Intensive summer training - Day four

Today is our half-way mark for the week-long workshop. It was a very LOW day for me. A migraine in the morning (as one classmate said "yoga hangover?" haha) kept me from being my physical best today, but I was loving every minute of being with the class.

Neti Pot
We started the day out with a demo of the Neti Pot, or jala neti--nasal cleansing. Frankly, I was not interested in it. But after watching the demo, it was neater than I expected. As in cleaner neat, not interesting neat. I'm still wary of pouring anything into my nose, but after watching, I'm interested in trying it. If anything, this is something my husband should do. He already snorts salt water messily up his nose when he get sinus trouble. Having a neti pot and doing it on a regular basis in the drier months might help his sinuses.

Notes on Neti Pot:

• Make sure you have a big bowl or basin to extract the water into.
  
• Add warm water to your pot. Check the temperature, try testing it on the inner wrist like a baby bottle.
  
• Add a pinch of salt to the water and mix. Finer salt will dissolve quicker. Taste the saltiness, too salty might burn your nose a bit.
  
• Tilt your head so the nostril you pour into is above the draining nostril.Close off the back of your throat. Pour through top of nostril.
  
• Exhale gently through nose to get all the water out.
  
• Repeat on opposite side.

Some people add essential oils to clean their pot as the oils will also lubricate the nose and sinuses. Different netis for different uses. Many people prefer plastic for travel. Other prefer the grooves on the belly of the pot for holding rather than the finger loop at the back.

Some yoga poses to take after neti:

• forward bend, then stand up and exhale through nose
• Triangle pose and reverse triangle back and fort to get all the water out

Take turns teaching
we broke up into three groups: gentle yoga class, vinyasa yoga class, and ashtanga yoga class. We were to take turns teaching the class, each of us picking up where the last one left off so we completed a full class. This is when my migraine tried to make a return. I did not practice much, but I watched and took personal note. And I did lead them into savasana. I decided that I liked the following poses for vinyasa classes:

• Extended side angle to reverse warrior (back and forth)
• Down dog, leg up, over back, into "Flip the Dog" I have never done this before and I thought it was really cool. :) I think this pose would not be done for a student who has injured shoulders, though
• Up dog to Down dog pushups (several in a row)
  
• Half moon - I always for get about this one
• Dancer, another fun balance pose.
  

More assists
I arrived a little late after lunch, but I think Kathy was going over assist again for those people who were not there yesterday. She reiterated that it is important to assist people who are in any kind of forward bend from the base/seat of the posture instead of the upper back to you don't damage shoulders.

Mariachyasana C

• Can assist from back, pushing your ball of foot into their lower back and pressing up and in
• For people trying to bind, you can assisting from the front. Placing your thigh on their bent leg for leverage, then help guide their arm through, down slightly and around bent knee. Then hold that arm in place while you assist them to grasp other arm around back - OR - give them a towel or strap to grasp and hold bind. Once they are bound, then gently pull on the middle of their back to help support the twist.
  

Headstand (Sirsasana)

• Coach them into their arms if necessary. Place forearms down so the hands grasp the opposite elbow. Then bring hands together to form a triangle with the elbows. Place head into interlaced hands with flat part of head down on mat. Tiptoe feet in towards the body. Lift legs.
• Assistant is at the head of the student, bent low, squatting, so as to not get hit by flying legs. As the student lifts the legs, assistant places hands under hips and helps the legs rise. If the student were to fall over, the teacher's shoulder would support. Keep hips secure until they are on the ground.
• DO NOT hold their foot or leg to steady them. They would wobble in the mid-section, and if they wanted to fall, the thing that helps them land would be stuck in your hand!

Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)

• As with headstand, squat, but not so low. Student should place their hands directly between your legs so when they rise, their shoulders will be supported by your knees. Place your hands on student's hips to help them rise.
• For larger people, may be easier to do while squatting against a wall for support.

