Twister anyone?

I have been practicing teaching yoga with guinea pigs over the last few weeks. I am so grateful to my guinea pigs for their open heart, patience, and especially their feedback (both verbally and more often their facial expressions when I am trying to say something that just doesn't make sense).

I received some of the best feedback the other day...which I am taking as a compliment and signs of improvement in my teaching...she said, "I finally feel like I'm not playing yoga twister anymore". I loved that feedback!

Living my Yoga - Day 6 of Training (Immune System)

Having just lost a grandmother to lung cancer, Sunday's workshop with Darren Main on the Immune System and yoga was touching. I wished that I had only had the opportunity to work with my grandma on some of the restorative poses, even if to only allow her to feel comfortable during her last year of life.

BUT ... I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn the some of the following so that I can hopefully work with someone-elses grandma in the future to provide a bit of comfort for their bodies.

• Yoga is not a cure, it is a holistic approach to healing
• When we have an identity crisis as a person, our immune system will also likely have an identity crisis
• Out intestines move from the right to left to remove waste...hence we typically start yoga poses and twists on the right side first and then move to the left
• Inversions help counteract the effects of gravity (ex: with lymph material)
• For individuals taking a lot of medicine/drugs (ex: cancer patients)  - yoga can help detoxify their system of the toxic remains of drugs after the body has consumed the benefits of the drug
• Some cancer patients view their body as the enemy, so practicing yoga or meditation can be difficult, it can be hard to come to peace with one's body when it is hurting you
• Practicing yoga can empower individuals to be an active participant in their health/healing

Living my Yoga - Day 5 of Training - Pranic breathing

On Saturday afternoon, I had the opportunity to partake in advanced pranayama for the modern yogi with Darren John Main.

"Most forms of hatha yoga emphasize the third limb of yoga, asana (yoga poses) and only the most basic yogic breathing techniques are employed. paranayama, the fourth limb of yoga, is the practice of regulating the breath in order to affect deep physical and psychological changes. Thus, by working more consciously with the breath, yoga students can take their practice to the next level. During this workshop, we will learn ancient breathing techniques known in our modern culture by names such as pranic breathing, rebirthing and holotropic breathing. in the context of a safe and supported environment, this simple yet powerful technique invites us to release mental, emotional blocks and to reconnect with the foundation of any yoga practice— the breath. as you practice this yogic breathing technique, you will have access to very deep levels of the mind and energy body allowing for a deep release."
~ Source: Tranquil space description of workshop

In the beginning of this workshop, Darren prepared us that some of us may have certain emotional, sensational, mystical or spiritual experiences during the breathing. He said, don't expect anything and don't be disappointed if nothing happens at all. Hmmm....well, I did not imagine that some deep breathing could really cause crying, sobbing, laughing, emmotonal outbreaks in a room of about 50 people. What are the odds really?

I suppose it's not about odd's at all.

To be honest, I did not have a tramatic emotional outbreak...but during the process of breathing 5 counts in and 5 counts out, and then holding our breath for as long as our body allowed did DO SOMETHING to me....

....Even if it was only the effects of the oxygen in my body...after about... oh let's say 20 minutes of breathing in and out of my mouth with a continuous rythm, I felt my fingers grow heavy and my legs and arms feel tingly, and the moments after holding my breath, I had unexplainable sensations in my legs similar to uncontrollabe twitching.

Also, during this hour of breath work, Darren periodically would ask us to think about various individuals in our life; someone we loved, someone we had not yet forgiven, someone who insipired us, etc.... tears did come to my eye's when I thought about my grandma who recently passed away (although I think this was more about timing than it was about an emotional breakthrough)....

Other individuals in the room had vastly different experiences, some of which were obviously emotional. It was difficult for me to focus on myself during this time, as I heard others in the room crying, part of me wanted to get up and go to console them, help them STOP crying, help them feel comforted. BUT...as Darren explained in the beginning of the class...we go every day holding our tears on, stopping ourselves from expressing our feelings and emotions...so to have an opportunity to just cry or laugh if we need to without holding it in....can be extremely satisfying and 'awakening'.

