I’m so excited to be a part of Yoga Six, St. Louis’ newest yoga space!
Yoga Six is hosting an open house June 10 from noon til 5 p.m. Stop by 5724 Oakland for free classes, refreshments and meet the team! Classes start June 11th!
May29
Feb22
Restorative Yoga
Practicing asanas can be challenging, and also rewarding.
Our accomplishments and the way we feel after an invigorating practice keep us coming back for more.
Many times, I’ve found myself getting into savasana after a home practice and only staying a brief time. (Class makes it easier to get in a good chunk of time in this restorative pose.)
It can be tempting to skimp on savasana.
That is why I am proposing a restorative practice.
Devote a practice entirely to savasana and similar relaxing poses.
Try it. And, let me know how you feel.
Supported Child’s Pose
Gather some blankets and/or pillows. Kneel and place blankets and pillows (or even a bolster if you have one) between your knees. Gently let your chest rest on top. Relax one side of the face onto the props. Let the hips relax. They do not need to touch the heels. Let the ams relax at your sides. Breathe.
You can also place a rolled blanket under the ankles or under the hips for more support.
Stay here 5 minutes. Switching the turn of your head so each has equal time.
What are you favorite ways to unwind?
Feb7
Meditation
(source)
I’ve recently started a meditation practice.
It’s hard!
Sometimes the time flies, other times it draaaaags on.
I use the Simply Being app on my iPhone for guidance.
After reading this article from the New York Times, I realized I need to take a time out each day for myself.
Technology and social media are amazing inventions. But, what are their costs?
How many times do you wake up in the morning and immediately check your email or Facebook…or, for guys, ESPN.com?!
What a racket! All that junk separates you from yourself, it takes your mind immediately from the peaceful sleep you’ve had to the external world, where the ego is king.
I’ve started a simple morning routine that I think will help me stay grounded and bolster my creativity and clarity throughout the day.
Upon waking, I do some basic grooming, wipe the sleep from my eyes, do a few gentle yoga stretches, meditate (just for 5 minutes at this point) and journal. The whole process takes maybe 20-30 minutes. And, I feel so accomplished!
Do you practice meditation?
What’s your morning routine?
Ever taken a technology vacation?
Jan31
Restorative Workshop @YogatoGoStudio
learn to unwind in restorative yoga poses
Saturday, February 25th 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Only 8 spots available! Sign up NOW!
What to expect: gentle yoga practice to warm up; resting in restorative yoga poses with support of props; learning breathing and relaxation techniques
Bonus: take-home handout with pose guide and readings!!
What to bring: layered clothing; blankets (2 or more if possible); pillows; eye pillows
anything else you think will help you relax!!
Cost: $20
visit Yoga to Go Studio to sign up
or, call 314-894-2700
Jan17
Be Your Teacher
Lately, I’ve been teaching some classes a bit differently. The class isn’t simply a flow of asanas for an hour. It’s like I’m teaching the postures the way I learned and practiced them during my teacher training.
We move through many poses as a typical class does. And, at some points, we stop and talk about things. I explain what we’re trying to accomplish and feel in a pose that day (as it corresponds with the rest of the class). Then, I let the class explore that pose. I offer instruction to get them to the other side in their own time…free time to play with a pose…
I’m getting positive feedback from these classes! People like the explanations and time to spend on their postures, with themselves.
I think it’s taught me and my students a great lesson: We are each our own best teacher.
When you start pulling upon what you’ve learned on your journey to date and can apply that to your current practice, you’ve made a great progression. You’re becoming a teacher!
I want to approach my teaching as if I’m teaching other teachers. We are, after all, the only teacher we will consistently have over this lifetime, and the only one truly invested in our learning and growth.
Jan13
New Class Schedule + hip opening
Just wanted to share my newly updated class schedule.
I’m excited to be teaching yoga all around St. Louis!
I am pushing myself to make another yoga video next week! I have a few ideas….any requests?
This week, I kept my students in their hip openers a bit longer. We focused on expanding up the spine, lengthening the sides of the body. It was nice to have some quiet in class, time to really take in a pose and spend some time with Self.
I’m thinking next week we’ll have to flow a bit more because it’s getting cold again around here!
Jan9
It is what it is.
So many times, I find myself on the mat and completely unable to find peace and enjoy my time. I find myself focusing on my abilities…what’s stretching, what’s fighting…
It’s a cycle; then, I’m focused on my mind’s tense, distraction and limits.
This has taught me to try approaching my practice more openly. Acknowledge there are times I get right into the groove, while I still have times it’s just not happening.
My practice is was it is.
Any way it’s expressed, your practice is your devotion to yourself. No matter how you think it measures up, it’s still a step made in your journey. Practice contentment.
Jan5
Yoga Tunes
It’s taken me a while to figure out what kind of music to play during my yoga classes. Some people love a good beat to practice to, while others prefer silence.
I like to have a little background noise in class because I think it makes people a little more comfortable moving around and making noise as they breath or find their poses. I change it up from more upbeat music with lyrics to slow and instrumental stuff, depending on the class time, theme and crowd.
Here are a few of my favorite compilations at the moment.
InnerVersions is a great mashup of classic yoga tunes with a modern beat. Take a listen HERE.
Yoga Lounge is another mashup-style album. Take a listen HERE.
I’ve had this album the longest (and actually rediscovered it the other day at one of the gyms I teach at…I thought it was lost forever!). It has a more worldly feel to it. Check it out HERE.
How do you feel about music in yoga class? What do you like to listen to? Or, do you prefer quiet?
P.S. Check out an at-home practice and playlist I posted a while back HERE!
P.P.S. Also, try out this gentle practice from the comfort of your own home!
Jan2
That’s so 2011
I meant to share this before the New Year, but alas I’m a bit late…
In my classes last week, I tried to stress the idea of not only focusing on adding things to your life in the New Year. We tend to bombard ourselves with to-dos and goals each January, and I encouraged my students to approach this new start in a different way.
Instead of striving to do more, think about what you can leave behind. What can you do less of?
This notion can be applied to a yoga practice or real life.
In life and yoga, I know I can do without the complaining. What do I have to complain about, really?! Nothing…that’s what!
So, what are you going to leave in 2011?
Dec14
a great big soul
I just finished reading “The Grapes of Wrath.” The following is Tom Joad speaking to his mother as he’s leaving the family so he won’t be caught for murdering the man who killed his friend Casy. (I’ve broken it up here so it’s easier to read…it’s a long piece of dialogue and appears as one big paragraph originally.)
Lookie, Ma. I been all day an’ all night hidin’ alone.
Guess who I been thinkin’ about? Casy!
He talked a lot. Used ta bother me.
But now I been thinkin’ what he said, an’ I remember–all of it.
Says one time he went out in the wilderness to find his own soul,
an’ he foun’ he didn’ have no soul that was his’n.
Says he foun’ he jus’ got a little piece of a great big soul.
Says a wilderness ain’t no good, ’cause he jus’ got a little piece of a great big soul.
Says a wilderness ain’t no good, ’cause his little piece of a soul wasn’t no good ‘less it was with the rest, an’ was whole.
Funny how I remember. Didn’ think I was ever listenin’.
But I know now a fella ain’t no good alone.
Namaste
