Last month I was contacted by a writer - Vawn Himmelsbach - from IT World Canada. We chatted on the phone one afternoon, about geeks and yoga and why it matters, and today I was sent a link to the published article!

No Lululemon required, in Yoga for Geeks, Pullman keeps it simple. She includes postures for head and shoulder mobility, opening up the connective tissue in the upper body and opening up the hips, which get tight if you’re sitting all day. She also includes breathing and relaxation. “That’s usually enough for beginners,” she said. “I want them to leave feeling empowered rather than overwhelmed.”

I'm really happy with it. I feel like it does a good job summing up what I feel so passionate about these days. It's not about getting fit or even particularly flexible... it's about finding balance, finding comfort, and taking care of your body so that it will support you, rather than hinder you, over the long haul. I get so many people telling me they know they need to do *something* but are nervous about starting... and I just want them to know that it doesn't have to be scary, and it's never too late to start making simple changes in a positive direction.

Thanks for the write-up, Vawn! :)

Yoga and Linux?!?! (you might be thinking...)

Why yes! Yoga and Linux! October 13th is the Ontario Linux Fest, and I will be there to lead a lunch hour class for any and all interested open source aficionados.

Join me for a 45 minute class before you grab your lunch. This will be mostly chair yoga, so no mats are required, and no fancy exercise attire either.

Think less about "yoga" and more about a chance to get to know your body better, to breathe deeply, to gently stretch, and to learn some good things you can do at your own desk to ease the common trouble spots (shoulders, backs, hips...)

As always, if you're interested in having a YFG session at your event or conference... drop me a line.

Yesterday, I had an experience that has been coming back and touching me all day today – and so I decided I'd like to blog about it.

I was sitting in a busy cafe, surrounded by people, most of whom I am not personally connected to. At the same time, I was engaged in an IM conversation online, with a person who I am very connected to – one of my dearest friends.

I'm not even sure how it came about, but at one point he said to me "choose a person in the room. Any old one." So I looked around, chose someone, and said okay. "Now write me one true compliment about this person," he wrote.

I paused. And then I watched this man for a few moments.

My initial reaction was resistance. I didn't know this guy from Adam, and my snap judgment of him told me that he was a bit annoying. Between those two things, how was I to come up with a true compliment?

But I've been noticing a subtle breakdown lately in my perception of other people as "separate" from me – that's the best I can describe it – and so I just sat there, and softened, and did my best to "feel" him. To be present with this stranger, and to wait for a feeling about who he was and what made him beautiful. And sure enough, it came.

All day I have been considering this. It reminds me of an exercise I once did in a workshop, where you go around and stand in front of a different person every minute, and for a full minute, you look them in the eye and say nice things about them. Doesn't matter whether they are a close friend or a total stranger, you just keep talking. When you run out of things you "know" about them, then the challenge is to tune in, and to feel what else there is to offer.

I Can Has WiFi Now?
Originally uploaded by thomasetaylor

This made me laugh out loud really hard. But if you've never seen http://icanhascheezburger.com/ it probably won't make you laugh quite as loud as me...

It's a photo of me in March 2006, leading one of the first Yoga for Geeks sessions. That was a room full of 20-some geeks, at Penguin Day. They even did an Om with me (at their request).

Awesome :)

For those of you in Toronto, or for those who might pass through this summer... I just thought I'd let you know that I'll be teaching a lunch-hour yoga class, every Friday, at the Union Yoga Centre in lovely Cabbagetown.

It's Friday at 12:30, and open to anyone. And only $6!

The Union is a lovely new space, with a mission to offer affordable yoga in a non-intimidating class environment. There are lots of classes every day so check it out!

Facebook has this feature where every "group" has a list of "related groups" (which, as far as I can tell, shows you other groups that members belong to).

What are the related groups for the "I Love Yoga" group?

I just wrote a little something over at Yoga for Geeks... about how to breathe. You might think you know how, but I bet you could use some practice. Years of bad posture, emotional tension, and never having been reminded how to do it naturally lead to chronic bad breathing habits. Computer users need to be aware of this, as a forward slouched posture tends to constrict the diaphragm and inhibit natural and full breathing.

Cruise on over there if you're interested in practicing something that you've probably largely taken for granted... and probably could be doing with a lot more ease and comfort.