Day 13:
Yesterday I woke up ripe with flared joints carried over from the stress of Thursday. On Friday, I took a "nap" for nearly 6 hours and followed that up with heavy sleep for another 9 hours. Needless to say, I was wiped out. So it was no surprise that my body wasn't feeling hip to the yoga challenge, but I wanted to go to a class. Luckily, there was a Restorative Yoga class late in the afternoon.
I had never been to one of these classes, though I had an idea of what it would be like. It was way more of what my body needed than I could have imagined. The class was guided through really great restorative poses, our bodies supported by props while we stayed in a pose for an extended amount of time. What really made the class special, though...that would be Everitt. This adorable, sweet man was so respectful of our bodies, totally aware that each of us was there to give our bodies a well-deserved break. He had a menagerie of metal bowls, each with their own tone which he played while we were in pose. When class was over, I felt AMAZING. This class was a big "DUH" for me. All of this yoga can take it's toll on a gal, but this class is a remedy for all the pulling and stretching and dancing around I put myself through each week. So I made an adjustment to my weekly schedule and though I'll miss Libby's a.m. class at the South location, I know this class will be exactly what I need to keep me going and prepare me for the days ahead.
Day 14:
Thank you Universe for Restorative Yoga! Without it I am certain I would not have been able to accomplish what I did today. 108 Sun Salutations. That's right. One Hundred and Eight. Actually, I had to stop a few times to rest and fix my hair (it was windy!), so I probably completed 106.
What an invigorating experience! It was a small group that met in Zilker Park across from Barton Springs pool and of the 4 students, one was me, two were my friends, and another girl plus the guide. Our guide was fantastic! She was so kind and encouraging to all of us. She did a few adjustments on me when in Downward-Facing Dog pose, which I totally appreciate. And at the end in Savasana, she laid a lavender eye pillow on our eyes and then went around to each of us to give our shoulders and neck and nice stretch. I'm glad my gals were there to do it with me (Meredith and Narissa, you girls rocked it!) and I look forward to doing it again. Side Note: My legs still feel like jelly and my arms feel like they are going to fall off my body. :)
About 108 Sun Salutations:
The number 108 is considered a sacred number in Hinduism and yoga. It is also the number of beads on a mala (plus the guru bead), the distance connecting the earth, moon, and sun, and in India, there are 108 sacred sites (pithas.) Also in yoga, there are 108 sacred parts of the body (marma points.)
A Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is a series of poses almost always beginning and ending in Mountain Pose (Tadasana.) When doing 108, the series may be exactly the same each time, or they can be changed up a little bit with the instruction of a guide. Here's a video example of a Sun Salutation.
Namaste.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
All About Guru Karam
On Wednesday I went to Kundalini of Sound again. I really just want to take a few minutes to talk about Guru Karam.
Guru Karam is a wonderfully wacky woman. She and Mehtab founded Yoga Yoga. They are, in a sense, our yoga mom and pop. What she brings to class is something unique from any other yoga teacher I've ever met. She giggles. She smiles. BIG. She has a talent for balancing fun with seriousness. I adore her.
Her best attribute, other than being a totally rad Kundalini teacher, is her laugh. She does it a lot. And it's never annoying or out of place. It's always in response to how crazy something may seem, though it's purposeful and makes sense. For example, in class on Wednesday she played this crazy fast Indian music and we danced like maniacs. Total free form. She laughed explaining what we were going to do which really set the tone for making the dance our own and using it as a tool to release everything we'd been holding on to. Several students had an emotional release. It was awesome.
Kundalini of Sound is a very different class from Hatha Yoga or any yoga class you might see on an episode of Sex and The City or Friends. There are chanting meditations, singing, and that super awesome gong. It's also a serious workout as poses are easy but quick and repetitive. It's definitely my most favorite class of the week. It really is for all levels and so if you'd like to spice up your yoga practice, I hope you'll join me!
Thank you, Guru Karam, for fostering an amazing yoga community in Austin for so long and for sharing your love of yoga with all of us through your smile and laughter.
Namaste.
