Tuesday, April 27, 2010

yogaHANDSTANDproject

Adho mukha vrksasana . . . oh yeah, handstand! Like our Ms. Mayo says, "Handstands make people happy!" But, like backbends, inversions can bring up issues such as trust, courage and facing the unknown. Turning our world upside down can feel scary and even with the core and shoulder opening needed to rock a handstand, we may be held back mentally. I've been in what feels like a yogaHANDSTANDproject lately and practicing handstand everyday for a while now. There is something about coming into the same pose again and again: each time it can feel like a whole new posture! As we visit and revisit postures regularly, they can serve as a vehicle to notice where we are physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally from moment to moment. So why not shift perspective and view the world upside down and soak up the benefits of this challenging inversion? As we find our own fullest expression in handstand (supported against the wall or scorpion in the middle of the room- it's all good!), be a witness to the qualities that arise. Options open up when we see ourselves do something we never imagined.

Thanks Erin for a fun handstand exploration this morning in class!

OM ~ Amy

Monday, April 26, 2010

Texture, Quality. How do we practice our lives??

Creating a quality and texture for each moment of my practice helped me jump out of that dullness last Saturday! Thank you Amy for that intention/inspiration at the onset of class. It is OUR responsibility as students to create the quality of practice that we need to keep our work interesting. We are our greatest teachers!


And in that notion...I am going to set an intention to notice my own practice this week as a study on my life. Do I practice yoga the way I "do" life?
Hmmmm....
Love ~ Erin

Sunday, April 25, 2010

What do I need to do to bust out of this funk?

So, Shiva Rea made some interesting observations last week in teacher training about how to nourish our practice so that we are are equally exploring outward and inward. In an ego-centered yoga practice we might be looking for the next "bone" our teacher throws us to keep up our interest or we might be striving for what pose we will conquer next. Maybe uttita trikonasana doesn't have that same "zing" it used to, for example. Instead of leaning on an external factor (teacher, studio decor, music, whoop-de-doo pose, etc.) to bring depth and satisfaction to our experience of yoga, we could open to witnessing each moment in the practice though cultivating our truest intentions, breath awareness, noticing feelings, spontaneous creativity, and spacious awareness. Perhaps as we begin to develop a richer texture of our inner experience in our yoga, we will savor a more satisfying, potent quality in our "off the mat" lives as well.

Welcome yoga friends!

Erin Mayo and I are staring this Blog to share yoga ideas and thoughts with you. We'll also keep you updated with yogaJOYproject offerings and news. OM, shanti shanti shanti!

Yoga Manifesto article from the NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/fashion/25yoga.html?scp=1&sq=yoga%20manifesto&st=cse