Ecstasy in age

Bear with me for this one.

Shakespeare wasn't the first to make the connection between old age and being an infant, but his seven ages of man monologue is a good intro for those who aren't familiar with the concept:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav'd, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. (As You Like It)

I have often thought about what goes on in the minds of those without a developed form of communication (i.e. infants and very young children). Is it a meditative state? Is it Ishvara Pranidhana? Is it Samadhi? Is thought just a random succession of images? What is going on in there? 

I don't pretend to know and I'm not sure of folks who do. But, to go back to Shakespeare, I wonder if that same state of total reception is again present in very old age. For those who again lose the abilities of language, of word formation (I see this happening in me sometimes, on a much more minor level), do they again enter a mindset similar to infants? In the most advanced stages of aging, the return to the "second childishness," is there a chance to once again be totally present in the moment? There isn't the same sense of acquisition as the first childhood; instead, it is a revisitation and a letting go.

I've thought that in a stage of infancy, we are closer to the "universal consciousness." Maybe, again in old age, we again close in on it.

I like to think so, at least. 

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Yoga in Your Parent's Living Room

My guess is that I'm not the only one currently experiencing extra people. Extra people in your home, or you are the extra people in the home of someone else. The extra people experience, so emblematic of the holidays.

It can be a stressful time. Having more people in your space can result in a feeling of claustrophobia and being in someone's space can create less agency. It's like being in a romantic relationship; suddenly, you're not just making decisions for yourself anymore. You might wake up, be totally ravenous for a strawberry-banana smoothie... only to find that Pops, in his infinite love for you, has made a gigantic batch of french toast. Just for you.

Or, like me, you're a bit addicted to the asana side of your yoga practice. You. Need. To. Move! But your parents have a teeny little living room, and it is filled with presents. Yesterday, I practiced to Live.Love.Yoga's podcasts (go to iTunes and enter "Power Yoga with Nikki Wong" for FREE downloadable podcasts of sheer yoga brilliance) while I worried about knocking over things and staring at Christmas wrapping. Did I mention that I'm Jewish? And am really anti-consumer?

I think I need to accept the fact that this week, this one week out of the year, my yoga practice needs to move off of the mat. I need to eat the french toast and detach myself from smoothie cravings. I can take a looooooooong walk in the Shawangunk Mountains to get some air and do Mountain Pose on the real thing. Mostly, I can make space for the needs of other people while being aware of my own. Especially whether my needs are just attachments and routines that, while they may be "healthy," are still attachments.

However, just in case your parent's living room, or your living room crowded with guests, is a little less packed than my own, here is a yin practice that requires a bit less space to move around in.

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Dirgha and Ujjayi Pranayama (Three Part Breath and Ocean Sounding Breath). Come back to this breath often throughout this practice.
   
3. Baddha Konasana (Cobbler's Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes.
4. Bhujangasana on forearms, forearms shoulder width apart (Cobra). Hold for 1 minute.
5. Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose) with arms resting in a comfortable place. Hold for 2 minutes on each side.
6. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes. (Note: avoid or be careful is you have sciatica or chronic lower back issues)
   
7. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes each side.
8. Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose). Hold for 2 minutes.
9. Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose). Hold for 5-10 minutes.
10. Savasana (Corpse Pose). Hold for twice your usual length.

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JANUARY 2011... old school ashtanga in the new year

led primary

new year's day with leslie g! 9am

faulkner

returns to yogaclub january 6th

cosmic images painted by my aunt suzanne ruth faulkner

adjustments start about one hour after doors open for the mysore classes. (so faulkner gets her practice in)

Sunday Mysore 8:30-11 AM (adjustments begin around 9:15 AM)

Monday & Thursday Mysore 5-8 PM (adjustments begin around 6 PM)

Wednesday Level 1 5:45-7:15 PM

Saturday Guided Primary 9-10:45 AM

Classes Are By Donation

Please do not let $$$ keep you from practicing at yogaclub

IOUs and chocolate/baked goods/ideas/crystals etc... gladly accepted

Park in back on left side oralong side porch in driveway if possible

(trying to keep off street parking for my neighbors)

Class Description

Mysore: All levels welcome,

including complete beginners

Level 1: Fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga: suryanams &standing poses

Guided Primary Series: Instruction on postures will be limited

If you are not familiar with the entire series, you are welcome to attendand practice as is appropriate,then sit and observe. This is a hard class.

New to Ashtanga?

New to Durham?

Visiting?

email any questions to: ashtangayogaclubdurham@gmail.com

yoga related emergency? call/text suzy’s cell 919-475-9579

thanks for checking out our little blog!

http://ashtangayogaclubdurham.blogspot.com/

The new year's day led primary! Happy New Year to all.

namaste

Readmore »»

Clutter

Close your eyes. In your mind's eye, take a moment and envision five pairs of shoes you own. See the colors, shapes, where they are currently. Think about where you got them from. Think about how much they cost and the story behind acquiring them.

