Adhikara

Anusara yoga notes from my Thursday morning class at metric yoga.

Principle of emphasis: organic energy
Apex: hanumanasana

Heart quality: sensitivity
Theme: adhikara, studentship
Antidote: as I am waiting for one of my teachers BJ to watch, review and hopefully recommend me to be an anusara certified teacher I am full of nerves. As I dig last my nerves I feel so vulnerable. So open. I can't wait to hear what she says. It's been a while since I have gotten feedback on my teaching from a certified teacher and I am excited that there will no doubt be growth in my teaching after I get her feed back.

I have written this so many times on this blog and I will write it again. I love that this practice is about refinement. I used to shutter when a teacher would call across the room "raise you arm in warrior 2" or something like that. I would feel like a failure. Now I love when I get a verbal or physical adjustment of how I can make my pose even better! I am so glad this is my new view. When BJ gives me my critiques I won't think I suck, why did I send this to her. I will think yippie! Now I know how to refine my teaching so it is even better!

I think that is an important thing for a student to remember. When a teacher verbally or physically suggests an adjustments it's only to enhance the brilliance that is already there. Not something you should feel bad about. This morning in class someone said I didn't even need an assist in a pose. I responded that I love the assists. That working with a partner helps up shift my practice tremendously.

How do you measure your progress?
Begginer a mind?

Cat/cow
Lunge
Active eprk
Active eprk quad
Low lunge glute work- low lunge quad - low lunge back knee lifts a little glute work- anjaneyasana
Dancer upright
Core work
Torture pose
Wall-oasana
AMV
Bridge
Urdhva danurasana
Blanket roll virasana
Hanumanasana 2 blocks foot to wall organic energy
Hanumanasana
Baddha konasana innerspiral outerspiral organic energy out know one side at a time 3x
Knees to chest ground femurs symmetrically

Adhikara + yoga sequence

Principle of emphasis: muscle energy, thigh loop

Heart Quality: Steadfastness, Enthusiasm

Theme: studentship (adhikara). Remaining teachable and staying receptive. When I think I know a pose and don’t have anything else to learn, I close myself off from expanding more in that moment and growing as an individual. When I approach a pose or life situation in a way that “I don’t know it all” + “what can this teach me?” not only am I more in the moment. But I also learn more about myself and about life. From practicing Anusara Yoga I now see life through new lens. I try to take every moment and situations (both good and hard) as opportunities that teach me how to love myself more, love those around me more and surrender to the flow of Grace. When I do this life is immensely better. I feel like I am going with the flow of life instead of feeling like I am in a fight with life.  

Quote: Paul Muller Ortega says (adhikara) "it's how you tend to the ground with in. So when the teachings come they can sprout and grow from the inside out

 

1.       Uttanasana - High runners lunge- parsvotanasana- high runners lunge one hand down twist

2.       Uttanasana- ardha uttanasana 3x

3.       Uttanasana clasp hands behind back- tadasana hands clasp behind back

4.       Tadasana half-moon side stretch

5.       Tadasana interlace hands above head palms face up toward sky (strong legs, inner thighs draw in back and wide, keeping thighs back root tailbone down, draw floating ribs in and arm bones back, from hips root down through floor and from hips extend up through arms)

6.       Handstands at wall

7.       Vinyasa- cobra prep (strong legs inner thighs broaden toward sky pinky toes spread toward ground, root tail bone down toward heels, draw floating ribs in shoulders back open heart toward sky)

8.       Vinyasa- instead of cobra do salabasana arms behind back

9.       Low lunge quad stretch (up right hips over back knee, front knee at 90 degree angle)

10.   Modified parsvakonasana – parsvakonasana

11.   Vira 2 – wide leg forward fold – scandasana bend back knee – ardha chandrasana

12.   Anjaniasana quad (deeper lunge low lunge with quad stretch be very diligent about keeping back thigh lifted, root tail bone down extending from hips through back knee and front heel)- ardha hanumanasana with manual ankle loop - Trikonasana

