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Person in Twisted Chair with Open Arms

Weekly Class Theme: Solar Plexus

By Yoga Teachers

Our journey through the chakras continues with our third chakra, otherwise known as Manipura Chakra. Manipura chakra is located in the solar plexus (aka the belly right around the naval). This is the home of our personal power, will, self-esteem, and autonomy. At this point in the chakra system, we’ve created a steady ground and experienced movement, change, and flow with emotions which builds energy. As we enter manipura, we have the opportunity to turn this energy into action.

Third chakra encourages enthusiasm and enjoyment about life as we develop our sense of self in this world. This is necessary for making decisions that are most in alignment with who we are and where we are going, for taking full responsibility for our actions, and for taking risks, which can lead to deep transformation.

When I think of third chakra, I think POWERHOUSE — A healthy third chakra allows us to stand strong and tall in who we are and to arrive to our lives knowing that we hold the key to the life we truly desire.

Peak Pose: Twisted Chair with Open Arms (Parivrtta Utkatasana)

Any deep twisting posture is going to require a turning of the belly, which requires effort combined with a softness of the tissues around the belly. A blanket roll for the belly and Kapalabhati pranayama can be good ideas to accompany this practice.

Supporting Pose 1: Extended Child’s Pose with Side Stretch (Utthita Balasana)

Seeing that twisting postures require the torso to turn from one side to the other, it’s important that the side body has length to allow space for the twist to occur. Child’s pose has both legs bent, like in chair pose and by adding in a side stretch this pose really helps the practitioner prepare for the peak pose.

How to:

  1. Come into child’s pose with the big toes together and knees wide.
  2. Keep the sit bones towards the heels and reach the arms towards the front of the mat.
  3. Walk the hands over to the left side of the room to stretch the right side of the body. You can walk the right hand farther out or cross the right hand on top of the left to intensify the stretch.
  4. After ~5 breaths, walk the hands through center and repeat in the other direction.

Supporting Pose 2: Side Angle (Parsvakonasana)

Side angle helps the practitioner come into a pose with a twisting element and arms spread. This pose can really teach the importance of twisting the whole torso, chest included, and highlights the role the arms can play in such a pose. Notice below how the left side of the chest comes through to twist? This allows the shoulder to be in a good position to spread the arms.

How to:

  1. From warrior II (left foot forward), bring the left hand down to the ground on the inside of the left foot. Inside meaning along the edge of the big toe side.
  2. Turn the belly from right to left and press the left arm against the inner left knee to bring the left side of the chest through.
  3. Reach the right arm up to the ceiling and draw the shoulder blades towards one another to spread the collarbones.
  4. Lean the chest back and take the gaze towards the top hand.

Supporting Pose 3: Low Lunge Twist

Low lunge twist is similar to chair twist in that it’s a closed twist, meaning the belly is turning towards the leg. This combined with the open arms makes it a great prep pose for the peak!

How to:

  1. From low lunge (with right leg forward), take the left hand down to the ground on the inside of the right foot.
  2. Press the left side of the rib cage and torso to the right and up to the ceiling.
  3. Reach the right arm up to the ceiling and lean the chest back as you draw the shoulder blades towards one another.
  4. Gaze up towards the top hand.

And Finally, Twisted Chair with Arms Extended (Parivrtta Utkatasana)

How to:

  1. Come into chair pose with the feet together and legs as close as you can manage.
  2. Take the hands into a prayer at the center of the chest.
  3. On your exhale, turn your belly to the right and hook the left elbow to the outside of the right knee.
  4. Use the elbow and knee connection to help turn the belly and the chest. Really try to bring the left side of the chest up towards the sky.
  5. Reach the arms away from the chest and as you do this, bring the shoulder blades towards one another to broaden the chest.
  6. Take the gaze either to the side wall or up to the top hand.
  7. Come back to a neutral chair and then repeat on the other side. You can always come to mountain pose in between to be able to fully enter on the other side.

*If the lower back and/or hips feel restricted, let the hips and knees come out of alignment. Meaning, it’s okay to let the one of the knees drift forward to serve the twist. If all feels okay, try to keep the hips and knees in line with one another.

01/18/2023
Love7
Student & teacher in 300 hour ytt

How a 300 Hour YTT Can Enhance Your Practice

By Yoga Teacher Training

If you’ve completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training, you already know how everything about the experience can enhance your own yoga practice, your quality of life, and the way you begin to experience your relationship with yourself and with everyone around you. It’s one of the most fulfilling, intense, and beautiful experiences that may have left you with the desire to learn more about all of the topics you’ve discovered.

A 200 hour teacher training is kind of like a 101 or an introduction-level course in college. You get an understanding of the subject, but you are often left wanting more information about something specific that sparked your interest. When it comes to yoga, perhaps you really wanted to know more about pranayama, mudras, philosophy, or maybe even sequencing your own yoga classes.

Committing to a 300 hour yoga teacher training will automatically take you through a deeper learning experience into everything that your 200 hour only touched on. Your 200 hour gave you an understanding of yoga and a general introduction to how transformative the practice actually is. When you move onto your 300 hour, you will already have a strong foundation to build on and your practice will be enhanced in so many ways!

You will be driven to continue your own yoga asana practice

A 300 hour yoga teacher training teaches you how to sequence a class around the yoga poses that can be a little more challenging and a little more fun to try. In order to understand this process, you will need to practice on your own and take classes with the teachers you admire. This means you’ll be even more motivated to get on your mat, head to the studio, or press play on your computer.

When you sign up for a teacher training you will experience a sense of accountability that you probably wouldn’t have otherwise experienced. You will enter into the mode of learning and will find yourself getting excited to seek out what inspires you.

Your struggles will become your best friends

While we’re on the topic of taking classes, I have to be honest with you about something. When I first started taking yoga classes, I used to have a really hard time understanding how I was supposed to inhale and exhale, where I should be looking, and which way my toes were supposed to be facing in almost every pose. There were so many little things to be aware of in a yoga class and struggling with them became a practice in itself.

