Posts In: vinyasa

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 Lynne Officer.

1. Why do you practice yoga? 

Yoga helps my body and my heart reset. It amazes me how just a few intentional breaths can make me feel more grounded, connected to myself, and free of the story line going on in my head.

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

The most intimidating thing was trying to get the words and cues in my head to come out of my mouth. I also felt super nervous when an experienced yogi or another yoga teacher was in class. This nervousness still comes up for me almost 10 years in.

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

It gives me a lot of joy when new people come back. I know how hard it can be to get a yoga practice going in the beginning. I think people are really courageous to show up again and again. 🙂

4. If yoga were a food, car, smell, planet, song, artist, flavor, 

etc…it would be: Whoomp There It Is by Tag Team.

5. What’s your yoga inspiration?

I feel really inspired by the poem The Guest House by Jelaluddin Rumi. It’s been really powerful to think of everything as temporary and something to honor, dark and light.

6. What classes do you teach at Yoga One? 

I teach the Monday evening 5:30 pm Vinyasa Flow Level 1 & 2 class.

You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

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by Olivia Cecchettini

“Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life”

by Judith Hanson Lasater

Summary: You don’t have to go to a mountaintop in order to have a spiritual experience. Living Your Yoga makes it clear that spirituality can be encountered anywhere, at any time. I appreciate that this is the biggest lesson Judith Lasater wants to share because it is simple and profound.

Lasater provides examples of everyday situations that become the basis of lessons, learning and growth. Honoring the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, Lasater shares off-the-mat practices to guide you into deeper relationships with yourself, your family, friends, and the world.

Why I Love It: Living Your Yoga is a beautiful reminder to slow down, stay present and practice gratitude. In our fast-paced world, life can so easily feel overwhelming. It is more important than ever to meditate and discover the place of wisdom within. This book reminds the reader that there is nowhere you can physically go to find that place. Instead, you can use the tools of meditation and present-moment awareness to rediscover what is already within you.

Recommended For: This book is a great foundation for individuals starting the yogic path; someone ready to cross the bridge from the mind of yoga into its heart.

Living Your Yoga was given to be by a friend during my first Vinyasa 200 hour teacher training and I absolutely loved it. It opened my eyes to new ways of being compassionate with myself and taught me how to access a place of spirituality more readily in my everyday life.

I hope you enjoy it and I invite you to pass it along when you’ve finished. Just the same way it came into my life, let’s keep the spirit of giving going. Ciao!

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.

Sparkling, shiny, sensitive, steely, steadfast, seaworthy, smiling, super…and these are just the adjectives that begin with “s” that can be used to describe the sensational and interesting, Robin Doten. She loves to explore and experience life and brings those receptive and friendly qualities to her teaching. You’ll have to wake up early for her 6:30am Flow class on Tuesdays, but you’ll be glad you did! Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I really enjoy Vinyasa Flow. I love the heat and energy it creates in my body and I find the linking of my breath with the movements helps me to focus my mind, de-stress and feel balanced. Vinyasa feels like a smooth flowing dance which guides me through a moving meditation.

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

I was invited by a close friend to attend some of her yoga classes she was taking regularly and I loved how I felt after class. My fascination with yoga really grew as I was seeking an activity that could strengthen my body yet not cause damage to my joints. I realized yoga was a low impact exercise that I could do for the rest of my life.

As I started doing more yoga, I heard about Yoga One’s Teacher Training and decided to learn all I could by attending the training! Soon I was diving into a much deeper practice and a better understanding of Yogic teachings and principles. Yoga became an all-encompassing life perspective and I was hooked on its ability to bring me peace and happiness.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Savasana (corpse pose) or final relaxation, is my favorite pose right now. It may sound like a joke, because I didn’t take it seriously or see its full benefits before, but now it means so much to me. I find it to be my reset button. After practicing yoga or taking a class, savasana is my time to fully surrender and be still. I feel the support of the Earth and an immense gratitude for my body and its ability to carry me through my yoga practice! While in corpse pose I am completely at ease and feel balanced, this makes me feel so clear, connected and open to the present moment.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Bakasana or crow pose is the most challenging for me. I can do it, but it doesn’t feel good in my body. It bruises the back of my arms and I tend to avoid it. I have been telling myself that if I practice crow pose it will start to feel better and in time I will be doing a jump back to chaturanga dandasana (which looks so cool!) but for now, it’s just a goal.

