Now on Facebook! Jaycie Puttlitz, RYT, CCLYI.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Setback...
So this week I lost two yoga classes.
My Tuesday gentle class I handed over to another teacher so I could have more time with the kids. But then I got a call from Evolution tonight that there were not enough kids signing up for my class to run it. I was strangely depressed. I was looking forward to the little kids once a week.
My Tuesday gentle class I handed over to another teacher so I could have more time with the kids. But then I got a call from Evolution tonight that there were not enough kids signing up for my class to run it. I was strangely depressed. I was looking forward to the little kids once a week.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Monday, October 24, 2011
ChildLight Yoga Training
This weekend I participated in the ChildLight Yoga kids yoga teacher training at Evolution. Lisa Flynn and Sharon Tull instructed, mostly Sharon.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Kids Yoga week 3
Another week of Kids Yoga...and the Director was right. Week 3 they begin to test you!
I brought the drums out at the beginning today. Not the best idea! They were wild the rest of class. I have two boys that know each other well, so they spend much of their time running after each other. And today one mom brought both kids, so she was trying her best to be "good cop" to both of them.
It began to settle out when I brought the scarves out in the mystery box. I found two songs related to scarves to use. And to encourage the boys to return back to the circle, I challenged them to "paint" their mats with the scarves.
My Scarf Goes (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
My scarf goes up, my scarf goes down, and then my scarf goes around, around, around.
My scarf goes in, my scarf comes out, and then my scarf likes to fly all about.
Scarfkin (Tune: where is Thumbkin?)
Where is Sadie, where is Sadie? [child hides under scarf] There she is! There she is! [pull scarf off]
Hello Miss Sadie, hello Miss Sadie. Hide again, hide again
I brought the drums out at the beginning today. Not the best idea! They were wild the rest of class. I have two boys that know each other well, so they spend much of their time running after each other. And today one mom brought both kids, so she was trying her best to be "good cop" to both of them.
It began to settle out when I brought the scarves out in the mystery box. I found two songs related to scarves to use. And to encourage the boys to return back to the circle, I challenged them to "paint" their mats with the scarves.
My Scarf Goes (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
My scarf goes up, my scarf goes down, and then my scarf goes around, around, around.
My scarf goes in, my scarf comes out, and then my scarf likes to fly all about.
Scarfkin (Tune: where is Thumbkin?)
Where is Sadie, where is Sadie? [child hides under scarf] There she is! There she is! [pull scarf off]
Hello Miss Sadie, hello Miss Sadie. Hide again, hide again
Friday, September 23, 2011
Kids Yoga Week 2
I am quickly developing a lesson plan for the kids classes. We open with a greeting song, introduce the theme, do the Sun Salutation song, then some creative movement/pretend play with the poses. The Mystery Box always comes out, then transition to resting and finally goodbyes.
This week the theme was insects. I drew upon a song I learned in Four Winds this month.
Sung to "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Lyrics:
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen.
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen.
Two antennae, wings and six wiggly legs,
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen!
I got some wooden insects for them to use and we pretended we were insects in a garden of trees and flowers (parents).
It was fun, but the insect part was way over their heads. Ah well.
This week the theme was insects. I drew upon a song I learned in Four Winds this month.
Sung to "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Lyrics:
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen.
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen.
Two antennae, wings and six wiggly legs,
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen!
I got some wooden insects for them to use and we pretended we were insects in a garden of trees and flowers (parents).
It was fun, but the insect part was way over their heads. Ah well.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Kids Yoga begins!
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.
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.
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.
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