The Yogaphile

Dolly Does FIRE!

2009-07-03T00:22:00.005-05:00

That Dolly. She continues to amaze me.

She's sweet. She's pretty. She's well-spoken. She's funny. She's smart. She's a businesswoman and entrepreneur. She's a mom. She's a teacher. She's a student. She's got mad yoga skills...and...well, apparently she's got mad FIRE skills too!

Woo hoo! Go Dolly!

Asmi Yoga Opens

2009-06-11T19:22:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Dolly Stavros on the opening of her new studio, Asmi Yoga, in Bend Oregon. This is the realization of a dream for Dolly, and soon many Bend yoga enthusiasts will see this is the realization of a dream for them too!

Asmi Yoga is at 911 SE Armour Road, in Bend, Oregon. Learn more about yoga at Asmi and check the schedule of classes.

Yeehaw, Dolly!

The Good News with Mel and Greg

2009-02-02T16:06:00.003-05:00

Good stuff from my former fellow yoga teacher training classmates Mel and Greg: a Charlotte-based radio broadcast with nothing but good news!

The Good News with Mel and Greg kicks off The Wilson Show on WBT 1110 AM every Saturday night at 9:00. It's about 15 minutes of nothing but great stuff, tips, and more, from two wonderfully witty and intelligent people. If that's not good news enough, there's more good news—thanks to the Internet, anyone anywhere in the world can listen to the live broadcasts, or a replay online.

So what are you waiting for? In these difficult economic times, we could all use some good news!

Go to WBT's Podcast page and scroll down to the Wilson Show.
Select your preferred listening method (Google Reader is supereasy).
The Good News with Mel and Greg began on Januuary 24, 2009. So from then on, if you play the 9:00pm audio file for any Saturday, after the introductory reports and lead-in, you'll hear Mel and Greg's portion of the show.

A couple tips:

The initial show, on January 24, begins at about 6:26.
The January 31 show begins around 6:40.

PS: Mel is the same Melody White who penned By My Side: Parenting from a Higher Consciousness.

To Dolly

2008-07-28T18:52:00.004-05:00

OK, it's taken me a while to write this because I haven't fully reconciled it yet.

So. You're leaving. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

(For all of you just tuning in, Dolly is my favorite, and currently, my only yoga teacher. She is the teacher who I did my yoga teacher training with. She is the one who helped me realize what yoga is, what it means, that you can practice it and still be yourself, that you don't have to practice anyone's yoga but your own.)

Again, you're leaving. I'm genuinely happy for the promise your future holds, and I want all the citizens of Oregon to know how damn lucky they will be to have you in their midst. I know I will not be alone in feeling the gaping hole your absence will leave here. There will never be another Dolly, and though I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to practice with you these last couple years, I am distraught about you leaving.

I know what you'd say...there are great teachers here! You'll find another! Perhaps. But none like you. You have the unique ability to blend just the right amount of traditional yoga with a more modern, challenging, and creative practice. You have this way of making Om accessible for even the tough guys in the back row. You make the newbie feel as comfortable as the long-time practitioner. Week after week you switch it up, challenge us, console us, inspire us, encourage us, keep us guessing, keep us laughing—and no matter what state we were in at the beginning, 90 minutes later we're all nicer, kinder, sweeter, happier, gentler, and calmer. Because that is your magic. That is your calling. That, my dearest Dolly, is your undeniable gift.

I just want you to know what an impact you've had on my life in particular, how appreciative I continue to be for your guidance, knowledge, example, and friendship. I broke through a lot of personal barriers because of you...all because one day I had this insane idea to get up at 4:30am so I could go practice yoga. Good thing I'm a morning person, right? As they say, the early bird gets the worm. I got a hell of a lot more than that. I learned to face my fears, to get outside of my comfort zone, to play my edges, and it's all because you gave me a place where I felt safe enough to do it. Thank you so very much, Dolly. I am practically a new woman today because of what I learned from you.

I could go on and on about what you mean to me, how much you will be missed, what a fantastic teacher you are, how cool you are, and all that. Easily. For reams and reams. But in closing, I will simply say Dolly, I love you, love the spirit you are, I thank you, and I wish you nothing but all the very best. You are a gem of a being, a one-and-only, the brightest star I have ever encountered.

And to the rest of you who are reading, if you will please, in your way, send love and good wishes out into the universe for Dolly, I would also be most appreciative.

A Recommendation

2008-07-08T12:16:00.007-05:00

Please check out Melody Hiatt White's new book,
By My Side: Parenting from a Higher Consciousness

I have had the good fortune to have been able to practice yoga with Melody, and as a student and friend of Melody's, I can attest to the fact that she embodies living from a higher consciousness in every way.

About By My Side:
In By My Side, Melody White eloquently lays out 10 simple and effective principles to help strengthen our role as parents. Discovering these principles as she made her own journey through parenthood, White reflects on the learning experiences and challenges she faced as she found the right path. White guides you to a better understanding of your purpose and role as parent as you come to understand the great power and responsibility you hold. She willingly exposes her own soul as she lovingly walks you through the maze of parenting. You're left with greater strength and confidence in performing your role not only as a parent, but also as a much stronger and more balanced human being.

Thank you...

2008-05-09T16:41:00.004-05:00

to the folks at Christian Yoga Magazine for rerunning my Mudras in Christian Imagery blog post (and for the lovely formatting) on their site!

http://christianyogamagazine.com/?p=38

Who knew?

2008-04-22T06:38:00.003-05:00

Back to the mat on a regular basis again, and damn, it feels de-lish! Although I've definitely lost some skill, I'm hoping with time, strength-building, and regular practice I'll be back to where I was before.

But an interesting thing happened today that made me remember how blessed I am. To be grateful for this day, this body, this life. After class, someone I don't know well but am rather fond of told me I was "an inspiration." Here I am thinking how my Mountain Climbers suck these days, how I'm too weak to get to full Locust...in typical perfectionist fashion, I was beating myself up. Yet, to someone, my practice or my determination was inspirational.

This was just a simple reminder to not take your unique blessings for granted. To appreciate them, to humbly shine through dedication to your own practice. Every body is different. You never know what each day will bring, so cherish each and every one. It's extremely easy for me to forget how fortunate I am to even be able to practice on a regular basis with such wonderful teachers. Some people have neither the health, time, nor discretionary income to allow them to partake, even when they desperately want to.

It was good for me to hear that today, not so much for the ego stroke, but to shake me out of my comfortable complacency. This is a good body I have...why do I continue to malign it? Even on my worst day I have more than some will ever have in a lifetime. So it's time I woke up and took note and shifted my thinking. In this skin is a damn good place to be.

I told you she's special!

2008-04-14T20:40:00.007-05:00

The April 2008 issue of Fit Yoga magazine features the effervescent Dolly Stavros as its "Hometown Yogi." Ya'll know I've been singing her praises since the moment I met her. Well, finally, the rest of the world is catching on.

This month, she's on pages 84 and 85...but one day, I'm thinking (hoping) she'll be on the cover. There's no yogi more worthy, in my opinion.

Be big and beautiful, Dolly. Shine your light!

Want more Dolly? Hey, get in line...we all do! But in the meantime, check out Red Stone Yoga.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmm...

2008-03-18T20:58:00.008-05:00

So I'm not sure if I'm completely freaked out by this or not. As I mentioned in my last post, I've been on the bench for several weeks...I have not been able to practice and it has SUCKED. That also means no centering or meditating or OMs because I'm a slacker and I just can't get in the zone at home.

Anyway, today I'm working away on my computer. I realize I need to print my mobile phone bill so I can itemize and expense it, but I recently disconnected and moved my printer. So off I go to fetch it. I plug it into the outlet on my wall, plug another cord into the USB port on my computer, and press On. I turn back to my computer to send my document to the printer, and suddenly it starts to print even though I have not sent my document yet. I start getting aggravated, which is just a continuation of some earlier aggravation: For some reason around noonish, all hell was breaking loose. I was being instant messaged by two people from work at the same time as I was trying to respond to a text message that had just come in from my favorite man, at the same time my doorbell was ringing and my dog and my friend's Pomeranian that I am watching simultaneously begin their deep-bark, high-bark alerts. By the time I answered the door, my sister-in-law (who was on the other side) could hear me cursing through the door and looked like she was ready to duck and run when it finally swung open. Who could blame her.

But back to the printer.

Again, I'm aggravated, because this printer is brand new. So when I press On, I expect it to act appropriately and not give me any static. But it's acting strange and now it has just printed and spat out a piece of paper that I will have to throw away, which means wasted toner and wasted paper, which I hate. I snatch the paper out of the tray and turn it over and for a moment I think, cool, it didn't print at all, because it looks like the page is totally blank. Then my eye catches something in the upper left corner of the paper, a little black blemish...and this is a photo of what I saw, cross my heart, I swear:

Oh. My. God.

OM.

OM!!!!!!

My printer just told me I need to take a deep breath and chill. Or the Universe did. Or God. Or someone.

Of all the numbers. All the letters. All the possible combinations...I get O and M. O and M thisclose. The only letters on the paper. You know how sometimes when a printer goes wonky, it prints gibberish all over the page, a stray character here and there, symbols and whatnot? Well, my printer didn't wig out and spew gibberish. It malfunctioned and proclaimed OM, just one time in stark black on a blank white page. Very Zen. Very spartan. Very clearly OM.

Why no new posts?

2008-03-10T22:13:00.003-05:00

Well, I've been on the bench for five weeks, going on six. I'm hoping this is my last week off, because I miss my yoga, and I'm becoming a chunky little monkey. As soon as I'm back on my mat, I'm hoping to share more yoga experiences here.

Again, I apologize for the dry spell!

Happy V-Day, fellow yogis!

2008-02-13T21:03:00.003-05:00

How do I love yoga? Let me count the ways...

A top ten list:

10. Yoga has gotten me in touch with my inner ballerina...even my girlfriends are impressed by my splits. And I still can't believe I can do them!

9. When I'm doing yoga, I'm not thinking about the bills I need to pay, the yardwork I need to do, or the toilet I need to get fixed.

8. Yoga makes me feel alive.

7. Yoga has helped me transform my body.

6. Practicing yoga helps me to remember how incredibly blessed I am.

5. Yoga challenges my mind, body, and soul.

4. Yoga gives me the opportunity to stop and breathe.

3. Yoga reminds me to love myself and love others, even when I'm not so happy about me, and when all hell is breaking loose in my world.

2. Yoga is like a prayer, a moving meditation. It reminds me of my connection to God and the Universe.

1. Yoga just feels GOOD!!!

Dolly: Everyone's Hero of the Month!

2008-02-01T20:20:00.000-05:00

First, let me say that I continue to be impressed by the creative energy behind Asana Activewear. Not only is this start-up owned by two of the genuinely nicest people, not only are the clothes fantabulous, but the new Web site is what Web 2.0 is all about: a community of like-minded people.

So hats off to the Asana Activewear family, and hats off to Dolly Stavros for being chosen as the site's first Hero of the Month. I can't think of anyone else more deserving, I really can't.

Tried-n-True: Lily Lotus Om Karma Cargo Pant

2008-01-24T08:19:00.000-05:00

I originally bought these pants from Asana Activewear (for the studded OM, of course!) thinking they'd be supercute for lounging around or running errands. But after lounging 'round in them two or three times and seeing not only how comfy they are, but how they retain their shape, I thought, hey, I think I can actually practice in these! And so I did.

The verdict? My new favorite pants for yoga! And home! With boots! Without! You know how sometimes you buy pants for practice and practice in them, and they aren't what you thought they'd be? Well, these were brilliant in practice...no annoying seams, no bagging in the knees or seat. I walked into class and walked out in them still looking and feeling good. Two big thumbs up from me! And now that I've discovered a similar style from Lily Lotus, I think I'm going to buy those too.

Sidenote on Lily Lotus: I love, love, love this line. It's modern, edgy yoga wear. You could definitely wear it to class or just out and about and look fantastic. Selection is pared down, but crazysexycool.

Kudos to Cay

2008-01-24T07:49:00.000-05:00

Dolly is irreplaceable; that is a given. So I do feel for new instructors or subs who have to step into her classes. But having said that, let me just say how thrilled I am that Cay is the one who is taking over Dolly's Thursday morning Power Vinyasa class. She is one of a handful of of my favorites...and I've never really taken a class with her before. However, I did go through teacher training with her, and was very impressed with her tone while teaching as well as her yoga...she rocks the arm balances!

Anyway, today was our first Thursday with her, and class was challenging, inspiring, and invigorating. Not bad considering I rolled into class on about four hours of sleep (When your boy calls, sleep can wait. I'll sleep plenty when I'm dead). Cay has a lovely, soothing voice and I love her language: "give it all you've got," "just two more breaths," etc. She pushes gently and reminds you that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel.

Her sequencing was great; we warmed up with some classic Sun Sals, and we did splits of every sort: Standing Splits, Splits Prep, full Splits, Flying Splits, so I was a happy girl. I need lots of splits and deep hamstring stretches to counter (or complement) all the lunging and squatting I'm doing at the gym. It feels good (well, sometimes, not really), but I know too much or not enough of one or the other will leave me underdeveloped in the hamstrings, or overdeveloped and too tight. So when I can get a lot of stretching and hamstring work in yoga, I can hit it hard in the gym and not feel like I'm locking up.

But back to Cay. Music was also excellent, the kind you need to get you moving at 5:45am. Classic and trance-y yoga tracks, plus a lovely Savasana track. By that point, I was so pleasantly exhausted I could've slept right there on the floor for a bit without a care in the world. So hats off to Cay for a wonderful first day. Class was sparse, which is always the case when Dolly is absent, but I think once the most of the regulars take a class with Cay, they'll all be back.

Ha! There are some kinky yogis out there...

2008-01-23T21:34:00.000-05:00

Just checked blog stats. All the keyword searches that have lead people to The Yogaphile were innocuous.

Except one: "yoga crotch shots."

YOGA CROTCH SHOTS?!!! What on Earth? I mean, I could see how that might be one's thing, and I vaguely remember saying something to that effect when I posted a photo of my Flying Split. Oy vey. Why does anything even surprise me anymore?

Oh well. Good for a laugh anyway!

The Myths of Happiness

2008-01-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

A friend recently sent me a link to this ABC/Diane Sawyer snippet on The Myths of Happiness. I couldn't embed the video here, but it's good stuff, especially if you need more proof of the power of positive thinking and meditation. The video begins after a 30-second ad for Netflix...could not be avoided, but hey, it's only 30 seconds, right!

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/251.6/popup/index.php?cl=5911562

What's that little Bobby McFerrin ditty? Don't Worry, Be Happy...yeah. He was right. I think that's my new mantra for 2008.

I'm baaack...

2008-01-22T16:59:00.000-05:00

After 28 days off, I rolled out my mat and practiced this morning. Man, it felt so good! Those OMs felt like home! Mind you, the 28 days off felt good too, not because I needed a break from yoga, but because for most of it, I was on vacation having the time of my life. Plus, breaking routine every once in a while is good. You get outside yourself and your schedule and realize there is a whole world still going on out there.

While I was away from yoga, I was again reminded of the less obvious effects of yoga in my life. Sure, there is the physical (must admit that I have been doing splits at least three times a week to keep my hamstrings from locking up!) but yoga for me has become a sanctuary for my body and mind. I've found that when I've been confused by the mixed messages of organized religion, or when I've become the crabby little crab I can be, yoga is my great equalizer. It's not a religion, no. And yet it's not just an exercise regime, either. It's hard to put your finger on what yoga really is, so I will not attempt to define it. All I know is when I go too long without practicing, I start to feel shallow. Disconnected. From myself and others.

So while I'm sad to see my vacation end, I'm glad to be back on my mat, and I continue to be grateful for the loving physical and spiritual guidance of my teachers. Which has got me thinking: How can I spread the wealth that is yoga? How can I help others find their way to yoga? I may have gone through teacher training, but I'm still too chicken and too busy to take on teaching. I'm a good mouthpiece for it, for sure, but that's not enough. Can you imagine a world in which there were more yogis? Heck, how about just getting our politicians signed up? That'd probably fix a whole lot of what's wrong in the world in itself. Anyway, I'm wondering, I'm thinking, how do we get more people interested?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2007-12-25T09:04:00.001-05:00

Hari Nam, Sat Nam, Hari Nam, Hari.
Hari Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Hari.

The name of God is the True Name.

In 2008, may you all find health, happiness, and love.
And yoga, if you haven't found it already!

Teacher, Touch Me

2007-12-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yoga was absolute bliss this morning. Bliss!

Why, you ask? Well, having Dolly back after a couple weeks without her is one reason. Another is that we tried a new asana today (more about that later). But the real reason? Touch, plain and simple. I got lots of "extra love" as I call it—assists, help to deepen postures, loving, stress-relieving strokes. All done professionally, meaningfully, and masterfully, as Dolly is the queen of this.

Now, there are always two sides to every story. Some students do not like to be touched (though I think it's a rarity). And for some teachers, touch is not only difficult mentally, it is difficult physically. You have to sort of know your students' bodies and abilities if you're going to assist with backbends, for example. You've got to understand the techniques of assists in order to apply the right kind of pressure in the right places, so as not to jolt or hurt your students. A lot of teachers are also unable to give of themselves in this manner, and prefer not to touch at all, and that's understandable. But let me make a case for the value of touch in yoga. Because I think it really takes the practice to the next level for students.

First, help getting hands together in a bind or a twist enables students to stretch that little bit extra, opening muscles for future possibilities. For students with a more advanced practice, assists that enable them to get deeper into certain postures provides them with more sensation, more release, and seriously...more euphoria! Touch in this instance is an enabler. As a teacher, you are the helping hands.

Second, and perhaps more important, is the feeling of a beloved teacher's warm, loving touch on the body. Think about this. We live in a world in which our children are not allowed to hug each other at school. We keep our distance from each other. Smiling at strangers is even highly questionable! Technology allows us to eliminate a lot of face-to-face interaction with other human beings. In the U.S. especially, beauty—or lack of it—also plays a large role in the amount of physical contact each of us receives.

Now think about why most people come to yoga. It's not just the physical aspect. It's the mental clarity it gives, the spiritual connection to ourselves, the earth, our classmates, something larger. People are in class because they are looking for something deeper, more meaningful, otherwise, they could just ride a bike or take a walk. Yoga is the melding of the physical, mental, and spiritual. There is no telling what is going on in a student's life outside of class, but you know that they are in class because yoga brings them a certain peace that is more than physical. I believe touch—even a simple stroke down the back of a student in a forward fold—is nurturing, neutralizing, and in a small way, answers our need for love. Love is the crux of the human condition, is it not? We all need love, spend our lives either looking for it, trying to hold onto it, giving it, or lavishing ourselves in it. Touch in yoga is love, a salve for our wearied, twenty-first century souls. For some students, a teacher's touch in yoga is the only human contact they ever have!

If you are a teacher, I hope you will think more about the tremendous gift your touch can be. Even if you aren't one to do more technically complicated assists, perhaps you will consider how much a simple touch means to the majority of your students.

Twister Yoga

2007-12-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

Alas, there is no such thing (at least I don't think there is).

But...there is Twister. Yeah, you know, the game with the colored dots? And there are yogis to be found in every corner of the globe. So here's the recipe: add flexi yogi bodies of the male and female kind to one Twister game mat, throw in a couple cocktails, and I think there is a party in the making!

Seriously, a friend and I have been contemplating this for an upcoming soirée that will likely include many yogis. I mean, I can think of at least one person I'd like to play co-ed Twister with...can't you? While playing, there has to be potential for a Downward Dog, a Tree, an Eagle, at least? Tell you what...if we do break Twister out, I will be sure to get some photos and let you all know how it went.

