Posts In: strength

by Amy Caldwell

One morning, while I was practicing in my usual spot outside on our back deck, I took a photo to see if the backbend looked like it felt. In the photo, I see strength and openness, I feel presence and persistence. I also see and feel a place adjacent to my heart that is challenging to bend.

I’ve been focused on the physiological theme of back-bending and its alignment: long torso on all sides with balanced core engagement. The corresponding mindfulness theme I am exploring is conscious participation:

How can we arrive in the present, allow ourselves to be OK with what we are feeling, then to engage in the next moment with openness, curiosity, presence, and kindness?

As I physically and energetically explore opening my heart, there is intense love intermingled with fear. Not fear of my own death or harm, but fear that the safety of my beloveds is out of my control. We continually seek to be equally grounded and spacious, strong and open, balanced with present moment awareness and love. As we age, we have to work harder at both – not to become set in our ways, closed and rigid.

“Every movement toward flexibility, there must be an equivalent movement toward strength.”

– Diana Beardsley

What is it that you need more of in your practice? In your life?

How can we metaphorically open our hearts while remaining strong and grounded in the present?

How can we stand up for what we believe is true and right, while simultaneously loving our adversary as a fellow human who is also doing what they believe is true and right?

As Pema Chödrön advises, we can let go of fear and control… even while embracing the groundlessness of being human. Sometimes the way forward is not without, but within.

Amy Caldwell
Contributing Writer

Amy (E-RYT 500) has dedicated herself to the practice, study and teaching of yoga since discovering its joys and benefits in 1997 while backpacking throughout Asia, Australia, and parts of Europe. Amy is a Co-Founder of Yoga One and lead teacher for their yoga teacher training program.

We asked you, our students, to describe Yoga One using just 3 words and your lists blew us away! We are so proud and humbled, encouraged and challenged, and overall feeling the LOVE!

Thank YOU for making Yoga One a welcoming space for all to enjoy the benefits of yoga and community. Namaste!

fiction by Laura McCorry

Carl sat on the crinkly paper of an examining table waiting for his doctor. He kicked his feet and glanced around for a magazine. As a grown man, he felt ridiculous when his feet didn’t touch the floor. Carl was there for his annual check up, something his wife (and his health insurance) insisted on since he turned fifty.

He took a deep breath and let it out, slow and controlled. The practiced measure of that breath and the peace that followed marked a groundswell of change in Carl’s life from the year before.

A year ago, Carl had sat in the exact same spot, not knowing what to expect, feeling irritated that he had to take time out of his busy work day to be there.

A year ago, Carl had expected to hear that everything was fine, that he was a marvel of health despite the fact that he rarely exercised and regularly indulged in rich food and drink.

A year ago, Carl’s doctor told him that unless he made significant changes, he would need to take daily medication and adjust his expectations for his future quality of life.

Looking back, Carl could see the signs. But at the time, it was too easy to justify the way he was feeling. His back hurt because he wasn’t twenty years old anymore. Lots of people complained of indigestion. He carried some weight around his middle, but so did nearly all of his colleagues the same age as him. If it was normal, it couldn’t be that bad, he reasoned.

Despite telling himself it was a normal part of aging, Carl didn’t like the way he looked in the mirror. And every time he lay down at night, the aching muscles in his back would start to relax a bit which ironically made them ache even more. Laying next to his sleeping wife, he knew deep down that there had to be something more he could do.

It was that routine visit to the doctor that opened his eyes.

“What do you do to move your body?” Dr. Beamer asked, looking Carl in the eye over the rim of his glasses.

“I throw a tennis ball for the dog in the backyard,” Carl joked to avoid the question. He moved through his life with a minimum of movement, from his bed to the breakfast table. From his car to his desk. From the dinner table to his recliner. From his recliner to his bed.

“What have you tried before?” the doctor’s gaze hadn’t flinched, bless him.

“I used to play basketball with some buddies,” Carl offered.

Dr. Beamer nodded his head. “I’m not saying don’t try it, but go easy. Basketball at your age, after a long hiatus, can be hard on the knees.”

And then he said the fateful words Carl had never expected to hear:

“Have you ever considered doing yoga?”

No, Carl had never considered yoga. In his mind, yoga was something his wife did. But that evening, when Carl told his wife about the doctor’s suggestion, she didn’t tease him or gloat. Instead, she simply messaged him the online schedule for Yoga One, the studio in Downtown San Diego where she’d been practicing for the past five years.

