At Lubbock Yoga

52

2011-12-03T11:26:00.001-06:00

Fifty-two. That is the number of days that had passed since the last time I was on my yoga mat until now. A little over a year ago, I hurt my knee getting into Urdhva Padmasana in Sarvangasana (Upward Lotus in Shoulderstand) and I gave myself two entire weeks of no practice to let it heal. Until this stretch, those two weeks had been the longest consecutive period I had ever been away from my mat since I started practicing yoga almost 15 years ago. And I wasn't even entirely off my mat during those two weeks since I continued to teach without telling anyone I was hurt. So 52 days is a big deal.

This morning was the first time I unrolled my mat and stepped on to it in nearly two months. I had kinda disowned my mind, in a way. It always lived at the studio; I never took it home unless I was going to travel with it. It has been living in the trunk of my car ever since the studio closed (that, by the way, is very hard for me to say -- "the studio closed, the studio closed, the studio closed" ::sigh::) because I was afraid of having to look at it in my house everyday. My theory was that as long as it was in my car I only had to see it, acknowledge it, when I put groceries in the trunk, and that felt easier to deal with. Anyone care to join me for a big heaping dose of denial??

I have been thinking about practicing for a while; y'know "meaning to get around to it." It's just that whenever I felt like I might be ready I would change my mind at the last minute and excuse myself to do something else. I've turned down a few invitations to practice with others. And I've been avoiding clearing out the clutter in my home space. I was hoping that if I kept it in the back of my mind, kept the opportunity open, that it would happen organically when the time was right. And it wasn't my fault if it didn't feel right yet. So I kept saying "no, but ask me again" to myself and to others. I hadn't exactly intended on today being the day, it wasn't planned, but I accepted (cautiously and a little doubtfully at first) a last minute invitation to join a small group of folks getting together privately for Ashtanga this morning. Saturday morning was always one of my most favorite times to practice. I would almost always arrive at the studio early enough to have an extra long personal practice before Essentials II. And Essentials II was one of my most favorite classes to teach each week. It was always so much fun both because of the students who attended regularly and because of the material we got to practice. I looked forward to it every week. So something seemed fitting about making my big return to the mat on a Saturday morning.

I was extremely nervous. It had been so long since I prepared myself for a practice that I had to think consciously about getting dressed and grabbing my gear -- simple things that I would have done completely on auto-pilot just a few weeks ago. My heart was racing and my stomach had butterflies; it kinda felt like the first day at a brand new school -- simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking. I didn't know how I would feel physically. Or emotionally. I didn't know if I would have the energy for the Primary Series. I was afraid I would get there and my body would just freeze and not want to move. I did, in fact, pause briefly when I first arrived. I stepped into the space and decided where I would put my mat, and I just stopped for a moment and felt a pang of hesitation. I stood and stared at the floor and hugged my mat against my chest. Again, something so simple that just a few weeks ago would have happened easily without my even thinking about it, needed my conscious and deliberate thoughts today in order to make a reality. I had to take a deep breath and remind myself what I was doing and why -- "Unroll your mat, Stephanie. Step on to it. Sit down. Breathe. You are going to practice yoga now." Harder than it sounds. My heart quickened now just remembering it. What do you want and what are you willing to do to get it? That's what I always say, right? Well, I want to practice again, and that means there has to be a "first time." So, here we go.....

There were a few spare minutes before we began as a group, so I decided to stretch a little, move around, see what felt and where. I took Down-dog first and I let out an audible groan; I think I may have said "omg" out loud. I was definitely stiff and tender. My calves and hamstrings and shoulders had the most sensation. But it wasn't terrible. It was pleasant, actually. It was like hugging a really good friend after a long absence -- sorta unexpectedly comforting. I held it for probably about a minute and fidgeted a little and just scanned through the experience; taking it in. Remembering. Breathing. Relaxing. I pulled forward very slowly into a Plank and lowered very slowly into Chaturanga (I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to control my descent without belly-flopping!) and then arched up into an Upward dog. And that is when I started to cry. My eyes welled up and my face crinkled. I stayed in the pose but I closed my eyes and lowered my head. My back was tight and the stretch across my chest and outer arms was really intense. That's what I was noticing on the outside. On the inside I was flooded with so many different emotions I'm not sure I can even describe them sufficiently. Sadness, disappointment, fear, and also an opening and a receiving so that I was teetering between grief and anticipation at the same time and not quite sure what I was doing. One of my favorite parts about teaching is being present for others when they have moments like the one I had -- an unexpected wash of feelings. That is, without a doubt, one of the primary purposes of practicing yoga -- the opportunity to feel anything, everything, whenever, wherever, every where and nothing and no where all at the same time. I have had countless experiences of witnessing students have those moments while in my presence; sometimes they were shared and sometimes I simply held the space for their privacy, and sometimes they came to me afterward, sometimes a long long time afterward and expressed to me how important a moment it was for them. I always appreciated being in a position that allowed for those kinds of experiences. But it has been a very long time since I have had one of my own. It has been a very long time since my practice felt overwhelming. Every practice is important and meaningful and emotional, but then there are those distinctly profound moments that are defining and unforgettable. And I had one today.

My nerves smoothed out fairly quickly, I'm happy to say. The stiffness, too. It was almost as if being away from practice for so long was a good thing. I was expecting to be very sore and tight and for the Primary Series to be difficult and tiring. It wasn't really any of those things. I mostly fell right back into the old groove. I may have even improved upon a few little things. I still don't like doing more than 3 Surya Namaskar Bs and my Chakrasanas were sloppy and Headstand required a little more effort than I'm used to, but, overall, it was enjoyable. I was remarkably limber and graceful considering the circumstances. It felt good to breathe purposefully and to sweat and to focus on myself. I missed my practice a lot, but I needed some space and some time. I needed to regroup and evaluate. I think not taking the break would have been unduly stressful and inauthentic. There is never a "right time" to make a major decision or to undertake a huge project or to accept a great amount of responsibility. You just have to listen to your instincts and commit to sincerity and patience. And then you jump in, ready or not. When I was invited to participate in this morning's practice, my first reaction was to decline. Adamantly, even. Again. I wasn't convinced that I was ready yet. And I wasn't sure that being part of a group was how I wanted to return to the mat. But I allowed my doubts to be persuaded. I was ever so gently coaxed into it by someone who I sometimes think might know me better in some ways than I know myself. Her assurance that I would feel better when it was over was just the kind of pressure I needed to put good intentions into right actions. And I do, in fact, feel better. I feel softened and refreshed, and like something was returned to me that I thought I had lost but actually only temporarily misplaced. I won't wait nearly so long to do it again; I'm certain of that.

What a beautifully mild winter day we are having here! And what a fantastic way to have started it!

Namaste

Surviving

2011-11-03T16:40:00.001-05:00

I haven't even thought about blogging in quite a long time, but I am finally feeling ready to reach out again.

I know not everyone who reads this blog is a student of mine or is even in Lubbock, so I will start at the beginning...

In the spring of 2005 I had graduated college (Business Administration, ironically), was working for a company who had denied me promotion for which I was qualified and (arguably) due multiple times, and was becoming more and more devoted to my living-room yoga practice every day. I realized that I was in the middle of a kind of stagnation, a life-plateau -- I wasn't interested in utilizing (or furthering) my degree, I was four and a half years into what was proving to be a not-terrible yet dead-end job, and one of the only reliable sources of enjoyment in my day-to-day life was yoga. I don't remember what exactly made me think that it was a good idea, but I decided that I wanted to become a certified teacher. I knew that the yoga community in Lubbock was small and was mostly treading water in gyms and church community rooms. I really had no idea if the lack of a more unified and permanent community was because there wasn't interest or because the opportunity hadn't yet been presented or for some other reason, nor did I know if my investment and interest in becoming a teacher would be acknowledged or appreciated, but it felt important and meaningful enough to me to pursue it even if it turned out to be just for my personal benefit. Any amount of teaching was not even overtly on my radar screen and felt more like icing on the cake rather than the direct objective. I remember jokingly responding to family and friends when they asked me when/where/how I would teach by saying I would get a job on a cruise ship. And partly fearing that would in fact prove to be my fate.

Despite the uncertainty, and the less-than-subtle doubts and concerns expressed by those closest to me, I enrolled in a 200-hour program in Houston and registered for three weeks of additional classes at the Kripalu Center in MA to begin immediately after I graduated from the Houston course. I asked for a leave of absence from my job, but they wouldn't grant it. Instead, they said that if I returned within 6 months I would be reinstated into my position and level of seniority as though I had never left. So I resigned (with full intentions of returning; after all, there was only so much money in the bank and I would need a paying job when I came home), and I spent the summer learning to practice and teach yoga.

It was incredible! Those weeks are still some of my fondest memories. It was grueling and exhausting and overwhelming. And inspiring and motivational and eye-opening. I learned so much and tried so many new things and met so many amazing people who shared similar interests and desires. I cried a lot -- out of confusion and frustration, from being so tired and so sore, and more than once when I wasn't sure I would be able to complete the process.

It was difficult but worth it, and I came home changed forever. And itching to share what I had experienced. I still had some time (and, thankfully, some money) left before I had to return to work, so I immediately started to look for places to teach. I taught my very first class on September 8, 2005 and I still remember the name of each student that was in that class. I also remember that I loved it! What I don't remember (probably a good thing!) is what I taught or how incoherent and awkward it must have been. But I knew I was hooked.

Fast forward a year or so -- I never passed up an opportunity to teach. I taught at the Y, gyms, health clubs, community centers, health fairs and expos, back rooms of churches, privately to individuals and to small and large groups. Morning, noon, and night. Seven days a week. As many as three or four times a day. I advanced my personal practice, and I read every yoga-related book, magazine, and pamphlet I could get my hands on. I couldn't get enough. I was a sponge taking in as much as I could retain. And happily spitting it back out at anyone willing to give me as much as five minutes of their attention. Oh, and I never went back to that j-o-b!

As my involvement with the yoga community deepened over the course of those first two years, as my student-base and class attendance grew, and as I met more teachers in the area (there weren't a lot but they were out there; some were certified and some weren't; some are still actively contributing and some aren't), I would hear rumors about someone wanting to organize a more permanent and more yoga-conducive space, and I eagerly anticipated Lubbock getting its very own studio. But those rumors never amounted to anything, and I was personally becoming very dissatisfied with the pseudo-spaces that were available to us. As grateful as we all were (me and my students and the budding community) for any opportunity to practice, the gyms and the churches just weren't sufficient and we desperately needed something better. It became apparent to me that nobody else was prepared to fulfill that need, and I found myself capable of stepping up to the plate.

Voila, the birth of Lubbock Yoga in March 2008. Most everything that took place between then and this past September is well-known. We grew, we invited more and more qualified and talented teachers on to our team, we expanded to a bigger and better facility in January 2010, we grew more. And then we had our teacher training program yanked out from underneath us. That was devastating to us personally because YTT is a lot of fun and it gives the community access to otherwise unavailable information and it's just another layer that adds to the growth as a whole. But, perhaps more significantly, losing YTT was financially calamitous. It put the studio into a downward spiral from which it would never recover. Even though we were given our rights to lead YTT back a few weeks ago, it was too late to be of any help.

At the end of September, LY was facing legal and financial obligations which were in no small way excessive of its capabilities and it was very obvious that the studio could no longer operate without accepting extreme consequences. The doors were permanently closed on October 17. The decision was unbearably difficult to make and was not made lightly. A lot of heavy conversation was had, many options were weighed, professional advice was sought, and when the facts were presented unbiasedly the right thing to do was undeniable. It was very unexpected; it all arose and was set into action within the course of a single day. The admittedly abrupt and unexplained closing was done to prevent any additional debt and responsibility from accruing. But I know that it left a whirlwind of confusion and questions and anxieties and uncertainties. If you were among those that suffered in those first few chaotic days, I apologize profusely and hope that your yoga journey has not been irreconcilably damaged.

The outpouring of support and generosity and concern from the community toward me, toward the studio, toward the teachers, and toward the other students was immediate and overwhelming. I was not expecting it. I (naively, I realize now) thought I would slip through the cracks and that my absence would go mostly unnoticed. Teaching is an offering of limitless passion and energy. Those who teach do it because they are in love with it. We know people appreciate it because they keep showing up. And because every once in the while they say so. It feels good to know you have resonated with someone in a meaningful way, but, appreciated or not, we teach because we are compelled to do so. Comments and feedback are just lovely bonuses. But the last three weeks have exposed a level of kinship and mutual respect and value between me and my students that I was not able to even imagine before. I was really unable to grasp the depth of what people felt about LY, and I was left bewildered and speechless and incredibly humbled by the communications people made following our sad news.

Teaching yoga put me in an interesting dilemma. Like I said earlier, when I first told friends and family that I wanted to teach, they thought I was crazy and were hesitant to believe that I had the right personality to be in a position that required such great amounts of "people-skills." I am not a people person. My two favorite quotes are "I can only be myself; I'm sorry if that's hell for you" and "According to my dayplanner, I don't give a f*&%." I am independent, argumentative, willful, and introverted. Don't get me wrong, I am a human being with feelings and emotions. I can be kind and generous and sensitive and empathetic and sincere and selfless. I am never intentionally hurtful or tactless. And I was always more than happy to teach without reparation. It's just that warm-fuzzies and hugs and small talk don't come naturally to me. And I have to dole it out in small, controlled doses. Or I retreat like a turtle pulling into its shell, or I lash out inappropriately. It is not pretty. (If you have ever wondered why I inexplicably went MIA or if you have been on the receiving end of what I meant as a joke or witty dinner conversation but could have easily been construed as mean or insensitive, I apologize.) I function best with a substantial portion of sarcasm and criticism and tough-love and distance. And, as far as administrative tasks of the studio went, I purposefully avoided anything related to customer service. I tried my best, but I definitely burned a few bridges along the way -- the whole "smile, nod, and customer-knows-best" approach to business management is not my forte. I was grateful for Ashle and Emily to fill that role for me. So I found myself immersed in an industry whose primary tenants are based on how to take care of yourself, how to be your own highest priority, how to be open and honest, how to graciously give to and receive from those around you, and how to surround yourself with those who uphold and support you unconditionally. And I was the most resistant and closed-off as anybody. I went out of my way to stay at arm's length, to maintain distinct boundaries, and to only be as accessible as was necessary to be a good teacher. But it didn't work. My students got into my heart. And, if the messages and offerings of assistance that I've received over the last few weeks are any indication, I got into theirs. I have been made painfully aware of the existence of deep and meaningful relationships that were taking place around me, and even involved me without my knowing. They cannot be duplicated or replaced, and they are each definitively the fault of Lubbock Yoga. Such a simple thing -- a building with a sign on the door, a classroom with a stage at the front, and an invitation to practice a Downward-dog a couple times a week -- meant so much to so many. It is breath-taking and important.

My heart is broken. I am disappointed and frustrated and confused. I think almost all of us took LY for granted and assumed it would always be there. Even though it was always a struggle and the month-to-month obligations were often a challenge to meet, I was caught off guard by the suddenness of the situation even though I was privy to the information, so I can only imagine what others experienced. There are still a lot of logistical aspects of the studio's closing that have to be worked out and they are my priority at the moment. I have not made any plans for my immediate future although I do intend to stay in Lubbock for the time being. I find it nearly impossible to imagine a future for myself in which I am not teaching yoga. It is my dharma and my passion, and it is my intention to return to it eventually. I just don't know when. Or where.

Many of the other LY teachers are doing their best to keep the community together, but I know that is proving to be a challenge without the comfort and stability of our space. I implore you to support their efforts and to be of assistance when and how you can. The long-term future of our community is uncertain at this point, but I firmly believe that with adequate time and patience, faith and energy, desire and perseverance something good will come out of this. Lessons will be learned, mistakes rectified, and new paths forged.

I don't know how consistent my communication here will be, but I will make an effort (even though efforts and open lines of communication make me cringe) to stay present and attentive. And I'll definitely let you know when I get back on the mat. "Thank you" does not do justice to what I owe everyone, but, since what I have to offer at the moment is limited, I say it authentically, vehemently, and enthusiastically. Accept it at will.

Thank you

Backbends

2011-09-24T13:55:00.000-05:00

I love backbends! I love "baby" backbends and big backbends and belly-down and standing up and inverted. You name it, and if it can be any semblance of a backbend I'm into it. The only exception is Ustrasana (Camel pose). I don't dislike Camel, by any means; I guess you could say I am indifferent about Camel. Kinda take it or leave it. I don't really know why; it just doesn't spark my enthusiasm the way other backbends do. I do practice it, though, and I teach it. And I love witnessing other people achieve Camel pose, especially if they have been working on it for a while. I readily admit that it is a really important posture to learn and appreciate. It is the very first backbend introduced in LoY, before Cobra and Locust and Up-dog. And I think that's really significant. Iyengar places a very high value on Camel pose; he says everyone should practice it -- the young, the old, the sick, the injured, everyone. That's a big deal. So, yay Camel! But what I really love is stuff like Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) and Ekapada Bhekasana (One-legged Frog) and Kapotasana (Pigeon) and Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) and Dwipada Viparita Dandasana (Two-legged Inverted Staff pose). That's the stuff that gets my motor going.

There are basically two different methods for preparing the body for more challenging poses like big backbends, or even deep forward bends or arm-balances. You can take a direct route meaning you use poses that are in a similar category of movement and slowly build up through "baby" poses, less-baby poses, intermediate poses, and eventually into your "peak" pose. So if you wanted to build up to Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-knee pose) you would likely start with things like Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Big-toe pose), Triangle and Side-angle and their revolved counterparts, and deep lunges to stretch the hamstrings, open the hips, and initiate the twisting actions in the spine. Then you could move on into something like Exalted Warrior and Parighasana (Gate pose) to stretch the side body, and maybe some Cow-face arms and Dolphin pose to prepare the shoulders. Then you would put all those elements together -- long hamstrings, open hips, a side-body stretch, a twist, and open shoulders -- into Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana. Basically, start with forward bend and hip-opening characteristics, continue them throughout the practice, and culminate with more of the same.

Or if you were building up to a big backbend like Urdhva Dhanurasana you could work on other backbends like Cobra, Bow, Warrior I and Anjaneyasana variations, and Camel poses until you felt prepared for Urdhva Dhanurasana. In this case, the theme is start with backbends, continue backbends throughout the practice, and culminate with more backbends. It works.

The other method for preparing the body for more challenging poses is an indirect route. For instance, you can use a long inversion session to get ready for deep forwardbends because inversions activate the legs, hips, belly, spine, shoulders, and chest, all of which you need for deep forwardbends. So you might start with Sirsasana (Headstand) cycle including twisted, one-legged, and padma variations. And then the Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) cycle including Plow, Side Plow, one-legged, and padma variations. And via a round-about way you have achieved the same effects and would be, theoretically, ready for deep forwardbends including Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana.

Long, deep twists are a really effective and indirect method of preparing the body for backbends. Twists awaken the spine, shoulders, chest, and hips which are all the things you need for backbends. So you could practice things like twisted versions of lunges and standing poses, reclined twists like Jathara Parivartanasana and Parivrtta Supta Padangusthasana, Parsva and/or Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana (twisted versions of Headstand), and seated twists like Bharadvajasana and Ardha Matsyendrasana. And then shift your attention into Camel or Upward Bow or Pigeon.

The advantage to the direct approach is that you are, more or less, guaranteed to be preparing the most necessary body-parts for the actions they'll undertake once you're ready for the peak pose. The disadvantage is that you run the risk of over-working those critical body parts and them being too tired by the time you reach your peak to be effective.

The indirect approach can help you to conserve some energy so that you can still activate and energize appropriately when it comes time for the final pose. For instance, if I know I'm going to be doing a lot of standing poses or inversions (which require a lot of effort and energy), I'll start the practice with a few Yin poses which will open my legs, hips, and spine, but without an inordinate amount of exertion. Then I can still be really attentive and participatory when the poses get challenging. However, you run the risk of mis-judging appropriate preparatory work and not being ready for the final pose.

Something else to keep in mind about the indirect method is that there should be a fairly substantial foundation of the alignment principles involved in the peak pose. So if you are indirectly building up to Urdhva Dhanurasana, you should already be pretty familiar and comfortable with basic backbending requirements, and you should probably already have some experience with Urdhva Dhanurasana specifically since you won't be spending a lot of time establishing those actions through early remedial work. Whereas the direct method allows you to slowly introduce and build upon those fundamental components so that you are sure they are there when you need them.

Certainly either method gets the job done, and deciding which you prefer is mostly trial-and-error. I would recommend picking a peak pose, creating both a direct and an indirect sequence of events leading up to the peak pose, and then practice them both to see which one was more effective -- write a sequence of backbends that gradually build into more and more challenging backbends, and write a sequence of gradually deeper twists that eventually shift into backbends, for instance. How do those peak moments feel from one experience to the other? It'll be hard to definitively say one is better than the other. The final result is likely to be fairly significantly different, but not necessarily better or worse. It's more about experiencing the differences (and the similarities) rather than labeling them as good or bad.

We worked with really remedial leg action specifically in preparation for backbends last Saturday, and I wanted to carry that work into this morning's class. My hope was that we could skip the remedial actions since we just applied them last week, and get right into some deep backbending work. We combined a little bit of both direct and indirect work in the early moments of practice. We spent some time in deep twists and we jumped into the backbends pretty early. It seemed like last week's leg work came through and we added some extra attention to the kidneys and shoulders, and we talked a lot about the job of the feet during backbends like Cobra and Hero/Supta, and Camel pose. We made our way into Urdhva Dhanurasana, and I was really pleased with what I saw. Many of these students have been practicing with me for several years, and so I have been able to watch them grow and evolve over time. It is thrilling to see someone move beyond the point of struggle and strain and into a place of comfort. With even more time and practice, that place of comfort will deepen and become a feeling of natural and organic alignment where performing the pose just feels easy and obvious. And then it's time to take it to a new level, to start the challenge all over again with something brand new.

That's one of my favorite parts of yoga -- the process of being introduced to something brand new and struggling with it for weeks or months or years. Staying committed to understanding it and mastering it even when it seems impossible. Realizing you have slipped into a state of simplicity where the struggle has dissolved and the essence of the experience -- the gifts, the rewards, the benefits, the lessons -- are of greater importance than the act of moving in and out of the pose. Taking that deeper and deeper until the pose feels like a natural extension of your being, until long, drawn out preparations are no longer necessary and the pose unfurls almost by itself. And then accepting the challenge of trying something else brand new and going through the whole process again. That never stops. Ever. That is yoga. The process. The practice. It's called a yoga practice for a reason. It is an ever-widening, ever-deepening, constant, continuous evolution. And once you feel comfortable, you know you're ready for whatever comes next.

Anyway, I had a great time leading this morning's Essentials II class -- Backbends Part Two. We got great things done, and now that we have established a foundation of things like Camel and Upward Bow, we can incorporate them much more often and set the stage for that deepening and widening that comes from a committed practice. Before you know it, we'll be ready for one-legged variations and drop-backs.

This morning's sequence:

Cat/Cow and any kind of variations of Cat/Cow, balancing, fire-hydrants, Puppy, baby Cobra, etc that interests you
AMS and Ragdoll
Surya Namaskar A 3-5 times
Anjaneyasana with focus on strong legs (from last week) and neutral spine
Long, slow, deep Bhujangasana (Cobra)
Anjaneyasana on the other side
Another deep Cobra
Twisted Anjaneyasana (start with your hands in Prayer position and hook the elbow on to the opposite knee; if you can go deeper, slip the bottom arm further down the outside of the front leg and reach your fingers toward the floor as you would in the full expression of Revolved Side Angle)
Locust with hands clasped behind the back
Twisted Anjaneyasana on the other side
Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
Bharadvajasana I and II on both sides
Virasana (Hero pose) with Cow-face arms
Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero) and/or Paryankasana (Couch pose) with a block and/or Ekapada Urdhva Virasana (One-legged Upward Hero otherwise known as "shin-up-the-wall" pose)
Reclined cross-legged twist -- hold for 10-20 breaths
Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen)
Setubandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose) hold for 10-20 breaths
Virabhadrasana I with formal Iyengar-style alignment meaning a strictly neutral spine up through the arms
Virabhadrasana I with a deeper lunge in the legs and a deep backbend in the spine Anusara-style
Ustrasana (Camel pose) 2-5 times, practice traditional Camel once or twice and then incorporate variations if you're familiar with any
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) 2-5 times, practice traditional Upward Bow once or twice and then incorporate variations if you're familiar with any
Paschimottanasana for 20-30 breaths
Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) and any of it's cycle that interests you
Sirsasana (Headstand) and any of it's cycle that interests you
Baddha Padmasana (Bound Lotus) and/or Padmasana (Lotus) with Jnana Mudra hands and/or Tolasana (Scale pose)
Savasana (We skipped Savasana this morning and sat for meditation and pranayama instead)
Namaste

Fun, right?!

Me in backbends through the years:

Camel back in 2006

Cobra

EPRK IV prep.

Ganda Bherundasana prep.

Ganda Bherundasana prep. at the wall; this is when I was teaching at the Y

Camel variations / Kapotasana prep.

Scorpion prep. with a chair at an Anusara workshop

Playing post-picnic in full riding gear. Yoga is hard in leather!

Urdhva Dhanurasana back in 2006. I loved it then. I love it even more now because I can do it soooo much better.

Timing is Everything

2011-09-15T13:46:00.003-05:00

Used the DK blog to talk about how long to hold poses:

http://dirghakala.blogspot.com/2011/09/dk-ii-week-33.html

We got YTT back!

2011-09-12T09:52:00.000-05:00

In January 2010 the Texas Workforce Commission decided that yoga training schools fell under the umbrella of technical and trade colleges (like American Business College or Kaplan). Schools all over the state were served with cease-and-desist letters demanding that training courses stop immediately unless and until compliance with the TWC regulations were proven. LY attempted to adhere to the new rules, but the compliance process is extremely lengthy, complicated, and expensive. As a result, numerous training programs all over the state (including LY) were forced to pull teacher training from their studio's offerings because they could not meet the administrative and/or financial requirements. To make matters worse, many small, local studios depend on the income from teacher trainings to keep their classroom doors open, and this illogical and irresponsible ruling literally put some studios out of business.

Losing our right to offer yoga teacher training was personally and professionally devastating to LY, and to many many others as well. It was a gross misuse of Texas legislative powers, and, unfortunately, the consequences of this attempted legislation were irrevocable for some.

But happy happy day -- the fight to exempt yoga schools from the new mandates was successful, and I could not be happier. We can resume yoga teacher training free from the abusive eyes and manipulative hands of the TWC. Rather than conform our traditions of experience and study to what a non-involved and un-knowledgeable body of politicians view as acceptable learning materials and methodologies, we answer only to the integrity and responsibilities of the lineages of tradition, practice, and wisdom that have come before us. Yoga is not a modality that can be controlled or influenced by outsiders; it is a lifestyle investment that takes direct and devoted commitment, and should be shared and fostered by those who love it.

This is the best thing that has happened to me, to Lubbock Yoga, and to the whole of the Texas yoga community in a really long time. Thank you Texas Yoga Association, its supporters, and the many others that were involved in the process of demanding they give us back what was rightfully ours.

Announcement posted on the Texas Yoga Association website. Hallelujah!

I am already busy busy getting things ready for LYTT to take place in 2012. There is lots to do, but I am so excited!

P.S. There are schools in TX that are certified by the TWC; Yoga Yoga in Austin is one of them. Yoga Yoga is rightfully proud of their proven high standards, and it is a great school that I recommend potential teacher-trainees check out during their decision-making process. I am not opposed to schools voluntarily choosing to meet these criteria, as Yoga Yoga has done for a decade. My objection is that, despite years of successful and unblemished operations, schools that were demonstrating the highest levels of honesty, discipline, respect, and value toward their students were dishonorably and inexplicably bound to obey an unwanted and unnecessary set of rules that were more disruptive than helpful. Great yoga teachers are born from great yoga teachers, and we do not need the state defining those characteristics for us.

Confidence Owns the Building

2011-09-10T12:45:00.002-05:00

We had a really great Essentials II class this morning. The room was full with enthusiastic and experienced yogis which meant that we had the privilege of experiencing some really fun inversion variations. Since there was already a substantial base-knowledge of Headstand and Shoulderstand, we took both of those poses into a new arena.

When I think about inversions, I think about confidence, courage, adventure, excitement, and willpower. Inversions don't happen accidentally. You don't just happen to find yourself with your feet off the floor; they take intention and forethought, deliberate actions and preparations. You have to know ahead of time that you want to practice inversions in order to set the proper foundation. You bring with you to your practice a certain amount of confidence -- you're not likely to step into a yoga practice that includes inversions if you are not at least a little bit willing and able to try them. This morning's group of students, for instance, knew before they showed up that they were voluntarily attending an "intermediate level" class that was likely to include some amount of inverting, arm-balancing, or back-bending. Each one of them had a certain amount of boldness and morale before they ever showed up, or they wouldn't have been there. The cool thing about things like confidence and courage and self-esteem is that when we embody them and demonstrate them, they grow exponentially. Like the snowball-effect -- each act of resolution and certitude makes another one possible. And another. And another. You start with a vague desire to try something out-of-the-ordinary, you set it into motion, and soon you're tackling exciting risks like drop-backs and bungee-jumping and career-changes. The more often we step up to the plate of challenge, step out of the comfort zone, and take reasonable risks, the stronger and more useful those characteristics become.

Fear, doubt, and insecurity hold us back. They darken and thicken the veils of disillusion, and they make progress slow or even impossible. Like trying to swim through Vaseline -- you exert way more effort and energy than is necessary and the measurable results are minimal at best. That doesn't mean that we bound forward irrationally or irresponsibly. It means that we genuinely intend to keep our eyes and our hearts open, our minds clear and quiet, and our bodies agile and response-ful.

Yogis who are confident and courageous (and appropriately cautious) are unlikely to get bored with their practice. Yoga is amazing; it is an endless stream of opportunities to learn and grow and achieve and evolve. You don't have to want to learn inversions, or arm-balances or advanced pranayama or any other category of practice. The objective is to learn about yourself, figure out what makes you thrive and feel accomplished, and then go after it whole-heartedly. Yoga never ceases to be empowering and transformational if we know how to accept and embrace the parts of ourselves that work really well, be content with and curious about the parts of ourselves that don't work as well, and sustain enough humility to be ever-open to the potential of change.

"Insecurity will always rent the space it occupies, but confidence will own the building and any other room it steps in."

Today's practice sequence:

(One should be proficient at Supported Headstand I and Supported Shoulderstand I for at least 5 or more minutes each before attempting variations.)

(Yin) Sleeping Swan 3-5 minutes each side
(Yin) Saddle 3-5 minutes
baby UPP 10-20 times
Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat) for 1 minute
Ardha Navasana (Half Boat) for 30 seconds
Bridge pose for 10 breaths
Dolphin pose for 10 breaths
Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) B
Surya Namaskar B with Eagle-arms during Fierce pose, straight-leg twisted variation of Warrior I, Warrior II and Bound Side-angle on each side with a vinyasa in between, and Eagle-arms in Fierce pose again
Trikonasana (Triangle pose) into Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose)
Agnistambhasana (Firelog pose) twisted
Paryankasana (Couch pose)
Sirsasana (Headstand)
Parsva Sirasasana (Side Headstand)
Ekapada Sirsasana (One-legged Headstand)
Urdhva Dandasana (Upward Staff pose)
Vajrasana (knees bent and feet near buttocks; think of upside-down Hero pose) in Sirsasana
Parsva Vajrasana (knees bent and feet near buttocks twisted) in Sirsasana
Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana (Revolved Split-leg Headstand; see below)
Childs pose
Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)
Halasana (Plow)
Parsva Sarvangasana (Side Shoulderstand)
Ekapada Sarvangasana (One-legged Shoulderstand)
Vajrasana and Parsva Vajrasana in Sarvangasana
Parivrttaikapada Sarvangasana (Revolved Split-leg Shoulderstand)
Drop-back into Bridge pose. If possible, return to Shoulderstand and repeat the drop-back 2-4 more times.
Paschimottanasana (Seated forward fold)
Purvottanasana (Upward-plank)
reclining twist
Savasana

Link to a Yoga Journal article about Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana

Instructions and pictures can also be found on pg. 198-99 of Light on Yoga

Primary

2011-09-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking about the Ashtanga system of practice this morning because I'll lead a modified version of the Ashtanga Primary Series this evening. My thoughts started with me kind've mulling over the idea that the Primary Series is named Yoga Chikitsa in Sanskrit. The word chikitsa means "therapy" or "treatment," (FYI chikitsaka is the Sanskrit word for physician) and it refers to the fact that this series of poses (mostly seated forward bends, hip-openers, and twists) was selected and sequenced with the specific intent of body purification. The objective of the Primary Series is to cleanse and detoxify the physical body and bring it toward optimal health and well-being. The focal point is primarily upon one's flesh and bones as opposed to the Secondary Series which is called "Nadi Shodhana" and is focused on cleansing and optimizing the physiological body, nerves, energy channels, neurological system, etc.

