Half Standing Forward Bend

Ohhhhhh… revel in this extension.

From folded position in Uttanasana, inhale and lengthen your spine forward. The gaze is lifted forward, the crown of the head is as though it’s being gently pulled from the long neck and the spine is extended. Shoulder blades are long down the spine towards the hips and depending on one’s flexibility, the fingertips can stay on the floor or rise to the shins.

The last wonderful, full inhale before folding once again into a brief Uttanasana and descending to plank. Mmmmmmmmmm……….

Standing Forward Bend

Lovely.  Just lovely.

In the process of Surya Namaskar, this posture brings us from our power and focus in mountain pose, or Tadasana, to inverted lovliness, in preparation for the floor sequence of the Sun Salutation.

On a deep exhale, bending forward, knees slightly bent and hinging at the hips, not the waist, with abdominals engaged. Lengthen the front body as you extend forward.  If not proceeding into the Sun Salutation, remain, grasping elbows with hands.  Relax.  Breathe.  Extending torso on each inhale.  Deepening the stretch towards the thighs on the exhale.  Knees can remain bent, with torso almost resting upon thighs.  If possible making way towards straightening the legs.
Mmmmmmmmmm…..

I attended the 5:15 class of our local yoga instructor- and yes, unlike myself, certified- a perfect experience in length and relaxation.  Perfect in that at the end of it I felt deliriously and blissfully, unwound.  An absolutely lovely, so necessary, experience after a day- any day.

Despite now leading my own class, I am a paid student in this, her latest session.  I am happy to be so.  She is the only real instructor within a 25 mile radius and I want to do my part to see that she is able to remain in our little, tourist driven, outpost.

It was a wonderful thing, and another wonderous experience in the Spirit of Yoga.  Wonderous may be a little over the top, but competetion among most industries and professions in our area is fierce, from real estate to the arts and people are frequently driven, out of sheer self-preservation, to unfriendly, bitter and resentful behaviour.  It’s dog-eat-dog, for sure.
I naturally, and mistakingly, assumed this attitude would extend to the business of yoga.  Even when one of us is not really even in the business of yoga. I was experiencing a stressful, and thankfully unwarranted, paranoia that my teaching presence and the fact that I am entertaining what might otherwise be paying clientele for neighbor/instructor would essentially… piss her off.  I wish to step on no one’s toes.

I was welcomed with nothing but smiles.  Graciousness.  Open-ness.  Nothing less than a Spirit of Yoga.

Sun Salutation

Believe me, when you haven’t seen much of the sun- typical of these Canadian winters- Sun Salutations are a lovely, invigorating way of creating some much needed heat. Here, we honour the sun, wherever it may be- I know it’s there somewhere. It’s a lovely beginning to a practice and a wonderful foundation series in my flow. One where I feel strong and light.
Sanskrit, namaskar has it’s root in namas, or “to adore” or “to bow”.

Ancient yogis taught that each of us replicates the world at large, embodying “rivers, seas, mountains, fields…stars and planets…the sun and moon” (Shiva Samhita, II.1-3).

They maintained that the outer sun is in reality representative of our own “inner sun,” which relates to our subtle, or spiritual, heart. Here is the seat of consciousness and higher wisdom (jnana) and, in some traditions, the domicile of the embodied self (jivatman).

Thanks, Yoga Journal!

I knew yesterday as I tried to get into my own practice, that I was off in some way. Usually, once the music is on and I get through those first couple of relaxing forward bends and into Sun Salutations, I’m on my way and my body begins to take on a mind of its own. Yesterday afternoon… not so much.

So, last night was my third class. And the one where I felt least prepared. I had not put Filipes through the sequences at all this week and that is infinitely helpful in reinforcing my cueing.

I was lacking focus that afternoon and that carried forth into my getting ready for my class. It was clear the moment she walked through the door of our coffee shop-cum-yoga studio at 7:00, the reason for my lack of yogic centre. I had known there might be a possibility this neighbor and part-time yoga teacher, herself, might be in attendance. She had heard about our little Monday night gatherings- it’s a small place and despite my wanting to keep things ‘mum’ from the masses, in a community this size, it’s almost impossible.

