Inner Power Yoga August Studio News

Dear Yogis and Yoginis,

For most of us, the reason we started coming to class was purely physical. We wanted to have stronger arms and defined abs, open hips and more mobile shoulders, cure that nagging low back discomfort, lose the extra weight in the middle. Feeling better about ourselves can be the perfect reason to start and to continue to step onto our mats as often as we can.

But after a while, most of us realize that there are so many other gifts a consistent yoga practice offers us that can enhance our lives beyond words. One of them is choosing our response to the small and big challenges of life that we all face daily. Do we become bitter and resentful, or forgive and move on? Do we run away from an uncomfortable situation or handle it with as much grace as we can and learn from the experience?

Our regular yoga practice can help us stay calm, positive and focused as the inevitable challenges surface daily in our lives. Staying peaceful and poised, one obstacle, one practice, one breath at a time.

Warmly,

Ursula and the IPY teachers

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Become a fan on IPY’s Facebook page to find out about our latest news, announcements and to keep in touch with others in our community.

Teacher Training is filling up! Sign up now to secure your place on this exciting journey!

Registrations are coming in for our RYT 200 Teacher Training Program starting in September. Space is limited, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to deepen your knowledge of yoga and to learn from experts and master teachers like Doug Keller, Kathryn Budig and Keith Crosslin. Please send Ursula a note if you would like more information about our program! (Payment plans are available.)

Community Classes

We offer Community Classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12 noon and 1 pm. Fees for these classes is by donation, making yoga accessible to all who wish to participate.

Upcoming workshops at IPY! Save the date!

October 10, 2010 1:00-3:30 pm – Yin Yoga with Coleen Clement

November 21, 2010 1:00-3:30 pm – Inversions and arm balances with Keith Crosslin

December 19, 2010 1:00-3:30 pm – Yoga Philosophy with Doug Keller

See the site for more details

Dear Yogis and Yoginis,

It’s hard to believe that we are already starting the second half of 2010! Seems like it was yesterday that were enjoying “Winter Wonderland,” blanketed by several feet of snow, and now summertime is here! Warm afternoons spent by the pool, cook-outs with friends and family, and hopefully a more relaxed daily schedule and lighter traffic on the roads.

Perhaps it’s a good time to check-in on your plans, hopes and dreams for 2010. What have you accomplished so far that you set out to do this year? What changes might you need to make in your life to get closer to achieving a particular goal?

Energy flows where attention goes. Do you have your priorities right to help you become the person you have always wanted to be?

Alice had six impossible dreams before breakfast in her Wonderland. Our dreams are only impossible until they become possible. Aim high!

Enjoy the long days of summer!

Warmly,

Ursula and the IPY teachers

Teacher Training

Registrations are coming in for our RYT 200 Teacher Training Program starting in September. Space is limited, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to deepen your knowledge of yoga and to learn from experts and master teachers like Doug Keller, Kathryn Budig and Keith Crosslin. Please send Ursula a note if you would like more information about our program! (Payment plans are available.)

Holiday Schedule

Sunday, July 4, 9:30-11 am, All Levels with Tanya

Monday, July 5, 9:30-11:30 am, Special Practice/All Levels with Ursula

All other classes are canceled

Summer Student Special

School is out for the summer, and we welcome young yogis and yoginis at IPY! If you are in middle school and would like to become more flexible and to get stronger, perhaps spend quality (and fun) time with your mom, please join us in our Basics classes. High school and college students are welcome to attend in our All levels classes as well.

Suggestion Box

We opened IPY to provide a positive and supportive place for you, and to serve you even better, we would love to hear from you. Please send us your ideas and suggestions; and let us know what you would like to see in our studio or on the schedule. How can we improve to fit your needs?

We have a Suggestion Box by the Front Desk, please take a moment to give us your feedback.

What moves you? An inspirational quote, an unexpected victory, a heartwarming story?

Recently I had the pleasure of judging a high school oratorical contest. Despite their nervousness, each contestant took the assigned topic, wrapped themselves around it and presented it to the audience like a gift. I was instantly moved. To put aside fear and “do it anyway” is the most inspiring of all human traits. These courageous young people chose to be tangible by getting up in front of an audience, saying their peace, and letting the chips fall where they may. Did I mention there were only three contestants? Hhmm….