It's called the Primary Series which implies that there are subsequent events. The word primary means "first in order" or "first in importance." It comes from Latin roots which literally mean "first," and first comes from German roots (furst) which means "prince" or "foremost." Ashtanga is a practice about systematically and sequentially taking care of one's entire being from the outside inward. It starts with the external self, the vehicle that holds and supports the mind and the spirit because the more subtle, internal self cannot function and shine optimally if its container is weak or ill. Yoga Chikitsa is a practice of stabilization, physical homeostasis, and preparation. The forward bends, hip-openers, and twists that comprise the Primary Series are known for flushing and ridding the body of waste and leaving one feeling lighter, freer, and more open. If you read descriptions about poses like Baddha Konasana (Bound-angle), Upavistha Konasana (Wide-angle), Marichyasana variations, Janu Sirsasana, and Garbha Pindasana (Embryo pose), which are each a part of the Primary Series, they all talk about how organs like the kidneys, spleen, and colon are contracted and massaged, how, through these poses and others like them, blood is made to circulate around the digestive system, that regular practice of these poses can aid all sorts of things like digestion, elimination, reproduction, and heart-health, and that these poses can help eliminate or even prevent things like hernia, sciatica, scoliosis, and high blood pressure, among other things. Only after the body is capable of optimal physical alignment, is strong and flexible, is able to be self-responsible for safety, health and well-being, and is functioning the way our biology is designed, can we focus on the other elements of a yoga practice like meditation and spirituality.

So a beginner Ashtanga Yogi learns Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) A and B versions and then the standing series (16 basic standing poses like Triangle and Side-angle and Warriors). Then over months or years or even decades they learn to master the poses that make up the Primary Series. The process of gaining skillfulness and insight over the Primary Series is not necessarily about moving ahead into the other series (there are a total of 6: Secondary and Advanced A, B, C, D which are called Sthira Bhaga). Instead the objective is to learn to be focused and intentional. When one aims to apply dedication, patience, and enthusiasm, consistency and constancy to the endeavor of yoga practice, the growth and advancement is organic and exponential. The nature of the Primary Series makes it the "most important," and, whether or not the other series in this system are ever experienced, it does prepare one for future progress, it lays a foundation of continued prosperity, and it sets a basis of knowledge and understanding that carries into so many other aspects of life both on and off the mat.

Anyway, then I started to think about how the Ashtanga and the Iyengar systems differ. B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois (founder of Ashtanga) both studied with the same guru, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, yet their methodologies have great differences and that intrigues me. Krishnamacharya was a brilliant and masterful student and teacher of yoga, and one of his best qualities as a teacher was his ability to personalize a student's practice based on what they most needed. He didn't have just one style of practice that he taught singularly to the masses. He customized and materialized entire systems of practice and presented something unique and meaningful to individual students. Because of that we have really diverse styles of yoga that have come down from Iyengar and Jois, and other very successful and well-known teachers like Srivatsa Ramaswami (Vinyasa), Indra Devi, and Desikechar (Viniyoga). Precision, devotion, and mindfulness are a congruent part of almost all styles of yoga, but from there they branch into so many different directions.

Iyengar Yoga is known for very fastidious and careful alignment, it emphatically embraces the use of props so that the practice is accessible to many different body-types and experience-levels, and it typically has very little flow-type movement. It is more "start-and-stop:" the poses are held for relatively long periods of time so that the details of performance can be experienced without rushing, and then a neutral pose (like Tadasana or Dandasana) is held in between most poses so that one can re-find a stable foundation before moving on. B.K.S. Iyengar was born poor and sick into a very large family. His father died when he was a child, and he suffered multiple debilitating illnesses (like malaria and TB) throughout childhood. When he was 15 years old, he was sent to live with his sister and her husband who happened to be the already famous Yogi Sri Krishnamacharya. When he arrived to his new home, his body was still riddled with the consequences of his sickly childhood and he was poorly educated. His brother-in-law, Krishnamacharya, was already an established teacher with a yoga school and spent his days fulfilling his teaching and business responsibilities. Iyengar expressed interest in learning yoga, but the Guru was not willing to invite the young Iyengar into his classroom. Iyengar stayed persistent and determined to learn yoga and began observing the classroom activities by watching from outside through a window. He spent hours a day being physically, mentally, and energetically self-challenged to the point of exhaustion and stupor, but he stuck with it because his health was slowly improving. He was eventually taken under the tutelage of his brother-in-law, and had proven himself capable of leading his own classes by the age of 19. His early experiences with yoga, and the fact that he used yoga as a means of recovery and reformation evolved into a philosophy of using yoga practice as amelioration. His approach is one of acceptance and inclusion for all types of willing practitioners. He embraces modifications and variations and the use of props as ways of supporting a body through the initial learning stages and as a way of working with unique weaknesses and limitations. He is known for accommodating young and old, healthy and sick. He works with those who have a lifetime of experience and those who have only just begun. He believes that everyone can and should practice some form of yoga regardless of age, health, gender, spiritual or educational background, or ultimate intentions. His many books often talk about the ways in which yoga can be a physical and an emotional healing experience, and he always encourages students to create a consistent and purposeful practice that best fits their particular needs and desires.

Pattabhi Jois was born to a wealthy and well-educated family whose patriarch was an astrologer and a priest. He began formal studies of Sanskrit and traditional Indian spirituality and philosophy at the age of 5. He met Krishnamacharya when he was just 12 years old and was immediately accepted as a student. The bulk of his initial exposure to yoga was as an adolescent, so the lessons he received consisted of how to tame the high physical and mental energies of a typical teenage body and mind. As a means of restricting and controlling his abundant vigor, he was taught vinyasa flow. The consistent movement and the robust exertion helped Jois to tame and calm his body and his mind so that they were useful to him. Energies whirling and flying around uncontrollably cannot be used effectively or efficiently. Yoga practice helps us to reign in the busy-ness that typically accompanies a healthy and active life. Jois was young, strong, agile, and motivated. He had already been exposed to some of the more esoteric and philosophical aspects of his culture and religion, and he likely understood that the deeper meaning of yoga was to advance psychologically and spiritually. He was lucky enough to have a teacher that knew, although this young man was potentially capable of great auspices, he had to first set a stable foundation. If he had moved too quickly into the deeper practices of pranayama (breath), pratyahara (sense-withdrawal), and dharana (meditation), he would have been overwhelmed and over-powered. The Ashtanga Primary Series evolved from Jois being taught purposefully strenuous physical exercise. The movement of Ashtanga Yoga is consistent and the pace is quick (most poses are held for 5 breaths). Each pose is linked to the next via smooth breath and graceful transitions. Modifications and external props (like blocks and straps) are not emphasized but can be used as necessary. And, even though the system is practiced all over the world by all kinds of yogis, it is important to remember that this is a style of practice best suited to those who are willing and able to accept the challenge of physical exertion.

They have each influenced dozens of incredibly talented and prominent teachers that continue to lead and mold and foster our modern world of yoga. Teachers like Rodney Yee, Patricia Walden, Richard Rosen, John Friend (founder of Anusara Yoga), Jason Crandell, and Natasha Rizopoulos have all studied and been affected by Iyengar Yoga. David Life (co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga), Baron Baptiste (founder of Baptiste Power Vinyasa), David Swensen, Bryan Kest (founder of Power Yoga), Seane Corn, and Tim Miller each began their yoga practices with Ashtanga, and many of them were firsthand students of Jois.

The various styles of practice and their historical, cultural, and spiritual influences fascinate me. Some of it is ancient and comes down to us through millennia of study and research and preservation (the Yoga Sutra is some 2,000 years old and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written in the 15th century). Some of it is much more modernly promulgated; for instance, much of the recent development of asana (yoga postures) comes from early 20th century wrestling and gymnastics exercises. The point is that regardless of its origins, its principals of reasoning, its proclaimers, or its popularity, yoga is powerfully transformative, and we are fortunate to live in a time and circumstance that allows us to investigate these modalities and theories and ideals and behaviors in any way that pleases us. We have access to experiences and insights, knowledge and wisdom, and the potential of future advancements like no one else ever has. That is extraordinary. My advice, if you want it, is to practice often and copiously and passionately. Find a manner of practice that benefits and intrigues you and love it endlessly.

Tonight we will investigate the Ashtanga system (or you can attend the Kundalini class with Bhagwant. Kundalini is yet another widely-popular and long-lived practice of yoga that differs greatly from Iyengar and Ashtanga but has the same underlying goal -- physical and psychological liberation). Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of sufficient time in which to practice the Primary Series in its entirety, but a shortened Series is better than none at all. We will include Surya Namaskar A 5 times, Surya Namaskar B 3 times, the whole Standing Series, a condensed version of the Primary Series, then the traditional Finishing Series. It is a challenging sequence of events and is not for every practitioner, but something to remember is that this is indeed the "PRIMARY Series," this is what the Ashtanga Yogis consider to be the most beginner-friendly material, the most basic and rudimentary introduction to yoga. The Primary Series is from what all other branches of practice develop. Everybody has to start somewhere; maybe this is your calling.

Iyengar and Jois both gave us something remarkable and endearing through their years of study and teaching. The superficial nature of their styles developed from different perceptions and ideas, they may even produce varying results and benefits, but their essence is the same -- whole body, mind, and spirit well-being.

The Ashtanga Primary Series:

Opening:
Tadasana and the "Ashtanga Invocation" (hear it)
Surya Namaskar A 5 times
Surya Namaskar B 5 times("...or until you start to perspire. Five rounds should be sufficient under average conditions, three in the tropics, and up to ten in colder regions.") Standing Series:
Padangusthasana
Padahastasana
Trikonasana
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Parsvakonasana
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
Prasarita Padottanasana A, B, C, D
Parsvottanasana
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
Ardhva Baddha Paschimottanasana
(vinyasa) Utkatasana
(vinyasa) Virabhadrasana I
Virabhadrasana II
(vinyasa)

Primary Series:
(a "vinyasa" is taken after each pose and between alternating sides of all asymmetrical poses)
Dandasana
Purvottanasana
Paschimottanasana A, B, C
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
Triangmukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
Janu Sirsasana A, B, C
Marichyasana A, B, C, D
Navasana 5 times
Bhujapidasana
Kurmasana
Supta Kurmasana
Garbha Pindasana
Kukkutasana
Baddha Konasana
Upavistha Konasana A, B
Supta Konasana
Supta Padangusthasana
Chakrasana (see pg. 242 of LoY)
Ubhaya Padangusthasana
Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana
Setu Bandhasana

Finishing Series:
Urdhva Dhanurasana 3 times
Paschimottanasana for 5-30 breaths
Sarvangasana for 15 breaths
Halasana
Karnapidasana
Urdhva Padmasana
Pindasana
Matsyasana
Uttanapadasana
Chakrasana
Sirsasana for 25 breaths
Urdhva Dandasana
vinyasa
Baddha Padmasana
Padmasana with fingers in Jnana Mudra
Tolasana for 5 to 100 breaths
vinyasa
Savasana
~~
Some of my favorite Ashtanga Yoga accoutrement:

Books
Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual by David Swensen -- has phenomenal pictures, modification advice, and shorted sequence variations
http://www.amazon.com/Ashtanga-Yoga-Practice-David-Swenson/dp/B004QPUGRW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315500454&sr=8-1

Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy by Gregor Maehle -- has really awesome, detailed how-to's and very easy-to-understand and beneficial anatomy and physiology information
http://www.amazon.com/Ashtanga-Yoga-Philosophy-Gregor-Maehle/dp/1577316061/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315500454&sr=8-2

Yoga Mala: The Original Teachings of Ashtanga Yoga Master Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois by R. Sharath -- biographical and insightfulhttp://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Mala-Original-Teachings-Ashtanga/dp/0865477515/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315500969&sr=1-1

DVDs
"Ashtanga Yoga: The Primary Series" with Richard Freemanhttp://www.amazon.com/Ashtanga-Yoga-Primary-Richard-Freeman/dp/B000NIVNKK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1315500454&sr=8-3

"Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice First Series" with David Swensenhttp://www.amazon.com/Ashtanga-Yoga-Practice--First-David-Swenson/dp/1891252143/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1315500454&sr=8-7

Practice Rugs -- a wool or cotton rug laid over your traditional sticky mat will help improve "jump-throughs" and "jump-backs" which is how one transitions from one pose to the nexthttp://www.matsmatsmats.com/yoga/yoga-ashtanga-rugs.html?Source=GOOGLEBASEhttp://www.barefootyoga.com/Detail.bok?no=53

Primary Series practice cards -- this is the Primary Series depicted on fold-out, laminated cardstock so that the whole sequence is quickly visible. The cards have clear, color pictures and the names of the poses in English and Sanskrit. http://www.ashtanga.net/store/Practice-Cards/c6/p28/First-Series-Practice-Card/product_info.html

(Books, DVDs, and practice cards which describe the Secondary and Advanced series are also available.)

Happy vinyasa! See you in class.

2011-09-01T10:02:00.001-05:00

Thoughts on last night's DK II class:

http://dirghakala.blogspot.com/2011/09/trying-new-things.html

Triangle

2011-08-29T19:25:00.002-05:00

I know I've been MIA from blog for way too long; I've been distracted by other goings-on and it just slipped my mind.

We had a great Essentials class this evening focused on pretty basic standing poses, namely Trikonasana (Triangle pose) and lots of muscular energy in the legs. Triangle pose is such a fantastic posture. It strengthens the legs, opens the hips, and creates fullness in the chest. It's a safe and effective way to stretch the hamstrings and, if done correctly, can relieve lower back strain. It also prepares the body for inversions, twists, and backbends. What more could you ask for?

Superficially, it is an asymmetrical pose -- the legs are rotated away from each other and the body hinges sideways -- but its energetic qualities are entirely balanced and create a sense of equanimity and stability.

A triangle is one of the firmest and most stable shapes in nature. Its wide, solid base creates a unwavering foundation and all of its sides converge into strong, singular points. Trikonasana is made up of three different triangles -- one is made by the two feet plus the floor that runs between them with the sides being the two straight legs running up to the hips; the second is the straight spine plus the front leg and bottom arm; and the third runs the length of the two outstretched arms, down the outer edge of the back leg and across the floor back to the bottom hand. The firm base of each triangle (the feet, the elongated spine, and the open chest) allows the rest of the structure to expand so that there is balance between effort and surrender, stability and mobility.

Trikonasana is also an excellent opportunity to remember the myriad ways in which trinities are a part of our everyday lives. Three is a powerful number in nature, especially for yogis. We are constantly made aware of things like the three stages of existence -- birth, life and death -- and of the three tenses -- past, present and future. We typically start each practice with three rounds of chant which is comprised of three syllables -- A, U and M -- and we often dedicate our work to the Divine trinity of creation, preservation and destruction. The body has three main lines of energy -- ida, pingala and shushumna. Even the practice of the poses themselves consists of three parts -- evolution (the initial expression of the body taking on the shape of the pose), duration (experiencing the pose while sustaining it) and involution (exiting the pose and returning to neutral).

The triangle, both in nature and when expressed by our bodies, reminds us that each individual part plays a significant role, and it is only through their balanced relationships that the true essence of the shape can be experienced -- there has to be a drawing-in in order to spread-out, there has to be descending energy in order for there to be ascending energy, there has to be outward expression in order for there to be inward understanding. And vise versa.

Trikonasana embodies equipoise. Equipoise is defined as "a stable state characterized by the cancellation of all forces by equal opposing forces." Practice Triangle pose and feel the equalizing forces of grounding and uplifting, firmness and freedom, even balance and imbalance.

Happy Monday.

Christina's "Yoga International" Article

2011-08-15T20:15:00.003-05:00

The following link is an article (and practice sequence) written by my teacher, Christina Sell, that leads into Visvamitrasana which is a really awesome (and challenging!) arm-balance. Try it; it's fun!

http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/yoga-international-magazine/asana-articles/engaged-expansion/

Compromises

2011-08-15T11:46:00.003-05:00

I have been thinking about compromises lately; what they are, how they are used, the ones that work and the ones that don't. I overheard a conversation recently about compromising, specifically about the compromise of aging and how aging asks you to sacrifice, receive, yield, hold, accept, and decline all at the same time. Aging is a complicated experience sated with negotiations. So is yoga.

The word compromise has a few definitions: (verb) the act of compromising is a form of bartering and typically ends with a fair agreement; it can also refer to the settlement itself, a treaty (noun); or to be compromised is to be in a situation of endangerment or jeopardy (adj). My thoughts have mostly involved the first -- the actions undertaken when one compromises. Etymologically compromise literally means a "mutual purpose." It is a combination of com- (together) + promise (to send forth, i.e. "a mission"). A compromise is a declaration of arbitration, the announcement of a suitable solution, a practical reconciliation between the ideal and the possible. And it includes an inference of trust because all involved-parties are responsible for upholding their end of the bargain or the compromise ceases to exist.

There is a quote that says, "Compromise, if not the spice of life, is its solidity. It is what makes nations great and marriages happy." And yoga practices auspicious. The whole time we are on the sticky-mat, or seated on the meditation-cushion, we are teetering between what we want and what we are willing to do to get what we want. It is forever a negotiation between patience, devotion, and faith; between constancy, continuousness, and enthusiasm. Yoga teaches us how to observe the situation, remember our intentions, and adjust to the reality of the circumstances so that we are always "optimally aligned."

Optimal Alignment is not a preconceived notion of perfection or advanced-ness. It has very little to do with your physical experience level, and has a whole lot to do with your inner-skillfulness. It is a compromise between ideal and possible. When we seek Optimal Alignment we take the idea of what we want, compare it to what we can do now plus what we are willing to try to do into the future, and then create an outcome that uplifts and serves us. Optimal Alignment includes the act of performing poses with integrity, which might include props or modifications. It also includes your attitudes toward your yogic experiences and the ways in which you blend "drive" and "contentment."

A few years ago I was working with a student who was incredibly tight and stiff in the shoulders, chest, and upper-back. She came to class regularly and I worked with her privately for a long time. She was also quite diligent about home-practices. She had drive, for sure; she knew what she wanted -- more open shoulders, and what she was willing to do to get it -- practice a lot. Over the course of the couple of years that we worked together she made very little progress, not none but not a lot. She still needed a strap during Cow-face pose, had to modify Eagle arms, and always felt an enormous stretch, almost strain, in Downward-facing Dog and Puppy poses. Occasionally, rarely, I saw her get frustrated and even briefly doubt the efficacy of her actions. But she never stopped. And she almost always walked away from her practice proud of herself and pleased with the results. It would have been so easy for her to ignore her limitations and injuriously push through inappropriate positions. Or to get enmeshed in negative attachments and criticisms to the point of self-defeat. Or even to walk away from yoga completely thinking she didn't have what it took to be a good yogi. But she found a middle-ground for herself. She found contentment. She was able to authentically observe her situation, set a plausible intention, and then adjust and re-adjust to the realities she faced. She made a promise to herself and she kept it. She was optimally aligned around the idea that she may always need a strap in Cow-face pose and that is OK. The tangible outcome for her was arguably minimal, but what she gained in experience and wisdom was invaluable.

Very seldom does one get everything they want; life is steeped in sacrifice and surrender. A compromise is consciously choosing what to give up and what to hold on to rather than having that choice made for you. One way or another, probably many times over, you will be required to relinquish some thing, some one, some possession, some habit, some perception, some passion. Your ability to mold, meld, yield, receive, and accept in balanced combination with your strength, vigor, determination, and resolve will place you in the path of what is most likely desired and deserved. If you know that you cannot have everything you want, wouldn't you like to have some sense of control over what you do have? That is what a compromise is -- you playing a managerial role in what you have or do not have. If you want to be young again but you know you cannot change your age, does it not seem as though life would be more enjoyable if you were to negotiate a sense of acceptance and contentment with the age that you are? There is no hope for turning back time, so why expend precious energy toward wanting something you cannot have? Compromise instead. Observe the situation -- I am the age that I am and that comes with a variety of physical, psychological, and physiological factors. Remember your intentions -- I want to wake up in the morning excited about the potential of the day, I want to move freely, I want to accomplish things that make me, as well as those around me, happy, and I want to lie down at night pleased with the hours that passed. And then adjust to the reality of the circumstances -- "I didn't get as much done in the day as I had hoped because I am more tired than I used to be, but the things that I did do went well." Or "I can't do a 10 minute Headstand anymore, but a shorter one is better than none at all." Or "I don't seem to attract new friends as easily as I used to, but the ones that I have are wonderful." For instance.

My biggest compromise is empathy. It doesn't come effortlessly to me like it does to some. I am, of course, a human being that feels things like consideration and compassion and a general desire for all beings to be happy and healthy. I try to avoid acting maliciously or detrimentally to myself or others. I am mostly respectful and tactful. But to be nurturing and sensitive toward others is outside of my natural tendencies. You know some people just spew compassion and concern and care. I do not. I am not maternal and I am not a healer or a hugger. And I am lousy at small-talk, mostly because I just do not care about the answers to inane questions like "How was you day?" I know that sounds very empty of selfish of me, but I am just being honest. I used to get offended when I would be described as mean or indifferent or unsympathetic or awkward. I did not feel like I was those things, but others did. I even let it (still do sometimes) cocoon me from interaction with other people because I was self-conscious about not being "friendly" enough. I started to perceive myself as being an "unfriendly" person, and I allowed it to control my actions and attitudes. My yoga practice (which I began because I didn't have to interact with others to do it) taught me how to observe myself and my surroundings authentically without judgments, and to align myself around what works best for me. And now, what I was initially attracted to precisely because of its lack of group-effort, is what I present to large groups every day.

I am sure my vaguely-despondent personality is partly genetic (I am bipolar and ADD both of which tend to make one "feeling-challenged"), and partly a result of an upbringing that excluded warm-fuzzies. I am not making excuses; I am simply observing the situation. I know I have a choice -- I can be impatient, isolated, critical, and pessimistic (those things would be easy). Or I can focus on how and what I feel when I am impatient or irritated, and then intend to soften it by remembering that those qualities do not serve me. Nor do they serve those toward whom I feel impatience or irritation. What do I want? I want to be an involved member of my community, and I want to be a good teacher who offers opportunities for learning valuable lessons to those who wish to receive them. What am I willing to do to get it? I am willing to step up on to the teacher's stage often and enthusiastically, and I am willing to communicate by asking questions, answering questions, listening, and hosting. There are times when I do not want to do those things; there are times when I do not enjoy being in the public spotlight. I know there are times when people want more from me -- more conversation, more sharing, more advice, more presence. But it is a compromise. I sacrifice part of my desire to be quiet (I mean really quiet!), solitary and private. And in return they (mostly) understand that I give as much of myself as I deem fit. If that concession is reached, I am their teacher and they are my student. And if not then I am not their teacher and they are not my student.

Like the quote said, compromise is the solidity of life. It is the starting point from which all beings get an opportunity to be happy. Without it we are doomed to persistent and chronic affliction and aversion. Compromises do not banish distress, they are not a guarantee of success or wealth or happiness. But they do make those things far more likely to occur. And in the end, I think what we want most is some amount of willful say over the experiences we have. We can be nice while we are on the playground, give-and-take, act and react. Or we can suffer the consequences. Think of compromises as "happiness choices."

"Whatever you reflect on frequently becomes,
over time, the basic inclination of your mind."

Saturday

2011-08-13T12:10:00.004-05:00

I don't have much to say, I just wanted to give kudos to today's class. What fun we had in Essentials II this morning! It was such a great group of experienced yogis which meant we got to go deep. We focused on arm-balances; particularly Eka Pada Galasavasana (pictured on page 329 of LoY). We spent a lot of time opening the hips and prepping the shoulders/arms. Everyone in the room got their feet off the floor on at least one occasion, and several people experienced a much-improved Bakasana (Crow pose). I was so proud of everyone; I even said that if it was a sticker class I would've handed out two! Here's the sequence:

Cat/Cow
AMS (Downward-facing Dog)
Ragdoll
Tadasana
Surya Namaskar A x3
Anjaneyasana (Low lunge) Salute twice to each side
High Lunge Salute twice to each side
Surya Namaskar B x3
Virabhadrasana II for one minute each side
Parsvokasana (or Baddha Parsvokasana) for one minute each side
Garudasana (Eagle pose) for one minute each side
Succirandrasana (Eye-of-the-Needle)
Supta Padangusthasana I and II
reclining Baby Cradle
AMS
Chaturanga Dandasana with blocks and strap
Chaturanga Dandasana
One-legged Chaturanga Dandasana
Swan pose (Yin version of Pigeon) for 3-5 minutes each side
Ekapada Rajakapotasana variation (One-legged King Pigeon prep with front shin parallel to front of mat)
Cat/Cow
Cat/Cow hybrid -- cat-tuck and cow-arch simultaneously
Reclining Cat/Cow hybrid (a.k.a. Reclining Crow prep)
Bakasana (Crow pose) x2-4
Agnistambhasana (Fire-log pose)
Standing baby cradle
Ekapada Galavasana (page 327 of LoY) 2-3 times each side
Swastikasana I ("belly-down arm stretch")
Bridge pose or Upward-bow pose x2-4
Paschimottanasana
Savasana

I've done my Insanity for the day. I taught a really good class with really wonderful students. I'm gonna run to the grocery store. And then I'm spending the afternoon at the pool. Happy Saturday!

p.s. We had a funny "awkward" moment in class on Thursday night and it made me think of this picture, so I promised I would post it. Hawkward! It's silly, I know, but it makes me laugh. You can't put a price on that. :)

Vrtti and Parivrtta

2011-08-11T08:53:00.003-05:00

I've had a lovely and simple week. I have sat down a couple of different times over the last few days to write something here, but there just isn't a whole lot going on. So I've found myself just sitting and staring at the screen for a while before deciding against writing hoping something interesting would inspire me a little later. So far, not much, but here I am anyway.

I have been fairly busy with kinda random things like taking my dogs to the groomer which is quite a task. They are both more than 90 pounds with long, thick, curly white hair and they get super excited about riding in the car. That means I'm attempting to coral these two enormous animals into the backseat of my Prius while they are bouncing around and panting profusely from excitement. The whole time we're driving they are moving back and forth across the seat from one window to the other -- Nikki (she's younger) always wants the window Bela has and Bela hates sharing. There's hair and drool every where! And then I have to get them from the car into the shop, wait my turn while they entwine themselves around me, and then there's this big sigh (from me) once I hand them off and they go behind the counter. Then I get at least a good four hours alone at the house which is time I typically use for cleaning things that don't get cleaned when the dogs are around. When they come home, the task at hand is trying to keep them clean for as long as possible which is like expecting a toddler to not make a mess while it eats; i.e. not likely.

Anyway, that took up a huge chunk of my Monday. We twisted in Essentials on Monday night. I haven't led a twist-focused practice in a really long time, so it was due. We twisted lying down, sitting, standing, and even inverting (twisted version of Down-dog). Twisted poses are very often named "parivrtta" or some variation of the word -- Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle), Parivrtta Paschimottanasana (Revolved Seated forward fold), Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen pose), etc. The word "parivrtta" means to revolve, to fence, to surround, to twist. The root "vrt" gives us the word vrtti which is defined in the Yoga Sutra as patterns or waves or movements, and refers to the way the mind thinks.

Sutra I.2 says Yogas-citta-vrtti-nirodhah. Mr. Iyengar's translation of that is "Yoga is the cessation of movements in the consciousness." Another one of my favorites (by Mukunda Stiles) is "Yoga is experienced in that mind which ceases to identify itself with its vacillating waves of perception." This is THE definition of yoga. Yoga is... Yoga is...a stilling, a calming, a slowing, a ceasing, a restricting (nirodhah). Patanjali says the mind must be stilled which implies that the mind is not yet still. The mind is, in fact, awash in "vacillating waves," "movements" of consciousness, spinning, churning, vrtti= thoughts, ideas, insights, judgments, concerns, doubts, affirmations, decisions, observations, memories, fantasies, realizations, visualizations, inner-monologues. Etc. Etc. That is the nature of Mind -- to think. Patanjali says that yoga is the attempt to stop that busy-ness -- "the cessation of movement." Note that it does not say the cessation of thought entirely. He doesn't say stop thinking. The mind thinks, the mind will always think; the objective is eka grata or "one-pointed focus."

Listen again to the way Mr. Stiles translates this Sutra: "Yoga is experienced in that mind which ceases to identify itself with its vacillating waves of perception." He doesn't say yoga is experienced when the vacillations cease. He says yoga is experienced when we stop identifying with the vacillations. This implies that the vrtti are always there, our task as students is to acknowledge them and choose to identify with and relate to something bigger. The whole rest of the Yoga Sutra is lessons on what is "something bigger," how do we recognize it, how do we attain it, how do we keep it, and what do we with it once we have it. He teaches us about patience, humility, determination, endurance, compassion, and devotion. And he tells us what the reward is if we successfully "vrtti-nirodhah" -- if we "still our consciousness" then Tadah drastuh svarupe vasthanam (Sutra I.3) which means "The Seer, or the Self, is revealed, resting in its own essential nature" or "Pure awareness abides in its true form."

In the Sutra "vrtti" is something we're trying to restrict or cease. A disturbed and turbulent mind is not our friend. On the yoga mat "parivrtta" is something we want often. Where the body wants and needs to twist, turn, contort, and vacillate, the mind does not. So my translation of Sutra I.2 is "Yoga is loosening a too-stiff body and stiffening a too-loose mind." When those things are balanced we, as Mr. Iyengar says, dwell in our own splendor.

So we twisted on Monday.

On Tuesday we wrapped up Dirgha Kala for the year with Week Thirty. I can't hardly believe that the whole thing is over already, but alas, it is. It was a great group of long-time DK-ers, we handed out a few attendance-prizes which is always fun, and they got cute little mortarboard stickers as "graduation" commendations. In the fall we'll start "DK II" which is Weeks #31-78. I'm really excited about that!

Alright, I've spent the morning writing and thus avoiding my administrative duties which I cannot put off any longer. So to the grindstone for me! Happy Thursday.

Expand

2011-08-05T11:23:00.004-05:00

We had a great Essentials I-II practice last night with mostly seasoned practitioners which meant that our remedial work with "inner spiral" was more of a review than a fresh experience. And that meant we got to take it a little deeper than I had initially anticipated; good things happened.

The Anusara system of yoga stems from a philosophy that believes life exists as an infinitely replicated manifestation of One (Universal, God, Essence, Source, Spirit, etc.) This Ultimate Spiritual Entity desired a life-ful experience, and so became an embodied form; thus we (human beings, animals, nature) exist. Each time life is created/re-created we seemingly move further and further away from the One. But that's ok, we have a solution to that. The objective in the infinite creation of life is basically two fold: 1) experience everything. A single being simply cannot have every experience there is to be had, so "many" are required. That is why nature appears to be infinitely separated. Each life gets an opportunity to exist, learn, play, dance, create, falter, and evolve in their own unique way. And 2) return to the One. Through the learning process, through the creative dance, through the lessons of cause and effect that each life experiences, we are slowly but surely returning from "individual" to "Universal." There is a little part of all of us that remembers the One and is seeking it out. And yoga is one form of practice that can help us find the path home.

In this methodology, a fundamental tenet is that life is meant to be lively. We are here to learn and grow and expand and, most importantly, enjoy the process along the way. We are afforded great privileges and leniencies and differentiations and blessings as long as we stay rooted in the basic truth: there is no separation between relative and absolute.

Hence we have the first three (of five) Universal Principles of Alignment: 1) Open to Grace. Acknowledge the possibility of something bigger and better than is superficially apparent; i.e. humbly accept the "many" as a manifestation of the "One." 2) Muscular Energy. Create a firm and steady "home-base" from which, within which, around which you feel safe, comfortable, familiar, ease-ful; i.e. stay rooted in the truth. 3) Inner-spiral. Progressively and systematically be ever-expansive from the core to the periphery, always open to and absorbing your surroundings; i.e. seek the One by fully experiencing the many.

The expansive-nature of learning cannot happen without there first being a dedicated foundation. The foundation gives us the starting point without which we wouldn't know where or how to begin. Think about walking into a huge library with the vague desire to be educated (first principal: Open to Grace) but not knowing what subject you wished to study. Which shelf would you approach; which book would you open; what questions would you ask? Thus the structure of muscular energy precedes the opening of expanding (inner) spiral. We talked about the active engagement of muscular energy last week and worked to initiate an effectively-solid yet mold-able boundary of stability. The same way your house is outlined by solidly constructed walls, maybe even a fence-line, or at least the perimeter of a property-line which defines your space and creates a kind of personal sanctuary within its edges, the alignment-principle known as muscular energy defines the edges of our body and provides an opportunity for the inner-self to feel free and comfortable. You step within the walls of your home and you breathe deeply, you take off the confines of publicly-appropriate attire to slip into the softness of PJs, you sing in the shower, you nail holes in the wall upon which to hang pleasing images, you make it your own and you feel comfortable knowing it in every conceivable and intimate way. Muscular Energy is the protective boundary that provides the safe-space and Inner Spiral is the freedom to be lively within that space.

