Looking forward to 2010

Teaching for 2009 finishes on the 14th December with classes resuming from the 10th January.

After much thought and consideration I have decided to take a study break from teaching Ashtanga to allow me to finish the certification process for Infant Massage with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) and the postnatal yoga training I will be doing in January 2010. Although I only teach two Ashtanga classes a week, my family commitments, day job and my own home practice all take up valuable time. This study break will free up some time to allow me to take onboard all this new information.

Come the end of February beginning of March I will then re-evaluate my practice and teaching to see which path I should follow....

Festive wishes

How big is your ego?

I came across this article on yoga and the ego. Its something we have all experienced in class. I see it all the time as a teacher and it tells me a great deal about the person on the mat, usually that they are always pushing themselves too much, they are very critical of themselves in many areas of their lives and look for approval from others. As a student of yoga when I attend seminars, workshops you can just feel the energy of the egos in the room. When I feel this energy it serves as a reminder that I don't need to take a posture to the extreme to prove to someone else that I can do it. Yoga is for the mind, body and soul; its nourishing, therapeutic,life enhancing. If we want to maintain these qualities in our practice for life then we must put out the fire of the ego.

"Going into your Yoga class, with a competitive mind-set, is not the best of intentions. You will eventually injure yourself. All of us age, and we will not get the same results, from our body, every day. Your body is not a machine and if it were, a machine would show signs of wear too.

A competitive mind-set will bolster your ego and that has nothing to do with Yoga. Your mind, body, and spirit cannot become healthy, when your ego is in "the driver's seat." There is no tranquility, harmony, peace, mindfulness, or loving kindness within the ego. To the ego everything is a perceived threat, to its existence.

Leave your ego at the door, with your shoes, before going into Yoga class.Be courteous to everyone all the time. You are projecting loving kindness and being mindful of life in the present, and practicing the unity of mind, body, and spirit."

Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Pregnancy Yoga

Final version of heart photo, wasn't happy with the outline of the last photo. Found a great venue (Heal Physiotherapy) for the pregnancy classes down at the city quay in Dundee. Busy over the next few weeks advertising the class.

Useful links
www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm
www.emmasdiary.co.uk

A story behind a picture

This is the image I will be using to promote the pregnancy yoga classes I plan to start at the end of August beginning of September. I toyed with many designs but narrowed it down to the simplest form "a mothers love". This unconditional love grows out of the miracle of creating a new life. The heart has long been used as a symbol to refer to the spiritual, emotional, moral, and in the past also intellectual core of a human being. The shells were picked by my oldest son at the local beach and the photo was taken in my boys sandpit. :-)

For those who couldn't be there but want to share in our appreciation of the gift Shri K. Pattabhi Jois has left us.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gbsk/sets/72157619041435592/

http://lazymysoredays.blogspot.com/

namaste

Sri K Pattabhi Jois 1915 - 2009

Sad news today that Guruji has passed away in Mysore. In some ways an end of an era as one of Sri Tirumala Krishnamacharya's (1888–1989) students leaves this earth. What an EXTRAordinary human being, who has left the world a wonderful legacy in the form of Ashtanga. I have never been to Mysore but I have always been inspired by the dedication and discipline he has instilled in his students; John Scott, Paul Dallaghan, Manju Jois, David Keil, David Swenson, Rowena Warren. Om shanti shanti shanti

Flexibility Flexibility Flexibility

Fascia is often referred to as the “shrink wrap” that encases the body. According to Ida Rolf it is the “organ of form”, which gives shape and form to our body. Fascia is made from collagen and elastin covering every muscle group, internal organs, glands, nerves and blood vessels, the entire body from head to toe, it also changes its composition depending on its location in the body. Fascia is plastic, it tears if stretched quickly but stretched slowly and gently it will elongate and hold its new shape.

It is important to remember that fascia throughout the body is interconnected and is largely oriented vertically. However, there are four transverse planes of fascia in the body. They are the pelvic diaphragm, respiratory diaphragm, thoracic inlet and cranial base. A restriction in one of these planes of fascia can have a “drag” effect on the fascia elsewhere in the body. Fascia is often described like a 3D sweater, when there is a trauma to the fascial network it is pulled out of alignment, just like a pull in the sweater. This in turn inhibits the underlying soft tissue of nutrients. Myofascial release and Rolfing are two alternative therapies which can alleviate the “drag” and tightening of fascia. These techniques provide gentle, sustained pressure to allow the fascia to elongate and lengthen back to a near normal state.

A lot of people come to yoga to improve their flexibility, and in the society we live in, they want that flexibility instantaneously. However, the fascial network is there to protect the body in order to maintain a balance and will resist any form of stress. Fascia will respond to slow gentle pressure and eventually over time and through regular practise better flexibility will come. When we go into a yoga pose it is the muscular system we initially work with, the longer a pose is held, the muscles relax and we begin to work with the fascia. Fascia is very unforgiving, if its not stretched it will keep on contracting as we get older, muscles surrounded by deep fascia will become tighter and tighter and freedom of movement will eventually be compromised. Fascia also contracts during illness, injury and trauma, it’s a built-in mechanism to protect the body, giving it time to heal. The contraction of fascia outwith illness, injury and trauma is all part of the natural process of ageing. Yoga allows us to improve and maintain our flexibility longer as our body remembers the neuro-muscular patterns which have been created over time. Every movement, thought and behaviour creates patterns which the body remembers.

So the next time you say to yourself "why can't I be more flexible", just be aware that the tightness you experience in your legs, shoulder etc is your bodies way of protecting itself. Building a strong body and mind from the inside will help you become more supple.

om shanti, Alison