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!

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. :)

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!