30 DAYS OF BLISS...#15 HALF WAY THERE!!!!

Happy Day 15!! I’ve made it half way through. I know I said I would blog everyday…but life is just too busy these days so I’m going to make an effort to blog when I can. Today was a special class because it my half way mark and I am proud of myself! My body is starting to change, and also hurt. Little injuries are starting to arise that I’m becoming more watchful over. I was actually told this was going to happen. In the past I’ve practiced yoga for LONG periods of time and for many days, but never for 30 days straight without rest. I will keep going until I reach my goal of 30 days. I am still excited as day 1. Today I decided to do an 830pm class instead of the morning classes. So far all the classes I’ve gone to have been 90minutes and before noon. I wanted to see if there was going to be noticeable differences between the two. I can honesty tell you that the energy level is the same. I’m tired in the am, and I’m just as tired after a long day as well. Having said that my balance is ON POINT in the evening! Definitely 90% better. It could be the fact I’ve been moving all day and my muscles and feet have been worked, or it could be that maybe my body isn’t as tired as 6am. Either way it was great to do full tree and dancers and feel that full stretch! A big difference between am and pm classes is my mind. I am all in my head at night. In the morning, although I’m a vivid dreamer, I don’t have much to really think about as not much has happened before 6am so I find it easier to let my thoughts come and go. At night I’ve had a full day of talking to people, planning things, having fun and enjoying life…all I do is think! I found it very hard to just let go and be present today. Muscle wise my body stretches better and further in the evening than the morning and I have a feeling I’ll be sleeping much better tonight than other nights. Overall I’m glad I chose to do this evening class as it gave me a chance to really see what I need to work on and what I’d like to work on. It always comes down to being present in the moment. Tuning in and working on just being me and letting everything just be. The teacher said something to the class that really resonated with me. Yoga is about patients! I REALLY believe this and feel this deserves its own blog. Stay tuned. Have a great rest of your night…Here’s to another amazing 15 days ahead!

30 DAYS OF BLISS... #5,6 &7

It’s been a week since I’ve started the 30 day Yoga Challenge! I realize I’ve only blogged 4 times, but life and work around me got busy and there just wasn’t any time left to blog. Another reason was because nothing really happened to blog about. My body is working hard and the only difference is I'm a lot more tired at night. Maybe with the time change and the 90 mins every am, it's all catching up to me; however, I’ve continued with it and so far I’m very proud of myself! It’s taken me 7 days to get my Chutarunga’s (high plank to low push up to floor) back to complete form and strength. It’s taken me 7 days to get the flexibility in my hamstrings back. It’s taken 7 days for my Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon pose) to feel good again and overall it’s taken me 7 days to feel comfortable with my entire yoga flow. I really do have to say I love the fact my body is young and strong enough to bounce back in such a short period of time. I’m looking forward to seeing where my mind, body and spirit will be at the end of my 30 days. Today the teacher fixed my foot during pigeon pose and asked me to bring the top of my foot to the mat. I did it even though I’ve be trained and taught NOT to because of the protection it serves. For a moment I had to step out of myself and my pride and think about myself as a teacher. If I was a teacher leading a Hatha, Anusara inspired practice and one of my students had done pigeon pose the Moksha way I would have suggested to curl their toes under…after that it’s really the students responsibility to move into the posture they feel works best for them. That’s all the teacher is doing, suggesting. There really is no right or wrong as everyone’s body is different and works in different ways. I’m sure if I had mentioned something to the teacher she would have understood why I choose to move through the poster my way. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to blog EVERY day but I will certainly try! Here’s to another exciting week ahead!

