I don't know why they call it ONE - revisited

I found this little gem I had written back in February of this year (wow, seems like forever-ago).


I Don't Know Why They Call It ONE
It is not my first choice! Actually, I do know why they call it ONE and it still is not my first choice. Ask me about Virabhadrasana II or Virabhadrasana III. I love both of those versions - strong and open and free! Virabhadrasana I has never felt like my pose in all of the years I have done it. There is something about that back leg, and there is something about that front leg. Oh yes, and there is something about the lower back and the extended arms. It doesn't feel strong and it doesn't feel balanced and it doesn't feel free. Does anyone else agree?

Maybe someday I'll learn to love it - just not today.

There were sure some strong feelings about Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I). I can tell you that I have not spent much time on this pose since I wrote this post that appeared on ...musasana... so many months ago. Today I'm bringing it out of the yoga closet and sharing it with the class I teach. I want to know what they really think of this pose and maybe I'll have some new feeling as well.

What do you think of it?

Viva WI!

Costa Rica Yoga in 32 Days

Here I am, 32 days before the Costa Rica Yoga Retreat. It is -14 degrees at my house right now. It is 73 degrees in Costa Rica right now. Where would you rather be?

Laura and I have been preparing for our adventure for many weeks now. Which travel yoga mat to purchase? Which pair of yoga shorts? Water shoes?

Of course we always talk about the yoga. Can you imagine yoga in the jungle, with monkeys watching? Sign me up! Oh, wait - I already have my ticket. What about you?

Related Posts
Do Some Yoga In Costa Rica
Yoga Retreat In Costa Rica

The Month Of Parsvottanasana

November brings with it cold, Thanksgiving and Parsvottanasana. Come on over to ..musasana.. and study this incredible pose with us. We love to hear what you learn about the poses. Unlike last month, I intend to study this pose with vigor!

Related Posts:
Ardha Chandrasana - So sorry my love
Parsvottanasana - Ideas for Deeper Study

Wanna "Yoga" In Costa Rica?

Yes, for real! Laura and I are going to Costa Rica for 7 days of yoga and jungle and ocean and fun. Join us at Samasati Yoga and Nature Retreat from January 24 - 31, 2009. Check it out.

Duckasana

Why is there no yoga pose named after a duck? Or is there?

I fight: Savasana

I like to think that I fight nothing. My last post really opened my eyes. It was written before my restorative yoga class on Wednesday night. After that experience, how would I write that line today?

i fight: a long Savasana

When I first started to practice yoga the reason I went back time and time again was because of Savasana. I found it amazing that someone (my yoga teacher) was inviting me to lay down (with a blanket!), close my eyes, in a quiet room, in the middle of the day and relax. Lovedeveryminuteofit! Now, not so much.

The first 5 minutes are good, however lots of adjusting, then the fight begins. I have a theory that maybe only a piece of what is going on. I am very flexible. My joints are very open. As I lay there and my muscles start to let go and surrender, I start to feel very unstable. Whispers of pains and aches get louder. There is a feeling of dislocation in one of my shoulders. My eyes do not relax but move around inside the closed lids. I often feel energy racing out of my hands and feet. No wonder!

I want a redo on that line - i fight: the feelings of instability in Savasana by accepting them and trusting that I will learn whatever they are here to teach me.

That feels much better.

Tadasana = Presence

My friends and I have started a new blog. We choose a pose each month, study it, practice it, and write about what we have learned from it. The pose this month is Tadasana. We would love for you to join us!

For me, Tadasana is a pose of awareness. It has taught me many things On and Off The Mat. When I am On The Mat it is a very centering and grounding pose. It brings me in touch with where my body is at that moment in time. Read the rest here....

Yoga : Music : Bliss

I have a tendency to get stuck in my ways but sometimes I think I just forget things.

I forgot how wonderful it is to add music to a yoga practice. I did for years and then stopped (for many years) and then remembered again last night. It was supta baddha konasana, late evening, dark room, eye bag and the soft, relaxing music. Bliss.

Or was I just stuck in my way of silence and yoga practice?

Day 7 - Flexibility and Strength

This is my year for strength. I am very flexible (actually you could call it hypermobile). I can get into just about any yoga pose. I can dislocate on request. To balance that out I need a lot more strength in my body. Strength to hold my joints together (I also have ligaments that are very stretched and do not hold my ball and sockets together very firm). Lots going on here! Tonight (while watching my new favorite TV show) I did yoga with some arm balances thrown in.

First I started out with my usual child's pose for surrender and moved on to neck stretches and shoulder rolls while in vajrasana. Next came down dog and plank back to down dog and then into Vasisthasana (without adding the top leg). That felt great! Next to Tittibasana since it has been a while and I really like this pose.

