tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71064294262740398192024-02-06T23:57:37.456-08:00The Blog for Ashtanga Yoga RichmondAshtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-2467365005650271922013-02-14T07:42:00.001-08:002013-02-14T07:42:13.897-08:00Confessions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
When I last
posted on this blog I talked about how great it was to make a commitment
to do some practice everyday because it assured me that, even when life
gets overwhelming, I would take at least 15 minutes for some
meditation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
Well,
last weekend ended up being emotionally exhausting. I spent Saturday
hungover and Sunday in premenstrual tears. I did rally enough to go to
superbowl party!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
Throughout
the weekend, I kept thinking – I need to do some practice, what I am I
going to write in my log? I did some sun salutations, I started trying
to meditate- maybe five minutes if I am going to be generous.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
Here is the worst thing….I considered lying on the log. Well, I mean not really <i>lying</i>, just a little exaggerating. When I caught myself having those thoughts I realized this was the yoga lesson of the weekend. What
was worrying me? Was I ashamed? Did I feel like I had failed? That I
would be judged? How I could I work at letting that go? At accepting
what was, what is, and starting again? Our yoga practices
allow us to pay attention to thoughts and feelings in a way that though,
hard and challenging, is deeply rewarding. One of the hardest things in
the Ashtanga practice is accepting where one is at, not feeling like a
failure when struggling to bind, or jump through, or drop back…I think
harder than doing any of the postures is being able to see those
emotions come and let them go.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
So, you see. I did practice after all.</div>
</div>
Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-80725107871665790622012-02-18T11:25:00.000-08:002012-02-18T11:28:38.512-08:00Practicing in Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reading the weekly blogs has been so much fun and has given me so much to think about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is much going on out there and I would like you all to consider starting to post some of your experiences as I believe everyone could benefit from each other’s stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing that has been coming up this week is the realization that our yoga practice can be so many things. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The immersion is about spending time everyday in some kind of formal yoga practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the truth is that our day to day lives provide the perfect stage for practicing all that we have learned through our formal practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we do on a daily basis, how we spend our time, how we interact with the people around us, how we relate to ourselves, this is all our practice too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patanjali gives a definition of yoga in the Yoga Sutras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Yogash chita vritti nirodha” which means that yoga is the stilling of the thought waves in the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we practice, whatever our practice may be, this is what we’re working on – gaining some mastery over our minds. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as we all know, this is so hard to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mind likes to be all over the place, to obsess, to create drama. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s interesting to watch<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>what happens in the mind – what are our tendencies, habits, thought patterns, how do we handle difficulties and successes? At the same time, can we acknowledge what’s happening and then move on without tacking on our opinions or judgments to these thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we train the mind to listen to us, to come back to what is happening in this moment instead of being carried away, lost in thought, dwelling on what the mind presents to us, making that thought take over every space in the mind so there’s no room for anything else. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;">Our lives are full of opportunities to work with the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you find you can’t get to your mat one day, don’t let that stop you from practicing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">-kyra</span></span></div><span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;"><span style="background-color: #660000;"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></span></div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-6420966348710790032012-02-09T07:24:00.000-08:002012-02-09T07:24:36.482-08:00Confessions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">This post was written by one of our mysore students. It is so honest, I just love it. