Yin Yang Yoga with Steve Gold

A little late on my posting! So sorry, yoga friends!!


A week ago, I had the great pleasure of attending a Yin Yang yoga workshop at Bala, with live music by the always fabulous Steve Gold.


First, let's get the gushing about Bala outta the way. I love love love that studio. It's the perfect temperature. It's simple and beautiful. I love the huge painting at the front of the studio. I love that I feel part of the Bala community even if I am there sporadically. 


The studio was full, the temperature was perfect and after everyone got their name in for the drawing...the class started.


Unbeknownst to me, the yin yang format is a slow paced class, in which the poses are held for a long time. And, by "long time", I do mean as in like 5 minutes. For a most non limber yogi like myself, it's painful, frustrating, freeing, exhilarating and mind calming. Yep, it definitely took me from "Ack, I can't stand this anymore, it hurts, this sucks" to "ahhhh, this feels sweeeetttt". And that was all in one pose.


Pigeon lasted 5 minutes at least. On each side. No joke. Lord have mercy, my hips had some talking to do the next day.


And I have heard for the longest time how hip openers can bring out the emotion. I've heard about it, but never personally experienced it. Until this class. I didn't cry (at least not until the singing began later in class; more on that later!) during the second set of pigeon, but I felt like every single piece of sinew and muscle was heated all the way through. I felt it all, the ouchy, sore spots, and the not-so-happy feelings that have been festering in my subconscious...  Every nerve and emotion inside me was zinging. I almost felt like my body/emotions were making an audible sound. Weird, but true. And, very cool.


We also got to do some chanting (Om's). Which I am getting more comfortable with. I've come to love the feeling when you have expelled every last bit of breath and can barely wait to take in a new one. I think I still sound like a man when I do my Om's, but oh well! :)


After finishing the series of Yin Yang poses (definitely the longest I have ever held "seated forward fold") and the class had collectively resumed a seated position, Steve Gold and Crew (finally) played "There is So Much Magnificence."  Halleujah! I had been waiting and wondering when it would be happen. It is my absolute favorite song of his and it never fails to calm me and bring forth all that is good inside me.


There is so much magnificence near the ocean
Waves are coming in
Waves are coming in


Take a listen for yourself, here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk-bCI8cZR4


Steve started the first few notes of the song and within a minute - the entire class was singing along. It. Was. Amazing. All those warm, loose, mind opened yogis just sittin' and singin'. Now that brought the tears. At some point during the song, Steve talked about the community of yoga. And that is one of my favorite aspects of it. It connects people. It inspires people. It helps people be more authentic. At least it has done all those for me. And I love the energy yogis give off. It's infectious. It's kind. It's accepting. It's hopeful.
It's the place where I feel most at home.


Here's a blurb on this type of class: highly suggest giving it go. And you can hear Steve Gold for yourself (live!) at Yoga for Hope this summer. Check that out here: http://nationalevents.cityofhope.org/site/TR?fr_id=1660&pg=entry. I'll be there!

Yin Yang Yoga: Yin Yang Yoga provides the benefits of a balanced practice of Yin and Yang styles of yoga. The Yin style of long-held passive poses opens the body to more flexibility and chi flow through the subtle channels while also engendering a more contemplative, non-reactive quality of mind. A more active, dynamic, Yang style of vinyasa will follow, strengthening and invigorating the body and mind. We close this class with a short meditation.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk-bCI8cZR4

Svarga Djivasana - Bird of Paradise Pose

Welcome to Week 13 of the Yoga Challenge!!! Spring has officially sprung and I hope this new season brings you all good things :) Today's post is from Janet....

Early one dark, wet & rainy Sunday morning, my sisters & I dressed quietly & tiptoed out of the sleepy household to go to yoga class.  It was our annual SF (Sister Fun/Friends) trip to celebrate birthdays together.  Of course, we eat chocolate, craft, giggle, shop & drink merlot as well, but practicing yoga together is uniquely intimate.  I love to be with people I love and doing something I revere with people I love is almost surreal in its wonderfulness.  (I can hear my college writing professor editing that phrase now..yikes!)