Presents for Your Favorite Yogi

2007-12-03T20:19:00.000-05:00

Thank all that's good that these days, there's more yoga stuff out there than ever. From clothes to mats, to jewelry and DVDs, there is a perfect present out there for every yogi.

Here are a few suggestions:

Gorgeous, Indian-influenced jewelry by Rosena Sammi. Check out the Kismat Collection to see her Om Shanti Necklace, Om Necklace; the Fashion Collection for the stunning Mandala Earrings. Prices run from $110 to $320, and up.
Yoga clothes. For those of you not in close proximity to Asana Activewear, I'm sorry for you. BUT, if you're ever passing through Charlotte, NC, do not miss this place. Owners Gary and Leslie have the BEST selection of activewear in town if you're looking for gear more interesting than what's available at your local big box store. It's a great looking store with a selection that has been edited with a very discerning eye. You will not be disappointed.

Lululemon Athletica also has some great looking pieces for guys and girls. Plus a cool site with gorgeous, real-people-doing-yoga photos. I like.
Yoga music. Give a gift certificate to Omstream.com. Yoga, meditation, and world music can be downloaded for playing on you iPod or mp3 player. Listen to samples, see suggestions, or download entire playlists.

Cool mats. I should practice what I preach and invest in some fun mats, but I'm still sticking by my favorite Nike mat. If you're looking, here are some ideas...be sure to check out Get Your Crow Flying with Cheeky Yoga Gear and More Unique Mats to see more.

Circles Mat

Prana Reversible ECO Sticky Mat

An om for...

2007-11-06T20:58:00.000-05:00

me, God, someone I fancy, my future progeny?

Tonight in Melody's class, we began with three oms. Mel asked that as we om each time, we om with a particular intention, om with a person or being in mind. I loved this, because these days, I should pray more than I do, but inevitably I don't. So when I practice, and I'm breathing and om-ing, it is my prayer, my connection with the Divine. I love how Melody brings the focus in every class to a connection with something larger than ourselves. She rocks. Period.

I've spent my life as a Greek Orthodox Christian. But I'm beginning to see how I'm becoming more like many yogis I know who are deeply spiritual, without participation in organized religion, per se. I can't say that I will ever leave Orthodoxy, as it gives me a lot of other things I don't get anywhere else. Then again, having said that, at the moment, I'm a bit put off as I am researching what it will take for my church to divorce me after the state does, and I'm not liking the draconian rules that, as my sister-in-law put it, will practically require me to "wear a big red letter" on my chest. No, I did not commit adultery. Hell no. But the rules for divorce in the Greek Orthodox church are so stringent that I might as well be branded with the "A," 'cause once the state divorces me, and until the church divorces me, I'm a bit of a pariah. It's ridiculous. But that is another matter—and another blog—entirely.

Sorry for the diversion...the crux of the matter is this: yoga, when it is practiced with honorable intent and taught the same, provides such a deep spiritual connection that it is easy to begin to feel like you can forego the whole church scene. I've never been an every-Sunday churchgoer, and I'm actually only currently involved in Greek Orthodoxy because I (luckily) found a more progressive Greek church and defected to it at about the point that I was planning to bail once and for all. But I'm getting sidetracked again, so let me re-focus: yoga is good from beginning to end. A to Z. Alpha to Omega, as the Greeks would say. What you get, when it's delivered purely, is not just a physical challenge, flexibility, and centeredness. You get the feeling that you have a sort of omniscience, and a contentment that can't be pinpointed to one particular thing. It is a general goodness, an overwhelming sense of calm—equanimity—that threads itself through every aspect of your life.

Progress

2007-10-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

Had an inspirational and challenging practice tonight with one of my favorite people: Melody. We focused on backbends to open the chest and heart—and normally, I'm not a big fan. Backbends are tough on me physically, and I've felt the emotion they can bring on—it's always a little unsettling for me to venture deep into backbends because I always wonder if I'm going to end up in tears as a result of the opening and the surge in emotion.

But here's what I loved about this class tonight, other than it felt fabulous...Mel's backbends were gentle and her sequencing was excellent. We did a very challenging series of Warriors with the requisite Power Vinyasa flow, plus lots of pranayama exercises. But we started on the floor with Bridge, which was a nice departure, then Melody skillfully moved us into Flip Dogs, Camels, and modified Crescent Lunges through the rest of the practice. Thus, in effect, we were opening our hearts all along, in a very non-intimidating and subtle fashion.

And you know what? I think—no, I KNOW—I'm in a different place emotionally. Because I didn't feel any painful emotion rising. Only contentment, peace, bliss. Damn, that's an incredible feeling, to not be afraid of yourself—to be able to step outside yourself, take a good look, and know that you're in a good place. If they could bottle that feeling, I tell you, the world would be an infinitely better place.

There was also another aspect to this practice that I particularly appreciated...but before I get into it, I must give a little background info. If you don't know Melody (sorry for you), then you don't know that she is a deeply intuitive and beautiful being. She "brings it" as purely as my other favorite yogini, Dolly. There is an honesty and humility in her intention as a teacher, and it is reflected in the size of her classes. She threads connection to the spirit, to the universe, throughout her classes, and this really resonates with me. Particularly because of my predeliction for living in a BlackBerried, technlogically-centered, perfectionist existence. Getting outside of my head is a challenge, so every reminder that I am nothing but a small piece of this intricately woven universe is especially appreciated.

In the beginning of our practice, Mel asked us to breathe in and ask for that which we want from the universe. Now some may think this silly, but I am not of that ilk. Because breathing in and asking for want you want Law-of-Attraction-style is nothing more than "you get back what you put out" in a more more eloquent and concentrated manner. So I breathed in deeply and asked the universe for what I wanted, and was grateful when later in our practice, Melody brought us back to this intention, reminding us to recall that prayer and to send it out again. Essentially, that is yoga, this blending of mind, body, and spirit. But as we all know, some teachers are more gifted in marrying the three than others.

One more little side note: I missed Mel's class last week because of a scheduling issue, and ended up taking Dolly's class instead. Tonight Mel said to me that she was sorry I missed Mountain Climber and Flying Splits last week, which I love. Here's the interesting thing: as most of us know all too well, sometimes what you want and what you need are quite different. What I have learned above all else in this first year of my practice is this: being outside your comfort zone is where the real progress happens. It's good to do the backbends even when you don't particularly like them. It's good to breathe through the urge to run from an asana. It's good to try what you haven't before. Because in the end, you never know where you'll find that connection, that bliss—and you'll never know if you don't try. It takes courage, patience, tenacity, discipline, there is no doubt. But the person you can become in the midst—that...well, that could be your most stunning achievement, more profound than any yoga pose.

Geez...it's been a long time...

2007-09-22T08:13:00.001-05:00

I didn't realize that it has been more than a month since I posted here. So let me catch you up...

Let's talk yoga. Obviously, the most important topic! Still practicing, still teaching the kids, still loving it. I think in just a few weeks, I will have officially been practicing for a year—and what a year it has been! I have learned so much, grown so much mentally, physically, and emotionally, all because of yoga. I feel like I've gotten so much more back from yoga than I've put into it, in a way.

Yoga has given me:

Physical flexibility that I probably haven't had since grade school. Hey, even I have to admit I've come a long way, baby! I remember when just trying to get into a split was torture. And now, I relish the opportunity—it kind of hurts so good. I'm getting there more in every practice, able to hold a little deeper, a little longer. I feel like I can twist further and am just generally more connected with my body's boundaries and capabilities. And the openings yoga has created, the physical sensation after a great practice is indescribable. You yogis know what I'm talking about. There is just nothing like that feeling.

I recently told my friend Melody that yoga has enabled me to be the ballerina I never was. Perhaps that is why I enjoy Power Vinyasa so much. It's a beautiful, free-form dance that allows you to explore your own grace, your own control, your own movement. I love, love, love, love it.
A deeper connection with myself. I've changed a lot over the last year in this regard. Yoga has really helped me turn inward, look at myself, my thoughts and beliefs, and come to terms with the person I am and the person I want to be. It has helped me become more aware of my own strength, has given me encouragement and confidence. I've learned a lot about the power of the mind, the power of my being, while practicing. It's a bit difficult to explain, but somehow, yoga has both strengthened and softened me as a person.
Beautiful new friendships and the ability to weed out toxic ones. I have met the most fantastic, interesting, deep, captivating people through yoga. Good, good, people. Fun people. People who deep down, you know you're really pulling for, that you genuinely care about even if you don't know them that well. I remember when I used to go to class just for the practice, for the learning. Now the practice is just part of the equation—I look forward to seeing my friends on their mats around me, look forward to seeing Dolly and hearing her wisdom, and just love to see someone stoked about a small victory..mastering a roll out, or an asana that was previously unattainable. We started out a strangers in a common place...now when someone is missing from class, it is so obvious. I feel their absence.

Yoga has also given me the equivalent of a relationship magnifying glass. I have more clarity about my relationships with people and feel like I'm able to make better decisions about relationships that feed me positively and those that don't. Now I won't say that it has helped me figure out how to evict all the negative forces in my life, but I'm getting there. I've realized that if I have a relationship that makes me feel uncomfortable, hurt, or judged, then I don't have a real connection with that person, and it's not a relationship I need to work so hard to sustain. It's a delicate situation, trying to pull out of relationships without hurting others. Sometimes it seems futile, but I think the most important thing is that yoga has enabled me to see what is really important to me, and in doing that, I have upped the possibility of attracting people with good souls, people who will teach me, encourage me, laugh with me.

Yogic References in Madonna's "Frozen" Video

2007-08-20T20:02:00.000-05:00

So why did I post Madonna's "Frozen" video? Well, any yogi can see the more obvious yogic references. And anyone listening can hear the message, which is very yogic as well. I, frankly, am obsessed with this video, and here's why: it has all my favorite things...Madonna and her enviable musculature, mehndi, mudras, music, plus the Doberman, the black, the hair, the art. I recently told a friend that if I had to choose one video to represent me, this would be it.

But let's delve a little deeper into the symbolism of this video from a yogic perspective. There are a lot of things going on here:

Gyan mudra throughout (first instance at 4:14). And it appears she does variations on other mudras in which the fingertips are held in Gyan mudra as part of another mudra.
Madonna in Marichyasana (3:48). Not easy to see with the long skirt, but she very gracefully moves right into it. If you click Marichyasana above, you can read more, but here's an excerpt of the history behind this asana:

"Marichi is the son of Brahma and chief of the Maruts, the warlike storm gods. He's one of the seven seers (rishis) or lords of creation (prajapatis), who intuitively "see" and declare the divine law of the universe (dharma)." An interesting choice, of all the asanas out there.
Madonna in Child/Balasana (at 1:49) before revealing a hennaed OM in the palm of right hand (1:36), in a semi-Varada mudra. What's interesting about this? Varada mudra is a gesture of giving, of bestowing blessings. OM symbol in the palm of the right hand...a gift to us? Say what you want about her, but she really brought yoga to the forefront, enlightened the masses about it at a time when it wasn't on every street corner.

There's probably a lot more going on than even this, but it's getting late and I'm getting sleepy. But before I go, here's a cool tidbit I learned in doing this research...you can find this info at http://hinduism.about.com/od/omaum/a/meaningofom.htm:

To type an OM symbol on your computer, open MS Word and key in backslash ( \ ) in Wingdings font. It works!

For more information on mudras, see these posts:

Frozen

2007-08-19T20:00:00.001-05:00

Ahhhhhh...Dolly's back!

2007-08-16T09:24:00.000-05:00

My favorite, favorite yoga teacher and guru is finally back from her well-deserved summer sabbatical. She came back looking gorgeous, as would anyone, I suppose, after spending a month in their favorite place.

Dolly never ceases to amaze me. She's like this little walking encyclopedia of sutras and yoga. This morning, her sutra was about blossoming, which I think in yoga, we can all relate to, thus it is an astute analogy. Yoga is not something anyone can jump into and rock within a month. It is a slow blossoming on the inside as well as the outside, the quiet unfurling of our souls within our limbs.

To illustrate the concept of blossoming, Dolly brought in the most fantastic Blossoming Leaf jasmine tea. The tea starts as a bud...a little ball of green tea that is hand sewn and contains a jasmine bloom in the middle. Add hot water and eventually the bud blossoms into a beautiful, drinkable work of art, right in your teacup. And as Dolly noted, like that tea, with time and patience, we too blossom into our yoga, and hopefully into authentic selves.

How NOT to do Savasana

2007-08-14T10:26:00.000-05:00

Took a hot yoga class the other day with a teacher I've not practiced with before. Hot yoga is not my cup of tea, though I must admit I don't loathe it like I used to. I guess running in 95-degree heat and practicing in at least 80, 85-degree heat has finally enabled me to acclimate. But in my heart, I'm a Power Vin girl all the way.

So why was I in hot yoga, then? My sister-in-law wanted to take a hot class (she's a Bikram girl), her first after giving birth two months ago, so who am I not to indulge her? Though I will admit at one point, as we were lying on our mats between Locust/Bow, and I (like the sweat machine that I am) literally dripped sweat in the most inelegant manner, looked over and made eye contact with my rosy-cheeked, slightly perspiring sister-in-law, and promptly, discreetly, flipped her my own little bird of paradise. Not very yogic. But she took it in stride. My altruism doesn't last long, I suppose. But I digress.

Sweat and all, the class is an enjoyable one. The teacher has a nice tone, good cadence, great music. Yes, it is hot as ****...at one point I swear the thermometer was almost 100 degrees...but still, I'm liking it. Until we get to Savasana. We have 15 minutes left and she brings us down to our mats. I'm thinking, great, some good, deep floorwork. I'm as warm as I'll ever get, so let's do it, people! I'm ready for Splits, Pigeon, whatever. She prompts us to lay down on our backs and get comfortable. I'm waiting. No more instruction is coming. So I go into Shoulderstand, Plow, the usual, thinking, why are we already doing this? Then she says something like, "It's 12:00, we have 15 minutes for a good, long rest." What?????

OK. Number one, when we're paying for 90 minutes, we expect 90 minutes in the right proportion. Number two...oh, you're going to love this. So here's what happens next:

I wrap my mind around this "freestyle" Savasana this woman has just intentionally or unintentionally presented. I get comfy. I'm flat out. She turns the fans on and sprays some herbal mist which is lovely. I'm thinking that since it's a small class and there's all this time, we're going to get extra love...a foot rub, neck rub, a chant, hell if I know. Something to justify losing floor time and having too much relaxation time.

Instead, here's what went down: the teacher starts picking up the straps she had plopped by everyone's mat, which she never mandatorily employed in the practice anyway, so why bother? Not that big a deal, except she's not quiet about it, and the straps have metal D-rings on them so they jingle. OK. This is really starting to piss me off. I've been told I have 15 minutes to relax, but teach is going to use it as clean up the studio time? All of a sudden I hear more rustling, walking, movement. I finally give up. I open my eyes and look around, and everyone has rolled up their mats and they are gone! The teacher is putzing around near the sound system and my sister-in-law is looking at me. WTF? We had no closure, no OM, no Namaste, no nothing. Her lack of commitment to seeing the class through to the end, her open-ended Savasana ended up killing an otherwise nice practice. There was absolutely no respect for us as students, with all the moving around. And I was really surprised that she didn't even say thank you or a formal goodbye.

And so the moral of the story is this: Savasana is sacred. If you can't do it right, just don't do it at all. Oh, and this: class should have a definite beginning and end, at minimum. If you aren't into sutras, chanting, and all that, fine. Just sit on your mat, smile, and say thank you for coming. Even that is better than some nebulous, freeform, leave-when-you-want, half-assed Savasana.

OK. I'm done. Don't mean to be so blatantly honest about it, but it was such a shame after a pretty good practice.

Being Present

2007-08-02T16:53:00.000-05:00

It's taken some time, but I'm starting to not be so shocked when a concept is stuck in my head, and it shows up in yoga, or when I especially need some words of affirmation, and they come to me through yoga. For some time, I've been taken by surprise when these uncanny "coincidences" have occurred—but now I know they are not coincidental at all. Strip it all down, and it's Law of Attraction, plain and simple. That's what I think, at least.

And what's the point of all this? Well, lately I've had a very hard time focusing on the present because I have a couple dates on the calendar occupying my mind. One is short-term, the other is months away. I've been so hung up on these dates, looking forward to them, that they've begun to play with my mind to the point that I've lost clarity to a certain degree. Nothing crazy, but in a way, I'm living a half-life, kind of holding my breath in anticipation, which really is not good with months to go.

So I head out for yoga this morning. Greg is teaching for Dolly, and his sutra, though I've heard it before from Dolly (and he acknowledged that it came from her in class) is about presence, the very thin line between NOWHERE and NOW HERE. Loved it! It was what I needed to hear, even if I know this. Because that future date in my head is really still nowhere, but I am in the now, here. And I need to keep that at the forefront of my thoughts in order to maintain mental equanimity, to enjoy the here and now while still keeping my eye on the prize, as a friend recently put it.

That future date may never come to fruition (though you can bet I'll be thinking Law of Attraction, Law of Attraction, Law of Attraction, Law of Attraction from now til then). But I can count myself blessed for today, breathe in this glorious summer, and just roll with it. Be here. Enjoy now. I've been struggling with this concept quite a bit, so forgive me for revisiting it again. It's hard for a Type A girl. But I'm remembering. And when I forget, the universe gently reminds me.

Simple, Effective Sequencing

2007-07-26T11:57:00.000-05:00

Took Greg's class today and wanted to write a couple thoughts about it. Without going into detail about Greg's sutra regarding presence (which was very good!), he designed our practice to invoke both a mental and physical challenge in order to help us stay in the present, to focus.

Greg had us do a series of five-rep Sun Sal A's, with different standing balances or deep stretches with longer holds in between. It was a very simple, but very gratifying practice. We even did one five-rep Sun Sal A set with our eyes closed...a little experiment we played with in yoga teacher training that most definitely keeps you from being anywhere but in the present moment.

For sequence-challenged teachers like me, this was an eye-opening class (thank you, Greg!). I tend to take mostly advanced classes, and often, there's a lot of complicated sequencing going on, which is extremely intimidating for a new teacher (or a chicken like me who's been sticking to kids). This class brought us back to basics, and while it wasn't the sweatfest I'm usually up for (and always in need of), it did let me explore some deep hip openings, which I just love. So on one level, as a student, it was challenging in its own way, yet from the teaching perspective, it was simple, fluster-free content.

We also had a lot of silence in class, too, which I think added to the experience. Silence really heightens the challenge of sitting with sensation in deep hip-opening holds. I feel like it forces introspection as well, because you are even more aware of your wandering mind in silence, so as soon as that happens or you begin fighting the sensation, you can come back to your breath, and hopefully, sit a little longer.

Great class, Greg. I liked it very much!

Update from the Dolly-Lama

2007-07-24T15:27:00.001-05:00

Our very favorite yoga guru has checked in from her summer sabbatical...she's loving it! Here she is in Dancer...damn! Do your thing, mama! How could one not be inspired by this amazing landscape?

PS: Glad you're having fun Dolly. We miss you!

Krisnamacharya Yoga Film 1938 (silent)

2007-07-19T21:34:00.001-05:00

Check it out...pretty cool:

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 6, Module 3

2007-06-26T20:35:00.000-05:00

It's official...well, after some paperwork it will be completely official...but I finally completed my 200-hour certification to become a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with the Yoga Alliance. I really can't believe I actually did it! Crazy!

Congratulations to all my classmates in training...we did it! Woo hoo!