So what is Inner Spiral? Taken right out of the Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual: it is an "energy spiral that runs from the feet up through the pelvis into the waistline area. Resembling the shape of a tornado, it is an ever-expanding spiral (moving outward from the core) that specifically starts along the inner edge of the feet and progressively widens as it spirals upward to the outer edges of the waistline." It turns the front of the feet and legs inward toward each other, moves the inner feet and legs backward, and spreads the backs of the legs apart. In. Back. Apart. It literally makes space at the floor of the pelvis by softening the groins, widening the sit-bones, and anteriorly tipping the sacrum. It's job is measurable-spaciousness and physical-expansiveness.

To expand means to spread out, to be outstretched. It comes from a Latin root (patere) which is etymologically related to the word "fathom." As a noun, a fathom is a unit of measure. As a verb, it means to measure the depth of, to get to the bottom of, to embrace, to understand thoroughly. It is synonymous with interpret and comprehend and penetrate, elevate, increase and endeavor. In Sanskrit, the word is utthita, as in Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle pose) and Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Big-toe pose). While on the mat, we are inviting ourselves, body mind and spirit, to expand, to grow, to stretch in size and volume and capability, to know more than what we started with. To understand more thoroughly than when we began. To fathom the possibilities of a higher existence. To begin to bring the many back to the One.

So last night we reviewed the previous week's work on muscular energy and then added inner spiral in basic poses like Mountain pose, lunges, and wide-angle bend. We also devoted part of the time to opening the mid- and upper-back with a couple of passive backbends supported with props and several twists. We even managed to relieve a couple people's discomfort in Hero pose. It was a successful evening and a fun practice.

Childs pose
AMS (Downward-facing Dog pose)
Ragdoll
Cat/Cow
Come to forearms, elbows under shoulders, and do "low plank" Cat/Cow
Puppy pose
Childs pose
Fold two blankets into long, narrow rectangles. Place one length-wise on your mat and the other width-wise across the top of the first so that they form a "T". Lie down so that the first blanket is along your spine and the second blanket is at the bottom of your shoulder-blades. Stretch your arms out at shoulder-height and let your head rest back on the floor or support it with a third prop. Stay for 5-10 minutes focused on breathing deeply all the way into your chest.
Reclined twist
Reclined twist with legs crossed
Cat/Cow with an emphasis on the arch of cow
Bharadvajasana I
Several rounds of simple lunging Sun Salutations (with or without Chaturanga and Cobra)
Tadasana (Mountain pose) with emphasis on muscular energy and inner spiral
Separate feet slightly outer-hips-width and emphasize muscular energy and inner spiral
Separate feet wrists-width and emphasize muscular energy and inner spiral
Utthita Asva Sancalanasana (Raised Advancing Horse pose, otherwise known as Basic Runner's Lunge) with an excessive inner-spiral in the rear leg.
Paryankasana (Couch pose) with a block between the shoulder-blades and an optional second block under the head
Parsvottanasana (Intense Side-stretch pose) with blocks under the hands and an emphasis on muscular energy, inner spiral, and a "Cow" shaped spine
Prasarita Padottanasana I (Wide-angle forward bend first variation) with blocks under the hands and an emphasis on muscular energy, inner spiral, and a "Cow" shaped spine.
Repeat Prasarita Padottanasana several times changing the height of the block each time
"full" (as described on page 81 of LoY) Prasarita Padottanasana I without blocks
Prasarita Padottanasana II (hands on hips)
Prasarita Padottanasana III (hands clasped behind the back in "Yoga Mudra")
Prasarita Padottanasana IV (first two fingers of each hand holding the big toes of each foot)
Virasana (Hero pose)
Savasana

In what ways does your practice open you? In what ways does your practice cause you to understand yourself and your surroundings more thoroughly? What can you fathom now differently than before you became a yogi? Be expansive.

"Our essential nature is light. We are all capable of developing a personal relationship with Divinity and rediscovering our true perfection."

The Learning Process

2011-08-01T19:07:00.002-05:00

The afternoon was quiet...and I practiced vaporizing clouds.

I have been a flight instructor, and I know that students always make easy things hard; I do know better, yet there was I a student again, frowning fiercely at my cumulus targets. I needed more teaching, for once, than practice...

"I can't do it," I said [to Don].

"Yes you can," he said, and closed his eyes again.

"Don, I've tried! Just when I think something's happening, the cloud strikes back and goes poufing up bigger than ever."

He sighed and sat up. "Pick me a cloud. An easy one, please."

I chose the biggest meanest cloud in the sky, three thousand feet tall, bursting up white smoke from hell. "The one over the silo, yonder," I said. "The one that's going black now."

He looked at me in silence. "Why is it you hate me?"

"It's because I like you, Don, that I ask these things." I smiled. "You need challenge. If you'd rather, I could pick something smaller..."

He sighed again and turned back to the sky. "I'll try. Now, which one?"

I looked, and the cloud, the monster with its million tons of rain, was gone; just an ungainly blue-sky hole where it had been.

"Yikes," I said quietly.

"A job worth doing..." he quoted. "No, much as I would like to accept the praise which you heap upon me, I must in all honestly tell you this: it's easy."

He pointed to a little puff of a cloud overhead. "There. Your turn. Ready? Go."

I looked at the wisp of a thing, and it looked back at me. I thought it gone, thought an empty place where it was, poured visions of heat-rays up at it, asked it to reappear somewhere else, and slowly slowly, in one minute, in five, in seven, the cloud at last was gone. Other clouds got bigger, mine went away.

"You're not very fast, are you?" he said.

"That was my first time! I'm just beginning! Up against the impossible...well, the improbable, and all you can think to say is I'm not very fast. That was brilliant and you know it!"

"Amazing. You were so attached to it, and still it disappeared for you."

"Attached! I was whocking that cloud with everything I had! Fireballs, last beams, vacuum cleaner a block high..."

"Negative attachments, Richard. If you really want to remove cloud from your life, you do not make a big production out of it, you just relax and remove it from your thinking. That's all there is to it."

~Excerpted from Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach~

When I tell people that I teach yoga, one of the most common responses is something to tune of "Ugh, I can't do yoga; I'm not flexible enough." And I just cringe; it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. Thinking you have to be flexible to do yoga is like thinking you have to be able to play the piano before you take piano lessons. It's not a reasonable expectation. Of course you're not flexible. Yet. That's why you go to class. Duh.

Like anything else in life, a yoga practice is a learning process. Patanjali says so in Sutra I.17: Vitarka vicara ananda asmitarupa anugamat samprajnatah. Iyengar's translation of this Sutra is "Practice and non-attachment develop four types of consciousness: self-analysis, synthesis, bliss, and the experience of pure being." Another translation reads: "In order to reach a state of complete understanding we must go through a process that progresses from a superficial understanding to increasingly greater refinement and subtlety of comprehension, until our understanding becomes fully integrated and total." In other words: embrace the process of learning.

Patanjali defines four distinct learning stages: vitarka or analytical and methodical reasoning and thinking that happens mostly with the gross body and the five senses, vichara or intellectual investigation and mental reflection and refinement, ananda or joyfulness and mature intelligence, and asmitarupa or Self, devoid of ego, and lacking in separation between doer and doing.

Vitarka is the stage of the beginner. If you're learning to play the piano, you start out awkward, clumsy with your fingers often striking wrong notes, struggling to read the sheet-music and play at the same time, and dependent on a lot of guidance. It's the same when you start a new yoga practice -- in the beginning everything feels awkward and unfamiliar and you need a lot of instruction to get in to the simplest poses. Iyengar describes this stage as a "process of judicial experimental research." This is where distinctions are made between right and wrong, gross and subtle, cause and effect. Understanding that takes place here is typically tangible and superficial, but certainly no less valuable.

Vichara means thought, idea, insight, inquiry, pondering. It has more to do with the mind and less with the body. Understanding at this level is akin to memorizing chords and scales and no longer being reliant upon external instruction to perform them. Or the kind of muscle-memory a yoga student gains from repeated practice. When the teacher says "Surya Namaskar B" the student knows immediately which poses go in which order and can perform them without further instruction. The mechanics of movement and thought are more graceful and refined.

Ananda means bliss. Pleasure. Enjoyment. This is a level of skillfulness and maturity; the ability to easily execute complex pieces of music or practice complicated asana. And enjoy it! This person has invested time and effort and energy into their craft, they can be called master or expert, they experience great amounts of delight in what they do, and they seem to perform effortlessly. The focus is much more internal and subtle, coming from the heart and soul rather than the mind or the body.

Once the ego has dissolved and only the Self is left, you are experiencing asmitarupa which means "the form of I-ness." At first there is separation between person and activity -- you are a person learning to play the piano or you are a person learning to practice yoga. But here there is not "doer" and "doing," there is only oneness -- a pianist, a Yogi. Mind, body, and spirit forge, and energies moving inward are equal to energies moving outward, contraction equals expansion.

Then there is "total comprehension" or samprajnatah. It means to "know accurately." Iyengar says "through practice and renunciation each and every part of man -- the skin, the cells, the breath, the movements of thought, intelligence and reason become acquainted with the self. The practitioner's intelligence spreads evenly within and around his body, like the surface of a lake without ripples. Then he sees things clearly."

Tonight's Essentials class was about observing the different kinds of learning and understanding and noticing what was taking place throughout the practice: vitarka, vichara, ananda, or asmitarupa. Everyone begins as a beginner. Some people learn easily and move quickly from beginner to advanced while others linger in the more gross layers longer. The good news is that there is no time-table, no deadline, no race to the finish. Yoga is a "to-each-his-own" experience. We tried to embody that tonight while we built our practice into Shoulderstand. It was a great group of students who were obviously eager to learn and patient enough to take it slowly. It was fun.

The lesson is to allow the process to unfold naturally from superficial to subtle whether you are playing the piano or practicing yoga or vaporizing clouds. Embrace the learning process.

A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed. It feels an impulsion...this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond the horizons.

Good to be back

2011-07-30T12:56:00.006-05:00

Ok I'm ready to return to the blog-osphere. I was gone for almost six weeks and I missed it, but the break was good. I got some things accomplished, I taught a lot of really amazing classes, I experienced a lot of really great practices, so on and so forth like that.

So what's been going on while I was away from the blog?

I completed all 63 days of Insanity -- go me!! And I'm crazy enough to have started it over. Yes, I'm doing it again! Why you say? Because it makes me feel good. And my yoga practice has never been better. I have been practicing yoga for almost 15 years, and the last three months have been some of the most amazing moments on the mat ever. I'm stronger and more flexible. And I'm more patient. The Insanity workouts are grueling and if you aren't patient with yourself (give yourself breaks, keep breathing, do it even when you don't want to, etc), you won't get good results. Getting through all 8 weeks of Insanity requires perseverance, determination, endurance, and will-power. Those qualities have followed me on to my yoga mat and great things have been happening, I'm happy to say.

I also completed my "20 new poses in 20 weeks" goal. I even came in ahead of schedule because there were a couple of times when I did more than one new pose in a practice. It was soooo much fun! It's easy to get stuck in a yoga rut -- to practice the same poses over and over again without trying new things. That's especially true if your primary style of practice is something repetitive like Ashtanga or Bikram -- they do the same poses in the same sequence every single time. Sometimes people are afraid of trying new things and stick to what they already know. Sometimes people just don't know how many different poses exist or how to incorporate them so, again, they stick to what they already know. The body benefits in all sorts of ways from a "familiar" practice, but it can also create stagnation or boredom. I decided to take on the challenge of finding 20 asana that I had never, ever tried before and worked them into a practice sequence each week. I tried things like Utthita Surya Yantrasana (Standing Sun-dial pose), Vatayanasana (Horse pose), Trisulasana (Trident pose), and Eka Hasta Urdhva Dhanurasana (One-handed Upward Bow pose). My favorite new pose was Laghu Vajrasana (Little Thunderbolt pose; pictured on page 373 of LoY. Some poses came easily and have become a regular part of practice. Others were much more of a challenge and I know I have more work to do; like Mukta Hasta Sirsasana (Hands-free Headstand) and Paripurna Matsyendrasana (Full Lord-of-Fish pose). All-in-all, though, I had a lot of fun and have a bunch of brand new things to enjoy and improve upon.

I'm also still making my way through 54 rounds of the Ashtanga Primary Series. I think I have maybe 31 or 32 more times to go, but I'm enjoying it. I've talked about this before -- there was a time (not so long ago) when I loathed the Primary Series. It made me irritable and grouchy and it was not fun for me. That's part of why I committed to practicing it 54 times -- I wanted to take the opportunity to ask myself why I was so averse to it, and maybe even change my opinion about it along the way. I think part of what challenged me was its length (it takes almost two hours to do the whole sequence) and the endurance required to complete it. Also, its repetition (the fact that it's the same sequence over and over and over) bored me. I would be doing the Standing Series and think "here comes allllllll those forward bends!" and I would cringe. And then during the forwardbend series all I could think about was that I knew I was about to have to do Janu Sirsasana C and Navasana five times and Garbha Pindasana -- grrrrr! I knew what was coming and rather than accepting it and moving into it gracefully with a sense of intrigue and adventure, I got angry. Bummer. I'm happy to say I don't feel that way about it anymore. I'm not in love with it, not like I love Anusara and Iyengar yoga, but I do look forward to a good Ashtanga practice now. I'm enjoying teaching it, too.

We are in the process of putting together the fall 2011 class and events schedule. It's really really close to complete and we'll announce it in the very near future. Some things are changing, but a lot of the favorites are right where you expect them to be. So look for that soon.

That's most of my news; we're pretty much caught up. I'm just enjoying the summer-time, hanging out with friends and family, spending a lot of time at the pool, sweating profusely during practice which I love, and keeping one eye on the present and the other on the future. I have no complaints and that feels good.

Happy Saturday. I'll see you in class.

It's good to be back!

Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning.

Four Keys to Peacefulness

2011-07-28T10:50:00.003-05:00

I.33: Maitre-karuna-muditopeksanam sukha-dukha-punyapunya-visayanam bhavanas citta-prasadanam

Recently, I had two different students approach me in as many days wanting to talk about feeling frustrated by their yoga practice. This is what one student shared with me: "When I really want something in life, my approach is fierce determination. There are no soft edges, no squishy parts, just a lot of try and a lot of 'go,' if that makes sense. I am worried [about] whether or not that fierceness is acceptable in a yoga practice, and, if it is, how it should express itself."

I have witnessed this student's practice blossom exponentially over the last year, and yet she is obviously experiencing a substantial amount of discontent at the moment. The other student with whom I spoke is in a very similar situation -- has spent the last several months creating a practice from the ground up, has made incredible strides, yet is struggling to reconcile being happy with what she already has/does with wanting more, bigger, better. For both of these students, and for many others, yoga is a means of feeling accomplished and capable. And it should be. But what happens when your practice leaves you feeling something other than great?

Yoga is touted as being non-competitive, and the yoga mat and meditation cushion are supposedly judgment-free zones. Yoga is a very introspective experience; it is mostly "quiet time" between you and your thoughts. I know that is one of the reasons why I was originally attracted to the practice -- I realized quickly that when I was on the mat I was only responsible for myself, and if I excelled or failed, it was entirely upon me. That self-responsibility appealed to me but it is not without its down-sides. That "me time" is the perfect opportunity for the ego to step up and make its self known. The ego enthusiastically takes on the roles of decision-maker, merit-giver, and opinion-sharer all at the same time with little or no regard toward the sanctity of the yoga practice. Just when you need peace and contentment the most, here comes that little voice from inside. Just when you should be the most confident, assured, and singular, you find yourself embodying anything but. And just when excellence is nearly guaranteed simply by showing up, you are suddenly distinctly concerned with how deeply you bend, how long you balance, and how intensely you practice.

When you go to yoga class do you ever catch yourself looking around to see what others are or are not doing? Do you then silently commend or berate yourself based on what you see going on around you? Probably at least part of the time. Even though the brochure said you would get a serene, self-empowering, judgment-free seventy-five minutes, you can't turn off that little opinionated voice inside your head. You are busy, busy, busy filtering those ego-driven perceptions in a kind of compare & contract game of "Do I Belong Here?" -- "I'm better than him at [blank]." Or "I'm still the only one who can't touch my toes." Or "I always fall behind during Sun Saluations." Or "Yikes, at least I don't look like that!" I've done it; we all have.

And even though you hear the teacher say you should be focusing on your drishti or your mula bandha or your third chakra or the "ever-abiding light that shines from within," whatever that is, you can't seem to notice anything other than your neighbor balancing in Tree pose longer than you. It is very common to feel intimidated by what you see other students accomplishing. Or to feel like you are not meeting your teacher's expectations. Maybe you fear your presence will hold the rest of the class back. Or you may be convinced that your progress is too little and too slow to be of value.

Even though I tend to be very independent and self-motivated (which makes yoga pretty darn perfect for me), I also tend to be my own worst detractor. Like a lot of people, I can be unfairly critical and overly harsh toward myself. And I have definitely felt frustrated by my practice and have, at times, questioned whether or not I was practicing authentically. Or even whether or not I should be practicing at all. And I have caught myself comparing my practice to someone else's practice. Have you? In those moments I try to remember to ask myself this question: What if I am as successful as I will ever be? What if I am never any stronger or more flexible or more capable or more proficient than I am right now? What would that mean for my practice? Would I change when or how I practice? Would I stop practicing? Would I consider myself less of a Yogi if I knew I would never get any better? How would I relate to my classmates; how would they relate to me?

The Sufi poet Rumi said, "A human being is essentially a spirit-eye. Whatever you really see, you are that." Nowadays we would say something like, "You are what you eat." The point is that the mind and the ego are so powerful that we create a tangible reality based on what we think. Judgments, criticisms, frustrations, as well as affirmations, praise, and acclamations are all equally likely to come into being. What we believe we are, we are. What we believe others to be, they are. Just the other day, for instance, a student was able to sustain herself for a few seconds in a pose called Bhujapidasana but her dismount was a little ungraceful. When she fell out of the pose her initial response was to cringe and shake her head with disappointment rather than to congratulate herself on getting into and holding a rather challenging arm-balance. Why? It was a great moment and she should have been very proud, but I'm not sure that she was. I asked myself what would have had to be different for her to have felt contentment rather than disappointment. If her feet had delicately returned to the ground rather than the tuck and roll that happened, would she have been satisfied? Maybe. Do you think it is possible that she would have just found some other element toward which to be critical? Do you think the likelihood of future success in that pose has anything to do with the thoughts and feelings she experienced immediately following that practice? I do. I'd like her to think about that question: What if you are never able to perform Bhujapidasana? Then what? What do you think; what do you do?

Many of us have spent a life-time deeply embedding our sense of self in a less than positive way. And hearing praise and words of encouragement, even experiencing acts of success (like new poses), are simply not enough to break the cycles of undue convictions. And so we just fester and agitate within a mental whirl-pool of dissatisfaction and unnecessary grief.

Patanjali says that one way to still that turmoil is to direct our attention toward others in a positive way. The thirty-third verse of the first book of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra can be translated as, "By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, thoughts become purified, and the obstacles to self-knowledge are lessened." The basic notion is simple enough -- feel good toward others no matter what they say or do. By sincerely wishing others well on their personal journeys, regardless of what that path consists of or looks like, we are more likely to feel a sense of calmness and acceptance toward ourselves. But that is a lot easier said than done.

Your friend comes to you and says, "I got a great promotion at work!" and you say, "Congratulations!" and you smile and you hug her and she walks away feeling happy and proud. But inside you are thinking, "Why her? When will I get a promotion? Now she is going to get a new car and I'll still be driving this clunker. That's so unfair." You are feeling unhappy as a direct response to her prosperity. You demonstrated happiness with a smile and a hug, but when it wasn't genuinely felt you only disrupted your own serenity, not hers. Your friend is actually happy and she thinks you are, too. You are the only person who is upset in this situation and for what? You are covetous and why? Your feelings of envy and jealousy will not change the reality of the situation. Your exertion of negativity will not change the fact that your friend got a promotion and you did not. So rather than expending precious energy on being unhappy in a situation that is not yours to control, think freely about how fortunate your friend is and how you, too, will come into the fortune you most deserve. Patanjali says to rejoice for those that are happy. Make it a habit to practice kindness toward others' happiness when you are on the yoga mat, too. The next time you see someone perform a beautiful asana, celebrate and emulate them rather than resent them. Cultivate attitudes of friendliness (maitri: friendship, benevolence, kindness, good will) toward the happy (sukha: joyous, pleasant, sweet).

Some people are stuck in habits of unhappiness, meanness, and pessimism. They may not even realize it, but you notice when you are around them they always seem to have a critical remark to make or they exude of a self-defeating attitude. You know the ones whose Facebook status is always about how bad their day is going. Or those that seem to only want to gossip about others. It is easy to place labels upon these folks and to want to avoid contact with them. And if their "Debby-downer Syndrome" keeps you from feeling uplifted, then steering clear may not be a bad idea. Regardless, though, Patanjali's prescription for dealing with unhappiness, whether temporary or chronic, is not more unhappiness; it is to show compassion.

You do not have to be in the presence of an unhappy person to genuinely wish them well. The point is to have a positive attitude always, even toward those that are unhappy. If you can help, do so. If you can demonstrate empathy, do so. If you can be merciful by simply staying committed to your own sense of happiness, do so because the only thing worse than an unhappy person is a collection of unhappy people. Let your good nature emanate from you and it may even rub off on them because happiness begets happiness. Cultivate attitudes of compassion (karuna: compassion, empathy, kindness) toward the unhappy (dukha: unhappiness, distress, suffering).

Patanjali says to "delight in the virtuous." To be virtuous means to be good. Are you a good person? You most likely think that you are, and you are probably mostly right. People tend to be mostly good. But we live in a world that is inundated with temptations and opportunities for indulgences. The line between virtue and vice can become blurred at times. All sorts of personal, spiritual, cultural, and societal perceptions help determine what is good and what is not, and it evolves with time which means that virtue is a little bit of a gray area. But even if the picture were clearly black and white goodness can be difficult to sustain. And it is easy to be envious or cynical toward those who seem to more easily uphold high moral standings, especially if you doubt your own. When a person's honor is outstanding they can become a target for people who wish to pull them down. They can be subjected to scrutiny and ridicule; we see it in the media all the time, unfortunately. I remember an instance where a student was commenting on another student's achievements and said, "Well, she doesn't have a job. If I could practice as often as she does I would look like that, too." There was a strong sense of resentment and jealousy instead of support and kind regard. Why not be proud for her and happy to know her instead of critical of the way she chooses to utilize her time? A virtuous person undoubtedly works very hard at making good, worthy decisions each day and deserves to be recognized for that conscious effort rather than mocked or judged. The lesson here is to appreciate the virtuous qualities in others and try to imitate them in your own life. Who do you know that is virtuous and how can you joyfully take on some of their characteristics? Cultivate attitudes of delight (mudita: delight, gladness, joy, complacency) in the virtuous (punya: good, virtuous, moral).

Unfortunately, we don't all have little Jiminy Cricket sitting on our shoulder reminding us to "let your conscience be your guide." Some people are bad; perhaps not innately, but they routinely demonstrate bad behavior. For the record, I am not talking here about acts of violence or crime; those things should definitely be addressed by the proper authorities. But within the scope of everyday morality, we all have, at one time or another, found ourselves in a situation of which we are not proud. In moments of guilt we appreciate those that offer forgiveness and respite. We should be willing to reciprocate in kind when someone else falls on bad times. Patanjali's advice is actually to be "indifferent toward the wicked" which means we must not deny vice when we come across it, but remain unresponsive toward it so as to not encourage it further. We may be tempted to provide advice with good intentions of helping, but that may be taken as an insult or arrogance which will only foster more bad behavior. And becoming emotional will only add to the contention. It is better to keep your own peace of mind by remaining passive. Remember, the line between good and bad can sometimes get smudged, so when you "get in trouble and you don't know right from wrong," access your inner Pinocchio and "give a little whistle." Cultivate attitudes of disregard (upeksanam: disregard, indifference, apathy) toward the wicked (apunya: wicked, bad, vice).

Patanjali has neatly summarized human characteristics into these four categories: happiness, unhappiness, virtue, and wickedness. It is certainly possible that there are others, but this is a good starting point. The objective, as always, is peace of mind. If you stop to think deeply and intently about what you most want both on and off the mat it is most likely just that: peace of mind. You can say flexibility, strength, poise, wisdom, spirituality, or any number of other things, but it all comes down to one thing: prasadanam (grace and undisturbed calmness).

The four characteristics have been described as locked doors, and the four corresponding acts as keys. Use the right key with the right lock and the door will open. You will retain your peace, you will belong in any situation, and you will progress body, mind, and spirit because it is through knowing others that we learn about ourselves. By wishing others well, we clear our own path and we see, feel, and act clearly.

Is fierce determination beneficial or detrimental on the yoga mat? That depends. Can you be fiercely determined while demonstrating the four acts of peacefulness? If yes, than by all means be fiercely determined. There is nothing wrong with wanting, achieving, or advancing. If you try Tree pose or Bhujapidasana and you fall out, do you turn it into a judgment toward yourself for your "failure" or toward your fellow students for their "success?" If yes, you are not yet embodying the four acts of peacefulness. You are not unlocking doors or lessening obstacles; you are more deeply embedding your discontent. Instead, pause, notice, and recommit to your peace of mind. Be a good Yogi.

I.33: Maitre-karuna-muditopeksanam sukha-dukha-punyapunya-visayanam bhavanas citta-prasadanam

By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, thoughts becomes purified, and the obstacles to self-knowledge are lessened. ~Patanjali

A human being is essentially a spirit-eye. Whatever you really see, you are that. ~Rumi
Everyone wants it, many people seek it, and few have the privilege of experiencing it. Will you?

The Key to Joy

2011-06-27T09:40:00.002-05:00

Rumi said "If you are wholly perplexed and in straits, have patience, for patience is the key to joy." The word for patience in Sanskrit is sahana, and it is synonymous with "tolerance" and "bearing." Patience and tolerance are each defined as "endurance without complaint," and in that regard they aim for the same result -- to fulfill one's highest aspirations by playing the edge without going over it. Their means, however, are rather distinct.

The word patience comes from the same Latin roots as "surrender" and "passion" which each denote a kind of devotion and prostration. To be patient is to softly and quietly endure, to be humble, and even to be submissive. Think about the most patient person you know, and chances are they are soft and quiet. Patient people tend to be unassertive; they are willing to wait through comfort and discomfort equally because they trust that the end-result will be worth the effort. Patience is a kind of spiritual-flexibility -- the more patient/flexible you are, the more choices you have. A flexible person, whether literally or ethereally, is more passively adaptable than a person who is tenser.

The word tolerance originated from roots that mean "to lift up" and "to sustain." Sustainment is to be supportive; to demonstrate fortitude and determination. Tolerant people are often confident and opinionated -- they are comfortable presenting their most authentic self and, at the same time, they are respectful in a kind of "to-each-his-own" way toward other people's opinions and authenticities. Their firmness likely means they are strong-willed and can bear a high level of pressure. And in that way, they tend to be both independent and uplifting to those around them. Tolerance is willful acceptance.

Think about a rubber-band. A light, thin one -- like the kind of come wrapped around the morning newspaper -- is likely to be stretchier than a dense, thick one -- like a car-belt. The dense, thick rubber-band, however, is likely to be stronger than a light, thin one. And, theoretically, a rubber-band could be of a size in which the amount of stretchiness and the amount of strength would be equally balanced. Patient people may be thought of as stretchy and resilient, and tolerant people may be thought of as strong and focused, but none of these characteristics are necessarily superior to another. They are just different. They each have an optimal blue-print -- the task for which they are best suited assuming they have been placed in a situation that utilizes their highest potential.

Speaking anatomically, muscles can be thought of as being patient and/or tolerant. A muscle is made up of tiny strips and strings of tissues that are woven together, and that weave of tissue is made from groupings of individual cells. When muscle tissue is stretched it is literally being ripped apart. As the muscle lengthens it suffers microscopic tearing as cells are pulled away from each other. The muscle immediately begins to repair itself in two ways: it contracts which lessens the amount of space between cells and it generates new cells to fill in some of the empty space. By stretching you have caused the muscle to suffer an injury, an appropriate and beneficial one, but an injury none-the-less. And that is why you are sore after practice. The good news is that the generation of new cells likely means the muscle tissue has experienced a permanent change in shape and/or size.

Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Big-toe pose) with a strap around the lifted foot is a great example. You stretch your hamstring with Supta P., and the next day it is tender in that "hurts-so-good" kind of way. But the next time you practice the pose you notice you are holding a little less strap. How exciting! And the next time, a little less again. Before you know it, you are completely sans strap. Each time you stretched the hamstring, you placed a little more tension on it and you probably suffered for it the next day. But because it was done in a long, slow, and methodical way (i.e. patiently) the hamstring muscle became more flexible. Not it is stretchy and yielding like that thin rubber-band.

When you perform strength-building or weight-bearing poses like Navasana (Boat pose) or Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-limb Staff pose) you are engorging the tissue-cells with fresh blood, nutrients, and what we call Prana or "lifefulness" in Sanskrit. The plumper the cells get the firmer, denser, and more durable they become, like the car-belt. The right amount of force applied over the right amount of time makes the muscle strong (i.e. capable of tolerating greater and greater pressures). At first just a few Sun Salutations are exhausting. But if you are determined and persistent you will become stronger and soon a dozen or more Sun Salutations are tolerable.

Awareness and fine-tuning are important components to this process because an imbalance can be energetically depleting or even physically injurious. Too much flexibility places one at risk for extending beyond appropriate limits and too much strength lacks forgiveness. Too little flexibility means one lacks mobility and agility and too little strength is unsupportive. The trick is to find just the right amount of both in order to attain the desired results with only minimal amounts of obstruction and exertion, otherwise known as "balanced action." Balanced action means everything has a complimentary-opposite, and the two forces work together to create energetic freedom and optimal alignment. When we are energetically free and optimally aligned we are more likely aspiring to our highest potential, and thus joyful. So how do we fully and effectively focus on both passive patience and willful tolerance in order to achieve what is most desired and deserved in any given moment?

You have to start by knowing what you want. Why do you practice yoga? People practice for the physical exercise, for the quiet time, for the healing properties, for the spiritual connection, for the community interaction and much more. But what if all the myriad reasons for practicing yoga, be they gross or majestic, could be summed up with just two categories: you either practice yoga to feel joy. Or you practice yoga to remove the obstacles preventing you from feeling joy. Which one would best describe your practice? When you practice do you radiate enthusiasm and creativity? Do you feel full and harmonious? Or do you feel as though you are perpetually facing challenges like frustration, harshness, or defeat? Maybe you feel some of both?

Balance does not necessarily denote equality. One can be focused more toward one side or the other. Or be any combination of both. Or fluctuate from one to the other throughout life. It is a matter of discovering the right amount of each component in order to fulfill your highest potential in any given moment. It is kind of like inventing a new cake recipe. The most basic ingredients you already know: you need something dry to provide shape and stability, you need something wet to provide softness, you need a binding agent to bring the two together, and you need flavoring to make it all interesting. The infinite number of ingredient-combinations results in anything from angel food cake to German chocolate, from fruit cake to doughnuts. The details that make each recipe unique are influenced by all kinds of things like season, event, purpose, availabilities, and personal tastes. One cake is not inherently better or woree than another, it is all a matter of perception and appropriate application.

Knowing what you want is followed by understanding what kind of time, efforts, and energies will be required of you and whether or not you are able and willing to do those things. If we are baking a cake the questions are what kind of cake do I want and do I have and/or am I willing to procure the necessary ingredients? If we are on the yoga mat the questions are what do I want and what am I willing to do to get it?

Assuming your answers correlate, the next step is to act accordingly; to behave in a way that leads you toward what you most Dharmically deserve. You have to stay focused and remember your intentions which are to experience joy. You have to know that there will be impediments and limitations you will have to withstand and overcome by being durable. You will suffer and you will have to persist through the suffering to get your desired result. And you will have to walk a narrow edge between being confident and curious enough to expand your boundaries, yet remain sensitive enough to know the dangers of going too far. In the quest for joy we have to be malleable enough to be willing to change and evolve, and simultaneously be rigid enough to hold our ground and to stay safe. And we have to be genuinely pleased with what we receive if we upheld our commitment to excel and if our performance was gracious and authentic. In other words, firm your resolve and soften your expectations. Know what you want and want what you have.

The more consistently, continually, and enthusiastically we strike that balance, the more established our practice becomes (Sutra I.14). Not just the time spent on the sticky mat mastering asana, but our endeavors in all areas on and off the mat will take on a kind of effortless momentum, a gentle ebb and flow, when we have learned how to act in this skillful manner which is to be soft and passive when the situation calls for flexibility, and to be determined and sure-footed when the situation calls for strength.

The word "joy" comes to us from "rejoice" which literally means "to be glad again." Joyfulness is our way our demonstrating that we remember our innate goodness and happiness. We are beings born from delight. We each face our own struggles, limitations, obstacles, and doubts, but underneath it all we seek opportunities to display what resides within and that is deep satisfaction. When we are willing and able to endure without complaint, passively or assertively, we hold the key to joy. And joy brings us our heart's greatest desires. Again and again.

"If you are wholly perplexed and in straits, have patience, for patience is the key to joy."

