Maine YogaFest, #91

Regan Johnson:

It's something that appeals and can benefit anyone whether you are into sports or you're not into sports. And whether you've had an injury or recovering from an injury, it can kind of benefit anyone.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

There are so many talented yoga teachers and wonderful types of practices with different historical backgrounds, too. And in teacher training, we're learning a lot about different styles of yoga. And we thought we want to make sure that people, again, who might not have exposure to different types of studios or be aware of other teachers have, have access to that.

Carissa Ciucca:

Just sort of realizing within myself that I needed some sort of healthy practice to get me up in the morning, something that I could dedicate myself to. And so I decided to try yoga and immediately realized the benefits of not just the physical practice, but the mind body practice as well.

Melanie Burns:

People want to get ahead, so their head's forward, the shoulders are rounded forward. And you, you know, a lot of the work that we do physically is kind of changing the body and changing the mind at the same time. And you just see people change over time with consistent practice. You know, three times a week they start to stand differently, they held their head differently, and their chest starts to lift up. It's just so beautiful to witness.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

This is Dr. Lisa Belisle and you are listening to the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour and Podcast Show Number 91, Main Yoga, airing for the first time on Sunday, June 9, 2013. Today's guests include Justine Carlisle, Dana Gunnarson, Woodbury and Reagan Johnson, founders of the Main Yoga Fest Carissa Chuka, owner of Breathing Room Yoga, and Melanie Burns of Wicked Good Yoga. I like to balance my running with other activities, walking, hiking, biking and and very occasionally swimming. But I still prefer running above all else, especially this time of year. The sun rises earlier, the air is warmer, and it is so beautiful. Here in Maine, on my typical riverside route, I get to observe the budding of the Trees and the way the sunlight plays on the current. I can't help but be happy after

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

a morning run because I also seem

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

to need my morning running fix to jump start my brain. I will pretty much do whatever it takes to stay healthy enough to run.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

I think cross traffic training is very

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

valuable and the activities such as swimming and biking definitely help. But I found the best way to counterbalance the stress of running on the bones and muscles is yoga. It keeps me flexible and it keeps me calm. Runners, like most athletes, have always known about the importance of keeping our muscles supple. Though we used to call the process stretching with yoga, we're going a bit further and also striving to pay attention to our breathing. Yoga has the added benefit of helping us with our core strength as well. As you will hear from today's show, yoga comes in many forms. My practice involves a very gentle stretching type of yoga as opposed to power yoga. From a Chinese medicine standpoint, I need a more quiet yin activity to balance my yang oriented running. This is an important distinction in this country. We're constantly inundated with messages about increasing our activity levels. What isn't mentioned is that those of

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

us who are already very physically active

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

need a way to bring our bodies back into balance. Too much yang can lead to injuries or burnout. We runners can get our yin through yoga. We hope you enjoy our main yoga show with today's guests, Justine Carlisle, Dana Gunnerson Woodbury and Reagan Johnson, founders of the Maine YogaFest. Carissa Chuka of Breathing Room Yoga and Melanie Burns of Wicked Good Yoga. After listening to today's show, whether you're a runner or not, we hope you consider putting a little yoga into your life.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

We all love Maine in the summer, and some of us are going to love Maine in the summer just a

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

little bit more this year because we have the Maine Yoga Fest coming up

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

for the first time. And here to talk about the Maine Yoga Fest are Justine Carlisle, Dana Woodbury and Reagan Johnson.

Justine Carlisle:

Yeah, thank you for having us.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

Thank you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So what is the Maine Yoga Fest and why? Why would you want to bring something called the main Yoga fest to our state?

Justine Carlisle:

Well, the idea kind of started last spring. We decided to go to Wanderlust, which is a large national yoga fest. The three of us were making our plans and the whole time we're thinking, why are we driving five hours to go to a festival that should be in our backyard? There should be one here in Maine. So we went to the festival and researched it and after we spent time there, we thought if we're going to do something like this, we want to do it and have it be community based, have it be about main yoga teachers, main studios, and really try and create an event that would bring our community together.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Why yoga? I mean, the three of you obviously feel very passionately about yoga and you're

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

all doing teacher training together.

Regan Johnson:

I'm the one.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Okay, two of you are doing teacher training, but you also feel very passionately about yoga.

Carissa Ciucca:

I do.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So why is this something that really calls to you?

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

I think we've all had different benefits that we've really noticed from yoga. Personally, I was having a lot of trouble sleeping, I was suffering from some anxiety and I had practiced yoga before sporadically, but really when I started a regular practice, I noticed some incredible benefits and I became very passionate and wanted to share that. That was when I decided to take the teacher training program and this seemed like a better way to share our passion in the community and hopefully get more people on board to practice.

Regan Johnson:

Yeah, I think it was really important to all of us. It's something that almost appeals and can benefit anyone. No matter what age and what you have going on in your life, whether you are into sports or you're not into sports, and whether you've had an injury or recovering from an injury, it can kind of benefit anyone. Kids, adults, college students.

Justine Carlisle:

And we really felt that this is

Regan Johnson:

the way that we could bring the community together in a very enjoyable, non competitive, community based event. And it was really easy to get music and artists and businesses and other people involved, not just yoga, and kind of make it this all encompassing event that people could learn more about yoga if they've never done it before, or if they've really advanced and want to take a couple classes from people that they don't have exposure to because they're two hours away, that we could bring them all to a central location.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Reagan, why did you specifically get into yoga?