Guru Karam is a wonderfully wacky woman. She and Mehtab founded Yoga Yoga. They are, in a sense, our yoga mom and pop. What she brings to class is something unique from any other yoga teacher I've ever met. She giggles. She smiles. BIG. She has a talent for balancing fun with seriousness. I adore her.
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| Guru Karam (via yogayoga.com) |
Kundalini of Sound is a very different class from Hatha Yoga or any yoga class you might see on an episode of Sex and The City or Friends. There are chanting meditations, singing, and that super awesome gong. It's also a serious workout as poses are easy but quick and repetitive. It's definitely my most favorite class of the week. It really is for all levels and so if you'd like to spice up your yoga practice, I hope you'll join me!
Thank you, Guru Karam, for fostering an amazing yoga community in Austin for so long and for sharing your love of yoga with all of us through your smile and laughter.
Namaste.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day 11 -or- The Day I Cried Through Yoga Class
Today was a shit day. It's my blog. I can say shit.
Someone I care about really hurt my heart and all day I carried that pain with me. I cried all day at work and I HATE crying at work. By the end of the day, I was trying to come up with excuses to not go to yoga class. I didn't want to be around people. I wanted beers, maybe a cigarette. Driving home I remembered that this was one of the classes in my beginner's series I had missed last session. So I went.
The stress of the day caused a flare in my joints. Downward-facing dog made my wrists feel like they were going to crack in half. Tree pose was a massive FAIL. My lips were trembling like a little child who lost their blankie while I was trying to not cry. Then we did the Pigeon Pose. Oh, Pigeon Pose, how you slay me. I lost it. I could not stop those tears. The thing about Pigeon Pose is, you're there for quiet a while. It's a very emotionally detoxing pose. I guess it served it's purpose for me, but I'm fairly certain Matt (the new guy from a couple of posts back) thought I was a little nuts. I saw him glance at me. (Sorry, Matt!)
I don't feel better and my heart still hurts. But yoga was there for me when I needed it, even though I didn't want it. What I wanted was a night full of beers and cigarettes. What I needed was yoga. I remember this quote, but I don't remember where I read it:
"The universe will give us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it."
Namaste.
Someone I care about really hurt my heart and all day I carried that pain with me. I cried all day at work and I HATE crying at work. By the end of the day, I was trying to come up with excuses to not go to yoga class. I didn't want to be around people. I wanted beers, maybe a cigarette. Driving home I remembered that this was one of the classes in my beginner's series I had missed last session. So I went.
The stress of the day caused a flare in my joints. Downward-facing dog made my wrists feel like they were going to crack in half. Tree pose was a massive FAIL. My lips were trembling like a little child who lost their blankie while I was trying to not cry. Then we did the Pigeon Pose. Oh, Pigeon Pose, how you slay me. I lost it. I could not stop those tears. The thing about Pigeon Pose is, you're there for quiet a while. It's a very emotionally detoxing pose. I guess it served it's purpose for me, but I'm fairly certain Matt (the new guy from a couple of posts back) thought I was a little nuts. I saw him glance at me. (Sorry, Matt!)
I don't feel better and my heart still hurts. But yoga was there for me when I needed it, even though I didn't want it. What I wanted was a night full of beers and cigarettes. What I needed was yoga. I remember this quote, but I don't remember where I read it:
"The universe will give us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it."
Namaste.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day 9 -or- The Day I Taught Someone Something
Last night was a beginner's series class, usually taught by Mollie but we had a sub because Mollie's getting married. Congrats Mollie!
Class was good and I learned a few things from our sub Karlie. Karlie teaches a different style of yoga and so having learned most fundamentals from Mollie thus far, I was a little thrown off. But Karlie is a talker and shared a lot insight and talked about the Sutras, which I really like. Love knowing the "whys" of yoga.
After I walked into class and set up my mat and props, a nice guy rolled out his mat next to me and asked if he could ask for my help. He explained that he missed the first two classes of the series and this was his first yoga class ever. So I explained the props to him and talked to him a little about what we learned in the first class. Luckily, I also had an extra set of the handouts from classes 1 and 2 so I gave them to him.