The good news is that it always got better! The more I committed to the practice, the better I felt. Eventually, I started to actually enjoy the small details that once frustrated me. When I took my 300 hour teacher training, I understood why these details mattered so much and I also learned how my own thoughts and feelings were what was getting in the way. If you’ve had a similar experience, I’m confident that it will also get better as your practice deepens.

You’ll understand your mind and your emotions

A more advanced teacher training, like a 300 hour, will always help you investigate why you think a certain way and what makes you feel the way you do. You’ll study philosophical yogic texts that cover the nature of the mind and you’ll learn how to control the way you respond to situations before your emotions get the best of you.

All of the topics that you study will have a positive effect on your response to stress, anger, and sadness. Everyone experiences lower emotions and everyone goes through hard times, but the yoga practice teaches you how to respond instead of react. This can create an overall feeling of wellbeing both on and off your yoga mat.

Modifications start to get fun

The more you come back to your training and your practice, the more you might start to realize that not every yoga pose works for you. A 300 hour yoga teacher training helps you dissect the more intricate anatomy of the yoga poses and understand why the full expression of the pose looks the way it does in some of the books. Once you grasp this understanding, modifying yoga poses to work for you is actually really enjoyable.

Being in the body that you’re in is a celebratory experience and learning how to modify your practice to work for you is so exciting. If you’re working with any injuries or limitations, you learn to embrace your practice even more and find different ways to love the body you’re in.

The subtle body becomes a little less subtle

You’ve already learned about some of the subtle energies in yoga. A 300 hour yoga teacher training will help you really understand why they’re so important and also how to fully experience them even better. Your body is so much more than muscle, blood, and bone. It’s full of energetic channels, intricate layers, and the amazing life force that makes you who you are.

The subtle energies are something that you don’t learn too much about when you first begin to study yoga, but once you’re committed to a more advanced training, you will learn even more about them and why they’re so important to your practice. This understanding will elevate your own practice and also influence the way you move and breathe throughout your life.

Meditation and pranayama will make more sense

Even if you already have a solid meditation or pranayama practice, a 300 hour yoga teacher training will still take you to new levels with these practices. Your training will have a focus on why we teach these and also how to teach them to beginners and advanced practitioners. When you learn how to teach something to someone new, your own experience will be elevated.

If you’re still new to meditation and pranayama, you’ll gain an understanding as to why practices that focus on controlling the mind and the breathing are so important to your yoga practice. You’ll learn how these are connected to the asana practice and why it’s so important to practice them.

The New York Times posted a helpful article, “How to Meditate” to get you started if you’re new at this!

Your self care and overall quality of life will be heightened

A 300 hour yoga teacher training has a strong focus on taking care of yourself so you can teach others. Even if you decide not to teach yoga, you will learn how important it is to love yourself first. The yoga practice asks you to examine yourself in a way that you otherwise wouldn’t and to figure out what you need and why you need it. When you turn inward in such an intentional way, you can become much kinder to yourself and give back to yourself.

A person who has a strong sense of self love can be such a positive influence on everyone around them. As your own practice is enhanced through your teacher training, you’ll most likely inspire the people in your life to make kinder decisions too.

Creativity will show up when you least expect it

Whether you consider yourself a creative person or not, you will notice yourself tapping into your own creativity more than ever. If your job depends on you coming up with new and unique ideas, you may find that everything flows a little easier. If your livelihood doesn’t depend on creativity, you may find that you’re more inspired to come up with different recipes or things to do on your days off.

A 300 hour yoga teacher training may help you remove certain blockages that were preventing you from living life to its fullest. There will probably be a newfound excitement in the way you see the world and your overall love for the people and things around you. This is ultimately one of the goals of yoga.
Enhance your practice.

Lots of people think that they can only take a 300 hour teacher training if they’re a yoga teacher. This isn’t true at all! Although it’s a really important step in becoming a more experienced teacher, it’s also a really helpful way to continue your own yoga studies and learn more about the practice. A teacher training is both a doorway and a pathway. You enter into something that is also simultaneously a journey that keeps you connected to yourself.

The more you learn, the more you can enjoy your own practice and your overall experience of life. A 300 hour teacher training will take you deeper into the topics that you’ve only begun to learn about and will help you understand topics that may have been a bit confusing at first.

If you’re thinking about taking a 300 hour teacher training, we hope you can join us! We’re always enthusiastic to share what we love and to teach other people how to do the same.

If you’re inspired to take the next step, we invite you with open arms to join us in our 300 hour yoga teacher training. The topics covered are always inspiring, exciting, and helpful.

01/12/2023
Love1

Weekly Class Theme: Sacral Chakra

By Yoga Teachers

For this week’s class theme we’ll be focusing on second chakra, or the sacral chakra. In Sanskrit, second chakra is known as Svadhisthana and is located at the sacrum.

The body parts encompassed within second chakra are the lower back, lower abdomen, and the genitals.

Before we talk about the basic issues of second chakra, let’s review briefly what the chakras are. Chakra is translated to “wheel” or “disk.” The chakras are spinning energy centers in the body going from the tailbone up to the crown of the head. The chakras all rotate at a particular and different frequency allowing the proper flow of prana throughout the body. If any of the chakras are damaged, this can cause misalignments in various aspects of one’s life.

The Svadisthana chakra is all about movement, change, and emotions. In first chakra, one’s roots are grounded to build a strong foundation which supports one’s safety, security, and survival. After establishing safety, one can start to interact with the world through the senses and move towards pleasure, which requires the introduction of emotions.

The root chakra’s element is earth, while sacral chakra’s element is water.

Movement that flows like water incites change and change is what stimulates awareness. The combination of sensing life through our eyes, mouth, nose, ears, and skin and being aware of feelings which arise to change and stimulation around us is what allows us to live a truly rich life.

Movement, rhythm, and flow are some great elements to focus on if you wish to create an asana class around this sweet, flowing chakra.

Peak Pose: Extended Hand to Big Toe Variation C (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana C)

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana C (UHC) requires setting a strong foundation of the feet and legs and then using that foundation to twist open wide. There’s an element of twisting (and balancing) which requires steady focus and a softness of awareness and body to achieve a state of balance.