So today's final class was all about going over what we learned about ourselves throughout this process, what we need to let go of (we each let go by writing it down and burning the paper), and what we are committing to. Dolly also took time with each of us individually to give us her feedback on our teaching yesterday, and to share her final thoughts. As usual, it was profound, emotional, and deeply gratifying. Should anyone contemplating teacher training with Dolly Stavros / Red Stone Yoga, happen across this post, I have two words: DO IT! It's an incredible experience that will forever change your view of yourself, your yoga, and of course, your teaching.

Practice today was 90 minutes, and each of us taught for seven minutes. I am so mad because Dolly taped a segment of my teaching, but for some reason, I haven't been able to pull it off my camera. This is one of the few meaningful videos I've ever shot, and I can't retrieve it! So frustrating. Can watch it on my camera, but wanted to post it as well. But I'm afraid it is not to be. Although I am disappointed about that, I at least had another victory that was caught on film (thanks, Christina!)...my first successful attempt at Flying Splits!!! I apologize for the crotch shot, but am so glad I could see it cause when you're practicing, you never really know if you've nailed or not until you have proof. And here it is:

Christina impressed us with a crazy Locust...she has the perfect yoga body...we're all envious:

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 5, Module 3

2007-06-25T18:58:00.001-05:00

AHHHHHHHHH! It's over with, finally!

We had to teach a full 90-minute class to another classmate today. I know my reluctance makes absolutely no sense whatsoever since I'm in yoga teacher training. It's a little silly to think that I wouldn't teach...and to not want to since this is what I signed up for is even more preposterous. So be it.

Truth is (and it's commonly known at this point, I think), I am terrified, really scared about teaching. Not that I don't think I can do it eventually. But I have horrific stage fright and nerves. I am good at sutras, talking, keeping it light, setting the scene...tunes and all that, but when it comes to stringing asanas together, I find it extraordinarily challenging. That's for two reasons:

My frame of reference is Dolly. The Dolly-lama, as we were joking about today in class. She is extraordinary. There is no other way to describe her classes. She brings it all together: the sutra, the asanas, humor, sanskrit, sequencing, music, assists, attention. Anyone who has taken a class with Dolly knows exactly what I'm talking about. So in the back of my mind, I want to recreate this experience, with my own flavor and personality, of course. But she's so mind-bogglingly good, it's frightening. And she makes it look effortless, when in truth, the reason why her classes are so good is because she does put time and herself into each and every one of them. You can feel the love.

My home practice isn't regular enough yet for me to be comfortable with my own sequencing. Sure, I can jump on my mat and rock it. But in the right order, to invoke the right openings? That's another thing entirely. And 90 minutes is a long time to wing it. So I need to commit to a regular home practice. I know the results will be rewarding (more about that in a second).

Overall, I was actually very pleased with my teaching today, and my student gave me good feedback. I do know teaching the kids has helped me quite a bit in this regard...the nerves haven't been as prevalent. Last night, after coming home from class, going for a walk/run with the dog, a martini, dinner, a beer, and a lovely phone conversation with an equally lovely human being, I was inspired. At midnight, I cranked up The Cult (Electric), got on my mat, and started moving and writing. The result was a pleasing sequence, I think. And even though I finished five minutes early, for me, it was a huge victory. I'm thinking, I might be able to seriously do this one day—and enjoy it. That would be so cool. I would really love to be able to report to work in yoga clothes, crank some hot music, and just flow. How cool would that be?

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 4, Module 3

2007-06-24T19:32:00.000-05:00

Today...partner yoga. Lots of fun! View Partner Yoga Photos

We also watched ourselves on video—Dolly taped each of us teaching a 10 minute segment of class yesterday—that was not so fun, but a great learning experience.

No time to write more, as I have procrastinated sequencing the 90-minute class I am supposed to teach tomorrow to this late date. I am completely petrified. Wish me luck...I'm going to need it!

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 3, Module 3

2007-06-23T16:58:00.000-05:00

From today...Christina, Melody, and me playing with Scorpion...

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 2, Module 3

2007-06-22T19:05:00.000-05:00

Although this morning started off a little nerve wracking for me, overall class was very informative and our practice rocked. So why the rough start?

Silence. And meditation.

I'm trying to get into meditation, but it's proving to be quite a feat. This morning when we walked in the studio door, we observed a period of sacred silence. That was OK. We could still smile a hello to each other, and it didn't feel oppressive. After we all arrived, Dolly rang the tingsha, and we meditated in complete silence for 16 minutes? 20 minutes? I can't remember. It felt like an eternity. Despite the fact that it was morning and I was awake and ready to go, I couldn't quiet my mind for anything. I kept hearing the U2 song I had been listening to on the way in. I was thinking that my knee wasn't quite comfortable. I fidgeted. I thought about sex. Wondered how long we'd been meditating. Was wishing I could just hear that tingsha again already!

Eventually the tingsha did ring, and we discussed the experience. I hate sounding negative, but there was nothing positive for me about it. It's excruciating. I was telling the class that as a Greek, silence is really not possible. There's always noise, always has been noise. Someone is always yelling, complaining, laughing, watching TV, clinking dishes around or gabbing on the phone. We lead a very noisy existence. You'd think I'd appreciate the reprieve, but honestly about the only time I want semi-silence is when I'm writing. Otherwise, the silence is deafening. And maddening. And being still and silent? I've found a new way to torture a Greek.

Moving on.

Practice today was heaven again. I really enjoyed it. We did a mandala (sacred circle) style vinyasa flow, in which we turned to face different sides of the studio (creating a circle) while going through a flow of postures. I especially liked the practice not only because it was a typical sweat-inducing vinyasa class, but because we ran through poses like Warrior II, Side Angle, Triangle, Standing Splits, Half Moon, Pigeon, Sundial, and Wide-Legged Forward Folds...some of my faves. There were lots of nice twists and Chaturanga holds, which are totally my cup of tea. By the time we hit Savasana, I was drenched, whipped, and happy. THAT'S what I'm talking about. Good fun. Dolly has actually incorporated some mandala flow into her classes before, I just never knew that that's what we were doing. And that's the beauty of vinyasa yoga...it is unrestrained, and therefore the sequencing and experiences one can create are endless. It is art as yoga.

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 1, Module 3

2007-06-21T19:26:00.000-05:00

Back in class again...really cool to see my yoga friends and Dolly. Today in class we discussed meditation, women's issues like pregnancy and menstruation (and how one's practice is affected by these states), and our greatest challenge as yoga teachers.

Practice was deep stretch for 90 minutes. It was heaven. And since I haven't practiced for a month-and-a-half, it was a great way to ease back in. I did pigeon on both sides for the first time since March, I think, and it felt incredible...knees have held up! Of course, I've iced and Alleved, and hopefully they won't be screaming at me tomorrow. I pray. If not, that's a great sign. But I've decided that I'm going to resume my regular practice with modifications as necessary. Knees, actually, just my left knee, is not as bad as it was, but not getting to 100% despite so much time off. So I'm going to just listen to my body and take it from there. But even if it begins to act up again, I've got to start a serious home practice. As Greg pointed out today, I've got to show up, even for just 15 minutes a day. Imagine if I had been working splits or Pincha Mayurasana or Mountain Climber for just 15 minutes a day for the last month. I'd be a hell of a lot further along than I am now. There's no reason why I can't show up for 15 or 20 minutes. Period.

I have to sit still? For 10 minutes? Oy vey.
So on to the real challenge of the day for me: meditation. We talked a lot about it and I've tried it before, but have never been a big fan. We sat this morning for seven minutes, and that went well for me. We sat again for 10 minutes before finishing up around 5:00pm, and it was a different experience. My back was tired, my legs were tired, and I kept falling asleep. I was more fidgety than in our morning meditation and my thoughts were way more pervasive. What I gathered from this is that if I decided to add this to my list of things to do, it has to be in the morning. In the past when I've meditated at home, it has always been for about 10 minutes in the morning. Honestly, I think that might be enough time for mindfulness for me. It centers me and I wouldn't dread committing to just 10 minutes. I don't know...we'll see how the rest of the week goes.

I know the point of yoga is really to get inside, to get to the meditation, but for a very active person like myself, the sitting is actually torture. Apparently I have a long way to go in this department. But why can't I sit and meditate when I'm old? (OK, I mean really old!) I almost feel too alive to do it now. I can't explain it. I know I'm probably breaking some cardinal school of thought by saying these things, but right now, it just doesn't speak to me. Though I don't think this is a permanent feeling. I could eventually see myself picking it up. But at this point in my life, I feel like a caged tiger that's just been returned to the wild. Not really ready to be still. Not yet.

I REALLY Miss Yoga

2007-06-13T19:42:00.001-05:00

Dude, this sucks. Boy, was that eloquent for an English major or what?

Still on the bench. Still no yoga. But my last module of yoga teacher training hits next week, so I'll get back to it full-on, and I can't wait. Have to modify, of course, but that's cool. I just really need yoga. Before the hedonist in me totally takes over. And I lose my splits!

On the Bench

2007-05-29T20:52:00.000-05:00

Folks, it's bad knee time again. Well, not bad, but not progressing. You know what that means: no yoga. Right when I likely need it the most. So...no yoga, no yoga blogs. Unless, of course, the kids do something really profound (I am still teaching them about every other week). I have to give my knees a rest in order to be able to complete my last yoga teacher training module in late June.

The only good thing that's come out of all this knee bulls*** is I've been hardcore on the upper body/ab workouts. The result? I'm getting at least three sets of five-to-seven pull ups. This coming from the girl who couldn't do a single unassisted pull up a couple months ago. I'm hoping by the end of summer, I can get three sets of ten. You'd think I just won the Pulitzer or something. Sure, it's trivial, but when your life is blowing up and you have some little victory, some progress, you're just elated. So, I'm hoping with all this upper body/core work, when I finally do get back to yoga, I can rock forearm balances and handstands. Away from the wall. One can dream, right?

Funny: the very things I've hated upon first attempt are the very things I most look forward to trying again and again. Because I've forced myself into the challenge. And it turns out I like it. (It feels like I've written this before. If I have, forgive me. It's just so surprising, all this "forcing" myself into uncomfortable situations. So not me. Well, used to not be me.)

No yoga sucks, it really does. I miss class, I miss Rachel from Cuba (even if I hardly know her...I love to hear her talk, and she's the other person in class—unfortunately for her—with bum knees, so we keep tabs on each other), and I miss, more than anything, my precious time with Dolly.

I'm not sure why I've been benched at this particular time in my life, but I suspect it might have something to do with the need for a slower pace and introspection. I've done a lot of soul searching the last six months—no doubt yoga has had an influence there. I've learned to be more in the present, and as such, I'm having to evaluate where I am each day on that day. Not a month in advance. See, you can't plan your practice a month a time when your knees are screwed up. Just when I thought it was safe to start adding classes to my calendar for June, the knees flare up, and, well, that's why when it comes to my calendar, I write in pencil.

So, I've got no choice but to just chill. Sit back and evaluate. Take stock. Be glad for what I have right here, right now. Worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. Know that it will work when it is supposed to.

Yoga Moms

2007-05-23T07:10:00.000-05:00

Subbed a kids yoga class yesterday at a new studio on a tony side of town. Here's what I learned:

Teaching more than three kids at a time is a hell of a challenge (I might have had 12 in class)—I could've used a yoga class (or a martini) to soothe my nerves after that! They are fun and all over the place. Ages 4-10, I think they were, and all with different levels of attention and yoga aptitude.
You can't stop demoing yoga asanas with a group this big and with so many age levels. As soon as you stop, they stop. If you want them to flow, you must demo. Makes it hard to assist.
There are Moms, Soccer Moms, Stage Moms, and Yoga Moms. The Yoga Moms are a different breed from these other moms, though they share similarities with the Soccer Moms, I'm guessing. Since I'm not a mom, I don't have regular experiences with these women, but let me just say this: Yoga Moms are toned, tanned, and at least for appearances' sake, totally together. You won't see them frazzled, dragging themselves around in shorts, their husband's t-shirt, and flip flops. No, the Yoga Moms are pedicured, manicured, pressed, primed, primped and plumped to sheer and utter perfection. I've never seen anything like it. I looked at the studio owner yesterday as one mom rolled in, and while watching her and her girls make their way to the door, all I could say was, She gave birth to those kids? There was no evidence of childbirth on the woman. Amazing.

The Enlightenment Card (and it ain't from Hallmark...)

2007-05-16T07:14:00.000-05:00

I've definitely, definitely seen it all now...though I have to say, the Enlightenment Card is tempting (yeah, I need another credit card like I need another handbag). It just looks so cool!

I'm totally serious, people! This is a bona fide credit card...here's a blurb about it from the site:

"The Enlightenment Visa Reward Card was founded on the idea that money is energy and if used with positive and integrative intention, can have the power to affect change in our lives and the world. Everyone uses a credit card, so why not have one where people can earn points towards positive products and services that enhances their overall conscious life? Some of the categories of rewards you can earn points toward are: Travel, Retreats + Workshops, Yoga Classes, Organic Products, Holistic Spa Treatments, Books + DVDs, Merchandise, or use your points to donate to a charity."

This just in...

2007-05-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

Yogitoes is finally producing Skidless mat towels in earth tones (Moss, Stone, Sand, and Loam)! They're lovely!

More Unique Mats

2007-05-09T20:53:00.000-05:00

It's so nice to see more creativity going into the production of yoga mats. To me, mats are not only tools to help in one's practice, they are yet another way to express personal style.

Here are more fun mats I found online—be sure to see my post, Get Your Crow Flying with Cheeky Yoga Gear, for other unique mats as well.

Buddha

Tiger Print (Extra Thick)

Blue Zebra (Extra Thick)

Island Palm (Extra Thick)

Chocolate Brown Non-PVC

Fusion

2007-05-08T18:30:00.000-05:00

I believe the new trend in yoga is fusion:

Pilates + Yoga = Pi-Yo
Martial Arts + Yoga = Budokon
Yoga + Chocolate = Splurge Without Guilt...

The reason why I point this out is lately, every other article I read about yoga is about yoga combined with something else, be it another person, animal, place, or thing. Well, I recently took a new fusion-type yoga class at at a great new studio: Laughing Buddha. This particular class fuses yoga and weights, so the class is half Vinyasa, a quarter yoga moves with 3, 5, 8, or 12 pound dumbbells in hand for sculpting, and a quarter deep stretch. Now I'm sure this class will raise eyebrows amongst the purists, but I thought it ROCKED! The teacher (Dawn) was awesome, the music was uptempo, and the weights provided a great upper body workout. It was my two favorite things in one! It's nice to have this class available as an option if you're looking for more of a strength-building yoga experience.

And Laughing Buddha is lovely. Although there is only one studio, it has soaring ceilings, lots of light, floor-length mirrors, a gorgeous and spacious locker room/bathroom/shower area, and best of all recirculating, purified air. A thoroughly modern and urban yoga experience. Very cool, I think.

Ting! All About the Tingsha

2007-05-03T18:27:00.000-05:00

Recently in yoga teacher training, I got to use Dolly's tingsha (which I so eloquently referred to in class as the "dingy things") to close out a chant before class. Lots of people in class were interested in the tingsha and where to get some. There are scores of them online—Zanzibar Trading has an interesting array.

For those who are curious, here's a little more about these lovely little cymbals...

The following text was borrowed from Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_tingsha_bells

History of the Tingsha
Tibetan tingsha are small cymbals used in prayer and rituals by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. Two cymbals are joined together by a leather strap or chain. The cymbals are struck together producing a clear and high pitched tone. Typical sizes range from 2.5" - 4" diameter. Tingsha are very thick and produce a unique long ringing tone. Antiques were made from special bronze alloys that produce harmonic overtones.

In high quality tingsha, both cymbals will match—the tone is identical or nearly identical. Most tingsha, however, are not perfectly matched so each produces a distinctly different tone. This is due to modern manufacturing processes in which many tingsha are produced at the same time and then poorly matched.

Fine quality examples of antiques or the rare pair of carefully matched new tingsha will sound identical.

Antique tingsha are rare and quite expensive. Sometimes two cymbals that do not match are paired together. Single cymbals are often sold with a bone or piece of wood attached, so the instrument is still functional even though the mating cymbal has been lost.

Tingsha are unique in form and function and distinctly different from Indian, Nepali, Chinese, Turkish or other cymbals.

Today, tingsha are used along with singing bowls and other instruments in meditation, music and sound healing. Artists such as Karma Moffett and Joseph Feinstein use multiple pairs of antique tingsha together to create a sonic tapestry effect.

Traditionally, however, tingsha are used as part of specific Tibetan rituals, such as offerings to "hungry ghosts." While they are commonly found today in musical recordings and yoga classes, their real function is as a religious ritual tool.

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 6, Module 2

2007-05-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

Today was the final day of our second module of yoga teacher training—I can't believe I made it through without completely killing my knees! That's awesome. Although I know practicing this week set me back in the progress I had made in healing my knees, at least they aren't worse.

God, what can I say about teacher training that would adequately capture the spirit of the class and the people in it? It's a profound experience to face your fears and actually feel progress in overcoming them. It feels incredible when you're able to nail two or three asanas you weren't previously able to achieve. It's awesome when you're able to remember more Sanskrit names, when you can chant in Sanskrit even when you can't hold a tune, when you can OM in a room full of people and not be afraid to hear only the sound of your voice.

And the people. The people! We come in as strangers and leave as friends. Real friends. There is safety, a bond, a camaraderie that lifts your heart and makes you feel like there's nothing you can't achieve. It's the most nurturing environment I've ever been in, and it's all because of one special, illuminated soul: Dolly. I tell you, when you have yoga, when you have the kind of atmosphere and spirit Dolly creates, you open up and find yourself more real, more raw than you have in years. I'm always so surprised when I find myself in tears in class (though I should be used to it by now)—but something about the energy in the room just sort of forces all these emotions in me to the surface and I physically cannot hold them back. Before we left today, Dolly gave each of us a huge hug and kiss on the cheek, and I just wept because, I told her, I knew I was going to have to go back to my life, and I didn't want to. After being in such a safe environment for six days, where you can do virtually no wrong, it's scary to think about going back home, dealing with reality, with bills and broken relationships and baggage.

As I come out of this cocoon, at least I know that I have done my best, that I am a little less afraid of teaching, that I have put myself out there and survived, and am stronger for it. And that I always have my yoga. When things get tough, I know I can get on my mat and flow and reconnect to the real me. And in the end, that is all I have that I can truly call my own.

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 5, Module 2

2007-04-30T19:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know but I've been told,
I don't know but I've been told,
Yoga is good for your soul,
Yoga is good for your soul,
Sound off,
Sound off,
1,2,
1,2,
3,4,
3,4,
1,2,3,4,
1,2,3,4!

Now how does that made-up yoga marching drill fit into to our class today? I'll tell ya. I was the drill sergeant, and my classmates were the unfortunate victims of my five-minute yoga bootcamp! That was one of the "chants" we sang call-and-response style during my five minutes of ruling the world as a domineering drill sergeant. (I know, I know...for those of you that know me, it really isn't a far stretch! I've been accused of being Ms. Bossy Britches more than once.)

Anyway. I'm sure you're thinking, Yoga bootcamp? What the hell? So here's how it all went down...

To make a point about the importance of vibrancy and personality in teaching, Dolly had all of us teach a five minute segment of class as anyone but ourselves. We could be a bigger, louder version of ourselves, or some other character completely. All we had to do was focus on being the personality while teaching whatever asanas came to our heads. The sequence or screwing up didn't matter. Dolly called us up at random and we had to work with the students in whatever position they were in when the person before you finished.

