Namaste from Duluth

Gratitude

2012-01-27T08:30:00.000-06:00

I was in yoga class last night and the teacher said:

Cultivate gratitude to find contentment.

A sign on a local Christian radio station:

Resolve to be positive.

Can it get any simpler?

Honey Horn Plantation; Hilton Head SC. My personal photo.

Practing with a Yoga-Newbie

2012-01-02T11:45:00.000-06:00

This time of year I typcially see an influx of newer folks, often tagging along with a freind or family member. I see daughters bringing their Mom's, wives bringing husbands, gals (and sometimes guys) who talked a reluctant friend into trying "just one class".

I see the same thing in road cycling. The friend or spouse (whose an avid cyclist, the kind who lives in spandex when not at work and uses words like rpm, metric century and derailers), talks girl/boy/wife/husband into coming along on a ride.

Mostly I see a lot of apprehension, followed by a bit of anger and annoyance. Yup. Our enthusiasm is our downfall.

In yoga, as in cycling, the more experienced partner tends to forget that the newbie needs to be eased into the new activity. Someone newer to cycling is NOT going to be able to maintain a steady speed of 14 mph for 10 miles. No way, no how. Someone new to yoga is not going to feel comfortable in an hour and a half Ashtanga class. In both scenario's, the likelyhood of the newbie coming back is almost zero.

I decided a few guidelines for bringing someone new to yoga might be of assistance. Remember, The idea is to introduce them to yoga, not to intimidate the bejeebers out of them.

1) Ratchet back. Take your friend/spouse to a class geared more for beginners. Yes, YOU can probably hammer out 10 sun salutations in 10 minutes and hold boat pose with the best of them. THEY can't. Start simple. This is a great opportunity to look at a class with a beginner's eyes and work on some of the basic foundations of your asana.

2) Introduce them to the instructor and let the instructor know that they are new to class. A good instructor will know to keep an eye on their guest and offer modifications as necessary.

3) Don't set your friend/spouse/partner's mat in the corner, and don't let them do it either. Middle of the room or towards the back. This way they have a full view of the instructor and will have other people to watch. Back corner guarantees 'rubber necking'. Not good.

3) Once class has begun, leave your friend/spouse/partner alone. Way too often I see our enthusiastic practitioner 'adjusting' the newbie, telling them what do do. Let them be. They already have so much being thrown at them that having you telling them what to do on top of it can be overwhelming. Instead, focus on your practice and let the instructor watch your friend/spouse/partner.

4) If you feel compelled to offer encouragement, keep it to a smile, a whispered, "you're doing great!", a thumbs up. See #3

5) Try not to pounce on them after class with the question, "Well? Did you like it?" Give them some time to absorb what they just did. Ask instead (over coffee or on the drive home), "Do you have any questions about what we did today?"

6) And this is the hard one: don't expect them to love it. Don't expect them to even like it. Yoga is such a personal thing and not for some. Just like you may not be attracted to weight lifting, so they too may not be attracted to the nuances of yoga. And that's okay.

Namaste!

(picture from yoga clip art images)

Yoga Girl Video

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

A bit of a departure from my usual posts, but the Husband found this and we both thought it was quite amusing. Enjoy!

Clean. Your. Mat.

2011-12-14T08:30:00.000-06:00

Whoops! I hadn't realized a month has slipped by since my last post. Felt like I just wrote about Andy just last week. At least I can comfortably say that Andy and I have come to a better understanding this past month. He doesn't chew on the rugs and I don't holler at him. Everyone is content.

I've been struggling with what to post this go around. Lots of ideas have filtered through the ol' cranium, but nothing has really leapt out and said "post me! post me!" until last night. I've been noticing during class that my hands have started slipping on my mat again, and for anyone who has experienced the slow slide of the palms forward, you know how frustrating that can be during a practice when you are trying to focus on other things. A niggling need to clean the mat, a promise to do it "later". The irony here is last night after class a student approached me with the same conundrum.

A post presented itself! Perfect for the end of the year.

Clean. Your. Mat.

We wash our yoga clothes on a regular basis. We wash ourselves after a particularly vigorous and sweaty session. We've walked around the studio barefoot, maybe down the hall to the restroom, then we go stand on the mat for the next 60- 90 minutes. Yet our poor mat is just rolled up after a session and tossed in the back seat of the car until the next time we pull it out for class. Where it quietly rests baking in the sun.

Can I say...ewwww? (And I won't even go into 'borrowing' mats in this post. Major EWWW.)

Ecoyogini has a splendid post titled : How to Clean your Yoga Mat

IF you have a front load washing machine or access to a front load washing machine, that is my preferred method. Toss it in with a cup of vinegar and just a tich (like a tablespoon tich) of detergent. No more than that otherwise your mat will be sudsey-greasy. I prefer a warm/cold water setting. You might want to run the spin cycle twice to really blast out the water. Remove and hang to dry at least three days.

Now, this doesn't work for all mats - the Manduka mats (pictured right, for example) might overwhelm your home washer. In that case, hang your mat up, use a squirt bottle with about 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water and a couple drops of detergent. Tea Tree oil or Lavendar oil or other anti-bacteria esssential can be use in extreme moderation. You don't want to add to the slipping problem afterall.

Liberally squirt the surface down (don't be stingy!), wipe well, "rinse" with a cloth wet down with warm water and let dry. Repeat if necessary.

I can't emphasize enough to clean your mat at least twice a year if not more, especially for those of us who practice vinyasa, power, ashtanga, fitness, etc, yoga. We sweat. Sweat builds up on your mat. Bacteria grows. Mat stinks. Then you are working on Locust Pose and your face is right where you plant your feet. Yucko!

Yup. Take a moment here at the end of the year and wash your mat!

Aparigraha and Andy

2011-11-13T09:30:00.000-06:00

My beloved hound Andy is doing his best to teach me aparigraha (non-attachment). I am doing my best to teach Andy that no means "no".

This is Andy. Don't let those beautiful almond eyes and uber soft fuzzy ears fool you into being a crooning puddle of lovey dovey.

This is my (expensive) cotton yoga mat, now being reused as a throw rug. This is what Andy has done to my cotton yoga mat

.

I'm not sure what he has against my cotton yoga mat/rug. I think he's trying to tell me to just 'let it go'. I'm cool with that (it's being used as a rug after all). But still... chewing holes in it? Dude. Not cool.

OOOoooommmmm......

PS - he only does this in the Morning, while I'm pulling breakfast and lunches together. I suspect that it just smells really really good to him and he wants to have clean teeth before breakfast.

Focus Pose: Virabhadrasana I (Warrior A)

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Time for another Focus Pose! For those of you who’ve just joined the blog, I’ve been gradually working my way through the Primary Sequence in the Ashtanga Series. If you use the search engine and type in focus pose you should be able to pull up the postures until now. Or use the “tag” feature on the left hand side.

For those of you who ARE familiar with the Primary Series, you might be wondering why am I breaking down the Warriors now, when, technically, we did 10 of them during the Surya Namaskar B? Well, yes, but there we moved into the pose with one breath, and then immediately exited. Now we have an opportunity to hold for five breaths and to stabilize and strengthen our foundation.

photo from YogaJournal.com pose finder

Over the last several years, I’ve learned there are two schools - so to speak - regarding foot placement. One group feels the traditional way is to keep the back heel down. The other group asserts that the back heel should now be kept up. Either way is fine, in my opinion, both offering a lovely stretch through the hip. Pick the one that works for you and your anatomy. But for today’s post, I’m going to go with the traditional variation of heel to floor.

From Yoga Journal: Virabhadrasana One (Warrior One) the name of a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet, wielding a thousand clubs, and wearing a tiger's skin.
We’ve just finished Utkatasana (Chair Pose), moved through Chaturanga Dandasana (plank pose to updog) and are back in Adho Mukha Svanasa (Down Dog). From Adho Mukha Svanasa, step forward to a high lunge, pivot the back heel to the floor and solidify the foundation in a high lunge. When you feel stable, then inhale to standing if appropriate. Otherwise, just stay in high lunge, or bring hands to hips.

**One thing I have noticed is the student’s tendency to rush the inhale to standing, then they are wobbling all over the place. Plant the front foot, plant the back foot, then inhale. Don’t try and keep up with your neighbor. This is your practice. Not theirs.

The breath sequence:

INHALE right foot forward to a high lunge and establish your foundation; continue to inhale hands overhead. I prefer palms apart, shoulders moving away from the ears. Open heart center toward the front of the room. IF you have neck or shoulder concerns/issues, modify accordingly: don’t look up at fingers, use “cactus arms” or forgo arms altogether.

Picture from YogaJournal.com - Pose Finder

Do try to keep front knee over front ankle for all levels. Additionally, keep the knee in line with the toes (think ski’s: foot is on the ski, knee in line with foot and ski) and not rolling to inside or outside.

Keep back heel pressing into the floor. Actively press against the back foot to engage the whole leg and take some of the ‘weight’ off of the front leg. Try feeling the mat from your heel to your pinky toe.

Let go of any muscles that do not serve you in this pose.

Hold for 5 breaths.

INHALE straighten front leg, pivot to face the back of the room, adjust stance.

EXHALE into the pose on the left side.

Hold for 5 breaths.

Some benefits of Virabhadrasana One:

Strengthens and stretches: feet, ankles, legs, groin, abdominal muscles, chest and shoulders. Can help relieve backaches - conversely, it can also aggravate backaches if you are crunching into lower back rather than lengthening and opening through the front of the spine.

Again, there are several variations on Virabhadrasana I. Yoga Journal did an article on four or five styles - Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Hatha, and I think one other - about a year or two ago. The back heel can be up or down, depending on your hips and what you would like to stretch on any given day. Palms can be together or apart. You can look up or straight ahead depending on how your head, neck and shoulders feel on any given day. However, in all variations, try and keep the knee over the ankle and the knee moving in the same direction as the toes.

Below, a video showing Utkatasana, Virabhadrasana I and Virabhadrasana II

Teaching and Taking Classes

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Bear with me - I had a convoluted thought process regarding this post:

First - Yoga North switched up their schedule a bit this Fall, which enabled me to take a class right after the one I lead on Thursdays. I'm not completely thrilled about being in town for 13 hours, but the class and timing worked out so I can cope for one day a week.

Second - As I was leaving afore mentioned class a couple weeks ago, a student recognized me and expressed surprise that the 'teacher' was taking a class. I smiled and said, "Yup!" (I'm not one for platitudes like "oh, we are all students". Just sounds so hoity toity.). There are actually three instructors from the studio taking this particular session.

Lastly - Ecoyogini wrote a blog post regarding a home practice (Yoga Class Dropout) as it relates to taking classes in Halifax a while back, which got me to thinking about home and studio practices.

And I realized something about why me, myself and I, don't care for a home practice.

I lead 4-5 classes a week. I work full time. I leave the house at 730am in the morning and I don't get home till after 500p on non-yoga nights. Yoga nights it's after 700p. I have a Husband, two active dogs, and a house. Finding time at home what with yard work - we live on 40 acres, our yard is an acre unto itself, I have a HUGE garden - dinner, laundry, spouse time, etc, is...problematic. I don't feel comfortable practicing at home. It's my space to unwind, relax, chill, take a load off. Trying to do asana at home makes me edgy and irritable.

But there was more to it. When I do my own practice, I want to be able to turn my brain off completely. I don't want to be thinking of yet another routine. I do that 4-5x a week as it is. When I do an asana practice, I want to be able to just enjoy the practice for what it is, not be thinking about, "oh, I could do this in class!" or "this is cool, the Thursday class would enjoy this!" or "Awesome routine! I need to write this down..." I don't want to be jiggling the mouse on my computer when it goes to sleep mid-stretch. I don't want to be locking myself in a room. I hate locking myself in a room to do yoga...

If I'm in a studio setting, my focus stays on my practice. Not my upcoming class, not wondering if the husband forgot the dogs outside, not thinking that I should be doing laundry/dishes/cleaning/yardwork/relaxing.

This, I thought, was huge revelation about myself. Interesting...

Picture found on the web by googling Buddha pictures.

A Disappointing Encounter

2011-10-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, Yoga North held their Fall Open House. A splendid affair where the studio opens its doors to the community, giving new folks and regulars a chance to take a small demo class of upcoming sessions, meet the instructors, munch on a splendid buffet and browse the books and props and other stuff for sale.

A new to the area gal was directed my way; she was interested in the vinyasa class and wanted to know if it was anything like what she used to take in her former City. She described to me what she did, and I replied, "Yes, that is similar to my class."

She didn't seem reassured, so I asked for elaboration on how her class used to be structured, and again, nodded and replied, "Yes, that is similar to how I lead a class."

She still didn't seem reassured, so I elaborated on exactly what I do in any given session.

I could see doubt continued to linger, and then she asked me, do I give handouts?

Surprised I had to reply, "No, why do you ask?"

Well, she wanted something to take home to practice. I had to politely explain that I don't write down my class sequence for any given day because I tend to make it up as I go along. What I do really depends on who shows up, what someone may request, what kind of mood I am in and what I did in my noon class. I don't give handouts because people have perceived these as "homework" and for working adults, that is usually ill received.

Uncertain now myself, I concluded the conversation with encouragement to just come and try out a class, but the encounter left me feeling like I had let someone down. All because I don't do 'handouts'. Interesting.

Picture from Bing.com. Wren in the rain.

10 Questions that Should Not Go Away by David Whyte

2011-10-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Part 10 of 10

from Oprah.com

June 15, 2011
The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

The marvelous thing about a good question is that it shapes our identity as much by the asking as it does by the answering. Nine years ago, I wrote a poem called "Sometimes" in which I talked about the "questions that can make or unmake a life ... questions that have no right to go away."

I still work with this idea. Questions that have no right to go away are those that have to do with the person we are about to become; they are conversations that will happen with or without our conscious participation. They almost always have something to do with how we might be more generous, more courageous, more present, more dedicated, and they also have something to do with timing: when we might step through the doorway into something bigger, better—both beyond ourselves and yet more of ourselves at the same time.

If we are sincere in asking, the eventual answer will give us both a sense of coming home to something we already know as well a sense of surprise—not unlike returning from a long journey to find an old friend sitting unexpectedly on the front step, as if she'd known, without ever being told, not only the exact time and date of your arrival but also your need to be welcomed back.

10) Can I be the blessed saint that my future happiness will always remember?

Here's the explanation for what sounds like a strange question. I have a poem called "Coleman's Bed" about a place in the West of Ireland where the Irish saint Coleman lived. The last line of that poem calls on the reader to remember "the quiet, robust and blessed saint that your future happiness will always remember."

We go to places of pilgrimage where saints have lived, or even to Graceland, where Elvis lived, because these people gave something to the rest of us—music or good works— that has carried on down the years and that was a generous gift to the future.

But that blessed saint could also be yourself—the person who, in this moment, makes a decision that can make a bold path into the years to come and whom your future happiness will always remember. What could you do now for yourself or others that your future self would look back on and congratulate you for—something it could view with real thankfulness because the decision you made opened up the life for which it is now eternally grateful?

David Whyte is the author of The Three Marriages, Crossing the Unknown Sea, and several poetry collections

Frank Lloyd Wright, Taliesen East, WI

10 Questions That Should Not Go Away by David Whyte

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Part nine of ten.

I think this one is especially good. I've re-named it in my mind: Can I live without fear? It's not so much can I be courageous, but can I live without the fear that holds me back? Without the fear of always questioning the ramifications of my actions? Either way, courage or lack of fear, a most powerful question.

9) Can I live a courageous life?
If you look at the root of the word "courage," it doesn't mean running under the machine-gun bullets of the enemy, wearing a Sylvester Stallone headband, with glistening biceps and bandoliers of ammunition around one's neck. The word "courage" comes from the old French word coeur meaning "heart." So "courage" is the measure of your heartfelt participation in the world.

Human beings are constantly trying to take courageous paths in their lives: in their marriages, in their relationships, in their work and with themselves. But the human way is to hope that there's a way to take that courageous step—without having one's heart broken. And it's my contention that there is no sincere path a human being can take without breaking his or her heart.

There is no marriage, no matter how happy, that won't at times find you wanting and break your heart. In raising a family, there is no way to be a good mother or father without a child breaking that parental heart. In a good job, a good vocation, if we are sincere about our contribution, our work will always find us wanting at times. In an individual life, if we are sincere about examining our own integrity, we should, if we are really serious, at times, be existentially disappointed with ourselves.

So it can be a lovely, merciful thing to think, "Actually, there is no path I can take without having my heart broken, so why not get on with it and stop wanting these extra-special circumstances which stop me from doing something courageous?"

Oh! The embarrassment!

2011-09-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Oh! The embarrassment! You've just run into your yoga instructor (who does know you by name) at the local coffee shop. Greetings are exchanged and s/he exclaims that they've missed seeing you in class. You stammer out an explanation as to why you haven't been around for [insert time period here] and promise you'll be back soon. You hastily add that it's been good to see them, and flee with your iced mocha latte.

Sound familiar?

As both an instructor and a student, I see both sides of this dance. As a student, I know how difficult it can be to balance work, family, evening events for the kids, home, pets, and, well, life in general. As adults, our time is frequently not our own.

As an instructor, I've made a committment to be at class to the best of my abilities. I'm holding the space and opportunity for the students. I think I'm unusual as a yoga instructor - I do work a full time non-yoga job. It is not unusual that I have to find a sub for my noon classes due to a work conflict. I have only so much control over meeting schedules and locations. (I HEART my subs very much!) But! My current instructing schedule has been the same for the last 3 1/2 years. Pretty good, eh?

What I want to emphasize here is, when you run into your instructor out and about town, don't be flustered or embarassed because you've been missing! A good instructor, the one who knows you, will understand and accept where you are coming from or going to. When I see someone from class, I'm just happy to see that they appear to be well. They will either come back to class, or they won't, and either way is lovely.

So please, don't be embarassed when you run into your yoga instructor, or any other instructor for that matter. Come back to class when you can! It will be lovely to see you again.

Namaste.

10 QuestionsThat Have No Right To Go Away by David Whyte

2011-08-29T11:00:00.001-05:00

Whoops! I thought I had my blog posts all lined up while I was away on vacation last week. I’m not surprised I forgot to double check my postings, I was a bit scatterbrained and not very grounded pre-vacation and once I got home, I was just exhausted. A two hour time change is harder to adjust to than I would have anticipated!

But not to keep you waiting for the last couple of David Whyte questions:

The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

The marvelous thing about a good question is that it shapes our identity as much by the asking as it does by the answering. Nine years ago, I wrote a poem called "Sometimes" in which I talked about the "questions that can make or unmake a life ... questions that have no right to go away."

I still work with this idea. Questions that have no right to go away are those that have to do with the person we are about to become; they are conversations that will happen with or without our conscious participation. They almost always have something to do with how we might be more generous, more courageous, more present, more dedicated, and they also have something to do with timing: when we might step through the doorway into something bigger, better—both beyond ourselves and yet more of ourselves at the same time.

If we are sincere in asking, the eventual answer will give us both a sense of coming home to something we already know as well a sense of surprise—not unlike returning from a long journey to find an old friend sitting unexpectedly on the front step, as if she'd known, without ever being told, not only the exact time and date of your arrival but also your need to be welcomed back.

