Sundays are often a led Primary at Shala Central, but not today. The Shala was open for Mysore style from 9-11 a.m. This means that everyone was there all at once. At half-past, Teacher M called the entire crowd to Samasthiti and we did the opening chant together, then picked up where we left off.
I was in the back corner today, adjacent to two heaters so I was sweating a few buckets, then a few more for good measure. The headband worked well enough, though my chin was sweating a lot. Yes, my chin. And my shins sweat too! I’m learning the fine art of mopping my face when no one is watching me. Stealth mopping!
I had a good practice. Today’s skipped pose was Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana. This is an odd one to lose, given that I love it so much. It’s a big mystery to me why I skip poses at all. I’ve done the Primary Series hundreds of times by now. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who does this. I’m chalking it up to distractions at the Shala. It *is* a big adjustment for me, one that is gradually becoming easier.
I managed three Chakrasanas today, all on the first try (Thank you, Bo Forbes and your Bandhas routine - it helped!). I skipped the Chakrasana post Urdhva Dhanurasana. This morning, I was instructed to do three Urdhva Dhanurasana, take a rest, then do two more. I didn’t have it in me to do a backward roll after that. And I was worried about my neck.
My neck has been a little sore, but on Saturday, I had a sharp pain in my mid-back, near the left shoulderblade. The pain is triggered whenever whenever I turned my head. So, of course, I consulted the Internet. I thought this might be rhomboid pain, but in the course of my Googling, I ran across a reference to Dr. Robin McKenzie’s book ‘Treat Your Own Neck’.
I actually own this book so I pulled it off the shelf and confirmed that my mid-back pain is actually originating from my neck. I decided to test my theory. I took a hot bath, laid on the Acuball, massaged my neck with heat rub and then I did the full range of exercises described in McKenzie’s book. Then I took a muscle relaxant and went to sleep.
When I woke, the pain was GONE. So it’s definitely my neck and Chakrasana is definitely causing it. The neck exercises do alleviate the pain if I keep doing them throughout the day, but it always comes back. Dr. McKenzie offers a long list of things you shouldn’t do to your neck. Chakrasana isn’t on the list, but I’m sure it would be if the good doctor had any clue that consenting adults would actually roll over backwards repeatedly on a daily basis.
So I’m wondering: Do I carry on with Chakrasana? Do I take a break from it? Does this get better in time as I learn the transition? Thoughts, anyone?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The last day of the Yoga Show was a bit of an overkill. I headed downtown straight from the shala (after a quick wardrobe change). When I arrived, I *almost* unrolled my Manduka, then thought better of it. Instead, I sat in a corner, observed and took notes. It was actually fascinating, particularly during Martin Kirk’s (Anusara) session because it was so large. There was a wide range of bodies, different alignments (and misalignments). When you’re teaching a large group, obscure cues can result in waves of chaos rippling across the class. I was entertained.
The next presenter offered us balls that are *exactly* like tennis balls, except she sells them for twelve bucks a set. She took us through a nice little sequence, which I enjoyed thoroughly because my neck and upper back were still bothering me.
I skipped Pilates Lady and wandered around the show floor saying good-bye to people. Then I finished off the Yoga Show with Nischala Joy Devi’s relaxation session, which blows me away every year (and she’s such a sweetheart, I just adore her).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those of you who are wondering, I’ve decided to sign on for a whole month of Mysore and see how it goes. Tomorrow is a Moon Day so I’ll get a bit of a break, but I’m back at the Shala on Tuesday, bright and early.
Showing posts with label yogashow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yogashow. Show all posts
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Vinyasa
It’s Earth Hour. I’m typing this post by candlelight, running my laptop off of a battery. But there are no lights on in my apartment! Only candles. Does that count?
It was fun watching all of the lights in the big office towers trickle off. I have a full view of the skyline and I have to admit, it’s a little less twinkly than usual.