You may be thinking... shoes? But here's the point: if you can close your eyes and imagine five pairs of shoes (mighty, I can see a whole lot more than five, even in my mind) that means that in addition to taking up space in your closet, the shoes are also taking up space in your consciousness. (To link this up with a Niyama, check out Katherine's post on Saucha, or purity)

Chris cleaned the heck out of the house today. He removed every single piece of furniture from the living room and spent hours cleaning it. Things I couldn't have imagined were dirty... well, that's not even for polite company. It was scary where all those dust bunnies and caked on griminess hid. I sweep/vacuum usually on a weekly basis. There's no stuff strewn about the floors. Dirt, however, gets in there. It just does.

Same with our minds. The more stuff we acquire on a physical basis, the more space it takes up in our mind. The shoe experiment can be repeated on coats, bags, silverware, coffee mugs. All of this stuff is just lying in our minds, gathering dust. What can be more productive in your mental space than physical objects?

Of course, this is a holiday post. I'm trying to give presents that are either needed or useful with the hope that I will receive the same. Stocking stuffers have been known to make me angry at the giver (I'm working on it). Give a gift to yourself, too, by cleaning out what you can. By making space. In the end, there will be more space in your mind and breath. And, this time of year, couldn't we all breathe a little easier?

Sequence

1. Warm up for 10-15 minutes
2. Samasthiti (Equal standing)
3. Take your right leg and bend it, bringing the right calf to cross above the left knee (while balancing on left foot)
4. Hands to heart center, "sit" hips lower and back, opening the right hip
5. Open out and back to Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
6. Exhale to step back to high lunge
7. Take right hand to inside of left foot, left hand to hair for low lunge twist
8. Spin open to Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
9. Reverse warrior, taking hand to back leg
10. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
11. Bending front knee slightly to take left hand to floor, step back into Vasisthasana (Side Plank)
12. Plank
13. Vinyasa
14. Repeat steps 2-13 on other leg
15. Cool down
16. Savasana 

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Let it be.

I am a worrier. As much as I try not to be - I am. So is my mom. And seemingly my grandmother. To some extent, I honor that at least I can recognize where it comes from. At the same time, I constantly need this reminder of the last niyama: Isvara Pranidhana. Most often translated as "surrender to God," I like to think of it as surrendering to the flow that is my life. To simply do and be the best I can without unneeded concern over the outcome. To trust that the decisions I make and the actions I take are genuine to the person I am and the outcome will simply be a result of self expression. And no matter whether it will be seen from the outside as "good" or "bad," in my book all will be good because I have let it go and am choosing actions that resonate with my true self at that given moment. Releasing concern about what may or may not happen in the future allows us to live more presently in this moment. It's not easy.

As far as teaching this niyama, I have had many students come to me looking for specific results. It is ever so challenging to instill that it is truly the journey - the effort and the experience - that need the focus and attention rather than the end results. Surrendering to the flow of the journey rather than over thinking the outcome is Isvara Pranidhana. Also creating a link between all students that pass through the doorway to your class can help shift the attention from the individual to this unique universal life/journey which we are all a part. Inviting an awareness of what we all share rather than focusing on our differences can bring a sense of surrender of that universal self.

What ways do you see or bring "surrendering to the flow" to your life or in your yoga classes?

**I've spent the past several months writing weekly about the yamas and niyamas here on the Joy of Yoga! I hope you all enjoyed! Your feedback has been greatly appreciated. Any suggestions on what you'd like to chat more about in the future?

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Honoring the Class

It's coming to the end of the semester here at Cornell. I pretty much have the same schedule next semester, which means it's likely I'll be seeing a lot of similar faces, but the schedules of other students will surely shift, and I'll have to say bye to others.

I'd like to do something at the end of this semester to honor those who came with such amazing dedication and shared their practice. This isn't exactly a woo-woo friendly place and I don't want to make any assumptions or turn anyone off (when they are ready, the woo-woo will come). I tend to not talk about "spirit" and the "light within" all that much. Right now, I'm trying to think of a good way to end the class showing how grateful I am in movement and asana. Tricky, tricky, tricky.

If one pose, to you, was a symbol of gratitude, what pose would that be?

Sequence from this morning's class:

1. Begin on back, centering, breathing
2. Extend legs up to sky
3. Using core, bring extending legs out to right, and, moving like a pendulum, through center to the left. Keep the shoulders grounded on the mat
4. Repeat for about 1 minute, breathe smoothly
5. Extend legs to sky
6. Crisscrossing the legs move them to hover over the floor, and back up the sky. Continuing to crisscross lower and lift
7. Repeat for about 1 minute, breathe smoothly
8. Extend legs to sky
9. Eagle crunch (arms and legs bound in eagle while on back, bringing elbows towards knees and away). 12x each side
10. Release and roll to table
11. Cat/cow in table
12. "Thread the needle" in table, both sides
13. Uttanasana (Forward Fold)
14. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hand)
15. 5 Sun As
16. 3 Sun Bs. In the Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I), interlace fingers behind lower back. Inhale, open heart to sky, exhale take shoulder to inside of knee (hip stretch). In each Sun B, repeat this Warrior stretch.
17. Uttana Pristhasana (Lizard Pose). Hold, using props as needed, for 1 minute
18. Ardha Supta Kapotanasana (Half Reclined Pigeon). Moving foot across and knee down, come into reclined pigeon. Hold 1 minute.
19. Three Legged Downward Facing Dog, open hip by bending knee
20. Downward Dog
21. Repeat steps 17-20 on other side
22. Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)
23. Halasna (Plow Pose)
24. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
25. Supta Matysendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
26. Savasana

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Quickie Sequence

Saw this shout-out on Suburban Yogini and thought... crap!, when's the last time I posted a sequence?

