Posts In: challenge

Brittany teaches a Level 2, Flow class on Thursdays at 5:30pm. Join us in person at our Mission Hills studio or online via Zoom. Visit www.yogaonesandiego.com to register or for more information.

1. How does yoga show up in your life right now?  

I find yoga showing up almost everywhere. I channel my yoga practice to keep me balanced in both life and work. Sometimes I’ll enjoy a strong tadasana (mountain pose), while standing in line at the grocery store or even try a fun balancing pose! 

While working through a challenge at work, the practice of intentional, deep breathing allows me to stay present. Yoga also shows up as yoga whenever I teach and/or take an online or in-person class with my favorite peeps at my all-time favorite studio, Yoga One 🙂 

2. Where are you experiencing growth as a yoga teacher and/or practitioner? 

Amy Caldwell once said: the quality of your foundation relies on presence. This really hit home for me. Although I am not focused on this as often as I would like, I find that when I am present, soaking in all that is around me (the good and bad), I can work through challenges with a little more ease or enjoy those heartburst moments with a little more gratitude.  

3. What’s your favorite kind of burrito and why? This is a tough one!  I cannot choose… so instead, here are my go-to’s in San Diego:

Best Cali Burrito and Pollo Asada Quesadilla: La Perla

Best Taquitos: Don Carlos

Best Carnitas Plate and Plain Quesadilla: Los Dos Pedros

And Why??? They all just taste so great, or bring some wonderful memories; which are usually connected to a good surf session and a tasty brew.

How do yoga teachers feel about their practice? What inspires them to keep teaching and keep practicing yoga? Get to know your Yoga One teachers outside the studio and off the mat. This month’s interview is with Kairou Chiou.

1. Why do you practice yoga? 

I practice simply because I’ve experienced the myriad benefits of yoga physically, emotionally, spiritually. I feel stronger, more confident, more at ease with myself and capable of facing life’s challenges.

2. What was the most intimidating aspect of your teaching when you first started?

Being vulnerable. I was scared that I didn’t know enough. I thought, “Who am I to teach about yoga when I am still learning?”

3. What gives you the most joy as a yoga instructor?

Witnessing and experiencing personal growth for myself and for my students. I love to see students overcome challenges and obstacles and to share in their excitement and empowerment.

4. If yoga were a food, car, smell, planet, song, artist, flavor, etc…it would be: first thought… I don’t know why… sherpa blanket. Fluffy, white, clean, comforting.

5. What’s your yoga inspiration?

I see all of life as my yoga inspiration. Everything has become a yogic lesson – people, events, situations. Yoga has become my first response.

6. What classes do you teach at Yoga One?

I teach a Level 2 Flow class on Thursdays at noon. It’s an “advanced” yoga class, one that challenges not only the physical body but more specifically our mental and emotional selves.

7. Anything else you’d like to add, share, suggest?

Yoga is a practice that creates space, perspective, opportunity and accessibility for a life that can be fulfilling, gratifying, and empowering.

You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

Sparkling, shiny, sensitive, steely, steadfast, seaworthy, smiling, super…and these are just the adjectives that begin with “s” that can be used to describe the sensational and interesting, Robin Doten. She loves to explore and experience life and brings those receptive and friendly qualities to her teaching. You’ll have to wake up early for her 6:30am Flow class on Tuesdays, but you’ll be glad you did! Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I really enjoy Vinyasa Flow. I love the heat and energy it creates in my body and I find the linking of my breath with the movements helps me to focus my mind, de-stress and feel balanced. Vinyasa feels like a smooth flowing dance which guides me through a moving meditation.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I was invited by a close friend to attend some of her yoga classes she was taking regularly and I loved how I felt after class. My fascination with yoga really grew as I was seeking an activity that could strengthen my body yet not cause damage to my joints. I realized yoga was a low impact exercise that I could do for the rest of my life.

As I started doing more yoga, I heard about Yoga One’s Teacher Training and decided to learn all I could by attending the training! Soon I was diving into a much deeper practice and a better understanding of Yogic teachings and principles. Yoga became an all-encompassing life perspective and I was hooked on its ability to bring me peace and happiness.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Savasana (corpse pose) or final relaxation, is my favorite pose right now. It may sound like a joke, because I didn’t take it seriously or see its full benefits before, but now it means so much to me. I find it to be my reset button. After practicing yoga or taking a class, savasana is my time to fully surrender and be still. I feel the support of the Earth and an immense gratitude for my body and its ability to carry me through my yoga practice! While in corpse pose I am completely at ease and feel balanced, this makes me feel so clear, connected and open to the present moment.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Bakasana or crow pose is the most challenging for me. I can do it, but it doesn’t feel good in my body. It bruises the back of my arms and I tend to avoid it. I have been telling myself that if I practice crow pose it will start to feel better and in time I will be doing a jump back to chaturanga dandasana (which looks so cool!) but for now, it’s just a goal.

5. If you were an animal, you would be:

There are so many animals that I identify with but the characteristics of a dog seem the most suitable. They are loyal, intelligent companions, who can offer assistance, and are always excited to see the people they love. Dogs are easy to please and happiness moves through their entire body from the tip of their nose to their wagging tail. I love how dogs make people so happy, too!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Peacefulness, Openness, Balance, Connection, Unity and Joy

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

That I’ve been bitten by the travel bug and have visited over 30 countries. I once wanted to live abroad and travel so much, I went to Europe in search of work. The only job I could get as a foreigner that would allow me to see more of the world was as a “yachtie” and crew on mega yachts all over the Mediterranean.

The Med was so beautiful, but soon the yachting season ended in that region, so I followed it over to the Bahamas where I continued to crew. Once, I was hired for a two week stay on a private island called Indigo Island with Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis and their children! Of all the people I encountered while on this adventure, they were the most gracious.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

The best advice I can give is something I remind myself of daily – to create a habit or practice of my own. Be open to learning and trying new poses. Let go of your ego, it will always hold you back and creates judgment of yourself and others. Be a positive influence for yourself and those around you and most of all, just have fun!

From the first time you meet Kathi Diamant (or see her on KPBS TV) her sparkling eyes alert you to her intelligence and vibrant energy. That energy further manifests in an apparent and tangible eternal youthfulness. As Franz Kafka stated, “Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”

Come to her Qigong class on Wednesdays at 9am to try this wonderfully vibrant practice. Check out our full class schedule here.

1. Let’s start with the basics, what is Qigong?

Qigong translates as “energy” (qi or chi) and “work” (gong), but I prefer to think of it as “energy play.” It has been used for centuries as an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, prescribed both for the prevention and cure of chronic illnesses. Comprised of flowing movements designed to balance both hemispheres of the brain, Qigong is exercise that works from the inside out.

It truly is a practice available for everyone, at any age. It can be practiced sitting or standing, and no prior experience is required. We learn three things in Qigong: balance, letting go, and feeling our own energy. Through Qigong, we learn to differentiate between the Yin and Yang energy flowing in the body, and to integrate mind and body in a moving meditation.

2. What first attracted you to Qigong when you began your practice?

I took a Qigong class through the YMCA and I loved the experience of relaxation and focus at the same time. It was a perfect complement to my yoga practice, but also a different sort of workout. In Qigong, there is no effort, no force, you build strength and balance through letting go.

My real practice began in January 2000 when I started lessons in Tai Chi with Henry Cheng, a Fifth Generation Master in Wu-Style Tai Chi Chu’an at the YMCA Mind-Body Center. Master Henry specializes in developing, cultivating and increasing one’s own energy. Qigong is the concept, or idea, behind Tai Chi which is known as a form of Qigong.

3. What is your favorite place or time of day to practice?

My favorite places are outside, especially near old trees, which intensify the feeling of energy. But my absolute favorite is on the beach, at sunset. Sunrise is good, too, but it happens far less often!

4. What’s the most challenging aspect for you?

Focusing my mind. While my body has gotten much stronger and healthier, focusing my mind on my breath and movement is the real trick. New studies have shown that thinking about what you intend to think about produces higher levels of happiness, satisfaction and peacefulness. So the mind aspect of this mind/body exercise is the most challenging.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a dolphin, definitely.

6. Describe what Qi Gong means in your life using just 6 words: playing with energy keeps me healthy.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I have written a biography entitled “Kafka’s Last Love” which has been translated and published in ten countries, and since 1998 I have been the director of the Kafka Project at SDSU, where I lead the international search for Franz Kafka’s literary treasure, stolen by the Gestapo in 1933.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

By practicing Qigong, you can improve your health, your happiness, and the quality of your longevity. Without effort, without force, and without any special equipment!

MC Hammer may have said it best, and perhaps could have been referring to Dina Weldin when he rapped, “too legit to quit.” Dina is legit. She is a warm, caring, positive and authentic individual. She is beautiful inside and out and is far too legit to quit being wonderful. Step onto your mat with Dina Weldin this month on Wednesdays at 7pm for a mixed level Flow class. Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

Right now my favorite style of yoga is Vinyasa. I began with Iyengar and thoroughly appreciate that style but I enjoy the constant flow and movement with my breath during a Vinyasa practice. It is more of a challenge for me to control my breath when in constant movement so I appreciate that aspect of Vinyasa as well.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

My mom was a yogi for most of my teenage life and I grew up watching her practice and hearing all about how much she enjoyed this thing called “yoga.” My mom convinced me to go to a class with her when I was home on a college break and just like that, I was moved. It wasn’t about the physical aspect for me. I felt the connection of mind, body, and breath in yoga and it was unlike anything I had experienced in any other physical exercise. I also left the class feeling more sore than every before – talk about using muscles you never knew you had!

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

This changes with any given day! I love a good headstand and being upside down on most days. On this very day in my practice, I would say blossoming lotus pose. It is a perfect mix of balance, hip opening, and the beauty a lotus flower represents in general is inspiring to me. Not to mention, every time I teach this pose, I can’t help but smile at all my students that really look like little lotus flowers blooming! It makes me so happy to see.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Handstand! It gets me every time! You can find me in a handstand for no longer than 10 seconds before I lose my balance (and that’s on a good day!) Practice, practice, practice. This is what I keep repeating to myself when I try my handstands. It will come when it’s time.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a DOG! Cliche, I know. But when I look at my dog and she looks back at me, I know she can understand what I’m saying. Dogs are on another level, far wiser than us humans at times I’m sure!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Unity with our mind, body, & breath

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I have been to Egypt every other year since I was born and I can speak Arabic! I have ten piercings (all in my ears!) but I rarely wear earrings in all of them. Oh, and me and forward folds are not friends! We are learning to get along though, slowly but surely.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Practice every moment you can – at home, without a mat, in a park, in a studio, in the airport, wherever – just practice! Without practice it is difficult to achieve that sense of true connection. Never feel the need to push your body any further than it wants to go. Really listen to your body.