Today was excessively busy and I’m exhausted. But I had fun. In the morning, I did a quick YogaDownload vinyasa class to launch my day. I enjoyed 30 minutes of ‘Yoga for Buns #1’ with Dawnelle. I miss these classes! I can’t remember the last time I did a ‘crescent lunge’ (a signature YogaDownload move: a high lunge with the back knee lifted). This class included some unique variations intended to target the gluteals. I jotted down a few notes so I can use some of it in my Hatha classes. My favourite was a table pose with back leg extended and ‘pulsing’ (there was a lot of pulsing).
The Yoga Show is turning out to be a lot of fun (I knew I would warm up to it). I seriously considered signing up for a couple of workshops and I even had money budgeted, but I spent that money on Kino’s workshops instead and it’s a far better value.
As a yoga teacher, the ’show’ part of the conference is gratis and there’s a lot to see. As I did last year, I’m spending much of my time in the ‘Yoga Garden’ where the free classes are offered. Most of the ‘big names’ move through there eventually. It’s amazing how much you can learn in a a short time slot! Sadly, I missed Seane Corn again this year (I was teaching during her session), but I caught a few of the other ‘big names’.
Dharma Mittra is a trip! For the first two minutes he spoke, I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. Finally, I fell into the rhythm of his speech and he became instantly comprehensible - it was eerie, like someone turned on the translator! The best part about Dharma’s session was watching Dharma. The dude’s 70+ and he can casually bend back and grab his ankles. He makes it look easy! I really enjoyed him!
Sadie Nardini’s session was very interesting, emphasis on core work. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by her depth of knowledge and creativity. She strikes me as a generous person who is passionate about her work. The fact that she’s so willing to offer knowledge freely in a public forum (YouTube) is impressive to me. I’m going to check out her videos.
As always, Natasha Rizopoulos was dynamic, funny and informative. I really enjoy her because our teaching styles are very similar - I always take away some great cueing from her sessions. This year, she talked about twists and how to bring the work of a twist into the thoracic spine (she observed that this opening carries over into backbending as well). If I was going to pay for a workshop, I would fork over the big bucks for Natasha’s (Sheesh, how many pages of notes would I take with *two hours* of Natasha?). Maybe next year.
Bo Forbes absolutely blew me away with her short presentation on the Bandhas. This was one of the few sessions that I actively participated in. We spent the entire sequence laying on the floor, isolating Mula and Udiyana Bandha, eventually bringing movement and breath into the mix while engaging the Bandhas. It was *brilliant*! This was the one session applies directly to my own practice.
My favourite session was a Canadian: Ottawa-based Yin teacher Mark Laham. I was lucky enough to enjoy a 90 minute session with Mark. I took pages of notes and learned a few new tricks that I can apply to the classes I teach. He focused on hip opening which is perfect because my students love it and I need it!
I’m attending a few sessions tomorrow and that’s it. I already did my shopping. I bought a much-coveted bamboo stole from Half-Moon and a bamboo headband from Respecterre (I’ll see how it works. If the headband concept is useful for me, I may shell out for the Halo). I also bought a new bag for my Manduka, one with a side zipper. Since I’m schlepping it around town, I needed a better bag and one that is user-friendly.
It was fun watching all of the lights in the big office towers trickle off. I have a full view of the skyline and I have to admit, it’s a little less twinkly than usual.
Today was excessively busy and I’m exhausted. But I had fun. In the morning, I did a quick YogaDownload vinyasa class to launch my day. I enjoyed 30 minutes of ‘Yoga for Buns #1’ with Dawnelle. I miss these classes! I can’t remember the last time I did a ‘crescent lunge’ (a signature YogaDownload move: a high lunge with the back knee lifted). This class included some unique variations intended to target the gluteals. I jotted down a few notes so I can use some of it in my Hatha classes. My favourite was a table pose with back leg extended and ‘pulsing’ (there was a lot of pulsing).
The Yoga Show is turning out to be a lot of fun (I knew I would warm up to it). I seriously considered signing up for a couple of workshops and I even had money budgeted, but I spent that money on Kino’s workshops instead and it’s a far better value.
