Getting My Groove On

Today I feel out of this world.

This weekend in yoga teachers training was nothing short of fantastic.  Saturday morning we had an 8am Traditional Hot Yoga class with the Yoga To The People owner Greg Gumucio (he studies and worked with Bikram for 5 years) .  It was hot in there, Traditional Hot Yoga is the Bikram sequence.  Which is my jam.  Bikram yoga changed my life, then sobriety changed my life now it's changing again in yoga teachers training.  It continues to just get better.

Bikram Choudhury (sometimes I refer to him as my boyfriend)

Here is a nice article from The New York Times on Yoga To The People

NYT YTTP Article 2010

I think my life gets better because I have so few expectations now.  lol.  I don't know, I take my life a day at a time, sometimes a few days in advance but not too much further, otherwise I go slightly manic.  A day at a time usually works so far I've learned everything works out and really beyond death everything else is solvable.

Ever since I started the yoga teachers training this year in mid-February I've been reading Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar.  The yoga sutras are basically like 8 steps, similar to the 12 steps of AA.  The whole thing trips me out and continues to remind me I'm doing the right thing with my life.

 BKS Iyengar

BTW last night I was watching Enlighten Up, a documentary on yoga and in the film they visit and interview Iyengar.  I was very interested so I looked him up and he has a place in Pune, India.  Here's the hook, there is a two year waiting list to take class there and you have to have had practiced Iyengar yoga for eight years! lol, I don't think I'm going to Pune anytime soon. (that rhymes).  

Check up Enlighten Up if you dig yoga or documentaries. It's really good, here's the trailer, you can get it on Hulu.

This Thursday I will tandem teach my first Vinyassa yoga class. Which basically means I am leading the class, a full time teacher will be in the room with me and when they feel I've taught enough they will step in and take over.  I might get 3 mins or 30 mins into class. Who knows!??  I'm super excited.

I'm calling this entry Getting My Groove On because I feel like I got my groove back in the last week and I'm ready to teach now.  The last few weeks I've been so frightened of speaking in front of people and not feeling connected to the dialogue.  Today I taught Superman & Camel pose in a trial run with my class and it just flowed out of me.

This entire experience in teachers training has really helped me grow.  I know that teaching is what I'm supposed to do, I am going to continue my studies, this summer I will take a kids yoga teacher certification course in June and I am observing a senior yoga class this week as I am also very interested in teaching seniors yoga.  If I can get an apprentice ship for this senior yoga class I'll be out of my mind happy.  That is my goal right now. I also really enjoy learning about the Gitas and Sutras.  Once I figure out what I want to specialize in I'll do my 500 hour training (similar to a graduate program).

Tonight I'll listen to the YTTP podcast while I bake vegan apple muffins and then write up more flash cards for Thursday's class.

Yoga is a practice not a performance.  Remember that each time you step on the mat.  You practice for yourself, be present, set your intension and have fun!!  Yoga is fun! 

Shanon