He was right next to me and so during practice I was very aware that he might be looking to me for how to do poses. I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself. I fell twice. I somehow cut my toe and had to leave class for a band aid. It wasn't until Savasana I realized that the Universe had honored me with an opportunity to help out someone else also on their own special yoga journey. When Karlie prompted us to show ourselves gratitude for coming to practice and opening our minds to yoga, I also thanked the Universe for allowing me to share my little knowledge with the lovely man next to me and promised to not let it weigh me down the next time.
I know very little about the entire practice of yoga. As I learned last night, people can practice yoga all of their life and never do an Asana (pose.) Yoga means "to unite" in most translations and is a combination of physical, mental, and verbal disciplines. Knowing this about yoga simply reminds me, once again, that I will always be a student of yoga. There is so much to know about this practice, my lifetime could never be long enough. Last night was an opportunity to transfer my passion and my experience to another, and this blog serves that same purpose.
I may have not said thank you enough for allowing me to share with you this journey. You don't have to be here reading this, but you are and I am grateful for you.
Namaste.
Class was good and I learned a few things from our sub Karlie. Karlie teaches a different style of yoga and so having learned most fundamentals from Mollie thus far, I was a little thrown off. But Karlie is a talker and shared a lot insight and talked about the Sutras, which I really like. Love knowing the "whys" of yoga.
After I walked into class and set up my mat and props, a nice guy rolled out his mat next to me and asked if he could ask for my help. He explained that he missed the first two classes of the series and this was his first yoga class ever. So I explained the props to him and talked to him a little about what we learned in the first class. Luckily, I also had an extra set of the handouts from classes 1 and 2 so I gave them to him.
He was right next to me and so during practice I was very aware that he might be looking to me for how to do poses. I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself. I fell twice. I somehow cut my toe and had to leave class for a band aid. It wasn't until Savasana I realized that the Universe had honored me with an opportunity to help out someone else also on their own special yoga journey. When Karlie prompted us to show ourselves gratitude for coming to practice and opening our minds to yoga, I also thanked the Universe for allowing me to share my little knowledge with the lovely man next to me and promised to not let it weigh me down the next time.
I know very little about the entire practice of yoga. As I learned last night, people can practice yoga all of their life and never do an Asana (pose.) Yoga means "to unite" in most translations and is a combination of physical, mental, and verbal disciplines. Knowing this about yoga simply reminds me, once again, that I will always be a student of yoga. There is so much to know about this practice, my lifetime could never be long enough. Last night was an opportunity to transfer my passion and my experience to another, and this blog serves that same purpose.
I may have not said thank you enough for allowing me to share with you this journey. You don't have to be here reading this, but you are and I am grateful for you.
Namaste.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day 8 -or- The Day I Discovered Pigeon Pose
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I went to my first Hatha class last night. My beginner's series with Mollie is a Hatha class and I've also gone to Hatha Star (on-going beginner classes), but this was the first class of Hatha Yoga where I knew going into it I wouldn't have as much instruction and things would move along a little "faster."
Whoa. Is faster even the right word? This class, led by Hannah, was awesome and kicked my ass, but it was faster, harder and sweatier than any of my classes that came before it. I think I did Downward-Facing Dog, or Adho Muhka Svanasana, more in this class than I've ever done in my life. -A side note: I really look forward to the day when, in Downward-Facing Dog, my heels touch all the way to the ground. I digress. - Things were going along nicely and I was smart enough to set up shop in the back of class so I could get a full view of other students in poses to help me along (I'm normally the geek student in the front row.) Then two things happened:
1) Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III) - The first pose in Hatha I had not yet seen or attempted. Warrior I and Warrior II? Yes and yes. Love them. Feel confident I'm doing them right. But Warrior III, oh my. I thought I was going to fall on my head. I took the suggestion from Hannah to only do half Warrior III and leave my arms on the ground. But now I've issued myself a challenge, baby. I will dominate Warrior III!
2) Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) - What the heck is Pigeon Pose? I heard this "Now we'll move into Pigeon Pose." I thought I heard her incorrectly, but she said it again and I saw the gal in front of me do this wonky thing with her right leg and I thought "Oh no. No way. My body doesn't do that." Perhaps Hannah picked up on my panic, for she started explaining how to do the pose and Holy Pigeon Pose, Batman! This pose was MADE for me. I have over-extending joints in my knees, elbows and hips so getting my hips to do this was no problem. Once I found the right place for all of my limbs, it was really quite comfortable. Win!
