Today was my first "Creative Kids" Yoga class at Evolution Yoga. I am excited, nervous, happy, thrilled.
I am learning much about using the space, the music, the heat of the room, and mostly: the kids. 3- and 4-year-olds, happy and eager to play and do yoga.
I have a lot to learn about the songs. Evolution likes to keep some similar themes and flow so families know what to expect from each class. The Director has some songs she likes and they work, but it's all new to me so I'm learning quickly.
Every week I want to have a theme. This week I had an "Apples" theme. We began class with introductions and a song that uses each child's name. I asked them their favorite fruit. After that I taught them the sun salutation song that Evolution uses.
We did some exploring of the yoga mats, stretching. Then I dove into the theme. We did pretend play, like we were picking apples in an orchard. We squished them to make applesauce. Then we were animals in an orchard.
Evolution uses a Mystery Box with something inside to surprise the kids. I used some felt hearts this week. They stick nicely to the body and they can use them to rest with.
I closed the class out with a goodbye song. Then we give out stamps.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
August West/iNspired Yoga
Went to August West festival at Jay Peak this weekend. My friend, and follow yogi, Casey, has opened a studio, so I participated in some of her events promoting iNspired Yoga Studio.
My son did a short kids yoga workshop on the grass with her.
And then we did some headstands for 108 seconds. Lot of fun!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Ashtanga Teacher Training complete!
I'm "certified"! :) 40 hours of bliss. I can't wait to use it.
Highlight of the week? The boys came to meet David and Shelley. He was wonderful with answering D's questions.
David helped D into a couple of poses, including his favorite vasthistasana.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ashtanga Teacher Training continues
Some more thoughts on the Ashtanga teacher training.
Every day we work through each pose: correct entry, correct breath, correct exit, adjustments.
Adjustments can be vocal, tactile, breath, visual. When looking at students, the key in adjustments is to adjust for dangerous positions first, tension in the body second, and last adjust for aesthetics.
Some adjustments are minor--just touch a spot gently to bring focus into that student's area. For instance, an outer side of the foot...swipe, like a credit card, under the foot, and say "press here". Sometimes, just walking by a student, breathing your ujjayi breath audibly can give them adjustment.
Other adjustments may be more involved--placing hands and hips on the student to move their lines of energy. Every day David says "think of the lines of energy in the pose."Opposing forces, lifting, lengthening, in both directions the body is moving while staying "still" in a pose. Six directions of these lines: up/down, left/right, forward/backward.
Adjustments: 0-10 rule
0 = no touch
10 = 100% of your force
Effort in pose "rule of thumb": Apply 85-90% effort in a pose.
This reduces strain and risk of over stretching. Allow the breath to relax the pose deeper.
Every day we work through each pose: correct entry, correct breath, correct exit, adjustments.
Adjustments can be vocal, tactile, breath, visual. When looking at students, the key in adjustments is to adjust for dangerous positions first, tension in the body second, and last adjust for aesthetics.
Some adjustments are minor--just touch a spot gently to bring focus into that student's area. For instance, an outer side of the foot...swipe, like a credit card, under the foot, and say "press here". Sometimes, just walking by a student, breathing your ujjayi breath audibly can give them adjustment.
Other adjustments may be more involved--placing hands and hips on the student to move their lines of energy. Every day David says "think of the lines of energy in the pose."Opposing forces, lifting, lengthening, in both directions the body is moving while staying "still" in a pose. Six directions of these lines: up/down, left/right, forward/backward.
Adjustments: 0-10 rule
0 = no touch
10 = 100% of your force
Effort in pose "rule of thumb": Apply 85-90% effort in a pose.
This reduces strain and risk of over stretching. Allow the breath to relax the pose deeper.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Ashtanaga Teacher Training: random thoughts
Shelley and David emphasized something today I wanted to remember. The whole Ashtanga system has been developed so that each thing you do, each pose, helps your body prepare for the next pose. It's not one individual pose. It is pose by pose, layer by layer, we build from our foundation the structure of our practice. A structure that forms no ceiling if we allow ourselves to be open to the possibility that we can always gain new knowledge or insight, and experience new growth.