So here's a quickie that I used in a recent class. Enjoy!

1. 12 Sun Salutations to warm up (or warm up of choice)
2. Natarajasana (Dancer's Pose), opening to
3. Virabhadrasana III (Warrrior III), revolving to
4. Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing Half Moon)
5. Taking leg back to Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
6. Taking arm to back leg, for revolved or opened Warrior II
7. Straighten front leg for revolved triangle (Trikonasana)
8. Parsvottanasana (Pyramid Pose)
9. Step front leg back and into the air for 3-legged Downward Facing Dog
10. Vinyasa and repeat steps 1-9 on other side

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30 Day Yoga Challenge// Part Two!

Back here I posted about one of the great loves of my life's 30 Day Yoga Challenge.  Curious how it turned out? Me too! So, from sweet Kelly, the wrap up:

Take That 30 Day Challenge!

My 30 days are up and quite honestly, I am not sure what all my fuss was about.

Week 1: I was all pumped and ready to go! Time flew by and I was feeling good.
Week 2: Started to get tired, dragged a little bit, but pushed through.
Week 3: Back in the saddle and loving it!
Week 4: In the home stretch, started to feel a bit stiff and sore for a few days but knew that was normal.

The secret was to take it day by day and not think "Oh, 23 days to go, 22 days to go..." Not that I didn't do  little mental checks now and again but for the most part thinking of it one day at a time worked well. The studio owner asked me how I felt about the time commitment, and I was forced to be honest with myself. For me, the time commitment wasn't an issue. I don't have children taking up my life so I chose to attend 4pm classes on weekdays and the 8am classes on the weekends. This truly wasn't the challenging part.  What was more difficult was dragging myself when I just didn't feel like going! But I sucked it up because I knew it was best for me, and I really reaped some significant benefits.

What benefits, you ask? Well, I've really broadened my horizons regarding different yoga styles. Before the challenge I was primarily taking Bikram and Hot yoga classes. I tend to need variety in my life so I began to ease into Power and Vinyasa, which was really such an awesome thing for my practice. I felt like a whole new world was opening up to me and I began to work on my upper body strength, or lack thereof. I am actually starting to prefer these new classes to my original choices! I think this demonstrates the need for balance, variety and new challenges in one's practice. Another benefit of making yoga class part of my daily routine was seeing progress. At first I thought my body would be transformed, but once reality set in I knew it was going to take a lot more then a month to get to my ideal. Instead, I see a slower, more gradual progression in balance, strength and flexibility, which really makes a lot more sense. I also started making some connections with other people at the studio. I know my teachers better and I went from not speaking to anyone in the classes to having some friendly faces to talk to. Yoga is such an individual practice that I didn't see how I could make friends doing it, but now I realized that the more involved I get, the more opportunities I have to possibly get to know some new people with similar interests.

I think I am at the tip of the iceberg as far as yoga practice and meditation but this challenge has demonstrated to me that it's something I really want to keep as an important part of my life. In fact, I am starting to think it's something I really want to focus on, possibly even becoming a teacher of some sort. (Although the thought is terrifying!) And guess what? The next 30 Day Challenge begins in January and the owner already wanted to know if I'd sign up! I decided not to, however, because I am confident enough in myself now that I don't need to be held accountable in that way anymore. I'm going to keep this up on my own terms and in my own way. Hooray! Readmore »»

DECEMBER: celebrate with ashtanga yoga club!

all classes are WAY ON

this week at yogaclub!!!

saturday 18th= led primary

sunday 19th = mysore AM

monday 20th =mysore PM

wednesday 22nd = level 1 PM

thursday 23rd= mysore PM

saturday 25th self practice 9AM-noon

adjustments start about one hour after doors open for the mysore classes.

(so faulkner gets her practice in)

Sunday Mysore 8:30-11 AM (adjustments begin around 9:15 AM)

Monday & Thursday Mysore 5-8 PM (adjustments begin around 6 PM)

Wednesday Level 1 5:45-7:15 PM

Saturday Guided Primary 9-10:45 AM

Classes Are By Donation

Please do not let $$$ keep you from practicing at yogaclub

IOUs and chocolate/baked goods/ideas/crystals etc... gladly accepted

Park in back on left side or along side porch in driveway if possible

(trying to keep off street parking for my neighbors)

Class Description

Mysore: All levels welcome, including complete beginners

Level 1: Fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga: suryanams & standing poses

Guided Primary Series: Instruction on postures will be limited

If you are not familiar with the entire series, you are welcome to attend

and practice as is appropriate, then sit and observe. This is a hard class.