Jumping out of a plane at that age would have been easier for me, and I was happy to be passed over by the teacher when I raised my hand in class. As an adult, early in my professional career, speaking in public always sent my body into spasms. I wanted to hide out and make a difference behind the scenes. As we all well know, when speaking in public, there is nowhere to hide and people can see and feel you for who and what you are. Terror!! However, we have a choice to make here. We can choose to hide out where people never truly get to know us, or we can share ourselves with the world by engaging people in person.

As for speaking in public, it doesn’t matter whether your audience believes WHAT you are saying; what matters is that they believe in YOU. When the contest was over, the participants were showered with accolades and helpful feedback and each of them left the event walking a bit taller and notably more confident. Social media makes speaking out easy, and has taken the fear factor out of doing so by creating an intangible forum through which we can speak to the public from behind the scenes. When we default to this method of communication too frequently, we can lose touch with our humanness.

There are 10 muscle groups in the human face – all of which work to intensify the eyes, form the arch of a brow, create wrinkles in the temple and form a smile. People can be and are moved by your ability to skillfully engage them through public speech, and it boosts your confidence as a communicator. As a result, you can fly above insurmountable obstacles, crush fear and explore the landscape of your infinite potential. Faced with the option to choose the less frightening 500 word essay, I was totally impressed by the courage and initiative these young people took to participate in an oratorical contest.

Today, in my new profession as a teacher, I speak in public daily.

Change, it occurs in and around us on so many levels.  The most obvious of course is the change that affects our senses and emotions immediately and can make us very uncomfortable along the way.  It is often not long after the uncomfortable period ends that our situation improves and we quickly forget the discomfort.  I liken these changes to our recent emergence from snowhavemercy winter to TGIS (thank God it’s Spring!).

Those who have been on their yoga mat for a while know that the true benefit of our yoga practice is the awareness we reap around the subtle changes that occur in our mind, body and spirit over time.  We also learn to find comfort in that these changes are both substantive and beneficial to us.  Sure, we can also be changed in the blink of an eye as well, and those changes can offer us profound insights and awareness.  For example, an injury or an AHA moment when you hear that one cue that changes an aspect of your practice forever.

Whether obvious or subtle, the changes we experience as a result of our yoga practice translate into our journey off the mat.   During my 200 hour teacher training, an instructor stated to our class quite simply yet profoundly, “We first come to yoga to practice asana and experience the yoga high, and then our life begins to change.”   To add to that point, my own growing pains in the form of injuries and mental frustration have unveiled incredible possibilities in my asana practice and in my life.

We are fortunate to witness the transformation of mankind and nature by way of events the seasons, and the Earth’s churn.    We also know that no enduring change occurs over night; despite appearances…  One day you may find yourself teetering in tripod, and seemingly not long after with coaxing, balancing in crow!  Subsequently, you realize, that each time you inverted, whether in downward facing dog or chaturanga you were preparing to fly and were probably were able to do so long before you actually gave it a go.  Off the mat, fear or uncertainty that may have once plagued you begins to show up as confidence and a sense of inner calm when you relate to yourself, others and situations.

Whether we realize it at the time or not, when we come to the mat, we are stepping in to change.

Namaste,

Jessica

When I was asked to write a blog about Yin yoga, I wanted more than anything to shed some light on this lovely practice.  I could probably write several pages on the what, how, and why of Yin yoga, however writing a book is very different than writing a blog!  The intention for this blog is to share how Yin yoga balances our more active practices, and how it benefits other aspects of our lives.

I would like to take a moment to touch on Vinyasa yoga, which is probably what most of us have heard about or practice presently.  In a Vinyasa class students move through a flowing sequence of asanas, or postures, that connect the breath to movements, while building heat in the body.  This type of practice is loved by the muscles!  The muscles respond to the repetitive movements found in a Vinyasa class, which allows them to be stretched and strengthened.

