Yoga Yoga Hatha Teacher Training

My day of yoga started at 10:30 am at Jenn W's Hatha Flow class. This
was my first time to her class. I have been wanting to go to her class
for a long time because I noticed that a lot of teachers go to her
class, including Sanieh. Her class typically gets full. I had
attempted to go a few months ago, but I was turned away and ended up
going to a prenatal class instead.

Jenn's class consisted of 3 flows, nadi shodana pranayama practice,
bridge or full wheel pose, twists, and savasana. I found it
interesting that pranayama was done two thirds of the way in. I
enjoyed the class and sweated!

Then from 12 to 6, I had teacher training. In addition to asana
clinic, we were given an introduction and class on yoga nidra. It was
a totally different experience, but very relaxing for me.

Tomorrow is another full day!

Personal Practice Day 19

Today's practice was in Sanieh's Friday Noon class at Yoga Yoga.

I've learned that a great way to open up the shoulders is to be in Warrior I, fold forward and interlace the fingers. A good thing to do before shoulder balancing postures.

We went into Urdhva Dhanurasana. She offered a pretty advanced and technical flow that went from a one handed purvottanasana, pivoting the foot and landing the other hand down into urdhva dhanurasana, then lifting the other hand and pivoting the other foot to go into the other hand's purvottanasana.

It was hard, so I wasn't able to flow. I just did the one sided purvottanasana, which was a very nice stretch!

Personal Practice Day 18

This is my yoga mat that lives in my bedroom. Most mornings I roll out
of bed and land here for my morning wake up. Who needs coffee when you
have yoga? Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a latte, but I don't need
it.

Thursday's practice is typically at my bellydance class where I use
yoga as a way to strengthen and stretch the body before we get into
the technical stuff. However, I've decided I need to do my own
practice now in the mornings.

Personal Practice Day 17

After a cold freezing night, we found ice all over the cars in the
morning. So we stayed home for an hour in the morning hoping the
morning sun will melt the ice. I made some chai and did my personal
practice which was based on what we did in Sanieh's class last night.
I did prep as much so I wasn't able to stay in flying crow or extend
the back leg. It was fun nevertheless!

Personal Practice Day 16

Today's personal practice was in Sanieh's Hatha Flow 6pm class. It was exceptionally cold, so going to Sanieh's class was a great way to warm up! Our peak pose today was Eka Pada Galavasana (Flying Crow Pose). This was my second time attempting to do this posture. Sanieh had taught this pose back in November.

This time, however, the approach and preparation to this peak posture was different. It was more about hip opening whereas previously we strengthened and warmed up the quadricep.

We started reclined, placing the right ankle over the lower left quadricep (above the knee). Then the other side. We warmed up with a few namaskars (forward fold, adho mukha svanasana, cobra or upward facing dog, adho mukha svanasana, forward fold, etc.). We added Virabhadrasana I, folding forward and bringing the arms behind and over head. Sanieh urged us to lift up from the belly as we raise our foot from adho mukha svanasana to lunge. This is to make us strong in the core. Then we added eka pada rajakapotasana. We balanced in vrkasana but with the raised foot over the opposite knee first, then bend the standing leg to utkatasana with the lifted leg in place. Then slowly lower to seated, working the top bent leg so that the knee continues to point out and that the foot and knee are aligned. Finally, push up to hover over the legs, balancing the arms as if in chaturanga dandasana and very much like bakasana.


Here is a video clip of someone doing this posture:

Personal Practice Day 15

Satya = Truthfulness. I have been lying to myself lately, telling myself that I am not sick. It's just allergies. Perhaps it started out as allergies, but I'm pretty sure now it is a cold. Saturday night, my nose was congested making it difficult to sleep. Then Sunday, I couldn't stop my nose from running.

This morning, I got up and told myself that I was sick and needed to do something about it (like lots of fluids, etc.). But before heading for the kitchen, I made a pit stop at the yoga mat. My muscles were tight. So, I spent quite a while stretching and mobilizing. Lying supine, I brought one knee at a time towards my chest, then both. Then apanasana. Then extended leg stretch. Then supta bandakonasana. Cakravakasana. One-legged pigeon pose. I stayed here for a while. Then Adho Mukha Svanasana. Then low lunge. That was all, but it was a good way to start the day.


In the evening, I went to observe Wayo's Hatha Star class at 7:30. I have been to Wayo's classes many times before, but it was good to finally sit down, observe, and take notes.

Personal Practice Day 14

I could not do much today because of my sinus blockage. So, I kept it simple with bandakonasana and paschimottanasana. Then warrior II. Then cakravakasana. I had to keep my head up!

Personal Practice Day 13

I drove to Houston last night with my sister. We attended my friend Catherine's vinyasa flow 90 minute class this morning at Yoga One. It was intense. The room was warm, and I sweat a lot. Her focus was on hear openers (aka back bends). We took a quick water break at about 60 minutes in. Then we redirected focus to arm balances and hip openers. Overall, I loved the class!

Personal Practice Day 12

It's Friday! I rolled out of bed again and went straight for my mat. It's a great way to wake up. Start with a few head/neck and shoulder rotations to get the blood moving. Vajrasana and Virabhadrasana II.

