Your Heart
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A meditation for when you need to soften, to be kind to yourself.
Read MoreGo All In
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Photos by Respiro Photography.
Today I taught yoga and felt shitty about it afterward. 'The sequencing was off, I couldn't find my groove, the music wasn't right...' all these thoughts started coming into my mind.
I went about my day. I didn't dwell on it too much but my ego definitely was starting to chatter.
Then later on I had this moment where a child smiled at me with pure joy... he looked into my eyes and just smiled. It was a wonderful moment of connection without any judgment.
No 'this is good' or 'this is bad ' or 'I am this' and 'you are that.' It was just a smile. It reminded me that all of these experiences I'm having are what they need to be.
It is possible to have an imperfect experience and be grateful for it. We need all of this, the highs and lows and the in-betweens. All the yoga classes. It's possible to take away the judgment and just have the experience.
Tools for Yoga Teachers When Sequencing a Vinyasa Flow
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There's a lot that goes into a yoga class. The postures... the music... theming... it all makes a difference in how the yogis in the room experience the practice.
Careful, intelligent sequencing is important in order for a class to feel effortless and nourishing to the body.
As a yoga teacher, it can be challenging to come up with a variety of vinyasa sequences. What can you do to get inspired?
One tool I love using when I'm creating a vinyasa yoga flow is the
. The deck features 100 double-sided cards showing yoga poses and transitions based on Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga poses.
It's great for any level class, and especially useful if you're a visual learner. Plus, it's fun! :) I was recently joking with my friend and fellow teacher that we should play a game with our yoga friends where you have to draw a card and do the pose :)
This tool would be great for yogis who are in teacher training, too. You can consider the pace of a class and the anatomy of your students as they move from pose to pose.
Are you memorizing a sequence like the Baptiste Flow? Try something like this to mix it up, and/or quiz yourself on how you'd cue students into the pose.
My other advice for yoga teachers who are looking to mix up their flow is to always practice what you want to teach, to see how it feels in your body.
Yogis are all different shapes and sizes, and at different times our bodies crave different movements. Some days we want to move fast, and other days, slow. Some days we want more challenge and other days we want to rest more or linger whenever a pose feels good.
I don't always practice what I'm going to teach the day of my class, but I try my best to do the flow in the week or so prior to teaching it. Sometimes doing this will reveal a change that's needed; swapping the order of a few poses, leaving something out of the flow, or starting over and doing something totally different.
I also recommend trying new yoga classes with teachers you've never taken before. This isn't really so you can copy exact sequencing or re-invent what you do... in fact, I encourage you to resist the temptation to compare yourself or judge another's teacher's class as 'better' or 'worse' than yours. We all teach a little bit differently, and that allows yoga to be accessible to more yogis!
Just notice the way a class is structured. Notice if there is a 'peak' pose in the practice, or a particular transition that feels really sweet in the body.
Notice the moments when you are challenged, or the moments when you fall so fully into present awareness that you stop caring what's on your to-do list or what emails you have to reply to or what you're going to fix for dinner.
How did the teacher bring you to that place? How were the yoga postures arranged so that the sequencing felt effortless?
Above all else, be gentle with yourself. Teaching yoga is a learning process. Every pose offers wisdom. Every class is an opportunity to share, to connect, and to generate peace.
Your class is wonderful and impactful whether you teach it effortlessly or you mix up your transitions or forget one side of a pose.
What matters, what your students feel, is when you show up fully and give what you can. When you breathe with them and support them in their growth and healing. And when you are willing to notice what sequencing worked, and what wasn't great -- and take that knowledge and apply it to your next class.
Continue practicing, feeling the flow move through your body, enjoying the poses.
Want more tips? Check out my book, Creating Confidence: A Practical Guide for Aspiring Yoga Teachers!
Being Open to Challenges
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Photo via FYeahYoga.
My teacher shared a profound idea in savasana today. He didn't say, "Let go of all your thoughts and concerns. Detach from them and rest in stillness."
He said, "Consider whatever it is that's challenging you in life right now, whether that's a relationship or a situation or an unfulfilled desire. Embrace that.
"What are you turning away from? Look at how you can learn to embrace those challenges as they come up for you."
Photo via Pinterest.
I think so often we come to yoga hoping to get away from the stresses of daily life, or the obstacles in our path. We are searching for relief from sadness and turmoil, or for a reprieve from apathy, a sense of deeper meaning and of belonging.
What we have to remember, though, is that yoga challenges us, too. The practice is meant to.
Yoga is not necessarily a break from challenges, but an experience in practicing how to embrace them and work through them one breath at a time.
Photo via Dudes Doing Yoga.
Inevitably, at some point in class we reach a moment when we can choose to give up, or to trust the teacher's words and our own bodies... and that's when amazing things happen. We stretch farther into the pose than we did yesterday, or we lift off the floor in an arm balance six months after trying it over and over again.
We look in the mirror and see ourselves differently, or perhaps for the first time, we see ourselves for who we truly are.
