Since contacting this nursery about a month ago. I received a prompt response email to my inquiry regarding katuk cuttings, okinawan spinach and miracle fruit. I then asked for a price quote.......No response. After a few phone calls spaced out over a couple of weeks I finally got someone on the phone. They gave me a quote for shipping. So I went on their website to find out how to pay them. They won't take paypal or debit or credit cards. Which leaves these options: money order, sending cash, sending checks. I'm definitely not comfortable with the latter two options, so I headed to my nearest moneygram kiosk and spent ten minutes on the phone talking to the representative about the only payment info provided by the Gaia Yoga Nursery website. The representative assured me that they had no info about this company. So, I also tried western union, but since this nursery doesn't provide the owner's name a money order cannot be completed with western union either. How on earth does this nursery expect to be paid?! Is it a scam? Does anyone have experience with them? Please share and enlighten.

Hi Jennifer. I've been doing yoga for several years. Living out in the boonies, tapes and books were my only options until last year when the local rec cen offered classes....taught by a woman who had learned from tapes herself. I started with Hatha, then started adding power yoga. Practicing either will help you strengthen, releive stress and improve your posture. But for me, I had to add the power yoga in order to see any weight loss. You may not need to. How do I feel afterwards? Both relaxed and energized. Just good. The benifits are immediate, which makes it easy to get off your butt then next day and do it again. The long term benifits are also worth while. Balance, flexability, coordination and better reflexes to go along with those long, lean muscles. Last summer at a family reunion I challenged all my little neices and nephews (ages 3-16) to a 'stand on one foot' contest. I am 39. They hopped on one foot, had their arms flying all over the place and droppped out one by one as I stood perfectly still, my left foot raised up and pressed into my right thigh. They were flabbergasted, as were my siblings. I was smug. I also offered $5 to any of them who could "sit like me". But not one of those strong yung'uns could get themselves into a full lotus position. That was fun, but there are every-day benifits that are more important. Time was, I could not back out of my long driveway with my seat belt on. I had to move up off of one buttock to turn enough to see that far behind me. Now it is not a problem. Ever slip on ice, jerking your body in a failed attempt to stay on your feet? Your backside and pride may hurt from the landing, but that jerking reation can wreak havok on your back and neck. Better balance and reflexes help you stay on your feet and strong muscles protect you from injury. It's also a good idea to learn how to fall properly. Something to keep in mind: Those people in the tapes, they have been doing this stuff for years. Decades maybe. Don't force yourself into any of the poses. They will get easier. It is not important that you can put you head on your knee, it is important that you feel the stretch or the contraction where you are supposed to and keep your breathing slow and even. I have quite a few tapes and have barrowed several from the Family Video (they have free 'public service' tapes to loan out including many excersize videos) Some instructors are really hung up on keeping your back perfectly straight during the poses. Others encourage it, but also ask you to round your back to stretch it at certain points in the tape. Still others are not overly concerned about it, telling you to work with your body and if your body says round the back, round it. Decide for yourself. No two yogis are alike. Right now I am doing Pilates, with yoga as a warm up and cool down. I am really liking that becuase it really is working my ab and back muscles more than yoga. Although yoga does emphisize these areas, HOW you hold those muscle is different in Pilates and IMO, works better for that area. Hope this helps. Kay.

Hi leafy. I have bunions and a slight beginning of enlarged joints on my second toes with the accompanying "hammertoe" trying to begin. I have inherited most of this complex of problems from my Mom's side of the family. It is called Morton's syndrome, in my case. The pulling of the tendon's and ligaments in your foot are what cause the humping that you are concerned about. The only treatment for this is a very good custom orthotic to support your arch and prevent the foot from rolling slightly inward ( pronation) which pulls the tendons out of line . Also the orthotic will address the metatarsal area ( the soft area beneath your 2nd and 3rd toes) and you will get a pad behind that area to support the forefoot. Nothing that you put between your toes will stop the progression of the disorder. You can get individual soft gel cushions to wear when you have on shoes to prevent the toes pressing into each other, if that is a problem . I have them for my toes. The "yoga" toes do absolutely nothing to correct or delay the problem you speak of. You can do exercises to strengthen you feet, place a towel on the floor and put your foot on it and then wrinkle the towel toward you by bending the toes into the towel and pulling it toward you. You can also sit with your feet out in front of you and concentrate on stretching all of your toes out and away from each other ....like a cat does its paws. There isn't anything passive other than the orthotics which will correct/slow the progression of this problem. My Mom had surgery a total of 3 times on her feet. Always they returned to the dysfunctional position. One has to correct the arch and strengthen the tendons with exercise and orthotics. No surgery or passive between the toes pads will correct it. Hope this helps you. I worry about my feet all the time and have just gotten the final pair of new orthotics that I was fitted for in May ! They are really working but it has been an arduous process. I am fortunate to have excellent BCBS and they have covered it , after deductible. I am going to get a 2nd pair made so that these will last longer. Good Luck and let me know if you have more questions. The exercise I mentioned is also for anyone with plantar fasciitis. c

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