Customized Spring Flow

My yoga style is normally very Hatha oriented meaning we do individual poses with long(ish) holds and breathwork, then move to another related pose, etc. I'll add in sun salutations (in some circles called vinyasa flows) if the group is feeling energetic (or I am) or it seems appropriate, and add in creative offshoots, but these don't make up the whole of class.

This week I've been working out the kinks of a little personalized flow to build some heat in the body, open the hips, strengthen the ankles, work on balance (vestibular orientation as well as we change directions), and in general have a little fun.

Time the inhales and exhales as they suit you, one pose, one 1/2 breath cycle OR take multiple breaths in each pose and use a single inhale or exhale to transition with focus to the next:

1. Start at the top of the mat.
2. Lift arms overhead for urdva hastasana (arms overhead mountain pose)
3. Forward Fold (uttanasana)
4. 1/2 lift (ardha uttanasana)
5. Step back right leg to Ajenayasana (Lunge pose), Back foot on the toe, front knee aligned with with front toe, no further forward than the ankle. Hips face forward.

1. Swing right arm overhead, keep left knee as is, drop the right heel behind the right pinky toe and peel the body open into Warrior 2.

1. Sweep the right arm down and to the front, left the right heel and turn the hips forward returning to Lunge pose.
2. Repeat the Lunge pose/Warrior 2 transition two more times, staying aware of the foot position, the gentle pressing open of the hips, the lowering of the shoulders while the lower arms lift to the upper arms.
3. Pause the sequence in Warrior 2.
4. Turns the left toes to face the same directoin as the right, having the body come to "star pose" or prep for Prasarita Padatonasan (wide legged fold, but no fold). 
5. Bend into the knees gently, and then step the left leg to the right then hover the left leg off the ground (or knee at 90 degrees) for Eka Pada Tadasana (one legged mountain pose).
6. Slowly turn the left knee out, press the left foot into the right leg for Vrksasana (Tree pose), raising the arms if you'd like. Level out the hips, lengthen the waist, lift the crown of the head up while pressing the standing foot down and hugging core up and in to the midline.
7. Disconnect the left foot from the right leg, turn the knee back to the front, and gingerly step forward into a lunge again (you will be partly off the mat).
8. Repeat the sequence: Lunge pose, warrior 2 transitions 3x.
9. Pause in warrior 2
   
   
10. Turn the left foot to the same direction as the right.
11. Step the left leg to the right and hover the leg.
12. Turn the left leg open for tree pose
13. Take the left leg off the right this time and step back with the left leg starting back in lunge pose with the right leg in front. 
14. Repeat this sequence twice with the right leg in front, eventually turning 90 degrees toward the side again then 90 degrees back to the front. When you step to hover one leg it will be right leg stepping to the left this time.
15. From here, you can repeat the 1/2 sun salute (arm lift, forward fold, 1/2 left) and this time step back LEFT FOOT, repeating this same sequence with the left leg in back 2x, then switching once you have turned 1/2 way around to step the right foot back to bring you back to the front of the mat. 

At this it's up to you if you want to do a few sun salutations that include Chaturangas and down Dogs, building more heat for deeper or stronger poses like backbends, or other arm balances, or just pause, smoothing out the ragged edges of the breath, and preparing to slow down your practice.

Enjoy

Be Free

I am not someone that likes to be in photos. Not unlike many, I am hyper-critical of the way I come across in two-dimensions, and find it hard to look with loving eyes at my self in a static form. It's when I'm moving, interacting and breathing that I feel beautiful.

But sometimes, someone is able to capture the spirit of what you feel, when you aren't worried about what you look like. When you don't worry about smiling or "smizing" or how your teeth look or whether or nor you are sucking in your belly, or how your deodorant wore off a hour before. When you are just having fun being silly, among friends, a little self conscious but encouraged to be playful.

HP Hart (Good Eye Designs), a friend who has children that attend the same school as my son, is the resident photographer at the school, and captures amazing things with her lens. She is rarely without her camera, and she has an intuition about people and their expressions that goes beyond the image...far beyond.

I chose NOT to pose for her, and she caught me a little off guard just goofing around with a scarf. The yoga here is in the joy I felt allowing her to snap a few pics while I played, while I breathed, while I was FREE. Enjoy.

County Wellness & Lakeside Health Awareness Month

I want to give recognition to the hardworking folks at the California Health Network (founder Steve Lauria) for putting together the Lakeside Health Awareness Month and the Health Fair "It's How We Live" taking place this Saturday March 12 from 9-12 at Linda Lake Park.

You can view a video about this month's promotion here: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaHealthNetwork/videos/1234959753184102/

Learn more about the vendors that provide services in East County here: http://californiahealthnetwork.org/healthawarenessmonth

There are two other Health Fairs happening later this spring too:

It’s How We LiveSaturday, March 12
Lindo Lake County Park
9841 Vine Street, Lakeside
Ballfield right after the running event “Run for the Arts”
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

It’s How We Live
Saturday, April 23
Spring Valley County Park8735 Jamacha Blvd., Spring Valley
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Fallbrook Health & Fitness Fair
Saturday, May 14
La Paloma Elementary School
300 Heald Lane, Fallbrook
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Thank you CHN for putting BYOMyoga on your list of vendors that provide services in East County - I'm proud to be one!