Regan Johnson:

I guess my first experience was in college. I played tennis and our coach made us take yoga. So that was my first experience and I liked it, but it wasn't something that I had in my everyday life. And then I moved to Maine about three years ago and I had two small children and I was always running and biking or playing tennis. And then I started going to yoga. I just felt it was very calming. While I love those other sports, they didn't bring me the same sense of calm. And it's kind of a joke in our family now, like if the kids are not having a good day or we're having A moment I'm like, take a yoga breath. And both my kids are 3 and 5, and they'll take deep breaths. And everyone kind of laughs at mommy. But I think it can kind of translate to your home life too, not just in the studio. And that's kind of what I get out of it. It's a little bit more balancing and it makes me a little bit more calm. And for me, it's also stress relief, personally. Like, I walk out of there and I feel great and I feel like very even keeled, where if I go for a run, it also is a stress relief. But it's a different kind when I walk out of a yoga studio.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Justine, you've been a runner in your life, and I think you came to yoga through this.

Justine Carlisle:

I did, yeah. I started doing yoga because I had an injury in my hip from running. And I tried a number of different therapies, but yoga was really the only thing that seemed to heal the injury. And at the same time, so my practice started to kind of be a very physical thing. I would go to it for a workout and also for the injury. But my husband and I pursued an adoption. Our daughters adopted from Ethiopia about five years ago, which was a very tumultuous experience. And your constantly thinking about the future and it's very hard to be in the present. So I began to go to the yoga studio because I knew when I was in there for that hour and a half, I couldn't check my phone. I wasn't going to be able to look at my email. And I really just had to focus on my breath and be present in that moment. So for me, at that point, my practice really kind of transformed. It went from being something that was very physical to something that benefited me mentally and emotionally. And that's something I think that we really want to spread about. Maine YogaFest is to show the benefits of yoga. And they're not just physical. It's not just about getting a workout, but there's so many mental and emotional benefits you can get from it as well. And that we really hope that the more people that are exposed to this, it has a great impact on our society and also in our community.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It seems to me that I'm hearing more and more about people who are taking advanced classes in yoga. Teacher training is one example. My sister in Seattle is taking teacher training, and I think it's like at least 200 hours. There's some classes that are even more. That seems like a big commitment. Why would you go to that next level?

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

We Wanted to deepen our practice and our knowledge. But again, we wanted to share the benefits that we were finding and we wanted to make sure that that was something that was accessible to other people. You know, we want to volunteer in the community. We are scheduled to teach at the Prebles Teen Center. So, you know, aside from just teaching in a studio, we really want to make sure that we can teach other people who might not be able to have access to yoga and hopefully make sure that they can have some of these benefits that we've found.

Regan Johnson:

Justine actually just taught at an elementary school. Was it a fundraiser?

Justine Carlisle:

Yeah, as part of their activity day,

Regan Johnson:

which I think is great because usually kids aren't exposed to it. I think the earlier we expose them to it, the more benefits that they could potentially get from it.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

From what I understand, you're going to have people who practice all different types of yoga because for listeners who haven't done any yoga before, there are lots of different approaches to yoga. But this is the beauty of the main Yoga Fest is you're going to pull together different practitioners and build this community.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

Absolutely. I think what happens is a friend will go to a yoga studio and they'll say, come with me. And whatever yoga you happen to fall into, you start practicing that type of yoga. I know that was my experience at least. And there are so many talented yoga teachers and wonderful types of practices with different historical backgrounds too. And in teacher training we're learning a lot about different styles of yoga and we thought we want to make sure that people, again, who might not have exposure to different types of studios or be aware of other teachers have access to that.

Regan Johnson:

I think at the festival we have right now over 30 teachers. So we'll have over 30 classes and try to really. We made an effort, a concerted effort to represent all the different types of yoga and also making sure we included teachers from all over Maine, not just Portland. We have teachers coming from a couple hours away to teach at the festival, which is wonderful because you don't have to drive three hours to actually go to their studio. They're coming to you and they're coming to the festival. So you can actually go on Saturday or Sunday and take one of their classes. So whatever your interest is, you can hopefully find it at the festival. And then we also have the novelty classes, the aerial yoga, the hoop yoga, slackline yoga, stand up paddle, stand up paddle board yoga on East End beach. So a lot of the fun classes that you might not normal in your normal yoga practice, you can do at

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

the festival where Is this being held?

Justine Carlisle:

It's at the East End Community School, which is on north street and it overlooks the eastern promenade. We've rented the entire facility, so we'll have classes inside in the cafeteria and the gymnasium and the art room. And then we also will have a large tent outside on the field and in the parking lot area. We're transforming that into what's called Vendor Village, where we'll have a number of local vendors, they will have booths there and they'll have products for sampling or for sale. So you can really spend whole day. They are kind of exploring and taking classes.

Regan Johnson:

We really wanted to create like a campus feel so that even when you're not taking class, you can either meet other yogis, meet people from the community, meet local businesses, and kind of create this nice atmosphere where you can just come and hang out for the day, or come for an hour on Saturday, come for three hours on Sunday and get an experience. And one of the big things when we picked this school is it's LEED certified. So we really wanted to be mindful of making our festival as green as possible. That was something that was important to us when we were going through the list of venues, of potential options that we could have.