A Brief Hiatus

2011-06-16T09:25:00.003-05:00

I've decided to take a blog break. I don't know for how long. Certainly not forever because I do enjoy the blog-o-sphere. I'm going to focus my attention elsewhere for a bit, finish up some other projects, collect my thoughts, and then I'll be back. See you in class.

Insanity to the Max

2011-06-10T08:57:00.005-05:00

O M G y'all!
Today was the first day of my "Max" Insanity workouts. And it was wayyyyy max! I'll get back to that in a second.

First -- yesterday. Like I said I would, I had lunch with a bff and enjoyed a casual afternoon. In regards to last night's Essentials I-II class, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that we had three pretty intense practices in a row (last Thursday was Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, last Saturday was Urdhva Dhanurasana, and this last Monday evening was a bunch of leg and core strengthening poses), so I thought it would behoove everyone's interests to take it down a notch last night and practice something less strenuous. The kicker, though, is that "down-a-notch" is a very subjective term, and I was told afterward that I may have been misleading when I said I was providing a "mellow level one" practice. Oops.

It wasn't that bad. I picked hip-openers. More specifically, Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana I (One-legged King Pigeon) preparatory variations and Padmasana (Lotus pose). We started off Yin which meant the first 30 minutes was slow and low to the ground -- that should be noted. We took only modified lunging salutes and didn't do a single (nada, zip, zilch) Chaturanga Dandasana or Cobra. That was my act of compassion for the day, guys. Where's the love?! :) There were a few very basic standing poses -- Vira II, modified Side-angle, modified Parsvottasana -- and three different versions of EPRK. We moved fairly consistently without holding anything too terribly long, and we focused on powering the legs with muscular energy and then opening the hips with organic energy. I suppose we could have had more Child's poses and maybe some reclining hip work and that would have made it even more Level I. But I thought it was a lovely and a lively sequence, and I know hip-openers are a big deal to a lot of people.

The hips -- we talked about this in class last night -- are commonly congested, tight, and uncooperative. So even though the asana themselves were "basic" and "beginners friendly" versions, that certainly doesn't mean that they weren't challenging, as some folks made a point of announcing. :) Keep in mind that when the hips are healthy, open, strong, and cooperative, everything above and below them (knees, ankles, core, shoulders, etc) work better. The hips are a key element to a happy body. So hip-opening asana may be grueling, but its worth it. I promise. We had a good time, despite the moans and groans.

Ok Max Insanity. The basic idea behind Insanity is: workout really hard for a long period of time and then rest very briefly before going again -- interval training, but inverted because traditional interval training is a medium amount of work for a long time, a brief period of really hard and fast workout, and then a rest (that's how things like "Step classes" and Spinning work). So Shaun T (he's the host) created these sequences that are go go go go go go go go hard and fast (3-5 minutes), brief rest (20-30 seconds), go go go go go go go go hard and fast (3-5 minutes), brief rest (20-30 seconds), and so on. In the beginning you alternate between like four or five different DVDs that each have their own set of primarily hard and long sets of cardio workouts; some of it is geared more toward speed and agility, some for strength, some for endurance, etc. And they're each about 40 minutes long. I was just getting really used to each of the different videos and starting to kinda know what was about to happen and be sorta mentally prepared for it. Then it was time for "Recovery Week."

Recovery week has it's own DVD and you practice it six times in a row. And, really, "recovery" is a very subjective term (just like "beginners friendly") and it was maybe not quite as intense/strenuous but definitely still a good workout. And the idea behind recovery week is the same as Weeks Seven, Thirteen, and Eighteen in Dirgha Kala -- it's a pause to reflect on what's already taken place, what you've accomplished, what you still want to do, and it's an opportunity to set a well-aligned intention for what is about to happen, because when you come back it's gonna be tougher, harder, faster.

So today I did a "Fit Test" first which is where I get to measure my progress over the last five weeks. Every two weeks you take a Fit Test and do the same 8 exercises, record your results, and compare it to the previous times. I'm definitely getting stronger and faster. I did 7 more "Switch Kicks" and 2 more "Push-up Jacks." I did 46 "Power Jacks" which is the same number I did both times before -- I don't why I can't get that number to improve, but I'll focus on it for next time. And I can't remember off-hand how the other numbers compared, but it felt better. So that was 25 minutes. Then I went right into the new DVD ("Max Interval Circuit") which was (I didn't know ahead of time) 60 minutes (all the others are 35-40)!! And, yes, it was definitely harder. Many of the exercises were brand new (I had never seen them before) and harder then the first four weeks. They lasted longer, there were more of them in a row, and there were fewer rests. It felt like Day One all over again -- I was panting, a little nauseous, I had to stop and rest more often than I did with the others, and I was soooooo happy when it was over. Wow! I hope I continue to improve at a similar rate throughout the second half of this series as I did in the first half. Everyday I felt better than the day before, and after just five weeks I can literally see a difference -- my legs are firmer, my arms are bigger, my tummy is smaller. And I really do look forward to getting up and doing the workouts everyday.

It was super tough to get through. It was a little more effort than should have been exerted considering it's a Friday, but I did it and I feel good for having done it. I'm planning on doing a Primary Series practice today and lounging at the pool for a bit before teaching Yin tonight. Enjoy your Friday; I'm going to enjoy mine.

Jump-throughs

2011-06-09T10:57:00.002-05:00

This is a pretty cool "help with jump-throughs" video. We'll have to try some of this in class some time:

New Blog Goodies

2011-06-09T08:32:00.005-05:00

Sweet! Now I can send a text message directly to blog and it'll post just like I typed it into my computer. And I can add email addresses (as in yours if you like) and blog will send out an email with a notification that I published a new post. Two cool new ways to stay connected; neato!

Today is my Insanity Day 35 and the last day of my "recovery week." Tomorrow starts "Max" everything -- Max Cardio, Max Plyo, Max Balance, etc. Eeeek! To celebrate my 35 days of Insanity, I practiced 35 Surya Namaskar afterward and spent 35 breaths in Virasana (Hero), Sirsasana (Headstand), Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) and Paschimottanasana (Seated Foward bend) each. My new favorite thing is practicing yoga right after Insanity. You would think I would be completely exhausted after 40 minutes of cardio -- it is exhausting -- but I really crave a good yoga practice afterward. My body is so hot and awake from the Insanity that the yoga is just sublime. I've had some of my all-time best practices in the last month; it's crazy how good it feels!

I needed an extra workout today anyway; I'll probably practice again this afternoon, too. I ate like a horse yesterday. I had breakfast, lunch, dinner, an afternoon protein smoothie, a piece of pecan pie, and movie popcorn (we went to see Pirates 4). Oh, and a Peace o' Cake Luscious Lemon cupcake. That's just pure gluttony right there, but I couldn't help myself. It was my day off, and if I don't eat the pie and cupcakes they'll just go bad. That would be tragic! So I scarfed. And it was all so good.

It's Thursday which means Cat is leading Vinyasa Flow II as we speak. Michele is teaching tonight's Vinyasa Flow I class. Selina will lead Moderate Kripalu. And I will teach Essentials I-II at 6:45. We emphasized the "-II" last week and worked some strong legs and shoulder actions to get into Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Big Toe pose), and then we did some serious core work in Monday night's Essentials class, so since we had two pretty tough classes in a row I think I'm gonna take it down a notch tonight and bring up something a little more fundamental and not so intense. I don't know yet what that will be, but that's the gist of my plan.

I've got a few things to get done on my to-do list and then I'm meeting a friend for lunch, so I gotta get on with it. See you in class.

Happy 35!

Oh, and let me know if you wanna be on the email list to receive notification of when I post a new blog.

Why Backbends

2011-06-04T11:42:00.004-05:00

I don't have a lot to say; I just wanted to say how much fun this morning was. I got up early enough to do Insanity and practice before class. And then we worked toward Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) in Essentials II. It was a good group of energetic students and everyone worked hard. I could tell. I could see their little yoga-gears grinding. They were thinking. They were inquiring. They were manipulating and applying. They were struggling at times, but mindfully and skillfully so. The difference? Struggling for struggling's sake makes the body and the mind tight and tense. The jaw clenches and the forehead wrinkles and the breath quickens. Struggling for betterment's sake creates a sense of patience and deliberation and the body and the mind feel long and wide. The challenge leads to a feeling of empowerment, not defeat.

Our attention was on lengthening the thighs/hip-flexors, opening the shoulders, and freeing the mid- and upper-back. Then we used really solid and basic foundations to work with well-aligned Urdhva Dhanurasana. We focused in on eliminating splaying feet/knees, saggy hips, and bunched up shoulders which are all common. We talked about pre-requisites to getting into Upward Bow: 1) full cow-face arms, 2) flat on the ground Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero), and 3) lots and lots of block-supported Paryankasana (Couch pose), namely. Those certainly aren't the only things that lead to Upward Bow, nor are mastering them necessarily a guarantee that you can get into Upward Bow. But they are definitely high on the to-do list.

I love love love backbends -- baby (belly-down) ones, kneeling ones, standing ones, obvious ones, subtle ones. I love them! You know this about me. Why back bends? I love them because they stretch and strengthen you all over. Because they stretch the belly, ribs, and chest they help you breathe better. They are energetically uplifting. They literally stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals in your brain and they make you happy. And they're empowering. They get your attention into your back body which typically goes neglected because what's out of sight is out of mind. There is a whole world back there they we know very little or nothing about. We literally cannot see our own back, or touch it very well, so we just don't know very much about it. But yoga is a practice centered around knowing our Selves deeply and intimately in every conceivable sense of the word. And it's unfortunate if the back body isn't included in that knowing. To have a truly full spectrum understanding of your Self, inside and out, front, back, top, and bottom is liberating and enabling in a really good way. That's why.

Anyway, I just wanted to say it was a lovely morning with a fun group and I wanted to take the time to commend a job well-done. Bravo, guys!

Here's the sequence we followed today:

Cat/Cow
Surya Namaskar A 3 times
Lunge on each side with a strong emphasis on the back leg
Surya Namaskar B 3 times
Virasana (Hero pose to establish parallel thighs and to open the quadriceps)
Virasana with Cow-face arms
Downward-Facing Dog pose with meticulous alignment throughout the body for 5 minutes
Handstand at the wall 3-5 times, focus on legs and shoulders
Eka Pada Urdhva Virasana (One-legged Upward Hero at the wall. First lunge deeply into front leg to stretch the deeper hip-flexors. Then move your butt back to the wall and sit up taller to stretch the quadriceps.)
Bridge pose several times (focus on parallel and hip-distance feet, use hamstrings to lift hip and lengthen the lower back)
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow at the wall 3-5 times. Focus on curling the heart toward the wall and the arms and elbows away from the wall.)
Dandasana (Staff pose)
Janu Sirsasana
Paschimottanasana
Shoulderstand (and/or variations)
Halasana
Reclining Twist
Savasana

Happy Saturday!

Sixteen

2011-06-03T08:52:00.003-05:00

We had a great Essentials I-II class last night. The emphasis was on the "-II" and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. I wanted to present the challenge of piecing together the last several weeks worth of information -- strong legs plus shoulder-loop -- but I wanted to work on something other than backbends. I decided to build up to Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Big-toe pose). It requires really good form in the legs and the torso, strengthens the legs and hips, is a one-legged balance, and it's tough to keep the shoulders well-aligned while you're so busy thinking about not falling over. It is not an easy pose; in fact, it's rated as a 16 in LoY. Sixteen doesn't sound all that impressive when the scale goes up to 60, but keep in mind that most of the poses we practice in Essentials and DK hover between 1-6, so comparatively speaking a successful 16 is definitely worth commending.

We spent our time focused on neutral pelvis/hips to create a solid and rooted foundation, and then used that to initiate an energetic uplifting through the belly and heart which helped to establish shoulder-loop (i.e. "Root to Rise"). We saw a lot of asymmetrical hip-openers (Tree pose, Triangmukaikapada Paschimottanasana, EPRK I prep.) and hamstring-oriented poses (Supta P, Parsvottanasana). Not only were the bodies meticulously aligned, but there was really great conversation, too. People asked really intelligent questions and made really insightful comments and we were able to go deeper because of it. It was fun. It was super hot. And I especially enjoyed the way everyone was lined up in very neat rows and columns. I just love an orderly classroom. :)

Today started my Insanity "Recovery" Week. It's supposed to be a less intense week of workouts compared to the last four and just before the final push. It was definitely still challenging and was made more so by the fact that I cannot seem to shake the sleepies this morning. I had a hard time getting outta bed and I still feel like if I laid down right now I'd fall back asleep. I felt like a lead weight. Cardio work is hard enough without adding that to it! But I got it done. And I get to relax most of the rest of the day. I spent yesterday getting caught up on work and running a bunch of errands so I have little on my agenda today. Maybe some Primary Series. Maybe a movie? Definitely a nap.

I'm planning to work on Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) in Essentials II tomorrow and it's back to Sequence One in MDK on Sunday afternoon. See you in class!

Memorial Days

2011-06-02T08:28:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure how it got to be Thursday again already. I have so much to do I feel like it's a Monday. And I should probably be tackling that long to-do list as we speak, but I know I'm way overdue for a post so here I am writing instead of task-completing.

I had a super fantastic holiday weekend. One of the best ever, I must say. Let me see if I can remember some of it to share...

I led Yin on Friday evening and that's always one of my favorite things to do. A good Yin practice is like getting a deep-tissue massage. It's so yummy and you walk away feeling loose and light and relaxed. I love Yin. If you don't already have a regular Yin practice in your repertoire I highly recommend it. It's a little bit controversial in the mainstream yoga world, though, because its primary objective is to target the joints and connective-tissues of the body, and some people fear that can do more harm than good. But that can probably be said about almost any Yoga's methodology and/or philosophies -- it's all in the intentions and the integrity of its actions. Personally, I feel like my Yin practice has improved poses like deep hip-openers and seated forward bends -- those two categories of asana are particularly troublesome in my body and "traditional" practice only took me so far before it felt like I hit a kind of a roadblock and just couldn't go any deeper. And for many many years any prolonged amount of seated pranayama and meditation practice just killed my knees and lower back. Now I regularly sit for 20 or 30 minutes at a time with very minimal discomfort. So I say "Yay, Yin!"

We had an All-levels / Essentials II combo class on Saturday morning. The room was packed and even though it was 10:00 in the morning it was really hot. I led about an hour-long full-spectrum flow-y kind of sequence and tried to incorporate as much shoulder-loop actions as possible for those that have been following our work over the last three weeks. I also did my best to leave lots of room for modifications and self-guided movement since it was "all-levels" and there were students with a wide variety of experiences in the room. The energy was great and I was in a particularly good mood. I woke up early enough to do Insanity and have a practice before I taught and both went really well. I don't remember which Insanity I did that day, but I do remember that my practice was deep hip-openers and back bends and it just felt so wonderful. A few regular students even commented on my obvious good mood that morning. I was almost chipper! haha!

After the first hour we paused for a mini-Savasana and then I let people leave that were satisfied and several others stayed to work on some slightly more challenging asana for about another half hour. We went to the wall to practice Parsva Sirsasana (Side Headstand) and Ekapada Sirsasana (One-legged Headstand). Then, since we were already at the wall, we took advantage of it and worked on Ustrasana (Camel) again and then used blocks under the hands to get into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-bow). There was at least one person in the room that got into Headstand for the very first time and a couple of people who pushed all the way up into Urdhva Dhanurasana for the first time, too. It was so exciting! We talked about honoring the practice by making it memorable; making it something worth recalling in the future. "Memorial Day" was originally called "Decoration Day," so I wanted us to refine and embellish really familiar asana. To decorate means to make ready, to prepare, to make beautiful, and I wanted our practice to be something beneficial not just in the immediacy of that moment, but something worth taking with us and something capable of serving us again in the future. It was a great way to kick-off the holiday weekend.

Saturday was my second wedding anniversary and my younger brother's 24th birthday, so we celebrated with a "Birth-iversary" party at our house. I cooked tacos and tamales and fresh refried beans and cupcakes and I made pitchers and pitchers of margaritas. The boys went Slip 'N Sliding in the backyard. We roasted marshmallows and played "What's Yours Like." We toasted the evening with champagne and got to enjoy the company of really good people, several of whom I hadn't seen in quite some time. Catching up with old friends at a party is always fun. I finally went to bed at about 1:30 (which is wayyyy past my bedtime) and the party was still going.

I decided not to have classes on Sunday, but a day off from "working" does not denote a day without practice. I got up Sunday morning to do Insanity and then right into Ashtanga Primary Series. The Primary Series is better every time I do it. I remember struggling with it so much when I first started to practice it about five years ago. Not only was my strength and endurance challenged (still is), but I didn't like the emotions it invoked in me. It made me mad. I'm not sure why -- if it was boredom or frustration or lack of confidence or what -- I could barely get through the five A's and five B's before my blood was boiling and my jaw would be clenched and I would just be begging for it to be over. One time Emily and I went to a class in Santa Fe and we didn't know ahead of time that it was heavily influenced by the Primary Series. It was not advertised as being an Ashtanga-specific class; it was just presented as a kind of "all-levels flow." We showed up and picked out our spot and they start to chant the Ashtanga invocation. My heart sank. I thought to myself "Frick! I don't wanna do this." Emily was totally in her element. And I was completely out of mine.

There wasn't necessarily a specific moment or experience that started the shift toward "liking" it. Although, I think I just eventually allowed myself to dislike it, and the permission to not like it evolved into intrigue. It's still not my favorite method of practice, by any means. And I have certainly not mastered it. There are several poses in the series that I cannot do in their entirety (I have to modify them) as well as several poses that I just flat-out cannot do at all and usually leave out. But that's exactly why I'm more accepting of it now than I used to be. I think in the beginning I felt obligated to practice the entire series without changing it; not necessarily without it being challenging but without it being excessively challenging to the point of incapability. Once I allowed myself to modify the series, to pick variations of the more challenging poses, and to even skip things that I wasn't ready for (rather than faking and forcing my way through poorly performed versions of the poses) I began to appreciate the grace of its flow-y nature and the comfort of the repetition of the sequence and, slowly but surely, I found myself being less and less irritated each time I practiced it. It's still a huge challenge for me, but at least now I've found a way for it to fit in with the other kinds of practice in which I partake regularly. I am not a die-hard Ashtangi. It is not my daily sadhana of choice. But I am beginning to look forward to including it as a part of my full-spectrum practice schedule along with Anusara and Iyengar and Yin and, yes, even a little sprinkling of Kripalu. BRFWA, baby! :)

I got to enjoy Sunday afternoon by the pool; I never get enough of summer days by the pool. It is definitely in my top-ten most favorite activities list, along with eating and sleeping. I attended two different fun get-togethers on Sunday evening -- one at Andi's house with several of my favorite Yoginis. The conversation was lively, to say the least; I had a lot of fun and Andi's house is just too cute. It was so nice of her to host. Then I met Cajun and our friends Jerred and Alyssa at their house with a couple of other folks for dinner. Alyssa made the most amazing Strawberry Jell-o cake; I had two slices!

So at this point I've already had two fun-filled days of eating, drinking, and sun-soaking and at least one more to go. I was exhausted Sunday night and was so happy to know I didn't have to get up on Monday morning. We had a pool-side lunch with some friends on Monday, and then that evening Michele led a very-well attended Memorial Day All-levels Flow class. I was so glad to see so many people take time out of their holiday to show up; not only was I proud that people wanted to support Michele and the studio at a time when we didn't have to be here but I was excited that so many people wanted to make time for their practice at a time when they didn't have to. It would have been so easy for us to just be closed or for any of those students in attendance to say "I'd rather play tonight than do yoga." But they we were here and it was good. Really good.

Tuesday started with a double dose of Insanity -- "Pure Cardio" and "Cardio Abs." Then I felt very privileged to be able to roll out my mat next to the pool and had a lovely hip-opening and forward-bending practice. I remember I went super deep into Kurmasana (Tortoise pose) and I practiced my "new pose for the week" which is Vatayanasana (Horse pose). (It's rough on the knees.) There is something about Insanity -- it's probably the cardio and the heat it builds -- that makes me crave hip-openers and forward-bends afterward. My hamstrings and adductors (inner-thighs) feel so good after I do an Insanity workout, and I just can't hardly stand to not get on my mat right away and practice. So I did and I loved it. Then Kay joined me next to the pool for the Primary Series. Yoga outside is such a wonderful experience. We used to meet at Tech Terrace park on Saturday mornings in the summer time to practice. We haven't done that in several years, but maybe I can schedule something in the near future and we can have a group outdoors practice. I don't wanna keep them all to myself; the more the merrier!

Yesterday was my day off and I tried my best to actually have a real day off. I didn't open my computer, I didn't do any emails, I didn't make any phone calls, I didn't Insanity, I didn't yoga. I just relaxed and let my body and my mind rest. I didn't go the whole day without any fun, though. I had great company and good food and a couple yummy cocktails.

And that, more or less, brings us up to date. Now it's Thursday. I've done my Insanity for the day. I think I'm on Day 28 which is really near the half-way point. Next week is called "Recovery Week" which sounds less intense than it has been, but I'm not so sure it's going to be. Maybe a tad, but I suspect it's still going to be a week's worth of good workouts. And on the other side of "recovery week" everything is intensified -- "Max Cardio," "Max Circuits," "Max Recovery," etc. No rest for the weary!

Cat is leading a Vinyasa Flow II class to a great group of students as we speak. I'm sure they're having a good time. I have real work I really need to get done today; I should wrap up here and get to tackling my to-do list. I have computer work, emails, and several errands to run. Then I have a meeting later and I'll teach Essentials I-II tonight, so I have to plan that class. Somewhere in the midst of all that I hope to find time to be on my mat today, but it might not happen. And then it's Friday all over again. How time flies!

Happy June.

Thursday

2011-05-26T16:40:00.004-05:00

OK, Blogger was down for a while which partially explains my absence. The other factor is just that my attention has been placed elsewhere for a few days. We've had some really great practices, even though I haven't been reporting on them -- we laid great ground on Saturday morning working with "jump-throughs" and Handstands, for instance. And then I went on to have one of the best weekends ever. It was just lovely and laid-back cool with some friends and some booze and beautiful weather and I was sorry to see it end.

Also over the weekend was my Insanity 15-day progress report. The results are in and this sh*^ is working! I scored way better in all but one category, and in that one I tied my first round of tests. So really, that's not bad at all. It's really good, actually. For example, one of the exercises that is tested is called "Switch Kicks" and on Day One I scored 76 and on Day Fifteen I scored 108! On Day One I got through 7 "Globe Jumps" and on Day Fifteen I finished 10, which is actually a total of 12 more jumps as each round consists of four. I went up from 15 "Push-up Jacks" to 20, and the one I stayed the same was "Power Jacks" and I got 46 both times. Sweet, right?!?!? I think so. Today was my 20th day (of 63 total), and I'm loving it more and more every day. Oh, and I've lost about five pounds since I started. So awesome!

What's going on other than Insanity...

We're focused on Shoulder-loops in class this week again. We spent a week working on "Side-body long" and practiced lots of Camel pose. Then we shifted our attention to side-body long plus inner- and outer- arm-spirals last week and saw lots of Cow-face and Reversed Prayer arms. And we spent this last Monday night working on lots of muscular energy in the arm bones and Urdhva Dhanurasana prep. Everything went really well right up until we got ready to be in Urdhva Dhanurasana and I noticed a big dip in energy-level and some un-confident bodies in the room. So we slowed down and set the stage for really good Bridge poses. And then a few people were enthusiastic about going into a head-down variation of Urdhva D. and others stayed in Bridge, which was fine. I'd really like to work some more on getting this group ready for Urdhva Dhanurasana, so we're gonna take a little bit of a detour tonight and focus on opening and loosening the hip-flexors and playing with more basic shoulder alignment, and then hopefully return to Upward-bow in a couple weeks.

Sometimes you don't know if you're ready for the next level without just simply trying it and finding out experientially. Yoga is "one percent theory, ninety-nine percent practice," as Patabhi Jois would say. You can sit around and think about deeper, more advanced asana all day long, but you'll never really know if you're ready until you try. So on Monday we set the intention of taking on the challenge of Upward-Bow. Thankfully, we had the insight and the skill-set to know to shift our intention when it proved a necessity. We'll take a similar approach tonight but from a slightly different direction. Maybe we'll see some Wild Thing tonight!

I'm super happy that its summer. I love the heat. And I'm excited about the holiday weekend. Saturday is both my second anniversary and my younger brother's birthday, so we'll have a little do-dah at the house the celebrate. And even though I took off from work on Sunday I plan on doing Insanity and Primary Series. Fun!

Living Social

2011-05-19T09:29:00.003-05:00

We're the Living Social deal of the day again.

http://livingsocial.com/deals/46490-eight-39-or-15-69-yoga-classes
I love these networking discount sites -- Living Social, Groupon, etc. It's a great tool for bringing businesses/venues and customers/clients together. So check out the deal -- it's one day only, it's only available from their website (don't come to the front desk and ask for it), and it's 60% off of an 8-class or a 15-class punch card. How sweet is that!

Wednesday is my "off" day -- no classes, no being in the studio, no personal practice, and no Insanity. That's harder for me than it sounds -- doing "nothing," that is. I really wanted to practice or to do Insanity yesterday. But I know that my body needs an occasional break so I refrained and just rested. I even took a nice after-lunch nap and then ran a few simple errands in the evening. My mind needs the mini-vacay, too; I know. I did sneak in just a few minutes of computer work early in the day; I couldn't help myself. But, for the most part, it was actually a Day Off.

The thing about practice, about something like Insanity or running or bicycling, etc, about the exertion of energy is that energy begets energy. The more you do it, the more you want to do it. The more you do it, the better you feel. The more you do it, the more you miss it when it's not there. Remember the 14th Sutra: sa tu dirgha-kala-nairantarya-satkarasevito drdha-bhumih = "The practice has become firmly established when it is cultivated skillfully and continuously for a long time." It takes consistency and enthusiasm to create the solid foundation, and then it's that same solid foundation that keeps you consistent and enthusiastic. There are definitely days when practice is the last thing you feel like doing, and in those times you just have to hope that you've set an authentic precedent for honestly determining if you are truly in need of a break or if you need to suck it up and make it happen. I almost went to the studio to practice yesterday afternoon, but in the end I told myself just to relax and I'm sure that was the right decision. I went to bed excited about doing Insanity first thing this morning. It was the third (or maybe fourth) time I've done this particular DVD (Plyometric Cardio Circuit) and it went better than ever! Yay!

I'm going to spend the day on the computer with emails and marketing (yuck) and then I'm going to teach twice tonight. I am going to sub the Moderate Kripalu class (what in the world am I going to teach?!?) and then we'll have more shoulder-focused practice in Essentials I-II.

Remember to check out the Living Social deal.

Energy begets energy -- use it or lose it, baby!

Happy Monday

2011-05-16T19:17:00.002-05:00

Well, in the grand scheme of Mondays today wasn't that bad; it wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. Class was excellent; that was definitely the highlight. The room was packed and I planned a sequence on inner and outer rotation of the arms which meant lots of Reversed Prayer, Yoga Mudra, Eagle pose, Cow-face, etc. I got lots of good feedback from folks who really appreciated the upper-body opening. I'm glad it was well-received.

It's very common to carry stress in the upper-back, shoulders, and neck. I do. My traps are perpetually wound up knots of tension. Poses that focus on the upper-back, chest, neck, throat, and shoulders are as much about opening and loosening the physical body (traps, deltoids, rhomboids, upper lats, pecs, etc.) as they are about opening and loosening the inner body (i.e. freeing the spirit). When we open the heart with gentle shoulder stretches and basic back bends we create a lightness and a spaciousness -- literally and energetically -- that helps us to stand taller, prouder, fuller of our Selves. Last week's Thursday night Essentials was focused on "Strong legs and Happy Collarbones" (via side-body long), and I could see it happening all over the room -- when the shoulders softened and the collarbones broadened, the whole body and face were soothed and uplifted. People were smiling even though the work was challenging. Tonight, too -- after class there was a weightlessness as people shifted around, gathered belongings, and made their exit. There was a kind of relaxed poise in the air. We didn't exert a whole lot of vigorous effort -- not like if we had focused on big standing poses or lots of deep back bends -- it was simple but focused, mild yet effective. Almost Yin-like. Lovely.

Today was my eleventh Insanity day -- "Cardio Recovery." This was the second time I've done this particular DVD and it went better this time than the first. I felt stronger and stayed in the poses longer. The workout is shorter and definitely less intense than the "non-recovery" days, but it's still tough. I broke a heavy sweat and felt the burn! But, as always, I was glad I did it once it was over. And I had time to get in my own yoga practice afterward, and that always makes me feel better.

What else is going on?

We're going to be the featured Living Social deal on Thursday, so watch for that email and get in on the goodies.

Tomorrow is DK Week 18 -- the final "review week" before we head into the last third of the series and I'm excited about it. I hope a lot of people make it to class. It's about time to start counting up stickers and handing out prizes for the Superstars! Yay!

I'm told lasagna is waiting for me when I get home from work tonight; that sounds like a great way to end the day.

And that's all I got. Happy Monday!

Friday

2011-05-13T13:37:00.002-05:00

Darn it! I'm totally bummed that the really great blog I wrote yesterday has gotten sucked into cyber-oblivion and seems to no longer exist. That's too bad. C'est la vie. On to the next...

Yesterday was a superbly enjoyable day. I started the day with a great Insanity workout, spent part of the early afternoon poolside, and then had my own practice before the studio got busy in the evening. I wasn't sure when I got on to my mat what my practice would consist of, but it turned into a few Yin poses to get things started (my legs and hips soaked that up like a sponge!) and then I worked on Handstands and jumps forward and backward. I can already tell after just one week of Insanity that my arms and my core are stronger, my handstand is more stable, and my jumps are more graceful. Just one week!

I made time to practice my "new pose of the week" asana which is Laghuvajrasana (Little Thunderbolt pose). It's a deliciously deep back bend, which you know I love. LoY says it "requires great practice to achieve the necessary spinal elasticity." Sweet!

And then I led a lovely little Essentials class last night focused on "side-body long." We worked lunges, warriors, planks, cobras, and lots of shoulder-opening so that we could refine Bridge pose and Upward-plank pose. It was a great group of students and we accomplished good things.

I've done Insanity today and the Primary Series -- go me! I didn't feel as energetic this morning as I did yesterday, and so my Insanity was harder than yesterday but infinitely better than the same DVD five days ago. Everyday is better than the one before and I stopped being super sore after about the fourth day. I'm actually having fun with this Insanity thing -- hard, yes! worth it? so far!

I got some computer/marketing work done this morning. We are already looking at the fall class schedule and I'm pretty excited about it. We've two rounds of Beginners Series tentatively scheduled and I'll share those details as soon as they're ready. I ran a bunch of errands and re-potted some plants all before noon! It's been a busy day. I'm spending the afternoon relaxing a little bit -- watching Pretty Woman; classic! -- and I'll teach Yin tonight.

That's all I got. It's not terribly interesting and certainly not insightful, but some days are super fantastic without being overtly inspirational, right? Yes. Join me for Yin tonight and for Essentials II tomorrow.

Not Monday

2011-05-12T08:18:00.000-05:00

Today is not Monday. Today is Thursday. But because I knew that Cat was coming in to teach the 8:30 class this morning and because I knew I will teach an Essentials class this evening, I was dead-set on it being Monday. I wrote "Essentials" on the white-board instead of Flow II and I looked at the computer screen like it was crazy for not listing "Essentials" as this morning's class. Then Cat walked in, beaming as always and wanting a hug (which I gave willingly! [I'll give hugs to those who request them, I will not volunteer for one, btw]) and pointed out that today is, in fact, Thursday. And Thank god it is! Because one Monday a week is more than enough, right?

So, welcome to Thursday!

I have already enjoyed (yes, enjoyed!) my Day 7 Insanity workout today. My agenda for the day included, among other things, of course, doing Insanity in the mid-afternoon with enough time left afterward to have a short practice before getting the building ready for the evening classes. At the last minute this morning I decided to get ready in such a way that I was prepared for yoga or for the workout just in case I wanted to change my plans without going home first. That meant grabbing my tennis-shoes and laptop on my way out the door. And I am so glad I did because when I got in the car I realized that I was leaving the house about 15 minutes earlier than I typically do. I very briefly thought about going back inside and wasting the 15 minutes (probably doing some sort of house-cleaning; since I live with boys it is perpetually a sty) but I decided against that, and while I drove to the studio it occurred to me that if I hurried just a little and got started as soon as I got there, I would have just the perfect amount of time to do the DVD and get the building open in time for class.

Today was the first time I practiced to a DVD I had already tried -- day 2 and day 7 are the same. It was exponentially better this time than the first time. Can you believe that? I can't hardly believe it -- after just a week, I can already tell a significant difference in strength and stamina. My energy level was higher, my breath was steadier, my body was much more cooperative physically and physiologically. And, although it's hard to call it "fun" per se, I am enjoying the experience. I look forward to the workout each day, and yesterday was my scheduled "off day" and it was hard to not practice. It feels good to see results. You know that. You know that from your yoga practice. It feels good when something that once seemed impossible, is not only accessible theoretically, but you're actually doing it.