This particular morning found us at the Columbia Athletic Club in Kirkland at Heather’s class.  Heather is always an inspiring presence & teacher but there was a moment in that morning’s class that literally took my breath away.  After several asanas, the room was warm & we were well into the practice.  We did a progressive series that I can’t exactly recall except that it culminated in a good portion of the class suddenly floating into the most beautiful pose I have ever seen.  Not everyone did it, and those that did all did it slightly differently. But in the warm, dim studio with light music wafting, I found myself surrounded by birds of paradise. 

If you have not seen this pose, google it for a picture – I feel like it has to be seen to be believed.  It is elegant, surprising, uplifting & deeply inspiring.  I am not at a place in my practice where I can manage this pose myself, but the vision of it has been with me since that Sunday.  I hold it close like a talisman & imagine myself someday joining the flock.  Until that time, I’ve done a little research & learned the following:

Bird of Paradise is considered an advanced yoga pose that challenges your focus, balance, strength and flexibility. It's one of the more difficult poses to do well, since it demands so much from the body. This pose strengthens the standing leg, ankle, knee and thigh. This pose strengthens the legs, improves balance, opens the groins and hamstrings.

Sanskrit Name is Svarga Djivasana, which means “twice born”. 

Some say this refers to the Huma bird, a legendary bird in Persian mythology, said to be phoenix-like, consuming itself in fire every few hundred years, only to rise anew from the ashes.  It is also said to have both the male and female natures in one body, each nature having one wing and one leg.

Yoga Journal describes it as follows:  “Rooted into the earth is the leg of my masculine nature: my stability, my strength, my stamina; and lifting up to the heavens was the “wing” of my feminine nature: my creativity, my flexibility, my compassion.  I felt grounded like a fire consuming itself, but I also felt the flight of my other leg, rising anew from the ashes like the phoenix. And just like the Huma bird, the Bird of Paradise, I felt the sensation of being “twice born”, neutralizing the polarities of my masculinity and femininity into a balance of paradise.

Observations of the benefits of yoga from a non yogi

Well, yoga friends, this post is not from a true blue yogi, but we had no one scheduled for today (I need people to blog again, so PRETTY PLEASE contact me to set up a date!!!) And, last night my hubby said "why I don't I write one for you?" And I thought to myself "why the heck not - this could be enlightening." And so, when I returned from Sacred Sunday Yoga, he was busily typing up the post. Love that man. And I think this is pretty funny. Especially about the yoga skirt. (Which I returned, by the way. Decided it was a little silly for my lifestyle....even though it looks adorable on my sister and I hope she keeps hers!!!)

This post isn’t about a favorite yoga move, class or first hand perspective on why yoga is the bomb.  Instead, this is an account of the benefits of yoga from someone who doesn’t do it but receives benefits nonetheless. 

My wife has been doing yoga for several years now and in the last two I would say has reached addictive levels – I mean, who has a yoga skirt and whose kids know not only what tree pose is but how to do it…better than their Dad????

When we met, 14 years ago, my wife played soccer, did several fun runs a year and jumped around in various aerobic classes.  She was ultra competitive and would do just about anything to win. 

Then, after having blown out an ACL, having two kids and very effectively managing the chaos that is our household she started doing yoga. Maybe it was just her maturing and learning that winning isn’t the most important thing, or maybe she realized that in the end the only one you truly compete with is yourself and yoga is the best way to do that.  Regardless, outside of a circuit or spin class she does once or twice a week, yoga is now her staple…and from my perspective…that is FANTASTIC…you ask why…well, let me list the positive attributes of yoga as I observe them through my wife:

When she leaves she is of one mindset, when she returns from class she is of another (I’ll let you decide which one is ‘good’ and ‘bad’)

            Slowing down and living in the moment

            Muscle tone – long and lean

    Increased flexibility (wink wink!)

            Hot yoga clothes

            Passion for something positive

            Focus on self – how often does she get to do this?

            A great option for birthday/Christmas/valentines day presents

    Ability to relax

    Did I mention the flexibility???

So, while I may be as flexible as a 2x4 and as interested in doing yoga as my wife is in joining me on the squash court, I am glad that she is passionate about yoga for all the above reasons.  Most importantly however because it makes her happy!!!