For more information on this type of breathwork, here are some resources:
http://www.abouttheheart.org.za/THE_PRANIC_BREATH.htm
http://www.zakairan.com/ZaKaiRansArticlesBooks/Articles/PranicBreathing.htm

Living my Yoga - Day 5 of Training - Assisting with Darren Main

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the day with Darren Main http://www.darrenmain.com/ at the tranquil space workshops!

Therapeutic assisting: we worked with Darren to go deeper into some of basic and advanced asanas. We learned the effects of hands-on therapeutic assists with a focus on inversions, PNMF, backbends and twists.

• Stabilization - a student will trust the teacher if they feel stable
• "Less is more"
• "Press into my touch" - sometimes you don't have to move someone into the posture, sometimes guiding them into the pose is the better choice as the student engages the muscles and will have better muscle memory

Types of assisting:

• Verbal cues - it is amazing how sometimes in class I have that amazing 'AHHHAAA' moment. The teacher has been saying something over and over, every class, and then just a small change in wording, or maybe my day was a little different...and all of a sudden I get it. My hip is suppose to be there! WOW...that feels perfect!

• Hands on - Press points (energetic assists) ...sometimes when a teacher just walks by e I change my pose..they don't even half to touch me...It's the idea that sometimes we cheat without consciously knowing

• Therapeutic assists - hands on, like a thai massage, manipulating the body for the student...OK..these are the most AWESOME assists ever. If I am in pigeon pose and i feel the teacher walk by...I am praying they stop and adjust me...it always makes my day (tip...remember that when I am a teacher!)

• Personal demo - As I have been practicing teaching with some friends...I find this the 'easiest' of all types of assists - it is so easy for me to show someone how to do cobra or warrior 1 ...but I really need to learn to save these personal demo's for more complex poses...so the student can  have that so fulfilling 'AHHHAAA' moment I described earlier.

Remember...teachers don't assist to correct a student....teachers assist to:

• Stabilize the student - allow them to feel safe to go deeper
• Create Body awareness
• Create proper alignment for safety
• Crate a new experience for the student

So...in searching for some great assisting pictures I found the following...which I could not resist posting...not quite on point of assisting..but, never the less hilarious!

source: http://www.foundshit.com/yoga-dog-meditating/

5 steps to getting a yoga teacher job

In Yoganonymous there was a good article about 5 easy steps to getting a yoga teacher 'gig'. Makes complete sense, but I thought it was good reminder. Thanks to the author, Erica Mather.

The following can be found at this path: http://yoganonymous.org/5-easy-steps-pave-way-getting-teaching-gig-erica-mather/

1. Research Places you might like to teach at by taking class there.

Once I was working at a studio where a prospective teacher called up and asked about working there.  I inquired if this person had visited the studio yet, and she said “no.”  I was baffled as to why she thought that we would be interested in hiring her when she had not even done the most basic of job research to see if she even liked the studio, its style, and student body—basic, crucial  information to determine if we could be a good fit.  Moreover, in a working environment where so much is about a clear and generous energetic exchange, her communication was charged with an energy of needing and wanting without contributing.  Make sure that a studio to which you apply is somewhere you would be happy teaching, and giving your best energy.

2. Network with teachers and studios you might like to teach at.

Showing up as a good student and strong practitioner can be a good start for making inroads into getting on the sub list, or having an opportunity to sub.

3. While waiting to get on a sub list, make your communication routine, but without an air of impatience.

Despite completely missing an audition at a gym where I first worked, my boss there hired me in part because of what he called my “polite, patient, and persistent communication.” There is a fine line between being pesky, and reminding busy people that you are eager to work for them.  Establish through your communication what it might be like to have you on the team as a more permanent member.

4. Once you get onto the sub list, make sure that your communication is timely, courteous, and professional.

I recall sending out a sub request once, and receiving replies from many people who said a myriad of things from, “wish I could, but can’t get a baby sitter that day!” to, “I already work at that time.”  This is a quick way to annoy your colleagues or your boss, if that is the person in charge of subbing.  Do not flood their inboxes with immaterial messages.

