In this issue
A Labor of Love
Emilio Munoz was born on
Saturday May 22 at 10:47
a.m. with lots of hair and a
dimpled cheek. Having made
it through a 20-hour labor,
he weighed in at 5 lbs. 14
oz. and 19 ¼" long. His
parents Jackie and Jose
Munoz asked me to be their
birth coach, guiding Jackie
through her labor with
holistic practices.
Since the very first
graduate of my prenatal yoga
classes here in San Antonio,
I have been concerned with
the high number of
C-sections my students were
experiencing. This was a
chance for me to see
firsthand the birthing
procedures of a popular
local hospital.
Luckily, Jackie did not
have a C-section; Jose and I
were able to encourage her
labor along through
movements such as dancing
and rocking. We used
visualization and breath
work to help her focus and
stay calm, and read Pablo
Neruda's poetry in the quiet
moments. In that time she
tapped into her body's
wisdom to guide her next
steps.
Hospitals must comply
with standard practices set
by insurance companies,
which seem perfunctory and
rushed. By becoming more
informed about labor and
making a birth plan, you can
feel more empowered, which
is important to a healthy
birth experience. To help, I
have included a new prenatal
page with holistic
resources.
My prenatal TV
appearances...
Quick Links...
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Greetings!
This monthly
newsletter is
created to provide
you with resources
to nourish your
practice and inspire
your spirit. Please
send an e-mail if
there is anything
you would like to
see featured for our
yoga community. -
Namaste, Monica
Paredes
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Travel Lightly
This Summer
I am leaving for
Italy on Saturday
and have been
diligently preparing
for my two-week
stay: one week in
Rome, the other in
Sabina. I have read
countless
guidebooks,
practiced my
Italian, pored over
maps and kept in
contact via
newsletters and
get-togethers with
the students
attending my yoga
retreat from June
12-19.
In one
newsletter, Rick
Steves says that we
should pack the
same, whether we are
traveling for three
days or three
months. Ideally
everything must fit
into a 9" x 21" x
13" carry-on for
easy mobility.
With many of you
leaving for
vacations in the
next couple of
months, I wonder if
you are able to do
this. Set the
intention to travel
lightly, and look
again at the things
you want to bring.
For example, if you
run out of
toiletries, you can
sample the local
products. Also wash
the clothes you have
or try the local
styles. We can be
more receptive to
new experiences on
our journey if we
carry less. How
transformative!
I enjoyed Rick
Steves' Web site,
which includes a
sample packing list.
Remember, bringing
your yoga with you
takes up no space at
all, and may
actually lighten
your load.
Packing tips...
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30 by 30: Yoga
and Running Together
Workshop Dates:
Saturdays, June 26 -
July 31, 2004
Workshop Time:
7:15 - 8:30 am, 1
meeting/week
Location: RGR -
Stone Oak, San
Antonio. For runners
of all levels.
Amber Anthony and
Ashley Rosilier are
co-owners of Run
Gear Run. They can
take you from couch
potato to marathon
runner with fun
training programs
and great products.
I am blessed to
partner with them
for a six-week
workshop where we
will explore yoga
postures and breath
control to foster
healthy, relaxed,
muscles that run
more efficiently and
provide better
"shock absorbers"
than rigid ones.
Yoga is an excellent
tool for improving
running form and
breathing technique,
and this program
allows you to
immediately
incorporate the yoga
principles into your
run.
To register... »
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Yoga & Meditation
Workshop
June 23 at 7 p.m. at
Racquetball &
Fitness Prue Club
June 24 at 7 p.m.
at Racquetball &
Fitness 281 Club
Yoga for the Mind
and Body: Tools for
Stress-Free Living
is a workshop for
students of all
levels. Using asanas
(postures) and
breath work (pranayama),
we'll open the body
and prepare for
meditation. In
mindful stillness,
we will practice
methods to help calm
the mind and align
the body to maintain
good health.
Free for members.
If you are not a
member of
Racquetball &
Fitness, you can
purchase a $10 guest
pass to attend the
workshop.
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The Art of the
Yamas and Niyamas
Use these cards as
daily meditations or
inspiration to set a
theme for your
classes. A plastic
stand displays the
card of the day.
Designed for
teachers and
dedicated students
of yoga, The Art of
the Yamas and
Niyamas can take
your practice and
teachings to the
next level.
"Combining their
amazing talents,
Bruce and Monica
have given us a
powerful way of
understanding yoga
as
self-_expression." -
Desiree Rumbaugh,
Senior Anusara
Teacher
To order and see a
sample... »
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