Justine Carlisle:

We have Garbage to Garden, who's a local company here, and they're partnering with us and they'll be handling the composting and recycling throughout the weekend. So people will be mindful about the waste that they have. They're also encouraging people to bike or to take local transportation to come to the festival or walk. So we're really trying to make it a green festival.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It seems to me, having lived in Maine a long time and been a physician in Maine, not quite as long, but there's really been an explosion of interest in yoga, not only in Maine, but actually nationally. Why do you think that is? Why is yoga really something that people are embracing?

Justine Carlisle:

I mean, I think there are so many benefits to yoga that it's both physical benefits and mental benefits. I mean, when you look at the physical benefits, it reduces your stress levels, it decreases the amount of cortisol, which is a stress hormone in your body. It lowers your blood pressure, it increases flexibility, it strengthens your body. So there's so many reasons just to try yoga, even just for physical ailments. And as Regan mentioned earlier, the baby boomer, which is this aging population in our society, they can practice it as well as an 18 year old who wants a vigorous workout. So it appeals to such a broad range of people. And as well, I Think people are living really stressful lives right now. Our lives are very busy. There's so much going on. There's the media that comes at us from every angle. And to have something in your life that teaches you to create space, to calm down, to focus before you respond, and really teaches you to quiet your mind is such a valuable tool and I think it appeals to every walk of life, whether you're a mom or you're the CEO of a company, it's something that you can benefit from.

Regan Johnson:

And I think it's just becoming more and more mainstream, which is interesting. Before, I mean, years ago, I would think of yoga as maybe like a niche thing to do. And now I feel like there's so many studios, especially in Maine and, you know, larger metropolitan areas, that it obviously is appealing to a lot of people and popular. If we keep seeing these new businesses pop up. I mean, my mom came to visit and I took her to yoga with me. Now, I don't know if we would have done that when I was in college, but she was like, sure, I'll try it. And I think more and more people are doing that. So I think that's why it has such a large appeal.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

What I like about the main Yoga fest is that yoga, it seems as though it could be a very individual pursuit and a very inward facing activity, but you're sort of bringing everybody together so everybody can have their inner space, but they can also have the chance to connect with people around them, which despite our being very connected in this social media driven world, I think sometimes we don't feel that human connection.

Regan Johnson:

I think one of the things that all three of us have talked about is you can go, you become very loyal to a studio. You may try other studios, but then you go to a Tuesday class and you start to see some of the same faces. So we thought how cool would it be that if all these different people that practice can actually go to the same place and see somebody that's from a studio that's 30 miles away and they have the common interest and things in common and they do similar activities, but they've never met before because they just go to these different studios. So I think that's one thing that was important to us, to bring the yoga community together. No matter where you practice, no matter what style you do, you all have something in common. And then when you bring those people together, I think it will be a great thing for not only the yoga community, but just the local Maine community in general.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

We'll return to our program in a

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Moment on the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour and podcast. We've long understood the important link between health and wealth. Here to speak more on the subject is Tom Shepard of Shepherd Financial Life

[Unidentified voice]:

is a journey and the movement of energy within us and our money outside us obey very similar patterns and significantly affect each other. I've come to believe that if we can help you see the patterns that exist in the management of your health and energy, we could use the same language to help you better understand Money and Currency in yoga, we are told that energy states are centered in the seven chakras. Each of us tend to cycle between these and occasionally we get hung up. Like energy, all money relationships fall into seven basic states. Each of us will tend to cycle between these and occasionally get hung up. The seven money states can be summarized by naming them and assigning a decision value. For example, insufficient would be the root state in which your money resources are not enough. The decisions in this state are usually made by reacting to threats and the goal is survival. The third state is efficient and decisions are about work and our personal power to control things. The fifth state is productive and the decisions are to invest outwardly as an expression of who we are. To do this requires faith in the future, at least enough to let go of what we have saved and put it out there to work on our behalf. So if your currencies are words or money or energy, you can help yourself by being aware of what's got you hung up. To learn more, go to shepherdfinancialmaine.com or sign up for our workshop at this year's YogaFest in Portland, Maine.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

When is the main yoga fest taking place?

Justine Carlisle:

It's July 13th and 14th this summer of 2013.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Is there a cost associated with this?

Justine Carlisle:

There is. We have two passes that are available. You can get a three workshop pass or a five Workshop pass. A three workshop pass would allow you to take three classes as well as attend the friends and family party. Or you can take the classes at any point over the weekend. So if you wanted to come Saturday morning, then you had something to do during the day, you could come back Sunday and take the other two classes. The cost for for the three workshop passes, $90. And for the five, it's $125. We also have a number of discounts and specials that will be coming up in the next couple of months. We have over 20 studio partners that are working with us to help promote the event and each of them have special promotional codes to get discounts to the event.

Regan Johnson:

And $5 goes to Preble street from every ticket sold. We've committed to donate $5 to Preble street and we are actually teaching a class. Justine actually is doing it on Thursday at the. So we've started a program where there'll be a weekly class at the Preble Street Teen center year round. So we were really excited to create this lasting program within the community and also make a financial contribution.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

From what I understand, businesses have also come behind you to support you. I think Maine Magazine has become a sponsor. And you have other major sponsors.

