Walk Out Update

Found out from the teacher that I took over the class from that the student that left is in fact someone who does not want to be touched and does not want personal (or any) corrections. Just like Kira Ryder said, it isn't usually about you. I guess I will just let it go.

I Dig Kathryn Budig!

Yesterday afternoon was Kathryn Budig's famous arm balancing workshop! A room packed full of eager arm balancing yogis gathered downtown, at Yoga One, for instruction from none other than the balancing ninja herself, Kathryn Budig. It was a stellar afternoon that left me and everyone there invigorated and excited about yoga. Not only is Kathryn an amazing yoga practitioner, she is a charming teacher as well. Her instructions just make sense. I love her explanations of "snuggle the foot back," or "pull,then snuggle your shoulder back," or, "float like a secret ninja on the rooftop trying to remain unseen." I laughed out loud at least seven different times and then walked on air for the rest of my day.

I believe we covered just about every arm balance I could think of and I even learned a new one that I had never heard or seen before: Fallen Angel. Actually, I don't believe I had ever seen or done what Kathryn called, Baby Bakasana. Baby Bakasana is crow in forearm stand. We even jumped into baby bakasana from dolphin---actually pretty challenging because everything needs to be so compact and spot on.

My jump for joy moment came when, for the first time I made it from bakasana to handstand. Finally! I swear it was her demo and instruction that just made it click and next thing you know, there I was in my inverted tree. Kathryn then challenged me to get from Flying Pigeon to Hanstand. That did nto happen yesterday, but I thought about what I need to tweak to make it happen and I believe I am going to get there soon.

Honestly, I think I want to start an official Kathryn Budig fan club. She is absolutely bad ass in every way and teachers like her are why I decided to become a teacher as well. I am grateful to Amy and Michael for hosting yesterday's workshop because it really clarified some things for me internally and helped me realize that I need to embrace my own teaching style and find a place that accepts that style rather than try to change myself into a product of the studio I am teaching at. Truth is that I can and do bring something a little different to the yoga table and if I don't stay true to myself and offer my own special dish, well...the potluck might be missing that one tasty entree.

I plan to road trip up to Yogaworks April 18 for her "Finding Ease at Your Edge" workshop with Jason Crandell. Good stuff.

Self Practice

I have heard from other yoga teachers that they often have a hard time keeping up their own practice when they are teaching yoga. Interestingly, I have actually been much better about doing my own paractice and really delving into my own yoga and allowing myself to play, do poses that I don't often have presented when I take group classes, and I am even honing in on developing my own style of yoga that I would love to offer.



My practice lasted a good 2 hours and I had a blast opening the areas that needed serious opening and connecting poses together in unique ways. I also used the sand bags and strap to help in badha konasana, supta badakonasana, supta hasta padangustasana, and savasana. Delicious! I think my personal practices are now my favorite practices. Crazy to think that I have spent years resisting and shying away from personal practice. It is as if I have turned over an entirely new leaf and am getting a second wind as far as yoga growth goes. So exciting!

I Experienced the Walk Out...

Taught Saturday and had 12 people in the class. Was a sequence I had come up with the week before and involved a lot of twisting to squeeze out the stagnant energies from winter. We started in balasana and stretched left and right before moving into a flowy version of cat cow where we exhale from cat through balasana and then inhale pulling up with an open heart through cow. After some organic rounds of that we pushed back into a bent knee downdog and walked our dogs and came up to tip toes and then sunk our heels back toward the floor before slowly walking feet to hands and relaxing in a slumpy uttanasana with knees touching thighs and head hanging heavy. Finally, we rolled slowly up to tadasana to move into our sun salutations.

Sun A/Surya Namaskar: Urdhva Hastasana, uttanasana, step left foot back into lunge, inhale right arm to sky, exhale hand back to mat, inhale left arm to sky, exhale hand to mat, inhale step back into plank, exhale through chatturanga, urdhva muka savasana, exhale to adho muka savasana. Step or jump feet to hands and inhale half lift, exhale uttanasana, inhale to urdhva hastasana. Repeat other leg and then one more round.

Sun B/Surya Namaskar: Ukatasana, swan dive to uttanasana, chatturanga, urdhva muka, adho muka, inhale right leg to sky, exhale sweep through to right lunge & plant back heel to inhale to Vira I/Warrior 1. Exhale humble warrior with airplane arms, inhale warrior 1, exhale reverse warrior, inhale Vira 2, exhale through vinyasa and then repeat opposite side. Repeat 2 more times.