Ashtanga is a specialized sequencing of postures and focused breathing techniques. It becomes moving meditation to those that practice regularly. Primary Series is "Yoga Chikitsa" or yoga therapy. It's intention is a healing process to cleanse and tone the body, mind and senses with many forwrad-bending postures. The Intermediate Series is "Nadi Shodana" or nerve cleansing. It introduces the back-bending postures and twisting postures that encourage our spines to stay flexible, supple and healthy.
Ashtanga is a specialized sequencing of postures and focused breathing techniques. It becomes moving meditation to those that practice regularly. Primary Series is "Yoga Chikitsa" or yoga therapy. It's intention is a healing process to cleanse and tone the body, mind and senses with many forwrad-bending postures. The Intermediate Series is "Nadi Shodana" or nerve cleansing. It introduces the back-bending postures and twisting postures that encourage our spines to stay flexible, supple and healthy.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Ashtanga teacher training begins
Today began my 40-hour intensive Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson. We did 45 suryanamaskar A....each person led the class through one.
The biggest take away from today: breath. As you teach, count the breath out loud (say the number after the EXHALE), make sure you leave time for a full breath, and keep the breath pace (don't teach to your student's breath, keep your cadence steady for the class). And remind students that no matter what you do in your practice, keep the breath flowing evenly and deeply, even if you can't do a pose. Ashtanga strongly emphasizes the continuum of breath and movement: vinyasa.
Another thing David told us about that I found interesting was a Surya Namaskar modification: use the wall. He had a student once with extremely weak wrists so he led her to a wall. Begin your surya, and when you lift to jump back, place hands on a wall. Chaturanga to the wall, up-dog, down-dog. 5 breaths. Finish to standing.
The biggest take away from today: breath. As you teach, count the breath out loud (say the number after the EXHALE), make sure you leave time for a full breath, and keep the breath pace (don't teach to your student's breath, keep your cadence steady for the class). And remind students that no matter what you do in your practice, keep the breath flowing evenly and deeply, even if you can't do a pose. Ashtanga strongly emphasizes the continuum of breath and movement: vinyasa.
Another thing David told us about that I found interesting was a Surya Namaskar modification: use the wall. He had a student once with extremely weak wrists so he led her to a wall. Begin your surya, and when you lift to jump back, place hands on a wall. Chaturanga to the wall, up-dog, down-dog. 5 breaths. Finish to standing.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Kids Yoga
I have been interested in doing yoga for kids for a long time, since I began the teacher training.
Today, I have been given an opportunity to teach kids yoga! Starting in September, I will join a new yoga studio, Evolution Yoga. Fridays at 10:45am I will teach kids.
This. Is. Exciting!!
Today, I have been given an opportunity to teach kids yoga! Starting in September, I will join a new yoga studio, Evolution Yoga. Fridays at 10:45am I will teach kids.
This. Is. Exciting!!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Another class!
Today I have been granted another class at The Edge! Starting next Tuesday, I will teach another Gentle Yoga class at Eastwood Terrace.
Yay me!
Yay me!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
To Chant, or Not To Chant?
I decided early in my "career" for teaching yoga that I would chant at the end of class. It was a decision not taken lightly. I understand that some students do not want to invoke the spirit of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, and I am not Hindu. So why chant in sanskrit?
I am trained in Ashtanga. In most Ashtanga classes there is an opening and closing chant. I enjoy the sound of the closing chant. I also enjoy the sound of OM. I think that OM bring a purity to the end of class, something that lingers in people's minds as they exit the class.
But I also chant in sanskrit to remember the roots of yoga I feel that through chanting in sanskrit, I express my gratitude to the yogis who passed their wisdom and knowledge down over generations, yogis who chanted the same words time and time again.
Being in a health club or other non-yoga studio setting, it is not as comfortable to chant. Many chants are religious in nature. But through the words I strive not to invoke the words of Gods, but the words of history passed down, and a feeling of knowing there is something beyond my physical self, just waiting to be discovered.
As I chant, I smile. I invoke peace and happiness. I hope my students feel it.
I am trained in Ashtanga. In most Ashtanga classes there is an opening and closing chant. I enjoy the sound of the closing chant. I also enjoy the sound of OM. I think that OM bring a purity to the end of class, something that lingers in people's minds as they exit the class.
But I also chant in sanskrit to remember the roots of yoga I feel that through chanting in sanskrit, I express my gratitude to the yogis who passed their wisdom and knowledge down over generations, yogis who chanted the same words time and time again.
