Tuesday, April 3, 2012

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