As a yoga teacher, the ’show’ part of the conference is gratis and there’s a lot to see. As I did last year, I’m spending much of my time in the ‘Yoga Garden’ where the free classes are offered. Most of the ‘big names’ move through there eventually. It’s amazing how much you can learn in a a short time slot! Sadly, I missed Seane Corn again this year (I was teaching during her session), but I caught a few of the other ‘big names’.
Dharma Mittra is a trip! For the first two minutes he spoke, I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. Finally, I fell into the rhythm of his speech and he became instantly comprehensible - it was eerie, like someone turned on the translator! The best part about Dharma’s session was watching Dharma. The dude’s 70+ and he can casually bend back and grab his ankles. He makes it look easy! I really enjoyed him!
Sadie Nardini’s session was very interesting, emphasis on core work. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by her depth of knowledge and creativity. She strikes me as a generous person who is passionate about her work. The fact that she’s so willing to offer knowledge freely in a public forum (YouTube) is impressive to me. I’m going to check out her videos.
As always, Natasha Rizopoulos was dynamic, funny and informative. I really enjoy her because our teaching styles are very similar - I always take away some great cueing from her sessions. This year, she talked about twists and how to bring the work of a twist into the thoracic spine (she observed that this opening carries over into backbending as well). If I was going to pay for a workshop, I would fork over the big bucks for Natasha’s (Sheesh, how many pages of notes would I take with *two hours* of Natasha?). Maybe next year.
Bo Forbes absolutely blew me away with her short presentation on the Bandhas. This was one of the few sessions that I actively participated in. We spent the entire sequence laying on the floor, isolating Mula and Udiyana Bandha, eventually bringing movement and breath into the mix while engaging the Bandhas. It was *brilliant*! This was the one session applies directly to my own practice.
My favourite session was a Canadian: Ottawa-based Yin teacher Mark Laham. I was lucky enough to enjoy a 90 minute session with Mark. I took pages of notes and learned a few new tricks that I can apply to the classes I teach. He focused on hip opening which is perfect because my students love it and I need it!
I’m attending a few sessions tomorrow and that’s it. I already did my shopping. I bought a much-coveted bamboo stole from Half-Moon and a bamboo headband from Respecterre (I’ll see how it works. If the headband concept is useful for me, I may shell out for the Halo). I also bought a new bag for my Manduka, one with a side zipper. Since I’m schlepping it around town, I needed a better bag and one that is user-friendly.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Hatha
I did a half-hearted sort of Hatha practice today, with some sun salutations, standing poses, a few seated poses, but my heart wasn't in it.
The most unexpected aspect of the Yoga Show is that it turned out to be a sort of 'escape' from reality. It almost felt like a vacation. Even though I was spending the day in my own city, the conference centre seemed far, far away. I felt completely immersed in yoga, yet the only effort I had to make for my practice was to show up.
Back to reality now and I'm feeling a let down and I'm super unmotivated, lazy and a bit glum.
The most unexpected aspect of the Yoga Show is that it turned out to be a sort of 'escape' from reality. It almost felt like a vacation. Even though I was spending the day in my own city, the conference centre seemed far, far away. I felt completely immersed in yoga, yet the only effort I had to make for my practice was to show up.
Back to reality now and I'm feeling a let down and I'm super unmotivated, lazy and a bit glum.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Yoga Show, Day 3
Today was the last day of the show. I almost didn't go. Outside, the wind was howling (winter doesn't want to let go in Canada - it feels like February). I wondered if I really wanted to ride my bike all the way to the convention centre when I had a good book to read at home. Curiosity won out. I wanted to know if Pilates Guy would be camped out for a third day - he was. I'm glad I showed up. It was a good day.
If yesterday's theme was 'How Not to Teach', today's was 'How to Teach Like a Rockstar'.
The presentation on anatomy totally blew me away. If you're a teacher or a senior practitioner, chances are you've heard of Ray Long's yoga anatomy books. But seeing him in person was mindblowing. The books literally came to life. Right there on the screen sat Mr. Skeleton with his various layers of muscle cheerfully exposed. Mr. Skeleton flexes his rhomboids and voila! His shoulder blades move together! You could observe the movement of the ribcage as Mr. Skeleton took a deep inhalation. What does Mr. Skeleton use his seratus anterior for? Well, let's find out! The audience was rapt.