Virabhadrasana III - Warrior III Pose

Happy Daylight Savings!!!! This week's post comes from Cynthia...

Ah! The fantastic warrior III! 


I love trying to grab the floor with every possible inch of my foot. 


I Love the challenge of gaining and staying perpendicular.


I love thinking that if I could choose a superpower, flying would be the one for me. I would probably get a superpower that wasn’t so fun, like being able to climb any tree. It would be neat at first, and then I would realize it wasn’t quite as fantastic as a superpower should be.

Yoga has been a fantastic find for me.

As a child of the 80s, I grew up with and love the fast-paced, booming music, aerobics class. Step, step, step, kick, kick, kick, move, move, move. 


It took me quite a while to embrace the lack of constant movement during yoga.

But in warrior III, I am moving without moving. My mind is moving and my body is constantly adjusting so I stay in the position. So much to do while in warrior III….

Sarvangasana - Shoulder Stand

And, here we are in March already! I hope everyone is enjoying the Yoga Challenge thus far! I love reading all the different posts and getting new perspectives - please keep them coming! Thanks to everyone for participating. On that note, we need to fill some dates for March and April (refer to the Blogger Calendar on the right hand side of the blog.)
Please email Amy at amyneu28@hotmail.com with a date of your liking. Now, on to the Good Stuff....

My name is Elizabeth Bono and I have been practicing yoga on and off for
about 12 years.  I have taught senior/chair yoga off and on for around 9
years.  My favorite pose is Shoulder Stand or Sarvangasana  (of course I
have never done this with my seniors!)  The reason this is my favorite is
that I feel it opening up my shoulders and neck and I just feel very relaxed
afterwards.  Here is some additional information about shoulder stand:

The Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)

Next to the headstand, this posture is considered one of the best asanas.
But without the deep breathing with this exercise, it does not have much
therapeutic value and will not be considered a yoga posture.

This asana is sometimes called a "candle" because the body is kept straight
as a candle in this posture.

This asana is equally important for both men and women. It can be tried by
persons of all age levels.

The main benefit of the shoulder stand is to get the thyroid gland working
at peak efficiency. It's the thyroid gland which is mainly responsible for
your correct weight and youthful appearance. 
The shoulder stand also regulates the sex glands. 
It vitalizes the nerves, purifies the blood and promote good circulation,
strengthens the lower organs and helps them to stay in place. 
It gives a healthy stretch to the neck muscles. 
It is beneficial for people suffering from poor circulation, constipation,
indigestion, asthma and reduced virility. 
This pose is especially recommended for women after childbirth and for those
suffering from painful menstruation, other female disorders, and seminal
weakness. 
The Sanskrit name for this posture sarvangasana means 'all the body'.

Time:

Retain this position for fifteen seconds to six minutes, adding fifteen
seconds per week.

Virabhadrasana I, II & III - The Warrior Poses

After a little hiatus, the yoga challenge blog is back. This week's post is from Deirdre and I lovvvvveeee it! Hope y'all do, too. Thanks, D! Here's to the (peaceful) Warrior in all of us...

The Tale of Virabhadra

Vira (hero) + Bhadra (friend)

Whether we go to our mat daily, weekly or whenever the mood takes us there, I’m pretty sure all of us can relate to the dance of Virabhadrasana I, II and III and the hundreds of times we’ve practiced these poses.    Think about it, especially if you’re a lover of Vinyassa.   How many times do you glide in and out of Virabhadrasana I, II and III?.   They are almost second nature to us.  We move seamlessly through these postures, our limbs becoming an extension of our breath and our mind already lost in the dance.  “    Inhale, Virabhadrasana I, exhale Vira II, inhale - reach forward, exhale and reverse, inhale back to Vira II and exhale into Utthita Parsvakonasana.”      Vira I, II and III can become the poses that link our sequences.   We can transition through these poses in a trance like state.   


Perfect…yoga doing it’s thing right?  
  

So, when Amy asked me to blog (something I’ve never done before in my life), I was excited to share the below tale.   As part of my yoga teacher training, one of my teaching scripts was on Vira II.  On researching more about the pose I came across various articles telling the history of the warrior poses.    Perhaps after reading this (rather shortened version of the tale) the next time you ease yourself into Vira I, II or III, it could feel completely different.      
     