8) How can I drink from the deep well of things as they are?

In the West of Ireland, there are very old, very sacred wells everywhere. The locals call them "blessed wells" or "holy wells." At them, you find notes to the dead, bits of ribbon, keepsakes that people have left when they've said a prayer for a child or someone who's sick. Often a local church will have a Mass out there once a year. These holy wells are everywhere, and they're part of the local imagination and have been for thousands of years.

So to me, a well, a place where the water springs eternal all year round, is a very real, blessed place to stop and think. Almost always, when I'm struggling over a particular situation, I realize that I am only looking at the surface of the problem and refusing to go for the deeper dynamic that caused all the tension in the first place.

All intimate relationships—close friendships and good marriages—are based on continued and mutual forgiveness. You will always trespass upon your friend's sensibilities at one time or another, or your spouse's. The only question is, Will you forgive the other person? And more importantly, Will you forgive yourself? We have to deepen our understanding, make ourselves more equal to circumstances, more easy with what we have been given or not given. We must drink from the deep well of things as they are.

Lake Tahoe, one of the deepest alpine lakes in the US

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte

2011-08-15T10:30:00.004-05:00

I've always liked this saying: We were given two ears and one mouth so that we may listen twice as much as we speak.

Or, If you can't say some thing nice, don't say anything at all. Sounds like ahimsa, eh?

And one from the Noble Eightfold path: Right speech, which should be absent of falsehoods, harsh words and useless chatter.

But while we "know" these truths, when was the last time we actually stopped and listened to what was coming out of our mouths? And listened to what was bouncing around the skull? No time like the present....

Picture found on the web.

Oprah.com

June 15, 2011

The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

7) How can I know what I am actually saying?

Poetry is often the art of overhearing yourself say things you didn't know you knew. It is a learned skill to force yourself to articulate your life, your present world or your possibilities for the future. We need that same skill as an art of survival. We need to overhear the tiny but very consequential things we say that reveal ourselves to ourselves.

I have one friend who, when she is in a quandary, goes out for a drive in her car and sings. Whatever she's grappling with, she sings about it—to the windscreen, to the road, to the oncoming traffic. Then she overhears herself singing how she actually feels about something and what she should do about it.

Sometimes she pulls up to a stoplight, other people look over and she's singing, slightly crazed, into the windscreen, but that's her way of finding out.

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte

2011-08-10T13:00:00.011-05:00

We've all been here with this weeks question. "If only I had more time. If only I'd done this sooner. If only, if only, if only..."

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away

By David Whyte
Oprah.com
June 15, 2011
The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

The marvelous thing about a good question is that it shapes our identity as much by the asking as it does by the answering. Nine years ago, I wrote a poem called "Sometimes" in which I talked about the "questions that can make or unmake a life ... questions that have no right to go away."

6) Am I too inflexible in my relationship to time?

In Ireland, where I spend a great deal of time, they say, "The thing about the past is that it isn't the past." Sometimes we forget that we don't have to choose between the past or the present or the future. We can live all of these levels at once. (In fact, we don't have a choice about the matter.)

If you've got a wonderful memory of your childhood, it should live within you. If you've got a challenging relationship with a parent, that should be there as part of your identity now, both in your strengths and weaknesses. The way we anticipate the future forms our identity now. Time taken too literally can be a tyranny. We are never one thing; we are a conversation—everything we have been, everything we are now and every possibility we could be in the future.

Statute, Puerto Vallarta, Jaliesco, Mexico
scifiwithpaprika.blogspot.com

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte

2011-08-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

We live in a world that bombards us with noise almost twenty four hours a day. We listen to the radio or TV while getting ready for work, we listen to the radio on the way to work, many of us listen to the radio while at work. We are contantly on the phone. There are TV's in nearly every restaurant. The TV is on from the moment we walk in the door till we fall asleep to some late night show. We listen to an iPod while running or working out. We congregate with our friends for lunch break and coffee break. Our brains are overflowing with constant input...

We have become a society afraid to turn off the noise.

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte
As posted on Oprah.com The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

June 15, 2011

The marvelous thing about a good question is that it shapes our identity as much by the asking as it does by the answering. Nine years ago, I wrote a poem called "Sometimes" in which I talked about the "questions that can make or unmake a life ... questions that have no right to go away."

5) Can I be quiet—even inside?
All of our great traditions, religious, contemplative and artistic, say that you must a learn how to be alone—and have a relationship with silence. It is difficult, but it can start with just the tiniest quiet moment.

Being quiet in the midst of a frenetic life is like picking up a new instrument. If you've never played the violin and you try to play it for the first time, every muscle in your body hurts. Your neck hurts, you don't know how to hold that awkward wavy thing called a bow, you can't get your knuckles round to touch the strings, you can't even find where the notes are, you are just trying to get your stance right. Then you come back to it again, and again, and suddenly you can make a single buzzy note. The time after that, you can make a clearer note. No one, not even you, wants to listen to you at first. But one day, there is a beautiful succession of notes and, yes, you have played a brief, gifted, much appreciated passage of music.

This is also true for the silence inside you; you may not want to confront it at first. But a long way down the road, when you inhabit a space fully, you no longer feel awkward and lonely. Silence turns, in effect, into its opposite, so it becomes not only a place to be alone but also a place that's an invitation to others to join you, to want to know who's there, in the quiet.

Matthew Sweeney Workshop Review July 22-24, 2011

2011-07-28T09:30:00.017-05:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a workshop at the Yoga House of Edina (link is on the left sidebar) as lead by Matthew Sweeney. This is the third time I’ve attended one of his sessions and this one was probably the best one yet. They all follow a similar format – Fridays are always the Moon Sequence, then the weekends are a combination of practice and technique.

I didn't take as many notes as I usually do. This was a session for me to just soak in.

For a more in-depth breakdown of each of these follow the links to previous postings
July 2008 - Chandra Vinyasa
July 2008 - Primary Series; Jump Thru/Jump Back
July 2008 - Secondary Series/Inversions
July 2009 - Overview

Friday – 6:30-9:00p Chandra Vinyasa (restorative vinyasa flow). Done on Friday evenings to mimic the body’s natural tendency to want to start ‘slowing down’ in preparation for the evening and to save some energy for the upcoming weekend. A great sequence for Ashtangi’s and vinyasa folks alike.

Saturday 9:30a-12:00p – Primary Series. Very thoughtfully done with explanations and guidance on some variations to some of the poses.

Saturday 2:00p-5:00p – Jump thru, jump backs. Whoo. Amazing how these two things can take three hours to breakdown and explain and practice. Kinda depressing too, to realize how little abdominal and shoulder strength I have to execute some of these components.

Sunday – 9:30a-12:00p – Intro to Secondary Series. An introduction only, because “technically” and “traditionally” Secondary series is not to be practiced unless the individual can do a dropback and a pop-up unassisted. This was one of the best intros to Secondary that I have yet attended. Again, very methodical instruction, great breakdown and explanation of the postures and sequencing, and incorporated Saturday afternoon’s technique.

Sunday afternoon was back bending, but I couldn’t attend. Needed to pick my pups up from the kennel by 5p and I was looking at a three hour drive.

Everytime I go to one of his workshops, I pick up another nugget to take back with me. There is usually so much being thrown at you, as a student, in these indepth weekends that after a while the brain really does turn to mush. In a good way.

My only complaint with the weekend was the studio owner refused to turn on the air circulation and so 40 of us were practicing in a small room that easily hit 85* (29.5*C) and the same in humidity. It was stifling. The air was so heavy as to be almost suffocating. I don’t mind practicing in a warm room, but my goodness, keep the air flow fresh! It was honestly cooler outside, and outside was 80*+ (26*+C) because the sign down the street said so! And if I wanted to do Bikram, I would. Ashtanga is not Bikram… Seriously, everyone was sweating just sitting.

So if you ever have a chance to attend a session with Matthew Sweeney – GO! GO! GO! It will be a challenging session or weekend, but so very, very informative. And hopefully your studio will be more moderate in temperature and airflow...

Substitute Teachers/Subbing for a Class

2011-07-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

Just a brief interlude from David Whytes 10 Questions! This was on my mind.

Two separate and independent conversations recently brought to my attention the issue of substitute teachers and subbing. I can also recall a blog posting or discussion on whether or not to announce a substitute teacher and some of the justifications for each, but alas, I don’t recall where that was.

First discussion involved my younger Sis. She is not a regular practitioner, but would like to be someday when her work schedule is not so wonky. The stars finally aligned to allow her to attend a class at her local Lifetime Fitness. She said she got there early, rolled out her mat in the middle of the room and watched the people slowly fill up the space. She estimated by the time everyone was in, there were about 50 people. Then the instructor came in, announced she was a substitute and that this was going to be a Hatha level II class…despite it being advertized as a level I. This caused some anxiety for my poor Sis…not what she had expected! Sis said they started moving, and the instructor put them in all sorts of pretzel poses. She said about 10 people out of the 50 could actually do those poses. Finally, sore, sweaty, and somewhat freaked out, she was able to quietly slide out of class near the end. Dismayed. Upset. In shock. Unhappy.

Second discussion was with a long time friend who has rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and is on the generously built side. She signed up for a slow hatha class through her local community education and was developing a tenuous understanding with the regular instructor about her abilities. And then came the sub….who, according to my friend, seemed intent on singling her out with persistent adjustments throughout the entire class. Even though this was the first time the two had met.

Now, this isn’t a posting about an instructors ability to teach, but rather, how a substitute teacher approaches a class that is “not theirs”. They have not developed any kind of rapport with the students, they may never be back again, or back infrequently. I myself have subbed and have been in a class with a substitute instructor so I can see both sides of the discussion.

From my point of view, and humble opinion, why would an instructor bump up the level of a class from what is advertized? Ego? Misinformation? Misunderstanding when talking to the regular teacher? This is where knowing how to ‘level’ a class is mighty handy. Offer a place for everyone to work, and teach from the middle. Anything more is just showing off. A more experienced practioner is going to know how to add on to a pose – and an experienced practioner is also going to know to accept what ever is being offered and work on the things that we “can’t see” (bandha’s, breath, internal alignment). Nothing will turn of a potential new student than being “blown out of the water”.

Adjustments – a personal thing to be sure. I do very little hands on adjustment in part due to the nature of a flow class and in part due to my training. 98% of my adjustments are verbal; spoken out loud to the entire class or offered quietly one-on-one with much pointing. However, speaking from experience, if I’m subbing, unless the person is going to hurt themselves, I’m totally hands off. I don’t know the students, I don’t know what injuries they are coming to class with, what experiences, and I won’t see them again for months afterward. Or maybe never. Who am I to suddenly start making all sorts of adjustments based off of one 60 or 90 minute class?

I’ve seen students get hurt because of that. One gal I know received a ‘simple’ stretch while in downdog, in a workshop, and her hamstring hurt for 6 months.

Now this isn’t to say I haven’t made mistakes too. But I hope I’ve learned from them – and from watching others, and I’ve add those experiences to my filing cabinet of “things to be more aware of”.

So, fellow yoga peeps, what are your thoughts on subbing a class or being in a class that has a substitute teacher? What do you like to do, or what do you like to see?

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte

2011-07-18T11:00:00.006-05:00

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte

from Oprah.com
June 15, 2011

The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

4) Where is the temple of my adult aloneness?

In 1996, I wrote a poem called "The House of Belonging." In it, I spoke about the small, beautiful old house I came to live in after the end of my first marriage. In the poem, I wrote:

This is the temple of my adult aloneness
and I belong to that aloneness
as I belong to my life.

That temple was the house I moved into after the end of a chapter in my life. There I would live alone, but also with my son a good deal of the time. It was a new start. There was a great deal of grief in letting go of the old, but I was so very excited about my new home. I felt that even though it was such a small house and an old house, it had endless new horizons for me, as if the rest of my life was just beginning from that place. It is important to have the equivalent of this house at every crucial stage in our lives. Where do you have that feeling of home? Do you have it in your apartment? Do you have it when you walk along the lakeshore or the seashore? Where do you have that sense of spaciousness with the horizon and with your future?

Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water

Gaston Bachelard, a French philosopher, said that one of the beautiful things about a home is that it is a place where you can dream about your future, and that a good home protects your dreams; it is a place where you feel sheltered enough to risk yourself in the world.

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte

2011-07-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

How apropos given the season of Summer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.

3) Am I harvesting from this year's season of life?
"Youth is wasted on the young" is the old saying. But it might also be said that midlife is wasted on those in their 50s and eldership is very often wasted on the old.

Most people, I believe, are living four or five years behind the curve of their own transformation. I see it all the time, in my own life and others. The temptation is to stay in a place where we were previously comfortable, making it difficult to move to the frontier that we're actually on now.

People usually only come to this frontier when they have had a terrible loss in their life or they've been fired or some other trauma breaks open their story. Then they can't tell that story any more. But having spent so much time away from what is real, they hit present reality with such impact that they break apart on contact with the true circumstance. So the trick is to catch up with the conversation and stay with it —where am I now?—and not let ourselves become abstracted from what is actually occurring around us.

If you were a farmer, and you tried to harvest what belonged to the previous season, you'd exhaust yourself trying to bring it in when it's no longer there. Or attempting to gather fruit too early, too hard or too late and too ripe. A person must understand the conversation happening around them as early in the process as possible and then stay with it until it bears fruit.

photo from namastefromduluth.blogspot.com

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away by David Whyte: Question #2

2011-07-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is question #2 and I feel he really sums it up at the end: "What can I be wholehearted about now." That is a really immense question. We are so busy trying to *get* something else that we just don't pay attention to what we have *now*. We want to be able to the full expression of "that" pose, we want the job/house/car/entertainment system/computer/iPhone, we want... we want... we want... But what if we stopped and acknowledged what we have now? Can we find contentment by simply being in the present?

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away

By David Whyte

Oprah.com
June 15, 2011

2) What can I be wholehearted about?

So many of us aren't sure what we're meant to do. We wonder if we're simply doing what others are doing because we feel we don't have enough ideas or even enough strength of our own.

There was a time, many years ago, working at a nonprofit organization, trying to fix the world and finding the world didn't want to be fixed as quickly as I'd like, that I found myself exhausted, stressed and finally, after one particularly hard day, at the end of my tether, I went home and saw a bottle of fine red wine I had left out on the table that morning before I left. No, I did not drink it immediately, though I was tempted, but it reminded me that I was to have a very special guest that evening.

That guest was an Austrian friend, a Benedictine monk, Brother David Steindl-Rast, the nearest thing I had to a really wise person in my life at that time or at any time since. We would read German poetry together—he would translate the original text, I read the translations, all the while drinking the red wine. But I had my day on my mind, and the mind-numbing tiredness I was experiencing at work. I said suddenly, out of nowhere, almost beseechingly, "Brother David, speak to me of exhaustion. Tell me about exhaustion."

And then he said a life-changing thing. "You know," he said, "the antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest."

"What is it then?"

"The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness. You're so exhausted because you can't be wholehearted at what you're doing...because your real conversation with life is through poetry."

It was just the beginning of a long road that was to take my real work out into the world, but it was a beginning.

What do I care most about—in my vocation, in my family life, in my heart and mind? This is a conversation that we all must have with ourselves at every stage of our lives, a conversation that we so often don't want to have. We will get to it, we say, when the kids are grown, when there is enough money in the bank, when we are retired, perhaps when we are dead; it will be easier then. But we need to ask it now: What can I be wholehearted about now?

photo by scifiwithparika.blogspot.com

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away By David Whyte: Question 1

2011-06-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

This was forwarded to be by a friend and it really was too good not to share. However, it is too long to put on one posting, so I'm going to post the questions over the next week or so. Enjoy!

10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away

By David Whyte

Oprah.com
June 15, 2011

The thought-provoking poet David Whyte considers what we should be asking ourselves—especially when we least want to confront our own answers.

I still work with this idea. Questions that have no right to go away are those that have to do with the person we are about to become; they are conversations that will happen with or without our conscious participation. They almost always have something to do with how we might be more generous, more courageous, more present, more dedicated, and they also have something to do with timing: when we might step through the doorway into something bigger, better—both beyond ourselves and yet more of ourselves at the same time.

If we are sincere in asking, the eventual answer will give us both a sense of coming home to something we already know as well a sense of surprise—not unlike returning from a long journey to find an old friend sitting unexpectedly on the front step, as if she'd known, without ever being told, not only the exact time and date of your arrival but also your need to be welcomed back.

Here are my 10 Questions That Have No Right to Go Away.

1) Do I know how to have real conversation?

A real conversation always contains an invitation. You are inviting another person to reveal herself or himself to you, to tell you who they are or what they want. To do this requires vulnerability. Now we tend to think that vulnerability is associated with weakness, but there's a kind of robust vulnerability that can create a certain form of strength and presence too.

There are many tough conversations, but one of the most difficult is between a parent and an adolescent daughter, partly because as a parent we are almost always attempting to relate to someone who is no longer there. The parent therefore usually tries to start the conversation by offering a perspective that the daughter finds not only out of date but also unhelpful; the daughter then replies by way of defense with something just a shade more unhelpful, and so the process continues. A year or so ago, I found myself in exactly this dynamic, my daughter's bedroom door slamming shut just as I was just about to say that last, deeply satisfying unhelpful thing.

But I caught myself and said, "David, this isn't a real conversation. How do you make this a real conversation?" I gave it the old 10-minute cooldown time, walked into the kitchen, made tea and put out a tray, and on the tray: a plate of cookies, a milk pitcher, a cup and a saucer. Then I knocked on her door and said in a very different, more invitational voice, "Come on, Charlotte, I've made tea. Let's go and have a talk."

As soon as I put the tray down and we had sat next to each other, almost by accident I happened to say exactly the right thing—I said, "Charlotte, tell me one thing you'd like me to stop doing as a father. And tell me one thing you'd like me to do more of." She suddenly gazed up at me with a lovely look in her eyes, one I knew from her very early infancy. She was engaged again because at last I was really inviting her to tell me was who she had become—not who she had been or who I wanted her to be—but who she was now.

I apologize for being a yoga teacher...

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

...because I am flawed. And therefore, shouldn't teach yoga.

Perhaps I said something that didn't sit right with you.

Perhaps I didn't say Hello when you walked in.

Perhaps I suggested an adjustment that didn't work.

Perhaps I played some music that you didn't like.

Perhaps I did a sequence that was too hard/too easy one day or not what you wanted.

Perhaps I was the substitute instructor.

Perhaps I quoted a poem during savasana.

Perhaps I opened with a chant.

Perhaps I read a passage from the Bhagavad Gita and you are a devout Christian.

Perhaps I quoted a biblical saying and you are an Atheist.

Perhaps I have a physical disability and therefore cannot demonstrate every posture perfectly.

Perhaps I have an emotional disability, which you can't see, but you wonder about anyway.

Because obviously I'm not fit to teach yoga....

You judge me on all these things. Forgive me.

If you are a perfect instructor, please let me know, and I will humbly step aside and take my place in the rows of students to sit before you.

