Posts In: happiness

by Laura McCorry

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!

by Laura McCorry

Comparison is the Thief of Joy 

I recently moved across the country from San Diego, California to a not-so-big town in Virginia. Whenever I think about my old life (as I’m starting to call it) I’m sad that I can’t take yoga classes at Yoga One and see all my old friends or go out to eat at my favorite restaurants.

The problem with moving is that you don’t have a network or favorite places right away, that takes time. And it would be unrealistic to expect one city to provide the same opportunities and experiences as the other. They are totally different beasts and the better I get at not comparing them, the happier I am.

Yoga teaches us to be present with what is. Who you were yesterday and who you want to be tomorrow don’t matter as much as the present moment and who you are today.

If You Want Something, Ask.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat at home feeling sorry for myself because I didn’t have plans to meet friends. Or how I’ve looked at my phone wanting to talk to someone but not wanting to bother them when they might be busy. These feelings come from a place of fear and breed inaction. It’s good to remember there are no prizes for toughing it out alone. When the going gets tough, ask for help and support from your friends and family.

Being present in yoga means examining your physical and mental alignment, making small adjustments as you encounter anything out of place. That ability to take stock and respond is key to emotional health off the mat. When you put fear aside and take responsibility for your own happiness and well-being, you become empowered to recognize and ask for what you need.

Look Up and Out 

When I’m struggling with something, really struggling, it’s easy to self-implode and only see the world from my own perspective. I always know this is happening when every time I talk to a friend, I launch into a Litany of Woes, a.k.a. everything that’s going wrong in my life.

You can break the cycle by seeking connection and community. Expand your awareness to the person in front of you (or on the phone, or at the other end of an email, etc.) Talk about your joys. Take a yoga class. Call your mom. Ask a stranger how they’re doing and wait for a response.

The reason more people don’t practice yoga in their living rooms is because we often crave community more than we crave the mental and physical benefits of yoga. Taking a yoga class unites our breath with the group and tells us that we are not alone. Finding a studio where they know your name and welcome you with a smile or a hug is priceless.

What life lessons have you learned from your yoga practice? Share with us in the comments!

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

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

Join me in welcoming Janssen to the Yoga One team! You can see her in the Office Nook on Sunday evenings signing students in to class. A recent graduate from our 2013 Yoga Teacher Training, Janssen co-teaches the FREE 6:30am Flow on Mondays. She loves everything about yoga – keep reading to learn about her awesome journey!

Hi, I’m Janssen! I started practicing yoga off and on in college because the studio where I practiced Pilates was actually a yoga studio. To be honest, at first it was not my cup of tea! I’m what some may call hyperactive – my monkey mind could not handle that much mindfulness. But I did attend a few classes and fell in love with the physicality required as well as the beautiful combination of grace and strength in my teachers.

Fast forward 3 years.

After moving to California and gaining then losing about 25 pounds, I found myself searching for a way to reconnect to my body. I remembered yoga and how I would feel leaving class – refreshed, happy, radiant. So I searched for and found a small private studio and for six months dove head first into my practice. I was doing yoga three, four, five, six times a week! I found capabilities I thought had been lost in childhood and a sense of peace and quiet that frankly was never there in the first place.

It was incredible – I wanted everyone to know. I was blowing up Facebook with my epiphanies and it just wasn’t enough.  I had to find another way to share, to show other people how great I was feeling, to explain to everyone why I had changed so much: I wanted to teach.

Then I found Yoga One. In my quest for yoga teacher training, I researched many different studios because I wanted to make sure I was spending my money wisely. I wanted to get an education that balanced philosophy with practice. When I emailed for more information, Michael was prompt, warm, and as excited as I was that I wanted to be a yoga teacher. When he showed me the studio, he was curious and friendly. When I took one of Amy’s classes, she knew that I was interested in teacher training as well and greeted me with a hug on New Year’s Eve.

What makes Yoga One so special is that it truly is a family. I have never felt more welcome and accepted and encouraged outside of my own home. The training I received, the classes I’ve attended and the people I’ve met are an invaluable gift that I can only reciprocate by giving it to others.

Yoga gave me me again. I feel great, I’m in the best shape of my adult life and I still have so much to learn. You know that feeling of “I’m exactly where I am supposed to be”? That’s how I feel every time I get onto my mat. And I love it; I’m obsessed. Best of all, I found a group of people who don’t think that’s weird. For me, that is the definition of happiness.

As we count down the final hours of 2012, we wanted to share with you our teachers’ beautiful resolutions and intentions for the new year! May our words inspire you to write down a resolution of your own and if you do, please share with us in the comments. May this new year bring you peace, love and more yoga!

Arati – I want God to be present a whole lot more! I believe in magic! I’ve got a lot of work to do within myself… inner yoga, like communication, parenting and work goals. And I will evolve the universe and the goddess divine and all to support my efforts and provide light!

Wren – One word: Relax!

Mara – My resolution is rather than resolving any issue or imbalance or perceived lack – I will choose to continually re-cognize (change my mind) to value and appreciate how the world comes to me.

Sarah – To practice connectedness. To be present and flexible in the moment.

Katie – I resolve to:

Rest in my safe heart
Eat until I’m happy
Spend more time in nature
Observe more daily kindness
Love every stranger like my dad
Venture into uncomfortable spaces to grow
Evoke compassion from everyone around me

Lauren – The resolution for this new, beautiful, adventurous year is acceptance. To accept whatever happens on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis. To accept all circumstances sent my way and to know when to let go. To not hold on to anything that may sadden or damage my soul and energy. To realize that everything happens for a reason and to be content with the way things are. Clarity. Acceptance.

Amy F. – From last year, I want to carry over my intentions for compassion and connection. This year I’m adding courage, which always reminds me of heart in French (coeur) and Latin (cor). Definition: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.

I want to live and speak more from my heart, my whole heart. Adding to that – encouragement (instruction does much, encouragement does everything!) And a final intention for community: establishing and maintaining a deeper connection to community.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela

Terri – My 2013 New Year’s Resolutions:

• to learn something new, either salsa dancing or belly dancing
• do my best to cut down on sweets (to me this means only eating sweets 1 or 2 times a week, verses nearly every day like right now)
• I think 2013 is the year I finally master forearm stand in the middle of the room; I’ve been so close for so long!

Robin 

• Be present
• Breathe deeply
• Practice more yoga
• Read more
• Spend more time with loved ones
• Travel
• Continue to learn new things
• Find more ways to to bring happiness to my life and others!

Jennifer – Be present and enjoy all the fun and changes in my life. Have lots of gratitude. Add more hobbies into my life; things I love such as music and art.

Laura – My resolution this year is to walk more softly on this earth. I want to let go of my desires for more and to cherish what I have, both in the material and emotional sense. I want to let go of fear more often and more readily. I resolve to live in the present moment and to do more yoga!

Shawna 

• Try at least one new thing every day (especially stuff that scares the **** out of me…skydiving, surfing, etc. are on the list)
• Have a super toned and fit “yoga body” 🙂
• Read 1 book per week and journal daily

Amy and Michael – Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu, may all beings be happy and may our thoughts and actions contribute to that happiness for all!