New to Ashtanga? New to Durham? Visiting?

email any questions to: suzyruth2@yahoo.com

yoga related emergency? call/text suzy’s cell 919-475-9579

thanks for checking out our cute little blog!

http://ashtangayogaclubdurham.blogspot.com/

December is holiday ridden.... and suzy is going to Isreal to check-in with her Alexander Technique teachers from December 25- January 4th.

Yogaclub will be open as much as possible while suzy is away. There will be substitutes (karina, laury, the leslies, nancy) and/or self-practices. Checkout our super cute scroll down g-mail calendar gadget to see if there is a sub or a self practice while suzy is on the other side of the ocean missing her yoga peeps big time.

The G-man abides... namaste

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Svadhyaya

Svadyaya is cultivating self awareness and taking the time to reflect inward. Within that self study includes constantly moving forward, learning, growing and sharing our true self with those around us. I feel like that self study truly is my yoga practice. Not only does asana and meditation bring the sensitivity to connect with my true nature, but it also presents questions that encourage me to seek and learn....it keeps me coming back for more.

I love asking my students to let go of where they came from and let go of where they are going when they leave class in order to become present on their mat during class. I then ask them to set an intention to listen to the messages their body/mind sends them as they move through asana - without judgement. Simply to listen and be aware. I think this helps set the tone of yoga as a personal practice. This invitation of inner awareness can help us all see the benefits of yoga in their lives.

In a workshop I took last spring with Aadil Palkhivala, he asked at the beginning of class as we settled in "Why are you here?" and "What is your dharma?". I find myself reflecting on those questions often as I practice asana and move through life. He suggested that being open to asking these questions of ourself is the journey - it's about always being open to what arises rather than seeking the answer. Opening myself to this reflection has given me great perspective on my own life and encouraged me to explore what it is I truly believe. It has allowed me to find honesty with myself and truly that is the power of yoga.

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Hymn to Full, by Robin Merrill

I didn't write about the U.S. Thanksgiving this year. Too busy doing the things I am so thankful for, thank goodness. Robin, however, contacted me about doing a guest post/poem. Sometimes poems, in beauteous brevity, can speak to a feeling better than any long winded post or litany I could write. For a bio and more poetry (and who doesn't need more poetry-- "I believe the world is beautiful/ and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.") her website is www.robinmerrill.com

Hymn to Full

Here is my hymn

to the washing machine

full of diapers full of

fluorescent mustard

baby poop. Here is a hymn

for clogged milk ducts,

bras stuffed with cabbage leaves,

breasts bursting with nourishment.

Here is my hymn for hampers:

seventy-five thousand

shades of pink

soaked in soured milk

and baby pee. Here is my hymn

to a full house, my hymn to clutter,

my hymn to nothing ever gets

done, not dishes, not floors,

not groceries, not even poems.

Here is my hymn to calendars,

full of doctor’s appointments:

pediatric, obstetric, chiropractic.

Here is my hymn for my daughter,

full of vigor and vitality,

her belly round, her brain busy

absorbing the world,

one primary color, one consonant,

one note, one face, one scent

at a time. And finally,

here is a hymn,

the first hymn ever

to my heart,

who now knows how to

overflow.

Robin Merrill is a poetess who splits her time between Maine and Michigan. You can usually find her writing about Marquette MI hotels.

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Is Yoga Hindu?

Deepak says no. The Hindu American Association says yes.

So, it is? Readmore »»

Arms/Hands in Sun Salutations

A query:

Anyone know why there are the different hand and arm variations in the Sun Salutations A and B? For example, I sometimes see people swan dive arms out to the side as they come into a forward fold. Sometimes I see hands coming down through heart center in a forward fold. Some folks, upon rising, bring the arms above head, and immediately go into a forward fold from there. Others bring arms overhead, back through heart center, and then back again over head before coming in a forward fold. There are also different hand variations in Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hand Posture). Steeple fingers, palms together, etc. I'm guessing it's mudra related, but I just don't know.

Any ideas about the variations of the arms and hands? Lineage? Or just preference?


Thanks! Readmore »»

Spinal Breath (a poem)

A poem by Carly Sachs, a Renaissance-lady who I completed my yoga teacher training with. For more information on Carly and her work, please check out her website The Why and Later.


Spinal Breath

for Dinabandu and Ila


This morning

the red trees

in the cemetery,

now watching three women skip

stones across the lake,

as if we are water,

imagine the ripples

from these tiny acts,

lifting an arm or a leg

and placing it somewhere

new.



What could you let skim

 the surface, and what

would you allow

to travel

your entire length

down,

as you invite the breath

to necklace

the spine, what treasures

waiting

in the jewel box

of body,

what ecstatic message

tucked in the bottle

of mind,

now still,

simply

arriving. Readmore »»

Guest Post from Cindy Cullen

Yoga to Cure Depression and Chase Away the Blues

There’s no doubting the fact that exercise helps boost both mental and physical health, and if there’s one form of exercise that doesn’t take too much time and doesn’t tax your body and drain you physically even as it gives you all the benefits of working out, it’s yoga. For long, yoga had been associated with the mystic East and spirituality more than signifying a way of exercise. Today however, many people have taken to yoga as one of the best ways to improve body and soul; when practiced just a few days a week, for as little as 20 minutes a day, yoga provides a host of benefits that improve the quality of your life and your overall wellbeing.