5. Build your teaching resume by volunteering.

This is a way to continue to train and increase your skill as a teacher, and to show to prospective employers that you have a strong desire to teach, no matter what.

Living my Yoga - Day 4 of Training

Day 4 was a lot of learning for me about how to take a step back and protect my body in the future, especially if I want to continue to practice yoga for many years.

• Protect the Spine!!
• 20 minutes creates a new norm for the body - even though it may not be the optimum norm
• This is why it is so important to not hunch at the computer, because trying to return to the optimum norm will be that much more difficult
• Spine components:
  

  

  Source: testyoc.aaos.org

  



Herniated Disk
Source: testyoc.aaos.org



• Disk damage - learning that the nucleus stops producing water at around the age 30 (yikes...I'm 31!) which makes the disks dry and less flexible over time, increasing the the potential for disk damage....don't be too worried though, we have something to happy about, the more we move the spine in all different directions, the disk nucleus can absorb moisture...so that means we should move (safely) to help us protect our spine (and hopefully not get a herniated disk --> light blue area in the disk to the right can 'leak' outside of the disk and push on the spine)
• Luckily if you do get a herniated disk...."While you will need to stay off of your feet for the first 24 to 48 hours after suffering a herniation, you will need to exercise your back to help you regain strength and mobility as soon as possible after that. Exercises can strengthen the area around the herniated disc and allow you to regain mobility, flexibility and range of motion, according to Spine-Health.com" -- Yeah for Yoga! 
• Embracing Props
• Supported shoulder stand,Chaturanga, Plank, Chair Pose - Embrace the Block!!
• Learning about the spine and shoulders, and various other anatomy parts, helps me to understand why brute force attempts to get into a pose....in the long run will only hurt me...and I likely will injure myself not allowing me to do the pose at all in the future
• It is interesting how many of our yoga teachers have needed to have surgery in the past few years....should we learn from their mistakes...I think so!
• For so long I viewed props as a weakness, now I view them as a tool to help me go deeper in a pose, providing support and comfort ...why would I not want to be happy when I am doing a yoga pose?
• "Props educate the body.”—Patricia Walden
• "Props allow you to completely surrender to the pose and allow the power of yoga to fully work in you.”—Suzanne Deason

• Pada Bandha - Feet engagement
• Engaging your feet so they are like suction cups. 
• Engaging the 3 arches in your foot
• large inner arch
• smaller arch on the outside of your foo
• transverse arch which goes from the ball of the foot over to the pinky side.
• Ground through your heel - lengthen your foot - spread your your toes wide and then place the ball of the foot down followed by the toes.
• Remember, not to clench your toes - try to lengthen and extend your toes (do so by hand if necessary)
• Pada Bandha engages your entire lower body, from your feet, through your shin, over the knee to strengthen quads and to the inner thighs lifting all the way up into the pelvic floor, bringing awareness to your core (root lock).
• Remember to stretch your feet after walking in shoes all day!!
• "Sit in badha konasana and interlace your toes. Then interlace them the opposite way. 
• Sit in  lotus prep pose with one foot resting just beyond the opposite knee, then interlace fingers of one hand with toes and rotate the foot both directions and also move it up and down, pull it towards the body and push it away from the body.
• In Uttanasana, try to lift each toe independently - use your hands to hold the other toes down when necessary" ~ Source: http://www.yogalila.com/technique/ 

Personal Manifesto/Life List

**Update - I added a new tab/page where I will continue to update my life list**

As part of our yoga training we were assigned to create a personal manifesto. As I sit here I truly struggle with what to say I want with my life, to summarize who I am, what I represent...so, I am going to take the approach of  who I want to become. As I embark on this new journey of self exploration and inner reflection...the qualities of life that I would like to exhibit are:

Accept my thoughts, my body ~ Allow myself to sit still ~  Observe the moment ~ Live within my means ~ Live my life with intention, fully owning each choice, engage myself mentally, physically and with my heart to find peace within myself and inspire others to find their own internal peace ~ Take time out to LOVE ~ Take advantage of LIFE, trying not to view it as a list of To Do's and obstacles ~ Remember the journey is the goal (not rushing home to sit on the couch and watch TV) ~ Embrace challenges, welcome a racing heart and sweaty palms ~ Seek feedback ~ Cultivate consciousness in my life ~ Begin a meditation practice ~ Allow creativity to flourish in everything I do ~ Make time for my favorite things in life ~ Laugh at myself ~ Explore my inner voice to help me find me external voice ~ Experience culture ~ Remember

In line with creating this declaration of who I want to be, I also ask myself what are some MUST experiences I want to happen in my lifetime, a ‘bucket list’ if you will….Here it is, I will continue to add over the next years…and strike through when I complete one.

