Posts In: knowledge

Thank you to each and every reader and student of Yoga One, both online and in person, and we especially love it when those two worlds overlap!

We choose our posts, our writers, and our content with care because we believe that our online presence should reflect the same values we share through our San Diego yoga studio – we value integrity, we are committed to sharing knowledge, and we believe helping the individual live a happier and healthier life leads to happier and healthier communities.

Thank YOU (yes, you!) for being a part of the Yoga One Family!

To celebrate, here’s a round-up of our all-time top 8 posts. Enjoy!

8. Confessions of a Yoga Teacher-Military Spouse
7. 5 Yoga Poses for Your 8-to-5
6. The Potency of Backbends and Breath
5. Top Ten Yoga Myths: Part Two
4. The Power of Intention
3. Yoga Playlist from Amy Freeman
2. Top Ten Yoga Myths: Part One

and appropriately, the number 1 post on our site:
1. The Benefits of Yoga

by Olivia Cecchettini

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda

Summary: Sutra in Sanskrit means “thread.” Each verse of the sutras is a thread in the tapestry of Raja Yoga, a yogic path of meditation and concentration. The Sutras of Pantanjali are at least 1,700 years old and contain ancient wisdom in yoga ethics, meditation, and physical postures. This compilation by Sri Swami Satchidananda not only includes the original Sanskrit alongside the translation, but also personal stories and advice shared from his own spiritual journey.

Why I Love It: Timing is everything. I picked up this book in the past and felt overwhelmed. My intuition knew that it wasn’t the right time yet, so I put it back on the shelf until some months later I began to read it one sutra at a time. I gave each one time to marinate in my thoughts. I really believe the quote, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali uses metaphors and examples that are easy to understand and applicable to a modern lifestyle. I love that the full depth of knowledge contained in each sutra is so accessible because knowledge is power. When we become as curious about our internal landscape as we are about the external world, we are limitless. This book offered me the tools to live a life of introspection, fulfillment, happiness, and peace. It raised and continues to raise my vibration.

Recommended For: Those seeking emotional intelligence, who want to find balance between mind, body and spirit. Understanding The Sutras may come easily, but applying the book’s teaching in your everyday life might be a much harder task. The spiritual methods may be simple, but there could be a lot of work that goes into embodying each step forward.

I’ve found that it’s not by reading that I actually grasp new teachings or new ways of being in the world; it is through experimenting. Practicing, failing, having devotion and patience, and fully participating in my own life is where the learning happens. Being alive and feeling alive can be two very different experiences. My hope is for all to experience the fullness of life.

Ciao,
Olivia

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.

Checking in with Yoga One Teacher Trainee, Courtney Barrow

What’s one thing you’ve learned already that’s changed your perspective on yoga/life?

I’ve learned how to be patient. Be patient with your body in yoga and enjoy where you are at the moment, not where you wish to be. That same thing applies in life. Be stuck in traffic. Wait in the one long line at the grocery store. Be patient and just enjoy the moment.

If you could describe Yoga One Teacher Training in three words, they would be: Knowledge, Strength, and Love.

interview with Yoga One Teacher Trainee, Hannah Faulkner

What do you hope to gain from Yoga One Teacher Training?

Personally and in my teaching, I hope to improve on being in the moment and making mindful, compassionate decisions. Likewise, I would like to improve my knowledge of preventing injuries for my students in yoga. Physically, I’d like to improve my alignment and strength to successfully balance in handstand and forearm stand.

What’s one thing you’ve learned already that’s changed your perspective on yoga and/or life?

As a woman who is constantly busy and in a hurry, I am learning to stay in the moment and be present. As humans, we have the freedom to decide how to react in any situation, I can react according to my emotions and thoughts or be mindful of everyone and everything around me as well as being conscious of the effects of my choices.

Physically, I have learned that my body needs to be aligned in five ways (foundation, muscle energy, inner rotation, outer rotation, and finding length in my torso and limbs), not only in each pose, but in my daily life: standing, sitting, and sleeping. Since I’ve been working on these adjustments, I’ve been able to sleep on my back in comfort throughout the night. This is something that I haven’t been able to do for years.

If you could describe Yoga One Teacher Training in three words, they would be: Mindfulness, Balance, Alignment

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!

We’ve learned a lot these last 7 weeks about yoga. We’ve learned about anatomy, philosophy, asana, pranayama, and how to be more mindful yoga practitioners and teachers.

What is also becoming inescapably obvious is that we have learned each other as well, and this has been a subtle but significant aspect to our learning process.

What started out as a group of strangers is now a supportive group of friends. We’ve seen each other’s personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and have come to admire each other for continuing to show up to our individual and collective practice.

We each bring different histories and struggles to our mats every day. We’ve brought these since Day 1. The only difference is that we now appreciate where we are coming from.

This is the beginning of community and this is the essence of connection.

One of the teacher trainees is a man named Kim. The first week of training I had the opportunity to work with Kim, and I noticed he rocked back and forth on his feet quite a bit while standing. When I asked him if he had difficulty in standing poses, he said yes. When I asked why, he said simply that he had some nerve damage to his feet.

The last few weeks I’ve seen him quietly use multiple props and the wall for support in many poses. He always has an easy smile and while some poses seem challenging to him, he never seems to be over-efforting.

It was only when Kim shared with the class how he had fallen off of a second story building onto a two-by-four and become paralyzed from the waist down that I began to appreciate the true beauty of his yoga practice and the powerful potential of yoga.

Kim taps into his will to survive every day. It allows him to do what many people would call impossible.

It makes me wonder, Are we tapping into our will to survive? Are we even tapping into our will? What are we calling impossible that would become possible if we stopped limiting ourselves?

When we tune into our potential instead of our pain, we find our current limitations are merely a starting point.

This is just one example of how we have learned from each other through this training. We’ve learned to be sensitive to other human beings, whether it be through the words we choose or our physical touch.

As I disembark from this life-changing journey, I feel supported by a community of friends and teachers and well-equipped to follow my own yogic path.

The amount of knowledge and wisdom our teachers have shared with us will be sinking in for months to come. The words of Abraham Lincoln sum up my attitude as I step out of the world of teacher training and into the world of teaching yoga:

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”

 

Read Monique’s full article here.