Posts In: support

Q: Can you tell us a time when yoga supported you through a transition?

Amy: I was recently speaking with a friend about the popularity of the game of tag. She thinks in addition to the thrill of being chased, part of what kids love and appreciate is that there is a home base built in.

This week I’ve been thinking about how our yoga practice serves that same purpose – a home base where we can reconnect, reflect and restore. Transitions for me are often challenging, and this year there have been many!! Including but not limited to our oldest daughter leaving for college, our younger son starting high school, aging and general post-pandemic life.

My yoga practice, and also teaching yoga, are refuges. When I’m feeling untethered, I often begin my practice lying on the floor. After connecting to a sense of grounded-ness and support, breath, movements and a feeling being at home often arise.

P.S. You might note that within the practice itself, poses like savasana, seated centering, balasana, tadasana and adho mukha svanasana serve as additional familiar mini-home bases (:

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!

When you sign up for Yoga One’s Teacher Training Program, you’re not only choosing to deepen your knowledge and relationship with yoga, you’re joining a supportive community of people on the same journey in life. Go here to learn more and to register for our next training.

Recent graduate Sher Cowie writes:

When I signed up for Yoga Teacher Training last year in July, I did it as a way to understand yoga fully and to deepen my own practice. Through this, I felt that it would transition into my teaching and help me become a better instructor. Little did I know that it would be so much more for me and that it would help get me through one of the most difficult periods in my life.

Yoga One Teacher Training started January 19, 2018. Our first meeting was held at our instructor’s home where we all shared a meal and got to know one another. Fast forward to February 4, 2018 when my world changed.

[I came] to class that night and told one of my instructors, Diana Beardsley, what happened. She hugged me and offered support through comforting words. [Soon] my other instructors found out, as well as fellow students. I received much needed love and support from my new yoga family.

The last three weeks of class have been difficult but if not for the teacher training, the instructors like Amy, Missy, Diana, and Michael, as well as my personal practice instructors – Missy, Jen, Nam and Arati, I don’t think I would’ve made it through this time with such inner peace and strength. They all, along with my fellow peers lifted me up during this darkest time and I will be forever grateful for this experience and the changes it has brought me.

by Monique Minahan

Early on in my yoga practice I would often experience an emotional reaction during corpse pose (savasana). Lying still, I would get a lump in my throat and suddenly find tears quietly rolling down my cheeks. I didn’t know it at the time, but my yoga practice was releasing long-held grief from my body.

When grief and recovery from trauma have been processed by the mind, life may begin to seem approachable again and many people feel they can move forward; but the same processes of recovery and healing are essential to the body as well.

Feeling a strong emotional release in a yoga pose or during final relaxation is far from uncommon. One of yoga’s most powerful side effects is its ability to release and heal the BodyMind. Not just the body. Not just the mind. The combined, interconnected, undivided BodyMind.

BodyMind is a term coined by Dr. Candace Pert, a neuropharmacologist who pioneered scientific research into the field of Mind-Body Medicine, advancing our understanding of what are called neuropeptides, or messenger molecules that carry information from the mind to the body and back again through body fluids. These neuropeptides are found throughout our bodies in the heart, sexual organs, and the limbic system, to name a few.

Dr. Pert breaks this concept down with an example of the gut. The entire lining of our intestines is lined with these particular transmitters. She posits, “It seems entirely possible to me that the richness of the receptors may be why a lot of people feel their emotions in their gut – why they have a ‘gut feeling.’”

She further comments: “I think unexpressed emotions are literally lodged in the body. The real true emotions that need to be expressed are in the body, trying to move up and be expressed and thereby integrated, made whole, and healed.”

When we move our bodies through yoga, our BodyMind is allowed expression. It can begin to release emotion and tension that’s been stuck in our bodies for a long period of time, perhaps even years after we think we’ve mentally processed the event.

Exploring these heavy emotions in our yoga practice, whether intentionally or accidentally, might feel intimidating. Resourcing is a technique that helps us stay present during uncomfortable or overwhelming sensations by finding and connecting to a resource, such as the breath or one of the five senses. This connection works like an anchor for a boat and we can begin to observe sensations safely, without fear of getting lost in the sea of our experience.

Join me this Mother’s Day at Yoga One for a special commemorative practice where we will explore three ways to use resourcing with yoga, as well as learn how to identify where emotions reside in our individual bodies. We will focus specifically on how to apply these tools when dealing with loss and grief.

This practice is for anyone interested in learning how to use yoga as a supportive healing modality, but especially for anyone who has lost their mother and would welcome a supportive, safe, non-judgemental environment to honor their mother on Mother’s Day.

Loss is something we will all experience in our lifetime. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Our yoga practice will not show us a way out of grief, but it can show us a way through and support us through every stage of healing.

Note: If this is something you’re interested in, but find the cost prohibitive or cannot attend for some other reason, please contact Yoga One to arrange a way for you to receive the information: 619-294-7461 or email info@yogaonesandiego.com

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

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

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

guest post by Dina Weldin

“Your husband is in the military?!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is what I found to be true:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dina Weldin
Guest Writer

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

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

by Laura McCorry

Did you know there’s more than one way to practice savasana? Often labeled the most difficult pose to master, savasana (or final relaxation), means you have to let go. When it comes to meditation and letting go with your mind, how you position the body can actually have a profound effect.

Try them all out and let us know in the comments which is your favorite!

1. The Cadillac

A favorite of anyone who has ever secretly wanted to use yoga as an excuse to take a nap and pregnant moms-to-be (your head stays above baby’s heart). Ever wanted to feel completely supported, loved and cared for? Welcome home.

2. Rock Me Easy

Similar to The Cadillac but requires less assembly: two blankets, two blocks. Gentle heart-opening and fully supported goodness. Especially calming if you’re tight in the shoulders or upper back.

3. The Minimalist

You love the security of having a blanket (and you’re probably damn good at snuggling) but don’t like to make a big fuss. This is simple and effective, especially for relieving lower back pain.

4. The Recliner

You’re the type of person always asking for the cherry on top. You love savasana, but what about a little cushion for your head? And your legs are restless, so how about some love for the knees? Yeah, that’s better. Mmm.

5. No Frills

Let’s face it, you’re a traditionalist. You don’t like nuts in your chocolate and you don’t want to waste any time getting your savasana bliss on. Props required: none. Mat: optional.

6. The Rebel

Maybe it was the extra shift your manager asked you to take or the email from your boss at 5pm. You’re ready to get off your feet and lying down won’t cut it – raise ’em up! Bonus: legs up the wall is also known as the anti-aging pose.

Special thanks to Missy DiDonato for modeling all of these difficult poses. I know it was a tough job, but someone had to do it.

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

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.

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

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

Blocks = Your Best Friend

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

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

Straps = Your Co-Worker

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

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

Blankets = Your Mother

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

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

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