Regan Johnson:

Yeah, we have a couple. When we met with a bunch of sponsors probably in the last six months, it was amazing to see that they actually knew that there was value in yoga and what we were doing wasn't something out of the ordinary. I think everyone was really excited to see that we were bringing a festival to Mead. We have a very diverse group of sponsors which I think shows the appeal that everyone knows that someone that's practicing yoga obviously is invested in the community and wants to see it do well. We have a car dealership, LI Auto, which is wonderful. So that they were great to come on board in a first year event. You know, there's a lot of people that have a lot of questions and that a lot of people didn't hesitate because I think that they see the value in the event. Bangor Savings bank to have a bank on board. They're actually sponsoring the Friends and Family party, Grande Oats, which is a granola company. You can see them around town. Unum Health Care Co. Jade Integrated Health Wellness, Rosemont. So we definitely have Food, Health and Wellness Bank. So I think we're very fortunate that we have such great community support.

Justine Carlisle:

We're also very mindful to connect with local Maine businesses. It was really important to us that this is a community event. So we want the local businesses involved and we really kind of looked for companies that had like minded missions as what we wanted to show at Maine YogaFest.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How can people find out about the Maine YogaFest?

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

We have a Facebook page, Main YogaFest. We also have a website, www.mainyogafest.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

and if people want to get in touch with you by email or phone, they can find that information via Facebook or on your website.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

Absolutely. There's contact information for Justine, Reagan and myself. Yes.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, I am very excited to see what happens here in July with the Maine Yoga Fest. It's yet another wonderful thing having to do with health and wellness that we're bringing to the state of Maine. And it's all thanks to the work that you're doing. And I, I know it's going to be a huge success, so I appreciate your spending time with me. We've been talking with Justine Carlisle, Dana Woodbury and Reagan Johnson, who are all working on the Main Yoga Fest coming up here in July.

Regan Johnson:

Thanks for having me.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

Thank you. Dr. Lisa.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

The goal of the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour is to help make connections between

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

the health of the individual and the health of the community. The goal of Ted Carter Inspired Landscapes is to deepen our appreciation for the natural world. Here to speak with us today is Ted Carter.

[Unidentified voice]:

The other day in the studio, I was speaking with John McCain. I was talking about Rudolf Steiner's work and he said, you really ought to seek the work of Victor Schauberger out. And I said, okay, I'll do that. So I did in fact do that. And he didn't go to college and he didn't want to go to college. He was a forester. He said, if I went to college, he said, my mind would be corrupted by conventional thought of the day. And I thought that was very interesting. But he watched, he learned and watched nature and understood how to work with nature and especially with water. And he worked on the methods of timber moving down the streams and it used to get all banged up and when it reached its destination, it was just really in a bad way. And he was able to work with the flume system in fast flowing streams and to try to get the wood down to its destination without being all damaged. And he actually won an award for this. He was quite an ingenious man. There's a lot of work that he's done. It's not just working with water per se, but a brilliant, brilliant human being. By observing nature, he was able to work and develop practical systems that were helpful in our lives, to improve our lives. So we have to always be observant of nature and understand her. I'm Ted Carter and if you'd like to contact me I can be reached@tedcarterdesign.com

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

At the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour and Podcast, we believe we are helping to

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

build a better world with the help of many. We like to bring to you people who are examples of those building a

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

better world in the areas of wellness, health and fitness.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

To talk to you today about one of these fitness is Jim Greatorex, the President of Premier Sports Health, a division of Black Bear Medical.

[Unidentified voice]:

Here's Jim we are proud to announce Premier Sports Health at Black Bear Medical in Portland. Premier Sports Health is our new sports medicine retail division. Located within the Black Bear Medical Store, it caters to the athlete of all ages. Whether you are a student athlete, weekend warrior, avid runner, cyclist, skier, triathlete or looking to recover from an injury. We have the products you are searching for. Come on down to 275 Marginal Way or look us up online at premiersportshealth.com.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

I have really enjoyed watching the explosion of yoga that has taken place since I have been back in Maine following my medical school graduation and my work as a resident at Maine Medical Center. I used yoga myself when I was going through some challenging times with my running injuries and my small children. So to be here with Carissa Chuka from the Breathing Room in South Portland and also Melanie Burns from Wicked Good Yoga and the Snow Squall Bed and Breakfast in Wiscasset is quite a privilege because I know that both of you are bringing yoga to your own parts of the state of Maine and I appreciate your taking the time to talk to me today about yoga.

Melanie Burns:

Thank you.

Carissa Ciucca:

Thanks for having us.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Carissa, let's start with you. The Breathing Room why is it important that we breathe? And why did you name your place the Breathing Room?

Carissa Ciucca:

Well, I think that space to breathe and feel is really my goal for the space and it's just one room, so the name kind of grew out of the goal of the studio and the physical space itself. And obviously it's Something that everybody wants at least once a day, a little room to breathe. So breathing and feeling is really, like I said, the goal of our space. People spend their entire day deciding, managing, instructing, planning, going. And when you come into our space, it's a time to step back from that and have a little bit of sacred time to simply feel, to simply do one thing at a time, to simply breathe and experience your body and your mind and your breath in a new way.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And you have two small children.

Carissa Ciucca:

Yes.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So you probably, along with many of the other people who are listening, need some breathing room.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

Yes.

Carissa Ciucca:

Yes, I do. And my yoga practice has definitely helped me to be a more present mom. A mom who's able to play when it's time to. To play and work when it's time to work and to really tune into my own body and my own needs and translate that into what needs to happen for my family at any given time. And that happens as a result of having a daily yoga meditation, breath practice, for sure.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Now, Melanie, you also are able to offer people breathing room, but in addition to the yoga, you have this bed and breakfast. So that's a different sort of breathing room on top of the breathing room of yoga.

