Honor the Dark, Renew Hope with the Light

Theme: honor the dark and celebrate the returning light. 

It is very important for me to I remember pulsation. I learn the beauty of pulsation from nature. For example it isn't always light and it isn't always dark. That this duality is a vital and beautiful part of life. Sometimes when I experience a darker feeling or shadow aspect of myself I feel like it will last forever! But just like in nature I remind myself that this too will pass. I remind myself this even when I am ecstatic and on top of the world, that yes this to will pass. This helps me not cling to or avoid feelings or situations because I know wonderful and challenging aspects of life are pulsating into and out of my experience always and I can be grateful for both. As cliche as it is, we can not have the light with out the dark. So on this day of Yule/ winter solstice when we are experiencing the darkest night we can honor the darkness and all that it brings and we can also celebrate the return of the light. 

Anecdote: winter solstice 

UPA: inner body bright 

Apex; visvamitrasana 

Heart quality: Hope 

Props: strap, 2 blocks, blanket 

This is an abbreviated excerpt of "A Celebration of Winter Solstice" from The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr.

"There is a tendency to want to hurry from autumn to spring, to avoid the long dark days that winter brings. Many people do not like constant days bereft of light and months filled with colder temperatures. They struggle with the bleakness of land and the emptiness of trees. Their eyes and hearts seek color. Their spirits tire of tasting the endless gray skies. There is great rejoicing in the thought that light and warmth will soon be filling more and more of each new day.

"But winter darkness has a positive side to it. As we gather to celebrate the first turn from winter to spring, we are invited to recognize and honor the beauty in the often unwanted season of winter. Let us invite our hearts to be glad for the courage winter proclaims. Let us be grateful for the wisdom winter brings in teaching us about the need for withdrawal as an essential part of renewal. Let us also encourage our spirits as Earth prepares to come forth from this time of withdrawal into a season filled with light.

"The winter solstice celebrates the return of hope to our land as our planet experiences the first slow turn toward greater daylight. Soon we will welcome the return of the sun and the coming of springtime. As we do so, let us remember and embrace the positive, enriching aspects of winter's darkness. Pause now to sit in silence in the darkness of this space. Let this space be a safe enclosure of creative gestation for you."

Warm up: 

Cat/cow

Table jump rope spine 

Half moon side stretch 2x 

Basic:

Sun b 3x 

Utkatasana twist- L twist- warrior 2- rev warrior - AMS- utt

Mod. Parsvak 

Parsvak 

Dolphin- pincha manyurasana 

Harder:

Lunge t arms twist- rev L- high runners lunge twist- Anjaneyasana twist with quad 

Pigeon quad 

Twisting pigeon quad 

Parsvakonasana 

Ardha hanumanasana with front foot wide- scandasana 

Apex:

Double pigeon - compass 

Visvamitrasana mod. 

Cool down:

Janusirsasana 

Parsva janusirsasana prep fold down middle 

Parsva janusirsasana strap 

Shavasana supported supta baddha konasana 

A Winter Solstice Prayer by Edward Hays from Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim.

The dark shadow of space leans over us. . . . .
We are mindful that the darkness of greed, exploitation, and hatred
also lengthens its shadow over our small planet Earth.
As our ancestors feared death and evil and all the dark powers of winter,
we fear that the darkness of war, discrimination, and selfishness
may doom us and our planet to an eternal winter.

May we find hope in the lights we have kindled on this sacred night,
hope in one another and in all who form the web-work of peace and justice
that spans the world.

In the heart of every person on this Earth
burns the spark of luminous goodness;
in no heart is there total darkness.
May we who have celebrated this winter solstice,
by our lives and service, by our prayers and love,
call forth from one another the light and the love
that is hidden in every heart.
Amen.

Leaving behind in 2011 and heading towards in 2012 + mantras

The end of one year and the start of the next calender year is a good time to contemplate on the past looking at what you want to let go of and leave behind in 2011 ("from") as well as what you want to cultivate and head towards in 2012 ("to").

My to and from's:
from selfish to selfless service
from impatience to patience
from my will to god's will (opening to GRACE)
from lies to true
from fear to vulnerability
from flightiness to steadiness
from drinking to sobriety
from self hate to self LOVE
from yoga to ANUSARA-INSPIRED yoga teacher

One of my favorite people and teachers Elena Brower's to and from's:
from being a slave to my memory - to REMEMBRANCE of my Divinity
from Commentary to Effortless Vortex
from Everything 'Yoga' to Making Space for New Understanding
from Temperamental Tripper to Brilliant Calm
from Defenses to Softness
(Want more of Elena? Check out art of attention and her mindful smack video blog)

While you are thinking moving from and to here are two mantras to use that Adam Ballenger taught this morning in his class.

