Ding, ding.....round 3. I taught three amazing yoga classes today...Snap Fitness at 7:15 am, with one beautiful student, thanks for sharing your practice with me today Deb.
Next, I was at the women's shelter teaching 4 children and 1 adult - my star student, Alaya, never ceases to amaze me with her love of yoga at 8 years old. I felt compelled to go out and get her, her very own yoga mat, as she will be leaving the shelter shortly - that little girl makes my heart sing!!! She is such a blessing to me.
Lastly, I substituted for Lauren's class through Central Arizona College at 5:30 pm. What an amazing group of women and men- we started out serious, but when you add a lion's breath in the mix of things, you are bound to get lots of giggles! From then on, class was on a less serious note~~
In closing, I would like to share the closing I used in all three practices:
Blessing of Solitude by John O'Donohue in Anam Cara: A book of Celtic Wisdom
May you recognize in your life the presence, power, and light of your soul.
May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the Universe.
May you have the respect for your own individuality and difference.
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here, that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good, and eternal happening.
May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which God sees in you every moment.
Namaste'
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
CRANE POSE - OPEN TO NEW POSSIBILITIES
I have been trying to master crane pose for the past 5 months, with very little accomplishment....On Monday in YTT class we learned how to teach the pose, sooooo.....
I taught arm balancing poses today in the two asana practices. One at Snap Fitness with four beautiful women who were open to new challenges...thank you for opening yourself up to new possibilities.
Then I taught to an 8 year old girl at the women's shelter who is totally amazing and willing to take on any challenge. She went into crane so easily, and was just beeming with her new knowledge and accomplishment. I bet she will be practicing it all week!!! I was delighted to see her pride in herself....
My fourth occurance this week (3rd today) with crane pose was in the yoga class I attended as a student....hmmmm, do you think something/someone is telling me to finally make peace with this pose? It's a journey, for sure!
I taught arm balancing poses today in the two asana practices. One at Snap Fitness with four beautiful women who were open to new challenges...thank you for opening yourself up to new possibilities.
Then I taught to an 8 year old girl at the women's shelter who is totally amazing and willing to take on any challenge. She went into crane so easily, and was just beeming with her new knowledge and accomplishment. I bet she will be practicing it all week!!! I was delighted to see her pride in herself....
My fourth occurance this week (3rd today) with crane pose was in the yoga class I attended as a student....hmmmm, do you think something/someone is telling me to finally make peace with this pose? It's a journey, for sure!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
We Are Unique - June 9, 2011
I love teaching yoga outdoors! Beautiful women sharing their practice this morning, breeze brushing our faces, birds whispering in our ears and the traffic buzzing by - as everyone reaffirms that they are unique.
Blessing of Solitude by John O'Donohue in Anam Cara: A book of Celtic Wisdom
May you recognize in your life the presence, power and light of your soul.
May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.
May you have the respect for your own individuality and difference.
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here, that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good and eternal happening.
May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride and expectation with which God sees in you every moment.
Blessing of Solitude by John O'Donohue in Anam Cara: A book of Celtic Wisdom
May you recognize in your life the presence, power and light of your soul.
May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.
May you have the respect for your own individuality and difference.
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here, that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good and eternal happening.
May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride and expectation with which God sees in you every moment.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Flying Warrior - Superman
What a busy day...Taught a 7:15 am class at Snap Fitness, topped off with a noon class at the women's shelter - and had 4 kiddos today in class, and one mom. It was lots of fun pretending we were Superman while doing Flying Warrior. I loved how creative I became teaching kids - as I totally misplaced my sequence - and didn't want to stay in panic mode....what a great learning experience. The kids had fun, as did the mom...they practiced breathing and even joined in the chanting of OM!!!
I spent the rest of the afternoon with my three grandchildren - going to a movie - X-Men and then to Olive Garden for dinner....
I am soooooooo blesssssssed!!!
I spent the rest of the afternoon with my three grandchildren - going to a movie - X-Men and then to Olive Garden for dinner....
I am soooooooo blesssssssed!!!
AMAZING - YOGA FOR TENNIS - PRACTICE
Yoga for tennis players this morning at 7:00 am....I love those guys....they add a little (and some times a lot) of laughter to the 30 minute practice. I was so impressed when I was explaining to them how to get into Virabrahdrasana II and one of the guys wasn't understanding, and another guy looked at him and said "Warrior II". OMG, they are really soaking the teachings into their minds. I am so blessed to have them all in my life!!!
Maybe one day they will let me take their picture, so I can post it on my blog-keeping my fingers crossed!!
Maybe one day they will let me take their picture, so I can post it on my blog-keeping my fingers crossed!!