Savasana massage
We ended the day taking turns giving and receiving a 10-min massage in Savasana.

I came home and slept 1.5 hours. The migraine was fully gone and I felt rejuvenated!

Pranayama workshop

I also attended Kathy's pranayama workshop this evening. Much of what she covered is in my notes for the Pranayama Saturday session post. I have noted some new thoughts on pranayama practice here.

While practicing Puraka Kumbhaka Rechaka Kumbhaka, I first lay in savasana. I found it very difficult to hold the exhale. I also felt pressure in my head. We then sat up to do the technique, and sitting up we were able to lock all three bandhas. It was easier to hold the exhale with Uddiyana bandha lock in and up. As Kathy explained, the lungs WANT to fill naturally. Holding uddiyana keep the lungs compressed so they don't ache to fill again right away.

Someone expressed a feeling of clarity with a full breath. Kathy explained that holding the inhale compresses the body internally, allowing the mind and body to focus inward and clear. Holding an exhale is a natural state for our body and mind to focus outward, fill our senses with stimulation from the environment around us.

Kripalu

I chose Emily's Kripalu class this evening to participate. I thought it would be a nice, relaxing yoga class after the last three days' intensity. Plus, I have never done "kripalu" and wanted to know more. I very much enjoyed it and I connected with Emily's teaching method. I think Emily leads the restorative yoga, and I felt that was a clear focus in the class. And awareness of proper alignment. I may have pushed my knees a bit too far in a shin-stacking posture.

Intensive summer training - Day three

Wow! What a day! I hope I can get all my thoughts down here before I fall asleep.

Start teaching
We started off by talking about how to teach yoga. Conversation and questions moved to Yoga Alliance and Kathy explained the history behind the organization and her thoughts on the certification requirements, process and paperwork.

After this discussion, Kathy gave us the "to do" to start teaching. She offered advice on how to get started--create a portfolio. In the portfolio, include a cover letter, pictures of you doing yoga, a list of things you've done and workshops you've taken, and maybe a collection of posters from workshops you have attended.

Kathy suggested ways to get yourself teaching positions. Start going to a studio and offer to sub. Be available for "little things" which turn into greater things. Show dedication. Offer a free class to a non-profit such as a senior center or girl scouts/club. Market your class to a particular interest group (Later I spoke to a student and he said he's teaching a class called "Yoga for the aging mountain man" Very appropriate and appealing to people who are in the region he lives.) I do not think I will have a hard time finding session to teach. Between my son's preschool, my friend's gym, my work with Jay Peak, and my friend's Girl Scout group (who has asked me to do yoga with them already) I think I may actually have to turn some people down.

A point was made about how to find time for one's own yoga practice. Many comments and schools of thought were expressed, but Kathy said you either have to a) don't worry about it, b) figure out how to get your own practice in while you are teaching (ie don't over-teach to your students anyway) or c) just find the time and schedule it in your busy day to do it.

Kathy talked a lot about her teaching style and why she talks so much. She calls it distractions. If you can move your student from the negative thinking, to thinking less, to being with the Divine, to positive thought and speech, you have done wonderful things for that student to help them be present with their practice. Helping students achieve this would be to keep the class simple, yet introduce things that keep their mind on their practice, not on the repetitive thoughts. Help them keep their thoughts present and focused, clear of fluctuations.

Alignment and Assists
The rest of the morning session focused on how we assist our students, help them sink deeper into poses or help them align their body in asanas. Messages that Kathy kept reiterating were to

• look at your students' base (ie check in that their feet and/or hands seem well-grounded and strong)
  
• observe and respect the biological/genetic nuances ie some elbows sway in, some people have flat feet.
  
• be aware/look for any rounding or sway in a students' body as there will be an "equal and opposite" (so to speak) sway or rounding (respectively) to counter balance it
• be aware of assist techniques that may seem "inappropriate" to students who are not used to being assisted (ie ensure groin is out of the way)
  

Kathy showed us assists for the poses I list below.

