Posts In: hatha

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

An Original Yoga One Yogi, Arati Lane has been teaching at Yoga One from day one. Yoga One began enhancing the well-being of San Diego residents and visitors in 2002 and Arati has been with us every step of the way. When she’s not teaching you can sometimes find her riding on her high horse. But her yoga keeps her humble. 🙂

Arati has been teaching Yoga since 1989, completing her first training with Sivananda. Arati currently teaches yoga classes and workshops for fertility, pre- and postnatal, infant massage, couples yoga, healthy backs, flow and hatha. She counsels in AYURVEDA and loves sharing these amazing life-enhancing methods to heal and maintain balanced health in all forms! She teaches at Yoga One Sundays at 10am. You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

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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.

This month we’re showcasing Kimberly Mackesy who leads an all levels Iyengar practice Saturdays at 9am. Kimberly brings a deep understanding of alignment principles to both her practice and teaching. Her conscientious instruction is clear and effective, expertly distilling the essence of each asana (pose). See our full schedule here.

What is your favorite style of yoga?

Iyengar Yoga. It gives me everything I need. There’s a Sanskrit word, ?raddh?, that means “trust which comes from revelation.” (Sutra I.20.) As its benefits have revealed themselves over the years, my trust in the Iyengar method has deepened. I’ve committed to teaching within the lineage. That said, I also know that every person’s yoga journey is unique. Yoga in the modern day comes in so many forms that I truly believe there is yoga for everyone. As B.K.S. Iyengar himself repeatedly expressed, “yoga is one.”

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

I was a stressed out college student. I was searching for answers to life’s big questions, and frankly I was depressed at what I was finding so far. Meanwhile, my dad convinced me to try yoga because he thought it would benefit me physically. I had no idea then that the physical health benefits are just one (albeit important) piece of the puzzle.

I started out with a 10-week gentle Hatha Yoga course at UCLA. The teacher was this radiant elder lady who brought her own tape deck. She taught the same poses to the same tape week after week…and I loved it. Simple, simple poses. Like clockwork, the yoga gave me a break from my stress. It gave me peace, breathing room, if only for an hour. I was hooked right away.

About a year after my first yoga class, I enrolled in the interdisciplinary teacher training program at the Center for Yoga in Los Angeles (co-taught Diana Beardsley, who now co-leads Teacher Trainings at Yoga One). I found my first Iyengar Yoga teacher, the beginnings of my own teaching voice, even the seeds of my career during that first teacher training.

What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Padmasana, lotus pose. I find it deeply soothing structurally, organically and spiritually (that’s after lots of practice, of course). I love working with my students on the poses that prepare padmasana. With practice and sequential preparation, padmasana comes when the student is ready just like its namesake, the lotus flower, blooms in its own time. Mr. Iyengar actually compared the 8 limbs of yoga to the petals of a lotus flower: they all unfold at once to reveal the brilliance within.

What pose is still the most challenging?

Savasana, or corpse pose. The urge comes to adjust, to move, to try to balance the body. The mind wants to wander too because that’s its nature. It’s a tremendous challenge to surrender and be still, but that is exactly what savasana asks us to do. Paradoxically, that’s one of the reasons it’s so effective.

If you were an animal, you would be: a dragon! It’s my birth year in the Chinese Zodiac. And I’m a redhead, so it suits me.

Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Profound healing on all levels. AUM.

What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

That I’m looking for a husband! I don’t date my students, but I do take referrals. 😉

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

You’ll feel something from the very first class, but the subtle benefits of a yoga practice take time to accrue. Consistency is key. Come to class twice a week or more and practice at home whenever you can, even for a few minutes a day. Yoga’s benefits show up in proportion to your efforts. Yoga can bring you more than you ever imagined, but only if you stick with it.

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.

 

by Monique Minahan

The initial weeks and months postpartum are a unique time in a woman’s life. Although new moms often feel a lot of pressure to “get their body back,” the reality is that having a baby changes your body radically from the inside out and there’s no need to push yourself. Even with a healthy pregnancy and delivery, the impact of childbirth and the physical demands of taking care of a newborn can be surprising to new mothers.