Then moving to seated baddha konasana and upavista konasana. I noticed a little tightness in my legs so I moved to Warrior II and here taking the time to work on my strength. I kept bending my knee slowly to get all the way into the pose. Next to Tadasana for quite some time and focused on Sunrise Earth - so beautiful!

Next came Siddhasana -wow. I was reading Light on Yoga (there are around 3 pages devoted to just this pose alone) and according to Iyengar, this pose purifies the 72,000 nadis, calming nervous energy . I was feeling a lot of wild energy last week so I decided to stay here for a while again focusing on Sunrise Earth. It is also one of the most relaxing of the asanas. I must have been feeling very calm and relaxed because I turned around and my little dog was laying right next to me on the floor, very calm and peaceful. She caught the peace!

Iyenger also writes that Siddha is and inspired sage, seer or prophet. So interesting that I picked this pose today because I have been very inspired all day.

I ended with a short savasana. I will do a restorative child's pose and longer savasana tonight before sleep.

Day 6 - Finally Surrender and Svadhyaya

The past week has been one of much to do. When I am in that place, it easy to become very ungrounded. It is hard for me to slow down once I get going. My energy pings around my body, it feels like it is stuck in me, bouncing around with no way to get out. It is when I need to stop and do whatever I need to do to JUST FEEL GOOD. I finally saw that STOP sign yesterday and obeyed my own law.

Today has been a day for my relaxation, my self study or svadhyaya. I wrote in my journal upon waking and then read a little bit of Wayne Dyer's "Change Your Thoughts...". I was so relaxed that I fell asleep again! When I woke up (again!) it was time for breakfast and after that, a long, hot bath. THEN came my yoga practice. Because I am feeling so tired and "pingy" I focused on very grounding and meditative poses. Child's Pose and restorative, Sukhasana, Vajrasana, Baddha Konasana and a Cobra or two. Each pose received time for calm and quiet reflection. It was delicious. Call me GROUNDED.

Today's practice is dedicated to all THE MUSES.

I will be trying something new tonight - I will fill you in tomorrow.

Day 4 - January 4

I have THROWN myself into WoYoPracMo! I have been so inspired. I have been going deeper into my poses. My practices have been much longer. It carried over to my teaching as I taught a very intense class yesterday. Put that together with a car accident and a recovering back and what do you have - much pain!

These last few days have been very busy for me and my body is not having any more of it. Tonight, after a long HOT bath, it will be Viparita Karani for me. I am so excited to put my body on that bolster and feel the release and relax that I know will come over me. Actually, I'll start with a restorative child's pose - that sounds delicious! Why not give myself a big boost of surrender first? I'll end with a long savasana.

Good night.

January 3 - Day 3 WoYoPracMo

I taught yoga this afternoon. The class was focused on opening the shoulders and chest. I usually do yoga along with my class - though not all of the poses. I will also take time to walk around and adjust or encourage. Usually on the days I teach I do not do another Asana practice. If anything, I'll do a meditation, breathing, Viparita Karani on a bolster or a long savasana before I go to sleep.

This afternoon it was pranayama. I do Laura's pranayama online classes - they are great. I laid down on my family room floor and focused on my breath. My dogs love it when I'm down on the floor with them. Riley, my very affectionate dog, came over and laid his neck across mine. While I love his sweetness, I can't breathe! So after I shooed him away I was able to start breathing. It took me a little bit to relax and let go but finally I got to that place. It was wonderful - like a little mini nap, although I was not sleeping.

WoYoPracMo has been a wonderful experience so far (yes, after only 3 days). I have "met" so many wonderful people. I love learning about them and their life stories. I also love hearing about their practice - it is very inspiring!

The beginning...

There is something so inspiring about the beginning of the year. A new beginning and a fresh start. I am so inspired and I feel so clean and clear now. It is wonderful.

Today is day two of WoYoPracMo. I started off with a warm bath this evening. It is very cold here in the north and I have been chilled to the bone most of the day. Yoga in the bath tub is a new thing for me. Obviously, I am unable to do a lot but it is amazing what you can do!

Today I was feeling very much the same about my practice as yesterday. My body really wanted forward folding. I started out in child's pose again with the sandbag on my lower back. Child's pose is not one of my favorites - too much surrender I think. I really focused on letting go, which was my intention - JUST LET GO! Then I moved into table with the sandbag still in place and did some simple spine warm-ups, then into down dog. Up high on the "necks" of the toes again and then into half down dog.

