One LONG ladies holiday for me. I have to confess, I found it better on many of the days over the last week to not practice at all. This particular cycle was VERY rough, I worked a fifty-five hour week and was exhausted and in pain much of the time. My yoga was sleeping as much as possible, (please don't think this is a cop out, most of the time I am annoyed that my practice has to stop, but this time it NEEDED to). There were three days I did practice, however. I did a short yin practice one night, a longer restorative practice one day, and then the practice I would like to talk about was REALLY fun for me. It was on Sunday. One of the newer yogis in our studio, Tara, was dealing with the same issue I was and I was mentioning to her how I wanted to practice, but wasn't going to due to my predicament. She was curious, so I explained to her about energy flows and abstaining from over stressing the body or inversions. I told her I was going to practice, and I wanted to move, but that I was going to work on designing some sun salutations without the forward folds and down dogs. I invited her to join me, if she wished and she did. So we started off with some cool VERY restorative work: viparita karani (legs up the wall) is a particularly strongly recommended pose for those on their periods. We did some supported supta badha konasana with the bolster under the length of the spine, and then worked our way through some slow warming suns sans the inversions. Basically, in involves moving from utkatasana (chair pose) to high plank without the uttanasana (standing forward fold), moving through the vinyasa, and landing in child's pose rather than adho mukha svanasana. It is an unnecessary element, but if you want a little more warming, or just really like jumping around, then go for the jump backs and jumps ups - as long as you stay low. After a few modified A's, we added the virabadrasanas, etc. etc. Then we moved through a relatively brief lunge series, opening up the shoulders with binds, opening up the quads, etc, etc. We concluded with a long beautiful svasana with lots of props.
A couple of thoughts here: I chose, intentionally to avoid poses like twisted chair, or any twisting poses that forced the abdomen into the leg. I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with doing this, but if you feel bloated, or crampy, as I did, you may find this to be unfavorable. But twisting away from the abdomen, such as putting the body in a lunge with the right leg foward, setting the right hand down on the inside of the bent leg and opening the body to the left side by reaching that left arm up to the ceiling.
Also, in order to honor that downward flow, avoid mula bandha. So, you can do ab work, if you can practice it without engaging mula bandha. If you don't know what I am talking about, there is a good chance you don't engage it anyway, so don't worry about it. =)
So....surrender. That is what the last week has been trying to teach me, I think. It is a strong reminder that women are blessed with that nature is not in our control, that our bodies rule us, no matter what we have the ability to do to it with our diet and exercise and other habits, our bodies get the final say. We can eat whatever we want, knowing we will get fat or thin, run as hard as we want knowing we will sweat and pant, snort coke knowing that we will deteriorate our nasal passages, but we can't choose how long that will take, and we can't make it stop. All we can do is learn our own bodies by listening and experimenting - though not so much with drugs, please. ;) Yoga is many things, and one of those things is the art of developing your ability to hear your wisdom - please notice I did not say develop your own wisdom. Your body already knows what it needs, wants, and doesn't need. In our society we get pulled into the dramas and spectacle of everything around us. We get caught up in the requests and desires of our loved ones, bosses, friends. We get lost in sense desires and grasping and aversion and it takes time and practice and devotion to go deep and listen beyond the chattering monkey mind.
WishinG you happiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Rob - Day 36: Mysore
As promised, here for a daily entry! I set a repeating reminder on my To-Do program to make sure that I do this every day so hopefully I'll be much more consistent.
So last night I went to bed early. REALLY early. Like 8:30-9. I wanted to make sure I had enough mojo for the morning practice. It kinda worked I guess. I'm really not sure what's going on with my system right now. Obviously I got enough sleep, but I was still really tired. Probably some of this was left over from my intense led 1/2 Primary class on Monday which I followed with Heather's Yin class. I hadn't done the double header in a while and it was kinda intense. But I was really sore and tired even two days later! Also, the seasons are starting to obviously change now which is always a bit of a shock to my system.
My practice today felt sloppy, unfocused. My hamstrings were really tight and sore. I had trouble keeping focus even for the five breaths per pose. By the end I was quite tired and skipped out past Navasana. I didn't even have enough strength for Urvha Danurasana and ended up doing bridge! I let myself really go in Savasana. I borderline slept, which I guess is what I needed. I followed with a few rounds of Nadi Shodhana which definitely calmed me down a bit.