Tonight is another beginner's series and I'm excited to continue these classes for the next three weeks as I learn the most basic and fundamental poses and "whys" of Hatha Yoga. But I will definitely keep going to Hannah's Monday night Hatha class because I know I can do it and that I will be challenged to push myself further. I gave myself a big pat on the back last night. :)
Namaste.
Whoa. Is faster even the right word? This class, led by Hannah, was awesome and kicked my ass, but it was faster, harder and sweatier than any of my classes that came before it. I think I did Downward-Facing Dog, or Adho Muhka Svanasana, more in this class than I've ever done in my life. -A side note: I really look forward to the day when, in Downward-Facing Dog, my heels touch all the way to the ground. I digress. - Things were going along nicely and I was smart enough to set up shop in the back of class so I could get a full view of other students in poses to help me along (I'm normally the geek student in the front row.) Then two things happened:
1) Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III) - The first pose in Hatha I had not yet seen or attempted. Warrior I and Warrior II? Yes and yes. Love them. Feel confident I'm doing them right. But Warrior III, oh my. I thought I was going to fall on my head. I took the suggestion from Hannah to only do half Warrior III and leave my arms on the ground. But now I've issued myself a challenge, baby. I will dominate Warrior III!
2) Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) - What the heck is Pigeon Pose? I heard this "Now we'll move into Pigeon Pose." I thought I heard her incorrectly, but she said it again and I saw the gal in front of me do this wonky thing with her right leg and I thought "Oh no. No way. My body doesn't do that." Perhaps Hannah picked up on my panic, for she started explaining how to do the pose and Holy Pigeon Pose, Batman! This pose was MADE for me. I have over-extending joints in my knees, elbows and hips so getting my hips to do this was no problem. Once I found the right place for all of my limbs, it was really quite comfortable. Win!
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| Pigeon Pose |
Namaste.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Lube Juice and the Freaky Horoscope
I'm heading out to my first Hatha Yoga class. And by that, I mean it's not a beginner's class. I'm a little nervous, but Meredith says I can do it! (#thankslady.)
But first I wanted to blog a little, because I didn't have a chance to yesterday. First, about the "lube juice." It's a name for a little pre-yoga concoction I created to keep my tummy from growling during practice. We're told by our instructors and in books to not eat before practice. Mollie says to try to not eat 3 hours before practice. For me, this is difficult because my classes are in the evening and I like to eat dinner early. Enter "lube juice." I thought I'd come up with something that was minimal, but filling and also has the added benefit of lubing my joints to make the practice go a little smoother. (For those of you who don't know, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis...it's important for me to keep these joints nice and lubed!) Here's the recipe:
Pre-Yoga Lube Juice:
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
3 ounces of MonaVie "Active"
1 cup of Greek yogurt with honey (My favorite is Greek Gods)
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
*Put it all together in a blender and blend until smooth
The blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, always good for you. The greek yogurt is, well, delicious and gives this blend the substance it needs to taste delicious. Turmeric has amazing anti-inflammatory properties. MonaVie is an acai berry juice blend with all kinds of yummy stuff in it, good for your joints. (Big thanks to Amy W. for keeping me stocked with MonaVie!)
On another note, this was my horoscope today:
Instead of attempting to convince others that your plan is a solid one today, spend time examining your weaknesses to understand how they may be forcing you to overcompensate. Rather than focusing on your own progress, see what you can learn from others without trying to one-up them. Although you are willing to jump into the fray again, remember that coming out ahead is less important than turning every moment into another chapter in your journey of self-discovery.
Loud and clear, Universe. Loud. And. Clear.
Namaste.