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

There are so many animals that I identify with but the characteristics of a dog seem the most suitable. They are loyal, intelligent companions, who can offer assistance, and are always excited to see the people they love. Dogs are easy to please and happiness moves through their entire body from the tip of their nose to their wagging tail. I love how dogs make people so happy, too!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Peacefulness, Openness, Balance, Connection, Unity and Joy

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

That I’ve been bitten by the travel bug and have visited over 30 countries. I once wanted to live abroad and travel so much, I went to Europe in search of work. The only job I could get as a foreigner that would allow me to see more of the world was as a “yachtie” and crew on mega yachts all over the Mediterranean.

The Med was so beautiful, but soon the yachting season ended in that region, so I followed it over to the Bahamas where I continued to crew. Once, I was hired for a two week stay on a private island called Indigo Island with Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis and their children! Of all the people I encountered while on this adventure, they were the most gracious.

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

The best advice I can give is something I remind myself of daily – to create a habit or practice of my own. Be open to learning and trying new poses. Let go of your ego, it will always hold you back and creates judgment of yourself and others. Be a positive influence for yourself and those around you and most of all, just have fun!

MC Hammer may have said it best, and perhaps could have been referring to Dina Weldin when he rapped, “too legit to quit.” Dina is legit. She is a warm, caring, positive and authentic individual. She is beautiful inside and out and is far too legit to quit being wonderful. Step onto your mat with Dina Weldin this month on Wednesdays at 7pm for a mixed level Flow class. Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

Right now my favorite style of yoga is Vinyasa. I began with Iyengar and thoroughly appreciate that style but I enjoy the constant flow and movement with my breath during a Vinyasa practice. It is more of a challenge for me to control my breath when in constant movement so I appreciate that aspect of Vinyasa as well.

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

My mom was a yogi for most of my teenage life and I grew up watching her practice and hearing all about how much she enjoyed this thing called “yoga.” My mom convinced me to go to a class with her when I was home on a college break and just like that, I was moved. It wasn’t about the physical aspect for me. I felt the connection of mind, body, and breath in yoga and it was unlike anything I had experienced in any other physical exercise. I also left the class feeling more sore than every before – talk about using muscles you never knew you had!

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

This changes with any given day! I love a good headstand and being upside down on most days. On this very day in my practice, I would say blossoming lotus pose. It is a perfect mix of balance, hip opening, and the beauty a lotus flower represents in general is inspiring to me. Not to mention, every time I teach this pose, I can’t help but smile at all my students that really look like little lotus flowers blooming! It makes me so happy to see.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Handstand! It gets me every time! You can find me in a handstand for no longer than 10 seconds before I lose my balance (and that’s on a good day!) Practice, practice, practice. This is what I keep repeating to myself when I try my handstands. It will come when it’s time.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a DOG! Cliche, I know. But when I look at my dog and she looks back at me, I know she can understand what I’m saying. Dogs are on another level, far wiser than us humans at times I’m sure!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Unity with our mind, body, & breath

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

I have been to Egypt every other year since I was born and I can speak Arabic! I have ten piercings (all in my ears!) but I rarely wear earrings in all of them. Oh, and me and forward folds are not friends! We are learning to get along though, slowly but surely.

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

Practice every moment you can – at home, without a mat, in a park, in a studio, in the airport, wherever – just practice! Without practice it is difficult to achieve that sense of true connection. Never feel the need to push your body any further than it wants to go. Really listen to your body.

Most importantly, take a minute each and every day to listen to yourself breathe. That is the true indicator of what your body is feeling. If your breath is labored, speeding up, or interrupted, take a moment to sit in child’s pose and reconnect. Always remember:

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” – Thích Nh?t H?nh

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.

