Jennifer at Laughing Dog last week was talking about the Manifesting energy, the downward energy, and the Liberating energy, the upward energy.
Relating these to the breath, imagine,
The Manifesting energy is the inhale, the filling, the inviting the air you take in to become a part of you,
and the Liberating energy is the exhale, the releasing, the bidding farewell to the air you have breathed and person you were.
note that there is no struggling energy: nor is there worrying, judgemental or critical energy.
If you spend all of your time manifesting, and liberating, you are busy being a constantly evolving being: there is simply no time for anything else.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Yoga Poem: Laughing Dog w/ Jennifer Harvey
Some times, savasana makes complete sentences a rather difficult task.
The consequence, I present, is my yoga poem:
Inocacation to start,
Open the heart through backbends
T12 on twists,
Below does not twist,
Can cause injury to the sacrem,
Open heart,
Anjulie mudra,
Hands pull together in down dog,
Feet pull together in down dog,
Energy of the shins, shins in, thighs out,
Manifesting current pulls downward,
Liberating current moves upwards,
Inner edges of the sitting bones pull down,
Soft groins (oh those soft soft groins rodney and Colleen kept talking about)
Tailbone pushes down (downward current),
Sun kisses the top of your head, energy flows down,
Hipbone is the apex of the triangle, don't pull it too far back,
Getting into triangle with a bent knee, wide stance, groin soft, thigh opens, knee comes back,
Firefly pose,
Energy in the body, control of the limbs
Thursday 11:45
Jennifer Harvey
(a special Lululemon Athletica on-the-road treat)
Love and with,
Mona
The consequence, I present, is my yoga poem:
Inocacation to start,
Open the heart through backbends
T12 on twists,
Below does not twist,
Can cause injury to the sacrem,
Open heart,
Anjulie mudra,
Hands pull together in down dog,
Feet pull together in down dog,
Energy of the shins, shins in, thighs out,
Manifesting current pulls downward,
Liberating current moves upwards,
Inner edges of the sitting bones pull down,
Soft groins (oh those soft soft groins rodney and Colleen kept talking about)
Tailbone pushes down (downward current),
Sun kisses the top of your head, energy flows down,
Hipbone is the apex of the triangle, don't pull it too far back,
Getting into triangle with a bent knee, wide stance, groin soft, thigh opens, knee comes back,
Firefly pose,
Energy in the body, control of the limbs
Thursday 11:45
Jennifer Harvey
(a special Lululemon Athletica on-the-road treat)
Love and with,
Mona
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Backbends
Oh my god, backbends.
Every time I take Chanel's class, I feel like I just learned about ten new poses or variations; I love learning how infinite the body's potential for various movements is.
This class was special. For many, many reasons.
1. The "being" sun salutations. That's what I loved so much about the last class but forgot to blog about! The central idea is that intent of the next sun salutation is going to be "I am empowered". So, you do a sun salutation with that in mind.
I am empowered, one flow,
I am free, another flow,
I am brave, I think I remember, but I'm not sure. Perhaps I am courage- I am confident? I am bold? Identity crisis :)
I absolutely love these- they are such affirmations and mantras. The power of saying something, is huge, but imagine the power of committing yourself to a sequence of actions while consciously trying to eminate that type of being.
2. An intense backbending series. I love backbending. It is incredibly detoxifying, mentally and physically, and yes I had traces of that headache that informs you that, though you may have been a bit toxic lately, at least it's coursing through you instead of stuck. We did shower pose, then heart opening back-bends with the thighs against the wall, and camel. Incredibly intense, I was exhausted afterwards.
3. Lastly, and more personally, for the first time, EVER, in class, I paused in a momentary handstand on my way to utanasana from downward dog. I've been able to do this in my home practice, but never in class before. It's scary for a few reasons: 1. Accidentally hitting someone in the head with your feet. Awkward.... 2. A subtle fear of appearing attention-grabbing. I think this is a cowardly thought- if a friend mentioned this to me, I would reply, "but it's yoga, no one cares what you are doing and B. if it is not your intent, and you have no other reason to believe you would be perceived as such, why would you worry?". Eating one's own words is important...
Every time I take Chanel's class, I feel like I just learned about ten new poses or variations; I love learning how infinite the body's potential for various movements is.
This class was special. For many, many reasons.
1. The "being" sun salutations. That's what I loved so much about the last class but forgot to blog about! The central idea is that intent of the next sun salutation is going to be "I am empowered". So, you do a sun salutation with that in mind.
I am empowered, one flow,
I am free, another flow,
I am brave, I think I remember, but I'm not sure. Perhaps I am courage- I am confident? I am bold? Identity crisis :)
I absolutely love these- they are such affirmations and mantras. The power of saying something, is huge, but imagine the power of committing yourself to a sequence of actions while consciously trying to eminate that type of being.
