Life and Death in Yoga

In one of my yoga practices this last week I found myself contemplating deeply about life and death and all that encompasses these topics. I came to the realization that yoga, in an abstract way, can be very symbolic of both life and death. Prana, is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning “life force.” It refers to a cosmic energy that connects all aspects of the universe. During a yoga practice, you use breath and movement to create prana. In essence, you are creating life, creating energy within your body. At the same time however, yoga can be very symbolic of death. With your yoga practice, you are taught to let go of what doesn’t serve you. You release negativity, pain, anxiety, guilt, emotions, and anything else that may no longer have a place within yourself.  Yoga is about a balance of these two elements. We even see this symbolism with particular asanas and vinyasas. For example, during your traditional sun salutation or any vinyasa series, we are creating energy. At the end of our practice we typically end with savasana in corpse pose, (dealth).  We become grounded and physically and mentally let go of tension, heartache, pain etc. After savasana, I typically have my students roll to one side, hugging their knees into their chest, much like you would in the fetal position (birth).  We finish by coming to seated and using our breath to center ourselves, creating new prana, new energy, and new life.

Sometimes in your practice emotions or feelings that may be repressed or hidden can come to light (birth) and then just as easily they are acknowledged and released (death). Yoga is about finding the delicate equilibrium of these two principles; creation and elimination. It is finding a healthy balance and using the two to best serve you at that moment in time. In my opinion, yoga makes you “whole.” If used correctly, it can help you feel more peace, and many would point out that one common definition of peace is “to make whole.” It is no wonder that people feel so revitalized and at peace after a yoga practice; it essentially represents the natural life cycle that we all do, and continue to pass through. Your personal practice is tailored to you, it helps you make use of what will benefit you and let go of that which doesn’t. So next time you step on your mat, honor this process, honor not only the birth, but also the death. Let yoga serve you, accepting what it brings to light, and finding the ability to let go of things that no longer serve you.

Namaste

www.gobodhiyoga.com

The Bodhi Flow

 A lot of people ask me how my class differs from other types of yoga. I tell them that I have been certified to teach all types of yoga but that I specialize in a flow series called the Bodhi Flow, which was created by the founder of Bodhi Yoga, Syl Carson. The philosophy behind Bodhi Yoga is basically a yoga practice that honors the three primary ways that Mother Nature manifests herself into the physical world (Rajas, Sattva and Tamas).  Rajas, or Rajasic energy is a forward-backward movement. Its movement is dynamic, insistent and passionate. 

Sattvic energy is a side-to-side movement. It is light, delicate, clear and graceful. It is steady and balanced. 

Finally, Tamasic energy is an upward-downward movement that is strong, deep and internally focused.

The specific vinyasa series that I mainly teach (the Bodhi Flow) honors Sattva with a movement of yoga poses that flow together in an inspired way.  It moves more slowly than a traditional vinyasa series. Its primary focus is releasing the core tightness of the body, which is achieved by focusing on slow, steady movements in which individual postures cease to be one, but rather mold into each other.  This slower pace allows us to achieve our desired goal with fewer repetitions than your traditional faster paced vinyasas.  Not only are we are able to experience the realities of our mind, body, and spirit connection more deeply, but we are also able to more fully breathe with each movement when we don’t have to shorten our breath to keep up with the faster paced and more repetitious vinyasas.

I teach elements of the Bodhi Flow in all of my classes, however I modify it slightly to make each class unique.  For example, in prenatal yoga we generally modify some of the more difficult poses, cut out some of the deeper twists, and then finish with some more restorative poses that help to address many of the negative side effects of pregnancy. The great thing about this flow series is that it can be modified to fit any class level.  It can easily be made more or less intense, depending on the energy of the specific class or individual.  So come on out to one of my classes and experience Bodhi Yoga for yourself!

Namaste

www.gobodhiyoga.com

A Personal Post: Learning to Experience Rather Than Merely Recite

As I was progressing in this journey of becoming a yoga instructor, I started to notice that my personal practice was getting neglected. I was used to practicing yoga daily, including a much-needed meditation at the end of each practice. This practice kept me balanced and started my day of right. However, the more classes I started to teach the more I felt slightly “burnt out” and started to replace my personal practice with my classes. I soon realized what a destructive mistake this was.  I didn’t have that collectiveness that I used to have and my days seemed more stressful. But to me, I was the only one that was suffering from my lack of personal practice, or so I thought…

I have learned that as a teacher, keeping a regular personal practice on the side is vital not only for yourself, but for your students.  In the end, your success as a teacher comes down to your personal practice. It starts on your own mat.

Once I realized this, I started to feel like a failure as a teacher. How could I preach to others the importance of personal practice, when I myself wasn’t doing so?  It wasn’t until I started to be more diligent about stepping on to my own mat that my opportunities as a teacher skyrocketed. I was able to experiment with different asanas that I could use later in my classes. I was learning to experience both the physical and emotional reactions that many of my students were experiencing.  I transformed from merely reciting a routine, to living the practice with my students.

One of my most rewarding classes was when I started to mold my classes around my students. One individual came to me with questions about a sore lower back. That night I came home and experimented with poses to help ease her pain and strengthen the muscles at hand. The next class I was able to teach a vinyasa series that was tailored to her needs.  I was able to give her what she needed through experimenting first on my own mat.