And we leave the mat feeling lighthearted and energized, ready to face the challenges waiting outside the studio, more open to them than before.
Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Selfless Giving
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Like yoga postures, getting in the habit of selfless service takes practice.
As a way to inspire all of you beautiful readers, I started the Karma Yoga series a while back. My hope is to share stories of studios, teachers, students, organizations and projects that are actively cultivating compassion and love in the world.
Do you have a story you'd like to share with readers of Alive in the Fire? Are you practicing karma yoga, or know of someone who is?
By telling these stories, I hope it will motivate you to extend your yogic practice and take it with you into the world. The series is also a way for me to actively cultivate compassion within the Alive in the Fire community, and remind us all of the importance of giving back to those in need.
Photo via Pinterest.
If you'd like to be involved in the series, please shoot me an email at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com. I look forward to hearing from you! XO
Upon Waking
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Photos via Pinterest.
I hope when you wake up today, you realize how beautiful you are. That you're worth it. That life goes on. That you're loved.
XO
Thanks for Listening
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Photo via Leigh Ferrara Yoga.
One conversation was with a long lost friend who shares my love of yoga and my love of writing (we've known each other since high school journalism), and the other was with a lady I just met through the blogosphere (she blogs about Bikram yoga, too).
Photo by me.
Both of these women reminded me that the writing I do here matters. Their appreciation motivates me and humbles me at the same time, and I am so grateful to be reminded that there are real people out there, like you, who are inspired by this little blog.
It just goes to show: whenever I get to a point with my blogging that I feel unimaginative, or unsure of whether it's all worth it, I get a reminder from lovely people who have such wonderful things to say about Alive in the Fire!
Photo via Tyler Branch.
THANK YOU for reading along.
And don't forget how much I love to hear from you! As always, feel free to drop me a line. XO
Photo by me.
A heartfelt Namaste,
Rachel
Green Cleaning and Happy Memories
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As you know, I'm a big fan of green products... especially the ones that support my wish to breathe free of toxic chemicals, and inspire me to clean with a smile.
When Maggie from Eco Store USA contacted me a few weeks back, I was excited to try out a few of their products, including their luxurious coconut vanilla body wash and handy all-purpose citrus cleaner.
Right away, I fell in love with the body wash. The smell takes me right back to Puerto Rico! It turns something as simple as my daily shower routine into a mini-vacation right at home :) And of course, brings back lovely memories of all those yummy pina coladas on the beach.
Highly recommended! This would make a perfect stocking stuffer for a sister, mom or friend.
I also tried out the citrus spray cleaner, and was happily pleased with its performance. There's nothing better than being able to wipe down your kitchen counters and bathroom sink without worrying that yucky chemical residue will be left behind. As the bottle reads, "no nasty chemicals" here!
Eco Store USA has a wide selection of wonderful bath and body, household cleaning and baby care products you should check out. They even feature green pet care products! For all you stellar moms and homemakers out there, theirs is a store that's not to be missed. Also be sure to check out Eco Store USA on Twitter and Facebook.
Announcing the Sponsored Yogis for 2011!
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The decision was hard. The applications were incredible. A big thanks to all who entered!
And now, Alive in the Fire would like to introduce the blog's sponsored yogis for this year...
Emily Berna,
Nicole Crist,
and
Hans Park!
along with an extraordinarily awesome guest post team:
Dana Almdale
Richard Krzyzanowski
Beth Morey
Annie Sullivan
Emily Taggart
This is me, shouting a much deserved: CONGRAAAAAAATS!
In the weeks and months to come, you'll be hearing from these yogis who are located all around the country and who practice a variety of yoga styles ranging from Bikram to Vinyasa to Anusara and Yin, and more.
They are teachers and students.
Men and women with compassion.
Brilliant writers, designers and thinkers who are ready to share their reflections on life as it's lived both on and off the mat.
I couldn't be more excited to have them on board!
I'd also like to send out a personal thank you to every blog reader who entered the sponsorship program. I hope the application process was fulfilling and helped you learn more about yourself and your yoga practice.
I couldn't be more stoked to share some of your stories in the weeks to come, too. I value and appreciate your feedback and your ideas about the blog.
Thanks to you and your honest input, you can expect to see some exciting changes around here at Alive in the Fire, including:
- new design
- more continuity
- a new series or two
- some new personal posts
- advice on specific postures, plus a comprehensive guide to every Bikram asana in the 26-posture series
- more info for yogis who don't practice Bikram
- more info for guys who yoga
Thanks to you, the blog is better and it's growing. I hope you'll stay tuned for some lovely input from the sponsored team, starting with their bios next week (plus the cutest bio video ever!).
And once again, a big fat congrats to the sponsored yogis, guest bloggers, and to every applicant who submitted. You are amazing!
And once again, a big fat congrats to the sponsored yogis, guest bloggers, and to every applicant who submitted. You are amazing!
A new day, a new dawn (on the blog). Beautiful! Photo via One Love Photography.