Supporting Pose 1: Wide Pyramid (Parsvottanasana)

Wide Pyramid (aka Pyramid with the back heel lifted), puts practitioners in an optimal position to focus on straightening both legs, which of course is seen in our peak pose. There’s also an element of twisting here in this posture so the belly can fold over the front leg.

How to:

  1. From low lunge (right leg forward), straighten both legs. Blocks are a great tool here!
  2. Lift the kneecaps and press the root of the right thigh back. You can also lift the front toes as pictured to emphasize the ball of the big toe pressing down and to invite integrity through the leg.
  3. Lift the sit bones up as you fold your belly over the right leg. This requires a slight twist from left to right.
  4. Lower the nose towards the knee.

Supporting Pose 2: Triangle (Utthita Trikonasana)

Like Pyramid, Triangle gives practitioners the opportunity to straighten the legs in an open hip manner which can be more accessible for many people. It also separates the hands and stretches the chest similar to UHC.

How to:

  1. From Warrior II (right leg forward), straighten the legs. Emphasize the four corners of each foot and lift the inner arches.
  2. Side bend over the right leg by pressing the root of the right thigh back and leaning the torso to the side.
  3. Bring the right hand down to a block on the outside of the leg (to the outside of the pinky toe).
  4. Stretch your left arm up to the ceiling to spread the chest.
  5. Your gaze can be towards the side wall or up to the ceiling.

Supporting Pose 3: Extended Hand to Big Toe Variation A (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A)

Once setting the foundation by having both feet on the ground and straight, we can progress by lifting one leg off the ground before we start to revolve. You can do Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A (UHA) by wrapping the thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger around the big toe or another great variation is to take the sole of the lifted foot to a wall or chair.

How to:

  1. From mountain pose, lift the right leg off the ground with the knee bent and the thigh parallel to the floor.
  2. Slip the right arm along the inside of the right leg to wrap the thumb under the big toe and the pointer finger and middle finger around the top of the big toe.
  3. Press the four corners of the left foot down into the ground and do your best to straighten the leg by pressing the left thigh back. Ensure the pelvis stays in line though so firm the left glute slightly forward.
  4. Start to kick the right foot forward to straighten the right leg and reach the ball of the foot forward. If you’re using a wall, press the sole of the foot into the wall. If you’re using a chair, rest the heel of the seat or back of the chair and reach through the ball of the foot.
  5. Lift the kneecaps to create clear, straight legs.
  6. Spread the chest by engaging the right shoulder blade towards the spine and reach the left arm to the ceiling alongside the ear.

Extended Hand to Big Toe Variation C (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana C)

How to:

  1. From UHA, cross your left arm under your right arm to take the left hand to the outside of the right foot (aka to the pinky toe edge). If the knee bends, it is ok! Try to maintain good alignment in the pelvis and chest.
  2. Reach the ball of the right foot forward into your hand and use that as an anchor to lean back and keep the chest lifted.
  3. Twist your torso towards the right, bringing the left side of your rib basket and left side of your chest towards the right. Try to let your belly be soft as you breathe and twist.
  4. Stretch the right arm towards the back of the room with the thumb facing the sky to spread the chest and the inner line of the arm.
  5. Try to follow your gaze to your right thumb.
01/09/2023
Love9
A woman on her laptop sitting on a yoga mat smiling

What to Expect in a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training

By Yoga Teacher Training

You’ve decided that you’re interested in becoming a yoga teacher… and we couldn’t be more thrilled! We love that journey for you and invite you to learn more about what it takes to become a yoga teacher based on the expertise of our world renowned teachers.

If you have a love for yoga and everything it does for you, it’s pretty natural to want to share that magic with your community by becoming a yoga teacher. So…where do you start?

Pick a 200 Hour YTT Program

The 200 hour program sets a strong foundation for you to build your future yoga knowledge upon, so you want to make sure you do it with instructors you trust that are credible. You’ll learn the basics and deeply enrich your practice and understanding of yoga, while also building a network of fellow yogis who are on the same mission! Let’s take a look at some of the things to consider.

Online vs. in person

Not all 200 hour yoga teacher training programs are the same. Trainings can also be completed at a local studio, and the more popular option over the years, online. Determining whether to enroll online or in person can depend on various things…

Benefits of an in person YTT:

  • Hands on assists in real time
  • Having a designated space to practice
  • Getting the essence of a true yoga studio
  • Meeting fellow students in person
  • Feeling responsible for your studies and holding yourself accountable

Benefits of an online YTT:

  • Move at your own pace
  • Can access wherever/whenever you need to
  • Makes you more familiar with a digital space
  • Access to tons of resources right at your fingertips
  • More price conscious than an in person

Enroll in a 200 Hour YTT

This is the beginning phase of your yoga teacher training. 200 hours signifies the length of time you will spend invested in the training. A 200 hour yoga teacher training will help prepare you for every aspect of teaching as well as refine your own yoga practice. After you’ve completed your 200 hours, you can go on to complete 300 and then finally a 500 hour certification.

While you technically don’t need a license or certification to teach, it is vital that you learn all you can in a yoga teacher training. The information, both on safety and the practice itself, is imperative to leading safe and fulfilling classes in the future. Students taking your classes want to know that their teacher has spent the necessary time studying and practicing yoga in order to sufficiently consider themself a teacher.

Beyond the actual hours in those courses, you can then move into specialized areas of yoga, such as: prenatal, kids yoga, yin yoga, restorative, and meditation.

Learn what to expect during training

Typically a 200 hour yoga teacher training program is done over the course of several weekends in order to meet the requirements. You are fully dedicating your time, energy and space to the practice. You’ll usually be assigned a mentor during an in person training, whereas online you’ll have constant virtual support from several people.

YogaRenew’s program is offered 100% online so you can learn at your own pace. We wanted to make it accessible for anyone, anywhere so you can learn in the ways you learn. Through our online yoga teacher training, you’ll be given the tools, printouts, and resources necessary to complete your training.

Most trainings will cover all the fundamentals of yoga, including, but not limited to: the history of the practice, meditation exercises, inspiration on leading dharma talks and much more. This is so you can lead classes with a wealth of knowledge and feel your best when discussing the ancient practice with your students.