Melanie Burns:

Yeah. A lot of our guests say that when they come into the B and B, they kind of leave all of their cares behind. They kind of exhale deeply. So I do like to think of it as giving them a little bit more breathing room. And when people stay with us, they're in kind of a different frame of mind on vacation, so they're willing to try something different. And we've had teenagers take their parents to yoga for the first time, you know, to experience their first time doing yoga together as a family. And it's such a beautiful gift, you know, it's so beautiful to witness.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Both of you came from somewhere else, I believe, to Maine to bring yoga to the state with you. Why was it important that you come here?

Melanie Burns:

You want to go ahead?

Carissa Ciucca:

Okay. I moved here for my husband's job, so I have to be honest and just say that we had never expected to live in Maine. We had no idea that we would move here. But once we were here, we were immediately in love with the place and surprised that we hadn't landed here already, because it seemed to just align with what we wanted so much for ourselves and for our family. But then once I was here, I really wanted to bring a little bit of what I had experienced from yoga and from the places that I had studied in other cities to the Portland area. And I've been trying to do that through breathing room.

Melanie Burns:

Yeah. And we came here from Bermuda, believe it or not. My husband's a professional chef and he had a publisher. And when he retired, we were looking for something else to occupy him. And I'm originally from Massachusetts, but my godmother lives in Biddeford. So I was coming to Maine for summers, and I just loved Maine. And we looked at about, I would say, 15 bed and breakfasts all up the coast. Not just Maine, but in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, upstate New York, Vermont. And the first one that we saw was in Wiscasset, and we just fell in love with her, so we had to be here.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Is that a unique idea to offer yoga and a bed and breakfast under sort of the same roof?

Melanie Burns:

I haven't seen a lot of them. It was kind of a dream of mine when I first looked at the barn. When I first saw it, I thought, wow, this would be an amazing space for yoga. And I wasn't teaching yoga at the time. I was still commuting back and forth to. Back and forth to Bermuda when we first bought the place. So over time, it became a dream that was realized, and I'm so glad we did.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So we talked about why Maine, but why yoga? What was it that initially drew you to practice this ancient, I guess, practice.

Carissa Ciucca:

When I finished college, I got a job working second shift. And at the time I was 21. I thought, this is great. I'll go to the beach in the morning, I'll go work, I'll get off at 10. It's going to be fantastic. It didn't take me very long to realize that all of my friends had gotten jobs working 9 to 5. So by the time I was going into work, they were getting off. When I was getting off, they were going to bed. I started to feel very lonely. So I was spending a lot of time up really late and then sleeping in super late in the morning and just sort of realizing within myself that I needed some sort of healthy practice to get me up in the morning, something that I could dedicate myself to. And so I decided to try yoga and immediately realized the benefits of not just the physical practice, but the mind, body practice as well. And everything sort of shifted. I got out of that job. I found a more structured life. I started to feel myself in a different way and just continued to practice for a long time before I decided to become a teacher. But it really saved me from loneliness and probably the beginnings of depression.

Melanie Burns:

Yeah. And for me, I was living in Somerville after college. And I played three sports in college. I was like the captain of my softball team. I played basketball and volleyball. And being physically active was really important to me. And I was driving by Mass Ave and I came, kept seeing this glass with a big orange dot on it. I was like, what goes on in there? So I started to ask people what is going on in there? And they said, well, my sister does this yoga and my friend does this. And they said, it's like going to church, getting a massage and having sex all at the same time. And I thought, oh my God, I'm going to try this. So I stepped into my very first yoga class with Baron Baptiste and he's since become this amazing worldwide world known teacher. But it was just so much fun. I think in my first because I didn't know what I couldn't do. So I had this beginner's mind. And I remember being in Bird of Paradise and hopping in a full circle. I probably looked absolutely ridiculous. But it was so much fun and it was such a great way to get out of your head. For me, I think a lot of us live like 90% of our lives above the shoulders. So for me, getting into the body, being able to kind of dive under the waves into what's below the surface, it was such a beautiful experience. And I just kept going. I started scheduling my vacations after I moved to Bermuda around yoga boot camps with Barron. And I ended up going to about 10 of them and they were all teacher trainings. I had no intention of teaching, but I was learning so much and I witnessed other people transform and it was so powerful that I thought, I really need to share this. I need to share this. So eventually I got certified to teach.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It's funny, because Title IX enabled girls to play sports and women to play sports in a more sort of an equal and we'll just say playing field. So in some ways it brought women and girls to their bodies in a way that had never really been possible before. And yet it didn't really. It brought us, it gave us the ability to play sports. But I'm not sure that it always connected us to our bodies in a very positive way. But yoga, it sounds like, has enabled people to really come back to a meaningful way of making that connection.

Melanie Burns:

Yeah, I think absolutely. It's personal work, but it's done in community. So I think people can dive a little bit deeper and then once they start to share their experience, the community forms around it. And I think sometimes that's a little bit different. With team sports, you can have that as well. But there's a lot of competition. There's so much competition, you know, to always get ahead, to be the best. And I think with yoga, because people get so focused on their own, they're only focusing on being better than they were yesterday, rather than being better than somebody else. So I think that's a different type of focus, and it's more of an inner journey than looking around and looking outside.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, is there ever, though, people trying to compete with other people who are in yoga? I would like to believe that it's all inner, but I wonder if maybe people are sometimes looking around the room saying, can I go deeper than that person?