Yin yoga beautifully complements our more active (Vinyasa) yoga practice and our active lifestyles because it is a more cooling practice.  When we have too much of one thing, we naturally become imbalanced.  One of the goals of yoga is to move towards balance, creating harmony in our bodies and system as a whole. Think of those days that are jam packed with things to do, full of running around and a ton of stimulation.  Those days can leave us feeling drained and depleted.  On the flip side, when we have those days where we are relaxing and sitting all day, we may feel the urge to do something, anything that moves us.  That is why balance in our yoga practice and our lives is so important in restoring our body, mind, and spirit.

Yin yoga is yoga for the joints and deeper connective tissues.   Postures are held anywhere from 1-5 minutes to allow time to reach these deeper areas, releasing tension and stress.  The postures in a yin class mostly target the hips, pelvis, and low back.  This practice is passive yet intense as we are opening deeper areas of the body to promote healing.

When our joints and deeper connective tissues are strengthened and nourished through a Yin practice, we receive greater range of motion in these areas, which also encourages these areas to stay healthy and happy.  As we hold certain postures for some time, areas even deep into the organ system are reached.  Whatever is in excess (tension), releases out, and whatever is lacking (weak), is nourished.  As we get older our bodies start drying up!  The thought of that is an interesting one; however, it is true…especially for our joints and our bones. Practicing Yin encourages these areas to stay healthy, which in the long run will increase their vitality.

The nature of the practice creates a strong inner focus, allowing us to become fully in tune with ourselves and our own rhythms. It empowers us to fully inhabit our bodies no matter how we may be feeling or what we may be dealing with.  This not only supports us on our mats, it also trickles out into our daily lives.

What’s next?  Come to class, roll out your mats, and see how this practice can be a delightful complement to your daily lives!  Class is held every Monday and Wednesday evening at 7:45 pm.

Warm Regards,

Coleen

Somewhere between Snowcapolypse and Round II, cabin fever got the best of me and I scooted over to the cinema to see the movie Avatar.  Rich with imagery as fantastic as anything I could imagine, what I found especially striking was the language.  They were talking yoga!  Intended or not, the language we hear in yoga class and in this movie were strikingly similar.

There were many times during the movie when references to the “network of energy that flows through all living things” was highlighted.  Ahhhhh, prana.  The energy or life force which emanates from all physical matter and moves through and around us at all times.  Sigourney Weavers’ character (Grace Augustine) was in awe of the trees on the planet Pandora, which possessed a dynamic and energetic root system that was both physically intertwined and provided a conduit for their universal communication between the environment and the Avatars.  She repeatedly remarked, “I gotta get a sample of these roots.”  Does the phrase, “I gotta get to yoga class!” resonate?

Avatars’ main characters Neytiri and Jake were embroiled in rigorous training on Jake’s behalf throughout the film.  At one point, Jake reflected on Neytiri’s advice to “Trust what your body already knows to do.”  She also told him that he “looks but doesn’t see” which is what happens to me when I loose my dristi or when I don’t practice mindfulness off the mat.  As Jake learned to connect with his body, his senses, with others and the environment, he effortlessly began to avoid multiple perils which both consumed and distracted him prior to his training.

Icing on the yoga language cake were repeated references to the bond frequently depicted between Avatars and their hunting companions called the Lavi (or birds) and other untamed creatures.  The union between beings was only solidified through the yoking of the breath and heartbeat once a physical connection was established.

At the end of the film, Jake learned to set intentions which enabled him to make clear and good decisions, which resulted in his ultimate self realization and of course saving Pandora from the Sky People.  In preparation for the ultimate battle to save the planet, Neytiri gazed at Jake and proclaimed, “I see you.”

In yoga class, we come to the mat to work through our sheaths or koshas in order that we may see ourselves and others as we really, truly are.  During that process, we begin to make mindful connections with ourselves, with others and the world in which we live.  The result is that we are able to proceed with conviction in our daily walk.

Nice job, Hollywood.