Most importantly, take a minute each and every day to listen to yourself breathe. That is the true indicator of what your body is feeling. If your breath is labored, speeding up, or interrupted, take a moment to sit in child’s pose and reconnect. Always remember:

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” – Thích Nh?t H?nh

Cool. Jimi Hendrix, the Fonz and Nam Chantepie. The type of guy that upon first impression oozes a style, a charm, a persona… and the best part? The more you get to know him, the cooler you realize he is. Come take his Level 2 Vinyasa Flow on Thursday evenings at 6pm. Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga? 

Hatha Yoga. I like taking the time to really get into the pose and experience the alignment, muscular engagement and extension. Although I do enjoy flowing through a fun and interesting sequence, my home practice is more about exploring individual poses and the slow, deliberate transitions between them.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice? 

I was living a rather sedentary life, and had just ended a toxic six year relationship. Never having taken a single class before, I looked to yoga to help me transition back into the gym and get back into shape. What I actually got out of my first three months was a clearer head, a lighter heart, a freer spirit and a 30-pound lighter body, and I forgot all about the gym. Yoga lifted me up and showed me so many things I never expected or knew I could find on and off my mat.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now? 

Handstand. I’ve been committed to a daily handstand practice for almost a year. Only within the last 2 months have I finally found a sense of weightlessness and engagement in my handstands.

4. What pose is still the most challenging? 

Ustrasana (or camel pose) has always been a challenge for me. I have a nagging shoulder impingement that keeps me from fully drawing my shoulders back, so it is difficult for me to feel ease or opening in this pose. I almost always modify with my hands on my hips and squeezing a block between my thighs.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: Probably a monkey. Mostly because I’m a goofball and love inverting!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: peaceful centered space to grow from

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you? 

When I was three years old, my mom and I tried to escape from Vietnam. We were caught three times and sent to prison each time. So technically, my students are being taught by a multiple offending ex-con. 🙂

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students? 

My first week of yoga, I had the honor of taking a class with Yoga One instructor Amy Freeman. Towards the end, I was really struggling and almost gave up on yoga altogether while unsuccessfully trying urdhva dhanurasana (full wheel pose).

Amy came up to me, gave me blocks to modify my pose and said, “It’s ok, you’re doing great. Think of where you’ll be a year from now.” Those words have stuck with me. Those are the words I think about every time I move into camel pose.

Yoga is not about achieving the perfect expression of the poses, it’s about incremental improvements and the humility to take a step back whenever your body needs it.

Sherri is one of the first teachers Yoga One owners Amy & Michael Caldwell practiced with when they arrived in San Diego back in 2001. She is also one of the best teachers they have had the fortune of knowing. What she teaches in the classroom is fantastic, but what she teachers through her living example is the real lesson. Vibrant, positive, active, athletic, spiritual, fun, humorous, beautiful, intelligent…you get the picture!

Sign up for her upcoming class and workshop June 6th and 7th at Yoga One here!

1. What is your favorite style of yoga? 

I love pose-by-pose practice, as in the Iyengar style. There’s so much refinement for the physical body that can happen in the depth and precision of that method, and the mind has specific points to concentrate on, which brings a natural calm. Really, I’m very grateful for having Iyengar as my beginning in yoga.

Over the years I’ve woven into my personal practice a more dance-like, fluid approach, mixing spontaneous movements with asana (yoga poses) to create a daily practice that changes and evolves along with me as my body and heart transform on this journey of life.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

The physicality of Hatha Yoga drew me in – as a child cartwheels and splits and walking down the hall in a backbend were all part of a normal day for me.

But more significantly, yoga slowed me down. I was limited to the area of a mat, instead of the whole wide world that I’d been moving through, and in that confinement my soul came to the surface. I was captivated by the pain, the tenderness, and the vitality that poured out from my heart, within the stillness of practicing yoga. I’ve been following that inner thread every since, discovering more and more of my true qualities as my journey through life’s challenges and joys continues.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

That’s a difficult question for me! None of my students or friends would be surprised to hear me say downward dog! Someone quoted me as exclaiming in class one day, “You can never do enough downward dog!” or something to that effect, which is probably not at all the case, right?!

But I love practicing a simple inversion sequence like downward dog, arm balance, forearm balance, and shoulder stand to energize me and to build the internal muscles of perseverance and determination, two spiritual qualities I constantly seek.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Headstand for sure! I’ve had a lot of whiplash throughout my life, and then I’ve got a L-O-N-G neck – yikes. A number of years back a chiropractor friend told me my neck is giraffe-like! So it’s a challenging combination. Still, I am once again pursuing this pose with the help of some of my incredible yoga teacher friends here in town. So stay tuned for an update in this area.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: Not a giraffe – although I used to daydream as a child growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, of constructing a special saddle to be able to ride my imaginary pet giraffe. May we all find our way back to that level of innocence and creativity!

I feel very deeply that I would be a horse. Noble, wild, high-strung, courageous in the face of fear.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Yoga: strength for soul’s journey Home.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

My first teaching career was in Russian language, and I’m blessed to have a son-in-law and two-year-old grandson in my life to help me deepen my love affair with that phenomenal language. Thank you to Kolya and Misha for being part of my life path, and of course thank you to my daughter, Rhea, who made it all happen. She is one of my biggest teachers of all.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Listen to your heart! Find the rhythm of your unique soul’s journey and expression in this life and on this material plane. Manifest your destiny, and don’t let anything stop you. This world needs our love, our care, our passion, our compassion. Give your heart and soul to what really matters to you. Show others how that’s done –  and stoke the fire of change and growth and transformation. Don’t lead a shallow life! As my wise sister Pat says, the Nike slogan pretty much sums it up: Just do it.

Erin is such a delight! Her smile begins with her eyes. In addition to being a super yogi, she is also (spoiler alert, see question #7) the designer/creator of the Yoga One website. We’ve know Erin a long time and are better off for having her in our lives. Come to her relaxing Thursday evening Candlelight Flow at 7:30pm. See our full schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

A Vinyasa alignment-based flow is the style I practice most often, but I also really enjoy Restorative Yoga.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I remember doing animal yoga poses with my brothers growing up that we learned from a big orange kids yoga book. About 10 years ago, I was working in an office all day and looking for a way to live a more active lifestyle. I started taking yoga classes at Yoga One and immediately fell in love with the practice.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Adho Mukha Vrksasana or Handstand, I love the feeling of strength and power, as well as the change in perspective 🙂

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Recently, I have been focusing on the transition between poses, specifically developing the strength and control to jump back/forward or through from one pose to the next.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: my first reaction would be a cat, but it would be pretty fun to be a monkey too… tough choice!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: helps me discover my truest self.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I am also a web designer.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Stay with your practice. You may not notice any change from day to day, but over time yoga will make amazing transformations in both your body and mind!

This month we’re featuring Lori Miller who leads a donation based 1 and 2 level flow on Mondays at 6:30am. In addition to your yoga mat and an open and curious mind, yoga students are encouraged to bring sunglasses to Lori’s class. Her radiant personality and smile will warm you heart. See our full schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I love so many styles, it’s hard to choose! I love Anusara, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Hatha, Aerial, Laughter, and Restorative. If I had to choose one, I would probably choose a slow Vinyasa. I feel most connected to my soul when I connect breath and movement in a slow, conscious flow.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I was first attracted to the physical aspect of yoga. I like to challenge my body and yoga allowed me to do this. I viewed yoga as a form of exercise and at first, I didn’t fully get it. I kept going back because the teacher was funny and taught from a place of love and grace. After I learned to connect my breath and movement, I connected with my essential self – that place where I felt whole and complete, abundant and strong, full of love and grace.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now? 

My favorite pose right now is pigeon, eka pada rajakapotasana. I have very tight hips; the external rotation of the hip joint and the lengthening of the psoas muscle that pigeon provides is very relieving!

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

My most challenging pose is also pigeon. Because my hips are tight, I work very hard to get the proper alignment. It can be very challenging to stay present and at ease in this pose. Some days are better than others, but it’s always challenging.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a wolf on the ground, an eagle in the air and a dolphin in the sea.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Connecting with essential self again & again

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you? 

That I’ve had my pet parrot Clara for 33 years. I got her when I was 9 years old. As a kid, I used to ride her around on my bicycle handlebars and we would sing together as we rode down the street. She’s been through a lot of life changes with me. College, marriage, kids. She managed to bite every one of my boyfriends, but LOVED my now husband the moment she met him.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Approach yoga as a long term relationship with yourself. Be interested in the feelings and sensations that arise. There may be many things that you can’t do right away, that’s okay! Try not to go into judgement or be hard on yourself.

by Olivia Cecchettini

Recently my mom gave me a stack of O Magazines she had finished reading. They sat in a pile on my floor until one day I picked them up and started flipping through them for inspiration. Oprah interviewed some of the world’s most powerful and influential women, yet I noticed that they all admitted to a common struggle: not owning their own strength and accomplishments.

Women who were doing great, important work in the world were shying away from praise and recognition by choosing to remain small. Worried about how they would be received. Feeling embarrassed. Or afraid of shouting their voice into the world.

I used to be like that. In college, I changed majors from Communications to Psychology because I was scared to give a speech in front of my class. The feeling of getting up in front of people made me tremble inside. I was literally sweating, nervous with stomach ache – I just couldn’t do it.

I thought maybe I wouldn’t have to face that particular fear of mine, but life keeps bringing you the same lesson until you face it head on. If I wanted to become a yoga teacher (and I very much wanted to share my love of yoga!), I needed to be able to speak in front of a group of people.

Everything that makes life worth living happens outside the comfortable little space you’ve carved out for yourself, so I chose to step outside.

I was terrified during the first “practice” yoga class I taught. As I practiced more and taught more classes, I came to see that yoga is about co-creation. Knowing I wasn’t alone, that everyone present contributes their own energy, brought me peace. It was incredibly hard to allow myself to be seen, but I believe it’s the only way to show my authentic self and create connection.

There are many messages the world sends out every day. Messages designed to put us in our place, to make us feel less than capable, or to silence our voices. Those challenges are real, but I also know that we all have a little whisper of guidance inside. As we open our bodies, minds and hearts through yoga, the connection to that whisper is strengthened. We begin to strengthen the muscle of confidence and trust within as well.

What challenges are facing you this new year? My hope is that whatever they are, you look for the lesson, a way forward, the path which leads to growth. Get to know yourself and accept what you find. Be gentle. Be bold. Who knows what we can co-create when we own our power? I’m excited to find out.

