To Om or not to Om

I have always “Om”ed at the beginning & end of each class yoga class that I teach – no matter where I have taught, this has been part of my class.  I learned to teach in studios where the Om was part of the yoga practice.  But I've also taught in studios where the owners & other teachers didn't Om.  And even when I opened my studio, very few people would join in with me.  As a result, I've “Om”ed alone alot. 
 

I practiced with a podcast class one day in which the teacher announced that they were going to chant Om.  She said “it's just a sound, no big deal”. 
 

It is a sound & I get where she's coming from when she says it's no big deal.  Some people think chanting is weird, or that it's part of being a cult - it's different & it puts them off or even frightens them.  New students sometimes snicker when they hear that first Om.  Wikipedia describes it as a mystical sound & sacred incantation...that does sound a little weird & intimidating.
 

To me, it's not intimidating, it's not weird & chanting it doesn't mean I'm a cult leader.  But is a big deal & it's more than “just” a sound.  Om is the sound of the creation of the Universe...literally.  Within it, it holds all others sounds (like white light holds all the colors of the rainbow).  It is a mantra, which is a chant.  It helps clears your mind & focus your energy.  And when you chant Om, especially more than once, & your thumbs rest against your chest, you can feel the vibration you are creating.  When you stand in a room of 20, 30, 80 people & everyone chants together – it's amazing. It's awe inspiring.  You can feel it.  It IS a big deal.  Om at the beginning of class marks the start of your practice.  It's almost like an audible reminder that yes, I'm here & I doing this now – this is a special time & I am going to be present for it.  When someone asks our 4 year old son about yoga, he Oms.  He doesn't care where we are, how he sounds, or who's watching.  I'm not sure he understands what he's doing, but I love it.  I love that he doesn't worry about it, he just goes for it.  To him, it's part of yoga. 

How you sound when you chant it - that's not a big deal.  You don't have to sound like Pavarotti, you don't have to be able to carry a tune (I can't!).  Let the sound take over.  Loose yourself in it & enjoy it.  Part of the practice is letting go of worrying how you look, & in the case of "Om"ing, how you sound.  Let it become part of your practice, and let it become part of your day.  When you're stuck in traffic, you can listen to the traffic or the news on the radio & submit yourself to further distraction.  Or you can Om.  Try it.  See what happens.

Habit Forming

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” - Lao Tse

I haven't blogged for a while.  I could make lots of excuses as to why, but really, there's no real reason.  Other than I fell out of the habit.

We all have habits.  Some are great, some we could do without.  I'm trying to get into the habit of flossing my teeth every day.  It only takes a minute, right?  And I'm pretty good about it, but I don't do it every single day.

For a long time, I wanted to be in the habit of practicing yoga every day.  It seemed so hard!  A couple days on, a couple off.  And then suddenly (or so it seemed) I was practicing every day.  I don't even know how it happened - I guess the habit just stuck.

Now I have other habits I could do without.  Like drinking coffee.  Well, not so much coffee as coffee drinks - creamy, sugary drinks with a little coffee.  I'd rather be in the habit of drinking green juice instead. (I had that habit every day for a couple years & then sadly I fell out of that habit).

We all have habits we're aware of & habits that we're unaware of.  Some are harmless.  Others are can hurt us & those around us.  My yoga practice has made me very aware of my habits.  The habit of practicing every day has helped me become aware that if there's a habit I'd like to be rid of, I need to create a new habit to replace it.  And like anything, like getting on my mat every day, it just takes time & practice.

Check please?

I remember taking class with my friend & mentor, Alyssa Sullivan, at her studio in Rhode Island (http://www.synergypoweryoga.com/).  One day she talked about a friend of hers from way back who waited tables.  And how, when he waited tables, he was totally in the flow.  He made it look effortless.

I found myself mentioning this to a few new teachers during a practice teaching session.  One of them elaborated on this.  He said there is a flow, a rhythm.  The drinks, the food, the check - the pace at which you bring each of these.  You can turn your tables quickly, without rushing people, if you are in the flow.  And if you lose the flow - you can mess up your whole night.

A fellow mother talked about getting out of the house with her little one.  They could be in the flow, things going smoothly, and as soon as she rushed it (in an effort to get out of the house on time) everything would fall apart - they lost the flow.  I can confirm this - we've been there.

