Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Oxymoron of Yoga

Presenting the Simple Supreme vinyasa sequence. What an oxymoron.... typical of Edward Clark's dry humour. It's like asking someone to give you an exact estimate or declaring you're a social smoker! Supreme yes, like the pizza with everything on top, but there is certainly NOTHING simple about this sequence. And this is just ONE of the vinyasa sequences from our 500 Hours Tripsichore Teacher Training. And there are 14 sequences in total. Wondering why I signed up for this, still wakes me up in the middle of some nights.


As I got onto the mat this morning, I glanced at the red circle on my calendar... 24 October. With Module 3 of the TTC just 3 weeks away, how will I remember all of this??? 


Love, Practice and Sweat from,
A Moron on the Mat




Making Peace with My Practice

"Your light is to work only but never with its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, let you not be attached to inaction. Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty without attachment, remaining equal to success or failure. Such equanimity of mind is called yoga". (Bhagavad Gita 2:48)


As a yoga teacher, I create the arena for people to explore possibilities and discover their potential. It is "my yoga"... "my dharma"... to inspire, to guide and to nurture students along their yogic journey, to my best ability. 


It takes a long time to get good at things.... a really, really, really long time. The late Pattabhi Jois said, "Practice.... and all is coming".  Yeah, and being the wise yogi, he never mentioned 'exactly when all will be coming'. Module 3 of the Tripsichore Yoga TTC starts in exactly 3 weeks.  Me and the Handstand version of the Tripsichore practice? Nope, the Handstand will definitely not be 'coming'.... not anytime soon... not in a Sthira Sukham Asanam way (Sadhana Pada 2:46)... not even when I wake up on Christmas morning and peer into my stocking! (and I've been a really good girl this year too!)


Life and yoga, is, but a work-in-progress.  And like the Gita verse above, if we start caring less about the destination, and instead, enjoy the discoveries of the journey, and start looking at how far along we've come from Day One, we would have made peace with our practice.


Monday night's Vinyasa class for Intermediates had a few 'Brave New Entries'. The Brave New Entries were from my Beginner's class, making their debut in a 90-minute class.  Not wanting to intimidate them, and yet trying to balance attainability with challenge (for the regulars), I backed off from long(er) holding postures, and instead had them breathing one breath per movement. Alignment was not so much the highlight of the evening, but body-mind-breath connection was.


Lining up 4 blocks against the wall, the new practitioners were kept busy with the baby steps to Sirsasana.  Fascinated with learning what the 'older kids' were doing, thuds and giggles could be heard as they tried kicking up against the wall and staying up.
Image from Essential Yoga
I then took the opportunity to wean some of the Regulars off doing the headstand against the wall.  Letting the breath lead, and with the uddyana and mula engaged, the Regulars got into the Headstand Split, and stayed stable for 8 whole breaths.  Those who could already hold a steady Headstand, were presented the challenge of different arm and leg variations in the pose.
Headstand Split, Tripsichore style

Classical styles of Yoga always taught the Headstand with both legs straight up in the air - the final pose.  But today's practitioners often find this very intimidating especially when they were to do the asana in the centre of the room after being so used to the crutch of wall support. But by getting them to do the Headstand Split first, the inversion suddenly becomes more accessible, they fight fear face on, actually get the feel of the inversion, thus getting the best of both worlds. Eventually, as their confidence increases with constant practice, the Headstand "will come". 


In my personal yoga practice, the 'getting there' may be the icing on the cake, but mindful exploration on letting the breath lead to what works for my body and letting the practice naturally unfold, certainly is the cherry on top.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Teaching Beginners Yoga

Even after 3 years of teaching practice, the very idea of teaching a Beginners Yoga class is still challenging... even more than teaching a bunch of Intermediate Eager Beavers who can't wait to sink their hands on the more funky stuff like inversions and arm balances. Perhaps this is because Beginners, like all practitioners, come in different shapes and sizes, and are a very diverse group. You can come to the mat with a pre-planned sequence, ready to get them moving and breathing, but almost always, a spanar is thrown in the works, and you'd end up thinking on your feet, and teaching something else because there IS a need to do so.
Size does not matter in Yoga
Trained by my many years in a regional corporate marketing portfolio, I tend to group my Beginners into 6 different segments.  You might recognise some of them.