Olivia Cecchettini
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

by Rachel Krentzman, PT, E-RYT

Backbends are an integral part of any Yoga practice. The intention for backbends is to open the chest and rib cage in preparation for pranayama (breathwork). For some, backbends are exhilarating and freeing while for others, they can be somewhat daunting and anxiety-producing. For the first few years of my yoga practice, I would experience back pain in most back bending postures and assumed that it was a ‘normal sensation.’ The truth is, if done correctly, backbends should be challenging but comfortable. If you are not experiencing freedom in your backbends, it is a sign that you may be compressing your lumbar spine instead of increasing your range of motion.

Is it safe for my spine?

When done correctly, back bends help increase extension of the spine, a normal movement that is available to us based on the anatomical structure of the lumbar vertebrae. There are approximately 55 degrees of extension available in the lumbar spine in most humans. As we move up the spine, extension is more limited due to the shape of the thoracic vertebrae.  In optimal alignment, the lumbar spine should rest in a slight arch (lumbar lordosis), to properly carry the body weight and prevent low back issues. When we lose the normal curve due to poor posture or frequent forward bending, there is an increased risk of low back pain, disc injuries and muscle spasm.

With all this in mind, it is important to increase the extension in our spine in order to maintain back health and mobility and combat the constant effect of gravity that pulls us forward. In addition, back bends help increase lung capacity, prevent arthritis, alleviate depression, build stamina and energy as well as improve circulation, digestion and immune function. Backbends are said to help us move from the past into the present, and to help us open our hearts and let go of fear.

Backbends are safe for most individuals (contraindicated for those with spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis) as long as the body is warmed up appropriately and there is close attention paid to proper alignment and actions in each pose. The beauty of yoga is that detailed instructions can be given to help one attain ideal alignment so a greater sense of opening is experienced. When we have pain in backbends, it is because something is breaking down in our execution of the pose. Discomfort is an opportunity for us to practice more awareness and find a new, pain free way to work in the posture.

Common limitations

Individuals who have difficulty in backbends can be categorized into two main groups: those with tight muscles and ligaments and those who are naturally loose and highly flexible. In every body, there is a dance between the qualities of stability and flexibility in the musculoskeletal system. There is a myth that being more flexible is a sign of better physical health, however, the more flexible a person is, the more prone their ligaments are to injury in yoga because they lack stability. Conversely, those who are stiff are less likely to suffer an injury due to over-stretching, but these individuals need to increase their flexibility so the pelvis and spine can move freely and avoid compression during activities of daily living.

Common restrictions for tight individuals include decreased range of motion in the chest, shoulders and hips (primarily in the hip flexors and external rotators). These areas become restricted from prolonged sitting at a desk, driving, frequent forward bending and lifting and can even occur from overtraining the anterior chest musculature. Runners, cyclists and avid athletes are prone to tightness in the hip flexors and external rotators as well. These individuals need to focus on increasing flexibility in the chest and hips to prepare for backbends.

Hyper flexible people experience different difficulties in back bending postures. They often have tight hip flexors but compensate with over-extension in the low back. Core strength is usually lacking in these individuals, so they tend to ‘hinge’ at one segment in their spine over and over again instead of dividing the extension throughout the length of the spine. In this case, the hyper mobile segment becomes more mobile while the tighter segments in the spine stay tight. Years of ‘dumping’ into the low back without awareness can lead to injury as the segment bears all the work. These individuals need to focus on stability and strength in their backbends, which may mean backing off a little to maintain the integrity of the pose and length throughout the entire spine.

How to practice correctly 

Here are some important tips to help you achieve success in your back bending poses:

• Warm up! In order to be ready for back bends, you must practice poses that open the chest, hip flexors, quadriceps and external rotators of the hip. It is also important to practice a couple of poses that encourage strength in the arms and legs to prepare for certain backbends.
• Keep the front body long. “Back bends should really be called front body lengtheners,” says Jo Zukovich, a well known Iyengar Yoga teacher from San Diego. While we are extending our lumbar spine, it is important to maintain length at the same time so there is more space and equal movement between each spinal segment. The common mistake that leads to pain and injury is collapsing in the spine at one segment while in the backbend.
• Internally rotate your hips. Internal rotation in the hips is essential in all backbends to avoid compression in the spine. If we allow our hips to externally rotate (which will cause the knees to splay out), our stronger muscles, namely the gluteus maximus and external hip rotators, will contract. By internally rotating the thighs, we turn off those stronger hip muscles and activate the deeper gluteal muscles which help to create more space.
• Avoid gripping! The tendency in backbends is to contract the buttocks strongly which creates more compression and less freedom in the spine. In addition, ‘tucking of the tailbone’ creates shortening instead of increased length in the spine.  Instead, think about lifting the lower belly to help the tailbone descend. This creates length while maintaining the integrity of the spine and core strength in back bends.
• Don’t fight the backbend, GO FOR IT. Most people try to resist the back bend while they are doing it. It is safest to work on helping your lumbar spine move into extension at every level. Focus on moving each vertebrae into the body as if it were sinking into quicksand in order to safely increase extension in the lumbar spine. Remember that we are lengthening as we are extending to maintain a full lumbar curve free from compression.

Rachel Krentzman PT, ERYT 500 combines 18 years of Physical Therapy experience with more than 15 years of Yoga studies. Her treatment methods involve a highly effective approach to healing the whole person. Rachel received her 2000-hour certification from the College of Purna Yoga™ with Aadil Palkhivala and has studied Yoga therapeutics. She is the founder and director of Embody Physical Therapy and Yoga in San Diego, CA. For more details and/or questions contact: 619-261-6049 or rachel@embodyphysicaltherapy.com

by Monique Minahan

At yoga recently the teacher suggested this intention for our practice:

I will not take things personally.

This didn’t really resonate with me, so I chose an intention that rang more true to me:

I will take things personally.

As in, I will get up close and personal with my dreams, my loves, my life and my fears. I will smell their sweat and place their sticky cheek next to mine and breathe in their outbreath. I will inhabit every ounce of this human body as I rest in the hammock of being and awareness that holds it up.

I sometimes get the sense in the yoga world we’re all trying to detach and be perfectly balanced, enlightened beings. I’m all for enlightenment, but in striving for that perfect state we can miss a lot of wonderful imperfection along the way because we consider it “in the way.”

For a long time I approached my practice and my life as if it were in the way of where I was going. I wanted to get “there” because getting there seemed to mean I wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. I envisioned a state of being where stress wouldn’t sway me, family wouldn’t bother me, loss wouldn’t shake me, and life wouldn’t hurt me.

What I was doing was detaching from my reality and skipping out on my own life. I was missing the point Peter Rhodes makes when he says:

“We make a mistake when we wait for heaven, wait for enlightenment, wait for change. It is not going to happen in the future. It is happening. It is within our experience. Now is the time.”

Yoga and meditation are tools that help us distinguish the two and bring a quality of awareness to our lives so that we don’t suffer unnecessarily. It is just so easy to use these valuable tools to bypass what’s happening right now, what’s living and thriving in our bones and bodies and lives right now; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Life is not always love and light. Sometimes it’s pain and darkness. They are the two poles of life that together light up our lives as the full experience it is.

It’s easy to fall into a practice of seeking enlightenment on a mountain top while the everyday enlightenment passes us by. Lorin Roche reminds us of this in The Radiance Sutras:

Wherever, whenever you feel carried away,
Rejoicing in every breath,
There, there is your meditation hall.
Cherish those times of absorption—
Rocking the baby in the silence of the night
Pouring water into a crystal glass
Tending the logs in the crackling fire
Sharing a meal with a circle of friends.
Embrace these pleasures and know,
This is my true body.
Nowhere is more holy than this.
Right here is the sacred pilgrimage.

I’m so grateful to that yoga teacher for her offering and for sharing an intention that was relevant in her life. It helped shed light on my own process and revealed to me an intention that has been marinating in me all year.

I will take things personally. I will live life fully. I will love more than ever before.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

guest post by Dina Weldin

“Your husband is in the military?!”

I hear this question all the time. I get it. You think, yoga teacher and military man, how does that work?

The truth is that yoga and the military go together quite serendipitously.

I’d been practicing yoga for about five years when I met my husband. We met, we dated, he went off to training, we got married, and before I knew it, he was leaving for deployment. Along with the pride, love, and honor I feel being a military spouse, there is also the worry, uncertainty, and fear.

Is he alright? When will I hear from him again? How long will it take the mail to deliver his package this time?

As month three of deployment arrived, I took a giant leap of faith and did something I’d always wanted to do but had never “found the time or the money” before – I enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga One.

I learned so many things during the weeks of teacher training but what I didn’t expect to learn was something I will treasure beyond time. I learned I am so much stronger than I knew. Not a physical strength, but an emotional, mental, and spiritual strength I didn’t know I possessed. The challenges of deployment, though always looming, were not insurmountable. My yoga practice and the beautiful community of yogis in teacher training were always there to support me.

Here is what I found to be true:

Breath is life and life is breath. We don’t often get a chance to just listen to ourselves breathe. When was the last time you stopped, felt your heart beat, and actually listened to yourself inhale and exhale? This is such a powerful tool when going through worry and stress of any kind, especially in the military world. On the days I felt my world was collapsing, all I had to do was stop and listen to my breath. It was always there for me, every single time. Calm your breath to calm your mind.

Life is about right now. I felt victim to living in a constant state of “what if?” What if I can’t do this alone? What if something happens to him? Instead of “what if?” try “what is?” What is happening right now? What is true is what is in front of us in this very moment. Yoga teaches us present moment awareness which creates gratitude for what is right now: Life, Breath, Connection.

Community is everything. The last five letters in that word – unity – this is the literal definition of the word yoga. To be united with our breath, with our community, with our friends, and with our family, whomever you choose to call your family, this is truly what yoga is all about at its very core. Whether I am alone on my mat in my home, or in a class full of 100 yogis I have never met, we are united. And having my fellow trainees, Yoga One family, my amazing sets of parents, my beautiful friends, military community—that is where I find strength as a military spouse.

When I think about the military-yogi connection, it all makes perfect sense. Feel present in your life. Live it for what it is, not what it should have been or what it could be. Draw energy from your community on days you don’t have any of your own. And finally, find your breath every single day. It can be as simple as that, just breathe. You are exactly where you need to be. 

Are you a service member or military spouse interested in yoga? 

Yoga for Vets offers a listing of classes around the country for free or reduced rates for current service members. 

MyCAA is an excellent resource for military spouses looking to gain portable career training, one option is to become a yoga teacher! Yoga One Teacher Training proudly accepts MyCAA candidates.

Dina Weldin
Guest Writer

Dina fell in love with yoga ten years ago on the east coast and currently teaches all over San Diego in many unique environments. She has a diverse yoga background and incorporates attention to mindfulness, breath and alignment in her teachings. When not practicing yoga, she can be found on doggie beach with her husband Will and dog Mar.

We’re excited to have Elka Haeckel share her experiences and passion at Yoga One. She is both a knowledgeable yoga teacher and a perpetual student (like most great yoga teachers).  Elka infuses her classes  with a fresh perspective and a contagious enthusiasm. See our full schedule here.