The fundamentals of our online 200 hour YTT:

  • History and philosophy
  • Yoga anatomy
  • The asanas
  • Pranayama
  • Meditation
  • Yoga business + marketing
  • Mudras
  • Teaching tips
  • Sequencing + class structure
  • Practicing yoga beyond the mat
  • Chakra therapy
  • Different styles of yoga

A 200 Hour YTT is the First Step!

You will be completely immersed and enriched in the practice of yoga and proper teaching after you’ve completed your training program. Here at YogaRenew, we have the experience, tools, and resources to help you succeed in your goal of becoming a knowledgeable and experienced teacher. We ensure that our students get the help they need to reach their goals and share the art of yoga with the world.

We also follow the high standards set by Yoga Alliance, and we are proud to be a Registered Yoga School. Because we follow the standards and guidelines set forth by Yoga Alliance, training, you will be able to become a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and get your Yoga Alliance certification after you’ve completed our training. To learn more about getting insured and start leading safe, powerful and effective classes, read our detailed article, “How to Become a Yoga Instructor.”

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01/09/2023
Love0

Weekly Class Theme: Root Chakra

By Yoga Teachers

According to Anodea Judith in her book Eastern Body, Western Mind, “A chakra is a center of organization that receives, assimilates, and expresses life-force energy.”

Today we’ll begin our Journey Through the Chakras within the context of our weekly class themes. Chakra translated to English means “wheel” or “disk.” You can think of it as a spinning wheel of energy which moves prana (life force energy) through the body.

There are 7 chakras which go from the lowest frequency and most grounding (first chakra) to the highest frequency and most ethereal (seventh chakra). Today we’ll be discussing the root chakra, in Sanskrit known as Muladhara Chakra.

The location of the first chakra is at the base of the spine at the tailbone.

Root Chakra’s areas of concentration are:

  • Survival
  • Organization
  • Boundaries
  • Solidity
  • Consistency

This chakra sets the foundation for the rest of the chakra system, establishing the “roots” of the energetic self.

A healthy first chakra is established when one’s survival needs are met so that we can feel safe and secure thereby giving us the ability to relax. This includes having a roof over our heads and a place to call home, having food to eat and water to drink, ensuring our physical form is fit and healthy, and having a stable income to support ourselves and any dependents. When survival is threatened we’re at risk of remaining in a hyper-vigilant state which can lead to feelings of fear or hopelessness.

The lesson in the first chakra lies in our ability to deal with fear in service of healing, grounding, and setting solid ground to move forward. Keep in mind, life is not and will most likely never be absent of fear. But the power lies in our ability to respond to such an emotion.

Root Chakra + Flying Pigeon Pose

Most arm balances such as flying pigeon lie within the forward folding family as well as the arm balancing family. In this aspect, the class will support a more “grounding” energy. Additionally, flying pigeon requires a solid ground and working through fear to not only balance the shin on the upper arms, but to extending the back leg while reaching the chest and head forward.

Supporting Pose 1: Pigeon on the Back (Kapotanasana)

Pigeon on the back and sleeping pigeon (from the front side of the body) are both appropriate postures for preparing for flying pigeon. This variation on the back is generally a bit more accessible as participants can moderate the stretch with the arms and the postural muscles are removed since it is a supine position. Both variations you can emphasize pressing the shin forward.

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet on the ground.
  2. Hug the right knee in towards your chest.
  3. Externally rotate the right leg at the hip and then bend your knee to place the right ankle across the left thigh.
  4. Either leave your left foot on the floor or lift your legs up to intensify the stretch. You can take your hands to your left hamstring, your left and right hamstring, or left shin. Another option is to place the left foot on a wall or block.
  5. As you breathe and deepen the stretch, press the right shin forward so there is pressure from the right shin into the left thigh.

Supporting Pose 2: Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

I like this variation of extended side angle with the hand on the ground on the inside of the leg because it gets the torso, leg, and arm into a close relationship with one another. This close relationship (as in all the body parts are in a tight and close proximity to one another) is seen in flying pigeon. Furthermore, the front bent leg can teach the action of pressing the shin forward while the back leg can teach the energy necessary to extend and reach through the back leg/foot.

  1. From warrior II, lean the torso to side so it’s close to the front thigh.
  2. Lower the hips with the bending of the right knee to press the shin forward and press the left thigh back.
  3. Take the right hand down the ground on the inside of the right foot and press the upper arm into the leg.
  4. Press back the inner right thigh to the right upper arm to turn the torso from right to left.
  5. Reach the top arm over the ear to the front of the room.

Supporting Pose 3: Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)

Warrior III is the perfect pose to really hone in on the energy needed to lift the back leg in flying pigeon.

  1. From high lunge, hinge the torso forward.
  2. Absorb the weight onto the front standing leg, in this case the right leg.
  3. Shift forward and use the posterior muscles of the left leg to lift the leg to hip height. The foot and leg muscles need to be toned and active in order to efficiently lift and control the leg.
  4. Spread the left toes as you press through the four corners of the right foot.
  5. Take the arms forward, bring the palms together, and try to straighten the arms. In arm balancing, the palms need to press down and the arms should have the sense of pressing the floor away to straighten the arms (even if the arms are bent in the peak pose).

Peak Pose: Flying Pigeon (Eka Pada Galavasana)

  1. Come into a figure four chair pose with the left leg as the standing leg and the right ankle across the left thigh.
  2. Bend the left knee and hinge at the hips enough to place the hands flat to the ground or to blocks if the ground is too far away. Hand placement should be right under the shin so the weight of the body can be lowered down onto the arms.
  3. If the arms are too far ahead of the leg, the body will collapse to the floor.
  4. Bend the elbows and keeping the right leg close to the torso, place the right shin across the upper arms.
  5. Press the right shin down into the upper arms as you press the hands down into the ground and the upper arms back into the shin.
  6. Press the floor away as you pull the navel in and lift the left heel towards your bum.
  7. Shift forward with your chest as you reach the left leg into the air behind you. Left foot and leg needs to be toned and active.