Abraham-Hicks likens it to being in the current of the river.  You can fight the flow - paddle upstream.  Work so hard to get where you want to go & make something happen.  It's a struggle - and it doesn't work.  You can do this for part of your day, all of your day...you can do it your whole life.  But when you recognize it, you can pull in your paddles, allow the current to turn you around & you're flowing.  Maybe in a different direction, but it's effortless.

At one point in my life, I spent the better part of a year looking for a new job.  The job I had wasn't bad, I just wanted a new, better job.  I tried & tried to find a new job.  I went to a bunch of interviews - nothing was right.  Then I realized I needed to practice my yoga & go with the flow.  I stopped trying to find a new job.  I started enjoying the the job that I had.  And within a matter of months, a new job found me.


I've said it before, the type of style I teach is a flow - vinyasa means flows.  There is a rhythm to the movement & breath.  To the delivery of the cues (if your the teacher).  And when you're in the flow, as the teacher or the student, it looks & feels effortless.  It's a practice for life.  Life is a flow.  Each day has it's rhythm, it's flow.  If you feel like you're paddling upstream, you probably are.  Ask yourself why?  Are you afraid to pull the paddles in?  Worried about where the current will take you?  Take a few breaths, feel the rhythm of your breath.  And try, just for a few moments or maybe a whole day, not resisting, not paddling...just going with the flow. 

A special thanks for my friend & mentor Alyssa Sullivan for all that I learned from her & all that she has shared with me.

 

10 Practical Tips to a Successful Practice

1.  Know where you're going
I'll admit, I get a little nuts about this.  I like to take a look at mapquest first, because my GPS has been know to make mistakes.  I like to be sure I'm going to the correct place & know where to park, if that's an issue.

2.  Arrive early
Especially if you're new to a studio, leave yourself enough time (15-20 minutes) to get oriented to the studio.  To talk to the teacher or whoever is manning the desk & get your questions answered.  There's usually a waiver to fill out & that takes time too.  Be considerate.

3.  Invest in a good mat
There's nothing that will complicate your practice faster than a cheap, slippery mat.  I've had countless students buy bargain mats at big box stores, only to wind up investing in a good mat after a couple of slippery practices.  I'm a huge fan of the Jade travel mat - you stick to it & it's easy to clean.  And the Manduka ProLite is great too (it's more expensive, but come with a lifetime warranty)

4.  If you have a serious injury, let the teacher know.
Teachers like to assist students - they like to help students find stability in poses & get more out of the practice.  But if you have an injury, an assist can make your injury worse & make a teacher feel like they've hurt you, rather than helped you.

5. Be prepared - take a mat, towel & water.

6.  Hydrate
What more can I say...hydrate.

7.  Listen to your body.
I've heard stories of teachers banging on bathroom doors telling students they need to come out & rejoin the class.  I prefer a more compassionate practice - a teacher is just a guide.  Even as a brand new student, no one knows your body better than you.

8.  Get a friend to commit with you
Like anything, if you have someone to help you along & motivate you, you'll be more inclined to stick with it.

9.  Be consistent
Patanjali says yoga is meant to be practiced with love, enthusiasm & consistency.  If you want real results - mental, phsyical & emotional, you need to practice several times a week.

10.  Have fun
Yes, yoga can be intense - especially if it's a heated, power class (like we offer at Sanctuary Power Yoga).  But it's also meant to be enjoyed.  Have fun.  Lighten up.  Don't worry about mastering it.  It's a practice after all.

Do One Thing a Day That Scares You

"Do one thing a day that scares you" - Eleanor Roosevelt

The other day in class, we practiced some pretty challenging poses:  bakasana (crow pose, an arm balance), bird of paradise (a standing balancing pose) & headstand.  Challenging poses that can also be scarey.

As a teacher, I'm mindful of when & how I teach these challenging poses.  I teach not just the "culmination" of the pose, if you will.  But also many variations that can be practiced along the path to the culmination.  (for example, for crow pose, it may be enough to have your hands & feet on the ground, but have more weight in your hands - so you begin to feel what it could be like to balance on just your hands). I like to make each pose accessible to students of all levels.  I like everyone to feel successful.