 

We are excited to welcome Jeanne (pronounced like “sun” with a J) to the Yoga One family! Jeanne brings an attentive practice and years of teaching experience along with a sweet yet professional personality. Her classes are filled with a variety of pose options to help her students feel both comfortable and challenged. Come to her Saturday morning Level 2 and up Flow at 10:30am and check out the rest of our schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

My practice is always evolving. I practice many styles and really attend classes to connect with all sorts of instructors who are teaching from their heart and journey. I do love Sri Dharma Mittra and his journey. My favorite practice though is when I get up in the morning and spend time in my own practice, connecting.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

It’s as if yoga came to me and fell in my lap. It’s an interesting story that points to my belief that it’s part of what I’m meant to practice and share in this lifetime like it was written out for me. I feel lucky that I listened to the voice that was telling me I need to divert my career path. It wasn’t easy to listen – there were social pressures and a lot of adventures with sacrifices.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

I’m one of those people who never has a favorite of anything at any given time, not even a favorite color or piece of clothing.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

I find any pose challenging if I’m in a heated class with no air flow. Extensive heat (with no air flow) drains my energy and strength. I was grateful when I learned (through yoga texts) that heated classes drains your Prana, or life force. I knew it didn’t make sense for me. One time I practiced yoga in 112 degree heat outside in Austin, TX and it wasn’t a problem because there was fresh air and I was connected to the elements.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: I’d love to experience being all animals, but if I could only pick one, I’d choose to be a dolphin.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: connecting to truth and knowledge.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

Apparently my age, haha! Also, people are surprised to learn that I can fly a plane.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Hug yourself, and me too please!

I can’t imagine what my life would be like without yoga.

Yoga has become such an integral part of my day to day life, I sometimes feel like I eat, sleep and dream yoga (if that is even possible). Imagining my life without yoga would be like living without sunlight. How would you survive?

But I didn’t always feel that way. In 2008, I was living in the East Bay of San Francisco. My new husband, Joe, and I thought it would be good to try new things together. Considering we had dated for less than four months before getting married, this goal was easy to accomplish. Joe picked a Yoga class to improve his flexibility and I chose a Latin Dance class because I love to move!

Joe wasn’t crazy about Latin Dance but we never had a problem practicing yoga together. At night our 500 square foot cottage became a makeshift studio, both of us trying to recall the flow from last week’s class. At the end of the semester, it was clear we would never be the couple that owned the dance floor but we were more flexible, better connected to our bodies and our relationship had blossomed to a deeper love and respect.

Then we moved to Germany for three years. I found myself wishing I could go to a yoga class but couldn’t find one. I settled for countless miles on the treadmill, shooting hoops and the occasional Zumba class.

Like any married couple, our relationship had its highs and lows in the those three years. We traveled. We laughed. We fought. We made up. We lived. We loved.

Joe got out of the military in 2011 and we entered a whole new stage of our lives. I would go to work 40 hours a week to pay the bills and Joe would go to school full time to earn his degree.

I tried to balance work and play. I wanted to make enough time for family and our many friends now that we were back in my hometown, San Diego. But I never seemed to have any time for me. I felt like I was letting people down if I chose to go to the gym instead of spending time with them.

Joe and I struggled with our new roles, both of us a little lost and unhappy. Our relationship began to suffer. The love, respect and connection we once had got lost somewhere along the way. We had fooled our friends and family into thinking the pictures we posted on Facebook were real, all smiles and good times.

I felt miserable, unhappy, empty and certain that my marriage was destined to end.

Joe went to yoga. I went to therapy. Joe asked me to go a yoga class. I declined and went to Zumba instead. Joe asked me to go to yoga class again. I was too tired. Joe asked me a third time to go to Yoga class, so I humored him and went.

I walked into a 24 Hour Fitness on Feb 18, 2013 not knowing what to expect. Some of the poses looked and felt familiar, but I struggled to maintain any sort of controlled breath. I remember waking up the next day and everything hurt! I later learned that I had taken a Power Flow class and boy, what a way to get reacquainted with yoga!

The next time there was a class, I opted to go with Joe. The second time I didn’t feel nearly as awkward, but I was still sore the next day for sure.

What kept me going back to my mat that first month was observing Joe. He was so content after going to yoga, even when our relationship was on the verge of crumbling. I wanted to feel that contentment, even if it was short-lived. I wanted to feel anything, if it meant continuing to practice yoga, so be it.

Yoga became part of my weekly routine, once during the week and once on the weekend. I felt myself become stronger. I felt myself becoming more flexible.

Finally it happened, one evening in just as I was coming out of Savasana. As I lay in fetal position, my palm touching the earth, the teacher’s words seemed to resonate deep inside of me:

“Lay here with gratitude in your heart. Gratitude for the earth underneath you as it supports you, feel connected to it.” I felt the topsy-turvy feeling of butterflies in my stomach.

“Gratitude towards yourself, you have made the choice to honor yourself and your practice.” I felt my throat constrict  and it felt hard to breath.

“Remember that you are perfect as you are now, at this very moment.”

I felt a rush run through me, as warm, salty tears slid down my cheeks. I was silently weeping. These were not tears of frustration or tears of sadness. They were tears of gratitude and joy and love.

My relationship with Joe started to transform, we went to classes and workshops together. We planned our weekly schedules, meals and outings around our yoga classes. In June, I told Joe I wanted to take a Yoga Teacher Training. He was very supportive and told me to do what made me happy.

Working downtown, I had seen the Yoga One sign when I went to lunch or a coffee run for the office but I had never been to class. On July 25th, I went to Angela’s Thursday 6pm Vinyasa Flow and it was one of the most challenging classes I had experienced outside a workshop, everything was so alignment-based. I went home physically exhausted but filled with so much energy and love I couldn’t wait to share it all with Joe.

Yoga One’s monthly newsletter included information about their upcoming Yoga Teacher Training starting in January 2014 and the next day I signed up. Looking back now, it might seem crazy that I was ready to commit after just one class – but Yoga One immediately felt like home to me.

I am very grateful for how supportive Joe was during the eight weeks of teacher training. We hardly saw each other yet it felt like we were closer. We learned how to communicate effectively, to be considerate of each other’s feelings and how to truly love. Joe was not just my partner to practice teaching, he became my best friend and the partner I needed in our marriage. I truly believe yoga healed my heart.

Yoga will continue to be an intricate part of our lives as individuals and a married couple. Whether we attend classes together or practice separately, we are yogis and damn proud of it! I am thankful for every experience I’ve had so far and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me.

 

Lorena’s desire for movement and deeper connection to her body has kept the flames of a fiery passion for yoga alive. Lorena hopes to blend her love for teaching yoga with the creativity of her freelance make up artistry. Lorena’s greatest joy is to be a witness for the ah-ha moment to those who allow her to enhance their lives.

 

 

by Laura McCorry

When injuries occur in yoga, there’s often a reluctance to admit them and perhaps even a sense of shame. So many people come to yoga after injury and so many doctors recommend yoga* as a gentle exercise that anyone can do, that it makes sense: yoga is supposed to cure you, not cause pain.

But the truth is that yoga is a physical practice. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves. Many teachers tell you to honor your body at the start of class and then ask that you push your “edge” when the going gets tough.

Students and yoga teachers will likely find themselves with an injury at some point in their practice. In my own practice, injury, pain and soreness have all been powerful, if unwelcome, teachers.

Consider Why an Injury Occurred

I went to a class once with a very short warm-up sequence. I remember feeling rushed but wanting to “go with the flow.” Within the first two minutes, the teacher had the class in upward facing dog and almost immediately, I felt something shift in my low back and sharp pain followed.

For many people, upward facing dog is safe and even enjoyable when performed with correct alignment. For me, I need to warm up into backbends slowly. Looking back, I could have spent more time opening my body in cobra (a smaller backbend), I should have engaged my core to prevent sagging in the lower back once in upward facing dog, and I should have trusted the signals my body was sending.

Even if you want to kick yourself for all the reasons leading up to an injury, figuring out why you got hurt is an important step towards injury prevention in the future.

Modify Your Practice as Needed

Sometimes it’s impossible to know how you got hurt and whether yoga is the culprit. My feet are a chronic weakness for me and about a year ago I experienced foot pain for about four months straight. Any pose that put weight directly on the ball of the foot was incredibly painful, so in order to give myself time to heal, they all got tossed out: no more crescent lunge, no chair with lifted heels and definitely no toe stand.

With those modifications in place, I was still able to practice yoga and keep my feet comfortably grounded. I bought better, more supportive shoes. And one day, without being aware of exactly when, I realized that it had been a week or longer since I had experienced any pain.

Always tell your teacher about any injury or chronic pain you may be experiencing. They can suggest modifications to keep you safe and help you get the most out of your practice.

After Healing, Determine If You Still Need the Modification

This is the most difficult step because the instinct to protect yourself from future harm is so strong!

I avoided upward facing dog for a solid year and only recently have I started to re-introduce it to my practice. I didn’t need that long to heal physically, but emotionally I had built up a lot of fear surrounding that pose. Sometimes I try crescent pose with the back heel lifted and it feels okay, other days it feels like too much stress on my foot so I modify to warrior I with the heel down.

Once you know that your body is physically ready, give yourself time to emotionally confront any barriers between you and the poses you’ve avoided. Don’t compare now to what you were able to do before the injury – you could repeat the same mistake! Instead, move mindfully and ask yourself at each step how you feel.

May you all practice yoga in a safe and mindful environment and stay free from injury! And if you do experience pain from yoga or from another area of your life, I hope these tips keep you connected to your practice and help you heal.

 

*Please remember to seek medical attention when necessary and follow your doctor’s advice. This article is not meant to advise for or against medical treatment, nor to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

Nicole Perrin’s classes are rooted in optimal alignment principles that anchor the challenging postures she often presents. She encourages each student to blossom with her light-hearted and non-competitive approach. Nicole teaches Yoga One’s Marina and Poolside Flow at the Sheraton on Saturday mornings at 10am as well as Yoga One’s corporate yoga classes at Hotel Solamar and San Diego Gas and Electric.

Click here to see our full schedule.

To learn more about offering yoga classes at your place of business, contact Michael at michael@yogaonesandiego.com

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

Primarily Vinyasa because I love the connection between breath and movement. When consciously brought together, it becomes a dance of self-expression – it’s what makes each person’s practice so beautiful and unique.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

With a background in gymnastics and dance, I initially connected to the physicality of yoga because it challenged my flexibility and balance. I realized I had lost a lot of my flexibility as the years passed and, I”ll admit, my residual Type A came out and it was sort of a competition with myself to be able to maneuver my body into these crazy positions.

