Yogis Unite!

13

Replies

  • MaryContrary1972
    MaryContrary1972 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2019


    I haven't done restorative poses in ages. I almost went to a restorative class last night but it was too darn hot to leave the house. I did add Supported Bound Angle into my flow. I can't find my strap, and what I had wasn't quite long enough, and haven't done this in ages, so it wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked, but remember really loving it when I did it more often.

    Supta Baddha Konasana

    This is how I sleep naturally, eases my hips - even on my belly. I call it frog sleeping :)
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member

    I haven't done restorative poses in ages. I almost went to a restorative class last night but it was too darn hot to leave the house. I did add Supported Bound Angle into my flow. I can't find my strap, and what I had wasn't quite long enough, and haven't done this in ages, so it wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked, but remember really loving it when I did it more often.

    Supta Baddha Konasana

    This is how I sleep naturally, eases my hips - even on my belly. I call it frog sleeping :)

    OH my god I LOVE binds! I love bound chair pose.
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    Also, just a little tidbit for you yogis out there today. The definition of Namaste-there are a lot of interpretations of it but...I thought this was so uplifting.

    Namaste means “The divine light in me bows to the divine light within you.” However, a simple Internet search provides many beautiful meanings and translations of namasté, such as:

    I honor the place in you where the entire universe dwells.
    I bow to the place in you that is love, light, and joy.
    When you and I bow to our true nature, we are one.
    My soul recognizes your soul.
    We are the same, we are one.
    I honor the place in you that is the same as it is in me.

    (courtesy of the Chopra Center)
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    we have some traditional conservatives and some straight up hippies in our area so when i teach i tell them it means:
    the light in me recognizes the light in you

    but i love the whole thing. thanks for sharing @maureenseel1984
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    mbaker566 wrote: »
    we have some traditional conservatives and some straight up hippies in our area so when i teach i tell them it means:
    the light in me recognizes the light in you

    but i love the whole thing. thanks for sharing @maureenseel1984

    Haha-I most definitely fit the hippie yoga chick description. I don't think the two have to be mutually exclusive either though. But there are some more conservative folks who are a TOUCH closed minded when it comes to "the universe" and "the divine" or understanding a broader meaning of those words.
  • DaveJ_43
    DaveJ_43 Posts: 139 Member
    I used to practice almost every day, but I fell out of the habit, focusing more on running and other strength training programs. Need to get back to it - I am a better version on me when I do it regularly. Good post :)
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    I decided to try something new by riding my bike to Yoga class today. I only rode for an hour, but the route is essentially all climbing after the first half mile, so I was sweating and all warmed up when I arrived. Practice was slightly challenging, but I felt very good during the whole session. The final payoff was the long, downhill ride home, where very little effort was needed on my part! This could become a regular Saturday ritual as long as the weather is good. :)
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    edited July 2019
    I walk to my studio. It’s a mile round trip and sometimes I walk up for morning and later evening classes. It gets to be such a habit you don’t even notice the walk.

    I’ve started going an hour earlier and dropping my mat on the windowsill and either going for a brisk walk or a run. I actually like going into a hot class sweaty because I’m already loose from the other.

    They are so sweet. If they see that mat and bottle, they bring them in and check me in for class. It’s nice having a “regular” studio.
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    DaveJ_43 wrote: »
    I used to practice almost every day, but I fell out of the habit, focusing more on running and other strength training programs. Need to get back to it - I am a better version on me when I do it regularly. Good post :)

    *Big hugs* I agree... I'm happier and more content when I do yoga routinely...
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    We get to go back to the studio today after our regular class being cancelled all week!
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    We get to go back to the studio today after our regular class being cancelled all week!

    Glad you're able to get back to it! Why had they been canceled? I was bummed-this morning there was pop-up yoga in the park! I wish I'd known-would have packed my mat and joined in!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    edited July 2019
    Got firefly today. She eased us into it and it was surprisingly easy. Could really tell I’ve built up some arm strength by doing the weights!

    I liked the instructors’s passing comment today. “”Your mat is a combat free zone.”
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    Hi beautiful yoga people! I’ve just given myself a fresh start on MFP..:I was tired of seeing my stats from pre-baby days.

