Dear Fellow Yogis / Yoginis –
The still reflective surface of this pond brings quiet and peace to the mind, just looking at it. The pond is in Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Virginia, which I visited several times with my dear friend and sister-in-law Mary. I offer this picture as a memory of her, and share the quote from Mr. Iyengar because she did live in the present, and knew herself well. She had a full life.
After a difficult few weeks ...
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Lisa Waas in Urdhva Dhanurasana – from the flyer for her workshop at Branches Yoga in June 2015
Dear Colleagues and Friends in Yoga –
There are several Iyengar Yoga workshops coming to our area: one each in the next four months. This is a positive plethora, compared to 1 or 2 workshops per year in previous years. Here’s the list:
Dear Colleagues in Yoga –
It’s the end of July. Following the “Pune cycle”, most Iyengar Yoga classes this week will focus on restorative poses. The exception is the L2 class on Wednesday at Island Yoga, www.islandyogahhi.com, which did a restorative practice last week. The Wednesday class will emphasize twists, instead. Don’t eat a big breakfast!
I skipped a couple of weekly updates, and I miss those opportunities to communicate. Unfortunately, family and caregiving responsibilities are drawing significant energy ...
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Heron Practicing Parsvottanasana at Magnolia Gardens, near Charleston
Last week I offered some suggestions on maintaining your yoga practice while vacationing or on the move. This week I’ve been thinking more on the content of one’s personal practice. What to do? How long? What really constitutes a home practice?
If you do one pose away from the class setting, you have a home practice.
I heard senior Iyengar teacher John Schumacher say on one of his recorded classes (available at www.iHanuman.com) that ...
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It’s summer! It’s warm, it’s more relaxed…and the schedule is often erratic. Perhaps your regular teacher is on the move and someone is subbing, or perhaps you are traveling. Either way, it’s a challenge to your regular yoga practice, and an opportunity to explore your home practice.
Here are some suggestions:
We’re just a few days away from the Backbending workshop with Lisa Waas! It’s this Saturday, June 13, 2:00-4:30 pm at Branches Yoga. Register at www.BranchesYoga.com: from the home page, scroll down to the workshop, click on Register Now.
Lisa is a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher – you’ll love her energy and appreciate her trained eye. If you have a mat, 3 blankets, and a yoga chair, bring them; if not, no worries – we’ll have plenty on hand.
Meanwhile, back at ...
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Early in my yoga career, I attended a class In which the instructor spent 10-15 minutes on Mountain Pose, or Tadasana in Sanskrit. I recall being immersed in it at the time, and puzzled later. How could standing on one’s own two feet be so complicated? I also recall being amused – and bemused – that Mountain Pose even had a name as a distinct pose. And teachers seemed to think it had to be practiced!
I thought I “got it” ...
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Dear Colleagues in yoga –
I’m back from vacation, but just barely! I particularly enjoyed the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, where the Mountain Laurel was in full bloom.
In the L1 and L2 classes, we’ll practice twists and chest-opening poses – it’s good for the innards. Neck and shoulders is the focus for the Thursday afternoon “thera” class.
Here’s the schedule:
It’s the first week of May…and time for standing poses. We keep returning to them; they are our familiar friends that help us build strength and stability.
This past few days in Denver, participating in a Low Back Workshop sponsored by the Iyengar Yoga National Association U.S. (IYNAUS), I experienced unexpected subtleties in standing poses. A masterful and incredibly skilled teacher, Manouso Manos, shared his knowledge and skills from years of observing and working with the Iyengars in the medical classes ...
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Hi all –