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01/04/2023
Love12

Weekly Class Theme: Renewal

By Yoga Teachers

When I hear the word “renewal” I think of new beginnings, starting fresh, or opening a new chapter. I think of bringing something to life again…reviving what was once old into something new and fresh. The season which might come to mind is springtime when the flowers bloom, temps become warmer, and things seem to brighten as compared to the cooler and darker winter months.

However, here we find ourselves approaching winter as this post is being written discussing renewal. Upon thinking about this further, it actually makes perfect sense that renewal be discussed now as opposed to a few months down the road.

Like most things in life, the seasons run through a cycle. Spring becomes summer which becomes fall and then winter before back to spring again. Humans are actually intended to run though cycles with the seasonal changes. Winter calls for us to hunker down, reflect on what’s been done throughout the year, rest and prepare for our eventual emerging from the darkness so that we can effectively show up rested and renewed.

Springtime might be when we show up but the work to adequately do so is done prior to our arrival. During these darker days when seasonal depression may be present for some, perhaps we can look at this time as necessary preparation for our eventual renewed sense of self.

Peak Pose: Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Janu Sirsana being a forward folding posture felt appropriate for the theme of renewal. It calls for an understanding of the legs and pelvis as we fold into ourselves. It’s also the perfect setup for Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana or the revolved, and more open variation of this pose. Think winter going into spring… 🙂

Supporting Pose 1: Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Yogi on a black yoga mat in Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Baddha Konasana is a relatively simple way to get students into an externally rotated position of the legs at the hips and offers a widening of the groin.

How to:

  1. Sit on the ground with the soles of the feet together and knees wide. Try to bring the heels of the feet close to the groin.
  2. Take your hands to your ankles and fold the torso over the feet attempting to bring the chest out and over the feet.
  3. Bend the elbows back and use the elbows to encourage the lengthening of the inner thighs.
  4. Once the spine is lengthened, allow the head to relax.

Supporting Pose 2: Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Yogi in Tree Pose (Vrksasana) on a black yoga mat

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Doesn’t the lower half of this pose look familiar? Tree pose calls for an almost identical set up in the lower half of the body compared to Janu Sirsasana.

How to:

  1. Stand in mountain pose.
  2. Bring the right leg up and fold the leg at the knee. Folded leg means to fold the leg in half and bring the lower leg to meet the upper leg.
  3. Open the right leg at the hip and press the right foot into the left groin.
  4. Widen the right knee to lengthen the inner thigh and press the sacrum forward.
  5. Keep the left leg straight and reach the arms overhead.

Supporting Pose 3: Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)

Yogi in Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana) on a black yoga mat using blocks under the hands

Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)

Pyramid is a forward folding pose and allows the practitioner to focus on straightening the legs. This is necessary for our peak pose as in Janu Sirsasana one leg is folded and one is straightened.

How to:

  1. From low lunge with the right leg forward, straighten the legs and lift the hips towards the ceiling. You can keep the back heel lifted or adjust it to lower the heel down for a more traditional pyramid.
  2. Lift the kneecaps to invite integrity into the legs and press the right hip crease back in space.
  3. Fold over the front leg bringing the nose towards the knee. Blocks are an option here.

Janu Sirsasana: The Peak Pose for Renewal

Yogi on a black yoga mat in Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

How to:

  1. Sit on the ground with both legs extended forward.
  2. Fold the right leg, bringing the heel of the foot towards the right bum.
  3. Open the right leg at the hip allowing the knee to work towards the floor and pull the knee back some so that the pelvis is in an open position. The pelvis should be in a similar position as to seated straddle fold as opposed to a seated straight leg pose.
  4. Turn the torso over the left extended leg, which should be clear and straight with the toes spread.
  5. Fold over the left leg away from the right leg bringing the nose towards the knee.

 

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12/28/2022
Love16
Person taking headstand on a black yoga mat

Weekly Class Theme: Relaxation ✨

By Yoga Teachers

When I think of relaxation, I often think of sitting on the couch throwing my feet up on a footrest or going for a long massage. Relaxation can totally mean these things, and people may use these activities to relax, but what exactly is relaxation?

True relaxation occurs when there is a total calming of the nervous system. Our nervous system is the part of our body which includes our brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It controls all of our functions by sending messages from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body, like your limbs and organs, whether they are conscious (by our control) or unconscious (automatic). When our nervous system is calm, there is a message which goes from the brain saying “we are safe to relax” to the rest of the body, which regulates our blood flow, digestion, and overall stress response.

On the flip side, if your nervous system is jacked up because you’re thinking about the disagreement you had with your supervisor right before you left work, for example, your brain will most likely be sending a different type of message to the rest of the body. It doesn’t matter how long of a massage you get. If your nervous system is fired up, it will be hard to truly relax no matter the circumstances.

The truth is, if we can learn to calm our nervous system we can be relaxed any time we choose. We don’t have to wait till our bums hit the couch or until we make that next spa appointment. We can be relaxed right here and right now through practices which allow us to come back to ourselves and live with non-attachment. Practices such as mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and talk therapy are all ways in which to become more relaxed.

In terms of asana, there are poses which are very intentional in calming and regulating our nervous system. In the Iyengar method, headstand and shoulder stand are traditionally practiced at the end of the asana practice because it prepares the body for full surrender by reversing blood flow back towards the heart which is a signal that it’s time to relax.

Supporting Pose #1: Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Girl in Mountain Pose

Mountain pose is the blueprint for all other asanas and when taught intentionally can inform your students’ bodies with knowledge for the peak pose. In headstand we are looking to get vertical and so it would be wise to get vertical on the feet before doing it on the head!

How to:

  1. Stand with your feet either hip width apart or together. Since headstand is the peak pose, feet together might be a better option.
  2. Lift and spread the toes and lift the kneecaps up so the legs can be straight and clear.
  3. Take the arms by your side with your middle finger in line with the center of your thigh.
  4. Align the torso by firming the sacrum forward, firming the front ribs in, and widening the corners of the chest.
  5. Bring the head into neutral by slightly lifting the back of the skull.