The origin of the warrior poses, Virabhadrasana I, II and III is derived from an ancient story of Lord Shiva. The warrior poses illustrate an incident that occurred in the celestial realms.   The story gives life to the poses.  It’s a story of love, attachment, pride, shame, vengeance, violence and sadness.  All emotions can be found in this tale of pride and transformation.

In Hindu lore, the powerful priest Daksha threw a huge yagna (ritual sacrifice) and invited everyone-except his youngest daughter Sati and her husband Shiva, whom Daksha despised (even if Shiva was supreme ruler of the universe).  Sati got word of this and suggested to Shiva that they go anyway.  Shiva, not wanting to incite her father’s anger anymore than he has already done, asked, “Why go, where we are not invited?”  Sati was hurt by her father’s refusal to acknowledge her marriage and her husband; she decided 
to go alone to the yagna.

When she arrived, Sati and her father got into an argument, which entertained the guests.  Sati was saddened and humiliated by this public argument with her father. When her father tried to taunt her again she remained silent, letting go of all desire to continue to argue with her father in hopes of defending her husband. She trembled with disgust and indignation at having been so cruelly let down by the one man upon whom she, as a daughter, should always be able to rely. Instead she made an internal resolve to relinquish all family ties. She summoned up her strength and spoke this vow to her father, “Since you have given me this body I no longer wish to be associated with it.” She walked past her father and sat in a meditative seat on the ground. Closing her eyes, envisioning her true Lord, Sati fell into a mystic trance. Going deep within herself she began to increase her own inner fire through yogic exercises until her body burst into flames.

When Shiva got word of Sati’s death, he was devastated.  He yanked out a tuft of his hair and beat it into the ground and up popped his fiercest Warrior.  Shiva named this warrior, Virabhadra.  Vira (hero) + Bhadra (friend).  He ordered Virabhadra to go to the yagna and destroy Daksha and all guests assembled.

The warrior Virabhadra was created and from here the pose take life.  

Virabhadrasana I - Virabhadra arrives at the party and with his sword in both hands as he thrusts his way 

through the earth from deep underground.

Virabhadrasana II - After establishing his arrival for all to see, he takes then sites his opponent, Daksha and takes his stance. 

Virabhadrasana III - He is then ready to commit his act.   

Moving swiftly and precisely, with his sword in both hands and cuts off Daksha’s head.

Although this tale sounds pretty violent (hardly in keeping with the philosophy of yoga) it also evokes power, passion and strength.     

What’s my favorite?  Virabhadrasana II. 
I think of strength and determination – think of the imaginary.   Announcing your presence and power, opening your body to its full extent, directing your strength and passion at the challenge before you as you remain grounded and rooted to the earth beneath you.    When teaching this asana I like to say – inhale confidence for the challenges that lie in your path and exhale any fears and doubts you might have.

Perhaps the next time you’re on your mat and working your way into your first Warrior pose of the day, you might imagine yourself as a warrior.   Strong, focused on task, poised and ready for battle – see what happens….

We practice Virabhadrasana, not to honor the practice of violence against others, but to fight our own ignorance and ego. "What's really being commemorated in this pose's name and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the spiritual warrior, who bravely does battle with the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering." (taken from Warrior I pose – Yoga Journal 

Baddha Konasana - Bound Angle Pose

Welcome, yoga friends, to Week 7 of the yoga challenge. This week's post comes from Stephanie, a personal trainer/instructor at the YMCA. A little bio on her:

I personally practiced yoga "off and on" prior to working at the Y but started practicing more regularly after a cycling crash in 2006.  I started my yoga instructor training in 2008 and became a 200 hour RYT in 2010. Currently, I'm teaching four yoga classes a week but don't have as much time as I like for my own practice.  My goal for 2012 is to do at least 10 minutes a day of self practice. 

Butterfly

Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

And the variation…

Reclining Bound Angle Pose  (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Benefits (from Yoga Journal)

·                          Stimulates abdominal organs, ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys

·                          Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation

·                          Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees

·                          Helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue

·                          Soothes menstrual discomfort and sciatica

·                          Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause

·                          Therapeutic for flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility, and asthma

·                          Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said to help ease childbirth.

