Inversions Insight, Vinyasa Yoga Class Feb 2, 2012

“You wont get it until you get it,” says Leila A upon addressing frustrations that are coming up for some this month as we continue to tackle getting upside down into Headstands. This day we worked on coming up into Tripod Headstand from Wide leg forward fold – which is a beautiful way to add a headstand seamlessly into a vinyasa flow class. Of course, it takes some practice. Here’s a video from Core Power Yoga that gives, in my opinion, a very clear explanation of how to come into Tripod Headstand.

I know what you’re thinking – “I paid attention in class, but I’m stuck here, and here, and here.”
“I can’t figure out how to get my legs up.”
“I can’t get my head to the floor.”
“I keep falling over backwards!”

You can listen to the instructions and watch your teacher perform it as many times as you need, but until you let your physical body FEEL what it’s like to make the shapes in each stage of performing this pose, “you wont get it until you get it.” I promise you, one day, your intellect, your confidence, your strength,  and your body intelligence will align, and you will get up. And it’ll be the coolest day ever.

For now, just keep trying, and every time you fall, be open to learning something from it, get back up, and try again. There is a powerful lesson from learning inversions and it lies in the experience of the journey to get there.

Inversions Abound, Vinyasa Yoga Jan 19, 2012

Every once in a while, as a yoga teacher, you hold a class where you can literally see the lightbulbs go on over your students’ heads. And it’s the coolest thing in the world. It reminds me of why I started on this teaching journey in the first place. When it’s a student’s first time, it’s like my first time!

Inversions, the mysterious beasts they are, took us up to the walls yesterday. All this semester we’re working on getting upside down, demystifying the heart-over-head poses and facing fears despite our self-doubt and confusion.

And yesterday, some incredible stuff happened. “I’ve NEVER felt that before!” said Jo as she popped easily up to the wall in a modified forearm-stand, pincha mayurasana. “Oh! I didn’t know I was that close to the wall!” said Chelsy as she realized suddenly the journey across that bridge was a lot shorter than expected. “I’m still confused about how to actually get UP into headstand” astutely commented Michele. And this insightful comment sparked an important reminder: you should be confused – until you’re not. One day, after practicing many methods, strengthening, and learning little tricks, your body will suddenly make sense of it all, and there you’ll be, floating free, upside down.

Well I’m proud to say, that EVERYONE practice some form of headstand/fore-armstand last night and I think learned that they are a lot stronger, braver, and capable then they’d imagined.

Here’s how we did it. Inspiration comes from everywhere, even the Athleta catalogue

Having a fellow yogi can be a huge help.
1. Come into a modified clasped-fist dolphin pose facing the wall. Make sure you have at least 6-10 between your fists and the wall.
2. Widen the stance between your feet, taking them wider than the mat.
3. Welcome your assistant (the blonde here in the photo) to sit in staff pose between your feet.
4. Take your dominant leg up off the floor at about hip height.
5. Have your assistant raise her arm and hold your shin or ankle.
6. Press your elevated leg DOWN into her hand as you slowly lift your OPPOSITE leg to the wall.
7. Slowly lift your other leg to the wall and VOILA!

This can also work for handstand assists, as pictured here.

I can’t wait to see what everyone is getting UP to by the end of this semester. I’ve promised all Cobras and Lotus members they will be in a headstand by April 1st. Game on!

Vinyasa Yoga Class, Dec 12, 2011

After a blind child’s pose vote between the two themes I was considering for tonight’s class, the 10 yogis who came to class were split down the middle. So I decided we’d accommodate both my crazy ideas and take the first half of class to really break down Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation A) and then finish off class with some flowing standing poses to break out of the pattern.

Breaking down a Sun Salutation is a true lesson in honoring and accepting the body just as it is. Modifications you can take will make or break your success in feeling great after class (pain and injury free). And making the choice about what version is right for you, is the essential lesson here. Drop the ego at the door and just move through the dance designed just for you, on this day. Of course it takes some knowledge, so that’s what we focused on today.

What was surprising to me, and a great learning experience as a teacher, is that I saw the best aligned and active Shoulder Stands that I’ve ever seen at the end of the class. Must’ve been those Sun Salutes. Well done ladies! (Yes, it was a full on goddess-filled class tonight.)

Vinyasa Yoga Class Monday, Nov 21st, 2011

Every once in a while, the energy of my students sweeps me off my feet. And tonight was one of those nights. I couldn’t fall asleep until after midnight last night! With 10 yogis prepped to work out their pre-thanksgiving energies, 2 requests came in for lower back and shoulder releasing postures. So off we went.

A lot of the tension we carry is created in the mind so-to-speak. Let me explain. You’re at work, you’re sitting at your desk, your boss comes in and demands a deadline, and five emails come in from your customers that need immediate responses, plus your phone is ringing – it’s your mother-in-law telling you she wont tolerate your gravy recipe this year. Now that is stress.

Your sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear like it’s preparing for battle (ie. to fight or flee) when in fact, there’s no real physical threat. So your body tenses anyway, and if you can’t work through the muck and let go of what happened that day, you end up with a sore back.

Or you just happened to sit at a desk, bored all day at your job, not moving (refer to my previous life as a software developer) – that also creates back tension. (Need some life coaching to change careers? Talk to me. I’ve been there.)

The great thing about yoga is that is can dissolve your day’s aches and pains with breathwork to calm the sympathetic nervous system, and stretching and strengthening postures to work out the tension.

And tonight we found out that you CAN have 3 people assist you into a backbend and come out the other end alive. Although I’m still waiting to hear back from Brian…

Nice work partnering up tonight everyone. Until next week! Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween! Vinyasa Yoga Class

Can you believe everyone came dressed in the same costume tonight for Halloween Class? Yeah! All 5 adorned their yoga student costumes! Weird.

