Five Points Yoga

I’ve been thinking about Thankfulness, even if I haven’t been writing about it.  There’s been so much to be thankful for over the last several months!  Here’s some highlights, one for every day between now and Thanksgiving (only one week until Tofurky Day!!).

1)      We were featured in the Top 50 Yoga Blogs!!  Check it out, and find some other blogs worth reading!

2)      The weather – I’m still able to exercise outside!  Last night, several of us were waiting for the studio to open and someone commented that it was getting a little chilly, but still we were all so grateful that we could be outside without gloves and hats and be comfortable!

3)      Vitamin D!  In my recent checkup, I was on the borderline of being deficient.  I did some research, and did you know that taking adequate amounts of Vitamin D might help you avoid or get over the flu more quickly?  Talk to your doctor about how much Vitamin D3 you should take to prevent or treat the flu.

4)      Facebook.   We can waste time on Facebook, I know, but it’s a great place for me to learn what friends and family are up to.   Plus, they post awesome things.   Just today, a yoga student of mine posted this from the Positivity Blog: 5 Things You Can Do Today to Change your Life.

5)      Weddings – we went to 7 in the last 6 months!  It was really fun (and only a little tiring).  I laughed, danced and cried a lot!  It’s been great to spend quality time with all my friends and family.   In fact, we had such a good time, we decided to get married ourselves 🙂

6)      Backbends!   Loving wheel pose!   If you’re struggling with this pose, try using blocks, pictured below.

7)      Finally, I want to give thanks to you, my dear yogis!!  Thank you for practicing, thank you for attending class and taking my online programs, and thank you for reading!

I got up this morning and the first thing I thought was, “I love what I’m doing in the world.”

Yay,

Barrett

When I want to move and get things going in my yoga practice, my go-to series of asanas is the Sun Salutations.   You can be really creative with the sun salutes, so they’re never really boring.

However, they can be repetitive, and for some people, they can lead to injuries if done over and over the wrong way.  So, I’ve been thinking about ways to warm up without doing a sun salute.  I’ve been loving Chair Pose (Utkatasana) and any other postures that use the big muscles of the legs and buttocks (Hello, Warriors and Bridge!).   I also love to get upside down – inversions can really heat you up – and to practice other arm balances, like Crow pose (Bakasana).  I’ve also been trying to use my core, and often warming up with Boat pose (Navasana). 

I’m thinking about making a podcast of warm ups without Sun Salute.  Anyone interested?  

Just yesterday, I saw this amazing video.   It definitely looks like a warm up! This dance is based on the sun salutations, but includes much of what I mentioned above – arm balances, inversions, tons of core strength, and an amazing amount of variation with the two dancers interacting. 

 Variations on Surya Namaskara

I’m inspired to go practice now!

Barrett

It’s been wonderful to back from vacation, just like it was wonderful to get away for a week as well!

I can safely say that I’m hooked on scuba diving – our vacation to the Cayman Islands included diving everyday, which was really nice.

It also included yoga around the pool every evening, which was pretty fun.   The yogis in the family ranged from 3 years old up into the 60’s!  Though it was at times chaotic, I really love sharing yoga with people.   It was nice that someone asked me everyday, “Are we still having yoga?”  I think others were really craving it as well. 

I tried to find a little time every day to practice on my own as well, which was really nice.  Vacations can be just as hectic as “regular” life, so packing my yoga mat was an essential.  What I missed most about yoga at home was lying over a block – I did this as soon as I got home on Sunday evening, and it was HEAVENLY.

I only have a picture of lying over a bolster, which is also nice, and you can get a sense from the picture why I love it so much.   It really gets me over the hunching of everyday life.

Looking forward to seeing more of you on the mat this week.  And I’m REALLY looking forward to the upcoming Odyssey in October!   More on that later in the week!

Namaste,

Barrett

I love music, and I really love music while I practice!   Some people play music while practicing and some don’t, but if you’re curious about it, I thought I’d give you some ideas. 

My all-time faves that you’ll hear in class all the time:

1. Any Shiva Rea compilation – one of my favorite teachers who creates amazing music compilations (and produces great DVDs) :

Jala   – Jala means water, and you will just flow right through this CD! I play this at Black Lotus all the time.

Shakti Rhythms – Shakti means power, and this is a strong (but not frenetic) CD that will keep you energized.

Yoga Rhythms – A classic, and one I still go back to over and over.

2. Jai Uttal – a regular kirtan (sacred yoga music) maker

Music for Yoga and Other Joys – I come back to this again and again.  It’s mellow and beautiful

3. The Spirit of Yoga – great for relaxing practices

4. Donna Delory

The Lover and the Beloved – my current favorite!  I play it all.the.time

5. Wah!   Anything by her, but especially:

Savasana, and Savasana 2 – awesome for relaxation

Hidden in the name – double CD with some beautiful tracks

6. Jennifer Berezan

Returning – so many babies have been born to this music!

Those are some of my favorites, but I’ve also found some fun music over the years through Itunes playlists.   I usually search for yoga tunes.  

I also like music that isn’t yoga specific.   I’ve loved practicing to Moby, general reggae, Ali Farka Toure, and lots of other “world” music.  And yes, occasionally, I’ll do yoga to some 80’s tune (Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, anyone?).   

These days in yoga classes, you can hear almost anything!  I was once asked to teach a disco yoga class, with disco music blasting in the background.   I politely declined, and that health club is no longer operating (coincidence?  You decide).  

But really, if it works for you, that’s awesome!  Whatever gets you to the mat.

I’d love to hear what you’re listening to these days, and if you even like to listen to music while you’re practicing.  Send in a comment.   I know I’ve missed something good!

Keep on grooving,

Barrett

Two weeks ago, a private student and I made a pact:   instead of going right to our computers when we get home, we’d go right to our yoga mats.   Even if it was just for a minute or two, we were both interested in breaking the habit of getting sucked into our online world as soon as we walk in the door.  

The first week I wasn’t so good at this.  It was a busy and hard week, and that’s always a challenging environment to try to make a change in.    This week has been better though, and I’ve found myself going to the mat more often than the computer.   It’s been great! 

My favorite things on the mat?   Well, it depends.   Sometimes I do a sun salute.   Sometimes I sit down and do a forward bend (very calming for me).   And sometimes I lie over a block or curl myself up over the bolster.  Heavenly!   I feel much more in control and present than when I check out whatever’s going on in my email.  

Try the experiment  – get right on your mat when you get home, and circumvent your usual pattern, whether it’s turning on the TV, going to the fridge, or logging on.  See how it works for you, and let us know!

Enjoy your practice, 

Barrett