To let go of. This mantra can be used with something specific in mind or in general:
Om Pat Swaha Swaha Swaha

To cultivate. This mantra is used with something specific in mind:
Namah Shivaya Namah Shivaya Namah Shivaya Namo Namaha

Virabhadrasna 1 & 2 & 3

These past three weeks I have been teaching virabhadrasana poses. Read the Virabhadra story on this blog post.

The first week we worked warrior one.  I told the story of virabhadra in the beginning. Vira one comes from the action of the warrior Virabhadra (incarnated out of Shiva's hair) busting up from the earth and into the party that Darksha (Shiva's father in law and ruler of the cosmos) party. This represents arriving with an intention and have an intention. My main intention is to be loving and tolerant to myself and others, and to be happy. This pose is challenging for me. I remember when I was first started practicing yoga I was instructed to go into and out of first warrior pose with in a breath or two.  When I started teaching I also instructed in this way. Later on I started to study the alignment of the pose. Like the old saying goes "ignorance is bliss". Now days I rarely teach this pose in class and have to push myself to include it in my personal practice. So warrior one week we really worked. Lots of lunge variations getting the hips squared. Towards the end we did some calf smashing work (rolling up a blanket and sticking it behind the knees). This I find helps tremendously to get the heal to the ground.

The second week we worked on second warrior pose. I again summarized the Virabhadra story focusing on the action that we name our warrior two pose after, which is when Virabhadra scans the crowd looking for Darksha.  This represents that we have to look through our life and see where we are acting in ways that don't reinforce the intention. The example I gave for myself is road rage. My intention is to be loving and tolerant of others, and looking at my life (just like Virabhadra looks around the party) I see that when I drive and get all worked up and frustrated because someone is driving slow. That is not reflecting my intention. We did lots of work on finding expanding spiral (inner spiral) on the back leg, keeping that expansion and then doing contracting spiral (out spiral) on the front leg. That's the hard part for me, maintaining an action while performing the next. I also had the students partner up for warrior 2 with one person doing the posture while the other one is by the back leg with one hand on the shin pressing in and the other hand on the inner thigh pressing out (this is the alignment principle shins in thighs out). The students seemed to enjoy partnering which makes me smile.

This week we are working on warrior 3. Again I summarized the story focusing on the third action the warrior makes which is beheading Darksha. Wow how extreme! Beheading is an intense way of looking at this, I prefer to think of it as letting go of. We set out intention (warrior one), we look through our life (warrior two), and we let go of what no longer is serving us (warrior three). This is such an appropriate time to be doing this as New Year is right around the corner and the cold dark weather is such an invitation to turn within. We can reflect on what we want to let go of, as well as what we want to cultivate for 2012. I took a class from Adam Ballenger last week and he was talking about how important it is that we let go of things to make room for the many gifts that life is always giving us. We did lots of muscular energy drawing in from the periphery to the core for stability and inner spiral work on the back leg to keep the hips square, and drawing the waistline in. It was fun I think the students really enjoyed it.

It was really fun teaching like this, having a plan for three weeks. I teach multiple classes a week and I didn't teach the same class twice. But I did use the same apex pose and same antidote of the Virabhadra myth. For more advanced classes I made them work harder and pointed out more refinements and for more beginner or stiffer bodies classes we moved a little slower focusing more on the general shape of the pose.

Immersion with BJ Teacher Training with Adam

So blissed out from this amazing week surrounded by such great souls. I was so lucky and won the scholarship to take BJ Galvans Immersion 2 at The Yoga Center. It was great to take the immersion 2 a second time from a different perspective. I took it the first time from Adam Ballenger both certified Anusara teachers did a phenomenal job presenting the information to my heartmind and body. My understanding deeps so much as I continue to hear the same teaching over and over and in different ways. Anusara's philosophy of intrinsic goodness touches my heart and influences my practice deeply. Being able to learn/feel these virtues through the gross body is amazing. I wasn’t able to finish BJ's full immersion because I took Adam Ballenger’s teacher training. It was quite a switch going from being immersed in yoga from the aspect of the student to learning to teach this method. However BJ shakti-fied me up so much going into the TT was really lovely, I felt anchored in my center where the heart qualities come more easily.