I had that series of events happen to me with Padmasana (Lotus). Impossible --> Theoretically possible --> Achieved. When I first started to practice yoga, my hips and hamstrings were so incredibly bound up, tight and constricted that "hip-openers" were nauseatingly discomforting. I hated them because A) they hurt and made me sore, B) I couldn't do them which frustrated me to no-end, and C) even when I did include them, I saw little or no difference so I felt like I was wasting my time. Lotus seemed like a life-long impossibility for me. Thankfully, I was insightful enough to realize that there is a lot more to yoga than Padmasana, so I focused my energies else-where and just kept chipping away at those stubborn hips. It took years. I'll never forget the day, the setting, the moment, every detail of the very first time I got both legs in Padmasana. It will always be high on my "favorite moments list," for sure.

So Padmasana shifted for me, slowly but surely, from impossible to theoretically possible. That's a big deal. When something is immensely challenging, the body often has to be able to take it in subtly first before it can manifest. It has to become part of the nerves and cells and tissues and electrical impulses that charge the body. That reminds me of a story I read once about a research project in which basketball players were commissioned with practicing free-throw shots -- hundreds of them (practice makes perfect, right?) -- and their progress and success-rates were recorded and rated and compared to a group of basketball players whose assignment was to imagine (i.e. meditate upon) successful free-throws before attempting them, and their results were significantly better than the group who practiced without thinking about it first. That speaks to there being something bigger and better than we can explain about the powers of the subtle bodies -- the mind, the heart, the core and essence of being. Those parts of us are capable of things that we, at first, can't even imagine.

Once the challenge has become theoretically possible, then it's just a matter of breaking down the component parts and figuring out what it'll take to make it happen. Insanity's motto is "Decide. Commit. Succeed." Mine is "What do you want? and What are you willing to do to get it?"

So even though I've tasted the success of Padmasana, it is definitely still on my agenda of things to work on because it doesn't come naturally to me and I have to "re-earn" it all the time. But I know that it's an integral part of continuing to advance my asana practice -- What do I want? to advance my asana practice beyond what it is now. What am I willing to do to get it? lots of hip-opening, lots of leg stretching, lots of core strengthening. Because that's what it'll take.

Also high on my short-term agenda is kicking-ass at my Ashtanga training in the fall. What do I want? to not look like an idiot in front of David Swensen. :) What am I willing to do to get it? practice the Primary Series at least 54 times in 23 weeks. And do Insanity.

Like that.

So my morning, other than thinking it was Monday when it's actually Thursday, has started off super fine, I must say. I feel great partly because I've already checked a huge item off of my to-do list for the day, which is important, but also because that item went so well. Insanity is f@#^*ing bananas, ya'll -- B A N A N A S ! It is not for the faint of heart, it is not for quitters, it is not for those who doubt that it can be done. But, just like anything -- just like yoga -- once you know what you want, you just do what it takes to get it.

I fully intend to practice the Primary Series this afternoon and sneak in a little pool time, also. We're going to work more "side-body long" in tonight's Essentials class, and then I suspect I'll be early-to-bed again tonight. It's gonna be a great day, I can tell! Let's do it!

"Those who think it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it."

Insanity

2011-05-09T19:05:00.003-05:00

There is a ton of stuff I could talk about; I don't even know where to begin. Last week, as a whole, was pretty friggin' awesome. It was not without its challenges, but, looking back, I had a great time -- I practiced a lot, I relaxed a lot, I hung out with friends and family, I ate really good food, and I added another new element to my activities calendar.

You know, I've got this "twenty new poses in twenty weeks" goal going on and I admit I didn't have a new pose last week. I had some other things going on and didn't get around to it, but I'm not behind because I've added 9 new poses to my repertoire over the last 8 weeks. And, besides that, goals are not about perfection -- its about the steady course over the long term. So I'm moving ahead.

Plus I mentioned last time that I'm officially in training for a week-long Ashtanga Teacher Certification course coming up in October. I have four stickers on my Primary Series sticker sheet -- 50 more to go and about 150 days in which to do them.

And as if that plus teaching plus DK and MDK weren't enough for me I've started Insanity. Do you know this workout? I had never heard of it until recently. I was hanging out at a friend's house who happens to have the privilege of cable television which I do not and hence I miss out on all the really good info-mercials. It's based on really intense cardio interval training and it's touted as being the hardest workout on a DVD. So I see the commercial (you can watch too if you like) and I think to myself "I bet that would really help my new-poses goal and my Ashtanga training. What the heck; let's do it!" A week later the DVDs arrive and it begins....

O M G guys! OMG. They do not use the name "Insanity" lightly. I am not an "unfit" person. I admit that cardio is not high on my to-do list, but I am reasonably in-shape. This is killer! I thought I was gonna puke 15 minutes into the first video. It took me twenty minutes after it was over to catch my breath and to feel half-way normal again. Insane!

On Sunday (yesterday) I started the day with our first "Vinyasa III / Primary Series -ish" class of the summer season. It was well attended, I'm very happy to say. And every one did really well, I'm also happy to say. And I participated in the class so that I could get a sticker on my practice poster. 'Cause, we know, it's all about the stickers! Then I did my Insanity workout for the day which was titled "Cardio Power & Resistance" and was about 40 minutes worth of lunge-squats and push-ups. And was just long enough to make my limbs feel like they were gonna fall off their hinges. Fun! I drank a protein-packed smoothie -- yummy. And then it was time for MDK. ::sigh:: Yes, Primary Series and Insanity and MDK all in one day! I was in bed by 7:45 and just willed myself to stay awake til 8:30 thinking that was the earliest respectable time that I could fall asleep. And then slept til the alarm went off at 6:30 this morning. Best 10 hours of sleep ever!

"Why?" you may be asking. Why would I subject myself to something called Insanity when I'm already steeped in practice? Why would I volunteer for Ashtanga teacher training when I don't like vinyasa flow? Because I know I can. Because there are about a million reasons why not -- my practice is fine the way it is, I have enough teacher training credits already, I'm strong/flexible enough, I don't have any more time, I'm too tired, I'll have to stop eating cheeseburgers, my arms will be too sore to brush my teeth, etc etc etc. But I know I can do this. I can add twenty new poses to my practice repertoire in twenty weeks and practice the Ashtanga Primary Series 54 times in less than 6 months and complete 63 days of Insanity all at the same time. I know I can. So I'm gonna.

So far so good. I managed to get in Insanity Day Four and a simple class-planning practice this afternoon by myself. And then we had one of the best Monday night Essentials classes ever! Yes, ever! It was so awesomely focused on the trust and confidence necessary to get into basic backbends via "side-body long." We had a great time building heat with Surya Namaskar variations, and trying a wall-supported half handstand, opening the hips with One-legged Frog and One-legged Upward Hero, and then used the wall again to help cue us into really great Camel pose variations. The room was packed and it was super hot which was great for back bending. I know there was a little intimidation at the thought of being upside down and bent backwards, but that is precisely where the self-trust and self-confidence come into play.

We don't give ourselves enough credit for the things that we are really good at. It is so easy to point out the things we don't do well. And we forget to have fun in the times that are drenched with challenge. A few people struggled with that wall-version of Handstand tonight. I could see the frustration mounting when it wasn't as accessible as they had hoped it would be. I saw arms threatening to give out from underneath people. And then split-second decisions either succumbing to the weakness and sitting down in defeat or re-committing to the integrity of the foundation and trying one more time. Don't get me wrong -- sometimes the right choice is knowing that a pose isn't appropriate for you. And honorably opting out of it. That's different from fear or doubt or lack of trust. I wanted people to feel empowered to try tonight. I hope that came across.

I say it all the time -- it's how I practice -- it's how I teach -- I believe in it -- What do you want? And what are you willing to do to get it? You don't have to want Handstand. You don't have to like the Primary Series. You don't have to earn stickers to feel good about yourself. But if you do, if that is what you want, if that is what you like, why not do it?

DK week 17 tomorrow.

And a video titled "Pure Cardio" eeeek!

Back At It

2011-05-05T08:26:00.003-05:00

Even though the building was open and there were classes on Tuesday night, I feel like today is really my first day back to work after our long weekend off. I'm just now returning to things like blogs and emails and class-planning. What did I do with my time away from the studio? Absolutely nothing. And it was fantastic!

I didn't turn on my computer for something like four days, I didn't put on a stitch of make-up three days in a row, and I never got out of my pj's on Sunday. I did get to my mat, though, several times and it was lovely being there without the intention of "practicing to teach." So often my time on the mat is specifically with the mindset of getting ready to lead class and working out a teaching-sequence. I don't mind that at all; I love teaching, but it was nice to unroll my mat and know that it was really just for me. And that it didn't include things like cleaning the classrooms and sitting at the desk.

I've taken on a new challenge. I'm still working on including at least one brand new asana into my repertoire each week for twenty weeks. That's going well and I'm having fun with it. The new gig is preparing for Level I Ashtanga Teacher Training in October. I've signed up for a week-long training with David Swensen. I've attended classes with David before and he is so incredibly talented and smart and funny, and he is an amazing teacher and Yogi. So I'm excited about the opportunity to practice with him and learn from him and earn a new certification. But I'm also nervous. The Ashtanga system of practice is intense and vigorous and it challenges me physically and psychologically. Most of you know, because I'm not shy about sharing my opinions, that "vinyasa flow" is not my preferred method of practice. I have an appreciation for lots of different kinds of yoga, like most students, but I have my favorites that I stick close to. When I think about practicing and I start to feel excited and the anticipation grows, the Primary Series is not what is on my mind. It just doesn't come naturally to me. So then why, I've been asked a lot recently, have I signed up for this teacher training???

There were several contributing factors -- the timing and location, for instance, were both fitting. But bigger than that, I'm fascinated by my aversion to the experience. I've practiced the Primary Series sporadically for several years, and I've observed a reoccurring negative emotional response to it -- it frustrates and irritates me. Your practice should leave you feeling refreshed and capable and empowered, among other things, and mine typically does. Except when I practice vigorous flow like Ashtanga. It stirs something in me. I don't know exactly what it is. I've pondered it, of course. One theory is that it's a lack-of-control issue -- since the sequence is pre-determined and I can't do anything about changing it, maybe I feel restricted by it. Another theory is that because it's about 90 percent forward bends and hip-openers (my least favorite categories of asana) the problem rests in my ego. Whatever it is, I wanna know more about it.

I am no where near ready, physically or emotionally, for an entire week of training with David so I am going to spend six months training like one would prepare for a marathon -- start slow and build bit-by-bit until the big event. One of my goals is to have practiced the Primary Series at least 54 times (half a mala) by October. And I've done it twice so far. Two down, fifty-two to go! By the time the class comes around I want to have either earned a more sincere personal appreciation for the Ashtanga system, or have come to better understand why it frustrates me. Or both would be good, too.

That's one of yoga's gifts -- through practice we learn about ourselves. Other types of physical fitness, exercise, sports, recreation, etc. tend to lack the opportunities to learn about ourselves. It's just rote motion and mechanics and kinetics, which is great for the body and can even be a kind of mental exercise similar to yoga's meditations. But there is something unique about yoga's ability to create introspection and true Self-knowing unlike anything else. It's not just about exercise; it's about having an intimate relationship with your Self, it's about being full of your Self, and it's about understanding your Self. It isn't necessarily correcting or changing or fixing anything -- my aversion to vinyasa flow doesn't necessarily need to be changed or corrected, it's not a "problem" per se -- it is an opportunity to acknowledge, witness, observe. If change happens, and you're better because of it, fantastic. If not, the simple recognition is where the lesson lays. I am intrigued by my emotional reactions to Ashtanga practice and I'm willing to face the challenge that that will entail in order to better understand myself. When it's over, I might still have an aversion to it, I may never practice it again, I may not teach it anymore, but at least I had the experience and I will have learned from it regardless of how much I "enjoyed" it. I'll definitely be letting you know how I'm progressing.

Cat had a great turn-out for her Vinyasa Flow II class this morning; I'm sure it will quickly become a popular class on the summer schedule. Tonight is Moderate Kripalu with Selina, Flow I with Lyle, and I'll lead Essentials I-II at 6:45pm. Between now and then I have my fair-share of "catching up" to do from my time off. Paperwork awaits me!

Thursday

2011-04-28T16:58:00.003-05:00

We met for our last official "advanced group practice" last night. It was an especially small, but lively, group. In fact, the classes were noticeably small all week; why? I do not know.

I debated with myself all day about what to practice last night. My initial thought was to keep the "reversed kidney loop" theme going, and at the "advanced" level that means lots of deep seated forward bends. But my hamstrings were a little tender from a practice earlier in the week, so I thought I should give them a break. Then I thought about hip-openers, but that meant lots of external rotation and things like Baby Cradles and Half and Full Lotus variations. My injured knee has just recently begun to feel normal again and I knew John had a tweaked knee, also. Since neither of us needed to be spending two hours in knee-aggravating asana that chucked out that idea. I considered taking a sneak-peak into the first week of DK II, but that has its fair-share of Lotus variations, also. So not that. More often than not -- probably 4 times out of 5 -- we spend Wednesday nights in deep back bend work because that's my favorite thing to work on. But I wasn't feeling energetically prepared for that, either. What to do. What to do. I ended up putting together a nice, simple full spectrum experience that included a little bit of everything. We saw a snippet from every major category without lingering too terribly long anywhere in particular. We even had time for an extended Savasana and a couple minutes of seated pranayama at the end. And I snuck in some Parsva Sarvangasana for myself which is my "new pose" of the week. It was just really, really lovely.

My practice this afternoon was a condensed version of the Ashtanga Primary Series. It takes nearly two hours in its entirety, and I only had about 75 minutes so I left plenty out, but still worked up quite a sweat and it felt great. I was limber right the start, which is always helpful, although I had basically no ability to balance so several of the Standing Series poses were a struggle. All-in-all, though, it was a successful practice. So, can't complain.

I have a kidney-loop oriented class planned for this evening, which I'm looking forward to. And than -- speaking of things I'm looking forward to -- tomorrow starts our four day weekend. We (the studio) is taking Friday through Monday off, and I'm planning on doing absolutely nothing all four days. It's gonna be so awesome! So Essentials I-II tonight, then off for four days, and then the Summer Schedule starts when we return on Tuesday.

I'd love to have something a little more interesting or thought-provoking to share, but that pretty much sums up what's on my mind at the moment. I wouldn't expect much of anything in the way of blogs over the weekend; I don't anticipate turning on my computer if I don't absolutely have to. See you next week.

Sustained Effort

2011-04-25T19:04:00.003-05:00

Patanjali uses the word “abhyasa” when referring to yogic practice. It means a repeated action, a habit, or discipline. Sutra I.13 says, “Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyasah” which means “Practice is the sustained effort to rest in stilled consciousness.” The point of yoga practice is to bring stillness and stability to the inner Self which is ordinarily tormented with fluctuations and oscillations. Things like strength and flexibility of the body, which are gained through the physical asana, are valuable, certainly, but the whole picture includes not just physical exercise, but also moral, ethical, physiological, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual practices. Abhyasa – yogic practice – is more than just the time you spend on your sticky mat. It is the ability to be truly comfortable with yourself from the inside out, and that only comes from constant, consistent, and enthusiastic labor.

“To sustain” means to keep in existence, to prolong, to undergo, to confirm. Its origins come from the same root as the word “thin” – in Latin: tenere; in Greek: teinein; and in Sanskrit: tan. “Tan” means to stretch. We see it in the names of familiar yoga poses like Uttanasana, which we call “Standing Forward Bend” but actually translates as “stretched deliberately pose” and Prasarita Padottanasana, the wide-legged forward bend, and Parsvottanasana, “intense side-stretch pose.” To stretch oneself deliberately takes skill and patience, among things. Sustenance is a kind of enduring and upholding even when, especially when, it doesn’t come easily – suffering in order to justify and validate the work.

“Effort” is the use of energy toward getting something done, striving, aspiration. It comes partly from Latin roots that mean “strength.” In Sanskrit, the word for strength is bhumih. It means to be rooted, well-founded, and also elevated – it is both the base and the apex. It means to be physically strong, but it is also an attitude of determination; a mental push and pull. When our physical and intellectual foundation is both firmly set and spiritually light, we create a kind of tension – a balanced action – that leads to that stilled consciousness that Patanjali reminds us we’re seeking. Effort, both “-ful” and “-less,” is needed, is challenging to create, is even more challenging to keep, but trying is absolutely honorable and commendable.

Sustained effort is continuous and well supported work toward betterment. It can stretch you thinly, and can at times seem as though the amount of energy required far exceeds the tangible effects. But it is a worthy pain as the prize is the ultimate unfolding of and residing within uncompromised Truth.

I.13: Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyasah.

Practice is the sustained effort to rest in [stilled consciousness].

or

Practice is the repeated effort to follow the disciplines which give permanent control of the thought-waves of the mind.

or

Effort toward steadiness of mind is practice.

or

Practice is the continuous struggle to become firmly established in the stable state of the True Self.

or

Devoted practice cultivates the unfolding of consciousness.

or

Practice is the steadfast effort to still [the fluctuations of consciousness].

No matter how you say it, the work is the same -- deliberately intense. And one of the best parts about yoga is that, generally, you reap what you sew; you get back what you give forth. So, what parts of your life are fully embedded in uncompromised truth? What can you do to inhabit it more fully, more broadly? And what amount of effort are you willing to put forth in order to sustain it?

We worked with big kidney loop actions again tonight, but this time in deep forward bends like Parsvottanasana, Prasarita Padottanasana, and Paschimottanasana. We even got into a Hanumanasana prep (baby Splits), Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) and Halasana (Plow). It was a great group of students and we got really great things done. And had a lot of fun!

This afternoon I had my own impromptu practice. I didn't know ahead of time what it would consist of; I just got on my mat and went to it. I'll share the sequence, so you can try it yourself. Feel free to rearrange, modify, amend, and/or omit as you see fit:

`Supta Padangusthasana for about 2 minutes on each side
`One-knee reclined twist
`Uttanasana --> Chaturanga Dandasana --> UMS (Upward-dog) --> AMS (Downward-dog)
`Lunge --> Parsvottansana --> Hanumanasana (Splits) --> take a vinyasa and repeat on the second side
`Seated baby-cradle --> Eka Hasta Bhujasana (pg. 278 of LoY) --> repeat each on second side
`Ardha Padmasana (Half Lotus pose) bound and twisted
`Supta Padangusthasana I and II
`Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen) x3 each side
`AMS --> Sirsangusthasana (Lizard lunge) --> Tirulasana (Trident pose, aka much deeper lizard lunge) --> vinyasa and repeat on second side
`Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide angle forward bend first variation) --> Sirsasana II (Headstand second variation) --> Bakasana x2-5
`Trikonasana (Triangle)
`Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm balance) x3-5
`Paschimottanasana
`Cross-legged reclining twist
`Supta Padangusthasana I (yes, for a third time)
`Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) x3-5
`Ekapada Urdhva Dhanurasana (One-legged Upward bow)
`Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two legged inverted Staff pose)
`Sarvangasana cycle (I included Parsva Sarvangasana which I picked to be my "new pose of the week" and, as it turns out, is harder than the pictures make it look!)
`Puppy
`Cobra
`Childs pose
`Janu Sirsasana --> Triangmukhaikapada Paschimottanasana (One-legged Hero forward bend) --> Marichyasana I --> Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (Bound Half Lotus forward bend) --> switch legs and repeat all four on second side
`Paschimottanasana
`Upavistha Konasana (Seated wide-angle forward bend)
`Padmasana (Lotus) --> Supta Padmasana (Reclined Lotus) --> switch and repeat on second side
`Paschimottanasana
`Bridge pose
`Reclining Twist
`Savasana
Namaste!

Props to Ess. I-II

2011-04-22T09:56:00.004-05:00

I don't have a lot of time, but I wanted to check in here and give props to last night's Essentials I-II group. We worked again with strong kidney-loop details and made our way in to Camatkarasana (Wild Thing pose). It was a great gathering of folks -- the class was bigger than normal and a super mixture of long-time friends/students and some newer faces. But everyone had enough experience that we got to skip the remedial actions and get right into the juicy core of it all. Super fun!

I've had several especially enjoyable days in a row this week. I've had lots of time to spend with friends and family, and I've had a couple of really awesome practices on my own. My hamstrings are like little rubber bands this week and I've gotten into some deep leg and hip work because of it. My "new pose" for the week is Utthita Surya Yantrasana which is a standing version of Sun-dial pose and it is tricky, to say the least. It is a really intense leg stretch, but it's the balancing element that I'm finding to be the most challenging -- your center of gravity is skewed a little bit due to the way the body is wrapped around itself. It's been fun to play with and maybe I'll get some pictures taken so you can see it.

Alright, I know that was brief and a little bit lacking in spirit, but I've got to run. More back bending in Essentials II tomorrow morning and we will meet for MDK on Sunday afternoon. See you there.

Poise

2011-04-18T18:59:00.003-05:00

poise:
1) balance; stability
2) ease and dignity; self-assurance; composure
3) suspension of activity
4) wavering between action and stillness
5) freedom from constraint, formality, embarrassment, or awkwardness

origin: L > pendent -- to weigh, to hang, to hover

I love that last one -- freedom from constraint, formality, embarrassment, or awkwardness. It certainly doesn't mean that you're without flaw or that you don't falter, but that when you do, you stay committed to letting your best Self shine through. The thing about balance is that it doesn't exist without imbalance. The state of balance denotes that there is a state of leaning or ebbing toward one side. So to be balanced with dignity and composure means that you experience the edge without getting lost. It means you're capable of correcting and resetting. And it means that there are moments, although they may be brief, when you are suspended in the sweet spot, perfect equilibrium, poised.

Patanjali teaches poise. His statement is "Sthira sukham asanam" which means "Asana is a steady and comfortable posture," or "The postures should embody stability and ease," or "A yoga pose is a steady and comfortable position." Comfort. Steadiness. Stability. Ease. Sutra II.46 is the definition of poise. He says that when you are poised all effort relaxes, and then the body and the Infinite realize that they are indivisible. (II.47) Then, he says, "one is no longer disturbed by the play of opposites." (II.48) He doesn't say that the opposites cease to exist. That constant ebb and flow, expansion and contraction will always be. But when we are poised, we are undisturbed.

We spent our time in Essentials tonight considering "poise" and working strong feet and shins-in actions in combination with big kidneys and soft hearts. The result was, among other things, Bakasana (Crow pose). And it was delicious!

Cat/Cow for one minute into Downward-dog for one minute
Lie down in Supta Tadasana (Reclined Mountain pose)
Supta Padangusthasana variation with lots of strong outer shins
"baby" UPPs x5-10
Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
Lunges with strong outer shins and midline-hug (shins in)
Anjaneyasana (kneeling lunge) with extra kidney loop, vinyasa between sides
Locust with hands clasped behind the back
Anjaneyasana with hands clasped behind the back, vinyasa between sides
Tadasana (Mountain pose) with Reversed Prayer hands
Utkatasana (Fierce pose) with Reversed Prayer hands
Vira I (Warrior pose) with Reversed Prayer hands
Cat/Cow hybrid (Cat-tuck from kidneys through tail/lift belly and cow-arch from tips of shoulder-blades through heart and head) x3-4
Vinyasa pausing for an extra breath in Plank and Chaturanga for good alignment
Bakasana (Crow) x3-5
Purvottanasana (Upward-plank)
Simple seated twist
Bridge pose x1-3
Reclining twist
Savasana

Spanda

2011-04-17T09:22:00.002-05:00

I had a really lovely Saturday. Essentials II was lots of fun and I spent most of the rest of the day just hanging out at the house watching bad movies and eating junk food with Cajun and my two little brothers.

We kept our kidney-loop theme going in yesterday's class. I was really happy with the group that showed up for practice because they were all well-seasoned so I knew we were gonna get great things accomplished. Almost everyone had been to either Monday night or Thursday night Essentials or both earlier in the week and were ready to apply all that "basics" work into something a little more challenging. I had a super fun back-bending sequence planned. We focused our alignment attention on lots and lots of spaciousness in the back-body with pelvic loop/outer-spiral + kidney loop + side-body long, and we used it to get into Ardha Chandrachapasana (Half Moon variation) which was a brand new pose for several folks and a bunch of belly-down backbends and Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow pose).

Urdhva Dhanurasana has always been one of my favorite poses, even when I was too stiff to fully extend my arms and really curve in my back. It's exhilarating. In fact, Mr. Iyengar says it makes the back feel "strong and full of life." He also describes the front body as being stretched "taut as a drum," and that it allows one to be "alert and supple." I hear the phrase "taut as a drum" and immediately feel the pulsation of percussion and envision the rapping of a beat. You can't help but to feel a kind of vibration come into the body just thinking about it.

That vibration, that pulsation, that quivering beat is called Spanda in Sanskrit. Spanda is the very pulsation of expansion and contraction that we've been so focused upon recently. It is the activity that keeps life in motion. Motion, by the way, along with moment, and momentum all share the same etymological root that means "to shove" or "to push" in Sanskrit. So we have these moments in time that are pulsing with the ultimate source of life-full-ness. And it is because of this motion that alertness and suppleness exist. Things that are in constant and consistent undulation tend to be soft and malleable. A body that moves regularly moves much more freely than a body that is in a constant state of stillness, right? Spanda makes the universe alert and supple which is a kind of expansion. It provides the flexibility (the range of motion, the variances, the choices) necessary to be strung tautly -- contraction -- without breaking. And it is because of that contraction (tautness, binding, discipline) that, when struck, allows it to reverberate so fully.

When a stiff body is struck, it's damaged. When a flexible body is struck, it bounces back. Through expansion (physical, physiological, psychological) we become responsive and moldable, able to be stretched, able to be challenged. Through contraction we become capable of taking the brunt of a hit while maintaining our poise and dignity. Like a drum, we have our stable, reliable container that provides the basic shape and eventual resonance. We top that with a resilient and yielding covering that acts as a kind of filter which produces different effects based on where and how contact is made. And then the music begins. Percussion and repercussion. Flexion and extension. Expansion and contraction. Drawing in and up in order to expand down and out. Root, embed, fix in order to rise, open, unfold.

Here is the sequence we followed:
Place extra emphasis on kidney loop actions in each pose, especially the back bends

Child's pose -- Down-dog -- Ragdoll one minute each
Modified Sun Salutation A with locust as the back bend
Modified Sun Salutation A with Cobra as the back bend
Slow/mindful Sun Salutation B x2
Anjaneyasana (kneeling lunge) x2 each side; vinyasa between sides
Virabhadrasana I; vinyasa between sides
Virabhadrasana II into Triangle; vinyasa, repeat on the second side
Triangle into Half Moon into Ardha Chandrachapasana (clasped Half Moon, like a standing Bow pose); vinyasa, repeat on the second side
Virabhadrasana II into Exalted Warrior; vinyasa
Side-plank; vinyasa
Ekapada Bhekasana (One-legged Frog pose)
Dhanurasana (Bow) x2-3
Virasana (Hero) into Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero)
Ekapada Rajakapotasana I prep. (One-legged King Pigeon first variation prep.)
Ustrasana (camel pose) x2-3
Bridge pose x2-3
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) x3-5
Reclined Hand-to-big-toe variation, keep it mild to release the lower back
Reclining twist of choice
Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half lord of the fish twist)
Cow-face legs -- fold forward
Plow
Savasana

Summing Up

2011-04-15T08:03:00.002-05:00

It's been so long since I've been in the blog-osphere, and not even for any particular reason other than just good old fashioned distraction. I've had my focus set upon other things, and I realized the better part of two whole weeks have passed since I last checked in.

We've been having some really amazing practices that were surely well-deserving of some commendation blog-style; maybe I can do them some justice with a brief re-cap. We spent two weeks working on big. big, big pelvic loop/outer spiral actions and got our inner fires blazing with mulabandhas and strong bellies. We used all that energy to get into things like back-bendy Triangles and Side-angles and Gate poses, and "intermediate" poses like Ardha Chandrachapasana, Bound Side-angles, revolved seated forward-bend variations, and Birds-of-Paradise. And I saw some improvement in Headstands and Shoulderstands once people were better employing balanced inner and outer actions.

The week before last I had three really intense personal hip-opening/hamstring practices in a row and was so sore from it all that it took me over a week to recover. In hindsight it was perhaps a little excessive, but I got some good work done and got deeper into classic-form Matsyasana than ever. It's fairly common to see Matsyasana (Fish pose) taught with legs extended straight, back arched, crown of the head and forearms/elbows on the floor. That is how it was taught to me in both my 200 and 500 hour trainings. But that's actually the beginnings of a different asana called Uttana Padasana; very similar, yes, yet different. Uttana Padasana (Extended Legs pose) is a preparation for Setu Bhandasana which is a more advanced variation of Bridge pose. Anyhoo -- classic form Matsyasana requires lotus legs, which, as you know, don't come naturally to me. So I spent all week working on opening my hips, particularly the adductors, and my "new pose of the week" was Supta Padmasana and classic form Matsyasana. It went well enough, considering how uncooperative my hips tend to be, but like I said I felt the repercussions for days and didn't practice hardly at all last week.

I made up for it, though. This past Wednesday we met for advanced group practice and had a blast. It was a great group of students and a really fun back-bending sequence. We used our time to open the hip-flexors and the upper- and mid-backs to work on Bhujangasana II (Cobra second variation -- my "new pose" for this week) and Rajakapotasana. You can see them in LoY if you're not familiar with them; pages 396-399. It's such an exhilarating, almost indescribable feeling to arch back fully enough to see your feet behind you. If you haven't had that experience yet, I hope you stick around long enough to earn it. It's absolutely worth the effort; I promise!

We're spending this week (and next) working on kidney loop actions in all the Essentials classes. The Monday and Thursday night classes did a really superb job at kidney loop basics, and we found really strong Anjaneyasanas and Vira Is. We started with nice, neutral perpendicular spines like the classic forms call for and then upped the ante and took them into beautiful back bend variations. It went really well and several people told me that their Cobras were better than ever. Saweeet!

Well, that kinda sums up the last several days and gets us back on track. I'm planning some backbend work for tomorrows Essentials II class, and we'll meet for MDK Second Sequence on Sunday afternoon. Time to put my stickers on my personal practice goal sheet, go me!

2011-04-03T10:02:00.002-05:00

http://christinasell.blogspot.com/2011/04/yoga-is-not-normal.html

Tapas

2011-03-31T08:51:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was an especially good day. I was long over due for one, too. Every once in the while you have a day that goes so awry that you wish you could just forget the whole thing or rewind time and have a do-over. My personal experience is that most days are just pleasant and kinda perfectly uneventful. I rarely have anything truly significant to complain about and have a general sense of simplicity and enjoyment from day to day. Yesterday, however, was one of those special days that just got better and better as the hours went by.

After a quiet, relaxing morning, I had a long lunch with a really great friend. The food wasn't really anything to write home about, so to speak, but the company was superb! All of that relaxing and long-lunching must have exhausted me because I napped in the afternoon. The advanced class was a lot of fun. We did a lot of hip-opening with standing poses like Exalted Warriors, lizard lunges, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, Bound Side-angle, and Bird of Paradise. Then we practiced Headstand and Shoulderstand cycle variations, and wrapped up with a bunch of seated forward-bends, twists, and more hip-openers. We have just started a 2 or 3 week long series of classes focused on strong outer spiral and pelvic loop actions, and we kept that theme going last night.

Physically speaking, part of what the combination of outer spiral and pelvic loop provides is a firm core -- it properly engages the lumbar and abdominal muscles among other things and supplies a central anchor point from which the rest of the body can extend.

Energetically/physiologically it is heating and uplifting. The floor of the pelvis lifts (mula bandha) and the core cinches in and up, and that creates an energetic uprising. The fire of the body works the same way as a flame -- it is hottest and brightest at it's core, stays close to the source, and moves in and up. Not only does it provide the physical heat we need to lubricate the joints and bring suppleness to the muscles in order to move with less restriction, it also stokes our sense of drive and willpower and determination.

Philosophically we encounter the idea of tapas. Tapas means austerity, fortitude and discipline. It also means "to consume by heat," "to burn." Tapas is the fire that sparks and stokes determination. LoY defines it as a "burning effort under all circumstances to achieve a definite goal in life." Patanjali says that when we are intensely disciplined and wholly devoted to our practice, lingering impurities are burned up or dissolved, and what is left behind is supremely refined, clear, and pure (Sutra II.43). Sometimes tapas gets misconstrued as aggressiveness or obstinateness. We hear words like discipline and austerity and we think sternness or restraint or obedience. But if we go back to the roots we're reminded that tap simply means "to shine." It means to glow, to emanate warmly and brilliantly. Few things in the world are capable of sustaining their shininess without effort and attentiveness; luster tarnishes when left unattended. Tapas is a kind of internal elbow-grease without which one becomes dim and dull. Mr. Iyengar says that through the disciplined actions that constitute tapas, "the yogi develops strength in body, mind and character. He gains courage and wisdom, integrity, straightforwardness and simplicity."

