Michele Risa
Address:
10 Park Avenue at 34th Street
New York,
NY
10016
United States
T: 212 889-4986
Certified Kundalini and Hatha Yoga instructor. BA and MA in Psychology from New York University and Columbia University. Received Kundalini teacher certification and training under the guidance of the Mahan Tantric, Yogi Bhajan, at the Kundalini Research Institute International. Approved as a Registered Hatha Yoga Teacher by Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. Extensive trainings in White Tantric Yoga since '94, Vipassana Buddhist Meditation since '98, The Mind, Conscious Communication, Conflict Resolution, Divorce Mediation, and Yoga for Children.
Practice is the Willingness to be Present Practicing well does not necessarily mean you are able to perform amazing feats of physical or mental agility. It may help to remember that the postures are merely tools, not an end in themselves. Rather, practice is ultimately the willingness to be present...to being willing to remain present with your love, hate, fear, joy, bliss, or boredom. This then is the most difficult yoga pose. 
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1) Warm-ups to stretch, shift and align energy, increase circulation, stimulate gland secretion, change brain chemistry, and set into motion a vibratory frequency; 2) Breath exercises to expand lung capacity, clean the blood, and release toxins; 3) Relaxation to distribute energy and promote healing; 4) Meditation to offer you the opportunity to practice staying present, being the observer, and "seeing" how you relate in the moment to every situation presented to you. In the Kundalini Yoga tradition, we begin with words that calm the mind to be open and receptive, and end with words to help you integrate the benefits of the practice. 
Practice: If possible each day, or at least 3 times per week. It's preferable to do a shorter time daily than commit to a longer time and not do it. Benefits: personal strength, perseverance, sharpness, intuition, dignity, and grace.Take a few minutes to either say a personal prayer, affirmation or goal setting. Focus especially on what you hope to achieve during this session of your Practice, your quality time with you, and this day.Tune In: "Ong" 3 times; "Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo" said 3 times.Try to keep your eyes closed and focused up towards your 3rd eye point throughout the exercises. Try to reduce being distracted...remember you're listening to you so give yourself your undivided attention!Try to combine the trilogy of movement, breath, and the silent sound, "Sat" as inhale, "Nam" as exhale.At the end of each, pause as you hold the posture and breath for 5-10 seconds, focus inward, and then exhale.1. Sciatic Stretch: Seated, legs out straight; inhale leaning back 20 degrees, exhale bend from the hips, arms extended, palms facing each other, thumbs up. Contract thighs so hamstrings relax. To end, reach forward to hold your toes, ankles or calves. Ease into the stretch. Breath of Fire.2. Improve Digestion/Elimination: Hold knees and grind your stomach in a big slow circle counterclockwise around the circumference of the knees. Elongate your lower back. Reverse directions.3. Spinal Flexes: Spine straight, hands hold your shins equidistant between the ankles and knees. As inhale, push chest out front as draw shoulder blades together; as exhale, push lower spine back. Use your arm strength to facilitate the flexion motion of your spine. Try not to bob your head. 4. Expand Lungs & Oxygenate Blood: Do Spinal Flexes as above, however: hold onto your knees, place your tongue behind your upper teeth, and as move, hold breath until you need to exhale. Work up to 1 minute.5. Spinal Twists: Arms out to sides at shoulder height, bend elbows so forearm at 90 degree angle, thumb and index finger pressed together. As inhale, twist torso and head to the left, as exhale twist to the right. 