Today I was thinking I was so overwhlemed.  Then I remembered that I am lucky enough to travel with my husband and my dog whenever we wanted.  This kind of freedom is pretty amazing.  I thought this picture represented that.  The dog at the ocean,  just as happy as can be,  tired,  worn out,  full of salt water.  I am hoping that as time passes by I can remember these moments when I am full of pessimism and worn out.  Remember that everyday is a new day.  We get the opportunity to re-invent ourselves when we choose.  We have the option of starting fresh everyday,  every moment if we want to.  

 I have always had this huge fear of inversions.  IN 2009,  I decided this was my year of handstand,  not just kicking up into it a few times here or there.   So everyday,  no matter what,  I kicked up into handstand.  Sometimes it was just downright messy and embarrasing,  but as time went on,  it got easier and easier.  To the point where when I kicked up Robert did not come in to make sure that I was upright and there were no holes in the walls.  Then as time went on I realized that it was not really that big of a deal. I would just practice and it became the 3rd pose I would do just because I could.  It was invigorating!  Then after my last car accident,  I realized that my neck issues were no joke.  I needed to take this serious and take the time to rehab and make things stronger and more stable.  So after many, many headstand push-ups (thanks Lisa) lots of arm work,  I was getting stronger.  Finally after about 7 months of rehab I could go up into Sirsasana (headstand) with no pain.  Now after 18 months,  I can do the pose.  Not just go up and wiggle around,  but I dont' sweat and curse every  teacher for telling me to take my thoracic spine in.  I can do it!

So the moral of this story is,  DON'T GIVE UP!  If you give up you just have to start all over again.  We may have minor set backs here and there, but never let fear get the best of you.  No matter what your age,  your goals,  or physical shape may be,  you always have something to work towards. 

Fear, what fear?

Tadasana-stand with your feet hip width apart if you have arthritis in your hips or your balance is a little wonky today.

Urdvha Hastasana-Place belt around wrists to encourage the elbows to straighten and breath breath breath!

Adho Mukha Svanasana- Dog pose with chair to lengthen the spine.  Do this after the standing poses for 5 breaths.

Utthita Trikonasana-Triangle pose.  If this is still hard on your balance,  try doing the pose with your whole back up against the wall.  Do this twice on both sides.  Afterwards,  do the dog pose with the chair.

Vipariti Karani-Legs up the wall.  You can also place blankets under your hips for more of an inversion.  Make sure that your forehead and chin are on the same plane.  For extra relaxation,  place an eye pillow over your eyes, set the timer for 10 minutes and relax.

 

**This sequence can be longer if would like to add in a few more standing poses,  or try to  balance away from the wall.  

**Here is a quote from B.K.S. Iyengar:  "Fear and fatigue block the mind. Confront both squarely,  and then courage and confidence will flow into you."

I loved this today when I was faced with this myself.  I even began to think more about 

Jack.  We all know Jack,  our Welsh friend from an earlier post.  He constantly inspires me to keep my butt moving.  Never complain and keep your spirit light and FUN!

Thanks Jack for the inspiration.

Ustrasana.......a pose that brings joy to the face!

Today at the Rec center I taught shoulder openers and back bends. I went in for a second time this week not sure what I was going to teach. For selfish reasons I began to think about restoratives, but I remember back that a wise person told me to teach to the class (thanks Craig, Leslie, and mama Donita). So that's what I did. What a lesson I learned today from the Northglenn students! ( all of them.....of all ages)
Teaching today was such a joy. It made me happy, it made me feel better. Not just physically but mentally. For that I thank my students for continuously inspiring me to do more.

Here is the noon sequence. I will get the senior sequence on later today.

Adho mukha virasana
Adho mukha svanasana
Uttanasana, walk back and forth to dog a few times
Tadasana-all below done in tadasana
Urdvha hast asana
Urdvha baddanguliasana
Gomukasana
Garudasana
Vira II
ViraI xs 2
Chatush padasana xs 4
Ustrasana xs 3
Full backbend, keep in mind for you shoulder folks stick with Chatush again
Adho mukha virasana with bolster
Dwi pada pavanmuktasana
Svanasana

Changes are good

I wanted to take a moment this morning since I have not posted in a while.  I have changed jobs in the last two weeks.  It is such a great opportunity for me and I am so excited about the challenges ahead.  It made me think of my practice in a whole different way.  I was reading the Yoga Rahasya and it there was this quote from Guruji I wanted to share before I start my day:

 "Yoga is not doing what you like or what you can."
"I am neither a slave of the body, nor a slave of the mind.  For yoga,  you have to go far beyond will-power."

Sutra II.36

Sutra II.36-satyapratishayam kriyaphalasrayatvam

-When the sadhaka (student) is firmly established in the practice of truth,  his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization. (YESS!!!!!)
*Light on the yoga sutras explanation-Most of us think we tell the truth,  but truth is causal,  not integrated and cellular.  For instance,  if we say "I will never eat chocolate again",  as long as one cell of our body holds back and disagrees with the others,  our success is not assured.  if the stated intention is totally whole-hearted, not one cell dissembling,  then WE CREATE THE REALITY WE DESIRE.  It is not our mind,  but the inner voice of our cells which has the power to implement our intentions.

