Apr 19, 2011 |
Warning: Careful What You Wish For. It Might Just Come True!
If you have followed my blogs over the past year, you know that I’ve been through a little honking-ass amount of “Changes” in my life. I transitioned from a stressed-out vice president to a blissed-out yoga instructor (hey, that could be a good tag line: “From stressed out to blissed out!”). It has been quite a ride, as I’ve tried to figure out what my next move was and how to make it as fun and fulfilling as possible.
I’ve written a few times that my ultimate dream job would be to teach yoga on a beach. I got my first taste of beach yoga while on vacation in Virginia Beach last year and was immediately hooked. I’ve always loved the beach and I love yoga, so I figured if I could mashup the two and share that passion with others, it would be nirvana.
Less than a year away from my first post on this subject, I am happy to report that my dream of teaching yoga on the beach has come true! This summer I will be teaching yoga on the beautiful shores of Lake Erie at two locations (one in Huron, Ohio and one in Vermilion, Ohio), beginning June 6 and running through Labor Day. Click here for full details on the schedule and locations.
I want to give props to the Vermilion Boat Club and the Firefly Beach Resort in Huron for giving me the opportunity to teach on their beautiful grounds.
So, I guess the moral of the story is that when you put something out into the universe, work hard, and have faith, it really can manifest in your life.
I am so excited for this summer and can’t wait to share yoga and the incredible ambience of practicing it on a beach with others. I’ll have the best yoga-class playlist—the sounds of waves, seagulls, and the wind—the best props—sunshine and sand—and the best summer job I can imagine. Now, I just hope the students will show up!
Mar 5, 2011 |
If you live in northeast Ohio and are a fan of hot yoga, pinch yourself, because a brand-new yoga studio, Yoga Bliss, has just recently opened in Akron, Ohio. I have been pinching myself for the past few weeks, because I am lucky to be one of the yoga instructors at this beautiful studio. I’ll probably never teach a power yoga class in the Hot Studio (this large room is heated to between 85 and 90 degrees using a state-of-the art system that heats and humidifies fresh air and is downright tropical) but am thrilled to be teaching Yoga Basics classes in the slightly cooler Basics Studio. I was so delighted when I walked into the Basics Studio and saw that Caroline, the owner of Yoga Bliss, had painted Ganesha on the wall. For those of you unfamiliar with Ganesha, he is the Hindu god of wisdom, learning, and the remover of obstacles. Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness, and pride. Pretty powerful stuff, eh?
It is felicitous that Caroline has painted Ganesha on the wall, because before any undertaking is begun, a prayer to Ganesha is said to ensure success. Be it the building of a new house, the writing of a book, the start of a new journey, or starting a new yoga-studio business, Ganesha should always be your go-to guy! I didn’t know this, but after doing a bit of research, I found out Ganesha images adorn the walls of countless businesses across India, and it is customary for people to seek his blessings each morning.
Ganesha is actually a potbellied man with the head of an elephant, four arms, and a broken tusk. He is most often depicted as sitting with one leg folded beneath him. In three of his hands, he typically is holding various objects that are symbolic tools for enlightenment. The rosary across his body suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. If you would like to learn more about the symbolism of Ganesha, I found Wikipedia to be a great resource (the part about how he got the elephant head should be made into a movie).
Since many of the students in the Basics Room are just starting their yoga journey, I love the fact that Ganesha is there to ensure their success, and for my first few classes, I used Ganesha to provide these pointers for the beginners:
- During the practice of yoga, you will encounter many obstacles. Maybe it’s being able to touch your toes in a forward fold or to keep your mind present during class or finding the courage to do a headstand. Ganesha is here to remove those obstacles, to give us the strength we need, and to help us lose the fear of trying something new or uncomfortable.
- Yoga is not meant to be perfect. It is a practice, a pursuit of knowledge that should be continuous. Don’t worry if you can’t do all of the poses today or if you can’t do them the same way a fellow student can; what is most important is to go where it feels right for your body. Listen to and honor your body in each and every yoga class, and know that each class is an opportunity to continue to learn and grow in your practice.
- Finally, let Ganesha destroy your vanity and pride. No comparing yourself to others in class; this is not a competition. And no beating yourself up if you can’t balance in tree pose or go fully into a pose. No judgment, just acceptance of where your body and mind is today. It’s all good.
Ganesha’s fourth hand is always free, with his palm extended in a blessing. So, I wish Caroline many blessings with her new business venture and many blessings to the teachers and students as we begin new yoga journeys together at Yoga Bliss.
Image: Asif Akbar
Dec 20, 2010 |
What are you doin’ New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve?
I’m going to be teaching yoga!
I have to admit that has a nice ring to it.