Carissa Ciucca:

Well, I think that we live our lives that way, you know, at work and in our neighborhoods and in our schools with our children. And so it's hard to break that habit when you come to the yoga mat. But I think that over time, that's part of the magic of yoga, that you start to realize the inner work. And over time, that side of the ego starts to fade somewhat. But I think I just have to be compassionate with my students when I see it happening, because how hard is it to live that way 99% of the time and then come to your mat and attempt something different? It takes some time, and that's why it's a lifelong practice, because that's something we'll all be working, working on, you know, no matter how many years of practice we have under our belt.

Melanie Burns:

And I think it shows up in people's bodies because, you see people want to get ahead, so their head's forward, the shoulders are rounded forward. And, you know, a lot of the work that we do physically is kind of changing the body and changing the mind at the same time. So back bends, you know, it's like the antidote to sitting. Sitting's become the new smoking. So back bends feel great, you know, help open up the hip flexors. And you just see people change over time with consistent pressure. You know, three times a week, they start to stand differently, they hold their head differently, and their chest starts to lift up. It's just so beautiful to witness.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Do you find that people come into the studio better able to do a front bend versus a back bend? Or do they have some sort of hitches in their side so they can't always do a pose that you're trying to get them to do? And do you find that they get frustrated with that?

Melanie Burns:

I mean, for me, we always offer modifications, and I always ask people before they come in, do you have any Injuries, what's going on to you? And maybe it's because I'm a massage therapist that people tell me, because they know I'll give them a little massage while they're practicing. Or we always offer modifications like bend the knees if you have issues in your low back or forward bends, or take a block between your knees, or support yourself in the back bend. So I think there's a lot of people have this idea that Charles Darwin said that the strongest survive, but he actually said it's those who adapt that survive. It's the adaptability, the ability to just show up as you are and not struggle, not resist, not fight. So much energy goes into that and just see if you can relax in every pose.

Carissa Ciucca:

I see a lot of people resisting modifications, though, because they feel like if I have to take a block or if I have to drop a knee or if I have to take a beginner's variation of this posture, then you know, I'm not good enough or I'm not the best here. And again, it's just competing against that ego where you have to be the best or go the farthest or be the deepest backbend in the room. So one thing that I do is our teachers that I train and the teachers in our space, we really work to find compassionate ways to offer modifications so that it doesn't come across as wimping out or not being the best, but really is more about finding what work works best for you and your body and taking a different route while you're on your mat than you take the rest of the time in your life.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, the reason I asked is because

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

when I personally have done yoga, I know I'm really good at back bends and really good at twists, but I'm actually not able to touch the floor completely with my hands. And it makes me feel like somehow, you know, like this is so fundamental. Why can't I do this? Why can't I, when I'm in downward facing dog, like, actually get my heels all the way to the floor, and I get frustrated with myself when I'm going through that. And sometimes I think it becomes an impediment to just really going deeper.

Carissa Ciucca:

Well, fighting with that in your mind is part of the practice, so I think that you're even aware of those thoughts happening, and aware that you're dealing with that in yourself is the first step. And to answer the other part of the question, your heel's not touching the floor. Could be anatomical. I mean, your bones are the length. They are. And sometimes some People's heels touch the floor, and sometimes they don't. And then you've mentioned being a runner. So obviously there are some things, I'm sure, in your body that will make your yoga practice a little different. But I think that everybody shows up with those things. There are lots of things that I can't do as a yoga teacher that I would love to be able to do, too. But just acknowledging that you have that thought process and that you're aware of it in your own body is the first step. So you're actually, I would say, more advanced on the yoga path than someone who's just, like, not even aware at all.

Melanie Burns:

Yeah. And I think you need to work to a healthy degree within your own body. You go to your edge, but not past it, you know, so you challenge yourself. But listen, you're your best teacher. Nobody else knows what it's like to be in your body and to, you know, have different challenges or different changes. And the whole thing with getting the heels to the floor in Down Dog, everyone thinks that, that that's great, but you're balancing stability and freedom. Having a very short pose with your heels to the floor is very stable. You don't get a lot of freedom. There's no freedom. So walk back, make it a little wider. It's always a little bit more opportunity to balance between stability and freedom.

Carissa Ciucca:

We teach that the length of the spine trumps all. So whether or not your heels touch the floor, as a teacher, I really could ever care less. But if you have length in your torso, lengthen your spine, plenty of space for your breath to move, then I'd say your Down Dog is just perfect.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, I feel much better now. This must be the reason that I'm having you both on the show. So I've noticed that both of you are very dedicated to teaching, and I know you are both taking the time to teach at the main yoga fest. And, Carissa, teaching is a big part of what you do at the Breathing Room. And you've had people from around the country really come in and help with your teacher training program.