Focus Pose: Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Half Bound Lotus Standing Forward Fold)

2011-06-09T17:00:00.010-05:00

Another focus pose! This particular asana people love, or they hate. You are putting pressure on both knees, the hips, the shoulders are opening, while (maybe) adding a forward fold. Lots going on and depending on your anatomy, it either feels really good, or it’s agony in the making – in which case modifications are necessary! Please, listen to your body, it’s trying to tell you something.

While looking for some further details on this pose - which comes after Hand To Big Toe (Utthita Hasta Padangustasana) and before Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)in the Ashtanga sequence - I came across this article from Yoga Journal as written by Beryl Bender Birch: Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

In 2005 I went to a workshop conducted by David Williams – he skipped this one completely with the reasoning that most people dislike the whole balance/twisting/bending aspect so why do it standing at all when you are just going to repeat it in 10 minutes on the floor in seated variation? Interesting point.

Yet, it’s a good pose to know. If you are a cyclist, an endurance athlete, runner or triathlete, it's a great way to stretch the hip. I love doing this stretch after Spin class or a long ride.

Half Bound Lotus Standing Forward Fold

(From the Ashtanga sequence)

You’ve just finished Side B of Hand to Big Toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangustasana) in your variation and returned to samasthti at the front of your mat.

Press your LEFT foot toward the earth.

INHALE, bring your RIGHT foot toward your left hip flexor:

NOTE: I cue “toward” your left hip flexor. Please listen to your knees and hips. If such an extreme flexion is not appropriate for you, take Tree Pose (Vrksasana), or a Standing Pigeon Variation.Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

Level 1: Standing Pigeon or Tree Pose

Level 2: Tuck heel in toward hip flexor, grasp foot with left hand underneath, wrap right arm around behind. Maybe you’ll grab your elbow, maybe forearm, maybe wrist.

Level 3: With heel tucked in, right hand is grabbing right toes.

Level 4: IF RIGHT hand is grabbing RIGHT toes, begin to experiment with forward fold on an EXHALE. IF forward folding, over time, start to walk left hand back toward left foot.

Hold for 5 breaths.

Two ways to exit:

A) INHALE - look up EXHALE – pause INHALE – bending supporting knee slightly, come to standing

B) INHALE all the way to standing.

Both places, EXHALE to samasthti.

Repeat LEFT side.

This is another pose where there is some deviation in what to do with the arms. One variation has the practitioner keeping the opposite hand at the hip. The other variation has the practitioner raising the arm over head and keeping it extended as they forward fold. Which variation you do will depend on when your instructor learned the pose, and who they learned it from. Either arm position is correct.

Bent knee – try and keep the bent knee pointing somewhat down toward the Earth and not jutting out toward the side. Again, how you are built will dictate where in space your knee is.

Some contraindications:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! IF you have had knee surgery, knee issues, hip surgery or hip issues modify modify modify!

If forward folding, try not to hyper extend the supporting knee. Be careful exiting the pose – bend the supporting knee. Engage your core.

Do the same thing on BOTH sides. If you keep working toward your strong side, your weak/injured side will not have a chance to catch up, and you will create an imbalance in your body. Modify the same on both sides to achieve equilibrium, then move forward from there.

Alternatively, do tree pose (Vrksasana) standing, and work on the nuances of the pose when you come to it in the seated sequence. When you feel comfortable with your balance, then start to build from there.

And because a video can convey so much more:

Namaste!

Pictures taken from the web by Googling ardha baddha padmottansana. Video is from YouTube.

Grieving

2011-05-13T15:57:00.001-05:00

Last weekend The Husband and I were faced with the decision and need to put our beloved Kia-dog down. I had taken both dogs in for their annual check-ups, thinking she had gastritis, upset tummy, or perhaps had swallowed something she shouldn’t have (she was a lab…). They sent me home with Pepcid AC. Four days later she stopped eating and I took her back in for x-rays. It was a shock to find out she had a partially collapsed lung and fluid in her abdominal cavity which was putting pressure on her stomach – hence the lack of appetite – but no discernible mass could be found. This time I went home with steroids and painkillers which were supposed to help with appetite. I consulted a specialist on Wednesday and we sent a fluid sample off to the lab to determine what kind of cancer and explore treatment options. Late Friday night/very early Saturday morning, her breathing had changed for the worse and we knew it was time to let her soul go.

This was perhaps one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make – and looking back at that week of vet visits – I think both Kia and I knew the end was coming. For the week prior- as her health rapidly deteriorated - I was up with her in the middle of the night, listening to her shift around on her pillow, for slight changes in her breath that told me she was laying on the uncomfortable side, for a quiet polite whine to let me know she wanted to be outside where it was cooler.

I grieved in the darkness.

I wrote her blog Memoriam.

And we said our good-byes.

Grieving is such a personal thing. I felt I was really able to draw on my eastern philosophy lessons and readings (yogic and Buddhist); that everything is impermanent, we control nothing, and the concept of aparigraha (non-attachment) of which Hilary talks about today on Life on Riverview Street (coincidence? I don’t believe so). I re-read Linda-Sama’s posting: Today is A Good Day to Die and took comfort in her words. Kia was so very dear to me, and it was easier for me to understand her passing from this plane into the next existence by drawing strength from what I’ve learned. I can talk about her passing, I can rejoice in the time she gave me, and derive delight in listening to stories others had about her.

May her rebirth be fortuitous.

Kia 1999-2011

It's Okay to be Alone

2011-04-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

I recently read a newsy blurb on 7 Reasons Why it's Okay to be Alone on a Saturday Night.
based off of an excerpt from a post by Erin Meanley, who writes for the Glamour.com love and relationships blog, Smitten. Granted, this was geared toward women, but I couldn't see a reason why it shouldn't apply to everyone.

Then I got to thinking, this is a good idea all around. For some of us, this comes very naturally. We love the downtime 'being alone' offers. We're not beholden to anyone, we don't have to 'go with the flow', we don't have to 'put on our game face'. We can just 'be'.

So taking inspiration from Ms. Meanley list, here's one for us:

1. (This is from Erin's list, a good place to start) You are making yourself a more desirable person.
Take this time-out to recharge your batteries...make yourself happy. When you understand your own feelings and behavior, or you do things to please yourself, you're more likely to be a pleasure to be around.

2. You can take the opportunity to try new foods and meals without spousal, familial, or peer pressure.
Most of us have been here - a new drink, food, or dish has caught our attention. But the family/spouse/friends just don't understand why you would ever want to try "it". Now is your opportunity to indulge. And by trying new foods we keep the taste buds happy and the mind open to new experiences.

3. Tackle unfinished projects.
Erin's blog notes: Get up...and accomplish something that will make you feel confident or productive. You could go to the gym, a church service..., or even tackle some long neglected craft project or household project. Maybe a book has been clamoring for attention - grab a cuppa and head out to the porch for a little quiet time.

4. Go for a long walk, bike ride, or do a morning asana practice and meditation.
Stay active and healthy while giving the mind a break.

5. (Erin's blog) Remember that you are choosing some reflective time! You're not being sidelined. You're not being lazy. You're not unpopular. You could find something to do or invite someone somewhere if you really wanted to. And don't let people make you feel guilty — I hate guilt trips. Sometimes you just can't! This was your choice. You're the boss. Now own it.

If you think you're not doing enough, you're just creating stress for yourself, and people pick up on that. So relax. Put up your feet. If it makes you feel better, [plan out your downtime].

Conversely, perhaps you've been spending a lot of time by yourself. For instance, the Husband was deployed twice overseas, totalling three years. It was just me and my hounds. This was a good time for me to reconnect with acquaintances: Saturday morning yoga social; Saturday lunches with a good friend; book group; snowshoeing and dinner with another friend; organized group hikes in the summer time; and biking with my 'team'.

It's all about finding balance and moderation in our daily lives.

So how do you find time to recharge your batteries?

Matthew Sweeny

Vinyasa Immersion Retreat, April 8-9 Camp, Amnicon

2011-04-15T15:30:00.000-05:00

I've had a busy week and just now trying to catch up on this post! This past weekend I held a Vinyasa Immersion Retreat at Camp Amnicon on Lake Superior just outside of Superior,Wisconsin. This was held through Yoga North Studio.

The retreat ran from about 6 pm on Friday to 5pm on Saturday. We were warmly greeted by our hosts Kellie and Matt, and Kellie ran us through the facilities orientation and familiarised us with the buildings and grounds. They had set out a table with hot cider, hot water for tea and cocoa. Our group brought the Friday evening snacks.

There were six enthusiastic attendees. After orientation we dug into the snacks and started out with an introduction to the Bhagavad Gita. We discussed terminology, cast of characters, the setting and some of the history behind this work. This also gave us the opportunity to digest the great munchies everyone brought: olive tapanade, homemade flatbread, fresh fruit, fresh baked ginger cake, hummus, veggies...yoga folks know how to eat! That's for sure.

Wrapping up our introduction to the Bhagavad Gita, we then segwayed into a restorative vinyasa sequence. While it seems contradictory, it is possible to do a very gentle, relaxing flow. This prepared the group for an introduction (for some) to meditation in the yogic tradition and some breathwork. By the end of the hour and a half/two hours, the group was smiling contentedly and we ended up just sitting around talking until nearly 11:30p.

Saturday morning started out with an invigorating vinyasa practice and a few moments of sitting in stillness. Then it was off to brunch as provided by Camp Amnicon. What a fantastic spread! Potato frittata, fresh fruit, English muffins, grapefruit, yogurt, granola...nobody went away hungry. We reconvened after brunch and picked up on our Bhagavad Gita introduction for another hour or so. Then the group had an hour and a half of downtime to walk the trails, gaze over Lake Superior, nap, or just veg out.

In the afternoon, the session was opened to the group for technique class, and they got to pick what they wanted to work on. We covered such things as plank pose, upward facing bow pose variations, tippy-toe fish pose, childs pose with a partner, tripod headstand and crane pose; at least that is what I can remember off the top of my head. I don't know about the rest of the group, but my arms felt all that isolation work the next day! We ended the session with an introduction to a guided Buddhist meditation to demonstrate the subtle difference between the two styles. Which also had the purpose of showing folks that there are different ways to meditate so if one style isn't working for you, try something else.

This brought us up to the evening meal, packing and our karma chore. We wrapped up the session by sitting together and just reviewing the weekend. It is our intent to try and carry on the "Gita" discussion beyond the workshop, so we'll see how that goes.

It was a lovely weekend with a great group of people. Thank you!

Vinyasa Immersion Retreat; Camp Amnicon, WI

2011-03-30T12:00:00.002-05:00

Vinyasa Immersion Retreat

April 8th-9th, 2011
with Yoga North @ Camp Amnicon

led by Kristin

$138.00 lodging and meals included

Workshop will run from 5:30pm on Friday to 6pm on Saturday. Join Kristin as she leads a retreat focusing on vinyasa, pranayama, meditation & a discussion on the Bhagavad Gita at Camp Amnicon. Suitable for all levels.

Friday night will be a gentle restorative flow followed by philosophy discussion. Saturday morning will be an invigorating morning practice followed by brunch. Afternoon will be technique and further discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. There will be scheduled downtime for reflection or deep relaxation.

Please read or review the Bhagavad Gita before coming.

Contact: Yoga North, Duluth to register.
Camp Amnicon is located in South Range, WI-- just 30 minutes from Duluth.

Less is More ala Teaching

2011-03-19T08:45:00.002-05:00

I have a very dedicated group of individuals in my Monday Astanga class, and I try to be cognizant that sometimes they too need a break from the same routine every. single. Monday. Yes, yes, I am very well aware that Traditional Astanga is done six days a week, minus full moon/new moon days. I fully admit I do what I call a Contemporary Astanga - the full sequence, less Sanskrit counting, and no chanting. Those items would not (and have not) gone over well up here. I've attempted introducing a Mysore class and I have been met with great resistance and a fair amount of groaning and eye rolling. Note to self: don't irritate the students. I would like them to come back...

picture from the web

Recently, the group was smaller than usual; blame daylight savings and spring in Northern MN. Folks want to be outside after work, not in a studio. It was all folks who have been with me for well over a year if not longer. A good opportunity to do something different. We slid our mats so two rows were facing in and began...

We started our sun salutations, and I joined the group with the intent of just warming myself up before moving into the standing sequence. I've very hands off in the first five sunsalutations as it is - that is for the individual to settle into class in my opinion. Not for me to run around yammering at how they are doing this or that wrong. This night, I only cued the inhales and exhales. We moved. We flowed. It was...fantastic.

In 'teacher mode' I do very little "hands on" adjustments; flow class doesn't lend itself to a lot of hands on breaking down on an individual basis. However, I do a LOT of verbal cuing. Or verbal cuing with a visual demo. Which means, I tend to talk a fair amount in class. Tonight would be: Less Talking, More Moving.

I decided to keep going, just cue minimal as possible and let people move. This group knows when to take modification.  I wasn't worried. Let them enjoy what it feels like to expand as they come up, and to fold mindfully, to spread their wings in warrior II, to move through a vinyasa, to switch sides without waiting for my cue to say "and now the left food moves..."

It was difficult for me to not talk so much, but the concentration I felt in the room was wonderful. People were focusing on their breath, less on the person next to them, even less on what I was doing because I wasn't standing at the front watching them like a hawk. They were just moving and breathing. As it should be.

We did pause briefly to work on two poses, but it didn't seem to interrupt either flow or mindfulness. We had time at the end for a full headstand, long savasana and meditation. Rarely do we get to do mediation; I'm usually pushing a 5 minute savasana as it is and not infrequently I need to omit headstand to keep class on time.

The look on their faces at the end was delightful - the contented smiles as they said Namaste to the people across from them.   What has been even better are the postitve comments I've been hearing since then. One gal admitted to me that this was the first time she had seen me do the sequence in the three years she's been coming to class. I thought, there is a lesson for me; maybe some folks need to know on occasion that I can do more than stand up in front of class and talk and strike a pose.

So Less can be More in teaching as well.

Focus Pose - Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose)

2011-03-01T11:30:00.001-06:00

So it’s been a while since I reviewed a pose…over a year in fact. For those of you who may be newer to my blog, it was my intent ever so long ago to work my way through the poses of the Primary (Astanga) Sequence in order as best as possible, and to initiate some discussion on each. Somewhere my intent fell by the wayside, but I’m going to try and bring this aspect back. The poses and sequence are based off of my initial Astanga Teacher Training from 2004, as taught by David Swenson. I am aware there are variations in this sequence depending on who your instructor is/was and when in time you learned it.

Here is a list of the poses I’ve done previously (see also "focus poses" in the tags):

Padangushasana and Padahastasana (Standing Forward Fold)

Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle)

Parsvottanasan (Pyramid)

Virabhadrasana II

Virabhadrasana III

If you are a practitioner of the Astanga (also spelled Ashtanga) sequence, we are now moving into our balance poses. The first of the two is Utthita Hasta Padangusthasa - Hand to Big Toe pose or Hand to Knee pose, depending on your abilities.
From Parsvottanasana (pyramid), we have returned to samasthti at the front of our mat.

Find your anchor in your left foot by pressing it actively into the floor. Left hand at the waist or hip. We do not lift our hand in this variation. Shift your weight to your left side.

On an INHALE, raise right leg.

NOTE! There are four levels or four rungs in your ladder to work with here, and it is important in all levels to keep your “tree trunk” (torso) upright. If you are bending over to just to “get” the next level, please, straighten your torso and come down one level.

Level 3
photo: yogaartandscience.com

Level 2
photo: yogaartandscience.com

Level one: right hand to right knee

Level two: right hand to toes (inside the leg) begin to work on straightening from here.

Level three: mostly straight to straight leg

Level four: (only if your extended leg is straight) add a forward fold.

5 breaths

On an INHALE (if folding), straighten.

EXHALE, open the leg to the right. If in a level 2/3, some folks may need to revert to a level 1 or bent knee position here, or level 2/fingers to toes with a bent knee.

5 breaths

INHALE - bring leg back to front all levels.

EXHALE – raise the knee toward the chest OR Raise the toes higher OR Reach down with both hands and lift the leg higher.

NOTE: There are three variations for this aspect of the pose. I am referring to the variation as I was taught the sequence.

5 breaths

INHALE straighten and exhale, let go of the leg. Working either with bent leg or straight, hold the toes as high off the ground as comfortable for you.

5 breaths

EXHALE release leg to the floor.

Repeat Left Side.

Return to samasthti

Tips and pointers:

Many people find this to be a very challenging balance pose. Several items will help in maintaining stability and steadfastness:

1) Dristhti – traditional drishti is somewhere out in front of your nose. I find the floor works better for me, as then I can more readily ‘ignore’ the people around me. If you are watching others and they start to wobble, so shall you.

2) Engage your core! Use uddyanda bandha here! A lot of this pose comes from your center.

3) Press actively into your supporting foot while trying to touch the ceiling with the crown of your head.

4) Relax your shoulders!

5) And, again, try and avoid the tendency to “hunch over” to get the leg straighter.

6) For folks with flexy-bendy hips, try and avoid the tendency to “hitch the hip” upward on the opening side. Try to keep the hips parallel and open organically.

7) BREATHE! :)

Benefits
• Strengthens the legs and ankles
• Stretches the backs of the legs
• Engages the core
• Improves balance

Bonus! While searching for appropriate photo's I could use, I came across this lovely clip on YouTube Ashtanga Primary Series with Maria Villella:

Pictures from googling: Utthita Hasta Padangustasana and from yogaartandscience.com

Challanges and Being Present

2011-02-18T09:00:00.006-06:00

A class attendee commented to me that my posts have been a bit slow of late, and I readily agreed. It's been a bit difficult lately to find inspiration both to blog and for class. I'm chalking it up to the winter doldrums - that time of winter when it becomes hard to do winter activities because the snow has gone to crap but it's too early to start spring activities like biking because, well, the roads are crap.

However, I have been cogitating on this recent post by Poep Sa (Dharma Teacher) Frank Jude Buccio on Mindfulness Yoga: the February Daily Practice - Right Communication.

Now, let me admit right off the bat I absolutely, completely, and utterly detest, anything that involves a 30 day or 40 day practice. Loathe might be a better description. This applies to "journaling" as well. This just a personal quirk and I acknowledge that.

But...this one intrigued me.

Poep Sa notes in one paragraph (full post linked to above):
First, let’s review Telephone Meditation. For many of us, the phone is at times a distraction, at times a task-master and oppressor. When the phone rings, many of us have been conditioned to jump and answer on the first ring. Yet, we often find ourselves distracted during the phone conversation when we do so, because we haven’t stopped or turned away from what we had been doing when the phone rang, and we aren’t really fully present to the person on the other end of the line. We are caught in a kind of in-between place, and whenever we have called someone who is in a similar situation, we can find ourselves irritated with the half-hearted attention we are getting from the person we called.

Oh so true! So true! What I find fascinating is, I can easily ignore the phone at home and - most of the time the computer as well. Work...eh...not a good place to be ignoring either, but I do find that I will be talking to someone and still be working on the computer, neither task nor person getting my full attention.

