I admit it. Often when I say take 5 breaths in down dog, it really stretches out into 8, 9. Who knows?
As I look around the room during the poses, some students need to be adjusted, and others need encouragement, and sometimes 5 breaths turn into 8 or 9. This confession came to the fore yesterday on Thanksgiving. After teaching at Yoga Madre, while saying goodbyes in the lobby, Ken, a dedicated yogi, mentioned how gentle and kind I sound in class and then keep them in excruciating poses FOREVER! Okay, that is not be his exact quote, but you get the picture.
I cop to all of this. In fact, I shared with my lovely, dedicated Thanksgiving students that Martin, my husband, has rightly accused me of the very same transgression. Once, while in my class at Yoga Madre, he noted that my 5 breaths in dog stretched out interminably. He battled with his desire to yell out "this is madness...I am going for the door, who's with me?" and stage a mutiny. Thankfully he didn't do it, but I got the point.
Another admission is that I once exclaimed something similar to Martin's call for mutiny. While taking a class from the wonderful Erik Rieder, my colleague and friend, he had us in warrior 1 for what felt like forever. I finally blurted out something like, "Come on man!" I regretted it immediately and felt embarrassed. It just came out! We all had a laught about it, though.
Seriously speaking folks, if any pose feels too long or inapproriate for your body, seek rest in child's pose or modify the pose that you're in. Always remember to stay safe, connected to how you feel in the pose as so to never hurt yourself. Playing your edge and exerting the body is different than causing an injury. Your yoga practice is always an individual experience and you are, no matter what I or any other teacher say, your best teacher.
In closing, I have been accused of liking "bed of nails" style yoga, but I realize that this stuff is not for everyone. When I do lose track of time and breaths, I do apologize to those who suffer. To all students, past and future, I apologize for those times when 5 breaths are not 5 breaths...Namaste and see you in class.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My Personal Yoga History
My personal yoga history goes like this: My lovely friend Karon took me to my first yoga class in 1996. We went to Yoga Works on Montana, Sarah Bell's class; I liked it from the get-go. Karon quickly taught me ujjayi breath before we started the class and I enjoyed the asanas. I had been a runner for years and my fitness level was good but I certainly could have benefitted from more flexibility.
I didn't take my next class until September of 1998. This one was through the city of Long Beach, my home at the time, with the incredible Gabriel Hall. Gabriel had studied at the Iyengar Institute in LA and with many well known teachers on the West side. He was great at teaching a safe yet interesting and challenging class. His class met at a local dance studio.
After this experience I sought out more classes to add to my weekly one with Gabriel and found Omadawn studio in Seal Beach. There I experienced yoga with Barbara Bannerman. It was so nurturing and loving that I felt I was getting an amazing deal for my measley $12.00. Barbara had a vast yoga background, having studied with Ganga White, Erich Schiffmann and John Friend. She was generous with her knowledge and not long after that first class, I was attending classes at her home studio and tagging along with her to workshops around LA with these well-known yogis.
A few years later, Gabriel opened his own studio and hired Barbara. Yoga World became my yoga home. As my yoga practice grew, my running stopped. My knees no longer enjoyed pounding the pavement like they once did. I found that yoga fulfilled my athletic yearnings along with my interest in dance. Parallel to the physical benefits of asana came the mental benefits. My life began to change in many ways due to my growing practice of yoga.
Eventually, I decided that I wanted to teach and asked both my teachers their advice on teacher training programs. I settled on Yoga Works in Santa Monica with Maty Ezraty and Lisa Walford--Ashtanga and Iyengar influences. The training was rigorous, tough and wonderful. Maty and Lisa focused on the detail in asanas, something that I love.
After training ended Gabriel gave me my first break by letting me sub a class. He was generous to do so and I will forever be indebted to him for this. Eventually, he hired me to teach a weekly class, then more and more. This was in 2001.
Since then I have moved to the lovely town of Sierra Madre. I landed a teaching job at Yoga Madre in 2003 shortly after it opened and have been there ever since.
While this yoga journey took place, I continued to work in the computer hardware industry. I got married to a wonderful guy and then eventually quit computers to be a mom. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach yoga while I experience my darling daughter, Sofia, growing up. Teaching yoga is by far the most rewarding work experience I have had. I enjoy sharing my love of yoga with others and experiencing their joy when they do their first handstand, headstand, etc.
Yoga helps me be a better mother, wife and person.