My yoga practice has changed dramatically since having my baby. With no extra energy and little free time I’m learning to make my yoga count. Gone are the days of 5-minute warm-ups and 10-minute savasanas. I’m happy to get in a 15-minute practice on any given day and am learning that life after baby requires a different kind of flexibility, strength, and patience than the kind I practice on my mat.

Here are 5 poses I’ve found healing, energizing, and supportive on my postpartum path. In all poses bring awareness to your breath and the back side of the body, two areas that tend to get neglected in new moms. Step into your new body slowly and with awareness, letting it open up when ready and heal at its own pace.

1. Cat/Cow: This was the first pose I did after having baby and it never felt so good. It’s a wonderful way to gently begin to reconnect to your new body and massage your spine at the beginning or end of your day.

Find how to do cat/cow here.

2. Supported Twist: Back pain is a common complaint among new moms. Twists are rejuvenating for the spine and can provide a much-needed release to the back after a day of carrying baby. This restorative version is gentle enough for your recovering body and the support allows you to deeply relax.

Use blankets or a pillow wrapped in a towel. Line up your hip with the middle of your prop. Twist to face the prop and lengthen your torso as you place yourself on it. Rest on each side 5 to 15 minutes.

3. Back Bend Over a Bolster: The hunched shoulders that come from carrying and picking up baby all day compromise our posture and can leave us feeling exhausted energetically as well as physically. This gentle heart-opener expands your lungs and frees up your breath.

Roll up a blanket and place your upper back over it until it rests under your nipple line. For extra support use a blanket under the knees and neck. Rest here 5 to 15 minutes.

4. Shoulder Clock: Carrying and rocking baby contracts the biceps as well as the forearm muscles, creating tension in the upper chest and neck over time. Gently opening the shoulders when possible helps to relieve tightness in the arms.

Find how to do shoulder clock here.

5. Constructive Rest Pose: Hours spent sitting while nursing, rocking, and playing with baby fatigue the psoas, a core muscle connected to our central nervous system and a major player in keeping the hips happy and balanced. The psoas connects the spine to the leg, and this pose helped me learn to relax it without pushing my body into deeper poses too early.

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor in line with your hips. Rest the knees against each other. Keep your spine in its natural position with a curve under the low back and neck. Rest here for 10 to 15 minutes and let gravity do the work.

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

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.

We’d like to introduce the wonderful and amazing Lauren Bosworth! Many of you may not have had the pleasure of meeting her and taking her class since she has been leading many of Yoga One’s corporate classes at various companies around San Diego.* Lauren is taking over the Level 2/3 Vinyasa Flow on Monday nights at 5:30. Come experience her challenging and warming flow with deep holds to help you find that ideal alignment while testing your endurance. Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

My favorite style of yoga lately has been a blend of flow-y Vinyasa and deep Hatha, all wrapped up with therapeutic alignment principles. I like to keep it fun and active, but also very safe so that I am able to do what I love forever.

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

I was a ballerina for many years while growing up. My flexibility made yoga very fun, easy and intriguing to me. The thing that pulled me in further was realizing how difficult it really was and how much more work it took to have stability and strength rather then just being flexible.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

My favorite pose right now is eka pada rajakapotasana (pigeon pose). It used to be very easy for me to find rest in this post but lately it has been much more challenging. The challenge makes me want to practice it more often!

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Adho mukha vrksasana, or hand stand, is very challenging for me because my back and spine are very flexible and it’s difficult to stack my bones just right for balance!

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a mermaid; in fact, I’m pretty sure I was one in my past life. 😉 I love the ocean and all the magic and healing that it brings.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Balance. Clarity. Vitality. Rejuvenation. Invigoration. Appreciation.

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

I think they would be surprised to learn that my strength surpasses my size. I pack a mean punch!

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

My advice would be to not compare yourself to anyone or anything. Enjoy the feeling of your body in movement while you practice without self-judgement. Don’t be scared to try new poses or to fall. If you do fall, just pick yourself up and try again.

Find what feels best in your body and stick to that – don’t push past pain and risk injury, be respectful of the body’s limitations. Most of all, practice because it makes you feel good and because you enjoy the sensations that result from your practice, not because you think you should.