Little did I know that this competitiveness would eventually (and thankfully) transform into spiritual growth and a life-long journey of self-inquiry and discovery. Through yoga, I’ve found greater equanimity, self-love, and the ability to walk through life with greater appreciation. This is what attracts me to yoga now and keeps me coming back for more!

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Right now, handstand! So much fun to play with and even more fun learning the most graceful way to fall out of it!

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Prone frog pose (mandukasana) because of the intense sensations this pose brings into the hip joints, my mind responds by sending me negative messages about how much it knows I don’t like this pose! For me, that’s even more reason to keep practicing 🙂

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a capuchin monkey (you know, the one on Friends)! I love the rainforest and most of all, I love to climb everywhere and do tricks!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: perspective, self-inquiry, transformation, self-love, mindfulness, joy

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I backpacked in South America where I hiked Machu Picchu in Peru, and I think snakes, rats, and (most) bugs are cool. I’ve caught wild tarantulas and snakes (the non-poisonous ones) with my bare hands and owned three beloved rats when I was a teenager.  🙂

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Yoga is not about being able to touch your toes or looking like the image in the picture: it’s about what you learn on the way there. The journey is never-ending and the opportunities for self-growth are bountiful. Make a point to be present and true, and most of all, be loving towards yourself so that you can share that love with the world.

Interview with Paisley Close On Backbends, Pranayama and Her Upcoming Workshops at Yoga One

by Monique Minahan

I first noticed the transformative quality of yoga while practicing backbends. The steadiness and strength they demand revealed to me both the power and the past housed in my back body. The vulnerability and expansion they require in the front body revealed to me my full capacity for open-heartedness.

The more I practiced this opening process physically, the more I found myself able to open more fully to the people in my life.

While I love backbends now, I didn’t always feel this way. Initially they brought up a lot of fear and disorientation for me. As one of my teachers puts it, “backbends are like strong medicine.”

One of the first teachers to guide me along this road of discovery was Paisley Close. In the years I practiced with Paisley my yoga practice deepened on many levels, both internally and externally, thanks to her expansive knowledge base, precise alignment cues, and unique approach to yoga. Many of the “refinements” she’s offered over the years allowed me to settle deeper into yoga, whether through asana, pranayama, or taking my yoga off the mat.

While Paisley doesn’t teach locally anymore, she offers up inspiration, insight, and all things yoga through her blog and will be paying Yoga One a visit August 18th to teach two workshops: Intermediate Backbends and Seated Poses & Pranayama.

She shares some of her insights with us in the interview below:

*****

Mo: Paisley, how long have you been teaching yoga and what do you love about it the most?

Paisley: I began teaching yoga in 2000. When I teach, I love witnessing the moment a student breaks through and does something he or she didn’t think they could.

Sometimes it’s physical, like recently when two students balanced in headstand for the first time, in the same class. Other times it’s the more emotional moment, when I can see and feel that students are connecting with themselves and finding peace and quiet internally. I also love that teaching creates the opportunity to live my practice.

Mo: Pranayama practices are often overlooked in modern yoga classes. What are some benefits of including pranayama in your personal practice?

The major benefit of including pranayama in your practice is that it calms and clears your mind. When your mind is agitated, your breath is usually short and shallow. When you deepen and elongate your breathing with pranayama, it pacifies your mind, which makes it easier to connect with your inner awareness.

Prana, or life force energy, is latent in your breath. By increasing your breath, you increase your body’s ability to hold prana and, therefore, vitality. The prana is like an electrical current and yoga asana, or poses, clear the blocks for the currents to flow freely. Asana also builds the necessary insulation, just like you’d have on an actual electric current or wire. It keeps you from short-circuiting, so it’s important to have an asana practice before developing a pranayama practice.

Mo: What made you choose these two topics for workshops: backbends and pranayama? Is there a connection between the two?

Paisley: I like teaching what’s not already being offered or elaborating on what is. I see very little emphasis on breathing these days, and so much more push to just flow through yoga classes. So I wanted to teach about this vital limb of the practice and thought they deserved a workshop all their own. Pranayama and meditation are such great ways to slow down and unplug from our busy lives.

As for backbends, I chose intermediate backbends to offer a chance for the more practiced student to try new and challenging poses with guidance and in a fun, community atmosphere.

One key to pain-free backbends is to keep a lot of lift and length in your spine. Pranayama can give you that. Also, the backbends open your chest and lungs and make it easier to take in more breath.

Mo: You’re a climber as well as a yogini. How does climbing in Mother Nature influence your yoga practice and vice versa?

Paisley: Oh my gosh, I don’t even know where to start! Both climbing and yoga push me out of my comfort zone and require me to be present. Climbing has a much bigger fear factor, so the stakes are higher. I need to be more aware of how I’m directing my attention and what I’m thinking. Yoga has given me the tools to do that, but climbing makes me practice harder.

In both cases, when challenge and fear arise, I go back to the breath and use my senses to increase awareness. With climbing, my senses are often on overload: the wind is howling, the sun is blazing, my feet are standing on dime-sized edges, my hands are gripping rough rock and the gear is clinking on my harness. Combine that with the heights and exposure and it’s really easy to revert to old patterns of thinking and operate out of the past; i.e. fear.

When I’m on my mat, I allow those fears to come up completely, and see what they’re really about, because they’re never really about the heights or the falling. I practice breathing deeply and watching how my mental patterns weave through my movements and either distract me or help me be more present. I also use my yoga practice to unravel all the tight muscles I get from hiking on uneven, rolling terrain with a 30-pound pack and using my fingertips to cling to the edge of a cliff.

I find a lot of freedom and inspiration in nature. We go to stunning places to climb and I try to fit a practice in when we’re there. It’s much easier for me to feel connected with the world around me when I’m in the wild.

This month we’re showcasing Amy Freeman, a fabulous teacher who has been with Yoga One from the first day we opened our doors…over 11 years ago! Her classes are challenging, fun and rewarding. Join Amy on Tuesday and Thursday at 12pm for a level 2 lunchtime flow or Saturday mornings at 10:30 for an advanced level 2/3 Vinyasa Flow. Click here to see our full schedule.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

ALL! Sometimes I crave a hot sweaty Vinyasa class and other days I am in need of a Restorative practice with lots of deep stretches and long holds. I love alignment based practices like Iyengar and Anusara. I love singing bowl, gong and meditation classes; I love yoga with live music; I love laughter yoga; I love Pranayama classes!

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I began yoga in 1995 during a college Philosophy course and it really resonated with me. What drew me in at first was the philosophy aspect – the study of Patanjali’s Sutras and the Eight Limbed Path. I felt as though I had arrived someplace I’d been seeking for years. It’s a hard feeling to describe, but that professor transformed my life. I feel so humbled and honored to be able to share that same wisdom today. Since the day I found yoga I have never stopped practicing – the focus may shift depending on the season of my life, but the devotion to the ancient spiritual, physical and mental practice is always there.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now? 

Urdhva dhanurasana, full wheel 🙂 It’s my favorite because I have struggled with it for a long time and it feels so good to get into now and just enjoy! It’s invigorating and energizing.

4. What pose is still the most challenging? 

Urdhva dhanurasana and its variations (and a whole bunch more). It’s also the most challenging because I have a tight upper back, mid back and low back 🙂 but with consistent practice, it does get better.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a crane for their long legs and freedom to fly.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Creating space, uncovering the stillness within

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

They might be surprised to learn I graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. After graduation I moved to Dallas, Texas for a career as a buyer at Neiman Marcus. (I retired after three years and moved to an ashram in Virginia in 2001. Teaching yoga has been my passion ever since.) Also, I have two sons aged 7 and 9 and I teach yoga and art in their classrooms.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Breathe. I am constantly reminding beginners (and everyone) to breathe. Pay attention to your body and breath – there is wisdom within, body and breath are our real teachers.

Have fun! I like to say our time on the mat and in the studio is our practice, the test begins when we step off the mat. Can we meet life with the same equanimity and courage with which we practice? Can we keep breathing while watching the kind lady write us a parking ticket? While listening to our kids fight? While stuck in traffic on the way to work?  Sometimes. Sometimes not.

It’s the end of our 2013 Yoga One Teacher Training course and we’re so proud of our new graduates! They not only have the technical knowledge to begin their next journey teaching but also the mental and emotional strength and awareness needed. Teacher training is such a vast experience, filled with learning and growth both on the mat and off. We wanted to honor this place of newfound knowledge and their first eager steps of teaching others by checking in with our recent grads for their thoughts on the following questions:

What excites you the most about teaching yoga to others?
Do you have any fears? If yes, how do you move beyond them?
If you don’t plan on teaching, how did YTT deepen your personal practice?

Janssen: 

What excites me most about teaching yoga is the opportunity to take something so amazing, weave myself into it, and then take this wonderful combination of wisdom, love, and openness and show others how they can make it something they love as well. It will never just be me teaching because there is always something to be learned, and I love learning!

I am plenty scared that I’m not good enough or prepared enough or that I’m going to put myself out there and fail. But what always stays with me is the quote, “shoot for the moon, even if you miss you will land among the stars.” That has never been more true or more applicable. 

Dina: 

Do I have fears? Absolutely! What if I forget what pose comes next in my sequence? What if my students don’t like me? What if I can’t demonstrate a pose? What if nobody shows up? Or worse, what if a pregnant woman shows up? Ah!  The list of “what ifs” goes on and on. The best way for me to overcome these fears is to breathe, practice, be present in the now, not what could happen in the future, and enjoy the ride. Enjoy the ride of guiding yogis through a beautiful, safe practice. Everything else will follow.

Romy: 

I’m not still sure if I will teach, there is so much information to learn and to feel confident about. If I decide to teach, it excites me to be the channel for others to find their inner strength, happiness, and peace. I would like to help others in their transformational path to balance, freedom and awareness.

Of course I have fears, but I diminish them by moving into the “fear'” itself. Not letting my mind over-think the “fear” so it doesn’t get bigger and stronger with my own thinking of an unreal result. It is much easier to conquer the fear than to live with it, you just need to take that first step and move into it.

My personal practice has benefited greatly with the training. Not just with my practice on the mat being conscious and aware of my movements, breath, alignment and how differently I was doing things; but with my yoga practice off the mat as well by taking all the good to my daily life (just being, breathing, being aware, balanced, patient, tolerant, healing… so many things). This journey has helped me conquer areas of myself that I was afraid of, healed my emotions, and allowed me to know myself better, to accept myself and to be a better person. There is so much room for being a better person, and this training is just the beginning. I see things in a different way, in a better way.

This will be a two-part series, check back next week to hear more from our amazing graduates.