I think one of the coolest yoga classes I took in 2009 was on New Year’s Eve. The class was at 10 a.m. and the only one my studio offered that day. I thought the class would be empty, with everyone getting ready for their holiday celebrations, so imagine my delight when I walked into a packed class. All these yoga dorks were just like me and wanted to sneak in one last yoga high for the year. I snorkeled my way into a spot in the middle, and the yoga instructor took us through a vigorous vinyasa flow. We all breathed out anything from 2009 that didn’t serve us and breathed in all the hope and possibilities for 2010. We got the room so hot, the mirrors started to fog up. There was such an incredible prana flowing through the room that, at one point, we all broke out in dance. I felt blissful and exhilarated when I left the studio that day, ready to take on the world and whatever the new year was going to throw at me.
I would never have dreamed on January 1, 2010, that by the end of this year, I would be teaching my very own New Year’s Eve yoga class! What a transformation my life has taken this year. I went from being a stressed-out workaholic to a meditating, yoga blogging, pranaholic. I should be the poster child for how to make a 180-degree life change and live to tell about it.
So, I’m in the midst of planning my New Year’s Eve class, and I want it to be just as special as the one I attended last year (although it will be hard to beat, thanks to Elizabeth Clay). I’m going to throw in a Simhasana (lion pose) so we can growl out the parts of the year we want to leave behind and bring in some heart openers to let love and goodwill come into our hearts for the coming year. A little laughter yoga will be in the mix to remind us to laugh every day in the coming year. I’m also planning a kick-ass playlist, with my ultimate goal to get that class dancing!
I can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year than a little booty shaking from my yoga mat.
If you live anywhere near the Akron, Ohio, area, I would love for you to join me on New Year’s Eve. My class is an all-levels hatha-style yoga that is suitable for beginners to more advanced students.
I’m also teaching a special class on Christmas Eve. If you want to get away from the holiday madness and give yourself the gift of your breath and a relaxing yoga class, then please join me this coming Friday at 10:00 a.m. as well. I promise to only put a few cheesy holiday songs on the Christmas Eve playlist.
Yeah, 2010 was an amazing year for me, and I am thrilled that I get to wear black stretchy pants to work instead of a black power suit.
If you can’t make it to Ohio, give yourself a gift and find a local yoga class near you or dial into a class at MyYogaOnline (they are open everyday 24/7!).
Om shanti, shanti, shanti…wishing you peace and love today and throughout the coming year.
P.S. Thanks to @yogabrooks for this awesome headline idea and her awesome yoga blog.
P.S.S. Shanti means peace!
Dec 2, 2010 |
Don’t you just love when you learn a new word? I recently heard someone use the term yogalicious, and I knew immediately that it would become a part of my yoga lexicon.
With every new word I learn, I typically go to the urban dictionary to make sure I really understand what it means before I use it (believe me, I’ve been burned before). I was surprised to find that yogalicious was not yet defined on the urban dictionary, so guess who submitted it as an official urban term? I felt it was my civic duty.
It took a few days, but I’m happy to say that the awesome editors over at UD have approved my entry and now I am a published contributor on the urban dictionary. How cool is that?! You can check it out at Urban Dictionary or see the definition below:
yogalicious
Any aspect of the practice of yoga that provides great pleasure or delight.
That new yoga pose we learned today is yogalicious.
by Downward Dog on Nov 28, 2010
So, in honor of my new favorite word, here are a few ways to bring yogaliciousness into your life:
1) Try a new asana you have been afraid to try. It’s time to go for it and challenge yourself on that yoga mat. Every time I try a new pose—even if I don’t get it right the first time—I always get a little surge of yogaliciousness for making the effort.
2) Tell your yoga instructor how much you enjoyed his or her class. I guarantee you will make them feel yogalicious.
3) If your mat is getting a little tattered or smelly, recycle it and buy yourself a pretty, new yogalicious yoga mat.
4) Grab a friend who has never tried yoga, and bring him or her to yoga class with you. It’s time to share the yogaliciousness with the special people in your life.
5) Next time you see a yoga classmate in exceptionally nice yoga togs, tell him or her that his or her outfit is yogalicious.
6) Instead of saying you are blissed out or have a yoga high, try saying, “I’m feeling yogalicious today.”
Got any yogalicious experiences or fun, new yoga words you would like to share? Please leave a comment below.
The yoga products store has been updated with lots of great deals and excellent holiday gifts for yoga lovers.
Nov 17, 2010 |
We all have catch phrases we use to help us through difficult situations, or to capture a moment of happiness.
Over the years I’ve accumulated quite a few favorites:
No worries
Don’t worry, be happy
Hakuna matata
Life is good
Now, through my practice of yoga, I’ve picked up a new one from one of my instructors…Bliss Out. Every time I hear him say it I get a huge smile on my face. The phrase is multi-purpose and is offered as support when we are in a difficult pose or to encourage our total relaxation in savasana.
According to the Free Dictionary, “bliss out” is a slang term that means to go into a state of ecstasy.
The folks over at Urban Dictionary must have been doing savasana when they came up with the following definition of “bliss out”: to relax, daydream, or temporarily lose consciousness merely from contentment and not moving.
To me it means extreme happiness and spiritual joy and perfectly describes how I feel when I get a yoga high.
What are some of your favorite mottos or phrases to help you get through difficult poses or to describe the happiness you feel?
Photo: Robert Aichinger