If you’re prone to moods that are blue and feel sad or depressed most of the time, you could turn to yoga as an effective form of therapy. It helps elevate your mood by:

• Altering your brain chemistry to enable it to produce more serotonin and dopamine (feel-good hormones)
• Stimulating your pituitary gland to release endorphins (the feel-good hormone that is released when you exercise) and reduce the level of cortisol (the stress hormone that causes immense damage to mental and physical health)
• Regulating your thyroid and reducing mood swings and preventing your weight from see-sawing
• Making you look better and younger by directing more blood to your face so your skin glows and wrinkles are slow to form

The yoga positions (or asanas) that help cope with depression are the head stand (sirshasana), the plow (halaasana), the shoulder stand (sarvangasana), and the fish (matsyasana). While the head and shoulder stands are for advanced practitioners of yoga, the plow and the fish positions can be learned in a few weeks with regular practice. All these positions direct more blood to your head and brain and help stimulate your neurons to generate feel-good hormones that boost your mood. In fact, the shoulder stand is so effective an exercise that doing just this everyday for a few days a week is enough to boost your physical and mental health.

Besides these asanas, practicing how to breathe correctly and meditating for a while in a silent and calm environment can bring about a host of mental and physical health benefits, including boosting your mood and reducing depressive thoughts and feelings.

A significant advantage of yoga is that it is convenient for people of all ages – even if you have health conditions that prevent you from exercising or playing a sport, you could still stay fit and slim by practicing simple yoga exercises and breathing techniques. However, before you begin any yoga routine, discuss it with your doctor and seek out a professional yoga instructor to help you out initially.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Cindy Cullen, she writes on the topic of culinary arts colleges . She welcomes your comments at her email id: cindycullen84 <@>gmail<.>com.

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Be Present Now!

I'm quoting liberally from this New York Times article tomorrow in class... Readmore »»

Sequence// Shoulder Openers

Yes, it's been awhile. My apologies. But here we go. A very, very good shoulder opener from a class I took on Monday night. You should make a 180 turn by the end of this sequence

1. Start off with a bunch of Sun As and Bs to warm up (or your choice)
2. Low lunge
3. High Lunge (Crescent Lunge)
4. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
5. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
6. Revolved Triangle (Hand to back leg, heart opener, not the twist-y variety)
7. Five Pointed Star
8. Take your arms into Gomukhasana (Face of Light or Cow Face Pose) arms
9. Exhale, keeping arms like that, come into wide-legged forward fold
10. Inhaling to come up, keeping arms like that, turn to back of room
11. Exhale, lower into Parsvottanasana (Pyramid Pose) with Face of Light Arms
12. Inhale, come up half-way and release arms
13. Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle, the twist-y variety)
14. Inhale, come up halfway
15. Virabhadrasana III
16. Back to Crescent Lunge
17. Vinyasa
18. Repeat from 1, making your way back to  the front of the room
19. Complete with any cool-down 
20. Savasana!

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Tapas

I've seen several "definitions" of tapas - my favorites being heat, perseverance and austerity. We have to put effort into the world for our visions, goals, and dreams to come to fruition while simultaneously balancing with samtosha - discovering effort with contentment. It is important to recognize the difference between fantasizing about our future and truly setting ourselves on the path to creating our ideal reality. Kimberly Wilson discusses tapas in Hip Tranquil Chick as the heat that can bring change and allow for room to grow; she suggests it's connecting with tapas that allows us to stay mindful of our choices (and sacrifices) that help to move us along the spiritual path. Self observation and awareness is key as we define tapas in our own life. Dedicating our practice of asana, meditation, and study helps to keep consistency on the path to who we desire to be. I feel as if I reset myself on the path of who I want to be every single day. As crazy as it sounds, life sometimes gets in the way and I have to bring mindfulness to the choices I make and get back on the mat, sit for 10 minutes or journal first thing in the morning to reconnect and get back on my path. Instead of feeling out stagnant in any situation make the choices to put effort behind moving forward and discovering change.

The balance of contentment and effort is important in asana practice. If we force (in life and in asana) we often do more harm than good. As teachers, it's important to stay mindful of how we move our students into asana. Instead of demonstrating or cueing students to the "ideal" or most advanced level of any given pose and then giving modifications, start gently and give advancements. Rather than overwhelm, I invite you to underwhelm and then progress. Allow your students to want more of each asana and that will generate the heat of change in their body, mind and spirit.

What is your understanding of tapas or ways in which you've brought tapas into your life?

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I'm a Yoga Teacher, but also...

Two recent comments on posts got me a-thinkin'. Natalia's comment in particular (not quoted in entirety, but mostly):

"...especially about walk-outs- I think that walk-outs are very tied to how teaching yoga involves a money exchange, which is interpreted by many students that they are paying for a product, not supporting a community- and that product is the perfect balance of your personality making them feel motivated, enlightened, challenged, supported, satisfied, etc. And if you don't GIVE them those feelings, sometimes they walk out. As the 'meditator' above mentions about being a facilitator, not an enlightenator, I spend a lot of time telling my students that I am not there to GIVE them those things, just facilitate a space during which they can pay more attention to themselves, practice compassion, curiosity, choose their level of challenge or relaxation, etc, with me there as the 'suggester,' emphasis on 'jester.' This is one of the many reasons I call my class "Empowerflow" because I am trying to Empower my students, not glue them to me. In fact, sometimes I feel guilty wanting students to come back, because I really want them to realize that they can give themselves the gifts of yoga without me.



