6am yoga

I spent the entire week with my alarm set at 5am in anticipation for today's class.

It's Saturday and most folks I've realized, as much as they want to get up and go,

they don't want to get up and go do yoga at 6am.

I'm ok with that.

Mostly.

Of course I dream of 10 people walking through the doors, dying to do yoga.

In reality, I am lucky to have 5.

Today, I had 2.

Really one, but there were two other women that started exercising at 5:15am and one decided to stay for this class...so one plus one equals 2 :)

I made the decision last night that I would get up, drink one cup of coffee and get ready.

What that meant this morning was getting up at 5, letting the dogs out, letting them in, drinking one cup of coffee sitting on my mat and chanting to wake up my voice.

I realized mid-week that as much as I like getting up early, I don't really talk. So, being prepared today, I chanted on the mat and walking in the crisp, frosty air.

The air doesn't really hang in the winter. It dissolves quickly. I noticed by the time I got over the tracks that my body heat was picking up and I could easily walk in the cold air. I used to do it consistently. Now, I feel fortunate when I have the opportunity to walk. So, I walked down the street, beeped myself in and unknowingly came upon two exercising women who were just as surprised to see me.

The one who stayed, I believe, was meant to stay. It was meant to happen. We have been talking yoga for a few years now and she had a certain amount of trepidation about it. Even this morning I had to do a little coaxing, but I could tell she enjoyed it enough to possibly do it again.

After class I walked back home in the dark. It was only 7am. My family was still asleep.

I got to drink another cup of coffee, write and officially begin my day when the rest of the world sees fit.

Namaste.

Sleepy Time Yoga

For about a billion years, I have done a 20 minute yoga practice before bed.
When I don't do this, I feel it in my body-- unfortunately at about 1am.
I wake up with energy laying in my back, wanting to move my legs, my body.  My mind wanders during this time and I have a hard time turning thoughts off.  Needless to say, this is not enjoyable in the middle of the night.  Since I have started working full time a few years ago, I find myself skipping this practice occasional.  Again, not a good idea, because often when it is skipped is when I need it the absolute most...busy days, overflowed with scheduling, that leaves me mentally drained. 

When I do these simple asana's, then my sleep is vastly improved.  I stay in each pose for about 2-5 minutes.  I generally let my mind wander, letting go of the day and observing what is showing up on my nighttime mat.  Things that I need to let go of before bed, so they don't want to chat in the middle of the night. 

Enjoy. Om.

Uttasana











Upavista Konasana













 Tarasana











Savangasana (with variations)



Chakrasana (with leg variations)

Savasana

 

Inspiration

Last week I lead a "Runners Yoga" workshop.

I prefaced the class letting them know I am not a runner.
I used to run many, many years ago -- but found it too hard physically on my body, 
generally becoming too thin and then I'd end up obsessing.  So-- I stopped.
I became a walker instead.

I worked mostly on the hip flexor area.
We did a little anatomy, explaining the four muscles that make up the hip flexor:
Sartorius
Rector Femorus
Psoas
Tensor Lattae Fascia

Plus touching on the hamstrings and the feet.

The class was 8 students, only one who had been in the studio before-- so I felt positive bringing in new students to yoga and the studio.  

But mostly what I noticed at the end of the class was the inspiration I felt to move beyond my comfort level.  I did the research, took a workshop and decided that I could teach a class that moved beyond how I thought of yoga.  



So...now onto thinking of my next inspiration...

Om.

Balasana Baby Maybe...

Balasana.
I go there every morning as I crawl onto my yoga mat at 6am.
I invite students to find comfort in balasana at the beginning of class,
often talking about ahimsa as they nestle down to their safe place.

So, last night at the end of beginners yoga, a new student asked me
about childs pose.  She told me she couldn't get comfortable in it at all.
Too quickly I responded, I thought so.  I told her it seemed from her heart
to her head it was too much.  She nodded and said, "yeh."
She told me she felt "claustrophobic, it's all a mental thing."
She tried all the options I gave, but she didn't like it.
She wanted to know what she could do to find it more relaxing.