Carissa Ciucca:

Yes. So the space has really grown into this little community of people who are really interested in learning. So we have plenty of continuing education workshops as part of our teacher training. And I feel so lucky to have all the teachers that come and visit some that we've had. Grace Joel is a teacher who's a scholar in residence from Krapalu who has 22 years of anatomy experience. And just being with her and listening to her lessons are profound. Sue Jones has come and discussed the neurology and the neuroscience of yoga and how deep breathing and meditation practice and yoga practice can really change the way your brain responds to trauma. And she's been doing a lot of work with victims of trauma and disaster throughout the world. So it's really just a gift to have her in Portland and in our space training our teachers and yoga students.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

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Dr. Lisa Belisle:

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Dr. Lisa Belisle:

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Dr. Lisa Belisle:

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Dr. Lisa Belisle:

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Dr. Lisa Belisle:

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Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Now, not all yogis are created alike. There is Vinyasa there is the work that you, Melanie, have done with Baron Baptiste. So a yoga class is not a yoga class, is not a yoga class. Why did each of you choose the type of yoga that you chose? And give me a little bit more background? Because people who are listening may just be thinking, you know, yoga, it's just yoga. How about you, Melanie?

Melanie Burns:

Yeah, I mean, for me, the hot power vinyasa practice really gets me into my body. And I like the physical challenge of feeling, you know, my body twisting and moving and sweating and the heat helps me release tension deeply and also just takes me a little bit more into my physical body. And it's very grounding and rooted for me. But I also love yin yoga. We teach yin at the studio, also restorative yoga. I've had teachers come in from different studios to come in and do workshops on all different types. We do myofascial release, and we're going to be doing teacher training as well this year. And we'll have people from different studios and from other parts of the US Come in and teach as well.

Carissa Ciucca:

So the style of yoga that I teach and practice primarily is Vinyasa yoga, which is actually very similar to what Melanie teaches and practices. It's a flowing type of yoga. And vinyasa translates as to place in a special way. So a lot of people think vinyasa is connecting one breath, one movement, sort of of flowing from posture to posture, which is accurate. But if you think of placing in a special way, placing a posture with a breath, and then you have only this one meditation, one thing to think about, instead of 15,000 things going on in your life at one time. So for me, there's a lot of freedom in the practice, just flowing and breathing. There's a lot of groundedness, too, because it's really informed by conscious alignment. So that's the kind of yoga that I primarily teach. But at our studio, we offer restorative yoga, yin yoga, prenatal yoga, gentle flow. So there are lots of options for people if the flowing style of Vinyasa isn't really your cup of tea.

Melanie Burns:

I have someone who comes to the studio who said, when I leave here, I want to hug everybody. And I'm not like that. What's going on here? What is this magic? I said you are like that. Under the surface, you are like that. Sometimes we just need a reminder. You just need to remember.

Carissa Ciucca:

I think overall, people are looking for healing. They are feeling a loss of connection with other humans and with themselves, and so they are just seeking ways. How do I get together and grace. Joel, one of the teachers who comes to our space, thinks one of her theories on why yoga is so popular is we need to, as animals, as mammals, we need to be with our kind in a group and be breathing and moving together, you know, like a herd running across a field or something. Like, we crave this connection. We crave this healing, this togetherness, this unity. And I think that's part of the reason that yoga has become such a healing modality for lots of people.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And the actual definition of yoga really is unity.

Carissa Ciucca:

Yeah, to yoke or to connect, to unite.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And so does this also enable people to become more unified with their selves? I mean, Melanie, you were talking about living life from the shoulders up. Is yoga something that can help people to kind of integrate all the different aspects of their life into one?

Melanie Burns:

Well, one of the sutras of Patanjali sat, it's to still the fluctuations of the mind. He called it chitta vritti, the constant chatter, the monkey mind, that takes so much energy and keeps us so externally focused. So that's one of the objectives, is to still the fluctuations of the mind so you can go back into your own source energy, back into the divine connection that we all have, and then connect to others that way.

Carissa Ciucca:

Right. I like to tell my students sometimes in class, just think of, on the drive to yoga class, how many things were you doing or thinking of at one time? Even myself. I know I'm sitting at a stoplight, I'm changing the channel on the radio. I notice this person crossing the road. I'm checking my cell phone. I'm, you know, thinking about what we're gonna have for dinner. There are so many things that you can't even connect with yourself. You're so. We live so externally. So I think that coming into a class and spending some time in a different type of experience and giving your awareness and your experience a chance to connect in one place helps you realize yourself.

Melanie Burns:

I think just creating some space between who you are in that moment when you're on your mat and everything else gives you some perspective. It gives you a different perspective to come back into your life with. Just clearing the lens. It's like wiping the mud off the windshield of mud season in Maine. And I think it's just that space to be able to realize who you are in that one moment and create some distance, space, time and distance from that moment to the next.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

What classes will you be teaching at the main yoga fest coming up here in June?

Carissa Ciucca:

I'm teaching a class called Sweat and surrender. So we'll spend 45 minutes doing a vinyasa practice and then 45 minutes doing restorative practice. And I have an assistant coming with me for the restorative portion so we can offer lots of nice hands on assists. So it should be a really nice experience. Yeah. And I'm teaching another class called

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

oh,

Carissa Ciucca:

it's called Ground Control to Major Liftoff. And so we'll study the bandhas, the energy centers in the body and really working on inversions and arm balances from a beginner's mind. One of my favorite teachers says that in the beginner's mind there are lots of possibilities and in the expert's mind there are a few. So we'll come back to a beginner's mind whether you're actually a real beginner or you've been doing inversions or arm balances for a long time and just kind of break it down and start from beginning all over again.

