Namaste, I mean it!

Yesterday was apparently Epiphany Tuesday. Thunderous awakenings walking the dogs in The Fruit and Nut district of Fairhope! Cracks of light in the tunnel of “What is my dharma?”

After class yesterday Teddy asked me an alignment question about the placement of the feet in Tadasana. I teach hip-width apart, his other teacher teaches big toes touching. Which is correct? My first answer is this (culled from writings of other great yoga teachers)…there are many different paths to get us to the ‘connection’ (of body, mind, spirit, heart) that is the promise of yoga. Different asana systems teach different alignment principles. Different world-views and rituals carpet the world of Yoga, yet all lead us to the same union. I personally have found that Anusara Yoga is a wonderful system for me and I am passionate about teaching its method and specific alignment principles. I also absolutely honor all other teachers’ paths and methods of teaching. I admit, I have been that student/teacher in the past who has thought that my path was superior. But as my path bends and curves, and I continue to grow and mature I understand that all of our paths are fated by our uniquely personal moment-to-moment experiences and choices. There is no hierarchy in this process.

Judith Lasater has had profound influence on my journey as a yogi and teacher of asana. She states that as teachers we must have a clear understanding of our intentions of WHY we are teaching. So for a long time I have pondered, “What is my intention as a yoga teacher?” My intentions have always been good…to help people get healthier, to help people cultivate focus and concentration, to share the good news of yoga, to help people find their best self, to connect people to their breath, to remind everyone that our essence is absolute goodness, peace, joy, and love. Last weekend in Teacher Training we talked about “The Path of The Teacher” and how our teachings of yoga are an expression of our personal practices of yoga which are essentially an expression of the way we live. So maybe my intention has shifted over the years as my practice has evolved and I have grown older.

Cut-to applying yoga practice and teaching to: life, family, work, errands, finances, etc…These past few weeks I feel continually faced with situations that either ‘rub’ or have had the makings for a reaction. It is my tendency to react rather than to simply absorb the moment, process it with breath, and then respond compassionately. That tendency has, of late, been thankfully quiet. Maybe it is because fiery reactionariness (new word!) takes too much energy and I am running low, or maybe it IS all of the sitting meditation, or maybe it is simply Divinity. Whatever it is I am so thankful.

As a teacher I honor that yoga students will choose the asana path that resonates most with them. My feelings do not get hurt when a friend or student decides she likes another teacher’s style more than mine. Yoga teaching is an artistic expression of a distillation of all that we have sifted, studied, and practiced from the great ocean of yogic literature through the ages. Let us celebrate the many flavors of Hatha yoga!

The world isn’t all Yoga teachers and students either, right? But I do think everyone is on a Path that is determined by our unique experiences and choices. And I think that we simply must honor every person’s path, whether we agree with their actions, or not. We certainly should not and do not have to ‘go along’ with everything a person on a different path is doing, but we must honor the freedom of all beings and celebrate with gratitude and responsibility that freedom in ourselves. So my intention has simply become NAMASTE. I honor you. I may not agree with you, or accompany you, or promote your path, or practice your yoga, but I HONOR YOU—quietly, non-judgmentally, whole-heartedly. This is my intention. My teacher. My teaching. My practice. My path. Thank you Lord!

My second answer is stand well and with dignity. Whatever that means to you. Namaste!

Grateful Day

The past several weeks of work have been a whirlwind. The activities of covering the schedule of daily classes at the studio to presenting the whole weekend of Teacher Training to running the ‘behind the scenes’ nuts and bolts of a small business have left me admittedly a bit depleted. It is funny though, when I am in the actual moments of teaching, I feel exhilarated and excited like a deeper energy is welling up and directing the course. One of the cooler things too is that while it is happening, I am fully aware of my witness consciousness’ awareness of it. Awareness of awareness. I always heard about this phenomenon, and now I am actually experiencing it on a regular basis. I cannot help but think this insightfulness is a cause de the more frequent and consistent sitting meditation sessions.

But then there are the times lately, outside of the classroom when dealing with important responsibilities of daily life…taking care of family, dogs, house keeping, bill paying, eating healthfully, and taking care of myself. Oops. It seems that I find myself in a state of imbalance. Not enough sleep, too much coffee, an enormous pile of laundry… But I think this happens to so many of us in our go-getter, attainment-oriented, career driven culture. I am re-reading Eat Pray Love (which is hysterical, insightful, entertaining, and just plain fun) and laughed out loud at this line:

“Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure).”

