Practice yoga 30 times in 30 days

Deep seated stretching this morning after my workout.
Focused on opening my hips in butterfly.

Taught class tonight and then had the studio to myself. Got very warm fast w/sun salutations working on jumpbacks. Focused on 1/2 moon and revolved half moon. Still congested, so breathing was still strained, but feel great and open.

I always give many modifications and variations in my classes, but am trying to help everyone find their pose for them (at the moment). I am trying to focus on allowing those certain students really grow on their practice and not hold them back b/c of where the rest of the class may be. I always want each person to feel challenged and successful at the same time.

First day officially starting this goal again. Will try to keep track here.

After my bike-run brick, had the studio to myself. Did some sun salutations. Then worked on some different flows from cat-cow, cow-downdog, puppy, etc. Did a sequence W2, RWarrior, Ext. side angle. My legs were shaking so much from before, but felt strong. Was trying on staying grounded and feeling my feet press the earth away. Did locust and then worked on sphinx and standing split on the wall. My arms felt weaker than before. Ended with some seated postures.

It felt good just moving with my own body and trying to flow w/my breath although this was difficult b/c I am very congested. I am working on some new sequences for my class-want the new year to be a bit more interesting in my classes.
:)

I am going to start this again on New Year’s and log it. I am going to a conference in Feb and since I have been teaching 2-4 classes per week, my own practice has dwindled. I will set aside at least 30 mins. a day for this. I will also go to at least 1 class per week at a studio.

I’ve been sooo bad at keeping track, but yoga has truly become part of my everyday life-part of me. I am growing deeper and deeper in my practice and am continuing to teach my adult class. I am starting another class this week and will also teach a kids yoga class at my gym this week. I hope to incorporate more kids classes too. There’s a new free center opening in a nearby town where I hope to teach a class there and I’m continuing my own training and working towards my RYT 200 hrs.
Yoga has really helped me stay strong and focused in my first triathlon and I am reminded of my breath. This helped me so much in the bike and run portions! I didn’t even think about it benefiting me in this area, but it really has!

Anyone in the NYC area, I took the Karma Kids Yoga training recently and it was fun and inspiring :)

Since this is my “yoga vacation”...not a vacation from yoga, but a vacation filled w/yoga :)...I decided to go to a moderate (gentle class). A new instructor was very helpful and although the postures were not difficult, I felt that I was much more aware and open…I was truly a witness or observer and instead of pushing and “trying” I was able to really focus on how I was feeling in the postures and therefore I enjoyed my practice this morning in a new, different light. It’s weird, b/c I always enjoy my practice, but always go for the intermediate or advanced classes & only usually vinyasa…even during my own practice, I create complex sequences and try to always challenge myself w/strength.
I have a private session later this evening and can’t wait to share some of the sequences w/the woman I am working with. I feel rested from the day and might continue my practice later this evening…integrating gentler flows and sequences.
By the way (Ooty especially)-the Sunday class that I loved attending w/only 3 of us-got cancelled :( My class on the otherhand which was having about 7-10 people—had 16 this week! It is VERY challenging to meet the needs of all of my students, but it keeps me on my toes. I am excited that I am able to bring yoga to people who may have not experienced it before :)

I’ve realized that I haven’t been very good at keeping track of my practice, although it is a daily practice. Most days I do practice at least once, and then if I attend a class in the morning, I continue my practice later in the evening using any new sequences that I particularly loved or anything that was not touched upon. But, I’ve been so busy training for my triathlon in 3 weeks that using the computer has been on hold! A triathlete attends my yoga class on Mondays and I am happy that he’ll be there on the 22nd w/me.
Since I’m on vacation this week and since I’m not going away, I decided to focus not only on my training this week, but to focus on my practice and attend a new class w/a different instructor each day-a sort of yoga vacations (Well, as long as my body holds up!) There are the 2 studios that I have attended before-but now I will be able to take some morning classes w/different instructors. There is one studio in my hometown only a few towns away, which I have been trying to visit. Then, there’s a gym in my town that I attended today.
Gym yoga classes are sometimes hard to fit into an hour (I struggle w/timing in my own class, which is limited to 55-60mins!) Despite this, it was a great class! It was at 7:30 this morning, and was very invigorating. I really liked her pigeon sequence, going from pigeon folding over the front, to sort of threading the needle and then doing 2 different twists. We focused on a lot of twists today and I want to focus on this more in my practice and class as well. It was a vinyasa class (my preference) and it was easy to flow and follow along w/her cuing b/c everyone I guess were “regulars”. Taking class (at least once a week)helps to keep both my practice and my teaching fresh.

