Last night, I had a student who was brand new to yoga. She was foreign, although I'm not sure where she was from (somewhere in Europe?). After class, the receptionist asked her how it went:
Yogi: "Ughhh. I feel really fat, ugly and out of shape."
Receptionist: "Ohhhh. But did you at least enjoy yourself?"
Yogi: "Enjoy myself?!?! NO, I did not enjoy myself. But I did enjoy the teacher."
Sooooooo funny how we don't even realize how figures of speech may not make sense to other cultures.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Pincha Mayurasana = Pinched Nerve
Is it me, or is the similarity between the two names a little too close?
Pincha Mayurasana, Feathered Peacock Pose, has been my everest for 7 years. A few weeks ago, I went to a class in San Luis Obispo. I've always been underwhelmed with SLO yoga. It was always a little too slow for me, too boring. But in January, I read a teacher's bio and was intrigued. I went to his class. And he was awesome. It was a slower paced class, but completely challenging. The peak pose that he chose happened to be my everest. I don't know if I fnaly reached a point in my practice where it made sense. But between the way that he described it (bring your shoulders into your back, then melt your heart down) and the fact that I had Ryan's voice in the back of my head a few days eariler ("you know, in handstand, you're not quite straight...I think you need to bring your legs further over") - well, it finally clicked. And I held it for 6.5 seconds. And a week later, at home, i did it for 13 seconds. I ran to the phone and squealed into it as Ryan picked up. He was a block away from home, so I made him count as soon as he got in the door. I held that sucker for 23 seconds! I was one excited girl.
I've been practicing it since then. This last Saturday, I got a little over-zealous in practicing. And I pinched a nerve. My shoulder, neck, and trapezious have been a wreck for the last two days. I find it soooooooo amusing that the sanskrit name sounds so close to "pinched."
And yet, through all this pain, I can't wait to start practicing it again.
A desciption of how to get into the pose, courtesy of Yoga Journal:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/1711
Pincha Mayurasana, Feathered Peacock Pose, has been my everest for 7 years. A few weeks ago, I went to a class in San Luis Obispo. I've always been underwhelmed with SLO yoga. It was always a little too slow for me, too boring. But in January, I read a teacher's bio and was intrigued. I went to his class. And he was awesome. It was a slower paced class, but completely challenging. The peak pose that he chose happened to be my everest. I don't know if I fnaly reached a point in my practice where it made sense. But between the way that he described it (bring your shoulders into your back, then melt your heart down) and the fact that I had Ryan's voice in the back of my head a few days eariler ("you know, in handstand, you're not quite straight...I think you need to bring your legs further over") - well, it finally clicked. And I held it for 6.5 seconds. And a week later, at home, i did it for 13 seconds. I ran to the phone and squealed into it as Ryan picked up. He was a block away from home, so I made him count as soon as he got in the door. I held that sucker for 23 seconds! I was one excited girl.
I've been practicing it since then. This last Saturday, I got a little over-zealous in practicing. And I pinched a nerve. My shoulder, neck, and trapezious have been a wreck for the last two days. I find it soooooooo amusing that the sanskrit name sounds so close to "pinched."
And yet, through all this pain, I can't wait to start practicing it again.
A desciption of how to get into the pose, courtesy of Yoga Journal:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/1711
Saturday, February 25, 2012
I Need a Name
I've been a horrible blogger lately. And since we don't yet have kids, I thought I'd try turning our blog into something that is consuming me right now. Last weekend I finished up yoga teacher training! Fully certified! I started teaching two classes / week on February 1st. Starting next week, I'm adding a third night / week. All vinyasa flow classes right now. In March and April I'll be getting my aerial teacher training certification. It's an exciting new chapter in my life!
What's not exciting? "Nikki's Yoga Blog."
I need ideas... :)
What's not exciting? "Nikki's Yoga Blog."
I need ideas... :)
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
YTT...
I think I might have to officially change this to my yoga blog, because yoga is about to consume my life very quickly. (Harr, harr, I hear ya...it already has!) I've been assisting Tuesday night aerial classes since May. I help do adjustments, massages, and all around assistance to students in class, while the yoga studio owner teaches. It's given me a really good idea that I LOVE it. I've been wrestling with a long time now on if I wanted to try to teach yoga. This gave me the lightening bolt that I needed.