13.   Uttanasana – Utkatasana with twist

14.   Pigeon twist away from front knee, elbow on floor hands in Anjali mudra – twist toward knee opst. forearm on floor with quad stretch

15.   Supta parsva tadasana prep

16.   Parsva bakasana

17.   Setubandha

18.   Eka pada Setubandha

19.   Supta bend knees- one knee to chest, sole of foot to sky grab pinky side of foot mod. Supta padangustasana B

20.   Supta padangustasana B

21.   Supta root femur bones

22.   Shavasana

 

Nothing to do with this post. Just an adorable picture of my doggies

Illuminated Heart

This  is  the essay I wrote trying to win a scholarship for BJ's second immersion at The Yoga Center. The essay question is to write in 500-750 words about the potential to reveal  the Illuminated Heart.

YOU ARE THAT WHICH YOU SEEK

Yoga, most definitely, has the potential to awaken the illuminated heart. In this easy I will touch on the definition of the word illuminated and point out how appropriate the illuminated heart is for explaining the outcome of a committed yoga practice. I will also reference yogic practices and philosophies that help with this process.  

The word “illuminated” means, to brighten with light, to make lucid or clear, to decorate with lights (as in celebration), and to enlighten (as with knowledge). This is the invitation of yoga so we may expand and shine out our intrinsically divine essence, to see our self beautifully and clearly, to celebrate this embodied gift by expressing beauty, to know we are connected and to experience vibrancy and ease. We practice yoga to unveil the illuminated heart so we may know more (chit) and be happy (ananda). I don’t think every yoga student would identify this being their reason for practicing yoga, when I first started practicing it was to rehab from an injury and possibly lose some weight. However the practice of yoga helped me connect to my heart.

Yoga unveils the truth. The truth is that we are connected, we are loved, we are whole, and as John friend puts it a part of this “big ball of pulsating bliss” (describing Shiva-Shakti tantric). The truth is we already have an illuminated heart. This awakening in my experience has not been like turning on a light switch, but more of a steady practice of showing up with an intention to see the heart clearly. To make clear is an aspect of an illuminated heart.   Through the practice we begin to see and feel that all our stories, all the bull shit is just various coverings (daksha, cloaks, kleshas and maya) that make it hard to see that ultimately we are an embodiment of spirit. As we remember this we start to see and experience the world and our self as being made up of absolute goodness, consciousness, bliss, pulsation, self-awareness, ultimate freedom and perfect fullness. These are the attributes of the divine and we experience these qualities in our self and in the world around us because we are all part of the divine.  

Yoga’s potential for unveiling an illuminated heart, I think really comes in the face of obstacles. Even the physical postures we put our self into on the yoga matt is a challenge. We are taught to stay in the challenge, feel the intense sensation, connect with the breath, feel a sense of ease and feel supported. My practice for a while was learning to face challenges and feeling supported by grace. Now I have been working on learning the distinction between what is satisfying and what is gratifying, again this can be learned on the mat! My point being, the potential of unveiling the illuminated heart through yoga is so high because yoga offers so many different teachings that can be applied to your body and can shift your life. Yoga’s potential for unveiling an illuminated heart comes in its dynamic ability to meet people where they are and help them with their struggles.

The illuminated heart is like a muscle, because we don’t always think we are bright, beautiful, and intelligent. This doubting makes the muscle weak. But when we overcome these challenges by cultivating heart qualities we strengthen our illuminated heart muscle. So, even when we are off our yoga mat and shit hits the fan we still feel this inner illumination, it is not based on external situations.

In conclusion, we already have an illuminated heart. Yoga is one of the great ways to unveil that illumination.  Throughout life we are filled with bliss, yet there are many ups and downs that come along with it as well. Just know that at your core you shine with the divine. I want to bring these ancient practices into my life, deeper into my heart, and to refine my asana and move beyond the asana, to awaken more fully into my own illuminated heart. You are that which you seek!

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.

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