Partner Yoga with Gigi and Chad

so much fun. No, seriously, SO much fun. Chad and Gigi ran a partner/contact class at Santa Monica Yoga Co, and Kimi and I decided that this would be the best double date ever. We got there a little late (oops!) but rumor has it that class started with an invocation to Ganesh, remover of obstacles, and a collective Om. Gigi and Chad then led a vinyasa together, switching off leads, guiding us through a short but beautiful and challenging practice. After we felt grounded and connected, we began the contact. First up- a row of trees. We used the people next to us as balance, and found that it was much easier to balance with some help. Gigi reminded us to find our own center first, and then assist others. Warrior III with some arms for support showed up, and then we did utthita hasta padangustasana, a big mouthful and tricky pose (hand to big toe). Standing, you balance on the left leg while bringing your right knee into your chest. You then had the option of handing that knee to your partner, or perhaps extending the foot and passing the foot along. It is considerably less challenging then it looks, a testament to the power of groups, I suppose. Then came the partner work: now we were really getting started. We stacked up planks, when one partner does upper push up, and the other grabs hold of his or her partner's ankles, and places the tops of their feet on their shoulders. Double down dog followed, and we were able to get a whole row of down dogs (which resemble more handstand prep) across the room. I think the record for my group is 8, but I think another group topped that. "Are you ready for the climax, guys?" asks Gigi. With Chad, they demonstrated a way for one partner to move from a handstand into a backbend with the other partner's assistance. That description, unfortunately, does little justice to how divine that pose feels. It's called "backpacking". Imagine the best adjustment you ever go in a wheel or camel, and multiply that joy times 100. I started laughing and I couldn't stop!

Gigi Yogini

I won't lie, I read up about Gigi, particularly the way she lives in a yoga cottage, the night before I took her class. I think it is very exciting to me to meet teachers whose lives and practices are very integrated.

Gigi's class- although a vinyasa flow- has a rhythm to it that feels more like a hatha class. First we started off with breathing- different types of heating breaths. Now, the room we were in was called "water". but make no doubt, this was a heating practice. We started off with rounds of various breath work, including bhastrika, a brisk and strapping breath that kills anxiety. We did a few versions, combined with different arm work, and some twisting afterwards. Then we began to move into a flowing practice, which was paused for select poses such as crow, with challenges- perhaps you would like to try a twisting crow, today? perhaps you would like a supported arm balance?

Gigi's authentic and accepting presence forms a powerful class.

As a side-note, Gigi had her fellow artists express themselves on the outside of her house and fence. She was forced to take this down due to a Los Angeles law violation on graffiti. This blows my mind as graffiti is specifically the act of writing on a person's property *without* their permission. To best of my reason, you can't ban a medium of painting because it "looks" like graffiti. I would love to learn and participate in how this works out.