·                          Traditional texts say that Baddha Konasana destroys disease and gets rid of fatigue.

One of my favorite poses and one of my favorite poses to teach.

Why a personal favorite?

When I was younger, this pose was nothing.  There was no awareness whatsoever.  I could put my heels together, draw them towards my groin, splay my knees out and practically lay them on the floor and feel nothing.  Shift the hips back, stretch my torso out on the floor, still nothing.  Then at age 36, I fractured my pelvis in four places.  Coming back to yoga after injury, and attempting this pose, I could place the soles of my feet together about 3 feet in front of me and move my knees maybe a half an inch towards the floor.  A much different reality than what I had previously experienced!  Slowly over the years, with daily practice, I’ve regained nearly full range of motion.   I love that this pose is simple.  You can easily do it while you watch TV or sitting on your bed or even better yet, reclining on your bed.  I still do it daily, often many times throughout the day.  I will never regain the flexibility I had prior to my bike crash in 2006 but this pose has helped me get back to doing the things I love to do and I will be a fan forever.

Why a favorite to teach?

One of my most common requests in class is, “Can we work on hips?”. By gaining flexibility in the thighs and groin, we are able to get more range of motion in our hips. This is a pose that is simple to teach without a lot of complicated directional cues and I love the variations.  We can recline, we can fold forward, we can even do this with our legs up the wall.  And, I know what it’s like to have incredible range of motion in the this pose and essentially no range of motion in this pose so I am able to cue individuals to help them discover what they need to do to get the full benefit.  I love that you can use props to ease individuals into the pose and I do not know anyone who has not made improvement in their range of motion with consistent practice.

Shavasana - Corpse Pose

Happy Superbowl Weekend, y'all!!! What an apropos yoga pose for the week - as Shavasana may well be where we all find ourselves after some football, unhealthy food, the Puppy Bowl, and last, but not least, Madonna...This post comes to you from E.

Really, what could be easier?  Be quiet?  Be relaxed?  Be grateful for your just-finished practice? Sur-freakin-render? Sweet!

Um, no, not so much.

As soon as I hear those words, “Find a comfortable place on your back, let your limbs relax, your legs open, your shoulders fall, your breath soften,” I go into panic mode.  I can NOT do this, ever.  Full stop.

(Mind you, I’ve been doing yoga since some of you were in diapers, and shavasana has always been This Way For Me.  Call it “S#@*I Can’t Go There,” okay?)

I could carry on about my favorite (or not so) poses:  I only hope I can go again to sing the song of how hard Child’s Pose is when your knee wants to turn itself inside out.  Or “I Gotta NOT Crow.” Oh, but I digress.

Back to Dead Girl.

Breathe In:

So, watta we gotta do today.  Oh, yeah, it’s Sunday and it’s a relaxing day so we’re going to Costco for massive amounts of environmentally not-nice paper products, Trader Joe’s for food “staples.” What did I do with those lists?  Wait, did I pay the bills on Thursday like I said I would, oh did I input all of the performance review data, and what about those new leotards for gymnastics, and oh, the flu shots and…

Sister, chill, it’s shavasana.  By the way, just for fun, Yoga Journal says, “Make sure your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.” As if there isn’t enough pressure already.

Oh yeah.

Breathe in two-three-four-five, out two-three-four-five.  In…

Just let the thoughts go. Go. Go, go, goes, we-got-the-beat.

Stop. Say b-bye to all ya’ll nasty thoughts: worn out ballet slippers, chewed up bully sticks (perish that thought!), coveted Michael Kors handbag, oh, STOP, so not yogic.

Where were we?

Breathe. Eyes, relax—is that possible?

Let the thoughts pass over, through, around, go now, it’s okay.

It is?

Yes.

A moment of almost calm.

You were there?

How should I know?  I’m not supposed to be paying attention.

“Let your breath return to normal.  Wiggle your fingers and toes.”

BUT I JUST GOT HERE!

Sigh. It’s all good. 

Did I mention that I love shavasana?

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog

And......week 5 comes to you from Anne Marie. A round of "snaps" for her for landing a new job! Good luck to you!!! 