I told her that I would think about it and in next weeks class we could
try something else, but at least she knows what to work towards.
Sarcastically she said, "claustrophobia" and smiled--but I felt like a
less than adequate teacher at that moment. 

And what made it worse (in my eyes) that she talked loudly about it in front of her friend, who was also new, that couldn't get comfortable in balasana either because of foot surgery she had  years ago.  She didn't talk to me about it in great detail, but when I saw her struggling to get her feet comfy and I quietly approached her, she explained she had scars that still hurt. 

So here I had two new yogi's who didn't like to be in a position I've rarely considered
--ever.  Blessings to them for bringing this into my mind, but goodness this is
something new.

I will step on my mat, huddle down and consider something other than
childs pose.
Om.

Bliss

This morning, I finished my asana practice.
Sitting in half meditation with my eyes closed,
thinking about writing and yoga.
When I closed my eyes and had a moment of samadhi.

I saw a warm yellow light hovering horizontially,
knowing this warmth was spirit, god, love, protecting us all.
And then I saw, felt a warm yellow ray vertically loving me,
in absolute peace, bliss, oneness I can't explain--but just know--
it was the spirit letting me know it's all good.

And then when I came to, I thought I had somehow tricked my eyes
into seeing --so I tried to do it again-- and it was impossible.
I felt the peace.
Knew what had happened.
And am thankful for the reminder.

Om.

You Can't Take the Ganesha Out...

A little over a year ago I began teaching yoga at a local studio that offers varying
healthy options to living: massage therapy, bellydance, reiki, life coaching, etc...all the
yummy stuff.  But coming into this space, I quickly realised I wasn't going to start class with a lot Sanskrit chanting or delve into the spiritual side immediately.  Part of this has been personal, selective growth and part of this is learning about the people who come to this studio.  Well--on the other side of immediately--is this year later when I comfortably begin and end with OM and share small stories of the practice.  I understand this to be more about my comfort at this point, not wanting to scare off students, afraid if I delve too deeply they're not going to come back to this space.  Even as I write that, I think it's smartly silly.


This past Thursday, at the end of class, a student came to me and said she had a question.
She continued by asking if I had any good books about Hindu gods or goddesses.  I
told her I didn't, but when I have questions about them, I either go to the library or online.  She then continued to tell me that when she is in savasana she gets images of "elephant people."  

I smiled.


Oh Ganesha.


I asked if she knew about Ganesha.  Had she heard the name?  The story?


No. And No.


I gave the small bits I knew and realised it's ok to share what I know, even if it's not complete.  People have the choice to go further in exploring their minds.  


And then she talked about seeing a "monkey face."


I smiled again.


Oh Hunaman.






She was full of this open space--recalling the past.  We spoke of reincarnation and spirituality.  It was a conversational gift.


That evening in the beginners class I shared the word Sri and the meaning.   This student was/is connected in with this divine sense, yummy sense of her spirituality.  So, even as I try to lightly cover the spiritual side of yoga, there are going to be those it resonates with and those it won't.  I don't need to necessarily water down my words, my stories...they sit where they need to...and Ganesha, removes the obstacles--placing success...where we open ourselves to.

Morning Practice

This morning my practice was slow and deliberate.
I had to wake up early for my oldest daughter and though I'm an early riser
most days, this extra early was a thankful hello.

I spent 15 each minutes in pranayama, meditation and chanting--then
beginning the asana portion.  I do this everyday, but not 15 minutes each.
Meditation always wins out anywhere 10-20 minutes most days though...anyhow--
what I found was my hour asana was much more deliberate in positioning and transitioning.
My mind focused quicker, yet my thoughts were slower.

I tend to lean towards a slower vinyasa practice most days, but try to throw in
some speed and curiousity too.  Today, I didn't worry about speed but tried to stay curious
in how I could find simplicity in the pause, the rest, in between.

Looking forward to the simplicity of my day.
Looking for the pauses,
the rest.

Om.