The physical actions of outer spiral and pelvic loop are challenging, and, just like the fervor of fire, if misused can be more harmful than good (too much of these things constricts the core and hardens the groins). When it's purpose is understood and it's power respected, and when it's contracting nature is balanced with expansion, we have a valuable tool to be used toward the deepening of self-control and the achievement of worthy goals. And without them, even the best of intentions will likely go unrealized.

Anyway, our Groupon deal went really really well yesterday (you can still get that $39 8-class pass by the way but only today and only through Groupon), and Cajun found out he landed a super fantastic awesome amazing HUGE potentially life-changing work gig which was great news. And after our advanced group practice John and Emily and I met up at The Spoon for Cherry Bombs, had too much fun, and stayed out way too late. Good thing I got to sleep-in this morning. We're gonna work again with the basics of mulabandha and pelvic loop tonight in Essentials, very similarly to Monday night's class. We have to start with just a little spark, the initial ignition. And then over time we can fan the flames and learn to radiate more and more heat.

"A worthy aim makes life illumined, pure and divine."

Groupon Today

2011-03-30T09:23:00.004-05:00

Check it out -- we're the Groupon Deal of the Day. And what a deal it is! Totally worth sharing with family and friends.

http://www.groupon.com/deals/lubbock-yoga
Happy Birthday month to us!

And while you're surfing around, you might as well "Like" our Facebook Fanpage if you haven't already, visit the DK Blog, answer the question "What roll does yoga play in your life?" on our homepage, and check out these nifty new resources: Betterfly.com and YogaGlo.com.

Wow, we got a lot going on. It would be a shame to miss any of it; stay connected.

Prana

2011-03-28T19:01:00.003-05:00

Light on Yoga says "When electricity is generated, it is necessary to have transformers, conductors, fuses, switches and insulated wires to carry the power to its destination, as without these the electricity generated would be lethal. When prana is made to flow in the yogi's body by the practice of pranayama it is equally necessary for him to employ bandhas to prevent the dissipation of energy and to carry it to the right quarters without causing damage elsewhere. Without the bandhas, prana is lethal."

Prana is the body's life force, it's essence, the source of it's lifefullness, it's power and vitality and inspiration. Without it we would be dull and inert entities lacking in spirit. We would, in fact, literally be without life as prana is our breath -- inhalation and exhalation -- and in breathlessness we cease to exist. But it's also something more subtle than that, something about the mysterious undercurrent of energy that animates our cells and keeps us honed in to the source of it all. Part of what we're seeking by establishing fitness within the physical structure of the body is an inviting environment for the presence of prana within the more subtle channels of inner-body communication.

Think about fireworks -- within the shell is very potent and volatile material that is quite stunningly beautiful and magical when care has been taken to deploy it properly, but can be very dangerous in the wrong hands. The inside and outside both require a balanced relationship between strong and supple or the explosion won't happen properly. The exterior has to be firm, steady, sturdy yet able to release and let go when the moment is right. The concoction on the inside has to be meticulously prepared, measured, combined, pressurized, sealed, and made capable of handling transport and possible disturbances prior to its big bang, so to speak. Differently sized displays and the various shapes and colors that are produced each require their own unique recipe, and the preparatory stages simply cannot be rushed or neglected. Then someone with sufficient skill and experience and interest comes along and helps this little seemingly innocuous object mix a little heat and tension together with some really powerful potential and KABOOM! the result is awe-inspiring and enchanting and often times special enough to stay deeply embedded within the memory of its audience for a long time.

The body is our strong and supple container, and prana is our potent yet volatile inner-concoction. When the two come into a balanced union, the result is sensationally satisfying like nothing else.

When we first come to the mat, our actions are primarily geared toward releasing and removing various obstacles (physical, physiological, psychological) that are holding us back from our full potential -- unblocking or uncloaking trapped prana. Once things like strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, pleasure, and relaxation become less of a struggle, we begin to actually experience the flow of prana. We are eager and excited to keep practicing because it feels really good, and we feel almost insatiably desirous for more and more yoga. But kinda like a puppy taken off its leash, the first glimpse of freedom can quickly turn into disorientation or mistakes because proper boundaries have not yet been set. Out-of-control prana makes one feel flighty, easily distracted and easily upset. A skillful Yogi learns when to slacken the leash and when to hold it tautly.

We talked about Mula Bandha in Essentials tonight. Different yoga traditions have different viewpoints and methodologies of use in regards to Mula Bandha, but it is commonly valued as an integral part of utilizing prana during practice. Its physical characteristics are a little elusive to many people, especially beginners. Engaging Mula Bandha comes from a contraction of muscles set deeply inside the floor of the pelvic bowl, and they cannot be seen or demonstrated; only discovered through practice and experience. The subtle beginnings of Mula Bandha can be felt at the end of a very long, deep exhalation (especially if done through pursed lips) -- just before the breath is over, the lower abdomen and the pelvic floor will tighten and lift in an effort to help get the last lingering moments of breath out. Although the details are a little more refined than that, that's a good place to get started.

Engaging Mula Bandha regularly not only tones the floor and core of the body, but also begins to teach us how to be responsive, intelligent, insightful Yogis who value attention to detail and who can actively and acutely participate in the betterment of ourselves from the inside out. Yoga is much much more than just mimicking the external shapes of postures. We start off in a kind of "Simon Says" copy-cat version of practice in a desperate attempt to get the body into a vague semblance of what is being asked of it. But to stop there would a gross injustice to our full potential. It would be like never letting the puppy out of its cage or never sparking the fuse of the firework -- a waste. Mula Bandha is just one aspect of a yoga practice that is challenging and a little mysterious and can seen tedious or overwhelming at first. But understanding it is necessary if we wish to display our full potential.

I was impressed with people's diligence tonight. Mula Bandha, pelvic loop, and outer spiral are definitely not the easiest concepts to grasp and employ. But I could see people trying hard and, at the very least, setting the stage for really great success in the near future. It was great to see the combination of several weeks worth of foot, leg, and hip work combine into a fuller, more well-rounded expression of basic poses like Trikonasana and Bhujangasana. It was super fun! And just in time for back-bends to come into the DK sequence very soon.

More could be said, but I'm ready for today to be over. Happy Monday. On to the next!

Be Bold

2011-03-25T07:56:00.003-05:00

Well, there's nothing quite like a good old fashioned face-plant to keep the ego in check. Mr. Iyengar says if you're not willing to fall down, you're not ready to be a Yogi. He means it both literally and metaphorically because it's inevitable. If it's not literally falling out of a one-legged balance or an inversion or not being able to lift the feet into Bakasana, then it's breaking down and sobbing during Savasana or reigniting a relationship that's already proven to be volatile or choosing a vigorous practice when you should be nurturing an illness or injury. Our sense of balance is challenged in every conceivable way by our yoga practice, and having the courage to accept the very real possibility of falling is a requirement.

About Headstand in particular he says, "The directions and instructions will appear confusing and he will find it an effort to think clearly or to act logically. This is due to fear of a fall. The best way to overcome fear is to face with equanimity the situation of which one is afraid. Then one gets the correct perspective, and one is not frightened any more." His advice is to simply loosen your grip, relax, roll over, and smile. And then, probably most importantly, you've got to get up and try it again.

So I had just got done yesterday talking about how receptive and cooperative my body has been recently, and how I'm feeling really open to new things and going deeper into poses than ever before, etc etc. And then I got on my mat in the afternoon feeling really energetic and ready. I was about 2/3 of the way through a really great back-bending practice headed toward Headstand drop-overs and my new asana of the week -- Ekapada Viparita Dandasana I (One-legged Inverted Staff pose first variation). I had anticipated being a little stiff and sore from three consecutive days of huge hip-openers and hamstring stretches, but I felt great moving through Surya Namaskar, standing poses, hip-openers, baby back bends etc. I had done several rounds of lifting into Urdhva Dhanurasana, standing up to Tadasana, folding into Uttanasana, squatting into basic Malasana, and then returning to the floor to do it all again. I was in what I had decided would be the last Urdhva Dhanurasana before moving on to something else, I got ready to stand up, and, to my surprise, my ascent stopped short of completion. I don't know what happened -- I lost my balance or my foundation had weakened or gravity stepped in and said "Oh no you don't!" and down I came. Ordinarily if you realize you're not gonna make it all the way up you just put your hands back on the floor and reset your Urdhva D., but my arms didn't catch me and I went right on to my head.

I just laid on the floor for about five minutes letting my breath settle and deciding what the next step was. My first thought was to be done, to go right to Savasana, and then to rest for a couple days just to give my head and neck a chance to recover. But nothing hurt (other than the initial hitting the floor, of course that didn't feel good), I wasn't dizzy or light-headed, I didn't see stars, and everything moved well without pain. And I really wanted to finish my practice. So I did. I went back into one more Urdhva Dhanurasana just to prove to myself that I wasn't afraid of it. I even went into Dwipada and Ekapada inverted staff variations (which means I got a sticker on my goal-sheet!); I just didn't do it via dropping over from Headstand. I decided, at the very least, I should skip the Headstand variations. But it seemed like a waste to have spent all that time opening up for back bends to not carry through with them. I took it easy, and really paid attention to what I was feeling while I was feeling it and insisted on meticulous alignment. I saved myself about 20 minutes for forward bends and twists, and then took an extra long Savasana.

I hear from students quite often who have some kind of lingering fear from getting hurt either physically or emotionally and they've allowed that one instance to detrimentally dictate their actions and behaviors for so long that they don't know how to stop. It's preventing them from moving forward. Occasionally it's related to a bad yoga experience -- someone I know stopped practicing yoga completely after a well-meaning teacher made a poor adjustment and caused an old injury to resurface. That is an unfortunate situation, but it happens and it was that student's prerogative to walk away from their practice rather than choosing a new teacher or requesting to not be adjusted any more. Most of the time, however, it has nothing to do with yoga at all. Usually it is leftover from a long-passed gymnastics accident or advice from an overly-cautious medical professional that they just can't shake. For whatever reason there's a block and it's holding them back.

I admit I have at least one of my own. I hurt myself while in Lotus upside down, and I am not ready to try it again. Lotus on the floor -- no problem. But I am afraid of trying Urdhva Padmasana variations because the recovery was long and painful and frustrating and, at least for the time being, I'm content with avoiding those poses rather than face the possibility of getting hurt again. I know that I still have more work to do physically and psychologically before I can try it again. I'll even share a non-yoga related example -- when I was about 9 years old I had a really bad experience with a telephone conversation. It feels really silly to say this out loud as an adult, but it traumatized me and I've never gotten over it. I still have a huge aversion to talking on the telephone, and I know it detrimentally dictates my behaviors to this day.

What you have to figure out is whether your hesitation is genuine and respectful or not. Are you acting with integrity and mindfulness in an attempt to better yourself rather than attempting a task for which you are unprepared? Or are you unnecessarily allowing an irrational fear to control you? A pretty common scenario is when a student regularly and comfortably practices a variety of unsupported (meaning free of props and/or the wall) inversions and arm-balances, but cannot get themselves into Handstand. There is no reasonable explanation as far as lack of strength of flexibility or endurance. But the fear is seemingly insurmountable. And then it becomes a "thing" -- it snowballs into doubt and confusion and irritation and the obstacle just gets bigger and bigger and they carry it with them on to the mat every time they practice. Every time they show up for class in the back of their head they're thinking "please don't make me do handstand, please don't make me do handstand." And so much effort and energy is expelled avoiding a pose when their effort and energy should be dispersed ease-fully and gracefully in a manner that induces calm and quiet and joy.

What to do? Make a choice -- continue to host and foster the fear. Or make a real attempt to shift your attitude toward embracing the steps necessary to overcome it. You have to figure out what you're afraid of first. Then decide whether or not the fear is reasonable. And act accordingly. I mean if you tried Handstand when you lacked sufficient strength, then go back to building your foundation and save Handstand for a little later down the road. But if your regular practice consists of 15 Surya Namaskar and minute long Boat poses and Urdhva Dhanurasana and 10 minute long Headstand and the whole Shoulderstand cycle but you're avoiding Handstand, that deserves your attention.

The mat is sacred space. It's a safety zone within which you should feel comfortable and encouraged to explore every facet of your Self from the inside out without the fear of judgment or criticism or labels. Embracing and accepting challenges is not easy, but your practice is at least one place where it should be possible. Although it doesn't always work out the way we anticipate, more often than not, yoga gives us precisely what we most want, most need, and most deserve. There are very few ways in which yoga can be done "wrong," but in-authenticity is one of them. Be bold.

"There will be a few spills and one must learn the art of falling."

Chaotic Steadiness

2011-03-22T07:39:00.002-05:00

It's been several days since I've sat at my computer and now I'm not sure where to even begin.

Last week was Spring Break and I enjoyed it thoroughly. In the past I have been reluctant to acknowledge Spring Break as far as the studio and classes are concerned. The week would always sort of sneak up on me. Since I'm not in school and I don't have children that are in school I was mostly unaware of it's impending arrival. I didn't feel like it directly involved or included me, so I did my best to carry on with the schedule of events uninterruptedly. And inevitably teachers and students would go AWOL and I would be left wondering where everyone was. So after several years of denying the effects that the week has on the activities of the studio, I finally agreed to succumb to it this year and accommodate it rather than ignore it. The modified class schedule worked out to my benefit. The classes we did have were fantastic -- well attended and fun -- and the classes we didn't have meant that I got the better part of 72 consecutive hours away from the building. It was blissful! I slept in, read and had coffee in bed, hung out with my best friends, went shopping, had dinners and cocktails outside, and I didn't turn on my computer for 4 days! This is big for me. I'm usually quite grateful for the rare occasions when I manage to finagle more than 12 hours away from work; multiple days is nearly unheard of. And to have actually enjoyed it as much as I did makes it that much better. Because typically I would have spent the majority of the time checking emails, catching up on overdue paperwork and bookkeeping, marketing, class planning, etc. Or the other common scenario is that with consecutive days off I'm traveling for teacher training events, which, don't get me wrong are tons of fun but are still nonetheless work-related (and exhausting), and although I'm not on the stage in front of my students I am still wearing my teacher-hat. So to everyone who didn't call me, didn't email me, didn't FB me, didn't leave little sticky note messages on the desk: Thank You. Thank you for leaving me alone for 72 hours.

Things got back to normal around here on Sunday and I was mostly ready for it. I did briefly think to myself "I should have taken the whole weekend off," but it was in jest. I was happy to be back and happy to hold the space for others. We practiced MDK Sequence One on Sunday and it went especially well I thought. I had practiced it myself earlier in the day and it felt great. I was excited about being a part of it with the group in the afternoon, and was really pleased with the whole experience. It was a great way to get back into the swing of things.

Monday morning rolled around and everything went smoothly. I had several hours of paperwork to do, but I wasn't resistant to it and I got it all done satisfactorily. I got on to my own mat in the afternoon the way I like and my body was really open and loose and receptive. I walked away from my own practice feeling content and prepared to teach. I love Monday night Essentials. Love it! It is my favorite class to teach because the energy is always great and I love having the opportunity to talk basics and to continually show people new things. I like that it's almost always a really great mix of new students and experienced students. I like that we get really awesome things accomplished without being complicated. I like that whatever we do on Monday night sets the tone for the rest of the week.

So as 5:30 approached I was feeling perfectly normal. I felt pleased with the day's events thus far, I had my class plan and a room full of eager students, I felt physically and energetically prepared and even excited, and we got started just as expected with a little casual banter and a lovely centering. And then something went awry.

About 10 minutes in I completely checked out. It was like a light switch flipped inside my head and one second I was there and the next I wasn't. I couldn't seem to form coherent thoughts and words wouldn't come out of my mouth. That by itself isn't necessarily that unusual -- anybody who presents to groups or speaks publicly knows that there are brief moments when you swear you've ceased to be an intelligent, normally functional adult. But you just take a deep breath and reset and continue on. And that moment of being unfocused may reverberate in your own head, but chances are no one else noticed it. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for me last night. I just could not pull myself together and it was just one long disjointed and rambling mess. I couldn't even fake my way through it; I had to just stop everything and say "Guys, this isn't working. We have to start over."

The good news is that no one in the room was there for the very first time; that would have been a hell of an introduction to yoga! It was a group of familiar faces that know me and know their own practices well enough to take it all in stride. I was perfectly comfortable openly admitting that I was struggling. And where I struggled they filled in the gaps with great questions and comments and suggestions as to what to do next. Because there was more than one moment when I could not for the life of me decide what to do next. If you had never witnessed me teach before, you would have thought I was a complete novice. I have more than 1,000 hours of teacher training and several thousand hours of teaching experience, and last night I could not get through a 75 minute beginners class that was supposed to be focused on thigh-loop and standing forward bends. How ridiculous is that?

But, we some how pulled it together and made something really worthwhile out of it. I have to emphasize the "we" part. I can't take much credit for the eventual success of the class. Honestly, it had a lot to do with the amazing students in attendance. They were exactly what they were supposed to be -- energetic, focused, intent, mindful, inquisitive, patient, relaxed. And because of that we managed to get really great things accomplished. Not only were there really fantastic Uttanasana, Padangusthasana, and Padahastasana happening (as was the plan), we even got into Headstands (which was very unplanned)! It was pretty incredible. Despite the incoherence, it wasn't a bad class at all. It was really good actually. I was a mess, but it worked.

Right in the midst of this complete chaos was an odd kind of steadiness. Even though it was far from the most technically proficient presentation, was less than graceful to say the least, and was completely unexpected, I was OK with it all. I had a good time. Sometimes in the chaos, in the fire, in the torment, in the mess is where the best lessons are learned, where the best transformations take place. Because if you maintain even a little bit of poise and dignity and enthusiasm when everything is going to crap and are better off for it once you've gotten to the other side, then you've actually had a worthwhile experience. What good is it if everything you try goes smoothly? How deep and insightful of a person can you be without really spectacular stories of triumph? Wallowing in the chaos is just unnecessarily suffering, and persevering through it but disregarding the message is a waste of time. Stepping face first, eyes open, heart wide into the storm makes you a better person.

Despite planning and preparedness and skill and experience, we are just not always in control. The value of those moments is completely dependent upon our attitudes. I know that one poorly instructed class does not define me as a teacher. I know that one less-than-stellar practice does not define me as a yogi. And I know that the occasional bad decision does not define me as a person. It's the accumulation of a lifetime of experiences and fortunes and missteps that make for a clear and accurate reflection when look into yourself.

I'm not sure what happened to me last night. I usually have this really awesome ability to tune everything out when I'm teaching and be completely present and absorbed by the practice unfolding in front of me. Regardless of the other things that are taking place outside of the classroom -- the stresses and responsibilities and to-do lists and distractions -- when I step in front of my students I'm wholly devoted to being there. It feels very natural to me which is part of why I love teaching so much. But I was somewhere else last night. I'm just really glad that good people were around when I got back.

Happy Saturday

2011-03-12T14:15:00.003-06:00

The start of the day was exciting enough. I overslept, had to clean up a mess of spilled coffee, and got to the studio without having planned this morning's class. It was an exercise of patience and contentment, to say the least. But it all worked out in the end. Spirits were high this morning; everyone seemed to be in a cheery mood. Class turned out to be focused on hip-opening via long holds of Supta Padangusthasana variations and one-legged balancing poses, and then we went upside down to practice getting in and out of Sirsasana with two straight legs. It was the perfect group of students for the material and I thought we got some great things done.

I'm not sure if maybe I'm imagining it, but I feel like people are learning and progressing faster lately than I've witnessed in the past. It might be a reflection of the teachers or of the kind of students attending classes or all in my head. But I think it's true. I think there's a heightened sense of commitment and honest desire from everyone involved, and that it's producing a kind of success and achievement that wasn't happening at all in some situations before or was taking much longer to manifest than it is now. That is a good thing obviously. It gives us so many more opportunities to incorporate the important lessons of this practice. We spend less time "learning" and more time "embodying." Because we could sit around talking about this stuff forever, but it wouldn't do much good. This is an experiential practice and the more that we can actually experience, the better. So out of the head and into the heart. Off the mat and into the world.

Something like that. On with Saturday. It's a Johnny-Depp-movies kind of afternoon. Up first -- Sweeney Todd. Johnny and Helena Bonham Carter together are such a fantastic pair! Cheers.

Another Year Older

2011-03-11T07:49:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the third anniversary of Lubbock Yoga's first official public classes, and the day came with a few distinctly memorable moments. A particular highlight was the Peace o'Cake cupcakes which were a gift from Ann. I really wanted to just bury my face in the box, but I refrained. :)

I've been on a hip-opening kick in class this week. We started on Monday with an introduction to "shins in" and shin loop which we used in standing poses and Pigeon prep variations. We took it a little further on Wednesday night and played with Surya Yantrasana (Sun Dial pose, which, by the way is not in LoY but can be seen here being demo'd "Anusara style": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW4kGc4SzH4). This video actually comes with an amusing story; at least it amuses me. A while back I was searching for some tips on practicing and teaching this particular pose and wound up on Youtube watching this video without any sound turned on. As I watched it, I kept thinking to myself "That has to be an Anusara student; I just know it!" Different styles of practice have very distinct and recognizable practice methods and physical alignment habits, etc. and you can pick out the Ashtangis in the room vs the Iyengar students versus the Anusara students etc. I can look at the cover of Yoga Journal magazine each and month and, more often than not, tell you what style of yoga the cover model practices just by the way they're performing the pose. I just knew from watching this that it was an Anusara class. I eventually turned the sound on and, lo and behold!, not only was I right about it being an Anusara demonstration, the teacher (not seen on screen, but clearly heard giving the instructions) is my Anusara teacher Christina Sell. It totally cracked me up. And I was a little proud of myself to boot! It's the little things that count, right?

Anyway... so Surya Yantrasana on Wednesday night. We tried (emphasis on the try part) Kukkutasana and Garbha Pindasana for the first time (those are in LoY if you wanna take a peak). They are tougher than he makes them out to be, let me tell you. First of all I have to say that I was quite impressed with the fact that everyone in the room was in Lotus together. It is very rare that every single person in any particular class (even advanced) can get into Lotus. There is almost always at least a couple of people whose hips or knees won't allow it. So that was fantastic. Especially considering the fact that there were several people in the room that have worked very hard to earn their ability to get in to Padmasana, myself included. But then threading the hands through and into the above mentioned asana is harder than it looks. But we had a really good time trying. We've also decided to make Akarna Dhanurasana a more frequent part of our Wednesday night group practices, mostly because of the rave review Mr. Iyengar gives it in "the book." He says it is "full of grace" and should come "effortlessly" and since, personally, I feel like a lumpy sack of potatoes when I practice this pose, I'm intrigued at the idea of it being graceful and would really like to know what that feels like. And the only way to do that is to practice it more often. And, I figure, why keep all the good times to myself? It would be a shame to acquire all of that "effortless grace" for myself and not share it with those around me; it's only fair that we do it together. So it's been added to our "group goal list."

Then it was Thursday. It was finally my turn to lead the Essentials I-II class last night. I wanted to continue the shins/hip-opening work we introduced earlier in the week but also wanted to play with the new standing forward bend variations that will become part of the DK sequence when we meet next -- Padangusthasana (Hand-to-big-toe pose), Padahastasana (Hand-to-foot pose), and Uttanasana ("standing forward bend") which actually fit into our alignment theme perfectly. We also made time to better understand and thus improve the performance of Navasana. I think this Thursday night class is going to grow and evolve to be a really wonderful group of students with meaningful and skillful practices, especially for those that will use it as a continuation of Monday and/or Tuesday nights. I'm sure of it.

I'm going to spend today getting an email ready to go out about some things happening next week. Remember, it's Spring Break and we'll have a modified class schedule but we've arranged for some fun things to happen to make up for canceling a few fan favorites. Personally, I'm really looking forward to having one entire day off. When I leave here Tuesday night I won't have to be back in the building until some time Thursday afternoon -- that's like ... 44 consecutive hours O M G ! What will I do with all that time?! Maybe I should take up traveling, see the world. I'll send a postcard. :)

Hey, if you haven't already, be sure to "Like" our Facebook fan page which is different from the old "friend page." Right now we only have like 40 fans (granted it's only been up for a few days) but we look pretty lonely, so show the love, folks.

Essentials II tomorrow!!

Tuesday afternoon

2011-03-08T14:47:00.002-06:00

It's been another one of those weeks for me. Wait..it's only Tuesday. Well since I'm at the studio 7 days a week right now, all the days and weeks kinda run together so, really, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, it doesn't matter; they're all the same. When was the last time I put thoughts together and shared them? .. last Thursday? Maybe Friday. ::sigh:: I really hate it when I don't have time to blog everyday. I feel like without a blog post the days just kinda slip away a little less noticed than they should be.

But I am getting good things done during my disconnection from the blog-o-sphere. I've got this new marketing project underway that hopefully brings some new faces into the classrooms. New faces are always a good thing because, the thing about yoga is, the more the merrier. Just last night, actually, in Essentials, I can't remember why, but I started to talk about teaching at the Y and looking around the room to see who was still with me from those oh-so-long-ago days. There are a number of regular students in the building now that have been attending my classes from the very beginning, like Susan C. and Carolyn T. and Becky M. and Robin G. just to name a few -- that is awesome! It made me think a little about how far this community has come in such a short amount of time. I mean, there wasn't a yoga community just 6 or 7 years ago. Nada. The few brave souls trying to make a go of it were certainly choosing a path of passion, not of ease or comfort or financial reward or recognition, by any means. I remember when I first started to teach and there would be 1 student or 2 students in the room, and then soon there were 5, then 12. Then we went from one class a week to two, then three, and pretty soon I was teaching 5 or 6 days a week 2 or 3 times a day. And it seemed like every where I turned people were interested and eager. It was as though something were suddenly available that no one ever knew they had always wanted, and they couldn't get enough of it.

I have a very small sense of knowing that I'm at least partially responsible for all of it happening, but it's very difficult to feel "in the center" of it. I just love the practice; I am completely head over heels in love with yoga, and I can't imagine feeling so strongly about something and not wanting to share it with others. It could just have easily been cooking or painting or accounting or who knows what; anything. It happened to be yoga and it happened to not exist here, which I thought was terrible! Teaching is a huge "outside of the comfort zone" act for me, but our community deserves these practices and lessons and since no body else was stepping up to the plate, I took it on. I'm really glad I did. I have no idea what I would be doing if I weren't teaching yoga.

Anyway, speaking of Essentials -- we worked shin actions last night. I wanted to follow-up last week's Ankle Loop with the obvious next step. We worked both Shin Loop and "shins-in" as part of big hip-opening poses like Vira II and Side-angle, Supta P. variations, Pigeon prep variations, and Agnistambhasana. The perpetual chorus of moans and groans told me that it was all going according to plan :) and we even saved time for a brief Headstand prep. I thought it was a wonderful class.

Tonight is DK Week 10. I went out and got a bunch of new stickers today, and -- I'm so excited! -- I have an idea for a new sticker-earning project I'll introduce in class tonight.

OK I'm ignoring my to-do list; I gotta get on with things before it's time to teach.

Fanpage

2011-03-04T11:48:00.005-06:00

I have to say that I am a very reluctant user of social media. I do like the gross overuse of mostly uninteresting and very mundane personal information that infiltrates our lives from every technological nook and cranny. However, I also understand that it is in fact a part of lives and is not going anywhere, so I have embraced Facebook and blogging, etc. Kind of. The blog has grown on me. I struggled with it at first, but now I look forward to sitting down to it as often as possible. And I think it really is a fantastic source of connection between me and my students beyond the face-to-face time we get in the classroom.

I really could go on and on about my opinions on this subject matter, but I'm gonna keep it brief and get right to the point. We're updating the Lubbock Yoga Facebook friend-page to a Fanpage, which I'm told is not only necessary (as we're a business) but will, in the long run, be much more useful to us and our clients. Yay!!

So here is the link to the new FB Fanpage.
http://www.facebook.com/lubbockyogafans

It's not got a lot going on just yet as I'm still trying to figure the whole thing out, but your support will help. "Like" us, please!

P.S. I'd love to hear your personal opinion on social media. Do share!

All Week

2011-03-03T19:27:00.004-06:00

::sigh::

What a week!

Monday was crazy busy. Tuesday was busier. Wednesday may have demanded me to slow down whether I wanted to or not because I spent a good majority of it in bed with an upset stomach and a really bad headache. Thursday was back to crazy busy.

This is the first time I've sat down in front of the computer and logged in to blog since late last week; maybe over the weekend. Just a few minutes ago I was talking to a student about something happening on Tuesday, and I kept saying "yesterday this" and "last night" that. So then she referenced that being Wednesday, and I know I looked at her for a second like she was the crazy one and then in my head I said "OMG it's Thursday! How did that happen?"

I do know that I have thoroughly enjoyed each of the classes I taught this week so far. We worked on really basic, really important foot alignment and actions in Monday's Essentials class. The week previously the focus was on expanding and contracting spirals in the legs (which also went really well!), and right near the end of practice a student said something like "What are the feet doing when my legs are inner-spiraling?" and it occurred to me in that moment that it had been an awfully long time since the feet were our specific focal point and that that was probably a long over due conversation. So we talked about basic foot anatomy and the fact that each foot is made up of more than 30 bones and 20 intrinsic muscles. We defined flexion, extension, pronation, supination, and "flointing." We discovered "ankle loop" and just beat it to death with standing poses and lunges, belly-down back bends and Hero, and Gate pose. Good stuff!

Tuesday was DK Week 9 and we introduced several new poses to the sequence. It's getting tougher, no doubt, but we just take it one week at a time and, as long as every body does their best to practice outside of Tuesday nights, great things will continue to happen. To stay in the series much longer it's nearly a requirement that the DK sequence specifically be practiced at least one other time during the week, and one (or more) Essentials class be attended. It won't be impossible, but it will grow increasingly more and more difficult to participate as the poses continue to evolve if they're not practiced multiple times a week.

Last night we had a fantastic advanced group practice! We worked on some deeper back bends and a few arm-balances. My original intention was to focus pretty strongly on Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two-legged Inverted Staff pose) and we did practice it several times, but I was so excited that the energy in the room felt right for incorporating a few things that weren't on my original plan, like Headstand drop-overs into Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana which several people did very well. And I wanted to kinda vaguely introduce a pose called Ganda Berundhasana -- my intention was to just kinda allude to it so that people are aware of it if they aren't already and then put it on the back-burner, so to speak, as something to work toward in the coming months. My "baby-level" intro went better than I expected, and so we played with it a little longer. And -- I don't know about the others but -- I had a blast. We got into much more graceful and skillful Kapotasana (Pigeon pose) than when we tried it a few weeks ago -- loved that! And we worked with partners to get into Handstand without the wall. It was pretty darn awesome.

Tonight was supposed to be my first time teaching Essentials I-II, but a mix-up with the desk staff changed that. Instead, I'm on the desk while Lyle is subbing the class. I had this really great twisting sequence planned so that we could work on Revolved Triangle, Revolved Side-angle, and Revolved Abdomen (all DK poses). But that's ok. I'll save it and use it on Saturday morning maybe. Probably.

So anyway that is the gist of my week; at least the teaching part of my week. It hasn't been too terribly exciting -- just really full days with ups and downs and everything in between. I have a feeling that tomorrow is gonna follow suit, so I'm looking forward to the weekend. I need a breather.

The Twenty Third

2011-02-24T08:54:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was pretty fantastic.

It was simple and uneventful, but really enjoyable. I got a bunch of computer work done in the morning and spent some time outside in the sunshine in the afternoon. I ran a couple of easy errands and then headed to the studio to teach.

Mariluz wasn't available to teach her Flow II class last night, and I decided, rather than scrambling at the last minute to find a substitute teacher, to combine the two classes into one and make it all-levels. Everyone was cool with that plan, so we had a really lovely standing pose and hip-opening practice. We even played with some Dolphin and Pincha Mayurasana, which was new to a couple of folks in the room. We had a good time; chit-chatted a little bit about expectations as per yesterday's DK blog post. And personally I was a little relieved to have not had an "advanced" practice. It just felt like a day that called for simple and familiar rather than vigorous or demanding.

One of the best parts about becoming a more "advanced" or experienced yogi is having a choice as to the kind of practice you have. In the beginning, it's all vigorous and demanding. Everything is challenging and requires a lot of focus and energy and effort. But as you continue to practice, and you expand in strength and flexibility and stamina, and you include a wider and wider range of poses to your repertoire, you have the ability to customize your practice to meet the specific needs of any particular practice-time. You learn which poses soothe and comfort you, which ones frustrate you, which ones are challenging no matter how much you prepare for them, what time of day your body is most willing to cooperate, how to pick a sequence that energizes you, etc. You become better able to respond to the immediacy of the moment. And focus and energy and effort certainly don't go away just because you're no longer a beginner -- in fact, they're required even more so, but just like your muscles become more refined and steam-lined, your Inner Body does the same. Body- and mind-awareness. Wednesday night is "advanced group practice night," and has been for several years, but last night we adjusted that to accommodate an unexpected situation. We invited visitors into the space, and the mixed-level of experiences within the group asked each of us to commit to being our own best teacher. We left lots of room for modifications and experimentation and, as Kripalu would say, "prana response." It was refreshing.

The theme of yesterday was laid-back yet productive. I could use more of that.