It was a terrifying, wild, hysterical experience! We had an Aussie explorer and a Scotsman, a Rastafarian and a valley girl, a hippie, a girl with multiple personalities, a New Yorka, and more. Even though I am totally not an actress and not into being the center of attention, there was a certain sense of freedom in being able to teach as someone else. I was scared sh*tless, but I have to admit that it was kind of fun being able to scream at everyone and order them around like a drill sergeant! Drop and give me a chaturanga, people! It was an interesting exercise, to say the least. I think we all got a lot of insight into the "performance" aspect of teaching.

Practicing at the Wall
For our group practice, we worked at the wall for an hour and a half. Dolly showed us shoulder openers and ways to do Triangle, Half Moon, and several other asanas at the wall to allow deeper stretches, openings, and twists. It enabled us to see how with a small class, or with beginners, for example, you could leverage the wall to allow them to really feel a posture without having to focus on balancing. It was also great because I'm sure I wasn't the only one super sore in the lower back from working on Forearm Balances and Scorpion. Working at the wall was still a challenge, but at least it wasn't the typical highly active Power Vinyasa practice. I don't think I could've mustered another Up Dog even if someone paid me to do it.

Don't judge a book by its cover...will I ever learn this?
Today we read a homework assignment in which we were supposed to write a paper from our 85-year-old selves to ourselves now. Many of the papers were tear-jerkers, and I was completely taken aback by the eloquence of Melody's paper. I just never expected to hear such great writing and storytelling from her, such depth and emotion. This is not the first misinterpretation about a person I've had this week. I've gotten to know Adrienne a little bit, and the more I talked to her, the more surprised I was to find that my original impression of her was totally, completely off. But I never would have known if I hadn't taken the opportunity to get to know her, to begin to scratch the surface of who Adrienne is.

I definitely have a tendency to make snap judgements about people and based on my perception, and often dismiss the thought of even getting to know them. Now I see why I have so few friends. Instead of looking for 100% like-minded people, or basing my level of interest in a person on the way they look, I should be more open to getting to know others and appreciating their individual personalities. At minimum, I should at least work on opening myself up to the idea that so many people have something to offer. This is yoga off the mat—this soul searching, this dissection of oneself. It might take months or years, but yoga really does seep into your life in the best ways if you just let it. I think that in the long run, I'll be a less judgmental, more compassionate, connected person because of yoga.

PS: Snaps from today at lunch...we've been blessed with glorious weather so we've been lunching on the lawn outside the studio.

Marge and Rashida

Kelley and Juliana
(with an empty Camille's pastry bag after our cookie run!)

Adriennne

Marcia and me

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 4, Module 2

2007-04-29T20:10:00.000-05:00

Today was another totally fun day in class. We worked on inversions (see list below for links to photos) and even though I can't do any of them away from the wall at this point, I'm totally fascinated by them. I've gone from a complete lack of confidence (even lack of belief) that I could ever even muster the courage and strength to do handstand at the wall to being able to confidently flip up. For me, that's huge. I used to really hate inversions and arm balances, but for some reason now, I'm obsessed with nailing them. And I'm starting to feel a little more control, a little more knowledge about the amount of momentum I need to get my legs up over my head without going all the way over.

Today, we worked on:

Inversions are tough for most people because the not only require some decent upper body strength, they also require mental fortitude. Being upside down and off balance is a pretty scary thing, especially when your face is inches from the ground. Pincha Mayurasana is an especially difficult and frightening inversion for beginners, so Dolly showed us how to safely roll out of Pincha Mayurasana if we feel like we're about to go over. Check out how she does this in the video below. Greg also gave it a whirl, with Dolly's assistance.

Dolly Demos Forearm Balance Roll Out on Vimeo

Greg's Forearm Balance Rollout on Vimeo

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 3, Module 2

2007-04-28T21:15:00.000-05:00

Wooo hooo! ARM BALANCES!!!!

Damn, my knees are sore, my wrists are sore, and my elbows are sore, but focusing on arm balances today was so much fun. We worked on Crow, Mountain Climber (see video below), Firefly, a half Crow/half Firefly posture and several others as well. I managed Firefly for the first time, then Mountain Climber on my own at home after class. So cool...it just made my night!

I'm spent...but here are a couple videos of Dolly's mad skills...she's really something else:

Dolly Demos Mountain Climber on Vimeo

Dolly Demos Full Locust on Vimeo

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 2, Module 2

2007-04-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that every day that I show up to teacher training and am told I'm going to have to teach, I silently wish I was anywhere else in the world but in that classroom. Not because I don't love what I get from the class and from Dolly—the classes and her teachings, guidance, examples, and ideas are phenomenal. My yoga practice is forever changed (for the better, I hope) as a result of this experience. But teaching yoga is tough for me. It really is. I have to not only get over my fear of public speaking, I have to think on my feet, sequence the class in a way that accommodates and prevents injury; I have to inspire, challenge, and relax my students; cue breath, postures, and movements; be able to demo what I am teaching; watch the timing of each segment of the class; and find music that goes with the flow of the practice. It's the ultimate multi-tasking endeavor, and I thought I was the ultimate multi-tasker! 'Til yoga, that is.

But then something wonderful happens.

Because I've paid to learn this stuff, I have to stay there and get through it. And somehow I do. And then I feel an amazing sense of accomplishment, not necessarily because I aced the exam, so-to-speak, but because I completed the exam without tears, without seizing up, without complete failure. And that feels really good! Today I taught my first 60-minute class to my class partner Kelly, and although my sequence was a bit short, I got through it with no nerves, no major screw-ups, and some pretty positive feedback. Plus, Kelly is about three-to-four months pregnant, so getting the sequencing right for her situation was even more important...there's a baby in there counting on Kelly and me for a smooth, safe practice!

Day 2 Highlights
Quick highlights because even though the time stamp on this blog is early, by the time I've cooked, written, unloaded the dishwasher, written, and did ten other things while writing, it's now 10:40pm, and I've got to get to bed.

Pranayama (breathing) exercises—We went through several today, but my very favorite new breathing exercise is Bumblebee Breath (Bhramari). The beauty of this exercise is the wonderful vibrations it creates when you have a big group doing it. It has the same effect as an OM, yet is less intimidating. Basically, you inhale, then while exhaling, you hum. In our practice today, we did Bhramari with a class of about 20-25 people. The sound was amazing! Then at the end of the day, we sat back-to-back with our class partner and did it again, this time feeling the vibration and connection to our partners through our backs as well. Such a cool sound and feeling. I can't wait to introduce this in my own future classes.
In-depth assists—There are many of us in class who are afraid of assists, afraid to put our hands on people, whether it's because we don't want to hurt anyone, don't know what to do, or just don't want to touch anyone. Dolly showed us assists for many popular asanas, and we practiced each one with our partner. It helped me immeasurably. I'm really beginning to feel my fear of being in close proximity to strange bodies starting to melt away. I feel sorry for the people who assist me in practice, however. I'm such a profuse sweater...there's just nothing I can do about it. When I'm in a room that's 85 degrees, and I'm doing my seventh vinyasa with Chaturanga, and my heart is pumping, I just drip sweat. Poor Dolly comes by to assist or deepen a stretch, and I'm slicked down like a greased pig! But I digress...
Christina's Yama/Niyama paper—We had to write a one-page paper about the yama and niyama that is most prevalent in our lives now. Christina wrote about how years ago, she studied yoga and really wanted to teach, so she auditioned for a teaching position, and the studio owner she auditioned for told her she should consider doing something else! After that, Christina said she quit practicing yoga for two years, and hated the thought of it. Who could blame her? Eventually, she forced herself back into a class, fear, hatred, and all, and started practicing again, and is now teaching and working on her certification. I was just stunned by her paper, by the resolve it takes to be shot down while pursuing your dream, then find the strength to believe in yourself enough to keep trying. To see Christina practice...I don't know how on earth anyone could have told her she shouldn't teach because she has a beautiful practice and a lot of grace. I know nothing about Christina, outside of what she has shared in class, but I do know this: She is my hero. What she's overcome takes a hell of a lot of courage. Bravery of the big, brass kind. Good for her!

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 1, Module 2

2007-04-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

I made it through day one of my second yoga teacher training module...and the knees are feeling OK! Of course, I iced them in and after class, and I pulled way back in my practice, but who cares! If I can just make it through the next five days and not injure them further, I'm golden. A few more weeks off and I think they'll be back to normal.

It's so nice to be back to yoga and to practice with Dolly. Personally, I've missed her and yoga, but now that I'm teaching the kids, practicing is more important than ever—I've got to be able to bring them a fresh and interesting class every other week, and it's hard when you're a new teacher and not practicing or being exposed to new ideas in the interim.

I was thinking today while in class that I'm so glad I decided to just jump in and start teaching the kids with no experience. Even teaching my tiny classes has helped me immeasurably in teacher training exercises. I feel much more confident and teaching is just a teensy bit easier. And chanting and OMs...I could almost care less if I suck or not. Because I know life goes on with or without my shaky OM, and that is a great feeling. I really owe my progress (at least mentally) to the kids. They've given me the freedom to explore my teacher side and put myself out there without fear of judgment. I've also had to face my own fears doing inversions in yoga in order to show them asanas that channel their energy and keep them engaged. That's not to say that I've even come close to mastering handstand or Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance)...BUT...there was a time that I couldn't even do handstand at the wall. So I am making progress as well, and that always feels good.

Now that I'm back in yoga after having been off for the first time since I got into it last year, it has become more obvious than ever that I found yoga at exactly the time in my life when I would need it most, when its effects could be most profoundly realized. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder—and it does—I've missed the cathartic feeling of a good practice like crazy. But absence from yoga also makes the heart grow colder. I've noticed (and I'm sure the people closest to me have noticed) that these weeks away from my practice have yielded a bitter, complaining, self-absorbed person. The attitude change certainly isn't without reason, for there are myriad. However, now that I've practiced a few times in the last week, I can see that yoga is a gift that has arrived at my doorstep just in time, as I am preparing to act upon some pretty damn big decisions in my life, and the one thing I know will keep me sane through all of it is yoga. It levels me out physically, and the ethical guidelines of yoga make me a more spiritual, more conscientious person. I can see now that finding yoga when I did has opened up a new path in my life that I never, ever foresaw—and definitely wasn't making plans for. Now if I can just continue going with the flow, not cowering in the face of fear, I know I will find myself in a new place brimming with contentment and possibility.

It takes courage to change a routine, to evaluate, to question, to do the thing that is not the norm. I've been going with the motions for years. I think I'm finally finding the courage I need to look at my life and make it what I really want it to be. It's scary and exciting at the same time—the thought of taking a huge risk is utterly terrifying to me. But you know what? It's my life. And it's high time I lived it.

Yoga + Wine

2007-04-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon was the second weekend of David Romanelli's "Yoga + Chocolate" weekend—but we did a yoga + wine session (which I loved...Dave offers separate Yoga + Chocolate and Yoga + Wine workshops, so getting a little of both in one weekend is a deal in my opinion!)

Much like his Yoga+ Chocolate workshop, Dave teamed up with Angela Gargano, a yoga instructor and wine connoisseur, to create a multi-sensory experience that features carefully selected wines, Vinyasa flow yoga, and music. A lot of people have asked (er, b*tched): Yoga and wine? Isn't that a philosophical contradiction? Dave started our class by recounting the backlash his new idea generated in the hardcore yoga world. You can get a sense of what both camps had to say about in the 2006 article, "The Days of Wine and Yoga," by Cindy Price of The New York Times.

Old-School Devotees vs. Modern Yogis
So let me make a little sidebar commentary here. Yoga people, I've discovered, generally fall into two categories: The Old-School Devotees and The Modern Yogis. The irony of the division between these two ideologies is that The Old-School Devotees, who are supposed to be practicing ahimsa and all that, are the first to sling insults and cast judgments when The Modern Yogis stay true to themselves, whether that means NOT being vegetarian, indulging in wine, or enjoying food and leather and fashion, etc. I find it very interesting that The Modern Yogis' mantra tends to be "it's all good," and, present company included, tend to commend The Old-School Devotees for their ability to commit 100% to yogic principles and tradition. But I've yet to feel like Modern Yogis are respected in the same fashion by their Old-School counterparts. It's an interesting dichotomy.

Block Party
So back to yoga and wine...like the night before, we sampled a lovely Ravenswood Zinfandel at the beginning of class, did a heart-pounding 90-minute Vinyasa practice, then sampled another wine at the end of class—a fabulous Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (my fave) by Block 13. With each tasting, Dave told us a little about the type of grape, weather, and process required to create the wines we were drinking. It was excellent for wine newbies, and interesting even for those who have some knowledge of wines.

Dave also touched again on the importance of enjoying each moment in life, and that when you want to "etch a moment in your memory," you have to experience it with all your senses. He's right...we all know that many of our most vibrant memories are conjured up by a visual connected to a sound, scent, or taste. The smell of basil always makes me think of my grandmother—she always had it growing outside the front of her home.

After class, those who wanted to stay for a full glass of either the Zin or Pinot Noir were invited to do so. I did have a full glass of the Pinot and met some new friends in the class—who were actually totally new to yoga as well. I tend to stick to myself unless someone engages me in conversation, but this environment makes it easy to get to know a stranger, as there are already two things you know you have in common with the person on the mat next to you: yoga and wine. Pretty cool, I think.

Yoga + Chocolate = Mmmmmmmm...

2007-04-21T07:06:00.000-05:00

Attended the first session of David Romanelli's "Yoga + Chocolate" weekend last night. David and friend Katrina Markoff, of Vosges Haut Chocolat, combined their loves to create a multi-sensory experience featuring exotic chocolates, Vinyasa flow yoga, music, and fun. Judging from the first night, it's an experience I highly recommend.

So how does David bring this all together?
He started class with everyone lying down on their backs and began with a story about how he came to yoga and how yoga + chocolate was born. He talked about how important it is to be in the moment, how being in the moment allows you to fully experience life using all your senses.

Then we sat up, sampled a Oaxaca truffle, which he described, and we began our 90-minute practice. This is the first time I've practiced in a month because of my knees (left knee STILL isn't right, right knee seems to be OK). It felt so good to finally practice again, and even though I really modified on my left side, I still got a lot out of it. David's mix of music was extremely interesting, and I enjoyed it even if I wouldn't necessarily have picked some of the songs myself. As a teacher, he has a very calm presence...an excellent pace. He gave us a chance to get into each posture and fully feel it before moving on to the next one. We worked up a hell of a serious sweat doing a pretty straightforward Vinyasa practice. Nothing complex, no arm balances or anything more advanced. It's amazing how even the simple stuff can be so gratifying and challenging when fully explored. He did do some very interesting adjustments that I've never seen and can't really explain. As a teacher-in-training, I got a lot out of seeing that too.

Midway through our practice, while in a standing position, we sampled actual cocoa bean chips while holding our arms straight out to the side. As we experienced the flavor of the cocoa beans, David told us about how in the past, they were so precious they were actually used as currency. In the meantime, we're still holding our arms straight out, so we're still working, even while resting some and experiencing the sensation of cocoa chips on our tongues.

Chocolate is good. Yoga is good. Feelings are good.
Throughout class, David also spoke about love—a message which is uncannily timely for me at the moment. I can't remember the details of everything he said, but he mentioned a quote about people who take serotonin-balancing or boosting drugs like Prozac. Something about they are less likely to find and keep love because the drug evens them out, but then they never really feel all the highs and lows of love, the connection. I'm really paraphrasing, and David did not quote this with any bad intent, so I hope no one will take it that way. His whole point was that IF you want to experience love, you have to experience the pain that goes with it. Love isn't a straight path or a smooth ride, so to really get all the benefits of it, you have to fasten your seatbelt and ride it out. It's an interesting observation I think most of us forget. Love hurts, yes. Love is great too. Shutting yourself off from the depth of love to avoid the pain is just that: shutting yourself off from love.

After the rest of practice and a long savasana in which David treated all of us to a neck rub with lavender oil, we sat up and sampled a Naga truffle. By this point we were all pretty much drenched and in a bliss state, so the Naga truffle was just the icing on the cake. It was a wonderful night that fulfilled each of our five senses—which is why I think Dave's little yoga + chocolate road show has been a smashing success. Good for him and Katrina...I love innovation, and this is creativity at its finest.

PS: Can't make a future Yoga + Chocoalte weekend? Order the Yoga + Chocolate Chakra Gift Box...it's almost as good!

No Yoga, No News

2007-04-12T18:20:00.001-05:00

I've got nothing to report on the yoga front since I'm not practicing. I think one more week off will get me through my knee issues. I hope.

I am looking forward to the Yoga + Chocolate/Yoga + Wine weekend seminar I have coming up with David Romanelli. David features Vosges Haut Chocolat, which I've had before, and it is dynamite (love the Oaxaca and Naga bars—if you eat on the edge, you will like). I'll definitely blog about the seminar, so check back in a week or so. I doubt I'll be posting anything on The Yogaphile until then.

I Miss Yoga

2007-04-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

Going on week three of no yoga. I taught the kids last Saturday...the boys again...and that's all the yoga I've done. It felt really good, just the little bit of demoing I did. I really miss my yoga.

I can't decide if I should go to class in the morning or not. My body and soul need it, for sure. My legs are losing muscle with no yoga, no weights, and no cardio, and that sucks. I know what will tweak my knees further—what to avoid—but I'm wondering if another week off given that I've got hardcore yoga coming up at the end of the month is what I need.

Damn knees. Left one is still popping when I bend, but the aching has dissipated significantly. I just don't know if I can trust myself to go to class and not stress them. AHHHH! I'm so tired of sitting around doing practically nothing. Maybe I'll go to class, practice like I'm 95, and see how I feel after. Of course, that means no Pigeon (wah...I love Pigeon!), no deep Warriors or Side Angles, possibly no Utkatasana as well. What the heck do I do while everyone else is doing their thing?

Revita-Yoga? More Likely a Revita-Rip Off

2007-03-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

Not practicing yoga for a spell makes it pretty hard to come up with subject matter for a yoga blog. That stands to reason.

But just when I was about to throw my hands up, I happened upon this New York Times article:

Got Crow’s-Feet? Call the Downward Dog
By ALIX STRAUSS
Published: March 29, 2007
Revita-Yoga combines yoga and facial exercises and is billed as a way to combat frown lines, wrinkles and sagging.

Here’s a little excerpt:

“Want to sculpture and narrow your nose? Alternate breathing out of each nostril, Revita-Yoga teaches. Have crow’s-feet? Open the eyes wide to smooth the lines. As pale as the winter sky? A dose of downward dog can add color to the complexion while oxygenating the skin.”

OK. I’ve seen it all now. Let me just say this: yes, downward facing dog is great for getting a little color into your cheeks. Absolutely. But no amount of alternate nostril breathing is going to narrow my nose or any other nose on the planet. If that were the case, people would not be paying thousands of dollars to plastic surgeons for a more petite proboscis.

And opening the eyes wide to smooth crow’s feet? OK. For about a second. But then what do you do with the lines created in your forehead as a result of opening your eyes wide as saucers?

In the words of the outrageous Cindy Adams, “Only in New York, kids, only in New York.”

Yoga Retreats

2007-03-27T20:44:00.000-05:00

Now that it's spring, prime vacation time is just around the corner. The weather is warming up, flowers are beginning to bloom, and for me at least, it becomes harder and harder to stay indoors. As soon as the thermometer hits about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, I'm thinking white wine, martinis, patios, pedis, and pretty much anything completely irresponsible.