Carl looked at the schedule and thought about his week. Fridays were pretty easy, he could often take a half day or work from home. He scanned the list of classes and instructors and saw one that popped out at him: Level 1 and 2 Flow with Michael Caldwell.

He borrowed his wife’s yoga mat and changed at work into a t-shirt and a pair of lounge pants. Carl felt nervous. He didn’t want to be noticed as new.

Even though he arrived early, there were still quite a few people already picking out spots in the bright upstairs studio. At the front of the room, a tall man in a t-shirt and comfortable pants talked and laughed with the regulars.

“Hi, I’m Michael,” the man introduced himself. He asked if Carl had any injuries or questions and they chatted briefly about the Padres. Carl didn’t know exactly what he had expected from a yoga teacher, but he felt reassured and intrigued.

The yoga class was harder than Carl had expected. Somewhere along the way, he’d gotten the idea that yoga was mostly sitting on the floor stretching and lying down relaxing. Not in this class! These people were moving and sweating and working hard.

There was a lot that Carl couldn’t do, but instead of discouraging him, he only wanted to try harder. Every time Michael guided the class into a difficult pose, he acknowledged it and encouraged each student to stay and breathe or back off and rest. By the end of the class, Carl was beginning to feel as though the yoga was more about what was going on in his own body instead of what the other bodies in the room were capable of doing.

It only took one class and Carl was hooked. At first he was doing yoga at his wife’s studio for his health. Before long though, Carl knew he was practicing yoga for himself. He loved the way it challenged both his strength and his stillness. It was no longer his wife’s studio, Yoga One had become like a second home, a place where they both found friends and community.

There was a knock on the door and the doctor walked into the examining room.

“Hi there, Carl,” Dr. Beamer looked up from a clipboard and raised his eyebrows as he smiled at Carl. “You’re looking good!”

“I feel good,” Carl replied with a proud smile.

“I bet,” said the doctor. “Your chart says you’ve lost some weight and, this I can’t believe, you’re an inch taller than last year. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.”

They discussed how to manage some of the health problems Carl was still experiencing but he was relieved to hear that the focus had shifted from management to prevention. Yoga hadn’t cured everything that was wrong, but it had pushed Carl into a long-lost relationship with his body. Now it didn’t matter so much what he looked like, it mattered how he felt — and Carl felt better than ever.

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(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

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 Zoe Freedman.

1. Why do you practice yoga?

I practice for so many reasons! Firstly, because it feels delicious in my body. I love to cultivate more space, shift stagnation, and allow each part of my physical being to stretch and strengthen.

I also love finding a meditative flow with my breath, clearing my mind, and creating mental space for genius ideas to sprout. It’s time away from technology as well, which is an added bonus!

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

I spent two years convinced I didn’t have anything unique to offer my students, and that took a lot of patience and commitment to break through.

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

First and foremost, connecting with incredible humans. Secondly, assisting my students in feeling more comfortable in their bodies. We only get one… life is too short to stay stiff and uncomfortable!

4. If yoga were a food, car, smell, planet, song, artist, flavor, etc… it would be: Lavender.

5. What’s your yoga inspiration?

My yoga inspiration is anyone who shows up for themselves again and again, no matter what life throws their way. Those who commit to seeking enlightenment and inner peace, through all eight limbs of yoga. There are too many incredible yogis doing this to name! Many of my students are such yogis, who inspire me every day.

6. What classes do you teach at Yoga One?

I teach Vinyasa Flow levels 1 & 2 on Tuesdays at 4:30 pm!

You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

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 Terri Hobbs, who is leaving Yoga One after 8 years of teaching with us in search of new adventures. All the best, Terri! You’ll be missed.

1. Why do you practice yoga? 

I practice for strength, balance, mindfulness, serenity, and because yoga is a creative outlet for me.

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

Remembering the difference between right and left! Also I used to worry that I would run out of poses to teach before class was over. 🙂

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

Whenever a yogi tells me a chronic pain of theirs has disappeared, or the first time a student really “masters” a pose.

4. If yoga were a food, car, smell, planet, song, artist, flavor, etc…it would be: the ocean.

5. What’s your yoga inspiration?

I find a lot of inspiration from my co-instructors at Yoga One, especially Amy Caldwell and Mara Harris! I look to the internet and classes I take when I travel to help freshen up both my practice and my teaching.