2011-02-23T12:07:00.001-06:00

Talked about differing expectations on the DK blog today:

http://dirghakala.blogspot.com/2011/02/appropriate-for-most.html

Misc. Friday.

2011-02-18T08:47:00.005-06:00

I was stuck in a nasty mental-funk that I just could not snap out of all day yesterday. I was sorta drowsy and distracted all day long. I sat down to blog in the late-morning and got this far:

"We had a really awesome advanced practice last night. I decided to practice the same sequence we did on Saturday morning but with an appropriate amount of 'Wednesday-night-ness' added to it. So we started off with long, deep hip openers, then spent the majority of class practicing lots of different arm balancing poses, and we wrapped up with more long, deep stretches for the shoulders and upper-back. It was tons of fun and really amazing to see so many feet off the floor at the same time."

And then I just stared at the screen for about half an hour and realized I really had nothing else to say. So I put it aside and tried to focus on some other tasks and thought I would get back to the blog later on. But I never did. I did manage to get some emails sent and some really simple paperwork done, but it didn't amount to much of anything worthwhile. I tried to read for a bit and about every 4 or 5 pages I found myself staring off into space and not really knowing what the page was saying, so that didn't really work out either. And then after all of that I was awake at least two hours after my typical bedtime. Frustrating.

The day wasn't bad by any means; just foggy. One thing that came out of yesterday is that Bhagwant has decided to continue to teach her 5:30 Gentle Kundalini class through the month of March rather than stopping at the end of February. I am still going to start teaching the 6:45 Essentials I-II class beginning March 3, but Selina's Gentle Kripalu class will not begin until Kundalini ends. If something changes for Bhagwant and she decides to stop teaching sooner than the end of March, then we'll make the switch accordingly. But that's the plan as of now. And this is the official Essentials I-II class description:

This beginners-friendly class is perfect for anyone looking to learn yoga basics -- poses, breathing, relaxation, philosophy, Sanskrit, anatomy, physiology and more -- while setting the foundation for a really healthy and enjoyable long-term practice. Class will include the instructions and support for learning all of the most important fundamentals of a full-spectrum yoga practice, and will experientially guide students toward the next level of achievement.

No previous experience is required, but do know that "beginners" does not denote "easy." Expect a lively challenge.

We've only officially committed to this I-II class through the end of the spring schedule which runs through the end of April. It will most likely continue through the summer, but it's not guaranteed at this point. And the fall might prove to need something totally different. Making scheduling decisions is based, first and foremost, on the availability of the teachers because if there is no teacher to lead the class then there is no class. Then we take into consideration what works best for our students, and hopefully those two things (teachers and students) match. And then we include all the other things, like scheduling more than one class at a time and special events like beginners series and workshops and making sure the desk is covered, etc etc. Figuring it all out is an interesting process, and even though the schedule officially changes just three times a year, it is a constant presence on my mind 24/7/365. I am always thinking about ways to make the class offerings even better. If I could some how magically add more hours to the day or more days to the week I would gladly, and I'd fill the time teaching more. Alas, 'tis not possible. So we work with what we have.

Seriously, though, keep in mind when you're attending classes the amount of time and effort that good teachers put into planning their class and send an extra bit of gratitude their way when you can, especially if the class was particularly enjoyable. A student sees their teacher for maybe an hour and a half a couple times a week, and it's easy to not think about the fact that they probably put in at least a couple of hours worth of time planning the basics of the class -- creative sequencing, balancing the fine-line between approachable and challenging, incorporating props, making it valuable and interesting, and rarely knowing ahead of time who or how many will show up. Often they have set aside time to practice the class before they've taught it. And they are in the building before and after their students making sure the classroom is ready with temp, lights, music, cleaning up after everybody has left, etc. It is not uncommon for a teacher to have to make very last minute changes based on the reality of who or how many showed up. During the class they are constantly observing and adjusting according to what is or is not taking place. Then they go home and reflect on what happened and stash it away for future reference. For each class they teach! (Selina is teaching as many as 8 classes a week right now, Lyle teaches at least 3 times a week, Julia also.) And then there's the fact that they took the time (and spent the money, lots and lots of it) to become a certified teacher, so that you can be sure they know what they're talking about when they step in front of the room. We feel the love. We really do! Our students are so great at letting us know they are grateful for what we do; mostly because you keep showing up which really means more than just about anything else. But if you haven't said so out loud recently, let your favorite teacher know that you appreciate them.

So, I had no idea, but apparently that is what is on my mind right now. Hmm. I'm going to teach Yin tonight. I'm going to have my own extra long Yin practice this afternoon before class which I'm very much looking forward to. And I'm thinking about playing with Shoulderstand variations in Essentials II tomorrow morning, things like Halasana, Karnapidasana, Ekapada, etc. So be prepared to be upside down tomorrow.

Thursdays

2011-02-16T13:41:00.002-06:00

So we have finally made the decision about Thursdays for the rest of the spring schedule. If you're not familiar with it, the situation is that Bhagwant is only scheduled to teach her 5:30pm Gentle Kundalini class through the end of February (two more weeks) and then she will temporarily step away from teaching for maternity-leave. So, her class-time has to be filled, and the available teachers for the job are me and Selina. Right now Selina teaches the Essentials class that immediately follows the Kundalini class, and if that continued to be, then she would be teaching two classes back-to-back. That's doable occasionally, but, admittedly, not tons of fun on an ongoing basis. And I am not skilled at teaching things like "gentle" classes; it's just not my natural setting. So the obvious solution was for Selina to step into the 5:30 time-slot and it'll be a Gentle Kripalu class for the time being. And I will be teaching the 6:45 class. All of that had been decided several weeks ago; the dilemma was in deciding whether or not to keep the 6:45 class Essentials.

I toyed with lots of different scenarios -- keeping it Essentials, changing it to Dirgha Kala, changing it to Madhyama DK, some kind of specifically DK prep. class, changing it to Essentials II, not having the class at all, combining the two classes and having a 6:00pm start-time rather than one early and one late class, etc. I asked people's opinions, talked it over with other teachers, and every time I felt like I had decided what I wanted to do I would second guess it and start all over again.

I know how valuable the "Essentials" content is to our budding community, and so deciding to remove one from the schedule is not done haphazardly. I also know how much people enjoy the DK classes and how incredibly transformational they are, and having a second one each week could exponentially enhance their success. However, those classes slowly increase in skill-level, as you know, and they will inevitably exceed some people's comfort zone. I also didn't want to make it a DK class unless I was absolutely certain it could remain DK all the way to the end of the series (21 weeks). Also, I had to keep in mind that there is a Flow III class happening at the same time in the other room, and I didn't want to create a situation in which one class's attendance suffered because of the other.

As you can tell, there was a lot influencing this decision which is why it took me so long to make it. And the verdict is something new:

Essentials I/II
Here's my thought -- the Essentials classes are designed nearly exclusively around what we call "Level I" poses which are primarily the most basic standing and seated poses, the babiest of the back-bends and arm-balances and inversions, and plenty of modifications to ease the body into the practice. Essentials II on Saturday mornings incorporates the more challenging of the Level I poses, much of the Level II syllabus of asana -- more inverting and arm-balancing, deeper back bends and forward bends, and less external support/modification -- plus an occasional Level III pose just to keep it interesting, and it uses poses from the Level I syllabus that are already well-known as review or warm-up or as a means of refining whatever new skill or technique we're working on. Essentials II is like a 50/50 mix of beginner/intermediate poses with a lean toward a higher expectation of performance (sometimes we call it "Experienced Beginner") whereas Essentials is 100% beginner and makes no assumptions about previous experience.

So then Essentials I/II is what exactly? Hopefully, it's the space in between. The chance to bridge the gap from beginner to the next level. The place where the fundamentals are introduced and experienced, and the pathway into something bigger and better is illuminated, like 75/25 beginner/experienced-beginner. The intention will be to use the time to continue the conversation that was started on the previous Monday night, and to expand on it in a way that allows us to see the potential of the next step. So, for instance, we spent this last Monday night Essentials class working with the shoulders in terms of back-bends and went into Ustrasana variations and Wild Thing. So then maybe in the Essentials I/II class we would take that information into a fuller expression of Camel and Urdhva Dhanurasana. Then, just to keep it going even further, we could use those same shoulder actions we found on Monday night and again on Thursday night and begin to talk about how to bind the arms in standing poses and forward-bends on Saturday morning in Essentials II. Or we could introduce hip-opening 101 on Monday with Baddha Konasana and Malasana variations, turn it into Bakasana on Thursday, and work on moving from Sirsasana II into Bakasana on Saturday. Just an example.

This will also give us a great opportunity to "learn" the second half of the DK series poses. For as long as we can, we use Monday night to practice and inquire about the things that we're finding really challenging about Dirgha Kala. Eventually though, the DK poses are no longer Level I syllabus poses and it becomes very difficult to address them in Essentials. This setting will be an appropriate place to talk about things like Lolasana and Shoulderstand cycle and Paryankasana which just don't belong on Monday nights.

Another way to look at the skill-level involved in each of these scenarios is what the feet are doing in class. I.E. -- feet firmly fixed upon the ground on Mondays, beginning to play with the idea of eventually lifting the feet on Thursdays, and sometimes lifting the feet on Saturdays. Then there's Wednesday nights where the feet are almost always off the floor, but that's a different story all together.

Why not just keep it regular Essentials?? That's a good question. ... Because this sets the stage for continued growth without being intimidating. This gives us permission to try something new when it feels right to do so. And allows us to take a step back if necessary without backtracking, per se, whereas the more advanced the practice is, the more you are held responsible and accountable for "keeping up." And, although, reviewing and remedial work and sustaining your beginners mind are always important, there also has to be a point in which those things are less and less necessary. If every time we met on Saturday morning or Wednesday night, we only "reviewed" Level I poses, we would never move on to the next ones. Here we'll have greater flexibility to work longer where we are or move on. It's absolutely still appropriate for beginners, you do not have to attend Mondays to attend Thursdays, I am sure it will sometimes be completely unrelated to Monday, and sometimes it might be exactly the same as Monday. It'll start on Thursday, March 3 and continue indefinitely.

Acceptable?

Unnecessarily long explanation? Probably. But that's what blogs are for.

Arm-balances again in Advanced tonight. "I'm learning to fly. But I ain't got wings. Coming down is the hardest thing."

Wild Things

2011-02-15T08:11:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was about 50/50. There were a few standout highlights and a couple of distinct challenges just to kinda keep it interesting, I guess. Most of you know my general opinion on celebrating/acknowledging public holidays --- my appreciation of Valentine's Day doesn't stray too far from my thoughts on Christmas and Bikram Yoga, both of which I openly shun. Although I was given a lovely bouquet of flowers to enjoy; that was nice.

I planned last night's sequence around shoulder alignment and actions to open up the chest and upper-back, i.e. "strong arms, soft heart" which took us through a bunch of different lunge variations, belly-down back-bend variations, a couple of Camels, a couple of Side Planks, and eventually into Wild Thing. It was a lot of fun and hugely successful, I thought. It seemed like people were understanding the alignment principles and, for the most part, pretty clearly able to employ them. And the Wild Things were better than I've ever seen them considering a group that size and an Essentials class. I was thrilled! which is perfect because part of the Sanskrit translation of Wild Thing (Camatkarasana) means astonishment, surprise, miracle, excitement, or, as was translated in class night, "Holy Crap!" But not just everyday, ho-hum excitement like when you find a $20 bill in your pants pocket, which is awesome of course. But camat is a kind of ecstatic bliss, a soulful palpitation that sends shivers through your body. And the second half of the word comes from the root "to do" or "to make" and here represents an offering or a tribute or an honoring, so camat-karasa is a kind of giving over to something bigger, a release of control in order to receive something otherworldly. It is an opening and an unfolding and a celebration and a participation of everything that is unconditionally wonderful. And while we're on the mat, we embody that through the expression of Wild Thing.

So, as I almost always do, I practiced the sequence by myself before class and, for whatever reason, my body was just super receptive to back bends yesterday and I had a blast with drop-backs and standing up from drop-backs and getting into things like Chakra Bandhasana and Vrscikasana I and Ganda Berundhasana prep deeper than I ever have before. It was really good times, and was just made that much better when the class seemed to enjoy it all as much as I did.

Tonight is DK Week 7 which is a review week. You can read my thoughts on that on the other blog. And I think I'm gonna make time for a nice long Yin practice this afternoon since I am feeling the effects of yesterdays back bends today. And I'm still feeling the results from the weekends hip-openers -- wow! See you in class.

p.s. Sanskrit lesson 101 -- the letter "c" sounds like our "ch," like chug as opposed to cut, even when an "h" isn't printed. In fact, typically when you see a word with "ch" together the h is there just to remind us (non-Sanskrit speakers) of the proper sound. So earlier, the word "camat" sounds like "chuh-mut." And the word vrscika, which means scorpion, sounds like "vrish-chee-kuh." Pinca, as in Pinca Mayurasana or Forearm-balance, literally means a feather and sounds like "peen-chuh," not pinka. And Cakra, which is almost always printed as Chakra, has the same hard "ch" sound. Otherwise is would sound like cock, and it doesn't. Sometimes you'll hear some one turn it into a "shhh" like shock-rah, but it isn't. Chock-ruh. Got it? Super!

"What is this precious love and laughter
Budding in our hearts?
It is the glorious sound of a soul waking up!"
~Hafiz

Obvious Solutions

2011-02-11T08:40:00.003-06:00

Three times in one week I've had the "external rotators" come up in conversation -- once in regards to Padmasana (Lotus), again for Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle), and then, unrelated to either of those, a student approached me a couple days ago and asked my opinion on this particular Yoga Journal article: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/167. And the focus was the same each time --- external rotators, external rotators, external rotators. It's gotta mean that this is where our attention needs to be right now.

Just the other day I directed your attention toward the hamstrings in regards to improving your UPPs and Navasana variations (see other blog), and ever since then I keep getting these "IT'S-NOT-THE-HAMSTRINGS" messages. So here's something to keep in mind when you're attempting to make progress in your asana and don't seem to be succeeding --- the "problem" is not always obvious and needs to be pretty methodically analyzed in order to, as clearly as possible, understand just what the "weakness" or "limitation" is. i.e. "I feel tight/stiff/weak/congested/otherwise funky/insert personal dilemma here when I........." "I feel strain in my lower back when I sit and fold forward." "I find it hard to breathe when I try Shoulderstand." "My head always hurts after poses like Fish and Upward-bow." "I can not seem to keep my balance in wider-legged standing poses." Etc. Label it.

Then the solution-finding starts with the most obvious/superficial/common treatments. The most superficial layer of limitation in forward-folding is tight hamstrings. Keep in mind that lots of different muscles are involved with any particular action, some are more explicitly engaged than others -- when you raise your arm up overhead, you are obviously using shoulder muscles, but don't forget about the muscles lower down in the arm, across the chest, and in the upper- and mid-backs, for instance. Forward-folding involves more than just lengthening the hamstrings, but they are the primary antagonists to that kind of movement which means if they are tight it will prove to be an absolute deal-breaker as you try to move forward. Other groups of muscles in the area -- like the external rotators -- are partially involved, but their primary function is targeted somewhere else, so although a weakness there might prove to be the culprit, it wouldn't be sensible to go to them first. Does that make sense? If your shoulders are stiff, you would most likely start with the rotator-cuff and/or deltoid and then progressively move more deeply. You wouldn't immediately jump to the lats as being the issue even though, in the long run, that might be the cause. If you get up in the morning and your car doesn't start, do you immediately think "Frick, the engine is busted!" Surely you start by checking the battery, and then systematically move forward if need be. Because, really, what is the mostly likely scenario -- the most obvious solution is almost always the most appropriate.

Another element to this particular situation is the fact that the hamstrings are literally much closer to the surface of the body than the much more deeply embedded rotators and others, so they are more readily felt and recognized (you can reach the back of your leg and feel them through your skin) and thus utilized. The deeper in to the core of the body a muscle is, the less likely you are to know that it even exists and the less likely you are to be able to manage it. So between their highly involved functions and their ease of use, the hamstrings are the best place to start. Your best bet is to incorporate a lot of poses like Supta Padangusthasana and Parsvottanasana variations. Maybe "voila" problem solved. Maybe not. In which case, on to the next step.

The article I linked to above has really great explanations about what the external rotators are, how they function, and how to improve their use. If you're chronically "forward-bend-challenged" I recommend following their advice. But even after checking the hamstrings and the ex. rotators you may still feel challenged by your forward bends. What else is there? Internal rotators, hip-extenders, and muscles of the spine like the erector spinae or the QL may all be involved in your lack-of-forward-folding. It might even have something to do with the way your femur interacts with your hip-socket and all the Supta P. in the world isn't going to change that. But that's kinda like the car not starting and assuming you need a new engine -- i.e. the last resort.

The point is -- when you're faced with a challenge, the best course of action is to approach it simply, patiently, and intelligently. And if after diligently and honestly trying it becomes apparent that your "solution" isn't working, be willing to go back to the assessment stage and re-evaluate the situation. Because probably if your car doesn't start, its the battery. But if after changing the battery the car still doesn't start, don't go buy another battery; you've already tried that. Check something else. The starter or the alternator (I'm just making up car parts at this point to drive my point home, I don't know what I'm talking about any more.) And don't assume it's unfixable and decide to send the car to the dump; that's an excessive jump ahead, right? If you're feverishly attacking your hamstrings and not seeing any improvement try something else. Don't assume you'll always struggle with forward bends, and consider giving those poor hammies a break. Haven't you tugged on them long enough already??

I'm planning a fun sequence with some arm-balancing for Essentials II this week. My hope is not necessarily that we all successfully arm-balance, per se, but more so that we openly and playfully embrace the possibility of arm-balancing eventually. I mean obviously it would be great if everybody easily gets their feet off the floor, but it's more about taking a look ahead at what is around the corner, what we're potentially preparing ourselves for. I'll open the attendance to more than just 12 this week, so let's fill the room.

By the way, if you're concerned about not having the necessary strength for arm-balancing, it doesn't require any more strength than a good Plank pose or Chaturanga Dandasana. If you can hold either of those poses for about 5 breaths, you can arm-balance. I promise.

Wednesdays Back bends

2011-02-10T19:01:00.004-06:00

Yesterday's pretty awesome "advanced" sequence:

~Supta Virasana for 3-5 minutes
~Child's pose
~Downward-dog
~Uttanasana
~Surya Namaskar B 3-5x
~Handstand for 30-60 seconds, 3-5x
~Prasarita Padottanasana I (Wide-angle forward bend just like in DK)
~Trikonasana
~Prasarita Padottanasana variation with hands clasped behind the back ("C" version in Ashtanga series)
~Prasarita Padottanasana I again into Sirsasana II (Headstand second variation) 2-3x
~Prasarita Padottanasana I into Sirsasana II into Bakasana (Crow pose) 2-3x
~Supta Virasana for 3-5 minutes
~Supta Padangusthasana (Hand to big toe pose) I and II
~Supta Padangusthasana I and II with bottom leg in Virasana (Hero)
~Paryankasana (Couch pose) with a block for about 5 minutes, moving the block lower down the back every minute or so
~Bhujangasana (cobra) (hold it long and deep) 3x
~Dhanurasana (Bow) 3x
~Ustrasana (Camel) 3x (we focused on "classic form" alignment and used a wall to make sure the thighs stayed perpendicular to the floor. Look at the picture in LoY -- notice how "square" he is. Shin bones and ribs/chest are parallel to each other and femurs and arm-bones are parallel to each other. He's practically bent 90 degrees backward. Impressive!
~Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward bow) 3-5x
~Kapotasana prep (Pigeon pose) 3-5x -- we got into it from Supta Virasana, placed the hands under the shoulders and pushed away from the floor just like Urdhva Dhan.
~"half" Kurmasana (Tortoise pose)
~Upavistha Konasana
~Parsva Upavistha Konasana
~Janu Sirsasana
~Halasana for three minutes into Sarvangasana I for three minutes into Halasana again for three minutes
~anything else you still have the energy for
~Savasana

It's an intense sequence, but other than the Kapotasana prep. poses it's nothing an "experienced beginner/intermediate" student couldn't handle. The focus was on strong muscular action in the legs, more precisely "hugging the midline" and that is a great focal-point at any skill-level. If the sequence seems intimidating, just insert the back bends that are more appropriate for you -- build up to Upward-facing dog or Camel or Upward-bow instead of Kapotasana. And be sure to leave enough time to cool down with several forward-bends. If Kurmasana exceeds you, then leave it out.

Good? Try it and let me know how it works out.

LY on Betterfly

2011-02-08T13:29:00.003-06:00

Check out this neato new website called Betterfly.

www.betterfly.com/lubbockyoga

Leave me a nice review. :)

Monday night

2011-02-07T19:29:00.003-06:00

Well, the day started off a little iffy, but it ended on a bang; a good one. Essentials was packed tonight with a great mix of long-timers eager to learn even more than they already know, and first-timers a little concerned they may have gotten in over their heads (after class I was asked if there were any classes that were better for a beginner and I said "It doesn't get any more beginner than that." I'm not sure if that was good news or not), and everything in between. The energy was great, the focus was intense, and the enjoyment level was high.

I wanted to work on Virabhadrasana III (Warrior pose third variation) because it is about to become a part of DK, and I remember people struggling with it for weeks last year -- the alignment was terrible for a long time, and it always instigated moans and groans from the group, and I felt challenged to relieve that discomfort. I thought if we started practicing it earlier, we would be better prepared for it during the series when there is less time for prep. work and detailed instructions. We started off with "balancing Cat/Cow" and modified Supta Padangusthasana which each served as a sneak-peak into events to come later in the class because we made our way into Vira III and Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand-to-Big-toe pose) -- the whole night was about big obvious balances. We worked very diligently to keep firm foundations, big expanding spirals in the legs, and a heart that was open and investigative and intrigued. Sometimes when you are so intent on staying physically strong and stable, we forget to soften and play, so there was a constant ebb and flow between stability and easefulness.

Sort of like puzzle pieces, we stacked Locust variation on top of Down-dog-splits on top of "classic form" Vira I (which we have been talking about a lot recently) and the result was really great Warrior IIIs -- impressive, really, considering the large number of "beginners" in the room. It took some coaxing; there was some hesitancy at first to really go for it and truly embody the pose, but it happened. People tend to lose their confidence when it comes to Vira III and Utthita Hasta Pad. and Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon), and all the really good alignment and skillful actions that were part of the preparatory poses suddenly craps out when it's time to balance and people get all noodly and wilted and shrunken. But not tonight. At the first sign of slackening we gathered the troops and recommitted and rocked it!

And we managed to save time for some seated Baby Cradle and Agnistambhasana (Fire-log pose) just to kinda top things off -- we started intense, we stayed intense, we finished intense, 'cause that's the kinda energy that was moving through the room tonight.

So now I'm winding down a little bit from that lovely experience, and reflecting back on the day's events, and bringing it all to a close. Another successful Monday has come and gone. May tomorrow be even better.

2011-02-05T19:48:00.002-06:00

This lovely glass of Cabernet perfectly sums up my feelings about the last 9 days.

Summer is 137 days away. ...And counting...

Another Monday

2011-01-31T08:17:00.003-06:00

Well, we've made it all the way around to another Monday. And I woke up this morning a little bit surprised by that fact, as if I didn't know it was going to be Monday when I woke up. I guess I just wasn't prepared for it to be Monday again already. Wishful thinking, maybe?

But, alas, Monday it is.

I got to be part of two great classes over the weekend. We went "back to basics" for Sirsasana on Saturday morning. The group of students that arrived to take the class was the perfect mix (literally like 50/50) of seasoned Headstanders and less-experienced-but-highly-enthusiastic students. We could have gone either way -- meaning I could have asked that everybody in the room perform Headstand to the best of their current capabilities with the intention of exploring Headstand variations like one-legged and twisted, etc. Or I could have asked that everybody put their "beginners mind hat" on and establish (or re-establish) their foundation. We went with the latter. It was a very remedial approach to necessary preparations, basic alignment, skillful entrances and exits, and bringing attention to really common mistakes. We used lots of props and partner assists and embraced the nearness of the wall.

I admit that, for some reason, mentally I was not as focused that morning as I typically am when I step in front of a group of students. I don't know why that was (it wasn't because I was especially tired or otherwise under-the-weather, for instance), but I considered changing the content of the class because of it. Obviously Headstands require an elevated sense of focus and mindfulness, and I would never intentionally place students at risk by leading something for which I did not feel adequately prepared. I had already announced the plan to be upside-down earlier in the week, and I knew several people made it a point to attend the class specifically because it would include Headstand. In the end, I went with my original plan. It felt a little bit like a slow start -- kinda like turning on the car on a really cold morning. It just took a little bit to get the engine warm, but then once we got some momentum, great things happened. Previously non-existent Headstands suddenly came to life, and already lively Headstands got even better.

The Iyengar methodology places a pretty big emphasis on Headstand; on inversions in general, really. Not everybody does -- some styles have a kind of "take it or leave it" attitude toward inverting, and some don't do it at all. In the Iyengar methodology, Shoulderstand, Headstand, and Handstand are all typically introduced to a student within the first year of practice. Mr. Iyengar himself talks about teaching Headstand to a 65 year old woman with no previous yoga experience. Obviously the proverbial stars had aligned for her -- strength, flexibility, desire, etc. -- in a way that made Headstand an appropriate addition to her practice later in life. If it had not been appropriate, he would not have presented it as an option. But that just goes to show that we are extraordinary beings capable of truly amazing things limited only to what we perceive to be our limitations.

Headstand itself, though, is not necessarily yoga -- surely Iyengar did not say to her "Hey, you're in a yoga class. You have to stand on your head 'cause that's what we do." The ability to stand on your head is not limited to yogis -- children do it all the time, so do gymnasts and acrobats and dancers. What makes it yoga is the kind of attitude you bring to the actions and your intentions for being there. In the same regard, not doing Headstand does not mean you are not a good yogi. A lack of Headstand in your practice can be reflective of any number of properly set boundaries.

I guess the point is if you want to do Headstand (or anything for that matter, yoga or otherwise) and can't, start by figuring out why. Is it a legitimate limitation that can be addressed and resolved (i.e. strength or flexibility or not enough practice time)? Is it a limitation that unfortunately is not going to change and has to be accepted (i.e. a serious musculo-skeletal mis-alignment)? Or is it related to fear or doubt? Then proceed. Things like building more strength or increasing range of motion are a matter of ample preparation work before going upside down. That's arguably the simplest of all the scenarios. Something un-changable -- like a neck injury or a heart condition -- has to be accepted as unique parts of you and your experience, and being content with the way that affects your practice is part of what makes it yoga (even if that means completely eliminating a pose or a category of poses from your repertoire). "Emotional limitations" like fear or lack of confidence can at times seem impossible to change, and, in some ways, are the most debilitating. That Iyengar student, for instance, could have said "I'm 65 years old; I'm not starting yoga now!" Let alone upside-down yoga. But she didn't. She tried something new, and excelled at it.

Headstand doesn't have to be your goal on the mat. But figure out what is. What do you want from your practice? What pose or poses? What amount of strength or flexibility? What kind of mental focus or energetic calmness or personal acceptance? What will make you happy and what will make this endeavor worthwhile? Then get it. Make a plan and go after it. If your actions and your attitudes match your desires, you will succeed; even if succeeding turns out to be learning how to redefine success.

Anyway. Moving on.

Sunday was MDK Sequence Three. It was a great group of DK pros, with just a few noticeable absences. The standing poses were the stand-outs of the day; they were just exquisitely performed. I also noticed that Supta Virasana was much more comfortable for a number of people than it has been in the past, and more people were in full Tolasana yesterday than ever before, I think. It was a wonderful class.

I'm planning on a strength-focused practice tonight in Essentials -- namely attention to the core with poses like UPP and Navasana variations and maybe a little Lolasana for good measure. We'll probably also see some Supta Padangusthasana and Parsvottanasana as prep poses for awakening the legs and hips. Should be a good class.

I'm off to do "Monday things." Namaste.

YogaGlo

2011-01-27T08:32:00.002-06:00

http://www.yogaglo.com/

All-levels Hip-openers

2011-01-27T07:36:00.006-06:00

We've been talking a lot recently about what makes a class or a practice or a particular pose appropriate for "beginners" or "intermediate" or "advanced." What differentiates skill-levels and experience-levels, and what are the various "levels of students" responsible for doing? or not doing?

Last week's sequence was very invert-y and very backbend-y and we worked with Drop-backs and Kapotasana prep and Vrsckasana I and II prep -- those are definitely poses for those who have earned a certain level of strength and flexibility, among other things. I wanted us to demonstrate skillfulness in a different way this time, so our intent in last night's Advanced class was to practice primarily "Level I" poses (a few Level II) but with enough skill and insight that the practice was appropriate for a more "advanced," more experienced student. The poses themselves were not overtly challenging or complicated, but we definitely went to new places. I chose almost all seated or reclining hip-openers/seated forward-bends and we held all the poses for at least two minutes. That gave us plenty of time to devote our attention to lots of detailed alignment -- even the little minutia of refinements that often get skipped over or left out when the pace of the practice is quicker. And we intermittently paused for several minutes of simple Pranayama which helped to keep the mind focused and the overall mood of the class cool. I had a blast and felt great afterward.

Intend to stay in each pose (unless otherwise noted) for 2 minutes:
(If you do all the poses and for the recommended amount of time, this is a full two-hour long practice)
~Uttanasana (Standing forward bend)
~Lunge with right leg back -- bring arms to inside of the front leg and lower to elbows (Lizard lunge), keep back leg lifted and strong
~Uttanasana
~Lunge into Lizard Lunge with the left leg back
~AMS
~Step left leg forward for Vira I (Warrior I) variation with back heel lifted and hands clasped behind back -- stay here for one minute, then fold body over front leg and bring forehead toward the floor (Sirsangusthasana)
~AMS
~Vira I and Sirsangusthasana variations with right leg forward
~Balasana (Child's pose) - focus on Ujjayi breath
~Ekapada Rajakapotasana (One-legged King Pigeon prep variation) with left leg in Siddhasana and forearms on the floor
~EPRK with right leg forward and forearms on floor
~Virasana (Hero)
~Supta Virasana
~Ekapada Ananda Balasana (One-legged Happy Baby) with right leg
~Revolved variation of Supta Padangusthasana with right leg
~Extended out to side variation of Supta Padangusthasana with right leg
~Supta Padangusthasana I -- bring forehead to shin
~Rest for two minutes, focus on Ujjayi breath
~Repeat Ekapada Ananda Balasana and Supta Padangusthasana variations on the left side
~Rest for two minutes, focus on Ujjayi breath
~Uttanasana
~Parsvottanasana each side for two minutes
~Malasana (Garland pose) variation for one minute, then bind arms around right knee and twist for 30 seconds, repeat twist to left side for thirty seconds
~Janu Sirsasana
~Upavistha Konasana (Seated wide-angle forward bend)
~Parsva Upavistha Konasana each side for two minutes
~Paschimottanasana for 4-5 minutes
~Triangmukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
~Krounchasana (Heron pose)
~Hanumanasana (Splits)
~Sit in any comfortable seated pose for 4-5 minutes of Nadi Sodhana pranayama
~seated Baby Cradle each side
~Agnistambhasana (Fire-log pose) for 1.5 minutes, then twist for 30 seconds
~Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
~Parivrtta Triangmukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
~Padmasana for 2-5 minutes on each side
~Savasana

With just a few minor tweaks, I think this sequence would be great for just about any level of student. Props can easily be brought in to assist the forward-bending. The time can be easily adjusted to reflect your capabilities. Beginners can easily practice almost all of these poses for 30-60 each, especially with appropriate modifications. And if you want it to be more challenging but two minutes is too long, consider staying for a shorter amount of time but repeating the poses -- stay for a minute, come out and rest briefly, and then repeat it.

Thursday is my one non-teaching day of the week, but a "day off" it definitely is not. I have plenty of computer work to keep me busy for most of the day, I'll probably practice either a DK or an MDK sequence this afternoon, and I'll be at the studio showing off my mad name-recollection skills as I check students into their classes tonight. That's a full day ahead. I better get started.

Monday

2011-01-24T19:25:00.003-06:00

As far as Monday's go, this one was not too shabby -- it was pretty good actually. I was really busy all day but in a good way. I had computer work to do and classes to plan. I had a few errands to run. The studio was packed for every class and the phone rang constantly. But the day wasn't frantic or chaotic or frazzled -- just steadily occupied with non-stress-inducing activities. How often does that happen?!?

I had a great time in class tonight. We worked with the hip-flexors in lots of deep Anjaneyasana-style lunges and Virasana-leg variations and Ekapada Bhekasana (One-legged Frog). It was about "extending intellectually and expanding emotionally" like Iyengar discusses in Light on Life. I was really pleased with the presence of the students and the energy and the work that was accomplished. But I'm not having anything too terribly insightful or inspirational come to mind to share tonight. I think I'm pretty tired.

I guess what I'll say is that I'm walking away from today with an overall feeling of satisfaction -- it was productive and enjoyable and marked by meaningful accomplishments. And I got to share it with a lot of pretty amazing people.

