New York Yogis: Exceptional Practitioners From Westchester County & Beyond
Meet Mollie Vogel — This 91-year-old Mount Vernon native has spent half a century on the mat
by Louise Fecher
When Mollie Vogel came to Yoga Haven in Tuckahoe to take my Sunday morning class at the studio late last year, she turned many heads. A tiny featherweight white-haired lady, then 90 years old, she gave the impression of fragility to those who didn’t know her. In the studio hallway, students gazed in wonder and stood aside so she could easily pass; in the classroom, where I teach Restorative yoga, students eagerly offered to help Mollie set up her mat and props. After class, a student politely inquired about her age, and when Mollie had gone, people spoke of her in awe: “Did you see that little old lady?” “How inspiring!” “Wow!”
Mollie, a little old lady? I have been fortunate to be Mollie’s yoga instructor for the past six years at the Sinai-Free Synagogue in Mount Vernon, and have never thought of her as an “old lady”. Mollie looks delicate, but she’s been practicing yoga for nearly 50 years and is made of sturdy stuff, inside and out.
Over the years, her physical practice has become more gentle: she hasn’t done a Headstand in decades (“it never thrilled me,” she admits), and has had to bypass asana altogether after illness or surgery. But Mollie still loves her Warrior poses and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog), and don’t dare try to keep her from Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall), her favorite asana. And at the end of every class, her distinctive rumbling “om” is always the longest of all.
Mollie in Downward-Facing Dog.
Active in body and mind, Mollie is a gentle warrior in the practice of yoga and an inspiration to anyone who has seen her on her mat. When she was diagnosed with spinal stenosis several years ago, she refrained from asana until she received the okay from her doctor. But she still came to her beloved weekly class (“I’ll do the poses in my head,” she would tell me) and participated fully in the breathing, meditation, and relaxation components.
“I feel deprived if I don’t go to yoga,” she says. “After injury or surgery, as soon as I can do yoga–with limits–I do. I feel it’s an important part of my life, my well-being.”
Born and raised in Mount. Vernon, Mollie celebrated her 91st birthday in early March with a festive family brunch at X2O Xaviers on the Hudson on the Yonkers waterfront. The oldest of three children, she graduated in 1937 from A.B. Davis High School (now Mount Vernon High School) and started working as a bookkeeper in Yonkers.
She met her future husband, Seymour Vogel, when her family moved next door to his in the early 1940s. In 1944, the couple wed. Together they raised four children (their eldest is now 63) and sent them through college. (The Vogels now have four granddaughters.)
After the couple’s children had grown, Mollie, then in her 40s, returned to school. While working part-time as a teaching assistant in a nursery school, she studied at the College of New Rochelle, earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. (Later, she took graduate courses and earned a teaching license.)
Mollie started practicing yoga in the late 1960s. She heard about a Hatha yoga class offered at the YMYWHA in Mount Vernon. Accompanied by her younger sister, Adele Arpadi (“she was the first one of us to stand on her head,” Mollie says), she showed up to learn–and never left. It was definitely a case of love at first squat.
“I had always walked a lot, but I wasn’t an athlete,” she says. “From the start, I felt good doing yoga, and it never left me with a feeling of exhaustion.”
Mollie in Child’s Pose.
The practice of yoga was different then, Mollie insists. “There weren’t so many types–you just did yoga!” she says with a laugh. You didn’t practice in yoga pants or comfy sweats, either–leotards were de rigueur, Mollie recalls. And her yoga “mat” was made of stair carpeting, cut to size. “We got the measurements from our first teacher, Atmananda Lesser, and had the carpeting cut at a five-and-dime kind of store,” she says.
Mollie loved doing the poses–especially Sun Salutations–but the practice was never only about asana: friendship and building community were just as important. The students attended retreats in the Catskills, made a pilgrimage to the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and held practice sessions at each other’s homes when the class went on summer hiatus.
“Through the years, yoga has had ups and downs. Sometimes it was very popular; other times it fell by the wayside. But we were always there,” Mollie says proudly.
Her much-loved class has gone through many changes: teachers have come and gone (past instructors include Barbara Kestenbaum, Tao Porchon-Lynch, and Reyna Gonzalez); the class day and time have varied; and six years ago Mollie had to find a new location for the class when the Mount. Vernon Y closed. Her sister Adele left the practice after a series of strokes, and several former students have passed away. But new students have come to take the elders’ places, and all the students, both veterans and newbies, look to Mollie as the class leader.
Mollie and her classmates: clockwise from Mollie’s left are Francoise, Irma, Virginia, Alida, Marilyn, and Rhoda.