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>If you would like to post something (anything... a subject or questions), please send it to alicia at info@ashtangayogarichmond.com and I will post it. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">When I last posted on this blog I talked about how great it was to make a commitment to do some practice everyday because it assured me that, even when life gets overwhelming, I would take at least 15 minutes for some meditation.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Well, last weekend ended up being emotionally exhausting. I spent Saturday hungover and Sunday in premenstrual tears. I did rally enough to go to superbowl party!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Throughout the weekend, I kept thinking – I need to do some practice, what I am I going to write in my log? I did some sun salutations, I started trying to meditate- maybe five minutes if I am going to be generous.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Here is the worst thing….I considered lying on the log. Well, I mean not really <i>lying</i>, just a little exaggerating. When I caught myself having those thoughts I realized this was the yoga lesson of the weekend.<span> </span>What was worrying me? Was I ashamed? Did I feel like I had failed? That I would be judged? How I could I work at letting that go? At accepting what was, what is, and starting again?<span> </span>Our yoga practices allow us to pay attention to thoughts and feelings in a way that though, hard and challenging, is deeply rewarding. One of the hardest things in the Ashtanga practice is accepting where one is at, not feeling like a failure when struggling to bind, or jump through, or drop back…I think harder than doing any of the postures is being able to see those emotions come and let them go.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">So, you see. I did practice after all.</div></div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-79229512594350654392012-02-08T09:41:00.000-08:002012-02-08T10:49:36.717-08:00Inspiration from Reading<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><em>“The media drown us in such a low image of the human being that it is essential to remind ourselves constantly of something higher.” </em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><em>“Books chosen from the annals of mysticism should be read slowly and well. We are not after information, but understanding and inspiration. Take in a little every day, reflect on it, and then try to practice what you have learned.”</em></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><em> -</em> </span><span class="st1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Eknath Easwaran</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000;">We are two weeks into the immersion and we’ve had some time to get through a bit of reading. A lot of these readings are pretty dense, packed with so much useful information about how to move further along on this yogic path. It’s the kind of readings that take time and thoughtfulness but eventually we start to make a connection with our own lives and this journey that we have embarked upon. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Easwaran is one of my favorite authors because he teaches what he knows, what he has experienced directly, and he shares this information in such a down to earth, storytelling style which is so easy to grasp. He tells us how to cope with our feelings and cravings, how to interact more lovingly with our families and the world around us, how to discover our true selves, hidden away under so many layers of crud. My favorite message that is repeated throughout all of Easwaran’s writings is that we are so much more than we can imagine – that we all have the divine within us, waiting to be uncovered. Imagine that, with all my imperfections, insecurities, and attachments, that I have perfection just waiting inside me to be discovered. It is uplifting messages such as these that inspire and excite me and keeps me plugging along on this path. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><em>“We are not cabin dwellers, born to a life cramped and confined; we are meant to explore, to seek, to push the limits of our potential as human beings</em></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><em>.”</em> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">- </span><span class="st1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Eknath Easwaran</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">What have you been reading and have you found any passages that speak to you or have inspired you in some way? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #990000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-kyra</span></div></div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-66149691588972334552012-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:002012-01-31T13:05:39.097-08:00Calming the Mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Today is day 7, the end of the first week. Any thoughts or experiences you would like to share so far? <br />
