Finally got everything collected and my yoga paychecks deposited, so I was able to submit a donation of FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS to Sweet Home New Orleans!! Many thanks and much love to everyone who attended one of my classes on 8/29; they were lots of fun and generated lots of energy. Super special extra thanks to Jackie McKenna, who generously MATCHED the money I raised because she is just awesome like that!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
yeah, i have no title inspiration
I got on my mat last night, intending to do a couple of sun salutations, and ended up practicing for over an hour. I heart yoga. :)
Also, I saw a woman on the Hopkins shuttle today reading the Yoga Sutras. It filled me with happy!
Anyway, for posterity, here are a couple of recent playlists.
my current general playlist:
Wah! - Heart Sutra Soulshine
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - Bag of Hammers
MC Yogi feat. Bhagavan Das - Elephant Power
Lokah - Kali Maheswari
Sly and the Family Stone - Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Jai Uttal - Om Shanti
The Meters - Cissy Strut
Lokah - Ma Durga
Joni Mitchell - All I Want
Feist - My Moon My Man
Laura Veirs - Secret Someones
Belle and Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
Mittens - Reinforce Me
Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man
Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
Better Than Ezra - At The Stars
Ani DiFranco - Bliss Like This
Bright Eyes - First Day Of My Life
Laura Veirs and Saltbreakers - To The Country
Crosby Stills and Nash - Helplessly Hoping
Zachary Richard - Au Bord Du Lac Bijou
MC Yogi - Shanti (Peace Out)
NOLA yoga playlist:
Marcia Ball - Louisiana 1927 (live)
Dr. John - Iko Iko
Kermit Ruffins - Drop Me Off In New Orleans
Rebirth Brass Band - Feel Like Funkin' It Up
Dr. Michael White - St. Philip Street Breakdown
Buckwheat Zydeco - Hot Tamale Baby
The Meters - Hey Pocky A-Way
Li'l Queenie and the Percolators - My Darlin' New Orleans
Dr. John - Sweet Home New Orleans
Ernie K-Doe - Mother-In-Law
Professor Longhair - Go To The Mardi Gras
Irma Thomas - Don't Mess With My Man
Pete Fountain - Lazy River
New Orleans Jazz Vipers - Digga-Digga-Do
Ellis Marsalis - Dr. Jazz
Aaron Neville - Tell It Like It Is
Preservation Hall Jazz Band - St. James Infirmary
Red Stick Ramblers - Main Street Blues
Zachary Richard - Au Bord Du Lac Bijou
Cowboy Mouth - The Avenue
Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
Stop, Inc. - The Second Line
Also, I saw a woman on the Hopkins shuttle today reading the Yoga Sutras. It filled me with happy!
Anyway, for posterity, here are a couple of recent playlists.
my current general playlist:
Wah! - Heart Sutra Soulshine
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - Bag of Hammers
MC Yogi feat. Bhagavan Das - Elephant Power
Lokah - Kali Maheswari
Sly and the Family Stone - Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Jai Uttal - Om Shanti
The Meters - Cissy Strut
Lokah - Ma Durga
Joni Mitchell - All I Want
Feist - My Moon My Man
Laura Veirs - Secret Someones
Belle and Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
Mittens - Reinforce Me
Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man
Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
Better Than Ezra - At The Stars
Ani DiFranco - Bliss Like This
Bright Eyes - First Day Of My Life
Laura Veirs and Saltbreakers - To The Country
Crosby Stills and Nash - Helplessly Hoping
Zachary Richard - Au Bord Du Lac Bijou
MC Yogi - Shanti (Peace Out)
NOLA yoga playlist:
Marcia Ball - Louisiana 1927 (live)
Dr. John - Iko Iko
Kermit Ruffins - Drop Me Off In New Orleans
Rebirth Brass Band - Feel Like Funkin' It Up
Dr. Michael White - St. Philip Street Breakdown
Buckwheat Zydeco - Hot Tamale Baby
The Meters - Hey Pocky A-Way
Li'l Queenie and the Percolators - My Darlin' New Orleans
Dr. John - Sweet Home New Orleans
Ernie K-Doe - Mother-In-Law
Professor Longhair - Go To The Mardi Gras
Irma Thomas - Don't Mess With My Man
Pete Fountain - Lazy River
New Orleans Jazz Vipers - Digga-Digga-Do
Ellis Marsalis - Dr. Jazz
Aaron Neville - Tell It Like It Is
Preservation Hall Jazz Band - St. James Infirmary
Red Stick Ramblers - Main Street Blues
Zachary Richard - Au Bord Du Lac Bijou
Cowboy Mouth - The Avenue
Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
Stop, Inc. - The Second Line
Monday, August 24, 2009
KATRINA RELIEF YOGA BENEFIT!!!
"Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans, since that's where you've left your heart?"
Just a couple of facts:
1) Next Saturday, 8/29/09, is the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
2) I am teaching two classes at Charm City Yoga that day: 10-11:30 at Fells Point, 4:30-6:00 at Midtown.
This New Orleans native combined those facts in the only way possible: turning my classes into a Katrina relief benefit celebrating the music and culture of New Orleans!
Both classes will be an energizing and uplifting vinyasa flow that will be welcoming to all levels. We will be practicing to some truly awesome music--the playlist includes Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Buckwheat Zydeco, Kermit Ruffins, The Meters, Pete Fountain, Professor Longhair, Cowboy Mouth, Marcia Ball, Rebirth Brass Band, and OF COURSE Louis Armstrong, among others. And--most importantly--AT LEAST half of my take from these classes will go to Sweet Home New Orleans (www.sweethomeneworleans.org), an organization that is working to get displaced New Orleans musicians and artists back home. The more people come, the higher and higher that percentage will get!
And so I ask--nay, beg!--you to please please please come to one of my classes on this coming Saturday and donate to this incredibly worthy cause. Forward this to all of your friends and get them to come too! Let's generate as much love and energy and money as we can and send it on down to the Gulf Coast! Come on out and laissez les bon temps rouler!
www.charmcityyoga.com!
Just a couple of facts:
1) Next Saturday, 8/29/09, is the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
2) I am teaching two classes at Charm City Yoga that day: 10-11:30 at Fells Point, 4:30-6:00 at Midtown.
This New Orleans native combined those facts in the only way possible: turning my classes into a Katrina relief benefit celebrating the music and culture of New Orleans!
Both classes will be an energizing and uplifting vinyasa flow that will be welcoming to all levels. We will be practicing to some truly awesome music--the playlist includes Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Buckwheat Zydeco, Kermit Ruffins, The Meters, Pete Fountain, Professor Longhair, Cowboy Mouth, Marcia Ball, Rebirth Brass Band, and OF COURSE Louis Armstrong, among others. And--most importantly--AT LEAST half of my take from these classes will go to Sweet Home New Orleans (www.sweethomeneworleans.org), an organization that is working to get displaced New Orleans musicians and artists back home. The more people come, the higher and higher that percentage will get!
And so I ask--nay, beg!--you to please please please come to one of my classes on this coming Saturday and donate to this incredibly worthy cause. Forward this to all of your friends and get them to come too! Let's generate as much love and energy and money as we can and send it on down to the Gulf Coast! Come on out and laissez les bon temps rouler!
www.charmcityyoga.com!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
okay, really trying to do this blogging thing again!
So, maybe I haven't posted anything in three months. IT HAPPENS.
Anyway, I've been working on surrender lately (and by lately, I mean the last five days). I've been getting increasingly clickity-clackity and anxious and ridiculous over the last several months, largely due to overwork and frustration. Consequently, my practice has suffered, often going a couple of weeks without attending a class. Lack of yoga has made my mental state even worse, and...yeah. Vicious cycle. Anyway, I finally made it to a restorative class on Friday evening, and I must have shed something, because I decided I would just give up. Surrender. Stop fighting, and go with the flow. I have been to class every single day since then, and I feel infinitely better. Another interesting side effect: now, I'm not one to brag about her practice or anything, but, at class last night, my forward bends were AWESOME. For me, at least. The last time I remember being able to go that deeply into forward bends was when I was at Wellesley for my Katrina semester, which was arguably the most surrendered period in my quasi-adult life. Food for thought.