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!

This month we’re featuring Lori Miller who leads a donation based 1 and 2 level flow on Mondays at 6:30am. In addition to your yoga mat and an open and curious mind, yoga students are encouraged to bring sunglasses to Lori’s class. Her radiant personality and smile will warm you heart. See our full schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I love so many styles, it’s hard to choose! I love Anusara, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Hatha, Aerial, Laughter, and Restorative. If I had to choose one, I would probably choose a slow Vinyasa. I feel most connected to my soul when I connect breath and movement in a slow, conscious flow.

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

I was first attracted to the physical aspect of yoga. I like to challenge my body and yoga allowed me to do this. I viewed yoga as a form of exercise and at first, I didn’t fully get it. I kept going back because the teacher was funny and taught from a place of love and grace. After I learned to connect my breath and movement, I connected with my essential self – that place where I felt whole and complete, abundant and strong, full of love and grace.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now? 

My favorite pose right now is pigeon, eka pada rajakapotasana. I have very tight hips; the external rotation of the hip joint and the lengthening of the psoas muscle that pigeon provides is very relieving!

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

My most challenging pose is also pigeon. Because my hips are tight, I work very hard to get the proper alignment. It can be very challenging to stay present and at ease in this pose. Some days are better than others, but it’s always challenging.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a wolf on the ground, an eagle in the air and a dolphin in the sea.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Connecting with essential self again & again

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

That I’ve had my pet parrot Clara for 33 years. I got her when I was 9 years old. As a kid, I used to ride her around on my bicycle handlebars and we would sing together as we rode down the street. She’s been through a lot of life changes with me. College, marriage, kids. She managed to bite every one of my boyfriends, but LOVED my now husband the moment she met him.

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

Approach yoga as a long term relationship with yourself. Be interested in the feelings and sensations that arise. There may be many things that you can’t do right away, that’s okay! Try not to go into judgement or be hard on yourself.

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.

 

Meet Olivia, a yogi with a gorgeous smile and infectious energy! She teaches the Level 2 Flow on Thursday nights at 6pm, be sure to drop by for a challenging workout and the perfect savasana to end the day. Go here for our complete schedule.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

My favorite kind of yoga is Vinyasa but throwing in a weekly Restorative class is a must as well!

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

I immediately loved corpse pose (savasana) at the end of class! I was exhausted after my first class. The fact that lying on my mat for three minutes doing absolutely nothing except letting my body restore and relax was part of the class, I was sold. It felt different then anything I had ever done before and I loved it.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

My favorite yoga pose right now is navasana, or boat pose. I practice finding my center and tapping into that inner fire. Boat pose reminds me of that and keeps me feeling strong and connected to my core.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Many poses are still challenging for me but one that I am working on right now is bird of paradise. Straightening the lifted leg takes time and practice – and that’s half the fun of it, every try feels different.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a deer. I once had a dream I was a deer and surprisingly it resonated with me. It was the first and last animal dream I’ve ever had but experiencing that kind of freedom was amazing.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Yoga is peace, love, breath, connection.

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

I had the mouth of a sailor before I started teaching but yoga keeps me aware and conscious of what I say and I appreciate that.

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

“Enjoy the ride, it’s the journey not the destination.” I love that quote for all aspects of life but with yoga especially. I believe that if you could master every pose on the first try you would miss out on the good stuff, the things you can’t see, like learning to be humble, having patience, and letting go.

Hope to see you in class! Come introduce yourself and say hello, or grab a hug, I love connecting with students and sharing the journey.

~ Olivia

This month we’re showcasing Amy Freeman, a fabulous teacher who has been with Yoga One from the first day we opened our doors…over 11 years ago! Her classes are challenging, fun and rewarding. Join Amy on Tuesday and Thursday at 12pm for a level 2 lunchtime flow or Saturday mornings at 10:30 for an advanced level 2/3 Vinyasa Flow. Click here to see our full schedule.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

ALL! Sometimes I crave a hot sweaty Vinyasa class and other days I am in need of a Restorative practice with lots of deep stretches and long holds. I love alignment based practices like Iyengar and Anusara. I love singing bowl, gong and meditation classes; I love yoga with live music; I love laughter yoga; I love Pranayama classes!

