counterpose yoga

Yoga Nidra: The Art of Conscious Relaxation

foundyoga — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:19:57 +0000

Yoga Nidra, is known as “psychic sleep” or conscious relaxation. It is a guided meditation practice in which the practitioner sets an intention, listens to the instructions and moves through a rotation of consciousness. The practitioner can experience deep awareness of the body, sensations, breath, visualizations, and sounds. For some, 20 – 30 minutes of this practice can feel as restful as 3 hours of sleep. Its pure intention is to consciously release tension in all parts of the practitioner’s body and mind. Other possible benefits include: enhanced memory retention, creativity and optimal healing.

In this 4-week series, we’ll practice 40 minutes of hatha yoga and the remainder of class will be dedicated to yoga nidra and savasana. This evening practice is a great way to wind down for the day and sustain your energy for the rest of the week.

Yogasmith is located at 5917 Airport Way S., right above Jules Maes Saloon.

Yoga Nidra text includes explanation, practices and research findings adapted by Swami Satyananda Saraswati from the traditional tantric practice of nyasa.

Finding Freedom through Stability

foundyoga — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 04:04:44 +0000

I am happy to announce that beginning this Monday, March 4th, I will be teaching a series-based class Mondays and Thursdays at the beautiful studio Yogasmith in Georgetown. Every four weeks there will be a new theme that we build upon in each class. In this first series we will visit one of the only yoga sutras that addresses the physical practice– the ideas of sthira and sukha.

STHIRA SUKHAM ASANAM ||46||
स्थिरसुखमासनम् ॥४६॥

sthira-sukham-āsanam ||46||Practice yoga with strength and stability without rigidity, ease and relaxation without dullness.||46||

“All successful living things must balance containment and permeability, rigidity and plasticity, persistence and adaptability, space and boundaries.”

-Leslie Kaminoff, Yoga Anatomy

Bernhard Siegfried Albinus: Tabulae sceleti et musculorum corporis humani

Hatha yoga represents the harmonizing of opposing energies. In this series, we will explore a concept introduced in the sutras that addresses the balancing qualities of strength and stability with ease and release in each posture. Similarly, we will see how to engage harmonious action with our physical and mental efforts to help us overcome tension and lethargy while observing the notion: “To relax is not to collapse.” From cell membranes, roots of trees to suspension bridges, we’ll examine how to draw upon our inherent structural strength and ability to yield to our expansive breath.

Classes with me at the Yogasmith are Mondays and Thursdays from 7 – 8:15am

$16/class non-member drop-in

$14/class member drop-in or non-member series package

$12/class member series package

membership is $80/year

Sequencing v. Choreography

foundyoga — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:37:39 +0000

When I lived in NYC , I spent a year doing work study and taking Leslie Kaminoff’s Yoga Anatomy course. Kaminoff and his fellow Breathing Project colleague, Amy Matthews you may know from their illustrated book on postures, movements and breathing techniques called, Yoga Anatomy.

Kaminoff has been deemed the “accidental anatomist” by Yoga Journal. And I can attest that after some traumatic injuries from bike accidents, my body work sessions with him made clear that his tens of thousands of hours of experience have given him a deep understanding of breath & anatomy. In his anatomy course along with the community of practitioners and other teachers in attendance like Eddie Stern and Sadie Nardini, formed a learning environment that was instrumental to a shift in my understanding of a breath-based yoga practice.

In this snippet, he makes the point that often what makes sense choreographically and looks prettiest in the “flow” often is not the best next step to reset ourselves anatomically.

Kaminoff continues to conduct the course, and offers it online for those who can’t make it to New York.