I also find I have a tendency to "Ping". By this I mean I will - much like a ping-pong ball - bounce from thing to thing. E-mail alert! I ping over to read it, start to answer, then Ping! I bounce back to what I was working on before...Ping! I forgot I wanted to finish this task over here...Ping! Well, you get the idea. Nothing is really getting my complete attention for very long and I'm very fragmented in my tasks. Everything still gets done, but, it's...fragmented. I have grown tired of being so easily distracted.

Poep Sa goes on to recommend:
So, next time the phone rings, stop what you are doing, and take a breath or two or three, depending on how slowly you breathe. Just stop, breathe in, breathe out, mindfully pick up the phone and answer. You will be offering your full presence to whomever has called. You will have stopped being a slave to the phone.

The practice is similar whenever we hear our phone signal that we’ve received a text message, or when our computer ‘pings’ the arrival of an e-mail. Stop what you’re doing, take three breaths and then read the message or e-mail. Again, you will be more fully present, undistracted, and free.

So, instead of making this a designated "30 day challenge" my goal is to try and be aware of my "multi-tasking" on a daily basis. Period.

To try to be aware and in the present moment when I talk to someone on the phone or e-mail them. I have been on the receiving end of someone who is more interested in watching TV or is on the computer than talking to me, even if they initiated the call, and I understand what a poor impression it can make.

To try to be aware and in the present moment as I move from task to task. Finish one to completion, then move on.

To try to be aware and in the present moment, to, as recommended, Stop what you’re doing, take three breaths and then read the message or e-mail. Again, you will be more fully present, undistracted, and free.

So far, while I'm not there 100% yet, I am becoming more aware of my actions, and it's when I'm aware of my actions that I feel I can take those few breaths, ground and center, and become more present. I'll try and remember to let you know how it goes.

Instructor discussion - student needs

2011-02-04T09:45:00.001-06:00

I wasn't sure how to title this post. I also wasn't sure if I even wanted to bring this up, but if it has happened to me, perhaps it has happened to someone else out in blog world and I can solicit some advise.

How, as an instructor, can I accommodate a special needs or challenged student within the parameters of the class structure in which I am already teaching?

The Class - I lead two vinyasa/power yoga classes a week at my local YMCA. I have been here for three years, and on any given day we have mixed group (beginners, regulars, drop-ins, experienced practitioners) numbering between oh, 12 and 20 attendees. Lately closer to 20.

The Situation - I get new people all the time. Some just try it out, some end up staying. Sometimes I recommend one of the other yoga classes offered (Hatha, Sivananda, Yin). Recently, I had a new student come, never done yoga but claims to have done ballet and jazz. I realized immediately that they were very much out of their element, even with specific cuing, and hands-on demonstrating. I talked to them after class and recommended a different session but due to bus schedules, it won't work.

The Concern - This individual has a difficult time listening and processing cues, very poor eye to body coordination (cannot look at the person next to them/across from them and mimic the pose), and is usually about two poses behind, which I strongly suspect is due more to thought process than ability. I cannot give them the one-one instruction they need without compromising the flow of class and the other students.

Lately I've been doing "technique flow" (as I call it - my way of integrating technique into vinyasa class; always good to review basics) but it doesn't seem to be helping. This past week I put the students into a wide stance forward fold, left hand on the floor under your nose, raise right hand toward the ceiling. This student called me over because they "didn't get it".   They didn't understand the cue, even with 15 people to watch.    I'm not sure I could have made it any more clear?

So, before I loose my patience (which I know is not very yogic of me), how can I accommodate both student AND the rest of class?

Suggestions? Tips?

In gratitude....

Instructor Suggestions

2011-01-11T11:11:00.020-06:00

It only seems fair to have a Teacher Do and Don’t list after the previous posting. While some of these seem obvious, perhaps even redundant, sometimes a reminder is good. The studio I attend and lead classes at offers this acronym to its teachers and teacher trainees: A.S.S. Make the student(s) feel Accepted, Supported, and Safe.

I created this list from my personal experience, from talking to other teachers and students, and what I like to experience when I go to other studios. It’s by no means an all-inclusive list. Feel free to add any suggestions; I’m all for making a visit to a studio - be it the first time or the 100th time - personable and enjoyable.

Yoga Teacher Do’s and Don’t’s

1) Do try and make all students feel welcome. While it is fun and comfortable to chat with the regulars and catch up on the week, excuse yourself to talk to others. Try and include the quiet and shy ones.

2) Do introduce yourself to new/new-to-you** students, explain what the class will be like, and where the bathrooms/props are located.

3) Ask new/new-to-you students what yoga or exercise experience they bring to class; at the same time, ask if they have any injuries you should be aware of.

4) Do try and learn all the student’s names. Sign them in yourself, if you can, which is a great way to match name to face.

5) Do have the students introduce themselves to others at the start of a new session or when you seem to have an influx of new faces. I like to have them pair up, as a group question such as what is your favorite dessert, then introduce them to the whole class.

6) Class is not the time for your practice.

7) Show ALL levels of the pose. Try not to move into an advanced version of an asana if no one in your class is working there. That's just showing off.

7) Offer encouragement to a student if they look like they are flagging. Offer alternative poses to a student if they look like they are struggling. Please, do not tell that student in the middle of class that they “don’t seem to be making an effort and should perhaps not be in this class” (true story).

8) Try not to over-adjust new/new-to-you students. It is thrilling to have new faces, but at the same time just being in a new class may be overwhelming to them. Offer one or two suggestions and let them be – unless! They are doing something unsafe.

9) Please, don’t over-do the incense. Not everyone likes the smell and it can be a real turn-off. It can also be a detriment to anyone who is scent-sensitive. While I’m not scent-sensitive, when I walk into a studio that has four sticks of incense burning away in the front of a closed room, I tend to gravitate to the spot where I can get any kind of air movement that cuts the cloying smell. Not fun. Especially when I’ve paid for the session and can’t leave.

10) Please, don’t play the music too loud during Savasana. Internal reflection is hard when the chest cavity is thrumbing to Deval Premal’s latest.

11) Thank the whole class for coming. They made the time and effort to be there – something we should not take for granted. If possible, check in with new students after class and inquire how class went for them.

(**new students = new to the studio, you have not seen how they move before; new-to-you = you've seen them around the studio, or in other classes in a gym setting, you have an idea how they move)

photos from YogaJournal.com

New Year Reminders

2011-01-02T10:00:00.001-06:00

A new year tends to also bring new students. This is a great time to gently remind the regulars and start our new students off on the right foot with some class basics. Don't assume everyone knows proper class etiquette or mat basics. If possible, post the list in a spot where people can read it while waiting for class to start.

Yoga Class Dos and Don'ts

By Tim Noworyta (YogaJournal.com)

Picture from freeyogapictures.com

Here are some ways to get more out of the yoga classes you attend:

DO arrive early. Getting to class about 10 minutes early can help you settle in and align your attitude with the purpose of the class. While you're waiting you can practice a pose, do a few stretches, or just sit or lie quietly, breathe, and get centered.

DON'T eat for two or three hours before class. If you practice yoga on a full stomach, you might experience cramps, nausea, or vomiting, especially in twists, deep forward bends, and inversions. Digesting food also takes energy that can make you lethargic.

DO let your teacher know about injuries or conditions that might affect your practice. If you are injured or tired, skip poses you can't or shouldn't do, or try a modified version.

DO create an intention. To help you focus, you might find it helpful to dedicate your practice to a certain intention. This might be to become more aware and understanding, more loving and compassionate, or healthier, stronger, and more skillful. Or it might be for the benefit of a friend, a cause—or even yourself.

DON'T bring pagers or cell phones to class. Leave socializing and business outside the studio, so the peace of the practice is not disturbed.

DO be quiet. It's great to share a class with people you know, but it can be distracting to yourself and others to have an extended or loud conversation.

DO bring a towel or your own mat if you sweat a lot, and arrive clean and free of scents that might distract or offend others.

DON'T push it. Instead of trying to go as deeply or completely into a pose as others might be able to do, do what you can without straining or injuring yourself. You'll go farther faster if you take a loving attitude toward yourself and work from where you are, not from where you think you should be.

DO pick up and neatly put away any props you use.

[If possible] DON'T enter class late or leave early; it's disruptive to others.

DO take time afterwards to think about what you did in class, so you can retain what you learned. Review the poses you practiced, and note any instructions that particularly made sense. Even if you remember just one thing from each class, you'll soon have a lot of information that can deepen your own personal practice.

I'd like to add, that some of the above needs to be tempered by reality - ie, where you teach may play a huge part. For those of us who teach in a gym setting or with a community ed program, you probably will have people coming in late and leaving early. I try to accommodate the latecomers by having space available so students already grounded will not have to move their mats around. Often easier said than done, some people just don't like to move their mat once settled. Ask people to roll mats out quietly rather than with that rushed "smack!".

Same for people leaving early. This may be their only opportunity to attend a yoga class, and all they have is that one hour for lunch. That means 10 minutes to change, 40 minutes for class, 10 minutes to shower/change and return to work. Not much time.

And I can't emphasise prop cleanliness enough. Please stress to students to clean the borrowed mats off. Even better, encourage students if possible to obtain their own mat.

If you have any other observations, please share! We're all in this together...

Picture from yogajournal.com

In Graditude; Thank You; Namaste

2010-12-28T10:30:00.003-06:00

If the only prayer you ever say is Thank You, that will suffice. (Meister Eckart)

Unspoken gratitude does no one any good. (Church sign)

I’ve been pondering what I wanted to talk about for my final post for 2010. Class structure perhaps? Class dynamics? Pontificate on how my year has been (which I did over on my other blog). But the answer came to me after my Karma Ashtanga Session last night – to simply say thank you.

The studio I attend and lead classes at takes two weeks off three times a year. Usually my Monday night class ends up being off for three weeks because there is a holiday in there somewhere that typically lands on a Monday. This break I made the suggestion to do a Karma class: I would donate my time and class would be a flat rate – no punch cards or season passes. Monies raised would go to a local food shelf.

It was a delightful success for our studio! The students seemed pleased to have the opportunity to practice over break, the studio was pleased, and I was thankful and grateful at the support. I don’t know how much we raised, it wasn’t a HUGE amount, but it was enough that it will make a small difference.

Isn’t that what it’s about? Making small changes for the better that eventually add up? I like to believe it is.

And so, here at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, I’d like to say Thank You! To everyone who has taken the time to read and comment on my humble blog, to say Namaste to those of you who come to my classes and join together in community, and to express my gratitude to the universe as a whole. I look forward to seeing what 2011 will bring.

Shanti

Namaste

Picture from Free Yoga Pictures

Monday Humor: You've met them all...

2010-12-13T10:00:00.002-06:00

From YogiClareBear's Blog, via Julia Lee's Blog. A touch of humor for Monday.

10 characters you may encounter in yoga class:
1. “The warrior” – The fellow to the left of you begins to take ujjayi breathing to the next level. You know how teachers will say, “Make your breath sound like the ocean at the back of your throat”? Well, now you feel like you’re at the beach…in the middle of a typhoon.

2. “The invader” – The person to the right of you places their mat directly beside yours, with not even an inch of room. Your hands are constantly brushing against one another awkwardly as you move through Sun Salutations. You take a step forward, hoping to stagger yourself against them. They take a step forward. You take a step back. They take a step back. You give up and resign yourself to whispering “sorry” throughout class as various body parts continue to make contact.

3. “The grunter” – The fellow behind you with very tight hips and hamstrings will grunt and moan loudly as he moves from one position to another. “Unhhhhh,” he cries. “Ahhhh,” he moans. You feel uncomfortable as you splay into a wide-legged forward bend.

4. “The show-off” – The girl in front of you, a former gymnast and ballerina, springs deftly into full splits with ease and grace. She gazes around the room, smiling sympathetically at those who can barely spread their legs at all (also ensuring that everyone has noticed her and her perky bun). You stare at her coldly as your sweaty hands fumble to support yourself with blocks.

5. “The freestyler” – The woman in the corner pays no mind to the teacher’s instruction. She hangs passively in a forward bend as the rest of you suckers struggle through a core series. She deftly moves into headstand as everyone else swivels into Trikonasana. You can’t help but stare.

6. “The hoarder” – This man waits by the practice room door 20 minutes before class begins to make sure that he can dart in and grab his goodies. He immediately snags a bolster, four blocks, two straps, and three blankets and stockpiles them – fortress-style – around his mat, leaving limited supply for the rest of the class. You stare sadly at your one, “well-worn” block.

7. “The au-naturale” – This boy has committed himself to an eco-friendly lifestyle, meaning he shaves once every two weeks and refuses to use deodorant. His hands are stained with soil from planting trees before class and he emits a natural, “earthy” scent. Sweat begins to dampen his hemp shirt. You hold your breath and vow to submit an anonymous submission to the suggestion box after class.

8. “The talker” – This woman turns to you in Downward Dog and begins to tell you about the day she’s had. Can you believe she was late for work in the morning because her kids didn’t want to eat breakfast? She sneaks in a few words every chance she gets, leaving you feeling like the bad kid in high school who passed notes behind the teacher’s back.

9. “The latecomer” – The door opens halfway through class and in comes the latecomer. She saunters to the front of the room and asks you to move over so she can have some space. She then proceeds to slap her mat down loudly and let out a loud sigh as she settles onto her back. The teacher smiles at her graciously as she joins the rest of you. You feel anything but gracious inside.

10. “The mat man” – This man needs to place his mat in the exact same spot every single time. Much like the hoarder, he will hover anxiously outside the door to ensure that he can rush into the room and place his mat directly in front of the door, for the “best ventilation”. You have become accustomed to stepping around him as you enter class.

New Gita Discussion!

2010-12-03T16:00:00.000-06:00

Bob is refering to this version of the Gita, but any will work.

Earlier this year there was a great on-line discussion regarding the Bhagavad Gita over on Yoga Demystified via Elephant Journal: what was it, some themes, and thoughts and clarifications. Bob Weisenberg did a fantastic job moderating and guiding the conversation.

Well guess what! He's back with another thematic look at this amazing text. They are about 4 weeks in (my apologies for finding this late), but the past discussion are just facinating as the current.

Please, if you have some time, stop over and check it out. There is really a lot of great wisdom being shared.

New to Me - Sivananda Style

2010-12-01T10:00:00.020-06:00

I had the opportunity this morning, to try a new style of yoga: Sivananda Yoga; as taught by Thomas N of Duluth at the local YMCA.

From wikipedia.com: Sivananda Yoga, after teachings of Swami Sivananda, is a non-proprietary form of hatha yoga in which the training focuses on preserving the health and wellness of the practitioner. Sivananda Yoga teachers are all graduates of the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course, and students widely range in age and degrees of ability. Unlike Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga's more athletic program involving Bandhas, Sivananda training revolves around frequent relaxation, and emphasizes full, yogic breathing.

The Sivananda training system aims to retain the vitality of the body, retard the decaying process, and decrease chance of disease, by simply and naturally cultivating the body. The system philosophies are summarized in 5 principles.

Five points of Yoga
Proper breathing: Pranayama
Exercise: Asanas
Relaxation: Savasana
Diet: Vegetarian. A yogic diet is encouraged, limited to sattvic foods, void of rajasic foods as well as tamasic foods
Positive thinking and meditation: Vedanta and Dhyana

A session of training typically starts with every practitioner resting in Savasana, and begin with Kapalabhati and Anuloma Viloma, preceding rounds of Sūrya namaskāra, before the standard program of the 12 basic asanas. A session averages 90 minutes, and the traditional program may be followed flexibly by the instructor, allowing for some variation.

The description above, pretty much sums the session as I experienced it and for my A-type personality, strong Ashtanga/Vinyasa inclination, go-go-go mentality, this was exactly what I needed. Class unfortunately was only 1 hour, and seriously, I could have used a full hour and a half. I enjoyed the pranyama, sitting reflectively in a quiet - somewhat dark - room, I loved the seamless integration of philosphy and anatomy tidbits into the session. I know we didn't get to everything as this was only the second session and there was background info to be touched on, but with time I suspect more will be incorporated. I hope to make future sessions (weather permitting!).

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:00:00.002-06:00

If the only prayer you ever said was Thank You, it would suffice.

Meister Eckhart

Find Gratitude All Year Round.

A Childs Song

2010-11-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

Remember this one? I won't make you do the little hand motions that go with it. Maybe you've been singing it to your little ones.

Head Fingers Knees and Toes

Knees and Toes

Head Fingers Knees and Toes

Knees and Toes!

Eyes and Ears and Mouth and Nose

Head Fingers Knees and Toes!

Knees and Toes!

I was contemplating how applicable this simple song is for a yoga practice:

Are the head and neck relaxed? Fingers active? Are the knees slightly bent to prevent hyper extension or to relieve pressure on the hamstrings? Are the toes gripping or lightly floating?

Are the eyes turned inward? Are the ears open to listen? Mouth closed for ujjayi breath? Breath moving in and out of the nose.

I sometimes have folks sing Row Row Row Your Boat during Navasana...I could shake things up by singing this one instead...

Either way, what a fun way to remember to do a full systems check in each posture.

Guest Instructor: Tanya Sowards, Devanadi Yoga Studio, Minneapolis, MN

2010-10-24T12:00:00.011-05:00

The ever lovely Tanya was back in Duluth for another weekend intensive. Tanya is a beautiful, dynamic soul steeped in this rich tradition. She does an amazing job of incorporating vinyasa and philosophy to round out each session.

Friday night: Sankalpas: What is your life purpose?
In this workshop, we broke down some yogic terminology to facilitate understanding of how we can move forward out of our habits, whatever they are, big or small. We discussed:

Sankalpa Shakti - the creative powerful life force that embodies the power and will do this one thing (one thing being discarding or changing an unhealthy habit or samskara).

Vikalpa Shakti - anything that takes you away from something you want to do, that which makes you feel fragmented. Scattered energy.

Shradda - your faith. You are the size of your "shradda" or faith.

Purosharta - the four desires of the soul (artha, kama, dharma, and moksha)

We listened, noted where we wanted to work, did a gentle moon sequence in they Himalayan Tradition followed buy a guided meditation, and then in small groups worked on identifying our Sankalpa.

If you desire a different destiny,

you have to desire something different

than what lead you to where you currently are.

Saturday: Rocket Series. we reconvened bright and early at 9am to breakdown and work on the Rocket Series. Tanya introduced this sequence to us, as she learned it from Larry Shultz, of It's Yoga, San Francisco, about three years ago. A core group of us have been plugging away at learning this sequence, ever challenged by the arm balances, twisting, and back bending involved.

This morning we worked on:
jumping forward - use those knees and toes!

chataranga - elbows no more than 90*! Protect those shoulders!

toe flips - flipping foot at a time can create an imbalance in the SI and lower back, especially for women (Ah HA!), so either come all the way to knees and flip, or roll over on toes - if appropriate.

Pincha Mayurasana (forearm balance) - work on one leg at a time; similar to the "rolling" up in headstand with bent legs.

Supta Virasana (reclined hero) - tuck the tailbone under as you come back.

And while doing any arm balance, think of the heart center coming forward to extend through crown of head and tail bone.