Being in a health club or other non-yoga studio setting, it is not as comfortable to chant. Many chants are religious in nature. But through the words I strive not to invoke the words of Gods, but the words of history passed down, and a feeling of knowing there is something beyond my physical self, just waiting to be discovered.
As I chant, I smile. I invoke peace and happiness. I hope my students feel it.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Easy does It
Subbing for Sylvia this summer. Today I subbed her gentle and Easy Does It classes. I forgot how I need to make it really easy for the EDI class. But using the chair, props and lots of slow stretches I almost ran out of time. Feels good to be so involved in yoga.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Junior Yogis at Project Inside Out
Last week, I volunteered at Porters Point Project Inside Out to lead a yoga workshop for four days. In each workshop with eight children, I had to fill up about 4 hours of time. Although we were in a tent, it was still hot on some days, and stormy on others. So needless to say, flexibility was KEY. Kids can't just do poses for four hours. Attention span, physical endurance, behavior issues all came into play. I have developed a bag of tricks I'd like to share with you all.
Each child had a yoga mat, and I started off with some basic warm ups not just to limber up, but to remind them of their "personal space". With arms and legs spread, we swept our arms around in an imaginary bubble. If two "bubbles" touched, the kids rearranged to make sure they had enough space.
We then began to go through poses. I have read many different kids' yoga books to come up with 36 poses that can all be named after animals or objects. The reason I did this is because I have a bag of little plastic animals and shapes that the kids use to learn from. They closes their eyes, reach into the bag, draw one out, then we learn that pose. Those animals are also good for Savasana breathing at the end: I place one animal on each child's chest and have them watch the animal rise and fall with their breath.
We did modified Sun Salutations. We did handstands using the baseball backstop. We did partner poses. We also did the three Warrior poses in a series I call "Flight of the Arrow" (I changed the names to "Archer" poses). We start in Warrior 2, "put your hands together in front, and draw back your bow". Then we "make the arrow" by putting our arms up into Warrior 1. "Place the arrow in the bow" (bend forward with arms parallel to ground, bent over knee) 
"then let the arrow fly!" by bringing the back leg up into Warrior 3.
One thing that amazed me was the fact that almost every child could do Crow by the end of the workshop. And it was, by far, the most favored pose. As I said, poses are physically demanding, and frustrating for some children who are still learning balance and coordination. That is where some hands on stuff comes in!
The first activity we did was to review the poses using marshmallows and toothpicks. One large marshmallow, 6 mini marshmallows, and 9 toothpicks. After we assembled, the kids arranged the figure into yoga poses that they learned. The best part, of course, was eating the marshmallows at the end!
The second activity was coloring mandalas. I bought the stained-glass mandala coloring book by Dover publishing. Using markers, the kids had some quiet time coloring their mandalas to take home.
Other things I did was teaching them about breathing, placing their hands on their chest to feel their heart, ribs, belly and how they move while breathing. I also made up a story with words that were the yoga poses they learned. As I said each yoga pose word, they were to show me that pose. I.e. "Then the EAGLE landed on the TREE."
This is one of the most rewarding yoga workshops I have been, and probably will ever be, a part of.
Each child had a yoga mat, and I started off with some basic warm ups not just to limber up, but to remind them of their "personal space". With arms and legs spread, we swept our arms around in an imaginary bubble. If two "bubbles" touched, the kids rearranged to make sure they had enough space.
We then began to go through poses. I have read many different kids' yoga books to come up with 36 poses that can all be named after animals or objects. The reason I did this is because I have a bag of little plastic animals and shapes that the kids use to learn from. They closes their eyes, reach into the bag, draw one out, then we learn that pose. Those animals are also good for Savasana breathing at the end: I place one animal on each child's chest and have them watch the animal rise and fall with their breath.
We did modified Sun Salutations. We did handstands using the baseball backstop. We did partner poses. We also did the three Warrior poses in a series I call "Flight of the Arrow" (I changed the names to "Archer" poses). We start in Warrior 2, "put your hands together in front, and draw back your bow". Then we "make the arrow" by putting our arms up into Warrior 1. "Place the arrow in the bow" (bend forward with arms parallel to ground, bent over knee) 
"then let the arrow fly!" by bringing the back leg up into Warrior 3.One thing that amazed me was the fact that almost every child could do Crow by the end of the workshop. And it was, by far, the most favored pose. As I said, poses are physically demanding, and frustrating for some children who are still learning balance and coordination. That is where some hands on stuff comes in!