So what does this tell me..? Well, honestly I'm not quite sure. Maybe it was just an off day. By now (just after noon) I'm feeling a lot better and I'm glad I practiced even if I felt a bit wonky during and just after. I think we'll just let this one go at face value.
So last night I went to bed early. REALLY early. Like 8:30-9. I wanted to make sure I had enough mojo for the morning practice. It kinda worked I guess. I'm really not sure what's going on with my system right now. Obviously I got enough sleep, but I was still really tired. Probably some of this was left over from my intense led 1/2 Primary class on Monday which I followed with Heather's Yin class. I hadn't done the double header in a while and it was kinda intense. But I was really sore and tired even two days later! Also, the seasons are starting to obviously change now which is always a bit of a shock to my system.
My practice today felt sloppy, unfocused. My hamstrings were really tight and sore. I had trouble keeping focus even for the five breaths per pose. By the end I was quite tired and skipped out past Navasana. I didn't even have enough strength for Urvha Danurasana and ended up doing bridge! I let myself really go in Savasana. I borderline slept, which I guess is what I needed. I followed with a few rounds of Nadi Shodhana which definitely calmed me down a bit.
So what does this tell me..? Well, honestly I'm not quite sure. Maybe it was just an off day. By now (just after noon) I'm feeling a lot better and I'm glad I practiced even if I felt a bit wonky during and just after. I think we'll just let this one go at face value.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Rob - Days 33-35: Patterns
I'm beginning to figure out where I tend to fall off the train. This week, and last, I missed practice on Thursday and Friday. See what I've come to realize that while an evening practice is possible, it's tough. I'm best served by making sure that I make it to Mysore in the morning.
Thursday is the toughie. I sign in the Mysore class at the studio and then head straight to work. By the time I come home I'm exhausted and have no strength or motivation to practice. I think I'm going to hold on to Thursday as my optional day of rest. I mean, it's not completely keeping with the original intent of this project. However the MAIN intent of the project was to observe the process of a consistent practice. With that being said I've observed that I really need that day both for the sake of my schedule and my body. But Friday is another matter. If I'm going to take Thursday as rest I'm going to need to be vigilant about making it to Friday Primary class.
So what does this all have to do with patterns? Well, I've realized that my challenges with those days (Friday specifically) have come from my complacency with my diet. Now many would argue that I'm healthy, and sadly by American standards I'm way healthier than the rest. I maintain a Vegan diet and try to avoid processed food, etc. However since this experiment began and my schedule's gotten booked I've really fallen back into some bad habits. This has created a drag on my system which makes it hard to wake up in the morning even when I go to bed early and thus miss morning practice.
Mainly I've stopped cooking and have relied on prepared foods. Now this isn't necessarily all bad but its expensive and greatly increases my chances of eating crap. Confession: I've been eating at Burger King (GASP!) more often than I would care to (which is not at all). They have a Veggie Burger and my roomies go there a lot so it's an easy choice. I've also been neglecting to eat enough fresh veggies mainly due to my not preparing my own food.
So what am I going to do? Well, the cooking is going to be a bit of a challenge but it's something I'm going to work towards fitting into my schedule. In terms of prepared foods I'm going to stick to the least processed, highest quality foods I can get. Probably mainly from TJ's and Whole Foods.
I'm also making a conscious effort to eat less. It's so easy when we follow a Vegan or other healthy diet to go out of control with portions. Now I'm not trying to lose weight. It would probably be really unhealthy for my weight to drop any lower. What I am going to work greatly on is eating smaller portions of healthier foods. I've really come to realize how much big portions of caloricaly dense foods slow me down. The past few days I've been monitoring portions and only eating till I'm full. I already feel much better.
I may expand on this as I progress but I think those two steps are a great place to start.
Now what does this have to do with my practice? Well, EVERYTHING! I have forgotten how instrumental the entire diet and outside life is to a successful practice. Sure, I've been doing my Asana and getting great results. But I know deep down that by implementing these bigger changes my other practices will be greatly assisted. I'll feel better and actually have the energy to practice every day (or almost every day at least).