You’ve been there before – it’s the middle of class and an awesome song starts playing, you try to make a mental note to ask about the song title or artist after class but the bliss of savasana wipes your short term memory clean. So we decided to share our instructors’ playlists on the blog – Ta Da! problem solved. You’re welcome. 🙂

Amy writes: I absolutely love this playlist, I’ve been refining it for about a year! “Orange Sky” has been on there the whole time and is one of my favorites. Snatam Kaur and Wah! never fail to soothe my soul, I love playing them during cooling poses or savasana. Mixing in modern music is fun and unexpected and I often play just the instrumental versions, like with “HeyHo” and “Dust in the Wind.” And The Lumineers’ songs are great to instantly lighten the mood, especially if we’re working on a challenge pose, or holding pigeon going on 4 minutes!!

Om – Soulfood
Orange Sky – Alexi Murdoch
Shree Ram – Wah!
Hari Om Shiva Om – Deva Premal
Dust in the Wind – Fred Benedetti & Peter Pupping
Stubborn Love – The Lumineers
Flowers in Your Hair – The Lumineers
You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones
Ho Hey – Piano Tribute Players
Origami Crane – Trevor Hall
Hey World – Michael Franti & Spearhead
For Your Love – Christophe Goze
Mahamrtyunjaya Mantra – Reema Datta
Sita Ram – Krishna Das
In My Life [Album Version] – Sony Wonder
By Thy Grace – Snatam Kaur
Akwaba – Tya

This month we’re checking in with Wren Polansky who leads Classic Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30pm. Wren gently guides students to explore their inner sensations, creating a deep connection to self which enhances their physical practice. Beginners and advanced practitioners alike will find increased mindfulness in this slower-paced class.

Wren will be hosting the Wild Mind, Wild Heart Meditation Workshop on Sunday, March 24th from 2-4pm, be sure to sign up in advance! You can find our weekly class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I enjoy a variety of styles and my practice is determined by my current interest or need. For example, if I feel lethargic and need to sweat, I may do Vinyasa; if I need teaching/practice enrichment, I may attend an Iyengar class. I mainly practice good ol’ Hatha yoga at home alone.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I grew up dancing and doing a lot of creative movement (Mom’s a professional modern dancer/choreographer) and I was introduced to yoga when I was 15 years old. Yoga felt like home. Yoga didn’t have the performance aspect of dance – I loved the privacy of the practice, the internal exploration. Yoga challenged my body in ways that left me feeling healed rather than hurt. Yoga also appealed to my love of learning – as a vast and dynamic physical and spiritual tradition, learning about yoga seemed inexhaustible. After all these years, I still feel like a beginner!

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

In this moment I most want to do utthita parsvakonasana, extended side angle. So that is my favorite right now. If you asked again in ten minutes, the answer would likely be different. 🙂

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Many, if not all, poses remain challenging! Virabhadrasana III is the first asana that comes to mind. 

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a human being, all of my animal nature resides in this body.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Work. Relief. Homecoming. Concentration. Learning. Beauty.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

In my mind, I identify as an artist perhaps more than I do as a yogi. These two practices, while complementary, are often in conflict with one another in my daily life. There is only so much time to indulge in what I love to do (especially being the Mama of a very active 15 month old!)

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Be awkward! There is nothing ultimately worthwhile to be gained by straining or self-consciously performing.

Not so long ago, I was a half marathon runner, big wave surfer and mountain hiker. At my day job, I supervised large, one-of-a-kind home construction projects. My work placed extraordinary physical demands on my body. But everything changed the day I fell off the second story roof of a construction site.

When I hit the ground, my T-10 vertebrae exploded and my spinal cord got pinched. I was paralyzed and told by some doctors that I would never walk again. The body that was capable of walking and standing all day, lifting heavy materials and going on long runs was gone. But then one day I was able to move one of my toes and I started an eight-month physical therapy program. I had to re-learn how to walk. After 15 months of struggle, I was able to walk using a cane.

Eventually, I was able to go back to work as a construction supervisor. Even though all I could do was walk around the job site, I was happy with my progress. After two years, the doctors told me that I had reached a recovery plateau. I felt as though I could keep improving and that feeling led me to yoga. Four years after my injury, I started to take yoga classes. With enthusiasm I tried the Iyengar, Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa styles of yoga at a studio in Bird Rock. When the studio closed, I continued a home practice for three years, certain that yoga was the key to my continued good health.

In 2009, I heard about Yoga One. By then I was a full time student at City College and their location on 7^th Avenue was perfect. I was impressed by Michael and Amy Caldwell’s knowledge of yoga, teaching style and friendliness. For a year, I attended their classes as well as the Saturday morning Hatha class every week. Eventually, I tried other instructors and took on more classes per week.

I still have nerves that haven’t regenerated. In some poses my body can only go so deep; it might improve, it might not. Either way, I have fun and give it my best effort. I’m still in pain (I call it sensation) of one sort or another every day, but I would rather have the sensation of a long challenging yoga session than the sensation I experience after sitting at a desk or lying around all day. Mindfulness meditation has helped me locate where each sensation comes from, with equanimity I accept them and therefore life is a pleasure not a pain. Gratitude, yoga, mantra, meditation – that’s the morning practice I do before anything else. It’s the way I put my Self first and honor the commitment I’ve made to my health and well being.

Hi, there! In honor of Yoga One Blog’s first birthday, we’re checking in with blog writer and yoga teacher, Laura McCorry. Usually behind the scenes writing and organizing blog posts, Laura also leads a Gentle Flow class at Yoga One on Thursday nights at 7:45pm. It’s the latest class on the schedule, but it’s the perfect yoga nightcap – including a forehead massage during savasana. Check out our full schedule here, no reservations required.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

My favorite style of yoga varies with the seasons, time of day and my energy level. I love a quiet restorative practice whenever life gets overwhelming and an energetic Vinyasa flow for those days when you just need to move and sweat!

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I started practicing yoga during a very stressful time in my life when I was anxious during the day and having nightmares every night. I’d tried going to a meditation class but the chaos inside my head only increased. Someone told me that yoga was a moving meditation with the eyes open, so I went to a class at my local gym. Even during that first savasana, I felt glimpses of the peace that comes with practice.

For me, the best part about practicing yoga as a new student was that I needed to pay attention to my breath and the way my body moved. I’d never done that before and it was very challenging! The unique combination of breath and movement turned out to be the key to releasing the frenetic energy of my thoughts.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Restorative twist with a bolster or folded blankets. (Shout out: Missy often includes this pose in her 4pm Restorative class on Fridays.) This pose is super relaxing for my body, I have to be careful not to fall asleep! I find that my mind is quietest when my gaze is down or to the side rather than straight up – so for me, this pose is often more peaceful than savasana.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

I thought about answering with wheel or handstand but seriously, one of the poses that challenges me the most is chair. It’s never easy, never comfortable and always a struggle to remember to breathe. I’m the first person to stand up in tadasana or fold forward when it’s over.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a cat. I almost always know my own mind and I’ll often ask for advice from others and then do exactly what I’d been planning all along. I think cats are contrary that way. Also, they’re very wise: they know you don’t need to work too hard in life in order to be happy and that’s a philosophy I can get behind.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: peace, healing, challenge, strength, joy, prayer 

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I went to university to study French and desperately wanted to be a high school French teacher after graduation but it wasn’t meant to be. Enrolling in a yoga teacher training course and learning to teach yoga (another passion) soothed my soul and gave me a new purpose.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Yoga can be so many things: exercise, stress-relief, spiritual connection – soak up what resonates with you and let the rest go. Do what feels good in your body and don’t be afraid to modify. Never compromise your physical well-being for the sake of keeping up with the class. With that in mind, be sure to challenge yourself: hold a pose longer, take that stretch a little deeper, try out the scary arm balance. The biggest challenge any yoga student faces is simply showing up to class. 🙂

This month we’re checking in with the talented and oh-so-sweet Sharyn Greenberg! Sharyn is not only an awesome yoga instructor, she’s also one of Yoga One’s wonderful massage therapists. Whether you schedule a massage with her or drop in on her Wednesday night class at 7pm, you’re sure to enjoy every moment. Check out our full class schedule here, no reservations required.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I like all kinds of yoga, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one style! On my own I practice Hatha/Vinyasa, but the classes I take range from Power Flow to Kundalini. I enjoy a class that challenges me physically and then puts me to rest.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I enjoyed the peaceful feelings that I got after practice, as well as the deepening sense of self-acceptance that began to develop. It was a way for me to connect with my body that is kind and forgiving, challenging and healthy. Yoga helped me realize that we are all exactly where we need to be at any given moment; and this discovery allowed me to release a lot of anxiety in my life.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

I’m really into twists right now. I like Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose) because there is so much going on! The subtle sensations are kind of overwhelming at times but I enjoy breathing through all that, experiencing it, and letting it go after a few deep breaths.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Hanumanasana, also known as the splits. I’m a runner, so this pose is a challenge! It scares the shit out of me when teachers announce that we will be working on this in class…

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a hummingbird. They represent healers, messengers, and warriors and their wings move in the pattern of infinity! They are vivacious, present, and they get to spend all day smelling flowers. I think I’d enjoy flying through the sky as my main source of transportation.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Connection. Experience. Expression. Peace. Balance. Acceptance.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I’m a Scrabble fanatic and love to play board games.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Don’t be scared to take a risk every now and then, even if you are uncertain of the outcome. Be kind to yourself and others and do your best to embrace all the ups and downs that you encounter. Don’t take life so seriously… it’s okay to smile, laugh, and dance multiple times throughout the day (even in yoga class).

I first came to Yoga One about a year ago when Sarah Clark invited me to class. I had tried a number of studios around San Diego but none of them compared to the warmth of Yoga One’s instructors and the studio’s beautiful skylights. In the winter, I love opening my eyes during class to see the city lights pouring in and candlelight illuminating the studio.

At the time, I was running 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons so I only came to class once or twice a week because yoga was great cross training. In March, I ran the inaugural San Diego Half Marathon and as I headed up the Washington Street hill in mile nine, I felt a sharp shooting pain in my right knee. I walked to the top of the hill, holding my knee the whole way. When I tried to run again I thought my knee would break in half – the pain was excruciating. My running partner wanted me to stop at a medical tent, but I walked the last 3.2 miles and crossed the finish line.

The next day I made an appointment with the doctor but limped into one more yoga class first. It was the most painful and upsetting practice I’d ever experienced and I left wondering if I’d ever be able to do yoga again.

The doctor diagnosed me with chondromalacia, restricted me from physical activity and sent me to physical therapy. I contacted Michael Caldwell about my membership at Yoga One and he kindly put it on hold and gave me some passes to come back when I could. I was heartbroken. I couldn’t do any of the things I usually do: no more hiking with my dog on our neighborhood trails, I missed a 5K I’d already registered for, I couldn’t exercise the dogs at the Humane Society where I volunteer and no more yoga.

