So yesterday I did my final practice teach...sukhasana with uttitha hasta. I started the class with a little centering and 3 oms. I meant to do a lot more, but I had total stage fright. I have to say that my class was exceptional, from teachers to students. I never met so many people I liked at one time. I am excited to take everyone's class. I recommend the YogaWorks program super highly and if you can do the intensive, it is totally worth it. I have a take home test that I need to finish by the 15th of February, but I'm done with all the classwork. I'll post when I conduct my first class.

Tags: sukhasana, yoga teacher training
I feel: accomplished
I'm listening to: Legos

After 12 days straight, we got a break from learning how to be yoga teachers. And we were SO done. One of my fellow students said she got her new Yoga Journal magazine and didn't even want to look at it.

I have to admit, doing 2 and a half hours of asana practice every day makes you want to keep doing asana every day. It's nice to have such a strong point of focus. I now know where every muscle in my body is because I feel them. It's as if I never had muscles at all before. We worked on backbends, which are my favorite, probably because they elevate the level of energy and I totally need that. I remember doing bow pose for something like 20 minutes when I was little. That memory is really good to have during the training.

Since we don't get Martin Luther King Day off, I will be dedicating tomorrow's practice to cultural understanding and world peace.

Tags: dhanurasana, ustrasana, yoga teacher training
I feel: drained
I'm listening to: silence

Everyone should learn at least a little anatomy, if for no other reason than to sit and walk in a way that won't hurt. I learned that I have been following the wrong directions in yoga.

We are continually told "don't squeeze your butt", so I've been basically leaving my entire pelvis out of the picture. What they mean is don't clench the butt. Squeezing is absolutely necessary to activate the muscles. So my yoga practice has improved by about 30%. In one day. Hooray for anatomy!

Tags: anatomy, yoga teacher training
I'm listening to: electric hum

Today I cried.

For the last two days we've been working on standing externally-rotated poses. Hip openers are notorious for releasing emotions. I wasn't the only one either. At least two other students cried also.

I think what I faced were the mental obstacles I have thrown in front of myself. I've faced them before, but today I made a conscious effort to confront them and it made me cry.

Also, I am in a class of totally cool people. It's very rare that I think everyone in a group this large is someone I'd be happy to continue knowing. It's really exciting. I'm looking forward to taking classes from some of my classmates from teacher training.

Tags: ardha chandrasana, yoga teacher training
I feel: sleepy
I'm listening to: Guitar Hero III (for Wii)

OUCH!  The quads!  The glutes!  The joy!  Warrior 1 kicks some gluteal muscles!  It is a soul stirring pose.  And spending two hours working on that pose changes your whole perspective on life.  Highly recommended.

Tags: virabhandrasana 1, yoga teacher training
Current Location: home
I feel: energetic
I'm listening to: House

Today I began a 4-week intensive yoga teacher training at YogaWorks in Manhattan.  I'm really in for a life-changing process.  There were points at which I was physically challenged, only to find it was my mind that was challenged.  I've discovered a good deal of fear and apprehension that I didn't know was there.  I am remaining open to these new challenges.  I feel like a ball of clay and I'm prepared to be imprinted.

Today we focussed on tadasana, standing mountain pose.  It is the foundation of every yoga pose.  It is amazing what a body feels like when it is properly aligned.  You never know you're slouching until someone corrects the way you stand.

More updates to come.  At the end of this I will be a registered yoga teacher.

Tags: yoga teacher training
Current Location: home
I feel: excited
I'm listening to: football