Supporting Pose #2: Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

How to:

  1. From a tabletop position, walk your hands forward one hand print and walk your knees back a touch. Tuck your toes and lift your hips towards the sky.
  2. Straighten your arms as you lengthen your spin, firm the upper back in, and allow the head to drop between your biceps.
  3. Try to deepen the frontal hip pockets by lifting the sit bones up as you press your thighs back and lift the kneecaps to straighten your legs and drop the heels any amount.
  4. If you need, you can widen your hands and feet and it might feel good to keep the heels elevated off the floor.

Supporting Pose #3: Wide Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Wide Leg Forward Fold

How to:

  1. Turn towards a side wall and widen your feet towards the front and back edges of the mat with the feet parallel to one another or slightly turned in. This is to encourage the inward spiral of the legs.
  2. Take your hands to your hips and lengthen your spine as your fold between your legs.
  3. Use your legs to fold, so lift and spread your toes, lift the kneecaps, press the roots of your thighs back as you lift the sit bones to allow the crown of the head to go down towards the floor.
  4. Bring your palms to the ground and walk them back so they are in line with your feet. Attempt to get the fingers in line with the arches of the feet. Keep the fingers and toes going in the same direction.
  5. Slightly tuck the chin and pull the crown of the head to the ground. Once the head is on the ground (you can use a block or blanket if the head doesn’t touch the floor), firm the upper back in to create integrity through the upper back and chest.

Peak Pose: Headstand (Sirsasana A)

How to:

  1. From tabletop, bring your forearms to the ground and interlace your fingers so that your arms and hands are making a triangle base. You can release the pinky fingers forward so they are not getting smushed.
  2. Nestle the crown of your head to the floor with the heels of your hands against the back of your skull. This is in opposition to having the palms of your hands flat against the back of your skull in an open interlace position.
  3. Press the crown of the head into the floor to lengthen the neck and firm the upper back in to create integrity through the upper back and chest.
  4. Tuck the toes and lift the knees and hips.
  5. Straighten the legs by lifting and spreading the toes, lift the kneecaps, and press the roots of the thighs back.
  6. Attempt to keep the legs straight as you take a straight leg march in to bring the feet towards the elbows. As the feet come closer to the elbows, keep firming the upper back in so the back does not excessively round.
  7. Once the hips are at their highest point, take one straight leg to the sky (be sure to keep your legs firm), shift the hips over the chest and float the other leg up to meet the top leg.
  8. Bring the feet together, keep the legs firm and upper back firm as you press the balls of the feet towards the ceiling.
  9. Stay for ~2 minutes and slowly split the legs to take one foot gently down followed by the other. Rest in child’s pose and then come to supported bridge to lengthen the back of the neck.
12/20/2022
Love8

What Should I Know Before Taking a Restorative Yoga Class?

By Yoga Asana

I have to admit I have a very “Type A” personality, which means that the idea of spending a significant amount of time in some kind of stillness never really appealed to me. I always felt like I needed to be doing something active to feel like I was getting some kind of physical benefit. It never occurred to me that I needed to work on restoring my physical body and my energy until I really began to feel burnt out.

I’d been working in New York City as a full time yoga teacher and I was running around a lot. Even Though I was teaching and practicing vinyasa yoga, I would come home and feel incredibly burnt out. Friends and family would always assume that I should be relaxed and calm because I taught and practiced yoga, but I was hitting a point where I’d never felt more tired and on edge in my life.

One evening, after years of avoiding it,I finally booked a restorative yoga class. The class began with a little bit of movement and then eventually we started to set up a bunch of props and were told to just relax. Immediately, my mind started to wander and I thought of all of the other things I could have been doing. Once those thoughts passed, I actually started to feel like I could unwind. I wasn’t too sure how long we were in the first pose, but it felt like just enough time for my mind to slow down and my body to let go.

The class continued on just like that. We’d set up in a restorative pose and remain in it for a period of time. Once that time was up, the teacher calmly took us out of the pose and instructed us into another. The class ended with the longest savasana I’d ever had, and I didn’t mind it one bit. When I got home, I felt like my head was much clearer and I felt like my body was rejuvenated. This was a feeling I’d been seeking for a very long time, but didn’t realize restorative yoga was the key to becoming more balanced. After that, I was hooked!

Restorative yoga may seem like a mysterious thing, but there are some really accessible ways to break it down:

Restorative yoga is a practice that helps the body integrate and heal

Restore means to recuperate or replenish. Yoga means union.

Through restorative yoga, you allow your body to reach a place of relaxation that brings together recuperation and replenishment. This creates the perfect environment for healing to take place. We all have the ability to heal, but a lot of us live in a high-stress or fast-paced environment. Whether it’s your office, your family, or your general living situation causing you to move out of balance, the stress or the lack of rest will eventually catch up to you and you’ll feel depleted. Restorative yoga is just what you need to finally pump the brakes and allow your body to rest and recharge.

Restorative yoga isn’t like vinyasa or hatha yoga

In both vinyasa yoga and hatha yoga, there is movement from one pose to the next and you’re on your feet for the majority of the class. In restorative yoga, the practice is focused strictly on rest and relaxation. Restorative yoga keeps you in one place and the majority of the class takes place on the ground. There are also a lot of props involved in the practice, which make the poses really comfortable and accessible to a wide range of people and to all different bodies.

You’re going to use yoga props

I have to admit that in my early days of practicing yoga, I used to think that needing a prop meant that I wasn’t doing great at something in the yoga practice. As I began to practice more and eventually teach, I realized that yoga props are like an extension of the practice. They’re helpful, supportive, and all around amazing!

If you’re in a restorative yoga class, you’re most likely going to use props like bolsters, blocks, blankets, straps, and chairs. Sometimes you’ll use only one or two of these props and other times you’ll use all of them. The props are used to help promote the deepest level of relaxation to alleviate the effects that stress has left. This will bring your body to a place where it can tap into its natural resources to establish equilibrium.
The goal of restorative yoga is to establish self-regulation in your body.

The point of restorative yoga

Unlike other forms of yoga where the goal may be to stretch or strengthen your muscles, restorative yoga’s goal is to bring your body to a place where it can find homeostasis, or balance. If you think about it, a lot of the physical activities you do may actually take your body out of balance so it can become stronger. This is great to do as long as you’re also doing something that gives your body the time and space to recover and heal.