Just to check in. Asana is going swimmingly. I'm progressing very steadily I would say. This is the first time I've ever been so consistent for so long and I can definitely tell. I won't go into too many details, I'll save for a later post.
Another project: renewing my Dharma Practice (It's also going great but I'll also save that for another blog entry)
Final Project: Get back to writing on here every day! I have so much to talk about and it really helps me check in and keep focus.
Stay tuned for the continued evolution of this process. And if you're one of my friends, either real life or online, please help keep an eye on me! One of the main reasons I started this blog was so that I would have public accountability. I love hearing from you guys and appreciate all your support!
Thursday is the toughie. I sign in the Mysore class at the studio and then head straight to work. By the time I come home I'm exhausted and have no strength or motivation to practice. I think I'm going to hold on to Thursday as my optional day of rest. I mean, it's not completely keeping with the original intent of this project. However the MAIN intent of the project was to observe the process of a consistent practice. With that being said I've observed that I really need that day both for the sake of my schedule and my body. But Friday is another matter. If I'm going to take Thursday as rest I'm going to need to be vigilant about making it to Friday Primary class.
So what does this all have to do with patterns? Well, I've realized that my challenges with those days (Friday specifically) have come from my complacency with my diet. Now many would argue that I'm healthy, and sadly by American standards I'm way healthier than the rest. I maintain a Vegan diet and try to avoid processed food, etc. However since this experiment began and my schedule's gotten booked I've really fallen back into some bad habits. This has created a drag on my system which makes it hard to wake up in the morning even when I go to bed early and thus miss morning practice.
Mainly I've stopped cooking and have relied on prepared foods. Now this isn't necessarily all bad but its expensive and greatly increases my chances of eating crap. Confession: I've been eating at Burger King (GASP!) more often than I would care to (which is not at all). They have a Veggie Burger and my roomies go there a lot so it's an easy choice. I've also been neglecting to eat enough fresh veggies mainly due to my not preparing my own food.
So what am I going to do? Well, the cooking is going to be a bit of a challenge but it's something I'm going to work towards fitting into my schedule. In terms of prepared foods I'm going to stick to the least processed, highest quality foods I can get. Probably mainly from TJ's and Whole Foods.
I'm also making a conscious effort to eat less. It's so easy when we follow a Vegan or other healthy diet to go out of control with portions. Now I'm not trying to lose weight. It would probably be really unhealthy for my weight to drop any lower. What I am going to work greatly on is eating smaller portions of healthier foods. I've really come to realize how much big portions of caloricaly dense foods slow me down. The past few days I've been monitoring portions and only eating till I'm full. I already feel much better.
I may expand on this as I progress but I think those two steps are a great place to start.
Now what does this have to do with my practice? Well, EVERYTHING! I have forgotten how instrumental the entire diet and outside life is to a successful practice. Sure, I've been doing my Asana and getting great results. But I know deep down that by implementing these bigger changes my other practices will be greatly assisted. I'll feel better and actually have the energy to practice every day (or almost every day at least).
Just to check in. Asana is going swimmingly. I'm progressing very steadily I would say. This is the first time I've ever been so consistent for so long and I can definitely tell. I won't go into too many details, I'll save for a later post.
Another project: renewing my Dharma Practice (It's also going great but I'll also save that for another blog entry)
Final Project: Get back to writing on here every day! I have so much to talk about and it really helps me check in and keep focus.
Stay tuned for the continued evolution of this process. And if you're one of my friends, either real life or online, please help keep an eye on me! One of the main reasons I started this blog was so that I would have public accountability. I love hearing from you guys and appreciate all your support!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Rob - Days 24-32: THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME!
Hello friends, yogis and countryfolk. I've missed you guys and feel bad that I have been so absent, especially with how much has been going on in my practice!
I've really just been quite swamped with my work and teacher training. I learned a lesson last week about poor scheduling and admittedly my practice fell off for a couple days. I've compensated my count accordingly.
Oh yeah, it's been over a month either way! Amazing. And honestly it's working. I feel my yoga on a much deeper level than a little over 30 days ago. Of course I must attribute most of that to my training.