Friday, June 3, 2011
A BIG THANK YOU
I am teaching my second practicum (out of 3 total) tomorrow at the Casa Grande Art Museum. My dear friend and beautiful yoga teacher, Lauren Margison, will be observing me teach. I am excited to come one step closer to completing my yoga teacher training (YTT). One month left until graduation. I want to thank all the people who have made this journey with me, my facilitators at Spirit of Yoga (Southwest Institute of Healing Arts) - Christy, Astara and Walter. My yoga teachers, Nora, Lauren, Susan, Robin and Laura for helping me through this journey with my questions and the opportunity to observe and assist in their classes. My friends and family for putting up with 'everything yoga' and for being guinea pigs in my practice classes. And a big thanks to my husband JR, for putting up with all of it (practices in the living room, mats strewn all over the house, yoga notes everwhere, books piled up in the bedroom, and for keeping the gas tanks in the vehicles filled all the time (that is really huge for me). JR, thank you for supporting me in this journey. Thank you to Against Abuse Womens Shelter for the oppportunity to teach and thank you to the women who have shared their practice with me.
Thank you everyone...I love and appreciate you all. I am truly blessed in all areas of my life.
Thank you everyone...I love and appreciate you all. I am truly blessed in all areas of my life.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
YOGA ETIQUETTE
New to Yoga? Get the lowdown on courteous conduct before you head to class.
Arrive early. Getting to class about 10 minutes early can help you settle in and align your attitude with the purpose of the class. Wait for teacher's permission to enter the room. While you are waiting for class to begin, you can practice a pose, do a few stretches, or just sit or lie quietly, breathe and get centered. Although arriving a few minutes late is better than skipping the whole practice, you need to rethink if you are chronically tardy. Arriving late often shows disrespect to the teacher and the other students, and it robs you of the chance to experience the full benefits of the class. If you are late, enter the room quietly. If you need to leave class early, let the teacher know ahead of time, and choose a spot in the back of the class.
Create an intention. To help focus, you might find it helpful to dedicate your practice to a certain intention. This might be to become more aware and understanding, more loving and compassionate, or healthier, stronger, and more skillful. Or it might be for the benefit of a friend, a cause - or even yourself.
Dress for yoga. Wear comfortable and non-restrictive workout clothes. Wear pants, shorts or shirts that are form fitting, rather than baggy. Choose a shirt than can be tucked in or one that is form fitting. Select pants or shorts that all you to move comfortably and fit well. No special footgear is required, as you will be barefoot. Consider leaving jewelry at home.
Find the Quiet. Turn off cell phones. If you are on call, please leave it on vibrate so that the peace of the practice is not disturbed. Save enthusiastic sound effects for your home practice and limit socializing with friends to before and after class. It is great to share a class with people you know, but it can be distracting to yourself and others to have an extended conversation during the practice. Be respectful and considerate of the other student's practice.
Injuries. Be sure to let your teacher know of any injuries or relevant medical information and definitely sound an alert if you feel pain in any pose. Do not hog the teacher. Resist the temptation to ask for an adjustment in every pose. Instead of regaling everyone with a blow-by-blow account of your injuries, see if you can incorporate the yogic discipline of restraint into your practice. Come early or stay late to talk with your teacher or discuss specific issues. Better yet, schedule a private session to fine-tune the asanas to suit your particular condition. Do not push yourself to the extent of pain, in any pose. Challenging yourself in a pose is different than pushing yourself to injury. If you are injured or tired, skip poses you can't or shouldn't do, or try a modified version.
It's your practice. Instead of trying to go as deeply or completely into a pose as other might be able to do, do what you can without straining or injuring yourself (ahimsa/non-violence). You will go farther faster if you take a loving attitude toward yourself and work from where you are, not from where you think you should be. If something does not make sense to you, please ask questions.
Practice saucha (cleanliness). Bring a towel if you sweat a lot, and arrive clean and free of scents. Such products can be difficult for people with allergies. Wearing lotion to class can cause your hands and feet to slip on your mat.
Allow 2 hours between your last meal and class. If you practice yoga on a full stomach, you might experience cramps, nausea, or vomiting, especially in twists, deep forward bends, and inversions. Also, food also takes energy that can make you lethargic. Also, please no chewing gum in class, as choking is a probability.
Drink water before and after class. In yoga, we typically don't drink water during the practice since its purpose is to heat the body up, not cool it down. We can also use this action as a way to avoid a certain pose or feeling. Of course, if you need to, please drink water. Always keep yourself hydrated.
Sticky mat. Bring your own yoga mat to class. Having your own personal mat is more hygienic. Thicker pilates mats interfer with balancing poses, so be sure to geta mat that is specific to yoga. You can purchase them from a local retailer or off the internet.
Shoes. Please remove your shoes while walking around the studio. Be courteous of your neighbors mat, by stepping over it. If you are doing partner work, it is courteous to ask, "May I stand on your mat?" before jumping feet first into your partner's yoga sanctuary.