I like to take my down dog into Uttanasana by just stepping my feet up. Then into Padangusthasana back to down dog and then to lunges then back to down dog. From down dog to Warrior II and then Trikonasana and that's it for the standing! Then to what I crave - seated forward folds.

Started out in Janu Sirsasana resting my torso on both sides of my leg then up to Baddha Konasana. Next was Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana. Next, lotus preps for the most delicious pose of all, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana. I could stay here forever but then came Marichyasana I, another winner, and then to Paschimottanasana. I followed that up with Marichyasana III and then a new one I have never done before, Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana. Iyengar write in Light On Yoga that it relieves severe backaches. After doing it, I would agree. My back has been a little sore and it felt great after that pose. Then legs up the wall. I really felt the surrender in my body. I think the great bolster helps too. Finally Savasana.

Before I go to sleep I will finish off with some guided pranayama from Laura. I like Breathing the Body. That should help me on my way to a great night of sleep.

My practice today is dedicated to two sweet little kids, Sierra and Zack. Feel better soon!

January 1 - Day One

This day did not go as I expected it would. Lesson #1 for the New Year, have no expectations! Hubby and I spent most of the day getting the family room ready for the new TV. Rearranging, clutter clearing, organizing - big day. Around 4:00 my mother-in-law came over for dinner. Then I made dessert (I'll post the recipe later - my favorite), and then we plopped ourselves down on the sofa to partake in the end of The Twilight Zone marathon (with tea - Evening in Missoula from TeaSource). I was a fabulous day but it wasn't over yet - my yoga mat was waiting!

Since the day was very active and I was very tired I decided to focus on soothing asanas for tonight - my favorite - seated poses and seated forward folds.

I started out in child's pose with a sandbag on my lower back and set my intention - that this is the first of 31 (and hopefully forever more) wonderful practices.

I then moved into down dog and gave myself a good stretch. I love to do something Jo Zukovich taught in a workshop. Get up really high on the "necks" of the toes and point the sit bones up toward the ceiling. My down dog has never been so fabulous!

Next came Baddha Konasana at the wall and then into a forward fold - ahhhh. Followed up with Marichyasana I, Janu Sirsasana, and Paschimottanasana. All part of my favorite forward folding series. I stayed in each one for quite some time - loving every moment. Then onto Apanasana followed by Jathara Parivartanasana. Ending with legs up the wall - for a long time :-) and then Savasana. So interesting - when I was in legs up the wall - all I could think about was this new year and all the things I want to do. Instead of relaxing and preparing for sleep - I was doing just the opposite.

Time to turn in. Great day, great practice. Can't wait until tomorrow.

My practice tonight is dedicated to my friend Sarah.

Crash Onto My Mat AKA Yoga Appreciation

My car got rear-ended (with me in it). I sing it in my head, like a catchy song. Although it was not fun (or catchy for that matter) and my body is sure to tell me about it all day long, it has been inspiring.

Why this, why now? I'm not sure I know the answer yet. One thing I do know is that I have never had such an appreciation for my yoga practice. The mat has been occupied everyday - many days more than once. And each time a tremendous wave of gratitude / appreciation for this practice came over me.

Rampage of Appreciation - YOGA:

1. Asana!
2. I know how to move my body in a way that will protect it and also nurture it
3. I know which asanas will gently bring my body back
4. I am able to modify asanas to give my body exactly what it needs in this moment
5. I can do yoga anywhere, at any time

Does it get any better than that?

Delicious Sequence

Last weekend I took part in a weekend yoga workshop with the wonderful Jo Zukovich. Oh my, she was spectacular! My body moved and twisted and opened up in the most wonderfully progressive and insightful ways. It has been a whole week and I am still feeling the positive effects of the time I spent with her and her wonderful teaching style.

My favorite part of the weekend was spent seated on the floor experiencing many seated poses and I was introduced to a sequence that my body has craved everyday since. I am very partial to seated poses, they help to calm me and slow me down - especially the forward folding poses.

I pulled out my Light on Yoga book to find those poses I experienced and see what Mr. Iyengar had to say about them. That is when I realized that they are part of a sequence:

Janu Sirsasana
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottansana
Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottansana
Marichyasana I
Paschimottanasana

The first four poses, Iyengar writes, "...are preparatory poses for the correct Paschimottanasana. It is difficult to many to get a good grip on the feet in Paschimottansana even after several attempts. These four asanas give one sufficient elasticity in the back and legs so that one gradually achieves the correct Paschimottanasana."

While it is wonderful to "get a good grip on the feet" it is even more wonderful how my body feels as it experiences each of these poses along the way and then the final Paschimottansana is delicious.

Have you experienced this sequence? I would love to hear your thoughts.