But back to the whole financial system of yoga. It's fascinating how students can have all the 'product' expectations that I mentioned above, but are willing to pay relatively little.

This is my current rant:


Students: You want me to have a sculpted, flab-free body that I wrap in spandex so you can see its every curve. Then I stand in front of you and writhe and spread my legs and smile and tell you how special you are and maybe I rub your head afterward, and you want to pay me less than you pay for a six-pack of microbrew? And you're not sure if it's worthwhile or if you should come back? F- that. Strippers make more money than that, doing almost the same thing, and they get tips. That's why I'm starting a yoga burlesque group and writing yoga raps that let me blow off some steam. Here's one on the topic:

You would tip her

If she were a stripper

(and, damn, she'd be good,

maybe she should)

Or if he were a server

Sure to deliver.

But what about the one

Who makes loving yourself fun?

Yoga is a service industry.

This is real.

Tip your yogistas like your baristas.

Tip your yoga instructors!"

And Rachel's too:

"Nobody teaches you about tax returns and managing a business either.... "

Reading these, I realized... how many different "jobs" are encompassed under the one title of "Yoga Instructor"? Just in one sit down I came up with this list:

1. Doctor
2. Counselor/Therapist
3. Philosopher
4. Religious Scholar
5. Motivational Speaker
6. Organizational Expert
7. Librarian (anyone ever spend hours looking for that perfect quote for class?)
8. Comedian
9. Accountant
10. Exercise instructor

Any more to add to the list? This is just an initial thought burst... I have a feeling I'm missing a lot more. Also... yoga burlesque group? Anyone out there joining?

Peace and love to my hard working and hard appreciating yogis and yoginis! Readmore »»

Thank you for everything

Thank you for everything.

I have no complaints whatsoever.

-Gratitude mantra by Sono (Zen Master)

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I win things! I get packages!

Yesterday evening, the divine Miz Nadine Falwell informed me that I won a Sharon Gannon cd from a giveaway on her website. I've been entering these types off of blogs for over a year now, and this is the second thing I have won (the first? A lulu headband from Nikki... another huge score). I am as giddy as a kiddo. Truth? Not sure if I'm more excited about the cd or about getting a piece of mail from around the world!

Growing up, I had a pen-pal in Australia. In her last letter to me, she asked me what I planned on doing for Christmas that year. I remember being really nervous to tell her that I didn't celebrate Christmas because I wasn't sure if there were Jewish people in Australia. I wrote her back, but never got a response. As young as I was, I decided telling her about Hanukkah probably scared her off. Other options include her being a 7 or 8 year old girl and not the most reliable pen-pal.

This really lovely "win" reminded me of how good it felt to get letters from around the world and inspired me. Sometimes I feel isolated in what is still a new place for me (just moved in April after 5 years living in Wisconsin) and seek folks to share with. In a way, with pen pals there is more honesty than with people you see regularly face to face, with the worst that can happen is that they stop writing (I've been there, it's not so bad). So... I want a pen pal! I want pen pals (plural)!

Do you live far, far away? Are you looking to bring back the dying art of the hand written letter? Are you looking to bring the patience of writing by hand (as opposed to the speediness of typing) and the patience of waiting for the letter to arrive into your life? Would you like to share and be shared with? A peer mentoring of sorts?

I promise I would never ever in a million years share the information in the letters anywhere or with anyone and would expect the same. There are more thoughts here, but I wanted to see if there's any interest out there. If so, my email address is in the top right hand corner of the blog. Send any questions, comments, or interest.

Pen pals! It's retro, but just what the world needs. Readmore »»

Things not often mentioned during Yoga Teacher Training

During YTT I learned about the yamas and the niyamas (if you didn't, check out Katherine's wonderful series here), anatomy, alignment, basic Sanskirt, history, and a whole bunch more. Some things, however, just never came up. Here is a brief, indispensable and contestable list of some things I wish I knew when I completed by 200 hours. If you have anything to add, or strongly agree or disagree, I'd love to know as more and more of my friends become yoga teachers.

Things not often mentioned during Yoga Teacher Training

1. Someone, someday will walk out of your class before it is over. Sometimes right in the beginning, sometimes in the middle, sometimes during savasana. They may walk into the room, see that you are subbing for their beloved teacher, and walk right back out. It's not about you. I wrote a post about this earlier this year and a recent comment brought me back to it and the wonderful, encouraging comments I received after a couple walk outs left me feeling badly. I'll repeat again: It's not about you. All of you out there helped teach me that. Thank you.