Standing sequence was parsva ukatasana to right, step left foot back, twisting parsvokonasana and optional bind with step forward and take twisted bird of paradise. Well nobody in class bound so we skipped the balancing posture.

Vinyasa to Warrior 2, Trikonasana with core challenge, Revolved triangle, Parsvottanasana, then standing splits prep and eventually revolved half moon with option of taking that to chaporasana (aka candy cane). Release padangustasana A. And Repeat other side.


Next sequence was moonrise to hip opener or as called in jivamukti- turtle stretch and then moved into flying pigeon/crow.

Moving to the floor we started with back stregtheners and stretches. Salabasana/locust A then B. Bekhesana/ frog with Right leg, left leg and then both. Dhanurasana. Vinyasa to Ustrasana--and I offered variations of either lago or kapotasana. I helped one gils with a really open back into lagu for her first time and she said it felt fabulous.

Time was passing so I took us into seated twists. Mareychasana A, C and then Ardha Matseyendrasana. This is where I lost my student. I was helping and adjusting people and when we were in ardha matseyendrasana I could see that the girl could easily access the full posture to hold her knee and put the other hand reach back to crook of the hip. Well All I did was ask her whether or not she wanted to do the bind and wasn't sure what she said. I asked quitely once more and she didn't want help moving into it. Next time I looked over to that corner she was gone. Lost one. I didn't dwell on it at the time but did feel bad and sad and wondered whether she doesn't like any of my class or whether she just doesn't like to be touched or if she felt I told her that she was doing something wrong. I am not going to be too bent up about it because it would be wrong for me not to try to offer adjustments because one person left. I had noticed that she didn't take verbal corrections even when they were made to the entire class, so perhaps she doesn't come to class for the instruction, but more for the energy and the flow. Just hope I didn't turn her off from all yoga classes.

After this was closing sequence poses. Plow, shoulderstand, karnipidasana, supta hasta padangustansana A, B, across the body, supine twisting, supta badha konasana & savasana.

Full Moon Yoga

Tonight was a full moon and I had an 8:15 pm class to teach so I decided to focus on the moon as a theme and do a practice centered on the full moon. As I have mentioned before, my style has a heavy ashtanga influence and therefore I do pay attention to the philosophy of full and new moon yoga practice. But, since I do not teach ashtanga at the Tuesday night class I did not feel blasphemous leading a yoga class. I even made a music playlist with the moon as the theme to the songs (well except for the one called "Ocean," but since the ocean tides are a major part of moon cycles I thought it fit well). Most everyone in class was at a beginning or early intermediate level so a full moon practice was very skill level appropriate.

I opened with an explanation that tonight was a full moon and gave a quick talk about our bodies being 70% water and the belief that our bodies are affected by moon cycles just as ocean tides also are affected by full moons. The full moon corresponds to the end of the inhalation, the aspect of the breath cycle with the most prana. As a result, full moons leave us with energy and lots of emotion. Although we are often energetic at this time, we are also likely to be headstrong and lack grounding. The focus of the class, therefore, would be strength and grounding.

The style of the class was more along the Kripalu branch, but of course there were flavors of Jivamukti, ashtanga and yin yoga woven throughout. I guess that makes it a class of my eclectic and non-dogmatic yoga style.

The integration/warm-up sequence began in sukasana/easy seated pose. First we did side stretches. Next, easy twists. Coming to all fours we started cycles of cat/cow and eventually worked our way into downdog with deeply bent knees. Everyone was invited to slowly walk their dogs and ease into lengthening the spine, hamstrings, and achilles tendons. After rising up to tip toes and sinking the heels back toward the floor we slowly stepped the feet up to meet the hands for rag doll. In rag doll everyone was invited to sway their torso, bend the knees, allow the head to hang heavy and perhaps wiggle from side-to-side and front-to-back. Finally, we rolled slowly to tadasana.



Moon Salutation A:
1/4 moon side bend Right (R) and Left (L)
Open left leg to side for goddess pose
Take star
Side bend R/L
twisting forward bend R/L
Goddess
1/4 moon R/L

Repeat once more.

Chandra Namaskar:

Urdvha Hastasana
Uttanasana
Lift
Step back L leg to low R lunge with L knee on mat
Low crescent moon pose/anjeleyasana (spelling...?)
Down Dog/Adho Muka (DD)
Plank
Knees, chest, chin
cobra
DD
Lift left leg high
Low L lunge
low crescent on L
step to uttanasana
lift
uttanasana
Urdvha hastasana

(repeat 4 more times quickening pace)

Standing Sequence 1:
Vinyasa
Virabhadrasana/Warrior 2
Utthita Parsvokonasana
Bind
Extend to bound trikonasana
Return to Utthita Parvokonasana
Cycle through Vinyasa
Repeat on Left

Repeat entire sequence with 1 breath to 1 movement.

