Thursday, April 28, 2011
Oh, hi!
I have not forgotten my yoga practice! Jason and I just got back into town from an awesome road trip to Colorado and New Mexico. While I get back into the swing of yoga, enjoy this shot from White Sands, New Mexcio. :)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Breath, focus, and strength
I've had a really good yoga week. I managed to get into the hot room four times last week and my body and brain are thanking me so much for it. It feels great to connect with my practice again. Reminder to self: this is why you do yoga.
Over the weekend, I participated in two posture clinics led by longtime Bikram teacher Lynn Whitlow. I learned so much about my practice from her. She gave so many great tips that have already changed my classes for the better. I got some nagging questions answered and got intense personal corrections on a few postures.
I think the most important thing she said was one of the first things she said. The three elements of a Bikram yoga practice are breath, one-point focus, and physical strength. When you are having a hard time in class, it is probably because one of these areas needs your attention. Every time I got overwhelmed in class today, I carefully re-assessed those points and every time I found that one of the three needed my increased mindfulness.
More often than not, it was my breath that was wonky. Taking another tip from Lynn, I pushed my postures to the point right before losing control of my breath, then stayed there in stillness and focused on breathing normally. Breathing normally, a concept that I didn't really understand until the clinics, makes postures so much easier. Trying to slow down my breath actually makes me feel more out of breath. What a revelation that it's okay to breathe shallowly! Just keep breathing, Lynn urged. It takes a lot of concentration to keep breathing through the whole class.
My balance issues have been greatly helped by Lynn's declaration that almost all balance problems are focus problems. I felt a little embarrassed hearing that since my balance is so bad. Some classes, I feel like I'm distracting everyone around me because I just can't get my balance. She told us to keep one point of focus (which has been mentioned in, I don't know, every class I've ever taken) and for some reason, it settled into my head. Not moving my eyes really does help keep my mind and body from wandering and falling over.
I got personal correction on triangle which as totally revolutionized the posture for me. I don't dread it with the same fervor I used to! I'm actually excited to tackle it and push the boundaries of my strength, which is increasing rapidly with every class. I still have trouble with triangle but I now understand the posture and what it means for my body.
The third element of the practice is physical strength, meaning contracted muscles. I'm using my abs and inner thighs more than I ever have in my life. On days I don't go to yoga, I've been doing ten regular sit-ups to focus some more attention on my abs. I am growing really addicted to the feeling of sore/tired muscles the day after going to class. It helps me to feel solid and strong instead of weak and tired.
Long story short: the posture clinics were awesome and my practice was helped out so much by everything Lynn had to offer. I'm having so much fun applying everything she shared over the weekend. Look out, triangle. You'll be mine soon.
Over the weekend, I participated in two posture clinics led by longtime Bikram teacher Lynn Whitlow. I learned so much about my practice from her. She gave so many great tips that have already changed my classes for the better. I got some nagging questions answered and got intense personal corrections on a few postures.
I think the most important thing she said was one of the first things she said. The three elements of a Bikram yoga practice are breath, one-point focus, and physical strength. When you are having a hard time in class, it is probably because one of these areas needs your attention. Every time I got overwhelmed in class today, I carefully re-assessed those points and every time I found that one of the three needed my increased mindfulness.
More often than not, it was my breath that was wonky. Taking another tip from Lynn, I pushed my postures to the point right before losing control of my breath, then stayed there in stillness and focused on breathing normally. Breathing normally, a concept that I didn't really understand until the clinics, makes postures so much easier. Trying to slow down my breath actually makes me feel more out of breath. What a revelation that it's okay to breathe shallowly! Just keep breathing, Lynn urged. It takes a lot of concentration to keep breathing through the whole class.
My balance issues have been greatly helped by Lynn's declaration that almost all balance problems are focus problems. I felt a little embarrassed hearing that since my balance is so bad. Some classes, I feel like I'm distracting everyone around me because I just can't get my balance. She told us to keep one point of focus (which has been mentioned in, I don't know, every class I've ever taken) and for some reason, it settled into my head. Not moving my eyes really does help keep my mind and body from wandering and falling over.
I got personal correction on triangle which as totally revolutionized the posture for me. I don't dread it with the same fervor I used to! I'm actually excited to tackle it and push the boundaries of my strength, which is increasing rapidly with every class. I still have trouble with triangle but I now understand the posture and what it means for my body.