Downward-facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

• Spread student's fingers wide, middle finger pointing ahead
• Hold hand still, pull up on forearm
• Place your hands in a butterfly shape on student's lower back/above hips and push upward, buttocks move up toward ceiling
• Standing at their head, interlace your hands with arms around student's hips/bum, pull up (not a good/steady position for me)
  
• Wrap arms under belly and pull up (another assist difficult for me)
• Standing at back of student, cross arms in between upper thighs, grasp student's thighs and pull up
• Go into handstand and place ball of feet on lower back/pelvis, pushing up
• Stand in front, place hands under the shoulders, your chest on their lower back (avoid sniffing their bum) and pull shoulders up
  

Triangle (Utthita Trikonasana)

• Look at toe-hold. make sure student is not using the thumb as support in posture. tumb should be wrapped under to connect with fingers under toe
• Look at heels, make sure pointed back, esp rear heel.
• On back side of student, press your hip into students lower hip, then press your hands down on student's upper hip to strengthen back leg into ground.
• On back side of student. press hip into the student's lower shoulder while pushing hand into upper shoulder and pull on upper extended arm

Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana)

• Look at student's back. Many will have rounded back, the ascrum straight or tilted back slightly. For these students, press your toes into theirlower back, just above sacrum, and push up. Their boddy should begin to move forwrad more
• If a student is more flexible, can reach toes, their back may be more flat. You can help dthem spread more by pushing on shoulder and reaching under hp to "spread" hip more. Do on both sides.
• Find the natural "hump" of their back, and place your hands in a butterfly just below this, push slightly forward and down.

"Unilateral" seated poses--term we discussed as being the 9 poses with one leg straight or in lotus while other folds in various ways around us. Kathy said if anyone does half-bound lotus postures, it is wise not to try and adjust them or ad undue pressure on this for fear of injuring the knee.

Janu Sirsasana A, maybe B, but generally don't touch those in C

• Like a forward bend, spread hands in butterfly below hump in back, press down and forward
  
• Place your same foot in front of their shin. Please hands on back like above, then pull your leg back until the calf catches their shin. Hands push on back as above.
• May try "spreading" bum as in forward bend above.

Trianga Mukhaikapada Pachimottanasana

• Like a forward bend, spread hands in butterfly below hump in back, press down and forward
• Use on hand on back, press forward, push other hand down on lower back or hip, attempting to ground the hip that seems to rise off of the floor.
• Press both hands into hips of student, pushing their hips into the ground

Kurmasana: again, press hands into back to help those NOT struggling with the pose.

Supta Kurmasana: help students "reach" for their hands. Sometimes it's their skin on skin keeping them from realizing a better posture, so swoop muscle and skin way from point of friction helps. Give them their towel or a strap to grasp and pull.

I raised a question, coming back to Kathy's comments about someone with flat feet. We noticed that her natural alignment of calves above ankle were shifted in. I know this intimately as I have the same problem. I am an overpronator when I run. When I stand straight and my knees are aligned my feet naturally splay outward like a duck. To correct this and have my feet parallel, my knees must point slightly inward. When I am in warrior or side angle lunges, my back foot tends to want to roll inward to where my leg naturally connects with my foot. This means my outer foot edge pad is not engaged and lifts. Kathy said try to remember that tadpoles need to get under your feet, so think about raising the arch to let them in.

Mantra
We ended today's class with the mantra "The jewel/emerald of consciousness is in the heart's lotus" repeated about 30 times:
Om Mani Padma Hum

Boot Camp Yoga

This morning was our last boot camp class for the first summer session. Stacey let me lead the group through power yoga, but I called it "boot camp" yoga since I added elements of things they have been doing already. I was not nervous! I've been preparing for this for a few weeks, and the last two days of YVT training has helped. Stacey said I did a good job and I have a good voice for teaching: strong and soothing. She is still interested in having me take over some of her Saturday classes. I will do so once my weekends are not so busy.

