"When the student is ready the teacher will come..."

I had the opportunity to take a workshop this evening from David Williams. He was the first person to be taught the entire ashtanga yoga system from Sri K Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. He has been practicing daily for the last 40 years. He began at 19 and is now 61. And what an amazing 61 year old he is. He really changed my perspective on ashtanga. There are so many, including myself, that constantly push themselves into postures. We replace pain with more pain and endorphins with adrenaline. The whole purpose of ashtanga yoga is to harness energy, make prana and endorphins. It should feel good to practice. You should get excited to practice. Your breaths should be deep, steady and refreshing. Not quick and shallow because you are twisted up and can't breath. I personally have only been practicing for a little over 2 years. If there is a posture that I can't yet do, I obsess over it. So much so that I begin to hate it. What's the rush? I have the whole rest of my life to figure it out. My body will open, stretch and become strong naturally.

It's just funny that this workshop came up now. In one month I will be taking a week long intensive with one of the most famous ashtangi's in the world: Kino Macgregor. I have taken a few workshops with her before. Her adjustments are strong, and she verbally takes you to your edge, having you hold navasana until your jaw is clenching so much from the agony of your abs that you just want to quit. Up until now I honestly thought that this was okay. In class tonight we only did a few sun salutations, a few standing and seated postures, the 3 closing and savasana. Even though this practice was so short, David's instruction was great and for once I actually felt completely energized. My breath was flowing and the bandas were held. It felt GREAT.

I have actually felt nervous about this Kino intensive because other techers have told me that the practice is so intense that you actually need to sneak postures out of the series so that you don't exhaust yourself. I don't care what Kino says or does, I am going to make my practices feel good.

The thing that stands out from tonight was that he said, "When the student is ready the teacher will come." Maybe I am ready for the next step. Maybe that's why I got into Kino's intensive (there is a two year waiting list and I just happened to get in on the first try because of a cancellation).

I guess I will see in a month.

All that is required for success in yoga is cheerfulness, perseverance, courage, correct knowledge of the techniques to be followed, moderation in one's habits, and faith in the practice of yoga. Then the effects of yogic practice as enumerated by the sages follow. These are beauty and strength, clarity of speech and expression, calmness of the nerves, an increase in one's digestive power, and a happy disposition that is revealed in a face full of smiles.

Twenty-eight; Not so great!

What a rough few weeks! I was doing so well since New Year's, and then my birthday came and it all came crumbling down! I got the flu which left me laying in bed for a few days and then I got a respiratory infection on top of it that left me in bed and missing work for even more days and nauseated and dizzy from the antibiotics. But I feel better, I started my regular yoga practice again and things are back to somewhat normal!

Believe in the possibilities.......

and stretch your mind

This post is serving as a special shout out to our Yoga Project peeps! In tonight's class we had 16 students. Sixteen!!! That's over double our usual class size. Many of the students have never taken a yoga class. I understand the hesitancy to not come to a yoga class if you never had. It's intimidating and scary. You don't know what to expect. We all have an internal fear of the unknown. But you have to start somewhere. Every single yogi (that's a word used for someone who practices yoga) was a beginner at one time. And since yoga is a constantly changing practice its fair to say that we will all be beginner's for the rest of our lives. As soon as you master a pose.....BAM....here is the same pose....but do it on one leg......once you master that.....BAM....do it upside down....then do it with your leg behind your head....See where I am going with this. Ha ha. The most important thing to remember that each practice is your very own. Not everyone's bodies are the same. We are all different and that's the beauty of it! What works for me, might not work for you!

But if something is tickled inside of you to practice, just do it! All that's stopping you is excuses. Believe me, once you do (it might take a couple classes) your life will never be the same.

Affordable Yoga

So, it's new years and we all try to make resolutions. Two most common are getting in shape and saving money. Well, they are both fine goals, but what do you do if your new fitness regime is expensive?

Yes, practicing yoga regularly at a studio can get pretty pricey. Before you know it you could be spending hundreds per month on yoga classes (believe me I've been there).

Here are some tips on being able to practice yoga and not break your bank account:

1. Find FREE classes. Most studios offer a free first class to new students, so use them! Many studios also offer a free class per week or a donation only class where you can give as little as $5 per class. (not to throw in an advertisement, but myself and 2 friends teach a free class every Sunday night at Emmaus Yoga)

2. Class cards! Usually the more classes you buy in advance then cheaper each class gets. So, evaluate how often you take classes and figure out which class card is right for you. Sometimes you can get a class card for $10 per class. Also try and find a studio that offers expiration date-free cards. Most studios put expiration dates on their cards, after all they are also running a business, so you can't blame them.

3. Yoga Glo. This is the most awesomest website ever. You can get a 15 day free trial and then after that its only $18/month to take as many online yoga classes you want from the coolest instructors on the planet!!! AND....if you have a fancy HD TV with Tivo, you can stream it into your TV.

4. Yoga Videos. I am a fan of videos, but sometimes they can seem boring after you do the same one over and over, but they are an inexpensive option.

So, you see Yoga can be accessible without the $$$$$$$

Goals for 2011

So, every year I pick a few attainable goals to accomplish. In 2009 my main goal was to take yoga lessons. In 2010 my goal was to complete a half marathon. My goals this year are to practice yoga 4 days a week (ideally 6) , update my blog with fun cool stuff at least twice weekly, drink more water, take my vitamins (I am such a hypocrite), and to pack my lunch 3 days a week to save money. So stay tuned for some fun hip and cool things on my blog.