6. Release Tension with Shoulder Rolls & Shrugs: Roll shoulders forward, down and back, inhaling as roll up, exhale as roll down. Reverse rotation. Then shrug shoulders, inhaling up, exhaling down.7. Increase Oxygen to Brain & Improve Communication with Head Roll: Face left and rotate head counterclockwise in a circle, making the circumference as wide around ears as possible, inhaling as go up the wall and across the ceiling, exhaling down opposite wall and across floor. Rotate 5 times then reverse direction. As face forward, inhale and stretch head back slightly, exhale drawing chin towards chest. As face left, inhale, as face right, exhale; do 3 times. Facing forward inhale, and as bring ear towards shoulder exhale; do both sides 3 times.8. For Nervous System, 1/2 Bridge: Lie on back with knees bent and arms at sides. As inhale, lift hips up (as step on feet) and raise arms behind you so they're next to your ears. As exhale, lower hips and return arms to sides. To end, raise hips, place shoulders under you, interlace fingers under buttocks, Breath of Fire.9. For Nervous System, Full Bridge: Sit up, keeping knees bent, feet on floor, hands behind back, fingers pointing away from you. Lift hips, head back, Breath of Fire.10. Strengthen Navel/Power Center: Lie on back with head and heels 6 inches off floor. Put hands under buttocks, palms down for lower back support. Eyes open, looking at feet. Breath of Fire.11. Stimulate Thyroid with Tuck: Hug knees into chest, tuck nose between knees. Breath of Fire.12. For Spine, Rock 'n Roll: Hugging knees to chest, roll forward and back on spine. End in plow, with legs behind your head or shoulder stand legs above you.13. For Charisma, Opening your Heart, Eagle Pose: Sit cross-legged, arms at 60-degree angle, fingertips pressed into the mounds at the base of the fingers, thumbs pointing up. Breath of Fire. 14. Balance Brain: Arms straight out to sides, palms up, Breath of Fire.15. De-stress Twist: Legs straight in front. Bend left leg over right, placing left foot on floor. Inhale and raise arms over ears as lengthen spine. As exhale, twist to left, pressing right elbow outside left knee and left hand on floor just behind your sacrum. Hold. Slowly roll down to floor. Repeat on other side.16. "T" Twist: Lie on back, knees bent, feet on floor, and arms out to sides in a "T." Raise hips up and lower to left as knees fall right; face left as keep shoulders on floor. Do other side.Relax by lying down and paying attention to your breath...release and let go.Come benefit from the supportive energy of our group. Contact Michele Risa at 212 889-4986 or e-mail MRisa@BeyondBodyYoga.com.
"If God has written with His own hands that you shall live under misfortune, then by doing Subagh Kriya, this meditation, you can turn your misfortune into prosperity, fortune and good luck." YBHaving Tuned-In, sit in easy pose. 1. Hit the Moon (pinkie) sides of your hands and then the Jupiter (index) sides. Hit hard. Chant "Har" pronouncing the "r" as a "d". Look at the tip of your nose. 3 minutes. 2. Stretch your arms up to 60 degrees, open your fingers wide so totally hard. Then cross your arms in front of your face, left first then right. Keep your arms straight. 3 minutes. 3. Make a fist around your thumb (Ego), press it hard. Arms at 60 degrees, moving arms in small circles so the entire spine shakes. (Sometimes lifting yourself from the ground.) With each circle you make, chant "G-O-D" from the navel. 3 minutes. 4. Bend your arms at the waist, hands in front, palms facing in. Right hand outside, left hand inside. Move hands up and down a few inches as if chopping (cut your karma forever). Chant: Har Haray Haree Wahay Guru...from the navel and make sure your tongue hits the upper palate. Use your breath...burn the disease...change the metabolism. After 2 minutes, whisper for 30 seconds. In the last 30 seconds, whistle. 5. Arms in front at should height. Bend the arms at the elbows, palms down, left arm under, right arm over. Don't let the arms fall; keep them parallel to the ground; spine straight. Close your eyes. Breathe long and deep: inhale 10 seconds, hold for 10 seconds, exhale for 10 seconds. Work up to 20 seconds each segment so breathing once per minute.Come radiate and resonate with us! Contact Michele Risa at 212 889-4986 or e-mail MRisa@BeyondBodyYoga.com now.| Nutritional Tip: Enjoy eating...slow down and CHEW...then you won't binge to fill the void. |
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