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I went up to ask the guy at the computer which software they used to create this miracle. He said it was standard 3D software that they had jazzed up. My geeky-yoga side was all aflutter.
Natasha Rizopolous was once on the cover of Yoga Journal (and I recall she looked pretty good; she's a gorgeous woman). That magazine cover was the extent of my knowledge of her. Well, she walked up on that stage and *completely* blew me away. She's an incredibly gifted teacher and her teaching style really speaks to me (probably because it's so similar to my own, except better. Much better). The clarity and specificity of her instruction was absolutely stunning. Her approach to various familiar-to-me postures was unique and well-grounded in anatomy and body mechanics. She had an eagle eye on the large group she was teaching. She walked around and gave subtle, but effective adjustments. I walked away from that session with pages of notes.
Many presenters sprinted away after their sessions, but Natasha stuck around afterward to answer specific questions one-on-one. I had a heart-to-heart with her regarding some of the challenges I'm facing as a teacher. Her advice was clear and on-the-money. If I could, I would sign up for her teacher training immediately (it's on my life-list). I'll definitely be on the look-out for any of her workshops I can attend.
Doug Swenson (brother of David Swenson and author of several books, including 'Power Yoga for Dummies') was one of the 'big names' at the conference. As his session grew closer, all the hard-core Astangis started streaming in. ;-) Doug led us through a few sun salutations, then we all sat down for the grand finale: The Yoga Demonstration. You can see these things in books or on a DVD, but there's something very jaw-dropping about seeing an advanced Astanga practitioner in person, doing his thing a few feet away from you. I don't go to a shala, so I don't often have the opportunity to see an advanced practitioner. It was stunning and inspiring!
There were some cancellations in the afternoon, so another session of Journey Dance was slotted in. That's how I ended my day. I enjoyed this hour-long version of Journey Dance just as much as the full two-hour session. I bought Toni Bergin's Journey Dance CD, though I know that it will be a different experience doing it at home. Dancing in a huge group has energetic power. It was actually an interesting experience doing Journey Dance in a public space. Even though I knew people were watching me, I still felt free and uninhibited. This is the power of the group.
My overall impression of the Yoga Show was very positive. I definitely think it's worth the $15 entrance fee to see and experience the instruction of so many advanced practitioners. I would definitely do this again. In fact, having had a chance to look at the pricing structure for the conference workshops, I think I would sign up as early as possible to get into a few key workshops with people I respect (like Natasha Rizopolous or Mark Darby) and then spend the rest of my time at the show, interacting with vendors and catching sessions at the Yoga Garden.
Here's a rundown of my sessions today:
Ray Long - Anatomy
Nathasha Rizopolous - Home Yoga Practice
Jennifer Weinert - Purna Yoga
David Newman - Kirtan
Doug Swenson - Astanga Yoga Demonstration
Toni Bergins - Journey Dance
If yesterday's theme was 'How Not to Teach', today's was 'How to Teach Like a Rockstar'.
The presentation on anatomy totally blew me away. If you're a teacher or a senior practitioner, chances are you've heard of Ray Long's yoga anatomy books. But seeing him in person was mindblowing. The books literally came to life. Right there on the screen sat Mr. Skeleton with his various layers of muscle cheerfully exposed. Mr. Skeleton flexes his rhomboids and voila! His shoulder blades move together! You could observe the movement of the ribcage as Mr. Skeleton took a deep inhalation. What does Mr. Skeleton use his seratus anterior for? Well, let's find out! The audience was rapt.
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I went up to ask the guy at the computer which software they used to create this miracle. He said it was standard 3D software that they had jazzed up. My geeky-yoga side was all aflutter.
