness Expert says…
DID YOU KNOW? By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.

Well, we’re half way through Yoga Month and I’m wondering how many of you have given it a try? There is a popular saying in yoga, “Practice with a beginner’s mind.” So if fear or uncertainty are holding you back, then don’t worry. You are guaranteed success your first time out!

Surprisingly, I can still recall the first yoga class I took over twenty years ago. Though I initially felt intimidated by the skillfulness of the other students in class (and somewhat by the strictness of the teacher!), I remember leaving the class with a sense that I had stumbled upon something that would transform not just the way I worked “out,” but the way I worked “in.” Turns out, I was right. The positive feelings I felt, but could not pinpoint back then, are now being validated by real science. More and more studies are revealing the health and wellness benefits of yoga.

So, don’t let yoga month slip by without using our handy Beginner’s Guide to yoga to help get your started. In addition to a brief overview of yoga, I have linked you up with Seraphina’s glossary of yoga terminology and guide to yoga styles. We hope these tools will help you navigate your first yoga experience with confidence.

What is Yoga?

Yoga’s history can be traced back thousands of years to India, where it originated as a philosophy and spiritual practice that permeated India culture and life. In Sanskrit, the word yoga, means “union” or “yoke,”  or to join or bring together. Simply put, the practice of yoga aims to bring together the body, mind and spirit in order to gain a deeper understanding and connection with oneself. Unlike a typical fitness based class where you may find yourself doing bicep curls and making your grocery list at the same time, yoga practice strives for the opposite. It asks you to bring your full attention and awareness to the experience (leave the grocery list for later), and be fully present in your practice. With practice, that’s why it is called “a practice”, the benefits then reach beyond the physical or cosmetic, and have a positive effect on your life as a whole.

While many original writings on yoga contained very little about the physical postures or poses (asanas), here in the Western part of the world, we probably recognize yoga most for the physical practice of the postures and the health and wellness benefits that can be enjoyed from regular practice.  As a beginner, you will soon realize that there are a variety of yoga styles that can be explored and practiced.  Finding a comfortable fit for yourself is an important first step in your yoga journey. While some styles focus more on the physical postures and improving aspects of fitness such as strength and flexibility, others may place more emphasis on breath work or meditation.

Why Has Yoga Become some Popular?

Maybe it is one of those, “right place at the right time,” kinda things, but it seems yoga’s time has come.  Feeling overwhelmed by the pace and pressures of life these days, people are seeking remedies to the stress or anxiety they may be feeling. Individuals facing chronic health challenges are also searching for alternatives to conventional treatments. Even health researchers and health care professionals are becoming more open to the possible role yoga may play in treating lifestyle related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The health and wellness benefits of yoga are no longer just anecdotal, but instead are being validated through science and research.

Get beyond the science though, and yoga can be just plain fun. As Timothy McCall, M.D. says in his book, Yoga As Medicine, “Most people who do it (yoga) regularly discover that yoga gets more interesting over time. I don’t know anybody who feels that way about stomach crunches.” Read further in his book and he will give you “40 Ways Yoga Heals,” including improving joint health, brain function, bone health, blood sugar levels, and psychological health to name just a few.

But perhaps one of the biggest reasons why the yoga population is growing these days, is that many are beginning to see it as an opportunity to be a participant in their own health and wellbeing. There is a sense of empowerment that comes from deepening your practice over time and knowing that you are playing an active role in your own health outcomes.

How To Get Started

Convinced enough to give it a try? Southern California is a mecca for yoga studios, so a quick web search should point you in the right direction. A visit to Glen Ivy during the remainder of Yoga Month is also a great opportunity to experience yoga in a beginner friendly environment. Not only that, we teach our yoga classes on the beautiful sprawling front lawn. How often do you get the opportunity to blend yoga with the great outdoors and then enjoy soaking your muscles in a warm hot springs! We also have a few exciting specialty yoga presenters lined up, if you would like to add some variety to your practice:

• Saturday,  September 17th: Theta Yoga, a gentle blend of Hatha Yoga and Theta Healing with Anke Banderski.
• Tuesday, September 20th: Aqua Yoga, a buoyant and lighthearted approach to yoga in the water.
• Friday, September 23rd: Inner Yoga, Holly Holliday Hill helps you learn how to connect with your own best teacher in this fun and transformational class.