6. Usually we ask what classes you teach at Yoga One – but you’re saying au revoir. What will you carry with you from your time at Yoga One?

Words may fail me in describing the Yoga One family. I’ve never felt so supported, valued, and loved as an employee and as a person. Why leave nirvana? Upcoming opportunities to travel and a desire for new challenges.

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

Be love.
Appreciate grace.
Make connections.

You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

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!

by Olivia Cecchettini

Man’s Search for Meaning

by: Viktor Frankl

Summary: “Man’s Search for Meaning” may not seem like a “yogi read” at first glance, but its message about the universal search for meaning in suffering gets at the heart of why many people practice yoga. After reading it, I’m not surprised the Library of Congress listed it as one of the ten most influential books in America.

From 1942-1945, Viktor Frankl lived in four different Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz. His entire family – parents, brother, wife – were separated from him upon arrival and ultimately perished in the camps. Frankl writes vividly about his struggle for physical and spiritual survival, “…you can take away everything from a man, but you cannot take away the freedom to choose one’s own attitude.” 

Frankl developed Logo-therapy, a concept that our primary drive in life is the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful. Logo-therapy states that when one finds meaning in their experience, they can endure any circumstances.

Why I Love It: I love books that make me question why we do things, not just how. I studied Psychology at SDSU and Spiritual Psychology at USM, so this book had been on my list for a long time. I was very emotional reading Frankl’s account of the Holocaust – the stories of people living in the camps, how everyone reacted differently, how they coped, who survived, and who didn’t. It can be hard to process this as someone’s reality.

I understand the desire to only put your time and energy into those things that nourish and support you – I do this myself! But it’s important to be aware of violence and suffering in the world. It’s healthy to feel uncomfortable and empathetic. The experience of shared suffering, of empathy, drives us to take better care of one another, not just our immediate family but our universal family. I love this book because it reminded me to think and feel on this global level.

Recommended For: Individuals interested in finding fuller meaning in life, but especially those who are suffering. Frankl states that suffering is part of the human experience, it is unavoidable. The amount of suffering doesn’t matter; a trivial experience for one person could be crushing for another. We cannot avoid suffering, but we CAN choose our response, we can choose to find meaning in it and to move forward with renewed purpose. When we have purpose, we do more than just exist, we are present, feeling, connected and vibrantly alive.

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.

 

Yoga One is excited to host a series of Kids Yoga and Art Summer Classes led by recent Yoga One Teacher Training graduate, Hannah Faulkner. Her passion for teaching yoga to kids is apparent in every creatively-themed class. Keep reading for her perspective on teaching little yogis!

There are several remaining classes this summer and registration is still available ($25/class) with 24-hour pre-registration to ensure available art supplies for each participant. Classes are held on Tuesdays from 2-4pm at Yoga One. Updated information can be found at www.halfmoonyogaandart.com/kids-summer-camp.html

Yoga One: How is teaching yoga to kids different from teaching adults?

Hannah: Kids need to be active and have fun while doing yoga! Teaching kids means you are constantly innovating and finding new ways to engage their senses and minds while incorporating traditional (or nontraditional!) yoga postures.

I teach themed lessons in which we use our imaginations to travel to a new place each week. When we visited Ancient Egypt, they learned how to do pyramid pose and while practicing yoga, I shared stories and interesting facts about the culture. We played games like Crocodile Crossing, where everyone is a crocodile holding plank pose and we each take turns trying to cross the Nile River without getting tagged. For the end of class, we closed our yoga practice with three minutes in mummy pose (savasana for adults) and they loved being wrapped up in their mats!

Yoga One: You’re both an art teacher and a yoga instructor – have you always wanted to combine these two passions?

Hannah: I’ve just stumbled upon this amazing combination within the last nine months. I’ve been teaching art to all ages for the past few years and just started teaching kids yoga last September. They were learning about gardens and vegetables, so we did a garden-themed yoga class and created figures through stamping cut fruit dipped in paint. It’s amazing the connections kids can make when they involve their whole body and mind!

Yoga One: Can kids who have no experience with yoga or particular skills in art participate?

Hannah: Yes, of course! Many of my young students have no prior yoga experience. In every class, I demonstrate the pose and carefully explain how to get into and out of the pose. I give verbal instructions on how to adjust into the fullest and safest version as well as modifications for kids who are still building strength and working on balance.