“I once had a T-shirt made up that said ‘Ask Mollie’,’’ says Rhoda Rothman, a longtime classmate who moved to Mount Vernon from New York City in the 1960s. Still spritely and elegant at 88 years of age, Rhoda describes Mollie as a record-keeper and organizer. “Whenever we had a question, we always turned to Mollie,” she says.
Mollie’s youngest classmate is Mount Vernon native Virginia Cramer, age 70. “Mollie’s practice is remarkable; she’s still very limber,” Virginia says, adding that “everyone in the area knows her–people call her ‘Mayor Mollie’ and go out of their way to say hello.”
When Mollie celebrated her 90th birthday, her classmates took her out to celebrate. (They often go out for brunch after class, too.) She warns that she expects the same treatment when she turns 100. To help her get there, she takes an exercise class (also at the Sinai-Free Synagogue) two times weekly in addition to her Tuesday morning yoga. She walks whenever she can, and dutifully practices the physical therapy exercises she was given when diagnosed with spinal injury. “If I don’t have that much time for them, I can count to ten real fast,” Mollie jokes.
Of all the choices Mollie Vogel has made throughout her lifetime to benefit her health and longevity, yoga is the most dear to her. A reliable friend in good times and bad, her yoga practice is forever woven into the fabric of her life.
“It’s not only physical,” she says. “It’s a comfort, too. A lot of my cohorts are no longer with us, but yoga gives me a connection to the old days. From the very start, I felt that yoga kept me going–and it still does.”
(For information about classes taught by Louise, click here.)
Saturday, April 9th, 2011Be the Girl With the Hair
Our expert offers some good advice for bad hair
by Patty Meehan
We’d all like to have that glorious hair that the models toss about in television commercials–shiny, thick and flowing, healthy-looking. Feeling good about how we look can affect our mood and our self-image: even the most natural-looking woman (or man) depends on good grooming to feel confident. That is where a good hair stylist comes in. I have been a hairdresser for more than 30 years, and I have learned a few tricks that I would like to share with you, beginning with the basics: shampoo and conditioner.
Shampoo Your ’Do
Do you wash your hair every day, once a week, several times a week? There’s no iron-clad rule about which frequency works best: it’s a personal preference and depends on how your hair looks and your scalp feels. However, I’ve found that the following routines work well for my clients and friends.
- Oily, limp hair? Shampoo every day.
- Dry, full hair? Shampoo once a week.
Consider these factors as well:
- Very active lifestyle? Shampoo every day and after vigorous activity if needed.
- Perspire a lot? You may need to shampoo more than once a day.
When you shampoo your hair, one lathering is enough. (The first lathering gets your hair clean; a second will strip your hair of its essential oils.) When you are done shampooing, be sure to rinse the hair well to ensure that no residue of shampoo is left behind. Any residue left in the hair will eventually leave your hair dull and flat.
Tip: Shampooing your hair in a deep sink makes thorough rinsing a snap!
So Many Shampoos, So Little Time!
Choosing a shampoo can be mind-boggling. There are so many options out there: shampoo for fine hair, course hair, or frizzy hair; shampoo for thinning hair, graying hair, or colored hair. The list is endless. The labels will steer you in the right direction, but you will have to try several brands to discover the best products for you.
Tip: A good cleansing shampoo without conditioner is best, because conditioning shampoo may leave your hair limp and unmanageable.
Hair products are a gamble, not a sure thing, so it is a challenge to recommend a shampoo without seeing your hair. I prefer the shampoos sold mainly in beauty supply stores or hair salons: Rene Furterer, Goldwell, and Nioxin are a few of my favorite brands.
Shampoos sold in salons range in price from about $15 to over $35 a bottle, whereas commercial brands cost less than $15. Although professional products are pricey, I find them more reliable than the less expensive shampoos sold in big-name stores.
Tip: Google it! You can often find a bargain on line. Many professional products are now available through outlets like Target.com and Amazon.com.
There are some good commercial brands available, however, including products from L’ORÈAL, Pantene, Dove, and Paul Mitchell. The Paul Mitchell brand was a professional product for many years, and the company has managed to maintain the professional quality in its products even at the lower price point. You can usually find Paul Mitchell products and other good commercial brands at your local CVS, Duane Read, and Harmon stores.
Be adventurous: when you are low on shampoo, try something new. Find two or three brands that you are comfortable with and alternate them for variety.
To Condition or Not?
Most of us automatically condition after shampooing, but I don’t feel that conditioning is necessary for everyone. If you condition every
time you shampoo and still find that your hair has little volume, it may be due to the conditioner. So if your hair tends to fall limply over your head, skip the conditioner and see if that makes a difference.
If you think you need a conditioner, choose a product following the same steps outlined above for selecting a shampoo, and use as needed. Conditioning products vary in weight; use the lightest one that works for you. Follow these guidelines:
- Fine hair? Use a light leave-in conditioner or spray-on conditioner.