Give a Kid a Block...

Each time I teach yoga to the preschooler's it's a challenge to make sure I incorporate enough "old stuff" to reinforce memory, create consistency, and set the framework for the arc of class but also bring in enough "new stuff" to make the classes interesting, exciting, challenging, and unique.

The very young children (under 3) are quite content over the course of their school year to practice the yoga moves with my well-used songs by Karen K and the Jitterbugs, Laurie Berkner, Feist, and Elizabeth Mitchell to name a few. They are called to action by the music, the melodies, my (off key) singing - familiarity bring comfort and with comfort comes more exploration with how their bodies move in the space in which we do yoga.

But the children that are over 3, and up to 5, while they love the tried and true music and games, are open to using their yoga skills in new ways. Skills like balance, the ability to go from silly to calm, being creative, cooperating, and even teaching (each other).

Some days, offering them new tools like blocks or balls may prove to be too much so we simply continue to use our bodies (without any potential projectiles).

But some days, when the stars align and the mood is right, I can offer them one or two foam blocks each, and a yoga mat, and ask them "How can you do yoga with these?"

The results? See for yourself:

First we had a lot of just block stacking.

Then, the idea to stand on the blocks  trended.

Even on one foot.

Adding little arm and leg flair too.

Well, not just standing, kneeling too!

Then kneeling and leaning... 

And FLOATING. 

Floating on the belly was a big hit.

That idea proved quite popular

Group belly balancing

Superhero or Manta ray - awesome

And finally, on the back. 

Then truly restorative

Of course I had to set limits so that the blocks were used safely - no standing on blocks that were on end, no kicking/throwing, and no stealing other people's blocks. 

Sometimes, the Hoberman Sphere is a bigger draw. With absolutely no prompting from me, they find their own safe space inside it, using it to create a safe space for their mind and body, in true yogic style.

 

I can't wait to see what they will create with me next class.

Free Yoga All Over San Diego County

Our local library system for the county has a PLETHORA (a veritable cornucopia) of free yoga classes at multiple locations on any given day, for all ages (kids, families, seniors, disabilities and more). If you want to find a FREE class near you, please just check out the county library website... and be amazed! Many times its the Friend of the Library organizations supporting the classes; sometimes it's private groups and sometimes it's a complete labor of love on the part of the instructor.  Highly encourage you to explore your options!

http://host.evanced.info/sdcl/evanced/eventcalendar.asp

Music - an opinion piece

Nothing about my teaching lately has drawn more controversy than my music choices. I mix up my class soundtracks, spinning (well, playing) everything from Queen, Sanskrit chanting, native rhythms, nature sounds, and classical guitar, to coffee shop soundtracks. Whatever seems to suit the mood, my mood the class, the day. Sometimes, I choose incorrectly, Sometimes I have to change it up during class. Sometimes I just have to turn it off.

For flow-based classes I like to have music that moves us through our postures. Most of my classes, even if they have flow, include quite a bit of narration so I have to keep the music at a level that I can talk over it, not compete with it. Sometimes it conflicts, I admit, and sometimes it really elevates the tone of the class - really jives.  Sometimes I'll reference to the music to just help us get into the mood, get the breath flowing, open the heart, or build heat. You never know what will truly "work," but I'd like to think that regardless the music is just background and my instruction in the foreground.

I had an instructor that insisted on wordless music in her classes, and for any practice class you taught with or for her, on the principle that words (English in particular) were a distraction for the mind. I respect her enough to take the advice to heart and understand its intent, but I also feel the need to experiment with the idea of more "lyrical" yoga.

I've had other instructors that were really skillful in creating playlists that boosted energy levels with funk (think Gap band), or world beat (modern Sting), or classic rock (yes, even Journey) in such a joyous way that you would be hard pressed to not want to move and flow gloriously in Urdva Hastasana, swan dive elegantly into Uttanasana, float strongly back into Chaturanga, expose the heart through strengthened arms in Urdva Mukha Savansana and then open the hamstrings and find length in the spine in Adho Mukha Savanasaa. Leg and core engaging poses like plank, warrior II, side plank, and reverse warrior can made even more powerful when music lifts and lyrics surge. Forward folds can be even more releasing when musical phrases descend and lyrics become winsome and soft.

In one recent class, a student gave me a softly-toned "science" lecture on why I should not use music with lyrics. The reasoning was that the lyrics stimulated the brain, therefore preventing one from properly immersing themselves in the blissful flow of the yoga practice.
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I've had some students say they don't notice the music as they are really focusing on their practice.Yesterday someone said they would prefer lyrics in any other language but English because if they recognize words they stop listening to me and start only listening to the music. Today someone said "I would just like to hear the East Indian bells and instruments it really takes me into the mood."

Other students have commented that they love some of playlists with familiar songs because it lightens the mood for them, it keeps them from getting too "in their own heads."