The immersion was great opportunity to spend more time at The Yoga Center. The owners Lyndsey and Sheldon have created such a great community and have such a great vision for Anusara yoga in SLC and I am so happy to be a part of this community. I also treasured making immersion friends from TYC. When you go through any intensive training where transformation happens you bond strongly with each other in a really sweet way. I will be reviewing my notes and will post another blog about immersion/TT.

I just got back from lunch with BJ before she got on the air plane. Its nice to bond with a teacher and see then not just in the yoga class room. I normally get shy around other teachers who I admire and don’t get to know them better as a result and I am so happy I got to spend more time with BJ. I think I will even be assisting her on her tour next year, possibly Costa Rica (which would be a dream come true)

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA to all the great teachers I humbly bow.

to learn more about these rocking teachers check out their websites:
http://www.heartcoreyoga.com/ BJ Galvan
http://www.adamballengeryoga.com/ Adam Ballenger

getting ready for Anusara teacher training with Adam

I have been reviewing and re reading The Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual & the Master Immersion pamphlet by Anusara found John Friend as I prepare for Adam Ballengers Anusara Teacher Training Program.

 Every time I look through these two great sources of wisdom I am reminded of why I love yoga so much. These teaching, the philosophy, the attitude all speak so deeply to my heart. I am first and for most a student, but being a student and having this practice transform every aspect of my life makes me want to share what I have learned with others. Being in pain, doubting your self and your worth, and feeling like the world is against you is not fun... I have been there and I still travel back to these feeling, but what I am reminded of when I come back to my mat or back to my breath is that I am not alone, I am worthy, I am full, and that I am in fact connected to this one, as John says, "pulsating ball of bliss".

I took Immersion 1,2, and 3 from Adam last year as well as teacher training 1. During teacher training 1 it was clear to me that I still needed to integrate and learn more fully the material we went over during the immersion before I would be ready to learn how to teach this wonderful life affirming philosophy and alignment techniques to others. Now it has been over a year since I completed the immersions. I have continued to study and practice regularly with Anusara teachers and I do feel like the information has been digested and felt on different levels in my own practice. I now feel ready and very excited to take this next step in my own personal and teaching practice.

Courageous

I just stumbled upon this flyer of a workshop I taught last year at Lifted Life Yoga Center in Alpine, Utah. I love finding something that reminds me of a past moment. Looking at this flyer, remembering the theme of the class reminds me where I was last year. I was so trying to life from the center of my heart, to cultivate qualities of strength, openness, joy and love while letting go of all the “stuff” that prevents me from being heart centered. It took me 5 years to get to that place last year where I could say intellectually understand the qualities I needed to cultivate and the qualities that got in my way. But now through hard work, pain and a lot of growth I now feel more deeply rooted in myself and in the flow of Shakti staying open, courageous and aware.

This flyer also reminded me of the studio owners of Lifted Life where I taught this courageous flow work. Linda is taking the immersion with me. How awesome! One of my favorite things about yoga trainings is that I always make the most wonderful bonds with my fellow students. I am very excited to get to know Linda more and the other wonderful yogi’s and yogini’s in the Anusara immersion.

Courageous Workshop
led by Kimberly Achelis Hoggan

Date: Saturday, March 6 2010
Price: 15$ in advance 20$ drop in
Time: 10:30am-12:30pm
Location: Lifted Life Yoga Center
60 W main street court Alpine, UT 84004
Register: in person, or call 801-492-3689
Level: all level welcome with modifications for the beginner or advanced practitioner

Courage comes from the French word that translates to: live in your heart. In this workshop we will cultivate qualities to help us better live from the center of our heart (strength, openness, joy, love..) as we let go of the qualities that prevent us from being heart centered (fear, anger, tension, stress..) We will explore opening our hips, shoulder, and heart as we flow dynamically while focusing on alignment, as if we were a child playing on a playground. This workshop will be lighthearted, and filled with smiles.

Is your studentship spicey?

During the immersion last weekend we talked about adhikara (studentship).  Everyone is a student of life so the question becomes what is the level of your studentship. John Friend sometimes talks about this with hot sauce. Is your studentship mild, medium, or fiery? We can also look at studentship as being related to the five mahabharatas (elements).  When our studentship is in balance with these qualities we experience both more vibrancy and ease, however when they are out of balance they can become very destructive.