Become a yoga teacher – Own a yoga studio - Go on an exotic yoga retreat - Gift my husband a puppy – Take a photography class – Own a ‘fancy’ camera (digital SLR) – Hold headstand for several minutes – Be able to do Pincha Mayurasana away from the wall – Learn to use a sewing machine – Sew a purse, yoga bag and skirt – Finish my stained glass room divider – Make stained glass artwork again – Sell stained glass artwork – Practice speaking German – Make an amazing piece of artwork with all the single earings I’ve accumulated - Go on a meditation retreat –  Have a library full of books – Have a garden - Bake an apple pie from scratch – Be my own best friend – Find a career path that takes me out of the cubicle farm  – Volunteer – Visit New York City from DC –  Bike through Napa vineyards – Walk my 1^st half marathon -  Eat noodles in Thailand – Visit Frank Lloyd Wright Falling Water – Have a job that betters people’s lives – Have a hammock in the backyard – Be just in love at age 70 as I am now  – Give birth – Take a cruise to Alaska – Visit Positano again – Live on the water’s edge - Throw my parents an anniversary bash – Get a hot stone massage – Get a facial – Visit all 50 states – Buy a bike – Make a habit of biking to work – Visit the  National Cathedral – Help plan my grandmother’s memorial – Have a family reunion – Make a photo album of our trips to London and Italy – Visit the Virginia Wineries – Move someplace warm – Buy a home

Living My Yoga - Day 3 of Training

What makes a great yoga teacher?

For me, a good yoga teacher is someone that leaves a lasting impression, an impression that drives one to want to learn more and deepen one's practice. A great yoga teacher takes it one step further to introduce more challenging yoga concepts; meditation, breathing techniques, taking postures to one's edge - and doing all of this with a compassionate aura.



Source: anmolmehta.com


I have been practicing yoga for 5 years and have had many teachers, but there are 2 that are most memorable.

My first good yoga teacher worked at a gym, and I completely looked forward to every Monday morning at 7am. She had great sequencing that really awakened and stretched the body after a long weekend, preparing us for a week of work. She also introduced some more complex poses each class giving us a glimpse that there was something more challenging available. She did this with a compassionate voice, and she did a good job teaching to the average person in the class. Even though I truly loved her class and was very disappointed if I overslept - I longed for something more. She never adjusted us in poses, she taught the class from the front of the room by performing the poses herself. For some of you this may not be considered a good yoga teacher - but for me, she was the first teacher that ignited an interest in yoga, so much so I started to explore different yoga studios and styles.

I believe I was fortunate to have one truly great yoga teacher. Until her classes I had not heard Sanskrit chanting, she introduced the concepts of the eight limbs of yoga, she had us chant the names of the eight limbs in her class until we all had them memorized, she refused to believe someone could not do headstand and other poses, for example - she took the time in each class to get each person in their version of a complex pose (sometimes causing the rest of us to stand in a very strenuous pose for a long time...but we were the beginner once too, so we understood), she introduced all of the various breathing techniques, provided recommended reading lists, had amazing assists, stayed after each class to talk to her students in an energetic and fun style...the list really could go on. I strive to one day exhibit a glimpse of what she provided to me in my teaching style.

In am so grateful that in day 3 of Teacher Training we went through 17 poses. Learning the poses, modifications, variations and assist. I am also very grateful to my class for allowing me to take pictures of the poses, assists, etc to share with the group. It will truly be a helpful tool.