Though yoga will be around long after Yoga Month 2011 is over, there is no better time to get your “beginners mind” to class. As always, we’d love to hear your yoga stories. We always find that your experiences in our monthly challenges are the one’s that are most inspiring to other readers. Let us know how you are doing. Namaste!

Meg Root

Meg Root is an ACE Certified Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist who works as a wellness educator and personal trainer in Corona, California. She has enjoyed the benefits of a personal yoga practice for over twenty years, with her primary focus on the Iyengar style of yoga, which puts specific emphasis on proper alignment in the yoga postures.  She has completed yoga teacher training workshops through UC Riverside Extension, and has also attended Iyengar Yoga training workshops with Senior Iyengar Yoga Teachers,  Manouso Manos and Dean Lerner.

Seated Spine Twist At Your Desk

This posture is great for lengthening the spine and giving a gentle massage to the digestive organs.

• Sit tall in your chair with your feet flat on the floor hip distance apart.
• Place your right hand on the seat of the chair behind you. Place your left hand across on your right knee.
• As you exhale, slowly rotate to your right moving your abdomen, ribcage, chest, then your head in that order. Stay and breath for 3-5 breaths before returning to center.
• Repeat in the other direction.

Download this Yoga Pose and tips as a printable PDF.

Meg Root Glen Ivy Fitness Expert says…
DID YOU KNOW? Glen Ivy Hot Springs offers a number of yoga classes every week. All fitness levels are welcome, and classes are no charge, included with your paid spa admission. Spa guests also have the opportunity to explore other styles of yoga with special presenters, such as Aqua Yoga, Partner Yoga, and Theta Yoga. The options vary monthly and we urge you to check the Events and Activities schedule at glenivy.com/events.

The last time hula-hooping was popular in America Elvis was all the rage and had just come out with the top 40 hit “A Big Hunk of Love.” The years may have have passed, and you might not even be old enough to remember, but no worries, the passion for hooping has circled back to the 21st century with whirl wind speed and is being embraced as the latest new fitness trend by young and old alike!

A Hula-Rama Participant

And no one understands this better than wonderful folks at Hoopnotica who have been fundamental movers and shakers in reviving hooping and getting people really excited about fitness! Hoopnotica, in case you haven’t heard, is the hottest new hooping trend out of LA and they teamed up with us last Thursday for the first-ever Hula-Rama at the Hot Springs, bringing the community together to celebrate the benefits of spa lifestyle and the sheer joy of fitness. It was a match made in heaven! Guests (along with some energetic Glen Ivy employees) were quick to pick up a hoop and join in one (or more) of the three classes held on the front lawn that day. Although the initial instruction was about how to perform the basics, by the end of the day, we saw hip and leg hooping, arm hooping, halos and even how to stretch and relax with a hoop. The Hoopnotica hoops themselves are beautiful to look at; larger than a child’s hoop, they span 4 feet and are brightly colored in vivid pinks, reds, greens and blues with flashes of metallic gold and silver. We even saw travel hoops that break down to the size of yoga mat and sling over your shoulder with an easy carry strap. For the more creative types, hoop decorating classes were available in Tiempo Lounge and the results were dizzying!

After a solid cardio workout (hooping burns 420 calories per hour, by the way), spa guests were able to enjoy a calming yoga stretch routine with Glen Ivy’s fitness expert Meg Root.

Stretching class led by Meg Root

In addition, we were joined by the traveling Spa Buzz Bus girls  on their west coast tour — a country-wide mission to create buzz for active and healthy living. Not only were guests invited inside their amazing Airstream for a refreshing glass of lavender lemon elixer, they received gifts and prizes throughout the day including some amazing products from COOLA (a line of sun care products that contain certified organic extracts, antioxidants and vitamins) and Melt (a delicious organic butter spread). Primavera skin care professionals were also on hand to introduce guests to this wonderful organic line that we are now using in our facial treatments and to spray the occasional over heated hooper with the Primavera Moisturizing Refreshing Mist. Botanical tours through the spa had guests stopping to adorn the succulent wall with more plants and other activities during the day including seed bomb making, a labyrinth walk, container gardening classes, bird watching, and an aromatherapy workshop kept everyone busy connecting with the sights, smells, sounds, and feel of nature all day long.