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

I began yoga in 1995 during a college Philosophy course and it really resonated with me. What drew me in at first was the philosophy aspect – the study of Patanjali’s Sutras and the Eight Limbed Path. I felt as though I had arrived someplace I’d been seeking for years. It’s a hard feeling to describe, but that professor transformed my life. I feel so humbled and honored to be able to share that same wisdom today. Since the day I found yoga I have never stopped practicing – the focus may shift depending on the season of my life, but the devotion to the ancient spiritual, physical and mental practice is always there.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now? 

Urdhva dhanurasana, full wheel 🙂 It’s my favorite because I have struggled with it for a long time and it feels so good to get into now and just enjoy! It’s invigorating and energizing.

4. What pose is still the most challenging? 

Urdhva dhanurasana and its variations (and a whole bunch more). It’s also the most challenging because I have a tight upper back, mid back and low back 🙂 but with consistent practice, it does get better.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a crane for their long legs and freedom to fly.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Creating space, uncovering the stillness within

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

They might be surprised to learn I graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. After graduation I moved to Dallas, Texas for a career as a buyer at Neiman Marcus. (I retired after three years and moved to an ashram in Virginia in 2001. Teaching yoga has been my passion ever since.) Also, I have two sons aged 7 and 9 and I teach yoga and art in their classrooms.

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

Breathe. I am constantly reminding beginners (and everyone) to breathe. Pay attention to your body and breath – there is wisdom within, body and breath are our real teachers.

Have fun! I like to say our time on the mat and in the studio is our practice, the test begins when we step off the mat. Can we meet life with the same equanimity and courage with which we practice? Can we keep breathing while watching the kind lady write us a parking ticket? While listening to our kids fight? While stuck in traffic on the way to work?  Sometimes. Sometimes not.

What’s better than an invigorating Vinyasa Flow to kick off your Saturday night? A Vinyasa class with a live DJ and the perfect mix of deep, euphoric beats!

Hosted by Prema and DJ Germer
Saturday June 22nd at 5pm
All levels welcome!
Drop-in $17 or use your package.

Grab some friends, plan an after-yoga party and we’ll see you there!

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

Hi, there! In honor of Yoga One Blog’s first birthday, we’re checking in with blog writer and yoga teacher, Laura McCorry. Usually behind the scenes writing and organizing blog posts, Laura also leads a Gentle Flow class at Yoga One on Thursday nights at 7:45pm. It’s the latest class on the schedule, but it’s the perfect yoga nightcap – including a forehead massage during savasana. Check out our full schedule here, no reservations required.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

My favorite style of yoga varies with the seasons, time of day and my energy level. I love a quiet restorative practice whenever life gets overwhelming and an energetic Vinyasa flow for those days when you just need to move and sweat!

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

I started practicing yoga during a very stressful time in my life when I was anxious during the day and having nightmares every night. I’d tried going to a meditation class but the chaos inside my head only increased. Someone told me that yoga was a moving meditation with the eyes open, so I went to a class at my local gym. Even during that first savasana, I felt glimpses of the peace that comes with practice.

For me, the best part about practicing yoga as a new student was that I needed to pay attention to my breath and the way my body moved. I’d never done that before and it was very challenging! The unique combination of breath and movement turned out to be the key to releasing the frenetic energy of my thoughts.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Restorative twist with a bolster or folded blankets. (Shout out: Missy often includes this pose in her 4pm Restorative class on Fridays.) This pose is super relaxing for my body, I have to be careful not to fall asleep! I find that my mind is quietest when my gaze is down or to the side rather than straight up – so for me, this pose is often more peaceful than savasana.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

I thought about answering with wheel or handstand but seriously, one of the poses that challenges me the most is chair. It’s never easy, never comfortable and always a struggle to remember to breathe. I’m the first person to stand up in tadasana or fold forward when it’s over.