WHOA nelly!  After hearing of the yoga new lately,  which I am late on hearing apparantly,  this is a great sutra for us all.  Be truthful in your words.  Be truthful in you actions.  Be truthful in your thoughts.  Be truthful in your asana practice.  Just be truthful,  get the point?  It frustrates me sometimes to think that we do all this asana, we study,  we chant,  we do our best and then..............hole crap what was that guy thinking??  It happens to all of us at one point or another,  our words, thoughts, and actions do not match, which is why I do not judge.  I have not always been this truthful,  not always been one to listen to my inner voice, but this is all the more reason to delve deeper into practice and study.  To keep moving towards our goal.  You know the one that says......to yolk to bind to connect with our inner self.  The inner self that comes to the forefront to help us make better decisions, to be more compassionate,  to be content with what is at this very second?

As we all go through another week,  think on this sutra.  Study, chant it,  write it down.  Then journal about what it means to be truthful to you.  It may not be the same for us all,  but we all know of the importance of truthtelling.  Pretty sure ALL  of our mothers taught us this at one point or another:)

Sequence from IYCD this week

Here is the sequence from Tuesday at the Iyengar Yoga Center:

Adho Mukha Virasana-create length,  you will notice a theme in this class....
Eka Pada Pavanmuktasana-with partner to draw the outer hip away from should to create length again,  make sure that the straight leg on the floor stays active!
Supta Padangusthasana I & II-same thing goes in this pose too,  stay active through bottom let and continue to draw outer hip away from shoulder,  keeping the sides of the spine even and long long long!
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana with 2 partners-one using strap to bring weight back into the legs,  keep your legs straight by firming those thighs,  the other partner gently rolls the triceps in and towards one another then moves the shoulder blades in and up
Uttanasana-hands on bricks to maintain concave back,  be sure to keep hips moving back and lifting the ribs up and away from the thighs,  move chest forward
Trikonasana- Back foot at wall,  if you have ropes available,  use them for your back arm.  Hold on as long as you can while maintaining even sides of your trunk,  keep head in line with tailbone,  and lift lift lift you front knee cap to roll the thigh out and keep outer hip in
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana-using a chair first at the wall for the heel,  then press your right foot into the wall while maintaining a straight tadasana standing leg,  take arms over head to challenge the balance
Move away from the wall now!!
Same pose,  hold onto the big toe with your peace fingers,  lift the knee up keeping once again both sides of the spine long!  
Same pose again,  this time start to straighten the leg by pressing the toe into the fingers, pulling with the fingers and keeping the chest lifted.  If you have someone nearby,  ask them to see if your shoulders are in alignment,  I noticed that most of us (me included)  tend to crunch the side of the spine of the leg lifted. Balance and smile and be happy.
 Uttanasana-full pose
Prasarita Padottanasana-full pose
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Vipariti Karani-with support under hips
Savasana
 

Sutra III.12

Sutra III.12
tatah punah santa uditau tulya pratyayau cittasya edkagrataparinamah

*When rising and falling thought processes are in balance,  one-pointed conciousness emerges.  Maintenance of awareness with keen intensity from one-pointed attention to no-pointed attentiveness is edkagrata prainama.

(I am taking this right out of Light on the Yoga Sutras by B.K.S. Iyengar because it is so awesome)

**At times,  consciousness is thoughtfully silent but then it suddenly gushes out into vibrant activity.  In a split second, this activity may be controlled and balance regained.  This control requires effort, and effort involves time.  By skilful practice, the depth of silence which at first apperas only in glimpses,  is made to permeate and fill the entire citta.  Then the feeling time disappears.  Past and future are reabsorbed into the timeless.  

***This sutra is exactly how my practice was this morning.  I sometimes cannot believe that it is me who is doing it.  Starting once again with the chant to Patanjali,  reading of this sutra and a little quiet time. Then the asana practice began.
  Most of the time my mind is constantly churning and jumping from place to place,  never staying in one place very long.  It is not only in my mind and practice,  but in life. Yoga teaches us not only to be flexible in the body,  but encourages our minds to focus,  to be attentive to the little things.  The little things being,  how does this asana pose affect my back,  not just my back,  but the lumbar on the right side.  Am I crunching and bending and forcing?  Or am I able to step back and go about it the right way,  the nourishing way.  
This sutra explains the 3rd transformation,  which is ekagrata parinama, the uninterrupted flow and intensity of attention.  When we all practice asana it is imperitive that we maintain this flow of uninterrupted concentration to keep our bodies safe and our ego out of it.  
 This week while practicing, whether at home or in class,  keep in mind this sutra.  Stay committed to yourself and your mind-body connection.  That is why we do yoga anyways right?  To know our true self and what we are capable of.