* If you would like to learn more about Yoga One at Work for your company or organization, contact Michael at 619-972-8185 or michael@yogaonesandiego.com

There are many ways to explain the differences between styles of yoga practice. Most people will describe the technical and philosophical tenets of one style by comparing and contrasting it with others. I prefer to think of yoga as a giant banquet with many courses. Each style of yoga practice is its own course, with its own delicious qualities.

Hatha is like the salad course. It is fresh and easy to dive into. It doesn’t require fancy utensils or prior knowledge of a particular etiquette. It can be served before the main course or after. Sometimes people come to Hatha before moving on to more rigorous forms of yoga and sometimes they are led back when they realize how satisfying Hatha can be in its simplicity.

Vinyasa and Ashtanga are two very different main courses, each fulfilling in its own way. Vinyasa has such a beautiful presentation, each move carefully orchestrated by the chef to create an intended effect on the palate. While Ashtanga has a predetermined set of ingredients, its spice and vigor will keep you coming back for more. When you sit down to either of these practices, you know in advance how wonderful you’ll feel at the end but also how much you’ll have to work in order to get there.

While there are many other styles of yoga that certainly have a place at the table, in my opinion, Restorative yoga is undoubtedly the dessert. It’s perfect at the end of the day when you want to unwind with something indulgent. But restorative yoga also feels good at any time of the day. When you step into a restorative class, you can really take your time and savor every moment. As any eight year old can tell you, sometimes dessert before dinner really is the most satisfying choice. Everyone from young to old, in every type of body can find relaxation and enjoyment from restorative yoga.

Naturally, the food that tasted good to you yesterday might not be as satisfying today as some other dish. Sampling is definitely encouraged!! If you’ve never treated yourself to the dessert of the yoga world, come check out Yoga One’s new restorative class held on Friday afternoons at 4:00, you’ll be glad you came!

This month we’re checking in with Shauna MacKay who teaches a hatha class on Sunday mornings at 8:30. Click here to see the online schedule, no reservations required for class. One special announcement: as a Lululemon Ambassador, Shauna’s collecting shoes for the “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” campaign to aid the homeless in San Diego. Drop off gently used athletic shoes in the box at the top of the stairs until the end of March. 

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

Although I understand why others commit to one style of yoga, I am not a yoga purist. I completed over 500 hours of YogaWorks training, a style that intelligently blends the alignment of Iyengar, the flow of Ashtanga Vinyasa and the individualized teachings of Desikachar. I love taking the best of various styles and adapting them to my own needs and the needs of my students. I value having a giant tool box of yoga resources to draw upon and love continuing my education to keep adding new tools to my collection.

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

Relief from pain! After more than twenty years of running (literally and figuratively), I was tight, inflexible and constricted in my hips, hamstrings, neck and shoulders. Not to mention my heart, which was tied up in knots.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

My favorite pose at the moment is ardha chaturanga dandasana, or plank pose. I love practicing it and I love teaching it. Sometimes students have an aversion to it because it’s physically demanding, but once they learn to stabilize the shoulder and pelvic girdles and engage the muscles on the front of the body, they access a strength they didn’t know they had. I love the moment my students get it and feel that possibility within themselves.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

The most challenging poses for me are always backbends like urdhva dhanurasana, wheel. A childhood gymnastic injury left me with a tight lower back, making the posterior pelvic tilt necessary for safe backbends a challenge. Yoga, patience and perseverance have helped a great deal. I am slowly opening up that previously locked area and look forward to more and more backbends to come.

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

I often look to my kitties, Henry and Millie, for yogic inspiration. They are masters of the ability to fully relax in their bodies. Even after stressful situations, they quickly “shake it off” and free themselves to relax in the present moment. And nothing beats the blissful sound of a cat purring at peace.

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

Lengthens, strengthens, opens and frees me.

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

One of my favorite things to do is cuddle up with my husband and watch competitive cooking, singing or design shows. Whether or not you like the type of food, singing or styling, it’s beautiful and inspiring to watch the performer’s ego soften so the purity of their gift can shine.

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

Your practice matters! Every time you come to the mat, even for a few minutes, with the intention of opening yourself, you have an impact on those around you as well as the world at large. By making more space in your own mind, body and spirit, you are contributing to a more flexible, peaceful and loving world. It all starts with kindness in your own inner world. Just keep showing up. Namaste!