The Newbies
The Newbies are what I like to call 'yoga virgins'.  They're totally new to everything yoga, and while some have hamstrings so tight you can pluck a tune on them, others have a natural flexibility that they themselves aren't even aware of.  Newbies are often seen in loose, huge t-shirts and sweat pants in a yoga class.  Some of them have little or no connection to what their body is doing, and as they are quite intimidated by their lack of yoga'ness, they are often backbenchers, mimicking the person's postures in front of them (which isn't always the right thing). However, they've made the first move to come to your class, so make them fall in love with yoga, and you will reap the rewards of watching their practice blossom and deepen as time goes by.


The Lapsed Practitioner
The Lapsed Practitioner is someone who's probably done about 6 months of yoga, and then due to various reasons, disappeared off the yoga radar for a few years, only to suddenly resurface in your class.  Due to being MIA for so long and having an irregular practice in the first place, they will claim to have "done yoga before" but it's best to wipe the slate clean with this one, and reclassify this practitioner as a Newbie.


The Real Beginner
Aaah, the Real McCoy.  The Real Beginner is, well.... a beginner.  He or she has probably done a few weeks or up to 8 months of yoga classes with you, and comes to class on a regular once-a-week basis.  A basic understanding of Sun Salutation this practitioner has, but due to the huge gap between classes, still suffers from muscle soreness after each class. Some body awareness has already been established.


The Ugly Duckling
As the fairy tale goes, the ugly duckling eventually transforms into a beautiful swan.  Practitioners who fall in this category come to class twice or thrice a week, and has probably been in a Beginners class for the past 3 years. Reluctant to move on to an Intermediate class due to fear of "not being able to cope", The Ugly Duckling does not realize that she already has established a pretty strong basic practice, and has so much more beautiful potential to transform the breath, body and mind in a deeper practice.


The Geriatric
The Geriatric chooses a beginners class as your studio probably does not have a special class for Senior Citizens.  This practitioner is a retiree, loves the idea of still keeping the body and mind active, but has a host of health issues related to people of their age.  The enthusiasm factor could be high but be prepared for things like osteoporosis ("No, dear I can't do the Half Moon, I might fall and shatter my elbow"), hearing aids, high blood pressure, knee pain, slip disc, the works.  


The Pregnant Practitioner
Not to be grouped in the same Beginners class as the other 5 categories, the Pregnant Practitioner is also worth a (separate) mention. The Pregnant Practitioner (in Malaysia, at least) has never practised yoga in her life, and comes onto the mat, only because of having read a myth that Prenatal Yoga guarantees open hips and natural childbirth! 


Imagine the challenge of a teacher, when 3 or 5 segments turn up in your class?  How do you then keep the flow going so as not to exhaust the Geriatric, bore the Ugly Duckling and The Real Beginner, yet spark the level of interest for The Newbies and The Lapsed?


Basically there are no hard and fast rules to approaching this challenge, nor is there a right or wrong answer.  Here's my take on this :
  • In a 60 minute class, apply the 5:30:15:10 ratio of Pranayama and Tuning In (5 mins), Sun Salutations and Standing Postures (30 mins), Seated Postures (15 mins), Restorative and Savasana (10 mins).
Image of Jason Crandell, Yogaglo
  • Come to class with a plan, but be prepared to shift gears and put on your creative thinking cap when the need arises.
  • Get the practitioners moving, so that they get familiar with body and breath coordination. 
  • Slow things down a bit if you notice their breath becoming ragged.  In other words, keep a close eye on them.
  • Refrain from using every prop available in the studio - beginners get alarmed and intimidated when you introduce wall ropes, straps, blocks, chairs AND bolsters, all in a single class. At most, pick 2 and stick to those for the entire class. Eventually wean them off the prop as their practice improves.
  • Introduce the basic techniques of alignment, to ensure safety during practice and to prevent injuries.
  • Do not bore them with long holding postures.
  • Do not be too quick with hands-on adjustments - some practitioners do not like to be touched. Balance off with verbal adjustments, to train the practitioners for body-mind awareness.
  • Use basic words and simple instructions - there is no real need to articulate your Sanskrit and anatomical knowledge here.
  • Once the basic techniques have been broken down, charge up the class a bit for the regulars, but always show alternatives to the asanas for the others.
  • If it's sweat that they want, make 'em sweat!
  • For the Pregnant Practitioners, convey to them the facts and benefits of Prenatal Yoga. You're not God, you can't guarantee anything. Neither are you their Doctor, so you can't claim to have the fix-it for all of their discomforts.
  • Keep the atmosphere lighthearted - inspire them, encourage them to have fun in discovering where their practice will lead them... push them to their limits, maybe a little more, but always within a place where they'll know it's safe to go to. However, also know when to play hardball when you spot recklessness and disrespect amongst the practitioners.
  • Last but not least, teach from your heart. Their progress is your success.
Happy Teaching!