Melanie Burns:

And I'm teaching Be youe Own Bodyworker. So we work with, with myofascial release tools that were designed by someone who's studying with Tom Myers and I'm studying with Tom as well. So it's working on the philosophy of Ida Rolfe and Tom Myers of helping your body have a better relationship to gravity. You know, just feeling better under your own skin. And we start by working down the back and then up the front. And I've been teaching these classes at the studio for a while. They're one of my most popular classes. They're on a seven o' clock in the morning on a Saturday. And I'm always amazed at how many people show up for this two hour workshop. But it's a very deep, body oriented meditation and I think people really need that right now. There's so much, as we were saying, external chatter just to get very deep into the body. And also I take them through the chakras and also talk about places where we sometimes store emotions in the body. We have a physical body, an emotional body, there's a subtle body, spiritual body. And also the chakra is working on just helping release the hips, helping release where we sometimes store so much emotion because we sit so much in this culture. And also the upper back and shoulders, what you need to get off your back, off your chest, off your shoulders, working down the back. And it's a very rewarding class to teach. It's one of my favorite classes so I'll be teaching that. And Katie Matsel is going to be singing live and she's an amazing musician from Maine and she's also a yoga teacher. So I'm looking forward to that.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

One of the things that has happened as a result of the yoga teacher training being offered more in the state of Maine and also of people just in general practicing yoga, is that we have more studios kind of cropping up around Portland, around the state. How do studio owners negotiate this?

Melanie Burns:

I think my take on it is the more studios we have, the more people have an opportunity to do yoga. So it's great for everyone. You know, a rising tide lifts all boats, so I think that that's really helpful. And different styles of yoga, you know, some people will respond to a parvinyasa class, some people won't, you know, so they may need a restorative class, they may need a gentle class. You know, the Kripalu style yoga is really healing for a lot of people. We offer that at the studio as well. But there's all different types of yoga. So I think the more studios, the more helpful it is. I don't know what you think.

Carissa Ciucca:

I do. I agree. And in Portland, so many of those studios have such a different flavor, personality and vibe and teachers. So that no matter what you seek as a student, there's a place for you. And maybe today what you're looking for is a different experience than you'll need tomorrow. And the beauty of having so many offerings in our community is that whatever it is that you need as a student, there's an opportunity for you to have it. So like Melanie said, whether you need a restorative practice or a heated practice or prenatal practice, there's something available in our community for that. I think we're really lucky that way.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Karissa, how can people find out about the Breathing Room?

Carissa Ciucca:

You can visit our website. It's breathing roomme.com youm can find us on Facebook or we'd love for you just to stop by and visit our space, meet our teachers and try a class. We're on Broadway, 864 Broadway in South Portland.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And I should say that our very own John McCain has spent considerable time over the Breathing Room. And also Steve Kelly, who has been a past guest on our show and is also associate publisher with Maine magazine Maine Home Design. He also has an affiliation with your studio. So people go over there. They will Interact with the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour team in some way.

Carissa Ciucca:

Yeah. So we would love to have them. That'd be great.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And Melanie, how can people find out about Wicked Good Yoga and the Snow Squall Bed and Breakfast?

Melanie Burns:

Sure. You can Visit our website www.wickedgoodyoga.com or snowsquallin.com we're right off Route 1 in Wiscasset, the self proclaimed prettiest village in Maine. If you might notice, Reds Eats is right there. And yeah, just come by and take a class. We offer about five classes a day, so there's plenty of different types of classes to sample and we'd love to see you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And you're both teaching at the Maine Yoga Fest, so people can also drop in and take one of your classes there or sign up and take one of your classes there as well.

Carissa Ciucca:

Right. I think the tickets are available now and some classes are selling out. So if there's an interest in attending, it's me and yogafest.com.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

right.

Melanie Burns:

And if you want a discount, WGY10 gets you a 10% discount off of your ticket.

Carissa Ciucca:

Or BR10 or BR10.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, we are so fortunate that the two of you agreed and you didn't even know each other. So it's even better people who are listening.

Melanie Burns:

I would have heard nothing but love. Good.

Carissa Ciucca:

Thank you. Same to you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Actually, both of you came very highly recommended from your parts of Maine and we're fortunate that you were flexible enough and I guess to the yoga training to come in and to spend time, the two of us. The two of you with me talking about yoga and the main yoga Fest and the work that you do with yoga. We've been talking to Carissa Chuka from Breathing Room Yoga and also Melanie Burns of Wicked Good Yoga and the Snow Squall in Wiscasset. Thanks for coming in.

Dana Gunnerson Woodbury:

Thank you.

Melanie Burns:

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You have been listening to the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour and podcast show number 91, Main Yoga. Our guests have included Justine Carlisle, Dana Gunnarson Woodbury and Reagan Johnson, founders of Maine Yoga Fest. Also Carissa Chuka, owner of Breathing Room Yoga and Melanie Burns of Wicked Good Yoga. For more information on our guests, visit drlisabelisle.com the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour podcast is downloadable for free on itunes. For a preview of each week's show, sign up for our E Newsletter and like our Dr. Lisa Facebook page. You can also follow me on Twitter and Pinterest and read my take on health and well being on the Bountiful blog. We'd love to hear from you so so please let us know what you think of the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour. We welcome your suggestions for future shows. Also let our sponsors know that you have heard about them here. We are privileged that they enable us to bring the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour and Podcast to you each week. This is Dr. Lisa Belisle hoping that you have enjoyed our Main Yoga show. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day. May you have a bountiful life.