Natasha Rizopolous was once on the cover of Yoga Journal (and I recall she looked pretty good; she's a gorgeous woman). That magazine cover was the extent of my knowledge of her. Well, she walked up on that stage and *completely* blew me away. She's an incredibly gifted teacher and her teaching style really speaks to me (probably because it's so similar to my own, except better. Much better). The clarity and specificity of her instruction was absolutely stunning. Her approach to various familiar-to-me postures was unique and well-grounded in anatomy and body mechanics. She had an eagle eye on the large group she was teaching. She walked around and gave subtle, but effective adjustments. I walked away from that session with pages of notes.
Many presenters sprinted away after their sessions, but Natasha stuck around afterward to answer specific questions one-on-one. I had a heart-to-heart with her regarding some of the challenges I'm facing as a teacher. Her advice was clear and on-the-money. If I could, I would sign up for her teacher training immediately (it's on my life-list). I'll definitely be on the look-out for any of her workshops I can attend.
Doug Swenson (brother of David Swenson and author of several books, including 'Power Yoga for Dummies') was one of the 'big names' at the conference. As his session grew closer, all the hard-core Astangis started streaming in. ;-) Doug led us through a few sun salutations, then we all sat down for the grand finale: The Yoga Demonstration. You can see these things in books or on a DVD, but there's something very jaw-dropping about seeing an advanced Astanga practitioner in person, doing his thing a few feet away from you. I don't go to a shala, so I don't often have the opportunity to see an advanced practitioner. It was stunning and inspiring!
There were some cancellations in the afternoon, so another session of Journey Dance was slotted in. That's how I ended my day. I enjoyed this hour-long version of Journey Dance just as much as the full two-hour session. I bought Toni Bergin's Journey Dance CD, though I know that it will be a different experience doing it at home. Dancing in a huge group has energetic power. It was actually an interesting experience doing Journey Dance in a public space. Even though I knew people were watching me, I still felt free and uninhibited. This is the power of the group.
My overall impression of the Yoga Show was very positive. I definitely think it's worth the $15 entrance fee to see and experience the instruction of so many advanced practitioners. I would definitely do this again. In fact, having had a chance to look at the pricing structure for the conference workshops, I think I would sign up as early as possible to get into a few key workshops with people I respect (like Natasha Rizopolous or Mark Darby) and then spend the rest of my time at the show, interacting with vendors and catching sessions at the Yoga Garden.
Here's a rundown of my sessions today:
Ray Long - Anatomy
Nathasha Rizopolous - Home Yoga Practice
Jennifer Weinert - Purna Yoga
David Newman - Kirtan
Doug Swenson - Astanga Yoga Demonstration
Toni Bergins - Journey Dance
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Yoga Show, Day 2
I taught a class in the morning, so I walked in the door just in time to see Seane Corn conclude her session in the Yoga Garden. I sat down for the meditation. I really, really wish I could have seen her teach. By the way, Seane Corn's hair? Not as curly as it is in the posters. Just sayin'.
Today, I brought along my light 'teaching mat', which I'm perfectly at ease leaving unattended. Then I staked out a spot and took off to find some yummy snacks before the next session. Whenever a session got dull, I wandered off to the booths to play with yoga merch and chat up the vendors.
I had some really amazing conversations. I'm in the midst of doing some marketing and outreach for my teaching. I chatted up a very successful teacher from Ottawa who has just launched two new DVDs. He gave me some great tips about getting my foot in the door for corporate yoga and marketing my services for private sessions.
I also *ahem* had some birthday money in my wallet. I bought a few things. I replaced my cheap mala with a lovely tiger's eye mala. I bought Dr. Cohen's AcuBall at a discount. And I bought a product very similar to YogaToes called 'Healthy Toes'. The latter may prove to be the most fun because I've been making silly jokes about YogaToes for years. Reviews coming soon.
Yes, I know, I know. I was rolling my eyes about merch, but I caved in. At least I didn't buy the yoga mat bag I was eyeing. It was a beautiful bag, but I already have a bag that I never use (but resistance may be futile - I grabbed the bag-makers business card).
I started to recognise some familiar faces in the Yoga Garden today. I'm not the only one 'camped out' there. I chatted at length with another yoga teacher who, like me, got a freebie pass to the show. The pilates teacher behind me does this every year - he buys a three-day show pass for $15 and camps out in the Yoga Garden for the sessions. I ran into someone from the YTT I attended six years ago. I chatted with yoga students who are here for the free classes. It was fun.