(This post was inspired by the batch of Teacher Trainees currently studying for their TTC with Sun Yoga KL - May The Long Time Sun Shine Within You. Sat Nam).

Sunday, September 18, 2011

7 Ways To Prevent Yoga Injuries

A dear friend, and founder of Journey Within studio in Malaysia posted this great article up on Facebook. Wishing you all a safe, pain-and-injury-free practice!


Did Kitty get hurt doing the Downward Dog??
(Image from myveryworstroommate.com)


SEVEN WAYS TO PREVENT YOGA INJURIES
Yoga students and teachers can reduce the risk of injury by paying attention to the following :-
1) Attitude – “I have observed that injures happen less often when people have an attitude of devotion, surrender, acceptance and honesty,” says Louise Ellis, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher. “Injury is more likely when there is an attitude of competition, greed, insensitivity, hurrying and attachment to the results of the practice. When the ego gets involved wanting results, that’s not really Yoga-that’s exercise.”

2) Alignment – “Yoga is risky because you’re asking the body to move into the greatest range of motion possible,” notes John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga. “Without a focus on good alignment, we’ll continue to see a lot of injuries.”

3) Previous Injuries - Past injuries, particularly to joints, are vulnerable to reinjury. Teachers should ask new students about injuries, and students should communicate special needs to instructors- before class if they’re embarrassed to mention concerns in front of a group.

4) Danger Signals- “If your breath gets exaggerated or you have to open your mouth to breathe, this can be a sign that you’re going past your thresholds,” says Edward Modestini, who notes that an individual’s thresholds may vary from day to day depending on diet, sleep, emotions and other factors. Other danger signals, he notes, are “shaking beyond control or when the pose feels as if it’s collapsing instead of ascending.

5) Transitions – “People forget that two-thirds of the practice is going in and coming out of poses with control,” says Ana Forrest, founder of Forrest Yoga Circle. “These are two places where people often don’t pay attention and can tweak old injuries or create new ones.”

6) Individual “Edge” – An essential part of practicing Yoga is developing the awareness to know when to reach and when to rest. In a mindful practice, the act of nonharming self backing off and resting is really the true yoga.

7) Finding a Good Teacher – “What makes a good teacher is his or her deep respect for the student, not their students getting their palms on the floor,” says yoga teacher Judith Hanson. “Trust your gut. If the teacher isn’t willing to create an environment where individual differences are respected, I wouldn’t study with them.”

Monday, September 5, 2011

Did Someone Order the B.L.T?

Everyone wants choices - step into a deli, and a bacon, lettuce and tomato sarnie (BLT) comes with a choice of wholemeal, rye, ciabatta, toasted, untoasted, and the whole nine yards.
BLT Sandwich
Image from happyyonder.com
And the same goes for yoga.  Call it Hatha, Vinyasa, Hastanga, Flow, Dynamic, Strength and Balance, or just plain ol' Stretch and Tone Yoga.... say Balasana or Child's Pose or Pose of the Child... sometimes, you just need to be a little 'creative' and give the practitioners what they (outwardly) want.... a firm Butt, toned Legs and a bikini-worthy Tummy (even though all roads lead to Downward Dog and the paths of yoga eventually meet at a single destination).
C'est la vie!


Yoga for BLT (Butt, Legs and Tummy)
at Journey Within studio
Wednesdays, 6.45pm and 8pm