Teaching, however, has gone from good to AWESOME. I'm teaching at the Midtown studio now, which is pretty fabulous. I'm starting to get some regulars, making me pretty much the happiest camper ever. I'm doing lots of subbing as well, which is fun. Yoga=HAPPY.
OH, and P.S.: I finished my assists and exam and made up my training weekend, so I'm now officially a certified yoga instructor! :)
Om shanti! :)
Anyway, I've been working on surrender lately (and by lately, I mean the last five days). I've been getting increasingly clickity-clackity and anxious and ridiculous over the last several months, largely due to overwork and frustration. Consequently, my practice has suffered, often going a couple of weeks without attending a class. Lack of yoga has made my mental state even worse, and...yeah. Vicious cycle. Anyway, I finally made it to a restorative class on Friday evening, and I must have shed something, because I decided I would just give up. Surrender. Stop fighting, and go with the flow. I have been to class every single day since then, and I feel infinitely better. Another interesting side effect: now, I'm not one to brag about her practice or anything, but, at class last night, my forward bends were AWESOME. For me, at least. The last time I remember being able to go that deeply into forward bends was when I was at Wellesley for my Katrina semester, which was arguably the most surrendered period in my quasi-adult life. Food for thought.
Teaching, however, has gone from good to AWESOME. I'm teaching at the Midtown studio now, which is pretty fabulous. I'm starting to get some regulars, making me pretty much the happiest camper ever. I'm doing lots of subbing as well, which is fun. Yoga=HAPPY.
OH, and P.S.: I finished my assists and exam and made up my training weekend, so I'm now officially a certified yoga instructor! :)
Om shanti! :)
Friday, May 8, 2009
yoga community
I would just like to say that I seriously love my yoga studio and all of the people in the community there. I finally was well enough to go back to class this week, and between the practices and the people, I couldn't stop smiling. It's great to have a home practice, but nothing beats the energy that comes from practicing with a bunch of awesome people. :)
In addition, yesterday was my birthday (yay!), so, as per my teacher's suggestion, I did 25 sun salutations for luck. It was fun!
Okay, time to get prepared for this week's class. Our theme for the week: abhaya, or fearlessness. Should be awesome; hope to see you there! Om shanti!
In addition, yesterday was my birthday (yay!), so, as per my teacher's suggestion, I did 25 sun salutations for luck. It was fun!
Okay, time to get prepared for this week's class. Our theme for the week: abhaya, or fearlessness. Should be awesome; hope to see you there! Om shanti!
Monday, May 4, 2009
restora-yum
I'm still dealing with this cold, so I opted for a gentle, restorative practice today. Here's the little 30-minute sequence I came up with:
flow through cat/cow with child subbed for every other cat
hold in balasana
sphinx
anahatasana
frog
eka bhuja swastikasana
supported paschimottanasana
supta baddha konasana
reclined pigeon (supta kapotasana? sure, why not)
viparita karani
gentle reclined twist
savasana
I feel lovely now. :)
flow through cat/cow with child subbed for every other cat
hold in balasana
sphinx
anahatasana
frog
eka bhuja swastikasana
supported paschimottanasana
supta baddha konasana
reclined pigeon (supta kapotasana? sure, why not)
viparita karani
gentle reclined twist
savasana
I feel lovely now. :)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
::dusts off the blog::
Well, I obviously need to be better at updating this! I kinda fell off the blogging bandwagon, so this is me getting back on!