Utkatasana

Ardha Utkatasana

Warrior 1

Warrior 2

High Crescent Lunge

Revolved Side Angle

Revolved Half Moon

Revolved Triangle

Humble Warrior

Parsvottanasana – Pyramid

Triangle Pose

Wide Leg Forward Fold

Goddess

Reverse Warrior

Dancing Warrior

Extended Side Angle

Half Moon

Some great tips from the day:

As a new teacher:

• Lose the monotone voice - find your real voice to teach with
• Lose the repetitive words; um, ok, and then, etc.
• If getting flushed or overheated, go to the back of the room and go into goddess for a few breaths
• Lift toes helps you stay present and aware
• Help students find stillness in breath and the pose - pause at the top of an inhale and the bottom of an exhale

And now...I'm off to day 4 of training! Have a great Sunday!




Living my Yoga - Day 2 of Training

Day 2 of Teacher Training we started to get into the substance of the asanas (poses). We learned about how the pose should look 'on the outside', as well as how every body type is different, so each pose will be slightly different for each of us.

'Side Tangent' - Truly a reminder to keep one's eyes on one one's own mat, as our downward facing dog will likely look completely different that our mat-neighbor. Remember, we don't know the background and experiences of our mat-neighbor, he/she may have been a dancer or gymnast in a previous life, or maybe they are lucky enough to not have a job where they sit in a chair 8 hours a day, or maybe they are a marathon runner so their hips and hamstrings are much tighter than ours

I am grateful .....

• It was great to have 3 teachers guiding us during the poses, adjustments and assists. Each teacher has a unique method and idea which allows us as students to gain a broader knowledge. It was also interesting how much the teachers were even learning from the students and each other. Really points to the fact that we are all students and should embrace the 'beginner mindset'.

• For learning so many different ways to assist someone in Downward Facing Dog. We practiced at least 5 different methods of assisting on each other...WOW, my hamstrings felt it the next morning! Remember, even though this pose is a lot of work, in the long run many yogi's find this pose as a 'break' or relaxing pose during a strenuous practice. I found this picture online which is a great visual of the pose and what one should be doing with their body parts and muscles: 

  

  Source: Wisdomquarterly.blogspot

   I found this picture as well....which I thought was a great picture giving insight into the name of the pose (Really I just thought it was super cute) 

Source: Johnsmithtraner.com

• Chaturanga Dandasana - I think this is my least favorite pose, it's similar to an American push-up...but at the same time completely different (elbows are tightly in line to body, and you stay in a parallel line - the goal is not to go all the way to the floor). I learned that I had been practicing my chaturanga's in way that would likely injure me over time - Lesson #1 - Practice in a healthy way!

Source: boundless yoga

• Anatomy - This is the part that I am interested in learning...but I also want to RUN away from it. I fear that the more I learn about the anatomy and how we can hurt ourselves, the more I will not want to risk it! I am completely risk averse (sometimes ignorance is bliss) ...BUT I will not run, learning at least some simple anatomy is essential to being a 'good' and 'healthy' yoga practitioner and instructor. I was so grateful for the skeleton structure we had in class....seeing the bones and how they move was extremely helpful.  
• Did you know:
• We have 26 bones PER foot!!! And we cram them into shoes every day...no wonder we long for foot massages
• When we are born we do not have a patella (front of the knee cap) this 'grows' when we are about 2 years old assists in our walking
• There is a tendency for women to have more knee problems because of the width of our hips..and the alignment of the femur into the knee joint.

Well...that's not ALL we learned on Day 2....but before this post becomes enormous..and I am really late for work...I must be off!

Photo Inspiration

I look forward to sharing some of my most cherished memories through pictures. I am by no means a professional photographer, but I do enjoy experimenting with the camera and trying to take fun creative shots. I recently spent a weekend with my cousin who is 13 years old. She has such as an amazing eye for fun and imaginative shots of everyday life. So...here are a few pictures she coached me through. :)

Straw in a glass of water at dinner in Dupont circle

 Beautiful flower in DC's Botanical Garden

 Beautiful bamboo tree in DC's botanical garden

Fun view of forks at dinner in Dupont Circle

5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Yoga As A Beginner | Top Five Tuesdays | Yoga Blog | Yoga Journal

The link is to a great article by Erica Rodefer on yogajournal; especially for an aspiring yoga teacher to remember what it's like to practice yoga in the very beginning.