The first activity we did was to review the poses using marshmallows and toothpicks. One large marshmallow, 6 mini marshmallows, and 9 toothpicks. After we assembled, the kids arranged the figure into yoga poses that they learned. The best part, of course, was eating the marshmallows at the end!
The second activity was coloring mandalas. I bought the stained-glass mandala coloring book by Dover publishing. Using markers, the kids had some quiet time coloring their mandalas to take home.Other things I did was teaching them about breathing, placing their hands on their chest to feel their heart, ribs, belly and how they move while breathing. I also made up a story with words that were the yoga poses they learned. As I said each yoga pose word, they were to show me that pose. I.e. "Then the EAGLE landed on the TREE."
This is one of the most rewarding yoga workshops I have been, and probably will ever be, a part of.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Brahmaviharas
Treat those who are happy with friendliness
Treat those who are unhappy with compassion
Treat those who are virtuous with supreme joy
Treat those who are wicked with indifference
About a year ago, I was in class and Kathy mentioned these Buddhist "sublime attitudes". I wrote some of it down, then went home to Google it (completely missing the fact that they were in my Yoga Sutras!). I found nothing, punching in terms that were delivering other results. I decided to come back to it again later.
And, as life does, it came back to me at a time I needed it most. Dealing with frustration, trying hard to control and detach from emotion...it was hard to breathe! And there they were. Like a key to finding peace of mind. I read them over and over thinking, how can I remember these in the future? So, I thought I would share them with you all.
In Buddhism, this is the Brahmaviharas: the Four Immeasureables. It is discussed in Yoga Sutra 1.33: "In relationships, the mind becomes purified by cultivating feelings of friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion for those who are suffering, goodwill towards those who are virtuous, and indifference or neutrality towards those we perceive as wicked or evil."(maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha duhka punya apunya vishayanam bhavanatah chitta prasadanam)
To break the sanskrit down, I found this direct translation:
Treat those who are unhappy with compassion
Treat those who are virtuous with supreme joy
Treat those who are wicked with indifference
About a year ago, I was in class and Kathy mentioned these Buddhist "sublime attitudes". I wrote some of it down, then went home to Google it (completely missing the fact that they were in my Yoga Sutras!). I found nothing, punching in terms that were delivering other results. I decided to come back to it again later.
And, as life does, it came back to me at a time I needed it most. Dealing with frustration, trying hard to control and detach from emotion...it was hard to breathe! And there they were. Like a key to finding peace of mind. I read them over and over thinking, how can I remember these in the future? So, I thought I would share them with you all.
In Buddhism, this is the Brahmaviharas: the Four Immeasureables. It is discussed in Yoga Sutra 1.33: "In relationships, the mind becomes purified by cultivating feelings of friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion for those who are suffering, goodwill towards those who are virtuous, and indifference or neutrality towards those we perceive as wicked or evil."(maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha duhka punya apunya vishayanam bhavanatah chitta prasadanam)
To break the sanskrit down, I found this direct translation:
- maitri = friendliness, pleasantness, lovingness
- karuna = compassion, mercy
- mudita = gladness, goodwill
- upekshanam = acceptance, equanimity, indifference, disregard, neutrality
- sukha = happy, comfortable, joyous
- duhka = pain, misery, suffering, sorrow
- punya = virtuous, meritorious, benevolent
- apunya = non-virtuous, vice, bad, wicked, evil, bad, demerit, non-meritorious,
- vishayanam = regarding those subjects, in relation to those objects
- bhavanatah = by cultivating habits, by constant reflection, developing attitude, cultivating, impressing on oneself
- chitta = mind field, consciousness
- prasadanam = purified, clear, serene, pleasant, pacified, undisturbed, peaceful, calm
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Daily Resolution
I will go about this day with an open heart and a compassionate mind. If I falter, I will not depreciate myself, but simply start over again tomorrow.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Reset
The last five months has been a roller coaster. I got on the ride, though, barely had time to buckle up. But I'm hanging on, and throwing my hands up when the movement hits me on the high side. I resolve to refocus on my yoga. And blog it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