But first I wanted to blog a little, because I didn't have a chance to yesterday. First, about the "lube juice." It's a name for a little pre-yoga concoction I created to keep my tummy from growling during practice. We're told by our instructors and in books to not eat before practice. Mollie says to try to not eat 3 hours before practice. For me, this is difficult because my classes are in the evening and I like to eat dinner early. Enter "lube juice." I thought I'd come up with something that was minimal, but filling and also has the added benefit of lubing my joints to make the practice go a little smoother. (For those of you who don't know, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis...it's important for me to keep these joints nice and lubed!) Here's the recipe:
Pre-Yoga Lube Juice:
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
3 ounces of MonaVie "Active"
1 cup of Greek yogurt with honey (My favorite is Greek Gods)
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
*Put it all together in a blender and blend until smooth
The blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, always good for you. The greek yogurt is, well, delicious and gives this blend the substance it needs to taste delicious. Turmeric has amazing anti-inflammatory properties. MonaVie is an acai berry juice blend with all kinds of yummy stuff in it, good for your joints. (Big thanks to Amy W. for keeping me stocked with MonaVie!)
On another note, this was my horoscope today:
Instead of attempting to convince others that your plan is a solid one today, spend time examining your weaknesses to understand how they may be forcing you to overcompensate. Rather than focusing on your own progress, see what you can learn from others without trying to one-up them. Although you are willing to jump into the fray again, remember that coming out ahead is less important than turning every moment into another chapter in your journey of self-discovery.
Loud and clear, Universe. Loud. And. Clear.
Namaste.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Anjali Mudra and Libby D.
I've talked about Savasana a couple of times. It is one of my two favorite parts of Yoga. My other favorite is Anjali Mundra.
In Hatha Yoga, Anjali Mudra begins and ends the practice. Anjali (to honor, celebrate) is a salutation and Mudra (seal) seals your relationship with the Divine. Therefore, Anjali Mudra is also known as the Salutation Seal. Seated in Siddhasana (Perfect Pose, my preference) or standing in Tadasana (Mountain pose), the palms are pressed together at the heart center, with the thumbs pressed slightly against the chest. The hands are pressed firmly together, without allowing one hand to dominate the other. The head is bowed slightly towards the heart, creating a lengthening in the neck and spine. With the eyes closed, a few deep breaths are taken. When in Anjali Mudra at the beginning of practice, it's the time to set the intention of your practice. For me, my intention is always the same. With my eyes closed, I say to myself, "I am here for me. I am here for me."
I love Anjali Mudra. I love Anjali Mudra. I LOVE Anjali Mudra. It induces a meditative state of awareness. There is a strength I am able to draw from it that makes my heart feel bigger than any other part of me. It's a radiating energy which sets an amazing, powerful, motivating tone for practice regardless of how I felt before I walked in the door.
On another note, I think I've found my favorite teacher. In beginner's series, the teacher will talk about how different each teacher is and that most students will figure out who they connect with best and attend mostly their classes. For me, that person is Libby D. Libby has an amazing and magnetic spirit. Her instruction is clear and heartfelt; it is so easy to realize how much she loves yoga, loves teaching and how greatly she respects each student and their individual interest in yoga. Two of my classes each week are with her. I'm already excited about Monday class!
In Hatha Yoga, Anjali Mudra begins and ends the practice. Anjali (to honor, celebrate) is a salutation and Mudra (seal) seals your relationship with the Divine. Therefore, Anjali Mudra is also known as the Salutation Seal. Seated in Siddhasana (Perfect Pose, my preference) or standing in Tadasana (Mountain pose), the palms are pressed together at the heart center, with the thumbs pressed slightly against the chest. The hands are pressed firmly together, without allowing one hand to dominate the other. The head is bowed slightly towards the heart, creating a lengthening in the neck and spine. With the eyes closed, a few deep breaths are taken. When in Anjali Mudra at the beginning of practice, it's the time to set the intention of your practice. For me, my intention is always the same. With my eyes closed, I say to myself, "I am here for me. I am here for me."
I love Anjali Mudra. I love Anjali Mudra. I LOVE Anjali Mudra. It induces a meditative state of awareness. There is a strength I am able to draw from it that makes my heart feel bigger than any other part of me. It's a radiating energy which sets an amazing, powerful, motivating tone for practice regardless of how I felt before I walked in the door.
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| Anjali Mudra (not me, but isn't she adorable?) |
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