I swear, I'm going to do this one day: combine sun, sand, and good ol' summer fun with a little prudence to balance it all: yoga! If you're contemplating how to spend your vacation, here are links for ideas:

Inward Bound—Luxurious yoga retreats.
Global Yoga Journeys—Kripalu yoga vacations and retreats at Pura Vida Spa in Costa Rica, in Tuscany, Italy; Venice, Italy; and Corfu, Greece.
Via Yoga—Yoga Retreats in Sayulita, Mexico.
YogaFinder—Yoga retreat search engine.
Planning Your Dream Yoga Vacation—Yoga Journal article.

Me & The Boys

2007-03-25T20:51:00.000-05:00

Taught the kids again yesterday—supersmall class—only my two boys Bradley and Kieran were there. I don't know if that's due to the weather, reorganization of the kids classes, or what, but lately, our classes have been two-to-four kids, tops.

Winging It
Even though I only had my boys (who I think are around eight years old), we had a blast. I decided not to sequence the class beforehand, but to wing it instead. This is both a good and bad idea for a green teacher. Although I wasn't at a loss for things to do, it does allow you to be a bit more scattered, especially with kids as an audience. That's not really good for a cohesive practice, but it did work in my favor because the boys are more high energy and more difficult to have a serious practice with than the girls. Had I spent a lot of time on a sequence instead of reading the vibe that day, I would have been at a loss because the boys were fired up! A typical practice doesn't work well for them...they need constant stimulation and challenge, or they get bored.

After the boys came in and got settled, we started centering and breathing and I was totally blown away when Bradley took Guyan Mudra with his hands while sitting! I explained to him what he was doing and tried to tell him a little about his mudra, and was so glad that I had an explanation for it. He obviously had seen it before and associated it with Easy Pose, although he didn't really understand what it's about. To think that a kid under age 10 would come in class and do a hand mudra is unbelievable (if only I could have started practicing at their age).

After centering, I put my Bond, "Shine" CD on. With the weather being bright and invigorating, I wanted music that reflected this. Bradley actually said he loved the first track which I believe is the DeBeers diamond commercial track...pumped up classical. I was shocked. I didn't know what to expect when he said, "What is this music? It's CRAZY!" I was about to jerk the CD out, then he said it's "crazy" but he likes it. One point for the teacher!

I ran the boys through Surya Namaskar A and B, but with a twist or two. I added a mad dog and a flip dog in there, which they found difficult, but they were fully invested in it, and intrigued as they'd never flipped their dogs before. Bradley commented that he wanted to practice it at home, which also really took me by surprise. Kieran tends to be more centered in his practice, but Bradley really gets into the complicated asanas. He wants to be able to do them and although at times in class he may seem like he's not fully engaged, he is. He's thinking about the mechanics of certain asanas and in his head, he's coming to terms with them even if he's not fully there physically.

Since the girls weren't in class, I allowed the boys (who are friends) to be a little rowdier than I prefer. To channel their energy, we tried more challenging asanas in one practice than I would normally. The boys loved Tripod Headstand. I had them work at the wall, and they decided they didn't want to try it at the wall the second time, and both got almost fully extended on their own strength and balance on their second attempt. It was so cool to see—they were so proud of themselves. Handstand at the wall was much harder; one did get all the way up, while the other was fearful of it. It gave me a good opportunity to talk through being OK with one's abilities as they are right now.

Both boys love Crow/Crane, so we did some Crow and I showed them Side Crow, and they tried that as well. Their Crows were just absolutely effortless and lovely, and I could that tell it's their favorite asana. We closed class with a very short Savasana—it's all I can do to get them to be still, much less be still with their eyes and mouths closed. I think they might have shut their eyes for maybe 15 or 20 seconds, tops. But as they rolled their mats up, Bradley's mom peeked in and asked how class was, and Bradley responded with an enthusiastic "It was FUN!" and that was all I needed to hear to make the rest of my day.

Progress?

2007-03-25T20:35:00.000-05:00

Ouch...I've tried Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) a bit too much...I have a scab on my left elbow. Gross, I know! But practicing in front of my bed was a good idea. It does allow you to feel the full wobble of this asana with some safety as you can't go fully over. But I am hellbent on nailing this asana, damn it! Will likely take me a while, but I'll get there. It's definitely a "power" pose, which makes it all the more interesting to me. I keep telling my trainer that I need more muscle, but I know that's not all it. There's a lot of belly involved as well, and although I'm working the abs regularly, it takes finesse and control to get arms, belly, and mind to work all together.

Other than trying Pincha Mayurasana and teaching my kids class yesterday, I've done no yoga since Thursday, and it really sucks. I've decided that I'm going to have to take next week off from yoga and cardio, otherwise, I'm never going to make any progress in the knee department. Since I've cut back, the knees have been feeling better, so I'm hoping a solid week of ice, ibuprofen, and being idle will clear up the inflammation enough for me to get on with my life. God, please, I PRAY it helps. I hate being so inactive! I can feel the pounds creeping on. Of course, martinis all weekend long doesn't help, but it was so gorgeous, who can blame a girl for wanting to kick back outside with her favorite libation...

Forearm Fun

2007-03-22T15:32:00.000-05:00

Yikes! Tried my first Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) this morning...fun and frightening all at the same time. Couldn't get my legs up without Dolly's assistance, and not completely flipping over is an art in itself. But this is an interesting and very challenging pose that I'd like to work at more. Given that I've got to give my knees a break, I'll be spending more time on the floor or upside down when possible.

Making Lemonade
Funny, I played with the Forearm Balance this morning, and instead of my usual Shoulderstand before Savasana, Dolly encouraged us to try Tripod Headstand if we'd like. I figured, hey, it's time to do something different, and so I gave it a try. I'm making progress engaging core and managed to get my legs all the way up, even though I was wobbly and Dolly helped stabilize me. Then I come home and check my email, and Greg L. has made a number of suggestions for practicing and not engaging my knees as much—working on muscular endurance by holding Plank, Side Plank, deep stretches on the floor, and he said, "You could do six weeks standing on your head"—and he's right! He gave me lots of ideas of how to make these lemons into lemonade...thank you Greg!

Perhaps this little knee thing isn't really a derailment, but as Dolly recently noted, a turn in a different direction. I suppose, in a way, I've become complacent in my practice, so I'm going to spend the next five weeks or so building upper body and core strength, on my mat and in the gym. I'm going to try to remember to work Tripod Headstand and Forearm Balances at home, in front of my bed, so if I start to fall, I can't really go all the way over. I think that will give me some reassurance without having a full wall behind me...it's too easy to get used to balancing against a wall. With nothing to rest my feet on when I'm upside down in front of my bed, I figure I can partially mimic the feeling without killing myself!

Yoga Notes

2007-03-19T19:29:00.000-05:00

I was in a stationary store the other day and found the most adorable notepad by Bonnie's Style Press with her "Karma Karen" character on it, and "So much to do...but first YOGA." I snapped a pad up immediately, of course, and then started thinking about what other stationary might be out there for yoga enthusiasts who are also prolific letter writers.

Here's some of what I found...

Karma Karen Thank You Notes

Om Gift Cards

Yoga Stick Figure Note Cards—many designs to choose from!

Downward Facing Dog Note Card

Magnetic Yoga—OK...not stationary, but these magnets are supercute

No Yoga, No Like!

2007-03-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

It's been three days since my last practice and I already feel like an underachiever. This Patellofemoral crap really bites (for full details behind this, see my Aging Sucks blog). I'm trying to rest my knees on the weekends by not doing any yoga, lower body weight training, or serious cardio—of course, dancing til the wee hours last night didn't help. I already hate it, and I have at least a good four weeks of this ahead of me. I know I'm whining, but I feel like a lazy slug without a little yoga on the weekends.

I'm terrified that I'm going to regress in my yoga progress. I know it will come back, but while I'm resting, so are the pounds! I've gotten used to eating more since I've been so active, but I'm going to have to scale back on that as well, and that may well be the hardest part of all of this, given that I love food, love to eat, and thanks to my Greek heritage, I love to eat a lot of food at one sitting. I don't like the way I feel now, and since I saw the doc last week, I've had a busy weekend that required a lot of standing and walking, so this first weekend of rest was anything but. Which means my knees still hurt, and I'm not making any headway.

Yoga is all knees when you get right down to it.
I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to really modify my practice when yoga is practically all knee bending, weight-bearing postures: Crescent Lunge, the Warriors, Chair, Side Angle, and Eagle—yoga staples—are all awful for bad knees (if you've been told not to put weight on your bent knee). And even some floorwork like Lotus, Pigeon, Camel, and Hero can seriously aggravate inflamed or sensitive knees. So if my knees don't start to feel better with a modified practice, I'm afraid I'll have to stop completely for six weeks, which is about the shortest amount of time it takes to rehab Runner's Knee. I can't even fathom that.

If anyone out there has suggestions about dealing with Runner's Knee while trying to maintain a regular practice, I'm all ears!

Yoga and Verbal Communication

2007-03-15T20:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a Yoga Journal email newsletter subscriber, and every time my newsletter arrives, I'm always surprised at how many different aspects of yoga and related topics there are to cover. I'm thoroughly impressed not only by Yoga Journal, but also the magazine's email communications. All are well-written, insightful, and thought-provoking.

The March 2007 issue of Yoga Journal's "My Yoga Mentor" newsletter included a link to an article by Jason Crandell on The Art of Verbal Communication. For yoga teachers and teacher trainees, it's a must read. But briefly, this is my overview of Crandell's tips to "help make your instructional language alive and effective."

Provide landmarks when you give instructions.
Dolly has also told us this in training, and she uses it in every class. It's easier, especially when facing students, to cue them to "face the windows" or "pivot to face the mirrors." Of course, if all four walls look alike, this doesn't help—so in setting up your own studio, I suppose ensuring that there is something unique about each studio wall would be an important consideration.
Learn your students' names—and use them.
Using names keeps students engaged and in the present, and allows you to direct your instruction to a particular person, which is helpful when you are circulating amongst students in a large class.
Pretend you're working with a translator, and allow space between your instructions.
As students, we can all appreciate this. Give students a chance to process your instructions and move before giving the next cue. I hate it when I'm flowing through Sun Salutations and the teacher runs through so quickly each asana is barely accomplished, and with little integrity. Even in power classes, there can be a pause between cues and still keep a very demanding pace.
Three is a magic number.
An average of three instructions per pose gives students just enough direction. It keeps you from over-describing a posture, which can be confusing, and is a good rule of thumb if you tend to be chatty. Students need some silence to be able to focus on their breathing, alignment, and mental state. Yoga is often a real-world escape for some students, so ensure your class is an oasis of calm and resist the urge to talk the entire time you teach.
Use images and metaphors (preferably your own).
When giving instructions or describing movement, try to use vivid and meaningful language that is your own. Using your own feelings and imagery to bring yoga to life for your students differentiates you as an instructor, and feels natural because you're communicating as you normally do. Your students will always appreciate your sincerity and authenticity.

It's Official: I'm a Yoga Teacher

2007-03-13T20:22:00.000-05:00

I taught my first yoga class last Saturday. Sure, I'm teaching seven-to-ten-year-olds, but who I'm teaching is really inconsequential...that I'm teaching at all is beyond comprehension! A year ago, I wasn't even taking yoga classes. What a trip to be where I am so quickly.

My first class was small but fun. There were only three girls in class that day, but it worked out because it gave me the opportunity to do some adjustments and assists, which I think is important because although the kids' asanas don't have to be perfect, having a good foundation in yoga will hopefully set them on the right path for a fulfilling, lifelong practice.

Teaching yoga is hard! Seriously!
Teaching yoga is a lot harder than most people would think. I'm certain that with time, it will become second nature (at least I hope so), but for now, it is the ultimate multi-tasking endeavor. I spent quite a bit of time sequencing the class beforehand, and I'm glad I did because of course, initially, I couldn't remember a thing and was thankful for my notes. But even with my notes, timing holds while watching the girls to ensure I'd be there to help as needed was quite challenging. And—Dolly warned us about this—even the best laid plans will go astray. I was all set to do a big group circle to learn more about the kids and their favorite asanas, and get them more connected to each other, but three girls hardly make a circle! So, I had to scratch that idea, which added time back into my class. But I did manage to build in some impromptu elements which enabled me to complete the class, with Savasana, right on time. I think the key is being in tune with the vibe of the class. Dolly has also talked about this—and it is clearly something that experienced teachers excel in, but just being connected, watching for cues tells you where you need to go next. For example, after running the girls through several rounds of Sun Salutations and a couple standing postures, I knew they'd be winded, so I had already planned Child in the sequence. What I didn't consider was that their little wrists aren't accustomed to all those Down Dogs and Chaturangas...when I saw one girl shaking out her wrists, I decided to stop where we were to do some wrist exercises to relieve some of the pressure/soreness, and I think they were grateful for it. I learned a lot from that, and I'm sure I will learn a lot more in the days to come.

Counting My Blessings
I think some people may think teaching yoga to kids is easy and doesn't really "count." Sure, it is much easier to sequence a 45-minute class as opposed to a 90-minute class. And yes, it's a lot less serious. But it's also an awesome responsibility and learning experience. I'm not only shaping these kids' initial impressions of yoga, which could make or break the experience for them for life, I'm a role model to them—that little tidbit didn't occur to me until after I taught my first class and thought about my own impressions of adults when I was a child. That, for me is a really big deal, especially for the girls in my class. In this day and age, there is so much emphasis on external beauty and kids are forced into an adult world so quickly that I feel even more of a responsibility to deliver empowering, nurturing messages—the yoga postures are really the medium for the message. I have no idea what the girls think of me at this point, but I know what it is to love, love, love your teacher—to be so positively affected that their lessons permeate your life. I would never presume myself important or talented enough to have this kind of effect on one of my students. If I did, that would be absolutely tremendous—I just want to make sure that I don't do anything to negatively affect them or ruin yoga for them. If in some way, I could inspire the kids, make them feel good about themselves, and make them love yoga, that's really the icing on the cake.

Wish me luck...I need all that I can get!

Mudras in Christian Imagery

2007-03-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

For Greeks and many Christians, this time of year—Lent—is a time for restraint, reverence, and reflection. In the 40 days leading up to Easter, Greeks practice fasting as a means of physical cleansing that also aids in our mental preparation for the holiest day of the year, that of the resurrection of Christ. Many of our restraints are similar to the yamas (ethical restraints) of yoga, and during Lent—ahimsa (non-harming) and bramacharya (chastity), are especially important.

As a Greek Orthodox Christian, this is a time to be pure of heart, mind, and action. During Lent, I always find myself more attuned to my innermost thoughts—the regular fasting brings thoughts about my religion, my own beliefs, my actions, other religions, the afterlife, and related topics to the forefront. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about hand mudras, and while searching for images of mudras, discovered quite a bit about my own religion in the process. Since we are in the midst of Lent, I thought it a perfect time to point out, especially for those Christians who feel conflicted about the yoga/Hinduism connection, that Hinduism, mudras, and yoga aren’t as far from Christianity as one might think.

Christian Imagery and Mudras
I’ve spent my entire life as a practicing Greek Orthodox Christian. Greek churches are breathtakingly beautiful houses of worship that are decorated with ornate carvings and Byzantine-style paintings. I’ve been looking at Byzantine imagery of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and various other angels and saints for as long as I can remember—but it wasn’t until I began practicing yoga and learning about mudras that it my eyes registered what I’ve been seeing all these years.

Prithvi Mudra
Mudras have been depicted not only in Buddhist/Hindu imagery for centuries, but in Christian as well. Christ is often painted with His right hand in prithvi mudra, in which the tips of the thumb and ring finger are joined. Prithvi mudra is said to provide stability and cure weaknesses of the body and mind.

Icons of Christ and Saint Nicholas with hands in prithvi mudra.

Another interesting realization I had is that occurrences of prithvi mudra aren't limited to Byzantine religious icons alone. To this very day, Greek Orthodox priests often hold the fingers of their right hand in prithvi mudra while making the sign of the cross during a spoken blessing, say over a meal. Prithvi mudra is also known as the Sign of Benediction or Blessing.

Pran Mudra
There are also depictions of Christ with His right hand in pran mudra (little finger and ring finger connect with the thumb), which is said to increase vitality and protect the body against disease. Of course, one can hardly avoid the most obvious mudra in Chrsitian imagery—anjali mudra—Christ with prayer hands at heart center. I don’t know about what others think of all this, but I am completely and utterly fascinated by it. Because this is yet another common thread linking Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism—three belief systems that I am increasingly intrigued by as I learn more about them.

Some final thoughts: I've written this before, but I have to write it again. I'm completely blown away by the fact that the more I study yoga, Buddhism, and Hinduism, the more apparent it becomes that in life, everything is connected in the most divine and mysterious way. Think me a kook if you'd like, but I tell you that the more I seek knowledge, the more it comes to me—even when the questions haven't yet formed in my head, the answers are appearing everywhere—in my own research, through the exchange of information with others, through happenstance and circumstance. Maybe it's the Law of Attraction, or maybe I'm finally waking up. Whatever it is, in the words of Oprah, what I know for sure is there more to this world than meets the eye. There is some wisdom well beyond us, and all our religions and beliefs and numbers are just bits and pieces of the puzzle.

Curious?
If your interest in mudras and the commonalities in Christianity and other religions is piqued, there's some very interesting writing out there on mudras, the similarities between Christianity and Buddhism, the ancient Indian/Greek relationship, symbolism, and more. I encourage you to do your own reading and exploration—but definitely check out these sources out:

This is Your Brain on Yoga

2007-03-08T21:27:00.001-05:00

I've had a hell of a week. It's just been up one day, down the next. Happy to see my best friend and her baby, not so happy with my work situation. Days of being scolded followed by days of smiles, followed by more B.S. Superbusy, and in the meantime, for the first time in months, because of one reason or another, I haven't practiced yoga since a week ago today. Practiced this morning with Dolly, and the day just went better. I think I'm on to something.

On the way home from dinner out, it dawned on me that this week that I haven't practiced has really been awful. Granted, there were some things that happened this week that exacerbated the situation, but deep down, on top of all of it, I've been agitated by not being able to practice, I'm missing the calm that floods me after Dolly's classes, and I've noticed that my ability to cope with reality in a kind and patient way has fully escaped me. I've been unforgiving, depressed, volatile, and short-tempered. As I said, there have been some seriously trying things that have happened, but I just feel so much more on edge—and there has been nothing to temper this.

This is your brain on yoga: introspective, forgiving, thoughtful, nonharming, and open. Your brain off yoga: impatient, judgmental, agitated, selfish, and isolated. I think even if I had done a couple 30-minute practices at home, I would have seen a difference in my reaction to the not-so-pleasant developments of this week. I do recognize that I am truly blessed, and that what I am calling a bad week is really no where near the realm of bad when compared to the trials and tribulations of others. But still, it wasn't fun, and I can see that without yoga, I'm not the newer, nicer, more patient me. I'm cranky me, and you can probably feel my wrath from 20 feet away, blindfolded and wearing earplugs. I feel retaliatory, angry, resentful, and really, like I'm 15 again. Not pretty and certainly not healthy.

So where am I going with this? This is a realization. Yoga reverberates in me on every level. I'm sure there are probably many people who can identify with this, but since this is the first time I've gone a week without yoga since I began practicing, it's the first time I've witnessed the dramatic shift in my mindset. And in just seven days. That is crazy.

So I'm glad to be back in class, glad to have an outlet, glad for the realization that yoga really does make me a better person. If only I could convince the world that my yoga practice should come first, for the sake of everyone's well-being...

Facing My Fear

2007-03-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

Some very interesting things have been happening in my life lately, many uncanny coincidences and awakenings, some I have written about, some I haven't. What's interesting to me is this: yoga has been the conduit.

How is that? How is it that a physical practice like yoga can manifest itself in every facet of my life?