I didn't take my next class until September of 1998. This one was through the city of Long Beach, my home at the time, with the incredible Gabriel Hall. Gabriel had studied at the Iyengar Institute in LA and with many well known teachers on the West side. He was great at teaching a safe yet interesting and challenging class. His class met at a local dance studio.
After this experience I sought out more classes to add to my weekly one with Gabriel and found Omadawn studio in Seal Beach. There I experienced yoga with Barbara Bannerman. It was so nurturing and loving that I felt I was getting an amazing deal for my measley $12.00. Barbara had a vast yoga background, having studied with Ganga White, Erich Schiffmann and John Friend. She was generous with her knowledge and not long after that first class, I was attending classes at her home studio and tagging along with her to workshops around LA with these well-known yogis.
A few years later, Gabriel opened his own studio and hired Barbara. Yoga World became my yoga home. As my yoga practice grew, my running stopped. My knees no longer enjoyed pounding the pavement like they once did. I found that yoga fulfilled my athletic yearnings along with my interest in dance. Parallel to the physical benefits of asana came the mental benefits. My life began to change in many ways due to my growing practice of yoga.
Eventually, I decided that I wanted to teach and asked both my teachers their advice on teacher training programs. I settled on Yoga Works in Santa Monica with Maty Ezraty and Lisa Walford--Ashtanga and Iyengar influences. The training was rigorous, tough and wonderful. Maty and Lisa focused on the detail in asanas, something that I love.
After training ended Gabriel gave me my first break by letting me sub a class. He was generous to do so and I will forever be indebted to him for this. Eventually, he hired me to teach a weekly class, then more and more. This was in 2001.
Since then I have moved to the lovely town of Sierra Madre. I landed a teaching job at Yoga Madre in 2003 shortly after it opened and have been there ever since.
While this yoga journey took place, I continued to work in the computer hardware industry. I got married to a wonderful guy and then eventually quit computers to be a mom. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach yoga while I experience my darling daughter, Sofia, growing up. Teaching yoga is by far the most rewarding work experience I have had. I enjoy sharing my love of yoga with others and experiencing their joy when they do their first handstand, headstand, etc.
Yoga helps me be a better mother, wife and person.
Welcome!
Dear friends and yogis:
This is my inaugural post to my yoga blog. Why a yoga blog? Indeed, a fine question. A yoga blog because I adore yoga--teaching it, practicing it and talking about it. I have wanted to share my thoughts on yoga and the practice for sometime and think that this is the best format for me to do so. As many of the people in my life may know, I am not a Facebook fan and while that format is useful for many, I didn't want to deluge folks with my yoga musings. Instead, if interested, visit my blog.
To that end, if you are reading this, it's Wednesday and tonight's class is at Yoga Madre in Arcadia--7:30pm. It's an all levels class so we will explore more ambitious poses, although all are always welcome. Safety in class is always a priority so that no one gets hurt.
On the heels of Thanksgiving, we shall focus on gratitude and taking the time to reflect on the abundance present in our lives. We will remind ourselves that most likely we have all or even more than we need. Through asana, both relaxing and vigorous, we will quiet the external influences in our lives and seek to access the peace within us and open out hearts to gratitude.
Just for fun, we'll focus on bird poses as an homage to the noble turkey who gives of himself so personally on Thanksgiving. Namaste and hope to see you in class.
This is my inaugural post to my yoga blog. Why a yoga blog? Indeed, a fine question. A yoga blog because I adore yoga--teaching it, practicing it and talking about it. I have wanted to share my thoughts on yoga and the practice for sometime and think that this is the best format for me to do so. As many of the people in my life may know, I am not a Facebook fan and while that format is useful for many, I didn't want to deluge folks with my yoga musings. Instead, if interested, visit my blog.
To that end, if you are reading this, it's Wednesday and tonight's class is at Yoga Madre in Arcadia--7:30pm. It's an all levels class so we will explore more ambitious poses, although all are always welcome. Safety in class is always a priority so that no one gets hurt.
On the heels of Thanksgiving, we shall focus on gratitude and taking the time to reflect on the abundance present in our lives. We will remind ourselves that most likely we have all or even more than we need. Through asana, both relaxing and vigorous, we will quiet the external influences in our lives and seek to access the peace within us and open out hearts to gratitude.
Just for fun, we'll focus on bird poses as an homage to the noble turkey who gives of himself so personally on Thanksgiving. Namaste and hope to see you in class.
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