In the afternoon we came back for an Inner Fire sequence, where we had a half hour lecture, learned the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, did a warming sequence focusing on the abdomen through twists and breath work including agnisara, pratyoma (alternate nostril with ujjayi breath) and pranadharma (positive breath) using bhastrika following the chakras.

Agni - Fire of the abdomen

comprised of Jathara Agni - stomach fire/fire of the digestive system/physical manifestation
and Bhuta Agni - fire of discrimination/spiritual fire, fire of samskara's and impressions.

I admit, I left worn out and tired! It was a lot of shoulder work with emphasis on the abdomen and lower back. I was glad I lived in town and didn't have to travel after, as is what I end up doing so often after a weekend session.

If you are in the Twin Cities area and interested in what Tanya has to offer, please check out her studio and website here: Devanadi Yoga Studio in Linden Hills, Mpls, MN.

To Prop or Not to Prop

2010-10-14T11:30:00.001-05:00

That is my question...

For those of you newer to my blog, I lead primarily Ashtanga and Vinyasa sessions and occasionally a Hatha class or Yin class. I prefer a flowing class myself, to just let the breath take me from place to place.

However, I recently co-led a Yang-Yin class: one hour of vinyasa followed by one hour of restorative yin. Back to back, no break in between other than a few moments in deep relaxation to facilitate the transition. This was the first time this session was offered at the studio and we didn't know what to expect. To every one's great amazement, it was incredibly well received. Folks who usually do restorative Yin got to warm up with Yang, and those folks who primarily did Vinyasa, got to slow down and melt into the Yin poses.

But what amazed me, was the amount of props my co-leader used. I had a couple vinyasa folks comment on the amount of props and I've been contemplating it ever since: to use props or not to use props. I use very few and on an individual basis. And now I am questioning myself: Am I not using enough? Should I be using more?

Currently, what I find is they usually just get in the way. A person spends an inordinate amount of time futzing with the prop, rather than using their breath and body to move into the pose. They are adjusting, wiggling, prodding or fluffing rather than just breathing and looking inward, feeling the pose internally. With props, the focus seems to be outward - I can almost see the thought process - the prop isn't close enough, it's not high enough, it's to far away, it's now too low, it's not squishy enough; you get the idea. Maybe you've been there yourself.

In an ashtanga or vinyasa session, we are only in the poses for three to five breaths before moving on. I have observed that by the time a person has propped them self, we're switching sides. So it becomes an excuse not to do that pose. It becomes a crutch rather than an asset. I've observed the...almost panic...when someone realizes they forgot a prop and then go running to the closet and by the time they come back, we've moved on. Again - this isn't to say I never use props. Blocks are handy when sitting in hero's pose, to deepen bridge pose, to move farther into extended side angle or triangle and to use to establish balance in ardha chandrasana; zafus have been good for my folks who have had knee surgery or knee issues; a blanket nearby for shoulder stand or to put under knees during camel or similar poses. I tend to use a block in class when working on technique, guiding people into the nuances and layer or levels of the pose.

But for me the question remains. Should I be using more? How would it affect the flow of the class? Would I be facilitating a dependence rather than strengthening a practice? Or encouraging someone to move deeper into a pose they didn't think was feasible?

So I ask of you, what are your thoughts on propping in the lineage you teach in or participate in? Do you wish for more props if you don't have any available? Or do you find you prefer minimal props? My guess is the answers are going to be as varied as a field of flowers.

Editing to add: Sara from Do Restorative Yoga asked the exact same question back in September. Please take a moment and see what she had to say on the topic from a Restorative viewpoint: To Prop or Not to Prop. Thanks Sara!

All photo's are from Gaiam.com

The Art of Listening

2010-10-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

I have made the observation, in myself, in those around me, and in greater society, that we are lousy listeners. We are so busy texting, e-mailing, listening to the radio, talking, assessing, formulating, disregarding, denouncing, watching something…that we don’t really hear what is going on around us.

Door County, WI, Cana Island Lighthouse

Oh, we like to think we are such good listeners. We listen to our bodies in asana practice to ascertain if we’ve gone too far or not far enough. We listen to our breath to bring

our awareness internal. We like to think we listen to our significant other’s/friends/parents needs.

But do we? Really?

For example, when I’m leading class, more often than not I can easily tell who’s not paying attention. Who’s eyes are roving around the room watching what everyone else is doing or checking out the person next to them, who’s paid no attention to the cue to not press one’s thumb into the floor during utipliti, who’s picking at their toes in Janu Sirasana.

For example, closer to home, when describing what can be eaten for lunch that day only to have that household member say over dinner, “I thought I couldn’t eat that so I just went out.”

For example, at work during a meeting, everyone’s talking, but nobody’s listening (except maybe the note taker). Everyone wants to push their personal agenda, but they don’t want to deal with someone else’s.

For example, when was the last time you just stepped outside, closed your eyes and just…listened? When was the last time you turned the radio off in the car and listened to what your passenger was saying? When was the last time you turned the TV off during dinner and actually listened to what your dining companion was talking about? And just let them talk without judging, defending, or rebutting?

If you truly want to confront your ego, try listening.

Editing to add: Yogiclarebear had a great post on listening back in mid-September that I just saw now. Please take a moment and visit her posting: Dog Poop, a Lesson in Listening

Yoga Finds Past Purpose (Minneaplis, MN, Star Tribune)

2010-09-15T14:30:00.004-05:00

I thought Minneapolis/St. Paul were isolated from this, but I find that I am wrong. I think what perturbs me is knowing of at least three yoga studio's in the Cities that emphasize the traditional practice. This article makes it sound otherwise. Rather a disservice to those studios and teachers who do incorporate the traditions of this rich practice.

______________________
Yoga Finds Past Purpose

Minnesota's Hindu Temple, with its laid-back, spiritual approach, is bringing back a more traditional form of yoga at its classes.

By: Amelia Rayno, Star Tribune, Sept 14, 2010

Mythili Chari demonstrated “downward-facing dog” as the students moved through yoga’s traditional “chaturanga,” something that most yoga classes teach. Photo by Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune

On the last night of outdoor yoga at the Hindu Temple of Minnesota in Maple Grove, mats formed a zigzag along the cold, concrete balcony.

Some of the pupils came in jeans, baggy dresses and T-shirts. The only sound was the purr of the wind curling through the cornfields that surrounded the holy place.

One of the students shivered, a reminder that there was no expectation that anyone was there to work up a sweat.

The inspiration came from within. And on this night about a dozen kids, middle-aged adults and teenagers came to try to tap that inner jackpot.

The temple's setting, where inside a white-robed priest performed chants and blessings for various young couples, was a far cry from what one might find at a typical American yoga studio, where soothing music is often played on a stereo and the outfits are pricey spandex.

But with the temple's traditional Indian approach staged more like a spiritual workshop than a cardio routine, the trendy practice became what it was originally intended to be: a spiritual guide to finding oneself.

"It was ... a little different," said Veronica Tews, a stay-at-home mom and first-time student at the temple, which offers yoga and meditation classes inside the community center the rest of the year. "It was neat to sort of get more into the spiritual side of it; I'm not used to that."

That's probably because as yoga has exploded with popularity and studios have popped up seemingly on every street corner, the emphasis is almost always the same: music, flow, sweat. The instructor might use a few Indian terms, and bow and say "Namaste" at the end, but otherwise, hard-core yogis say, the practice has become completely "Americanized" at most institutions.

"They don't know what yoga is, so they try to fit it into what they know," Aadil Palkhivala, founder of the Yoga Centers facility in Bellevue, Wash., said in a phone interview. "They call it yoga aerobics, yoga weight-lifting; it's so cute. In yoga we don't get upset, so we just smile and hope people will get it someday."

The numbers tell the story about yoga's growth: Americans increased spending on yoga by 84 percent from 2004 to 2008, and currently, about 7 percent of U.S. adults participate. While most yoga studios don't adhere exactly to ancient Indian forms, they do provide an effective and appealing alternative to typical aerobic classes. Those classes, traditional or not, have inspired many Americans to get more involved, or at least get in better shape, said Ben Wuest, 21, a yoga instructor at the Hindu Temple and at Moe Body Works.

Palkhivala, often referred to as "the grandfather of yoga" in the West because he helped popularize the practice in the 1980s, said he is partly responsible for what yoga has become. "My intention was to introduce physical process as bait, so they would be interested. But many of my pupils took off on their own, without waiting to learn the rest of the practice."
That practice, temple instructor Mythili (Mike) Chari said, is more about healing than working out; it's more about gaining spiritual strength for life than finding a sexy, sequenced core exercise.
"Your third chakra, your manipura, is your naval chakra, which is connected to the decisionmaking process," said Chari, demonstrating to the class how to manage one of the seven chakras, which are "force centers" on the body's surface. "If you do not have a good sense of this chakra, you will feel anger, shame and despair. You will have stomach ailments."

To correct these maladies, Chari instructed, one could perform the fish pose, in which the back arches, steadied by the arms, until the crown of the head rests on the floor. With that, the dozen pupils got into the position.

"It was never about beauty and being gorgeous," said Chari, who grew up in India and studied yoga at B.K.S. Iyengar's Prashanth Institute in Bangalore. "It was all about how you felt. It was physical therapy for the common man. It's a prescriptive, holistic approach to good living. Once you take care of your physical body, your mental and your service strength will come."
Nonetheless, this subculture has found that there is a much greater market for sexy exercises than holistic methods for better living.
"I like to use a lot of prayers to goddesses in my sessions," said Wuest, who studied Buddhism last year at monasteries in Japan. Most yoga centers don't do that, he said. "They provide a cookie-cutter version, but they can't be baking what the goddesses are.
"Here, I can be free."
Free to practice a tradition that has held deep spiritual meaning for centuries in the East, the way many feel it was meant to be practiced.
"Honestly, I do believe that people have the best of intentions," Palkhivala said. "They're trying their best. I just wish they would call it something different."

Book Previews

2010-08-18T09:00:00.004-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've reviewed a book. I find my yogic reading really slows down in the summer time. I think that's because I'm so active with hiking, biking, gardening, and just soaking in the warm golden sun. Winter is when I really like to curl up and study.

Today Linda-sama just posted a great review of a book which explores the connection between Buddhism and Yoga over on Linda's Yoga Journey, which got me thinking about my growing "to read" pile for this winter. So today, instead of a traditional book "review", I'd like to do a book "preview" of several books that I intend to read when the wind and snow are swirling outside and darkness has wrapped around everything like a thick cold blanket. MMmm, I can smell the hot chai already....

The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice by T.K.V. Desikachar

(Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

The first yoga text to outline a step-by-step sequence for developing a complete practice according to viniyoga—yoga adapted to the needs of the individual.

• A contemporary classic by a world-renowned teacher.

• This new edition adds thirty-two poems by Krishnamacharya that capture the essence of his teachings.

Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who lived to be over 100 years old, was one of the greatest yogis of the modern era. Elements of Krishnamacharya's teaching have become well known around the world through the work of B. K. S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi, who all studied with Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya's son T. K. V. Desikachar lived and studied with his father all his life and now teaches the full spectrum of Krishnamacharya's yoga. Desikachar has based his method on Krishnamacharya's fundamental concept of viniyoga, which maintains that practices must be continually adapted to the individual's changing needs to achieve the maximum therapeutic value.

In The Heart of Yoga Desikachar offers a distillation of his father's system as well as his own practical approach, which he describes as "a program for the spine at every level—physical, mental, and spiritual." This is the first yoga text to outline a step-by-step sequence for developing a complete practice according to the age-old principles of yoga. Desikachar discusses all the elements of yoga—poses and counterposes, conscious breathing, meditation, and philosophy—and shows how the yoga student may develop a practice tailored to his or her current state of health, age, occupation, and lifestyle.

This is a revised edition of The Heartof Yoga.

A structural engineer by training, T. K. V. Desikachar lived and studied with his father until Krishnamacharya's death in 1989. He has devoted his life to yoga instruction for people of all backgrounds and all levels of ability and currently teaches at the school founded in his father's memory in Madras, as well as in Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Dhammapada as translated by Eknath Eswaran

(Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

Dhammapada means “the path of dharma,” the path of truth, harmony, and righteousness. Eknath Easwaran’s translation of this essential Buddhist text, based on the oldest version, consists of 423 short verses gathered by the Buddha’s direct disciples after his death and organized by theme: anger, thought, joy, pleasure, and others. The Buddha’s timeless teachings take the form of vivid metaphors from everyday life and are well served by Easwaran’s lucid translation. An authoritative introduction and chapter notes offer helpful context for modern readers

Freeing the Body, Freeing the Mind by Michael Stone

(Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

Buddhism and yoga share a common history that goes back centuries. But because yoga and Buddhism came to North America from Asia as two separate traditions, their commonalities in the West often seem invisible. Most people choose to study either yoga or Buddhism and generally don’t combine the practices. Michael Stone brings together a collection of intriguing voices to show how Buddhism and yoga really do share the same values and spiritual goals. The contributors’ themes are rich and varied, yet they all focus on the common threads among the traditions that offer guidance toward spiritual freedom and genuine realization.

Topics include the Zen view of enlightenment through the body; cultivating life-force energy; concepts of emptiness; foundations of mindfulness; Tibetan yoga; and experiencing emotions through the body. Contributors include: Frank Jude Boccio, Ajahn Amaro, Chip Hartranft, Sarah Powers, Christopher Key Chapple, Eido Shimano Roshi, Mu Soeng, and Jill Satterfield.

Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali by Chip Hartranft (I think this is the copy I own)

(Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

In just 196 short aphorisms, this classic work of Indian philosophy spells out succinctly how the mind works, and how it is possible to use the mind to attain liberation. Compiled in the second or third century CE, the Yoga-Sutra is a road map of human consciousness—and a particularly helpful guide to the mind states one encounters in meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices. It expresses the truths of the human condition with great eloquence: how we know what we know, why we suffer, and how we can discover the way out of suffering. Chip Hartranft's fresh translation and extensive, lucid commentary bring the text beautifully to life. He also provides useful auxiliary materials, including an afterword on the legacy of the Yoga-Sutra and its relevance for us today.

There are other books too, such as The Upannishads trans. by Eknath Esawaran, re-reading the Yama's and Niyamas by Deborah Adele, but I tend to get overly ambitious. Yogic/Buddhist texts are not always the most gripping reads and I find myself dozing off. Sorry, it's true! I do.

So, to toss the question out into blogland, what's on your reading list? Any recommendations?

Cultivate 'Me' Time

2010-08-04T09:00:00.022-05:00

This is a lovely video titled How to Be Alone from YouTube as I found it on Yoga,Dogs and Chocolate:

I just loved this video/poem/message to cultivate some alone time - down time if you prefer to think of it that way. It hit on several things I like to do when I need to just chill or mentally check out for a while - go hang out at the coffee shop, go out for dinner by yourself, sit on a park bench and watch the world go by, pick up your art, go work out. But what I really like about this was the message of sitting in silence as the world moves around you, of just being without demands or demanding. It's like opening yourself up without attachment.

Enjoy!

Restorative Vinyasa

2010-07-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

Restorative yoga seems to be a theme in my reality lately and perhaps it is because Summer brings a flurry of activity beyond the usual gym workouts and yoga sessions. Maybe it's because we in the heat of Summer temperatures and the body needs something cooling. Or because there is an increase in running as people train and run in marathons, ultra marathons, and triathlons; cycling miles to be had as people participate in 20, 40, 60 and 100 mile organized rides on top of the daily and weekly riding; there is swimming, canoeing and kayaking; and not to forget walking, hiking, and backpacking.

And we wonder where our summer goes…

So it was on Monday night I found myself leading (by request and subsequently promised) a restorative Vinyasa session. Seems contradictory, yes? The principles behind this are based on a Chandra sequence as designed by Matthew Sweeney, a Yin session by Paul Grilley, and a Long-Slow-Deep session by Bryan Kest. The idea is simply: slow. down. mindfully.

I used Matthew Sweeneys principles as a base and to provide the flow. Students are instructed to work at no more than 80%. If one is working at 100%, how can that be restorative? I started the postures with left foot first to balance the tendency to always lead with the right. Think about this: Ashtanga – opens to the right, right foot is always first. Twist to the right then the left. Right right right… Matthew says to bring back balance by changing things up and moving from the left first. I think this helps to slow down the practice because it takes mindfulness to do something opposite from what you are used to (just try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand one night…).

I then incorporated Paul Grilley’s principles and Bryan Kest's ideas of holding the poses for longer. Not a hurried huff! huff! huff! Of five breaths then bam! Onto the other side, but a long, luxurious, deep breath. As one of my respected instructors, Joe, likes to say, “Find savasana in every pose.”

I was concerned that people would become fidgety, or that I would not have enough material to last an hour and a half, but much to my surprise, I had plenty of material and people seemed to just ooze into deep relaxation.

Would I do this again? Definitely. I think the exposure to a restorative vinyasa class is good on so many levels. I don't think it's something I would do monthly, but perhaps quarterly. I look forward to exploring this further, with perhaps the addition of some pranyama and meditation. Stay tuned!

Top photo: TourdeFrance.com
Bottom photo: YogaJournal.com

Yoga at Home or on the Road

2010-07-06T10:00:00.003-05:00

Perhaps I'm an odd duck...well, I already know I am...but we're just confirming it yet again today. Even though I teach classes and I am fully capable of sequencing poses, I don't care to do it for myself at home. Oh, perhaps after a afternoon of cycling or hiking I may spend 20 minutes moving through a variety of stretches, but to do something longer is more involved than I care for.

I've found I much prefer on-line, video, or audio options. Doing my own isn't as relaxing as I would like. My brain is chattering away about the sequence, should I do this or that next? Oh, I should have done blank instead. Drat, well I can add it in here after I do this...and so on and so forth. Maybe some of you have experienced this too?

I thought with this post I would highlight some of the videos and podcasts that I gravitate to when I do a home or on the road session.

Yoga Today. A free weekly on-line yoga class. The style and location changes each week; I've done anusara, hatha, vinyasa and ashtanga based sessions. Format is usually two students and one instructor in some beautiful western location. Directions and suggested modifications are usually pretty good. Some of the instructor 'chatter' can be a bit much depending on style/individual, but hey, it's only an hour and it's not like I have to take that session again. Base option is free and you pay if you want to save and download that particular class. Sign-up for more options. Recommended if you like a variety of sessions and have an hour to practice.

Yoga Journal podcasts and videos. I have i-Tunes so I signed up for regular downloads. Couple things I like about these sessions: shorter lengths and varied sessions that target specific things. Sometimes I just don't want to do a full hour or hour and a half session. I just want something that will make my hips and back feel better. Something that will relax me before bed but doesn't involved another hour out of my day. These fit that requirement.

I-tunes. When I bought my i-Pod, I had no idea all the wonderful things I could do with it beyond listening to my music! There are free yoga sessions available! Woot! It takes a bit of searching and some experimenting with the instructor - what style do they offer? Is it something I'm comfortable with? Do their instructions make sense or is it all sanskrit? Two that I've found in the power/vinyasa category are: Wade Zinter and Baron Baptiste as led by Kinndli McDonnal. These are also great to do with a group if you have portable speakers for your i-Pod.