Yoga shakes things up.
Yoga postures, the asanas, are designed to prepare the body for pranayama (breath/breathing) and dhyana, meditation. I'm just now able to even begin focusing more on coordinating breath and movement, and although I've tried, I haven't gotten myself into a regular meditation practice yet. So I don't think some of the very profound lessons I am learning are coming from the stillness of my mind. There is something about the openings in the body that yoga creates, openings that reach the very core of you, so that even cursory attention to the yamas and niyamas plants a seed—then suddenly, you are evolving physically, mentally, and spiritually like never before. I feel like a girl in a snowglobe...some great hand has reached down from the heavens and has begun shaking my little world up and things are flying all around me, and as they begin to settle, only now am I able to truly see. With this new clarity, I can see what I am, what I want to be, that there's a whole other world out there, and that fear has been a part of my life for way too long.

I doubt many people would perceive me as fearful—even I didn't consider fear to be an obstacle in my life until I realized that I didn't call it fear, I called it pickiness or being set in my ways. But the root of not being where I want to be is fear. I'm afraid to change careers and leave the safety of my regular paycheck, hours, and benefits for a shot in the dark. I'm afraid I will fail, even though I've really never failed at anything I've set out to accomplish in my entire life. I'm afraid of looking like an idiot in front of a group of people. So despite the fact that in my heart, I know I need to do something where I call the shots and I provide creative direction, I am stuck in a place where my personality is not really appreciated or appropriate, and I must resign myself to accepting this and sacrificing true contentment, or taking action to change it.

Yoga somehow channels serendipity.
Ironically, even though awareness of my fear has heightened considerably in the last couple months, an interesting chain of events happened today that really got my attention. First, I go to my pre-dawn yoga class this morning, although I had originally planned to sleep in since Dolly would not be teaching today. I found out, however, that Greg, my fellow yoga-teacher-in-training would be subbing the class, and I decided to go in order to support him. I'm terrifically glad I went because there were only four of us in class, and only two of us stayed til the end (since Dolly has a cult following, people bail when she's not there). So I was glad to be a body there for Greg to teach since he made the effort to prepare a sequence and come teach at a very early hour. I was also glad to be there because Greg's lesson for the class was about facing your fears and taking action to move through them. He did an amazing job teaching, and told a story about how forcing himself to do the uncomfortable thing, the thing he's afraid of (like subbing for Dolly, the Queen, as he put it—lovingly, of course!) is the only way to grow, and that doing this can yield very positive results.

After our first yoga teacher training module in January, Greg decided to get on a list of substitute yoga teachers, for the occasional teaching experience. It just so happened that very shortly thereafter, Greg was offered a regular class to teach once a week, and he accepted, and I think he's taught maybe two or three classes. Then Dolly asked him to sub her class, and so in the space of about a month, Greg has gone from yoga student with no teaching experience, to subbing the very class he used to take! All because he put himself on the line, despite his fear and inexperience. He's going to be a great yoga teacher. We did some things today I've never done before—proof that something can be gleaned even from the newest teacher on the block.

Yoga doesn't deflect nasty emails, but helps you cope.
I left class feeling good, feeling inspired, went home and logged on to work just in time to read a pretty volatile email from my boss with some nice BOLD RED ALL CAPS text to show how she's really feeling about me and my opinions. And about two emails later, a coworker launches into a diatribe about how I need to watch what I say in meetings in order not to sound condescending to the people on our team who do support work. I can't recall saying anything that would have made those people feel bad—I had only said that I am not interested in doing support work as it is not my thing. I've dealt with this before. Often, though I have no intention of sounding condescending, demanding, or argumentative, my voice and tone and personality come across that way. Needless to say, I spent the rest of the morning seething, but immersed myself fully in work assignments in order to keep from thinking about those emails.

Around noon I decided to take a break and walk my dog since it was supposed to rain in the afternoon when I usually walk him. I put on my hat, grab my iPod, and the battery is dead. Excellent, I'm thinking. I'll never escape my mind. As I stepped outside, it started to drizzle. I'm not kidding. Aggravated but not deterred, we walked. With each step, and nothing to distract my mind, I felt myself getting more angry about the emails, my job, feeling stuck, all of it. About five minutes into the walk, The Law of Attraction popped into my head. So I thought, I'm not going to sit here and stew about how my life sucks and work sucks and people suck. Because If I spend my energy on negativity, nothing good will come out of it. I changed my thoughts to I want an opportunity, I need an opportunity, that's all I need to begin moving to a better place. For a few more steps, I thought opportunity, opportunity, opportunity. And then I didn't think of work or opportunities again...until...my brother calls me around mid-afternoon.

Why is he calling? Long story short: He knows someone who might be looking for a yoga teacher for a new school that is currently under construction. He told her about me and wanted to give me her info so I could get in touch with her. No sooner than I had thought opportunity, it comes a-callin'. It was just downright freaky, given Greg's class in the morning and my Law of Attraction moment in the afternoon.

I don't know what will happen with this opportunity, but I did email the woman (who happens to have the same last name as me), so I am taking action. I asked for the opportunity, right? The only way to progress is to face my fears. Do I need to teach? No. Could this be my catalyst? Possibly. She might actually want me to teach. And the only way I'll ever know if it is right for me is to do it.

Happy Birthday Dolly!

2007-02-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

Everyone send your happy thoughts to Dolly, one of my very favorite people and the best yoga teacher ever.

Dolly, every year that you're on the planet makes it a good year for the rest of us!

Split!?

2007-02-27T22:10:00.000-05:00

After a day like today, I really need to celebrate even a small victory. I'm in class this morning, and we do our thing, standing postures and balances, lots of good heat. We hit the floor and start doing hip openers and stretches and we get the cue to work splits, if we can. I've made strides in the split department, but it's been slow moving.

So, I keep inching down, slowly, carefully, then inching down more, then a little more, and then much to my surprise because I never expected it, I was in a full split with my right leg forward! I wasn't able to get all the way down with my left leg forward, but I was so chuffed it really didn't matter. Obviously a regular practice in which you play your edge helps you to advance. But I am finding that the less I set "goals" for myself in yoga, the more progress I seem to make. It was a good feeling to have crossed that threshold.

I'm in the Mudra

2007-02-22T20:09:00.000-05:00

Proof of Law of Attraction: Last night, I spent hours online searching for info and photos of hand mudras, because suddenly, I want to know more about them. Walk into my usual Thursday morning Power Vinyasa class, and throughout our practice today, Dolly showed us various hand (hasta) mudras. I tripped. The info I was looking for came to me!

So…as promised, here's some info about Guyan Mudra and Hakini Mudra. First, a quick disclaimer: in searching for mudra images, I found that there are subtle mudra name / interpretation / demonstration discrepancies. I’ve done the best I could to represent these mudras accurately, but if I’m wrong about something, please post a comment to let me know.

Guyan/Gyan Mudra: The Knowledge Seal
Guyan (also spelled Gyan) Mudra "increases memory, intelligence and concentration in studies. Strengthens the nerve system, cures migraines, headache and insomnia. Helps in over powering anger and developing spiritualism." [Source: http://www.astropalmist.com/mudras.html]

I love using Active Guyan Mudra in Warrior II—already a very strong asana with the arms outstretched. Adding upturned Active Guyan Mudra hands, for me at least, gives my Warrior II more purpose and grace.

Guyan Mudra
The tip of the thumb touches the tip of the index finger, stimulating knowledge and ability. The index finger is symbolized by Jupiter, and the thumb represents the ego. Guyan Mudra imparts receptivity and calm. [Source: http://www.kundaliniyoga.org/mudras.html, which notes that this information was taken from the book Transitions to a Heart Centered World, by Gururattan K. Khalsa Ph.D.]

Active Guyan Mudra
In Active Guyan Mudra, the first joint of the index finger is bent under the first joint of the thumb, imparting active knowledge. [Source: http://www.kundaliniyoga.org/mudras.html, which notes that this information was taken from the book Transitions to a Heart Centered World, by Gururattan K. Khalsa Ph.D.]

Hakini Mudra: The Memory Seal
We've probably all done Hakini Mudra at some point without even knowing it.

Hakini Mudra is supposed to help when you are trying to remember something, or need focus and concentration.

Mudra Power

2007-02-21T20:58:00.000-05:00

Being a relatively green yogaphile, recently my attention has been drawn to hand mudras in yoga—I've begun playing with one or two in my practice. I like mudras (mudra means "seal" in Sanskrit). They help keep me focused and make asanas feel complete.

My two favorite mudras at this point are Anjali Mudra and active Gyan Mudra. Most everyone has seen Anjali Mudra—prayer hands. It's a very centering and spiritual hand mudra.

Anjali Mudra: Salutation Seal/Heart Seal

Please see Yoga Journal's page on Anjali Mudra for a complete description of this popular mudra.

In "For Beginners: Anjali Mudra," Shiva Rea suggests a variation on Anjali Mudra that I just loved:

"...slightly part your palms as if to make a cup, so that your hands resemble the bud of a lotus flower. Depending on your spiritual orientation, you can metaphorically plant a seed prayer, affirmation, or quality such as "peace," "clarity," or "vitality" within your anjali mudra. Drop your chin towards your chest and awaken a sense of humility and awe with which to begin your practice, as if waiting to receive a blessing of good things to come."

The concept of using your Anjali Mudra to plant and hold a seed—an intention for your practice, perhaps—brings a more physical element to an often intangible intention.

Next blog...Gyan Mudra: The Knowledge Seal

Sailing on the SS Svadhyaya*

2007-02-20T18:14:00.001-05:00

We've all said it before: "If you'd have told me that in a year I'd be...[fill in the blank]...I never would have believed it." I'm having one of those moments.

Me, a year ago:
Hopelessly addicted to shopping (well, not much has changed there—but I've gotten a pretty good grip!). Doing everything I can to lose weight by diet alone, with some measure of success, but totally unhealthy—sugar substitutes, low carb, high fat, Starbucksaholic, closest thing to exercise is walking my dog. Pretty inflexible, mentally and physically. I was working, going home, napping, walking the dog, shopping. Working, going home, napping, walking the dog, shopping, devouring fashion and gossip magazines. That's about it.

Me, February 2007:
Who is this girl? I am working, but also working out, walking the dog. Getting up at 4:40am to practice yoga, then working, walking and running the dog, no longer buying gossip magazines. I'm taking yoga teacher training (?), pressing 30-pound dumbbells (!), eating carbs and not getting fat(?!). I'm actually chastising myself for judgmental thoughts. I only stop by Starbucks about once a month, for a nonfat Chai Latte. I am teaching kids yoga starting in March! Holy crap!

It's amazing how little mental effort it takes to transform yourself completely (well, almost completely). But teaching kids yoga? Me, who wants no kids? Never saw that coming. It's going to be fun. I observed the kids the other day, being taught by the other teacher I'll be sharing the class with, and I smiled for 45 minutes straight. They are absolutely adorable. Any reservations I was having about making this commitment were instantly erased when I saw them in Downward Facing Dog for the first time. The cutest thing you've ever seen! I actually can't wait to get started just so I can tell you all about it.

Being Brave
If you know me well, you know I am a confessed chicken. It has taken me years as an adult to be brave enough to spend the night in my own home without my husband there (and I'm still not fully alone...my 75-pound Doberman is my bodyguard). I just get so freaked out by every little noise—I swear, I'm a psychoanalyst's dream: I just happen to fall in love with and marry a 6'8" former bodyguard and self-defense instructor, and it's no purse dog for me...I have to have a big, black, stereotypically scary dog...but I digress. I normally don't go outside my comfort zone, rarely try anything new except food. I avoid the slightest bit of mental or physical discomfort whenever possible. This is probably part fear, part ego.

At the end of our first yoga teacher training module, Dolly had us do this closing exercise in which we wrote down affirmations, like, "You are strong," or "You are blessed." The first thing I wrote was "You are brave," hoping that seeing it in black and white will make me be it. Dolly took our affirmations up and redistributed them amongst the group, so we now had someone else's affirmations in hand. We then closed our eyes, and on her cue, one at a time, circulated and whispered the affirmation we were given by Dolly into the ears of our classmates.

Guess what the very first voice whispered to me?

"You are brave."

Setting Sail
I find it very interesting how once you commit to sailing into uncharted territory, as experiences unfold, each one becomes the perfect preparation for the next. Recently, the more I have surrendered control (yes, I am a control freak), the more delighted I have been by the way the bits and pieces of my life have connected without my orchestration. It makes you more brave and more willing to get outside yourself and take a leap of faith. Things seem to just be falling into place without any thought or planning on my part—only an intention to be enlightened in some way.

I started taking yoga with no expectations and fell in love with it. Signed up for yoga teacher training with no plans to teach, because the thought of teaching a class of adults is mortifying—I only wanted to deepen my own yoga practice. So what happens? An opportunity to teach kids comes up—baby steps, literally. (See, God does have a sense of humor!) So I'm on deck again, raising the sails for another journey. Not quite sure where I'm going or how I'll get there, but I'm heading out, riding the crest of each brand new day (while wearing a life jacket, of course!).

* Svadhyaya is Sanskrit for self-reflection or self-study. Read more about svadhyaya at http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/726_1.cfm.

While I'm on the Subject of Sting...

2007-02-14T19:59:00.001-05:00

Did anyone catch him on the Grammys? He opened the show with the Police (who are reuniting to tour...very cool). He looked fan-freakin'-tastic! Damn! This is a man who is in his mid-50s! He was taught, toned, and on his game. Now, sure, there's no telling if he has partaken of any facial plastic surgery or Botox, but no plastic surgery can produce perfectly sculpted biceps—he and his wife Trudie are admitted yoga fanatics—and have been practicing for years.

Video of Sting at the 2007 Grammys

All I'm saying is, if that's what yoga can do for a man who's had his share of fun and wild living, imagine what it can do for those who live life on the simpler side? It seems to be a key tributary of the fountain of youth. Like Sting, I love that it is a practice that will be with me the rest of my life. Something to balance me, challenge me, inspire me, ground me.

Unintentional But Necessary Pratyahara

2007-02-09T22:10:00.000-05:00

I was supposed to be at the Rolf Gates seminar this weekend, but as luck would have it, my knee, which has been painful on and off for a couple weeks, flared up again. I spent the day making arrangements to sell my passes to the Saturday and Sunday intensives to someone else in order to avoid doing serious damage to my knee. I was unable to get someone to take my place tonight and tomorrow morning, so I went to the studio only to learn that due to a registration snafu, there wasn't space for me in the class anyway!

An interesting twist. Something is telling me I need to take it easy, which is hard for me to do. I really don't like missing a workout or yoga. And I've never had a knee problem a day in my life, so I'm sort of in unchartered territory. I've been telling myself it's no big deal, but it keeps hanging on, and my unwillingness to recognize it as something potentially serious could actually turn it into just that. Not going to the Gates seminar—not being able to go because there was no space—suddenly changed my whole weekend.

As I was driving home I thought, What am I going to do? I now have absolutely nothing scheduled for the entire weekend. A little panic went through me—won't I be bored? And then, joy. Nothing scheduled! It's been weeks...maybe since December that I haven't had a day of nothing on the calendar. My week is usually work, gym, yoga, work, work, gym, yoga, work, gym, work, yoga, church—plus all kinds of other appointments peppered in between.

Suddenly, a recent Yoga Journal newsletter about this very subject began to surface in my memory. And I totally get it. Here's an excerpt:

Return to Stillness
In a world of information overload, the yoga practice of pratyahara offers us a haven of silence. By Judith Lasater

"...In the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali—the most ancient and revered sourcebook for yoga practice—the second chapter is filled with teachings about the ashtanga (eight-limbed) yoga system. The system is presented as a series of practices which begin with "external limbs" like ethical precepts and move toward more "internal limbs" like meditation. The fifth step or limb is called "pratyahara" and is defined as "the conscious withdrawal of energy from the senses." Almost without exception yoga students are puzzled by this limb. We seem to inherently understand the basic ethical teachings like satya (the practice of truthfulness), and the basic physical teachings like asana (the practice of posture), and pranayama (the use of breath to affect the mind). But for most of us the practice of pratyahara remains elusive...

To me, practicing pratyahara doesn't mean running away from stimulation (which is basically impossible). Rather, practicing pratyahara means remaining in the middle of a stimulating environment and consciously not reacting, but instead choosing how to respond..."

Now that I have nothing scheduled, I'm going to choose to keep it that way. Go with the flow. SLEEP LATE! Get this knee better. Maybe, not even blog!

Gearing Up for Gates

2007-02-08T19:43:00.000-05:00

Rolf Gates, that is...not Bill Gates! I'll be attending the first day of his Vinyasa intensive tomorrow...til then!

For the Traveling Yogi(ni)

2007-02-06T17:59:00.000-05:00

One of the most wonderful aspects of yoga is that it is fully portable—even the mat is optional for spartan travelers.

But...if you're a frequent traveler still working on a serious self-practice, and crave the knowledge and discipline of a formal class, an Om Pass would serve you well. The $14 Om Pass is an international pass designed to help you find "...OM away from home..." at a studio somewhere along your travels—for 15% to 30% off the drop-in class rate.

For complete details, click a link below:

PS: Short-n-sweet today. My dog is really pouting. He hates it when I come home from work and get on the computer instead of devoting my afternoon and evening to him!

Get Your Crow Flying with Cheeky Yoga Gear

2007-02-03T21:55:00.001-05:00

Who says yoga has to be serious? As my teacher Dolly has noted, yoga is supposed to be fun! Switching your practice up a bit helps with this, as does laughing when your Crow takes a nosedive.

Ding-Dong, the Purple Mat is Dead! (I wish)...

If you're tired of the ubiquitous purple mat and Yogitoes* skidless towel, Plank Designs may have just what you're looking for to inspire a not-so-serious yoga practice.

The company, founded by Doreen Hing and Jennifer McKinley, "...is a sophisticated resource of cheeky, unique and beautifully designed accessories for yoga and life." And cheeky they are. And expensive. But, if you're willing to spend...

I think their PlankYoga Mat (see left), of the Photo Series collection, is hysterical. Sure to be a conversation starter when you visit other studios—so if you're shy, or moving to a new place, this might be perfect for helping you break the ice.

Also delectably silly: The Text Series Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Yoga Mat and matching bamboo Chocolate Towel Set. Are you a foodie-slash-yogini? Does chocolate inspire you (like it does me)? How fun would Downward Facing Dog be with a Chocolate mat underfoot? Again, just another way to lighten up the mood a bit.

Also interesting visually, and possibly back for a very limited engagement: The Deluxe Yoga Mat from Nike—my mat du jour. While I haven't tested any Plank Designs products, I love this Nike mat so much I bought two, and rejoiced when I did, because it sold out on its first run. I've had the least amount of slippage on this mat, even though I'm beginning to realize that with perpetually sweaty palms in the studio, slippage is inevitable. I love this mat—nice neutral colors, interesting design, and the canvas strap rocks! It not only doubles as a yoga strap for your practice, but it makes a perfect cross-body sling for toting your mat hands-free.

Why can't I have a mat collection, like a handbag collection?
I'm seriously considering putting together a mat collection. This flies in the face of bramacharya (moderation), but if it helps me be a better yogini on and off the mat, doesn't that count for something? Wouldn't it be fun to have a little menagerie of mats to match my mood (hell, maybe even my outfit!)? For a yoganista, the mats and the props and the towels are merely accessories to the yoga togs. So, if I'm feeling tired, wouldn't it be cool to have a beautiful, vibrant green mat to roll out in class to wake me up? Honestly, I can totally see myself doing that...I think my friends would probably agree...you never know which me you'll get on any given day. A mat is just an extension of the way I express myself, I suppose.