Through artwork creation, we are focused more on the process than the product. Kids have the opportunity to sketch a map of the place that we visited in the provided journals along with a quick drawing of their favorite poses (i.e. a camel, pyramid, sphinx, cobra, pharaoh, crocodile, etc.). Then we create an artwork as I guide them through step by step instructions.

I have templates and stencils for those who do not feel as comfortable drawing with their free hand. This week we made Egyptian profiles and I provided a template for the outline of a face and Egyptian style eye. The kids added their own decorations for the head band, necklace, and lips. I love providing the opportunity for each student to access the heart of the lesson as well as demonstrate their own creative expression.

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.

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!

by Monique Minahan

If walking down the street was a yoga pose, how would we do it? Would we walk more mindfully, consciously, and with attention to how our breath informs our every step?

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.

Meet Heather Fenwick, a yogini who embodies her practice on and off the mat. Heather’s classes are well thought out and peppered with illuminating nuggets of wisdom. Come check out her Monday night mixed level, Flow class at 7pm. You can find the rest of our schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga? 

I don’t have one favorite style of yoga. This ancient practice is so constantly evolving and recreating, just like humans do! I have enjoyed dabbling in Iyengar and Anusara, but my favorite style is the day-to-day off-the-mat practice style.

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

After my first yoga class in 2002, I felt a serenity that I’d never felt before. It was lasting and deep. I first loved the “yoga buzz”, but noticed that I was becoming more agile, balanced, strong, and graceful – that’s what keeps me coming back.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Supta Baddha Konasana (lying down bound angle pose) with props. This pose is a gentle restorative space, where a backbend is effortless. It literally lifts the heart and opens the body to the breath, and to the present moment. I feel that balance between upliftment and ease so naturally here.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

I have an injured hamstring and wrist that have prevented me from enjoying some more advanced postures like hanumanasana (splits) and adho mukha vrksasana (handstand). I would love to get into these poses one day, but injuries are “patience testers”, and I remember over and over again that being attached to the form of a pose is as un-yogic as it can get.

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

I would be a stray dog in Costa Rica. Those dogs have the best life, just running up and down the beach all day and all night, napping in the shade, swimming in the ocean, playing with other dogs, and they have enough to eat. They are freedom and joy.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: a shedding, a letting go, to let light shine

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

I actually come from a family of staunch republicans.

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

I think that new students are ultimately the best teacher for everyone else because they approach yoga without any expectations: an empty cup.

I let all my students know that yoga is a non-competitive venture, and to go no further than a deep breath allows you to. No pushing, no forcing, and in fact a cultivation of “what is” and trusting that that’s enough, and even perfect.

and practicing yoga is an essential part of her training! Yoga One regular and running fanatic Laurie Adam shares her inspirational story.

Which came first, running marathons or practicing yoga? 

Marathons! And I was over 50 when I started running. I had lost weight and was having trouble keeping it off. I was a hiker, and thought I would up the intensity of my exercise to help keep the weight off. Well, I fell in love with running!

The Carlsbad Marathon (then called the San Diego Marathon) was my first. I got blisters so bad I had to walk the last ten miles and my first run after the marathon felt like I had never run before. But I loved it. That was in 2002. Since then I have run a total of 32 marathons in 26 states. My goal is to run a full marathon (26.2 miles or 42K) in each of the 50 states.

We moved downtown last year and I checked out yoga studios. I had a vague idea that yoga would be a good complement to running. I was told I have osteoarthritis in my right knee and the doctor advised me to stop running. That wasn’t going to happen! So I thought yoga would help strengthen the muscles supporting my knee.

What benefits do you feel from yoga in your daily life?

I walk to Yoga One several times a week – sometimes twice a day! I especially enjoy the early morning classes. Yoga has strengthened my upper body and core, areas running doesn’t touch. But upper body and core strength are essential for long-distance running. My knee doesn’t trouble me as much as it used to; the muscles are stronger, but I still try to be mindful of it. Yoga has helped me find calm and focus. These tools are important for running as well as for life.

Tell us about your recent trip to India and the yoga you practiced there:

My husband and I spent the entire month of June in India! We spent a week in New Delhi sightseeing and three weeks at a wellness retreat at a resort on Om Beach, on the southwest coast of India. The resort offered daily yoga in an upstairs Yoga Shala of a two story building. It has windows on all four sides, which opened. We practiced each morning with the sounds of nature all around us.