Last Friday, I signed up for a yoga teacher training certification, starting in September. I go for a week in September, and then I go for long weekends once a month until February. At the end of February, I'll be certified with my 200 hours of yoga teacher training. Around March, I'll take a week of aerial yoga teacher training, and then I'll be good to go!
I feel like a weight has been lifted off me. I suppose it's something that was weighing heavily on my mind. I'm scared to freaking death about jumping out of my comfort zone. I'm the wallflower who sits at the back of the class - not teaches it! Going away for a week, staying at a yoga place, eating almost-vegan meals all week, starting the day at 6 am by meditating for almost 2 hours, ending at 8 pm...I kid you not, this is the schedule and information I got from my registration confirmation emails. I keep thinking about that part in Eat Pray Love where Elizabeth Gilbert tries to meditate at the ashram, and what seems like an hour ends up only being one minute.
I'm relieved that a fellow yogi from the aerial yoga studio has signed up and will be going through this journey with me. It will be so much easier to have a friend!
The yoga studio owner had me end last night's class, by leading the three ohm's at the end of class. She gave me about 30 seconds prior notice (which I think is a really good thing). It took me about 7 - 10 seconds too long to find my voice and get the words going. But, for my first time doing it, it wasn't too painful.
Last Friday, I signed up for a yoga teacher training certification, starting in September. I go for a week in September, and then I go for long weekends once a month until February. At the end of February, I'll be certified with my 200 hours of yoga teacher training. Around March, I'll take a week of aerial yoga teacher training, and then I'll be good to go!
I feel like a weight has been lifted off me. I suppose it's something that was weighing heavily on my mind. I'm scared to freaking death about jumping out of my comfort zone. I'm the wallflower who sits at the back of the class - not teaches it! Going away for a week, staying at a yoga place, eating almost-vegan meals all week, starting the day at 6 am by meditating for almost 2 hours, ending at 8 pm...I kid you not, this is the schedule and information I got from my registration confirmation emails. I keep thinking about that part in Eat Pray Love where Elizabeth Gilbert tries to meditate at the ashram, and what seems like an hour ends up only being one minute.
I'm relieved that a fellow yogi from the aerial yoga studio has signed up and will be going through this journey with me. It will be so much easier to have a friend!
The yoga studio owner had me end last night's class, by leading the three ohm's at the end of class. She gave me about 30 seconds prior notice (which I think is a really good thing). It took me about 7 - 10 seconds too long to find my voice and get the words going. But, for my first time doing it, it wasn't too painful.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Beautiful
The hopeless romantic in me absolutely loves this picture, and the story that goes with it.
Exclusive new photos of Vancouver's 'riot couple' show what happened before the kiss
Exclusive new photos of Vancouver's 'riot couple' show what happened before the kiss
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Aerial Photo Shoot
Well, the only people that follow my blog are also on Facebook. So you all have seen this already. But I thought I'd post anyways, for the future. Last Sunday, June 12, I took part in a photo shoot for The Yoga Studio in Campbell. It was normal yoga & aerial yoga postures. These pictures will be used for The Yoga Studio's website, marketing materials, and a mural.
It took a lot of branching out for me...I had to crawl out of my-super-shy-in-large-situations and I-hate-pictures-of-me shell. I ended up having a blast and enjoyed everyone that I met. Here are some highlights from the shoot. These pictures are raw/unedited.
I've started assisting the teacher with adjustments and massages on Tuesday nights at 7:30. It's giving me a good idea that I think I may want to get my teaching certification. Who wants to come play?
It took a lot of branching out for me...I had to crawl out of my-super-shy-in-large-situations and I-hate-pictures-of-me shell. I ended up having a blast and enjoyed everyone that I met. Here are some highlights from the shoot. These pictures are raw/unedited.
I've started assisting the teacher with adjustments and massages on Tuesday nights at 7:30. It's giving me a good idea that I think I may want to get my teaching certification. Who wants to come play?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Two Adorable Kiddie Videos
Both make my heart smile in different ways. The Star Wars one had me at "the shiny guy always worries" and "Obi Kanobi." The French one had me at "crocodille."
Star Wars according to a 3 year old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBM854BTGL0&feature=share
Babe Hippo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17tRz8XDmKM&feature=player_embedded
Star Wars according to a 3 year old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBM854BTGL0&feature=share
Babe Hippo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17tRz8XDmKM&feature=player_embedded
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