As I taught, I talked about what these challenging poses can trigger in different people.  Some people hear the name, see the pose & immediately decide they can't do it.  Some people think they're not strong enough, not flexible enough.  Some people get scared.

The poses I taught were challenging, yes.  But truth is, the whole practice is challenging.  Each pose has it's own challenge.  Some people love crow, some hate it.  I was never afraid to try headstand - I didn't give it a second thought the first time it was taught in a class that I was in.  But for many years, wheel/backbend frightened me.  I was scared I was going to get hurt (how? I don't actually know).  It was more just a feeling of fear that came over me when I attempted the pose. 

Trying challenging poses & noticing what comes up & how you deal with it - that to me is the point of the challenge.  Do you get agitated off because you can't "do it"?  Do you feel defeated, unsuccessful?  Do you criticize yourself or the teacher who's teaching?  Do you avoid the challenge entirely?  Can you practice working through it?  Your response most likely carries over into your everyday life & how you deal with challenges there.

Years ago, I went on vacation with a friend & 2 other couples - I didn't know the other couples. One day, we rented mopeds to go touring.  Everyone but me had driven one before.  There were 6 of us, but we rented 3 mopeds & everyone took turns driving.  I was asked if I wanted to a turn to try, but I declined.  I was scared.  I think not so much of crashing or getting hurt.  But of looking silly in front of people I didn't really know.  I look back & see a missed opportunity.  It was a growing edge.  Not a huge one, but still.  A chance to try something new & different & not care about how I looked or what others thought.

Kind of like my wheel pose & the fear that went with it for years.

I missed the opportunity to drive the moped - I know I'll have another opportunity & when it comes along, I'll take it.  Now on my mat, after years of practice, I take wheel pose with gusto.  I have fun.  I love how it feels to open my heart & stretch my body & play my edge. 

Every challenging, scarey pose is a chance to practice.  Every challenge, every fear is a chance to practice.  That's yoga that you can take off your mat.

My Vinyasa

Downward facing dog.

Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

"Mommy!  Mommy!  I need water!"

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Chair pose.

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

"Mommy!  Mommy!  I don't like this show!"

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Triangle pose.

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

"Mommy!  Mommy!  I need to blow my nose!"

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Half pigeon

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

"Honey - could you please get off of me so I can get up?"

This is my yoga.  This is my vinyasa...my flow.  I've said it before - I practice at home alot.  Where I am in the life of my practice, 2 hours every day plus seated meditation would be wonderful.  Where I am in my life, 20 minutes of moving meditation is a gift.

My breathing, my practice has to come off the mat with me.  Otherwise, well...why bother?

All of it is yoga.  It's my flow, it's my life.  It's my yoga.  And I'm grateful for all of it.

It's too crowded!!

 


When I was teaching yoga in the Boston area, there were times when it was really busy at the yoga studio.  And when I say busy, I mean 30-40 people jammed into a small lobby & standing on the sidewalk waiting to sign in for a class that starts in 15 minutes.

I always loved the energy of this.  So many yogis!  New people, people returning to the practice, people committed to the practice & themselves.  For me, it was exciting to be a part of all that.  I loved teaching in classes that were so full I had to carefully navigate my way through the room so as not to step on someone.  I loved practicing in classes so full that sometimes I was in the hall!  I still love this.  A crowded yoga studio!  What could be better than to be a part of so many people coming together for something as great as yoga.

But of course, not everyone shared my sentiments.  I could see the agitation in the faces & bodies of some of the people waiting in line to get in to class.  Would they get in to class?  Would it sell out?  Where would they put their shoes & coats - the hangers were all taken.  Where would they put their mat?  What if "their spot" was taken.  There was a line for the bathroom!  There were too many people!  I watched (and listened) to these people & their concerns.

In this situation & others,  I like to remind everyone that yoga is not something that happens only behind the closed door of an uncrowded, calm & peaceful yoga studio.  Yoga isn't something you practice just when things are going your way.  Yoga is something that is meant to be practiced in the lobby, in the line for the bathroom, in the parking lot, in traffic....at home, at work....everywhere.
 
And, of course, I also like to remind everyone of how cool it is when lots of people show up for yoga.  More people practicing yoga - on & off the mat.  That always means a better world for all of us.

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/