It was fascinating that the yoga in India was the same, and different from yoga in San Diego. We had three masters level instructors in the three weeks. All started and ended each class with chanting and a prayer (in Sanskrit). One instructed us to perform all the poses with “eyes closed.” Another spent a lot of time on breathing exercises – kriya yoga as well as pranayama.  Since it was a wellness retreat, the instructors often told us which illness, condition or body parts would benefit from each pose.

It was nice that the poses were all familiar to me. My favorite yoga pose is shoulder stand. It was a part of the routine and I got a good sense of being on my shoulders, rather than my neck and head. I also noticed that the pose we call “cat-cow” they call “cat.” Cows are sacred there. (And they are everywhere! In fact, our driver was surprised when we told him that cows don’t run free in the US!)

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.

What it means to modify your yoga practice and why everyone should feel empowered to make changes to their practice during group classes.

One of the biggest differences between a beginning yoga student and a more advanced student is their ability and willingness to modify poses during class. Sometimes the best pose for your body that day is not the one the instructor just called out. Adapting a posture to better suit your energy, strength or flexibility is a sign of a conscientious practitioner who is connected to and honors their body. Knowing how to modify a posture to be easier or more difficult is only half the battle – it’s also important to consider why a modification will enhance your practice.

We’ve all been there before, the new kid in class trying to hide in the back when the instructor guides everyone into tree pose. You shakily lift one leg off the ground and place it against your other leg, concentrating as hard as you can to avoid toppling over when the half-flamingo, half-model instructor guides the class to “leave your hands on your hips, bring them together in front of your heart or grow your branches up towards the sky!” Glancing around the room, you notice that most people are reaching their arms upwards, so you try too and flail your lifted foot to the ground.

In this example, the options for arm position reflect increasingly challenging options for balance. Keeping the hands on the hips brings them in line with the body’s center of gravity, increasing stability. Bringing the hands to the heart helps a student check in with the midline of their body, still providing stability but moving further away from that center of gravity. In contrast, raising the arms overhead introduces an element of instability to challenge a more experienced student’s balance. The arm position appropriate for you depends upon how experienced you are with balancing on one leg and how grounded you feel on that particular day.

Luckily, there are some rules-of-thumb for when it’s appropriate to modify a pose and how to determine which modification is right for you!

1. Go With The Flow. In a vinyasa or flow class, instead of trying to modify each pose during a sequence or dropping into child’s pose halfway through, try to stay with the class for one whole sequence on each side of the body. Rest in downward facing dog or child’s pose during repetitions of the sequence and rejoin the class the next time they come to downward dog or a forward fold.

2. Pay Attention to Order. When teachers offer several different modifications for the same pose, they’ll usually begin with the most basic and work up to a more advanced variation. For example, you might start out by holding plank pose with the knees on the floor, the next option would be to lift the knees so your whole body is parallel to the floor, then you could bring one knee to touch your arm and from there advanced students might come into an arm balance. Don’t worry about being the only person in the room with your knees still on the floor – it’s better to challenge yourself with something you can do rather than risk injury attempting the flashiest variation offered.

3. Know Your Limits. Strike a balance between challenging yourself with poses and variations you’ve never tried before and recognizing your ability level. Yoga teachers everywhere breathe easier when they see a new student stay with the most basic form of a pose for a few weeks. When you can practice the basic variation with ease, go ahead and try out the next step! Maybe you’ll get it right away and maybe you’ll need some more time to work up to it – that’s why it’s called yoga practice, not yoga perfect.

4. Every Day is Different. Even if you can sink your thigh parallel to the ground in extended side angle and bind your arms with ease, you may not feel like pushing yourself to the max if you’ve had a long day at the office. Determine your energy level at the start of class and honor your body if it tells you to rest. After a long day, even the most experienced practitioners prefer to stick to the basics, focusing on a deep connection between body and breath.

5. Sometimes It’s All About Style. Slight variations in form exist between different styles of yoga. Some schools of yoga teach that the feet should be touching during a sun salutation and others prefer the feet to be placed hip-width distance apart. Some teachers will ask that you interlace the hands overhead in Warrior I, others will expect your arms to reach straight up towards the ceiling. In general, these types of variations are simply a question of style. Be open to trying new styles but also feel free to stick with what you know and try to be gracious if the teacher comes around to correct you.

6. Ask Questions! Lastly and most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions before or after class. Explain which poses you find to be difficult and ask if the teacher has any suggestions on how to modify or refine your practice. If the teacher came and adjusted your alignment during class and you’re not sure why, ask and you’ll remember next time how to make the adjustment yourself.