I attended 9 half-hour sessions. Today's theme seemed to be “How Not to Teach.” The biggest surprise was how many 'famous' teachers are actually ineffectual assholes in a real teaching situation. A few of the Big Names absolutely left me cold. Also, if Shiva Rea's adherents are any indication, I'm just not into Prana Flow yoga. It's not my thang.
I also reconfirmed that I really dislike Pilates. I knew this already, but the few Pilates presenters reminded me that if I never do 'the hundred' again in my life, I won't be missing much.
Nischala Joy Devi totally wowed me with her guided relaxation. When I saw her on the schedule, I thought: "Uh oh. Flake-o-rama'. I couldn't have been more wrong. She's a great lady, a clear and compelling teacher and she accomplished something truly impressive: she got me to slow down for a half-hour. Although it's entirely possible that I was so exhausted at this point I would have fallen into a soft silly putty state regardless, Nischala rendered me floppy and drooling in under ten minutes. I can't recall the last time I felt so deeply relaxed. I emerged feeling like a million bucks. I'm seriously going to seek out her relaxation CD. Loved her!
The highlight of the day: I got to meet Rodney Yee and his lithe, velour-short-shorts-clad companion, Colleen (read about the scandal here). In my DVD player, Rodney is forever young, trapped in a world that is perpetually the 90s. In person, Rodney's black pony tail is threaded with gray and he's looking a bit worse for the wear. He's aging! Who woulda thunk it? But he gave a great class and I have to admit, he and the infamous Colleen made a wicked team. I actually liked them.
And I have to admit, it's never a bad day when you get a nice adjustment in downward facing dog from Rodney Yee. (it was just a bit surreal watching him stroll around the Yoga Garden during the class, like my DVD player had exploded into life...or sucked me into its screen).
I left early because I had a dinner to go to. I missed the Hare Krishnas and the woman demonstrating a yoga strap sewn together in two places which she is selling for $40. *eye roll* (Neat idea, maybe I'l buy a strap and sew two loops into it).
Here's a rundown of the sessions I attended today:
Seane Corn - Ashtanga Yoga
Twee Merrigan - Prana Flow
Neil Perason - Yoga for Chronic Pain
Jonathan Urla - Yogilates
Alycea Ungaro - Pilates
Michelle Cormack - 5 Elements Vinyasa Flow
Anodea Judith - The Chakras
Nischala Joy Devi - Guided Relaxation
Rodney and Colleen Yee - Yoga
Today, I brought along my light 'teaching mat', which I'm perfectly at ease leaving unattended. Then I staked out a spot and took off to find some yummy snacks before the next session. Whenever a session got dull, I wandered off to the booths to play with yoga merch and chat up the vendors.
I had some really amazing conversations. I'm in the midst of doing some marketing and outreach for my teaching. I chatted up a very successful teacher from Ottawa who has just launched two new DVDs. He gave me some great tips about getting my foot in the door for corporate yoga and marketing my services for private sessions.
I also *ahem* had some birthday money in my wallet. I bought a few things. I replaced my cheap mala with a lovely tiger's eye mala. I bought Dr. Cohen's AcuBall at a discount. And I bought a product very similar to YogaToes called 'Healthy Toes'. The latter may prove to be the most fun because I've been making silly jokes about YogaToes for years. Reviews coming soon.
Yes, I know, I know. I was rolling my eyes about merch, but I caved in. At least I didn't buy the yoga mat bag I was eyeing. It was a beautiful bag, but I already have a bag that I never use (but resistance may be futile - I grabbed the bag-makers business card).
I started to recognise some familiar faces in the Yoga Garden today. I'm not the only one 'camped out' there. I chatted at length with another yoga teacher who, like me, got a freebie pass to the show. The pilates teacher behind me does this every year - he buys a three-day show pass for $15 and camps out in the Yoga Garden for the sessions. I ran into someone from the YTT I attended six years ago. I chatted with yoga students who are here for the free classes. It was fun.