    I’ve been practicing most of the last 10 years. I started yoga teacher training in March, I’m about halfway through a 200-hour! It’s been one of the best decisions I have made.

    My YTT style is core-strength vinyasa. I also practice slow flow and restorative, depending on the day and the needs of my body and mind.

    Favorite poses: warrior III; flow between warrior II-exalted warrior; trusty old pigeon.

    💖namaste


    Hooray-hi there, fellow Yogi!

    That's amazing! I've thought about taking the instructor training when I have the money...kinda expensive! Do you know at what point or how many hours you'll be able to teach?

    Welcome! Namaste.
  • Fursian
    Fursian Posts: 564 Member
    Hi there, nimble ones!

    @maureenseel1984 : I checked out those people you suggested before (Yoga with Adriene, etc,), good stuff! It inspired me to start tooling around with various poses to see what I could do. I couldn't even touch my toes, it was a mess, LOL. Fast forward about a week though, and I could proudly touch my toes! This ground-touching revelation inspired me further, I want to achieve all the poses now! haha

    One of the poses I'd really like to aim for is called the Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana), in one of your pictures (thank you for sharing, btw!), you are in this pose and I wanted to ask what particular training sequences you recall doing (if any) to easy yourself into the pose?

    Thanks in advance, have a great day!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    I am so excited! The weight training is paying off at yoga. Woot!!! Yesterday I got firefly and today we did sundial and then worked up to eight point pose. I got it on the first try and on both sides. I’m so pleased!

    Now if only could hold that bothersome crow pose...... don’t ask me why I can hold the whack ones and can’t hold crow. Maddening!

    I think it’s because I take my glasses off after I face planted into an accidental forward roll ages ago. Can’t see and that fear is always in the back of my head. I keep telling myself “if you fall, it’s what? Twelve inches”, but it still doesn’t help.
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    Fursian wrote: »
    Hi there, nimble ones!

    @maureenseel1984 : I checked out those people you suggested before (Yoga with Adriene, etc,), good stuff! It inspired me to start tooling around with various poses to see what I could do. I couldn't even touch my toes, it was a mess, LOL. Fast forward about a week though, and I could proudly touch my toes! This ground-touching revelation inspired me further, I want to achieve all the poses now! haha

    One of the poses I'd really like to aim for is called the Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana), in one of your pictures (thank you for sharing, btw!), you are in this pose and I wanted to ask what particular training sequences you recall doing (if any) to easy yourself into the pose?

    Thanks in advance, have a great day!

    Time...stretching...stretch WARM muscles. And..time..and practice. It took me a really long time to get my splits/monkey asana.

    I am so SO happy you're getting into yoga! That is awesome progress on touching your toes-soon it'll be the floor-then palms on the floor, just wait and see! I love that it is about seeing what our bodies can do and appreciating There are a few videos about working your way up to the splits. Careful if you have bad knees though. Also blocks and yoga blankets can be very helpful. Props help a lot with working your way up to different poses.
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    I am so excited! The weight training is paying off at yoga. Woot!!! Yesterday I got firefly and today we did sundial and then worked up to eight point pose. I got it on the first try and on both sides. I’m so pleased!

    Now if only could hold that bothersome crow pose...... don’t ask me why I can hold the whack ones and can’t hold crow. Maddening!

    I think it’s because I take my glasses off after I face planted into an accidental forward roll ages ago. Can’t see and that fear is always in the back of my head. I keep telling myself “if you fall, it’s what? Twelve inches”, but it still doesn’t help.

    I have issues with Warrior III and tree pose...it's a balance thing. A lot of standing balance I find has to do with hip alignment and making sure your hips aren't tilted.

    For me crow pose is having my knees in that sweet spot on my triceps. Then it's just like a fulcrum/forward tilt.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Thanks, folks! I have decided to Adrienne back into each day.

    Day 1 of 30 days of yoga and I can already see where I have improved since the last time I did this!
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    Following this thread has inspired me to set some more specific longer term goals for my practice. My initial focus was very general, but I'd really like make significant improvement in my balance work. That should help help to stabilize me during running. I'm often shaky with airplane pose and sometimes even with tree pose. Of course, increased hip and quad mobility are also on my list of weaknesses to address and would help in my other training.