I ended up not having time to go to Sanieh's class. I was also a little under the weather due to allergies. Good thing I did my practice in the morning!

Personal Practice Day 11

It's another beautiful morning. I wake up a little tired, but I head straight for the yoga mat next to the bed. It's amazing how a few simple asanas can ignite the light inside you. I breathe easier, and my body feels better. My peak pose was one-legged pigeon.

Last night before going to bed, I decided to look up Judith Lasater because I had remembered from last Friday's meeting with my mentor Sanieh, she had recommended the book "Living Your Yoga" by Judith Lasater. http://www.judithlasater.com

On her website she has a section called "writings", which I find to be very inspirational... they are little nuggets of wisdom, which in turn help me reflect.

Namaste,
Lily

Personal Practice Day 10

I am still amazed at my continued practice! I have placed a yoga mat next to my bed. So this morning, I crawled out of bed and started to do my personal practice. The morning practices are definitely "easier" on the body since I am just waking up. Starting with some seated head and hip rotations, I moved on to vajrasana and then cakravakasana. Then a few sun salutations incorporating Warrior I, Warrior II, Parsvakonasana (extended side angle) and Trikonasana.

What a way to start the day!

Personal Practice Day 9

Today's practice is at Sanieh's 6 pm vinyasa flow class. She tied in the current events of the inauguration of new president elect Barak Obama with being "open". These are not her exact words but my interpretation. Openness in the heart, openness to opportunity, etc. So we focused in backbends and hip openers.

We started with a few sun salutations. Then we did Dancing Warrior 1008. It was created by Shiva Rea. Dancing Warrior 1008 is a series of asanas that connect together stretching, backbending, opening, and strengthening the body. Starting in downward dog, plank, cobra,
downward dog, side plank but with lifted leg drawing back toes contact the floor, draw lifted leg under chest then through to the other side, press down and up in chaturanga dandasana, then back to center for scorpion in downward dog. Place knees together and lower down into cobra.

Next we "rested" in one-legged pigeon prep. There was meditation afterwards and a free practice time where she encouraged twists. Yay for pigeon!

Personal Practice Day 8

Either I'm really bored with everyday activities or I'm really excited about yoga these days! Today, I had two yoga practices.

The first was on my own during lunch (well, more like 1pm). I spent about an hour just going through asanas, trying to connect them flowing from one to another as elegantly as I could. I tried to tackle all the trouble spots.

1. vajrasana for mobilizing the body, namely quads, shoulders, upper back
2. salabhasana (locust) for strengthening the back.
3. uttanasana (forward fold)
4. chaturanga dandasana
5. adho mukha svanasana
6. lunge
7. virabhadrasana II
8. trikonasana
9. lunge
10. adho mukha svanasana
- repeat flow
11. side plank
12. side plank on forearms, side crunch with top forearm. 8 repetitions on each side.
13. pigeon
14. child's pose
15. mandukasana
16. danurasana
- recline
17. supta pachimottanasana
18. saravangasana
19. supta badda konasana
20. dwi pada pitham
21. navasana
22. balancing forward fold
23. jathara parivrtti (reclined twist)
24. savasana

Then at 7:30, I attended Wayo's Hatha Star class, which I have been going to off and on. He did trikonasana in symmetry because there was someone in class with sacrum issues. Standing in straddle, reach one arm up and lean over the opposite side. This gives the same oblique stretch that trikonasana gives. Then he used an asymmetrical child's pose to isolate each side. Standing at hands and knees, bring one side's hand and knee back 3 inches, then fold down, feel the stretch on that side. Repeat on the other side. That was pleasantly new!

Personal Practice Day 7

After a full day of activity, I woke up this morning feeling a little tired. Immediately rolling out of bed, I began my yoga pratice seated. Starting at the head, I did some head/neck rotations, then moved to the torso rotation, which helped open up the hips. Followed by Paschimottanasana, Gomukhasana, Vajrasana, Cakravakasana, Marychiasana. Ending in Child's pose.

Personal Practice Day 6

Not only did I attend TWO yoga classes today, but I also attended two belly dance workshops this afternoon.

The morning started with a free hatha flow class at Lululemon (http://www.lululemon.com/) by Tynelle (sp?) at 8:30 AM. She helped us create some heat with Virabhadrasana I, Trikonasana, and Parsvotanasana, side angle, and also Vasisthasana. My quads were burning, but it felt great! She lead us in some hip openers at the beginning of class.

At 10:30, I went with my pregnant friend Michelle to a prenatal yoga class. It was my second time to a prenatal class, but my first time to take with Alice. Alice began the class with some seated hip openers, circling your torso around at big circle as you are seated in comfy seat. Then, cakravakasana, child's pose, balancing table, gomukasana, adho mukha svanasana, prasarita padottansana (with block), Virabhadrasana II, Vrkasana. Then we did a partner segment using straps in Adho Mukha Svanasana. With the strap along the hip bone, the partner holds the straps and pulls while the person doing the pose can really feel the extension. Then ending with Supta Bandakonasana and Jathara Parivrtti.