The third element of the practice is physical strength, meaning contracted muscles. I'm using my abs and inner thighs more than I ever have in my life. On days I don't go to yoga, I've been doing ten regular sit-ups to focus some more attention on my abs. I am growing really addicted to the feeling of sore/tired muscles the day after going to class. It helps me to feel solid and strong instead of weak and tired.
Long story short: the posture clinics were awesome and my practice was helped out so much by everything Lynn had to offer. I'm having so much fun applying everything she shared over the weekend. Look out, triangle. You'll be mine soon.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
It's about time.
Okay, so you probably guessed I didn't make it through my 64 day challenge by my sudden and abrupt silence regarding all things yoga. You would be correct if you leaped to that assumption. Instead, I took nine classes in two months. Those nine classes were all pretty crappy because my head and heart were both on vacation from my practice. In short, I needed a break and I took it. Failures are an important part of any practice because they teach you things you need to know in order to move forward.
I returned to practicing last week but wanted to keep a little quiet about it, to keep my practice to myself for a little while, to practice without analyzing. I just let myself get lost in the yoga. The classes I've taken have been wonderful, healing, and awakening.
One of the most notable happenings in these classes is that I am not allowing myself to sit out of postures anymore. If I feel overwhelmed, I just stand calmly with my arms by my side and breathe as normally as possible for a moment or two. I have noticed that squatting or sitting in the standing series makes me a lot dizzier than I am when I just stand up. I would imagine that has something to do with the blood rushing to the lower half of the body upon standing again. I'm also finding it makes the class go by so much faster when I'm at least attempting all sets of the postures. In a strange way, it makes everything a little easier, even though I'm working harder.
I was really inspired by one of my teachers the other day. She gently, but firmly, kept telling us to get back in the postures after falling out. No hesitation, just do it. Even though I've heard it a million times, I listened for the first time. I kept placing my body back into the postures, even when my muscles were screaming at me for a break. I've been totally exhausted to the point of not really being able to move in savasana and it. feels. wonderful.
My focus has been good in class and I feel like my head and heart are both back in my practice. I needed some time to rest my body and my brain and I took it. I'm now back with a renewed spirit. I'm so glad to be reconnecting with my practice again. It really is amazing how differently I feel when I'm practicing vs. when I am not. I love how I feel when I'm getting to class regularly. I randomly went to class on Monday without really having planned to go. I just thought to myself how much better I would feel and how much easier the day would be if I just went. I left class feeling refreshed and energized. I'm back to the place of looking forward to the class ahead of me instead of being anxious or nervous about how hard it's going to be.
Yoga, I missed you. <3
I returned to practicing last week but wanted to keep a little quiet about it, to keep my practice to myself for a little while, to practice without analyzing. I just let myself get lost in the yoga. The classes I've taken have been wonderful, healing, and awakening.
One of the most notable happenings in these classes is that I am not allowing myself to sit out of postures anymore. If I feel overwhelmed, I just stand calmly with my arms by my side and breathe as normally as possible for a moment or two. I have noticed that squatting or sitting in the standing series makes me a lot dizzier than I am when I just stand up. I would imagine that has something to do with the blood rushing to the lower half of the body upon standing again. I'm also finding it makes the class go by so much faster when I'm at least attempting all sets of the postures. In a strange way, it makes everything a little easier, even though I'm working harder.
I was really inspired by one of my teachers the other day. She gently, but firmly, kept telling us to get back in the postures after falling out. No hesitation, just do it. Even though I've heard it a million times, I listened for the first time. I kept placing my body back into the postures, even when my muscles were screaming at me for a break. I've been totally exhausted to the point of not really being able to move in savasana and it. feels. wonderful.
My focus has been good in class and I feel like my head and heart are both back in my practice. I needed some time to rest my body and my brain and I took it. I'm now back with a renewed spirit. I'm so glad to be reconnecting with my practice again. It really is amazing how differently I feel when I'm practicing vs. when I am not. I love how I feel when I'm getting to class regularly. I randomly went to class on Monday without really having planned to go. I just thought to myself how much better I would feel and how much easier the day would be if I just went. I left class feeling refreshed and energized. I'm back to the place of looking forward to the class ahead of me instead of being anxious or nervous about how hard it's going to be.
Yoga, I missed you. <3
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