<br />
I have talked briefly with some of you this past week and meditation seems to be the biggest challenge. From my own experience, developing a regular meditation practice took several years of curiosity and dabbling with different techniques before I made the commitment to a daily practice. This is a topic that Kyra and I have talked in great length about....how to support those of you who are just getting started without "teaching" meditation or a specific method. There are many schools of thought and technique on meditation and just like asana, we would advise that you experience them for yourself and find out what speaks to you. I believe that most of us come to the proverbial cushion with a desire to calm the mind and find more peace in our lives. Our lives are filled with a constant stream of distractions, multi-tasking and overstimulation. And then we expect that when we come to the cushion, all of those distractions should just fade away. When that doesn't happen, we are somehow deflated by the experience and the mind tells us a convincing story about why meditation is not for us. <br />
<br />
Meditation is a practice and if it were easy, everyone would already be doing it. I hear a lot of students say they would like to meditate but they just can't sit still or their minds won't stop racing. Isn't that the case for all of us! When do we get the opportunity in our lives to practice 'sitting still' or for that matter, do we even want to sit still? How boring? The distractions are so appealing and entertaining, who wants to give them up? This is the work. And I have the same struggles as you. I continually have days where I am carried away in thought during meditation or I just don't want to make the time for it. But I am also aware of the subtle changes that I have noticed in my life through meditation. <br />
<br />
So here is some advice if you are struggling with meditation....Begin your meditation practice by making the time, staying committed to it (all that comes up) and starting again if you fall off. If meditation is new for you, instead of coming to your cushion "to meditate", come to your cushion to practice being still and observe what goes on. There are many techniques for quieting the mind such as following the breath, counting breaths or repeating a mantra or passage. Try one of these techniques and see how it goes. Take time to set yourself up so that you are comfortable (your hips are higher than your knees) or if sitting on the floor causes you too much pain, sit in a chair. Begin again! <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet.<br />
It's a way of entering into the quiet that's already there<br />
Buried under the 50,000 thoughts<br />
The average person thinks every day."<br />
<span style="color: purple;">~ Deepak Chopra ~ </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-40475274998856123332012-01-27T12:48:00.000-08:002012-01-27T12:49:21.186-08:00Welcome to Day 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="st1"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="background-color: #660000; color: white;">In starting the immersion, we wanted to give the participants a chance to think about why they wanted to participate and what they hoped to get out of the experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overwhelmingly, the responses were so similar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all seem to be looking for peace, a calm mind, a way to quiet our restlessness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hope seems to be that a daily yoga practice could be the start of this transformation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, is this a realistic expectation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can a consistent and sustained yoga practice bring more peace and clarity to our minds and our lives? </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="st1"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #660000;">Absolutely!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything that we do, every interaction that we have, how we spend our days, inevitably determines our tomorrows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we learn to regularly spend time practicing asana - being fully present with our breath and learning to stay in the moment, then over time we learn to be present in our lives rather than allowing our minds to drag us here and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we spend time regularly sitting quietly in meditation, we learn to slow down a bit and find some space and stillness in our minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we spend time reading yogic texts, especially from mystics who have already travelled the path that we are interested in, we cannot help but get inspired and feel possibilities open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="st1"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #660000;">When I graduated from college my mom gave me the book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book promised an adventure: “Congratulations!