I attended 9 half-hour sessions. Today's theme seemed to be “How Not to Teach.” The biggest surprise was how many 'famous' teachers are actually ineffectual assholes in a real teaching situation. A few of the Big Names absolutely left me cold. Also, if Shiva Rea's adherents are any indication, I'm just not into Prana Flow yoga. It's not my thang.
I also reconfirmed that I really dislike Pilates. I knew this already, but the few Pilates presenters reminded me that if I never do 'the hundred' again in my life, I won't be missing much.
Nischala Joy Devi totally wowed me with her guided relaxation. When I saw her on the schedule, I thought: "Uh oh. Flake-o-rama'. I couldn't have been more wrong. She's a great lady, a clear and compelling teacher and she accomplished something truly impressive: she got me to slow down for a half-hour. Although it's entirely possible that I was so exhausted at this point I would have fallen into a soft silly putty state regardless, Nischala rendered me floppy and drooling in under ten minutes. I can't recall the last time I felt so deeply relaxed. I emerged feeling like a million bucks. I'm seriously going to seek out her relaxation CD. Loved her!
The highlight of the day: I got to meet Rodney Yee and his lithe, velour-short-shorts-clad companion, Colleen (read about the scandal here). In my DVD player, Rodney is forever young, trapped in a world that is perpetually the 90s. In person, Rodney's black pony tail is threaded with gray and he's looking a bit worse for the wear. He's aging! Who woulda thunk it? But he gave a great class and I have to admit, he and the infamous Colleen made a wicked team. I actually liked them.
And I have to admit, it's never a bad day when you get a nice adjustment in downward facing dog from Rodney Yee. (it was just a bit surreal watching him stroll around the Yoga Garden during the class, like my DVD player had exploded into life...or sucked me into its screen).
I left early because I had a dinner to go to. I missed the Hare Krishnas and the woman demonstrating a yoga strap sewn together in two places which she is selling for $40. *eye roll* (Neat idea, maybe I'l buy a strap and sew two loops into it).
Here's a rundown of the sessions I attended today:
Seane Corn - Ashtanga Yoga
Twee Merrigan - Prana Flow
Neil Perason - Yoga for Chronic Pain
Jonathan Urla - Yogilates
Alycea Ungaro - Pilates
Michelle Cormack - 5 Elements Vinyasa Flow
Anodea Judith - The Chakras
Nischala Joy Devi - Guided Relaxation
Rodney and Colleen Yee - Yoga
Friday, April 3, 2009
Yoga Show, Day 1
A few days ago, a colleague contacted me out of the blue and offered me a free ticket to the upcoming 'Yoga and Pilates Conference and Show'. She's a personal trainer and is completely disinterested and bored by yoga (resulting in hilarious conversations; another story for another time). She had no interest in using this ticket, which was for the 'show', so she gave it to me.
Full disclosure: I'm a yoga conference skeptic. For years, I've kind of rolled my eyes at the whole thing and if anyone asked, told them that it was an silly waste of money. So I had *really* low expectations going in. I figured that a one-day pass to the 'show' would get me two hours on my feet, looking at Yoga T-shirts, yoga socks, mala beads, palm readers and maybe a few good food samples. I was right about the food samples, but there was more...
I was pleasantly surprised. For starters, the people at the door were not communicating well and after I offered my free one-day coupon to get in, I was presented with a three-day wristband instead of the one-day hand stamp. Oops.
For the first little bit, as expected, I walked around and rolled my eyes a lot. But then I got my hands on a Show schedule and discovered that in the 'Yoga Garden' area, there are free workshops going on all day. Pretty much anyone who's anyone at this conference was giving a short presentation at the Yoga Garden at some point during the weekend. For free.
So I camped out in the Yoga Garden on a loaner mat and did free yoga classes. It was awesome.
I did about two hours of yoga, in bits and pieces. In the process, I experienced some of the stupidest vinyasa yoga I've ever encountered, learned about yoga and neuroscience, listened to a fabulous presentation entitled 'Yoga for the Planet' (an anti-consumerism rant that was ironic, given the location), and was inspired by some amazing teachers (and dumbfounded by some very bad ones).