Then in the bellydance workshops, we did some yoga including cobra, pigeon, mandukasana. (hip openers!)

Today was full of yoga!

Personal Practice Day 5

Today's practice was in Sanieh's 12 noon Hatha Flow class. The peak pose was the same as Tuesday's. It was nice to get a repeat instruction because I felt I was able to get into it a little better. I could not tell, however, if it was my hamstrings or shoulders or side body was too tight to prevent me from extending. I didn't even attempt to get off my knees into full expression. My bottom leg was kneeling to help support. That is a hard one!

Personal Practice Day 4

Today's personal practice was me teaching yoga in my tribal fusion belly dance class. Here is what we did:

1. Seated inhalation, drawing the arms up.
2. Seated side stretches.
3. Repetitive motion from hands and knees to child's pose.
4. Repetitive motion of "Rajvasana": kneeling arms draw up, exhale down to child's pose.
5. Plank
6. Cobra, pulsing up and down with the breath.
7. Downward facing dog
8. lunge
9. warrior I (repeat inhaling with arms/elbow drawing back, exhald to release arms)
10. repetitive motion from warrior II to triangle pose
11. lunge
12. cobra (repeat starting at 7, lunge into the other leg)
13. Downward facing dog
14. forward bend
15. standing
16. forward bend
17. cobra
18. Downward facing dog
19. one-legged king pigeon
20. Downward facing dog
21. one-legged king pigeon (other leg)
22. Downward facing dog
23. forward bend
24. standing
25. garland pose (aka "china man squat")
26. forward bend
27. standing

Personal Practice Day 3

My yoga practice today was gentle. I mainly wanted to work the hamstrings and shoulders. Using what I know of viniyoga concepts, coming half way up from uttanasana into ardha uttanasana, the arms were in u-shape versus straight out in front or straight out to the sides. The same concept of the arms was applied to virabhadrasana I. The arms help give gentle backbend quality to each posture. Lastly, using the breath, I slowly got into pachimottanasana (seated forward bend). The practice was slow-paced today, I was targeting certain areas with breath. It was nice to feel every little bit.

Personal Practice Day 2

My personal practice yesterday was in Sanieh's hatha flow class. We worked on strengthening and stretching the quadriceps and opening up the hips with Anjaneyasana (low lunge), Parighasana (gate pose), Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend), Virabhadrasana II (warrior II), Uttitha Trikonasana (extended triangle), and Uttitha Parsvakonasana (extended side angle). Our peak pose was Vasisthasana Variation, which looks like this:

(picture of my friend Catherine, a Forrest yoga instructor in Houston)

It's not surprising to say that I didn't achieve full expression. However, I was close. My hamstrings are tight so I could not get the lifted leg to straighten. Note to self: work on hamstrings!

Personal Practice Day 1

Yesterday in my yoga teacher training session, we discussed the topic of personal practice. I have had a personal practice off and on. Inspired by Rachel Brice, a viniyoga practitioner and also an innovator of tribal fusion style bellydance, I incorporate a yoga-based warm-up at the beginning of all my classes. However, I never really pushed myself to have my own personal yoga practice. So, I have decided to commit to a 40-day personal yoga practice.

Today, my personal practice began with a 10 minute walk. I felt tight just about every where, but especially the shoulders and the calves. Noticing these areas to work on and also working towards an advance pose, I had to balance my practice with what my body needed and what I wanted out of my practice. Then, I "woke up" with the Breath of Joy. My practice consisted of: tadasana (mountain pose),
uttanasana (standing forward bend),
vajrasana (thunderbolt pose),
chaturanga dandasana,
bhujangasana (cobra),
adho mukha svanasana (downward dog),
virabhadrasana I (warrior I),
virabhadrasana III (warrior III),
back to adho mukha svanasana, then switch sides for vira I and III.
Followed by:
eka pada rajakapotasana (one-legged king pigeon)
adho mukha svanasana, then the other leg for pigeon,
malasana (garland pose),
bakasana (crane pose),
anjaneyasana (low lunge) to stretch front body, then switch to the other side.
paschimottanasana (seated forward bend),
danurasana (wheel pose),
apanasana (knees to chest pose),
savasana (corpse pose).

Lily in bakasana (at La Pause in Morocco)

I've decided to work towards natarajasana. It may take me more than 40 days to do it though!

Sweating Buckets

This is how I felt today at Sanieh's Hatha Flow class. She turned up the heat, but only to 83. I was sweating profusely. I wish I had a towel to wipe off the sweat dripping down my face, almost blinding me! At times like these, I turn my head to look at my shoulder, see sweat bubbles, and then get happy. It's totally superficial, but I do get satisfaction out of seeing those sweat bubbles (or really just sweat out of my pores).

Sanieh is my yoga mentor, she also keeps a blog. In a recent post, she shared the first two verses of Hanuman Chalisa, which I found beautiful:

"We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment, but it is transient. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. If we share with caring, lightheartedness, and love, we will create abundance and joy for each other. And then this moment will have been worthwhile." -Deepak Chopra

This is what I believe too and is how I would like my dance classes to be, a time and space that encourages sharing which results in joy.