30 DAYS OF BLISS... #4

So far in the 3 classes of Moksha yoga I’ve been to, no instructors I’ve had the pleasure to flow with correct or aid a student during a pose and/or flow. They don’t touch, or correct anyone. This isn’t wrong in anyway, as most of us were taught to only use touch or guidance with a student when comfortable and given permission by the student themselves. Personally I like when a teacher gives me guidance or advice during my flow and even shows me a way to benefit more from the posture. I take it with an open heart because I know as a teacher myself they’re only trying to better my practice. Today we had an instructor who was very in tune with each of her students. There were only about 8 of us so it’s easy to reach each student physically and/or mentally. I liked her immediately because of her teaching style and her personal style. She had amazing long blonde and brown hair with tattoos everywhere! Gorgeous yoga inspired tattoos too. It was hard to pay attention to anything else as she walked by as she was so colourful. There’s a difference in each style of yoga and how you’re taught to flow from downward dog, plank, chutarunga and cobra or upward dog. She definitely noticed my Hatha, Anusara inspired background and helped me flow through the Moksha flow. There are subtle differences but they do make a big difference! Ones that my body aren’t use to so it woke up a whole new set of muscles. Tomorrow’s my last 6am class and I’ll get a nice break over the weekend where my classes can start later around 10 or noon. I do have to admit when I got home this morning at 730am and realized it was garbage day and had forgotten to put the garbage out the night before, there was ONE more reason I was thankful for early am classes.

30 DAYS OF BLISS... #3

I didn’t sleep well…Maybe I was excited for my first 6am class…??? It was easy getting up today. I think it has to do with the fact that I’m a morning person and I’ve never pushed the snooze button. The split second my alarm goes off I’ve jumped out of bed already. There actual times where I will wake up 5 seconds before my alarm goes off. The roads were wet and relatively empty so it made for a quick drive to the studio. There were only 10 people in class this am…still a little shocked with the amount of seriously dedicated yogi’s in Burlington. Just a quick question…have you ever been in Savasana and actually fell asleep only to be JOLTED awake with one of those falling dreams…ya…me neither. I’m also glad my stomach wasn’t the ONLY one making those funny “I’m hungry” noises. I guess when there’s only 10 people in the room, there’s a lot more of an echo. The instructor, Doug started us in plank…common…really?!?! GOOD MORNING ABS! Not only did we start in plank, we stayed there for a good 3 minutes. Moving to standing series we did a good series of high lunge, runners lunge and even the stretch I really needed, low lunge which my psoas thanked me for! This was a really great practice because we did a lot of the postures I felt I had been missing due to a different practice. We did my favorite, Trikonasana, Extended side angle and even a lunge with a prayer twist. I’m pretty sure I was smiling throughout the entire practice. I have to say being able to do Pigeon EVERY class is truly a highlight! Tomorrow and Friday will both be 6am classes so I’m ready and hopefully it will be this easy to get up EVERY day. I’m questioning why I’ve never done this before; I’m also reminding myself its ONLY day3. Have a SAFE and Happy Halloween everyone!

30 DAYS OF BLISS... #2

Today was hard since my body was feeling the effects of yesterday’s practice; especially my deltoids, a direct result of the chaturangas. Although I was tired and sore, I went and got through it…I mean this IS only day two. Again, late morning class and there were 30 people in it! Very impressive and GREAT energy! Today’s class made me miss my Hatha flows. While a Hatha practice I feel elongates my muscles with every posture because of the flow through different variations for each pose, Moksha uses more of your breath to hold the posture and really engage the muscle. After standing series all I wanted to do was a wide legged forward bend. Another noticeable attribute of the Moksha series is during my favorite pose Eka Pada Rajakapotasana or Pigeon pose. In a Hatha practice we keep the toes curled under of the foot that’s stretched out behind you for stability and protection. In Moksha the top of the foot is on the floor and the foot is stagnant. While in the pose as much as I know I’m supposed to be concentrating on my own body, I had to look around and Yup! I was the ONLY one with my toes curled under. I’m not saying Moksha is wrong for teaching it this way and I did give it a chance, but I personally know the benefits of the ways I was taught and will continue to curl the toes under as that feels best for me. One of the fantastic things I love about a Moksha practice as opposed to a Hatha practice in the mini Savasana’s after standing series (laying on your back and closing your eyes aka Corpse pose). These are exactly what I need to catch my breath, tune in and get myself and my abs ready for the crazy amounts of planks and dolphin planks we do each class class. Tomorrow will be my first 90 mins 6am class before work…This I feel will be the most challenging. #1 Getting out of a warm bed and #2 trying to stretch muscles first thing in the morning can be complicated.