Now, it’s not that I don’t like her, or that I want to make this some exclusive group. I’m just a new, inexperienced teacher- term used loosely- and I am not ready to introduce my teaching (inexperienced, not certified, etc) to a wider audience. Also, the idea of someone so much more experienced in teaching had me rather terrified of judgement and reproach, not to mention resentment and anger for infringing on our miniscule market when she conducts her own sessions for actual money… And there she was. I wish I had been more welcoming to her but I was completely freaked out… in my mind, but I am sure she felt the vibe.

Not surprising… I totally and completely underestimated her. While I will never really know what she thought of the class, she seemed happy to have been there, not responsible for leading the class. Open to a different and new experience with a new, oh-so-very new, teacher. I was crazy nervous and her presence for the first half of the class had me shaken and self-conscious, but all-in-all, after I managed to regain my equilibrium and confidence in my own knowledge and personal experience, not a bad class. I didn’t kick it like last week, but OK, considering.

Afterwards, she said I’d done a great job and that if ever I was interested in feedback or input, she would be happy to help out. Aaaaaahhhhhhh. Thank you, yes. I will certainly keep her in my circle of resources.

Hers is a different form of yoga but, as in the past, I will undoubtedly attend her 6 week session, beginning tonite. I want to keep communication and trust open with her as well as support her in her own budding business in our area. There’s certainly room for all and she was certainly of that mind when she showed up in my class.

Other helpful neighbor/participant has more ideas on where I can improve… even greater exercise in remaining open…

Mountain Pose

The starting position from which we begin our practise and where we often return during the standing sequences.  Where we gain and re-gain our focus and balance.

Toes are spread, providing a solid foundation.  Tailbone is down, pressing towards floor.  Thighs engaged, firm with kneecaps lifted.  Shoulders are down with shoulder blades spread and pulling down either side of spine towards floor.  Focus is relaxed, down the nose, ahead.

I had an interesting conversation with a mate from the class I’m teaching- using term oh-so-most loosely- where she brought to my attention the importance of modifications.  Not only modifications but perhaps a less than acute attention to detail in the postures.  Very nicely, of course.  This particular student of yoga is certainly the most knowledgeable of any of the participants, and is more likely than I towards due diligence in fleshing out the “perfect” posture.

I understand this, particularly from someone who is not partial to a “flow” and prefers to learn a pose, practice and refine it and “be” in, and with, that posture.  Developing a consciousness of the posture.  It is because of this approach to yoga that I listen to her.  I tend towards a focus on the movement as it is guided by the breath and the refinement of the posture may not be of priority.  And certainly as I find the “teacher” in me, trying to maintain the flow of the class, the details of each posture may get lost.

There is validity and benefit to both approaches.

So, thank you, fellow student.  I needed to have my attention drawn more into the details.  At this level of yoga practice for these others, if I don’t someone could, in fact, injure themselves.

I am pleased with this conversation partly because I learned something, but mainly because I returned her call “open” to learning something and accepting feedback.  Something, in a previous life, I would not have been.  I would have been caught up in my ego and my own right-ness and authority as “leader” or “teacher”.

The result.  An open relationship with neighbor and fellow student/teacher.  And, in her gratitude for my doing this, she is getting me a subscription to Yoga Journal.   Wow!

Open heart and mind…. there are many benefits.

The mind is everything; what you think, you become. ~Buddha

I was prepared to have a really good class. I knew I would have a good class.
I was tired. Not only had I put Filipes through the yogic paces, for over an hour, to work on my cueing, but I had had a pretty intense 40 minute practice earlier in the day. I probably won’t do that again, mind you. My work with Filipes is important to my prep the day of class… but my own practice should be saved for other days.

Anyways. Despite my fatigue and a little nervousness, I got into the groove pretty easily. It felt good. I felt good.

An hour and twenty minutes, including a ten minute Savasana. I also had three new ladies in attendance. Almost a full house! No, not really. But the extra bodies provided an added energy and despite my fear of leading a larger group, it actually helped make the class more dynamic and fun.

It appeared, this week, that everybody liked it. They aren’t a particularly demonstrative bunch, but from the sounds of the pleasantly worked out groans and sighs- smiles, too- everybody was satisfied. Plus, they will all be back next week.