The YogaWorks method is such a departure from my typical Ashtanga practice that it's really shown me a completely different side of what the practice can be. There's an intense focus on alignment and most holds are upwards of 30 seconds. This coupled with a bit of vinyasa leads to a really intense practice. Oh yeah. And Natasha has us going for about 2 1/2 hours each time!
The days after I've been super tired, but once I recover I've been noticing new openings in my body. On top of this I have such a deeper awareness of alignment has completely changed my approach. I've done my regular Mysore practice a few times and felt in to my skeletal alignment in a new way. Basically what I've realized is that here to the majority of my focus was on "forcing" my tighter regions to open using mainly muscles, and the wrong ones at that. By aligning my bones neatly and engaging the correct muscles I've been able to come far deeper into many poses while simultaneously using less energy and having more focus on my breath! Hooray!
The single most beneficial teaching I've found is a proper Tadasana in ALL of my poses. By engaging my quads, lifting my arches, and in some cases aligning my pelvis properly I've found that I'm much more stable and can fold much deeper. This is surprisingly effective in the many forward folds in primary. To my amazement by engaging a proper Tadasana in the straight leg I'm able to straighten it nearly completely and fold almost completely flat. So it appears the much of my perceived hamstring curse was actually just poorly executed postures. I really mean this in a non-judgmental way. I'm so happy to be progressing based on execution and not by force!
And as if that weren't enough... I'm also finding that by proper aligning in poses I seem to be receiving much more energizing effects from them. I'm far less tired after practice and feel a deeper connection and sensitivity to the world. The awareness that I'm developing in the poses is helping my with my everyday awareness.
When I made this blog the Sanskrit words on the top that I chose are the second Yoga Sutra - "Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodhah". Roughly translated (and we discussed this in training as well) this means that Yoga enables one to still the mind and achieve an even focus (HA - that's the Rob Phillips version at least). I'm really starting to see how a physical practice of Asana can be so catalytic towards a spiritual and mindness practice.
Wow, that's a lot for one post.
And think, I'm only just over a month in. Where will I be in 11 more.....? :)
I've really just been quite swamped with my work and teacher training. I learned a lesson last week about poor scheduling and admittedly my practice fell off for a couple days. I've compensated my count accordingly.
Oh yeah, it's been over a month either way! Amazing. And honestly it's working. I feel my yoga on a much deeper level than a little over 30 days ago. Of course I must attribute most of that to my training.
The YogaWorks method is such a departure from my typical Ashtanga practice that it's really shown me a completely different side of what the practice can be. There's an intense focus on alignment and most holds are upwards of 30 seconds. This coupled with a bit of vinyasa leads to a really intense practice. Oh yeah. And Natasha has us going for about 2 1/2 hours each time!
The days after I've been super tired, but once I recover I've been noticing new openings in my body. On top of this I have such a deeper awareness of alignment has completely changed my approach. I've done my regular Mysore practice a few times and felt in to my skeletal alignment in a new way. Basically what I've realized is that here to the majority of my focus was on "forcing" my tighter regions to open using mainly muscles, and the wrong ones at that. By aligning my bones neatly and engaging the correct muscles I've been able to come far deeper into many poses while simultaneously using less energy and having more focus on my breath! Hooray!
The single most beneficial teaching I've found is a proper Tadasana in ALL of my poses. By engaging my quads, lifting my arches, and in some cases aligning my pelvis properly I've found that I'm much more stable and can fold much deeper. This is surprisingly effective in the many forward folds in primary. To my amazement by engaging a proper Tadasana in the straight leg I'm able to straighten it nearly completely and fold almost completely flat. So it appears the much of my perceived hamstring curse was actually just poorly executed postures. I really mean this in a non-judgmental way. I'm so happy to be progressing based on execution and not by force!
And as if that weren't enough... I'm also finding that by proper aligning in poses I seem to be receiving much more energizing effects from them. I'm far less tired after practice and feel a deeper connection and sensitivity to the world. The awareness that I'm developing in the poses is helping my with my everyday awareness.