Sometimes I get so tired of routine that Surya Namaskar A and B bore me to tears to teach. I still practice them sometimes myself, and often in other classes I take, but tonight I wanted to mix things up.

Of course with it being Halloween, we focused on a lot of Halloween Cat Stretches and how that action of arching the spine and pressing through the hands. Articulating spinal movements can help to

1. keep the discs between the vertebrae spongy and healthy (instead of brittle and crackly – yuck!)
2. engage the core – the WHOLE core, from top to bottom, including inner thighs
3. step your foot forward from downward dog to lunge – which we do about 100 times per class

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Then, because it’s my birthday week (and I’m a Scorpio), I wanted to teach a pretty challenging pose, Scorpion. Here’s an old snap of me doing a variation of it with split legs. Usually both legs come together over your head.

The great thing about this pose, is that everyone in class, yes everyone, came into it. And I’ll tell you how. In yoga, we learn poses in kramas, or stages. It’s like taking baby steps from taking baby steps up to running a marathon. So everyone in class was able to work in the krama right for them from dolphin, into dolphin splits, to dolphin splits up the wall, to facing the wall and lifting up, to facing the wall lifting up and bending the knees! I was so proud.

Mixtape Yoga, Oct 28th, 2011

I’ve been a house music junkie ever since my college roommate introduced me to electronic music. My tastes evolved and having been around so much “yoga music” (whatever that is?!), I mostly have house, dance, and lounge/chill yoga music on my playlists. More recently electro and alt pop (the theme of the First Ever Mixtape Yoga). But recently, I took a chance and added a new station on my Pandora seeded by Katy Perry. That Fireworks video practically moves me to tears every time!  Talk about adolescent empowerment.

After Pandora handed me a bunch of other popular current top 40 stuff. Haven’t paid attention to this stuff since Casey Casem was countin em down.  Anyway, I realized why this ‘Pop’ music is so popular. Some of it makes you feel REALLY FRIGGIN GOOD! Like Dance Around Your Living Room GOOD. So that was the inspiration for this month’s Mixtape. And yes, we did dance all over the studio room.

Thanks to Janice, Brittney and Katy for trying something totally new and fun! Trying something new makes you smarter. And special thanks to Mixtape Alums Kim D and Elizabeth for your inspiring movements to help guide us through it.

See you Mixtapers next year!

Vinyasa Yoga Class Oct 25th, 2011

It’s best when you are planning to teach handstand, that you keep it a secret until the last moment. After all, the more time you have to THINK about about doing something scary, the more time you have to talk yourself out of it. So much of our success in physical challenges have to do with our mindset. The less time you have to convince yourself “it’s impossible – there’s no way”, the more likely you’ll be successful.

8 brave yogis started class tonight in legs up the wall, a soothing inversion that helped us restore and build energy for the rest of class. Chill out here for a few, hit the music, and BAM! Breath was working like an well-oiled machine and poses were flowing like buttah to prep for going upside down. Of course we had our friend, the wall, there to support us.

The best way to approach Adho Mukha Vrksasana, Handstand, is to build it in stages. You prepare, learn, and practice the stage that feels just a little bit scary to you. You want to challenge yourself without jumping over that intelligent edge of your limitations and experience. That’s how you build success. Let me show you.

The 5 Steps to Doing Something Really Crazy and Scary.

Vinyasa Yoga Class Oct 17th, 2011

The question is, how many ways can you grab your foot behind your butt to open up your hips, thighs and heart?! A lot! And we did them all tonight. Eleven brave yogis ventured into exploring their psoas muscles, lengthening and strengthening, as well as their HA! breath.

Welcome back Chelsy – we missed you!

And HOLY COW POSE I forgot to mention…

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY CLEVELAND PARK YOGA!

Restorative Yoga Class Oct 14th, 2011

Conveniently the sun is setting earlier these fall days and the dim lighting in the studio at The Center made for a beautiful serene space for Restorative. I, myself, was soothed to see 11 yogis participating actively in their own total relaxation, stress and anxiety reduction, and self commitment to just CHILL OUT!

Like this puppy in Savasana.

Listen to what 1 yogi had to say the morning after:

“Thanks for the great restorative class last night.  Slept better last night than I have in weeks (and no Xanax!).  In fact, I didn’t get up until almost 7:45, which is really late for me, even on a weekend.  I must have really needed the restorative.”
Keep a lookout for more Restorative on the upcoming schedule. And of course you can always send me a request.

See you guys back on the mat tonight for Vinyasa! 730pm at The Center in Tenleytown.

Vinyasa Yoga Class Oct 10th, 2011

Columbus Day Yoga! I never know if people will remember it’s a Monday when they’ve had an extra long weekend. I was so energized to see 11 bright yogis show up and put forth a really strong, focused effort tonight. We started off really slow and loooong. By that I mean, practicing Supta Padangustasana pose on the back to really give our hamstrings, and our breaths, time to lengthen out. We also spent a good amount of time tonight working with Ujayi breath. Standing tall with a wide stance, we made sweeping movements through our hands and legs to emphasize the size and smoothness  of the breath during Ujayi, first starting in and out through the mouth trying to “fog up the mirror”, then trying to maintain that throaty constriction while breathing in and out the nose. I could see the focus on everyone’s face during this exercise. Makes me proud to be a teacher when I see such determination and focus in class. You can read more about Ujayi from Yoga Journal.

Don’t forget to sign up for
Restorative Yoga, this Friday, Oct 14th, 7pm.