Sequence 2:

Ukatasana/chairpose
hands heart center and step back to a high R lunge/Crescent moon
Lower back knee and take intense quad stretch by pulling back heel toward same thigh while in low lunge.
Hamstring stretch/ Hanumanasana prep
low crescent
DD
Uttasana with lift, etc.
Ukatasana

Repeat L side.

Balancing:
Vrksasana/tree with optional arm variations
Moon rise from Jivamukti sequence (variation of utthita hasta padangustasana and parivrtta utthita hasta padangustasana
Seat of Isis with variation with feet hip with and then staggered {tip toes on inhale and lower to squat while remaining on tip toes}
Malasana and variations there

Seated Poses:
Dandasana
tolosana/lolasana
paschimottanasana
Swamp monster paschimo variation
to & lo pick ups between all
purvottanasana or table pose 3 times with Navasana between
Vinyasa to belly
Sphinx
locust/salabasana
swimming locust
balasana
roll down to back for supine twists

Suggested relaxation into savasana.

Hopefully everyone left feeling grounded, strong, and harnessed their energies enough to fall into a blissful sleep.

Fabulous Friday Home Practice

I just spent over an hour writing about my night and the gooey, delicious, and absolutely yummy home practice and went through the entire practice pose for pose in very explicit detail...only for it to result in an error when I tried to publish it. I don't have the patience or energy to rewrite it all right now. Perhaps tomorrow I will after I do it again in the morning or after I teach it in my class tomorrow.

But it was a wonderful night at home with the dog watching me practice and sleeping while I practiced with a wonderful playlist and had candles lit in the room.
Mmmmmmmmmm. Much better than drinking cocktails with the new roommate or drinking cheap beer with that person I was on the fast track with a couple weeks ago or even better than a night just sleeping.

Free Yoga Spoof

Yoga Dawg had this image posted on his site and I thought it ties nicely with my post & spreadsheet of donation based/free or nearly free yoga classes in San Diego.

Another Upcoming Yoga Activity in San Diego and it's FREE!

On Saturday March 14, 2009, Shakti Rising is having a "Love Your Life Day." From 1:00-4:00 p.m. there will be FREE yoga classes taught by Jenny of Four Seasons Yoga, as well as a nutrition class on cooking with herbs and a keynote speaker--Christine Aylo--discussing and signing copies of her new book: Choosing ME before We, Every Women's Guide to Life and Love." Shakti Rising is at 2404 F. St., San Diego, 92102.

*Shakti (the power, or the energy) is personified as woman. Shakti--Shiva's wife--is energy. International Woman's Day is Sunday--so celebrate the the dynamic female force that moves through the entire universe.

Roll to Your Right (or Left) Side

Sometimes I like to roll to my left side after savasana...but usually I am only offered the option of rolling right. I wonder if my teachers know why they more often ask the class to roll to the right, or whether it is just out of habit. Although I have learned that rolling right is supposedly more gentle on the heart that is open after practicing---I get the craving to roll left every now and then. Is it rude to roll left if not offered? Is it wrong somehow? Am I the only one who feels like my right and left need more balancing and coming out of savasana is no different? I am going to roll left this week and see how I feel. Maybe I will do a heart opening practice and then roll left and see what happens.

Found this picture this evening and thought it captured Moxie's yoga poses too. Moxie is my dog and she's had a rough week. It seems the poor thing has epilepsy. Good thing she doesn't drive--but I am worried it may impact her cat and bird chasing skills.

Girish Coming to North County 3/29

This month's WAH! and friends evening of kirtan at Bodacious Living in Carlsbad features Girish. The concert is at 7 p.m. and is $15/20.

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Bodacious Living in Carlsbad has "Funky Flow" this Friday with Natalie.

This Friday, March 6, 2009, Akasha Yoga in La Jolla is offering a FREE Intro to Yoga class from 7-8 p.m. On Sunday, March 8, 2009, Melissa is teaching a 1 hour clinic on backbending. The backbending clinic is also at Akasha. And, also at Akasha this weekend is a Mind-Body Therapy Demo/workshop on Sunday from 1-3 p.m.