When I made this blog the Sanskrit words on the top that I chose are the second Yoga Sutra - "Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodhah". Roughly translated (and we discussed this in training as well) this means that Yoga enables one to still the mind and achieve an even focus (HA - that's the Rob Phillips version at least). I'm really starting to see how a physical practice of Asana can be so catalytic towards a spiritual and mindness practice.
Wow, that's a lot for one post.
And think, I'm only just over a month in. Where will I be in 11 more.....? :)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Heather - Day Thirty-Six
Today was a rough day...sigh...I have a boyfriend of six months who I love very much and we just had our first little - not fight - ugly spot. Without going into detail, things were said, stories got spinning in my head and I had a crappy day - as well as he. But I can tell you, I did NOT feel like practicing yoga. I went to two meditation classes where I did little but think about the situation and still I NEEDED to practice so after the second meditation class, taught admirably by our dear Rob, I bit the bullet and took Ashtanga. I was doing....OK....while my own practice is usually an almost complete primary, I made it to Janu sirsasana B before I needed to come to child's pose and just breathe. I stayed there through all the marichiasanas and came to some milder backbends and the closing poses. Because Ashtanga's focus is meant to be the breath, I chose to come to child's pose when my breath was becoming unmanageable due to emotion. I have had emotional practices before and usually I feel better at the end. But I knew that I wouldn't feel better until I talked to the boyfriend face to face. So, after practicing and teaching, I did so.
I think having to move on with my life when all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole, or the arms of my boyfriend, was useful. It was never easy, but I am glad I had the yoga to disperse some of the tension and to find some level of acceptance with how I was feeling, rather than continuing to wish for it to change.
Of course, everything between the two of us is fine. We are great communicators with one another and we resolved the little problem before it could become an issue.
Thank-you yoga!
WishinG you happiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
I think having to move on with my life when all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole, or the arms of my boyfriend, was useful. It was never easy, but I am glad I had the yoga to disperse some of the tension and to find some level of acceptance with how I was feeling, rather than continuing to wish for it to change.
Of course, everything between the two of us is fine. We are great communicators with one another and we resolved the little problem before it could become an issue.
Thank-you yoga!
WishinG you happiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
Heather - Days Thirty-Two - Thirty Five
I went away over the weekend for my birthday. I went to Chicago (Naperville, really) to meet my aunt, mother, and cousin's wife for a girl's weekend out. Though none of my family members are regular (if ever) yoga practioners I was determined (as it was my birthday) to get to a class everyday!
Thursday I got to the airport super early, so I changed into my yoga clothes and found a quiet corner near my gate, laid out my mat and did an hour of Yin - well, I added a headstand just because I love inverting and was really feeling it. I slipped into my iPod world and had a much better flight for it!
While in Chicago I did manage to take yoga on Friday and Saturday. On Friday I visited Universal Spirit. A pretty little space, has hosted WAH! in the past. They offer yoga to all ages - children's classes, seniors' classes, pre/post natal and focus on Hatha styles. The class I took was at 8am on Friday. I have never taken a Hatha class and the desciption of this class said that we would warm up with a few suns, move through some standing and proceed to seated. That was not the case. Generally, the class was uneven in its offerings. I would take class there again, but probably not with the same teacher. I do believe, however, that she is a good teacher, she just didn't align with what I wanted out of a yoga class.
On Saturday morning, 8:15, I took my first Baptiste Power Yoga class at Power Your Om, also in Naperville. I was a little nervous, due to the reputation that that style has, and was very happy to have gone. It was to the point, there was no teacher opening chatting, just pose and go. The teacher really took the opportunity to encourage mindfulness while we were sweating it out on our mats. The sequencing was logical and simple. I would definitely go back or even try Baptiste here in its homeland!
On Sunday, it was a little airport yoga and then home to teach that evening.
Before going I searched high and low for a Mysore or Ashtanga studio. And I considered just doing self-practice at the hotel, but the floor in the gym wasn't conducive to a yoga mat and there was carpeting in the hotel room. So what I learned was that yoga - on some level - is yoga. It doesn't matter who is teaching, or how warm the room is, or whether you are sweating like crazy or chilling out in badha konasana over a bolster. Your practice is always in your hands and no teacher can make you do any pose or go to any depth that you don't choose to do. Yoga is for listening to your own body and while we have teachers that are like the finger pointing to the moon, it is our job to not get caught up in the hand, but to follow it's direction and know the moon with our own eyes.