5. If you were an animal, you would be: a cat. I almost always know my own mind and I’ll often ask for advice from others and then do exactly what I’d been planning all along. I think cats are contrary that way. Also, they’re very wise: they know you don’t need to work too hard in life in order to be happy and that’s a philosophy I can get behind.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: peace, healing, challenge, strength, joy, prayer 

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

I went to university to study French and desperately wanted to be a high school French teacher after graduation but it wasn’t meant to be. Enrolling in a yoga teacher training course and learning to teach yoga (another passion) soothed my soul and gave me a new purpose.

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

Yoga can be so many things: exercise, stress-relief, spiritual connection – soak up what resonates with you and let the rest go. Do what feels good in your body and don’t be afraid to modify. Never compromise your physical well-being for the sake of keeping up with the class. With that in mind, be sure to challenge yourself: hold a pose longer, take that stretch a little deeper, try out the scary arm balance. The biggest challenge any yoga student faces is simply showing up to class. 🙂

That’s right, September is National Yoga Month, a time to celebrate a common love for yoga and healthy living and to share that passion with others! Here are some fun ways you can spread the yoga love:

First off, the most obvious of all, bring a friend to yoga! How many of you went to your first yoga class because a friend brought you along? Pay it forward by extending your own invitation. For all you ladies out there trying to convince your guy to come to class with you, check out this article for tips!

Change it up by taking your practice outdoors. There’s nothing like feeling the earth beneath your feet and the wind in your hair while you practice, not to mention having a live tree for your inspiration during tree pose! You can connect to your breath and find your connection to nature at the same time, maybe even get a little sun. Check out our rooftop class at the Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy on Sunday mornings at 9am.

Three words: Treat Yo Self! Do you always borrow a mat when you come to class? Treat yourself to the gift of your very own mat; we’ve got hugger mugger and manduka mats for sale at the studio. Feeling down about wearing the same old workout clothes to class all the time? Treat yourself to some new digs. A vigorous vinyasa practice have you feeling sore? Treat yourself to a massage! We’ve got four amazing massage therapists at your service and a deliciously relaxing massage room.

Take your practice to the next level. Whatever level you’re at in your practice, there’s always another level to discover. Have you been taking beginner classes for awhile but still feel unsure about a mixed level class? Talk to the instructor before class and let them know your hesitations. They’ll be able to offer you modifications to meet your body’s needs. Do you have a regular practice but need a push in order to try out a level 2 class? Go for it! Listen to your body so you know when it’s okay to try something hard and when you need to rest. Check out Mara’s 6pm class on Thursday nights or Amy’s 6:45pm class on September 14 for a challenge! Full class schedule here.

Do yoga from the inside out this month by practicing gratitude. Journal about your yoga practice and write down how you feel before and after class. Give yourself a pat on the back for stepping on your mat one more time. Thank a co-worker or family member or yoga instructor for their guidance and understanding. Studies show that grateful people feel “more alert, alive, interested and enthusiastic.” Gratitude creates feelings of happiness and joy simply by changing our internal rhetoric, a very yogic thought indeed!

Other cool stuff to check out: Yoga One’s very own Amy Caldwell  is leading Lululemon’s Vino & Vinyasa every Wednesday night at the Solamar Hotel, 6:30pm. Class is complimentary. Click here to see Amy’s interview for Vino & Vinyasa on KUSI news and click here to see her interview for San Diego Living!

We’re in the downward dog days of summer and it’s the perfect time to embrace the heat by sweating it out in Katie’s new Power Flow class on Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30pm! Check out her interview below. Then come to class and see for yourself that Katie is every bit as sweet as she is a powerful instructor. Click here for our full schedule, no reservations required.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

My favorite style changes with my mood and body that week. If I had to pick, my favorite to practice is a hot, Bikram-based series, but with music. I love the way I feel after a good hot series. My favorite style to teach though is vinyasa for its creativity and organic nature. It’s like a dance between all aspects of your body and mind.