After explaining posture, breath and bandhas, here is the list of asanas/exercises that I did with vinyasa between as indicated by a (v):

1. Seated breathing exercise with arms (I made up)
   
2. 3 Sun salute A
3. Up/Down dog push-ups (v)
   
4. Forward bend, relax neck(v)
5. Fierce, high and low (v)
6. "Ski jumps" to top of foot, then around each hand (v)
7. Warrior 1, 2, triangle (v)
8. Lunge, lunge w/pulse
9. Forward fold with hands intertwined
10. Lunge low, knee on ground (hip flexor stretch) (v)
11. Sitting forward bend, janu sirasana (v)
12. Mariachasana D (modified) (v)
13. 3 Bow poses (v)
14. Wide legged, butterfly (v)
15. Pidgeon (v)
16. Camel (v)
17. Lying knee twist
18. Savasana
    

Biorhythms

I read a piece on yantra yoga, or the study of mathematics, geometry and symbols in yoga. I do not know a lot about it, but one item caught my attention: biorhythms. Someone did a biorhythm chart of me a long time ago and I was intrigued enough to look it up on the internet again. A biorhythm chart illustrates the principle that we are influenced by physical, emotional, and intellectual cycles. I have attached mine here because it was very interesting that I'm struggling physically in yoga the last few days, and my physical curve (red) is at its lowest point.

Intensive summer training - Day Two

Today's class began with chanting the morning prayer to our hands.
Karagre vasate Lakshmi
Karamule Sarasvathi
Karamadhye tu Govindah
Prabahate Karadarshanam

Followed by more asanas! This time Kathy showed us some techniques that were not in primary series; techniques I have seen her do in her vinyasa classes or ski/ride clinic. They were things I want to do with the power yoga class that I am teaching at Monday's boot camp. Here are some explanations:

• Jumping feet around each hand from down-dog
• Jumping to tops of feet from down-dog
• Alternate one of each of the above
• Lunging low with back heel up
• Lunging low, back knee on floor (good hip flexor stretch!)
• Lunge back, front leg makes square with floor, try to pull shoulders and head under and through "square"
  
• Straighten front leg, bend down
• Lay on back, splits
  
• Lay on back, bring knee to floor
• Bow pose with hands around ankle outside
• Bow pose with hands around ankle inside
• Bow pose with hand around opposite ankle
  

After we did these, Kathy gave us an assignment to find 5-10 postures that we REALLY enjoy doing and practice them in sequence over the next few months. My favorite poses are:

1. Downward-facing dog
2. Upward-facing dog
3. Forward bed standing
4. Forward bed sitting
5. Triangle
6. Mariachanasana B
7. Mariachanasana D
8. Backbend
9. Plow
10. Scorpion pose (Forearm stand)

Today I noticed my left nostril dominant most of the day. Although I did not think I was tired, I certainly had a hard time with physical practice today. I just want to rest.

Kathy talked about vinyasa versus flow and what they mean to different classes. She also suggested that we look up Babahari Das.

Then we did one posture 5-10 different ways. Kathy explained to let gravity pull us into the poses from different angles. I did a forward bend while

• Sitting
• Standing
• On back (plow)
• On my right side
• On my left side
• Balancing on buttocks
• Attempted to do from headstand, but my legs were too long, so the toes stayed on floor

We broke into groups to discuss one of each of the following topics:

1. Balancing the care of others with the care of our self in a chaotic world (my group)
2. Kriyas
3. Things important for yoga teachers to remember
4. Nutrition and yoga
5. Near-death experiences
6. Yoga and Sport
7. Savasana relaxation techniques

Kathy posed the following questions that a student may ask to discuss in our groups about how we would answer. There were no wrong answers, just good discussion.