Wishing you hapPiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
Thursday I got to the airport super early, so I changed into my yoga clothes and found a quiet corner near my gate, laid out my mat and did an hour of Yin - well, I added a headstand just because I love inverting and was really feeling it. I slipped into my iPod world and had a much better flight for it!
While in Chicago I did manage to take yoga on Friday and Saturday. On Friday I visited Universal Spirit. A pretty little space, has hosted WAH! in the past. They offer yoga to all ages - children's classes, seniors' classes, pre/post natal and focus on Hatha styles. The class I took was at 8am on Friday. I have never taken a Hatha class and the desciption of this class said that we would warm up with a few suns, move through some standing and proceed to seated. That was not the case. Generally, the class was uneven in its offerings. I would take class there again, but probably not with the same teacher. I do believe, however, that she is a good teacher, she just didn't align with what I wanted out of a yoga class.
On Saturday morning, 8:15, I took my first Baptiste Power Yoga class at Power Your Om, also in Naperville. I was a little nervous, due to the reputation that that style has, and was very happy to have gone. It was to the point, there was no teacher opening chatting, just pose and go. The teacher really took the opportunity to encourage mindfulness while we were sweating it out on our mats. The sequencing was logical and simple. I would definitely go back or even try Baptiste here in its homeland!
On Sunday, it was a little airport yoga and then home to teach that evening.
Before going I searched high and low for a Mysore or Ashtanga studio. And I considered just doing self-practice at the hotel, but the floor in the gym wasn't conducive to a yoga mat and there was carpeting in the hotel room. So what I learned was that yoga - on some level - is yoga. It doesn't matter who is teaching, or how warm the room is, or whether you are sweating like crazy or chilling out in badha konasana over a bolster. Your practice is always in your hands and no teacher can make you do any pose or go to any depth that you don't choose to do. Yoga is for listening to your own body and while we have teachers that are like the finger pointing to the moon, it is our job to not get caught up in the hand, but to follow it's direction and know the moon with our own eyes.
Wishing you hapPiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Heather - Days Twenty-Six - Twenty-Eight: David Swenson!!!!!
David. Swenson.
O. M. G.
L. M. A. O.
For those of you who aren't as familiar with David Swenson, he is a big name teacher in the Ashtanga world and he is HILARIOUS!!! We were very honored at Back Bay Yoga to have him for a weekend of 6 workshops followed by a week of teacher training, which, I am sad to say that I have not had the opportunity to partake due to scheduling conflicts. I hope to next time around, for sure!
I can't even quite begin to explain the joy of practicing in a room of so many dedicated Ashtangis. We did a full primary on Saturday morning and, admittedly, by the second or third Sun B, I am usually feeling eager for the standing poses. But Saturday morning, it felt soooo easy - the WHOLE primary, relatively speaking. The energy in the room was so focused and everyone was working so hard. It was electric and I almost felt afterward like my body practiced for me rather me making my body go through practice. It was sensational! I started giggling in svasana because I was so euphoric.
And he made it so easy with his voice and general attitude. This is not to say that my body wasn't sore or tired later on, but it didn't feel like a struggle at some of the places that I often struggle - whether it be with my ego or my body. Everything was OK. I am going to definitely try my best to keep that in my practice!
As I write this, I realize that I could spend thousands of words trying to explain everything I learned in this series of workshops from Mr. Swenson. There are just a few problems with attempting to take on such a thing. One, if you weren't there you won't really be able to grasp exactly what he was saying because his classes were dependent so much on the experience of what he was talking about. Two, I am not a co-author or collaborator, so I am not even sure how much of his stuff I should actually share without his permission. Three, as I practice in my life everything I think I have learned from him will have a totally different perspective, so I can guarantee that I don't have a very full understanding of the information covered.