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was stepping into unfamiliar territory (being on my own) which was scary but at the same time there was great excitement bubbling all around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The immersion has seemed to create a lot of the same excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, we’re about to take off on a great adventure into the unknown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The journey is so thrilling; the prospect of change creates some discipline which in turn creates a bit of momentum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, inevitably, something will happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will take a wrong turn, or come to a place where we feel lost, alone and confused. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may even say to ourselves that we’ve had enough adventure – that we’d rather just give up or go back to our old ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are always difficulties in every great quest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But on you will go though the weather be foul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On you will go though your enemies prowl.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to find our way home is to continue the journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="st1"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #660000;">As Dr. Seuss says “you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">get on your way!”</i></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #660000;"><span class="st1"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="st1"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">kyra</span></span></span></span></div></div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-81072094447700191082012-01-24T12:07:00.000-08:002012-01-24T12:07:43.311-08:00Yoga Immersion Starts Tomorrow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Alaina Stengel, Amanda Strelzik, Angela Leuerer, Annie Thompson, Brittney DeRizzio, Chris Dunn, Dave Trickey, David, McCusty, Dawn Thiselton, Elena Kwon, Elizabeth Prom, Elizabeth Sobka, Erin Barrett, Floyd Carlton, Jenn Rockwell, Jennifer Schooler, Jenny Johnson, Jodi Kuhn, John Perona, Josie Davis, Julie Linker, Katie Austin, Katie Benson, Kelly Lindamood, Kendra Taylor, Kevin Brinkley, Laura Hughes, Linda Dunn, Liz Borecky, Mallory Clemmons, Miriam McCormick, Nancy White, Patrice Richardson, Peggy Walz, Rebecca Bowen, Rebecca Merrick, Renee Perron, Richard Borecky, Rob Caudle, Samin Ahmad, Sandi Grivat, Sarah Golding, Shannon Spangler, Sheila Burris, Sherry Hillis, Summer Donovan, Suzanne Mach, Tara Dacey, Tish Campbell, Tom Kelly, Trina Chakrabortty, Vineeta Shaw, Wendy Warren<br />
<br />
What a great response we have had for participation in the immersion. I have so enjoyed reading the registration forms and hearing why you are interested in participating. The forms have generated several good topics for discussion that we will get into over the next month. Since we are not all reading the same books, if there is a topic you would like discussed through the blog...please send it to me at info@ashtangayogarichmond.com<br />
<br />
Overall there seems to be very little fear and a lot of excitement about the start of the immersion. So now the work begins. But what does that mean?? In my opinion, the work is in the commitment and the rest will unfold. You commit to a practice (asana, reading or meditation) everyday and see what happens. The easeful, the restless, the boredom and the list goes on and on. Try not to create undo stress, take one day at a time and set up a realistic amount of practice time. The intent for creating the immersion was to create a format for students to dig deeper and examine what yoga means to them. This is your opportunity to learn more about yourself. We are here to support you on that journey, but the work will come from within you. If you have a "not so favorable" experience or day, make a note and start fresh the next day. Don't let the "not so favorable" experiences take you down the road of "I can't do this", "this is stupid"and "I don't have time". True transformation takes time and effort, so look at this time (30 days) as a chance to awaken or get a glimpse of something new. And try to have some fun in the process. <br />