1. "My right hamstring really hurts. Should I back off practicing on my left?"
2. "Should I practice early in the morning or late at night?"
3. "Can my dog come in and lay in the corner while I practice?"
4. "Should I go to India?"
5. "Will doing yoga help my menstrual cramps?"
6. "Where should I be looking in down-dog?"

We paired up with a partner and did the Savasana relaxations techniques on each other. May I just say this felt REALLY good! We'll be doing more of these.

Last, we finished class with some pranayama and OM.

Intensive summer training - Day One

Today marks the first of seven days of intensive yoga training. At the beginning of class, Kathy told us to come up with five foods we can eat that won't upset our stomach during yoga practice. Here is my list:

1. Oatmeal
2. Granola bar
3. Bread or toast
4. Serving of fruit (ie Banana)
5. Crackers
   

We started the day with asana practice going in depth on suryanamaskar A and B, then all standing poses. After, we broke into groups and each took turns "teaching" suryanamaskars and standing poses. In my group, I explained that I have been invited to teach a power yoga session at boot camp. One of the women gave me some idea since she worked with some people that do Iron Man challenges. I talked through my first suryanamaskar outloud. It's different when you get out of your head and into the mouth. :) After which, we broke for lunch.

During lunch, A group of us discussed "things" and items that we have and getting rid of things we don't use. Kathy relayed her day when she got her family to find 100 things that they could get rid of, and trash did not count. I listened while I purused more book. Found out that I really want Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy by Gregor Maehle.

After lunch we listed 25 things we do in our lives that is yoga, with the thought: "yoga is the cessation of the fluxuations of the mind" as our guide.

1. Sleep
2. Give son a hug or kiss
3. Cuddle with husband
4. Zone out on a fire
5. Watch clouds in the sky
6. Listen to a waterfall
7. Watch waves crash on a beach
8. Listen to waves crash on a beach
9. Feel a breeze on my face
10. Listen to an instrument (ie flute, violin)
11. Lay on a couch with sleeping child
12. Get a massage
13. Practice asanas
14. Rock in a chair
15. Do a crossword puzzle
16. Meditate on an object
17. Float in the water
18. Practice pranayama
19. Sing or hum a tune
20. Chant OM
21. Listen to others breathing
22. Write in my bolg
23. Follow a recipe

We described these actions in 5 or more words:

My words: Quiet, calm, peace, happiness, clarity, relaxing, "mantra", gentle

Others' words I liked: Present, connected, centered, balanaced, rhythmic, absorbed

Then we listed 10 things we can do to keep our mind available in a "present state":

1. Focus on an object or point on wall
2. Force self to use mind's eye and visualize an object
3. Focus on a flame
4. Visualize flame from memory
5. Listen to and focus on breath
6. Do simple tasks
7. Narrarate your actions
8. Focus on keeping mula bandha
9. Self-guided relaxation head to toe
10. Pranayama

We discussed these in groups and with the rest of class. I had an epiphany while talking to Maggie from New Jersy. She is a math professor and has beem teaching yoga for several years. She said that doing math centers her and keeps her inpresent. We discussed this, and another student said that would be something painful for her, but writing would be her centering activity. I thought again about the saying "yoga is the cessation of the fluxuations of the mind" and the fact Maggie was doing math to still her mind, yet she was USING her mind. All this time I was thining of ways to clear the mind of NO thought. What I did not think about was that we don't need to do that, but be aware of the thoughts that ARE there and listen to one at a time. Doing an activity that keeps the mind busy IS yoga as long as we are focused on that action and being mindful of it. We are stilling the FLUXUATIONS, not the mind.

Homework assignments Kathy gave us for the week are to recognize the states of conciousness and reflect on them. She particularly said we should recognize when:

1. we felt completely free
2. we recognize something that made us think it is summer
3. we have a connection with someong, we shared a concept and total understanding with little debate.
4. we fall into a meditative state for anything
5. we had a total surprise and it put us in a good state
6. we recognize then you are stressed
7. have to exercise/create tapas to get to a pure mental state
8. you have caught yourself in a loop on a particular thought (ie. "don't forget to..." feed the cat, get gas)
9. you have found yourself in a useless loop of thought and have to work to clear it

These thoughts are to help us Appreciate our Minds. She said that one things we do with our students is help them come to the present during their yoga practice. Keep them so busy on practice that they can do nothing except be present.