5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Yoga As A Beginner Top Five Tuesdays Yoga Blog Yoga Journal

Reminds me how important it is to learn from current students to be a better teacher...some great comments at the end of the article; to summarize what hit me as 'OH YEAH' ...I would like to include these ideas in my repertoire of vocabulary for teaching:

* The idea of asking the students to close their eyes during practice to help them focus on themselves and not what's going on around them

* Eyes on one's own mat

* Explaining that holding the pose helps with muscle memory and the body to go deeper into the pose (it's not meant to 'punish' the students)

* Yoga is a journey, not about perfecting each pose

* I really like the comment. "A good yoga teacher leads the student to the water, but doesn't dunk their head in and force them to drink".

Living my Yoga - Day 1

Yesterday was my first day of Teacher Training 2 (TT2) - which was amazing. In an 8 hour window we learned so much from our teachers and from the other yogi's in class (there are about 20 of us), that I am excited to share some snippets.

We talked about what Yoga is for each of us and from the historical philosophy of Yoga (the Yoga Sutras, dating back to 3000 BCE). This philosophy is really what sets 'Living my Yoga' apart from practicing the poses in a yoga class. Practicing the poses is just a drop in the bucket (although, I must admit it is my favorite part of any day).

Not to get too spiritual in this post...growing up catholic, the best way that I can describe the yoga philosophy is to compare it to the 10 commandments. The Yamas and Niyamas are guidelines to live your everyday life by. There are 10 of them:

My intention over the next 3 months of Yoga Training is to aim to live all of them to my best ability, but to truly focus on one intention per week and notice how it permeates throughout my entire life.

Samtosha, Cultivating an attitude of Contentment: In line with the 2nd Niyama, after each class I will also keep a gratitude journal, describing what I am grateful that I learned about in that class. So, here goes....

• I am a student, and to embrace the beginning of this journey. I am not an expert yet, and it's OK to make mistakes and learn from them and grow from them, as through experience I will cultivate my teaching personality

• "I may not be the yoga teacher for everyone" - WOW, I'm so excited to share yoga with everyone I come in contact with, I lost sight of the face that not everyone may be receptive to my style, and that's OK, because others will be.

• We started to talk about Meditation, how to teach it, and some mantras and tools - So I do NOT have a meditation practice currently. I can't imagine sitting still and not thinking. I am always thinking about my next TO DO, how can I do it most efficiently; what is the next fun adventure my husband and I can go on, the grocery list, and on and on......this will be a huge challenge for me, but never the less, a challenge I would like to explore.

• In line with the concept of contentment, 'Don't wish you are some where else" - Be in the now - Think about feeling your toes on the hard wood floor in your living room, or your finger tips touching the keyboard at work, when you are longing for it to be 5pm to go home. Embracing the current moment.

• We learned how to teach various types of breath work, including:
• Alternate Nostril Breathing - impacting both sides of the brain, creating balance
• 3 Part Yogic Breath - Breathing deeply through your stomach, ribs and chest
• Kapalabati - Rhythmic breath, forceful exhale

 

Adjusting Pose - Adjusting is probably one of my favorite part of yoga classes to recieve. There is something very mindful and compassionate about being adjusted, and it always helps me realize I can go a bit deeper to find my edge. This is one aspect of of yoga that I look forward to sharing as a teacher. The poses we learned today:

• Tadasana - standing pose
• Uttanasana - forward fold
• Adho Mukha Svanasana - downward facing dog

Kitty-Pigeon Pose

After a long day at work...I was really looking forward to a little yoga time. It looks like 'Big Kitty' was also looking for a little 'us' time. He was snuggling my legs during downward facing dogs...and in pigeon pose he was doing his own version of kitty-pigeon pose. He was definitely inspiration to put me in a more relaxed and happy mood. 

Today, was also the first day that I practiced in our den. Normally I practice in the living room area to be closer to my husband, but I must admit being alone in the den allowed me to focus more on myself and the poses allowing me to release and relax easier.