Alicia </div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-77072737380507856792012-01-09T11:08:00.000-08:002012-01-09T11:08:16.216-08:0030 DAY YOGA IMMERSION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhooUFaFFiOBu_8kyMxPG6MkGnCKzXrl3CO-Ac_ZHCn99AFHTq-eZSxgMitIOBTHYhYEJkTKIyPrPk43nIHRCao50dqLvkpSNL3eFNBSxXCUqzd7Py0Y-lYyw81N7Yw9OQaD_0U4hI9c/s1600/ashtanga-080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhooUFaFFiOBu_8kyMxPG6MkGnCKzXrl3CO-Ac_ZHCn99AFHTq-eZSxgMitIOBTHYhYEJkTKIyPrPk43nIHRCao50dqLvkpSNL3eFNBSxXCUqzd7Py0Y-lYyw81N7Yw9OQaD_0U4hI9c/s320/ashtanga-080.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">The 30 day yoga immersion is about making a commitment to yourself to explore your yoga practice on all levels. This is not a new year’s resolution or a physical challenge of any kind. It is also not a step by step guide that will give you all of the answers. It is an exploration of yourself and we hope that whatever you observe along the way will aid in your spiritual growth.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">The yoga immersion starts on Wednesday, January 25 and goes through Friday, February 24. There is no extra charge for the immersion, although all students participating must register at the studio and turn in a questionnaire before Jan 25th. You will also be asked to turn in a weekly log of your practice time each week. All participants are invited to attend a pot luck celebration on Friday, February 24 at 6pm to reflect upon their experiences and where to go from here.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">Students participating in the immersion must commit to 30 days of practice. A practice consists of one of the following AND <strong>DOES NOT</strong> HAVE TO BE DONE AT THE STUDIO: </span><br />
<h4><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><strong>– 15 minutes meditation</strong></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0px;"><strong>– 30 minutes reading (suggested readings are available)</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0px;"><strong>– 45 minutes asana</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0px;">These are minimums and you are encouraged to incorporate all three practices into your immersion. For those students that already have a consistent daily asana practice, it is suggested that you add meditation or reading to your asana practice. It is easy to gravitate towards what comes natural and although there is nothing wrong with that, this is the time to challenge yourself and see what comes up?</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">We will be using the AYR blog to communicate as a group. Our hope is that we can rely on each other for support and motivation and to share our personal experiences and reflections throughout the month. If you have any personal comments or would like to ask a question to a specific teacher that you do not want to share with the group, you are welcome to write these on your weekly log. The teacher will respond to your comment through email or in person if possible.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">There is a suggested reading list available at the studio if you need help with choosing a book. </div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">We will also be offering the following group meditations if you are brand new to meditation or would like company when practicing meditation. These classes are free to all.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sundays (Jan 29, Feb 5, Feb 12, Feb 19) 11:15am-11:30am with Kyra</span></h4><h4><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tuesdays (Feb 7, Feb 21) 5:15pm – 5:30pm with Alicia </span></h4><h4><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"><h4><div style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Thursday (Feb 2, Feb 16) 6:00am-6:15am with Alicia</span></h4></span><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div></h4></div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-15437321048207674862011-10-27T05:25:00.000-07:002011-10-27T05:25:14.845-07:00AHH...INDIA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36aFuuevm9vs9RzEAxTv7nYQvsDuJtgALxzdiCGcbGAyPdVwtdNFK5c74yVZydqh8AS7F1J6NBh-pDISXw5ScPbujYubc0Az8_JL6T2jSOI9r5tPskrh4-A0ic1cnRK7fXYzoD0vTa6Q/s1600/IMG_1832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36aFuuevm9vs9RzEAxTv7nYQvsDuJtgALxzdiCGcbGAyPdVwtdNFK5c74yVZydqh8AS7F1J6NBh-pDISXw5ScPbujYubc0Az8_JL6T2jSOI9r5tPskrh4-A0ic1cnRK7fXYzoD0vTa6Q/s320/IMG_1832.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">GOT MILK?</div>India has a way of cutting to the chase and that is what I love about it. Although, it can be a love-hate relationship. Usually by the end of my stay, I can't wait to get back to the comforts of my home and then it is only a matter of time before I am planning my next trip. <br />
<br />
You need all of your senses to fully appreciate India...the colors, the smells, the noise, the chaos. But at the same time the sensory overload makes you absolutely crazy. At home I am flooded with abundance, most of which I take for granted and why shouldn't I....it is all I have ever known. I live in a nice house and drive a hybrid car on paved roads with structured traffic patterns. I open my eyes and mouth in the shower. I drink from the tap and eat raw vegetables (organic of course and with proper utensils) to my heart's desire. People (for the most part) don't burp and spit at any occasion. Honking the horn is a sign of aggression and rudeness, and cleanliness (again for the most part) is culturally expected. I won't even go down the road of how much freedom I have as a woman in the west. So arriving in India, I am aware of how limited my life experiences are, but it is this extreme that makes India so transforming. I am grateful to step out of my comfort zone and stretch myself in ways that I am not used to, but only because I know it is temporary. <br />