So I found myself in this state yesterday, and got a little worried because I know that I have another 6 days of work ahead of me- lots of teaching and book keeping, and house guest coming and a yoga workshop to host, and the house, and the groceries, and blahdeblahdeblahdeblah…

And then I remembered why I am doing all of this. Hatha yoga is a system, that when practiced skillfully, heals, energizes, brings us to our best selves, is fun, and creates community. Our area needs more yoga classes and therefore needs more trained yoga teachers. When I remember that it is all in service to the people and health of our community, I am re-energized. Then I remember that in a few short days, I too will get to be a student again in a classroom with my teacher. And then a week later I travel to study with John Friend, the leader of this fantastic Anusara Yoga that I love so dearly. I will be a student with other teachers who are out there working to bring the light of yoga into their communities. Practicing alongside them, sharing stories and experiences of our paths. The predictability of the energetic benefits of being a student once again jazzes me up and makes me excited to be in the midst of doing my dharma. And then I realize what a great gift and blessing it is to be so tired from THIS work. I am so so so blessed and grateful for this moment—every facet of it. And psyched beyond belief to be going to work to teach yoga at Yoga Birds this morning. Somebody pinch me! OM.

New School Energy

I love the energy of the beginning of the academic school year. Even though I haven’t been in ‘school’ in ages, I still reminisce about the smell of a brand new Wonder Woman lunchbox and the awesomeness of freshly sharpened pencils. But mostly I like the excitement in the air. It is contagious and feels full of new possibility.

This is a time of movement and change and progression. My husband teases me about my fetish of moving furniture around. But really, why not adhere to the energetic currents and change up a room every so often? This past week we re-vamped the design of the boutique and created a sweet little sitting area. It feels welcoming and comfortable and I foresee great conversations happening there. The studio has always felt like an extension of my home. It really is an expression of part of me. If you want to know me on a deeper level, and you think I seem ‘un-accessible’ (I have been called that and worse J ), next time you are in the studio, take a deeper look around at the details. And this is me! It is in my genetic code to entertain. Everyday at the studio feels like having guests at the house to practice yoga. I love keeping such great company at the little studio. Thanks for coming over so often!

So if you haven’t been to Yoga Birds in a while, get on the ‘back to school train’ and re-organize your schedule and body to prepare for a whole new world of possibilities in the coming season. Namaste Peace Love Joy and WonderWoman!

20 Year Memories in Song and Image

One Big Om

The mindfulness meditation sessions at Yoga Birds this week have used sound and hearing as the primary objects of attention. It’s a simple yet profound technique of sustaining awareness on the soundscape around you. It is no surprise that most of us lose a connection with sounds of the present moment to the volume of inner-mind noise. Just awakening my awareness to the ‘sounds of silence’ …the hum of the fridge, the chirping crickets, the car passing outside my window…all bring me back to a presence of this seat, this moment, this breath. My usual whirling (or more like howling) mind ceases. I feel infinitely spacious and light. A unique, contented, restful quality descends upon me that is akin only to sitting meditation. I want to practice this state of awareness as much as possible so that I might learn to LIVE with this spaciousness all (or I would even settle for most) of the time. It is just so wonderful. Come sit with me!

I am still reading and enjoying and being guided by the wisdom in Ruiz’ The Four Agreements. After meditation today I took pen to paper and jotted down the following…

Be Impeccable with your word. = Truth.

Don’t make assumptions. = Reality.

Don’t take things personally. = Compassion.

Always do your best. = Action.

Truth (Satya). Reality (Tattva). Compassion (Karuna.). Action (Karma.).

SatyaTattvaKarunaKarma

I think I have found my Mantra! Whoa. Life is BIG! OM!

Got Your Back!

This week in my Anusara-Inspired® Yoga classes we are working on progressive sequences to Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana. This is a full backbend with straight arms and one leg extended. It is a BIG pose with beautiful lines, one of my all-time favorites.