I define the difference between "going inward" and "being in your head" this way: as much in yoga you are working the 8 limbs to bring yourself to center, yoke together your mind and body, at any point there can be a tendency to over-think, over-analyze, and attempt to over-perform. The monkey mind can race out of the room as soon as it doesn't have a good reason to stay in. So for some, a vivid soundtrack, music with familiar lyrics included, can help them stay in tune with the class, in the moment, and in the mood. It can facilitate connecting with the breath flow back into their bodies rather than out the door or creating a downward spiraling of the the mind.

For me personally, lyrics or not, I find that familiar music keeps all of me integrated and flowing. I can tune in to the instructor or tune out - the choice is MINE and I cannot blame the music for any of those choices.

Funny - more often than not people do comment when they like the playlist - no matter if it's familiar tunes with words, acoustic covers, classical pieces, soundtracks, Sanskrit chanting - everyone likes something different. Sometimes I get a big thank you when a classic favorite comes on like the Beatles "Let It Be" because it really does bring out the heart. For me, the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah" draws forth tears almost every listen and really really helps me find depth in my practice because I feel that I'm connected with energy in the deepest recesses of my soul. What is yoga if not that?

So I have to think - when I teach am I playing the music for me, or for the class? I want to create a soundtrack for the class the moves them, that engages them, that feels right to me. And of course I want it to be music that I like (after all, I'm teaching). I suppose it can be a class without music. I've tried that too - and every single time at least one person nervously speaks up and says "We are  going to have music aren't we" as if it the lack of music creates a a vacuum in which one simply could not practice!

So, it's impossible to say set a rule that works for everyone. Because we have different tastes. And moods. and situations, day to day, and hour to hour. Each needing a little bit different attention.

Truth be told this is a heated topic in the yoga world, with probably the most widely used reason is that hearing lyrics conflicts with the calming of the mind. One article went so far as to say that lyrics can counter-productively plant subliminal messages in the unconscious minds of the yogis - a sad song can create a very negative effect on that class, and song with angry or hurtful lyrics can be particular destructive. Yes music is a powerful tool, but my intent is never to use it maliciously.

One issue with which I can agree is that if the volume balance is off, the music can compete with teacher instruction. I don't like to use voice amplification, so proper volume is important. And being aware if the selected songs are just not working... still being responsible for observing your class, reading the class, teaching the class. Change the music if it's not working, or even turn it off. The music is a tool, YOU the instructor.

Just as an aside, in kids classes we use music as a key component to get their attention, to help them coordinate movement with breath, and help them learn movement pattern in the spirit of yoga-oriented play. Music with lyrics makes that task a lot easier as it also stimulates their little minds to remember words and synchronize poses. So, there's that.

In conclusion I have a couple of suggestions for other yoga teachers (and myself)

1) there is no hard and fast rule unless you make one yourself
2) you can't please everyone (but let's not get snarky - this is yoga after all)
3) know your audience in general (and yourself)
4) be mindful with your music choices (see  #2 &#3)
5) experiment a little anyway
6) keep the volume moderate - you are teaching, so you need to be heard

Be Responsible

(adapted from Phase 2 of Transformation from the Transformational Weekend with Deborah Williamson/Wild Abundant Life).

What does it mean to be responsible? Let's take the positive side of it, rather than the "I own my flaws, I own my mistakes, I own the error of my ways and my bad decisions." Let's rather, say, I've made choices to be where I am today. I didn't just "end up" here... I followed some sort of inner compass (properly calibrated or not), which bounced me into the trajectories of OTHER people using THEIR inner compasses (also, properly calibrated or not), and so, here I am.

But each thing I do from here forward is a CHOICE. Feeling positive about my day (or not) - a choice. Being kind to the customer service rep on the phone when I've had it up to here with my insurance company that is a choice. I own that choice. And if the rep treats me kindly, in part because I was patient and kind despite my frustrated, because i was responsible for my behavior, then I can take credit for the pleasant interaction (even if the spreadsheet outcome isn't what I expect).

Being responsible can be a daunting idea. How much responsibility are we supposed to have - how much of the world really is up to US to control. Well, far less than we think. So, perhaps in terms of how we interact with the world, we consider ourselves responsible for our own behavior, but we are RESOURCEFUL with how we operate with respect to one another. We seek out positive solutions. We consider other points of view. We allow time for thought, margin for error, room for breath. And with this room for breath, with a moment of pause, we have room for change. 

Which brings me to this a great little prose piece I see quoted a lot on the interwebs, that was used in the training I attended mentioned at the top of this post, that I very poorly paraphrased at a class today (but hopefully, anyone who was there might say, and anyone who reads this post might say, I still passed on the appropriate idea).

http://www.ram.org/contrib/autobiography_in_five_chapters.html

Autobiography in Five Chapters

by Portia Nelson

I

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk

I fall in.

I am lost...

I am hopeless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

II

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don't see it.

I fall in again.

I can't believe I'm in the same place.

But it isn't my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

III

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in...it's a habit

My eyes are open; I know where I am;

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

IV

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

V

I walk down another street.