Happy, relaxed and renewed guests were heading home from their spa day only to be greeted with one more very special treat, a farmers market featuring local organic produce. Bob Cat Properties, 3 Hart’s Grove, and Unity Farms have long been supplying Chef Bill Wavrin’s kitchen with everything from honey to avocados, to citrus and squash and had their booths set up in the Hot Springs parking lot. Everyone stopped by to fill their bags with healthy, colorful veggies and cool off with a sample of sweet and juicy watermelon, commenting “I wish it was like this everyday at Glen Ivy!”

Here’s the good news! While you still might have to visit your local farmers market to get your fresh organic produce each week, many of the featured activities at the Hula-Rama event are available on a regular basis at the Hot Springs. The Events & Activities schedule is updated monthly with new classes and presenters, so be sure to check it before your next visit. If you have ideas for an activity that you think we should add, please let us know. Our program of classes and activities is always growing and we would love to know what has you spinning!

Thank you to everyone who helped make Hula-Rama a success! We had entirely way too much fun and we hope that you did too.

View photos in the glenivy.com gallery or visit Glen Ivy on Facebook.

Did you join us for the first-ever Hula-Rama at the Hot Springs? We’d love to hear from you!

The Glen Ivy Monthly Challenge is celebrating National Yoga Month in September. Check back every Tuesday & Thursday for a new Yoga Pose.

Chest opener At Your Desk
Midway through the morning is a good time to push away from your computer and stretch the front chest muscles.

• Sit tall in your chair with your feet flat on the floor hip distance apart. Place your hands on the corners of the chair behind you.
• Roll the shoulder blades toward each other and release them down your back.
• Float the front of the chest up and breath into the lower ribcage.
• Gently lift your gaze on a diagonal without dropping the head backwards.
• Breathe in this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Download this Yoga Pose and tips as a printable PDF.

Meg Root Glen Ivy Fitness Expert says…
DID YOU KNOW? The most wonderful thing about yoga is that virtually anyone can practice it—people who are young and healthy and people in their 80s as well as those confined to wheelchairs. Don’t be intimidated by the exotic bends and twists you sometimes see experienced yogis putting their bodies in. There is a yoga practice that is right for your body and stage in life, and regular practice will bring you all the benefits yoga has to offer. See this article for a quick reference of Different Yoga Styles.

The Glen Ivy Monthly Challenge is celebrating National Yoga Month in September. Check back every Tuesday & Thursday for a new Yoga Pose.

MOUNTAIN POSE

Mountain Pose is the foundation for all the standing poses.
It strengthens the legs, enhances posture and can be a way to center yourself at any time during the day.

• Stand with your feet hip width apart and parallel to one another. Balance your weight evenly over both feet.
• Lift your kneecaps to engage the front of your thighs and stretch your legs up.
• Draw your abdominals in.
• Gently turn your palms out to lift and open your front chest.
• Allow your shoulder blades to release down your back.
• Imagine yourself growing tall through the crown of your head.
• Stand quietly in Mountain Pose for 5-7 breaths.

Download this Yoga Pose and tips as a printable PDF.

Meg Root Glen Ivy Fitness Expert says…
DID YOU KNOW? The key to gaining the full benefit of your yoga session is to make sure you breathe deeply, fully, and in coordination with the movements of your limbs. Combining yoga postures with the breath benefits you at the core level of physical functioning: cellular metabolism. This is because the yogic breath delivers increased oxygen to your cells while the movements and holding of postures improves circulation, and helps flush toxins from your system.

At Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Saturday September 17

We are excited to welcome Carolina Elias for her first visit to Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Corona, for a Trunk Show of her beautiful handcrafted jewelry.

“I have been making jewelry since I was a young girl, and I started Lovepray Jewelry in January 2011. I grew up in different places, Mexico, US, France, which shows a bit in the style of my jewelry… its earthy, eclectic and bohemian. I started this line of jewelry when I had my son, my life became very active. I needed trendy, fashionable pieces, that were also earth friendly, comfortable and that I could wear everyday, that were perfect for the active lifestyle.”

“The name Lovepray comes from the words love and pray in one word, both have a positive connotation. Love is a part of everything, and pray refers in part to the malas that we make, many of our pieces are 108 bead malas, and their main purpose is for prayer and meditation. However, it mainly refers to the positive thoughts that we have while constructing the jewelry itself, it is a type of mantra.”
In short, Lovepray jewelry is a jewelry line for hip men and women inspired by nature, the metaphysical properties of gemstones, nature, yoga, meditation, and urban fashion. Every piece is carefully hand made with earth friendly materials, good intention, and positive energy, thus creating unique pieces for the wearer to enjoy.