Let me just highlight what I found really noteworthy. He emphasized something that I have always tried to bring to my practice. Someone asked him about meditating and his own practices. He said an actual seated practice is not part of the Ashtanga prescription, but that most teacher do some sort of seated practice independently of the Ashtanga practice. Then he said it: The thing that just solidifies what I have instinctually felt for a long time, but no one has ever said quite so directly. The practice, the movement, is itself a form of meditation - in motion. The striving of trying to get into this posture or that posture shouldn't be the focus. Breath, concentration, deep listening, the union of mind, body, heart - those things are yoga. Strength, flexibility, stamina, increased health, even a quiet mind are all side benefits of yoga. No one NEEDS to be able to do a full split or stand on their hands. The physical demands of a human existence don't require anything that fancy. So whether it takes someone one week or one year or ten years or never to be able to bind in marichasana D, it doesn't matter. It is a fun goal and something that as you work toward it can have visible results. But true yoga is for learning patience, surrender, acceptance, and universality. For me, it is learning that inner peace isn't dependent on and doesn't necessarily result in ideal external situations. It is learning to walk your path with diginity and delight - to set goals with intention and honesty, but work towards them with sincerity and flexibility. Yoga is learning to know that no one is special because everyone is special and that we all struggle and strive, laugh and learn, and have our ugly moments and our beautiful ones.
Thank-you David Swenson!
WishIng you happiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
O. M. G.
L. M. A. O.
For those of you who aren't as familiar with David Swenson, he is a big name teacher in the Ashtanga world and he is HILARIOUS!!! We were very honored at Back Bay Yoga to have him for a weekend of 6 workshops followed by a week of teacher training, which, I am sad to say that I have not had the opportunity to partake due to scheduling conflicts. I hope to next time around, for sure!
I can't even quite begin to explain the joy of practicing in a room of so many dedicated Ashtangis. We did a full primary on Saturday morning and, admittedly, by the second or third Sun B, I am usually feeling eager for the standing poses. But Saturday morning, it felt soooo easy - the WHOLE primary, relatively speaking. The energy in the room was so focused and everyone was working so hard. It was electric and I almost felt afterward like my body practiced for me rather me making my body go through practice. It was sensational! I started giggling in svasana because I was so euphoric.
And he made it so easy with his voice and general attitude. This is not to say that my body wasn't sore or tired later on, but it didn't feel like a struggle at some of the places that I often struggle - whether it be with my ego or my body. Everything was OK. I am going to definitely try my best to keep that in my practice!
As I write this, I realize that I could spend thousands of words trying to explain everything I learned in this series of workshops from Mr. Swenson. There are just a few problems with attempting to take on such a thing. One, if you weren't there you won't really be able to grasp exactly what he was saying because his classes were dependent so much on the experience of what he was talking about. Two, I am not a co-author or collaborator, so I am not even sure how much of his stuff I should actually share without his permission. Three, as I practice in my life everything I think I have learned from him will have a totally different perspective, so I can guarantee that I don't have a very full understanding of the information covered.
Let me just highlight what I found really noteworthy. He emphasized something that I have always tried to bring to my practice. Someone asked him about meditating and his own practices. He said an actual seated practice is not part of the Ashtanga prescription, but that most teacher do some sort of seated practice independently of the Ashtanga practice. Then he said it: The thing that just solidifies what I have instinctually felt for a long time, but no one has ever said quite so directly. The practice, the movement, is itself a form of meditation - in motion. The striving of trying to get into this posture or that posture shouldn't be the focus. Breath, concentration, deep listening, the union of mind, body, heart - those things are yoga. Strength, flexibility, stamina, increased health, even a quiet mind are all side benefits of yoga. No one NEEDS to be able to do a full split or stand on their hands. The physical demands of a human existence don't require anything that fancy. So whether it takes someone one week or one year or ten years or never to be able to bind in marichasana D, it doesn't matter. It is a fun goal and something that as you work toward it can have visible results. But true yoga is for learning patience, surrender, acceptance, and universality. For me, it is learning that inner peace isn't dependent on and doesn't necessarily result in ideal external situations. It is learning to walk your path with diginity and delight - to set goals with intention and honesty, but work towards them with sincerity and flexibility. Yoga is learning to know that no one is special because everyone is special and that we all struggle and strive, laugh and learn, and have our ugly moments and our beautiful ones.
Thank-you David Swenson!
WishIng you happiness and metta from a little dot in the universe called Boston,
Heather
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