Backbends are exhilarating. They bring lightness and vitality to the body/mind that ward off lethargy and depression tendencies. The physical emphasis is on opening the heart, lungs, and chest (not bending the back as deeply as possible, which is a common misconception about backbends). One of my other favorite backbends is the supported Bridge pose where the hips rest elevated on a yoga bolster. It is total Bliss and we do it all the time in my classes in Restorative Yoga or to cool down in a vigorous asana class.

Someone commented yesterday that she can straighten her arms in reverse table top, but can’t find straight arms in the full backbend. She is a highly intelligent woman with a very strong and consistent practice. She understands yoga, but her current ‘block’ in the backbends does not surprise me. Backbends come with a certain amount of healthy fear-for you can’t see where you are going. Part of her resistance is instinctual caution—a wise and good quality that smart people have! Backbends require cultivating a trust in knowing ‘what’s got your back’. This is where the elements of consistent practice and engaging fully with your foundation come in to play.

I joke about my journey into backbends—my work is in cultivating ‘healthy fear’ and more controlled skill. I was the kid who was just fine with the Nestea plunge, or diving backward into the water. I have had to work on being cautious and to not go so fast and deep into unknown or unseen territory (not just in backbends).

Everybody can enjoy the benefit of these wondrous poses because their primary purpose is to bring balanced vitality to the front and back sides of the body. And the real measure of success of practicing these poses is not by how deeply one can get into the backbend, but how much easier sitting and standing and walking with a firm and upright back becomes. And we can all use a healthy dose of that!

Please Agree With Me

I was introduced to a book called The Four Agreements as required reading in an acting class in Los Angeles. It was an intense class where I met some fantastic and fearless actors. My life was never the same after reading Don Miguel Ruiz’ book. It is a quick read. So simple and easy to understand. The agreements are:

1. Be impeccable with your word

2. Never make assumptions

3. Don’t take anything personally

4. Always do your best

The format of the acting class was that we would choose something to ‘put up’ in front of the group (anywhere from 20-50 folks on a given night). It could be a monologue, a scene or a song performance. After each performance, first the teacher and then all of us in the audience gave constructive feedback. It was so intense! The class met on Wednesdays at 6pm and would run late into the night sometimes til 2 or 3 am until everybody who was prepared had a chance to perform. The thing is, is that no one left. Everyone stayed until the end. Everybody supported each other by observing whether they went first or last. The nights were magical. The energy in the room was amazing.

The performances were some of the best outward exhibits of self-realization and artistic expression I have ever witnessed. And my own performances in that room are some of the most incredible heartbeats and moments I have had in my life. The thing is, by keeping the Four Agreements, it raised the bar on the whole experience for actor and spectator.

Being impeccable with words meant we had to know our performance material inside and out. For anyone who has had experience acting, learning the lines and words of the script (or song) is the first step. This requires the foundational work of memorization. Never making assumptions meant that as we expressed the emotional content of the material to the audience by our actions and words we could not assume that because the script dictated sadness then the audience would know that. We had to skillfully convey this through words and actions and our unique artistic expression of communication. Not taking things personally meant we had to be ready and open for the feedback. The feedback was meant only to help us improve our ‘chops’ or to praise us for outstanding work. Of course if we were giving feedback we had to be impeccable with our words—it was all interrelated. And finally, we had to always do our best if we were to put something up before the group. If we hadn’t prepared sufficiently we were not to waste the precious time of our peers and that feedback was really hard to take. The stakes were high. Everybody in the room were aspiring actors and performers in Los Angeles going out on auditions daily. It is one of the most intense job markets in the world, if not THE most. But there was never any question that we all wanted each other to succeed—not just in the actor’s studio, but also out there on the street and on the screen!

In that acting class, The Four Agreements opened doors to my consciousness and my courageousness, and my soverignity-of-self like nothing I had ever experienced. It also opened up my eyes to how other people perceive my actions and words. I remember my teacher in that class saying he made the book required reading because he could not waste precious life in the midst of gossipy or complaining folk who made assumptions or were constantly taking his words personally or who were satisfied with mediocrity. I miss him and I love him still for holding the space for those life-altering nights!

When I first read the Agreements it became clear to me how loose I was with my speech and words. How my assumptions became hard and fast truths (in my mind). How much power I gave to other people’s shortcomings with their own words directed toward me. And how much more skillfully I could apply myself to all of my endeavors. I found myself in a constant state of epiphany…”Oh THAT much??!!”