Friday we had a wonderful fundraiser for a children’ cancer hospital-I was spinning and running, but did not practice yoga
:( I did raffle off some yoga sessions for the cause, so I am eager to meet with the winner and her friends or family who will join her in her practice.

Sat/Sun I had training, which was very exciting and intense too. I felt a little off by some of the negativity that some people were sharing, so it wasn’t my favorite experience. I just finished my own class tonight and I am pretty wiped out. I am going to go to bed early and recuperate from Friday and the weekend-I will write more about training later this week.

I am doing my best keeping track. :)

11/10 Tuesday I practiced after spin and running. It is such a wonderful experience after working so hard doing cardio. Balance poses become so much more challenging and it requires even more focus.
14/11Wednesday I taught my afterschool yoginis. Only a few more classes, the girls love it! I used my energy chime and they moved from pose to pose. I am excited to just make it into Karma Kids (NYC) teacher training next month. One person withdrew and I am able to attend.
Wednesday I also made my class with my teacher that is the most soothing teacher I know. She has the “buffet style” and gave me wonderful mods for my aching wrist (I wore my brace and she just gave mods from observing). After class I felt so inspired and continued at the gym with my own practice. Her class was very much a gentle class and I always feel the need to push harder in my own practice-that’s probably why I messed up my wrist in the first place. I always preach to my students to honor their bodies and listen to their bodies, but I should be practicing what I preach.
15/12 Tonight I had a soothing practice before spin. I really am loving seated forward bend. Ever since that class I took in Cali. where the teacher gave me a huge assist, I can really open up and let go.

This weekend I have yoga training-so I will probably be doing yoga for hours and hours each day. My favorite part is that we usually have 2 classes a day. I can’t wait to use what I learn in my class on Monday!

Yesterday I had a wonderful class! There were only 3 of us and it was like a great workshop! We did some very challenging sequences-I really liked Warrior 3 into half moon into revolved half moon! Also at the end we did partner yoga sitting back to back doing seated forward bends while our partner got a nice back stretch! Yummy! Then, I had to do my own practice in the evening b/c I love creating my own and then adding the new things that I encountered. My class went well tonight although I was a bit disappointed by the turnout. Only 7 tonight-but that’s ok. The 7 that came (most are regulars) and they enjoyed it and left feeling more relaxed and grounded (at least I hope). One woman brought her spouse which was a nice surprise. I am just grateful that I am able to share this with others. Does anyone know of any good cds to help me with sanskrit? I want to add more and more of the authentic names into my class but I want to make sure that I am pronouncing them correctly. Thanks for your help!

Last night I did R. Yee’s intermediate yoga. I haven’t done a video in awhile…The beginning was a little too fast paced for me-I like to take a deeper breath while doing sun salutaions. His cues were very helpful though and I was listening to his cues and internalizing them to help my students in my class. I particularly liked the inversion sequence and fell in love w/forearm stand. My right wrist has still been bothering me and my right side of my neck too. I should lay off headstand but have been continuing along (I know-not the best).
Today had the studio for a bit. Worked on Warrior 1 into Warrior 3 and Warrior 2 into Half Moon. Tree into standing half lotus with a twist into standing hand to big toe. I was flowing but then had to leave b/c private dance lessons were going to begin. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll have a longer practice.