Videos. I am not usually a fan of videos, especially for beginners as the tendency is to watch the video and thus be craning the head and neck when one shouldn't. That being said, they do have their place in a yoga practice. I recently uploaded all my video's to my i-pod so I can take them on the road with me. I don't need to see what's happening on my 1x1.5" screen, but the verbal cues are nice.

My CD and Video collection includes:
Rocket Series II by Larry Shultz of It's Yoga, San Francisco
Primary Series Ashtanga Yoga by David Swenson
Primary Series Ashtanga Yoga by Manju Jois
Bryan Kest Power Yoga Complete DVD Three energizing sessions.
Yin Yoga: the Foundations of a Quiet Practice by Paul Grilley
Yoga Sanctuary by Shiva Rae

And for mediation, I gravitate to Common Grounds Mediation Center (Minneapolis, MN)downloads as led by Mark Numburg. These are in the Buddhist philosophy in the Vipassana tradition.

Are there any other recommended sites from blog-world? A CD or DVD in particular resonate with you? Or perhaps something else from i-Tunes?

Yin Yoga Posting from Do Restorative Yoga

2010-06-28T16:00:00.002-05:00

A series of conversations with a couple of fellows I bike with and a recent post by Do Restorative Yoga made me decide to link to Sara's blog rather than what I had orginially planned.

Yo! Ashtangi's! Vinyasa nuts! Bikram followers! ((me jumping up and down waving my arms)) Atheletes! Yeah! You! Us "A type" overachieving personalities need to bring some balance back into our lives and practice. As a recent bicycling article noted (sorry, I don't recall which one), "All of your training isn't going to leak out your big toe if you don't [bike,run,swim,jog,ski] for one or two days."

Yin Yoga from Yoga Journal

Do yourself a HUGE favor. Periodically slooww your practice down. Take a Yin class if you can. You will still find it challanging, just in a different way than you are accustomed to.

We all need to periodically rest - a full complete day of downtime physically. The muscles need to rebuild and the joints heal. This is part of what makes us stronger in the long run.

So please, my fellow atheletes and pratitioners. Practice ahimsa (non-harming) on yourself and bring in a slower practice.

Finding gratitude

2010-06-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

First, I'd like to thank everyone for their comments on Bitter Sweet Partings. That posting seemed to have struck a cord with many readers - as students and instructors, how blessed we are to be able to travel together even if for a little while! Our lives are so much richer for it.

It was thinking of how grateful I am to have met and known so many people that I noticed the theme of gratitude popping up in a variety places: a TV commercial where someone does a good deed, a nearby person notices, then they do a good deed; Linda-Sama's blog with the post on the passing of her feline friend; a fellow yoga friend who frequently subs for me when I can't make my noon class at the Y due to work conflicts thanked me for having a noon class; and in a USAA financial magazine (Summer 2010).

The title of the article is called Find Your Financial Mojo by Jean Chatzky and in it, as with many financial articles she is emphasizing healthy money habits. There are eight bulleted items:

1) Optimism
2) Resilience
3) Passion
4) Connectedness
5) Intuition
6) Saving habitually
7) Investing in stocks
8) Gratitude

I was intrigued with the list. It was so very yogic to me even with item #6 and #7. One could substitute 'investing in stocks" for 'investing in yourself', I suppose. Finding a yogic analogy for #6 is proving to be a bit harder what with non-attachment and non-hording.

But it was item eight that surprised me: it said, "...understand the importance of giving back - and being thankful for what [you] have - to tie it all together. Gratitude is the antidote to materialism. Materialism is obsessing on what you desire. Gratitude is appreciating what you have. To get more of it into your life, use these words daily; grateful, thankful, gift, lucky, fortunate. You'll start feeling richer in no time."

A daily attitude of gratitude. I love it!

So fellow readers, where have you been finding yogic messages?

Repost: Killing Yoga's Sacred Cows from Linda's Yoga Journey

2010-05-16T15:00:00.001-05:00

Linda-Sama from Linda's Yoga Journey reposted this blog from Dec 2008. I had not yet discovered Linda at that time...actually, there's a good possibility I wasn't even yoga blogging then.

But having recently discovered Yin Yoga and Paul Grilly's DVD's, I loved this so much that I had to link/post it here. It really sum's up what I've been contemplating in my own practice and sessions. We are NOT the same. We will NEVER be the same.

On one end of the spectrum I have a 6'7" gentleman in my class with 4' long legs. Seriously. His legs alone are 4' long. On the other end of the spectrum I have a 5' gal who is so petite but with an incredibly tight back and hips. Simply no flexibility there. I have 20 year old college kids, 40 year old parents, 62 year old retired guys. You simply cannot convince me there is one pose that fits all.

Another reason this resonates with me is in the Ashtanga/Vinyasa tradition, because of the flowing nature of the practice, it's the flow that matters and less so the 'correctness' of the postures. There simply isn't time, nor is it appropriate to stop the flow and break something down. It is the nature of the practice that the body is supposed to find it's own place in the pose.

This isn't to say that a person shouldn't be safe in a posture! Safety first! I don't want someone to hurt themselves - if a simple correction or adjustment would be of benefit.

Please, take a moment and read this. Even if you don't agree with everything it has to say, it still has some great tidbits to take back to your practice. I'm going to print it out for my classes.

Killing Yoga's Sacred Cows

Thank you Linda!!

Bitter-Sweet Partings

2010-05-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

I live, teach and practice in a college town - actually, we have four colleges in the area which always surprises me given the population of Duluth-Superior. It also means that we get a fair number of students passing through the studio. I love the energy and enthusiasm they bring - sharing what they are studying, places they've gone, hopes and plans for the future.

And for a brief moment in time, they share the road with us, and us with them.

But studies and tests and books eventually come to an end and it's always sad to hear their time with the group is up and they are moving on. Sometimes the member says something to the group and we're able to wish them well, other times, they just quietly drift away.

Either way, I'm glad they came and wish each of them well in their future endeavors!

LOKAH SAMASTA SUKHINO BHAVANTU :: May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.

(from Shiny Yoga's site, but a far older quote than that!)

Gita Talk on Elephant Journal: Introduction

2010-05-04T09:30:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, Bob Weisenburg over on Elephant Journal has initiated an online discussion of the Bhagavad Gita. They are reading the Stephan Mitchell version of the Gita and have just started discussing the introduction.

I have the Eknath Eswaran version (two copies) and didn't wish to purchase a third copy. Which means my introduction is much much different. But that's okay. The important thing is the discussion.

I read the Gita for the first time several years ago as part of a workshop held through my local yoga studio (ha! L Y S! except that also stands for Local Yarn Store in my world...) WHY? read the Bhagavad Gita? If you are a practitioner of yoga and are looking to move beyond the asana practice, I think this is a great place to start. The Gita really distills what it means to practice yoga beyond the mat in layman's terms. It's not a long text or document, but it really conveys some very profound concepts.

I'm looking forward to the ongoing discussions; please join in if you can.

"Gita Talk" on Elephant Journal!

2010-04-21T19:00:00.001-05:00

It's been rather quiet in my blog world this month. I've been through a few changes: husband coming home from Kuwait, mother-in-law passing away, adjustments that go with both, and some get-away travel.

However, THIS came to my attention and I just wanted to share what a great opportunity it is!

Yoga Demystified's Bob Weisenburg is doing an on-line discussion of the Bhagavad Gita on Elephant Journal! This is really a beautiful text and worth reading. Please come and join in!

Bhagavad Gita

Perhaps if this works out Bob will explore the idea of doing other texts. How cool would that be?

Thoughts on Silence

2010-04-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

I just loved this post by Dee of Tangled up in Sticks and String. I'd just send the link but I know she keeps a tidy blog and it may not be there next week.

The Death of Silence
I am in mourning. DEEP mourning. Silence died. I don't know the exact time of it's demise, but it is most certainly and utterly dead.

As I write, I hear the neighbor-two-doors-over dog barking at nothing. I can hear road noise from Tanner Road. Since the wind is blowing my way, I can hear the infernal canned carillon music from the Carillon neighborhood entrance over a mile away. It wouldn't be bad if it was real carillon music, but it's cheesy MUSAK-type carillon music. Every half hour --- Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head or Memories --- GAH!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a cardinal somewhere out there. I can hear him (her?), but can't find where the bird is. I can hear the pool pumps of several house, including mine. Since it's Monday ... my washer is making noise too.

Silence is gone. Even with earplugs firmly in place, there is noise. Without external noise to block it, you'd be surprised how noisy my head is all by itself.

I wonder what it would be like to be in one of those sensory deprivation tanks. Would it be relaxing? Or, would it be totally freaky to be in a place absent of any life noises? Do you still hear the noises in your head? Can you hear yourself breathe?

Maybe I'd really MISS all the noise ---------well, NOT the dog. The dog I could absolutely do without.

This made me wonder, what is silence for someone else? For me, it's the sounds of a quiet house, the dogs slumbering, the occasional hum of a car going by on the road, the toink toink toink of my bamboo wind chimes, a plane going by overhead. Sometimes it's a bit quieter, usually at night, but not by much. Rarely do I have music on, or the TV as "background" noise. My phones are turned to the quietest setting possible where I'll still hear them.

Thoughts?

Workshop review: Bryan Kest

2010-03-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I spent at the Yoga Center of Mpls attending a workshop held by Bryan Kest. I was amazed at the number of people who showed up - Friday night was over 60! Now for some people, that might not be a lot, but for Minneapolis, that's a very good turn out.

The workshop agenda was as follows:
Friday - 7-9
Saturday - 11:30-2; 3:30-5:30
Sunday - 11:30-2

Friday night was mostly lecture. Mr. Kest discussed his philsophy for an hour and forty-five minutes, then we did a small forty minute practice as a bit of a preview of what the rest of the weekend would bring. I veiwed Mr. Kests evening discussion similar to a 'Dharma talk' in the Buddhist tradition...but with some rough edges. If I hadn't know Mr. Kest was from LA, I would have pegged him for a New Yorker. Personality aside, Bryan's lecture could be summarized as follows (this is the extent of my note taking - seriously!):

> Yoga is quiet the mind and touch yourself everywhere with love and kindness. By being gently with yourself you will create wellness in the body and to be gentle PAY ATTENTION!

> Yoga isn't here to change you. It accepts you just the way you are. It is our need to change ourselves to fit some warped and twisted version of perfection.

> A reminder - yoga is the "cessation of the fluxuation of the mind" Pantanjali

> YOU are the teacher.

> How in the world will [insert pose here] make you a better person? Why not practice [compassion/loving kindness/gratitude,etc] instead?

> Yoga is quiet the mind and touch yourself everywhere with love and kindness.

Saturday we moved right into the physical practice. It was amazing! Intense? Oh yes, but only to the degree you allowed it to be. He continually stressed focusing on your breath and only on your breath, to move into the pose only as far as was appropriate for you - you are not your neighbor and this is not a contest and he doesn't give a crap which way your hand is facing in a given pose. My mind is still reeling with the simplicity of the postures and how well they were linked together to "touch yourself everywhere with love and kindness". There was nothing in the sequence a beginner couldn't do or long time practitioner couldn't challenge themselves with - as long as beginner and long practitioner know where they need to be working. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

Saturday's second session was the complete opposite of the above. It was a "Yin" session or in his terms "LSD" Long - slow - deep. Oh my god. It took us an hour to move through both sides of Supta Hasta Padangusthasana (Hand to Big Toe Pose). THEN! He was concerned he wouldn't get through the rest of the postures so he was only holding poses for a minute.

Now, I've done a Yin class and I've held poses up to 5 minutes and it was NOTHING like this. This was some serious stretching and we never left the floor. The whole session culminated in holding Pashimottanasa for 10 minutes WITHOUT MOVING. Yes. Once we moved into the pose were to "stick it" and ONLY breathe for the next 10 minutes. Do your feet fall asleep? Oh yes. Do your lower legs fall asleep? Oh yes. It was one of the most intense stretches I have ever done - and it felt wonderful (once I was out of it).

Sunday was very similar to the first session Saturday and it felt really good to move after the two Saturday practices.

All three sequences were followed with a half hour of mediation. I REALLY liked this part (and would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't started coughing. Most embarrassing.) We did a 10 minute Vipassana meditation, a 10 minute Bhakti mediation, and a 10 minute Karma meditation all right in a row. What a great way to end a two hour practice.

Would I recommend a Bryan Kest workshop? Yes - if you understand going in that you will be challenged mentally and physically at the same time. He has a great message if you are willing to accept the rough delivery (yes, the man knows how to swear). I hope the Yoga Center of Mpls is able to bring him back in the future.

Bryan Kest Power Yoga Workshop

2010-03-08T10:00:00.001-06:00

Oh joy! I'm going to a workshop next weekend! I love workshops; they provide me an opportunity to be a student for a little while. My biggest challenge at these weekends is to turn off the 'teacher brain': the bit of me that's always looking for new ideas to bring back to class, the subtle rubber necking to watch what adjustments the instructor does, the compulsive note taking. To practice aparigraha: to let go and just be present in the moment.

That is why I love workhops.

Yoga Center of Minneapolis - Power Yoga with Bryan Kest

BRYAN KEST: Power Yoga Workshop
Friday, March 12 - Sunday, March 14

This weekend is an immersion in the practice of yoga that strengthens not just the body, but more importantly, the qualities of our mind that have the largest impact on our physical well-being. These workshops will be strong, well-rounded, yet simple physical practices that leave every nook and cranny in our bodies vibrating with vitality while challenging our minds in the sense of strengthening the qualities of mind that are most useful, positive and powerful, and eradicating the qualities of our mind that are harmful and stress-inducing. They will strengthen qualities such as calmness, patience, focus, gentleness, gratitude, humility and acceptance, while weakening qualities such as judgment, competitiveness, distraction, reaction, and criticism. If you feed qualities of mind, they will grow big and strong, and if you don’t feed them, they will weaken and die. Since our physical practice is such a fertile environment for most all of these qualities to arise, our physical practice becomes an opportunity to strengthen the qualities we want to be strong and to weaken and eradicate the qualities we find harmful.

Welcome to my Playground

2010-02-21T08:30:00.000-06:00

I attended a one day arm balance workshop this past weekend (absolutely delightful to be a student for a change, but that's another post!) where the instructor really took the time to break down what it entails to do a strong supported arm balance.

Some clarification here - by arm balances he was focusing on pendulum, crane, crow, 8-angled/crooked pose, etc.

I loved every minute of the three hour session, and only wished it could have been longer. However, it also demonstrated how even in one tiny studio such as the one I attend, how opposite different style of yoga can be.

Using this workshop as my example because this instructor is so good at breaking things down. We started with a lecture on the shoulder girdle itself, and how unlike the pelvis which cups and holds our organs and provides stability, the shoulder is only connected bone-to-bone in one spot! Which means the muscles and connective tissue must provide the stability necessary for lift.

We then moved into some shoulder awareness exercises, such as laying on the floor with a strap between the blades, raising our arms and rotating our arms and hands in certain ways to isolate various parts of the shoulder girdle, and standing against the wall with arm at 1:00, 2:00 and so forth.

It was only in the last 45 minutes of class where we started to move into the arm balances itself, but it was with the awareness of what our shoulders and core have to do to lift our bodies off the floor.

It was during all of this that I really realized the divergence between the instructors class (his classes are very similar to his workshop; almost an Iyengar style and a delight to attend) and my classes where I will offer a pose and say here are the differently levels of this pose, "play with it". Where I don't want people to think about the pose, I just want them to try. And in trying there is only doing no matter what level. Our bodies are so different, with different centers of gravity and different proportions and arm-torso-leg ratios that to sometimes break something down so minutely, may not work.

The instructor kept referring to "taking poses to the playground" in the sense of not consciously breaking a pose down and just playing. I realized I'm the the kid who's always on the playground, first out, last to come back in because I have to play. Which may not be for everyone and that's okay.

For those that stick around, welcome to my playground.

(Tanya Soward, Yoga Center of Mpls, Scorpion Pose)

Technique Week!

2010-02-02T10:00:00.004-06:00

One of the ways I have been trying to keep my Ashtanga classes (and myself) energized is by doing a once a month (roughly) technique class. The Ashtanga system – Contemporary or Traditional – doesn’t lend itself to breaking down poses in class. It disrupts the flow and the internal meditation the student should be working toward.

I come from a studio that has a very strong tradition in alignment and asana safety, which has definitely influenced my own teaching. And while a Vinyasa or Ashtanga system tends to allow more for letting the body find its way to the pose I have found that doesn’t always work. Occasionally you need to stop, step back and break down the fundamentals of asana.

So last fall I started Technique week, where we do the standing sequence to warm and limber up, then take the last hour of class and break down 3-4 poses. I feel this gives the students to move beyond just the gross anatomy of the pose and start to feel the internal alignment. It is fun to watch “ah ha!” moments, when I bring in a prop such as a wall to demonstrate what I mean in such-n-such verbal cue.

I do announce Technique Week ahead of time, and I have observed that those classes are a bit lighter in attendance, but that’s okay. Those who are interested come, those who aren’t don’t.

So far we have done:
Padangushasana and Padahastasana
Utthita Trikonasana
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Virabhadrasana III
Headstand variations

A little bouncing around, but it’s meant to keep it fun. A couple poses that are tied together then one fun pose. I also want to start doing more pranyama, but wow, suddenly my hour is over and it’s time for deep relaxation!

Yin Yoga

2010-01-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

Over the last month I’ve been talking about various ways to keep a class – and yourself – energized. Well, I’ve found another item to add to the growing list of suggestions: learn a new style of yoga!

I recently had the privilege to sub in a Yin yoga class and the teacher I was subbing for kindly gave me Paul Grilley’s DVD Yin yoga to study and use as a prep. I wasn’t certain what I would think of such a 180* style from my Vinyasa/Ashtanga classes, but I found I LOVED it!

What is Yin yoga you ask? From Sara’s blog at Do Restorative Yoga

Yin Yoga is a calm, meditative practice which employs long held, seated postures which focus on stretching the connective tissues of the body such as the fascia, ligaments, tendons and joints. It is a balancing practice to "Yang" styles of yoga such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa, or Hatha. (Yang practices focus more on muscles vs. connective tissue.) Although Yin is a slow practice it can be just as challenging as a faster paced posture practice. Stretches are deep and we are playing our edge all the time. It is important while doing Yin Yoga to really focus on what your body is telling you and never go past your edge into pain.

Sara found a great article from Yoga Journal on the safest way to practice Yin Yoga:
The 4 tenets of Yin Yoga

1. Find an Appropriate Edge
As you enter a pose, move slowly and gently into the suggested shape—without a picture of how far you should go. As Sarah Powers says, "There's no aesthetic ideal; there's no end result we're looking for." Pause and listen to the body. Wait for feedback before moving deeper into the posture. Many people, especially dancers and athletes, have lost much of their sensitivity to the signals of the body and are used to overriding those messages. Look for an appropriate amount of intensity, a balance between sensation and space. "It's a good opportunity to create a renewed kind of innocence, a listening to the intelligence of the body that gives you feedback about when it's been triggered to feel outside its comfort zone," Powers says. Relax into the body; discover and explore each subtle layer along the way to your deep resting place.