    And finally, I want to be able to get into and hold a crow pose - just for the fun of it. At this time, I'm not even close. Maybe something to focus on this fall.
  • Fursian
    Fursian Posts: 564 Member
    Time...stretching...stretch WARM muscles. And..time..and practice. It took me a really long time to get my splits/monkey asana.

    I am so SO happy you're getting into yoga! That is awesome progress on touching your toes-soon it'll be the floor-then palms on the floor, just wait and see! I love that it is about seeing what our bodies can do and appreciating There are a few videos about working your way up to the splits. Careful if you have bad knees though. Also blocks and yoga blankets can be very helpful. Props help a lot with working your way up to different poses.

    Thank you, appreciated! :)

    The prospect of lengthy, never ending projects, would have had me running in the opposite direction a few years back. Picking up goals along the way during weight loss (and beyond) has been really positive though, and quelled most of those fears. I'm quite looking forward to all the stretching in my future! Haha

    I got click-baited into reading an article (thankful this time, lol).. about a 59 year old, Strictly Come Dancing show contestant, graciously sliding into the splits, audience were dazzled. It got me thinking, this person has got to be on the right track...all that mobility has to count for something. Turns out they'd been a yogi for a while, on closer inspection! :mrgreen:

    Knee caution, noted. I'm going to invest in those yoga blocks you mention, they look/seem really useful! And I'm going to steal all of the blankets and pillows in the house (LOL). I will come back here, in how ever long it takes, with a Monkey Pose success story! :D

    Thanks again, have a great day! (to you, and all)
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    Oh, let’s not even talk about balance. I remind myself often it’s why yoga is a “practice”. I’ve added balance practice to my morning stretch. Some mornings it’s there, other mornings. I have to yell “watch out, cat!!!!”before I fall on him. His fault for wrapping himself around my ankles because he should know the risks by now!

    The first studio I went to had us practice warrior III against the wall. For some reason that helped because I’ve always been able to feel that alignment we practiced. Am working on taking my hand off the block for it and sorta getting there.

    Also working on holding ankle with both hands for standing splits.

    Tree pose is a beyotch for me. I feel sorry for anyone behind me during any balance sequence but particularly tree. Yikes.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Hi beautiful yoga people! I’ve just given myself a fresh start on MFP..:I was tired of seeing my stats from pre-baby days.

    I’ve been practicing most of the last 10 years. I started yoga teacher training in March, I’m about halfway through a 200-hour! It’s been one of the best decisions I have made.

    My YTT style is core-strength vinyasa. I also practice slow flow and restorative, depending on the day and the needs of my body and mind.

    Favorite poses: warrior III; flow between warrior II-exalted warrior; trusty old pigeon.

    💖namaste


    Hooray-hi there, fellow Yogi!

    That's amazing! I've thought about taking the instructor training when I have the money...kinda expensive! Do you know at what point or how many hours you'll be able to teach?

    Welcome! Namaste.

    Teacher training prices (and quality) will vary widely. I see the weekend program is currently $2700 at Kripalu, with scholarships available. That includes room & meals. $924 for commuters.

    https://kripalu.org/presenters-programs/200-hour-kripalu-yoga-teacher-training-weekend-format *

    Looks like the month long intensive has no commuter option: https://kripalu.org/presenters-programs/200-hour-kripalu-yoga-teacher-training-monthlong-intensive *

    I never got the impression that I could teach before I graduated.

    How many hours you'll be able to teach depends on your location. When I lived in upstate NY, between the ashram and three local gyms, I was able to teach as much as I wanted. But when I moved to South Florida and everything was much more spread apart, I was no longer able to make a living as a yoga teacher, and got a desk job. (And started gaining weight, lol.)

    * I have no financial relationship with Kripalu so this is neither advertising nor spam.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    Candlestick. It occurred to me this morning. Yeah, gravity still sucks, but at least now I have seventy plus pounds fewer of fat sliding down to block my view and choke me.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Candlestick. It occurred to me this morning. Yeah, gravity still sucks, but at least now I have seventy plus pounds fewer of fat sliding down to block my view and choke me.