Amazing Arm Balancing Workshop: Kathryn Budig is coming to Yoga One on March 15 from 1-4 p.m. to teach San Diego yogis how to balance like she did on the cover of Yoga Journal recently. $35 in advance or $45 at the door.


Willows in Encinitas has the first of a series of events entitled: "Dynamics of Yoga Anatomy-The Beautiful Body" on Sunday, March 8 from 11:30-1:00. The topic this week is "Bones" and the cost is a mere $15. Upcoming topics are Energetic physiology on 3/22, Anatomy of the pelvis 4/5, Shoulders 4/19, and Consciousness of Body, Mind & Noetic Biology on 5/3.

Yoganics is hosting Skyler's Bliss WOrkshop again this Sunday, March 8 from 1-4 p.m. I took her workshop geared toward teachers in the fall and it was wonderful!

This Friday at the Haven is Intensive Yoga and class begins at 5:00 p.m. The following Friday-- March 13 (yes, Friday the 13th) is the Haven's monthly workshop. The workshoip will be based on the needs of the individual participants.

Friday March 13-Sunday march 15 Bodacious is hosting Alanna Kaivalya for a weekend of workshops inspired by Jivamukti. Friday night is Kirtan at 7:30 ($15/20), Sat. is "Sacred Vibration: The Power of Nada Yoga," 1-4pm ($45/50), Sunday is "The Essence of Chakras," 1-4pm ($45/50). Saturday's workshop includes chanting, kirtan, and a vigorous physical practice where the yogis sight is taken away and thus only the ears and other senses are used to experience the practice. Sunday will involve working through the chakras with asanas and mantras to bring balance to all 7 chakras.
http://www.bodaciouslivingyoga.com/sections/view/classes-workshops

Michael Faith is offering "Mystery Magic and Awe- A Yoga Adventure on March 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Little Yoga Studio. This is billed as a PLAYshop.

Four Seasons Yoga in UTC has a Yin Yoga workshop with Roland Mathews on 3/22 from 1:30-4 p.m.

This is Lululemon's recent ad featured on the back cover of Yoga Journal. Though there is a good amount of criticism surrounding the ad, I love it! Yoga and Obama--two of my favorites!

Taught a class this morning. I had so many different ideas about what I wanted to include in the class and was having a hard time finalizing what I thought might go over well with this group. What I am most nervous about is that I am taking over the class for one of the studio's owners and I am sure she had a group of regulars that may not be excited about a new teacher bringing in a new style. I know that my style is a little different because my true yoga roots are in the ashtanga world and I value the vinyasa as the transition linking poses througout a practice. I did like my music and I look forward to putting together next week's playlist. There were about 12 people in the class, 2 of which were men and 3 of the attendees are also yoga teachers. We opended in sukasana--easy pose and did side and forward stretching there. Next we moved into Surya Namaskar A (sun salutation). I did a variation that involved stepping back with the left leg and coming into low lunge on right side. Inhale to cresent lunge, exhale twist right, inhale crescent with arch, exhale to plank, chatturanga, urdhva muka, adho muka, repeat left side, then meet in tadasana. I don't remember how many times through we did it---hopefully about three times. Next was surya namaskar B. Inhale ukatasana, exhale through vinyasa meet in down dog, inhale warrior 1, exhale warrior 2, cartwheel arms to floor and take plank and flow through vinyasa. Repeat on left side. Then did Surya Namaskar with core work. From downdog knee to nose three times and switch sides. Then right knee to right elbow and on third time option is to keep leg straight and move right thigh to right arm/elbow. Repeat left side (vinyasa in between each side. [I am coming back to this 4 days later and no longer have the clear recall that I did Saturday afternoon.] Next was vinyasa to Warrior2, to parsvokonasana, bind in parsvo, bound trikonasana, release to regular trikonasana and then vinyasa to repeat on left side. Next parsvottanasana with reverse namaste arms or hands grasping opposite elbows (actually I did a warm up parsvottanasana where inhale sweep arms to sky, exhale to flat back/half way,inhale hold and exhale fold forward allowing hands to reach to floor). After 5 cycles of breath in parsvottanasana moved into Warrior 3 with arms staying in reverse namaste. Release to tadasana. Repeat opposite side. I believe we did more blanace poses next and started with clasped hands under thigh in a preparation for uttitha hasta padagustasana A. Extend leg and hands to hips and hold, sweep leg through to Warrior 3 and hold 5 breaths and then sweep forward again to take eagle. Hold eagle and round forward in eagle and then release tadasana. For the opposite side we went from clasping under thigh and hamstring stretch to Eagle, round the eagle and straighten. From eagle to warrior3 then sweep leg forward to uttitha hasta padagustasana A with hands on hips and release tadasana. Final balancing sequence was traditional Uttitha Hasta Padagustasana A and B then return to A and release grip of big toe and hold leg out straight for 5 counts with hands on hips. Aghhhh- to the floor.