My favorite yoga poses are inversions. Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog may be considered a basic yoga pose, but it is one that I love and am continually improving at. In the Downward Facing Dog Pose, you build up strength in the upper arms and you give space and opening in the back, neck, chest, hips and shoulders. You also build up strength in your calves and ankles. You should hold the pose for 1-3 minutes.

I feel younger and more energetic after doing this pose.  After a yoga practice with many inversions, I look younger as well.  This is definitely an advantage!

Yoga is a grounding and calming experience for me.  It has mentally and physically been my saving grace these past few months.  Yoga draws wonderful people and I cherish my yoga friends and instructors! I plan to practice yoga for the rest of my life

Utthita Parsvakonasana - Extended Side Angle Pose

Week 4 of our 2012 Yoga Challenge is brought to you by Kathy...

oo-TEE-tah parsh-vah-cone-AHS-anna)


utthita = extended 
parsva = side, flank 
kona = angle

The Extended Side Angle Pose is the first pose in which I truly understood how important corrections are to your yoga stance.  I was attending a yoga retreat on Whidbey Island, and Jennifer Isaacson, my fabulous yoga instructor, was leading us in a vinyasa class.  “Think of your body as fitting between two trucks passing close.”  Achieving flat planes is the idea with this pose.  A lightbulb moment for me.  “Ah, rotate the shoulders and hips to create the least space,” I thought to myself.  Arms extended overhead, in line with the legs and torso, to narrowly slide between a small space.  I was starting to understand the alignment with this pose.

Whenever I move into Utthita Parsvakonasana I imagine my body seamlessly sliding between two trucks, and I’m transported back to the gently warmed studio on Whidbey, with the rain silently striking the windows and the trees waving in the wind, with all eighteen or so bodies in the studio performing our orchestrated dance towards enlightenment.

To get into Extended Side Angle from Warrior Two with your right foot forward, pivot at the waist and lean out with your right arm either resting on your knee or with full extension resting on the ground to the outside edge of your right bent knee.  Your left arm raises straight up, allowing your left shoulder to stack directly over your right shoulder.  Bring your gaze up towards the ceiling.  Your right knee remains bent at a 90 degree angle throughout the pose.  Tuck your pelvic in so your left hip opens

An arm variation is to reach your arm forward, creating one single line from left toe to reaching left fingers.

Another variation is to reach your left arm behind your back to join with your right arm in a bind beneath your leg.  Open your chest towards the ceiling

This pose stretches and strengthens the legs, groins, hamstrings and opens the chest and shoulders.

Urdhva Dhanurasana - Wheel Pose

Another week has passed - I trust that it was a good one for you, yoga friends!!! The next pose of our journey comes to you from Monte (yes, that is a shot of him demonstrating Wheel. Wow!!!)

Wheel Pose!

I started practicing yoga over 2 years ago. I was able to do a wheel pose immediately. My wheel pose continues to deepen as does everything in my life. When I am in wheel pose I feel freedom, space, powerful and strong. Not to mention in the moment. It still amazes me how the feelings I feel on the mat show up off the mat. It is magical!

Vrkasana - Tree Pose

"What did the tree learn from the earth 

to be able to talk with the sky?"

- Pablo Neruda

I love this quote. It is the essence of tree pose for me: being rooted firmly to the earth, yet still open to the wonder and possibility of what lies above and beyond our current selves. To me, the juxtaposition of the pose is exactly how I want to live my own life - based in reality and accepting/content with that (santosha!)...but working towards a higher end goal.

And, one cannot deny the beauty of the pose. Even though I am working on gazing at the ceiling and/or closing my eyes in Tree, I still like to sneak a peek at the yogis around me. The surge of energy flowing out of their grounded and free limbs can be electric. If someone was to peek back at me, they would find me grinning. Yep, Tree is definitely my favorite.

I prefer to enter Tree via Tadasana, Mountain Pose. Taking a moment to feel my feet grounded into my mat and focusing my thoughts on the here and now is key. Letting go of the expectation of what Tree will be, and just enjoying the way my hips feel and how my entire posture improves as I settle in. It's like I just grew an inch, maybe two. Hands in Anjali Mudra to begin and then when my mind is ready, I raise my arms and open up to the possibility of being stationary and free, all in the same breath. 