30 DAYS OF BLISS... #1

I’ve decided to challenge myself! 30 days of yoga for 90 mins a day! The 90 minute part was not by choice…all the classes that I'm taking just happen to be that long. I don’t mind it though, because 60 minutes is way too short of a class for me personally and that’s only because in teacher training our yoga classes were 5 hours long…so you get it. The Moksha Yoga studio's usually have 30 day challenges but I JUST missed it. I'm looking at this as more of a positive sign because I really do need to do this on my own and I think that it makes it an even BIGGER challenge when your only support system is your mind. I know I can do this! I’ve decided to do this for many reasons. Not only do I miss yoga, but I miss the way my body and mind feel. I’ve unfortunately become “too busy” or since I’m being completely honest LAZY lately and I just can’t take it anymore. It’s gotten to a point where I feel LOST! I can’t describe the feeling, but I know when it happened and I know myself well enough to know how to get myself back! Not many people do, so I need to take advantage of this skill. That's it...I have 30 days to find myself again! If you noticed I haven’t blogged for quite some time…this is a complete result in loosing myself. I plan to blog EACH and every day throughout this challenge. Not only will this challenge my mind and spirit, but my body too. I haven’t done this much yoga in a year and I am craving it! Actually, I haven’t done THIS type of yoga (Moksha) in 6 years! This was the very first studio I went to and the very first yoga I ever tried. This yoga is what made me fall in love with the practice, the life, the feeling and everything that comes with it. Today was my first class. I was planning to start November 1st, but why wait? With this crazy storm, it’s hard to pass up an opportunity to be inside a room that’s 34 degrees. If you’ve never done yoga, or even Moksha yoga, here is a quick description. Moksha Yoga is a set series of about 40 poses done in a hot room. It was founded in Toronto, Canada in 2004 by yoga teachers Ted Grant and Jessica Robertson. Each class will contain most of the postures and will lead you through a standing series, floor series and will end in Savasana. My class today was from 1130am to 1pm and surprisingly there was about 28 of us…I swear no one works here in Burlington LOL! What I noticed most about my body was the loss of flexibility and strength in the most oddest of places. One, being my feet. During standing series and such poses as Warrior 3 and Dancers the arches of my feet became very sore and tired. Obviously I need to work on balance too. I haven’t lost any flexibility in my hip flexors or thighs which is a plus. What I missed most about hot yoga was the incredible feeling of sensitivity your body goes through during a practice. Everything is heightened and the smallest bead of sweat that rolls down your shin is felt by every nerve…OH and the SWEAT! I missed that SO much! I am very excited to see where I will be in 30 days, mind, body and spirit! Wish me luck…Thanks for following along!

Music & Yoga

If you’re like me and music is LIFE then you’ll appreciate this blog.

I always get asked if I play music during class what type of music I select. This has been something I’ve thought about since I started teaching yoga. DO I play music? Do I not play music? Personally, when I’m taking a class and my teacher/mentor played music it was nice and relaxing. I remember when my favorite most inspiring yoga teacher, Kinndli played music; it was something VERY upbeat with bass (Telepopmusik - Breathe) that made me want to jump outta my pose and start dancing. Although fun, it didn’t help keep me present. However, being a student and not a trained teacher at the time might have made a difference.

"If music doesn't serve the principles of focus and concentration, it shouldn't be used,"

Personally, music takes me away. I get lost in the lyrics, melody and my own thoughts. Every song and lyric for me is somehow connected to a memory in my life as I have music playing during EVERYTHING I do so it’s hard NOT to be absent. Having said that, it’s also relaxing and I feel I’m at a place in my practice where I can stay focused on my body AND get lost in the music at the same time. Keep in mind, that this is something that has taken quite some time for ME to master.
When I’m teaching I tend to play very relaxing meditative music that helps with the flows and balance. This can also sometimes hinder someone’s performance and awareness as they get SO relaxed they forget their strength and focus.
On the contrary, music can also have the opposite effect on one’s mind and actually aid in the concentration process and take their minds off the surrounding woes of everyday life.

During my own flows and home practices with just me, myself and I, I play music that comforts ME. Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, Pharcyde, Common and Adele…

This really all comes down to experience and practice. Since everyone is different, every yoga class and student will be different. If you’re a teacher, give it a try and if you’re a student, be mindful of what music does to you on different days. Take all of it into consideration and use it a guide to further your learning and training.

Enjoy.