2. An intense backbending series. I love backbending. It is incredibly detoxifying, mentally and physically, and yes I had traces of that headache that informs you that, though you may have been a bit toxic lately, at least it's coursing through you instead of stuck. We did shower pose, then heart opening back-bends with the thighs against the wall, and camel. Incredibly intense, I was exhausted afterwards.
3. Lastly, and more personally, for the first time, EVER, in class, I paused in a momentary handstand on my way to utanasana from downward dog. I've been able to do this in my home practice, but never in class before. It's scary for a few reasons: 1. Accidentally hitting someone in the head with your feet. Awkward.... 2. A subtle fear of appearing attention-grabbing. I think this is a cowardly thought- if a friend mentioned this to me, I would reply, "but it's yoga, no one cares what you are doing and B. if it is not your intent, and you have no other reason to believe you would be perceived as such, why would you worry?". Eating one's own words is important...
Miss Fit
So, what's Lululemon doing 9 AM on a Saturday?
Kickboxing MissFit style. MissFit is a fitness training program for beauty queens (in my eyes, all women!). It is seriously one of the cutest ideas anyone has ever had.
Jenee Guadalupe was ready in the middle of the Natick collection with an array of Muay Thau Boxing gear: kicking pads, boxing gloves, extra attitude; that sort of thing.
While she worked one-on-one with a participant, she kept the rest busy with three "stations": 'mountain climbing', plank, and double leg lifts. I don't know what to call those, ab exercises when you lie down and shift your legs side to side.
I loved working with her! I haven't kicked or punched or anything for a while, and I used to love that stuff... (tae kwon do). Jenee that keen intuition of an excellent instructor. She can tell exactly when you are present with her, when you're not, and she knows how to call you back. She put you through the perfect number of reps: more than you may be inclined to, but as many as you can truly do.
It was hard work. (Note to self, more of that, it feels nice).
Plus, she put together an awesome "pump you up" mix to hold you through the workout and threw in "Help, I'm Alive" by Metric and "Control" by Puddle of Mudd. Cheers.
Kickboxing MissFit style. MissFit is a fitness training program for beauty queens (in my eyes, all women!). It is seriously one of the cutest ideas anyone has ever had.
Jenee Guadalupe was ready in the middle of the Natick collection with an array of Muay Thau Boxing gear: kicking pads, boxing gloves, extra attitude; that sort of thing.
While she worked one-on-one with a participant, she kept the rest busy with three "stations": 'mountain climbing', plank, and double leg lifts. I don't know what to call those, ab exercises when you lie down and shift your legs side to side.
I loved working with her! I haven't kicked or punched or anything for a while, and I used to love that stuff... (tae kwon do). Jenee that keen intuition of an excellent instructor. She can tell exactly when you are present with her, when you're not, and she knows how to call you back. She put you through the perfect number of reps: more than you may be inclined to, but as many as you can truly do.
It was hard work. (Note to self, more of that, it feels nice).
Plus, she put together an awesome "pump you up" mix to hold you through the workout and threw in "Help, I'm Alive" by Metric and "Control" by Puddle of Mudd. Cheers.
Lulu love
Good news!!!! I'm joining the team at Lululemon Natick!! So excited to be amongst such inspirational, glowing and authentic people.
One day, over the summer, I was feeling a bit down, so I practiced yoga by the pool. After savasana, on a whim, I jumped in, clothes and all. Let me tell you: best yoga high ever. Water can be refreshing.
Lululemon is like that. It's as if all the insights, techniques and practices I've loved are coming to affirm themselves to me. Blessings.
One day, over the summer, I was feeling a bit down, so I practiced yoga by the pool. After savasana, on a whim, I jumped in, clothes and all. Let me tell you: best yoga high ever. Water can be refreshing.
Lululemon is like that. It's as if all the insights, techniques and practices I've loved are coming to affirm themselves to me. Blessings.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Gratitude
Gratitude resides outside the words of "Thank you". Gratitude is about nourishment: mind, body and soul.
When I use the word "thank you", I want it to mean, "I don't know how I can support you in your journey today, but please know, should there be an opportunity for me to assist you, you can trust that I will take it".
A. I am going to get henna and tattoo on my hands the following Rules: 1. No Panic, and 2. No Cowardice.
B. I am extremely lucky today for a cornucopia of reasons, 1 being Lululemon (EEK!! wooohoo!!) and the other an opportunity to work with a student with a rare and curious injury. In the interests of sanity, however, I'll take up typing at a later time and dreaming at the present.
When I use the word "thank you", I want it to mean, "I don't know how I can support you in your journey today, but please know, should there be an opportunity for me to assist you, you can trust that I will take it".
A. I am going to get henna and tattoo on my hands the following Rules: 1. No Panic, and 2. No Cowardice.
B. I am extremely lucky today for a cornucopia of reasons, 1 being Lululemon (EEK!! wooohoo!!) and the other an opportunity to work with a student with a rare and curious injury. In the interests of sanity, however, I'll take up typing at a later time and dreaming at the present.
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