Vinyasa to 3 legged dog with right leg lifted, drop right heel to left buttock and gaze under left arm at the right foot for hip opener. After 3-5breaths straighten right leg and square hips before exhale to pigeon. Hold pigeon and/or parivrtta variation for at least 10 cycles of breath. I walked around to adjust here. Repeat on left side. After left side we took double pigeon or I have also had it called fire log pose. Again gheld here and also stretched to left and right while folding forward. I wanted to give them some luscious hip opening today because I think that seated poses and especially deepening these poses has not been a part of their practice previously. I am a bit confused on the order because I know that we probably did dandasana before the hip opening and after dandasana did padagustasana and then floating stick (aka lifted dandasana). Then Janu sirsasana A and variation...aka parivrtta janu sirsasana. Hmmmmm....other floor worknwas badakonasana A and B and then navasana with utplutihi/tolasana in between 5 breath cycle navasanas. I believe next was bridge and wheel (dhanurasana)and then closing it out with happy baby, supine twists and any other last poses before savasana.

My gripes were with me trying to mirror the class for demos, not being sure if it was too challenging with balancing or just right or whether the ashtanga influenced style was more floor work than what this class wants. Ideally, I would always like to fit in the entire closing sequence of plow, shoulder stand, carnipidasana and if advanced enough sirsasana before finishing. Well there is always this week. I am trying to decide on a theme or a master pose to base the class around. Hopefully I will decide that Thursday and do a home practice to fine tune on Thursday and Friday.

Donation Based Yoga Classes

When I started practicing yoga I was in college in Los Angeles. For the better part of my years practicing I was a student and did everything possible to scrape together enough money to pay for memberships at the student rate at my favorite studios. I was lucky to have Yogaworks in the area and with the student discount I could attend unlimited classes at any time of day with amazingly gifted and inspiring teachers. In San Diego, however, I have found it difficult to commit to a membership relationship with just one studio. I am still searching and/or hoping for a studio to come along that has more than one location where my membership is valid, has a variety of class times, offers a variety of styles, a variety of teachers, and really just makes me feel at home like I have felt at certain studios at different points during my yoga journey. Yoga Fusion in Bird Rock was that studio for me for a couple of years. Unfortunately, I came back to San Diego after three months spent traveling around the world with a few months left on my unlimited yoga membership, only to find that my yoga home was gone. Ever since I have become somewhat of a yoga nomad. But good things often come from situations we initially find disappointing, and one good thing I have found is a fabulous movement toward donation based yoga classes. I know how much yoga has helped me in every aspect of my life and ultimately I hope that everyone with an interest in experiencing yoga has the opportunity to do so even if they cannot afford the premium price tag classes often come with. Although having a self/home practice is central to a yoga journey, maintaining a community practice with guidance and adjustments from passionate teachers is similarly integral. In order to provide you with the incentive to try some new teachers, or styles, or perhaps to just try yoga for the first time, I compiled a chart of donation based yoga classes in the San Diego area. Enjoy! Akasha also offers a free class Intro to Yoga class on the 1st Friday of every month.

The Beginning

Yesterday I decided that I would start a blog/website about yoga. I had already spent hours upon hours pulling up class schedules for almost every studio between Chula Vista and Oceanside and compiling the schedules into a spreadsheet organized by day and time. My most recent idea was to create a spreadsheet with every donation based yoga class in the San Diego area. That is when the light bulb turned on---It would be so much easier to share the fruits of my OCD with other yogis if I started a blog! Alas, this is the beginning of what I hope will be a great resource for anyone interested in yoga and other holistic practices. I plan to have links the various studios in the area and each studio's schedule. I also want to list the numerous workshops, retreats and other events that are taking place around the county. Teachers can use this as a forum to share sequences of poses or music playlists, people can suggest books and albums that they find inspiring, and the possibilities go on and on. Now I just need to figure out how to actually do this blog thing and learn how to post spreadsheets and link to other sites. I look forward to sharing my passion for yoga through this contemporary medium and I hope others will find it helpful or even inspiring. I am excited to begin this journey.