1.       Sky: unbounded, beginners mind, soft, humble, “just try it attitude”

2.       Earth: solid, unwavering, grounded, steadfast

3.       Water: fluid, receptive, accommodating, can be very powerful (like a fire hydrant)

4.       Fire: transformative energy, passion, aspiring for greatness, burning

5.       Air/ ether: dexterity, flexible, not stuck, breath.

Adam offered us a homework assignment of focusing on one element each day, do a short asana practice inspired by that element and journal on your insights. This has been very fun opportunity.

more on adhikara: http://authenticselfyoga.blogspot.com/2010/02/adhikara-studentshipthe-5-elements-of.html

learning and growing

On Friday was the start of the Anusara Immersion with Adam Ballenger. I took the immersions from Adam about a year and a half ago and when I did it blew my mind and melted my heart. I have been looking forward to go through the immersion again to help refine my knowledge and my practice. Hearing Adam talk yesterday and today has really helped me recognize what a different place I am in my life now compared to then. On the first night of the immersion last time I was excited and eager to learn. I tried to scribble down every word that came out of Adams mouth. I was confused when I heard concepts like Grace and organic energy. This time around I understand, and connect with the information. Before the information felt like it was being dumped on me and now I feel like I am participating in the conversation. Now instead of writing down every word I note a few key points, “ah-has” or a reminder to journal more on a topic. Things are making more sense to me now because I have been studying yoga for a while and things are starting to click, and I am now in a healthy place in my life to hear and apply what I am learning. Before all though I thought I was open to grace, but I wasnt. I have learned in order to open to Grace I had to actively surrender all the smaller than grace “stuff” I was attached to.  

Looking forward to 100 hours of Anusara Immerson :)

Next weekend I am starting the Anusara immersion with phenomenal Anusara certified teacher Adam Ballenger and am so freaking excited. I took the immersion last year with Adam and it was mind blowingly awesome. I started the immersion after getting into Anusara for about 6 months and the immersion really introduced me to the Shiva-Shakti Tantra philosophy that is part of the Anusara style. I was thrilled to be learning this fascinating information but at the same time I was at a pretty unhealthy place in my life and even though part of me was pursuing yoga and expansion there was another part (that I call Ed) that was in constant contraction and fear. I had an amazing experience going through the immersions the first time and I learned so much but I am very eager to go through it a second time now so I can get deeper into the philosophy that I have now been studying for over a year and now I learning how to be more balance and healthy. I am so grateful for my teacher Adam.

A class I subbed integration, midline, confidence

I subbed a class for my teacher Adam Ballenger yesterday at Sugar Space. I was very excited for this class. Sugar Space isn’t a studio but is a community art space that you can rent out for dance lessons and parties. Adam has done a phenomenal job at cultivating a really great group of dedicated students who he used to practice with from other studios he owned. Anyways I was very excited to work with these students and was sup flattered when he asked me to sub (normally he just cancels the class when he goes out of town)


The main theme I wanted to work with was muscular energy with an emphasis on the midline.

I talked about how I recently started going to massage school and how as much as I love it (because I absolutely do) it can be an overwhelming amount of information. At times I feel scattered, defeated and I think I won’t be able to finish the program. But then I remind myself, or my wonderful husband reminds me that I can do this. That I really like it, I am discipline, I have the time to focus on it….. All of these things take me from a feeling of scattered defeat and brings me into a place of integrity with confidence to go on. (This story helped me link into this word of integrity)

Integrity means “the quality or state of being complete, unbroken, condition, wholeness”

“When we know that at our core there is a fundamental wholeness (state of integrity) we can express our self with confidence (feeling quality) because we are lacking noting.”

The plan was to focus on the midline which so many cultures consider a very sacred space. The midline holds the Hara meridian center channel (Chinese), the sushumna and the seven chakras (Hindu) and the spinal cord and the nervous system (western). By integrating our limbs toward the midline, and integrating muscle to bone we can express our self and our poses with confidence. And by practicing this on the mat, it is easier to stay integrated in our midline and maintian our confidence off the mat.

This was the main info I shared before we chanted the invocation. I also told a story of hanuman that is very similar I waited until I wanted them to hold a pose and I shared the brief story (I think I will post the Hanuman story in my next blog)
The class was lots of fun. It was my first time teaching these students but I know many of them because we have been students of Adams for awhile. I was nervous about changing my position from fellow student to teacher but it seemed to go really well. They seemed to really enjoy my sense of humor. I used this finishing analogy for inner spiral that was a big hit (that would be another blog).