Anyway, I'm thinking in print. But this is really starting to sound like a lot of fun. And again, that is the point.

* On the subject of Yogitoes, why can't they make one in black or a soft neutral? Grey? Ecru? Cream? Sage? Yeah, yeah—I know the colors match the chakras, but something aesthetically pleasing (for the girl eternally in black) would please my chakras way more than a chakra-matching rainbow color. That's half the reason I don't have one!

Yoga in Everyday Life

2007-02-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

Had a session with my trainer at the gym this morning. Post-snow, the gym opened late, the weather is cold and grey, and I've got to get back home and log on to my virtual work environment, which, frankly, I'm dreading. I'm starting to feel less and less interested in work, but that's another story.

Coming out of the gym, a guy that works at the gym asked me how I was doing and held the door for me as I exited. This is not what you think...not a guy being nice with "pick-up" intent. You see this guy is a diminutive soul, and not to sound mean, but he is challenged in some way, physically and possibly mentally (though I could be totally wrong). I'm not quite sure how to describe him physically so that I can capture that. All I can say is this: he asked me how I was with an interest so genuine, I might have thought myself the only living soul around. He looked me straight in the eye, beaming, and waited for my answer. His smile instantly lifted my heart, and his kindness reverberated in me, filling me up with happiness. Isn't it funny how a person like that, who has likely been the brunt of much distress and teasing in his life, can give so freely of himself? And so genuinely?

In yoga teacher training, we talked a lot about being your authentic self, and about Santosha/Santosa (Contentment). This person—I'm going to get his name next time I see him—has obviously found both contentment and authenticity. You can't fake intention like his. And it makes me think of that age-old question: Why am I here? It's a question many of us struggle with when looking at our own lives, or wondering about the disarray of other people's lives (a homeless person, criminals, addicts, etc.). I have no clue why I'm here, and I'm sure most of us don't, at this point in our lives. But I'm not so blind that I can't see the lesson of that guy's life, even if he is unaware: he is an inspiration to others. On a cold and dreary day, he is not at home wallowing in his challenges or shortcomings. He will never be the prominent athlete, or the gorgeous ladykiller. He will never even be of average height. But he is out there, imperfect on the outside, filled with another kind of beauty most of us will never be lucky enough to know.

This is yoga in every life: The ability to radiate kindness, and the ability to see it.

Snow! And Snow (Yoga) Fashion

2007-02-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

Well...it did snow today, but I still got myself to yoga (woo hoo!), then came out of Savasana to a winter wonderland. I like our kind of snow. It's never here more than a couple days. Just enough to love it.

Brrr...Stay Toasty and Stylish
Dressing for yoga when it's freezing outside can be a challenge. Sometimes we get to class and it's still freezing inside, instead of the usual 80 to 85 degrees it should be. So you can't strip down to your class outfit just yet. The key to dressing for wintertime yoga is lots of layers.

Lucy.com has some lovely Ts and hoodies that are excellent for layering. I love these tops!:

Jungle Tie Top

Crane Tee

Dove Hoodie

For Ugg-mazingly Warm Tootsies
I have a confession: When the Ugg phenomenon swept California, I'm sure they could hear my "Ugh!" all the way over on the West Coast. I just hated these sloppy looking boots. I now stand corrected, and understand exactly why the were all the rage, and why you still see them everywhere. They're perfect for going to yoga, especially when it's cold out—easy to slip on and off. Mind you, they're not waterproof, but they'll get a city girl into the studio dry and warm. At the moment I have some Ugg knockoffs I love, but they're a bit short for capri-length pants. I've got my eye on the Ugg Women's Ultimate Tall II Boot—they look like they might be exactly the right height.

Just Say No to Snow

2007-01-31T22:06:00.000-05:00

Please, God, don't let it snow! I want to go to yoga tomorrow morning!

They're calling for snow here in our lovely little city. The hysteria has begun. Guess if I am snowed in, it's yoga at home, which is never fun when your Doberman decides to lick your ear or get under you while in Downward Facing Dog. Hey, I don't bother him when he's doing is Downward/Upward vinyasa!

Gone Bananas
While we're talking snow, I went by the grocery store tonight...cupboards were totally bare since I've been in yoga teacher training the last six days. I fully expected to see the bread and milk wiped out, because, you know, when it snows in the South, it lasts forever (wink, wink). But dude, NO BANANAS? What the? What, now a wintry mix means a run on bananas? I will never understand this city, even if I love it.

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 6, Module 1

2007-01-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

Today was our last day of yoga teacher training for module one. It was a bittersweet day...six 12-hour days in a row, two-hour practices daily, and not getting enough sleep definitely take their toll. Our lives outside yoga and this training have come to a screeching halt, so from that perspective, it's nice to finally have gotten through it.

But...

We've had so much fun living, eating, and breathing yoga for six straight days! We've had a blast getting to know each other throughout this endeavor. And aside from the yoga, the opportunity to spend so many hours with Dolly—a humble, gifted, and enlightened soul if there ever was—was just such a blessing. If I could clone her, I would. She would likely never accept the label, but she is a guru in her own right. She is a very, very special person, and just so cool. For me, she will always be the yogini against which all others are measured.

Balances and Inversions
Before practicing today, we studied arm balances like Crow, and inversions like Tripod Headstand. Check out this video (Dolly Floats to Crow) of Dolly demonstrating how to go straight from Downward Facing Dog to Crow—she's so steady, so controlled, it's sick. If you don't do yoga, let me just tell you this: this is hard as hell to do! Don't believe me? Try to mimic it!

You can also view photos of our class working balances and inversions.

Our Practice Today
Oh boy...this is the practice we've been dreading since we got our assignments yesterday. Dolly split up a typical 90-minute Power Vinyasa sequence into 15-minute increments focusing on warm-up, Sun Salutations, standing postures, and floorwork (none of us could teach Savasana...damn!) Each person in the class had to sequence and teach their 15-minute segment. Cay and Lauren both have some experience teaching yoga or fitness classes, so I don't think they were are freaked as Marge and me who have zero experience whatsoever. If Greg was worried, he never let on.

A 15-minute sequence?! Crap! I was up til midnight last night working on sequencing Side Angle, Revolved Side Angle, Ardha Chandrasana/Half Moon, Standing Splits, Bird of Paradise, Eagle, and all the transitions required to move people from one asana to the next. And I still ran about two minutes short, but overall, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong...it was very difficult for me, and I forgot to cue breathing for the first bit of the sequence, but overall, I wasn't as nerved up as I thought I'd be. As I pointed out in the discussion after, I'm not sure I would have been able to feel nerves because my heart was already pounding, and I was already sweating bullets because I'd been participating in the practice up until I took over teaching my sequence. I honestly thought I was really going to flounder, but I managed to remember to cue the next posture by name, then give details if needed, and that helped a lot.

Despite little issues here and there, overall, I think our first practice teaching session was really very good. Physically, it was challenging and all the sequences adequately prepared us for the asanas to come. No one totally lost it it or full-on floundered. It felt awesome to see and experience our final product and to know that we all made so many strides in doing it. And when it was over, we were elated to go out for Thai food and call it a week!

Namaste!

PS: Please visit again soon. I may not blog here for the next couple of days—but I will be attending a Rolf Gates weekend workshop February 9-11, 2007, and will definitely be blogging about that. Of course, if the urge hits me I may be back before then.

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 5, Module 1

2007-01-29T20:18:00.000-05:00

Today was such a surreal day, I almost don't know where to begin. Our class and practice focused on back bends, and Dolly warned us that sometimes back bends trigger emotional reactions. In our teaching manual, she wrote, "Moving into Back Bends requires that we expose our raw and vulnerable underbelly, the soft yin place that can leave us feeling threatened or insecure. Many deal with surges of emotion when doing powerful Back Bending, cleaning their temple of emotional debris."

I have to be honest—Dolly has told us multiple times that certain postures, like back bends and hip openers, often have deep emotional effects—but I found this really hard to believe. I'm a pretty well-adjusted person, strong of will and mind, so for me, it's ludicrous to think I might be affected emotionally (I mean deep, cathartic, gut-wrenching emotion) by doing yoga. Me, cry from doing yoga? Sounds impossible, actually.

So, we did our two-hour practice from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Back bends galore. I loved it. I was feeling great actually being able to get my foot into the crook of my elbow and hand over the top in Dancer, even if only for a minute. It's a place I haven't been before. We took Savasana, wrapped up class, grabbed dinner, and reconvened for the last hour of class.

Finding Our Voices
Dolly had asked all of us to read The Laws of Spirit: A Tale of Transformation, and write a one page essay about the law that most resonated with us. In that last hour of class, we read our responses, and when Marge read hers, I just welled up and the tears just continued to flow through almost all the other responses I heard. Cay's response referenced my blog and my first entry about teacher training, in which I wrote that Cay is an enigma to me, and somehow that word, enigma, was a catalyst for her and she very eloquently tied it back to the Law of Integrity (Living Our Truth), I believe it was. I was so stunned, first by the fact that my initial impression of Cay was accurate (according to her!); second, that someone could connect so deeply with something I wrote—and that it could move them in a positive direction; and finally, that someone would think and say the very kind things Cay wrote about me in her response. I loved hearing Cay's realization—I was happy and flattered, and again, feeling Cay's emotion as well as my own.

Then Amber read her response, and she's such a bright, gentle soul, with a purity that's so rare these days, that of course, I was deeply touched by her words as well. She's like a little bird that you just want to take under your wing and protect, not because she isn't strong on her own, but because she has this aura of innocence...I can't really put my finger on exactly what it is. But she just radiates light.

When Greg sat down to respond, his writer's block suddenly lifted after many years, he told us, and so he wrote a story that just captivated us all. He is a very talented writer—I really hope he keeps at it because the world needs words like his out there. As Greg read, I wept, not only because of the eloquence of his writing, but because he wove a story so deeply entrenched in his own emotion and grace that I almost felt like I was inside his heart as he read it. I think he's very close to finding his purpose, perfect and right.

Never Say Never
To close class, Dolly asked us to come into a circle and join hands. As we sat there, with hands linked and our eyes closed, Dolly asked us to breathe in the love and energy of the person on our left and send it through our hearts to the person on the right. We did this for a couple minutes, perhaps, and as I breathed in and out, imagining Greg's energy on my left flowing in through my heart to Lauren on my right, I hit a wave of emotion that was rising to a crescendo with every breath. I was on the verge of sobbing, weeping steadily, because the more I breathed in, the harder it became to breathe. It was almost like I was so full of everyone's energy that there was no more room for my own breath. I know this sounds out there, but if you know me, you know that I am a very grounded person. When I say that this was a real and profound experience, I am dead serious. I've never felt anything like it before in my life.

So...me, cry from doing yoga? Uh, yeah, absolutely. It took a couple hours, but the back bends turned on a faucet in me that is still dripping ever so slightly even as I write. I wept half the time I was driving home. It's crazy, so crazy, and I swear I sound like one of those "out there" people, but you know what? That's OK. I know what I felt, what I feel, and I'm OK with that. I feel good.

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 4, Module 1

2007-01-28T20:22:00.000-05:00

Today we worked on Standing Postures...my favorite! As such, I volunteered to demo postures so Dolly could show us assists and modifications. It's funny—I was really dragging physically today. Despite being tired, I felt the need to volunteer as much as possible for a few reasons:

To face my dislike of certain postures (Revolved Triangle) and learn techniques for improvement.
To test the quality of my Standing Postures—I like many of them, because I really like twists, and my body seems to have a decent degree of twistiness (er, rotation!). By being the demo, I can hear first-hand from Dolly what I can improve and how I can deepen the posture.
To face my fear of being the center of attention at the front of a room of people. Demonstrating crazy physical postures is probably the third most frightening thing I could do in front of an audience...the first being singing (since I can't sing a lick—more about that in a minute), the second being speaking.

It was a fantastic experience, demonstrating for the class. The more I put myself in the spotlight that way, the more I'm able to get over myself. I'm a pretty serious person—I'm not the type to make screwy faces for the camera or do anything to intentionally make myself look stupid, even for a second. It's just not my nature. So this is kind of the next best way for me to divorce myself from my ego and my vanity for a bit, to put myself out there (and feel OK after too!).

I was really feeling the need to be out of my comfort zone today (could this be akin to self-flagellation?), because the very thing I blogged about yesterday came to fruition today. Dolly handed out cards with different chants on them for us to practice with as a group. The Shanti/Ashtangi chant was on there, and I volunteered to chant it Madonna style! AM I OUT OF MY MIND? Sing/chant with no accompaniment whatsoever? I hardly recognize myself. Madonna bloody made me do it, because I have always loved that song! Actually, my fellow classmate Greg also inspired me to do it—he told us about how he and his buds would do what they called "Kamikaze Karaoke," (see below) and that if you can make it through that, you can make it through anything. Those poor people had to listen to me, a miserable singer, chant the first stanza:

Vunde gurunam caranaravinde
Sandarsita svatma sukhavabodhe
Nihsreyase jangalikayamane
Sansara halahala moha santyai
Hala hala

They were kind enough to say it wasn't so bad, which was cool. Regardless, again, I just have to keep putting myself out there. The sooner I stop taking myself so seriously, the sooner my nervous reaction to public speaking will dissipate.

Our Practice Today
Since we studied Standing Postures, our practice focused on these postures. We did lots of Side Angles, Revolved Side Angles, binds, Birds of Paradise, Standing Splits, Crescent Lunges, Prayer Twists, and more. It was good fun! We also did a great exercise where you practice Standing Splits against a wall, using the wall as an assist to deepen the split—I'll definitely be trying that one at home to work on developing full splits. Savasana was Legs Up the Wall, yet another posture I've never experienced. It was a very physically demanding practice, as usual, but God, just so rewarding. I love being challenged like that.

An Ancient Greek Yogi
Sidenote here. While at the studio yesterday I picked up an old issue of Yoga Journal and flipped through. My eye caught a page about the Mediterranean Diet, so I scanned the article quickly. Turns out that around 600 BCE, there was a well-known ashram in Southern Europe that people flocked to, founded by none other than Pythagoras, yes, of the Pythagorean Theorem (I obviously did not inherit THAT gene from my people—I'm numbers-challenged). Anyway, it really tripped my trigger to know that the ancient Greeks, especially Pythagoras, who was so revered, were enlightened in so many ways beyond their well-known mathematical and philosophical contributions.

What in the Hell is Kamikaze Karaoke?
According to Greg, he and his friends would hit a karaoke bar, and the guys would pick a song for someone in the group to sing. So the singer had absolutely no idea what he'd be singing until he got on stage! The only rule was that the song choice had to provide the singer with some potential for success. How fun must that have been? I bet they had an absolute blast!

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 3, Module 1

2007-01-27T20:58:00.000-05:00

I'm exhausted! Exhilarated, but tired. My knees are starting to feel the strain of sitting on the floor all day long. I'm not a pill-popper by nature, but just to make sure I'm ready for the next day's practice, I am taking an Aleve at night to minimize any inflammation. It would kill me if I had to sit out of our two-hour practices, so better to err on the side of caution. Enough bellyaching!

We continued watching the Anatomy for Yoga DVD, which, as Dolly said, should be required for all teachers. It's kind of scary to think that it's not, because it gives you critical information about the structure and movement of the body's key joints, and how greatly these movements vary from body to body.

Our Practice Today
After covering the Sun Salutations for Power Vinyasa in our manual, we rolled out our mats and got to work. Dolly had all of us cue breathing and movement for our classmates while moving through Sun Salutations A and B ourselves. Although I stumbled a bit through my instruction, mostly because I could hardly breathe, think, move, and talk at the same time, I still felt more comfortable teaching them since I've heard them and done them so many times in Dolly's classes. Although I imagine that a class that endlessly repeats Sun Salutations would be boring, the set pattern is kind of nice to fall back on. It's certainly easier that sequencing on the fly. But I'm pretty sure that with time, the creative sequencing I've experienced in the classes I've taken will be far more interesting to me as a teacher. I know as a student, I crave creativity, switching it up, and never knowing what we're going to do that day. That's what keeps me coming back for more.

The Blindfolds are Back!
After our teaching practice, Dolly had us all put on blindfolds and in silence, at our own pace, move through the Sun Salutations ourselves for 15 minutes. It was a great exercise! It almost felt like a dance, and knowing no one else could see you, and that you couldn't watch yourself in the mirror was very liberating. Moving through without sight—especially when jumping from Downward-Facing Dog to the front of your mat—forces you to trust yourself, to really feel the postures instead of thinking your way through them. I think with a class of regular, intermediate students, this would be a valuable exercise to help them better grasp the connection between breath and movement.

After rounding out the rest of our practice, we took Savasana, and Dolly again treated us with her extra-special touch...she totally makes it feel like the icing on the cake. After relaxing well into Corpse Pose, she placed a cold, damp washcloth infused with a little lavender and eucalyptus over our closed eyes. Like yesterday's cold stone on the third eye, it cools you down and seems to push you further into relaxation.

I awoke to Dolly chanting—I've never heard her chant before, so it was really a treat. I've heard what she was chanting on one of my yoga CDs, so even though I don't know the words, the chant was familiar and she was awesome at it. I really admire the courage it takes to chant, because I know I don't have it. The closest I think I might ever get is half-singing Madonna's Shanti/Ashtangi, which I loved long before I ever loved yoga, ironically. But the beautiful thing about being a yoga teacher is you get to decide what yogic conventions to incorporate and to what degree. Expressing yoga according to your authentic personality is largely what makes or breaks a teacher's success. It seems to me that there is still room for innovative and interesting teachers even though yoga is now everywhere. I absolutely adore Dolly and her classes enlighten and challenge me, and the conventions she employs are so authentic to her that I feel right at home being in her classes, even though I don't think my personality will manifest itself in the same way. But that is what I really love about yoga—it pushes me to my limits, asks me to explore new ideas, and forces me to reevaluate who I really am. Who needs a shrink when you've got yoga?!

PS: Got back from class and The Y Catalog was in my mailbox. It's pretty cool, and the range of products is good. Just something to check out.

Nighty night!

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 2, Module 1

2007-01-26T21:13:00.000-05:00

Wow. Today was illuminating in so many ways!

We had a very challenging practice, continued studying floor poses, did a 20-minute practice teaching session, and watched a phenomenal DVD called Anatomy for Yoga. The DVD covered the eight major joints, and how skeletal compression (bone against bone) and tissue tension affect our yoga practice. I'm sure some of what was covered is fairly obvious to most people, but it totally redefined the meaning of "physical limitation" for me. I have a totally new perspective on my own practice as a result, and should I actually teach, it has forever altered the way I would I view a student's capabilities. An excellent, excellent DVD.

Playing Teacher
Man, it is HARD to try to sequence and teach for just 15 minutes—even if you've done the postures hundreds of times. I was paired up with Lauren, who already teaches to some degree, and she's just so good at it. Then you also have a teacher like Dolly who makes it seem effortless.

For me, it was like getting up to make a speech and forgetting the words. It's going to take me a lot of practice to get to the point where I could actually teach a class. I do plan to practice with my workout partner (as long as she'll let me) and my sister-in-law and others til I get comfortable enough to progress further. There is just so much to remember in sequencing and so many other elements to consider (time holding poses, breathing, assisting)—honestly, it is completely overwhelming for me now. I know I will eventually get it, but not without a hell of a lot of practice!

Our Practice Today
Mmm. It was heart-thumping, gut-busting, thigh-shaking good! Typically Dolly class, only longer (two hours), with the best Savasana ever! We did some serious hip opening, and I can't lie...I was on the edge and really struggling at several points. In my head I was begging for it to be over. And my balance was way off— c'est la vie, right? But Dolly is so kind, so good, you almost want to be able to do it just for her. She definitely brings out the very best in you.