- Oily hair? Select a light, spray-on product.
- Thick or unmanageable tresses? The heavier lotion and cream conditioners are for you.
Note that a good, basic conditioner will detangle your hair. A product labeled as a “detangler” is typically lighter than a conditioner, however, and may be just right for you.
TIP: For kids, cut down on rinsing time by using detanglers or leave-in conditioners.
The weather will have an effect on your hair, too, so take that into consideration when choosing a conditioner. Dry, frizzy hair tends to be caused by a response to humidity rather than damage, so using a conditioner to control the hair’s reaction to humidity will get the best results. The outer layer of your hair is a cuticle that needs moisture and gentle care. On dry days, hair needs moisturizer; on humid days, a “de frizz” product will smooth the cuticle.
The bottom line? You need an open mind and an adventurous attitude to find what works best on your hair. If you are not satisfied with your efforts, consult a professional. The best hair stylist for you will uncover your beauty, and give you a look that will provide you with confidence, poise, and grace.
A licensed hair stylist for more than 30 years, Patty Meehan has studied her trade in London, Paris, and New York. She currently works her hairstyling magic at Joli Salon & Spa in Harrison, New York (www.salonjoli.com). In 2000, Patty took on a second career as a yoga instructor. Through both of her careers, Patty delights in helping her clients and students uncover their best selves.
Monday, November 22nd, 2010Brighten Your Skin With the Basics
by Peggy Altman
As an esthetician, I see many people who wish their skin could look better without a lot of cost and effort. To brighten your facial skin, you need to get back to the basics. The most expensive products in the world won’t work optimally unless these four simple steps are taken care of: cleansing, toning, moisturizing and, during the day, using sunscreen.
Cleansing
There are a lot of misconceptions about this step. Skin should be cleansed twice a day: morning and night. If you can only do it once, do so at night so that you get the pollution off your face instead of keeping it on your skin all night and rubbing it into your pillow! Do your nighttime facial skin care routine at least 30 minutes before going to bed. You want the products you use to absorb into your skin, not into your pillow case.
Use the right cleansing product for your skin type. There’s a lot of misunderstanding about dry versus dehydrated skin.
- Dry skin has very small pores and produces little oil on its own.
- Oily skin has larger pores and produces more oil, particularly during the teenage years.
- Dehydrated skin lacks water.
People can have skin that is dry, yet feels oily under certain conditions. For example, if you have small pores but work in a fast-food kitchen, your skin may feel oily due to the environment. But you should still use a cleanser for dry skin. Likewise, a woman with oily skin (large pores) that feels dehydrated to the touch should still use a cleanser for oily skin, which is more effective at cleaning the larger pores.
Cleansers are usually labeled by skin type. In general, creamy cleaners are for dry skin, and gels and foams are for oilier skin. Bar soaps – even those that say “extra gentle” or “dermatologist recommended” – are usually too harsh for facial skin. If your skin feels squeaky clean after washing, your cleanser is too harsh.
Wash your face over the sink, not in a shower. Most of us shower in water that is too hot for facial skin. Also, our facial skin is delicate, so we should avoid the shower’s water pressure.
Toning
This is an easy step: use any non-alcohol-based toning product. Nothing expensive. Toner helps reset the pH level of the skin, which helps prevent bacteria from growing. It also removes residual cleanser from the face.
Moisturizing
All skin types need to be moisturized, although as we age we may need stronger ingredients. Even oily skin gets dehydrated, especially in winter.
Like cleansers, moisturizers are usually labeled by skin type. But you also need to take into account how your skin feels. Remember the example of the person with dry skin who works in a fast-food kitchen? A moisturizer for oily skin would be a better choice for the days she works, and one for dry skin on her days off.
Moisturizers that work well in the summer may not be strong enough for the winter. Store your “off-season” products in the refrigerator, or use them on your neck.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is currently the most effective anti-aging product there is. Many moisturizers have sunscreen as an added ingredient. If yours does, consider using a sunscreen-free product at nighttime to lessen the amount of chemicals on your skin. If you are going to be in the sun for an extended period, use a sunscreen-only product over your moisturizer. If you use a powder foundation or blush, put the sunscreen on before the powder to prevent a paste from forming over your makeup.
These are the basics! If you’ve been skipping any of these steps, your skin may not be as bright as it could be.
Peggy Altman is a licensed esthetician, licensed massage therapist, and meditation teacher. She has an office in Tuckahoe, NY, and can be reached at (914) 262-6397. Visit Peggy’s website at www.aheavenlyretreat.com to find out more about her services.
Saturday, August 21st, 2010
Sunflower Photo: Wendy Peragine