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3/2/2018 2 Comments Yoga on vacation  Recently I had a magnificent vacation in Mexico. Sometimes when I travel my yoga practice gets deeper, longer, more full and thoughtful. And sometimes I find it hard to find the inspiration to practice, and would rather sleep in and then immediately eat my buffet breakfast. This trip I struggled with the latter. Let me tell you, those Mexican resort beds are so comfortable and the buffet it so good and inviting! The occasional morning I would practice in my hotel room (and even got inspired to make a how to do Yoga in a Hotel Room video check Youtube). I could have beaten myself up and started feeling bad that I was not taking the 2 hours every morning, one should on vacation to practice! Instead, I started having a lot of fun practicing yoga in nature – at the beach, on a palm tree, on a bridge. All of a sudden the earth was my yoga mat and she called me to practice, to have fun, to do things I hadn’t done before, and to look for unknown yoga props. This month in class we have been studying Sutra 1.2 which states Yogas-citta-vrtti-nirodhah: Yoga is the cessation of the constant flucuations of the mind. Many of us go through our day with our brains and thoughts turned on high (even on vacation!). When you start looking at HOW yoga calms the vrttis (fluctuations) for you personally you will find what aspect of the practice and WHERE in the practice that happens for you. For yours truly, it starts in asana (postures). So when I stopped during my vacation even for just 1 simple pose my mind and thoughts stopped, I took that moment to go within and pause. You see, yoga is so much more then what you just practice on the mat – it transcends to all aspects of life. What you learn on the mat you can take with you throughout your days, and drink up the morsels of nectar that present themselves to you. In conclusion, would I have liked to practice on the mat more on my vacation? Maybe. But I learned a lot from taking those small moments throughout my day to go within while in nature. How do you practice while you are traveling or outdoors? Join me for a monthly membership to make sure you have access to the highest quality yoga while on your favorite vacation! 
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1/8/2018 4 Comments Creating a home practice
12/5/2017 4 Comments From Scoliosis to Iyengar I was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 12, and thought little about it through my teenage years and adulthood. In my early 20s my body started to ache – my hips always hurt as well as my back. During those years I was also yearning for a spiritual practice of some sort. I first found Kundalini Yoga and thought to myself, “I really like this yoga thing!” I tried out a few more Kundalini classes but found they hurt my back more. I tried Hatha, and Vinyasa as well. I had so many questions for those teachers! – Why does my right hip pop? Why does my backache? I would always be met with a blank stare. In 2007 at age 24 I walked into my first Iyengar class in Gunnison, CO. It was my first time truly opening my body. We worked on opening the chest and the teacher even helped me into my first headstand. While in a forward bend she noticed my scoliosis. She whispered to me that I needed to unlearn all the yoga I had learned and start over. I was in awe to say the least after that first class. I became hooked right away, going 2-4 times a week, sometimes twice in one day. My second to third class I was so touched by the practice that I swore to myself that someday I would be an Iyengar Yoga teacher. For years as I moved around the country; I would only move to places that had Iyengar Yoga studios. I found my body opening in ways I never knew possible. My back and hip pain started going away and I stood so much taller. Not only did I notice physical differences but also deep internal changes. I was calmer, more peaceful. I felt content and happy. I started changing my health in many ways, and discovered the spiritual path I had been looking for. Now, 9 years later I am a certified Iyengar teacher, I have been to India twice to study with the Iyengar’s and plan to go yearly. I love the practice because there is always something to learn – there is always the room to go deeper. It is a lifelong (possibly lifetimes) journey. My teachers inspire me in tremendous ways. They actually have answers to my questions, and push me past my conceived limitations. I hope to inspire my students in the same way. I am forever grateful to BKS Iyengar for his teachings. |
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