While I was recovering and feeling sorry for myself, Michael emailed me twice to let me know that my Yoga One family was thinking of me and sending me kind thoughts, I was so touched! After months of physical therapy and acupuncture, I was finally able to walk without pain and I begged my physical therapist to let me do some physical activity so she released me to try yoga. In early June, I returned to the studio and was welcomed back with open arms; it felt like coming home after a vacation. I eased back into my practice with one class a week and started feeling stronger both physically and mentally.

Every time I came to class I passed by the Summer Challenge board outside the Nook. It was filled from top to bottom with the names of students trying to complete 52 classes from June until the end of August and I kept thinking, “I wish I could do that.” By the end of the month, I was wondering why I couldn’t and the next time I came to class, I saw that someone had erased their name from the board. I thought, “I can do it! That spot was meant for me!” and I wrote my name in the blank space.

Over July and August I evolved from taking just Sarah’s class to getting hooked on Jen’s rooftop class, Michael’s core craziness and the bliss of Mondays with Amy as the heart of my practice. I attended a class with almost every instructor and I’m amazed at how unique, fun and talented they all are and how I always learn something new. The Summer Challenge also gave me the opportunity to get to know my classmates better and I love seeing my new yoga friends around the studio. I finished my 52nd class on August 28th, three days ahead of the deadline and it was such an amazing feeling, even better than finishing a half marathon!

My body continues to heal and my yoga practice is with me every step along the way. Even though I need to modify poses during class, my practice doesn’t cause me pain – in fact, it makes me feel fantastic. I look forward to every class and I’m even excited to get out of bed early for yoga on weekends and holidays; whereas before I sometimes had the “ugh, I have to run today” feeling. I feel invigorated during my practice, usually get a good giggle or two in and feel calm, centered and refreshed afterwards.

I’m so thankful to have found Yoga One and I’m truly a better person for having this community and yoga in my life!  

Xoxo,
Penny

That’s right, September is National Yoga Month, a time to celebrate a common love for yoga and healthy living and to share that passion with others! Here are some fun ways you can spread the yoga love:

First off, the most obvious of all, bring a friend to yoga! How many of you went to your first yoga class because a friend brought you along? Pay it forward by extending your own invitation. For all you ladies out there trying to convince your guy to come to class with you, check out this article for tips!

Change it up by taking your practice outdoors. There’s nothing like feeling the earth beneath your feet and the wind in your hair while you practice, not to mention having a live tree for your inspiration during tree pose! You can connect to your breath and find your connection to nature at the same time, maybe even get a little sun. Check out our rooftop class at the Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy on Sunday mornings at 9am.

Three words: Treat Yo Self! Do you always borrow a mat when you come to class? Treat yourself to the gift of your very own mat; we’ve got hugger mugger and manduka mats for sale at the studio. Feeling down about wearing the same old workout clothes to class all the time? Treat yourself to some new digs. A vigorous vinyasa practice have you feeling sore? Treat yourself to a massage! We’ve got four amazing massage therapists at your service and a deliciously relaxing massage room.

Take your practice to the next level. Whatever level you’re at in your practice, there’s always another level to discover. Have you been taking beginner classes for awhile but still feel unsure about a mixed level class? Talk to the instructor before class and let them know your hesitations. They’ll be able to offer you modifications to meet your body’s needs. Do you have a regular practice but need a push in order to try out a level 2 class? Go for it! Listen to your body so you know when it’s okay to try something hard and when you need to rest. Check out Mara’s 6pm class on Thursday nights or Amy’s 6:45pm class on September 14 for a challenge! Full class schedule here.

Do yoga from the inside out this month by practicing gratitude. Journal about your yoga practice and write down how you feel before and after class. Give yourself a pat on the back for stepping on your mat one more time. Thank a co-worker or family member or yoga instructor for their guidance and understanding. Studies show that grateful people feel “more alert, alive, interested and enthusiastic.” Gratitude creates feelings of happiness and joy simply by changing our internal rhetoric, a very yogic thought indeed!

Other cool stuff to check out: Yoga One’s very own Amy Caldwell  is leading Lululemon’s Vino & Vinyasa every Wednesday night at the Solamar Hotel, 6:30pm. Class is complimentary. Click here to see Amy’s interview for Vino & Vinyasa on KUSI news and click here to see her interview for San Diego Living!

This month brings you the fabulous and hardcore Janike Robinson who teaches Thursday’s noon class, Ashtanga-inspired Vinyasa. Seriously, I dare you to read her answer to question #7 then go take her class and not be inspired by her arms alone! Check out our full schedule here, no reservations required for class.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

Ashtanga!!! As a type-A, pitta, high-energy, athletic person, I naturally gravitated toward Ashtanga.  It is physically demanding but very meditative once you are acquainted with the series. You move and breathe through the poses and there is little time to look around. I’ve greatly benefited from the Ashtanga tradition of a mysore practice – a self-study in which you practice whatever series you are working on at your own pace. It is not led, but there is a teacher present to give you adjustments and personal attention. I love that Ashtanga is very direct and traditional. We usually practice pranayama, meditation and the spiritual aspects of the practice outside of class, so once you roll out your mat – class begins!

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

My first class ever was Bikram, and I immediately felt like I was home – I’d found something that came naturally and began to explore other styles until I alighted upon Ashtanga.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Viparita dandasana (inverted staff pose) because it combines an inversion, an arm balance and a backbend.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Mayurasana or peacock posture because it requires whole-body strength. Mayurasana is a challenging arm balance in which your upper arms support under your solar plexus and your legs are raised straight out behind you. Many people “cheat” by putting their chins on the mat and raising their legs at a diagonal toward the ceiling. To perform this posture fully requires significant upper body strength and control.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a tiger (one of my nicknames is ‘Tigger’)!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Moving to a special place with breath.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I do NOT lift weights! People always assume I work out at a gym but all my muscle comes from my Ashtanga practice!

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

“Do your practice and all is coming,” said Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Practice at least 4 times a week and give yourself at least a year for amazing results. Yoga is not something you ‘do,’ it’s a life-long practice. One day down dog will become a resting pose! At first you will be sore, fatigued and maybe even frustrated, but if you are consistent, your practice will become the most important part of your life!

Also, consider taking a teacher training even if you don’t want to teach – it will deepen your practice tremendously.

Join us on Sunday, July 1st, for a fun-filled and challenging practice with Jo Zukovich from 3 until 5pm. Jo has been teaching yoga for over 30 years and has taken five journeys to India to study with the Iyengar family. She recently moved back to San Diego from Hawaii and she’s excited to offer this workshop at Yoga One. Be sure to sign up soon because space is limited! $35 in advance, $40 at the door. To register, follow this link and click on the “workshops” tab.

To entice you even further, here’s a little bit more about Jo and her upcoming workshop:

Jo writes, “I love yoga and I love teaching yoga as an art. My own practice feels like an art form to me. My teaching comes from my heart and it is full of joy. During the workshop, I hope to introduce you to better alignment and more freedom in twists and standing forward bends. Yoga is a journey and just like the journey of life, it’s important to have some fun along the way!

“I started my journey with Iyengar yoga in 1979. Almost immediately, I was sure I would practice yoga the rest of my life. The impact it has had on my own life is amazing. I feel so blessed to have had such truly great teachers and mentors to help me along the way. Yoga is something that opens you to new experiences. The work may start physically, but travels to the mental and spiritual. It is with great gratitude for B.K.S. Iyengar that I teach and practice. I hope we can all become more compassionate through the practice of yoga.”

Even though the summer weather hasn’t hit San Diego yet because June gloom is hanging around, you can feel the anticipation in the air. Everyone is ready for warmer temperatures and longer days of sunshine. Summer just exudes lightness and fun. Amidst all the preparations for time at the beach or family vacations, don’t forget to challenge your yoga practice!

Commit to attending four classes a week between June 3 and August 31 for a total of 52 classes (or more!) this summer. If you’ve already come to class since June 3, you can count it! And if you haven’t, no worries – it’s not too late to join in on the fun, you just need a few 5-class weeks. We’ve even created an extra-special chart at the studio where you can track your progress alongside other Yoga One students.

The best part is that you can use this challenge to kick-start a regular yoga practice! It’s hard to count all the benefits that come with a regular practice but here’s a short list to inspire you: reduced stress and anxiety; stronger, leaner muscle mass; increased strength, flexibility and balance; breath control; increased body awareness; improved sleep; better posture; increased energy and greater confidence. If you could use any of those in your life, you’ve come to the right place.

To encourage you along the way, we’ll be offering two awesome level 2-3 classes led by Amy Caldwell. The first is this Friday, June 15th from 6:45-8:30pm and it’ll focus on Hips, Hamstrings and Arm Balances. Come ready to play, ask questions and deepen your practice! (Anyone with an established, intermediate/level 2 and up practice is welcome to attend even if not participating in the summer challenge.) The second class will be held Friday, August 10 at the same time. Drop-in for these classes is $18 or use your package.

Hope to see you around the studio soon getting your yoga on!

April passed us by too quickly but the Instructor Spotlight feature is back. You’ve already seen Angela posing in the Nook, now you can read about what really makes her yoga light shine. She teaches the Friday night Vinyasa Flow at 5:30pm so mark your calendar now for an awesome end-of-the-work-week yoga class! Click here to see the online schedule, no reservations required for class.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I will borrow this answer from one of my teachers, because I truly believe it, “any yoga is good yoga.” As for my teaching, I gravitate towards the mindful breath/movement synergy found in Vinyasa Flow.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I was so inspired by my first teachers. There was something about the beauty in their practice (later, I would learn it came through balancing “stira and sukha” – ease and effort, respectively). I would leave feeling lighter, calmer, more open. I wanted to feel that way again and again.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Urdhva dhanurasana or upward facing bow. Recently one of my teachers adjusted me in such a way that I finally felt the extreme heart opening possibilities found in this pose. It’s also totally energizing, so I like to incorporate it into my morning practice.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Adho mukha vrksasana (handstand) will always be challenging for me, because I naturally have an extreme “carrying angle” at my elbow joint. It illustrates how every single body is biologically different and certain poses can be more challenging because of body mechanics.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: 

I asked my partner this question, and he said a dolphin. I loved this answer because I imagine dolphins to be both strong and beautiful 🙂

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words:

Breath, balance, community, love, commitment and growth. And CHALLENGE. I need 7 words.

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

I have a crazy sweet tooth! I eat dessert at least once a day. Seriously.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

Do your best to approach your mat every time with an open mind and an open heart. Try not to compare yourself to anyone else and remember that wherever you are is EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

If you’re an experienced yogi, chances are you already know the value of using props to enhance your yoga practice. Yoga teachers are the ones who grab several blankets, a bolster, a strap and at least two blocks, creating a veritable fort of props surrounding their mat. But if you’re a beginner or still new to the practice, knowing why and how to use the different props can be a mystery unless a teacher explicitly includes them in a class. While there are many types of props in the yoga world, we’ll focus on the basics here: blocks, straps and blankets.