Hopefully these tips give you the confidence to modify and experiment with your practice during class. Yoga can be an amazing journey of self-discovery and empowerment as long as you step onto your mat with a student’s heart, willing to learn whether it’s your first time or your ten thousandth.

Our Yoga One Teacher Training Graduates of 2013 are already leading students and sharing the joys and benefits of yoga with others! Congratulations again yogis and thank you for your great energy! Here is Part 2 of their post-training reflections. Click here to read Part 1. 

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?

Monique: 

I love seeing the light turn on behind my students’ eyes when they tune in to themselves or realize their true inner strength. I do have fears; the fear of not knowing enough mainly. I face the fear by trusting in myself and pushing the edges of my comfort zone consciously, just like in yoga. I’d like to teach communities that can’t afford yoga and aren’t as exposed to yoga but could benefit greatly from it. YTT has deepened my own practice externally and internally in powerful ways. My practice will never be the same again, and that’s a good thing.

Kim: 

I don’t plan to teach but I will continue to attend several classes a week at Yoga One. The teacher training has been so comprehensive in its scope from philosophy to anatomy and the business of yoga, too. I especially appreciate the detail that Diana and Amy gave to every pose, the alignment and their benefits. I’ll have a much more thorough approach in my own practice when I’m led by any of the great Yoga One instructors. I’m also more confident with partner practice after all of our experience throughout the training!

Sabine: 

It’s amazing how much of what I’ve learned so far about alignment, yoga philosophy – the balance of opposites, mindfulness and being present in the moment – has infused my daily life and has already changed how I feel and how I handle challenging situations. It is as if yoga is everywhere! I feel so blessed to have such inspiring and amazing teachers: Diana, Amy, Michael and Rachel and Wren. You can feel that they are teaching from a place of truth, inspiration, integrity, love and grace. All of us teacher trainees form this kind and supportive community that fosters the emergence of wonderful future yoga teachers; each with special gifts to share. I am so grateful to be part of this experience.

Corinne: 

I’m most excited about the people I’ll get to meet through teaching yoga! I’ve already met so many fantastic people just being at Yoga One for two months and I know there’s a whole wide world of amazing people out there already practicing yoga or wanting to begin! If I can bring even half of the love, kindness and support to my teaching as Amy and Michael and the teachers at Yoga One have shown me through their teaching, then I’ll be doing something right!

When I started teacher training my biggest fear was that I wasn’t flexible enough to be a yoga instructor and that I couldn’t twist myself into a pretzel. As it turns out, flexibility is only a part of the yoga practice and can be increased with time and dedication. The most valuable lesson I learned throughout the training was that nobody’s practice looks the same and that everyone’s bodies are constructed in different ways. Over the course of the these 8 weeks, my fears have been replaced with the knowledge of proper alignment, linking my breath to movement and listening to what my body needs.

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.

A regular yoga practice provides many wonderful benefits, but yoga has something special to offer disciples of other forms of athleticism. No matter what your sport, yoga increases flexibility, range of motion and strength via body weight resistance. (Ever done Michael’s two minute hold in plank pose?) Yoga One student Jason Monger tells us why yoga is the perfect complement for his power lifting routine.

While some people lift weights competitively, the majority of people lift in order to maintain strength for everyday life. “You hear about people who throw out their back lifting a basket of laundry,” Jason explains, “It’s because they never developed the muscles along their spinal column and never learned how to properly use the body when picking up a heavy object. The strain builds up until one day injury happens.”

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

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.

Recently we asked our students to share with us the joys and benefits they’ve received from yoga, using just three words. Taken separately, each person replied with a unique answer but when the words they submitted were tallied up, there were multiple repeat answers. With the most popular responses in the largest font size, we couldn’t be happier that your top two picks to describe practicing at Yoga One are peace and strength!

We love our students! Special thanks to everyone who submitted: Heidi C., BJ M., Angel S., Debbie R., Frank R., Jennifer M., Ann E., Lisa A., Marc J., Ted H., Anne S., Katy B., Karen J., Andrea B., Kate W., Michele C., Rachel P., Amanda T., Hillary H., Jill J., Brenda W., Julie H., Silvia S., Jaycie O., Jill Z., Cynthia, Dylan B., Katie C., Kim O., Susi R., and Mack R.