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

I loved how I felt completely renewed after just an hour long experience. I loved the individuality of the instructors and the adventure of finding the ones I liked. The first time I “released” and cried in half pigeon, I had a turning point. Yoga was not just physical; it was full body, mind and spirit.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Ashtavakrasana, or eight limb pose, I feel like a monkey hanging from my own tree. It makes me feel silly and I love that about inversions!

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Savasana – it’s my favorite and my least favorite. I call myself the Savasana Expert as a joke because it’s completely different every time you arrive – sometimes you’re grateful and humbled, something the hardest thing to do is to truly rest.

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

A kangaroo because I would get to jump around with my kids in my belly, kick people who get in my way and then give tiny hugs with my tiny arms to the other kangas in my pack.

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: balance, love, home, happiness, courage, connection.

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

I speak Mandarin Chinese! Many people are surprised when I start speaking it, plus I have a funny American accent but I get my point across ;-). I lived in China in 2008 for a poverty alleviation project working in underfunded schools in the actual mandarin orange capital of China, Jiangxi. Then again in 2009 I lived in Beijing for six months teaching, wandering and attending Tsinghua University.

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

Keep venturing outside the four corners of you mat. Try new teachers, new styles, keep growing within your practice. Continue to come back to that place of comfort in your heart and in your practice, but never stop being uncomfortable. Yoga is EVERYTHING. Not just asana, the postures, but how you bring life, patience and love into everything you are and do.

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 bring you a heart to heart with Terri Hobbs. You’ll have to set your alarm clock a little early in order to catch her 6am class on Thursdays, but it’s totally worth it! Start your day at Yoga One and feel the difference all day long! Click here to see the online schedule, no reservations required for class.

“What do you want to experience in your body today?”

Mara Harris opened her class on Wednesday afternoon with this simple, direct question that was both engaging and unexpected. Many instructors will ask their students if there’s a specific pose or a part of the body they want to focus on and practice that day. While there’s definitely a place for those questions, personally, I always feel overwhelmed by all the possible answers. This is usually what happens in my head when an instructor asks for requests:

How do I feel right now? Fine. But wait, I felt something yesterday, I was sore somewhere, I think it was my lower back. Oh! my glutes are sore… what did I do to my glutes? There was this one pose I learned last week that was really cool, what was it called? I think the instructor only said the Sanskrit name, something -asana, my feet were in some funky position but it felt so good in my hips and thighs…

By this time, a more decisive student will definitely have called out that they’d like to work on shoulders and I do my best to shut down my spiraling self-investigation. But Mara’s question managed to bypass that quagmire of reflecting on past experiences and brought my focus into the present: how I felt that moment and what I wanted to feel in the next moment.

Freedom. Freedom from pain and stiffness. Ease.

That was all that passed through my mind and even though I didn’t voice my thoughts to the rest of the room, they remained within me during my practice. True to the vinyasa style, Mara’s class flowed. It was dynamic. She led us through familiar poses in an unfamiliar way, moving and breathing within and between them. In low lunge we shifted from stretching down the heel of the back leg to coming onto the toes, back and forth, back and forth. Inhale, exhale.

It was like doing yoga in a river, it pushed you along. Even though I knew I could swim outside the current and rest in child’s pose, I let myself be borne away downstream, trusting that she would guide us over the falls and into slower, deeper waters when the time was right. And she did. At the end of class, we had all arrived, floating on the surface of the smooth lake of Savasana. Peaceful and at ease. I wish the same to all of you.

namaste,
Laura

It’s that time again! Get to know Jennifer Tipton online and then come to one of her classes and meet her in person! She teaches Yoga for Backs at the studio on Tuesday nights at 7:30 or swing by the Porto Visto Hotel Rooftop on Sunday mornings at 9am ready to Flow. Click here to see the online schedule, no reservations required for class.