There was one Astanga session, with Mark and Joanne Darby. I was excited about this because I use their DVD periodically. The session was short, really just sun salutation A. I spoke with Mark afterward though and found him to be a kind, modest and helpful. It was such a pleasure to meet the two of them in person. I was also deeply impressed by the Himalayan Institute's Rolf Sovik, who did a short presentation on Yoga for Meditation. His session was rich with information on strengthening the back for long periods of sitting.
In the evening, there was a free two-hour session of 'Journey Dance' with Toni Bergins. I had seen this advertised at a local yoga studio but couldn't go, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to try it. It was really wonderful. If you like touch-feely hippy-style free-dance, then this would be right up your alley. I felt like a 5-year-old kid again, particularly during the part where we danced around with floaty silk scarves. The two hours passed by quickly. I emerged sweaty and happy.
All in all, it was worthwhile and I'm going back tomorrow, since I have the option to.
For reference, here are the sessions I attended:
Maria Garre - Vinyasa Flow
Lisa Black - Baptiste Yoga (but it was really a lecture on pre-natal; *yawn*)
Blake Martin - The Brain and Yoga
Mark and Joanne Darby - Ashtanga Yoga
Bernie Clark - Yoga for the Planet
Rolf Sovik - Yoga for Meditation
Yogi Vishvketu - Yoga
Full disclosure: I'm a yoga conference skeptic. For years, I've kind of rolled my eyes at the whole thing and if anyone asked, told them that it was an silly waste of money. So I had *really* low expectations going in. I figured that a one-day pass to the 'show' would get me two hours on my feet, looking at Yoga T-shirts, yoga socks, mala beads, palm readers and maybe a few good food samples. I was right about the food samples, but there was more...
I was pleasantly surprised. For starters, the people at the door were not communicating well and after I offered my free one-day coupon to get in, I was presented with a three-day wristband instead of the one-day hand stamp. Oops.
For the first little bit, as expected, I walked around and rolled my eyes a lot. But then I got my hands on a Show schedule and discovered that in the 'Yoga Garden' area, there are free workshops going on all day. Pretty much anyone who's anyone at this conference was giving a short presentation at the Yoga Garden at some point during the weekend. For free.
So I camped out in the Yoga Garden on a loaner mat and did free yoga classes. It was awesome.
I did about two hours of yoga, in bits and pieces. In the process, I experienced some of the stupidest vinyasa yoga I've ever encountered, learned about yoga and neuroscience, listened to a fabulous presentation entitled 'Yoga for the Planet' (an anti-consumerism rant that was ironic, given the location), and was inspired by some amazing teachers (and dumbfounded by some very bad ones).
There was one Astanga session, with Mark and Joanne Darby. I was excited about this because I use their DVD periodically. The session was short, really just sun salutation A. I spoke with Mark afterward though and found him to be a kind, modest and helpful. It was such a pleasure to meet the two of them in person. I was also deeply impressed by the Himalayan Institute's Rolf Sovik, who did a short presentation on Yoga for Meditation. His session was rich with information on strengthening the back for long periods of sitting.
In the evening, there was a free two-hour session of 'Journey Dance' with Toni Bergins. I had seen this advertised at a local yoga studio but couldn't go, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to try it. It was really wonderful. If you like touch-feely hippy-style free-dance, then this would be right up your alley. I felt like a 5-year-old kid again, particularly during the part where we danced around with floaty silk scarves. The two hours passed by quickly. I emerged sweaty and happy.
All in all, it was worthwhile and I'm going back tomorrow, since I have the option to.
For reference, here are the sessions I attended:
Maria Garre - Vinyasa Flow
Lisa Black - Baptiste Yoga (but it was really a lecture on pre-natal; *yawn*)
Blake Martin - The Brain and Yoga
Mark and Joanne Darby - Ashtanga Yoga
Bernie Clark - Yoga for the Planet
Rolf Sovik - Yoga for Meditation
Yogi Vishvketu - Yoga
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