Volver, Volver (To Come Back, To Come Back)

I downloaded a song over the weekend called, Volver, Volver by Buika.  The smokiness of her vocals lured me to iTunes upon a friends recommendation.  How apropo is the title of that song because today I got back on the mat after a 4 day break from asana.

The achiness I had been experiencing after Mysore practice had become barely noticeable recently, but is back today after such a long break.  Knowing that this would happen, I planned my work wardrobe accordingly.  It's not easy to conduct a normal stride in fitted suits and heels when the muscle groups responsible for keeping me upright are on the rebound.   With summer attendance officially in effect here at work, no one is around today to bear witness to my flowy, flat-footed outfit choice.  However, The Weaver did express concern for my shaky legs at the bathroom sink this morning.

This past 4 days my morning sadhana consisted of studying part 2 (Asana) of Kino's book in-depth and reading Ashtanga blogs.   Backing into things as I do, I'm ordering Yoga Mala this week from Amazon.  Meanwhile, there is plenty to study in Kino's manual that I have been applying to my asana practice since her book arrived in the mail a few weeks ago.

One cue in particular that Kino mentions often has finally resonated with me and that is dropping the femurs into the pelvis.  Awareness and subsequent application of this movement on a more consistent basis opened the portal to the release of my spine,  low back and surprisingly my groin muscles.  It was a subtle yet powerful practice changer and when it first happened in a down dog that Keith assisted me in he remarked,"There it is."

As much as I enjoy the rediscovery of my body through asana, nothing beats the Ashtanga Vinyasa ritual in its entirety.   Although I'm not there in practice yet, I am reading a lot about pranayama beyond ujayii in blogs and I've cracked open the Yoga Sutras again.   Another discovery - this one new - was  Saturday practice.  Currently, I simply have quiet time on Saturdays, but starting next Saturday I'll figure in the Castor Oil bath.

On a visit to Rishikesh India in 2009 I had an ayurvedic oil bath and massage.  Since then I've only been treated to some lovingly prepared potions from a budding Ayurvedic; the detoxifying affects which I've found amazingly restorative and essential.  Sadly, that equates to only a few treatments in about 4 years.  Now I get to do this weekly!!!  I'll post more about this in about a month.

As I return to the sameness of Primary in Mysore practice day after day, I discover so many new things.

A Few Things

In some sort of order, here are some things I keep in mind in each class and in general.

1. Let there be silence. I take a few minutes at the start of class to walk around in silence because it speaks volumes to me about who is in the room and my own vibe.

2. “Teach who is in front of you”. –Dr. Judith H. Lasater. No matter what sequence I’m contemplating, it will either go forward with changes or be totally tossed.

3. Let go. I like to share experiences, music and readings that I think students might find interesting and will help them to get lost in their practice.

4. Give students what they need, nothing more and nothing less. Information overload leads to a busy, scattered and confused brain. Not enough information leads to a busy, scattered and confused brain. (see #2)

5. Smile. Say something funny. It feels good and it releases endorphins.

6. Don’t underestimate people’s interests. It wasn’t until 5 years into my own yoga practice that I was exposed to topics outside of asana and ujayii breathing. Teacher training opened a whole new world of topics for me and I currently teach anatomy, pranayama, meditation and Sanskrit to my basics and all levels classes.

7. Trials and triumphs test and train the mind, on and off the mat.

Heart Health Month Topic: Yoga is Good For Your Heart

Chances are if you’ve taken a few Vinyasa Yoga classes the teacher has asked you to “lead with the heart, lift the heart, open the heart”. Why do we say these things so much? The answer is simple, the reasons are many. IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART. When you practice yoga, a number of things occur within our five koshas (coverings of the true self which range from the outer Anna-maya kosha which represents the physical layer to the innermost Ananda-maya kosha where the soul resides) when we expand through the chest.

Reasons why:

1. Vinyasa flow consists of spine lengthening, side and back bending, inversions and rest (a favorite – Savasana!); all of which help to control and prevent heart disease. Spine lengthening asanas promote good posture and reduce compression on the heart and lungs. Side bending asanas open energy channels of the liver, gallbladder and heart to remove energetic blockages. Upper back bending asanas improve heart function and respiration. Inversions allow the heart to rest and improve blood circulation (note: contraindicated with un-medicated high blood pressure – check with your doctor). Savasana is deeply restorative and has been shown to reduce high blood pressure.

2. Your capacity to breathe fully into the lungs increases as you practice Ujjayi pranayama (or breathing). Ujjayi breathing is conducted through the nostrils with the throat constricted; which emanates an ocean-like sound as you inhale and exhale. We teach this form of breathing in all of our classes.

3. When you bring awareness to your breath, your the heart rate slows and becomes regulated. Your breath also influences the rhythm of the heart through inner connections in the central nervous system. This results in more oxygenated blood flow and feelings of calm and well-being.

4. Asana (physical) and pranayama practice have been found to reduce stress hormones.

Energetically speaking, the heart chakra (the fourth of our seven chakras) represents compassion, selfless love and devotion. An unbalanced heart chakra results in despair, jealousy, abandonment, isolation and lack of empathy for us and others. When we work to bring this energy center into balance, we can let go of these feelings and enjoy emotional empowerment. We also feel the welcome embrace of prayer and cultivate more awareness towards the higher powers of the universe; which invite a sense of hope, more open connections with others and increased compassion.

As if the above are not reason enough to come to your mat, add meditation to the mix! Meditation is known for its ability to also calm the mind and limit stress by reducing heart-harmful emotions such as anxiety, hostility and hopelessness. Studies show that a daily meditation practice can also reduce the amount of fatty deposits in your arteries, as well as lower blood pressure. So the next time you are asked to “lead with the heart, lift the heart, open the heart” know that if you do, your heart will thank you!

Namaste,

Jessica