You may also live in an environment that has a lot of mental or emotional stress, which are things that you need the time and space to come back to balance from. Your body and your nervous system need a way to rest and recover. Restorative yoga gives these things to you so you can feel well. It’s always shocking to me that more people aren’t taking restorative classes these days!

Restorative yoga poses are easily adaptable

With the use of props, almost everyone can practice restorative yoga. The poses are designed to meet you where you are, so you can take a restorative class at almost any time! Unlike many other styles of yoga, you can adjust the poses to fit you and accommodate your needs for the day or for anything that may be going on in your body.

I’ve practiced restorative yoga when I’ve pushed my body too far, when I’ve been injured, when I’ve been tired, and when I’ve been over-stimulated. Each time, the poses have helped me move away from any extremes I was feeling in my body or mind and return to a place where I was centered and well. Since the poses can be easily adapted, they can sometimes also be done anywhere and for as long as you need.

Sometimes, you only need five minutes

My favorite thing about restorative yoga is that you don’t need to dedicate a full hour to it if you don’t have the time. In fact, if you feel like you need to have another cup of coffee during an afternoon slump, you can take about five minutes to come into one restorative pose instead. This can help your body rest and work like a natural reset.

Poses such as supported backbends and supported twists can be taken on those coffee breaks, before you pick up the kids, or when you get home from work to energize yourself and show up a little bit brighter for your family and loved ones. Giving yourself a few moments to take care of yourself is something the restorative practice offers and encourages. If you have more time to practice a full-length class, great! But you don’t always need to!

A full length restorative class will give you many of the same benefits as a vinyasa or hatha class

If you teach vinyasa or hatha classes, you probably already know the concept of a well rounded class. This often means that you are moving your spine in all directions. There is also a beginning, middle, and end. You will move forward and back, side to side, and lateral.

Energetically, your body and mind will start to clear away what isn’t serving it and will begin to align with what is. This is something you experience while in class, on your yoga mat. Then, you’ll be able to take these benefits with you out into the world and into your relationship with yourself and the people around you.

You will truly understand Savasana

In a restorative yoga class, you may practice Savasana for up to twenty minutes. This may sound either like a luxury or like torture. The more you practice and embrace restorative yoga, the more luxurious Savasana becomes! Restorative teachers are trained to notice when students are experiencing frustration, restlessness, fatigue, or discomfort. They’re able to help you set up this final resting pose for you to be in a place where you’re receiving all of its benefits.

Restorative teachers know that relaxation can be harder than it looks and they’re trained to assist you in finding what works for you.

Want to learn more about restorative yoga?

Whether you’d like to teach restorative or simply learn more about the practice and the different ways to structure a class for yourself and your practice, we have a training that we just know you’ll love! Check out our restorative yoga teacher training with Joanne Silver and Keely Garfield today!

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12/14/2022
Love0
Melanie Rodriguez in camel pose with her arm up, looking at the camera excitedly

Weekly Class Theme: Love ❤️

By Yoga Teachers

When sitting down to write this class theme on love, I actually found myself getting a little stumped. I feel like the word love is heard and shared often. We talk about how much we love someone or something. We talk about how important love is. We talk about cultivating love and the joy of being in love. There are books on love, poems on love, and it always seems that the highest rated podcasts are about love.

Love is like this thing that all humans are after…and for good reason. Love is one of the highest frequency emotions. When we talk about emotions, we are talking about energy in motion. As human beings, we’re constantly emitting an energy frequency. We have the option to emit high frequency emotions such as freedom, bliss, and love or low frequency emotions such as anger, jealousy, and guilt. Living with those high frequency emotions allow us to live in and experience the present moment to the fullest.

Love particularly, whether it be shared within or with another, has the ability to break down walls and stand with integrity. Love guides us towards full acceptance of oneself and those around us. Love supports us in honoring others’ needs and boundaries while at the same time honoring our own.

Because love is so sweet, I feel as if it is perceived as something that is rare. Only to be achieved if and when we are in some sort of relationship with another. But the truth is that love can and dare I say, should, be cultivated within to live in a constant state of love. I do believe the key to life and everything we desire is love. If we can live a life where we are completely and utterly in love with ourselves, then everything we have ever wanted is within reach.

Supporting Pose 1: Hero’s Pose (Virasana)

Virasana gets the shins and ankles on the ground prepping for the eventual peak pose. It also teaches to hug the outer ankle bones in so that the ankle can be properly aligned for weight support.

How to:

  1. Sit on your mat with smooth shins, aka tops of the feet flat on the ground.
  2. Nestle your bum between your feet and hug the outer ankle bones in around the sides of your bum. An option would be to sit on a block with the outer ankle bones firming in around the sides of the block.
  3. Bring your knees towards one another so they are not splaying out unconsciously and press the shins into the ground.
  4. Sit well with the head, chest, pelvis in line with one another.

Supporting Pose 2: Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

Extended side angle is a great pose to prep for dancing camel. For one, it gets into the inner groin muscles a bit which assists in backbending. This pose also requires the sacrum to have some forward movement so that the hips don’t jut back into space which would put the pelvis out of alignment. And three, the arm being overhead mimics the arm position in dancing camel.

How to:

  1. From warrior 2, hinge at the right hip and bring your right forearm to your right thigh. You can also place your hand to the ground or to a block outside your leg.
  2. Widen your right knee so the inner thigh is long, press the root of your left thigh back, and firm your sacrum forward. All these actions done together hopefully create good alignment in the lower body.
  3. Take your left arm overhead and alongside your ear and open the corners of your chest. Firm the shoulder blades towards one another to assist with the open chest and the top arm alongside your ear.
  4. Turn your belly and chest towards the side wall.

Supporting Pose 3: Wild Thing (Camatkarasana)

Wild thing has many similarities to dancing camel. This pose teaches the appropriate actions of the head, neck, arms, upper back, chest, and pelvis. It also carries a similar vibe as this pose too has a somewhat “dancing” aspect to it.