Simple.

Yogablok

2011-01-21T08:20:00.003-06:00

These very clever and very useful yoga props are locally made right here in Lubbock, and we have some in the studio. Check 'em out. I'm a big fan!

http://yogablok.com/

Highest Potential

2011-01-17T19:04:00.003-06:00

Such a busy day! I had a heck of a time getting outta bed this morning for some reason. I wasn't especially tired -- in fact, I woke up before the alarm and just laid awake for over an hour. My to-do list wasn't especially strenuous or stressful, either which would have made me want to avoid the day. I just wanted to stay in bed. Unfortunately, it was not in the cards. And I haven't slowed down all day. I scheduled the next round of 8-week Beginners Series (it starts March 1). I started to look ahead at the "Summer 2011" class schedule -- yes, already! I did some bookkeeping and some laundry. I went to Sam's -- what a horrid place. I planned a couple of this week's classes. And I taught Essentials this evening.

I'm emphasizing recently this "always look ahead" attitude about our actions while we're on the mat. I readily admit that your yoga practice can be about relaxation and gentle movement and does not have to feature "advancement" and can still be a really healthy, enjoyable, long-term experience. But, for me, it's about getting better -- better physically, better physiologically, better psychologically, better spiritually. I've said it before, I'll keep saying it -- that's the way that I practice and that is the way that I teach. My classes are about learning and progressing. It's about constantly setting the stage for whatever comes next -- Cobra teaches us Bow teaches us Camel teaches us Upward Bow teaches us Kapotasana teaches us Scorpion and on and on. Of course, there is "present moment mindfulness" and contentment and appreciation for the "here and now" -- yes, all of that. But also always looking ahead.

What rang in my head as I was planning the class this afternoon was "potential." The inherently potent. The possible. The dormant. The likely. That which can but has not yet come to be. The root of the word "potential" is "pati" which is Sanskrit for master, ruler, lord, plus the verb "to be"; i.e. to live up to our potential, as the saying goes, is "to be masterful." Note it doesn't say "to be perfect" or "to be highly advanced," "to be able to put your leg behind your head." To be masterful within our own unique and individual realms of possibility.

So what does it to take to change something from "likely to exist but currently dormant" to blatantly and obviously live and full and express-able? That is precisely what we're here to find out. I'm sure there's not a "some thing" -- a one thing -- that answers that question. But I think the gist of the answer is available. I think the whole essence of having teachers like Patanjali and Iyengar and even our favorite teachers from our home studios is that their foundational guidance puts us on the path that is most likely to succeed. Patanjali tells us to practice consistently and continuously for a long time. I suspect, although I admit I don't know for sure, that his intentions were not to joke or mock or casually suggest. I don't imagine Patanjali being very sarcastic or cynical, but maybe. Maybe he just got off on convincing people to waste massive amounts of their time and energy for naught. Maybe the whole time he's going "Uhh yeeeah umm don't lie, be a pretzel, meditate til your head's empty, and you'll surely reach enlightenment. I promise!" and then he covers his mouth and snickers. Wouldn't that be a bummer to find out! More likely, however, he was purposefully very frank and firmly instructed the essentials. I think he was a No Bullshit kind of dude. So I try really hard to do what he says. And Iyengar (others, too -- P. Jois, Yogi Bhajan, John Friend, etc.) has laid out before us the tangible and accessible patterns of actions toward physical achievement. In regards to the "Dirgha Kala" series or something more widely practiced like the Ashtanga series, for instance, the practices are literally written out, prescribed, ordered, sequenced, instructed. An immense amount of the "unknowns" have been eliminated. Certainly not all of them, but can you imagine trying to be a "masterful Yogi" without The Yoga Sutra, or Light on Yoga, or the Bhagavad Gita? Surely, the caliber of potential would be greatly reduced, to say the least.

Lucky for us, the path has already been laid. What we have to do is decide what we most want and need through honest assessment without judgment or criticism, and then behave in a way that leads to our achieving it. And you, and you alone, are responsible for making and sticking to that commitment.

In case you missed my saying it in class -- Sit firmly with unwavering devotion to your deepest driving desires. And now rise to your highest potential.

Easy, peazy. I promise! ;)

The Next Level

2011-01-15T13:06:00.003-06:00

So my ongoing theme for the year -- or at least for the immediate weeks and months upcoming -- is to really examine what it takes to move to the next level. If we're beginners, what does it take to be intermediate; if we're intermediate what does it take to be advanced, and so on. And then actually holding ourselves accountable for achieving the milestones that put us on that path of achievement.

First we have to have a clear understanding as to what constitutes being a "beginner," "intermediate," or "advanced" student. It is partially the kinds of poses that are being practiced (i.e. their level of complexity), but it is a lot more than that. It includes how often you practice, how long you hold poses, how formally/traditionally you perform poses, how broad and varied your repertoire is, your attitude toward your practice, your ability to adjust your practice to fit your unique circumstances, etc.

Then, within our skill-set we have to be able to work in a way that continues to refine what we have already learned AND constantly progress into new territory. Sometimes -- consciously or unconsciously -- we get stuck, we hold ourselves back, and don't know how to move on to the next level. We're either afraid or doubtful or we lack the confidence necessary to find a new edge, and so we linger too long. A student in that scenario is perhaps doing a great job at refining what they already know, even with a sincere desire to fully understand before moving on; unfortunately there isn't enough "and constant progress" involved to balance out the efforts of their practice. Sometimes our confidence and fearlessness encourage us to move too far, too fast and we get hurt and end up having to backtrack. That's too much "progress" and not enough "continue to refine." We have to learn how to be masterful without losing our Beginner's Mind.

One of my intentions is to be really frank and honest with students about what it takes to move to the next level. There are physical and physiological requirements in order to move ahead. We can modify and support and vary all throughout the learning process, but eventually certain things -- alignments, durations, skills, etc. -- have to be demonstrated or the next set of practices will not come.

We talked about a lot of different "pre-requisites" in this mornings Essentials II class in regards to hip-openers and backbends. We did a lot of standing and emphasized the correct alignment for the most traditional expressions of those poses, and then we worked with Ekapada Rajakapotasana prep (One-legged King Pigeon variations) and Ustrasana (Camel) variations in a way that set the stage for what comes next (i.e. full EPRK I and prepping for dropping into Kapotasana from kneeling). It was a great class -- fun and energetic and well-done.

So, yeah, that's the deal -- know what you want from your practice and then do what it takes to get it. If you want to advance, are you practicing in a way -- Honestly?! -- that will lead to what you most want? I'll help you figure that out if you're not sure. And then let's move on together.

The Most Important Thing

2011-01-10T19:06:00.003-06:00

Important -- having much significance, consequence, or value

We're sorta smack in the middle of the season for clearing and cleaning and assessing and evaluating. It starts back in November with Thanksgiving and that whole "gratitude sharing" thing and then the gift buying and the family obligations of Christmas time and then New Year's resolutions and then right around the corner from now is spring cleaning. It's like four consecutive months of introspection and acknowledging what is important and what isn't important.

I told this story in class tonight: a few weeks ago my mother-in-law gave me a bunch of new bath towels and dish towels. I didn't ask for them, I wasn't expecting them, she just offered them out of the kindness of her heart. And I accepted them and I'm grateful to have them. But, because I didn't ask for them, I wasn't prepared for them. And when they first got in to my house, I said "uughhh! what am I supposed to do with these?!?" My linen closets and cupboards and cabinets were overstuffed and in complete disarray and there was no where for these things to belong. There was no space. My initial reaction was frustration and I stomped around for half a day kinda grumbling over it a little bit. Then I realized I had two basic choices -- continue to feel overwhelmed by the newly acquired stuff and shove more crap into already bulging areas or consciously make the appropriate kind of space necessary to accommodate it sufficiently.

So, I took everything out of all the closets and cabinets and started making piles -- "I like this; I'll keep it. I don't like this; it's going away. This just needs to go in the trash." Etc. After a couple hours I had a big pile of stuff ready to be donated and neatly organized closets and drawers that not only held my new towels comfortably, I even had room to spare. And it felt really good to have made an honest assessment about what was important and essential and what could be let go.

I've started to do the same with my practice. I've spent a lot of time over the last few weeks really thinking about what is important to me while I am on my mat; not only right then in that moment but in the long run; and not only for my personal practice but also for me as a teacher. What is the BIG YOGA picture? What do I most need, want, deserve? Am I behaving in a way that makes those things achievable? If something isn't working for me (that's not to say that it doesn't work for somebody else, of course) I am going to stop spending time and effort and energy focusing on it so that I can more efficiently devote those precious resources to the things that do really really work for me. That way, when I open up, non-essential things are not spilling out and falling down around me and causing a distraction, like all that junk in my closets. That does not mean that I'll never include things in my practice that I "don't like." I know that my Big Picture requires practicing things that are challenging or unpleasant or even seemingly impossible. Some of the things that I put back into the closets were "long-term items" that I don't use everyday, but getting rid of them would have been costly in the future. I could have said "this isn't important now so I'll get rid of it to save the space," but instead I decided they were valuable enough to be granted some, but not a lot, of space in my very limited containment area. Enduring their presence is a preferred consequence over replacing them later.

Now when I open the cupboards, I know that every bottom sheet has a matching top sheet, and every blanket fits at least one of the beds in my house, and all of the towels have enough of their original fibers that they are not readily see-through. I kept only the most important things.

I'm still in the process of assessing my practice -- that'll never stop, really -- but I do have a clear picture of where I am, where I want to go, and what I'll to do to get there. I'm eliminating the non-essentials and focusing on the most important. And I'm bringing that with me when I step in front of my students.

That's what we did in tonight's Essentials. We spent a lot of time opening the chest and shoulders, lengthening and strengthening the torso, and figuring out what is important and what isn't in a journey toward Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose) and Sarvangasana I

In Light on Yoga, Mr. Iyengar says, "The importance of Sarvangasana cannot be overemphasized. It is one of the greatest boons conferred on humanity by our ancient sages." Hello! Do you need that to be made more clear? "It is no over-statement to say that if a person regularly practices Sarvangasana he will feel new vigor and strength, and will be happy and confident. New life will flow into him, his mind will be at peace and he will feel the joy of life." Sweet, bring it on! Right? Where do I sign up for this Shoulderstanding business??

But it has to be performed well, practiced with integrity, and respected in order for it to be beneficial. So, what I was hoping to achieve tonight was a fresh perspective on something that many people in the room have lots of experience doing. But just because we do something a lot, doesn't guarantee that we're doing it well. I was perfectly happy with my linen just the way they were. I'm thrilled with what I have now and wonder why I was content with the mess before. But it had become "normal" so it stayed that way. Sometimes we teach the body to be content with "minor" mis-alignments or wasteful uses of energy or seemingly unimportant distractions with a kind of "good enough" mentality. But think about how much better -- how much more awesome! -- it could be if we spent some time reorganizing and finding some new space.

I was really pleased with what took place tonight. And, if you weren't there, no worries -- it'll be an ongoing theme for a while. Tomorrow is Dirgha Kala Week Two. We'll Shouderstand. (Shoulderstand).

More of the same

2011-01-08T15:11:00.002-06:00

I didn't do it consciously, but I gravitated toward hip-openers and forward-bends in my classes this week -- we did lots of lunging and standing poses and then seated work like Agnistambhasana (Fire-log pose) and Upavistha Konasana (Wide-angle bend) variations on Wednesday night. We held wide-angle bend variations again in Yin last night. And then we went through long standing poses and deep hip-openers again this morning in Essentials II.

I didn't realize how similar the class sequences were until I mentioned my plan at the beginning of class this morning, and more than one person who was in class earlier in the week groaned out loud. Apparently there was still some lingering side-effects being felt, and the thought of enduring more of the same caused a physical reaction. I'm not gonna lie; it amused me. :) The thing about being sore from practice is that the best relief comes from getting back on the mat and practicing more, the same poses and actions even. I noticed how well that theory works while I was out of town last week. The morning after the first day of class I woke up so incredibly stiff and sore I had to roll out of bed, and I was practically crawling into class. After 20 or 30 minutes of movement, I started to warm up and get limber again. And I actually got deeper into back-bends that day than I ever have before. The morning after the second day of classes I was noticeably less tender and a little more energetic right from the beginning. I expected the soreness to stick around for several days, especially the first few days after the weekend was over, but I wasn't sore at all even though we worked just as hard -- harder -- on the final day than any of the others.

So this morning when I announced my plan to work on more hip stuff, the groaners in the room experienced a natural reaction to hearing something that they presumed to be challenging and stimulating to already vulnerable parts of the body. That reaction, even though it wasn't intentional, probably sent some signals to the body to get tight and restricted -- a kind of protective mechanism -- and the energy channels shut down a little bit right in that moment of ::ugggghhhh, sigh:: There were surely other people in the room who were really psyched to hear we were working on hip-openers and their excitement and anticipation also signaled a physiological reaction within the body -- slightly increased heart-rate and a yearning to get started, and it's possible that their energy channels were a little bit too open which sets the stage for working too-hard/too-fast. The point is that whether the reaction was "positive" or "negative" it quite literally effected the course of events for the rest of the practice; it possibly made our efforts unnecessarily more difficult because either way we've lost some of our focus and have weakened our intentions.

Yoga teaches us how to be non-reactive (vairagyam -- Sutras I.12-16). Our nature is to quickly and definitively form opinions, and then share them. It is very difficult to simply allow a moment to pass without forming an opinion or a judgment or a criticism about it. But those opening moments of a yoga class are a great opportunity to practice. By allowing the revelation of the class plan to simply move through you without immediately deciding its value or enjoyment-level, we are more likely to step fully into the practice with clarity and balance and a strong focus. There will surely be moments throughout the practice when certain poses invoke natural elation or distress, and we can openly react to them and then deal with those consequences, or we can make a conscious attempt to stay level and poised and ready for better or worse.

We made our way through lunges, Utkatasana (Fierce), Warriors, Trikonasana (Triangle), pigeon prep, and Navasana (Boat) on our way to an introductory variation of Akarna Dhanurasana (Toward-the-ear Bow pose), Eka Hasta Bhujasana (One-hand Shoulder pose), and Bhujapidasana (Shoulder-pressing pose). We finished up Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). Good times.

I.12 -- Both practice and non-reaction are required to still the patterning of consciousness.

I.13 -- Practice is the sustained effort to rest in that stillness.

I.14 -- And this practice becomes firmly rooted when it is cultivated skillfully and continuously for a long time.

I.15 -- As for non-reaction, one can recognize that it has been fully achieved when no attachment arises in regard to anything at all, whether perceived directly or learned.

I.16 -- When the ultimate level of non-reaction has been reached, pure awareness can clearly see itself as independent from the fundamental qualities of nature.

Care-full

2011-01-05T21:31:00.005-06:00

I was asked tonight to put into words what I learned/gained from my weekend in Tucson that I could share with the group. My mind raced through all of the hours and the long holds and deep bends and shaky muscles and the sweat and the struggles and the repetitions and frustration and the parts that felt really amazing (there was a lot) and the parts that really sucked (there wasn't really any....ok, fine, maybe one). And I thought, briefly, that I would have trouble singling all of it into something concise and relatable. But, really, it was clear to me that what I took away from the weekend was the importance of authenticity. That's not a new lesson for me; I've always been an advocate for authenticity while on the mat, both when I'm in the audience and when I'm the leader -- it was a re-lesson. I was reminded of how non-negotiable it is to be You to the fullest while on the mat.

Whether you're a beginner or advanced, flexible or stiff, a student or a teacher, the yoga mat, even if no where else, especially if no where else, is the place where you should feel unapologetically free and welcome to be exactly and precisely yourself. It is a judgment-free zone. Now, mind you, that's not necessarily to say there will be no criticism. Criticism, as we know, can be constructive. It's part of how we learn and improve. If, as a teacher, I only told my students how super they are and how well they're doing, they'd never progress. Part of my job is to highlight what's working really well and to help refine what isn't. In fact, last night, I made it is a distinct point to give the whole class an honest compliment -- I said "Guys! These are not the worst Parsvottanasana I've ever seen! Good job!" I didn't have to, but I felt compelled to let everyone know how well they were doing. And at the same time set the stage for more hard word. I kid, but really, refining through honest evaluation and judging are two different things. Judgment often leads to the disillusion that perfection is achievable -- "if only I could do that pose, I'd be a good yogi," "even after all this time, I still need a strap for that pose," "I don't think I'll ever be able to...." If instead the idea of "perfect" can be adjusted into "optimal" supported by sincere contentment, then we are on our way to expressing ourselves with genuine authenticity.

Throughout the course of the weekend I was presented with a number of poses I've been trying to master for a long time and still find challenging and some brand new poses for which I wasn't quite ready. I was far from perfect, and there were times that I felt ungraceful and unskilled. I wanted very badly to do all the poses equally well and comfortably and to not get tired doing them, but that is not realistic. I could exasperate myself trying to become convinced that it is, but that's an enormous waste of my time. I never once doubted the appropriateness of my presence in the class. I never once considered not trying. I did not ask my body to contort beyond it's capabilities and I did not struggle beyond my ability to stay centered and in control. It is important to me that my attitudes and actions reflect "Me" authentically because I care very deeply about what I do while on the mat, and also why I do it. That's what we talked about in class tonight -- what do you most care about? Actually the phrasing, inspired by Christina Sell, was more accurately "about what do you give a shit?" What is important enough to you that you are willing to show obvious interest? The word "care" is rooted in words that mean "to cry" and "to scream." It shares the same roots as the word "garrulous." To care means to, literally, express yourself outwardly, to demonstrate interest, to be willing to be bothered. So what do you care about, what do you give a shit about, what are you willing to cry aloud for? what is important to you -- the poses? the advanced poses? the mental focus? the relaxation? the escape from some non-mat related activity or situation? why are you on the mat? And how do you demonstrate that once you are there? Do your actions and attitudes reflect what you most care about?

When we are told to act "carefully" we tend to automatically think about being cautious -- "be careful" = don't get hurt, be safe, but the word "careful" in Sanskrit (satkara) reminds us that it also means to be skillful and enthusiastic; to be full of care, full of interest and intrigue, full of honesty and authenticity -- care-full.

So with a true desire to be better -- better, not necessarily more "advanced" per se, or deeper, etc. but better as in able to display measurable growth, progress, enhanced understanding from the inside out -- we went through a variety of standing poses and deep hip-openers tonight. I picked the poses so that they were familiar enough that we weren't distracted by learning something "completely new" yet poses that have constant room for refinement, like Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side-angle), Ekapada Bhekasana (One-legged Frog), and Agnistambhasana (Fire-log pose). The idea was that we could be as genuinely and optimally authentic to that moment in time as possible, and thus achieve immeasurable greatness. I think it went well.

Also, by the way, my New Year's resolution is to put my foot down on coming into class late. Some teachers don't mind late-arrivals -- they are happy having an open-door policy to their classes and I respect that. I, on the other hand, find it to be completely disruptive, and I am not ashamed to say that my most authentic self expects me to be on time and well-prepared and I, in turn, expect that of my students. When the door closes, class has begun. Be on time, or miss out. Namaste.

Home from Tucson

2011-01-04T21:23:00.004-06:00

Christina's thoughts on the weekend in Tucson:
http://christinasell.blogspot.com/2011/01/tuesday-evening.html

I'm still chewing on my own thoughts of this experience. It was incredible and amazing and powerful and important and challenging and exhausting and body-changing and mind-changing and definitely one of the best experiences I've ever had as a yoga student. I certainly held on to certain ideas and actions with the distinct purpose of bringing them back and into my classroom for my students, but I really did try my best to turn off my "teacher brain" for the weekend and just focus on being a student. It wasn't teacher training, it wasn't continuing education, or anything like that. And I really wanted to be a "just a student," I wanted to learn for myself, I wanted to improve my practice. And I did. I went places I had never been invited before, and I successfully went places I had tried to go in the past but wasn't yet ready for, and I set the stage for a whole lot of really spectacular things to take place in the future. I had a lot of help in getting there, and I'm very grateful for it.

I'm happy to be home. I'm happy to be back in my own studio. We kicked off the Spring 2011 class schedule today and I thought the whole day went really well. We'll meet for Advanced group practice tomorrow night, and I'll share some more about my weekend then.

Day three

2011-01-02T20:32:00.002-06:00

I'm beat. Today kicked my butt. I woke up feeling much better than I had either of the two previous days. I was less sore and more energetic, but as the day progressed I felt that energy slowly but consistently seeping away.

I was right about the work in Scorpion and arm-balancing. We started off with Handstand prep and then Bakasana (Crow), Headstand II into Bakasana, and then Headstand II into Parsva Bakasana (Side Crow). Then we did some deep leg and groin opening with different variations of Supta Padangusthasana and Supta Virasana, including my personal favorite -- Paryankasana (Couch pose) over a block. I was so happy! All of that was a set up to all four variations of Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana (One-legged King Pigeons). First variation is the most familiar -- it has the front leg on the floor and the knee bent so that the heel of the front foot is near the hip-crease of the rear leg. The second variation has the front leg in lunge. Third has the front leg in Hero. And fourth has the front leg in splits. Then it was time for Forearm balance and Scorpion poses away from the wall. And we finished the morning session with full Natarajasana (Dancer pose). It was pretty awesome!

The afternoon was more hip-opening and inverting which eventually led to a pose called Yoganidrasana which is lying down with both legs behind the head. I can't do it, so don't ask me to demo. Most of what we did leading up to that pose, I've never taught and you've probably never heard of so I'll save you the trauma of trying to read the Sanskrit names of the poses, and I'll just say it was pretzely. We used all of the leg and hip and spine opening we had built upon the whole weekend, and the wound up in a five minute Headstand and a 7 minute Shoulderstand.

I'm ready for some rest and a few days without such immensely taxing practice. But I am sad that it's over. It's not very often that I get to be a student in the room; especially surrounded by this caliber of practitioners. There were over 60 students in the room and a great number of them were far more experienced and accomplished than I am. Watching them was inspiring to say the least. I'm ready to be home and in my own bed and in my own studio, and I have tons of great stuff to bring back with me and incorporate into classes. But I will miss the studentship and the community of such incredible teachers and students.

I'll spend most of tomorrow traveling. And then the Spring 2011 class schedule kicks off first thing Tuesday morning. Tuesday evening is the DK Week One at 5:45. I'll see you then.

The video of this morning's practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyCUpEHyxMg

Tucson day two

2011-01-01T20:54:00.006-06:00

So yesterday we started off with long Surya Namaskar and basic standing poses to prepare for Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) and drop-backs from standing into Upward Bow. Today we started off with long basic backbends and drop-backs to get into much deeper backbends. We spent a lot of time holding Cobra, Locust, Frog, and Bow variations and then went into Gherandasana I (pg. 404 of LoY) which has one leg in Frog and one leg in Bow. Then we revisited Urdhva Dhanurasana and took that into Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two Legged Inverted Staff pose; pg. 373-75 of LoY), and we used Bridge pose and Upward Plank to prepare for Urdhva Dhanurasana II which has completely straight arms and straight legs (pg. 361). We also worked on Sirsasana drop-backs and one-legged and "full" Kapotasana (pg. 371).

I woke up so stiff and sore this morning I could hardly get outta bed. But the best way to work out soreness after a great practice is more of the same, so on to the mat I went of course. I got deeper into several poses than I had ever before, and I was introduced to a few new poses I had never tried. It was long and hard and really really fun.

I struggled a little bit in the afternoon. It was deep hip-openers and forward bends with lots of Lotus and Half Lotus variations which are not my favorite things to do. I can back bend, I can forward bend, I can twist, I can invert, I can arm-balance, I can arm-bind, I can internally rotate my thighs all day long. But I cannot externally rotate them which is what Lotus (and things like Bound Angle and Janu Sirsasana) require. It's very frustrating for me because I work equally diligently in each of those areas of movement and alignment, none of which come "naturally" to me. I'm not an innately flexible person; I have had to earn -- through tons and tons of hours of hard work -- the things that I'm able to do on my mat today. But, even after more than a decade of practice, I still feel like I have cement in my hips. Christina helped me with some remedial alignment details which helped and got me back on track for continued progress. In yoga, millimeters count. We say that all the time. But millimeters are really really little!! Being content with them takes a lot of patience and a lot of faith in the commitment you've made to your practice.

I survived the afternoon hip-openers and left class exhilarated. Having this particular experience overlapping the transition from 2010 to 2011 is perfectly timed in a lot of ways (it just is the perfect set-up for talks about resoluteness and releasing what no longer serves, and embracing the new, and without it being a holiday week I would have had trouble getting here), but it's not the optimal time for moving about Tucson. Unfortunately, because of the holiday, lots of the places I've wanted to visit are closed. But I've found a few cool places to hang out, and as I've driven around town the last three days what I've noticed is a large number of tattoo shops and thrift stores. What's up with that?

I suspect some work in Forearm balance and Scorpion tomorrow, but it's just a guess. And we haven't done any arm-balancing yet. That's all really fun stuff. But whatever it is, its gonna be great! I know they've saved the best for last.

Alright, I need to be done with today and get ready for tomorrow. I'm off to bed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdzrfF3xiHU&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lGD4hYnJZU&feature=player_embedded

12/31/10

2010-12-31T20:57:00.003-06:00

I am in Tucson at the Advanced Anusara Intensive.

I remember the day back in July when I saw Christina announce this event on her Facebook page. I decided right then that I was going to attend and within just a couple of days I had saved my spot in the class and got plane tickets. At the time, it seemed light-years away -- back then I was in the middle of drinking margaritas around the pool and scheduling myself for a five day retreat over New Years weekend seemed so far in the distant future it was hard to actually think about as a real event. But, much sooner than I had anticipated, it arrived.

I got into town late yesterday afternoon, changed clothes, and went straight to a yoga class. I didn't know what it was when I walked into it but it turned out to be exactly what I needed after a day of traveling. It was a really pleasant, mildly flowy, "intermediate" full-spectrum practice with some Surya Namaskar and standing, some backbending, some forward bending, some inverting. Nothing was overtly complicated or vigorous and it was just perfect for working out that airport ickiness.

The Advanced Intensive officially started this morning at 8:30 and no time was wasted in setting the stage for advancement. The weekend is being co-taught by three of the most accomplished and successful Anusara yoga teachers in the world -- Christina Sell from Austin, Noah Maze from San Diego, and Darren Rhodes from Tucson. They are just brilliant at seamlessly instructing and inspiring with the right amount of tough-love and fun.

The morning session (it's two 3-hour long classes each day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) was primarily back bending. We started off with 4 or 5 very long, detailed variations of both Surya Namaskar A and B, then several classic standing poses like Vira I and II (Warriors), Parsvakonasana (Side-angle), and Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon). The overall theme was lots and lots of stabilization in the legs and then lots and lots of opening and stabilizing of the upper-back, which led to Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-bow). We spent at least an hour in variations of Urdhva Dhanurasana, drop-backs from Mountain into Urdhva Dhanurasana, and standing up from Urdhva Dhanurasana into Mountain. I think it was probably at least a couple dozen Upward-bows and variations of it. If you know anything about my practice, you know how much I loooooove backbends, but even I was begging for it to be done by about drop-back number 17.

The afternoon session was forward-bending, hip-opening, and a little inverting. We worked on deep lunges, Malasana (Garland), Marichyasana I, clasped Uttanasana, and Kurmasana (Tortoise) all with really big inner-spirals of the legs and outer-broadening of the thighs and back body. Somewhere in the middle of that was a 5 minute Headstand and then we ended with 7 minute Shoulderstand, Plow, and maybe about 7 minutes of pranayama before Savasana.

I'm exhausted. I can't hardly think about doing all of that two more times two more days in a row. I hurt everywhere. It's so awesome!

Here is the link to the video that was put together of today's morning class [ I'm front and center, of course! :) ]
http://christinasell.blogspot.com/2010/12/tough-as-nails-soft-as-ghee-anusara.html

It's the last day of 2010. It was a helluva year -- one of the most challenging I've ever had, and equally exciting and soul-renewing. One of the last things Darren said in today's class was "Do you remember where you were for this day last year? ... I bet you remember where you were today this time next year!"

Ok, I'm so tired I'm not seeing straight anymore. I'm taking good notes and I can't wait to bring some of this great information home to you all. More tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

Happy New Year.

Thursday

2010-12-23T08:41:00.003-06:00

This is about day ten or so of my life feeling like a never-ending game of 52-pick up. Just when I think I've got things in order, or that things can't be skewed any further, I'm reminded about that "not counting your chickens before they hatch" thing my mom always says. Yesterday was one of those days where it was suddenly 8pm and I wasn't sure how it had happened. And I thought, "Well I guess now would be a good time to eat some dinner and then get ready for bed." Though, not before making today's to-do list. No day is complete without obsessively planning for the next one, right?

And, I've already crossed two things off of that list this morning, so go me! One of those tasks was finally ordering the paper copies of the 2011 brochure and class schedule for the front desk. People have been asking for them for weeks, and I kept saying "they're not ready from the printer yet." But that was a lie. I never ordered them. At first I was in denial that it was time to order them (I just didn't want to admit that the year was ending and the next one was right around the corner). Then I admitted that it was past due, but I continued to procrastinate anyway. And then I found myself in the middle of this whole topsy-turvy mini-crisis ordeal combined with the inevitable craziness that is the holidays (don't get me started on that again!), and I just forgot about them. But today was the day. I'll pick them up this afternoon and you can pick up your copy the next time you're in the studio.

I had a twisting and inverting-focused plan for last night's Advanced class. I wanted to work on "Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana" (Split-legged Revolved Headstand -- 198-200 in LoY). It is a great posture for really challenging your perceptions and perspectives -- your literal relationship to gravity but also your sense of Self from the inside out -- because it so completely alters your view of the world. You are upside down with the legs/pelvis moving asymmetrically (which combines both forward and backward bending elements) while twisting. It's difficult to re-orient yourself more fully than that. It's physically challenging and it's scary, so performing it skillfully says a lot about your commitment to practice and your character. But my day didn't progress the way I had anticipated, and by the time class-time rolled around, I was feeling a little less energetic than I had hoped and was afraid I wouldn't give the material the justice it deserved. So once everyone had arrived, I decided to open the floor for requests and I was glad that I did because what I had planned was not anything like what they said they wanted. So I'll save my twisted inversions practice for another time. Instead, we spent the evening in a fairly mellow "full-spectrum" practice of fun and classic asana like Surya Namaskar, standing poses, hip-openers and forward-bends. It was uncomplicated and really really pleasant. It very well may have been the last time I get to be on my mat for several days, so I was content with incorporating a "little bit of everything" and giving my body a chance to move in a variety of directions without overloading my mind with a bunch of instructions and new concepts. I think the others felt the same.

Cajun and I are spending Christmas in Houston, so my day today will consist of packing and last minute plans to get ready to leave in the morning. I don't teach today, but I will be in the building for tonight's classes, so maybe I'll see you there.

Monday

2010-12-20T20:04:00.004-06:00

I don't think I ever actually "woke up" today. I never got rid of that "first thing in the morning drowsiness." I ate enough food for a week at lunch which didn't help at all. I had an extra long to-do list that could not be ignored even though all I really wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch The Office. It took an enormous amount of effort but I did muster enough energy to get on to my mat for an hour, and, even though I did not want to, I did a five minute Headstand, a five minute Shoulderstand, a five minute Paschimottanasana, and some Pranayama/Bandhas along with a little hip-opening and twisting.

I taught a Virasana/Supta Virasana focused Essentials class to a much larger and much more diverse group of folks than I had expected. I admit, it threw me off a little bit. I anticipated a small group of mostly long-time students to show up, but that wasn't the case. I'm not complaining, by any means, and the effort and energy was fantastic.

I got most of the things done off my to-do list, at least the ones that were mandatory for today. I'm wrapping things up here at the studio, and checking out early tonight.

Tomorrow is a "regular" day of classes, and we'll meet for MDK #2 tomorrow night.

That's all I got today. Short and sweet. Good night.

At Lubbock Yoga

52

Surviving

Backbends

Timing is Everything

We got YTT back!

Confidence Owns the Building

Primary

Triangle

Christina's "Yoga International" Article

Compromises

Saturday

Vrtti and Parivrtta

Expand

The Learning Process

Good to be back

Four Keys to Peacefulness

The Key to Joy

A Brief Hiatus

Insanity to the Max

Jump-throughs

New Blog Goodies

Why Backbends

Sixteen

Memorial Days

Thursday

Living Social

Happy Monday

Friday

Not Monday

Insanity

Back At It

Thursday

Sustained Effort

Props to Ess. I-II

Poise

Spanda

Summing Up

Tapas

Groupon Today

Prana

Be Bold

More Contentment

Chaotic Steadiness

Happy Saturday

Another Year Older

Tuesday afternoon

Fanpage

All Week

The Twenty Third

Misc. Friday.

Thursdays

Wild Things

Obvious Solutions

Wednesdays Back bends

LY on Betterfly

Monday night

Another Monday

YogaGlo

All-levels Hip-openers

Monday

Yogablok

Highest Potential

The Next Level

The Most Important Thing

More of the same

Care-full

Home from Tucson

Day three

Tucson day two

12/31/10

Thursday

Monday