SO. I've been teaching community vinyasa every Saturday at the new Charm City Yoga studio in Federal Hill, which is a partnership with the Healing Path. It's a nice little yoga space, and I'm hoping that the class will grow! All of my students are always lovely, so I'm hoping to see some of them back soon. So far, I've taught a "spring cleaning" class with a focus on detox (lots of twists, core work, and bhastrika!), a prana-riffic class focusing on the nadis and the vayus (lots of nadi sodhana), and a shoulder opener class! It's been a lot of fun. :)
Of course, it's also been a little crazy here in Erin-land lately; I was in New Orleans for the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting (and Jazz Fest, let's be real), and I picked up some nasty cold during my travels. I have, therefore, been learning how to teach when exhausted and/or moderately ill. The thing I've found to be most helpful when teaching in non-ideal circumstances is having an all-Beatles playlist for the class. I will share mine with you now.
Blackbird
Cry Baby Cry
Things We Said Today
Eleanor Rigby
Back in the USSR
A Hard Day's Night
I Saw Her Standing There
Lady Madonna
The Word
I've Just Seen A Face
Can't Buy Me Love
Drive My Car
Paperback Writer
I'm Down
All You Need Is Love
Long Tall Sally
It's Only Love
With a Little Help From My Friends
Dig a Pony
The Inner Light
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Within You Without You
Penny Lane
Don't Let Me Down
Across the Universe
Strawberry Fields Forever
Dear Prudence
In My Life
Good Night
Here, There, and Everywhere
Julia
Continuing with the yoga music theme, I've preemptively spent some of my birthday money on some great new yoga-themed albums. I highly recommend all of them. Lokah's "The Ivy Ceiling" artfully blends heartfelt chants with really fabulous beats; I was dancing around my house all day to Kali Maheshwari and Ma Durga. Wah!'s new release, "Love Holding Love", is a nice mellow groove. And as for MC Yogi's "Elephant Power", how could you possibly resist someone who drops rhymes about Ganesh?
Okay--time for me to go back to watching the live webcast of the Neville Brothers at Jazz Fest, since, if I can't be there in person, I can at least watch Cyril's glittery gold hat on the internets. :) Om shanti!
SO. I've been teaching community vinyasa every Saturday at the new Charm City Yoga studio in Federal Hill, which is a partnership with the Healing Path. It's a nice little yoga space, and I'm hoping that the class will grow! All of my students are always lovely, so I'm hoping to see some of them back soon. So far, I've taught a "spring cleaning" class with a focus on detox (lots of twists, core work, and bhastrika!), a prana-riffic class focusing on the nadis and the vayus (lots of nadi sodhana), and a shoulder opener class! It's been a lot of fun. :)
Of course, it's also been a little crazy here in Erin-land lately; I was in New Orleans for the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting (and Jazz Fest, let's be real), and I picked up some nasty cold during my travels. I have, therefore, been learning how to teach when exhausted and/or moderately ill. The thing I've found to be most helpful when teaching in non-ideal circumstances is having an all-Beatles playlist for the class. I will share mine with you now.
Blackbird
Cry Baby Cry
Things We Said Today
Eleanor Rigby
Back in the USSR
A Hard Day's Night
I Saw Her Standing There
Lady Madonna
The Word
I've Just Seen A Face
Can't Buy Me Love
Drive My Car
Paperback Writer
I'm Down
All You Need Is Love
Long Tall Sally
It's Only Love
With a Little Help From My Friends
Dig a Pony
The Inner Light
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Within You Without You
Penny Lane
Don't Let Me Down
Across the Universe
Strawberry Fields Forever
Dear Prudence
In My Life
Good Night
Here, There, and Everywhere
Julia
Continuing with the yoga music theme, I've preemptively spent some of my birthday money on some great new yoga-themed albums. I highly recommend all of them. Lokah's "The Ivy Ceiling" artfully blends heartfelt chants with really fabulous beats; I was dancing around my house all day to Kali Maheshwari and Ma Durga. Wah!'s new release, "Love Holding Love", is a nice mellow groove. And as for MC Yogi's "Elephant Power", how could you possibly resist someone who drops rhymes about Ganesh?
Okay--time for me to go back to watching the live webcast of the Neville Brothers at Jazz Fest, since, if I can't be there in person, I can at least watch Cyril's glittery gold hat on the internets. :) Om shanti!
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