I’m seeing the light at the end of the long depression tunnel. After a month of what a friend of mine called “boycotting” yoga, I am finally back to practicing regularly again. Special thanks to WoYoPracMo (World Yoga Practice Month) for the community, support, and inspiration.
December 30th Downward Dog Yoga Studio. Ashtanga Level 2 class.
Now that I have moved I have to find new studios to host my practice. This night, I went to the It felt amazing to be doing yoga again, to be in a class, and to share in the om shanti shanti shanti at the end of the class. I am learning that I am very particular with what kinds of yoga teachers I find most helpful. Personally, I dislike when teachers treat the class like a purely physical experience, and focus all energies on that aspect. I found the teacher in this class lacking in passion, and enthusiasm for the yoga. One thing that was helpful however, was the reminder to lower my shoulders from my ears in various poses.I also noticed that it was harder to find my zen in a new studio. I was distracted by the (beautiful, and very Buddhist) decor, and the new faces.
Friday January 4th: 7:30pm class. Ashtanga Level 2 Downward Dog Yoga Studio.
I learned that Tandasana is also called Samasthiti. I had never heard it called Samasthiti before. And the teacher explained that the word Samasthiti means “equal standing”. Also we used blocks alot and did some movements from the primary series- which are new new me. Blocks usually irritate me, because I think you shouldnt need props or something- but this time they were useful, and I saw them as a tool. Also we spent the first part of the class in the mountain pose (or samasthiti or tandasana). I love when teachers take a simple pose and break it down- reminding you to have every part of your body active, and taking the parts of your body, and the muslces in your body one by one. (cross posted from my woyopracmo page)
Sunday January 6th- Moksha Yoga Studio (Richmond Hill) 4pm. Ashtanga Level 1.
I am amazed at the capacity for my body to slip back into yoga like it never left. I was disappointed because I thought my favourite teacher Dave was teaching the class, but he was sick. The replacement teacher was also good, but again I didn’t find he incorporated anything other than the physical into the experience of his class. This is lacking in many classes, and I have come to really appreciate teachers who take it a level deeper. An interesting thing happened at the end of the class when the teacher encouraged us to do any inversion that pleases us. I asked him (in a whisper as he walked by) if a headstand is an inversion- and he replied something like, “Well, actually I’d prefer you don’t because other people will copy you and then it will be like dominoes in here.” I thought that was an interesting approach as a teacher- to prevent a student from following her body and doing what she felt was needed, as a protection against the class becoming unruly. I find it frustrating that the yoga classes I go to never seem to spend any time on headstands. I am trying to get to a forearm stand, and further a hand stand- and practicing in the studio, when my body is hot and ready would be very helpful.
It isn’t that I am not challenged in the classes I go to- I am- but I wish more time was spent on learning more challenging poses and from the some of the six ashtanga series. I guess I will have to resort to a book or video.Any recommendations anyone?
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