In the years since, I give credit to that book for getting me one of the coolest jobs I’ve ever had (because I recommended it to the hiring person), getting me through a hard break-up, helping me through family relationship challenges, and more. I have read the book more times than I can remember. I have given away probably 20 copies of the book in the last 10 years. I continue to read the book in times of confusion and hardship because it illuminates a skillful method of participating with what arises. And I am reading it again this week. Because in the blink of an eye I find myself challenged by dis-agreements and I need for it all to get back to agreeable. This wisdom will get me there and I am so thankful for Mr. Ruiz’ impeccable words to help me through challenging times once again.

I agree to do my best with my words, to not make assumptions, or take things personally. Please join me!

Seeing Each Other

Yesterday the Teacher Training group spent the last 40 minutes leading each other through Sun Salutations. It is the third time we have broken into small groups to practice teach. For some this is new territory, for others a familiar place, although a bit out of their comfort zone, as they apply new insights and teaching techniques to their current methods. I posted a photo album entitled "Seeing Each Other" on my facebook page of the transformational hour. Already there is a positive evolution of the state of affairs of yoga teachers in Lower Alabama. Please join me in an uplifting Hallelujah!

Back to the TT…as I observed everyone in the room practice teaching and as I listened to their words, I was touched most deeply by the obvious care everyone shares for their fellow student-friends. Our studies in the training continue to imprint the importance of ‘SEEING who is in front of you’ in a yoga class—I mean, like in the AVATAR kind of SEEING. And this is what I mean by a “student-oriented… “ yoga class in the Teacher Training Mission Statement:

Yoga Birds Teacher Training mission is to offer a course for serious students and aspiring professional teachers of yoga to deepen their knowledge in the areas of yoga history, philosophy, asana and pranayama technique, meditation, ethics, teaching methodology, and the business of yoga. Yoga Birds teaching style is a synthesis of the teachings of BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, TKV Desikachar, Judith Lasater, John Friend, Donna Farhi, and Leslie Kaminoff. Graduates of the program will gain new insights of Self through heightened studentship, find their unique voices as teachers, and have sufficient training and practice to impart a safe, student-oriented, appropriate, practical, skillful yet artfully sequenced, beneficial, and inspiring Western-style asana- yoga class. Ultimately in service to the improvement of health and well-being of the citizens of Lower Alabama.

For the skilled yoga teacher, this kind of observation of a person / yoga student means looking through eyes of compassion and ultimately reading the energy moment by moment from beginning to end of what is first and foremost SAFE, then appropriate, practical, skillfully/artfully sequenced and inspiring. And making that observation of EVERY class participant.

This is no small task! This kind of skillful observation of the the yoga student requires, an uninterrupted, full application of embodying your intention as a teacher, razor focused attention to details of the bodies and attitudinal qualities of your students, and a sustained connection to your mindful flow of skillful breath and language ( that would be intention, attention, and mindful breath which are by no coincidence, the hallmarks of a skillful asana yoga practice). Hence the importance of teachers to maintain a substantial yoga practice. That is the topic for a different post.

Back to the TT…what is becoming very clear to everyone in the training is that skillfully practicing asana and skillfully teaching asana are two completely different arenas. My method of teaching yoga teachers seeks to break the teacher’s habit of (or warding of the tendency to start) needing to do the asana practice alongside the students so as to know ‘what to say (or do) next”. If a teacher is doing the practice alongside the students he is not able to SEE his students. I think what I see happening in the group is that they are discovering how much easier the ‘right’ words come if they just address what they are SEEING instead of relying on a script of how they ‘think’ the situation should flow. What is amazing to watch is that once the trainees begin observing and SEEING while simultaneously teaching, they tap into a wellspring of infinite cueing details. And in the same manner that our asana practices ‘train’ us for skillfully living off the mat, I believe this first Yoga Teacher Training is helping us all SEE each other, our loved ones, and all our brothers and sisters outside of the yoga studio with a new skill… freshly awakened eyes of compassion.

I am just high on life as I think about what an amazing, dedicated, enthusiastic, open, and courageous group I have the honor of teaching! JAI! YES! RIGHT ON!