Now lets get to Savasana. Yesterday, Dolly brought and played her "singing bowl"—a 16-inch, lead crystal bowl that not only gongs/chimes, but creates the most beautiful vibration I've ever heard. It was amazing, for sure, and an experience I've never had, but would love to incorporate into my teaching should I decide to go that far.

Today's Savasana was not extraordinary on the level of the singing bowl, but after a serious yoga practice, one final touch sealed the deal for me. Dolly placed a flat stone that had been refrigerated and sprayed with a little lavender on the third eye chakra. The cooling sensation and weight of the stone just put me right out. I actually started dreaming! It was just so wonderful. I can't put into words what it feels like to be in that state, but when you hit it, it just rocks.

Photos from Day 2
From left-to-right, first photo: Dolly, Greg, Marge. Second photo: Lauren and Amber. Third photo: Greg and Marge again, and me!

Yoga Teacher Training, Day 1, Module 1

2007-01-25T20:54:00.000-05:00

Today was my first day of my first yoga teacher training module, and I think it's definitely money well-spent. The teaching manual Dolly put together is wonderful, and despite the long hours in class, the day flew by! I'm in unchartered territory, that's for sure. But I think this is going to be very, very good for me.

Who are my classmates?
They are Lauren, Cay, Marge, Amber, and Greg. Age range is, I'm guessing, mid-20s to early 50s. We're a total of six students, an absolutely perfect number because we can pair off or split the class straight down the middle. We also get lots of individual attention this way as well.

We're obviously all bonded by our love for yoga, but aside from that, I really like all the personalities very much. There is a wonderful vibe in the class, in large part because Dolly is so positive and nurturing, but also because there is no "judgment" vibe at all. It's a very special thing, and I am grateful that I feel safe enough to work through this process with this vibrant bunch of people:

The person I admire most is Marge. She has three sons in their 20s, and she's giving it her all even though she just came to yoga in her 50s. That takes tremendous courage, and my hat is off to her for it. She's seems to be a very kind soul.
Greg is the token guy in the class. Greg is also in my regular classes with Dolly, and he brings it every time he hits the mat. He is very focused. From our conversations today, it sounds like he finally feels like he's coming home with yoga, and that is awesome.
Lauren is a fitness trainer who is also rounding out her Pilates certification as well as yoga. She's going to be a wonderful yoga teacher, I think. She's already got a lovely cadence and presence, and seems extremely approachable.
Amber is a former ballerina who still teaches ballet. She has a face like an angel! Beautiful girl...who can do full splits! We were all envious. I'm thinking she's the baby of our group, and she seems very curious, very ready to turn a major corner in her life.
Cay is still a bit of an enigma to me, though I sense she may be a Type A like me. She strikes me as everyone's go-to girl, perhaps a perfectionist, again like me? I could be wrong. But I'm thinking, whatever Cay sets her mind to, she accomplishes. I'm looking forward to getting to know her better.

Some Cool Stuff We Did
We did some wild and very effective exercises today!

In one exercise, we paired off, one acting as the student, one as the teacher. All the teachers were blindfolded and had to adjust/mold the student into a particular pose only by touch—we could not give any verbal direction. Talk about pressure...you're not only blindfolded, but feeling a stranger's body! But a damn good exercise and ice breaker.

In another exercise, we had to instruct our student verbally only, no touch, and could not give the name of the asana as a clue. Suddenly, I couldn't think of how to instruct the pose, despite having heard Dolly do it many times in class. You forget right and left, mix them up, or omit a key element and the student moves into the wrong position. Again, a brilliant exercise for understanding the importance of verbal and visual instruction.

Our last exercise involved blindfolds again. This time, the students were blindfolded and the teacher had to instruct them into an asana without giving the name of the asana. As the student, you're not only moving into a difficult balance pose like Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose), you're doing it blindfolded. I can hardly balance in this pose with all my senses available! As the teacher, again, without being able to show or tell the name of the posture, things become significantly more difficult. Funny—the blindfolds were actually an eye-opening experience.

Our Practice Today
Dolly folded us into one of her normal teaching slots, so our asana practice included other students as well. We did a two-hour deep stretch class, and stretch did we ever. This type of class is not usually my cup of tea, as I was telling my classmates, because I can almost never sit still. So holding poses, most of which really play your edge, is grueling—I'd rather do the fast-paced, hardcore, sweat-inducing classes anyday. But this was a good experience, and Dolly did point out that the flexibility we always seem to crave is acquired through deep stretches that are held and practiced daily. I'm going to be practicing splits in front of the TV from here on out!

Countdown to Teacher Training

2007-01-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

I start my first yoga teacher training module tomorrow with Dolly Stavros. I'm really excited, although six 12-hour days seems a bit daunting. It's going to be an adventure, that's for sure.

I never, ever would have thought I'd be doing this. But when you allow your mind to be open to new interests and get outside your routine a little bit, you often discover a whole new world out there. That's kind of what happened to me. I'm the furthest thing from the traditional yoga devotee, but I'm finding that it is a practice that is so malleable that it really can work for everyone in varying degrees, and still have overwhelmingly positive benefits.

Given that I will be in class all day over the next six days, I'm not sure if I'll be able to blog much, or if I'll even have the energy when I get home. I'm taking my camera, though I don't know if there will be opportunities for photos or videos—I plan to be ready just in case. So if you come back and there's nothing going on until at least next Tuesday, I'm off learning yoga and I'll be back!

Stopping Schlumpasana

2007-01-23T21:20:00.000-05:00

A recent Yoga Journal email newsletter focused on poses that help correct posture for those who tend to stoop or "schlump" over—read Getting Rid of "Schlumpasana". I got a real kick out of the author's term, "Schlumpasana," because I see it so often and am constantly amazed that:

a) more people don't stand up straight since it feels better than constantly stooping over, and
b) more people don't stand up straight because nothing says loser or victim more than slumped, oblivious posture.

In fact, while I was putting in my cardio time on the elliptical the other day, I watched in slight horror as an obviously well-meaning girl toddled along behind a trainer, with severely slumped shoulders and what seemed like vague interest at best. I wanted to run up behind her, pull her shoulders back and say, hey, here's lesson one: you'll automatically look better and taller if you just stand up straight and look alive.

If only people (especially teen girls) could see the image they project when they walk around huddled over—it's practically like wearing a sign that says NEXT CRIME VICTIM. Slumping over not only dishonors our backs, it is a telltale sign of weakness—criminals who prey on people have repeatedly stated that clueless, oblivious, "weak" looking people are more than likely the ones they pick. Ever see a president walk into a room hunched over? Upright, alert posture is indicative of an alert mind. To be taken seriously, by ourselves and others, we need to project seriousness and confidence from the core of our beings.

Yoga does wonders for curing Schlumpasana, as it brings acute awareness to posture and holding yourself up tall, straight, and proud. It's not easy to keep a straight, flat back in some yoga asanas, or in everyday life—it takes awareness and strength—which also happen to be key components in cultivating a non-victim mentality in every aspect of our lives. We owe it to ourselves, especially if we are healthy and able-bodied, to hold ourselves up with dignity and honor. It's the very least we can do.

To me, nothing feels more centering than sitting up tall in Easy Pose with hands at heart center—it's an alert but restful posture that is like a tonic for our souls.

Teachers and Intention

2007-01-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

I recently took a couple classes with teachers I don't regularly practice with. One class was awful, one lovely. But both were a good experience, especially as I begin my first teacher training session next week—they taught a lot about intention and how it affects your class and students.

A Rose by Any Other Name...
One class was at the Y—teachers for this class rotate, so it's a bit of a grab bag in terms of the teacher's style, level of experience, etc. I've never really had a truly bad yoga experience until this class.

I walk into class. This teacher is sitting on her mat smack in the middle of the room, in Easy Pose (Sukhasana, what we used to call "Indian-style)" as kids), looking imperiously at everyone walking into class. First bad sign. Naturally, we students position our mats so that the teacher is always in front of us, so we can see the instruction. Because the teacher put her mat in the middle of class, all of us were scrunched into the back half of the classroom. Instead of picking her ass and her mat up and adjusting to accommodate the now half-full room, she sat there watching us scramble for space with a wide swath of lovely, open floor in full view behind her. Second bad sign.

She starts class and mentally, I manage to get around her abrasive accent and tone, and try to let my initial aggravation go to give her a chance. We do a very short, very ineffective warm-up in a not-hot-enough classroom (this is an 8:00am Saturday class that goes almost 90 minutes), and before I know it, we're doing Cobras and Upward Dogs, and it's not really feeling good. In fact, the warm-up was so inadequate that I could barely even get into proper forward
bends yet. We had plenty of time to get the juices flowing with it being a long class...does it not occur to her that most of us were probably asleep less than an hour before class? Third bad sign.

I'm still trying not to let my aggravation get the best of me. I soldier on, then as we go into Revolved Side Angle, I think it was, she stops beside a guy (who is also in my usual class...he gives it his all) and literally points at him and tells him he's "doing it wrong." What?! I was so pissed off for that guy and so pissed that the teacher had the audacity to point or tell someone they're doing something wrong, instead of just going over and adjusting them quietly and without a scene. I know he was pissed too...I could see it on his face. We're not used to being singled out like that, made to feel inadequate for all the room to witness. Fourth bad sign. I was seething, and no longer able to practice constructively or mindfully. At the half-hour mark, for the first time, I rolled up my mat and left. I just couldn't take that woman anymore. So, instead of leaving yoga exhilarated and refreshed, I'm pissed, and spend the next hour trying to get a grip.

Loving Touches
Fast-forward a week. I'm in a two-hour Power Vinyasa class with a teacher I've taken a couple times before: Litsa K. We warm up slowly. We sweat. We lunge. Oftentimes in class, as we're holding a pose (Warrior II, for example), Litsa will walk around and gently touch the fingertips of our outstretched hands. It's like a little love tap. It feels like she's saying, That's good! I see you. You're doing great! She can never say a word, but those little touches speak volumes about her intention.

And here is the crux of the matter: Your intention will always give you away. My yoga teacher once told me that she could tell by my intention that I was serious about yoga. I wasn't quite sure what she meant when she said that. Now I understand completely. When you bring wholehearted effort and peace to your mat, it's obvious. When you bring contempt or judgments to your mat, people can feel it, they can see it. When we come to our mats, we need to be there completely, or in my opinion, not be there at all. As a teacher in training, I realize now more than ever that what makes a teacher popular or successful is not the yoga per se—it's their "bedside manner," the presentation, the package. Yoga can be had anywhere these days. What makes a teacher stand out is intention. The mood of the teacher. Her cadence. The music. The way they make adjustments or corrections. How they make you feel—do they lift you up or tear you down? It all factors into whether the experience is good or not, and whether we'll be back to that class or not.

Intention. It's a very powerful concept.

Push-Ups for Better Chaturangas

2007-01-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

When I started working out seriously a few months ago, I couldn't do three push ups without pulling something—in fact, the first two times my trainer had me do modified (girl) push-ups, I pulled muscles in separate areas both times. Not fun.

After recuperating from those minor injuries, we kept at the push-ups, but in creative ways: push-ups with one hand on a medicine ball, then rolling it to the other hand; push-ups on risers, moving hands on and off the riser while in plank position, then lowering; push-ups on benches, yada, yada, yada. Along the way, I've made some strides in the push up department. And it has had a very positive impact on my Chaturanga Dandasanas.

Weight-Lifting and Yoga: Yin and Yang
While the hand placement for traditional push-ups and Chaturangas are different, the need for upper body and abdominal strength is common to both. Although many forms of yoga provide a serious workout, I firmly believe that weight-lifting has enabled me to fast-forward through months or even years of building upper body strength through yoga alone—I'm able to hold plank pretty well, and lower in Chaturanga with integrity. Knowing how challenging push-ups were for me just a few months ago, if I hadn't been hitting the gym and gradually increasing the amoung of weight I lift, I seriously doubt I'd be where I am in my practice today. And push-ups are just one aspect that has translated beautifully—all the weighted lunges and wall sits my trainer has me do have also helped me develop key leg muscles I need to go deep in Warrior stances and lunges, and hold them.

Alternating between lifting and yoga—weights Monday, Wednesday, Friday and yoga Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday—helps me feel extraordinarily balanced. Plus, the cardio I also do virtually everyday has been helpful in giving me the stamina I need to make it through 90-minute and two-hour Power Vinyasa classes that take you to the brink in terms of muscle fatigue, cardio, balance, and focus. I know some hardcore yogis are not a fan of lifting because it shortens the muscles, and fatigues them (definitely not good to lift and do "power" yoga the same day). But I think they really go well together and help tone and sculpt the body in a very pleasant way.

The Sport of Fashion

2007-01-14T08:55:00.000-05:00

Since I'm spending a lot of time in athletic wear these days, between yoga, weight-lifting, and power walking with my dog, the style of my "after-school" and weekend clothes has changed significantly. Used to be that I wouldn't be caught dead in a flat shoe. Used to be that I would dress to the nines for everything. But now that I'm either going to or coming from some athletic endeavor most days, it's a no-brainer that the sport look would eventually seep into my current style (which is actually a good thing, because now that I'm wearing heels a lot less I might not be a total gimp at 50, hobbling around on my stiletto-busted feet).

But I digress.

Not that it really matters, but one fashion trend for Spring 2007 is a sport-influenced look. I'm glad for that, not because it deems activewear outside the gym "acceptable," but because it gives me more ideas on how to blend sport pieces into my casualwear. The February 2007 issue of Bazaar magazine covers this (page 114, "Go Sport: The athlete is the role model of the moment") and references runway looks by Marni (and a $3,960 revamped nylon Prada backpack...are they out of their minds?!!!).

Photo on right: Look from the Marni Spring 2007 show by Marcio Madeira.

Vogue.com also highlights the trend—see the Get Sporty Trend Report. Marni is actually doing what, Y-3, a design/production partership between Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto, has been doing for a while: very chic, athletic-look city wear. It's just nice to see more shows with real-world looks—totally accessible fashion for the less adventurous, though I don't fall into that category. I absolutely appreciate the art of fashion shows, but when it comes down to it, I'm looking for inspiration, ideas I can acutally use, and clothes I can actually wear. This trend is practical and a breath of fresh air. So now we have no excuse for not looking good as we schlep from yoga to the grocery store, or from the gym to the mall!

Photo on left: Look from the Y-3 Spring 2007 show by Marcio Madeira.

Renunciation

2007-01-11T16:34:00.000-05:00

I'm reading Meditations from the Matthis year—a wonderful book about yoga recommended by my teacher, Dolly Stavros. Day 10's topic is vairagya, or renunciation. In this passage, Rolf Gates writes,

"The soil of our life is ready for vairagya...Long before we actually die to an old behavior, the way has been paved for a new one. By the time we actually arrive at the decision to let go of something, we shall 'be glad of another death.' When we are ready to let go, we will do so with relief. We will experience renunciation not as a death but as a birth." (p. 14-15 )

Renunciation is a powerful concept, and since I am currently in the early stages of vairagya myself, I can wholly appreciate Gates' insight. While I do not care to share the details of exactly what I am divorcing myself from, all I know is that yoga has primed me for this path, this mindset, and that this renunciation will truly make me "glad of another death." Change can be difficult and chaotic, but without it, we stagnate. How can we transform if we don't go outside our comfort zones? I'm especially bad about that. But I have found that releasing myself from my ego just long enough to try something I'd never normally do hasn't just been good, it's been cathartic in ways I never expected.

A new year is a wonderful time to consider vairagya. This time of year, when we bundle ourselves up for physical warmth is the perfect time to bundle ourselves mentally just long enough to take stock, evaluate, and move forward. I think sometimes we don't sit with our real selves long enough to really consider our thoughts and actions, and how they've affected our lives to this point. It's not easy to look at yourself and admit your shortcomings. But to do so is to banish your failings to death. Every day is a new day. Renounce the addictions, the overindulgences, the negative self-talk and you often find yourself in a new, more comfortable place. Clear headed and with good intent. I'm sure a little vairagya never hurt anyone.

Ashtanga and the Moon

2007-01-10T19:51:00.000-05:00

While perusing some yoga sites, I came across a tidbit that I've not yet heard. Ashtanga yoga devotees are not supposed to practice on the days of a new moon or full moon. Interesting. Rather than paraphrase the reasoning behind it, visit the Ashtanga Yoga Center site to learn more about moon days.

Christy Turlington's Living Yoga

2007-01-09T19:31:00.000-05:00

I realize that this book has been out for many years at this point, but it only just came to me this past Christmas when I received it as a gift.

I've never encountered a book quite like this. In Living Yoga: Creating A Life Practice, uber-model Christy Turlington recounts her own journey into yoga—but the book is actually part memoir, part yoga reference book. She gives a very nice history of yoga and the different disciplines within it; touches on the spritiual aspects of yoga, Buddhism, and Hinduism; and descibes asanas, breathing techniques, meditiation, sacred spaces, and more.

Turlington also explores a very appropriate question, I think, for those of us who are avid yoga followers, but are not practicing Buddhists or Hindus—spiritual belief systems that more closely align with yoga than most Christian religions. She wonders how to reconcile her Catholicism with the tenets of yogic belief—something I can fully identify with as a Christian. She eventually discovers that yoga actually fits very neatly into almost any lifestyle or belief system—that it can in fact deepen existing beliefs while at the same time opening your mind to more universal concepts. I loved the fact that she stayed true to herself while becoming a better, more enlightened version of herself—because although I admire the reasoning, it is highly unlikely that I'll ever convert fully to Buddhism or adopt the vegetarian aspect of yoga.

On the subject of vegetarianism, Turlington made a profound, yet obvious observation that really hit home with me. I can't seem to find the exact passage, but Turlington points out that those of us who aren't vegetarian can and should still recognize and give thanks for the sacrifice of animal lives made for our benefit. It's pretty obvious that the meat we consume and leather we wear was once walking around on four legs, but in our sterile North American world, I think many of us compartmentalize the killing aspect of meat consumption, especially if you're a lover of animals. Cruising through our ultra-luxurious grocery stores, it is easy to forget that an animal was bred, slaughtered, weighed, measured, shrink-wrapped, labeled, and shipped just for our consumption. So, at minimum, recognizing the sacrifice and being mindful of this should deepen our appreciation for animal-based foods...and maybe even move the most reticent of us toward a more vegetarian lifestyle.

If you haven't read it, and are the least it curious about yoga, pick up Living Yoga: Creating a Life Practice. It really is a lovely and insightful book, one that I'll probably even re-read from time to time.

Tried and True

2007-01-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

Is paying more for gear that promises "high-performance" because of its "sweat-wicking" technology worth it? I say yes.

I recently purchased this outfit from nikewomen.com (one of my favorite sites for really good-looking athletic wear) and while it is pretty cute on, I can tell you that after a recent two-hour Vinyasa class done at about 90 degrees farenheit, Nike's claims are bonafide. As I stood in Eagle pose with sweat literally dripping off the ends of my elbows, my pants showed no embarassing sweat rings, and my top stayed in place, which allowed me to concentrate on holding the pose instead of fidgeting with my clothes. Nothing worse than that. Of course, no matter how comfy some things seem in the dressing room, it's not until you get on your mat that you really know how your clothing is going to hold up.

Featured: Nike Shibuya Bodywear Top and Rebel Capri.

Welcome to The Yogaphile

2007-01-07T15:31:00.001-05:00

It occurred to me while blogging on my personal blog, that it was becoming inundated with yoga-related commentary. So I thought, why not start a yoga blog about my journey of yoga discovery?

And so The Yogaphile was born.