    I can't get my hinney off the ground. I can hold a variation where I use the wall to get up and have one foot on the wall and one in position, then switch, as long as anyone in my class can hold shoulder stand. I have been doing that variation long enough that I am relaxed in it and breathe regularly. I do ab exercises every day, including just trying to get my hinney off the ground. I have found two variations online, but I am not sure it is even safe to try if I don't have the strength to get my hinney up in the first place. I WANT TO GET MY HINNEY OFF THE GROUND! I was hoping to be able to do it as an obese woman, but the pounds are coming off and I am no closer to halasana, much less salamba sarvangasana.

    My variation is what this woman is doing at 5:06, but my teacher doesn't want me to go into shoulder stand from there, and like I said, I am concerned enough about strength to body weight that I haven't gone against her. I just hold that position for a couple of minutes, then switch legs. supported shoulder stand video
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    @concordancia Be patient. If you persist, it will happen. Baby steps first. I’ve been practicing fairly seriously for seven years and some things are just now coming to me. I fear balance never fully will, but I practice it every morning anyway. At least it’s no longer crash and burn balance.

    Have you tried Pilates? I am amazed at the amount of core strength it has given me, and it’s made shoulder stand much easier, since there’s a lot of focus on pressing the backs of the arms into the ground.

    If you google Pilates Rollover you’ll see a good exercise, but you need to have a fairly strong practice in Pilates before doing it.

    They also do a similar version where you go into shoulder stand without supporting your back with your hands, coming slowly down into boat pose.

    The backs of your arms and your core control everything. They’re not easy moves, but my shoulder stand and plow improved drastically after a few rounds of these.

    I’m finding that everything I do supports something else I do. The weight training helps with the upper body strength so I can begin working on arm balances, my planks are crazy strong now, and chatarungas are improving. The Pilates helps with the weight training because it strengthens core. And the yoga helps with balance and focus at both, and apparently gifted me “good form”. During bench pressing, I just automatically find a drishti on the ceiling, which seems to be a unique thing, I hear. But it helps.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    I'm going to leave this here
    i might need to buy a few
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Candlestick. It occurred to me this morning. Yeah, gravity still sucks, but at least now I have seventy plus pounds fewer of fat sliding down to block my view and choke me.

    I can't get my hinney off the ground. I can hold a variation where I use the wall to get up and have one foot on the wall and one in position, then switch, as long as anyone in my class can hold shoulder stand. I have been doing that variation long enough that I am relaxed in it and breathe regularly. I do ab exercises every day, including just trying to get my hinney off the ground. I have found two variations online, but I am not sure it is even safe to try if I don't have the strength to get my hinney up in the first place. I WANT TO GET MY HINNEY OFF THE GROUND! I was hoping to be able to do it as an obese woman, but the pounds are coming off and I am no closer to halasana, much less salamba sarvagasana

    I did it on my own in class yesterday. I am doing the variation where you kick your feet over your head to the wall for now, but it felt so good to finally get my hinney off the floor with my own muscles!!

    Still several pounds inside the obese category, per my goal.

    It is just too bad I can't shed several pounds in two weeks, to get that obese taken off my medical chart.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Candlestick. It occurred to me this morning. Yeah, gravity still sucks, but at least now I have seventy plus pounds fewer of fat sliding down to block my view and choke me.

    I can't get my hinney off the ground. I can hold a variation where I use the wall to get up and have one foot on the wall and one in position, then switch, as long as anyone in my class can hold shoulder stand. I have been doing that variation long enough that I am relaxed in it and breathe regularly. I do ab exercises every day, including just trying to get my hinney off the ground. I have found two variations online, but I am not sure it is even safe to try if I don't have the strength to get my hinney up in the first place. I WANT TO GET MY HINNEY OFF THE GROUND! I was hoping to be able to do it as an obese woman, but the pounds are coming off and I am no closer to halasana, much less salamba sarvagasana

    I did it on my own in class yesterday. I am doing the variation where you kick your feet over your head to the wall for now, but it felt so good to finally get my hinney off the floor with my own muscles!!

    Still several pounds inside the obese category, per my goal.

    It is just too bad I can't shed several pounds in two weeks, to get that obese taken off my medical chart.

    I ended up progressing to halasana to a chair in the middle of the room the same week that I reached the obese mile marker. From my home practice, I can tell you that I can't do it without the bolster, but at least I look good in class. And because I built up to it, I can hold the pose as long as they have asked us to in class and even do the leg variations without falling over.
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