Elevating Experience

The Teacher Training students are just amazing! Yesterday we did a super-charged 3-hour practice progressively leading up to Eka Pada Galavasana. We were all completely drenched and it was wonderful! I am grateful, and impressed with the level of attention and dedication everybody brought to the table. I now realize that if it is my intention to raise the bar on the quality of yoga teaching in this area, then I am going to have to raise the bar on MY teaching! It is all a pulsation, right? I am so grateful for my teachers and consistent dedication to training on the Anusara path. I feel like the work I am doing as a dedicated student of Anusara IS making me a better, stronger, more clear instructor of yoga asana. And the Anusara method is just brilliant. The Universal Principles of Alignment that John Friend codified make even the most complex of poses more manageable and accessible. And although this Yoga Birds Teacher Training is definitely not an Anusara Teacher Training, the Asana Techniques part of the training is certainly heavily influenced by John Friend’s method.

This past week, was the first week of the new Fall schedule at Yoga Birds where I was able to name my classes Anusara-Inspired® Yoga (previously named Align & Flow). On the new schedule, I will be teaching the same class three times per week- Tuesday 9:15am, Wednesday 6:15pm, and Thursday 9:15am. Each of these sessions will be the same progressive sequence leading up to a pinnacle pose on the Level 2 Anusara Syllabus (poster is hanging in the studio). The pinnacle pose is meant to be a complex situation, and the progressive sequence leading up to it will break the challenge down into manageable, component parts and poses. By offering the same class 3 times, it is my hope that the folks who are interested in advancing in understanding and practice of STRONG, STABLE, and EXUBERANTLY JOYFUL asana will come and partake. (Next week we will foray into Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana territory.) This teaching method is a great way to serve folks who want to advance in their asana practice. Of course its REALLY important that students have a confident understanding of the foundations of yoga asana and good relationships with their bodies before embarking on advanced asana. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have to share my love of yoga with the Lower Alabama community and I am utterly nourished daily by the Namastes that I receive in return. Namaste Y’all!

Adventure Of A Lifetime

Insomnia is so weird. It set the tone for my energy all day yesterday. When I awoke at 3:20 and discovered that my alarm was not just about to go off, rather I needed to sleep for two more hours…I knew I was up. That quality of wakefulness is unique and it’s like you know you’re in for it. I went downstairs to the couch and tried to catch a few more minutes of the deep peace, but Bear who is such a good boy came and nuzzled right at the foot of the couch and was so comforted by my being there in the den with him that he fell into a deep loud snoring doggie sleep. And I knew it was hopeless for me. So I gave in to it, got up and started my day. I sat for meditation, made coffee, and decided to redeem an Amazon birthday gift certificate I’ve been holding since May. It was the perfect time for my shopping spree. It seems the more choices there are the more time I need to make a decision on what I want.

Of course the three books I purchased were yoga books. One is a brand newly published modern history of yoga in America. One is a commentary of the Shiva Sutras by Swami Laksmanjoo which completes my library for the required book list for Anusara Certification, and the third a relatively new book that parallels the ancient art of Indian theatre acting and dance performance with 20^th century acting technique. I can’t wait for my new treasures to arrive.

Last night one of the trainees asked me if I have ever just 'had enough' of yoga or have felt ‘over it’. I had to stop and think. I do think there have been times when I have been tired and frustrated or injured when practicing active asana just agitated me even further. But over these last 15 years yoga has become more than just the practice of the poses. It has become the Way that I live, not a thing or activity that I do. It has been a process of sustaining attention in the present moment. It has become living with intention. It has become patiently sitting with challenging situations and deciphering the most graceful course of action to proceed. It has become a slowing down to listen and be guided by the inner wisdom of my breath and heartbeat. So the more I ponder the question, “Have you ever felt just over it?", the clearer it becomes that I have just begun the journey and that Yoga gives me the opportunity to embark on the the adventurous path, fresh everyday, moment by moment. Even in the glaring light of insomnia.

Heart ❤ Space

Yesterday was kind of perfect! I arrived at work early to practice the progressive sequence to Eka Pada Galavasana (an arm balance pose aka flying pigeon or flying crow), which I taught again in the 9:15am class. Some people are into it and a few aren’t. One person arrived to class unaware that the schedule had changed, expecting a different teacher and class. She made a slightly rude comment that could be construed as unnecessary and kind of hurtful. But she was totally unaware. So instead of being all defensive and hurt, I took her abrasiveness as a learning experience. Ahhhh, the yoga it is always teaching me. Once again everyone worked with heightened inner-strength and focus that is just beautiful to watch.