<br />
</div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-19573809298421555502011-10-23T01:36:00.000-07:002011-10-23T01:36:55.649-07:00Journey to Mysore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I had several students ask me before I left if I would blog about my trip to India. Over the years, I have read many Mysore blogs and found most of them to be quite entertaining, but since I had to travel around the world to completely disconnect from my responsibilities, the only thing I am committed to for the next month (with the exception of my husband of course) is 'being a student'. Therefore, this may be my one and only post, we'll see how inspired I am. <br />
<br />
After seven years of practicing Ashtanga Yoga and two prior trips to India, I finally made it to Mysore. Traveling to India takes a tremendous amount of planning and support from my family, students and teachers so that life goes on while I am away, not to mention the cost of the trip. I ran around taking care of endless details for weeks before leaving so that by the time I got on the plane, I was completely exhausted. After two days of flying and sitting in airports, I arrived in Bangalore at midnight and took a 3 hour taxi ride to Mysore where honestly, the driver could have taken me anywhere and I wouldn't have known the difference. So if I am completely honest, yes I continuously have moments where I wonder "why the hell am I doing this?" And somehow, here I am. <br />
<br />
I guess you could say it is Sraddha. The word Sraddha is best translated in English as faith. Faith that is generated out of conviction, which may not be the result of any rational belief or intellectual wisdom, but a spiritual inspiration. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>All of my yoga experiences led me to this place and looking back, I am aware that this is exactly how it should have unfolded. I am here without any expectation for my asana practice. I am here to immerse in the lineage. The shala is a reflection of Guruji, you can feel his presence everywhere. I can imagine him sitting in the empty chair on the stage and hear his voice saying "eeekam". The room is filled with pictures of Guruji and Amma, Krishnamacharya, Saraswati and Sharath. This is the source! During my first two days of practice, I ended up in relatively the same spot and during my closing postures (while upside down), I had a clear view of this picture. Not only is this one of my favorite pictures of Guruji, but a sweet reminder of why I am here....Sraddha. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo4o8bsAcSl9NK_9VU4MU3HimfdxZYnmv7cSLH7tvqCGp_d4t_V5yWaljVf8gfGEl99AzgLJLMeR0a7-Brwbr5p1gUIskKyI9iwgpF8IZEHplEjtJ5s9d7NOPh3AqNRgqrufuZHoJHZo/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo4o8bsAcSl9NK_9VU4MU3HimfdxZYnmv7cSLH7tvqCGp_d4t_V5yWaljVf8gfGEl99AzgLJLMeR0a7-Brwbr5p1gUIskKyI9iwgpF8IZEHplEjtJ5s9d7NOPh3AqNRgqrufuZHoJHZo/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-895025689464937582010-11-25T11:31:00.000-08:002010-11-25T11:31:45.561-08:00GRATITUDEAt the risk of sounding mushy, Thanksgiving seems like an appropriate day to give gratitude. Ashtanga yoga continues to change my life and for that I am so grateful. It didn't happen over night and it certainly hasn't happened without much struggle both physically and emotionally, but as the years have passed, I feel changes taking place. And for that, I have faith that the system works. I only had the opportunity to practice with Guruji once back in 2006. I was still fairly new to ashtanga and went to New York for Guruji's tour. The sanskrit word "guru" means heavy and even at 90 years old, you could feel Guruji's presence the minute he entered the room. The trip had a profound effect on me. I returned to Richmond and three months later, opened Ashtanga Yoga Richmond. I wanted to practice in a space that was dedicated to ashtanga and create a community to share the experience with. I must first give thanks to my dear friend and first teacher, Rob Miller for introducing me to ashtanga yoga and nurturing my devotion to the practice. I am also grateful to Michael Hamilton for sharing his knowledge and teaching experience with me so that I could continue to grow the mysore program at AYR. I am eternally grateful to my teachers, Lino Miele and Sharath Rangaswamy for teaching me the method. I continue to study with both teachers and feel that they both offer a deep connection to the source......Guruji. I feel very fortunate to have had these experiences on my personal path, however, AYR would not be what it is today without the teachers and the students who support it. I would first like to extend my appreciation to Kyra. I am fairly certain our paths crossed by some divine intervention and I know I couldn't do this without her. She is a great friend, mentor, listener and the list goes on and on. I am also deeply appreciative to all of our teachers for their commitment and dedication to teaching and to the students who continue to show up and make our studio a "community". Finally, I would like to say thank you to my family...Jared, Haley and Izzy for supporting me. I know our life is sometimes not the "norm"... early mornings, extended trips to India, yoga, yoga, yoga. I am so grateful for each of you. Have a wonderful holiday!Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-24433230502815447082010-11-18T13:21:00.000-08:002010-11-18T13:21:31.263-08:00DAY 13Day 13 and the numbers are falling off a bit......any comment? Are you practicing at home on the days you don't make it to the studio and if so, why? Is it scheduling, work, family? Did you start the month thinking you would practice all 19 days and something changed? Did you miss one day and now it makes it easier to miss another? I have recently been working with a meditation teacher and one of the things that she continually repeats is that with each breath you have the opportunity to let go and start again. This speaks volumes to me as I tend to favor the "all or nothing" concept but it has been so helpful in allowing me the freedom to start again (and hopefully without judgement). I would like to revisit the idea of daily practice, day in, day out, over the years.....In the <i><b>Guruji</b></i> book, Annie Pace said "Abhyasa is consistent practice over a long period of time with clear intentions. Whatever our practice, if we are doing it consistently, even if it's a small practice, we benefit a lot. There comes a point where certain aspects of the practice do become integrated and Guruji told me this point is twelve years. After twelve years, okay, we start to become established in a practice. These phases start at 3, 6, 9 months, 1 year, 3 years, 6 years, 12 years and so on- these chunks of time. When we have been practicing for a long time, we can then actually step away from the practice for our family duties or whatever might be calling us away and step right back into the practice and be right on the boat. With a short-term practice it's a little harder to get back on the boat. Whatever practice it is, it becomes established over years, decades, over lifetimes. The inner quality is a steadiness that comes from that integration."Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-23832746559499676412010-11-09T11:33:00.000-08:002010-11-09T11:33:15.227-08:00DAILY PRACTICEWhat is the value of daily practice, day in and day out, year after year, decade after decade? Graeme Northfield responded in the <i>Guruji</i> book <b>"If we work intelligently, with daily practice we can start to understand not only what's going on in the body, but also the fluctuations of the mind. At first its a letting go, a softening of our attitude. In the beginning we're striving and working towards more asanas. But one needs to let go of that, let go of this whole goal oriented practice. Then we need to see our condition as we are, here and now. The next step is to be at peace with that, to actually accept our condition as we are here and now. And from that point, practice with feeling and connection, integrating the whole body and the breath."</b> For some of you, 19 days of practice in November is no different from any other month other than the fact that there are more people practicing in the room. But for others, this may be a real challenge. Getting up early everyday usually equates to going to bed early, being mindful of what time you eat dinner (not to mention what you eat for dinner) and can overall, just feel like too much structure. Your body hurts, it's cold outside, you need more sleep... these all seem to be valid reasons for staying in bed. So why a daily practice? Does it really matter if you practice 2, 4 or 6 days a week? Let me first say, that any amount of practice is better than none. Practice is the path to awareness and transformation and it does not happen unless you do the work. In my own experience, when I have traveled to India with the sole purpose of practicing yoga, there was no question whether or not I would practice everyday. If you didn't show up to the shala, no matter how much you believed you were lost in the crowd, you were sure to get asked "Where were you?" Not practicing was not an option! And that is fine when you have traveled to India with one intention....practice yoga. But how does that fit in to our daily lives here in Richmond where most of us have a plate full of other responsibilities throughout the day. I really liked what Graeme Northfield had to say about daily practice. It can feel like you are just going through the motions, doing the same asanas, same series everyday. But what if we approach it from a different perspective. Not a goal oriented practice but rather an observation of the present moment, staying connected to the body and letting go of the mind. And on the days when you just can't let go of the mind, finding some joy in the experience, whatever that experience may be. Everyday is different. A daily practice gives you the opportunity to arrive each day and start again.Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-84532002158220510762010-11-02T10:44:00.000-07:002010-11-09T10:23:05.354-08:00ADJUSTMENTSI would first like to thank each of you for showing up and making the commitment to practice 19 days in November and also for taking the time to share your insight. Again, you can comment as much or as little as you like. Wow! What a morning....19 students (how fitting). I know this is a long stretch of practice for most of you who attended the workshop with Tim Feldmann this past weekend and I am very aware that most of you were "stretched to your limits" and feeling a bit sore and fatigued. I am delighted to see that everyone is honoring their bodies and doing what feels appropriate. So this brings me to an important subject in the ashtanga practice....Adjustments. How do you feel about adjustments or lack of adjustments? Did anything come up for you when Tim adjusted you this weekend and took you deeper in a posture than you are used to going? Or how about this morning, with 19 students I was not able to give everyone the same attention that I usually try to give. Does this bring anything up for you? How important are adjustments to the quality of your practice and how does your practice differ on days when you practice at home or during self practice with no teacher?Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-86724656899000220822010-11-01T07:51:00.001-07:002010-11-01T07:51:59.186-07:00DAY 1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will start with a paragraph from the Guruji book. The question is "What do you think is the essence of Guruji's teachings?" David Swenson answered: "Every person you ask will probably have a different answer to that. The essence is the yoga, the essence is prana, the essence is seeking the Self, and this is the great paradox of yoga, of ashtanga yoga. You look and at first glance it's all about asanas, it's about jumping around, it's about doing this and that, but the paradox is, as David Williams says, the real yoga is what we cannot see. It lies beneath the surface, it's what is happening in that mind, what's happening in our breath, in our energy." He goes on to say that "Spirituality is not determined by the practice itself, but rather by the focus and intent of the practitioner and the choices they make and the quality of their character." "IS THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE BY OUR PRESENCE IN IT?"</span>Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106429426274039819.post-61178893536048341762010-10-26T10:53:00.000-07:002010-10-26T11:19:54.693-07:0019 DAYS IN NOVEMBER<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaKuW_gqObGzK7szKYlj56KLN5x9LYxgEntQPoK8zortTrRYPGfFxTzm5qw_wAGE-8Q9CRn_Ej1J4SyG-2mqPyrn8iG3WW8SJ5WilB1wDGbOoOOULV7zPT6OBz_TSDgj7qsPQfg-mRok/s1600/Guruji-BDAY-2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaKuW_gqObGzK7szKYlj56KLN5x9LYxgEntQPoK8zortTrRYPGfFxTzm5qw_wAGE-8Q9CRn_Ej1J4SyG-2mqPyrn8iG3WW8SJ5WilB1wDGbOoOOULV7zPT6OBz_TSDgj7qsPQfg-mRok/s320/Guruji-BDAY-2008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote type="cite"><b>19 Days In November </b></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I am currently reading <i><b>Guruji A Portrait of Sri K Pattabhi Jois Through the </b><i><b>Eyes of His Students</b></i>. </i>It is such an inspirational book about the meaning of ashtanga yoga and the importance of doing your practice. It has got me thinking about what motivates us as students of this practice. This is unique for each of us, but the common thread that we share is that we continue to come to our mats and have faith in the process. With that I would like to pose a challenge of sorts to our mysore students. This is NOT a physical challenge, but rather a commitment to explore your practice more deeply and hopefully, offer insight to each other.</blockquote><blockquote type="cite">There are 19 mysore classes in November. I invite you to make a commitment to attend all 19 classes with the intention of revealing something new about your practice and maybe about yourself. The subjects are endless......</blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><ul><li> attachment to a posture or perfection in a posture</li>
<li>following the breath/vinyasa for the entire practice</li>
<li>observing what goes on in your mind (and ego) when something is difficult, painful or injured</li>
<li>how is your practice different if you practice everyday or maybe it is not different at all</li>
<li>what constitutes a practice for you</li>
<li>is this a lifelong practice for you</li>
<li>are you able to access the meditative qualities (or stillness) in the practice</li>
<li>how does your practice affect your home life</li>
<li>how does your practice change with age (both physically and mentally)</li>
<li>does your practice bring you joy </li>
</ul></blockquote>The idea is to commit to a daily practice and focus on something that is meaningful to you. When something comes up, comment about it. I feel that by sharing this information, we not only learn about ourselves but we learn about each other. This is as much a learning experience for me as it is for you.Ashtanga Yoga Richmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15182004258135863319noreply@blogger.com1