2. Someone will experience unpleasant sensations during your class. Nausea and dizziness are both common. It's also likely, however, that no matter how gentle the class, no matter how perfect your instructions and languaging, someone will injure themselves in another way. Allow yourself some introspection regarding how you teach the pose and see if there is a safer way to language it or bring people into the pose. The student may have not been with the breath or allowed their mind to wander, making injury more likely. Let it be a learning experience but not a freak-out.

3. You will have students who have very unpleasant thoughts about you, even wishing you ill. I've had these thoughts about teachers. It happened to me a lot earlier in my practice. Usually, in the end, the teachers I think very angry thoughts about end up teaching me the most and are the most influential. In a way, then, I guess one can aspire to be a teaching that students have a lot of "feelings" about. When there's nothing left to burn up, we must light ourselves on fire. 

4. You will have a class where no one shows up or (sometimes worse) one or two people show up. One or two person classes can require much more of your own energy and grace. They are very challenging. Classes where no one shows up can be heartbreaking, depressing, and an opportunity to have more time to make the class that you would have taught even more rock star. If no one continually shows up... maybe tweak the class time. Poll the community and your friends. Advertise. Energy put out should come back to you.

5. If you teach yoga for income, you may have to deal with uncomfortable money situations. It's what happens when you mix an essentially spiritual practice with financial compensation. Many yoga teachers are also women, who also are less likely to ask for raises, more compensation, etc. Be realistic about what you need, what you deserve, and what is likely in the situation you are signing onto. It may be uncomfortable, but bring money up very early in a business relationship. 

6. Students may put you up onto a pedestal. Absolute and perfect respect can be respected, and that's mutual. Step off of the pedestal in a graceful leap, tuck, and roll. Then, take a sledgehammer to the pedestal, distributing all parts evenly. 

How do these sit with you? Indigestion or like a cup cake [insert favorite sweetness here]?

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Ahhh....contentment.

The second niyama I'd like to chat about is samtosha or contentment. I am always reminding myself of this one. Since moving across the country this summer, I have been a struggling to adjust to a new pace of life and figure out what in the world I am meant to be doing. I’ve felt a bit lost at times. I’ve been unsure what my reality really is and obsessed with figuring it out. I’ve been anything other than content with where I am. I needed to discover how to find my feet – how to ground back down and be okay with where I am instead of constantly searching for where I “should” be. There is nowhere else to be that where we are now. Through all the meditation, mindfulness, and awareness I seek to find one piece of the puzzle that alluded me involved my emotions and I think this is where samtosha comes in to my life. It used to be if I was worried about something it took over my day or if I needed to make a decision I agonized and over-weighed all of my options. I literally had an afternoon two weeks ago where I couldn’t let these swirling thoughts and emotions define me. And so I shifted. I truly felt as if I walked through an invisible wall to the other side and embraced contentment. I embraced the mantra that accompanies my life: I am at peace. And I metaphorically walked to the other side. And it feels good. And I am in a different place now. I found my feet and I feel more grounded that ever. I don’t know what happened, but I know samtosha had a lot to do with it. It’s finding that amazing feeling you have at the end of an asana practice throughout your day – long after the time on the mat is done. I know that the heart of me is contentment and peace; truly believing (not simply saying it) has given me to freedom to chill out and savor all aspects of my life. How amazing is that? Letting go and knowing that peace is my true nature has set me free and made me feel a whole lot better. So, in discovering samtosha, I am finding my reality and that reality is peace. And it is good…really good.

As teachers, I think the best way of sharing samtosha is encouraging our students to be where they are. I often invite students to set the intention of honoring their body during their practice. I ask them to truly listen to the messages their body is sending them and allow those messages to guide and support their choices during their asana practice. My heart always warms when I see someone choose not to advance a pose because I know they are listening…not only to me, but to themselves. We can teach samtosha in those moments when we see someone struggling to take their pose a bit further...we can encourage them to find the positions where they can embrace contentment and peace. And that is what yoga is about: connecting to who you are, where your body is and loving it. Finding contentment and savoring you – exactly where you are!

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Balls! The good kind!

A bit ago, I talked about how I love to use a pink bouncy ball along pressure points. In a smaller class I taught, I gave out old tennis balls for students to use under their bodies.

Now, I'm going big time.

After sending out two emails to the Cornell University tennis teams, I have received two responses, and promises of more tennis balls than a girl could ever dream of. I plan on becoming a good fairy of "dead" tennis ball distribution, bringing them to all of the places I work. While I know a fair bit about yummy places to roll tennis balls (or Pinky's) along the torso, glutes, feet, etc. I am planning on doing a bit of research and starting to incorporate this into classes more often. Very excited!

If you happen to have a university in your town, I might recommend hitting them up for "dead" tennis balls. Even if you don't see an immediate use for them, an hour with you, some candlelight, a tennis ball, and NPR will probably change your mind.

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Back with the Niyamas

After a 2 week hiatus, I am looking forward to discussing the niyamas over the next few weeks. The yogic do's! I feel like the niyamas are a huge piece of the intention I set forth to living my yoga on a day to day basis; they are actions or observances to honor as we walk along the yogic path.