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, lift the right leg off the floor for three-legged dog.
  2. Bend the right knee and open the hip.
  3. Start to flip your dog by bringing the right foot towards the floor behind you and simultaneously rotating the left heel to ground similar to what you would see in warrior 2.
  4. Lift your right arm off the ground and as your belly and chest begin to face upward reach the right arm overhead alongside your ear.
  5. Press your left hand into the ground, press your sacrum up towards the sky, and firm the upper back in to achieve this backbend.
  6. To exit, soften your knees to flip back over to downward facing dog.

Peak Pose: Dancing Camel (Ustrasana)

Camel itself is such a beautiful heart opener. Add in the “dancing” portion and now we’re really talking about moving through the sweet flow of life. The breath and body being in sync through the fluid movements creates a feeling of coherency and love.

How to:

  1. Come to a kneeling position with smooth shins.
  2. As you inhale, lift the bum away from the heels of the feet to a high kneeling position.
  3. Firm the outer ankle bones in so there’s integrity along the outer edges of the feet and shins.
  4. Press your sacrum forward as you reach your right arm back (and bring the right shoulder blade towards your spine) to connect your right hand to your right heel.
  5. Sweep the left arm across your face and over your head alongside your ear. Firm the shoulder blades in.
  6. On your exhale, come to center (release the hand from the foot and bring your bum to your heels).
  7. On your inhale repeat on the other side. Continue to “dance” back and forth moving with your breath for 4-10 rounds or when it feels intuitive to stop.
12/13/2022
Love3
Person in Warrior I on a black yoga mat with arms up overhead

Weekly Class Theme: Gratitude ✨

By Yoga Teachers

Being immersed in the holiday spirit makes it a wonderful time to focus on the driving force behind it all: gratitude.

But, what exactly is gratitude and how do we bring gratitude effectively into our lives on a regular basis?

Gratitude comes from the latin root word “gratus,” which means “pleasing” or “thankful.”  Gratitude is a high frequency emotion, so when it is the main emotion present, lower frequency emotions such as: anger, resentment, or jealousy don’t have as much room to shine… if any at all.

When gratitude is tied simply to each present moment as opposed to being tied to attachments such as material items, life becomes a wild, beautiful ride. When we learn to be grateful not only for the categorically good things we have in our lives, but also the challenges we face and the pain that teaches us lessons, life itself becomes a reason in itself to express gratitude.

It is possible to live everyday with gratitude. We don’t need a particular day, although a particular day can indeed catalyze one’s journey!

✨ Mini practice for gratitude: Try to sit in meditation for 5-10 minutes focusing on the emotion of gratitude. Try to open your heart to the actual feeling of gratitude. You might use past experiences or imagine what gratitude would feel like in your body. Repeat this daily! (and of course, you can use your mat as an invitation to put yourself in such a state through your body and mind).

Peak Pose: Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Girl in Warrior I on yoga mat

Whenever I take class with my teacher, Julie, at the Bhakti Center in NYC we chant the Maha Mantra when we get into Warrior I. We open our hearts towards the ceiling, reach the hands up like the hands are either an extension of or a conduit of the heart, and offer our chant up to the divine Krishna. The only way to adequately offer ourselves up to the higher entity is if we are offering from a full cup. A full cup comes from love, which I believe gratitude is the precursor for.

Supporting Pose 1: Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

Girl in crescent lunge

Don’t these poses look similar? Crescent lunge will teach the action of the front leg, the opening of the back frontal hip, and the actions of the torso.

How to:

  1. From low lunge, bring your back knee down to the floor and flatten the top of your foot to the mat.
  2. Press your sacrum forward as you reach your hands up to the sky to frame your head.
  3. Draw your shoulder blades towards one another to reach the center of the chest forward and up. Ensure the front of your rib basket is not excessively jutting forward by firming the front ribs in.

Supporting Pose 2: Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Warrior Two Pose on a yoga mat

If there were two poses that were siblings, I think it would be Warrior I and Warrior II. They are good teachers for one another as they have similar, yet slightly different characteristics. This is an open hip posture (hips open to side) while Warrior I is a closed hip posture (hips face forward). The good thing about Warrior II, is that because it is an open hip pose it is *generally* a bit more accessible compared to Warrior I and so can act as a great teacher.

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot between your hands.
  2. Spin the left heel down so it’s more or less parallel to the short side of your mat. Slightly turned in is okay too to encourage internal rotation of the back thigh.
  3. Keeping the front leg bent at an ideal* 90 degrees and your back leg straight, bring the torso upright and ensure the hips, belly button, and chest are facing the side wall. Sometimes the back hip will creep forward so press the left thigh and left side of the pelvis towards the opposite side wall that your back is to.
  4. Ensure all four corners of both feet are planted as you spread your arms into a T-shape at shoulder height and look over your right middle finger. Note: the left side is pictured.

Supporting Pose 3: Warrior III

Girl in warrior 3 pose

All the warriors are here today! Warrior III is a great prep pose for warrior I. It moves the body in the same place as warrior I, can teach the energy needed for the back leg to firm the thigh, and can teach proper actions for the hips and chest.

How to:

  1. From high lunge, hinge the torso forward at the hip.
  2. Take the weight onto the front leg as you lift the back leg off the floor.
  3. Flex and spread the back toes as you energize the back leg up and in line with the pelvis.
  4. Compact your hips in as your reach your chest and head forward. Ensure the front of the rib basket isn’t falling to the floor unconsciously. Pull the front ribs in to fill the lower back.
  5. Arms can be in any variation so long as there is consciousness to the integrity of the upper back. Arms reaching forward and framing the ears might better mirror warrior III or you might want arms by the side to give them a rest in preparation for warrior III.

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot behind the right wrist.
  2. Spin the left heel down at  about 45 degrees.
  3. With the right leg bent at about 90 degrees* and the left leg straight, bring the torso upright. *Not everyone’s body will reach the full 90 degrees, and that’s okay!
  4. Ensure all four corners of both feet are planted as you reach your hands up to the sky. Bring your hands together or have them shoulder distance apart.
  5. Draw your shoulder blades towards one another and press your sacrum forward as you press your heart up towards the sky.
  6. Gaze to or between your hands and maybe chant the Maha Mantra.

The Maha Mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare!

12/07/2022
Love4
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