Namaste,

Jessica

“do one thing a day that scares you”- lululemon manifesto

I don’t like to look down from tall buildings, and I am terrified of being on roller coasters, so when my friend, Jess, invited me to join her in a flying trapeze class in dc, I did not exactly jumped on the chance. but at the end, i am so happy i did it!

what scares you? what do you believe you can not do? do you have a list? look at it, and pick the top two. of course, something like running a marathon requires training and time, but small feats can be easily be attainable and can have a huge impact on your self-esteem. as the nike commercial says “just do it!”

there were prayer sessions, pujas, ceremonies for Guruji all around the world, including mysore, yesterday honoring sri k. pattabhi jois who passed away on may 18. many beautiful thoughts and remembrances have been written about him since that day by the hundreds of students whose lives have forever changed because of him.

Guruji’s teachings not only built our global ashtanga community with many wonderful teachers and students, but his influence also extended to several leading teachers of other vinyasa traditions today; shiva rea, sharon gannon, david life, and seane corn have all considered him their teacher at some point on their yogic journey and have expressed their gratitude for his teachings.

his legacy is one of the most influential in our current “yoga world.” I can’t imagine him not finding those banana leaves at the mysore library with the sequences on them, as legend says, can you?

I have had a chance to meet him twice. he led practices in helsinki, finland a couple of years ago in a big volleyball stadium without a mike. his booming voice chanting the opening mantra was the strongest of all 200+ of us in that space. then a year and a half ago in mysore I saw him again. this time illness clearly had taken its toll on his body, but still the smile and twinkling eyes were there as he sat in his chair at the shala watching us practice.

I was sad when I first heard the news of his passing, but now I feel only gratitude to this wonderful man named pattabhi jois, and for the gift of ashtanga yoga he broght to our western world.

thank you, Guruji, you will be in our hearts forever!

As many of my students and friends know, I naturally struggle with one-legged balance poses. Because muscularly and neurologically balance requires practice, several years ago I made practicing one-legged balance poses a priority. Through this regular practice, I’ve become better at them (although still not what I would classify as good).

Similarly, I’ve recently found myself enjoying a regular meditation practice. I’m still just at the beginning of this practice, but already I can feel myself becoming more grounded and less affected by the sway of events around me — my mind is becoming more balanced.

In this context, I’ve been thinking about how Earth Day too is about balance and practice.

Specifically, the observance of Earth Day is about taking time to think about how to bring our modern life into balance with the requirements of the environment. Without constant awareness of our effects on the environment, humans will tend to exploit the natural world around us to bring short-term comforts. To break ourselves of these tendencies, we need to practice balance.

So today, in honor of Earth Day, begin a new practice that will bring you more into balance with the earth. Don’t worry about how big the impact is of the specific act: turn off one more appliance every evening, begin to air dry your clothes, or eat lower in the food chain one day a week. The important thing is to view this new practice as a permanent change — something you will practice the rest of your life.

By increasing your balance with the natural world a little bit every day, you will not only be reducing your negative impact, you will be expanding your practice of yoga.

Happy Earth Day!

for many of us, february has no special meaning, except celebrating an occassional holiday like valentine’s day, a birthday or an anniversary, let’s not forget groundhog day (did you just love that movie?). the days are still short and spring is not right around the corner.

we make new year’s resolutions at the beginning of the year formally or informally, but the items and goals on the list can be overwhelming; we don’t know where to start, how to get there or just fall-of-the-wagon and don’t get back.

just as we should break down a lofty goal into achievable steps, we can make ONE change in our lives every month to bring us closer to our vision on how to live life to its fullest.

so what are your dreams for 2009?

do you need to let go of something or someone that takes up negative space in your life in order to create space for supportive friends and activities that help you become better?

will starting something new, like creating a blog or finding your way back to your mat, be the way for you to connect with others and make a difference in your life and for those who are around you?

stepping out of our comfort zone is not easy, but as we have all heard it before – ”the journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.” can you start doing something different in your life that you know will benefit you but too scared/bored to do before? make small changes at first. try a new recipe or a different starbucks. perhaps put your mat down to a different spot at the studio or do a different variation of a yoga pose you feel too comfortable with.

starting something new is almost always put butterflies into our bellies, but the thrills of the unknown and the growth we experience is worth it.