It was almost noon on a rainy Monday. I looked at the clock, surprised by how quickly time had gotten away from me. I grabbed my yoga mat, pulled on my shoes and headed out the door, thankful I only live a short walk away from the studio. When I got downstairs, I saw that it was actually raining steadily, not just misting like I had expected from San Diego. For a split second, I stood there with my hand on the door, debating whether I should go to Amy’s vinyasa class or go back up to my apartment and make some hot tea. Then I pushed open the door and walked resolutely through the rain.

When I first started doing yoga, I would come home so sore, I couldn’t imagine going to class the next day or even the day after that. But sometime that evening, I would ask myself whether going to yoga had been the right decision and almost always, despite my aching muscles, I decided that it was. There have been a few times when going to yoga was the wrong decision. I remember being dehydrated in an early morning hot class. Or the time I had the beginnings of a cold and every second I spent in down dog only exacerbated the pressure in my head. But when I look back on the seven years yoga and I have known each other, our fights have been few and far between.

Once in the studio, belongings placed in cubbies, blankets and blocks gathered, Amy Caldwell started the class in child’s pose. She asked us to focus on the transitions, to be mindful during each posture and during the movement from one posture to another. Once we had warmed up and flowed through a series of standing postures, Amy guided us into hanumanasa, or the splits. While most of the class wasn’t capable of accomplishing the full expression of the pose, myself included, I felt the energy along the length of my legs, the weight of my upper body bearing down into the blocks under my hands and an incredible intensity in my hamstring.

Just then, the sound of the rain hitting the roof became louder and there was a collective breath that spread throughout the room. We had been separate, each caught up in our private struggles when the rain drew everyone’s attention out of themselves to coalesce into one moment of levity, I think someone even laughed. It was as if we had all arrived, truly arrived in the room, practicing whatever version of hanumasana our bodies were capable of performing that day. Right at that moment, I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, exactly when I was supposed to be there and the confidence of that knowledge spread warmly through my being.

Those moments in life are rare, at least for me. As Amy gently woke us from savasana, she asked again that we be mindful of this transition, not from one pose to another but from yoga to everyday life. It’s one thing to have a moment of clarity, to experience complete confidence and purpose. It’s another to carry those feelings with you through the ebb and flow of life. When I focus on the transitions in my practice and in my life, I understand why my answer has always been that yoga was the right decision. Each time I emerge from savasana, I sense that something is different in my body and in my mind, something has been laid to rest and something new has been allowed to blossom.

If you’ve never been to Amy’s class, you should definitely check it out. I can’t promise rain and epiphanies, but you’ll feel the strong sense of community, Amy’s passion for teaching and for her students and I’m confident you’ll leave knowing it was the right decision to go.

namaste,
Laura

I LOVE it when instructors admit that they have trouble getting into a pose. Not that it wouldn’t be great to take a class with some super yogi guru who can do everything and has a pose named after them. (I’m looking at you, Marichi.) For the rest of us, yoga practice seems to be filled with poses we like so much that the body eases right in or poses we have a positive aversion to because they’re difficult or even scary.

If I had known ahead of time all the poses we would be trying out in Leah’s 1/2 Vinyasa class last Saturday, I might have felt overwhelmed. But you know what they say: let go of your expectations. So I suppose it was better that nobody knew crow, headstand and side crow were right around the corner! What could have been a scary, intimidating class was transformed into no-pressure play time as Leah’s gentle energy led us to explore the postures with plenty of guidance to move in and out of them safely as well as the option not to do them.

The best part of class came when she admitted that side crow was still a challenge for her and she laughed about only showing us her strong side. It brought a smile to everyone’s face and I’m sure encouraged more than one person to try something new. I remember how it felt the first time I saw someone do crow pose – how blown away I was and how my first thought was I could never do that. But with time and practice, I found that I could sorta do crow, then I was mostly in crow and finally, on a good day, I could get into crow for just a breath or two before coming down to my feet triumphantly.

The beauty of yoga is that there’s always a new pose out there to try or a deeper refinement of a pose you already know. It’s good to reflect on how yoga felt when you first started and how you feel now. What poses are still a challenge for you? Do you have more confidence doing a pose now that used to be difficult or inaccessible?