Needless to say, once learned this “secret” to teaching yoga, my classes were transformed. It helped me to have a new vision and appreciation for yoga and for my students.  It also helped me to have more compassion for my students as I was experiencing it with them rather than merely instructing them. Finally, I feel as if it has helped me to establish my own unique style of teaching. To me this is one of the most valuable gifts I could have received during this process. It has planted a seed of confidence in myself; confidence that I hope can keep me going in this journey, long after my certification is complete.

-Namaste

www.gobodhiyoga.com

Motivational Monday!

Just because we all need a little motivation some times. I hope yoga can help you achieve your greatest goals!

"Never underestimate what you can do when you believe in yourself."

Namaste

www.gobodhiyoga.com

Yoga and Mental Illness

So we all know that yoga obviously does the body good, but according to many studies it also has many benefits on the mind as well.  On this post I want to address the potential benefits of a regular yoga practice for those with mental illness.

Yoga has recently become such a cultural phenomenon that physicians and researchers are having a difficult time differentiating legitimate claims from hype. Recently, researchers from Duke University Medical Center explored the effects of yoga on mental health by examining over 100 different studies.

It is well known that yoga can produce a calming effect. It also can produce that “feel-good” feeling that people do after physical exercise. But what else was interesting is that they found that yoga does in fact have positive effects on mild depression, sleep problems, eating disorders, and psychiatric disorders  such as schizophrenia and ADHD. It has also shown to help individuals cope with the side effects of PTSD. The findings suggest that yoga may influence brain chemicals such as serotonin, which is known to boost levels of happiness. In addition, it can lower inflammation, reduce oxidative stress and produce a healthier balance of lipids and growth factors.

Doctors have been encouraging yoga as a complementary treatment for mental disorders for years. And while research is promising, it is not recommended to replace their medications with a yoga practice. Rather, researchers and doctors are encouraging patients to add it to their existing treatments and take advantage of the shown benefits.

As a little added bonus I wanted to include 6 asanas to help cope with depression or anxiety. Incorporate these warming, comforting poses into your daily practice and enjoy!

-                       

          childs pose

     forward bend

    legs up the wall

  cat –cow pose

   backbends

  headstand

-Namaste

www.gobodhiyoga.com

Hands On Adjustments

In my past experience with yoga, I have found that many teachers are afraid of touching their students, and also some students decline adjustments in their practice.  But as I have nearly completed my certification and have progressed in my journey as a teacher, I have found a tremendous benefit to hands on adjustments.  In this post I would like to share some of the guidelines and benefits of hands on adjustments that I have learned.

Hands on adjustments bring a new element to a yoga classroom. It is a traditional means of passing knowledge from teacher to student.  This is a powerful teaching tool.  Not only can that it help students to go deeper into a stretch, but it can help the student learn the proper alignment and positioning for the asana. On a different level, hands on adjustments help to create a trusting bond between teacher and student.

In my practice as a teacher, I have come to find 3 reasons for adjustments. They are as follows:

1.     Offer Support or Balance.  I have found that some reassuring hands on adjustments during more difficult asanas can really help the student to feel more confident in the pose.  It helps them move into the pose correctly and prevents risk of injury caused by improper posture during an asana. The students learn to trust in me as a teacher and in their own body’s capacity.

2.     Suggest Direction. This can be achieved with light acupressure or through movement of my hands in specific directions. This can be used as a gentle reminder to the student to expand deeper into the specific pose.

3.     Help Students Experience the Pose Differently. Oftentimes with a small adjustment, the student can have a completely different experience in the asana. With assistance, they may be able to go more deeply into a pose with less resistance.

There are some occasions where I choose not to do hands on adjustments. Sometimes my energy level is lower or the energy of the class is taking me in a different direction. As a teacher I have learned to honor myself and my students, and respect where the energy is taking us.

Most of my students appreciate the hands on adjustments. By offering these adjustments, and respecting the trust each student places in me, I have seen my students more fully comprehend the asana and their yoga experience.

-Namaste

www.gobodhiyoga.com

Find Your "Wild" Side With This Invigorating Pose

So lately I’ve been trying to incorporate some different poses into my routine and classes. One of my new favorite poses is Camatkarasana, also known as “wild thing.” This pose is fun and challenging, as also comes with some awesome benefits.

Anatomically, this pose focuses on the arms, hips, thighs, and spine. It belongs in the back bend family of poses and might want to be avoided by anyone with a spine injury.

Here is how to get into the pose:

1.    I find that it is easiest to start in downward facing dog. From here, bring your weight onto your left hand and roll onto the outer edge of your left foot (similar to a side plan pose)

2.    On your next inhale, lift your hips and your right leg, stepping it back and placing your toes on the mat behind you with your knee slightly bent

3.    Next, bring your right arm up and out, opening the chest to the sky as much as you can

4.    On your next inhale; curl further into the pose by reaching the right arm behind you and out and flattening your right foot on the mat

5.    Hold for 5-10 breaths before returning to down dog and repeating on the opposite side

This pose is a great chest opener, as well as the shoulders and throat. It also can open and stretch the hips and hip flexor muscles.  Finally, it can build strength in the core and upper back muscles. Aside from the physical benefits, this pose has some therapeutic benefits as well. Wild thing can help revitalize you by fighting fatigue. It is the perfect pose for when you are stuck in a routine and need new life in your practice. Finally, in light of the fall and winter season that is fast approaching, this pose can be great at helping ease the side effects of mild or seasonal depression. So next time you need a quick pick me up, try unrolling your mat and working your way into this awesome pose!

-Namaste

www.gobodiyoga.com