2. Be Still
Resolve not to fidget. Don't try to fix or change the pose, to intensify it, or to escape the sensations. Consciously try to release (or even just imagine releasing) into the shape. Doing that helps you relax the muscles around the connective tissues you are most attempting to influence. In addition, moving can cause unsafe stress on the connective tissue, causing injury: To be safe, hold statically at the edge of your range of motion and engage muscles around sensitive areas or use props when needed.

3. Hold for a While
[Sarah] Powers recommends hold times anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes for beginners and up to 5 minutes or more for advanced practitioners. Use a timer so you can relax without watching the clock. Substantial holds train the mind to respond skillfully to difficult circumstances. They teach you that you don't need comfort to feel at ease. Instead of contracting around feelings and sensations, invite space and breathe steadily.

4. Release with Care
In Yin practice you put your body into long holds with joints in vulnerable positions—positions that might be dangerous if you move into or out of them quickly or aggressively. As you come out of the poses (for example, Dragonfly), use your hands to support your legs and to lightly contract the muscles that oppose the openings you've been working. It can help to do a very brief, actively practiced counterpose: After doing Saddle (the Yin version of Supta Virasana), for example, sit with your legs out straight and engage your quads.
You are challenging very deep tissues that the body usually protects from lengthening—because if they're stretched suddenly, they're easily damaged. You may experience discomfort, shakiness, and instability when you come out. Don't worry; these sensations will change.

Since the concept of Yin yoga is new to me, to familiarize myself with the poses I am take one pose and incorporating it into the end of my vinyasa class when everyone was nicely warmed up and we were starting our cool down in preparation for deep relaxation. When I practiced with the DVD, my only complaint was it seemed the stretches just “started” – there was no transition from sitting to holding. I had terrible cramps and pinching for the first 15 minutes before my muscles said, okay! I’m ready to stay still now!

I am looking forward to exploring this style further – thank you Sara!

Angst

2010-01-16T09:00:00.001-06:00

So, now the class knows each other as they walk out the door energized yet relaxed...you hope, because the little worm of doubt has been creeping in during the session. The class energey seemed off tonight, you stumbled over your cues, you were feeling a bit tired, or you were subbing a different session and not as familiar with everyone's needs. Or your expectations for your session didn't quite matarialize and now you're wondering if you met the students expectations for class because they seemed more subdued leaving tonight and ohmygosh, did I say something that offended or didn't say enough and I forgot to put the music on but it wasn't the music I wanted it was all wrong...!

STOP!!

Take a deep breath.

Turn off the mental tape player.

It happens.

A quote from from Amelia Gambetti: "A teacher who says 'I am a good teacher' is in trouble. A good teacher is frequently troubled, in doubt, frustrated. Perfection doesn't exist."

Brenda on Grounding Through the Sitbones recently posted on being the student again (Leaving the Biz..) - on being able to let go of the teacher aspect and immerse yourself in the experience. Let go of your doubts here as well, you did the best class you were able on that given night. Next session is a different session.

So my question is, how do you cope with your angst when it shows up?

Keeping Class Energized part II

2010-01-10T09:10:00.004-06:00

Last posting I talked about how I've been trying to keep class energized as I move into the New Year (see post here).

Yogiclarebear offered these suggestions as well: I like to do themed classes every now and then. this year we did surfs up yoga (outdoors), yama-niyama yoga, heart chakra flow, freedom flow (4th of july). its fun for practitioners to see an incorporation of the physical practice into a specific theme, and it helps me deepen my knowledge as a yoga guide.

I've done one themed class that I titled "Let Your Spirit Soar" where we kept coming back to Warrior III. I can't take credit for the title: one of my students was teaching some kindergartners and as a quick break he had them stand up and do some yoga poses. One little tyke spoke up and said, "Mr B! I can do flying warrior!" and she tipped forward and said, "And let my spirit soar..." Major cuteness and a great idea for class. Though afterwards the other students did jokingly ask John not to give me anymore ideas... :)

And I also came up with one more way to keep class energized: Introductions! This one is especially good at the start of a new session. I have the front row turn around and pair up with someone in the back row, ask their name and a question, such as, what are you currently reading?, what is your favorite dessert? what is your least favorite yoga pose?

Then the pairs have to introduce each other and tell the class the answer to the question. It's better than the traditional "go around the room and introduce yourself" because it makes people interact!

Another advantage is, again at the beginning of a new session, it gives stragglers a chance to find the room and get settled without disrupting class too much.

Keeping Class Energized

2009-12-28T08:00:00.002-06:00

As one year winds down and we find ourselves on the cusp of a new one, I have been contemplating how to keep my classes fresh and energized. I do believe there is a tendency to not change things up too much for fear of offending regular students or alienating new ones, but yet, that too becomes a samskara (habit).

Over the past month I have been experimenting with some new things; some have been well received, others, meh, not so much but they were good for a chuckle. I should add that my students are very lively and interactive. I like to encourage community and I've seen some beautiful friendships form. People greet each other by name, ask how things are going, and engage in a meaningful way. It's a wonderful thing to watch. But I'm always mindful to make sure the regulars try and engage the newer folks to so we don't become "cliquish".

Here are some things I've done so far:

Musical Mats
I have 5-8 students who always sit in the same spot. The EXACT same spot each session. Then others tend to fill in around them in generally the same area. So I have everyone stand up, pick up their mats, and walk around in a circle to music. Music stops, put down your mat right where you are at. Most folks find this great fun. Most folks...

Reverse Room
Back of the room is now the front. It is very interesting to watch peoples reactions.

"Crazy-Wild Poses"
I toss in a pose every now and then again that is just totally "out there" for my students. Things like Side Crane variation, Fallen Angel, Tripod Headstand (though they are beginning to enjoy this one!). I usually cue it by saying "I'm going to go crazy-wild on you now and we are going to do...". I don't want people to *think* about the pose, but to just *do* the pose wherever they are at.

Rocket Sequence for Ashtanga Sequence
I know Ashtanga traditionalists will be clutching their chests in horror, but as I've mentioned before, I teach what I call Contemporary Ashtanga (it is the traditional Ashtanga sequence, but without the chanting and Sanskrit names). But! Just to liven things up and to see if people are paying attention or if they've shifted into autopilot, I will do Suyra Namaskar A and B then shift to the Standing Sequence of the Rocket series without telling them ahead of time! I do think working outside of the box on occasion is good for body and soul.

Different Music/No music
I confess, I get tired of the ethereal sounds of Deva Premal or the rhythmic chanting of kirtan. So on the occasion I need something different I throw in a little rock music, or Irish Folk Rock (Tempest). A while back Brenda on Grounding Through the Sitbones mentioned Jazz, so I tried a little Michael Buble. That was nice. Or, I go with nothing at all. Just silence. Also a treat in our noisy world.

Technique Week
One of the downsides I find to the Ashtanga sequence or a Vinyasa Flow class is there is really no good way to break down a pose without disrupting the flow of the class. So, based on a request from a student to work on technique, I decided to do a one time a month "technique class". I picked the last week of the month and I let the students know ahead of time so they know it's not a regular session. We go through a half hour of movement, then the last hour is devoted to breaking down a pose, its modifications and working toward individual awareness in alignment (internal alignment). We do the dreaded partner exercises, use the wall and bring out the props.

For myself: workshops
Nothing energizes me more than going to a weekend workshop. It's when I really get to recharge my batteries and I love that I can bring back new things to my classes.

So, my question to my fellow practitioners - teachers and students - what sort of things do you like to keep class fresh and interesting? Or, even, what *hasn't* worked?

Best Wishes to All

2009-12-24T21:00:00.000-06:00

Warm wishes and thoughts to everyone this Holiday season! May your travels and homecomings be everything you dreamed they could be.

Christmas Homecoming by Norman Rockwell

Vortex of Busy-ness

2009-12-19T19:00:00.001-06:00

Rather an odd thought for the week:

I am beginning to wonder...is it even possible to step away from the swirling Vortex of Busy-ness during the Holidays? Even with the scaling back I did this year, which included not decorating, no holiday cards, and minimal gifts, I still find myself running hither and tither while feeling frazzled and annoyed. My few evening hours just don't seem to be my own. There is dried fruit to make, dinner to assemble, hounds to exercise (who aren't getting enough), knitting to do, house to tidy...

I've said no to skiing outings, no to breakfast and dinner invites. I've rationed family time so I'm not making extra trips into town (downside of living 30 miles outside of the City). Errands are done on the way home from work - which means I'm getting home late.

Work I can do very little about. Similar to tax accountants in April, this is my crunch time. But I don't take work home with me! I am fortunate that what goes on at work can stay at work. And I hold my lunch gym runs as sacred "get out of the office time".

I'm being mindful, attempting to maintain an attitude of gratitude, paying attention to my mood swings and making sure I thank people.

And yet, the Swirling Vortex of Busy-ness looms like a bad special effect in a science fiction movie. Perhaps it's just a matter of waiting till the Holiday rush is over. All I can do at this point is wait and see.

"This Time of Year"

2009-12-09T19:00:00.002-06:00

It is that time of year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when we are blitzed by such phrases as the 'spirit of giving', 'peace on earth and goodwill towards men', and the 'holiday spirit' - which I believe is supposed to reflect our open hearts and goodwill over the holiday season.

Note I said "supposed". Mostly what I see is stress; the anxiety and worry about getting so and so a gift, the concerns about whose house the Holidays will be spent at and did someone remember to buy grandmama her dried fruit?, the apprehension about traveling during inclement weather, the disappointment when opening a gift and it wasn't what was expected, the irritation that "I got her a gift, but she didn't get me anything!" or it was the wrong gift.

For years now I have had mixed feelings about "this time of year" - I've experienced the whole gambit I just rambled off above, fully thankful when December 31 finally rolled around and I didn't have to worry about "this time of year" for another 360 days.

However, since I've started practicing yoga and studying Buddhism, I've seen a subtle shift within myself. I've noticed that "this time of year" is no longer restricted to the 30 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That I feel comfortable now stepping back and saying, "Naw, I'm not going to get sucked into X Y or Z this season, it does not serve me."

This isn't saying that I'm in anyway perfect! I'm still fully capable of some very snarky moments and comments. Now I find myself mortified when I'm caught up in them.

Mostly what I'm trying to say is, for myself, the Holiday Season extends beyond these 30 days, beyond "This Time of Year". "This Time of Year" has become 365 days, that every moment is one to be grateful for, one to express my thanks, a birthday or random moment a time to show my gratitude, or to donate to a charitable cause.

"This Time of Year" is every year, the whole year through. Now THAT just gives me the warm fuzzies!

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Class time

2009-11-30T08:00:00.001-06:00

I had an interesting experience recently that I need to share with my yoga blog world. Perhaps some of you have experienced this and I’m wondering how you and your class handled it.

I lead a Power Vinyasa session in the Rocket Series tradition as created by Larry Shultz of It’s Yoga, San Francisco, once a month on Saturday. It is the follow-through on a workshop that the studio has hosted twice now and the students really enjoyed, myself included.

The usual suspects gathered on Saturday and we had one guest attend. As we began with our suyra namakar A’s and B’s, we all immediately noticed this practitioner was much more advanced in the practice than we are. Amazingly advanced. This practitioner was noodle-like in their poses, solid in their inversions, and seemed to almost levitate as the moved between each.

I’ve always felt that a person attending one of my classes should feel free to modify the pose to fit their body, to take a vinyasa if their body asks for it, or to do a variation on a pose, but I was rather floored when this practitioner did forearm balances during vinyasa’s, twisty-bendy things during other asana and I’m not entirely certain, but I think every single pose we moved through they did something different. It was nearly all I could do to keep my concentration on the session and to move the rest of the class forward. I know the class was covertly rubber necking when they could. Some admitted later they were just flat out watching.

I had the opportunity to talk to the practitioner after class and they were pleased with the session and thanked me for not pestering them about not doing vinyasa’s and sun sals because they don’t care for them. I admit I was greatly perplexed because they really didn’t do the session per say, they just did their own thing…the whole class. I’d like to add here, that I have had advanced practitioners before, but they’ve always followed the session and quietly slid in the subtle advanced poses. I’ve never had someone go so completely free-form on me.

So, dear practitioners and teachers, have you had this happen to you? Have you ever had such an incredibly advanced student attend one of your sessions and do something different the whole class? How do you accommodate the advanced practitioner? I can’t say ‘student’, because when they are working at that level, I’m only providing a framework for a session. I look forward to your thoughts and comments.

Let Every Day be a Day of Thanksgiving.

2009-11-26T08:00:00.003-06:00

May everyone have a very Blessed Gratitude Day!

(Norman Rockwell's Golden Rule)

"If the only prayer you ever said was Thank You, it would suffice." Meister Eikhart

Workshop and Weekend Revisited

2009-11-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

I had an absolutely amazing weekend! I attended an Anusara Weekend and Teacher Training at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis, plus got to visit family and friends. With the exception of Friday where it rained all day, the weather was beautiful. I have never been to an Anusara session, so when this opportunity presented itself and all the factors aligned (the price was right, the weekend was open) I signed up and went. I’m so glad I did! I was able to visit with the sister, I met a facinating gal from Grand Marias and her rescue dog Sheeba, and had lunch on Sunday with another gal I met at a different workshop this summer.

The instructor for the weekend was Christy Burnette, a Certified Anusara Teacher and Director of Yoga Education of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Tempe, Arizona. She has trained with John Friend since 1991. Among the first to be certified in Anusara, she is an inspired interpreter of Anusara’s language of the heart and clearly illuminates the complexities of the Universal Principles of Alignment.

Right now my brain is on a bit of info overload and I’m still trying to process everything. I’ll try and be succinct. Full weekend overview – excellent! A lot of technique, how to approach poses from different planes, working from the core out. Criticism (and nothing here would prevent me from attending another session) we never really did a ‘session’ so I’m still wondering how a typical Anusara class is structured and because we never really did a ‘session’ I never felt like I was warmed up. We’d ground and center and move for maybe ten – fifteen minutes tops then right into technique demonstrations and partner work.

Christy stated at one point that if your body is in alignment then you don’t need to be warmed up to move into the poses. I had to disagree with this one – I need to awaken my body a bit more before moving into poses. Especially at workshop weekends where I’m sleeping in a strange bed, putting in longer more intensive hours and spending more time in a car than I usually would. In addition, living in Northern MN where it’s damn chilly 6 months out of the year makes for tight muscles coming into class.

Friday Night: The Passion of Practice (2 hours)
Discussion on what Anusara is – Attitude, Alignment and Action. How to let go of expectations. Focus on the exhale to soften the pose; inhale can overwork the posture and we’re conditioned to do a good inhale. Keep the palette soft by swallowing.

Overall a good session. I didn’t leave “buzzing” and unable to sleep which I greatly appreciated.

Saturday A.M.: Focused Action – Standing Poses, Hip Openers, Balance Poses (3 hours)
Discussion on Five Aspects to Anusara – Open to Grace, Muscular Energy, Inner Spiral, Outer Spiral, Organic Extension. I loved these quotes: The answers you have for your practice are already inside you and, There is a difference between setting a goal and setting an intention for your practice.

And lots more technique focusing on hips and legs.

Saturday P.M.: Reading the Body for Alignment (2 hours)
Included a more in-depth explanation of Five Aspects of Anusara and how they relate to one another and discussion on how to find a way for everyone to the pose by moving the pose into a different plane. More technique.

Sunday A.M.: Focused Action – Back Bends, Inversions (3 hours)
Lots of focus on the shoulders and shoulder blades this morning. We did technique work then moved into partner work – backbends on a chair, headstand between chairs, bow pose with a partner, downdog with a partner. The spot between my shoulder blades is feeling this so I know I was working the right area and staying out of the lower back.

The next workshop I'm going to will be a Power Yoga session from the Yoga Center of Minneapolis in March as led by Bryan Kest.

Good Practice/Bad Practice

2009-11-09T08:00:00.001-06:00

A couple weekends ago the Saturday Regulars did a Baron Baptiste podcast as lead by a Kinndi McDonnal. Our usual sessions are the Ashtanga sequence, the Rocket Series, or Shiva Rae’s Sanctuary CD, depending on our mood and who shows up. We’ve done a video by Baptiste before and everyone liked it, but this time the reaction was quite different. It varied from ‘enjoyed the session’ to ‘absolute dislike’ and the group over the next week energetically expounded on why (they are not ones to hold back opinions).

This gave me the idea for this post: what dictates a “good” practice and what dictates a “bad” practice? This may seem like an odd question to be asking, but the reason I asked is, I don’t really have good/bad practices. Some sessions may resonate more than others, but each session is what it is.

There is only one session where I went "I shouldn't be here," - and I recall that so vividly. I was exhausted. Absolutely exhausted. It was a cold dark Wednesday night in winter. I remember driving in (it's a 25 mile drive to the studio) and thinking, "I could turn back here...no, I'm halfway there...but I could turn around here...I should just go home..." I was slow, sluggish and out of sorts the whole session, so much so that the instructor commented on it after class. I went home and straight to bed. But even then, it wasn't a bad session, it just was.

I wondered if factors such as the time of day, the structure of the session itself (studio or home), other practitioners, music, and outside influences (dog whining outside door, people talking in hallway, etc) played into the overall theme. I interviewed 4 people: two are Saturday Regulars, two are from the Studio. One has been practicing for about 15 years, one for about 10 and two for about 2 years. Responses were fascinating and lengthy so I tried to summarize yet still capture the essence of our discussions.

For one practitioner who has a long standing neck injury, she replied that she has good neck days and bad neck days, and factors that influence her practice: are where she is mentally and physically on any given day, the structure of the session, the temperature of the room, if she's able to quiet her mind, and if she's able to re-align her neck during practice.

Practitioner number two had this to say: "...the time of day, session, music, etc., having very little to do with whether the practice is good or bad. It's probably more accurate to say that those things, in combination, can have an effect on determining whether the practice is good or bad, but no single one of those factors, or any of them in combination, will guarantee a good practice or a bad one." He went on to further clarify that doing a sequence for the first time can have an affect on his practice,

Practitioner number three replied: "Well, all of my practices are essentially "good" but I have some not as good days also. I suppose it think about in essentially two broad categories: internal and external. Most of the time I wonder if I have everything in order to 'earn' this practice." He prefers 'yoga' music with it's simple melodies and slow shifting patterns which allow him to focus internally, but doesn't use music at home. He also stated, "As far as other people in the room, hmmm that's a bit trickier to answer. Women are pretty and that can be distracting but out of respect I generally focus on what I'm doing though I admit I've been busted a couple of times."

And practitioner number four: "I don't consider any practice bad. It's like sex, never had a "bad" one. Some are just better than others. I really enjoy music during the practice. I like getting the more rigorous routines in early. Time of day, doesn't matter. Dogs or kids outside I hardly note. I do get distracted by lovely women around me but I use that to get through a particularly long pose (I breath too!) Yoga is very challenging to me. I make very tiny improvements. My balance sucks but I try. I always feel great after practice. When I played racquetball I also felt good after but I did have "bad" games and would be mad at myself for loosing or playing poorly- just big expectations. In yoga I am more humbled by the experience and just feel good about doing my best."