Myth-busting time! Just one more thing before we get into the breakdown of each prop. It’s a common misconception that using props means you aren’t capable of doing the pose as it’s meant to be practiced. Here’s the truth: the ONLY way to do yoga correctly is to do it in a way that honors your body. Honoring your body doesn’t mean powering through or pushing beyond your limits but it also doesn’t mean going easy and not trying. Using props effectively will help deepen your practice, increase your awareness and create space to better experience the benefits of the poses.

Blocks = Your Best Friend

Blocks are your best friend on your yoga mat. They offer solid support when it’s most needed (for example, underneath your front hand in triangle or half moon) and they reassure you when you feel really far away from the ground (like in standing forward bend or forearm stand). Blocks create space in the body to better target the key muscle groups in a pose. Sitting on a block with crossed legs or in virasana will create space in the hips and low back so you can experience ease while focusing on the breath or meditation. When you hold a block between your thighs in chair pose or flow through a sun salutation jumping between forward fold and plank, blocks push you to work harder and test your limits. Held between the thighs in bridge pose, they focus your attention on the quad muscles instead of the glutes but when placed beneath the sacrum in the same pose, they comfort you and help you relax.

Try keeping a block or two next to your mat throughout an entire class. Whenever the floor is just out of reach of your hands, place the block on any of its three sides (three different heights) to help support you. Usually, putting the blocks beside your mat but near the top will be the easiest place to access them during class.

Straps = Your Co-Worker

Not the annoying one who leaves a mess in the microwave; the co-worker you admire and with whom you have a good-natured rivalry. Sometimes straps remind you of how far away your goals are but most of the time, they challenge you to do the best you can that day. Straps provide that extra reach when you can’t quite make it on your own (holding a strap between your hands instead of clasping them behind your back in standing wide-legged fold, prasarita padottanasana). Sure, it would be great if your shoulders were flexible enough that your fingers interlace and touch the floor behind you, but everyone has to work with the body they have. It’s better to use a prop and still experience that deep shoulder stretch than to try and fake it or worse, injure yourself. Straps can also bring attention to where its most needed as in extended hand to big toe pose, utthita hasta padangusthasana. With a strap around the ball of your foot, not only can you keep the lower back extended and free from pain by grasping the strap instead of your foot, the pressure of the strap on your foot reminds you to keep muscular energy in the lifted leg with the toes flexed, which makes it easier to keep the leg raised.

You probably won’t need to use a strap in every class. If you know you have tight shoulders or hamstrings (straps are great for seated forward fold, paschimottanasana) then it’s a good idea to grab one at the start of class, unroll it and leave it gently folded beside your mat. If you need it that day, it’s nearby and if you don’t, it’s easy to roll up at the end of class.

Blankets = Your Mother

Blankets offer support and unconditional love. Blankets always have your best interests at heart, like when they protect your knee joint from the hard floor in a kneeling lunge. When the padding of your mat isn’t enough and you feel pain or discomfort, a blanket is a welcome aide. After all, yoga is about taking pain away, not creating it! In plow and shoulder stand, several blankets stacked underneath the shoulders will decrease the angle of flexion in your neck, creating a safer alignment. Like a good mother, blankets offer only as much support as you need and allow you to do the yoga on your own. Maybe sitting on a block with the legs crossed is more than you need but sitting on the ground would be uncomfortable – grab a folded blanket instead. Lastly, a mother’s job is to cradle you no matter how old you are: during savasana, use a folded blanket as a pillow, a rolled blanket underneath the knees to release tension in the lower back or an unfolded blanket as a cover to keep you warm. Savasana without props is wonderful, savasana with props can be glorious.

Put one or two folded blankets at the back of your mat. Use them to flatten down the pesky rolling up edge of your sticky mat and as support underneath your hips for the first seated meditation. When you start moving into other poses, gently push the blankets off the back of your mat so they’re out of your way but nearby if you need them later.

Remember, props are your friends! Using props during class is a sign of conscientiousness and respect for your body, not a sign of need or inexperience. Surround yourself with abundant support and feel the difference it will make in your practice!

This week we’re checking in with what the most recent Yoga Teacher Training alumni have to say about the course! They spent eight weeks putting their intention into action: learning about yoga’s history, philosophy, practice and many varied styles. Through lectures, readings, classes and time spent practice teaching, they’ve grown as individuals and teachers and we’re excited to share some of their experiences here on the blog. It’s never to soon to act on your intention. Click on the following link to find out more and sign up for the 2013 Yoga One Teacher Training Course.

Liz H: At Yoga One, I really feel like we were encouraged to explore the uniqueness of our own yoga. We were taught to tune in and honor what was going on inside of us as individuals, moment to moment, day to day, without judgement. What yogic paths appeal to us? What kinds of practice work best for us in this moment? Who are we and what do we bring to class as yogis? Yes, we’ve learned proper alignment, how to appropriately adjust poses- these are important things, without a doubt, but at Yoga One I learned that wherever I am in my practice is a beautiful, honorable place. When I honor my own practice with sincerity and if I share this in my teaching, that right there is a powerful, inspirational class. I can take this with me for the rest of my life and I believe it will never cease to serve me.

Karen A: I’m so grateful that I had the amazing opportunity to be part of the 2012 YTT. Amy and Michael have always been so welcoming with students at Yoga One; they make you feel as family and are always encouraging you to push your limits. In order for this to become a fulfilling experience you need great mentors, both Amy and Diana were amazing. They helped us learn a lot about yoga, its philosophy and proper alignment, but this experience goes way beyond the physical body, it encompasses the spirit and your true connection with what lies within. It was a life transforming experience that has taken me to a more spiritual and mindful way of life.

Mariellen M: Yoga One’s teacher training course was exciting, exhausting and exhilarating! I recently experienced a trying time and was surprised at this stage of my life to feel insecure, doubting myself. The course provided me with self confidence and reminded me that I do not need to doubt myself: I am capable, I can learn new things and face challenges. The challenge, the support and nurturing nature of the teachers and other students will stay with me always.

Valerie H: The YTT program is transformative, pure and full of love. I had many expectations because I typically have very lofty and imaginative expectations; all were met and surpassed. The bonds that are made are everlasting and priceless. The experience is only what you make of it, enjoy it while it flashes by you. It’s an extremely intense program with more information than you’ll ever ask for, with an overflowing combined knowledge of Diana Beardsley, Amy Caldwell, and Michael Caldwell. As always with very potent situations for growth there are even more difficult obstacles to overcome. Without fail I faced more challenges during these eight weeks than at any other time in my life! It was as if life wanted to not only test me but this teacher training and the practice of yoga itself. The web of life is spun in incredibly magical ways, you just have to open your eyes to see it.

Missy D: Yoga One’s teacher training course can be summed up in three words: dedication, community, compassion. I would definitely recommend YTT to a friend! Try to set aside your expectations and go along for the ride. Every weekend you’ll uncover another level of your self. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, exactly when I was supposed to be there at the first information meeting. Amy, Michael, Hillary, & Diana just felt like family and the people that I was supposed to spend an important part of my life with. And every class, no matter how exhausted I was, it felt right, it felt like this was an experience that would affect me for the rest of my life. The welcoming nature of everyone at Yoga One makes me feel like I’m at home. No other studio makes me feel this way. And I hope to continue to make people feel at home through my interactions with them, too!

Shawna F: The yoga teacher training at Yoga One was one of the most transformational experiences in my life. I’ve always been naturally flexible, able to twist and bend into many poses without strain. I thought this was great and my ego definitely got a boost from this natural “ability.” What I didn’t realize prior to the training was that I lacked the strength to find safety and stability in most poses. As a result, I frequently injured myself or felt slightly unbalanced after practice. Throughout the training, I realized that this aversion to strength was a common thread in the way I lived my life. I remember once hearing a yoga teacher say, “people do their yoga in the same way that they live their lives.” I started to notice how I lacked strength in my life in small ways. I didn’t always speak up when I was hurt or I buried my feelings when I felt them inappropriate. The basic principles of alignment gave me a new perspective on the physical poses as well as new inspiration for way I want to live my life. I realized that I need a balance of flexibility and strength. For me, that means moving past fear of judgment to make decisions from my heart, speaking up about what’s important to me and doing things that may be a bit scary – like teaching yoga to a room full of strangers!

I also realized how much I love to help people feel good about themselves. Following the training I’ve discovered more than ever that teaching and sharing yoga feeds my soul. I feel like I’m serving my purpose in life when the session is over and the student is glowing. The experience of the training helped me realize that there is so much more that I want from life. From the alignment concepts, to pranayama (breath control), to the wonderful people who shared my experience, the training was truly an event of coming home for me. I’m so grateful to Amy, Diana and Michael for sharing their love and skill of the yoga practice. I hope I can continue to learn from them and many others.

Yoga One will hold a free and informal Yoga One Teacher Training informational meeting on Sunday, May 6th from 5:00-6:30pm. Please RSVP to info@yogaonesandiego.com or 619-294-7461 and let us know if you will be able to attend by Thursday, May 4th.

Light refreshments will be provided. Meet instructors and previous and potential participants. Check out the manuals and texts. Begin to act on your intention to be the change you wish to see in the world.

I LOVE it when instructors admit that they have trouble getting into a pose. Not that it wouldn’t be great to take a class with some super yogi guru who can do everything and has a pose named after them. (I’m looking at you, Marichi.) For the rest of us, yoga practice seems to be filled with poses we like so much that the body eases right in or poses we have a positive aversion to because they’re difficult or even scary.

If I had known ahead of time all the poses we would be trying out in Leah’s 1/2 Vinyasa class last Saturday, I might have felt overwhelmed. But you know what they say: let go of your expectations. So I suppose it was better that nobody knew crow, headstand and side crow were right around the corner! What could have been a scary, intimidating class was transformed into no-pressure play time as Leah’s gentle energy led us to explore the postures with plenty of guidance to move in and out of them safely as well as the option not to do them.

The best part of class came when she admitted that side crow was still a challenge for her and she laughed about only showing us her strong side. It brought a smile to everyone’s face and I’m sure encouraged more than one person to try something new. I remember how it felt the first time I saw someone do crow pose – how blown away I was and how my first thought was I could never do that. But with time and practice, I found that I could sorta do crow, then I was mostly in crow and finally, on a good day, I could get into crow for just a breath or two before coming down to my feet triumphantly.

The beauty of yoga is that there’s always a new pose out there to try or a deeper refinement of a pose you already know. It’s good to reflect on how yoga felt when you first started and how you feel now. What poses are still a challenge for you? Do you have more confidence doing a pose now that used to be difficult or inaccessible?