After Anusara-Inspired class, I taught Restorative yoga which is always a joy. It was especially nice yesterday as my mom and sister showed up for class. I planned the class in honor of my sis who is expecting twins in December. Restorative yoga is an utterly relaxing and refreshing and cooling experience that can easily be modified for pregnancy. In honor of my sister and the two bambinos growing (and fighting for space in her belly—literally the boy has already ‘punched’ the girl in utero), the theme of yesterday’s class was about creating space through becoming still and observing the breath. Creating more space and openings internally for more breath and prana to move through our bodies can be a daily activity to enhance our experience of living. When we connect with the source of our inner spaciousness and clarity, we start expressing ourselves outwardly with a sense of expanding freedom, openness, and transparency—communication straight from the heart. And I really wouldn’t want it any other way.❤❤

h-OM-e Studio Love

Yesterday I was lucky to be able to attend Amanda’s Wednesday morning flow class at Yoga Birds. I practice at home alone quite a bit and always relish in the opportunity to practice with a group. And it was a ‘Full Circle Chakra’ class. The chakras are an energy system running along the central axis of the body laid out in Indian Tantric Philosophy. Essentially, practicing with the chakras as the forefront of class is inner-body energy work. And Amanda is FABULOUS at it. She has a great understanding of the chakras and the class systematically takes your awareness from the root chakra at the base of the tailbone to the crown chakra at the top of the head and then back down. She also organizes the room so that all of the mats are in a circle. Any of y’all who take my classes know that I am a stickler for straight lines and rows because it assists my observation of the classes’ alignment and foundation. And because I teach alignment based yoga asana, I have always understood the asana in straight lines. So, getting in a circle (which is out of my comfort zone) and going with the flow, trusting the Teacher, trusting my breath, and really going inside on a journey through the energy centers of my body…WHOA what an awesome experience!

Long before I opened Yoga Birds, I had the vision of what kind of yoga studio business I wanted to build in Fairhope. My first experiences of ‘yoga-studio’ yoga (and mind you there are lots of different ways and places to offer yoga to the community) were at Yoga Works in the late 90’s in Santa Monica, California. That is when and where the seeds of my vision for Yoga Birds were planted. Yoga Works is now a national yoga studio franchise and teacher training school. But back then, it was two studios--one on Santa Monica Blvd. and one on Montana Ave. Where at any time of day yogis had the choice of incredible classes in varied styles from highly trained teachers (Seane Corn, Maty Ezraty and Chuck Miller, Natasha Rizopolous, Erich Schiffman—just to name a few). The classes were always and without fail great learning and practicing opportunities and the studio setting was always of great comfort. Life in Los Angeles as a mid 20-something was hectic, and whirlwindy, and wonderful and challenging. Walking through the threshold of the clean, peaceful, nag-champa scented, sweet -people filled studio—which was dedicated solely for the purpose of yoga and community-was not just a comfort but an enormous help for maintaining sanity and peace of mind. The big empty space, the wood floor, the nice yoga props…it was all part of the experience. My 4 years spent in Los Angeles, I took as many yoga classes at as many different places as I could. I went to every studio in town, local school gyms, church basements, Tai Chi studios, fitness centers, outside at the beach, in people’s living rooms, and more. Some classes were free, some were donation based, but most were $10-$15 to compensate the teacher and pay the overhead for the space. My ‘home’ practice studios were Yoga Works and The Iyengar Institute. For me, the experiences in the studio settings were unparalleled to the others and I had choices. So, to be able to take classes I did work-study at the studios to ‘rack-up’ class hours, I swept floors, I cleaned houses, and worked hard at my day job to have the money to pay for the valuable experience of practicing at the studios.

My vision for Yoga Birds is to be a dedicated space in service to this community to gather for top quality experiences. I aim for the studio to offer classes by highly trained Registered Yoga Teachers (one of the reasons for the Yoga Alliance Teacher Trainings) so that students not only have a worthwhile learning and practice experience –to advance in their understanding and deepen their practices of yoga , but also to maintain the space as a sanctuary for meditation, asana practice, and keeping good company - always in service to the community.