I promised the interviewee's that I would also post my thoughts, but I'll do that in the next post. Meanwhile, what are your experiences? Do you or have you experienced such polarity in your practice and if so, what are the influences?

(Photo from: fotosearch.com)

Why Meditate?

2009-11-02T10:45:00.006-06:00

This was too good of a post not to direct your attention to: Linda's Yoga Journey - Wisdom from my Yoga Teacher.

I know many, if not most, of my students deplore meditation. I belong to an informal Saturday morning yoga group where it is frequently 8-10 folks participating. Only 2 of us do meditation after a session, the rest flee as if we are doing something so totally foreign to them. The studio I frequent offers a guided meditation once a week and usually only draws in a handful of people.

Personally, I marvel at the fear and arrogance surrounding the concept and even suggestion of meditation: I can't sit still, it's boring, I have better things to do with my time...the list of excuses I've heard goes on. And they are excuses. I've used some of them myself.

But I ask you, please READ Linda's post. She has some amazing insight that might just change your mind.

Om
Shanti
Namaste

Teaching Flow, part 2

2009-10-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

In my previous post, I asked the question on how do you teach "flow". Sara responded in kind with some more great questions that after some thought I decided to post about.

"I am curious to know how you find the time in the class to break down a pose. I liked what YogiClairebear had to say about making it a sort of "mini master class."

In Hatha class I take time to break down 1 or 2 poses per class but also flow through other postures without lots of focus.

Also, I usually demonstrate multiple levels for each pose and them go back to the "easy" level so students feel ok about choosing to pick level one or two and not push too far. How do you demonstrate?"

While all styles of yoga draw from the same poses, how they are put together varies tremendously. For this discussion, I'm going to focus on the three styles I'm familair with: hatha, vinyasa, and ashtanga.

Because a vinyasa or power/ashtanga class is based on movement, to stop a class and break down a pose can be disruptive mentally and physically. In David Swenson's weekend workshops, he often compares the ashtanga sequence to a train starting out on a journey. Once the train is rolling, you don't step off with the expectation of getting back on again. If you get off, move to the closing postures and savasana. To clarify, you are working toward a moving meditation and by stepping off the mat to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, wipe your face, etc, you are disrupting your flow. You've lost your mental focus and perhaps have cooled down the body.

In addition the vinyasa/ashtanga system, the idea is as the body flows, it will "find" the pose over time. Because the poses may only be held for a matter of breaths, there is not so much "breaking down" of the asanas. However, there is A LOT of verbal cuing: hands here, feet here, shoulders here, etc. There is almost no time for an instructor to go around to each student - rather, a good instructor will scan the class and pick one or two people to quick talk to or lightly adjust.

For me, the amount of demonstrating I do will depend on the class and more importantly, *who's* attending that session. In my Ashtanga classes, if it's the core regulars, I can focus on verbal cues, verbal technique and individual attention as they (mostly) know where they should be working. In my YMCA vinyasa classes, I do more demonstrating as the group changes significantly from session to session.

For the demonstrating, I use the cues, "Level 1, start here; level 2 move here; level 3 if your body is willing today; and if you are one of my Level 4 folks, move there - and I won't demonstrate Level 4 but rather stay in Level 1 or 2.

On occasion, again, depending on the group composition, I may actually structure a class around technique. This then turns the session into a hatha class, but ya know, that's okay. A bit o' change does the body good!

Whew! I would never have thought trying to describe how I lead a class or the concept of "flow" could be so in depth. Facinating.

Teaching Flow

2009-09-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

I had a fascinating discussion with a practitioner recently. This gal doesn’t come to my classes but prefers the Iyengar and Hatha based classes the studio offers. She explained to me that while she enjoys the flow of a Vinyasa and Ashtanga class she finds that she has a tendency to injure herself because it brings out her competitive side and so avoids those classes. I completely understand; it is hard to step back and say I don’t have to keep up with flexy-bendy chick in the corner or muscle-dude in the front row because you don’t want to appear to be weak to the rest of the class (yes, yes, an ego discussion is a whole different topic…).

However, her most interesting question was: How do you teach ‘flow’? I admit I was speechless for a moment. Indeed, how does one teach ‘flow’ to a class?

Well, first there is the basic definition:
(from About.com by Ann Pizer) Vinyasa Flow Yoga combines flowing postures with rhythmic breathing for an integrated body-mind workout. Nyasa means "to place" and vi means "in a special way." The entire sequence is structured to gently stretch while building strength and toning muscles through a variety of standing and seated postures. A good class format will incorporate alignment, modifications, and breath work that is appropriate for all levels of practitioners.

The word Vinyasa means “breath-synchronized movement.” In other words, the teacher will instruct you to move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale. This technique is sometimes also called Vinyasa Flow, or just Flow because of the smooth way that the poses run together and become like a dance.

And then we can become more specialized with Anusara, Sadhana Chi, Shakti, and other styles.

But the question remains, how does one teach a class how to move with the breath in a fluid manner? CAN it be taught? Is this something that is intuitive in some and not others? Is it a matter of saying to the ego, “no, you are not part of this class”? Can you teach someone to let go and just ‘flow’?

One thing I'm trying with my classes is a "ratcheting back" concept, to work at 75-90% rather than 100-110% because what I've observed is the tendency to "muscle" or "power" one's way through a session. If you are muscling/powering your way through a session, are you really flowing? Are you moving lightly and with thoughtfulness from one posture to the next or are you more concerned with getting as "deep" into the posture as possible? Are you letting the breath and body dictate where you need to go on that particular day?

So I bring the question to the blogworld - how does one teach flow?

Where Are All the Men?

2009-09-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

An acquaintance and fellow practitioner passed this article along to me: Where Are All The Men

This article takes a different look at why guys aren't practicing, pointing out such factors as social obstacles, physical hurdles, unrealized physical benefits, and the emotional challenge.

And after reading that article, I read this one: Model Men: Find out how yoga changed the lives of three men.

How yoga changed the outlook for a millionaire, a football player and a former Marine.

But it was interesting how neither article addressed the media's portrayal of yoga. Especially given Yoga Journal's portrayal of women/men in yoga.Coincidence? Intentional? Perhaps if they de-feminized the magazine a bit they might attract more guys to the practice.

Thoughts? Are the articles representative of the guys you know and the area you live in?

Morning Interlude

2009-09-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Like many folks, I spend a lot of time on the computer. Too much time in my opinion, but that's how it goes. I have however, been trying to limit my computer time at home - which is a bit of an oxymoron as I sit here on a Saturday morning typing up this post.

It's not that I spend an inordinately HUGE amount of time on the computer at home, but I have found myself checking e-mail or perusing blogs over breakfast and dinner (I dine alone)and that rather defeats the whole "being in the moment" concept. I'm not paying attention to the nice meal I just made, my poor hounds are waiting patiently for me to read 'just one more post' before they are fed or we go outside to play. And I cannot forget to mention the absolutely beautiful morning weather I am missing by staring at a flat screen instead of watching the sunlight drift through the leaves and mist.

So I have made an intent to turn away from the computer and eat my breakfast outside, or at the very least at the kitchen table. At 6:30 in the morning the mosquitoes can be quite feisty. Weekdays I don't have a lot of time, but even 15 minutes can make a difference. How you start your morning will carry with you all day.

Weekends though become like a miniature retreat, an hour or hour and a half to just sit. This Saturday I lit the mosquito repelant candles, grabbed my tea and breakfast, and my current study: the Dhammapada by Eknath Eswaran and I sat outside taking that precious "rest between the busy-ness".

To just take a moment and watch the hounds run around and play and hunt. To laugh when Kia-dog "gets a bee up her bonnet" and runs around all crazy like, tongue hanging out and a silly ass grin on her face. To listen to the migrating warblers. The occasional car going by on the road. The far of sounds of a train. The not quite so far off sounds of a highway being torn-up and re-done. The soft rustle of the leaves in the morning breeze.

My world. My moment. Impermanent and perfect.

Yoga North Open House!

2009-09-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you are in the area and have a moment to come and visit the studio:

Yoga North's Fall Open House is on Sunday Sept. 13 from 2–5pm. This gathering is great fun. There is delicious food, free yoga classes and discounts on everything!

New to Yoga North—FREE PASS for first class
10% OFF everything
QUALITY yoga wear & gear,cds & books
Snacks & PRIZES
Learn about our weekly Philosophy classes and Teacher Training
FREE 1/2 hr yoga class demos—demos are active participation wear comfortable clothes

Clean Mats

2009-09-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

Yoga North Studio was on break the last couple of weeks, and I decided this was a great time to clean my mats. I use three: one at home, one at the studio, and one for the Y. I'm very particular about using my own mat, but I'm not very good about keeping it as clean as I should.

However, I made an intention while on break to wash all my mats! It has been absolutely beautiful outside and I decided this would be a good time to spray down the mats, let them air dry and have the sun dry and disinfect.

Ecoygini has a great article here: How to Best Clean Your Mat and an unfortunate lesson learned on reacting to essential oils.

I used this concoction this weekend. It's actually a basic cleaner I use in my bathroom and around the house.

1/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 tsp detergent (liquid laundry preferred)

Mix in a spray bottle. Lasts indefinitely.

The detergent helps to break down grease and oils, while the vinegar acts as a disinfectant and helps to prevent the detergent from sticking. Plus the vinegar is a natural deodorizer for a mat that has become a bit...fragrant.

I also add a just few drops of lavender essential oil to my mixture, but I know I don't react. I sprayed my mats down, wiped them off with a cotton dishcloth, and repeated. Then I let dry in the sun for a hour or two.

Some people swear that running a mat through the washing machine and letting air dry does wonders, but unless you have a front loading wash machine, I would think the swishy-swishy action of the tumbler would wreak havoc on your poor mat.

Yes, there are concerns about putting a mat in the sun, but I reasoned that for the hour it was drying, it would do more benefit than harm.

So I'm ready for Fall session to begin!

Adding a postscript: Check out Ecoygini's results on To Wipe or Wash one's mat. It was very eyeopening!

Expectations and Habits

2009-08-14T12:00:00.003-05:00

Jardin Bontanique de Montreal

I went on a road trip to Montreal, Quebec , this past week (you can follow my adventures here: Scifi with Paprika) and as the miles rolled by (all 1100 of them…both ways…) I got to thinking about expectations.

I will readily admit I frequently let expectations get the better of me. For example, when coping with the mother-in-law who does have some serious mental health issues, the husband and I would be thinking, “Oh, this is going to be horrible, she’s going to want to do this and that and it’s going to be tedious and awful and we’re going to be miserable.” And while it often was tedious, it never was quite as bad as we would build it up to be. But even now when she is receiving full time care, we still fall back into those samskara’s (or ‘habits’ - if I have the Sanskrit word correct). There is no reason too, we just do. And I KNOW better.

The same went for my recent road trip. I have known my traveling companion since 7th grade. She can be difficult to cope with – different rules of engagement apply when we do things together than they do with other friends. I can’t describe it better, but there are significantly different dynamics at work which used to just drain me mentally and emotionally.

Over the last 15 years especially, I have gradually figured out small rules and guidelines that I use to cope when we are spending a weekend at a convention or traveling together. It can still be a very trying trip, but it’s not as draining as it used to be and I am able to enjoy myself more.

And so it was that I expected this trip to be…trying. We did something we have not done before and that was drive instead of fly. I didn’t expect that this would work in any way, shape, or form, but much to my surprise, she loved it. I have never seen her as relaxed and enjoying herself on a trip as I did this past week. This was honestly one of the best trips we have ever done together.

But what I think frustrates me the most is I still let myself get caught up with expectations. I know what pushes my buttons, I know what feeds the expectation machine, and the next thing I know is those pesky habits have snuck back in and I’m stuck in a negativity loop.

Sigh.

So what I’ve been working on is not the emotion of expectation, but the habits of negativity that crop up with those expectations. To not let myself get caught up in the negative feedback loop. For me, trying to change the habit that arises with the expectation is perhaps more approachable than squashing or eliminating feelings of expectation. Maybe that makes sense, maybe not, and that’s okay.

Are there any habits or expectations that you are working on?

Finding Balance

2009-07-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

The topic of balance seems to be a prevalent one for me this week as I'm trying to find balance between work, house chores and projects, yoga, puppies, and the odd moment or two for relaxing.

In yoga I've been playing around with a balance sequence I learned at the Matthew Sweeney workshop where one transitions from Utthita Padangusthasana (Hand to Big Toe pose) to Natarajasana (Dancer Pose) and back again. I don't know why this one fascinates me; maybe it has something to do with the fluidity and concentration required.

At home I've been trying to find balance between getting my daily/weekly chores done while working on some outside projects. I took it upon myself this summer to build a retaining wall. I started during a dry spell, and now, a mere 3 weeks later, it's been a project between the rainstorms. If you've ever started a landscaping project, you know that you have to keep moving otherwise you end up with other issues (like erosion which can undo all your hard work).

And there is the garden. Green, sort-of growing, and in need of cultivating and
weeding. If it ever stops raining.

But what really grabbed my attention was Lolly's post on balance this week: Lolly Knitting Around.

Here is an excerpt: Finding balance – no matter what kind of balance it is: emotionally, figuratively, financially, physically - can be a difficult task. There are complete self-help courses on finding the work/life balance, on balancing your relationships, balancing your finances.

One of the major draws for people interested in yoga is learning how to balance – both balancing on one foot (or one hand!) but also finding the balance in your own life to avoid stress. Personally, yoga has helped me greatly in this way: balancing my emotions (not as quick to anger or sadness), as well as feeling more stability as I physically walk through the world.

When you think about it, learning to be balanced is more than just trying to stand on one foot. When were feeling balanced in all aspects of our lives, we're more centered, grounded, and open to new possibilities and opportunities emotionally and physically.

Go ahead, give it a try. I think you'll like being balanced too, and remember, it's okay to fall down. Just get back up again!

Yogin

2009-07-20T10:00:00.002-05:00

This was a delight to watch... (sorry, I haven't figured out how to get it to link directly).

From YouTube: Yogin is a short animation telling the story of a young yogi challenging an old master to a yoga battle. The egotistical challenger thinks he has what is necessary to take on the master however he fails to realize there is more to yoga then physical postures.

Yogin

Workshop: Matthew Sweeney

2009-07-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Whew! It's been a super busy week and I just couldn't face getting on the computer again when I got home. I finally have a quiet moment this cold Saturday morning and I'm watching the Tour de France while I catch up on my blogs.

I attended a workshop with Matthew last year and was very impressed and inspired. When I saw he was coming back to the Yoga House this year I made sure it was on my calendar. He did not disappoint. I've cheated and cut and pasted the workshop description because really, it WAS EXACTLY this.

What I particularly liked, was while Matthew does instruct and teach the Ashtanga sequence, he acknowledges that it is NOT for everyone and that there are times and places where other sequences are necessary. Matthews background covers several styles of yoga (including Iyengar) which I felt really made him a well rounded, exacting, instructor.

For example, the Friday night Vinyasa session is a PERFECT way to end the week and start the weekend. Many Ashtanga workshop weekends start with a Primary practice on Friday night, then you come back Saturday morning and do it AGAIN, then do a partial session Saturday afternoon...you get the picture and by Sunday afternoon you are just exhausted mentally and physically. NOT SO in Matthews session. Several of us commented how relaxed and refreshed we felt after Friday nights sequence.

Saturday I loved how we focused on technique. This is what I want from a workshop and why I signed up again this year. Sunday morning was another Vinyasa sequence. I had to depart after the morning session to drive back to Duluth and pick up my hounds from the kennel. I didn't mind. My mind was full of concepts, ideas, and notes and it was nice to be able to just drive and digest.

If you enjoy a vinyasa or Ashtanga style class, enjoy working on the mechanics of a yoga practice, you would probably enjoy one of Matthew's workshops.

From the Yoga House workshop description: This weekend workshop is an informative and practical exploration of Ashtanga Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga. It will include traditional Ashtanga Yoga, therapeutic Vinyasa sequences and Yoga philosophy. It is a unique opportunity for both novice and advanced Yoga enthusiasts to practice under the tutelage of an international and advanced Yoga teacher.

Matthew delivers these workshops with enthusiasm and a fun-filled atmosphere to allow you to explore the joy of Yoga. The latest aspects of Matthew’s workshop series include flowing led practices and insightful guidance on various hints, tricks and techniques for some of the more intricate aspects of Asana practice. These sessions are useful for Yoga practitioners from any tradition and are not just aimed at traditional Ashtanga Yoga students.

FRIDAY, July 10 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Gentle Alternative Vinyasa Sequence (I) Chandra Krama: The Moon Sequence
Beginning with a short introduction about the workshop and Vinyasa Yoga this class will commence with Moon Sequence. Feeling tired? Depleted? Injured? Or otherwise a bit low? This sequence is a gentle flowing Vinyasa form accessible for all levels. Although this sequence was originally intended for practice on the full moon, the new moon and during the menstrual cycle, it is appropriate at any time for women and men. The sequence focuses on the hips, groin, lower spine and abdominals, which will feel awake and alive after moving through the postures. It takes pressure off the neck, shoulders and wrists (common from the standard jumps in the Ashtanga series) and is useful as a regular alternative to the intense heat of the traditional Ashtanga. Whether old or young this sequence is great for any age. Some Yoga experience is recommended.

SATURDAY, July 11 9:30 – 12:30 PM
Jumping Through and Jump
This class will explore the methods and techniques necessary to implement greater ease and ability with jumping through and jumping back. This class will begin with a warm up based on the traditional series and then explore the jumps in Surya Namaskara followed by the jumps in and out of the sitting postures - both cross-legged and straight-legged. These useful techniques have been comprehensively developed over many years and are applicable for students of any level. ing Back

2:00 – 4:30 PM
Vinyasa, Back Bending and Mula Bandha
This class will begin with a short Vinyasa warm up. This will be followed by exploring variations of back bending and drop bac ks. Simple hands on exercises will be provided to increase awareness of the articulation of the lower spine, pelvic floor and psoas muscles. This session will also include some practical advice for understanding and applying the mula bandha, or root lock and will conclude with a group discussion on Yoga Philosophy.

SUNDAY, July 12 9:30 – 12:30 PM
Alternative Vinyasa Sequence (II) Simha Krama: The Lion Sequence
This sequence is the second series that Matthew has designed. The Lion Sequence flows from the Moon Sequence, introducing postures that expand upon concepts begun in the latter series. It involves exploration of different standing postures, therapeutic back bends, a shoulder opening sequence and a playful approach to various inversion postures. This sequence can be a useful alternative to the traditional Intermediate Series where you may find certain postures (or the whole sequence) becoming either too painful, impossible or simply inappropriate for you.

2:00 - 4:30 PM
Headstand, Handstand and Meditation
This class will begin with a short warm up, followed by an exploration of headstand and handstand. A combination of easy to follow techniques and a fun atmosphere of learning will infuse this session. This class will finish with the subtle aspects of Yoga including Pranayama (breathing exercises), Meditation and a final question and answer session.