Then Kathy told us to list (and then we practiced them) 25 ways to turn upside down.

1. Have someone flip you over
2. Have a machine flip you over
3. Swim down to bottom of pool
4. Handstand
5. Headstand
6. Shoulderstand
7. Forearm stand
8. Legs up on a wall
9. Handstand scorpion
10. Headstand scorpion
11. Shoulderstand scorpion
12. Forearm stand scorpion
13. Splits in Handstand
14. Splits in Headstand
15. Splits in Shoulderstand
16. Splits in Forearm stand
17. Widelegged Legs up on a wall
18. Legs in lotus or crossed in Handstand
19. Legs in lotus or crossed in Headstand
20. Legs in lotus or crossed in Shoulderstand
21. Legs in lotus or crossed in Forearm stand
22. Legs bent at knees in Handstand
23. Legs bent at knees in Headstand
24. Legs bent at knees in Shoulderstand
25. Legs bent at knees in Forearm stand

We ended practice defining the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga.

Books arrived!

I ordered Yoga Mala, Itsy Bitsy for Preschoolers and the Heart of Yoga last Saturday. They came today! YAY!

Fun with photos

Took a picture of my son doing Janu Sirasana.
Then added a little Photoshop to it. :)

Carbon Footprint

Studying yoga has allowed me to be more in tune to how my life and actions effect my environment and the Earth. One term that I'm examining more frequently is Carbon Footprint. I wanted to add some information about it here.

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc. The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent.

A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint (a measure of our direct emissions of which we have personal control of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation) and the secondary footprint (indirect CO2 emissions from the whole life cycle of products we use–those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown: the more we buy, the more emissions will be caused on our behalf.)

We can use any online calculator to find out our personal carbon footprint. I used this one from the Nature Conservatory to find that my four-person household uses 57 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per year, which is below the U.S. national average (0f 110).

No Yoga tonight :(

Hubby could not come home on time tonight so I missed yoga class at the studio. No biggie. I have seven days of Yoga upcoming. I'll catch up. Plus, I am finding myself doing more yoga stretches just for the heck of it during the day. It's slowly becoming a part of my lifestyle.

Power Yoga

I did a Google search on on "power yoga". First four entries--in order--were Bryan Kest's Power Yoga, "what is power yoga" on About.com, Baptiste Power Yoga Institute, and The Hard & The Soft Yoga Intitute (Beryl Bender Birch). Most of them credit Ashtanga yoga as the style that gave "birth" to power yoga. From About.com: "The term 'power yoga' came into common usage in the mid 1990s, when several yoga teachers were looking for a way to make Ashtanga yoga more accessible to western students. Unlike Ashtanga, power yoga does not follow a set series of poses. Therefore, any power yoga class can vary widely from the next. What they have in common is an emphasis on strength and flexibility. The advent of power yoga heralded yoga's current popularity, as people began to see yoga as a way to work out. Power yoga brought yoga into the gyms of America."

Both Bryan and Beryl have formal Ashtanga training from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Baptiste has an exclusive power yoga, like Bikram Yoga, that only he can certify teachers to teach it.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

I found a full online text version of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. I saved it to PDF and will try to take time to read before teacher training next week. Also, I found some "teasers"of the Bhagavad Gita, Gheranda Samhita, and the Shiva Samhita online.

Yoga with friend

My friend came over this evening to practice yoga with me. I recently found out she is interested in it. We did asanas for about an hour and then we talked about yoga. I think I overwhelmed her with info as we talked about some history of yoga that I know and gave her a list of recommended reading. I like having someone to talk to about it.