I recognize that teaching and practicing yoga is a great privilege and I am beyond grateful to the teachers and students who sustain Yoga Birds as how I envisioned it 10 years ago. And, I am LOVING being a student in my home studio! Namaste friends!

Flying Yoga Birdies

Yesterday’s foray into Eka Pada Galavasana, also known as One Leg Pose of The Sage Galavasa, or Flying Crow Pose or Flying Pigeon, apparently it has as many names as techniques involved in getting there. It is a pose found on the bottom row of the Level 2 Anusara Syllabus. So, it’s pretty juicy! There are so many components to this pose; Chaturanga, Pigeon, Crow, Warrior 3, to name a few. Not to mention a sustained connection to easeful flowing breath. The pose cultivates super concentration, because it requires mega concentration—which as we know, when we focus really ‘hard’ we often hold our breath. That is so interesting to me. No matter how ‘good’ you are at yoga, if this is your first dance with the flying pigeon, you will find it mystifying and necessary to spend some quality time practicing the component parts that build the pose, then put them together and work on the techniques that make the pose steady. Like my teacher Scotta said during her last visit to Yoga Birds, “place effort in the (alignment) principles that make the pose, not in the ‘final’ expression of the pose”. And then voila, Flying Pigeon welcomes you into his nest, instead of you feeling like an uninvited guest. Everyone did beautiful variations of their versions of the pose and worked really intelligently. It was strong group of YogaBirdies! More Flying Pigeon in my Anusara-Inspired classes this week (tonight at 6:15p and tomorrow at 9:15a).

Meditation classes went great! A very funny thing happened in the 5:30 session…the electricity went out 8 minutes into our 15 minute sitting. Which wouldn’t have caused a big disturbance IF the surge protector alarms hadn’t gone off (which of course they are designed to do and I should be grateful, knowing they are working properly, but back to my point). So before we began, in my intro, I asked the group that if there was noise or disturbance to use that as an opportunity to practice staying focused inwardly on the breath. Well, what a GREAT opportunity they had! When the alarms went off, I quietly rose from my seat and went to press the on/off buttons on the power strips. I couldn’t reach one of them as it is tucked behind some very strategically placed furniture. The ‘broomstick-as-extension-of-my-arm/finger-trick’ didn’t work. Meanwhile the beeping and buzzing is LOUD and obnoxious. And I am pretty sure I was huffing and puffing a bit. So I took a deep inhale, stood on one leg, folded forward, bent myself in a very complex and interesting asana and stretched my arm so that my fingertip met the off button. I am going to break that pose down, name it and add it to the list of 84,000 asana, because, I KNOW it is a new one. Aside from that, the meditation session was very gratifying for me and also for the group. And it WAS a great opportunity to practice. Because it was PERFECT~in the way that life is PERFECT. Just simply being alive and well enough to come to meditation at the studio….is PERFECTION. The electricity did not come back on and it was 97 degrees outside. Needless to say, Foundations was like a Hot Yoga class. We had a very full room, which made it even toastier. Everyone were great sports about it and I changed my class plan on the fly and we practiced Restoratives for the last 40 minutes of class…ending with supported Bridge, Shoulderstand, Halasana, and Legs Up The Wall. People LOVE Legs Up The Wall Pose. I think we will be doing it more this week, even though the A/C is back on. Psyched for another day of Living Yoga!

Ordinary Time

The day has started well. Early morning sitting and nadhi Shodhana. Followed by a short and energetic run around the neighborhood with Bear and Reggie. I am nourished by pleasant conversation over a cup of coffee with my husband and a fresh carrot apple ginger juice with a shot of Mila Chia for breakfast.

Today is the first day of leading Mindfulness Meditation at Yoga Birds. As usual, I am a little nervous about teaching a new class, but in a good way. I am excited to be able to present and hold the space for our community to sit in inner reflection together.

I want to ride my bike to work but I think it’s going to rain. It’s a perfect ride for a good warm up for the day. Asana will have to suffice. What a JOY! As ever, I am so grateful for my practices of sitting meditation, mindful breathing, and intention fueled movement. Thank you Lord!