The nuts & bolts:

Vrkasana (vrik-shahs-anna) (From Yoga Learning Center.com and Yoga Journal.com)

Vrksa = tree

In the nature of a tree, the standing leg grounds itself to the earth like roots of a tree as the upper body lengthens upward like the branches. Ancient yogis of India were known to stand in this posture for many days on the banks of the Ganges River while meditating and chanting. The Yogi's say that if you can hold Tree Pose with comfort and ease, it mirrors your emotional and mental states.

Health Benefits:

• Develops awareness, balance, concentration and poise.
• Revitalizes spine as well as the body and the mind.
• Strengthens the entire leg, ankles and feet.
• Increases flexibility in the thighs and hip.
• Steadies and calms the mind.
• Fortifies your Muladhara (The First Chakra or "Root" Chakra. It is located at the base of the spine and the closest Chakra to the ground and controls our sense of stability and security in this life. It is where we get our footing, stand our ground and find our strength.)

That bit about the Muladhara really resonates with me. It's not how adept you are at physically balancing. Oh no! It's about the mental balancing. That's good stuff, yes?

I leave you with this from Yoga Journal:

Though praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow may come and go like the wind (as the Buddha said), happiness comes if you can "rest like a great tree in the midst of them all."

Namaste.

Brand New Year. Bring on Pigeon...

Coming to you from Janet...

My Favorite Pose is:             Pigeon Pose (Sanskrit name is Eka Pada Rajakapotasana*)

I love it because Pigeon was the first yoga pose I “got” & everything about it – from coming into, settling into & moving out of – fills me with deep contentment & gratification.  Coming into pigeon from down dog, I feel lightness & exhilaration.  As I settle into the pigeon stretch, I feel rooted to the earth, connected & strong.  Leaning into the pose, the muscle release for me always feels wonderful & deeply satisfying.  Moving out of pigeon (either back to Down Dog or into Child Pose) releases all kinds of crazy endorphins for me.    I love this pose!  I always have.  Since I fell in love with Pigeon, I’ve been curious to learn that it seems people either love it or hate – I’ve yet to find anyone who feels neutral about Pigeon J  So where do you weigh in?

Something new I learned researching Pigeon is that many consider it “the” classic hip opener.   It stretches, aligns & strengthens the pelvis while energizing the second or sacral (orange) chakra.  According to Yoga Journal, benefits of Pigeon also include stimulating the abdominal organs & opening the shoulders & chest.  Also according to YJ, Pigeon is just the first of “four, increasingly difficult Pigeon poses”. I didn’t know that & plan to have some fun exploring the variations over the next week.

* Also from YJ, here’s the pronunciation & meaning of Pigeon’s Sanskrit terms J

(aa-KAH pah-DAH rah-JAH-cop-poh-TAHS-anna)

eka = one
pada = foot or leg
raja = king
kapota = pigeon or dove

Welcome, Yoga Friends, to Yoga Challenge 2012~

Hello & thanks for considering our 52 week yoga challenge. Our mission, should you choose to join us, is to open our minds & hearts to a new yoga pose every week in 2012. this will add 52 poses to our repetoire & understanding as well as allow us to connect meaningfully with other fellow yogas.
 Amy & I have decided to do this together & thought it would be more fun, inclusive & expansive if we invited a few other like-minded souls to join us. We can create this together but here's what we're thinking, to get us started:
Once a week, one of us Yogis will write a little blurb about a favorite yoga pose. This can include what the pose is, why you love it & any other fun facts or health benefits the pose offers. It can be as short or as long as you like.
 If there are 52 of us, each of us would review one pose. If there are 26 of us, each of us would write about 2 poses, and so forth.
I'll be the boss of the timeline & distirub on it but i'm thinking sunday night might be a good time to post for the week. and then -- would you want feedback on your pose? if so, we could shoot emails back & forth.

This idea was inspired by my yoga mentor Katie Koblenz who loved boat pose. It was never my favorite & I tolerated it at best. When she shared that it was her favorite & why, it gave me a whole new perspective on something I had just suffered through before. Now it is a fundamental part of my practice & teaching --