Stay for Savasana. As everyone settles in for a long Savasana (the ending of your yoga practice where body and mind balance), you may feel like sneaking out. Relax and stay put. Aside from distracting the other students and showing disrespect to the teacher, you will miss the deep relaxation.
Reflect afterwards to think about what you did in class, so you can retain what you learned. Review the poses you practiced, and not any instructions that particularly made sense. Even if you remember just one thing from each class, you'll soon have a lot of information that can deepen your own personal practice.
Yoga is a sacred space - a time and place to go inside, be a little raw, retreat from the world.
Text borrowed from: Nora Plonsky and Yoga Journal ("oh, behave").
Arrive early. Getting to class about 10 minutes early can help you settle in and align your attitude with the purpose of the class. Wait for teacher's permission to enter the room. While you are waiting for class to begin, you can practice a pose, do a few stretches, or just sit or lie quietly, breathe and get centered. Although arriving a few minutes late is better than skipping the whole practice, you need to rethink if you are chronically tardy. Arriving late often shows disrespect to the teacher and the other students, and it robs you of the chance to experience the full benefits of the class. If you are late, enter the room quietly. If you need to leave class early, let the teacher know ahead of time, and choose a spot in the back of the class.
Create an intention. To help focus, you might find it helpful to dedicate your practice to a certain intention. This might be to become more aware and understanding, more loving and compassionate, or healthier, stronger, and more skillful. Or it might be for the benefit of a friend, a cause - or even yourself.
Dress for yoga. Wear comfortable and non-restrictive workout clothes. Wear pants, shorts or shirts that are form fitting, rather than baggy. Choose a shirt than can be tucked in or one that is form fitting. Select pants or shorts that all you to move comfortably and fit well. No special footgear is required, as you will be barefoot. Consider leaving jewelry at home.
Find the Quiet. Turn off cell phones. If you are on call, please leave it on vibrate so that the peace of the practice is not disturbed. Save enthusiastic sound effects for your home practice and limit socializing with friends to before and after class. It is great to share a class with people you know, but it can be distracting to yourself and others to have an extended conversation during the practice. Be respectful and considerate of the other student's practice.
Injuries. Be sure to let your teacher know of any injuries or relevant medical information and definitely sound an alert if you feel pain in any pose. Do not hog the teacher. Resist the temptation to ask for an adjustment in every pose. Instead of regaling everyone with a blow-by-blow account of your injuries, see if you can incorporate the yogic discipline of restraint into your practice. Come early or stay late to talk with your teacher or discuss specific issues. Better yet, schedule a private session to fine-tune the asanas to suit your particular condition. Do not push yourself to the extent of pain, in any pose. Challenging yourself in a pose is different than pushing yourself to injury. If you are injured or tired, skip poses you can't or shouldn't do, or try a modified version.
It's your practice. Instead of trying to go as deeply or completely into a pose as other might be able to do, do what you can without straining or injuring yourself (ahimsa/non-violence). You will go farther faster if you take a loving attitude toward yourself and work from where you are, not from where you think you should be. If something does not make sense to you, please ask questions.
Practice saucha (cleanliness). Bring a towel if you sweat a lot, and arrive clean and free of scents. Such products can be difficult for people with allergies. Wearing lotion to class can cause your hands and feet to slip on your mat.
Allow 2 hours between your last meal and class. If you practice yoga on a full stomach, you might experience cramps, nausea, or vomiting, especially in twists, deep forward bends, and inversions. Also, food also takes energy that can make you lethargic. Also, please no chewing gum in class, as choking is a probability.
Drink water before and after class. In yoga, we typically don't drink water during the practice since its purpose is to heat the body up, not cool it down. We can also use this action as a way to avoid a certain pose or feeling. Of course, if you need to, please drink water. Always keep yourself hydrated.
Sticky mat. Bring your own yoga mat to class. Having your own personal mat is more hygienic. Thicker pilates mats interfer with balancing poses, so be sure to geta mat that is specific to yoga. You can purchase them from a local retailer or off the internet.
Shoes. Please remove your shoes while walking around the studio. Be courteous of your neighbors mat, by stepping over it. If you are doing partner work, it is courteous to ask, "May I stand on your mat?" before jumping feet first into your partner's yoga sanctuary.
Stay for Savasana. As everyone settles in for a long Savasana (the ending of your yoga practice where body and mind balance), you may feel like sneaking out. Relax and stay put. Aside from distracting the other students and showing disrespect to the teacher, you will miss the deep relaxation.
Reflect afterwards to think about what you did in class, so you can retain what you learned. Review the poses you practiced, and not any instructions that particularly made sense. Even if you remember just one thing from each class, you'll soon have a lot of information that can deepen your own personal practice.
Yoga is a sacred space - a time and place to go inside, be a little raw, retreat from the world.
Text borrowed from: Nora Plonsky and Yoga Journal ("oh, behave").
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