The first niyama is saucha or purity. We've all heard the old adage "cleanliness is next to godliness," but creating purity in our life is more that being sure we've showered. Maintain an orderly space around us can bring clarity of thought and respect for our belongings. Bringing mindfulness to our consumption habits: making choices to avoid toxic foods or purchase environmentally friendly products are also forms of bringing purity into our lives. Nourishing our body and soul by surrounding ourselves with order and eating & drinking mindfully helps to heighten the good in our lives and connect us to our source.

I've recently made some choices (for many reasons) that have connected me to saucha. I loved my morning cup of joe & my evening class of wine (I do live in Sonoma County after all!), but made the choice two months ago that those were habits that weren't serving me anymore. And honestly, I do sense more purity in my life and I don't miss them at all. I am experiencing clarity of my intention and connecting more with my true goals. Maybe it's giving up those "toxic" habits....maybe not, but it is something to think about.

Aadil Palkhivala has said that saucha is about separating our energies and allowing each energy to be distinct; therefore, honoring our personal energy as being unique. One way I like to bring that idea into my yoga classes is to honor that the space outside our yoga practice is different from the space on the mat. I ask my students to let go of where they came from and where they will be going when they leave class and find awareness in this space of the inner practice of yoga. Aadil also suggests that the way we treat our yoga mat is a represents the way we treat the world. Asking that your students respect each other's mats by not stepping on them creates order and honors each individuals energy & space (it also keeps things more sanitary!). Also bringing awareness to the way the mats are arranged for class can create a sense of order. Nice, neat rows opens the energy of the space for a more pure experience. Encouraging students to put their props away in a neat fashion also brings a heightened awareness to saucha.

Any thoughts on sharing saucha when you teach? Or in your daily life?

Readmore »»

Tibetan Yoga

Ready for your mind to be blown? I know I sometimes talk about wanting to jump right away from my computer to go try something... this is not one of those times. Readmore »»

ashtanga

yoga club

durham

November 2010

it's complicated!!

the regular classes are happening EXCEPT.......

here is the complicated part

no class on thanksgiving

no classes on the weekend of the 13th and 14th because we will be at a workshop at Skip and maryanne's studio in Siler City with Bobbi Misiti information on that below. come and practice with us!!!

But wait there's more!

Bobbi is teaching some special classes at yogaclub november 14 15 &16

Ashtanga IS for Beginners

2 hour introduction only 15 dollars!

sunday 14th 4 PM-6PM

AND

special mysore classes

monday 15th 6-8 AM

monday 15th 5-8 PM (with suzanne)

tuesday 16th 6-8 AM

and the regularly scheduled stuff of yogaclub

Sunday Mysore 8:30-11 AM

Monday&ThursdayMysore 5-8 PM

Wednesday Level 1 5:45-7:15 PM

Saturday Guided Primary 9-10:45 AM

classes are by donation

Please do not let $$$ keep you from practicing at yogaclub

IOUs and chocolate gladly accepted

Park in back on left side or along side porch in driveway if possible

(trying to keep off street parking for my neighbors)

class description

Mysore: All levels welcome, including complete beginners.

Level 1: Fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga: suryanams & standing poses

Guided Primary Series: Instruction on postures will be limited.

If you are not familiar with the entire series, you are welcome to attend

and practice as is appropriate, then sit and observe. This is a hard class.

New to Ashtanga? New to Durham? Visiting?

email any questions to: suzyruth2@yahoo.com

yoga related emergency? call/text suzy’s cell 919-475-9579

thanks for checking out our cute little blog!

Workshops
with Bobbi at Skip's

Ashtanga Yoga Weekend Workshop With Bobbi Misiti


Location: Silk Hope Yoga
25 Irving Lindley Road, Siler City, NC 27344 November 12, 13, 14 2010 (email skip for directions, only takes about 50 minutes from durham)

Friday Nov. 12 
6:00pm Mysore Class + Discussion

Saturday Nov. 13 
9:00am - Noon Mysore


2:00 - 4:30pm Second Series pose by pose and vinyasa by vinyasa

Sunday Nov. 14
 9:00am Mysore

Cost: $150.00 USD

To Register: Contact Skip Doty, jpskipdoty@aol.com

_______________________________________________

Mysore Classes + Beginner Workshop

Location: Ashtanga Yoga Club of Durham


305 West Markham Ave., Durham NC 27701

Sunday Nov. 14 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Ashtanga Yoga IS for Beginners

Monday Nov. 15 6am - Mysore

Monday Nov. 15 5:00-8:00p - Mysore (with suzanne)

Tuesday Nov. 16 6am - Mysore

Cost $15.00 / class limited to 12 people per class

To Register: Contact Suzanne Faulkner, suzyruth2@yahoo.com

About Bobbi: Bobbi has studied Ashtanga Yoga extensively with Nancy Gilgoff and teaches as she has been taught in the classic method of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Bobbi has been teaching yoga since 1997 and prior to that taught health, wellness and exercise since 1990. In 2001 Bobbi founded Be Fit Body & Mind Yoga, a yoga studio dedicated to the teachings of Ashtanga Yoga. Yogaclub loves Bobbi. She is awesome and not the least bit dogmatic!!! For more information contact Bobbi at 717/443-1119 bobbi@befityoga.com, or check out a complete bio www.befityoga.com.

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